Writer/ Aspiring Author/ Reader/ Gamer/ Book Slave. Blogging my writing, travel, and random thoughts. I blog book reviews, my writing struggles, favorite quotes I come across, and even some random creative prose. The views and opinions expressed on this website are purely my own. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, the owner of this website will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services that will add value to my readers.
House Stark/ House Mars/ Allonsy.
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I was trimming some dead heads off the rose bushes and clipping some roses to bring in the house when I found a nice little surprise. Below is a picture of the nest I found sitting in a rose bush. I took my picture and walked away. I didn’t finish the pruning after this find because I didn’t want to disturb the nest.
Just from that short period of time I looked at the nest. It amazed me. The twigs where long and perfectly stacked. It almost looks like the bush is hugging the nest. I have found light blue eggs with brown specks before but most have been empty, the pervious occupant vacated. I finally learned what type of animal is home to that type of egg. I walked away and watched. Soon two sparrows landed on the lower part of the rose bush and a mockingbird flew out of the near by tree and chased them away.
How am I supposed to show enthusiasm for every job I apply to if I am losing optimism in all my efforts? I have written so many cover letters. Long and short. Showing my excitement, maybe showing too much excitement. There are the sites that only allow one cover letter even if you are applying to multiple similar jobs with different requirements. A company has contacted me! I figured they must have seen something they like. I tried not to get my hopes up and send what they ask. One week, no reply. Send nice follow up letter. One more week, “we went in a different direction”. Friends have sent me job applications, still turned down. Then there are the companies that don’t get back to you not even with a generic email to say you suck. (I understand why they don’t send emails). And worst the companies that will give you a job but only if they don’t have to pay you. Would you like to build up your resume with our internship? How about a few more articles? We have over a million readers coming to our site daily. Don’t forget to flood your social feeds with your articles and did you ask you friends to like our page.
Tomorrow I’ll be fine. Write new cover letters, sent out a few more resumes, and maybe write a few 100 words towards a story. Today is the day to let out the frustration.
I’ve been playing Skyrim. (Now the title of this blog post makes sense.) I killed a dragon and I forgot to save the game in the excitement of my victory. I go to the next location press the wrong button and now I will have to do the whole fight over. I’m sad, frustrated, angry, and tired. Grrrr. I can’t believe I forgot to save.
It reminds me of the time last week where WordPress wasn’t saving my article as I typed. When I clicked on “refresh” in my confusion and the second after clicking I cursed me. I should know better. I worked for companies with horrible blog backends. I have lost hours of work with one button before. I don’t normally type my articles directly onto a WordPress post. I usually write articles in Word and copy and paste. Why?!
What I’m trying to write is, I’m not a quitter. I have to stop beating myself up. Everyone makes the same or similar mistakes more then once in life. I will go back and kill the dragon the second time so I can right my wrongs and move on in the game. Just like I have never quit on an article or blog post. I remind myself how the article is usually better the second time. All the thoughts are outlined. And it will not take me as long as it did the first time. YEAH! Determination.
Something I will do different. I will right my wrongs another day. This isn’t a job and right now Skyrim you’re not fun. (I still love you, just not right now Skyrim. You understand?)
My mom has been reading Dan Brown’s Inferno. She has really been enjoying the mystery and suspense. Around page 300 she became confused. The story jumped back to a section of the book she had already read before.
The video shows the printing error she encountered with her copy.
It seemed this one section (I believe it is called, “a book signature”) in the book was switched with a past section. Double Day (where the book was purchase) was very nice and are sending a replacement. The woman on the phone hasn’t heard of anymore copies having this issue. We get to keep this copy but I have no idea what we are going to do with it. My mom’s only issue is she has to wait to read what happens.
“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. … No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.”
Recently, I went to a bridal shower and in return the bride to be handed me a lovely light pink gift bag. With the bag came these words, “No water. It was nice seeing you. I’m so glad you came.” I returned polite farewells and moved out of the way so the next person could say their goodbyes. I opened the bag to the picture below. The net has left me with to many vague answers and none of the plants I’ve found have looked like this one. Am I right to think it’s an air plant? Can anyone tell me what type of plant or flower this is and how to take care of it? What should I expect? I don’t want to kill it. Any help will be great.
Saturday I planted the garden. Since the temperature stayed in the mid 60s and the sun was in and out if the clouds it was a perfect day for gardening. My mom, boyfriend, and I pulled up all the weeds we could and turned over the ground. We mixed in four bags of compost manure. We laid down the rubber seeping hose and decided where the plants would go. Last year we used the fabric weed block and within a month it was worn down, tearing, and the garden was over run with weeds and grass. I was disappointed since I was trying to make my garden as environmentally friendly as posible. This year we went back to plastic. As a friend says, “If you are 79% environmentally friendly I think you are doing better than most”. We laid the plastic, pinning as we rolled it out, making sure to have a nice overlap at seams. We cut a “X” in the plastic enable to dig a hole for the plant. I grew the red peppers from seed this year but we bought the other plants all ready established. We planted Big Boy and Beefsteak tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, and two green bell peppers. Below is a picture of the completed project.
How am I suppose to write all these stories slushing around in my head? How do I make them separately make sense? I know I can outline and organize but it is more then that. It’s that rushing and overwhelming feeling in the brain. All the ideas all trying to get out at once. The brain slows down like a few too many computer programs running. It’s the story you said you write with a friend, the query letter not coming together, some fixes for that first draft, and the new story ideas all picking this one moment. I hate that moment.
My mom keeps getting more plants that need to stay indoors over the winter. Our little porch was getting cramped with every new addition. The two seater breakfast table was full with starter seeds and the stereo top was home to a basil, aloe, and gardena plant. When I looked to buy an A-Frame plant stand, $120 just seemed to much. When I explained and showed my Other he was the pro building voice. Thanks to the net we found these A-Frame Building plans. Before I go any further I just want to say to any DIY or carpenter expertes, please keep in mind, we were building noobies and this is all the fun we had learning.
We started at Home Depot. My Home Depot didn’t have pocket screws, or Kreg Jig so we had to order and wait. We borrowed the Saw from my other’s dad and we already owned a screw driver. Mistake number one was probably buying oak instead of pine. My first time cutting wood was SO MUCH FUN! Don’t worry after the picture I tied back my hair and closed my jacket. While I wore protective eye wear and ear plugs, we later on read we could have skipped the gloves. After we cut all the wood we needed we celebrated with high fives but we forgot to take off the gloves and coughed on the saw dust that rain down around us.
When the jig and screws came in the mail we started making wholes in the supports. The first use of the jig the drill bit given in the kit broke. We had a bit with the screw driver so we switch to that. The people of Kreg are awesome and are replacing the broken drill bit. I didn’t find the drilling as fun as the saw. I left the math to my other so I thought it was odd when the measurements didn’t make sense. He showed me the jig and drill collar measurements he was using. I questioned if arrows mark the spot, not the bottom, and if the top not the bottom of drill bit collar should match the line. He gave me a look. You know the look. As if to say “you had to be so smart”. I did what anyone would do seeing that look and slowly backed away. Really, my other was fine with the mistake and how smart I am. I was just I’m glad it was him making the mistakes and not me because he is more laid back.
After we fixed all the wholes we were on the right track and finished the stand. My mom loved it even with all the mistakes. We have our stereo and breakfast nook cleared. This is the first time I have built something and I can’t wait for the next project. We are looking to build a work bench because using an old outdoor table was a challenge.
My First Cut!My other cutting.
The Top Of the Collar Should Level With Line.Arrows Mark The Spot
You Can See Some MistakesButt Hinge on the Inside.Making Shelf….Ignore Messiness Please.Sorry For The Blurry Picture.Completed!
It’s all over the news. It sounds like a horror movie come to life. Could you imagine waiting 17 years for sex? That’s what the cicada does. At least that is what I’ve been hearing on the news.
I leave in New York and any day now I will be hearing the male mating call of the cicada. For 17 years they live as larvae feeding on tree roots. They are already rising from the depths as soil’s temperature reach 64 degrees Fahrenheit. They will emerge, shed their hard skin, and spend the next five weeks trying to get laid. Sounds like college.
I didn’t have the garden 17 years ago. I was 14 and preparing for 8th grade graduation. Before that it was my mom and dad working the garden. (Huh, I should ask Mom if she remembers what her and Dad did.) Anyway, today I looked up if they would bother my vegetable garden planting. I was thinking, they’ve been underground all that time. It must take a lot of energy to climb out of the ground, sing and get it on. Therefore, they must be hungry? So, I’ve investigated using the World Wide Web. After much searching I’m satisfied they like trees. The vegetable garden should be fine. Panic subsided. Also, I learned the cicadas can be eaten but I will leave that to the imagination.
Now I wait and see if the Cicada song will drive me crazy because pictures of them creep me out. **Shivers**
Random Thoughts 
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