I'm not advocating drug use. You all don't need to get your panties in a bunch. I just think there's a possibility that it can enhance artistic ability in some situations, and get those creative juices flowing easier. I'm also not trying to say that easier is better, or that brilliant art can't be created while sober, although using God against my theory is an unfair example. If God needed drugs to create the marvelous beauty that is this earth, I'm pretty sure I'd have to stop being a Christian right now. He's God.
I'm interested in what kind of information is out there. I'm not doing drugs, and I don't plan to, so there's no need to present me with the loads of information against drug use. I already know. I just want to research the other side of the story, which I don't even have time to do right now, and have no idea when I will.
On that note, I'm officially a real writer now, as I received my first rejection letter today (which I am going to frame). Thank you Glimmer Train Press.
I also have an appointment with a seamstress on the thirtieth of next month, to see what alterations can be made on my mom's wedding dress.
Those two facts are completely unrelated, but I wanted this to be more than a "Chill out." post. So, there you have it.
P.S. James, I'm doing my big research paper for writing class this term on art and societal growth. I'll post it when I'm done.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Why I Love My Parents: Take Three
Dad: Hey, Chelsea, how are you doing in math?
Me: Good, why?
Dad: Well, I'm just wondering because you don't take your calculator to school and your math book has been sitting here for weeks.
Me: That's because I'm not in an actual classroom for math, that's not my calculator, and that's a speech book.
Dad: Oh.
Me: Good, why?
Dad: Well, I'm just wondering because you don't take your calculator to school and your math book has been sitting here for weeks.
Me: That's because I'm not in an actual classroom for math, that's not my calculator, and that's a speech book.
Dad: Oh.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
It Would Appear That...
There really is not a whole lot to write about yet, as far as my current reading project goes. It does, without a doubt, live up to its reputation, as it is an absolutely exquisite reflection on human consciousness, but there is really nothing that is concrete enough to analyze in writing yet. I will say, though, that I understood the book much better while I was loaded up on oxycodone (which I'll mention more of later) over the weekend, which, in my opinion, adds to my theory that drugs can stimulate a certain creative element in the mind that might be otherwise untouched.
Little updates:
First Grove newsletter goes to press in a week.
Classes started yesterday, and my biology teacher looks like an older version of Aaron Eckhart.
I realized in Pilates just how embarrassingly weak I am in comparison with Evan.
My wisdom teeth removal went well, and I am, apparently, healing very quickly.
I learned that my pain medication had heroine in it, which I couldn't help but laugh at.
I've had a killer Whopper craving since Ash Wednesday, and am so eager for Easter.
I have a job at a new store in the mall, but am afraid that I won't make any money, due to the staggering amount of awesome clothing and shoes.
South Park has become one of my new favorite shows, and I actually think the writers are very observant of societal truths that don't generally see much light.
Castle has also taken a spot as a favorite, because it continually proves that there is more truth in fiction than in reality, which is exactly my belief.
I've learned, over the past few days, that having to chew with only your front teeth takes all of the joy out of eating, and that having any kind of dental surgery is a very effective form of dieting.
Little updates:
First Grove newsletter goes to press in a week.
Classes started yesterday, and my biology teacher looks like an older version of Aaron Eckhart.
I realized in Pilates just how embarrassingly weak I am in comparison with Evan.
My wisdom teeth removal went well, and I am, apparently, healing very quickly.
I learned that my pain medication had heroine in it, which I couldn't help but laugh at.
I've had a killer Whopper craving since Ash Wednesday, and am so eager for Easter.
I have a job at a new store in the mall, but am afraid that I won't make any money, due to the staggering amount of awesome clothing and shoes.
South Park has become one of my new favorite shows, and I actually think the writers are very observant of societal truths that don't generally see much light.
Castle has also taken a spot as a favorite, because it continually proves that there is more truth in fiction than in reality, which is exactly my belief.
I've learned, over the past few days, that having to chew with only your front teeth takes all of the joy out of eating, and that having any kind of dental surgery is a very effective form of dieting.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Today's Thoughts
In line with my last post, I'm simply going to jot down some of the day's thoughts. At the moment, this is all I can do, what with finishing up last minute projects for school that were due yesterday and sending things out to publishers.
But first, on a side note, I ordered Proust's "In Search of Lost Time" today, and it should be here around Friday. I'm absolutely thrilled at the prospect of reading it, as it will be a challenge, since it is over one million words in length. For those of you who aren't writers and don't think in terms of how many words, let me put that in perspective for you. "In Search of Lost Time" is over 4,000 pages.
I've heard, on several occasions, this book called the most beautiful work on human consciousness and one of the greatest books ever written. Every writer I've talked to that has read this book, has been greatly changed (and for the better) by it. So, once I begin reading it, I'm going to be posting probably solely on what I read, so that I can process it all. If anyone has any objection to learning what happens in this book (although I have heard there is very little plot, and so very little to spoil), I would suggest not reading my blog for the next few months, and I just thought I would warn you beforehand.
Needless to say, I am very anxious to begin, and I look forward to seeing how my ways of thinking and analyzing and my writing ability develops.
But, on that note:
1. I think I have a job. I'm not entirely sure, as the situation is somewhat unusual. But I received a W-4 and an I9, which, generally, are reserved for after the hiring, and I was told "Welcome to the team." So, I think that means I'm hired, which means school will be significantly easier to pay for.
2. I could never be a teacher in the public school system. I have so many frustrations with the current standards and procedures that I'm sure I would be fired immediately.
3. It can be easily said that social change has always walked hand-in-hand with the arts. Examples: the Renaissance, Classicism, the Romantic movement, Realism, or the Civil Rights and Women's Rights movements. Due to this observation, I find it absolutely tragic and infuriating that the very first thing to be cut in schools is the arts. Until people recognize that we need art to grow culturally, we are going to go nowhere.
4. I am fairly certain I would be willing to break the nose of anyone who says that art isn't important. I think I get really passionate about it, because it's such a huge part of my life that I honestly can't even imagine living without it. It's just like when I mentioned that every culture has some form of music. There has to be a reason for that. Is there even anyone who honestly doesn't enjoy music?
5. My writing teacher told us that music and math also go hand-in-hand. I was unhappy with this theory at first, and was right on the same page with one of the girls in my class who said, "Then I must be in the wrong math class, because math and I do not get along." But then my teacher replied, "It's just a different language." So now, if you ask me, I'll tell you that math and music are two different expressions of the same thing.
6. I am intrigued by the effect of drugs on creativity, and will do my thesis on it if I ever get a doctorate. While I'm not going to go light up after writing this post, I'm beginning to notice a direct correlation between people who do drugs and brilliant writing/music/art. For this reason alone, I'm looking forward to getting my wisdom teeth out. I will be on who knows what, and I'm going to see how it affects my writing ability.
But first, on a side note, I ordered Proust's "In Search of Lost Time" today, and it should be here around Friday. I'm absolutely thrilled at the prospect of reading it, as it will be a challenge, since it is over one million words in length. For those of you who aren't writers and don't think in terms of how many words, let me put that in perspective for you. "In Search of Lost Time" is over 4,000 pages.
I've heard, on several occasions, this book called the most beautiful work on human consciousness and one of the greatest books ever written. Every writer I've talked to that has read this book, has been greatly changed (and for the better) by it. So, once I begin reading it, I'm going to be posting probably solely on what I read, so that I can process it all. If anyone has any objection to learning what happens in this book (although I have heard there is very little plot, and so very little to spoil), I would suggest not reading my blog for the next few months, and I just thought I would warn you beforehand.
Needless to say, I am very anxious to begin, and I look forward to seeing how my ways of thinking and analyzing and my writing ability develops.
But, on that note:
1. I think I have a job. I'm not entirely sure, as the situation is somewhat unusual. But I received a W-4 and an I9, which, generally, are reserved for after the hiring, and I was told "Welcome to the team." So, I think that means I'm hired, which means school will be significantly easier to pay for.
2. I could never be a teacher in the public school system. I have so many frustrations with the current standards and procedures that I'm sure I would be fired immediately.
3. It can be easily said that social change has always walked hand-in-hand with the arts. Examples: the Renaissance, Classicism, the Romantic movement, Realism, or the Civil Rights and Women's Rights movements. Due to this observation, I find it absolutely tragic and infuriating that the very first thing to be cut in schools is the arts. Until people recognize that we need art to grow culturally, we are going to go nowhere.
4. I am fairly certain I would be willing to break the nose of anyone who says that art isn't important. I think I get really passionate about it, because it's such a huge part of my life that I honestly can't even imagine living without it. It's just like when I mentioned that every culture has some form of music. There has to be a reason for that. Is there even anyone who honestly doesn't enjoy music?
5. My writing teacher told us that music and math also go hand-in-hand. I was unhappy with this theory at first, and was right on the same page with one of the girls in my class who said, "Then I must be in the wrong math class, because math and I do not get along." But then my teacher replied, "It's just a different language." So now, if you ask me, I'll tell you that math and music are two different expressions of the same thing.
6. I am intrigued by the effect of drugs on creativity, and will do my thesis on it if I ever get a doctorate. While I'm not going to go light up after writing this post, I'm beginning to notice a direct correlation between people who do drugs and brilliant writing/music/art. For this reason alone, I'm looking forward to getting my wisdom teeth out. I will be on who knows what, and I'm going to see how it affects my writing ability.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
This Week's Observations.
Whether they are due to my somewhat hectic writing schedule, or the excitement of spring break, or the absurdness of my life at the moment, or a combination of all, my thoughts have become slightly fragmented lately. In order to clear my head, I am going to list the present ideas, thoughts, and observations that are plaguing my mind at the moment, in no particular order.
1. I detest not having socks on. I think this might have begun last summer, when my sister stepped on a hobo spider with bare feet.
2. Revising my short story was not as painful as I had anticipated, and I feel that the story is much stronger for it. I sent it out today to Glimmer Train Press, who is based in Portland and actively seeking new writers. I'll be sending out a poetry packet on Monday.
3. It is entertaining to read the comments on Amazon.com about a book like Twilight, compared to Proust's "In Search of Lost Time," which has become my latest obsession.
4. I am falling more in love with writing each and every day, and am apparently incapable of shutting off the narrator in my head.
5. The movie "Watchmen" made me uncomfortable. It was more glowing blue naked man parts, sex, and graphic violence than I ever needed to see. I was horrified when my sister told me that my mom read the review on Plugged In Online. The plot itself was good, though.
6. Evan asked me the other day why my heart beat was sporadically speeding up and then going back to its regular pace. The times when it sped up were the times when I was thinking about my next short story for my advanced fiction class next term. Apparently, writing incites a physical reaction from me.
7. I love the way my hair feels after it's just been washed and dried.
8. I've been getting an average of three hours of sleep per night over the past week or so, and I feel fantastic.
9. There is more truth in literary fiction than in research essays.
10. There is not a single human culture on record that does not have some form of music. That is astounding and beautiful in its implications.
11. Hitler was a vegetarian and loved animals. That fact makes me uncomfortable, because it makes him human.
12. I have fallen in love with Post Secret, not because I simply enjoy knowing people's secrets, but because I think it shows a cultural shift toward community.
13. The gorgeous weather today made me giddy.
14. I am going to the beach tomorrow, and I honestly cannot describe how excited I am. The ocean stirs feelings in me that no other place I have been to has done. The pure, raw power of the ocean is an awe-inspiring and renewing sight.
15. This term has been the greatest school term in the entirety of my school career, and I am sad to see it come to an end. Being constantly surrounded by other writers, and being challenged by and challenging them has been incredible and amazingly beneficial to my own writing and way of thinking.
1. I detest not having socks on. I think this might have begun last summer, when my sister stepped on a hobo spider with bare feet.
2. Revising my short story was not as painful as I had anticipated, and I feel that the story is much stronger for it. I sent it out today to Glimmer Train Press, who is based in Portland and actively seeking new writers. I'll be sending out a poetry packet on Monday.
3. It is entertaining to read the comments on Amazon.com about a book like Twilight, compared to Proust's "In Search of Lost Time," which has become my latest obsession.
4. I am falling more in love with writing each and every day, and am apparently incapable of shutting off the narrator in my head.
5. The movie "Watchmen" made me uncomfortable. It was more glowing blue naked man parts, sex, and graphic violence than I ever needed to see. I was horrified when my sister told me that my mom read the review on Plugged In Online. The plot itself was good, though.
6. Evan asked me the other day why my heart beat was sporadically speeding up and then going back to its regular pace. The times when it sped up were the times when I was thinking about my next short story for my advanced fiction class next term. Apparently, writing incites a physical reaction from me.
7. I love the way my hair feels after it's just been washed and dried.
8. I've been getting an average of three hours of sleep per night over the past week or so, and I feel fantastic.
9. There is more truth in literary fiction than in research essays.
10. There is not a single human culture on record that does not have some form of music. That is astounding and beautiful in its implications.
11. Hitler was a vegetarian and loved animals. That fact makes me uncomfortable, because it makes him human.
12. I have fallen in love with Post Secret, not because I simply enjoy knowing people's secrets, but because I think it shows a cultural shift toward community.
13. The gorgeous weather today made me giddy.
14. I am going to the beach tomorrow, and I honestly cannot describe how excited I am. The ocean stirs feelings in me that no other place I have been to has done. The pure, raw power of the ocean is an awe-inspiring and renewing sight.
15. This term has been the greatest school term in the entirety of my school career, and I am sad to see it come to an end. Being constantly surrounded by other writers, and being challenged by and challenging them has been incredible and amazingly beneficial to my own writing and way of thinking.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Scandalous
I heard awhile back about Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" plagiarism scandal, and thought I would do some reading up on it, just because I happen to adore Coldplay and am not fond of the idea of them plagiarising a song.
So I did a little research, and it turns out that Joe Santriani has accused Coldplay of stealing parts of his song, "If I Could Fly". I listened to the song a few times, just to be sure, and I can't deny that the choruses of both songs are very similar, and other parts sound close if you're really listening for it. That's about a good as it gets, though.
There is also another band, Creaky Boards, who has decided to accuse Coldplay of stealing their song, as well. Apparently, Chris Martin was at a Creaky Boards gig in Brooklyn, where they performed their supposedly stolen song. Funny thing is, Coldplay was not only in recording in England at the time of the gig, but they had demoed "Viva La Vida" months before. Odd.
And then I stumbled upon this song and, if you listen to the instrumentals, it is also similar. Now, this song happens to come from some little French pop band, Alizee, and their song was released before Santriani's.
My point? There are only so many notes you can play and only so many ways you can arrange them. Similarities are bound to happen, and I'm not going to say who's innocent or guilty. But this is just what I found.
So I did a little research, and it turns out that Joe Santriani has accused Coldplay of stealing parts of his song, "If I Could Fly". I listened to the song a few times, just to be sure, and I can't deny that the choruses of both songs are very similar, and other parts sound close if you're really listening for it. That's about a good as it gets, though.
There is also another band, Creaky Boards, who has decided to accuse Coldplay of stealing their song, as well. Apparently, Chris Martin was at a Creaky Boards gig in Brooklyn, where they performed their supposedly stolen song. Funny thing is, Coldplay was not only in recording in England at the time of the gig, but they had demoed "Viva La Vida" months before. Odd.
And then I stumbled upon this song and, if you listen to the instrumentals, it is also similar. Now, this song happens to come from some little French pop band, Alizee, and their song was released before Santriani's.
My point? There are only so many notes you can play and only so many ways you can arrange them. Similarities are bound to happen, and I'm not going to say who's innocent or guilty. But this is just what I found.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
I Feel A New Season Beginning.
This morning, I woke up in fantastic spirits. I had spent last night working on editing my short story and writing a synopsis for my novel-in-progress, because I'm entering them both in the PNWA literary contest this year. That idea is both daunting and exciting.
I debated for a long time, though, on whether it would be wise to enter them. When all is said and done, I'll be competing against authors twice my age with twice my experience, and after entry fees, I'll be dropping close to one hundred dollars on this contest that might get me nowhere. For someone who is paying her way through college, that's a big deterrent.
But, the more I thought about it, the more I felt that I really should enter the contest. It feels right, and since I've never been one for sensibility, "it feels right" eventually won out over "that's your tuition money".
And so this afternoon, I was driving to class and admiring the positively gorgeous day it has been, and I was thinking about the fact that I'll have enough money for next term. I'll have barely enough, but I'll have enough. And, looking back, that's how it seems to always work out for me. I somehow manage to get by. Somehow, everything always works out, no matter how close it ends up being.
Now, if I were a more anxious person, I don't think that would be okay with me. I think that would cause me some major stress. And I do worry. But it seems like when I let go, and just leave it to God, that's when things work themselves out. So, I figured I'd enter this contest, and just let what happens, happen.
That's essentially the gist of my story, but the following bit is somewhat of a newsflash that I just felt like sharing, because some of you might want to know.
Deborah Reber, who has become a bit of common name in my posts recently, emailed me again today. This time, she asked for a 1-3 page outline of my memoir, and a 1-2 page excerpt. If I understand correctly, she asked me for a book proposal and sample. And I think that might be kind of a big deal.
So, I'm trying to not get too excited, because nothing is in any way final, and right now I don't want to have any expectations at all. But she's shown an interest, and that alone is a major morale booster.
So tonight, after I get home, I'll be working on a book proposal. It kind of goes without saying, but if you could be praying for me, that would be tremendous. I need God to keep me level-headed and focused, because I'm not great at either on my own.
That's all for now.
I debated for a long time, though, on whether it would be wise to enter them. When all is said and done, I'll be competing against authors twice my age with twice my experience, and after entry fees, I'll be dropping close to one hundred dollars on this contest that might get me nowhere. For someone who is paying her way through college, that's a big deterrent.
But, the more I thought about it, the more I felt that I really should enter the contest. It feels right, and since I've never been one for sensibility, "it feels right" eventually won out over "that's your tuition money".
And so this afternoon, I was driving to class and admiring the positively gorgeous day it has been, and I was thinking about the fact that I'll have enough money for next term. I'll have barely enough, but I'll have enough. And, looking back, that's how it seems to always work out for me. I somehow manage to get by. Somehow, everything always works out, no matter how close it ends up being.
Now, if I were a more anxious person, I don't think that would be okay with me. I think that would cause me some major stress. And I do worry. But it seems like when I let go, and just leave it to God, that's when things work themselves out. So, I figured I'd enter this contest, and just let what happens, happen.
That's essentially the gist of my story, but the following bit is somewhat of a newsflash that I just felt like sharing, because some of you might want to know.
Deborah Reber, who has become a bit of common name in my posts recently, emailed me again today. This time, she asked for a 1-3 page outline of my memoir, and a 1-2 page excerpt. If I understand correctly, she asked me for a book proposal and sample. And I think that might be kind of a big deal.
So, I'm trying to not get too excited, because nothing is in any way final, and right now I don't want to have any expectations at all. But she's shown an interest, and that alone is a major morale booster.
So tonight, after I get home, I'll be working on a book proposal. It kind of goes without saying, but if you could be praying for me, that would be tremendous. I need God to keep me level-headed and focused, because I'm not great at either on my own.
That's all for now.
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