Twisted Fairytale

While remodeling my personal MySpace page yesterday I stumbled upon some really interesting stuff regarding color personalities. After thinking about it long enough, (and as evidenced by the layout on this blog and the two quizzes cited as evidence <because those things are soooo scientifically accurate>) I realized I’m a Blue. What does that mean? Well, let me give you the whole story:

My best friend Isabelle nicknamed me Blu. At first I thought, Blu? As in the color? Well that’s really strange. But, she hadn’t even hesitated. In her mind, it made sense. So I did some research. According to this website, the color comparison is quite fitting.

You see, Blues are considered the most caring, nurturing and protective personalities in the color-spectrum. They live out of their hearts and their emotions. They’re the most emotional of all the color personalities (anyone who knows me can attest to that fact). One of the helpful activities for ‘Blues’ is writing a journal. I don’t write IN a journal, but I write. A LOT.

Your Aura is Blue

Spiritual and calm, you tend to live a quiet but enriching life.You are very giving of yourself. And it’s hard for you to let go of relationships.The purpose of your life: showing love to other peopleFamous blues include: Angelina Jolie, the Dali Lama, OprahCareers for you to try: Psychic, Peace Corps Volunteer, Counselor

What Color Is Your Aura?

Someone once told me I smelled like a mom. I thought she meant like food, because I’d just made dinner. But I later came to understand she meant homey, safe. I wasn’t sure how to take it at first. I had only just turned 21 so the idea of smelling like a mother terrified me a bit. Now I realize it was one of the highest compliments possible.

Blues are born caretakers and mothers. They are born advisers, counselors, caretakers and nurses. Many people enjoy being with Blues because they transmit love, acceptance and forgiveness. Blues cry easily and primarily release their emotions, joy, sorrow, sadness and happiness, through tears. (Anyone who’s ever seen me in the midst of a laughing fit is probably nodding their head right now). However, this emotional depth gives ‘blues’ the ability to be warm, sympathetic and protective.

You Are A Blue Girl

Relationships and feelings are the most important things to you.You are empathetic and accepting – and good at avoiding conflict.If someone close to you is in pain, it makes you hurt as well.You try to heal the ones you love with your kind and open heart.

What Color Girl Are You?

I speak from experience when I say that most times, I need to find boundaries and borders with other people because of my strange empathic connection. Blues have a tendency of allowing friends and even strangers to come into their energy field without having adequate protection. Sometimes Blues even take on other people’s energies and qualities. This can especially happen while they are helping or nurturing others in the capacity of nurses or caretakers. This can occur to the point where they actually take on other people’s sicknesses or problems. Hmm… maybe that’s why I’m always getting sick? Here I thought I just had a sucky metabolism. Ha, ha.

On another cool note, after doing two of those little blog quizzie things, I had to do more, because well, they’re like Pringles, you can’t have just one. So, without further ado, here is a little more about me (probably stuff you guys could already figure out):

You Should Be a Science Fiction Writer

Your ideas are very strange, and people often wonder what planet you’re from.And while you may have some problems being “normal,” you’ll have no problems writing sci-fi.Whether it’s epic films, important novels, or vivid comics…Your own little universe could leave an important mark on the world!

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

You Are An INFP

The IdealistYou are creative with a great imagination, living in your own inner world.Open minded and accepting, you strive for harmony in your important relationships.It takes a long time for people to get to know you. You are hesitant to let people get close.But once you care for someone, you do everything you can to help them grow and develop.In love, you tend to have high (and often unrealistic) standards.You are very sensitive. You tend to have intense feelings.At work, you need to do something that expresses your personal values.You would make an excellent writer, psychologist, or artist. How you see yourself: Unselfish, empathetic, and spiritual When other people don’t get you, they see you as: Unrealistic, naive, and weak

What’s Your Personality Type?

What Your Latte Says About You

When it comes to what you like, you have your own unique tastes. And people don’t really understand them.You are a very frivolous person. You don’t take anything too seriously. Why should you?Intense and energetic, you aren’t completely happy unless you are bouncing off the walls.You’re addicted to caffeine. There’s no denying it.You are responsible, mature, and truly an adult. You’re occasionally playful, but you find it hard to be carefree.You are expressive and friendly, but you are never pushy.

What Does Your Latte Say About You?

You Are a Chick Rocker!

You’re living proof that chicks can rockYou’re inspired by Joan Jett and the DonnasAnd when you rock, you rock hard(Plus, you get all the cute guy groupies you want!)

What Kind of Rocker Are You?

Today’s DWQ is a really good one. In fact, I think it’s my favorite thus far.

“If you do not breathe through writing, if you do not cry out in writing, or sing in writing, then don’t write, because our culture has no use for it.” ~ Anais Nin

Sometimes, when you focus too much on the business aspect of our world, it’s easy to forget why we got into writing in the first place. May we never lose the flame that burns within us to tell stories. The drive and desire to bring these stories to life so that we can move someone, touch someone, change lives. It is why we are authors. It is what we live for.

Today’s art is from werol @ deviantart. The composition is just striking. Simple, bold and beautiful. I love it.

Right now? Just cleaning. Don’t say it. Don’t even say it. It’s not weird that I’m cleaning at 1am. This is a perfectly reasonable time of day. Truth, it’s tons cooler now than it was at about 1pm, when I was TRYING to clean and failing miserably due to the sweat dripping down my temples.

Argh, I hate sweat. I hate the feel of it. Some people are all like, YES! Sweat! It means you’re losing weight, or some other such nonsense. Puh-lease. Sweat just means you’re hot. Some people (myself included) are more prone to it, with limited physical activity. Imagine when I’m actually exerting myself!

There was this commercial a while ago on TV about a man’s deodorant. I can’t for the life of me remember the brand. Hmm… let me see something. Nope. Sorry. Youtube doesn’t have it. Unless I’m typing in the wrong search words, but it doesn’t seem to be there. Anyway, in the commercial there’s this beautiful, sexy woman dancing. Beads of sweat surround her perfect Britney Spears-esque abs, as she bumps and grinds her hips to the music. It said something along the lines of: She’s sexy when she sweats. You’re not. And they show this gross, really dorky guy drenched in sweat. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like dorky guys. Just not drenched in sweat. Mainly cause, well I hate sweat. Do we understand where I’m going with this? I don’t care how sexy you are. Sweat = hot. Well, technically it does. Literally. But not in the sexy way they’re implying.

Oh my goodness, I am babbling. I think I’m tired. I haven’t slept well past few days.

You know what I noticed today? I have half of the secondhalf of my WIP written already! Which means that my  wordcount is really more along the lines of 75k than 50!!! OMG!!! It needs serious editing, and with that, perhaps some cutting, but even with that, I believe I’ll get a good 15k out of it, which mens I’d still have about 65k. That’s freaking awesome.

I’m so tired. Did I mention that already? I had a long day but it went so fast. I cleaned up earlier. Went to my inlaws pool because it was deliriously hot (hence the sweat rant), then had to head up a meeting regarding the Cancer Benefit Fashion Show. My alter ego, Blu, was totally professional and in control. I love playing her. Creative, strong, eccentric. She’s a little bit of me with lots of attitude and fun.

It was finally about a quarter to ten when I realized I hadn’t eaten and was starved. We ended up at Olive Garden, the ONLY place open other than Friendlys and Fridays and such. What’s with so many places closing so early on a Wednesday nite? I mean, I know it’s not a weekend and business might be a little slow, but huh? The steakhouse was closed by 9! That’s ridiculous!

Ok, done ranting and raving. This post is just a bunch of nonsense. Holy mackrel. Chalk it up to exhaustion people. Long days and little sleep are not good. They make you sound insane. Lets do our DWQ, shall we?

Although most of us are writers, to be GOOD writers, we must also be readers. Hence, today’s quote.

This nice and subtle happiness of reading, this joy not chilled by age, this polite and unpunished vice, this selfish, serene life-long intoxication.  ~Logan Pearsall Smith

When it comes to reading, my motto is, try everything once. If you don’t like it, you don’t like it. But how will you know if you’ve missed a true gem unless you give it a try? I used to walk the bookstore and search out covers. Not authors I knew. Not genres I frequent. Covers that drew my attention. Bylines that made me laugh.  Etc. I’ve found some really surprising little treasures that way.

Today’s featured art is from magrad @ deviantart. I love how edgy it is, while still being beautiful. Wonderful expression of how music can just get under your skin.

I’ve read through my WIP (the half I have written of it thus far) and realized I had some missing scenes to make sense of my external conflict. I’ve added a scene here and there. I really think they add a lot to the whole storyline so I’m pretty excited. You’re probably wondering why I bothered to go back and read it and add scenes if the book itself isn’t complete. Part of the reason, the conflict is pretty complicated and needs to have a solid foundation before I move forward. The other part? I’m terrified of moving forward.

AHA! The truth comes out. Tell me, please, why are middles so hard? *sigh* I feel a nervous tick coming on every time I open the Word Doc. I know where it’s headed, but the very idea of being so close makes my palms sweaty. And ewww… its so not fun to write with sweaty palms.

I’m pushing forward. I miss my CPs who’ve both kind of been really busy lately. They always made me feel somewhat in control. But I’m pushing along. I’ll be ok. Right? RIGHT? *ahem* Sorry, didn’t mean to freak you out with my panic attack there.

Let’s go on to our DWQ, shall we? We’re on #6 I believe! Woohoo!! This one goes out to Cora Zane, who seems to be enjoying them!

Lord! when you sell a man a book you don’t sell just twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue – you sell him a whole new life. Love and friendship and humour and ships at sea by night – there’s all heaven and earth in a book, a real book. ~Christopher Morley

This quote hit particularly close to home because I write fantasies and sci-fis mostly. Books in which you really do create a new heaven and earth, and have to make the reader believe it. Sure, they know it’s fake, but can they suspend reality long enough to find the love and friendship and humor in the book? Do they forget, even if only for a second, that these characters aren’t real? That’s a sign that you’ve created a good book.

Ok. I just got struck with an awesome idea for my WIP. Let me go. Strike while the iron’s hot, you know?

Today’s featured art by yanmei, @ deviantart.

I’m a firm believer that one moment can define a friendship. A true friendship. That moment doesn’t have to be the life changing spectacle some feel it should be. For me, the test of true friendship doesn’t come in the form of big gestures. Let me explain.

I have many acquaintances. Some are closer to me than others, but overall, I keep my personal life at a distance. Growing up, I had ONE best friend. I was fiercely loyal and protective of her. We became closer than sisters, and when we drifted apart it literally closed me off to having that sort of relationship with anyone else. Me and women have always had a harder time getting close. I grew up a tomboy and always felt most comfortable in the presence of men. Until I went and fell in love with my guy best friend. Having a gal pal at that time meant a lot to me.

Not having her around anymore still makes me sad. Too many reasons to number forced us apart but overall, I spent some of my best years with her. Since then, I haven’t bothered to get genuinely close to anyone. I was ok with that. Didn’t even feel like I missed anything, until last night.

A friend of mine, who just completely understands me, solidified her place as my best friend. I mean granted, my husband is my very best friend, but that missing place in my heart, that gal pal, she’s it. How do I know?

We went to bed about 6am last night. We’d been up all night. Laughing. Joking. Telling stupid stories. Sad stories. Sharing pieces of our lives. We knew we had to go to sleep, but we couldn’t bring ourselves to actually do it. Her best friend came along. He’s quickly edging his way up my list of favorite people too. Between the four of us, (the two of them, hubby and I, and my little sister, who spent the night), we in a spur of the moment decision ended up on my queen size bed, laughing, squeezing and just overall having the type of moment you only read about or see on a sitcom. The type of moment you remember for the rest of your life. (Anyone else remember the episode of Friends when Chandler, Monica, Phoebe and Joey ended up trapped in the room and ate Phoebe’s wax to keep from starving because Ross and Rachel were arguing outside? LOL Yea, see what I’m saying?)

I’m exhausted. But I feel so genuinely happy. I’d forgotten how genuinely fun slumber parties could be.

DWQ#6-

A dirty book is rarely dusty. ~Author Unknown

This one really made me laugh. Because, well, let’s face it. It’s true.

Art piece of the day called Friendship by kampfschnitzel.

I’m a hopeless romantic trapped in the body of a pessimist. How did that happen? In truth, i don’t know. Maybe, I’ve become jaded due to experiences in my life. Maybe I’ve seen how completely screwed up people can really be. But a part of me, that innocent, hopeful part, still falls in love far too easily. Still thinks about her childhood sweetheart. Still daydreams about romantic encounters.

It’s why I became a writer. Ha, ha. Free therapy, baby. Can’t beat that.

I think it’s this contradiction that makes me an interesting writer. Honestly, I don’t ever plan so far ahead that I know for sure where my characters will land. I just hope for the best and take them one step at a time. I’m a bit of a pantster and a chpt by chpt plotter. So sometimes, the actions surprise me just as much as the characters! In the end though, there’s that part of me that fights for them, even after I’ve totally screwed up their lives. I want them to succeed. To have all of their dreams and desires. I just want to make them suffer a bit too. It’s the masochist in me.

To go with this theme about why we write what we write, today’s DWQ #5:

Books let us into their souls and lay open to us the secrets of our own.  ~William Hazlitt

I’ve decided that along with our DWQs I’d also feature a piece of art. I’m a regular at DeviantArt. I can spend hours scouring the galleries. I have more favorites than actual pieces I’ve posted. So I figure, why not share the wealth of beauty?

Today’s lovely art piece is by jggy.

Hope you’re all having a lovely weekend!

The muse has visited me at the strangest hour. It’s 5:18am. I’m just going to bed. It’s been a long night. But I wrote! Finally, I wrote!  I feel happy again. Excited. It was time to get back to it. I’ve just been so distracted. So, I’m glad that something is flowing again. Even if I’m going to be exhausted beyond belief for work today.

DWQ #5- My test of a good novel is dreading to begin the last chapter.  ~Thomas Helm

Interesting quote. Very interesting.

For those of you wondering about the karaoke competition:

I didn’t make it!!

I didn’t win. Not as disappointed as I probably should be, after all the hard work I’ve put into it. Strangely enough, I’m at peace. I really put on a rockin’ performance. I gave it my heart and performed better than ever before. I raised the caliber even for MYSELF which says alot, seeing as how I’m such a perfectionist.

Truth be told, winning this thing would have taken over my life, something I simply can’t afford with all my other responsibilities, religious, familial, personal… writing included. And the girl who won was TOTALLY worthy. She blew me away tonight. Completely out of the water.

HOWEVER, on a very positive note, the MC, who runs the contest and owns a management agency, says he technically owns me for the next 30 days, per our contract, and wants to work with me anyway! He says out of the group, he would only ever consider working with like 2%, and I’m one of that! So that made me feel incredibly proud to have been part of the group. It really was a lot of talent and LOADS of fun. I’m hoarse, tired, wired, and all else you could ever imagine. We’ll see if this goes anywhere. You just never know.

Off to bed now. Its nearly 3:30am and I’m shot.

I MADE IT TO THE FINALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m kind of beyond myself. Excited. Nervous. I was judges pick, which is really exciting. They said I raised the bar for the women, which made me feel awesome. So that’s tonight. And my voice is shot, but eh, gotta try and work it out.

DWQ #4:

I know every book of mine by its smell, and I have but to put my nose between the pages to be reminded of all sorts of things.  ~George Robert Gissing

Sense recall is one of the most potent experiences in humanity. One smell, one word can trigger a memory so strong its like reliving it. It’s pretty amazing. It’s a technique we use for theatre, and one that I think definitely applies in books as well.

This is going to be one of those post and run type things. Hate to do it to you, but I have to go into my kitchen and rock out to three songs on my karaoke machine if I hope to do anything at the competition tonight. You guys understand, right?

Here’s today’s quote:

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers. ~Charles W. Eliot

I know I have books I read specifically to feel a certain way. Those books that like a friend have shared my tears, my laughter, my regrets. Those books contain my secrets between their withered pages, and I like it that way. Prefer it, in fact. I think today’s quote is poignant in that it really addresses the type of book we would want to write. The type that even if it doesn’t change someone’s life forever, does change someone’s life RIGHT THEN. If a person is moved, by any emotion, be it lust, excitement, sadness, or even anger, then we’ve done our job. We’ve made them feel something.

Today’s Daily Writing Quote, (from here on in known as DWQ) is pretty self-explanatory, but I really like it. I know I’ve come across this situation more than once. And it’s one of the reasons why writing has always been a refuge of sorts. It’s why I think it’s a refuge to many people who do it.

If there’s a book you really want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.  ~Toni Morrison

This is the philosophy I try to base my books on. Not the market, not what’s selling, but the one thing I really wished I’d read and couldn’t find. The one story that burns so strongly inside of me that I know it’ll resonate with other people too.

Tomorrow’s Monday. Crazy, eh? Can’t believe the weekend is over already.  Sometimes it feels like I blink and it’s over. But it’s not so bad. The weekdays always feel more productive anyway. I have a lot going on this week, so forgive me if I get a bit scarce. But I’ll be here with quotes to get you all going. Promise.

I’ve also been looking ahead to the end of the year. I have 2 major goals. One involves my current W.I.P. I want it done (even if only the first draft of it) by the end of the year, although I’d prefer the end of fall. Maybe NaNoWriMo is just the push I need this year to get me where I need to be. I think the adrenaline of 50k in 30 something days really gets the juices flowing. I’d love to be able to actually finish this year too.

I’ve been away from Romance Divas for a while. I realized today I sort of miss it. I might head back over there to check on my girls. Make sure all is well. Truth is, it’s such a source of abundant info, I get so distracted. I can spend hours on there! Before I know it, I’ve lost hours of writing time. *sigh* Darn my A.D.D. but that’s how it is sometimes. Either way, I love that place and it’s high time I head back.

So yea, those are my random thoughts for today, ladies and gents. C-ya in the morrow.