Search

Rainy Day's Books, Video Games and Other Writings

Open Search
Category

writing

Becoming a Part of the Club

Note: This post was also submitted for my application to be a contributor to Book Riot. Since I haven’t gotten chosen for that opportunity, I’ve decided to put it here on my blog so my dear readers can enjoy what I’ve written. I edited this post a little because I decided I wanted to rewrite some of what I’d written in the hopes of improving this post.   

I have a hard time socializing with people. I prefer spending time alone: reading books, playing video games, writing, or coloring.

But despite how much I enjoy my alone time, I occasionally want to socialize. To be around like-minded people who share the same interests as me.

Which is why I want to become more involved in the book community. I want to be in a book club. I want to meet new people and talk about books. I want to be a part of discussions that broaden my mind as well as my reading selection.

And I don’t mind socializing. I don’t mind talking to people, having open ended conversations. I just have a hard time doing it, especially face to face. I’m much better at conversations through text and online because I feel like I can really express myself the way I want and have my voice be heard.

The problem is I don’t know a whole lot of people in a book club. I don’t have a lot of friends who enjoy reading as much as I do that I feel like I can openly have a discussion with about the books I read.

My older sister is in a book club with some of her friends. And while my sister and I are pretty close, I don’t want to be involved in her book club. I would feel weird asking to be a part of their group. Not because I have issues with her friends who are involved, but because I want to make friends of my own.

I want to become involved in the book community on my own. I want to make friends who share the same passion and interest in reading as I do. So while at times asking my sister if I can be a part of her friend’s book club is enticing, I need to do things myself.

And one thing I want to do myself is find a book club to be involved in. So if anyone knows of any interesting book clubs I might be interested in, send them my way. I’ll definitely check them out and see if it’s a good fit for me.

0

If We Were Having Coffee: Another Semester Comes to An End

A Cup of Coffee and Books

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you this week has been quite a busy one. Busy in ways I wasn’t expecting it to be. I’d tell you how my last week of work went, giving you details about what all transpired. I’d tell you my meeting with my General Manager about opportunities in my field went successfully. He was able to provide me with some amazing places where I could look for jobs, informing me to let him know where I applied so he could give a good word. But also telling me where I could search that I hadn’t thought of before. Another coworker was there when we were having our session and volunteered to help me build up my resume, completely recreating it from scratch. But improving it in ways I believe will make my resume stand out and open the door to other amazing opportunities.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you a breakfast bagel shop close to home called me for a job interview. The interview went well and was shortly followed up by a second interview with their General Manager. They sound like they are interested in hiring me, but I also know I need to keep my options open. But I haven’t heard back from them since they did my background check. Though I’m willing to give them a couple more days before I get back on the band wagon to continue searching for jobs. This time, I’ll be looking for jobs in my field at places where my General Manager will be able to give a good word. So I’m not completely holding out on hearing back, but continuing my job search from where I left off. I just hope this time around I’ll be more successful. Only time will tell, that’s for sure.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I’ve spent nearly every day with my new friend. Not only talking and messaging, but spending time with each other, getting to know each other better. We are planning on doing something together on Monday, but I’m waiting for word on what we’ll be doing exactly. Just know I’m excited to have another friend in my life and continue to be excited to see our friendship blossom.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I’m not too sad to see work coming to a close this semester. A lot has happened there that has caused me so much stress that I’m glad to see it’s over. This week there went well. It was very slow because students were in their final exam week so they were leaving as soon as they finished their last exam. We also had a closing meeting, which was pretty basic chit chat on Wednesday afternoon. My last night shift on Friday was the Senior Dinner, which went off without a hitch. There were some minor problems here and there, but nothing none of us were able to handle. We worked well as a team to make sure everything got done properly, even getting out 30 minutes to an hour earlier than anticipated. So that was pretty nice. It’s weird how quickly this school year has gone because I didn’t graduate this early last year. But I’m also proud of my fellow college peers for all they’ve accomplished in their four years at Columbia College and know they’ll do some amazing things in the years to come. Just hoping to do some amazing things myself very soon, fingers crossed.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I’ve started a new book as well as acquired two new books. I’ve started reading the book Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation by Blake J. Harris. So far this book is truly amazing, talking about the video game industry and how both Sega and Nintendo have revolutionized video games in their own unique ways. But focuses more on Sega, the company that could arguably be called the underdog in the video game industry. Then, Tom Kalinske was brought on board, transforming Sega into a $60 billion dollar industry. I would go into more detail about what I think about this book, but I really want to save that until I’ve finished reading it and my review is posted for you to see. But so far, I really enjoy it, learning more about the video game industry and the people who’ve shaped it into the beautiful thing it is today. The two books I bought at Barnes & Noble yesterday also focus on video games and are by the same author, Ernest Cline. Both of them are books on my Goodreads to be read list that I’ve been really wanting to read for the longest time. They are Ready Player One and Armada.  I’m so excited to read them both even though the book I’m currently reading is amazing and I’m learning more about video games from it. I just can’t wait to see how all three of these books are and to write about them on here.

books

If we were having coffee, I’d apologize for my continued lack of posts. I was planning on doing more posts this week, but didn’t really have too many ideas besides posting my two writings from the application to Book Riot. I’ve already posted the first one and will post the other one very soon. I hope this upcoming week will make up for it as I won’t be working anymore so I should have plenty of free time to think up posts to write. But will just have to wait and see what happens. Because it’s also possible I could very easily be hitting a dry spell and that’s why I’ve not been writing quite as much. Either way, I plan on becoming more active in the future on my blog and hope you all still enjoy my posts, regardless of how much time passes between each one.

If we were having coffee, I’d finish by saying this weekend has been a wonderful one so far. Yesterday not only did I get to go to Barnes & Noble with my sister, but I also saw my best friend for my second Mary Kay consultation. I not only did the skin treatment, but they put makeup on me too. So since none of you have any way of knowing this, I don’t wear makeup. At all. I’ve only worn it a couple times, mostly when forced by friends into doing makeovers, but that’s about it. Personally, I just don’t like the way makeup looks on my face. I feel very uncomfortable with it on and it doesn’t enhance my physical appearance or do anything for me. Just more of an irritation than anything else. Yesterday, it wasn’t too bad. Still not convinced in getting any makeup for myself or anything. But I did get the stuff I ordered from the last consultation, which I’m definitely looking forward to using in the foreseeable future, despite my family wanting to use it too. But today, I’ll be doing Zumba soon, so I should probably let you get going.

If we were having coffee, I’d also like to quickly let you know that I might not be doing coffee next weekend. I have a cousin graduating from college next Saturday so I’ll be pretty busy spending time with my family.

Just thought I should let you know. But I’m off now. Hope you’ve had a good week and catch you next time with more about what’s going on in my life and more coffee.

0

A Recent Book Discovery

Note: This post was originally submitted for my application to be a contributor to Book Riot. Since I haven’t gotten chosen for that opportunity, I’ve decided to put it here on my blog so my dear readers can enjoy what I’ve written.

I have a confession to make. Now, my confession isn’t anything deep and heavy, like anyone would expect from me. But it’s still something I feel ashamed to admit.

I’ve just recently discovered free libraries. You know, those cute little book stands you might see in one of your neighbor’s front yards, advertising you to take a free book?

Free Library Kiosks

Yeah, I just discovered free libraries exist. No, I haven’t been hiding under a rock these last couple years in case you’re wondering.

I just recently discovered them because I’d never seen one until last year. I came upon this discovery when going for an interview for an internship.

The interview took place at my internship supervisor’s house. It was there I discovered she had a Little Free Library in her front yard. It was the first thing I noticed when I showed up at her house and found myself looking at it in awe.

Now, I didn’t take any of the books out of her free library at the time. But while I was an intern, I did take the opportunity to look at it and was even given the chance to fill up her free library whenever she found it was getting low on books.

Yes, I know: shame on me. I know I’m ashamed of myself too. Especially since these beauties have been in existence for quite awhile so I feel like I’m really behind on the times.

And what marvelous and wonderful things they are too! A way for readers coming from different backgrounds to come together and share their love of the written word through picking any book that catches their attention and reading, telling their friends about the book and how they got it.

Since hearing about free libraries, I’ve been interested in getting one myself, thinking about how I’d decorate it and where in my front yard I’d put mine. Because I definitely want one. I just wish I had more books on my shelf that I could give away. And I often think: what would mine look like?

2

Giving Something New a Try: If We Were Having Coffee First Post

If We Were Having Coffee Image One

For the past couple weeks now, I’ve read Zen and Pi’s If We Were Having Coffee posts. I find them to be very interesting, seeing her posts about what she’s been up to during the week that I’ve decided I want to do my own weekly #weekendcoffeeshare posts.

Part of the reason I want to become a part of the #weekendcoffeeshare is because I want to personalize my blog some more. I don’t want my blog to be just about the books I’ve read and video games I’ve played. And I’m trying to do that by including some of my own writing through flash fiction challenges and writing prompts. But I also want it to be somewhere readers can learn a little more about me, including them in my life because my blog is a part of my life.

I believe If We Were Having Coffee will be able to help with that. What I’ll be doing each weekend is writing a post directed at my readers, telling them what all I’ve been up to during the week over a cup of coffee. I’m planning on doing these posts starting today every weekend if I can to give my readers a glimpse into my everyday life. I hope these posts will allow more conversation to happen between me and my readers, but we’ll just have to wait and see.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m sorry but I don’t drink coffee. I’ll be having milk with our weekend coffee sessions instead and hope that’s okay with you. I’d also apologize to you for the lack of posts over the past two weeks. Two coworkers of mine who work nights at my job quit so I’ve been covering their hours with very little free time for myself to spare. These extra hours have caused me so much stress, frustration and exhaustion that I haven’t felt like writing as much until I got through the weeks I’d be working them. They’ve also made me realize how miserable I am with my current job and am ready to get a job in my field sooner rather than later. Right now, I’m working on that with my general manager at work, who’s offered to help me find a position for the company in my field. I’m actually supposed to meet with him tomorrow about this so fingers crossed he has some good news for me. But if not, I’ve been applying for positions while I’ve been home, both for a job during the summer and in my field so I’m not unemployed during the summer and so I have somewhere to work full time so I don’t have to go back. While I enjoyed working for them for a little while, I’ve realized it’s time for me to go because I’m no longer happy working there anymore. I’m ready for a different job and to get my career started.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I had applied to be a contributor at Book Riot a couple weeks ago. I’d tell you how excited I was about the opportunity, but also inform you that I didn’t get picked. But I’d also let you know how okay I am with that now because the two posts I wrote for the position I can always put on my blog. In fact, I’d say, I’m planning on putting them on my blog. As soon as I get the chance to look over them one last time to make sure there isn’t anything more I want to add. I’d also tell you if you asked that what they are about is a surprise and that you’ll see them on my blog soon enough. I don’t want to spoil them for you my dear reader, I’d tell you.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I’ve made friends in the most unlikely of places. Yes, I have friends both from high school and college I still talk to. But I also made friends with people I never expected to talk to me. In fact, I’ve been spending time with one of them quite a bit. I went to a couple parks with them last Sunday, some of which I’d never gone to before. It was lots of fun and I hope we go to some more very soon. But for now, this friend of mine is slowly becoming a part of my life in ways I didn’t imagine. We talk to each other every day and with each conversation had, I feel like I’m learning more and more about this person that makes me realize I want them to be in my life and someone I can continue to call a dear friend.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you about my best friend’s Mary Kay consultation party I went to last Saturday. I’d tell you how proud I am of my best friend for starting up her own business and about the good time I had at the consultation. I’d tell you I had such a good time that I even bought stuff, not only to support my friend but because I need it. I have a lot of problems with my skin getting dry and the stuff they have for dry skin I was able to try during the consultation. It seemed to work well so I’m hoping the stuff I’m getting works good for me. I would also mention there’s going to be another consultation next Saturday at 10. I’m going to that one as well so I can continue to support my friend and see what other products Mary Kay has to offer.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I haven’t read a book since I tried reading Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, even though I’d gotten two other books on my Nook. I’ve been so busy playing Kingdom Hearts Unchained X whenever I’ve had the chance that I haven’t started reading another book. I just couldn’t get into this book right now so I’m hoping whatever book I start next will be better. But I can tell you that Kingdom Hearts Unchained X is pretty good, despite how annoying the battery life on my tablet can be.

If we were having coffee, I’d apologize for blabbering for so long and ask you about your week.

6

First Impressions: Kingdom Hearts Unchained X

Kingdom Hearts Unchained X

Kingdom Hearts Unchained X is a RPG, action turn based game. Played on Android and mobile devices, Kingdom Hearts Unchained X has just recently been released in the United States.

And it is unlike no other Kingdom Hearts game. For one, you get to create a character uniquely your own. In previous Kingdom Hearts games, you played heroes chosen by the keyblade. But in Kingdom Hearts Unchained X, YOU are the hero. You can customize your avatar’s clothes and hair as well as choose which keyblade you want to use on each quest. It has also been released on Android and mobile, something Square Enix has never done with Kingdom Hearts in the past.

Kingdom Hearts Unchained X Avatars

Kingdom Hearts Unchained X is an enjoyable game for beginners to the series. Those unfamiliar with Kingdom Hearts can play it without playing any of the other games.

I both like this and hate it. I enjoy that this game can be a stand-alone because it has unique features other Kingdom Hearts games don’t have. But at the same time, as a big Kingdom Hearts fan, I’m sad. Kingdom Hearts Unchained X is a good game, but I was hoping this game would move the plot of the series further along. But it doesn’t.

Kingdom Hearts Unchained X Action

However, I also just started playing Kingdom Hearts Unchained X a couple days ago. So while I feel like there’s no real plot to the game, there’s still a lot I haven’t gotten to just yet.

But from what I’ve played so far, Kingdom Hearts Unchained X is a fun addition to the series. I enjoy being able to play a unique character that I’ve created as well as explore familiar worlds seen in the rest of the series and can’t wait to dive further into the game to see what all else it has to offer.

0

Liebster Award

Wow. I can’t believe I was nominated for this award. Thank you so much Jia from Film & Nuance for this nomination. I really enjoy reading your blog and am glad to see you enjoy my blog as much as I do yours.

The Liebster Award is an online award for bloggers to gain more support, recognition and just to get to know the person behind the blogger. It also helps others to discover new blogs and to build a sense of community in the blogging world.

How does the Liebster Award Work? Here are the rules:

  • Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you
  • Answer the 11 questions the blogger gives you
  • Nominate 11 bloggers that you think are deserving of the award but more importantly help to promote newer bloggers with fewer followers.
  • Let the bloggers know you nominated them
  • Give them 11 questions of your own

Well, I’m really excited about this. Thank you again for nominating me for this award Jia.  Now, let’s get to answering your questions.

1.What is your favourite hobby other than blogging(if it already is)? And why do you love it so much?

Well, I have a couple favorite hobbies to be honest. And I can’t choose between all of them because I enjoy them all equally. But two of them do go hand in hand. My favorite hobbies are reading, writing, playing video games, and coloring. I really enjoy reading because I love stories, love being introduced to characters whose hearts bleed on the page, and just love seeing how a story develops. I just love being placed in a whole new world with no idea what I’m getting myself into. I love reading because I can go to a whole other place entirely without leaving the comforts of my home. And the same can be said with writing because reading and writing sort of go hand in hand with each other. But with writing, I also enjoy doing it because I love being able to express my own thoughts and feelings as well as seeing my writing improve. I love writing because I’m able to tell my own stories, create my own characters with a unique mindset of their own. I enjoy video games because they are very immersive. In a video game, you play as a character with their own personality who interacts with the environment around them. Usually with this character, there is some sort of story and conflict you have to deal with. But those aren’t the only type of video games you can play too. There are some video games where you create your own character and are placed in an environment where you have to deal with surviving and completing missions in order to gain experience and gain more abilities. I enjoy these video games as well because they allow the player to choose their own destination and broaden their imagination. I love video games because each one is different and I feel like when I play them, I’m seeing a different type of story unfold. I love video games because I love immersing myself in a completely different world and seeing the results of my character’s actions unfold. Lastly, I enjoy coloring too. I enjoy coloring whenever I get the chance to do it because it’s relaxing. Whenever I feel like I’m stressed out or am having a particular rough day, I feel like coloring helps me get out of that state of mind and put me in a more peaceful place where only positive thinking is allowed.

Coloring 22

An example of one of the many coloring pages I’ve completed.

Not to say I don’t enjoy blogging on WordPress. Because I wanted to talk about other hobbies outside of my blog that you might’ve not known about already (though I have a post about coloring on my blog and I blog about books and video games a lot).

2.What are your top 3 movies of all time? And your worst 3?

Harry Potter Image

Well, I feel like my answers to this question could potentially get people mad at me. You’ll see in a minute why. Okay, so I’d have to say my three favorite films would be all of the Harry Potter movies, The Hunger Games Catching Fire, and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Harry Potter, both the books and movies as a series are a big part of my life. If you don’t know this already, I’m a big fan of the series. Since middle school, I’ve been really into the series, reading the books whenever I get the chance and watching the movies to relieve the moments from the books that were included in the films. I enjoy Catching Fire because I enjoyed reading the series quite a bit, but out of all of the books and movies in the series/trilogy, Catching Fire was my favorite. I enjoyed watching it on the screen just as much as I enjoyed reading it, watching as Katniss once again enters the games she thought she’d never have to be a part of again. And Beauty & the Beast is one of my favorite Disney films because the main character Belle is a character I feel like I can strongly relate to.

Inkheart Movie Poster

Now for my three least favorite films, time to deal with some mad people. I would have to say my least three favorite films are Forrest Gump, Finding Nemo, and Inkheart. Now, I don’t dislike these films completely, just don’t like them as much as other people might. With Forrest Gump, I thought the story was interesting. My problem with it is that I felt like the movie was too long and I didn’t find it quite as funny as most people think it is. I just had a hard time sitting through it and just didn’t see the appeal of it like everyone else and don’t plan on watching it ever again unless I feel the need to give it another chance. With Finding Nemo, I did enjoy it the first time I watched it. My problem with it stems from the one daycare I went to whenever I was in elementary school. Whenever Finding Nemo first came out and I saw it for the first time, I really enjoyed it. But whenever it came out on video, our daycare got it and all of the kids at daycare kept asking for us to watch it. Every. Single. Day. Now, I know that doesn’t bother some people, but I’m one of those people who just can’t watch the same thing every day over and over again. Because whatever it is I’m watching loses its appeal to me then. And that’s what happened with Finding Nemo. I enjoyed it the first couple times I watched it, but then its charm wore off on me after seeing it for the twelfth time in a row. And I haven’t really watched it since those days because even though I know the chance of me still disliking it are slim, I still have no interest in watching it because of the amount of times I’d seen it when I was younger. Inkheart is a movie based off of the book by Cornelia Funke, which is a book I really enjoy reading. It had been made into a movie whenever I was in high school and I was really excited when I found out it was being made until a film. Until I saw the trailer and realized how much of the book isn’t actually in the film. But I still saw it anyway, hoping against hope that it wasn’t going to be a complete disappointment. And it was good, not overtly horrible, but it still wasn’t as good as the book. They took out so much from the book that I get sad thinking about how much better the film could’ve been if they’d just stuck to the way Cornelia Funke wrote the story. So I was more disappointed with Inkheart than anything, even though I do find the movie to be somewhat okay and find myself watching it from time to time.

3.If you had a chance to rewind life to any point in your life, would you? If yes, then to which point in your life? If no, why not?

 I’m going to have to say no on this one. Because while there are some moments in my life I wish I never had to live, I wouldn’t be the same person I am today. I’ve gone through so much in the 23 years I’ve been alive and I feel like I wouldn’t be the same person I am today if I hadn’t gone through all of those struggles, dealt with all of those personal things. So while I do sometimes wish I didn’t have to deal with certain things in my life, I’m glad I did. Because I wouldn’t be the person I am today without having to deal with all of those hardships.

4.Name your most anticipated 2016 movies?

whiskey-tango-foxtrot1-poster

While Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is already in theaters here in the United States, I still have yet to go and see it. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is centered around a reporter named Kim Barker (played by Tina Fey) who takes an assignment in Kabul, Afghanistan. While there, she finds herself in the middle of a war zone and meets a fellow journalist who takes her under her wing.  I want to go and see it one day because it looks like a film I’d be interested in and because Tina Fey is a great actress. It also has to do with journalists going to report in war zones, which is something I’ve heard of happening but have never actually seen.

The Jungle Book 2016 Movie

I would go into the details of the plot of The Jungle Book, but if you’ve ever seen Disney’s version then you already know the premise of this film. Despite that this movie is a remake, I want to see it because it looks like it’ll be a very promising film. I want to see it not only because I enjoyed The Jungle Book as a kid, but because the cast in the film is full of names I don’t recognize.

Allegiant Film

Since I’ve already seen the other two films in this series (though, I’ve not read the books yet), I might as well see this. Yes, I know it’s already released, but I want to see it since I’ve seen the others already, though the second film didn’t excite me quite as much as Divergent.

The Forest Movie Poster

And lastly, I also want to see The Forest. Another movie that’s already in theaters since January this year, this film is a type of movie I’d want to see because it looks scary and looks like something I’d enjoy.

I’m sorry all of the movies I’ve chosen that I’m excited about for this year are movies that have already been released. But these are the movies that have come out this year that I’m really excited about seeing.

5. Recall your favourite childhood memory or a particular instance where you felt overjoyed?

 I don’t have a particular favorite childhood memory. I have a lot of moments from my childhood I enjoyed, such as whenever I first discovered my love for video games and all of the moments I spent time with my family. Most of my time with my family I particularly enjoyed was whenever we would go to visit my grandmother in Pennsylvania and see my aunt, uncle and cousin in Boston. So to answer this question, I don’t have a particular childhood memory or instance where I felt overjoyed.

6.If you could be any character from any movie/tv series/book, who would you be? And why?

Luna Lovegood HP

Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter series is one of my absolutely favorite characters. She is an odd duck who gets picked on by her peers, but is still friendly and nice to people, even when they treat her badly. She is someone who doesn’t care too much about society’s standards, but cares enough about the people she calls friends. She’s someone I would want to be because she’s one of the few people who believes Harry when he says Voldemort is back in Order of the Phoenix and is the type of friend I would love to have in my corner. She is a unique personality, which is something I strive to be.

7. Would you rather lead a safe, conventional and routine life or a life bound only by your own rules? Why?

I would probably want to lead a life that’s bound to my own rules, whatever those rules may be. There’s nothing wrong with a safe, conventional and routine life. It’s just that I have certain morals that I stand by and I would want to make sure I follow those. And if living a safe life interfered with my own conscious, then I would have to break out of that life. I also want to follow my own path in the world, wherever that may take me. I don’t want to follow society’s standards of what I should be doing with my future, I want to do what’s the best for me. Even if it means not leading a safe, conventional life.

8. What are the collectibles (e.g. posters, toys, figurines, plushies etc.)/ objects do you have and are most proud of? It could be movie/book related or anything really.

Beanie-Babies-Poster

When my sister and I were little, we would collect these teenie beanie babies from McDonald’s. And we really loved them quite a lot. We would play with them, snuggle with them and just have them around with us. They are some of the nicest plushies I own and I’m proud that I was able to get so many of them and hope to one day pass them on whenever I have children of my own.

9. Walking in the park or walking in the city?

 Walking in the park would be nice because you’d have lots of pretty trees and nature surrounding you. Unlike with the city, you wouldn’t have to deal with the hustle and bustle of everyday life and could enjoy the peace and quiet.

10. If you could be fluent in one other language, what would it be?

 Hmmmm… tricky, tricky question. There are multiple languages I’m interested in learning. I tried French in college and while that didn’t work out so well, I want to try learning French again. But I’m also interested in learning Japanese and Hungarian as well. I want to learn Japanese because I’m really interested in their food and think it’d be cool to go there someday. Plus I watch Japanese anime from time to time so it’d be a whole lot easier if I knew Japanese so I wouldn’t have to worry about subtitles too much.  And I want to learn Hungarian because my mother’s side of the family is Hungarian. So I think it would be nice to learn some of my family’s language so I can better understand my family ancestry.

11. Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging in July 2015 because after I graduated college, I wanted to get back into the habit of writing again and wanted to gain more writing experience by writing in a format I knew I’d enjoy. I experimented with blogging during the blogging class I took at Columbia College when I wrote my blog Healthy Body Peace of Mind and discovered how much I enjoyed it. But with this blog, I wanted to do something different. Instead of focusing on heart health, I wanted to write about topics I enjoyed, such as writing about books and video games. I then quickly realized I enjoy sharing my personal writing with my followers too, which is how I decided to post some of my fictional pieces. And that is how Vook: Books + Video Games was born.

The eleven blogs I want to nominate for this award are:

Zen and Pi

World of Horror

BookMarked

Siobhan Tebbs

The Dunne Files

A Drip of Truth A Drop of Lies

Echoes From the Path

She’s a Seeker

Prophecy Six

All-purpose and semi-sweet

Mindoftannguyen

And here are the 11 questions for the bloggers I’ve nominated:

1. What inspired you to create your blog?

2. What is your favorite book? And what book did you read that you think is overrated and why?

3. What is your favorite animal? How did you come to love that animal?

4. What books are you looking forward to reading this year?

5. What are your thoughts on video games? Why do you see video games in this way?

6. What is the biggest challenge you’ve experienced since creating your blog? How did you overcome that challenge?

7. Recall one of your favorite places to travel. What do you enjoy about this place and what are some of your favorite memories that you’ve created there?

8. What are some of your writing habits?

9. Are you a morning person or a night owl? Why?

10. What are some of your favorite television shows, both from your childhood and currently? Why did you enjoy the shows you watched as a child and why do you like the shows you watch now?

11. What is your dream job? What are you doing now to one day get that job?

I look forward to seeing the blogs I’ve nominated respond to these questions.

0

Over 1,000 Views

1,000 Views

So I’ve finally done it. After blogging for almost nine months, I’ve made it to 1,000 views. Well, I’m technically over 1,000 views now, but you get the point.

Wow, I still can’t believe it. But in a good way.

I’m happy to see that so many people are checking out my blog. That so many people like my blog and want to read it.

I started my blog over the summer in July. I started my blog as a way to continue writing after graduating from college to gain writing experience and as a way to improve my writing skills. I also wanted to meet other bloggers whose blogs were so inspiring that I would constantly feel the need to always write and become a better blogger.

Over the course of the almost nine months I’ve been on WordPress, I feel like I’ve found out a lot about my writing as well as myself. I’ve also discovered how much I enjoy keeping Vook: Books + Video Games up, finding the need to write almost every day like I used to when I was younger. I’ve discovered I love blogging and want it to become a big part of my life, possibly a big part of my career.

And I owe it all to my viewers. While I know I’m not the most active blogger on WordPress, I try the best I can to engage myself with other bloggers, whether that’s reading blog posts and leaving a friendly comment or participating in writing challenges like the two flash fiction challenges I’ve recently done and last year’s National Novel Writing Month.

So thank you. To everyone who read my blog posts, liked them, shared them with friends, etc. I owe getting over 1,000 views to you. Without my readers, I feel as if I couldn’t have gotten quite so far. So thank you for taking an interest in my blog. I look forward to seeing how much farther my blog goes and can’t wait to see what other opportunities in my blogging life await me.

0

Flash Fiction Challenge: Dragons

Red Firey Dragon

Via Chuck Wendig’s blog Terrible Minds, I’ve once again decided to do another flash fiction challenge. This time, the writing challenge is simple: the story I write must include a dragon.

So for this writing challenge, since April is National Poetry Month, I’ve decided to write a poem about dragons. Thank you for taking a look at this post and I hope you enjoy my poem!

 

Creatures of fire and brimstone,

Destroying the earth with their mighty talons

And breath that smells like death.

 

Red or blue,

Black or gold.

These creatures of various colors inspire nothing but fear.

 

Myths and legends,

Are told outside of campfires at night

About mysterious creatures who fly in the sky.

 

Protectors and defenders

Of hidden treasures

Hold secrets rarely worth keeping.

 

Shiny and sleek,

These creatures could very easily

Tear you apart with one mighty swipe.

 

With the strength of many men,

Dragons are some of the deadliest

Foes in the world.

 

Mysterious in their beauty,

These creatures of fire and brimstone

Eat other animals to survive.

 

Dragons are very dangerous,

So if you ever happen upon one,

Beware.

Beware.

Beware.

0

Writing Prompt: Albert Einstein Quote

only-a-life-lived-for-others-is-a-life-worth-while19

I agree with this quote completely. I believe living your life for other people is worthwhile.

Everyone has someone in their life who completely cares about them. Even people who don’t necessarily believe it. Whether that person is a friend, family member, or significant other, there is someone who has always been a part of your life and made you the person you are today. Without that person, you feel as if you have no one to relate to.

That person in your life is who you should be living your life for. Not because they want you around, but because you care about that person so much that you wouldn’t want them to face any pain at your expense.

You live for them because you care about them deeply. Whenever you have moments in life where you’re facing life’s hardest challenges, you think of them. You think of what they’d do if in your situation. But you also talk to them about the situation because you know they’ll always have your back.

And you live on for this person because you’re selfless. You live on for this person because you care about them so much and believe they’d do the same for you. This person makes up all of who you are and makes each difficult day easier to breathe in.

So you live on. Even at moments when you feel too weak to continue, you push on because you care about someone so much you never want them to suffer. And by living life because of them, every painful experience is worthwhile.

0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑