journal 1.1 - Indoors, Outdoors

Yesterday, I woke up at 7:30 a.m. after a nightmare about my teeth getting chipped up (seems to be a recurring dream).  There was no going back to sleep, so I had my coffee and dug out my stash of sewing projects from its place on the bookshelf (a very large bookshelf).  I have a neon green laundry basket that serves as my de facto sewing basket--at least, until I eventually consolidate my sewing stuff (i.e. finish some more projects).  In fact, eliminating my need for this colossal basket is a long-term goal of mine...

The sewing machine I use is an old Singer model, wonderfully basic and wonderfully reliable.  I took out a 2/3-finished project and started to work on it again.  It's a Ken-doll-sized replica of the Sherlock costume; I just have to finish the coat and sew on the snaps.

Later, I went outside to help Mom with weeding/yard maintenance.  (pictures are from today)

Over the last several years, our garden has expanded quite a bit, and we've started to eat more "in season" than before.  Right now, zucchini is "in"; yesterday we had veggie burgers and zucchini soup for dinner--the soup was amazingly creamy & delicious!  Though I love zucchini, so I may be biased.  :)  We're also going to try stuffed zucchini in the near future, and we gave a bunch to my grandma who makes the BEST homemade relish.

Other stuff in the garden:

Apples, which we will pick soon.

Raspberries, which the possums like to eat.

Blueberries, which the birds have eaten a lot of.

Future corn-on-the-cob!

Reading-wise...I'm over halfway through Democratic Ideals and Realities, and though much of the geography/history goes over my head, I'm enjoying it.  I should devote more time to reading, but I pretty much only read in the morning (if that) and at night.  I should also be starting another book on my reading list...

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A writing tip that works!

"Write at least a sentence every day. . .If you end up writing only one sentence a day, that's fine. It's better to write 3 words than to get discouraged by your own goal and write nothing at all." (source: Yuliya Geikhman)

I was desperately in need of a writing schedule.  I was so desperate, I ran a Google search.  XD

No, seriously, this works.  I tried it on one of my "lost cause" works-in-progress--a plot-driven novel with so-so characters.  This stinkin' project is 2 1/2 years old, been through a painful first-draft (2/3 written), and multiple attempts at rewrites!  But it has stubborn potential.

Anyway, I tried this tip and the book went from chapter 1 to now almost 40 book-pages.  The characters are alive and well.  I've stopped agonizing and overthinking, and started enjoying the new plot twists that come up.

I've also limited myself to just re-reading once the previous section I wrote, before I start a new section.  This works wonders as well.

And, oddly enough, I find that I end up writing tons more than just one sentence.  Even if I were to only write one good sentence, it would be way better than nothing.

I will take Saturdays or Sundays off, and gradually this will morph into a writing schedule.   There's hope for my writing career yet.  XD

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Vote on the poll!

Anyone and everyone's opinion is appreciated!

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30 Day Challenge (Hiatus)

I've really enjoyed blogging the 30 Day Challenge--however, I'm thinking of taking a break from it until August.  I have some projects to finish, and the monstrous reading list, and some overdue book reviews.  The internet is just plumb distracting, in a good way, but I'll enjoy blogging/internet-surfing more if I ration my time on the internet.  *sigh*

P. S.  Can somebody tell me why the letter "t" must be shorter than other letters with stems?  It simply isn't fair!  (That is to say, it makes handwriting harder than it needs to be.)

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Day 14: A vacation you would like to take

By State Library of New South Wales from Australia [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
This sounds utterly crazy, but while reading South I got a strong hankering to visit Antarctica in person.  I want to see the ice packs breaking, and the mirages that make gigantic ice bergs appear in the sky.  I want to see the penguins, and the pressure ridges, and the 24 hours of sunlight.


© Eli Duke

© Eli Duke

I think, in a strange way, it would be sad to die without having seen such a truly awe-inspiring part of Creation!

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Day 12: A song you want played at your wedding + Day 13: A guilty pleasure

Guilty pleasure:


© Philip Brown

I became seriously addicted to Jelly Bellies this past Easter.  Need I say more?

* * *

If I were to get married, I would love for this hymn to be sung (or played).  I guess it's not a conventional wedding song, but I think it's rather fitting!

The church's one Foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is his new creation
By water and the Word:
From heav'n he came and sought her
To be his holy bride;
With his own blood he bought her,
And for her life he died.

Another great song with fitting lyrics is this Phantom of the Opera classic.   I love Jackie Evancho's version!  Few people sing with such heart (be sure to look up her version of "The Lord's Prayer", too):

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A geek's rite of passage + Day 11: A photo of you taken recently

Does Sherlock cosplay count?


And my sister Emiko has a Watson "jumper".  WE MUST COLLABORATE.

Also, today I opened up a savings account all by my lonesome.  I feel so grown-up now.  XD

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Day 10: A photo of you taken over ten years ago

This is not a picture of me, but with the origami crane, it reminds me of me at age 7 or 8 (I was an origami fanatic).  Click HERE (I don't know if the photographer is ok with reblogging or not).

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Day 9: A photo you took

I will be ever so slightly lazy and reblog something I posted at one chaconne:

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Day 8: A thank you letter to someone who has changed your life

These are getting rather personal, what?   :P

Rather than single people out, here is a letter that applies to each and every person who has significantly changed my life in a good way--

Dear You,

Most likely, you will never read this, but you ought to know that you've changed my life, whether you realize it or not.  Thank you for taking me seriously, for believing in me, and for genuinely caring, in actions as much as in words.  You were there for me at the worst points of my life; just being around you made my day brighter and gave me a better perspective.  You were patient and encouraging through my failures, and cheered me on at each of my small accomplishments.

I'm a better person spiritually just because I have known you.  You do what's right regardless of what people think, and you aren't afraid to speak openly about your Christian faith.  You have suffered, made sacrifices, and been disappointed, but you never stop turning to God for help.

Finally, I admire you also for your hard work, high standards, and the kindness and respect with which you treat people around you.  You are a truly classy person--humble, genuine, and dignified rather than egotistic. Thank you for reminding me to differentiate between what is considered important in life and what is important in life.

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You know you've been reading too much when...

--the book comes alive!  So I had looked through South With Endurance (an amazing book) and last night I dreamed I was in Antarctica.  Here's some alternate history for you:  It was approximately the right era (maybe more Edwardian than WWI), but Antarctica had undergone some "civilization"; at least, there was a hotel/garage of sorts with people in it.  The best thing was that I could SEE the ship anchored at the dock!  It was incredible.  I've dreamed about tall ships before, but I think this was the first time I was really "there."

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Day 7: Five things you couldn't possibly live without

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5 Important Things:

God's mercy, love, and gift of salvation through Jesus' death and resurrection.

Faith and hope.

My family!

Laughter/tears.

Love (philanthropic love, parental love, brotherly/sisterly love--those kinds).


5 Less Important Things:

Tea!

Modern technology

The Pacific Northwest

Good books

Imagination

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Day 6: A moment you wish you could relive

Every moment I didn't say/do everything I meant to.

I'm an extremely reserved person, resulting both from being circumspect and somewhat awkward.  It's good to be circumspect, but it is possible to be too much so.  I feel much more alive, often happier, and (sometimes) more self-confident when I'm more spontaneous and less analytical.  And it's not just about me, either; people brighten up visibly when I lighten up.  XD

Of course, nobody wants to say/do stupid spontaneous things, but being circumspect isn't a safeguard from that (trust me).

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Games, reading list. . .

I said I would never get games for my tablet.  But here I am listening to Adam Young and playing this classic:


You see, my brother just got a game called Gold Rush Lite, where (with x number of logs/train tracks/timber/etc) you try to build a decent bridge to support 1-2 miners with their carts of gold.  Can you tell, I downloaded this game, too.  It looks way easier than it is--ok, it's downright hard! 

And then, of course, I had to get Chess.  Everyone needs that game.  The other game I got is a puzzle game called 100 Floors.  It's kind of weird, but the concept is fun.  There's a door/elevator, and you have to figure out how to unlock it to get to the next floor. So far, not very difficult. 

This is what summer vacation is about, you know.  XD

On a bookish note, I'm reading Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev (still have to finish Shackleton's South--such a long book!).  It's a book about the generational divide between, of course, fathers and sons in mid-1800s Russia, a few years before the liberation of the serfs.  I find it sadly ironic that, so far, the only things the two generations have in common are their vices--immorality, narrow-mindedness, and male chauvinism.

I also just started some short stories by Louis L'Amour.  I like his writing style--it's fast-paced but still quality writing. 

My reading list reached 99 titles today.  I can't help myself; there are so many important books that I haven't read!  I'd like to get into a habit of reading books in pairs--one a "should read" and another just for fun.  Otherwise, I'll never get through the list.  ;)

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Day 5: A favorite quote

“He was just a word for me. I did not see the man in the name any more than you do. Do you see him? Do you see the story? Do you see anything? It seems to me I am trying to tell you a dream—making a vain attempt, because no relation of a dream can convey the dream–sensation, that commingling of absurdity, surprise, and bewilderment in a tremor of struggling revolt, that notion of being captured by the incredible which is of the very essence of dreams....”

He was silent for a while.

“...No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life–sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence—that which makes its truth, its meaning—its subtle and penetrating essence. It is impossible. We live, as we dream—alone....”

I have been procrastinating on posting about Heart of Darkness at my book review blog.  My problem is knowing where to begin!  It's only 111 pages, but it is possibly the deepest fictional book I've ever read.

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Day 4: A favorite TV show

Easy peasy lemon squeezy. (Sorry, Star Trek TOS, you're second.)


The Virginian is a classic Western with good values, great characters, and intriguing plots.  Set in the very-late 1800s, the show revolves around the people of Shiloh Ranch and (best fictional town ever) Medicine Bow, WY.  "The Virginian" is the anonymous but hardworking foreman of Shiloh Ranch.  There's a splendid diversity of plots and settings; at the same time, the "world" of The Virginian is recognizable, in a good way.  The landscape and town are familiar, like places you really could (and want to) visit. 

Before we discovered this show, some of my family members had already watched other Westerns--lots of the old, pre-Eastwood classics.  (I feel like a bad person for saying it, but I really don't like watching John Wayne, and Gunsmoke gets horribly repetitive...) When my dad got The Virginian Season 3 from the library--the only season they had on the shelf--I expected it to be boring.  Plus, starting with Season 3 won't work, right?  Wrong.  My favorite character doesn't show up until S3 (hint: episode 1).  XD 

My family and I have watched The Virginian S1-5 out of chronological order (which is no big deal), and we're hoping the library will have S6 soon.  This is one of the few TV shows that is popular with the whole family.  And it increased my interest in the Western genre, so even if it doesn't sound like your thing, you should give it a try!

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Day 3: A favorite book

The Metamorphosis, Kafka's stroke of genius.  A lot of readers have lukewarm or loathing feelings about this novella.  I did not enjoy every minute of it, yet it left a huge impression on me.  There are various ways you can interpret a story about a guy who turns into a "monstrous verminous bug," but Gregor's story painfully reminded me of the callous, even indifferent attitude with which many people today view human life.  When you make new acquaintances, it is worth asking yourself "Would I (literally) trust them with my life?", or, in a more moderate form, "How far would I trust them?"  History proves it's not a silly question; Kafka reminds us to think about it.

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Day 2: A favorite movie

One of the best episodes in this (somewhat inconsistent) series of made-for-TV Hornblower movies.  In The Fire Ships, Midshipman Hornblower attempts to study for an important exam while dealing with sickness aboard the Indefatigable, an embittered seaman, and an arrogant but influential captain.  This episode exemplifies what makes this series great: vivid characters, exciting plots, complex topics/situations, and contrast between the "rule the high seas" glory and the brutal realities/injustices of life in the navy.  There's a lot of food for thought, while The Fire Ships remains a fun, swashbuckling, summery movie to watch.  I recommend it for ages 15+!

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Update on my poetry book

By Hrald (Own work) [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons
 I've blogged about it here and there, but for those of you who missed it: my goal is to self-publish a short collection (111 pages) of poetry this summer via Amazon's CreateSpace.  The corollary is that I want to do as much of the work as possible (and save $$$), including formatting and design.  I finished the interior formatting (and my love/hate relationship with page numbers), but the cover art is threatening to put me behind schedule.  In fact, as of tomorrow, I am decidedly behind schedule.

After some research and debate, my criteria for the cover are as follows:

• It must be classy and something between classic and contemporary.
• It must appeal to both genders and preferably a wide age range (within the intended audience, poetry readers).
• It must be relatively eye-catching at full-size and thumbnail-size.  
• The title must be readable at thumbnail size.  
• I would like it to wrap around the whole book, especially since I'll likely leave the back cover blank.  Thankfully, CreateSpace provides an awesome template for the cover art, so I can design my wrap-around cover without too much anxiety.  <3
• Last and greatest, it must reflect the book's contents, at least adequately.

Now, if I were to begin all over again on a new project, I would definitely start with a blank canvas and figure out the text first.  It was irritating to not have that set-in-stone from the start.  In the last day or two, I've finally designed the title text to my happy approval, with the help of the lovely font Raleway. I'm suddenly tempted to use it for some of the interior formatting, too (but we'll see if my ambition lasts).

The artwork...I had a new idea today that I will look into tomorrow or Monday; it has to do with a photo on a different computer, though.  Up till now, I've come up with some "ok" art--clouds and such--but nothing quite right for my picky tastes.  

What are some of your favorite book covers?  What are some of your LEAST favorite book covers?

Matthew Pearl's books have splendid covers.  Vintage Classics covers are (most of them) works of art.  This set of The Lord of the Rings is beautiful (and based on Tolkien's own cover art!).  I'm afraid cover art is more important to me than it should be, but mostly because I know how unpleasant it is to get a library book with boring, embarrassing, or just horrible cover art.  Or, looking at a book and feeling like the cover is misleading.  Books with cheerful-looking cover art and depressing back cover blurbs--I feel instantly suspicious.

July 8 UPDATE:  ¡Cover art completed!  ^_^   I'm back on schedule.

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Day 1: A favorite song

I don't think Adam Young will ever be recognized as one of America's great poets, but he should be.  This is one of his deeper songs and one of my top favorites.  <3

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30 day challenge

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I saw this at Lydia's blog Eternal Simplicity.  Apart from working on my summer goals, I'm jolly bored, so I think I'll give this a try!  (Probably, I should have started at the beginning of the month, but oh well.)

Day 1: A favorite song 
Day 2: A favorite movie 
Day 3: A favorite book
Day 4: A favorite TV show 
Day 5: A favorite quote
Day 6: A moment you wish you could relive
Day 7: Five things you couldn't possibly live without
Day 8: A thank you letter to someone who has changed your life 
Day 9: A photo you took 
Day 10: A photo of you taken over ten years ago 
Day 11: A photo of you taken recently 
Day 12: A song that you want played at your wedding 
Day 13: A guilty pleasure 
Day 14: A vacation you would like to take 
Day 15: A person you admire 
Day 16: A song that makes you cry 
Day 17: An art piece 
Day 18: A time when you felt passionate and alive 
Day 19: A talent of yours 
Day 20: A hobby of yours 
Day 21: Something you know you do differently than other people 
Day 22:  A website 
Day 23: A way in which you want to be remembered 
Day 24: A movie no one would expect you to love 
Day 25: A recipe 
Day 26: A childhood memory 
Day 27: A physical feature you love 
Day 28:  A scar you have and its story 
Day 29: Hopes, dreams, and plans you have for the next 365 days 
Day 30: A motto or philosophy

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Land that I love

land, n. - 7. a realm, sphere, or domain

Maybe I was just tired; it had been an eight- or nine-hour flight.  One carry-on and one suitcase and a smattering of fluorescent lights in the eyes.  I was probably thinking about food.  Still, after seeing London in real life and getting pleasantly accustomed to "Mind the gap", it struck a strange and strangely wonderful chord with me to hear the U.S. airport official greet us with--what-do-you-know!--a not-British accent.  And at that moment, his familiar American voice was the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard.

But the United States is faces, voices, and principles, not just a particular airport in the world.  As far as I'm concerned, the U.S. could exist anywhere.  As much as I love its natural wonders, I don't look there to see America.  I only really see America in the principles that established her, in her miraculous survival, and in American citizens, those who were born here and those who have come here.  In fact, one of the best ways to understand America is to see it through the eyes of people who have known what it means to live without freedoms of speech, press, and personal beliefs.  Self-evident truths: we call them that, but we can't take them for granted.


Here, you have the liberty to say what you want about the United States, and we have the liberty to read what other people say about the United States.  And yes, in our history, various leaders and citizens have behaved like jerks, or worse, have committed horrific crimes, yet calling themselves Americans.  I don't defend that.  There are many conflicts in our history I consider to be disgraceful and embarrassing, conflicts that are typically glorified to some extent.  I don't glorify them.

But today is not about such conflicts.

Today is about a group of "Founding Fathers" and a piece of paper dated July 4, 1776.  A unanimous declaration.  That, and "States of America," are prominent in the declaration's title.  In an age of monarchical empires and kingdoms all over the world, 56 men were brave enough to call the tiny former-colonies states, and they did it unanimously.  They weren't stupid; they knew what could happen to even the best ideas.  But the Founding Fathers lived in the present and future at the same time.  They had the will to declare independence from one of the greatest superpowers of the time (of all time), and, despite their own faults and errors, they attempted to create a constitution that would keep the essence of America alive for as long as possible.  I believe they succeeded.

We call it "Land that I love", the same land as the "Land of the free".  That is, not only denoted by a place on the world map, but also a place, a "realm" in the minds of the human race.  There never was a nation quite like it before, and the United States has managed to remain unique ever since.  I'm not ashamed to say to anyone that I will live and die as an American citizen, always loyal to (if nothing else) the ideals we strive for and stand for.

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I don't watch Disney movies much,

but I've got to admit, it's a great story.

 Belle is "Beauty", of course, but it doesn't make her happier.  Gaston is dreams-come-true "Mr Right", NOT.  The Beast goes through a rather rapid character arc, but at least he does.

One thing, though--the wolves scene is so inspired by Dracula.

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I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.

O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. 

Psalm 30:1-2

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