A Holly Jolly End to Writer's Block

Well, folks, I’ve done it.  The 10 Days of Christmas: Writer’s Edition was a resounding success, and I posted something every day up until Christmas.  I’d say that is quite an accomplishment, especially given my past track record with posting things on here. 

Granted, the posts generally had little or nothing to do with writing, but that wasn’t really the point.  The point was to set up a schedule and consistently post something to the blog. 

And this is how I can tie all of this back to writing.  You see, a big part of being a writer is writing (yeah, no duh).  Realistically, though, many people find it hard to stick to a set schedule of writing, which is a very big part of the process.  Even if you don’t have something to write about, even if you don’t have a story idea, you can still write something.  Writing anything is practice, and while you may not always have an idea initially, the writing process can help with writer’s block.

As I’ve said before, sometimes we get into a nasty cycle of complacency; we go for so long without writing that it just becomes normal.  And that’s not okay.

If you want to be a writer, you have to write consistently, whatever it may be.  The best way to write is to set up a schedule and stick to it.  Even if you write for only ten or fifteen minutes a day, you are still creating a habit.  Once you get used to writing every day, it will become second nature.

Hopefully this experiment has given me the stimulus to write more frequently and update this blog regularly.  I cannot say that I will update every day (I do have a life), but I will certainly try to update more than once a week. 

Merry Christmas Eve to all (and to all a happy whatever holiday of your choice),

Shannon

Some Last Minute Christmas Stuff

I’m not really sure what to write today, and to be honest, I’m a bit distracted (surprise, surprise).  I’m heading out later today to go to a Christmas party with a group of my high school friends, so I am really more focused on that than my blog at the moment. 

With that in mind, I will make this an extremely short blog post.  I knew I had to post something given my 10 Days of Christmas promise, and I will not go back on my word.  

In the spirit of Christmas Eve Eve (December 23), here are some last minute things you can do to get in the Christmas spirit (if you aren’t by this point):

1.      Bake Christmas cookies (hey, what’s jollier than eating sweet stuff?)

2.      Watch a Christmas movie (any one)

3.      Listen the Christmas music (and sing loudly for all to hear)

4.      Play Twister (well…maybe not holiday related, but how can you go wrong with this?)

And finally, for those who haven’t quite finished their Christmas shopping:

           Get On It!  

Only one more day until Christmas Eve, and I’m stoked.  Here’s wishing everyone happy holidays, whatever you celebrate.

Happy Christmas Eve Eve,

Shannon

Cookie Adventures!

I would say that this morning was very productive.  I wrapped some presents, wrote out some Christmas cards, posted to the blog (yay), and baked some delightful and tasty cookies (basic chocolate chip, a classic).  Here are the results of said baking excursion:

So much cookie goodness, it couldn't all fit in one tin.

Yummy-looking, no?  Anyway, this post really isn't going to be that long.  Mostly I wanted to brag about my delicious cookies, but I figured I should also put something else in here.  

So here is some advice for those looking to embark on their own baking adventures in the near future.  

First, go watch My Drunk Kitchen on YouTube.  And basically don’t do anything she does (love you, Hannah!).  But seriously, those videos are hilarious.  Go check them out.

Second, always time your cookies or whatever else you’re baking.  And even if you have set a timer, check on your cookies before the timer goes off.  Your cookies will bake much faster after the initial batch.

Third, always remember to wear an oven mitt.  This is crucial.  My pinky finger is not happy with me.

Finally, have fun!  And always remember: don’t be discouraged if something goes wrong or if you burn something.  You can always start again.  Or just eat the cookie dough.

Happy baking adventures and whatnot,

Shannon

Why Naps Should be a Required Part of the Work Day

I think naps should be integrated into the typical work day.  Hell, naps should be integrated into everyone’s day, no matter what.  Every day at noon should be declared “Nap Time” or something similar.

Why?

Well, for one thing, naps are awesome.  For people like me, who get up at about 5 or 5:30 to get into work in the morning, it seems like a helpful way to catch up on some much-needed rest.  I feel like if we could all have that moment to take a quick break and rest our eyes for a bit, we’d feel much better during the remainder of the day.

However, I think I also advocate this idea because, by the time I get home from work (especially today, for some reason), I am about ready to crash into my bed.  Not that there is anything wrong with this, mind you.  I actually took quite a long nap when I got home today.

The bad part of this story is that I had a bad dream.  A scary dream.  There were snakes…everywhere.  It was a relief to wake up and know that they weren’t really there, but still…I was freaked out.

And here is the real reason for this post and why I think naps are essential.  If we could get a short nap in the middle of the day (only about half an hour or so), not only would we all be fresher and more alert for the rest of the day, but then I also wouldn't have to come home, take a nap, and be freaked out by snake dreams. 

I think that’s enough of a reason to make Nap Time a thing, don’t you?

Happy 6^th day of the 10 Days of Christmas,

Shannon

Deck Them Halls and All That Stuff

One of my favorite things about the holidays is just the overall atmosphere, the feeling of warmth and comfort associated with the Christmas season.  Granted, it’s much easier to get in that spirit after your finals are over, but even students still obsessing over the papers they have yet to finish can find some comfort in the holiday music wafting through the air, the lights twinkling on overly-decorated houses, and the warm reds and greens covering everything in sight.

                                               

One of my favorite scenes from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is the one in which Chevy Chase is decorating the outside of the house with lights.  After he covers every square inch, he tries to light the lights, but they won’t go on.    He nearly goes ballistic trying to figure out why they won’t light, and he takes his anger out on a poor, defenseless Santa lawn ornament and his reindeer.  It’s a marvelous comedic moment.

When he finally gets everything lit (with some help from his wife), however, the mood suddenly changes.  A whole choir sings Hallelujah, and the family comes outside to bask in the beauty and blinding light from the decorations.  And everywhere else in the city, there’s a huge power surge forcing a backup generator to be turned on, but we can forget that in lieu of the awesome display.

The point is, there are just some things about the holidays that bring a smile to my face, and though sometimes it can be taken to an almost obsessive level, the lights that people use to decorate their homes are one of those things.  The brilliant glow providing illumination amid the dark night sky is enough to make you stop and look, to appreciate the hard work and effort put forth by the people of those homes. 

It’s almost enough to make you forget about all those giant, plastic snow globes littering the lawn.

Happy merry everything,

Shannon

Finishing is its Own Reward…But Chocolate Would be Good, Too

I have finally finished writing my paper, and I feel so good, I just had to keep up the writing high by typing up another blog post! 

You know, finishing a paper--especially a long paper with the ability to sap all of your energy and make you feel like a zombie while writing it—is one of the best feelings in the world for a college student.  Or any student, I would guess.

Throughout the duration of paper writing, it’s often hard to keep focus and push through the road blocks.  So what do you do to keep up the momentum?  What keeps you from going slightly (very) mad?

Well, it always helps to have a reward system.  I know many of my friends use this system while writing papers, and though I sometimes slip and take a break regardless of whether or not I have actually reached the page count I told myself to reach before eating that Milky Way bar or watching that television show (oops), it is still an effective method of getting work done.

So if you ever feel like you just cannot make it through a paper (or whatever it is you’re working on at the time), just set a goal for yourself.  Make them attainable goals, as well.  Tell yourself that if you finish writing a full single-spaced page, you get to read a chapter of that Power Rangers fanfiction you love so much.  Treat yourself to a pomegranate when you reach the halfway mark.  Go for a victory run on the treadmill while listening to “For Now” from Avenue Q (fitting, considering the circumstances) after you finish completely.

Whatever you do, reward yourself.  After writing a 20-page paper, you deserve it.

Happy writing, and happy 3^rd day of the 10 Days of Christmas!

Shannon

The Princess Bride: A Holiday Classic?

In the spirit of my 10 Days of Christmas promise, I’m posting the second in what will hopefully be a slew of updates this coming week.  Since I’m still stuck in the middle of writing my Cisneros paper, I’ll try to make this one quick.

Today I noticed something while my mother and I were watching Christmas movies on TCM.  While TCM had advertised that it would be showing holiday movies during the day (including White Christmas and this movie All I Want for Christmas that starred a young Thora Birch), the movie following All I Want for Christmas was, funnily enough, The Princess Bride.

Now, don’t get me wrong.  I absolutely love The Princess Bride.  It’s one of my favorite movies of all time, and I will admit that throughout the movie, I kept posting Facebook statuses with quotes from the movie.

However, I was not quite sure if The Princess Bride would really be considered a “holiday” movie.  What made it worthy of being included with all of the other holiday movies?  Other than the fact that it’s just plain awesome, of course.

In my quest to find the answer to this question, I started looking closer at the movie.  With that said, here are a few reasons why The Princess Bride could technically be considered a “holiday” movie:

1.   Ever notice the background of the first scene of the movie?  The one where Fred Savage is sick in bed?  Ever notice the Santas in the background?  That’s right.  Santas, as in plural.  One on the closet and the other behind Fred Savage’s head.  I guess this really does take place during Christmas. 
2. The grandfather, played by Peter Falk, gives Savage the book as a present, wrapping paper and everything.  Yeah, I know the kid is sick in bed, and the grandfather may just be giving the boy the book to make him feel better…but still, it’s a present, right?
3. This may just be me, but is that snow on the roofs of the houses outside the grandson’s window?
4.  Christmas is nothing if not a time for miracles, and this movie is full of miracles.  It even has a character named Miracle Max!  Who brings Wesley back from being mostly-dead!  If that’s not a Christmas miracle, I don’t know what is.
5.  As we’ve all learned from Love Actually, Christmas is a time to be with loved ones and just be in love.  Buttercup and Westley’s love story certainly qualifies.

That’s all for now.  And next time you want to pick up a holiday classic, don’t be afraid to watch The Princess Bride.  It totally counts.

Happy holidays,

Shannon

The 10 Days of Christmas: Writer's Edition

It’s that time of year again.  You know what time of year, right?  Of course you do. 

Yes, it’s FINALS WEEK.  (dun, dun, dun)

This past week has been quite hectic, and it is still not over for me.  Thinking about Mango Street and feet and sexuality and whatnot is really just the tip of the iceberg, and while I adore Cisneros, I (like everyone else in the same, sinking boat) just want this paper to be finished already.

The big problem is the fact that, yeah, it is almost Christmas, and while Christmas itself is wonderful, the time leading up to it can be…stressful.  Normally, I am easily distracted by anything and everything regardless, but during the holiday season? 

Why must there be so many catchy, annoying tunes filling my head and bright, twinkling lights blurring my vision?  Why am I so intrigued by those blow-up snow globes on people’s lawns?  Why must the TV people play so many classic and not-so-classic Christmas movies that suck me in and never let me go?  Why do the kids on the Charlie Brown Christmas special dance like Frankenstein robot marionettes?

The Christmas season is filled to the brim with distractions, and hopefully this weekend I can finish the things I need to do before I can really enjoy all of them.  With that said, however, I am going to try something that isn’t going to help my stress levels in the slightest and will most likely drive me bananas. 

Starting today, I am doing the 10 Days of Christmas: Writer’s Edition.  Basically, I am going to try to post something to this blog every day leading up to Christmas, thus giving me even more of a challenge than I had previously and knocking me out of my mango-induced stupor.  The post does not necessarily have to be long or even about writing; it just has to be something.  Most likely, they will include Christmas-related somethings.  Or nonsense.

Why would I do this to myself, you ask?  Well, in the spirit of the holiday, I wanted to take the time out of my day to reflect on life, the universe, Douglas Adams references…and just appreciate the fact that, while I may be stressed out, it is still the Christmas season.  Or Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, Mayan Apocalypse…whatever it is you want to celebrate. 

Plus, if the world really is going to end, I might as well go out writing.

Happy 10 days to Christmas, folks.  Here’s hoping we make it!  J

Happy (Insert Phrase Here),

Shannon