Ready. Set. Write! Check in

1. How I did on last week's goals?
 -I accomplished all of my goals. My goal was to write 5000 words and I ended up writing 6000. I was right on point as I revised seven pages, and wrote everyday.

2. My goals for this week.
 -Because it's going to be a very busy weekend with the fourth of July and whatnot I'm going to cut back on my word count and aim for 4000 words. I'll try to revise five pages, at the least, and of course I have to write everyday, it just might not be a 1000 word stretch. However, I'm kind of disappointed in myself when I realize that with all this writing I'm not reading as much, so I'm making the goal to read everyday.

3. A favorite line from my story or one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised.
 -It's rough but I like how it shows more about Ezra then even I knew.
 "'I used to think, when I was a child, that children eventually grew up to become adults, but the older I get and the more I look at you, Anna, I realize that just isn't true. We are all children, some of us just lost the compassion because we thought that wasn't needed, others lost the absolution because we try so damn hard to make the right decisions. Me, Anna, I lost the ability to look at this city and think there was something waiting for me here. Hopefulness is what you used to call it before you decided to grow up without me too.'"

4. The biggest challenge I faced this week.
 -Well, I found the time to write, even though it means writing until 1:30 am now I'm just battling sleep deprivation, so it makes my words a little too soppy with emotion. At least I'm writing though.

5. Something I love about my WIP.
 -I like discovering all the stories that live inside of one story, and I'm definitely seeing more with Ezra stepping back into Anna's life.

Check in for Ready. Set. Write!

1. How I did on last week's goals?

 -Well... I admit it I didn't finish 5,000 words but I did write everyday! Which is really good, it just wasn't enough. I also did revising in my other story so I got two thirds of my goals checked off.

2. My goals for this week.

 -I am going to keep writing everyday and I'm going to aim for revising a page a day too. I'm also not going to shy away from this 5,000 words in a week thing. So my goals aren't really changing.

3. A favorite line from my story or one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised.

 -It could definitely use some work but here it goes: "And as he noted this he began to see Anna as a threat to Brevis, perhaps if the time was different, perhaps if it was not the week of the festival or even the day of the gathering he would not see her as such, but now he did."

 

4. The biggest challenge I faced this week.

 -Was simply finding enough time to write. Usually there is time but with orientation, work, babysitting and cleaning time felt so limited.

5. Something I love about my WIP.

 -I really like choices and challenges the main character has to go through. Nothing is easy.

Orientation and the FUTURE

It's kinda official. I'm just kidding...it IS official. I'm enrolled in classes, real college classes, classes that are going to be at a college.



Today I had orientation at UMKC (University of Missouri - Kansas City) and I've signed up for classes that I hope are going to emphasize that I am making the right choice in choosing to major in Creative Writing and Political Science.

I am going to be completely honest and say that just months ago I was terrified of graduating, let alone signing up for college, or heaven forbid living on campus. The point is, is that I was so scared of all those things because they were supposed to be the future. They were supposed to be distant thoughts in the back of my mind. They weren't supposed to happen yet.

Okay, so I still don't think they are supposed to happen yet, I mean I don't feel like I'm eighteen or a high school graduate or a college bound student. Nope.

But I'm not afraid anymore. I can't let the future have control over me because I don't know what lies ahead of me, I only have ideas of where I will go. I'm starting to look at today, right now, instead of tomorrow or days/months/years ahead because today is the only thing I can change. I can learn from the past, act in the present and prepare for the future but I cannot worry.

There is nothing to worry about, there are only things to do, places to go, people to meet, and a life to lead. And I've decided that that life is going to be at UMKC.

READY. SET. WRITE! (goals)

I have been lacking on my writing. So to get back into the writing spirit I'm participating in READY. SET. WRITE! I'm a little late with starting (just a week behind) but better late than never, right?

So here are my goals:
Write everyday, no matter what it is I just need to write.
Write a total of 5000 words this week in my story.
Read through and edit at least five pages a week.

Check ins are on Monday's so that means I should be answering these questions on Monday:

1.  How I did on last week’s goals

2.  My goal(s) for this week

3.  A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised

4.  The biggest challenge I faced this week (ex. finding time to write)

5.  Something I love about my WIP

 

Wish me luck!

Negotiating

There has been quite allot of talk about the negotiations that led to soldier Bergdahl coming home. The most talk that I've seen is mostly negative, mainly saying "negotiation with terrorist is against policy" and shouldn't be considered for the well being of America. But this is where my thoughts lie:

1. What if it was my brother? My father? My uncle?

2. What does the well being of America really mean?

I can honestly say that if soldier Bergdahl were my brother, father, uncle etc. I would be absolutely, no question about it, set on their homecoming. I think most people would be, but maybe I am wrong. Maybe people wouldn't care. I highly doubt this though, people are often more effected when they have relationships. It is sad to think that knowing someone in a slightly more personal way can change a person's perception. But it does and so I can't help but want soldier Bergdahl to come home for his family, despite any negotiations with terrorists.

If one looks at the definition of terrorist as a person who terrorizes or frightens others then negotiations with terrorists is more common than one would think. I am not advocating for terrorism when I say this. I think terrorism is awful and if someone wants to prove a point then there are other ways to do that besides resigning to terrorizing others until the person gets what the person wants.

Negotiating with terrorist should not be considered a bad thing. Negotiation should never be considered bad because it results in an understanding in some way. Understanding is a step closer to peace. And suggesting that negotiation with terrorist is against policy could be interpreted as there will be no attempt to understanding, which in turn means there will be no attempt at peace. Peace should be a priority to protect the American people. Peace doesn't always mean "giving in" but it does mean trying to keep stable ground between two very different ideas. Stability is important for a nation, isn't it? So why is negotiating such a bad thing?

When I look at the reactions that people have about negotiating with terrorists I immediately think why? Yes. Terrorism is bad. Yes. America does not condone terrorism. Yes. America does not want to seem weak, especially in the eyes of our enemies. However, people fail to take into consideration that negotiating is a way to understanding--which is a step closer than we were. It doesn't mean that America condones terrorism, because we don't and that won't change. It doesn't show any weakness that terrorist wouldn't have seen before. Every country's weakness is it's people, citizens are what makes a country and if citizens are weak then a nation is weak, it is common knowledge, known for years as we witnessed in a series of terrorist attacks on September 11th .

It is hard to believe that five terrorist could make such an impact on an already present organization. Though it is possible the organizations could take into consideration whatever these five men have for ideas or it is even possible that the five men could offer their lives to the terrorist organizations. It is possible that five men could make a difference, but not as likely as people fear. The five prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay likely did not have updates and would have little information not to mention their stability may not be reliable enough for their organizations to find useful.

In my opinion, bringing home a soldier should be America's priority. They have fought well and hard and should get the chance to come home and remember why they are fighting. America should be supportive for the POWs that are returning, no matter the circumstances, because no one could know exactly what hell they went through. Enduring five, sometimes more, years of wondering if each breath you take will be your last is torture enough and then coming home without the full support of the citizens you fought for must be painful. And I think soldier Bergdahl has been through enough pain.

My opinions may vary from yours and that's okay, diversity is a good thing and I would love to hear different opinions, as long as they are respectful. So please, be respectful for soldier Bergdahl and his family and friends, and also be respectful of the people that made the difficult decisions to negotiate soldier Bergdahl's way home. Thank you.