Wednesday, July 31, 2013

My Enemy: Ares God of Pen Snatching

My husband Kelvin and I adopted a stray kitten about a month ago, and his name is Ares. No, he's not the god of war. He's more like the god of being a pain in my butt.
 As a college student going to school over the summer, I have keep up with a planner to record my blog ideas, to write my work schedule, and to schedule my writing time. Yes, I know I'm a nerd for going to school over the summer, but I gotta do what I gotta do.

Anyway...I have a confession to make about this particular cat. I got him addicted to pens.

I know what you're thinking. How does a planner and a cat relate...wait a minute--a cat addicted to pens? Well, Every time I tried to write in my planner he'd come snooping around to step on it. He'd sit on me and block my writing space.

It gets worse.

When I would work on my novel, he'd come roaming from where ever he hides just to playfully bite my typing fingers. (He's doing it right now.) He'd watch the mouse cursor before he makes hunting squeals as he swats at my screen. Ugh...I could never get any kind of writing done, so I introduced him to the pen.
I'd throw the pen to pusuade him to leave me alone, and he'd fetch it. Now, he loves fetching pens.



Big mistake.

Every time when I write he jumps on my pen and takes it right out of my grasp.
Taking a pen from a writer is like drawing your sword. It's on, Ares God of Pen Snatching!


"Give me cat nip or your pen will be mines! Bruhhahahaha!
"What do you mean when you say you have no cat nip, master?!
"I warned you! It's mine now. Ha!Ha!Ha! Soon, I'll take over the universe and this pen will be by my side!"

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Passion Can Make Anything Inspiring--Anything!

I'm from Mobile, Alabama, so I hear this a lot more than I want to:

  "You'll never get anywhere in life while living in Mobile."

After seeing many of my unsuccessful, unhappy elders living life aimlessly, I sometimes wonder how true are the things they say. Can I imagine what my elders see? Probably. Probably not.

 My world view is different because I'm still twenty. What do I know? I didn't spread my wings yet. I do know one thing. My world view has been manipulated by the hard life I had to live. I don't think of my hard life as a burden nor do I use it as an excuse. Living a hard life and actually being the person who didn't let it get the best of me is rewarding. My reward--satisfaction and happiness.

It's kind of funny. I've been living in Mobile for about sixteen years, and I don't think of Mobile as a dump town where you can't get anywhere in life. There's a secret to my boring ole' city. I can be ordinary or do what most people do.
Or...
I can be imaginative, innovative, and inspired by every aspect of it! I love to write so I use elements of my surroundings for inspiration.


I can make anything I want out of this if I stay positive...
a sky view of Downtown Mobile
This is a bird's eye view of Downtown Mobile:

Bienville Square in Downtown Mobile
Bienville Square Park in Mobile: a park where I spent most of my childhood.





There is actually a lot to appreciate, and I give credit to my hometown. No matter how basic and ordinary my surroundings are, I can make them appeal to my imagination and style of writing.


If you're from an unpopular, black and white town, then color your hometown. Make it interesting. Never let your surroundings restrain your potential.