write things worth reading or do things worth writing

I took one creative writing class, one time.

I was a sophomore in high school, and technically, I shouldn’t have taken it.  It was for seniors, but I wanted to and the deciders of these things gave me the o.k.

It was a bad idea really.  I had no idea what I was doing.  I think creative writing calls for a degree of self-awareness, or conversely the awareness that you have no idea who this “self” is supposed to be, that I just didn’t have as a sixteen year old.  I was the worst kind – the sixteen year old who thinks she’s self aware, but actually has no idea what’s going on just yet.    It wasn’t working for me.  This, tied with the fact that it was a class of seniors who I didn’t know, made me very self conscious.  I wasn’t comfortable with other people reading my work, therefore my work was no bueno.

I wish I had taken some creative writing classes in college.   I think I would have had alot of fun with it.

I feel like if I were to sit down and write something that isn’t something i’ve been trained in writing, I’d do it “wrong.”  Which doesn’t make any sense really.  That’s what eighteen years of formal education will do to someone I guess.    Also the fact that my best friend is currently working on her MFA in Creative Writing from one of the most highly regarded schools in the country makes me think there’s at least a little formal training needed.  Just a little.

I just called my mother and told her this.

“I wish I had taken a creative writing class in college.”

“Min, you did alot.  Almost everything you’re interested in you’ve studied.  Just give it a rest already.”

touche, salesman.

Advice, 1.0

“You know what you really enjoy doing, and it’s no coincidence that that’s what you’re good at.  Just find something that let’s you do it.   The context of how and where you’re doing it can change, that doesn’t matter.  But what you really, sincerely enjoy doing – that’s forever.  That’s who you are.  Don’t settle.”

This was good to hear today.

I know, I was there.

In 2008 I began to really appreciate the fact that I have friends who actually like seeing me for extended periods of time, literally seven days a week.

I’m talking about the kind of friends who you see so much they can’t tell you anything about their lives because you’re always there when it happens.

Friends who after 12 hours of classes and meetings ask you if you want to go out for dinner.

Friends who after working 9-5:30 Monday through Friday ask you to hang out on Friday night.

What makes it extra-great is when you still want to hang out with them too.  And you say, “I missed you” when you didn’t see them  for more than 24 hours – and you mean it.

It’s the best.  I feel really lucky to have such amazing friends.   Double extra lucky that most of these people are / were co-workers and friends from school who I worked with over the years.

Today was another reiteration of these relationships existing.  They’re great.  You should get at least one.

I hope in my post-college-graduate life I have relationships like these.

“I hate puzzles!”

This week I’ve been helping my good pal Christina move in to her new apartment.  Earlier, I assembled a coffee table, and tonight I assembled a bed frame.  Both from Ikea.

I did this for two reasons:

1. I love Christina.

2. She is easily frustrated by furniture assembly.

My father is also infuriated by furniture assembly.

I understand that it’s tricky sometimes and you have to be very patient with aspects of it -  pieces have to line up perfectly and there’s a whole mess of screws to figure out, but I actually kind of like putting furniture together.  It’s like a puzzle.  But it’s a puzzle you can put your coffee cup on or you can put your new fun mattress on once it’s done.

I’m just wondering now though – am I the strange one for enjoying this, or is it just coincidence that the people I surround myself with loathe putting together furniture?

I also really liked playing with Lego as a kid.  Maybe there’s a tie in with this too.

questions needing answers – vol. 1

When you change the settings on a toaster, what happens exactly?

Is the bread kept in there longer, or does the heat become more intense?

Just Saying…

Why is it that every messenger bag that will fit my 15″ laptop is either super conservative black and business-like,  or looks like something my ten year old sister would use it to store her Jonas Brothers magazines?  Why is there no in between?

20-something year old upwardly mobile women need to protect, organize and transport their laptops as well.

There is a market.   Let’s make that happen.

eight years and going strong

I spent some time today going through my desk drawers throwing things out that I don’t need anymore, and I stumbled upon an old flash drive.  I put it in to see what was on it, and it was my old online journal which I had downloaded when the service shut down (teenopendiary.com – RIP).  Reading through it, I realized a few things:

1.  All teenagers are ridiculously self-absorbed.

2.  I don’t think I ever really liked the guy I crushed on through the entirety of high school.

3.  It makes perfect sense that I became an Advertising major, the signs were everywhere:

• “I wish all my projects were group projects.”
• “I hate that I can’t draw anything.  Oh well, at least I know what I would draw.”
• “The presentation was so fun!”

4.  I’ve always been a nerd.

5. When I moved to New Haven, Connecticut from Sydney, Australia – the transition was much easier than I thought it would be.

6.  My mother has consistently given me really good advice.

I kept that first journal for three years, then moved over to another service, then blogger, then WordPress and now WordPress & Tumblr (which I’ve been updating more often than this blog).  So, technically I’ve been “blogging” since 2000.   I don’t think when I was fourteen I even knew what blogging was, but it’s so great to have this running track record of my life and thoughts between the ages of fourteen and twenty two.

I absolutely neglected blogging (and sleeping) during finals week, but now that it’s over I’ll be writing more frequently and enjoying having a little time off.

Pretty psyched.

Still be two days til I say I’m sorry

I just realized, it’s been one year since I started this blog.

I can be a little cold, but you can be so cruel

I live in Connecticut.  It’s cold sometimes, but i’m totally cool with that.

What i’m not so ok with, is how ridiculously fast the temperature changes from October-ish to November-ish.

I left campus yesterday evening and was so cold it took my breath away.  It’s going to get much colder very soon, but I think this week has been the first “so freakin cold!” type of weather this winter.  Thursday morning I saw the first flurries of the season.   It’s really nothing new, but the trouble is, I’m not mentally or physically prepared to commit to this kind of weather.  Coats and scarves etc.  I’m still in fall-mode. I never even had apple cider.

Mum always says that Fall, “Comes in like a kitten and goes out like a lion.”

Not ready just yet, mother nature.

Really?

Dear Construction Workers,

You guys have been working on the floors above and below me for about three weeks.  Sure, it’s been loud.  Sure, I usually have to step over various forms of construction gear on my way in. And sure, it’s usually awkward when I see you at 9:30am and I’m still in my PJ’s (I’m a college student, so yeah – I sleep in pretty much every day).  But so far, it’s really not been that terrible.

That was until this morning. I understand that your construction noises can’t be avoided.  I can’t say, “Turn down that jackhammer!” or “Can you cut that 2×4 a little quieter? I’m trying to do work here…” but what I can say is, “Why on earth would you listen to Star 99.9?”  Savage Garden, Train, Celine Dion.  Why?  (I almost included Kelly Clarkson in that list, but I’m secretly OK with Kelly Clarkson.)   This is doctor’s office music, and you are a crew of five or six burly guys, doing serious man-work.  Do you know how many college radio stations we get here?  How many alternative music stations we get here?  We even get some pretty good AM stuff in these parts as well.   But Star 99.9?  You’re being serious?  All day?

Let me know what’s going on,

Min