Filler

So, I'm sitting in the hallway waiting for class to start in a few hours and I thought that I would do a post. Yay for some free time.

Five classes is really a lot of work, more than I thought, but I'm really enjoying the fact that I can be busy. I don't like to just sit around, often, and do nothing. I like to be doing something.

Anyway, I've been making some awesome progress on my book and I think that I can finally be done this revision by at least next month and that is so exciting. I honestly wasn't expecting it to take me all summer and some more time than that, but I think that the revisions that I have made are the best by far, so far. =) That makes me really happy when I think about it. Really what bums me out about it is that it's taken me this long to write this. Of course, I should expect this by now, after having it be my main project for almost 6 years now, I think.

Well, I am off to do some more writing until classes and stuff starts. Later!

-Tara

The Start of a New School Year. =)

Hello all!

So, I realize that I haven't done this in a while. Tonight I found this really cool website. My friend had posted about it on Facebook (ah, yes, Facebook =P). It's called SkinnyTies.com and they sell nothing but (that's right) Skinny Ties!

Despite the fact that I am a girl does not mean this isn't cool to me. I enjoy wearing the occasional skinny time with a nice blouse and possible v-sweater vest thrown over top for extra flair.

If you, also, enjoy skinny ties, I suggest that you check this out, too.

Today, anyway, I had my first class of the semester, and our professor let us out a whole half hour early. That was nice, but I was kind of bummed about that, too. Oh well. I have the class again on Thursday.

Well, for now, ta-ta!

-Tara



(P.S. Disclaimer: I don't own the Ouran pictures that I post. They strictly belong to the creator of the manga, Bisco Hatori. =D )

100th

Hello!

First off, this is my 100th post. How exciting. =D

Okay, now on to business. I've only just remembered that I said that I would post today. Lately, I have been watching the BBC television series "Merlin". Actually, that is mostly all that I did today. I've just finished the second season tonight and just found out that the DVDs aren't available for streaming through Netflix. -sigh- Oh well. Eventually, I will get to watch the rest of the seasons.

So, that's it for now. The series is great. I love it. I think it's a great twist on an old, favorite Arthurian legend of mine. =)

I'll post again soon. Onward with great writing and inspiration, my friends! =D

-Tara

Last Day of August, 2011

Hello everyone.

So, despite some area flooding due to Hurricane Irene, all is well. =D

I am moving forward with my book and have started a new WiP for a small writing group that I have joined. It's exciting, I think. I'm not quite sure where this new WiP will go, but I'll find out eventually, right? Haha!

Well, anyway, I'm going to get going now. I will post again Friday! =D

-Tara

Hurricane Irene

I am okay. The hurricane brought a lot of water and my backyard is flooded. We lost power last night around 8:30p and regained it around 11a this morning. Winds are slow but strong when they gust. I wonder if any of our tall pine trees will fall. In case of another power outage due to wind, or possible more rain, Dad is making beef jerky with our slightly new de-humidifier. Yum.

Well, I just wanted to give you all an update. I am fine. Also, Justin from "In My Write Mind" is fine, too. He visited me on Friday night, which I really liked. =)

Everyone, please take care!

-Tara

Rain!

So, it's been raining since yesterday, I think. I say I think because I wasn't home yesterday. I was in MD. My family drove down there to pick me up and bring me back home. The car ride took hours. The rain was pouring down and visibility was "eh" for quite some time. Here at home, roads are flooded, collapsing and bridges are washing away. Yeah.

Oh yeah. Where I am, it's been declared a "State of Emergency". And it's still raining....until the weekend, apparently.

-Tara

"The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander

So, about three weeks ago, roughly, I was at the Book Mobile. The Book Mobile is a great way to get books during the summer. It's a library on wheels and frequents three places around my house so I can easily find them and acquire books to read. Plus, if they don't have a book that I am looking for, I can ask them to find it and they will hold it for me until they return on their next 2 week cycle.

Anyway, the last time I was in the bus they drive around in, I came across the Lloyd Alexander books in his Prydain series. Who knows what that series is? Come on, they made a Disney movie out of it. Well, if you don't know, that's okay. It's the Black Cauldron. And, as I was looking at the book titled, "The Black Cauldron", I realized that I've never read the series, only seen the movie version of it. So, I decided to take out all five books and read it. However, they didn't have a couple of the books, including the first one, which is "The Book of Three". But that's okay, because last week when they came back, they had the books on hold for me and my Mom picked them up while I was working.

So now I am reading the first book in the Prydain series and it is pretty good. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good new read. Of course, I'm only four chapters in, I believe. The main character is, of course, Taran. I always liked him. Hm....I wonder why. Well, later! =D

-Tara

Authors

Hey everyone,

So, I just wanted to share a short list of some of my favorite authors with all of you. They aren't in any particular order, like "most favorite" to "okay", they're just listed as is.

-Frank L. Baum
-Gail Carson Levine
-Ridley Pearson
-Dave Barry
-Cornelia Funke
-J.K. Rowling
-J.R.R. Tolkien
-Brian Jacques
-Rick Riordan
-Christopher Paolini
-Lemoney Snicket
-E.D. Baker
-Angie Sage

Best Friend's Guest Post

Hello one and all!

I'm going to talk about something I haven't in a while---my book. Progress has been going well. If you remember, I had mentioned that I was starting a revision of my first book. Halfway through said revision, after typing chapter outlines, I realized that I didn't like those outlines, so I restarted my revision, and went into the second one. Now, I really do like how the story is moving. It's going much quicker, I like the character development, and I'm fleshing out where I think it was missing some information.

Now, I'm going to randomly pass my netbook over to my best friend, Teresa, so that she can type herself up a nice guest entry---not that she knows anything about that. Haha! Here we go.....

-Tara

This Space Reserved For Teresa:

um.. hi haha this is my first time doing this, so hello to anyone who reads this! My name is Teresa and I'm BEST friends with tara. we've been friends for a while now and we are more like sisters then friends haha.. shes awesome. I live near Tara and work at the nearby Mall.. Not the greatest job in the world but it'll do! Right now im eating Chicken Parm that her Papa made so obviously it's amazing since he's the best cook i know. So I guess this is it, so goodbye world. =) btw I love Mark <3

So, I've missed another chance yet again to return the book I've been reading back to the Book Mobile. I was really trying to finish it before the Book Mobile left around 2:30p today, but I was babysitting and the kids were kind of distracting. But that's fine. They are adorable children and I don't mind spending time with them. =) I'll just keep the book for another two weeks. It will be fine, as long as I return it eventually.

Good news, I've finally caught up with typing everything I've written! I'll post more later. I'm about to run out of my Wi-Fi since I'm in the car.

Netbook =D

I'm so pleased. I bought myself a netbook last night from Best Buy. It's very cute. The color was listed as "Raspberry". It's a pink plaid, very interesting. At first, I was a bit "eh" on the color, but it's grown on me. Very cute.

Anyway, this means that I can start posting more often again because I don't have to share the desktop computer anymore. Yay! Very happy about that one. I'm going to try and set myself to a schedule. I'm going to mostly try and post Mondays-Thursdays, unless my upcoming school schedule should alter that, I will switch to Wednesdays-Saturdays, or something like that. I will figure it out.

So, being the Disney dork that I am, I am super excited for the premier of "Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension", which airs this Fridays!

And, last Friday, I returned home in time to watch the premier of "Thundercats". I was so excited that they are re-booting it. The storyline has changed a bit, but the animation is way better and the characters seem to be getting more development than what I remember. They are also much younger than the original 1980s show. All in all, I look forward to the new story arc with interest. =)

-Tara

More Excuses..... =P

First off, I want to thank Kelly for the sketch she drew me a while back.

Second, I want to let Dawn know that I will be posting the sketch that I am doing for her, sometime this week. Sorry for the delay.

Lastly, this was just an update. How sad. T-T Work is keeping me very busy, but, I have been invited to join a Writing Group, by Kelly, once school starts back up, so, I am looking forward to that. I hope that everyone's summer has gone well so far and that everyone has gotten a chance to get a good amount of writing in. =]

-Tara

Author: Jane Yolen

It's really incredible to be able to work at a bookstore, because when you aren't busy, you can look up more books to read. Today, I decided to research the author of a book that I am currently reading, "Sword of the Rightful King", by Mrs. Jane Yolen. The book is very interesting so far, following the tale of Arthur and Merlin, but with a twist. It's just, I haven't gotten to the twist yet, but the back of the book says that there will be one. I will just keep reading it.

Anyway, I'm digressing. I found a few new books by her that I was interested in, and, in fact, one of those books is coming out next month, titled: "Sister Light, Sister Dark". That seemed very good and once our store has it, I will look into it. =D

-Tara =)

*Insert Random Title Here* =P

Hey everyone. I'm sorry about not posting much after my blogfest. I have been babysitting most of the weeks and and we've been doing some work aroune the house. Plus, my laptop is still "broken", so I have to share our family computer with my brothers and parents. So, it's a challenge. =P

Ok, enough with the excuses. I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm still here. I will try posting more again this weekend.

Anyway, I am excited for tomorrow night because Part 2 of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" is coming out, and I have already bought my ticket for the premiere midnight showing. When I bought my ticket, the lady who sold it to me told me to show up early because they had already sold 650 tickets, and that was on Monday! Well, anyway, I think that it will be good and that I will yhave fun at my friend's Harry Potter-themed party before we go to the movie. Being blonde, she suggested that I dress up as Luna, so, maybe I will. =P

Well, I will post again sometime soon. If I can. =)

-Tara

The Winners!!!

I'm so sorry that I took forever to do this! My schedule just got really busy! XD

So, only four of those that signed up actually did the contest, XD. I didn't think that it would be fair if three of you got something and the fourth person didn't, so, I included the fourth person in my drawing that I did through Text Mechanic. Here is the winner order:

1. Tessa @ Tessa's Blurb

2. Rohki @ No Cucumber Sandwiches

3. Charlie @ Life Happens

4. Dawn @ It's in the Book

Now, since I didn't originally have a choice for fourth place, I came up with the idea that Dawn could have a choice of the following two options:

-A review of the first chapter in one of your WiPs.

-OR-

- 1-2 character sketches of characters in your WiP.

Dawn, please let me know, when you can, which of those two options you would like. =D

Congratulations to all! =D

-Tara!

Entry for the Blogfest! =D

Alright, so, here goes my awesome post for today, completely typed up just now:


She glanced at him. His hair was brushed back, his glasses resting on the tip of his nose. He had pulled out a photo album and they had spent the past two hours reminiscing. Cassidy sipped at her tea and set the cool mug down on the coffee table. She folded her hands in her lap and smiled.

"That was fun, but it's getting late. I have work in the morning." She stood up, as did he. "Thank you for inviting me over, Blake."

He chuckled. "You don't have to say your good-byes here, Cassie. Let me walk you to the door, at least."

She glanced over at it. It seemed so far away. She hesitated, looking down at the photos again and then back to him. "Okay."

They reached the door in four, easy strides. Blake opened the door and cast a look outside. It was raining. He grabbed his umbrella, leaning in the corner by the door. He held it outside and opened it.

"How about to your car instead?" He grinned and stepped outside, holding up the umbrella and held out his hand to her.

She stepped out, without his help. "Thanks."

Thunder cracked overhead as she reached in her purse for her keys. She sighed and unlocked her door. Blake bumped his shoulder against hers.

"So," he said. He coughed to clear his throat. "I was thinking."

"That was never good."

A pathetic smile slipped across his lips. "That hurt. I've changed."

"I'm sure you have." She pointed to his house. "I mean, just look at what you bought. It's so simple. You've learned to cut back on your spending to be an efficient adult."

"Cass, I was wondering if we could do this again," Blake said. "I've missed you, you know? It's been a long time."

"Yeah," her voice drifted off. She avoided his eyes. "It was nice, but I couldn't meet with you again."

"Cass, honest, I've changed." Blake shut her door. "Please?"

She stared at her car and then looked at him, a look of irritation crossing her pleasant features. "No."

"Cass, I don't understand. Why are you so mad at me? What did I do?"

"Nothing."

"Well, I must have. Ever since graduation, you never spoke to me. Now you're back here and you agreed to see me tonight. I thought that you might give me another chance. I was hoping that you would explain to me what it is that I did."

Cassidy studied him. Blake had never been one to be so persistent. His eyes were filled with a concerned light and his hair was sliding into his face from the rain. He seemed so, truly...confused. She sighed.

"You didn't do anything."

"I must have!" he insisted.

"Listen to me, Blake. I'm telling you straight to your face. You didn't do anything. Nothing. Okay? Now, please, I have to go."

"You can't go," Blake complained.

"Why not?"

"Because! I don't know what you mean." He grabbed her hand. She looked away. "Cass, please."

"No."

"No what?"

"I don't want to hear it. I don't want to listen to your excuses." She pushed him away and felt the cool rain fall over her. She clutched her keys tight in her hand. "I don't care anymore."

Blake stared at her. The umbrella lay, forgotten, on the ground between them. "Cass, I-"

"You what?"

"Whatever it is that I did, I'm sorry."

"I forgave you some time ago, Blake."

"Then why are you still mad?"

"It's difficult." She opened her car door and glanced at him. "You broke my heart, Blake."

"How?" He tried to open her door, but she had locked it. He peered into her window, her face blurred by the rain. "Cass! How?" He knocked on her window and the engine revved to life. He pulled at her handle. "Cass, open your door, please! Cass!" His grip tightened on the handle to her door as she began to back into the road. "Cass, I won't let go. I've waited a long time for you to show back up in my life. I won't let you go so easy this time." Her car stopped at the edge of his driveway and the lights and engine died. He watched her slump down against her wheel and hit her hands against the dashboard. She opened her door and glared at him, her tears mixing with the rain.

"I left because you didn't do anything, okay?" she shouted angrily. "You said you loved me, Blake. You said that we would be together forever and you didn't do anything about it. That night, at graduation, after we were done everything, do you remember what happened?"

"I drove you home, Cass. I drove you home and I did what I always had. I kissed you and told you that I loved you."

"Exactly. It was rubbish."

"Rubbish? It was not. I was sincere, as always."

"What happened the next day, Blake?"

"Your family moved and you stopped talking to me." Blake leaned over her.

"Right. We moved. I left. And after you told me we could stay together."

"What was I supposed to do, Cass? I mean, I didn't want you to leave, but what was I supposed to do?"

"You didn't ask me to stay."

Anger lit his eyes. "If you wanted to stay, then you should have, Cassidy!"

She sobbed into her hands and shook her head. "But, you didn't ask me to stay, Blake. I had no reason to stay. We weren't engaged, or anything, so, I had to go."

"Oh." He knelt down and cupped his hand under her chin, lifting her head to look into her eyes. "That's what you meant when you said that I did nothing, isn't it?" He took her silence as her answer. Blake stood up. "You're leaving at the end of the week, aren't you?"

"Unless you stop me," she said, a faint smile hinting at the corners of her mouth. "My flight is at seven in the morning. You'll have to get up early to catch me, Blake."

He sighed, a grin spreading across his mouth. He held his hand out to her. "I'll have to think about it. Your car died, didn't it? Come back inside with me, Cass."

"I have work in the morning, I have to go, Blake."

"Nope. I can't let you out of my sight until after your flight has left."

Her face fell and her racing heart slowed with the depression that started to filter in. "Ah."

"Cass, I have to be honest with you. There is no way that I will be able to get up that early in the morning to catch you before your flight, but, I've missed you too much and I want you to stay with me. So, as a precautionary measure, you'll just have to stay here so I can't lose you again." He laughed lightly. "I mean, if you think that you can handle living with a slob like me."

"You're an idiot, Blake."

He leaned over and kissed her cheek before he opened the door to his house. "So it seems."

-----

So, the song that I used was:

"Another Heart Calls" by The All-American Rejects" (For a video without people acting to the song, click here.). Personally, I'm not quite sure that my post corresponds with the song very well, and I'm not sure that I like my entry either. I think it's weird. XD

-Tara

Totally Slacking!

Well, I did a horrid job of writing another post after I was done work the other day (two days ago? EDIT: It was really 4 days ago! O-o). Meh. My apologies, if you were looking forward to something.

Tomorrow, I will be posting my sketch of a new cover for the book of my selection for a blogfest that I signed up for about a week ago, I think. And, then, on Saturday, I will be posting my post for my own blogfest, which I have yet to write yet. I will most likely sit here and listen to music and type something random for my post. Yes, most likely. =P

Other than that, there is nothing really special going on today, post-wise. For me, anyway. I have work in about 2 hours, or so. I have to go in for three hours and mull about the bookshelves. I wonder if I should look forward to that. Eh. Maybe I will get some good story plotting done. Maybe. Or, I could talk to people. =P

Last night, I had a treat to go to the Pop Shop, simply because I was in that area. It was featured on an episode of "Throwdown with Bobby Flay" (if that was the title of the show) on Food Network! My meal was very delicious. Make sure to check out their link.

Also, if you are a fan of the game: "The Legend of Zelda" and a fan of Mr. Robbin Williams, as am I, then I think that you would really like to see the commercial that he did and then check out the video he made, to explain the commercial. =P All in all, as a true fan, I am super excited just for the game, and, if I manage to get my hands on the 3DS (not that there is anything wrong with my GBA, or my Micro), then, by all means, I will look into obtaining the game for it as well. =D

"Heigh-Ho! It's Off To Work I Go!" =P

So, I just wanted to say hi before I go into work today. I plan on posting another entry when I get back around 6:30p.

You know, working at a bookstore is great. You can get a lot of thinking done because, aside from the cool jazzy/movie soundtrack/random music they play, it's not often that loud. =D

-Tara

P.S. Please sign up for my blogfest. It starts in just 6 days. Tell your friends about it, too. I'd like to see at least 10 people signed up. =P

"It's the Muse-ic Writing" Blogfest!

Hey Everyone!

So, I've figured out how to celebrate my blogiversary. What better way than to host my very own (and first official) blogfest! Here's what's going to go down:

The Rules:

-Pick your favorite track of music (only one) and listen to it as you write a scene.

-The scene can be about anything, as long as it corresponds with the music.

-How will we know that it corresponds? Well, you must tell us what song you were listening to when you wrote your scene.

-Other than that, just have fun with it. =)

The Prizes:

As I am not entirely rich, I will not have any money prizes like cash or gift cards and what not. Sorry. However, the prizes will go as follows:

1st Place: Congratulations! You've just earned yourself a review/edit of your first 4 chapters to your own WiP of your choice.

2nd Place: Congratulations! You've just earned yourself a review/edit of your first 2 chapters to your own WiP of your choice.

3rd Place: Congratulations! You've just earned yourself a review/edit of your first chapter to your own WiP of your choice.

Oops! XD

So, I've only just realized that I missed my first year blogiversary by almost 3 weeks! I hardly realized that it has been an entire year since I started my blog and I'm not quite sure that I would have realized if I hadn't gone to check Rosie's blog "East for Green Eyes" and had seen her post about her blogiversary. Now, while I did miss the official one year mark (May 18th) of my blog, there is no reason not to celebrate it. Tomorrow, I will announce my plans for it, so, please check back. =D

-Tara

Stereo-typed

Heroes. Heroines. Sidekicks. Villains. Masterminds. Characters, in general, are important. So, let's focus on them.


Heroes:

Most often or not, the hero of a story almost always has one or more of the following characteristics: Strong, Clever, Reliable, Loyal, Quick, Witty, Charming, Skilled, a Fighter, Love-able, Romantic, Haunted (by a dark past), Hopeful (for a better future), Magical, Courageous, etc.

The hero is the focus of the story and, mostly, the POV. He knows what he wants and will seek it out, whether it is the noble cause of rescuing a damsel in distress, or saving the world. He is determined to see his fate through to the end and protect those that he loves. Of course, he could be the tormented hero, constantly second-guessing and always judging himself. He always puts himself down and demeans himself to the point where he is anguished and lacking in motivation to continue. Usually, this type of hero will have a sidekick or a lovely heroine to keep him in check.


Heroines:

Characteristics of Heroines are usually: Strong-willed, Meek, Crafty, Clever, Wise, Slow-to-anger, Understanding, Caring, Kind, Cute, Beautiful, Intelligent, Tortured, Distressed, Magical, Hopeful, Prepared, etc.

The heroine is the focus of her own story and her own POV. She is dauntless and stubborn when it comes to her task and tries not to stray on her journey. She may be willing to help out fellow maidens (probably more than she would like to help men, especially if she is the tortured-type, ie., she was oppressed by a loved one, or harmed, etc.). Depending on the story, her love interest can always include a hero, a sidekick, and on occassion, the villain.


Sidekicks:

Characters who will keep the heroes and/or heroines motivated and focused on their cause. They will show their strength only when the hero/heroine needs them most and otherwise will be shadowed by the M.C. until their purpose is called upon again. They are great movers, tending to the plot and making sure that it is seen through to completion, despite the efforts of the villain.

Characteristics will include: Noble, Loyal, Dependable, Smart, Cunning, Silver-tongued, Quick-witted, Ready, Comical, etc.


Villains/Masterminds:

Usually, these two characters will go hand in hand, if not the same character. They are the darkness that plagues the heroes and the heroines and often find pleasure in the suffering of others. Villains/Masterminds are written to be hated and end up loved just as much as the other characters. Of course, that depends exactly how the author wrote them into the story, because there are some villains that can't be liked.

Often sterotypicalized, just as the other three listed above, the Villain/Mastermind can often be found with the following characteristics: Sly, Brilliant, Dark, Tortured, Deviant, Apathetic, Cruel, Miserable, Foul, Detestable, Harsh, etc.

The Interrupted Blogfest!

Hello all! I wanted to promote the blogfest of someone that I have very recently just started to follow. It will take place on June 26th, and it will be hosted by Sasha from Sasha's Secrets, so make sure to check it out if you are interested. =D

-Tara

Travel in Writing

Traveling long distances always gives one a good look a perspective, I think. Especially when it comes to writing.

Normally, when I sit down to write or type, and I say that the characters leave one town to get to another city, it doesn't seem to take them no longer than an hour, but it isn't always like that. Major cities are often far apart. Today I drove into a city in PA and then all the way down to NJ. It took a ridiculous amount of time, the ride, I mean. The drive was only about an hour or so, traffic wasn't horrible, but the actual car ride, felt like it took longer.

Traveling can be a strain, and while one might not always want to focus on that strain at the exact moment it is taking place in their story, it is a good idea to take into thought that the characters will be exhausted from their travels. They can't go from one place to another in an hour and then be whooping butt or saving damsels in distress. I mean, maybe they can. Maybe they had "Red Bull", or "5Hour Energy" drinks, or something, but most often, wouldn't they be just a tad tired? Wouldn't they like to take a short rest. If not a short rest, if they are instantly attacked upon arrival, are they still up to par? Or, is their "A-game" digressing a bit? It's just something to keep in mind, hm?

In Memory of my Aunt

I would like to write something for my aunt, who passed away on Thursday.

My Aunt (and she was also my godmother) was a good woman who always seemed to have a smile on her face and a laugh on her lips whenever it was that I saw her. In my eyes she was a great person and a good mom to her kids and I'll miss seeing her around. She was fun and nice and I never felt uncomfortable around her and I'm really going to miss her. I still love her, and I know the suffering that she went through has ended. May she rest in peace.

<3 Tara

Returning....XD

Whew, what a long break.

I have been keeping myself busy with re-writing the opening to my first book. While it is going nicely, I have reached some rough patches, but I have steadily been working through it. I am currently up to Chapter 10 (written) and am working on typing up Chapter 8 now. I decided to procrastinate just a tad to come back and say hello and that I am still here. I kind of missed my blog.

This summer, my goal is to complete the re-writes and edits and send my final rough draft to my trusted friend/writing companion, Justin (despite the fact that he left me for Disney) for a final review and possibly comments. Once I hear back from him, I will start sending out queries again. I would like to have this all accomplished by August at least, possibly by the start of September.

Considering that I have a good friend coming over from Scotland to do an internship here though, I might procrastinate some, but I will still try. I think that it is a good goal to set. It gives me a majority of the summer to work on it between both of my jobs and all of the other stuff that I have planned, or would like to do.

Anyway, it's good to be publishing posts again. So, keep a look out for more to come this week. =D

-Tara

A Helpful Book

I have recently come across this really cool book by the name of "The Writer's Little Helper". It has some really great points to writing and I will make sure to post about them soon. Some of the tips include a Ten Scene idea, instead of outlining (and I didn't realize it at first, but, I already do that when I write. XD), and has some nifty tips about keeping track of characters and such. =) It is a great investment.

-Tara

Good, Hard Work.

Sometimes, good hard work is all you need to clear your mind. I always find it helpful to do some yard work (like I did today), or do some chores around the house when you are frustrated over something, trying to make a decision over something, or stuck with writer's block. I don't know why, but usually, that helps to make things click, if you know what I mean. =)

Anyway, class and work keep me very busy, but I am determined to keep blogging. =) Very soon, I will get back into the drift of things on here and I hope to be speaking with you all again on a more daily basis. Until then, I will continue to post the snippets that I can, as often as I can. =)

-Tara

P.S. For any of you who love Legend of Zelda as much as I do, here is an interesting little video of an improve for Sariah's Song. =)

Decision Making.....

Sometimes you have to make a really tough decision, and though it may not be easy to come to a conclusion, there is usually one. We may not like the end result, but that is where the phrase: "When one door closes, another one opens", and other such great quotes from history. So, when faced with a decision, and you really have to sit there and ponder your choices, it is a good way to start by outlining your pros and cons. Just a helpful tip, as I try to figure out some decisions myself. =)

-Tara

Boardwalk

Today was eventful. Despite the fact that it is about 40 something degrees Fahrenheit outside, my best friend and I decided to go to the beach to record a quick video for our friend from Scotland, who will be interning at the boardwalk down by us this summer. We are both super excited for him to arrive and hope that he will enjoy his stay and time visiting us in the States. =)

-Tara

Scrabble

Since it's a rainy day today (doesn't it seem to be raining in most of my posts lately? Hm....XD), I'd like to suggest that a game that could be good to play today is Scrabble. Practically everyone knows how to play it.

But, okay, say that your family is really big into electronics, then you could perhaps play a multi-player game on your game system, or maybe you all have a movie that you could watch tonight?

Or, maybe it's nice outside where you live and you'd like to do something outside? If you'd like any suggestions, just comment below. =)

-Tara

Musician's Friend Site

Since I have a brother who is a Music Major, I often hear him raving about this site, along with many other music-related sites. However, we will just focus on this one for today's exciting topic of "Web-find Wednesdays", woo! XD

The site is called "Musician's Friend" and it specializes in musical equipment. They have things listed by brand or by product or by instrument, and even have stuff for clearance. Anyway, if you are into music and play an instrument, maybe this website is something that you should check out. =)

-Tara

Game Night!

Sometimes it is hard to get everyone in the family together in one room of the house, at least once a night, to do something together. If this is the case and you really want some family time, try to designate one hour for one day at least once a week. During this hour, all electronics (television, video games, radio, etc.) turn them off and sit at a table. Pick a favorite board game, grab a deck of cards, and for at least that one hour, play a game together and enjoy one another's company. Soon, maybe you can make it a daily thing. =)

Game Suggestion for Today: Apples to Apples. An interesting card game where players take red cards in their hands and try to gain green cards (taking red "apples" and trading them for green "apples").

=)

Have fun and feel free to share your favorite games and family activities. =)

-Tara

Just a Splash of Color.....

Sometimes when you walk around your home, maybe you are feeling like you need to make a change, but where? It doesn't necessarily always have to be a big change, but even something small can make you feel more inspired.

Not too long ago, I decided to clean our living room and during the process I decided to change the curtains. Before we had these lace-like white curtains and in their place I hung two different colors. I hung sheer, yellow curtains over the windows that face the east and the sunrise, and I hung sheer, blue curtains over the windows that face the west and the sunset. Now, when I wake up in the morning and look out my bedroom door, I see a burst of warm yellow that brightens my morning and helps my day progress smoothly and with cheer, and when I sit on the couch and look out the windows towards the setting sun, the living room is cast in a cool, restful blue, bringing in the evening and helping us all to calm down and relax for the night.

So, not everything has to be a big change, start with something small, and soon you could find courage to take bigger steps. Have fun and find some inspiration this week! Please share any ideas or DIY's that you like or have done to boost yourself up. =)

-Tara

Possible Inspiration.....

Quote: "Write about winter in the summer. Describe Norway as Ibsen did, from a desk in Italy; describe Dublin as James Joyce did, from a desk in Paris. Willa Cather wrote her prairie novels in New York City; Mark Twain wrote Huckleberry Finn in Hartford, Connecticut. Recently, scholars learned that Walt Whitman rarely left his room." -Annie Dillard

It's My Birthday! =D

Today is my birthday, woo-hoo! My mom took off from work and my one brother skipped all of his classes today and they took me out to lunch at a small restaurant in a city not too far away. It was very nice of them to do that and I enjoyed it very much. Many of my friends and my family have wished my "Happy Birthday" today and I am very thankful for that. I love them all! =D

Have a wonderful day everyone!

-Tara

Le sixième de Mars en l'année 2011.....=)

Today I am going to a surprise party for a friend of mine that I have known for quite some time. She is an awesome girl who is full of happiness and always has a good laugh ready to share. She is smart and caring and a wonderful friend and I am glad to have known her and to have met her when I did. She was one of my very first friends when I changed schools and I am glad to still know her now. So, despite the rain outside, my brother and I will be attending her party and I really hope that she likes it. Her boyfriend planned it and I hope that she is generally surprised. I bought her present. It's a gift card for Barnes and Noble. She loves to read, just like me, so I am sure that she will appreciate it.

Have a wonderful day everyone! And, I am still working on revisions for my first book. I have stopped all work on Book Three until I am sure that Book One's edits are complete, just in case I have to re-write anything else, I won't have too much else to change elsewhere. Ha! Let's just see how that goes. =P

-Tara

What's Going On.....

Changes are in way, woo-hoo! Just minor things, of course, but it is kind of nice to see some changes taking place, regardless.

Edits are still underway for my book, too. Last night, while talking to Justin, I realized just how much editing I will have to do since I re-wrote the beginning of my book. So, today I spent some time writing brief paragraphs describing the next six chapters of my book so that it will be easier to write. I suppose that you could call these paragraphs outlines. At this point (if he reads this post) Justin is probably smirking to himself because I said that I used outlines.

Anyway, that is it for now.

-Tara

Back For More! =P

After not being around on here for a while, it feels good to be back. As I may have mentioned, I am finally back home from my endeavors in Florida. It was quite a good time, however, I have left a good friend behind: In My Write Mind. Yes, yes, he still dwindles there and probably will for some time. Me? Well, I may eventually go back sometime, but for now I am busy here. Some changes to my blog will be coming around soon, so please be looking for the changes. I hope that you will all like them.

As this is just an update, I don't really have too much to say at the moment. I do, however, find that some people today are lazy and sometimes rude. A man in the parking lot today decided to roll down his window and drop out a piece of trash to the ground instead of just opening his door and walking the mere three feet that would have taken him to the trash can. Another man, while still driving, made a face, which was just lovely. I don't know. It was very interesting, in the least, I suppose.

Anyway, the changes will be coming this week, so just keep a look out for them. I will post again soon!

-Tara

Writing #5

It is on a drab and dreary day, such as today, where one is inspired to stay indoors and actually work on the book that they have been focusing so hard on writing. Of course, distractions are also inevitable and, so, the vicious cycle goes. You sit down, ready to write, determined to write and, yet, something hinders you each and every time. A game has caught your fancy, or perhaps you really should start organizing your inbox (you've put it off for so long now), you get hungry, the dog wants your attention, or maybe you're giving yourself a time limit for that favorite television show that comes on in just an hour.

So, what do you do when everything seems to get in the way of when you want to write? Well, sometimes you just can't escape it. Sometimes, it could be your own way of telling yourself, hey, maybe I just need a break from writing and, let's face it, you deserve a break. While it is good to shell out those 1,000+ or so words a day (whatever goal you have set for yourself each day), it is also equally as good to take a break every now and then from the daily routine.

When it comes to writing, I think that imagination plays a key part, whether it is fiction or non-fiction. Imagination, the capability to visualize many possibilities and such, is something that can be tested. There is the strain of every day life that can bring along a road block that we are all familiar with: "Writer's Block".

So, the next time you are determined to hunker down on that rainy day, seriously ready to commit yourself to a day of hard-core writing, if your mind starts to wander away from your work to other things, maybe it is (just a little) okay to take a break, just for one day. Besides, who's to say that the spark of genius won't strike while doing another task? Perhaps the Muses will humor you and take away the Writer's Block that taunts you so meticulously and you will finally be able to overcome how to write that scene or dialog after you have cleared your mind by taking time away from your story, because, don't worry, it is okay to do that every once and a while. ;)

-Tara

The New Year (The Post Is Late! XD)

Ah, my goodness! I am pretty much really late for this blogfest! I have a ton of excuses for it, but is there really a point to mentioning them? Let's just skip to the part where I post the picture for the "Eye Candy" blogfest, shall we?

















Now, this is a picture that I took of some "Scrabble" tiles that my friend had mixed together to form the shape of a dino. I suppose that's what you could call it. =P Well, whatever the reason, browsing through my photos, this is what I found and I decided that this would be what I posted. There's no real big story behind it. He was over and we were having a grand old time playing "Scrabble". I miss this kid and can't to see him again, but, for now, this picture will just have to do. =)

Anyway, I have made a bit of progress for the edits in my third book. I have basically been restructuring and reorganizing the beginning chapters to make and create a better flow of events. Personally, I think that it is going well, but I also know that I still have a lot of work to put into this one, so, I will keep trudging on. I know that someday this will be done, and, when it is, I will feel a great sense of accomplishment. =)

On another note, how is everyone's New Year going? Have any of you made any New Year Resolutions that you are willing to share?

By the by, HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!!!! o(^o^)o