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| I'm not dead.So it's been a while since I've updated... Sorry about that. I updated As Fate Would Have It yesterday, but I haven't updated this blog in a week or so. Everything is going well, and I'd love to mention that I've entered into a partnership with Kittyinjurface, a fellow writer on fictionpress. We are simply going to motivate each other and work to help each other improve, and I think it's the best idea I've heard of in months. I'm so glad that she approached me with this offer. I don't really have anything else to say or rant about, so I'm just going to get back to work. : ] | | |
| Oh, the pains of the underclassmen, obsessing over GPAs.
Okay, something has been bothering me. This is the first and last time I will vent about it. So at my school, we have an involved AP program.
But that's not the issue. Actually, it's wonderful. This might sound strange, but I love learning. I love being in a classroom and I love challenging myself both mentally and artistically. So my freshman and sophomore years, I worked my ass off in art class. I slaved over each project and pushed myself to new heights, and lows. Because of this, I've realized how bad I am and how good I can become. You know the saying you are wise when you realize you know nothing? So true. And because of my hard work, my teacher thought I would be ready for AP Art my junior year. It's a course designed for seniors and I acquired special permission to take the class a year early as a junior. I was the only junior in this class this past year. I was so happy. I made that class my number one priority the whole school year and consequently, I got an A both semesters. So when recruiting for next year's AP class came around, my teacher entrusted me with scouting for to-be-juniors I thought were capable of taking the course and succeeding as I did. I went and palled around with some of the sophomores in my hour (it's always fourth for the AP class and sometimes other upper level art classes meet in the same area). Some were chatting with me about what they wanted to do with their talent. One had her heart set on taking AP as a junior, like me. She was rather talented. She knew what she was doing. I mentioned her to my teacher as a possible candidate. I guess another sophomore girl overheard our conversation. She suddenly got it in her head that sucking up to me would win her points. I loathe suck-ups. Not only do I loathe suck-ups, but this girl didn't want to take the class to challenge herself or improve what-so-ever. She wanted the 6.0 added to her GPA. I wanted to strangle her. I told her no. No way was she getting into this course, for which she was totally unprepared. And when I tried to explain that she wasn't ready, she didn't let me get a word in and started accusing me of being pretentious. I might have been acting a bit pretentious, but after the scene she made, the teacher agreed with me that she wasn't ready. If she was, she would have listened to what we had to say. So I get my AP summer work letter and e-mail list a couple of days ago. This girl's name is on it. I contacted my teacher right away and he said she went behind our backs and got her councilor's permission, which overrules the teacher's at my school (which is a broken system, if you ask me). So now, I have to work with this girl who is motivated by all the wrong reasons. I don't want her to fail, which she will if she doesn't understand how to get better. She wasn't ready in the first place, so I don't see how she can improve on her own in the three months of summer. Our class meets twice during break, but both times I will be out of country, and have already cleared things with my teachers. So I won't be able to see her "progress" until the school year starts. It just saddens me to see how far College Board has fallen. I know it's a business, but soon they'll be something like Pre-graduate program because AP will be the new general studies in high schools. Thank God I'm done in less than a year. Someone, please tell me: what happened to challenging ones self? It feels like I was born in the wrong era. Everything is so easy and overdone. I'm trying to broaden my horizons, but with the recession and modern responsibilities, it's much harder than, let's say, in Huck Finn's time. Why can't I build a raft and disappear down the Mississippi? Oh, because my parents would call out the National Guard to recover me. Well, one day, I don't want to be recovered. I'm going be the guy (although in girl form) in Into the Wild, except I'm going to live. Adios, el mundo loco. | | |
| Oh, it was a reference to Spock.So I'm listening to the Presidential Address as I type this. Obama's addressing everything I don't want to hear about ri ght now. Mostly Iran and health care. I'm worried about North Korea. I want to know what's up with our relations (or lack of) after the nuclear tests. I want to know how the US is going to combat this threat. Because right now, North Korea is planning 2012.
And to make matters worse, the press in attendance are just asking about Iran and health care. If I ever become a journalist, I'm going to ask the questions we aren't supposed to ask. I'm going to be the white elephant in the room. I don't care if it will get me fired, I'm going to do it.
Because someone has to.
But thank god Obama's the one in office. If I could have voted, I would have voted for him. And unless something tragic occurs, I will vote for him in 2012.
So now the press is laughing about something that isn't really funny. I didn't hear it, but I heard one, extremely obnoxious laugh that turned my attention to the screen again. Oh, it was a reference to Spock... that's why it wasn't funny. I loathe all things Startrek or Star Wars.
Perhaps that makes me un-American. Well, I have news for you guys. I'm barely a citizen. Yay for my green card, boo for the US not recognizing dual citizenship. It really sucks for my parents though. They moved here during bad European economic times, only to be hit by these after seven years of happiness.
So I just checked Yahoo! for my mail and imagine that! One of the feature stories is about Obama's speech today!...It's not even over. If that doesn't say something about the strange happenings in our government, then I don't know what does. Now, he's addressing the smoking issues. Ooo what? A human-interest story on Obama's smoking? He says he's not a daily smoker and that he doesn't do it in front of his family... and "there are times when I mess up." Good man. You can admit your weaknesses as well as try to fix them. I'm happy for the new smoking law. Now if only Europe will disassemble the vending machines dispensing cigarettes on street corners. Like hookers.
Now he's discussing Chile, a whole other problem. I think that we should return to our isolationism circa WWII. Perhaps then we won't antagonize North Korea. Wait, we didn't really do anything in the first place. Unless there's some special, black-opps mission the American people don't know about (of course we wouldn't know about it!) that's been uncovered, we don't deserve this treatment. Haven't we left NK to its own devises for the past couple of years? Maybe I'm behind in the times, but I don't remember reading much about Kim Jong Il in the news, other than his stroke and the missile testing. Other than our praying for his timely death, America hasn't intervened in the Korean Peninsula since the 38th Parallel. Perhaps they are still angry about that. I wouldn't be surprised. Viet Nam is communist still, right?
Well, as of right now, this is about all I can do to get my opinion across. Oh the pains of being a teenage girl. But let this be known: One day, my generation will rule this earth. Maybe then I'll have the unwavering power to change it for the better.
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| ...a heavy two-by-four with one end propped up on my favorite pair of gray jeans... 
Anyone know who this is? Anyone? That's ANNE RICE. I'm starting to think she has divine powers.
No, really. I've been reading The Witching Hour as of late and I can't seem to put it down. Perhaps it's my fascination with New Orleans, old families, and voodoo (or witchcraft in this case), but seriously, this book is addicting. I even enjoy the rich architecture aspects of it. Her description of the old homes in New Orleans is flawless.
Actually, the book is sitting beside my computer work station (a heavy two-by-four with one end propped up on my favorite pair of gray jeans and my school's also gray gym shirt all supported by my comfy, over-sized, green, foam chair) as we speak. I keep glancing over at it and wondering if I could ever write something as fantastically engrossing as her. Granted it's over 1000 pages long, but 1000 pages of pure speed. I haven't yet encountered a dull moment and am eagerly awaiting the return of Deirdre, Stella, or Lionel. The past stories fascinate me the most, especially the ones about the house in the Garden District (been there, was beautiful, go there). Again, the book is truely fascinating, and if you're one of those Twilight people, I beg of you to graduate from the first grade material and pick up one of Anne Rice's many books. All will intrigue and haunt you.
Sorry to disappoint, but her vampires don't sparkle. (Thank God.)
Now, since I've condemned Twilight as first grade material, let me explain myself. Yes, this book was a massive success for Meyer and I'm not afraid to admit my envy of her success. It just goes to show you that it is possible to be published.
"I was incredibly (and quite uncharacteristically) lucky with the publishing process."
I believe that. It was the right book at the right time. I do believe that Meyer will improve, but I just take issue with the whole of the series. I'm not going to complain that the characters are winy. I do admire her for creating and engrossing story. However, it is completely motivated by the plot and I feel nothing for the characters. In Rice's work, I'm captivated by the depth of the characters. I believe anyone, including Meyer, has this type of potential and I believe that with years of effort, like Rice, she'll get there. Perhaps then I'll enjoy one of her books.
But she will never be the next JK Rowling. That women also has godly powers.
I'm going back to my own stories. I'm going to practice, practice, edit, and practice more so one day, I'll be as good as any of the aforementioned.
C.H. Morgan
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| ...Thailand never get's old.I updated this morning.
Happy Father's Day!
Notice how that's the second line in my post. Just like Mother's Day, Father's Day is low on my list of holidays. So I'm sitting in my basement listening to an America's Next Top Model marathon (Danielle's cycle!). I think I've seen if fifty times, but Thailand never get's old.
But we are going to my grand parent's house soon. Yay for chattering in very language imaginable besides English!
I'll be getting back to WYRTU when I get home and checking my email obsessively for news from FP, Prague, or Facebook, as usual. | | |
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