Sunday, January 31, 2010

A Question to Ponder: Soul-Searching

Remember that earlier Obsessed post? Have you noticed a trend in some of the posts following it? A bit of a Supernatural theme? Today's is no exception.

In Season 2 of Supernatural, one of the characters sells his soul in order for another character to live. He is given one year to live and his brother brought back from death. In light of this, I have a question for you to ponder (and respond to if you so desire).

Is there anyone in your life that you would sell your soul for?

My answer to this question is a simple one that you could probably guess. I would do the same thing to save my sister. It's a tricky thing because it's a bit of a selfish move, but most of us have someone out there that means that much to us. Who is it for you?

Song of the Day: "Renegade" by Styx
Another song from Supernatural. It seems fitting since today's post dealt with the show as well.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

February Theme: Around Charleston

Can you believe that January is almost over? I know I can't, but it is. The end of the month is fast approaching (as in tomorrow), which means I need to announce my theme for February.

The theme for February is...Around Charleston!



For February, I am going to be taking you on a photo tour around Charleston, SC. Some of the posts will simply be photographs, while others will be more elaborate. For each photo, I will let you know where it was taken and give you a link (if possible) to find out more information about the place.

So...are you ready to see where I'm from?

Song of the Day: "Only Wanna Be With You" by Hootie and the Blowfish
One of the members of Hootie have a house in Charleston. They do a lot to support the local schools, so they seemed fitting for the announcement of my Charleston theme.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Words from a Writer: The Perfect Night to Write

Tonight is a full moon, which makes it a perfect night to write. The novel I am currently rewriting with my sister is about werewolves. In our novel, the werewolves phase for three days - the day before the full moon, the day of the full moon, and the day following the full moon. Therefore, full moons are great nights to gain inspiration.



Tonight's full moon is more perfect than usual because the full moon is also known as the Wolf Moon. The Farmer's Almanac (http://www.farmersalmanac.com/full-moon-names) gives a story of why this is. Most full moons derive their names from Native Americans. The moon of January is named for the howling of hungry wolves outside villages during cold winters.

I don't know about you, but tonight, I'll be writing about wolves...

Song of the Day: "Bad Moon Rising" by Creedence Clearwater Revivial
Need I explain? This entire post is about the moon...

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Movie Mayhem: Your Suggestions

I'm going to be starting a "want to watch" list soon for movies and I'm looking for suggestions. I'm willing to consider old, new, and all those in between.

Share your suggestions with me and I'll look them up to see if I'm interested. Thanks!

Contest Alert!

The winter contest for Two to Write will end on January 31, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. That is less than a week away! Have you entered?

There are many ways to gain extra entries, but you must remember to ENTER yourself by leaving a comment on the contest post. Crystal & I will take care of keeping track of your extra entries if you followed the directions for each.

Remember, the fiction on this site is always free for your enjoyment!

Click the image below to go to the contest:


Or, click the link below:
http://twotowrite.blogspot.com/2009/12/winter-contest.html

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Fun & Games: Two Truths and a Lie

Let's play a little game*, shall we?

This game is called two truths and a lie. Basically, you state two truths and a lie about yourself, but you don't tell anyone which is the lie. Then, others are supposed to guess which statement of yours is a lie.

I'll begin. My three statements:

1. I have natural blonde hair.
2. I have a cat named Kandy.
3. My favorite food is pizza.


Can you guess which one is my lie? Take a try at it in the comments!

I'd love for you to play along. Reply with your two truths and a lie and I'll try to pick out the lie.

Song of the Day: "Stangers Like Me" by Phil Collins
I don't really have an explanation. I just like this song.

*Feel free to host this game on your own blog to find out more about your followers.*

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Opinionated: Bloggers

For Opinionated, I offer up a simple statement and invite my readers to give their opinions on it. My own opinion on the statement will be revealed two days later.

Bloggers should post on their blog every day.


Share your thoughts an opinions in the comments section!

Feel free to post annonymously if you don't feel comfortable connecting your name to your opinion.

Song of the Day: "Wanted Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi
If you read yesterday's post, then you'll know why I chose this song. If not, then I suggest you take a stop by there and view the video I posted of my favorite Supernatural moment.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Obsessed: Supernatural


Crystal and I are all the time finding new obsessions. Typically, they come in the form of a movie, musician, or one of our own creations (storylines mostly). Our most recent obsession comes in the form of a television shows, which is a nice change from movies.

We are currently obsessed with the CW television show Supernatural. Over the winter break, we got the brilliant idea to pull out our seasons (we already owned seasnos 1-4 on DVD) and start watching from the beginning. Within three weeks, we made it through the whole set, enjoying every moment with "the boys."

When we get obsessed with something, that means that we spend most of our free time with it, even if it means watching it over and over again. Movie obsessions come and go much quicker because you can watch and rewatch movies in a much shorter amount of time. Television shows are different because it takes several solid weeks to make it through the entire series.

Our obsession is still going strong as we have started over with season 1, despite the new shows coming back this past Thursday. It's nice to get lost in a made up world for 45 minutes with good characters.

Supernatural is a show about two brothers fighting the things that go bump in the dark. It has a long, twisting storyline that starts with how the brothers got into demon-haunting and why they continue with it. One of my favorite aspects of the show is the relationship that develops between the two brothers.

Interested in finding out more about Supernatural? Visit their page at The CW or catch the show on The CW or TNT. New episodes air Thursdays at 9 EST on The CW and reruns air at 10am everyday on TNT.

And I wanted to share one of my favorite clips from Season 3.



Do you watch Supernatural? Share your favorite moments with me! Or ask me more about it if you don't watch it.

Song of the Day: "Carry On My Wayward Son" by Kansas
This is the song that is played at the beginning of several Supernatural shows, especially the sad ones.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

New Features Coming

Just a short description of some of the new features coming to the blog:

Obsessed: My sister and I are all the time finding new things to be obsessed with. I'll keep abreast of what we're "obsessed" with and why. This is your chance to learn a bit more about me.

Opinionated: This one's for everyone out there who has a desire to share their opinion! Periodically, I will make a post about a specified topic and ask for your opinions in return. I want your honest opinions. This is about learning about differing views and seeing where others stand. Feel free to comment under annonymous on these posts if you would like!

Sister Time: Sisters (at least Crystal and I) share a bond that is extremely unique. I'm going to try to share some of those "sisterly moments" with you.

Words from a Writer: Similar to my previous Writerly Wednesday, this section will focus on writing and my thoughts on it.

Contests & Giveaways: Contests will require a little bit of effort to gain extra entries (mostly advertising the blog), while giveaways will allow for one entry and no extra effort. I'm hoping to host the first of these in February. Occasionally, I will also use this section for contests and giveaways of others.

Song of the Day: I am going to continue this feature with future posts, so keep an eye out for this section at the end of every (okay, most) posts.

Fun & Games: I will be hosting fun games in an effort to get to know my followers better. With each thing I host, I will invite you to host the same game on your own blog. Let's get to know each other better and have a little fun doing it!

Project Organize: I would say I'm systematically unorganized, meaning that I'm quite disorganized, but I know where to find things. One of the things I would like to work towards in 2010 is becoming more organized. I really think it would help in the future.

TV Talk: There are certain television shows that I watch each week. From time to time, I'll post snippets about them on here.

Movie Mayhem: Essentially the same thing as TV Talk, just with movies.

The Reading Chair: This one will be all about reading! Expect to find reviews and comments on books and other things that are reading related.


Hope you're as excited as I am for these new features!!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

MIA: Where'd I go?

I fully intend to resume more regular blog postings tomorrow. However, until then, I wanted to give you a little peek at the crazy schedule I've been trying to adjust to. Hopefully, this will give you a better understanding of why I have been missing in action these past few days.

This is why:

Mondays & Wednesdays
6am: get up
6:30am: drive to work
7am - 3pm: work
3pm: drive to college/eat
4pm - 6:45pm: class
6:45pm: drive to tutoring
7:30pm - 8:30pm: tutoring
9:00pm - 9:30pm: drive home
9:30pm - 12am: shower, eat, homework, relax


Tuesdays & Thursdays
6am: get up
6:30am: drive to work
7am - 3pm: work
3pm: drive to college/eat
4pm - 6:45pm: class
6:45pm: drive home
7:15pm - 12am: shower, eat, homework, relax


Fridays
6am: get up
6:30am: drive to work
7am - 3pm: work
3pm: drive home


Plus family issues. ):

This is all the update post I can muster at the moment, so goodnight followers.

Monday, January 18, 2010

A Brief Post: Audio Books?

I'll give you a more real post (and an explanation for my disappearance) tomorrow.

For now, I'm curious about something. Do any of you listen to audio books?

I have been trying my hardest to read more for several reasons. The top two being that I enjoy stories and that I feel I should know what's out there if I'm going to write.

Time, however, seems to be a constraint on this goal. As I was driving from work to class, I realized that there might be a solution to that. I spend at least a couple of hours on the road each day going back and forth from one place to the next. This would be a great spans of time to use effectively. Which, is where audio books come in.

So, I'm asking you guys. Have you ever listened to an audio books and how did you find the experience?

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Getting Back to the Groove of Things

I'm going to have to apologize in advance. The posts this week are going to be slow, short, and few & far between. I started back to grad classes yesterday (I'm taking 4 this semester). Combine grad classes with forty hours of work and two hours of tutoring a week and you'll understand why things are slow this week (I hope). I should be good once I get used to the crowded schedule. (:

Please bear with me through this transition. I'll greatly appreciate it!!

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Not Myself

I'm not feeling very blog-worthy at the moment and I'm not sure why.

I didn't go near a single computer yesterday, which is why it was lacking a post. The unintentional break was actually sort of nice. I think I'm going to make this a monthly thing. Help free my mind some.

What sorts of things do you do to keep yourself sane?

Song of the Day: "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor
Crystal and I have been watching a lot of Supernatural lately. We own the first four seasons on DVD and we've been making up for the break between shows by watching the old ones. At the end of one of the episodes, Jensen Ackles has fun to this song, so I thought I would include it. I found the clip up on YouTube. You can view it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsyMtYoSkC0.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Plans for the Blog

Wow guys. I don't even know where to go. I feel as though I'm out of it after missing yesterday. I had a lot of blogs to catch up on. I read lots of posts, but didn't comment on any today because I wanted to get to my own posting. I hate letting things stack up, but sometimes you have to take that time to listen to your body. I think the unusually cold temperatures have been making me more tired than normal.

Today I'm going to focus on things I want to try out for the blog in the new year. I figured January would be a good time to try out some new features.

Upcoming features:
1. Interviews - with followers & other bloggers
2. Book Reviews
3. Recipe Reviews
4. Writing Advice
5. Songs of the Day (continuing this one)
6. Movie Reviews
7. Contests

I know there's more and I'll include them when I locate them, but for now, that's a list to get you excited. I'm going to try to get things organized and ready to go this weekend as I have a busy semester ahead of me.

Keep an eye out tomorrow (hopefully) for pictures of my new haircut!

Song of the Day: "Jailhouse Rock" by Elvis
I chose this song in celebration of Elvis' birthday today.

Yesterday's Song of the Day: "Twilight" by Vanessa Carlton
I chose this one because it kept coming up on my CD player on the way home. I've liked this song for years. It's an older one, so I thought I would remind people of it.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

What is with this tiredness?

I feel exhausted tonight and I'm not so sure why. I'm feeling the way I normally do on Fridays after a full week of work. Maybe it's just the getting back into the routine of things.

That being said, I think I'm going to go to bed rather than trying to be witty and intelligent on a half-asleep brain.

Look for lots of updates this weekend about what I'm hoping to accomplish with this blog in the future!

Also, look for two songs tomorrow to make up for today's lack of songs.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Almost Over the Hump

It's Wednesday, we're at the halfway point. We can make it to the end of the week. This post is going to be really short as my first week back has me quite tired and I still want to write my page of the day before bed.

I follow a lot of blogs. It seems that if I come across a neat blog, then I add it to my repertoire of blogs. This has its upsides and downsides.

Upside: I get to read a lot of cool things.

Downside: I can't possibly read every post.

Upside: I've found a lot of neat books through blogs.

Downside: It takes a while to get through my blog list.

Upside: I've come up with new ideas for my blog in the upcoming year. (Keep your eyes peeled for them.)

Downside: Well, I really think I'm out of downsides.

How many blogs do you follow?

Tomorrow, I'll post a little bit more about those ideas for the upcoming year.

Song of the Day: "Don't Forget to Remember Me" by Carrie Underwood
Why this song? It was the latest song that inspired something I wrote. To be exact, they helped inspie this.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

What's in an age?

Have you ever been questioned about your age or assumed to be older or younger than you really are?

It happens to me all the time. I'm currently 23 and people constantly accuse me of being 16. While this isn't the worst thing in the world, it can certainly be frustrating sometimes.

Take today for example. My mom, sister, and me went out to dinner together. We went to the local Chuck E. Cheese. To help protect children and insure they leave with the right adult, they give each group that comes in a blacklight stamp with a number. A child's number must match with the adult to leave the premises. As a teacher, I think this is fabulous.

But, it can be troublesome when you are obviously past the pre-teen age. Even in high school, we would enter and my dad would tell them "Oh, they don't need stamps" and it would all be fine. My parents knew we wouldn't leave without them. It's never really been a problem before.

Today, however, we enter and the worker gets the stamp ready. My mom says "we don't need stamps." We all stand there, ready to enter, and they question our (my sister and mine) ages! I'm quick to respond that I'm 23 as I've been in similar situations before. As we're entering the restaurant, one worker says to the other "I thought she was 16." This annoyed me. I'm not entirely sure why. Perhaps I need to listen to yesterday's song of the day and remind myself that it's only words.

What about you? What annoys you?
Do you ever get mistaken for a different age? How do you feel about it?

Song of the Day: "Elephant Love Medley" (from Moulin Rouge) featuring Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman
This song was actually chosen by my sister, Crystal. I asked her to help me choose a song and this was her suggestion. Her reasoning? It's a mix of some of the greatest love songs. Plus, it comes from her favorite movieMoulin Rouge.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Back into the Thick of It All

Today was back to work for me. Next Monday will be back to grad school. I love breaks and I hate to see them end. It's easy for me to stay in the routine of things, but it's incredibly hard for me to break that routine and get back into it. Is it easy for you?

To add to that, we had one of the coldest days I can remember in the past few years. Living in the south provides a winter that is cold but typically not freezing. Today, it was definitely in the freezing temperatures until well into the middle of the day. I still feel like I can't get completely warmed up.

I'm trying my best to be more optimistic about things though. So, let's look at a few of the good things that come with the cold. There's the comfort of hot chocolate, which helps warm you from the inside out. My favorite is good old reliable Swiss Miss. Then, there's the scarves and hats. I can remember the first scarf I ever owned. One of my high school friends got it for me one Christmas because I told them I wanted a scarf. It was fleece, pink, and from Old Navy. I still have that scarf and have created a collection of colorful, pretty scarves. Hats can also be fun. My favorite is a fuzzy reddish pink one that keeps my head nice and toasty.

And, last, but certainly not least, is the enjoyment of snuggling into a warm blanket or Snuggie and taking in a good book. There's something comforting in the warmth of the blanket mixed with a far off place that may be much warmer than one's present situation. I seem to be moving along nicely on my (somewhat small) reading list for 2010. I will be posting reviews when I finish books. However, for series, I am going to post the reviews together rather than separately. I'll be finishing up what's been released of The Dark Guardians by Rachel Hawthorne soon, so be on the look out for that review.

Hope you had a great Monday and keep your toes warm!

Song of the Day: "Words" by Ryan Adams
I chose this song because it happened to come on the CD player during my ride home. I was thinking about what song to choose for today and this one came on. It's a favorite of mine with a message. So, I thought I'd share it. Enjoy.

Also, don't forget to head over to Two to Write and enter our Winter Contest with great prize packs!!

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Sick....Post Postponed

Unfortunately, I'm not feeling the best today. I've been getting lightheaded every time I stand, along with a sore throat and headache. Therefore, I'm not going to write a post (save for this little note) today and I'll give you double on another day to make up for it.

You do, however, still get a song:

Song of the Day: "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus
I chose this song because it fit well with this past year and some of the things I've learned. I learned to enjoy the journey in 2009 rather than focusing souly on the goal.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Goodreads

A friend recommended goodreads.com to me. I've seen it around on various blogs, but I've never really gone to explore. I decided to finally take the plunge and check it out...

And join it...

And start on my shelves...

And spent about an hour playing around and it's still nowhere near complete. The "to-read" section now contains all of the books I want to read in 2010. The "currently reading" section is up to date (and a widget has been added to the sidebar to keep you informed). But, the "read" shelf is far from complete. It contains the books on the beginning survey that I've read and a couple from this year. It does not include the many books I've read in my 23 years.

Like I said, it's a work in progress.

Pam's read book montage



Confessions of a Shopaholic

Brave New World

Moonlight

Lolita

Twilight

The Hobbit: Or There and Back Again

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

The Odyssey

Frankenstein

Little Women

The Great Gatsby

Gone With The Wind

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

Where the Sidewalk Ends

The Poisonwood Bible

1984

Les Misérables

Sense and Sensibility

Romeo and Juliet

Pride and Prejudice

The Devil Wears Prada

Shiver



Pam M.'s favorite books »




Song of the Day: "Human" by The Killers
What better song to give you than the song I wake up to everyday? I fell in love with this song the moment I heard it. Eventually, I started using it as my wake-up sound. I was afraid I might fall out of love with it if I did that, but I'm happy to say that I still enjoy it just as much. And, now, I'm sharing it with you for your enjoyment too!

The Write Project 2010

I have had many novel ideas floating around in my head for a month or two now. I keep wanting to start on a new project (in addition to my current projects), but my brain keeps talking me out of it, reasoning that I don't have enough time.

Well, this is one case that my brain is not going to win. I have come up with a way for me to write on one of my ideas and fit it into my already jam-packed schedule. What is it?

It's what I'm dubbing Project 2010 or The Write Project. For this project, I am going to be writing one page a day. That is all. I may occassionally write more than one, but one page is my goal each day. This will take me around 20 to 30 minutes at most I reckon, allowing it to fit into my day. And, by the end of 2010, I should have a fairly complete novel.

To make it even more fun and exciting, I'm inviting everyone I know to join in on the fun with me. If you've always wanted to write a novel and never thought you could or if you've been dying to fit in a new project, then this might be the way to go.

If you're interested in joining me, then please click the button below and follow it to where you can find even more information:



Or, if you just want to join in without finding out more information, then you can place a button on your blog letting the world know you're participating:

Friday, January 1, 2010

Books to Read in 2010

I promised a book post, didn't I? Well, here it is...

For Christmas, I put a lot of books on my Christmas list. Since I joined the blogging world, I have spent a lot of time looking at blogs with reviews of great young adult books out.

Since I started writing on a more regular basis, my reading bug has reignited. I think Allan Eckert says it best when he says "If you would be a writer, first be a reader. Only through the assimilation of ideas, thoughts and philosophies can one begin to focus his own ideas, thoughts and philosophies."

So, that's what I'm going to do - be a reader. This year, I am hoping to read a lot of books to spark my imagination and help me become a better writer.

That being said, let's look at my reading goals for 2010.

First, a picture of the collection of unread books on my headboard:



I hope to read most of these and a smattering of other books. Want to see my list?

Here it is (in reading order):
1. Full Moon (A Dark Guardian Novel) by Rachel Hawthorne
2. Dark of the Moon (A Dark Guardian Novel) by Rachel Hawthorne
3. Shadowland (The Mediator) by Meg Cabot
4. The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
5. Kissed by an Angel by Elizabeth Chandler
6. Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
7. Fallen by Lauren Kate
8. The Secret Circle: The Initiation and The Captive Part 1 by L.J. Smith
9. Eragon by Christopher Paolini
10. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
11. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
12. The Named by Marianne Curley
13. The Winter Prince by Cheryl Sawyer
14. Lament by Maggie Stiefvater
15. Another Faust by Daniel & Dina Nayeri
16. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
17. Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
18. The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle by L.J. Smith
19. Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
20. Marked by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
21. The Den of Shadows Quartet by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
22. Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

*Some of these are the firsts in a series. If I enjoy the initial book of the series, then I will continue further with the rest of the series.

What are you planning to read in 2010?

New Layout

I decided to bring the New Year in with style!

Just after midnight, I changed and rearranged my blog layout. The header and background are now custom and unique, which makes me giddy. I am still rearranging and improving the elements on the blog, but I'm pretty sure that's going to take a little while.

Keep your eyes out for another post today - one that shares the books I intend to read for 2010, along with a few other goals I have (writing, etc). I'm not making resolutions this year, but goals I can do.

Give me your thoughts on the new layout!

Song of the Day: "Let Me Take You There" by Plain White T's
I felt this one was appropriate since I'll be focusing on reading and writing later, which is an escape from the mundane of our everyday lives. "Let Me Take You There" talks about escaping to a place of fun and wonderment. Essentially, it fit today's focus perfectly, in my opinion.