Patchwork Thoughts - NANOWRIMO

I am doing it.  I am going to participate in National Novel Writing Month in November!  I know what you're thinking, "But Patchwork, it's only August!  Isn't it a little early to be saying your doing something in November!?"  You're right, November does feel like a million miles away.  Here's the deal, I'm announcing this now for a few reasons.

1.) Locking myself into a commitment
If announce to everyone that I am going to try to write 50,000 words in a month then I have a lot more eyes making sure I don't give up in the first few days.  I will be the first to admit I sometimes have have problems with my follow through.  I tend to think if a project isn't perfect then I don't deserve to do it.  I am going to try my darn-dist to not let that mind set hit me.  I will also be doing vlogs throughout the month reporting my experience.

2.) The next couple of months are going to go fast for me
The next few months are the busiest time of the year at my work. I will stay busy all the way until Halloween  This time is going to go fast.  I might not have time to talk about NANOWRIMO in the next few months, so I need to talk about it now.  I need to get myself pumped up and ready to write!

3.) I need to start making notes
The story I've decided to write for NANOWRIMO is the same story that I declared I was writing as my first novel.  I am not ready to walk away from that story and I don't want to suddenly put it on hold in November so I can work on something new.  The compromise?   Wait until November and work on my outline and notes in the mean time.  I still have a lot more research to do.  I have also found this really cool writing program called Scrivner that I'm learning more about.  I will probably do an article on that program to let you know my findings and if it's worth you looking at!

4. I want you to think about joining me!
YES!  YOU!  I want you to make a goal and join me in participating in NANOWRIMO.  Do you have a story you've been dying to get out, have you always wanted to try writing a novel?  Do you not have time to write the projects you want?  Join me!  Go to http://nanowrimo.org/ and create an account.  Once you've done that, you can add me as a buddy.  My screen name on there is Alexandra VanHorn.  Find me, add me, and let's get ready for November!  Leave a comment if you are planning to join me on this adventure!

Let's do it!  Let's write some novels!

Tootles!

Babbles of a Fan Girl - What I've Learned in the "Real World"

You may have not noticed because I'm so subtle about it, but I haven't been happy with the direction my career has gone post college.  The other day I was scanning through my old blogs, trying to get some inspiration for future articles and I stumbled upon this adorable, little gem as seen here. Could three years really have changed and bittered my perspective on the real world so much?  Since that article I have worked two jobs: one in promotions/marketing and the other in sales/event planning.  And what have I learned?  Well let's dive into that.

I wanted to put a minion here, so I did.

All That Glitters is Not Gold 
It's pretty simple and I don't think this lesson needs much fleshing out.  If a job seems to be too good to be true, it probably is.  Oh! And do NOT, I repeat DO NOT ever work somewhere you appreciated as a child.  Chances are you will run into a place that crushes you image of what you thought that business to be like when you were a child.  It will make you angry and resentful and you will spend a few years wishing you could make it better only to realize it was a ship sinking long before you ever got on it.  It sucks. Speaking of when things suck....

NO! Not THAT!
(PS: NEVER Google "sexy vacuum")

If Your Work Life Suck, Improve Your Personal Life 
After wedding wrapped up I knew I needed to get back into blog writer ASAP.  Why?  Because I needed a task to make me feel fulfilled in the way work never could.  I try to focus on writing, reading, and just enjoying the internet.  I have a dog and a husband that I will spend many a night with cooking dinner and watching shows on the couch.  I have friends (yeah, who would have guessed that!) and I see them often on the weekend. In short, I have a kickass personal life and that helps balance things out.  If you don't feel good about your day job, do yourself a favor and figure out what you need to make your life at home grand.  Which brings me to my next point:

Get A Hobby 
You know how so many cranky, old people below, "GET A JOB!"?  Well I do the same thing with hobbies.  If you are feeling crappy because you come home from a draining job and just stare at the wall, dreading going to work the next day, it's time to get a hobby.  Ask my husband if you need help coming up with an activity to do.  The man collect hobbies like some people collect bobble heads, and he's damn good at every hobby he undertakes.  Do you know why?  Because he treats every hobby with precision and dedication.  The same precision and dedication you would apply to a day job.  If work has you down and feeling like your brain is turning to the green mush from Troll 2, it's time to get passionate about something!

Because a mind is a terrible thing to waste.

You Probably Won't Make Money from Your Hobbies....and That's Okay!
I used to think that my blog and youtube channel would one day make me famous enough that I wouldn't have to ever do anything but the two for the rest of my life.  That really is my ultimate dream, to make my art for a living.  I often stop and remind myself though that that is a privilege that few people get.  It requires a raw talent, determination, and dash of dumb luck that very few get.  Plus you can't be lazy.  You can't come home from work and just mindlessly type for a few hours and hit "post". It requires turning your hobby from a hobby to a part-time job. Not that there is anything wrong with trying to turn something like this blog into a business, but not at the point that your creation process suffers.  There was a point where I wasn't writing because I thought the topics I wanted to cover weren't "marketable" enough.  And that's just dumb.  I had some people reading and that was more than enough.  It I start worrying about every schmuck that comes here to read I will probably have an aneurism.  So maybe you will manage to make your hobby turn into a business and maybe you won't.  Just don't let your hobbies suffer because you put a paycheck like and asterisk next to it.  Remember why you started that hobby, because you like it, because it keeps you sane, because it's an escape from that pesky job you've been trying not to think about all morning.  So that's what I've learned.  Work can suck, work can shatter your perception on the real world but it can lead you to doing great things.  Just don't let those escapes turn into another job you resent and dread.

Here's to hoping that something good is around the bend!

My inner Disney Princess is still hoping

Tootles!


Xoxo

The Most Inspiring Thing I've Seen in Years - Miley Cyrus of 'We Can't Stop' at the VMAs

I know I made a promise to one of my fellow blogger's that I would write about a requested topic (and trust me that draft is underway) but there was something far too urgent for me to wait to write about.  This morning I was checking my email (as I often do as part of my lazy day ritual) and my concerns were more focused on if an order of deliciously discounted clothes I had purchased and if the package was going to finally arrive today.  Suddenly, as I clicked to logout out of my email, I was flooded with yahoo news declaring that Miley Cyrus had put on a more shocking performance at this years VMAs than even Lady Gaga had turned out.  I, being a curious glutton for punishment decided to embark on an epic quest to see how batty they former Disney brat had decided to swing.  Now keep in mind that I am pretty much disconnected from pop culture and more specifically MTV.  I don't watch cable, I've never seen Jersey Shore (because it will probably make me eat a cyanide cupcake), and my favorite bands are Coheed and Cambria, My Chemical Romance, In This Moment, Nine Inch Nails, and Mars Volta.  I'm not MTVs target audience.  So going into this viewing I knew this wouldn't be for me.  I expected to be outraged, offended, screaming feminist rants, and demanding a refund to my eyes and eyes.  But do you know what....

It was the most inspiring thing I've seen in a very long time. 

Part of why I haven't been writing on this blog is because I have had a wicked case of writers block.  It has been so severe that I find myself either crying or silently raging in frustration.  This has now finally changed.  After watching Miley stick out her tongue out multiple times in a obvious I'm-trying-waaaaay-too-hard fashion, bears dance for no purpose, and a former Disney star stick her face in someone's ass like it was a bouquet of roses, I have become inspired.  I have found my muse. I know what I must do and I want you to see what you must do as well.  

Now I know what you're thinking: "She wants us to protest this!  She wants us to take to the streets, protesting everything this performance stands for!  We need to promote being smart so our little girls don't grow up like this!" and sure those are all fine and dandy thoughts, but there is something more urgent we need to do.  

I am asking you to keep trying.

I can here the collective "HUH?  That's IT!?" Yes, my request is as simple as that.  We need to keep trying.  

At first when I saw Miley come out, tongue lolling out and about, I wanted to give up.  "What's the point in even trying to make art when half-baked-cash grab-shock-for-effect-pieces-of-dung like this are what we as Americans highlight in our society?  Why should I ever both to try and write a beautiful poem or insightful article when they will always been highly overlooked so that pieces of fleshy trash like this can shine?"  But you know what?  I kept thinking (as sane people should try and do in times like these) and I realized "This is why I should keep writing."  And this is why all artists should keep doing what they love."  It’s not from the standpoint that I don't even have to try to be famous or successful!  No.  Artists should do what they love because every-so-often there is someone who looks at the VMAs and goes, "This isn't for me," It's like I said before, I am not the audience for this performance.  This wasn't made to please me.  Something about this has made some people happy, but there are still plenty of other people that I can make happy too.

That is why Miley Cyrus’s performance is inspiring. If you keep you objective goggles on something can make you hate it but still have a positive impact on you.  

Perhaps this is a bit about optimism too.  I certainly have been afraid before that my own writing is pointless because it’s not changing the world. I realize now though that when we reach out to the world chances are there are few people our art will impact.  I know my blog is never going to reach the fame of Miley Cyrus, the VMAs, or any major pop culture sensation, but I have my few faithful followers that I know enjoy reading my work.  Honestly, that is all I need.

I once heard someone say that art is not done to please the artist, but to please the audience.  If Miley Cyrus is what pleases you, then by all means, keep reaching out to see and hear her art (yes I will use the word art).  Art makes an impact on the individuals who views it and Miley Cyrus's performance sure impacted me.  It reminded me that there is an audience for everything and even though I may never become famous or leave as large of an impact as I hope to, at least I managed to make a few people happy along the way.  I hope you too will be just as inspired as I am.  Keep trying, guys and gals, keep trying.

You're art means more than you'll ever know.

Tootles <3

P.S. Here is the performance if you want to watch.