Month: April 2013

Brave Enough

Saturday I heard Sara Bareilles live for the Brave Enough Tour. It is a short tour she is doing with just herself on stage, performing and to promote her new album, Brave. It was her second show on the tour and it was amazing.

My Other and I drove from New York to New Haven, CT. The concert was held at Toad’s Place, a small and intimate venue. I liked the venue put out seats. Being short, I had a better shot at seeing the stage without getting trampled. The line was long and we showed up about 30 minutes before the doors opened. As always I thought the line was long when we showed up but I’m glad we got there when we did. The line continued to stretch as we waited. When we were inside we grabbed seats. As the venue filled, it became more difficult for others to find seats. I wasn’t going to go to the merchandise counter because I didn’t need another shirt (or so I kept telling myself). The nice people sitting behind us bought a tour poster and my other asked how much. The price soon didn’t matter. Sara Bareilles signed 250 posters. First I stood on the queue but when I finally got up to the counter the nice people selling merchandise told me they ran out and Sara was signing more. There was 10 minutes before the show began so I could some after and “chance” getting one. Chance is right. Anyone who has ever been to a concert knows if you want to beat the crowd you go to the merchandise counter before the show begins not after. The man told me I could always try during the show.

During the show, thinking I was being smart, I only brought up one credit card, and my ID. While he was trying my credit card I filled out one of Sara’s Brave Enough post cards. It’s a little art project she is doing with a friend. They want to know what you have been brave enough to do. I filled out one while I waited. I wrote, “To write about everything and nothing <3”. Of course, when my credit card didn’t work I had to go back to my seat to retrieve another. The man probably thought I was crazy because I started to walk away but looked back. He said, “I’ll hold on to them for you till you come back”. I think he thought I was looking back at the posters longingly but I was looking to make sure I wasn’t spazzing and leaving anything behind. I was already cursing my bad luck at my seat when my other went back to try and had no problems purchasing the posters.

After that the concert went on without a hitch. It was just Sara on stage being brave enough to perform by herself. She was amazing. She made me sing, laugh, and even tear up. She did two new songs off her new album, “Brave”, one called “Manhattan” and the self titled “Brave”. The concert sounded more like jam section. I loved the bass guitar she played during her song “Come Around Soon”. The song sounded so much more personal. Sara also made me tear up during her song “Gravity”. I love all her songs but she didn’t perform “King of Anything” which I think my Other was hoping to hear. Sara still impressed with her vocal abilities, writing, and instrument playing. She is goofy, funny, and enlightening with all her life stories and audience interaction. After the concert was over, my Other mentioned a hoped Sara may put out a live album from this tour.

Only one thing upset me. A couple across my aisle one row ahead played a phone game during her rendition of Elton John’s “Yellow Brick Road”. I guess they were not familiar with the song because once it was over and she started to sing another song they were on there feet moving and singing alone. I guess you paid for the tickets and you get to do whatever you want but I just think about the one person missing out because this concert was sold out. Plus, I think it’s disrespectful. It’s takes a lot, even well-known or famous, to stand on a stage in front of strangers and sing. At least listen. Right?

Anyway, I was surprised it was only an hour and a half show but there was no opening act so I think that made it felt quicker then most shows feel. Besides, I’m bias. I think I could listen to Sara Bareilles voice forever belting out old favorites and new creations.

Below I posted some pictures. Sorry for the burry face. I was, about 20 rows back and with the lights my camera phone struggled.

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Goodreads Interaction

I was shocked today when an author I don’t personally know noticed me.

I have heard friends tell me they have had interactions with authors after they reviewed a book on Goodreads that they read. Most friends I follow on only rate the books. But some write proper reviews with summary, pros and cons. Those are the ones that have been contacted by authors. I have written full book reviews when I worked for The Celebrity Cafe but I became lazy with Goodreads. The book site has become a place for me to discuss, research, and keep track of the books I read without worry of a grade, credit, or paycheck. As a result, when I finish a book, I only write what I liked and what I disliked and why.

I recently read the “Ghost Planet” by Sharon Lynn Fisher for a book club I joined called Vaginal Fantasy Hangout with Felicia Day, Veronica Belmont, Kiala Kazebee and Bonnie Burton. (Each month I watch, with many others, these awesome ladies get together and discuss the month’s books in a Google Hangout.) The book was a pleasant surprised. After I finished I wrote my tiny little blurb. The next time I signed on I had a notification that Sharon “liked” my review. Not realizing whom Sharon was I clicked on the name and was brought to the author’s page. From her page I see this author is very involved with her work. Nevertheless I was still astonished.

Can you believe that?

The Seeds Are Planted

I planted the seeds. So begins the growing. Now comes the waiting. Can’t wait to plant these containers in the garden. Excited to see the seeds sprout leaves and stems that will soon bear fruit and vegetables. Can’t wait to smell and pick the flowers these stems will bud.

On the bottom of this post is a picture of what I planted.

The big stems at the bottom of the photo are Hawaiian Plumeria.

Now the top of the photo. I’ll go from right to left.

First row of two pots are Sweet Basil.
Next row of three containers are Endive. It is a leaf vegetable.
The next two rows, according to the Great Britain English translation on the seed package, are Tomato Peppers.

It’s a seed package from Romania. The package reads Ardei Gogosar and the Google translation is just Bell Pepper. I’m guessing this is a type of red bell pepper. If you are wondering why the first three have a stick and the next row of three don’t its more a marker for me later on. The first three are dried from actual peppers. The next three pots are from the seed package. I received the Endive and Tomato Pepper seeds from my Other’s Grandma. Yes, they are from Romania hence the hazy translations. Plus, it’s my first time growing from dried seeds so I liked to see if there is a difference (like a stronger plant or better tasting peppers). According to my Other’s Grandma, there is and I don’t mess with Grandmas!

I’ll continue to post more about the ongoing process of the garden in the weeks to follow.

I’m excited!

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Now We Wait.

The End Is The Beginning

That is everything from my Tumblr blog. My past. I can’t tell you how much it means to me to receive all the new followers, likes, and comments. I have a renewed view on my writing. I mean, it is one thing to hear “that’s a great piece” or “you have some real skill,” etc. but to see feedback as little as a like, it’s a big deal. At least to me.

I promise your reader feed will not be flooded with post from me. From here on I will try to post on a schedule. Weekly at least. So until then.

Perks of Being a Wallflower

“It’s great that you can listen and be a shoulder to someone, but what about when someone doesn’t need a shoulder. What if they need the arms or something like that? You can’t just sit there and put everybody’s lives ahead of yours and think that counts as love. You just can’t. You have to do things… I just don’t want to be somebody’s crush. If somebody likes me, I want them to like the real me, not what they think I am. And I don’t want them to carry it around inside. I want them to show me, so I can feel it, too. I want them to be able to do whatever they want around me. And if they do something I don’t like I’ll tell them.”

Perks of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky

Today’s Count: 842 Total: 48,053

February 28, 2013
And I’m done. My first draft of my first novel. Holy shit I did it. I must say I learned so much from this beautiful failure. This was a novel on an image. I started writing with a picture in my mind and I kept the story going just with clique scenes and a goal to make it to 50,000 words. I didn’t make it to 50,000 but who cares. I wrote a full story. Beginning to end.

I learned so much. I now know my next story will have an outline. I learned where I can write. I learned to push through the hard parts. I learned to finish. I learned when I look over this story in a few months for the rewrite 95% of this story will be tossed and I’m fine with that.

The first draft is always shit. And mine was a big smelly one. But I can always say hell I did it! I did it for me.