Sunday, February 24, 2013

The Fleeting Idea

For writers, ideas are more valuble than gold or platinum, and believe it or not, they are mined...Just like all precious gems and metals. There is no such thing as an original idea because the idea is interwoven through the fabric of life. You have to be able to see it among the ore and dig it out. Be careful though because if you do not see the glint that is a hint of it's location, you may miss it. Sometimes you see the glint, but ignore it, thinking you'll see it later.

This is not true. An idea is a slippery thing. if you let it slip from your grasp, it's good as gone. Ideas show up at very unconvenient times. For example, I get the most spectacular ideas for dystopia stories during psychology class. I got the idea for my next novel while walking on a forest path. Thank god for smartphones and notebook margins...

One thing I hate about ideas is that they usually show up when I'm just about to go to sleep so I'm too comfortable in my warm bed to reach for the pencil and pad of paper. I usually hate myself in the morning for my laziness because I lost a spectacular idea that I can't remember!

Always write down your ideas and keep them in a safe place because you never know which idea is the idea.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Pep Talk

I know this is normally a writing blog, but for now, it's a swimming blog! If you want something writing-related, check out my other posts. :-)

Okay, Aqua Bison...It's finally here. This is the thing we swam miles and miles to train for...

It's the NEAC Championships! A time full of (well, what I've heard of it) friendship, shaving cream, endurance, and LOTS of water. Sounds like loads of fun, right?

For most of you, the advice I'm going to give you goes without saying, but I'm going to say it anyway....

JUST KEEP SWIMMING. Dory from "Finding Nemo" is one wise animated fish. As long as you keep swimming through the water and life, you'll be fine.

So, I don't care if you swallow fifty gallons of water. I don't care if you hit your head while doing backstroke...Just keep swimming. If you crawl out of that pool before you've finished your race, that is the ultimate defeat. Not only have you been defeated by the other contestants, but you've been defeated by water...And that is sad because you're supposed to be SWIMMERS.

I know a bunch of us have been sick. I am currently sick with a monster of a cough. -hack, hack- If I have to cough my way through the 200 Fly though, so be it. I will keep swimming, and I expect everyone else to do the same thing. Remember that you are primarily racing yourself. Getting first place is nice, and getting a personal best is even better, but what really matters is that you are satisfied with what you have achieved.

I expect to see everyone do their best in New York...We have all the talent, determination, and (as Coach Larry would say) technique in the world!

Let's win this thing! Goooo Aqua Bison!!!! Everyone has made me proud to be on this team all year. :-)

Sunday, February 10, 2013

How To Procrastinate Effectively

If there's anything I hate, it's passive leisure. I don't like the idea of seconds ticking by, and not doing anything productive. I really take the maxim, "live life to it's fullest" seriously. I do not procrastinate a lot, but when I do, it's doing things that I want to do instead of the things that I don't want to do (and should do).

For example: I have 130 pages of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" to read...Instead, I read "Life of Pi," the book I want to read, but it still qualifies as a major piece of literature.

I am including a list of things you can do to procrastinate the correct way when you just don't feel like sitting down to write another chapter in your book.

1. Create a metaphor about procrastinating or personify it. My friend Eric and I have a very good mutual friend named, "Mr. Procrastination." He wears a yellow beanie and he just loves having cups of Earl Grey tea with us.

2. Spongebob Squarepants may be very tempting to watch, but "Shark Week" on the Discovery Channel is much more educational...Occasionally they show the ocean section of "Planet Earth." This show teaches you that sponges do not live in pineapples under the sea...

3. Instead of listening to music on your iPod, get out your guitar and sing the songs yourself! You'll have so much fun that you can tell your MP3 player that "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," because you sound much better than Taylor Swift, thank you very much.

4. Instead of writing on your blog that you're supposed to be doing for English class, write a very eloquent blog post on procrastinating on your personal blog!

Gee, that reminds me...

I gotta go!