Minecraft and Living in Your Own World!

Hello all! As you can see above I do enjoy playing some Minecraft. In fact, I've been doing it quite a bit while reading at the same time. It's a skill I've learned that not many can posses ;). One thing that I find really fun about Minecraft is that I can create things that I'm writing in my story. Buildings, areas, etc. I read on absolutewrite that apparently a lot of people build their characters and what not on Sims, which I ALSO love, but I have yet to try that! It's really fun to be able to walk through a place that I've only made in my head. Seeing it also comes in handy when writing. It's just a really fun way to help my writing, and be a distraction when I need it! I think it'd be really awesome to do it in Second Life, but I don't have that either.

Anyway, I've been editing my WIP progress lately and it's turning out a lot better than I expected! I've added on about twelve pages and I'm not even half way through. The best part is that this is just my first read through so that I can change it from past to present. In case I didn't say specify in my my old post about past or present, I'm going with present. The story just reads so much better now that I've made the decision and I'm really happy with how it's turning out.

On a different note, I'm going to be applying to Grad school soon, EEK! I'm really nervous about this and my sister keeps telling me I need to work on my writing sample, which I know I do, but it's a really scary thought! I can't believe that it's coming so soon! My senior year of college is going to go by so fast I won't know what hit me. Before long, I'll know whether or not I'm in an MFA program and my entire life is going to change. I'm just a wee bit stressed here!

What's going on with your life out there? Inform me! Distract me! I like hearing from others! =]

Books, books, and more books.

As you can see, I like cats.

This is pretty much what I've been doing for the past two weeks while lying in bed, thinking about all the homework I have to do. It is quite a nice time waster.

I have been so swamped with end of school things that, to be honest, made me have no time for this blog. I apologize for that! However, school things are starting to wrap up so I will be on Blogger more and posting every Friday, as promised.

Although it takes up a lot of my time, my schoolwork does introduce me to quite a few good books along the way. I have recently read Donald Duk by Frank Chin and White Teeth by Zadie Smith. My teacher informed us that Zadie Smith is quite popular, especially with her newest novel NW. They actually offered NW as a goodreads giveaway not too long ago. I did not win that one though!

Both books are quite good and I would recommend them to anyone who likes to read about people coming to terms with their identities. Donald Duk is about a Chinese boy living in America and not wanting to be Chinese. It's really very good and it's a quick read. White Teeth is about many different cultures and beliefs coming together with a London setting. It's very well written and informative. If you can, pick them up and give them a read.

Any book recommendations you people out there have for me? With summer coming up I will have plenty of time to read!

Distractions, Distractions (How to overcome!)

Dear people reading my blog, I must confess. I keep falling more and more behind on my NaNo. For those of you who don't know what it is (CLICK HERE). Anyway, I keep running into things that keep sucking away the time for me to do it.

I have real reasons though. I mean, I don't have reasons like having a child (which the NaNo's on the forums talking about getting it done with a toddler I give my props to!), but I am a Resident Assistant at the University I attend (SIUC). I've been trying to stay creative for my job through NaNo, but it's draining me!

Some of the things I make for my job!

My creations (the flash really white washed Peach!) can took me hours a piece, because they're made out of all construction paper. By the time I'm done making these things it's past midnight and I'm 500 words behind for the day! When I'm not making things for bulletin boards I'm out enjoying nature.

Squirrel on campus enjoying nature!

I don't mean to fall behind, but it seems like it happens almost every day. (Then every few days I bang out 1200 extra words.) Anyway, I've come up with some ways for me to enjoy nature and still do my job while writing. I have found that the recommendation on NaNo of doing small spurts for 20 minutes really works well. I usually end my scene in the middle of something so that way I have something to work off when I come back. I also write literally any extra time I have (For example, when my boyfriend is in the bathroom).

So just a couple of ideas:

1. Small spurts of writing for 20 minutes every hour or so, more if you'd like.
2. Try to leave off with something for you to jump off with.
3. Write every extra minute you have!
4. Have fun with it. If you don't enjoy what you're writing, why would anyone else? (Not really a way to counteract distractions, but still a fundamental rule!)