Writer Problems

This month I haven't read much. The largest reason for that is I've been busy with class, but another reason has been I've been working on a story. And I've been working really hard on it, took. It's a great story that has evolved a lot from the first story-starting idea, and I'm really excited for it.

The problem, though, is this story has decided to let me know I'm writing in the wrong perspective. *flips desk* And so now comes the momentous task of trying to switch the point of view around so that it works better, while still keeping as much of what I have already written intact. Oh the things we writers go through to create a novel.

Sorry I wasn't able to post anything more about the speech contest. There was no one there to record it, and I lost -- which made me more upset than I thought it would -- so I didn't really feel like talking about it much. It was fun, I made some Korean friends, and I learned that no matter what I do, because I have no comedic timing whatsoever I will never be able to win. Le sigh.

Thanks for reading.

Korean Speech Contest

This is a quick note to let you know that I'm participating in a Korean Speech Contest this afternoon, and that my real blog post will come after that, hopefully with video. Something to look forward to!

The Beauty of Engrish

A lot of times in K-Pop, and in other Asian music, they try to add a little bit of English into their song to try to make it more hip, more accessible to English speakers, etc. Sometimes this works, and other times it doesn't, because English has a lot of sounds that Asian languages don't have. And because the grammar is completely different.

The loof is on fire. I'm a oolf. Careless, careless, shoot anonymous. I'm ready to bingo. Hey do you now. We gonna take it to the next revel. These are just some examples of how English gets turned into Engrish.

A lot of my friends and co-workers claim this as a reason for their disliking K-Pop as a whole, or as a part.

But for me, there is some sort of magic that comes from their use of Engrish. It gives the songs flavor, and that special attribute that only they have. Without the Engrish, it wouldn't be the same kind of K-Pop. Yes, a lot of times the English phrases don't make sense, and a lot of times the individual words they use aren't spoken correctly. So what?

Of course, sometimes people complain too much about it and then the producers fix some of the pronunciation for the album. That always makes me upset.

One of my favorite examples of this is B.A.P's Hurricane. In the music video, Himchan says The loof is on fire. What he meant to say is roof, but just the way he says loof while wearing an intense stare made it endearing. However, a lot of people laughed and made fun of and complained about it when the MV first came out, and so for the album, the producers had Himchan re-record that part, this time pronouncing the word a little bit closer to roof. It still wasn't perfect, but it wasn't loof. The problem with this was it didn't have the same integrity and just plain adorable-ness as the MV version. And so even now I still sing loof, even when Himchan sings roof.

To me, Engrish is just an endearing part of Asian culture, and one of the things that I like about. I hope it doesn't change anytime soon.

Sorry for the late post, and thanks for reading!

Ten Things About How I Write

Well, first off not very well, pretty inconsistently, and usually by the seat of my pants. But, other than those things, there are some points that I've noticed I follow over and over again, and while I have yet to finish something, these points have worked so far.

Some of these are things I've learned through trial and error, and other things just come naturally.

1. I don't ever share my story with anyone until I have written the last word of the first draft. This one has been one of those trial and error things. And I have only recently figured it out, and so I have lost a lot of good stories and hard work to the problem of sharing it with others. What usually happens is I get excited about something I'm working on, so I want to share it. I love it when people compliment me on my writing, and that can only happen if they read what I've written, so I share. Except, while they do say good things about my writing, they usually have ideas and thoughts about what I should do with the story, and try to interpret things, which in turn changes how I thought about things and. Other times they take one thing they read, one thread that I hadn't finished writing about, and then they make fun of me for it for weeks and weeks, until I can't stand to think about the story anymore and toss it.

2. I don't listen to any kind of suggestions, except from Artemis (my inner editor who I talk to like a crazy person. Seriously, my inner editor is a real persona and she can be pretty mean sometimes, but she always steers me in the right direction.) Usually the suggestions of others don't mesh with my original idea, but they sound cool anyway so I add them to the story and then they multiply like plot bunnies until the story is so overloaded that I scrap the whole thing.

3. I pick one method of writing and I stick with it for the whole story. Sometimes that means I'm writing with pen and paper, sometimes with my laptop or my desktop, and sometimes that means I'm forcing myself to not be frustrated with the crappy keyboard on my phone or iPad. Either way, the story gets put onto paper (literal and figurative) the same way for the whole story. It is my way of setting my brain up for writing, because I don't really have a specific place I write. So as soon as I pick up my laptop or iPad, I know it's time to write.

4. I write when the inspiration strikes. This kind of means I'm a fickle writer. When I'm in the middle of planning for one project and a brilliant idea strikes me, then I have to immediately sit down and start working on that. This is something I need to change, because I need to figure out a way to finish something.

5. I don't write anything plot related down. Ever. It's hard for me to get the right words down no paper, because I don't create the stories in my head with words. It's all a movie up in here, and translating that to the written word can be challenging. So when it comes to plot and things, I usually leave it up in my head, where I can understand it better, and just let the writing flow. If this means I forget a few minor details, that's fine. But so far, I'm pretty good at remembering everything.

6. When I'm working on a writing project, I don't read, I don't watch movies or TV, and I try my darnedest to stay away from music videos. Because all of those things are idea machines for me, and when I'm trying to work on something, getting more ideas is usually not a good idea.

7. When I'm looking for story ideas, the first place I look is K-Pop music videos. This may seem kind of silly, but a lot of times my greatest ideas have come from a music video. I usually take the basic idea, or maybe create an individual scene from the video, and then my brain takes it in a completely different direction so that the final product is usually completely unrecognizable when put next to the idea or video.

8. I agonize over character names. I have been told that it's okay to have placeholder names for while I'm writing the first draft, but to me, names have a lot of importance in the character's development, and if they don't have the perfect name to begin with, then their development is stunted considerably. I have two characters that I have had to change their names for various reasons, and I still struggle to call them by their new name, instead of their real old name. So if I have to break my writing flow to find the perfect name, it's a worthy sacrifice.

9. While I'm writing, I try to listen to things that won't interrupt my writing (like k-pop). My current favorite writing sound is MyNoise's Flying Fortress, set on The Real Thing, which is really REALLY loud, but relaxing to me, and usually creates the perfect mood for writing. But occasionally I have to work a little harder to get in the right mood, and I'll listen to specific playlists I have like "Fighting" or "Romance" or "Depressing".

10. When I'm writing, I sometimes forget to eat. Or I decide not to eat so I can write instead. It's not really healthy, but specifically when I'm in class and only have an hour for lunch, that's an hour I could write, or an hour I could got get food. And I usually choose writing over food.

So, there you have it. I don't have the best writing habits, but I'm working on it. For your information, I am currently working on a pretty exciting idea (on my iPad, which can get annoying) and while I don't expect to have it finished anytime soon, I do hope this one has the right staying power for me to make it to The End.

Do you write? If you do, what are some habits you have that help you get the words on paper? Tell me in the comments!

Thanks for reading, and sorry for missing Sunday.

Too Many Things To Do In One Lifetime

It seems like what I want to do with my life changes more and more often recently. One day I'm thinking of living in a large home designed after Korean style homes. The next, I'm considering the crazy idea of living in 120 square feet of tiny house (thankfully Mom talked me out of that one.) One day I'm dreaming up all the details for opening and running a bookstore, then I'm thinking about everything I have to do to become a homemaker. First, 'City!' Then, 'Country!' Cats! No, dogs! Teaching English! Writing novels! Riding horses! Cooking for a living!

The list can go on. I guess I haven't changed much from when I was a child. Every week I had a new middle name (I have none, and I was always jealous of everyone else in my family. Even my mom has one but I don't.) Every time someone asked me, I had a different job I wanted to do when I grew up. Journalist, Marine Biologist, Veterinarian, etc. etc. ad nauseam.

I really need to just sit down with myself (I can be a bit stubborn about these things) and remind myself that I really have very little control over what will happen in the future. I will just have to do what I can today and wait to see what will happen tomorrow.

I mean, look at where I am right now. If you asked me at any point in my life before that fateful moment when Dad suggested the Air Force, 'where do you think you will be at 25?' I never would have said military. I'm sure my 15 year old self would have had many a heart attack if she heard I joined the military, lived in an Asian country, and still wasn't married. That just wasn't in the plan. I didn't really have a plan at the time, but that just wasn't in it.

And look at me now. I'm in the military and actually like it. Okay, it's not really 'like', it's more like 'pride' and 'gratitude', but those can equal 'like', right?

Hold on. I got sidetracked here.

The point of all this, is there are too many things I want to do in life, that I just can't make a 'Life Plan.' If I tried to do everything, it wouldn't work. I can't work full time while still being a full time mom, and I can't live both in the city and the country. I can't worry about what kind of home I'm going to live in. The future is a mystery to all but one person, and that person I am not. So I need to just sit back, relax, and enjoy the now. Otherwise I'll regret it in the future.

What are some things that you wanted to do as a child or young adult that you haven't had a chance to do yet? Do you think you'll ever get the chance? Tell me in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

Two Movies

So I went a little overboard and went and saw two movies today. First I made plans with one friend, forgot about those plans, then went and saw a movie with another friend, and after that movie was over I remembered the other plans I had made and arrived back in time to go with that friend. A bit of a mess, but I got to hang out with two friends I don't get to see very often, as well as watch two interesting movies, so it was worth it.

The two movies I saw were Captain America 2 (in a Korean theater) and Noah (at the base theater.) Normally I don't review stuff like this, but then again normally I don't come out of two consecutive movies with something very important to say, something that bugs me and needs to be said. So, here I go.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (spoiler free)

This was a great movie. What's funny is the first Captain America movie was the first movie I watched when I got out of Air Force Basic Training. I really like Captain America, more so than some of the other super heroes nowadays. Because he fights America, and not for the bureaucrats and the rich and powerful and those in power, no, he fights for the people and for the freedom of Americans and for AMERICA. But that's not what I want to talk about today.

This was a great movie, but what I want to talk about are the minions and peons and the people on the lowest level. Basically people like me. And this isn't really just about Captain America, it's also about most movies that have legions of bad guys and soldiers and police etc. that the 'good guys' have to fight their way through. I don't know about other people, but it always bothers me that there are so many people who don't question their orders, don't question what they are being told to do, don't question if what they are doing is right. Of course, I understand that a lot of times they are being lied to, or misled, or brainwashed, or the like, but really? That many people?

And then when the 'good guys' do their thing and destroy the bad guy's fortress/flying machine/ship etc. what about all those people who didn't realize what they were getting into and died anyway? I realize that there are people who do know what they are getting into and either don't have the moral courage to stand up for what's right or expect to get out of whatever they do. Maybe they expect power or money, or any other temptation that pulls men and women away from the good. But how can I honestly believe that that many people were either unable to think for themselves or were expecting to get something out of it?

For the last couple of days I've been thinking about stuff like this, and I'm not exactly sure why. I've imagined spending years interviewing prisoners in the States to try to find out how they ended up that way and to try to fix things, I've imagined being inside the movies I've watched talking with the minions and peons to try to get them to think for themselves and to realize that they are on the wrong side. Anything to stop the death and corruption.

And Captain America really made me think of it more. When you see it, you'll realize why.

Noah (again, spoiler free as best I can)

Noah made me think of other things. And this one had more to do with the actual movie. As the title suggests, the movie is about Noah and the Ark. As a movie that has nothing to do with the biblical story, it makes for a great movie. Maybe set in a fantasy setting or something. But as a retelling of the bible story, it is poorly done, and done without a real understanding of what a Man of God is and how a prophet like Noah would have communicated with God.

Maybe this all just comes from my LDS/Mormon background, but this movie was so hard to watch because of the things that Noah did and said and felt. Yes, Noah was a man, and he probably had his faults and all, but Noah was a Prophet of God, and he would have known a lot more than the movie Noah did. Now I know that the real story probably wouldn't have been quite as exciting, and so the film-makers added a bunch of things to make the movie 'worth' watching. But to me it was not worth watching and it left me with an uncomfortable, dark feeling.

At least one good thing came out of this movie: I was reminded of how grateful I am to know the truth of things and to have the Spirit so that I can tell what is wrong or right.

I wish I could talk more about Noah, but it would be too spoiler-ish, and spoiling movies and things is one of my big pet peeves, so I don't do it, except in private settings with people who are sure they want it to be spoiled. (like my mom, sometimes

So tell me, have you see movies that just made you want to talk about something? Something that buzzed around your brain until you told someone? Tell me about it in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

OUAT In Wonderland and why I'm glad it got cancelled

First off, I need to apologize for not posting on Thursday, like I normally do. Language class has been a little more time consuming and distracting than I expected and while I knew what I was going to post about, it completely slipped my mind.

Now, I am in love with Once Upon A Time In Wonderland. It's a wonderful spinoff series based on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, which is one of my favorite children's story, and as I have talked about it before, some of my favorite relationships and characters. But even saying that, I'm glad it was not picked up for a second season, and here's why.

When I first heard about it, I thought it was supposed to be only a mini-series spinoff, just something to supplement the main show while having a completely separate setting and set of characters. Then I learned that no, it was supposed to be it's own show and that it would hopefully continue for at least a little bit. As I started watching it, I thought this was a good idea, because I was enjoying it so much.

Then, before I had watched the season one finale episode, I heard it was cancelled. This made me upset and a little angry, although I should have seen it coming because a lot of really good shows that I enjoy get cancelled. (e.g. Firefly, The Dresden Files, etc.) But then I watched the season finale, which had such a perfect, well-suited ending that wrapped everything up quite nicely and actually finished the story, leaving no loose ends to be picked up later. So it was perfect. And if they had used that ending and still went on with another season, it would have taken away from the ending and made it seem cheap.

Maybe I'm just used to Korean dramas, where there is a definitive ending and very rare sequels (and even those aren't about the same characters,) but I enjoy complete stories much better than continuing series that never seem to end, but do seem to run out of steam.

So while the cancelling of shows like Firefly and Terra Nova leave me upset and wondering why, I'm glad OUAT In Wonderland was cancelled, especially with the ending they got. Because anything more would have ruined the story.