100 Prompts Challenge: December

At the conclusion of November, I am going to be doing the 100 Prompts Challenge to replace the time I used to do NaNoWriMo in order to fulfill my CAS requirements as well as get regular practice on my writing.

I will be linking to the prompts that I have completed as I go along. Currently, I have completed the first prompt, Crash.

My minimum goal is do 1 prompt a week. I also hope to practice writing and experiment with different styles through it.

I did the first prompt one in a panic about my NaNoWriMo, but I will be finishing or at least be continuing it through November. I have talked to several other people who are in my school’s NaNoWriMo support group at school and they have expressed interest in doing this challenge as well.

Best case scenario, if enough people decide to do it, we can print some form of anthology at the end. It’ll be an interesting experiment to see all the different story that are inspired by the same prompt. It’ll certainly be an interesting experiment for TOK, or something.

I think this one will be a lot less stressful than NaNoWriMo because there isn’t that constant struggle to meet the word count and more importantly, it’s long term. NaNoWriMo is great because it pushes you to get a lot of writing done, and despite that stress, I always enjoy it. However, I am looking for something long term because I don’t write unless it’s November. It’s a good habit to get into. … And I need the CAS hours.

NaNoWriMo 2011: Day 5

I really like this story. I really like it.

I really liked last year’s story too, but it was out of my league. That’s why we’ve decided to see other people for a while.

This year’s story, according to a friend and a teacher, “doesn’t seem like something I would write”. I don’t know what that means. Maybe it’s because I described it as a superhero story. It’s not really a superhero story. It is a story about a superhero though. I don’t know, it was the easiest way to explain it.

Tagline: “A superhero’s loss of identity when he accidentally kills his arch nemesis.”

The biggest surprise for my so far is how reckless my protagonist, Benjamin, is. He keeps making these decision that make me want to hit him. He nearly killed his now best friend and killed – by accident – his arch nemesis because of his stupidity.

That’s Ronald, my giraffe, photobombing.

There’s my word count, with a peek at a small bit of the novel. I have exactly 5,500 words right now. I should be at around 8,000, but I’ve literally been sitting here all day stuck. I broke through about 3 hours ago, kind of.

I’m still not entirely sure where this is going.

That’s the weird thing. I know exactly where this is going, but I have no idea.

I did a lot of planning, but none of it really involved actual concrete events in the story. It all stuff that should happen… somehow.

Those are some notes on themes and symbols.

Some notes on the first time Linus and Ben met.

Excerpt of Ben’s stupidity. If you find things that don’t any sense…. that happens… a lot more than I’d like.

Benjamin looked up to see Linus crouching over the edge of the building. He let himself drop, the cool air wrap around him like a cloak.  He forced himself to slow down, coming to a complete stop halfway down the observatory.

He looped around the side of the building and landed lightly behind Linus.

“Boo,” he said casually.

Linus yelped in surprise, tipping forward. His arms flailed through the air as he lost balance.

“Oh fuck –” Ben was a second too late, his hand closed on air.

 Linus was gone in an ungraceful swan dive. Benjamin dove after him, feeling the exhilaration of controlled free falling for the second time. He forced himself to gain speed; he overtook Linus. He would win in this race to the ground.

He landed gently; his feet planting the width of his broad shoulders. Reaching out his arm a second before Linus hit the ground, absorbing the impact. 

Darn. I was planning on putting this post in my CAS reflections… why did I choose a excerpt with a swear word in it? D: That was the one I wanted to share though, so. I guess I’ll have to write a different reflection for CAS.

I found some quotes I really liked… I just want to write them down.

“On risque de pleurer si l’on s’est laisse apprivoiser.” – Le Petit Prince

“Le yeux sont aveugles; il faut chercher avec le coeur.” – Le Petit Prince

“C’est tellement mysterieux, le pays de larmes.” – Le Petit Prince (You can probably tell, I really like The Little Prince… :D)

“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulder of giants.” – Isaac Newton

“Fairytales do not tell children dragons exist. Children already know dragons exist. Fairytales tell children that dragons can be killed.” G.K. Chesterton

“You do not lead by hitting people over the head. That’s assault, not leadership.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower  (I really like this one, I know people who can benefit from learning this.)

“The sad truth is that the truth is sad.” – Lemony Snicket

“Fairly examined, truly understood,
No man is wholly bad, or wholly good.” – Theognis of Megara, Fragment XLI

I’m currently immersed in The English Patient for English. That mother looks like a monster right now with all the sticky notes I put in it. My favourite line from the book right now because I thought it was strangely endearing: “The Englishman turned to her and said, ‘We’re getting along famously!'”

Transit Travels: Day 3 Wrap Up and Day 4 Warm Up

 Good morning… gorgeous.

My allegeries acted up yesterday. In short my eyes totally swelled up and my my nose stuffed and I couldn’t stop sneezing. That’s hot. 😐

I didn’t get anymore writing done after I returned from the airport, which put me behind for Camp NaNoWriMo. I’m at around 7,741. Well I just have to hit 11,000 by Sunday and I’ll be good.

That brings me to…

Day 3
August 5 – YVR Vancouver International Airport

It’s the second largest airport in Canada… is what I learned from CTV News at 11 yesterday.

I went to the Domestic Flight area and sat down right by a huge window that overlooked the… well I’m not sure what it’s call. It was the part where the planes taxi up to the airport and let passengers board. These are all technical term here, people.

There was a food court right in that area, so I sat down with my Subway dinner. I got here way later than all the other places I’ve gone to, by the time I got here, I was already feeling tired and ready to go home. Because I usually went home around 5, so I can have dinner.

I usually eat lunch out.

Which reminds me, I really do need to cut down on spending. I’ve ate out at whatever place I’ve gone to these past three days and spent more money than I usually do in a month. Mind you, I rarely go shopping and my spending comes in bursts… but I’ve spent $35 in the past three days. I consider it paying the rent on the place I park my ass all day. Well I guess I’m going to have to eat at home first so I don’t have to spend as much money on food.

I got to tell you though. I’m pretty loose with my money so if I see something I really want when I’m out today, I’ll probably buy it.

At least if I eat first I won’t buy as much. My house doesn’t really have much food, so … T&T buns it is.

I got distracted from the airport.

As a writing spot, it was great. For me, the problem was that there were too many distractions. Namely, the wifi and the airplanes outside the window.

Wifi allowed me to spend a lot of time spamming people’s streams on Twitter and surf the internet in general. Basically, not writing.

The airplanes outside the window. Well. I think airplanes are pretty cool

For that reason alone, I kept looking and and watching the airplanes for a while before I realized what I was doing.

There was also a lot of people. Given.

They weren’t as distracting though. The conversation level was at a “dull roar” as my math teacher liked to call it. No one stood out, but everyone was talking.

There were a few situations where this was not true.

An adorable pair of little blond twins who looked like they were around 2. They were the cutest things I have ever seen. And I work with children regularly, through volunteering. Their grandma lifted them up to the windows and they were oohing and ahhing, IN UNISON.

Oh my goodness, I wanted to take them home with them x). But unfortunately (also fortunately for my productivity), they left to catch a flight to Calgary or Edmonton. Yes, I have really good hearing. It’s not eavesdropping if they were talking loudly near me.

There was also a woman doing her homework who asked me suddenly to look up the word “meniscus” for her, the one relating to anatomy. Apparently she was studying to be a personal trainer. She said she might as well have trained to become a doctor, so was learning all of those things already.

There was also a mum who bitched her son out. I guess, he left for a while and immediately on his return, she demanded where he was. They exchanged some other words, she started yelling at him. He didn’t exactly help the situation though, all of his replies were flippant. I’ve already learned this lesson from my mum, gotta head her off quickly when she’s yelling and tell her I’m giving in.

Good place to write overall, I was just easily distracted. And people are interesting. It’s a good place to get inspiration from, you can imagine the stories of everyone that passes you by.

I will revisit. Maybe I’ll try the International Flights area next time. It might be less distracting especially if there are a lot of tourist around there that can’t speak English. It’s harder to eavesdrop – I mean, accidentally overhear conversations, when you can’t understand them.

But then again, we get a lot of Chinese tourists, since Canada and China signed that deal. Mandarin conversations are more distracting for me than English ones.

–

Today I plan on going to Science World/Granville Island. I’m getting off of the skytrain at the Science World stop, but if there isn’t anywhere to sit, or if I just feel like it, I’m hopping on the Aquabus or False Creek Ferry or some other name, and going across the water to Granville Island.

It’ll cost me $11 bucks though for a two way trip though. Well, maybe I’ll just hang out in the area around Science World. It overlook the water and there’s a park somewhere around there according to my mum.

For now, the destination is Science World – which I still have a pass to until November…. maybe I’ll go inside. Or not. We’ll see in tomorrow’s wrap up.

Transit Travels: Before Day 3

 Good morning! I woke up at 10 after going to sleep at 3 the night before. I wasn’t feeling the tired until now, 12:30.

The plan was to go to the airport to write.But my parents are going to look at a store and apparently my 11 year old brother can’t stay home alone for two hours, so I can’t leave until around 2. By the time I get there it will be around 4 or 5. Which is usually when I come home. That’s all right, I guess. My mom has already yelled at me because I told her that. She started saying how she never asks me to do anything, blah, blah, blah. So now I’m staying home with my 11 year old brother even though all he does is watch TV in his room.

Well then, since I have lots of time before I leave, I’ll write more.

I got another letter from my friend, Hubby (because she married to me on Facebook), who is in the middle of nowhere for Air Cadets summer camp. I spent an hour writing back to her. When I go to the airport today I have to remember to buy her a postcard.

This is probably the most snail mail I’ll ever have to write in my life.

I’m wearing my Agent P shirt that I got from the Disney Outlet store in Calgary. :O

–

Transit Travels: Day 1

August 3 – Lonsdale Quay

Since I only made this blog yesterday, I’m starting to write about my adventures on the third day. Let’s take the (huge amount of time because of my parents) I have to fill to write about that.

On the first day, I decided to go somewhere, generally familiar to me – Lonsdale Quay. My brother used to love going there (mostly he loved taking the SeaBus) so we use to go there a lot. I didn’t bring my camera that day so I’m going to use a picture I found off Google Images.

I sat outside, under the giant Q, over looking the water. It was a beautiful day. I forgot to bring my power cord for my netbook and in any case, there wasn’t anywhere to plug into, so I wrote by hand. Although I’ve only gone to two different places, this one was the most productive. It was busy enough that I could sit there for a long time without being noticed, but not too busy that I couldn’t focus on my work.

The lack of wifi also helped productivity.

The food that I got was pretty damn good too. I got a Hawaiian chicken burger from a place called Rex Gourmet Burgers. Price was standard for gourmet burgers, around $9 for the meal and drink. It’s not something I can afford to do every single day, but it was definitely worth it.

Favourite place to write so far, definitely will revisit.

–

Transit Travels: Day 2

August 4 – Waves Cafe, Downtown Port Coquitlam

I think Cafes could be a great place to write, but this one wasn’t. This cafe had a constant stream of people walking through, not many of them staying. The ones that did were all spread out in the room. We were clearly noticeable and after a few hours, the staff started starting at you. I bought another drink after two hours, but I still got this feeling from them that I was overstaying my welcome.

The prices were pretty standard for a coffee shop, which is to say still overpriced. I paid almost $8 for a panini and a medium caramel frappe.

It wasn’t anything special. The frappe tasted like a frappe, pretty good, but it didn’t stand out against Starbucks or any other place where you can get coffee. The panini was not bad, but I really couldn’t find the ham under the overwhelming taste of egg. It should have been called Egg breakfast panini with some ham on the side.

I stayed there writing for a while. The goal was 7,000 words, but I stopped after getting to 6,770 because I decided I would go to the farmer’s market that was happening across the street.

It was not a great place to write. It was too empty and too quiet that any sound is amplified. When I walked in there were two women conversing loudly in Chinese, then there was a couple having an argument, then there was a group of four women that talked in unnecessarily high pitched voices who also decided to sing along to the music that wasn’t bothering me until they started singing along to it. The sounds of drinks being made was also ridiculously loud because there were only isolated groups of people talking at once.

It seems like a great community gathering place – for a small community. It was never busy to the point where I can write in peace. I need the place to be full of noise, but not deafening. I need there to be so many people having so many different conversations at once that I can’t hear or understand what individuals are saying. I don’t need to know what you did last week, I don’t need to hear about your irrational fear of bruises.

I also got a Belgium Hot Chocolate after a few hours, just so I didn’t seem like I was only there to use their wifi and their space (which I was, and they knew it). It was a bit less than $5. Which is too steep for me to pay for regularly.

It was amazingly delicious, but extremely sweet. After drinking about half of it, I was a bit sick of it. It’s great for a treat, but I wouldn’t buy it too often.

All in all, it was a nice place right in the middle of Port Coquitlam, but we’re too much of a suburb to have a “real” coffee house atmosphere.

I would revisit, but to hang out with friends, not to write.