Unedited.

Ahh sweet fall. My favorite time of the year. Leaves changing colors, pumpkin flavoured coffee, crisp autumn nights accented with the bright glow of the harvest moon. I just celebrated my 19th birthday, and next week will observe my favorite holiday (hopefully in my halloween costume as Max from Where The Wild Things Are.) What I am most excited for about this season is another attempt at joining other writers from across the world for NaNoWriMo.

National Novel Writing Month, (or NaNoWriMo as the short-handers call it) is a global event in which the participants band together to support each other's attempts to write a full novel in the month of November. Thats right. 30 days. 50,000 words. About the equivalent of about 125 pages, the novel is defined as "a lengthy work of fiction." It is designed for all those people who've ever said "Someday, Ill write a novel."

I've been a part of this annual event for the last two years, and I am ashamed to say that I failed both years. This year, Ive decided, I will stick to my goal. I will win this year, gaining the personal satisfaction as well as bragging rights. I want to encourage and challenge any and all of my blog readers to do the same. When you break it down, its only 1,667 words per day. Completely doable right?

In my journey, I ask that you help keep me on task. Please, call me, text me, or email me to make sure I've written that day. If you also choose to accept the challenge, I promise I would do the same for you. Sign up. Do it for the "Someday..."

$20,000 compliment.

Today I interviewed for a local scholarship. I was one of three finalists out of my graduating class. The scholarship is for $5,000 per year and is renewable for all four years. I'll just say that getting this scholarship would be incredible.

I showed up to my guidance counselor's office today and sized up the competition. The other two students competing for the same scholarship were intimidating. Megan, a girl who I didnt grow up with going to school with, is one of the brightest students in my graduating class. I remember first meeting her in honors geometry freshman year. Megan is cute, classy, and capable if nothing else. Her hair is always perfect and her homework is always done. College of choice: UCLA. The other candidate, Caleb, is also an obvios choice for the award. All star athlete, popular (the nice kind, not the jerkish kind), and very, very smart. Caleb is an all around nice guy just because he is a nice person. He is kinda quiet, and is a secret genius. College of choice: Cal Poly, San Louis Obispo.

And then there is me...I only went to high school for three and a half years, never an athlete, musician, or artist. I kinda sat back through high school. I had fun in the FFA, but wasnt really that involved. I have my different writings, but I kept those a secret until about 6 months ago. I technically didnt even qualify for the scholarship and its only by the grace of God I was interviewed.

On with my story.

I was first to interview. I left Caleb nervously fidgeting his hand and went into the make-shift interview room (aka the principle's 0ffice) and shook hands with 3 older gentlemen who I found out were brothers of the deceased man who started the foundation. They were nice enough, but by the second question I could start to hear the nervousness in my own voice. I explained to them my reasons for choosing Evergreen, my choice of major, and answered questions as to my high school expiriences.

Then one man started with another question, prefaced with a compliment. "One thing in your personal statement stuck out to me. Very well written by the way..." He went on to ask some random question, but it didnt really matter what it was. I had already won. I didnt even need to finish the interview and could've walked out right then. That comment meant more to me than actually being chosen for the scholarship. I walked out of that office with my held held so high Im surprised I didnt trip. I know I probably wont get the scholarship because of a disagreement I held with the interviewers and I completely hope that Caleb or Megan get the scholarship. Though $20,000 would help me, I know that my writing will carry me no matter what. In his own way, the interviewer helped me realize that.

Yah!

My ultimate goal in life is to publish something before age 20, own my own business by age 30, substantially influence a thousand people by age 40, and still be alive by age 50.

By: Yours Truly

I think Im going to self publish this blog for myself. I havent written in a journal for a long time, but I do blog. I love writing, but I am picky about it. For example, I dont like writing at home. I much prefer a public place, even if its just Starbucks. I miss that about living in San Francisco, there was a thousand cafes literally a bus ride away. I am also very picky about what I write on. I can pick up my laptop and type away, but if Im using a pen on paper then I choose my words carefully, and often scribble out my mistakes. I desperately wish I had a beautiful leather journal, but I fear that if I did that I wouldnt write in it. I wouldnt want the scrawled handwriting and slashed out words. I would feel my writing wouldnt be worthy of the journal, and it would sit on a shelf gathering dust. Lastly, I will not write without a good pen. Not a crappy BIC that come ten to a pack, oh no. I need one that you must click down. Not only that, but the ink must flow freely, like my thoughts.



I have a few journals, the earliest dating back to 6th grade. Most of them are comical really, and address issues such as going to the movies, dogs having puppies, and writing anonymous love letters to boys at summer camp. They have since progressed, but lately I havent found the time (or desire) to start up again. So I will do this. I dont want a huge gap in the time where I didnt journal, so I will make a book. There are certain websites where for pretty cheap, I can format my own novel.

Its not exactly the same as being published, but its a start.

READ ME.

For some reason, I have suddenly become very very lazy. I suppose its been in progression since I graduated, but a combination of no school, no work, and no friends have attributed to the fact that I dont really do anything.

Today for example, I didnt even wake up til noon. Who knew that the body, if given the chance, could even sleep ten hours straight? I didnt, but I do like learning. I stayed in my room and worked on my new cupcake business myspace (free, unlike a website) and watched office reruns until my bladder was about to explode, finally I got up, peed, showered, and ate. (In separate places, which is a necessary clarification if you know me.)

Anyhow, not wanting to waste an entire day, I went down to a cafe and wrote a page asking for advice and I left it, with my email adress at the bottom. I just left it there, folded over. It said "Read Me" in bold letters. I left, feeling pretty bold myself.

Anyhow, my sloth has over taken me leaving me with very few daylight hours to play with. I will venture out tonight with Lauren and we will go to North Beach for Italian food I think. I haven't been out by choice after dark since I moved, so this will be quite an adventure.