Ostentatious Presents

Yesterday’s daily prompt: Ostentatious

As a little girl, there were many glittery and extravagant things I wanted.

I wanted necklaces and earrings, fancy dresses and toys. I wanted a frilly pink bedroom, a pool in our backyard, and a shiny new car for my sweet 16 (this was before I realized how terrible I am at driving). As I grew older, I realized that I could buy many of these things for myself. This was because I worked more and got paid more as I took on better jobs. My friends, too, went through a similar process. Our presents to each other became attached to a bigger and bigger budget, up to the point where we tell each other, “There’s nothing I really want”, because the things we really want are inappropriate to ask for (i.e. a car, a laptop, a house, a repayment on our student loans, etc.).

Handwritten Letters

 

Today’s Daily Prompt: Sincere

There are many ways to show sincerity to someone, but the most common method I use are letters.

I Hope You Had the Time of Your Life

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Always Something There to Remind Me.”

A song comes on the radio and instantly, you’re transported to a different time and place. Which song(s) bring back memories for you and why?

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don’t ask why
It’s not a question, but a lesson learned in time

I am sitting on the bleachers at the back of the school gymnasium – bleachers that only eighth graders can sit on because in a middle school, eighth graders are the seniors. The sixth and seventh graders are sitting on the floor, spread out and squished together into a sea of cross-legged bodies.

No cell phones or tablets to light our chins into ghostly silhouettes. Our eyes only saw the projector screen at the front. Our ears only heard Green Day’s “Time of Your Life”.

And the slideshow would play.

Thoughts: Give Me a Green Thumb

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Practice Makes Perfect?.”

Tell us about a talent you’d love to have… but don’t.

Talent is something I find a little unfair because it is something you are born with. Luckily, everybody is born with different talents (nobody is completely untalented, in my opinion). A talent means you are naturally better at something, and it is not to be confused with skill, which is something that can be improved over time and effort. A hardworking person may be able to catch up to a talented person, but if the talented person is hardworking as well, then it is a different story.

I think I speak for both my mother and I when I say I would love to be talented in gardening. Things just die with us.

Part XXV: Connor and the Boy with Green Eyes

Today’s daily prompt: Winning Streak

What’s the longest stretch you’ve ever pulled off of posting daily to your blog? What did you learn about blogging through that achievement, and what made you break the streak?

This month has been the only time I’ve ever had a daily posting streak.

If there’s anything I learned about blogging through this challenge, it’s that writing a little every day goes a long way. It was much harder to write daily at the beginning of November than it is now. I find that words seem to flow easier because I’ve been practicing writing every day.

Another thing I learned about writing is my misconception that it would just “come to me”. Every time I faced writer’s block, my resolution was to simply wait for it to pass. Unfortunately, I could not afford that luxury during NaBloPoMo. If I didn’t complete the installment within the next few hours, I would have no time to do so later on. Therefore, I had to push myself to write even if I didn’t like the way the words were lining up on my page. I prodded myself to continue editing my words, rearranging them, deleting them, and writing new ones until I was at least somewhat satisfied with the content. Writing with a writer’s block is difficult because you’ve been in moments when you’re in the zone. You know how much easier and better it is to write in that mood versus a writer’s block.

Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.
– Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

I will probably return back to weekly Sunday posts after this, but I have a bunch of new illustration ideas and writing topics so maybe I’ll be posting twice a week.

NaBloPoMo

The last installment of my short story series, inspired by NaNoWriMo/NaBloPoMo and the daily prompt.

<< Part XXIV: Connor and the Wedding

Part XXIV: Connor and the Wedding

Today’s daily prompt: Under the Snow

You were caught in an avalanche. To be rescued, you need to make it through the night. What thought(s) would give you the strength to go through such a scary, dangerous situation?

I’d probably be reminding myself that I have to make it through the night. If I can make it, I will be rescued.

I would make a list of all the things I would do after I am rescued: people I should be kinder to, people I should spend more time with, activities that I always told myself I would do but still have not done. People emerge out of near-death experiences with a new outlook on life.

Or my mind may wander off to the other times I’ve been in a scary, dangerous situation. And I would remind myself that I can get through it.

“I’m not ok. But I will be.”

NaBloPoMo

My short story series, inspired by NaNoWriMo/NaBloPoMo and the daily prompt.

<< Part XXIII: Connor and Eric

Part XXIII: Connor and Eric

Today’s daily prompt: Leftovers Sandwich

Today, publish a post based on unused material from a previous piece –a paragraph you nixed, a link you didn’t include, a photo you decided not to use. Let your leftovers shine!

NaBloPoMo

My short story series, inspired by NaNoWriMo/NaBloPoMo and the daily prompt.

I wanted to write a conversation between Connor and Eric earlier, but I wanted to make sure the story was progressing on schedule. I think now would be a good time to throw it in the series.

<< Part XXII: Connor and the Launch

Part XXII: Connor and the Launch

Today’s daily prompt: Never Too Late

Is there a person you should’ve thanked, but never had the chance? Is there someone who helped you along the way without even realizing it? Here’s your chance to express your belated gratitude.

To my mother’s friend, May,

I remember an argument my mother and I had when I was in elementary school. My mother ended up crying, saying she had no friends. It shocked me to see my mother cry. Kids don’t know what they’re supposed to do when they see their parents cry.

My family immigrated to Canada because they believed that my sister and I would have a better life here. I cannot even fathom how they could leave everything behind for that vision. They gave up their jobs, family, and friends to come here and were faced with many hurdles: the language barrier, racism, employment credentials, and so forth.

My mother was a stay-at-home wife. Aside from interactions with other parents at my elementary school (which likely did not happen very often because of my mother’s English capabilities), my mother must have been very lonely.

Thank you for being my mother’s friend. Thank you for all the times you helped her, although I will never know all the things you have done for her.

Sometimes I feel like all people need is just one friend- one good friend- who can make you believe that you are not all alone in this world. I think you are that person for her, so thank you.

NaBloPoMo

My short story series, inspired by NaNoWriMo/NaBloPoMo and the daily prompt.

<< Part XXI: Connor and Pam’s Meeting

Part XXI: Connor and Pam’s Meeting

Today’s daily prompt: Shaken and Stirred

What’s the most elaborate, complicated meal you’ve ever cooked? Was it a triumph for the ages, or a colossal fiasco? Give us the behind-the-scenes story

Breakfast is the only meal I really cook for myself and it is not complicated, so no triumphs or fiascos.

But my mother is an amazing cook, so I got that going for me, which is nice.

If I can stop thinking or talking in memes, that’d be great…

NaBloPoMo

My short story series, inspired by NaNoWriMo/NaBloPoMo and the daily prompt. Well, not really so much by the prompt today.

<< Part XX: The Boy with the Golden Feathers