Happy in the Sunshine

Where My Heart is Happiest in Life

Classes began today, and while I welcome the challenge of new classes and new professors, some part of me is sad. I hope to be a professor someday, and though the hoop-jumping games of academia are always entertaining, I find I don't enjoy them as much. I'm thinking every semester helps to jade me just a little further as I jump through further collegiate hoops.

I think part of the sadness comes from the knowledge that this is my last semester at this university - this place where I have been happiest in life. This is the place where I woke up and learned to think for myself. This is the last semester with my very best friends, with Bear, with this community we've created for ourselves. I guess all things must pass.

Sunshine: Blinded by the Light

I adore science fiction and science fiction movies. Alien(s), Terminator II, and Battlestar Galactica all rank among my favorites. Let me add Sunshine to the list. We rented it the first day it came out and watched it twice before the night was over. I think the reason I most loved it was, like Alien, Sunshine had a large interesting cast and an interesting take on man's place in the universe against unstoppable laws of physics.

The operating systems of the ship, their means of oxegyn and food, and the dynamics of their crew never once slowed the pace of the film. Once trouble set in, the audience barely had a moment to breathe. I'm a fan of Danny Boyle (28 Days Later, Trainspotting), and Sunshine never let me down. Give it a look if you get a chance. It's definitely worth it.

Here's Lookin' at You Kids

Today, I attended the first Senior Seminar for my Honors Minors and a Persuasion class for the Writing Major. Tomorrow, I go to Physics, Linguistics, Thesis and Illustrated Narrative.

So say we all.
Bri

When You've Got a Train to Catch

This weekend was full of multiple opportunities and a wide array of choices. While I enjoyed various revelations about my writing priorities, the experience was also exhausting. The best part of the whole weekend though, was seeing 3:10 to Yuma.

Sorry, But I've Got a Train to Catch

First, let me say that I am not a huge fan of westerns. I generally think they are contrived and forced, reinforcing a set of values that seem out of date. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Unforgiven and Tombstone are classics in that they broke that mold. But none of them succeeded on such an emotional level as 3:10 to Yuma. Eastwood's film, no doubt, rescued the American Western from obscurity, and Unforgiven took the genre seriously, while Tombstone made it cool. 3:10 to Yuma made it human and personal.

3:10 to Yuma soared completely above and beyond my expectations. With a blurred vision of good and bad, the incredible storytelling and believable characters made this movie probably one of the most amazing I've see in a very long time. I've probably only seen a few films that were so violent and brutal, but beautiful and moving at the same time. 3:10 to Yuma was one of the best.

The One That Got Away

I turned down an opportunity for a possible grant and chance to present a paper at an academic conference. I'm still going to be supportive and to help. I will still push the programs I believe should be implemented in the department; I may write up a paper for that in the spring semester. But I thought it a waste to invest time and energy in research that didn't focus on something I'm passionate about. Also, I would have to delay leaving the Undergrad program for a year, thus delaying my MFA. I'm ready to get on with life, to get a house and a job so I can have a few of the things I want. I don't want to give that up.

The Opportunity Taken

I accepted the opportunity to work closely with one of my very best friends on an epic space opera, which we have steadily built up over the last 8 months. We kept it under wraps for such a long time because we weren't sure if we were serious or if we were just enjoying the world and the story. This past week, after an extremely long late night/early morning discussion at the Waffle House, we decided we were, in fact, dedicated. So we bought a dot-com and hope to have something up within the next month or so.

We're keeping it hush-hush until then, but I warn you: it is unbelievably full of awesome. With his vast views of overarching galaxy-wide plots and scientific interests and my focus on personal characters and crafted prose, we make a dashing team.

Pulling Away From the Station

If I haven't gotten to your Friday Snippets, I promise I will. This weekend was full (as you can see), and I've got a test or two this week. But I promise I will come and read. Just so you know, reading up on all the stories for the week is one of the most relaxing times of my blog-rounds.

Before I go, did anyone else see 3:10 to Yuma? If so, let me know what you think. Also, if you do like westerns, leave some suggestions if you want. I'll need to unwind this weekend and could check them out. Thanks!

So say we all.
Bri

Throwing up Road Blocks to the Creep of Apathy

A SMALL NOTE BEFORE THE ACTUAL POST:

For those of you who commented on the MFA post - thanks so much! It was very encouraging :) I gave a few answers to some of the questions you asked, at the end if this post. Also - thanks to Jess at Tudor's Desk for the Rocking Girl Blogger nomination!

POSSIBLE PREVENTATIVE MEASURES

In an episode of panic early in May, I feared my novel and series lost forever to the Charybdis and Scylla of Writing. Apathy and cynicism struck such a blow that I questioned the very validity of my story, my characters - even why I ever thought I wanted to write.

Since getting over that and plunging back into the novel's world, I've found my story and my characters again. I figured I should probably understand how I did it - in case it ever happens again. I'll start a series of posts on this after my Friday Snippet this week.

Also, sweating with Sven - I'll post more about that probably later today or tomorrow. It's fun. :)

ALL THE PRETTY NOTEBOOKS

I have a horrible habit of collecting beautiful notebooks and then becoming so intensely intimidated by their beauty that I never write in them. They sit on my shelf and regard me mournfully. They seem to say, Bri! Don't you love us? Don't you want to put pretty words on these pretty pages? Bri! And I shake my head and mutter something about being sorry.

And then, Joce, my long-time friend from VA, has a brilliant idea. We'll send each other our lovely notebooks, filled with poetry, newspaper clippings, critique and ramblings. They'll fill up with strange collages and we'll exchange them. Celebrate, you lovely notebooks! You are no longer empty! You are no longer devoid of purpose! Celebrate!

SOMETHING TO POINT THE WAY HOME

I know some of you have probably seen this, but I finid it absolutely beautiful and so decided to post it here. I've noticed there have been dozens of trailers for "children's fantasy" movies in the past few years, but this is the series I've been hoping they would adapt to the screen. It makes me wish I had an armored polar bear...that could talk.

THE PROMISED ANSWERS ABOUT THE MFA

Yes, I read up on Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania. It is on my list for applications. Thanks for the heads up!

Yes, I am considering teaching creative writing. Currently, I work at the university during the school year helping students with papers and other creative writing projects. Luffs my job.

So say we all.
Bri

And I Saw That It Was Good...and I Was Glad

70 Days of Sweat - Progress!

Through this 70 Day Challenge, I've fleshed out my characters and developed a much stronger overall plot for the series. I've also gained a serious understanding of my fantasy world and found my voice fairly early in the draft. And seeing that, I peeked at the ending. And I was glad.

After getting ahead of my word count goal today, I examined what I wrote and saw that it was good. And I was glad.

Scene 1, in which violence and intense emotion lead to much greater conflict later in the novel!
Scene 2, in which where my heroine shows her true strength for the first time!
Scene 3, from which there is no going back, the point of no return

Ending a Series...

I've been considering Joely's post on series endings today. So, of course, I've thought more and more about the ending of my five-book series, XIII. I try to keep my calm when it comes to the ending. I've a long way to go before I get there.

But for the first time today, I dared to think of the ultimate end of the series - and I allowed myself moment to be completely psyched out about it. And I was glad.

The Beatles+Musical+ Vietnam+Free Love = The Lovely Clip Below! See Before You Go!

So say we all.
Bri

P.S. I have to get glasses because of eye strain. I was not glad. But it's ok.

Day 22: Ex Machina is Good...Just Not in Plot

THE PLOT STORM OF THE SUMMER HAS ARRIVED
Things I Find In My Not-Spare Time

Plot problems plague me (and I like alliteration). For the past few days I have decided I would rather bum around than write and I figure maybe a few days furlough couldn't hurt. I find strange things to do with my time, like read obscure books and find even more obscure comics (see below). I've tried to focus, but with the weird weather and any number of other usually insignificant things, it's been difficult. I talked to Joce today and we came up with a few solutions.

1. THE END IS NIGH - I wrote the end of the book a very long time ago and maybe I feel trapped in that ending. She suggested I stop worrying, and write what felt right, and let the characters take over for a few scenes, just to see where the story would go. I agreed.

2. TAKING A BREATHER - I have always felt as if each scene should further the plot. As we talked, we discussed one of our favorite books: The Time Traveler's Wife. Several scenes in that book-of-wonderful don't seem to drive the plot. Rather they allow the reader a chance to breath and see the characters in a less stressful situation. They probably also help the author not stress out while writing. So I'll probably add some of those.

IN THE EYE OF THE STORM

Things I Find In My Spare Time

Ex Machina is a series about Mitchell Hundred, a civil engineer, who gains strange powers to speak to machines. In the comic universe, Hundred becomes a hero on 9/11 when he saves the second World Trade Center Tower by guiding the plane to land in the streets of New York. After unmasking, he is elected mayor of New York and the comic follows his political career and the further development of his powers. The series is clever and well-written by DC's Brian Vaughan (Runaways, The Pride of Baghdad, and Y: The Last Man), with ever single issue beautifully drawn and colored. This series is probably my very favorite (and the best) of all the comics I read.. If you get a chance, definitely try to get a copy and give it a look. I promise - you won't be disappointed in the least.

Speaking of Y: The Last Man, I also picked up the first volume this weekend. Y is the story of a worldwide tragedy in which all men die - all men, that is, except Yorick Brown. While it's sort of a tongue-in-cheek commentary on gender, Y is probably one of the more inventive comics as far as storytelling and concept goes. I loved.

And then after watching the first four episodes for free online, I decided that apocalyptic tv-drama Jericho is up there with my other very favorite shows - Battlestar Galactica, Lost and The Office. I was also thoroughly impressed that the fans of the show fought to save it from cancellation by pelting CBS high-ups with 20 tons of nuts. Bravo.

So say we all.
Bri

Days 7, 8, & 9: Yipee-ki-yay and the Deep Green

Sorry for the sudden lack of posts. I was determined that Saturday be a day of rest. So I worked all week to get the word count up so that I wouldn't have to worry about skipping a day.

Today, I went back over my outline, adding and taking out scenes as necessary and to my complete surprise, found that I am entirely in love with my story. It's like this: a few summers ago, I went to Europe and loved everything about it - but I was a stranger in a strange land. When my plane landed in Atlanta, I almost cried. I was home. So, yesterday when I stepped back into the world I created and found that I understood the direction of the plot, my characters, the mythology and the political situation, it was a great and wonderful thing.

Many of the places over the Continent are similar, if in very strange ways, to the places I grew up. When I was little, we lived in a log cabin my dad built for my mom before I was born, and when it rained, the smell of pine and resin filled the warm log rooms. But outside the house, woods spread out with their dark green secrets in the damp. I remember standing at the back door, just knowing there as some menace in that crush of olive and hunter. When I was too unnerved to look anymore, I would tear back to the front door, staying near my mom and obscenely fat cat for the rest of the day. All of that to say this: when I write about a lordling's home in the high forest mountains, those same smells and that same fear of the heavy green find their way into my characters and setting. And yesterday, it happened all at once and the writing life was good.

Now, to completely shift the conversation:

Today, I watched Die Hard for the first time and I think John McClane may be the best hero ever. Not only does he get shot, punched, rolled down some stairs, but he runs over glass, bleeds all over the building and blows up a bag of C4 fighting terrorists - and still manages to be the awesome that is Bruce Willis. That's all I have to say on that one. Tonight, I plan to watch The Prestige with my mom; I've already seen it, but I hope she enjoys it as much as I do.

The last thing: I have decided to put down George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. The book has come to fill my sleeping and waking thoughts, while the tragic events of the series actually affect my moods. So, I will be taking a break, to read something more like Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising, Garth Nix's Abhorsen Trilogy or his The Keys to the Kingdom. Any suggestions for lighter fantasy/scifi reading?

So say we all.
Bri

The Summer of Great Revisions

Yesterday, I finished my last final of this year and I almost did somersaults out of Farris Hall. To the loyal legion who read this blog, let it be well known that this day begins the Summer of a Thousand Revisions! Because of a fairly large shift in my writing style this past semester, the first eight or so chapters of my novel will need to be heavily revised and restructured. Short stories that I started a few weeks or so ago, will soon be finished and sent out, and I will keep updates on my progress on the blog.

I've moved furniture all morning, rearranging my room into more of an office and so far, being home has proved delightful amounts of fun, but the fact that I still have to unload my car, is anything but said fun. It's packed so full, I think it might explode. After that, I think I shall take a break and watch a little of Mr. Clint Eastwood in The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

Speaking of Mr. Eastwood, I think of Roland Deschain of The Dark Tower, then of Stephen King, and then I wonder - anyone want to go see 1408 with me?

So say we all.
Bri