Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Presidental Race
I saw today that John Edwards has dropped out of the Democratic race, making it a three person race for the Democrats: Clinton vs. Obama vs. Clinton. Wait, which Clinton is running again? Over in the GOP race, McCain keeps somehow winning primaries. Someone is going to have to explain that one to me because it is beyond me how he keeps winning. So, it looks as if the three front runners are a woman(Clinton), a muslim(Obama), and a liberal(McCain). Sounds like the start of a bad political joke...
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Episode 2 details
Well, I have gotten a lot of positive feedback about episode one of Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Happiness. The second episode is in the works and will be posted next week. I will more than likely post a sneak preview toward the end of this week. I have been advertising my series on various site, but I need help. Start spreading the word! Thanks!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Episode 1: Just Tell Her
What if you loved someone, but you could never tell them how you feel? What if that person was one of your best friends and you saw them everyday? What if you had to stand by and watch that person love someone else? What if you knew that no one else could make you feel the way that person makes you feel? How long do I have to suffer? These are the questions I ask myself everyday. My name is Joel, and this is my story...
Stratler’s Bar sat on the outskirts of downtown Charlotte, NC. The building was thirty-two hundred square feet and sat unattached to its surrounding counterparts. At first look, the bleak, brick building would not draw a second glance, but when the neon open sign was lit up, Stratler’s was sure to be buzzing with action.
Inside the busy bar, two tall, twenty-four year old men sat at the end of two conjoined tables which were surrounded by eight chairs; both men had a half-empty beer sitting in front of them. One of the two men, who sat at the head of the table, wore a backwards St. Louis Cardinals baseball cap and a black tee shirt with a white long sleeve undershirt. The other man had his brown hair gelled and wore a dark blue polo shirt.
Stratler’s Bar was nothing special. A little more than a hole in the wall, but we loved it anyway. My friends and I met there pretty much every night to decompress over drinks after a long day of work. That’s my friend Jack and myself. I’m the one in the Cardinals hat. The clock just hit six as we sit over our first beer, watching college basketball on one of the high definition televisions around the bar.
"I just talked to Brian. They should be here soon," said Jack, taking a sip of his beer, then setting the beverage back down on the square coaster in front of him.
"Cool," responded Joel, pushing his chair back and standing. "You need another one?"
"Yeah," answered Jack, pulling a filled money clip out of his pocket, "here."
"It’s cool," said Joel, waving him off and starting toward the bar. "I’ve got this round."
Joel walks over to the bar and leans against it, waiting for the bartender to serve him. He continued to watch the basketball game while waiting for the stocky bartender to make his way down the bar to him. There were only two other people at the bar waiting for service, so Joel did not have to wait long.
"Two more for ya, Joel?" asked the bartender, walking toward Joel.
"Yes sir, Mike," replied Joel.
"Here ya go," said Mike, retrieving two beers from the cooler behind the bar and putting them down on the bar in front of Joel.
"Thanks," said Joel. He picked up the two longneck bottles and carried them back to the table, putting one down in front of Jack.
"Thanks man," said Jack, picking up the beer and taking a sip. "So, Stacy should be here soon, right?"
Joel shifted his eyes from the television over to Jack, looking at him out of the corner of his eye without moving his head. "I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t bring that up anymore," said Joel in a stern tone, furrowing his brow while raising one of his eyebrows.
Jack took another sip of his beer and set it down on the table. "I just see how much it tears you up inside," replied Jack, pausing briefly for a rebuttal from Joel, then continuing when there was none. "You should just go for it. Tell her how you feel."
"It’s not that easy," replied Joel softly, picking at the corner of the label on his beer bottle.
"Sure it is," said Jack, trying to reassure Joel.
"Not when she is with Ron."
"Fair enough. Keep being miserable then," said Jack, giving up his crusade.
"Gee, thanks buddy," replied Joel, his lips curled resulting in a half smile.
Before the conversation could continue, two men and a woman entered the bar. The first man, who wore an Atalanta Braves hat, was an inch shorter than Joel and Jack-who stood at six foot three-heavyset and tall; his round belly could be seen as his white tee shirt fit snugly around it.
His counterpart was skinny and rather short with spiky, gelled hair. He was dressed in a button-down, red dress shirt. The pretty, slender brunette wore a black dress and was the same height-five foot eight-as the shorter man, which she held hands with. The three of them made their way to the table in which Joel and Jack sat.
That’s Dustin, Brian, and Lauren. If you could not tell from the hand holding, Brian and Lauren are together. They have been together for about a year now and seem to get more serious everyday. It kind of makes me jealous. Don’t get me wrong though, I am one-hundred percent happy for them. Not everyone can find what they have.
When the trio arrived at the table, Joel and Jack stood to greet Dustin and Brian with a handshake and embraced Lauren. After exchanging pleasantries, the three of them sat down at the table with Joel and Jack.
"Who’s thirsty?" asked Dustin, waving a wad of cash in front of his friends that he retrieved from his pocket. "I got paid today. The next round is on me."
That’s Dustin for you, always showing off.
"Grab us one," replied Brian, motioning toward himself and Lauren.
"Alright, that’s two," said Dustin, who then turned his attention to Joel. "What about you, Joel?"
Dustin’s words did not reach Joel, who’s attention was drawn to the door as a beautiful woman walked in. Her long, dirty blonde hair flowed in the short gust of wind that followed her through the door. Joel was immediately engulfed in a trance as he watched the woman.
"Joel?" asked Dustin.
"Forget it," said Jack. "Looks who’s here."
Joel’s four companions joined him in looking at the door. As they looked, the woman shifted her green eyes over to Joel. She smiled and waved as she started walking gracefully toward the table. Joel smiled awkwardly and waved back, almost spilling his beer in the process.
I know, I know. I look like a fourteen year old on his first date, but look at her. Can you blame me? That is Stacy, the girl of my dreams. I have known her since grade school. She is the best friend that I have ever had and the one constant through it all. As you probably already have guessed, I have loved her since the first moment that I saw her, but she has no clue.
I know what you are thinking: just tell her, maybe she feels the same way. Like I told Jack, it’s not that easy. There are a million reasons why I can’t tell her. Besides, I know what she would say: She wouldn't want to mess up our friendship; she sees me as a friend and nothing more; I am like a brother to her. Sorry, I over think everything in situations like this. Anyway, one reason stands out above all the rest.
A blonde man, slightly taller than the five foot seven Stacy, walked in behind her. He caught sight of her and followed her to the table.
And that is the number one reason why I cannot tell Stacy how I feel. That is her boyfriend, Ron. She has been with that loser for a few months now. Obviously, I can’t stand the guy. I’m sure he is a cool guy, but he is the tool that is with my girl. Hmph, I say my girl like I ever had her.
"H-hey Stacy," said Joel, stammering slightly as he stood to embrace the beautiful twenty-three year old woman. Embarrassing I know, but I stammer when I get nervous. Even though I have known the girl for years, I always get nervous around Stacy. "How are you?"
"Good, but I will be better once I get a drink in my hand," replied Stacy.
"I know the feeling," replied Joel, turning his attention to Ron. "Ron, didn’t think you were coming tonight?" he asked, reluctantly shaking his hand. Like I said, I don’t like the guy.
"I got lucky," replied Ron. "I switched shifts with another EMT, but I am still on call."
Joel nodded as he returned to his seat. Stacy and Ron exchanged greetings with their four other friends and joined them at the table.
Yes, I know he saves lives, but I still can’t bring myself to like this guy. Maybe in another life Ron and I would have been good friends, or maybe if he and Stacy weren’t dating. Don’t look down on me. A guy can dream can’t he?
The seven friends sat around the table having drinks and sharing stories from their day as they usually did. An hour later, Ron’s beeper went off. He reached down and pulled it off of his belt and examined it.
"I need to go," said Ron, standing from his seat. He leaned down and kissed Stacy. "See you later, babe." Everyone said their goodbyes to Ron, then he left.
I had seen the two of them kiss before and every time I wished that it was me, but for some reason, this particular kiss struck me the wrong way; I guess it had been eating at me for so long, it finally pushed me too far. It was then that I decided that I was going to tell Stacy how I felt.
"We need to get going too if we are going to be on time for the movie," said Jack, taking the final sip of his current beer.
"I’m going to have to pass," said Stacy. "I’m not really in the mood for a movie tonight."
Sweet! "Yeah, me either," said Joel.
"There’s a shocker," said Dustin, rolling his eyes at Joel.
Jack stood and began to walk to the bar. He paused briefly behind Stacy and mouthed the phrase, "Just tell her" to Joel. Joel nodded in response. Dustin, Brian, and Lauren followed Jack’s lead and the four of them said their goodbyes, paid their tabs, and left.
So there it was, the perfect opportunity for me to confess my love for Stacy, and I was just tipsy enough to go for it.
"Walk me home?" asked Stacy of Joel.
"Sure," responded Joel with a smile.
The two of them finished their drinks, settled their tabs, then left the bar, walking away from downtown.
As we walked, we talked about everything as we usually did. We were open with each other about everything; there were no secrets. However, this conversation had a different feel to it than previous conversations between the two of us. It was almost as if both of us knew what I was about to confess. Excitement and fear surged through me, building as we got closer to her apartment building. When we reached Stacy’s building, which stood three blocks from the building where Jack and I were neighbors. We stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading up to her building’s front doors.
"Thank you for walking me home," said Stacy, embracing Joel.
"Anytime," said Joel, unable to keep himself from smiling. I was so nervous with anticipation.
"What is it?" asked Stacy.
"Nothing," said Joel. Stop grinning like an idiot and just go for it, you clown! "I am just lucky, that’s all." There you go, lead into it. God, her eyes are beautiful.
"Yeah," agreed Stacy, "I know what you mean. Not everyone can have a friendship like ours. I wouldn’t trade it for anything."
It was right then that I knew. As my heart dropped, I came to a harsh realization... I can’t tell her. Which reason was it? Oh yeah, she wouldn't want to mess up our friendship. All I could do was nod, watch her walk up the stairs, and enter her building. The walk home that night was the longest three blocks I had ever walked in my life.
Stratler’s Bar sat on the outskirts of downtown Charlotte, NC. The building was thirty-two hundred square feet and sat unattached to its surrounding counterparts. At first look, the bleak, brick building would not draw a second glance, but when the neon open sign was lit up, Stratler’s was sure to be buzzing with action.
Inside the busy bar, two tall, twenty-four year old men sat at the end of two conjoined tables which were surrounded by eight chairs; both men had a half-empty beer sitting in front of them. One of the two men, who sat at the head of the table, wore a backwards St. Louis Cardinals baseball cap and a black tee shirt with a white long sleeve undershirt. The other man had his brown hair gelled and wore a dark blue polo shirt.
Stratler’s Bar was nothing special. A little more than a hole in the wall, but we loved it anyway. My friends and I met there pretty much every night to decompress over drinks after a long day of work. That’s my friend Jack and myself. I’m the one in the Cardinals hat. The clock just hit six as we sit over our first beer, watching college basketball on one of the high definition televisions around the bar.
"I just talked to Brian. They should be here soon," said Jack, taking a sip of his beer, then setting the beverage back down on the square coaster in front of him.
"Cool," responded Joel, pushing his chair back and standing. "You need another one?"
"Yeah," answered Jack, pulling a filled money clip out of his pocket, "here."
"It’s cool," said Joel, waving him off and starting toward the bar. "I’ve got this round."
Joel walks over to the bar and leans against it, waiting for the bartender to serve him. He continued to watch the basketball game while waiting for the stocky bartender to make his way down the bar to him. There were only two other people at the bar waiting for service, so Joel did not have to wait long.
"Two more for ya, Joel?" asked the bartender, walking toward Joel.
"Yes sir, Mike," replied Joel.
"Here ya go," said Mike, retrieving two beers from the cooler behind the bar and putting them down on the bar in front of Joel.
"Thanks," said Joel. He picked up the two longneck bottles and carried them back to the table, putting one down in front of Jack.
"Thanks man," said Jack, picking up the beer and taking a sip. "So, Stacy should be here soon, right?"
Joel shifted his eyes from the television over to Jack, looking at him out of the corner of his eye without moving his head. "I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t bring that up anymore," said Joel in a stern tone, furrowing his brow while raising one of his eyebrows.
Jack took another sip of his beer and set it down on the table. "I just see how much it tears you up inside," replied Jack, pausing briefly for a rebuttal from Joel, then continuing when there was none. "You should just go for it. Tell her how you feel."
"It’s not that easy," replied Joel softly, picking at the corner of the label on his beer bottle.
"Sure it is," said Jack, trying to reassure Joel.
"Not when she is with Ron."
"Fair enough. Keep being miserable then," said Jack, giving up his crusade.
"Gee, thanks buddy," replied Joel, his lips curled resulting in a half smile.
Before the conversation could continue, two men and a woman entered the bar. The first man, who wore an Atalanta Braves hat, was an inch shorter than Joel and Jack-who stood at six foot three-heavyset and tall; his round belly could be seen as his white tee shirt fit snugly around it.
His counterpart was skinny and rather short with spiky, gelled hair. He was dressed in a button-down, red dress shirt. The pretty, slender brunette wore a black dress and was the same height-five foot eight-as the shorter man, which she held hands with. The three of them made their way to the table in which Joel and Jack sat.
That’s Dustin, Brian, and Lauren. If you could not tell from the hand holding, Brian and Lauren are together. They have been together for about a year now and seem to get more serious everyday. It kind of makes me jealous. Don’t get me wrong though, I am one-hundred percent happy for them. Not everyone can find what they have.
When the trio arrived at the table, Joel and Jack stood to greet Dustin and Brian with a handshake and embraced Lauren. After exchanging pleasantries, the three of them sat down at the table with Joel and Jack.
"Who’s thirsty?" asked Dustin, waving a wad of cash in front of his friends that he retrieved from his pocket. "I got paid today. The next round is on me."
That’s Dustin for you, always showing off.
"Grab us one," replied Brian, motioning toward himself and Lauren.
"Alright, that’s two," said Dustin, who then turned his attention to Joel. "What about you, Joel?"
Dustin’s words did not reach Joel, who’s attention was drawn to the door as a beautiful woman walked in. Her long, dirty blonde hair flowed in the short gust of wind that followed her through the door. Joel was immediately engulfed in a trance as he watched the woman.
"Joel?" asked Dustin.
"Forget it," said Jack. "Looks who’s here."
Joel’s four companions joined him in looking at the door. As they looked, the woman shifted her green eyes over to Joel. She smiled and waved as she started walking gracefully toward the table. Joel smiled awkwardly and waved back, almost spilling his beer in the process.
I know, I know. I look like a fourteen year old on his first date, but look at her. Can you blame me? That is Stacy, the girl of my dreams. I have known her since grade school. She is the best friend that I have ever had and the one constant through it all. As you probably already have guessed, I have loved her since the first moment that I saw her, but she has no clue.
I know what you are thinking: just tell her, maybe she feels the same way. Like I told Jack, it’s not that easy. There are a million reasons why I can’t tell her. Besides, I know what she would say: She wouldn't want to mess up our friendship; she sees me as a friend and nothing more; I am like a brother to her. Sorry, I over think everything in situations like this. Anyway, one reason stands out above all the rest.
A blonde man, slightly taller than the five foot seven Stacy, walked in behind her. He caught sight of her and followed her to the table.
And that is the number one reason why I cannot tell Stacy how I feel. That is her boyfriend, Ron. She has been with that loser for a few months now. Obviously, I can’t stand the guy. I’m sure he is a cool guy, but he is the tool that is with my girl. Hmph, I say my girl like I ever had her.
"H-hey Stacy," said Joel, stammering slightly as he stood to embrace the beautiful twenty-three year old woman. Embarrassing I know, but I stammer when I get nervous. Even though I have known the girl for years, I always get nervous around Stacy. "How are you?"
"Good, but I will be better once I get a drink in my hand," replied Stacy.
"I know the feeling," replied Joel, turning his attention to Ron. "Ron, didn’t think you were coming tonight?" he asked, reluctantly shaking his hand. Like I said, I don’t like the guy.
"I got lucky," replied Ron. "I switched shifts with another EMT, but I am still on call."
Joel nodded as he returned to his seat. Stacy and Ron exchanged greetings with their four other friends and joined them at the table.
Yes, I know he saves lives, but I still can’t bring myself to like this guy. Maybe in another life Ron and I would have been good friends, or maybe if he and Stacy weren’t dating. Don’t look down on me. A guy can dream can’t he?
The seven friends sat around the table having drinks and sharing stories from their day as they usually did. An hour later, Ron’s beeper went off. He reached down and pulled it off of his belt and examined it.
"I need to go," said Ron, standing from his seat. He leaned down and kissed Stacy. "See you later, babe." Everyone said their goodbyes to Ron, then he left.
I had seen the two of them kiss before and every time I wished that it was me, but for some reason, this particular kiss struck me the wrong way; I guess it had been eating at me for so long, it finally pushed me too far. It was then that I decided that I was going to tell Stacy how I felt.
"We need to get going too if we are going to be on time for the movie," said Jack, taking the final sip of his current beer.
"I’m going to have to pass," said Stacy. "I’m not really in the mood for a movie tonight."
Sweet! "Yeah, me either," said Joel.
"There’s a shocker," said Dustin, rolling his eyes at Joel.
Jack stood and began to walk to the bar. He paused briefly behind Stacy and mouthed the phrase, "Just tell her" to Joel. Joel nodded in response. Dustin, Brian, and Lauren followed Jack’s lead and the four of them said their goodbyes, paid their tabs, and left.
So there it was, the perfect opportunity for me to confess my love for Stacy, and I was just tipsy enough to go for it.
"Walk me home?" asked Stacy of Joel.
"Sure," responded Joel with a smile.
The two of them finished their drinks, settled their tabs, then left the bar, walking away from downtown.
As we walked, we talked about everything as we usually did. We were open with each other about everything; there were no secrets. However, this conversation had a different feel to it than previous conversations between the two of us. It was almost as if both of us knew what I was about to confess. Excitement and fear surged through me, building as we got closer to her apartment building. When we reached Stacy’s building, which stood three blocks from the building where Jack and I were neighbors. We stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading up to her building’s front doors.
"Thank you for walking me home," said Stacy, embracing Joel.
"Anytime," said Joel, unable to keep himself from smiling. I was so nervous with anticipation.
"What is it?" asked Stacy.
"Nothing," said Joel. Stop grinning like an idiot and just go for it, you clown! "I am just lucky, that’s all." There you go, lead into it. God, her eyes are beautiful.
"Yeah," agreed Stacy, "I know what you mean. Not everyone can have a friendship like ours. I wouldn’t trade it for anything."
It was right then that I knew. As my heart dropped, I came to a harsh realization... I can’t tell her. Which reason was it? Oh yeah, she wouldn't want to mess up our friendship. All I could do was nod, watch her walk up the stairs, and enter her building. The walk home that night was the longest three blocks I had ever walked in my life.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
My written series
Exciting news! I am almost done with the first episode of my written series, which I have decided to call, "Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Happiness." I should be wrapping up the first episode, "Just Tell Her," tonight and I will post it tomorrow, more than likely during the day. It is a little lengthy due to the fact that it is the first episode and I had to give character introductions and descriptions. I don't expect the other episodes to be as long as this one, but who knows. Start spreading the word to everyone you know. I hope that everyone enjoys it. Later!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Realization
I realized something tonight: If it isn't meant to be then it will not happen. It is a shame that it took me this long to realize this simple fact. Everything that happens in our lives happens for a reason. Every decision that we regret was, in fact, the right decision for us at the time. If it was meant to be the other way, then it would have happened that way, therefore, we should not regret the decisions that we have made in the past. I know that I won't from now on! My example: I went to two different bars tonight and I saw the same beautiful girl at each bar. I wanted to talk to her, but I couldn't bring myself to. I couldn't believe it until I realized that the reason I could not bring myself to talk to her was because it was not meant to be. If it was, then I would have talked to her. It is simply remarkable how it feels that a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. From now on, the "what might have been" thoughts will be no more. I feel liberated!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Series details
Well, the ideas have been flowing and I have started writing the first episode of my series. I haven't thought of a name yet, but it will come. I hope to have the first episode posted by the end of next week. If not, then it will definetly be posted the first week of February. More details to come!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
My big idea
I think that I finally have an idea of a way to utilize my blog to get my writing career off the ground. I started on a story a while back that I am going to break down into episodes which I am going to post on here; I am definitely going to post one episode a week, but as of right now, I am leaning toward two episodes a week. The first four or five episodes will be an experiment to see if I generate enough interest. After seeing if it is a success or not, I will decide on whether or not to continue the series. Stay tuned for more details...
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Unlucky
Wow, 0 for 2. I couldn't have been more off with my Playoff picks. I knew that the Chargers had an uphill fight, but I thought for sure that the Packers would win, especially after the two missed field goals. I just hope that this won't be the last time that we see Bret Favre. After coming so close to another championship, I'm betting that he will be back next year.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Playoff picks
I have been looking forward to the AFC and NFC championship games since last Sunday when they were decided. All four teams are looking impressive as of late and tomorrow’s games should not disappoint. I’m sure all football fans have their opinions on how the games will turn out. I know I do, so I am going to try my hand at picking the winners.
When the Chargers and Patriots played in week 2, the Patriots were a well oiled machine, whereas the Chargers were severely disheveled. The players were still getting acquainted with Norv Turner and, likewise, Norv Turner was still getting acquainted with his players. They were also working with a new defensive coordinator.
Since then, the Patriots kept pumping out wins while the Chargers figured out that they needed to get the ball to LT more, acquired Chris Chambers-the number one receiver that they have needed-and Philip Rivers has grown into an above average quarterback. Granted, he still has a ways to go (i.e. not yelling at the fans) but he has stepped up big time in the first two playoff games.
As everyone in the football world probably agrees, I saw the Colts as the better match-up against the Patriots, seeing as how they had them beat only to give the game away late in the fourth quarter, but on the other hand, these aren’t the same Chargers that we saw in week 2.
They got use to Norv Turner, the defense started firing on all cylinders and more importantly they are playing with confidence.
In fact, due to San Diego’s better defense, if...IF they can keep pressure on Tom Brady like they did Peyton Manning, they can win. That is why I am going out on a limb and picking the Chargers to win the AFC Championship game, even with the questionable status of Rivers.
Moving on to the NFC, the Giants are as good as the have been all season and it appears that Eli has finally moved out of his brother’s shadow, at least for the time being. They seem almost unstoppable, but on the other hand is Bret Favre. Need I say more?
Just like with good wine, it seems that Favre just gets better with age. His play this season has been nothing short of MVP caliber and, if it weren’t for Brady’s unbelievable season, Favre would have won the MVP.
Along with Favre, Ryan Grant has emerged as a force to be reckoned with on the ground, and the Packer defense has been outstanding, but you can’t forget about Green Bay’s not so secret weapon, the frozen tundra. With the elements on their side, Green Bay will be too tough to overcome, even for the surging Giants, making them my pick in the NFC Championship game.
When the Chargers and Patriots played in week 2, the Patriots were a well oiled machine, whereas the Chargers were severely disheveled. The players were still getting acquainted with Norv Turner and, likewise, Norv Turner was still getting acquainted with his players. They were also working with a new defensive coordinator.
Since then, the Patriots kept pumping out wins while the Chargers figured out that they needed to get the ball to LT more, acquired Chris Chambers-the number one receiver that they have needed-and Philip Rivers has grown into an above average quarterback. Granted, he still has a ways to go (i.e. not yelling at the fans) but he has stepped up big time in the first two playoff games.
As everyone in the football world probably agrees, I saw the Colts as the better match-up against the Patriots, seeing as how they had them beat only to give the game away late in the fourth quarter, but on the other hand, these aren’t the same Chargers that we saw in week 2.
They got use to Norv Turner, the defense started firing on all cylinders and more importantly they are playing with confidence.
In fact, due to San Diego’s better defense, if...IF they can keep pressure on Tom Brady like they did Peyton Manning, they can win. That is why I am going out on a limb and picking the Chargers to win the AFC Championship game, even with the questionable status of Rivers.
Moving on to the NFC, the Giants are as good as the have been all season and it appears that Eli has finally moved out of his brother’s shadow, at least for the time being. They seem almost unstoppable, but on the other hand is Bret Favre. Need I say more?
Just like with good wine, it seems that Favre just gets better with age. His play this season has been nothing short of MVP caliber and, if it weren’t for Brady’s unbelievable season, Favre would have won the MVP.
Along with Favre, Ryan Grant has emerged as a force to be reckoned with on the ground, and the Packer defense has been outstanding, but you can’t forget about Green Bay’s not so secret weapon, the frozen tundra. With the elements on their side, Green Bay will be too tough to overcome, even for the surging Giants, making them my pick in the NFC Championship game.
Bush's good deed
When it is all said and done, at least George W will be able to say that he did one good thing while in office. If you haven't heard, Bush is going to try and boost the economy by giving us bigger tax returns. 800(possibly just 500, but I'm not complaining) dollars if you are single and 1,600 dollars if you are married.
800 extra dollars? Works for me! Maybe my tax return will finally be worth getting back. Kudos Mr. President.
800 extra dollars? Works for me! Maybe my tax return will finally be worth getting back. Kudos Mr. President.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Presidential Candidates...?
With the election coming up later this year, I have been somewhat closely following the Presidential Race and I have to say that I am not impressed with the candidates at all. I feel like I am watching parodies of the candidates on Saturday Night Live rather than an actual Presidential Race.
Is it just me, or are they all behaving like the middle child acting out for attention? And yes, I know that the point of every one of their campaigns is to draw our attention so that we might vote for them, but be serious.
A week or so ago, one candidate was crying(well, at least trying to) to get people to vote for her. This week, it's a candidate getting into a verbal spat with the media, while the spouse of another candidate does the same, while a fourth candidate complains that the media is giving him no attention and his two adversaries all of the coverage. Maybe that's because it is a two horse race. Not to mention that other candidates aren't what they seem at all, but they are politicians afterall.
What a mess. Are these the only choices we have? It looks like this country is in for a long four years no matter who gets elected.
Is it just me, or are they all behaving like the middle child acting out for attention? And yes, I know that the point of every one of their campaigns is to draw our attention so that we might vote for them, but be serious.
A week or so ago, one candidate was crying(well, at least trying to) to get people to vote for her. This week, it's a candidate getting into a verbal spat with the media, while the spouse of another candidate does the same, while a fourth candidate complains that the media is giving him no attention and his two adversaries all of the coverage. Maybe that's because it is a two horse race. Not to mention that other candidates aren't what they seem at all, but they are politicians afterall.
What a mess. Are these the only choices we have? It looks like this country is in for a long four years no matter who gets elected.
Insanity
Ok, so I open my internet explorer and right there on my homepage is a headline that says "Tom Cruise releases scientology tape." Come on Tom, who are you trying to convince? We all know that you are insane, you can stop trying to prove it to everyone. Are you trying to brainwash more girls who have idolized you since they were young like you did Katie Holmes? Just go back to your fantasy world and leave the rest of us sane people alone. We aren't buying it.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Steroids in baseball
Well, it's been two weeks since I mailed my manuscript, but it's still too soon for me to have heard anything. It just frustrates me that my work is more than likely probably sitting on some desk at Knopf, not even being considered. I showed it to a close family friend who almost had his book published (there wasn't enough interest in the subject at the time) and he said that it was extremely well written which gives me hope. Also, it lets me know that it is good enough to be published. Not to sound cocky or anything, because that isn't me at all, but you have to be confident.
Moving on, I was watching tv yesterday, and I happen to come across the Congressional hearing for steroids in baseball. I have to ask, am I the only one that is tired of hearing about this? There sits Bud Selig, who had to have known that it was going on and did nothing about it, talking about solutions. Here is a solution, get rid of Bud Selig! He is part of the reason-can't blame ole Bud for all of it-that steroid use has gotten so bad.
If you ask me, any player who has admitted to using 'roids, or been caught, via fail drug test, etc, should have their career stats erased from the record books. It is a mockery to the game of baseball. Ok, i'm jumping down from my soap box now... Agree? Disagree? Thoughts? Concerns?
Moving on, I was watching tv yesterday, and I happen to come across the Congressional hearing for steroids in baseball. I have to ask, am I the only one that is tired of hearing about this? There sits Bud Selig, who had to have known that it was going on and did nothing about it, talking about solutions. Here is a solution, get rid of Bud Selig! He is part of the reason-can't blame ole Bud for all of it-that steroid use has gotten so bad.
If you ask me, any player who has admitted to using 'roids, or been caught, via fail drug test, etc, should have their career stats erased from the record books. It is a mockery to the game of baseball. Ok, i'm jumping down from my soap box now... Agree? Disagree? Thoughts? Concerns?
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
My Journey as a Writer
First, a little bit about myself: I’m 26 years old. I live in Greensboro, NC where I was born and raised. I graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne college in May of 2005 with a degree in Sports Management. It was only after I had spent thousands of dollars to go to school that I discovered that I loved to write. I wish that I would have found that important nugget of information five years earlier, but everything happens for a reason and I wouldn’t change any of my experiences for the world. Everything that has happened in my past has led me to this point in my life and has shaped me into the person that I am today, and for that, I am grateful. With that said, this is my story...
My journey as a writer started a little more than two years ago. In November of 2005, I sat down in front of my computer with an idea, one idea. Pretty soon, my one idea spawned another idea, then came another, and another. The ideas kept coming and six months later, I had pounded out a script, well, at least what I thought was a script.
With my story completed, I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. The thought of trying to get it published never crossed my mind; instead, more ideas came. Enough ideas, in fact, for a second and third story and, just like that, I had a trilogy on my hands. I began to work on the second script immediately. It wasn’t long before I had two completed scripts sitting in front of me.
Jumping ahead, in the middle of August of 2006, I received a UNCG (University of North Carolina at Greensboro) course catalog in the mail. I’m guessing it was a mistake seeing as how I did not attend UNCG and my neighbors did, but my curiosity got the best of me, so I decided to look through it. It was not coincidence that led me to open that book, because the first course that I saw in the table of contents when I opened the front cover was none other than Screenwriting 101. I signed up for the course immediately.
Upon taking the class, I learned correct script format, which made my so-called script look like incoherent babble. Not only this, but the more I sat through the class, the more I realized that what I had written was far too rich to be a script; it delved too deep into the character’s feelings and motivation for their actions, whereas in writing a script, you give only the basics. My story wasn’t quite a script, but it wasn’t quite a novel.
I had a decision to make.
Do I want to take away all of the details and leave just the who, what, when, and where? Or do I want to sit down, tear my story to shreds, add even more detail than I already had, and then piece it back together? It was very frustrating at first, but the more I thought about it, the choice was simple. So, I began turning my script into a novel.
The process turned out to be easier than I thought it would be as my "bad" script turned out to be a great layout of my story. Even though the process of converting my story into a novel turned out to be easier, it still took me a while to complete, as I went back and read through my work several times to perfect it. I finally finished in early December 2007, about a month ago.
Having ordered, Writer’s Market 2008, I excitedly thumbed through it upon its arrival and found many publishers interested in the genre that my novel fit into, fantasy adventure, but unfortunately none of which accept simultaneous submissions. Thus, starting the daunting task of sending it out to one publisher at a time. I chose Knopf Publishing to send my novel to first. With that decided, I wrote a query letter and mailed it, along with 45 sample pages of my work, on January 2, 2008.
Shortly after, I read an article in my local newspaper which said that blogging is a good way to get your writing career off the ground, so for about a week or so, I racked my brain trying to figure out what I would write about if I created a blog. Finally, late one night, it came to me, just as the first idea of my novel had come to me two years prior. I decided to share my story.
And with that, my journey as a writer continues. Until next time...
My journey as a writer started a little more than two years ago. In November of 2005, I sat down in front of my computer with an idea, one idea. Pretty soon, my one idea spawned another idea, then came another, and another. The ideas kept coming and six months later, I had pounded out a script, well, at least what I thought was a script.
With my story completed, I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. The thought of trying to get it published never crossed my mind; instead, more ideas came. Enough ideas, in fact, for a second and third story and, just like that, I had a trilogy on my hands. I began to work on the second script immediately. It wasn’t long before I had two completed scripts sitting in front of me.
Jumping ahead, in the middle of August of 2006, I received a UNCG (University of North Carolina at Greensboro) course catalog in the mail. I’m guessing it was a mistake seeing as how I did not attend UNCG and my neighbors did, but my curiosity got the best of me, so I decided to look through it. It was not coincidence that led me to open that book, because the first course that I saw in the table of contents when I opened the front cover was none other than Screenwriting 101. I signed up for the course immediately.
Upon taking the class, I learned correct script format, which made my so-called script look like incoherent babble. Not only this, but the more I sat through the class, the more I realized that what I had written was far too rich to be a script; it delved too deep into the character’s feelings and motivation for their actions, whereas in writing a script, you give only the basics. My story wasn’t quite a script, but it wasn’t quite a novel.
I had a decision to make.
Do I want to take away all of the details and leave just the who, what, when, and where? Or do I want to sit down, tear my story to shreds, add even more detail than I already had, and then piece it back together? It was very frustrating at first, but the more I thought about it, the choice was simple. So, I began turning my script into a novel.
The process turned out to be easier than I thought it would be as my "bad" script turned out to be a great layout of my story. Even though the process of converting my story into a novel turned out to be easier, it still took me a while to complete, as I went back and read through my work several times to perfect it. I finally finished in early December 2007, about a month ago.
Having ordered, Writer’s Market 2008, I excitedly thumbed through it upon its arrival and found many publishers interested in the genre that my novel fit into, fantasy adventure, but unfortunately none of which accept simultaneous submissions. Thus, starting the daunting task of sending it out to one publisher at a time. I chose Knopf Publishing to send my novel to first. With that decided, I wrote a query letter and mailed it, along with 45 sample pages of my work, on January 2, 2008.
Shortly after, I read an article in my local newspaper which said that blogging is a good way to get your writing career off the ground, so for about a week or so, I racked my brain trying to figure out what I would write about if I created a blog. Finally, late one night, it came to me, just as the first idea of my novel had come to me two years prior. I decided to share my story.
And with that, my journey as a writer continues. Until next time...
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