SOLC 10: In Which I Remember The Bay

The sand is starting to cool as night approaches. The golden sun is slowly sinking into the edge of the water, little specks of light twinkling across the bay. I step lightly, careful not to press my foot anywhere that might be hiding a sharp shell or rock. I scan the damp sand for any signs of crabs or fish, trying to spot them before they spot me. There is no shortage of snails, and the banks are littered with their tiny shells. People walk in small groups, quiet and slow. They are small figures painted carefully over the landscape. I wish that I could take a picture of this moment, but nothing I could do would ever be good enough. There is no way to really capture the way a place feels or sounds or looks all at once. So the only thing I really have to keep this with me is my memory.

SOLC 9: In Which I Share My Current Thoughts

Thinking about the future can be incredibly unpleasant. It isn't always nice to consider the fact that in a year from now everything in your life could be completely different than it is today. Maybe even in a month from now, or a week, or a day. Any choice that I make has the potential to turn my world upside down. Then there's the factor of things that we can't control. It's hard enough to have to try to figure out how to deal with the problems you made on your own. I hate that the world is so wildly unpredictable. There are so many things that you just don't see coming. So when I have to make an important decision, I always feel this unbearable stress. How will the choices that I make impact my future? Am I making the right decision?

It just bothers me that a choice that I'm making right now could change the course of my life entirely. So I can't help but always look for the perfect choice. But the truth is, rarely in life is there actually a "perfect choice." Things won't always work out as you planned. Not every shoe is a perfect fit, but that doesn't mean they don't fit at all. Sometimes I trap myself in this search for perfection and end up not even seeing that the not-so-perfect-choices aren't that bad. They might be great. They might be exactly what I need. After all, perfect isn't commonly found in the wild and is rarely found anywhere in the world. I don't need to find perfection right now. I just need good.

SOLC 8: In Which I Share My Love Of The Cold

A bright light hits my eyes as I open the door. It takes a minute for them to adjust and get a view of my surroundings. A thick layer of white snow covers everything in sight, from the rooftops down to the sidewalk. Tiny flurries float down onto the ground around me. They land lightly on the neat rows of my sweater, sticking there for a moment or two. They catch over the tips of my eyelashes and blur small spots of my vision. My nose and the tips of my ears sting with the cold. Maybe I should have brought a jacket. The sky is light grey, the sun peering through thin clouds. I yawn. The day is peaceful. Perfectly, beautifully cold.

SOLC 7: In Which We Enjoy The Sunrise

Some things are just perfect, like the way two words fit together, each syllable dropping off of the tongue and into the air. Sitting at the top of a giant boulder and looking out over the sunrise. That spells perfect to me. The air is cool and dry, not daring to let any sort of unpleasant humidity get in the way. The only noise is the quiet sound of birds in the morning and a gentle rustling from the underbrush. I can't help but wonder why some moments are so much better than the others. They stay in your mind, hiding in a back corner until they feel like its safe for them to resurface. I guess that if every day was a good one, it would be hard to tell which ones were actually any good at all. Sunrise is almost always perfect. The beginning of another day. The beginning of an unknown future, waiting to unfold.

SOLC 6: In Which I Play A Game

The air around me is completely still. The only thing that moves is the referee's arm as he signals to the girl behind the line. In one swift motion she propels the ball across the court and over the net. From this point forward, chaos ensues. Yelling and footsteps keep everything going, pushing the points of the game onward. As soon as the ball hits the ground, each tiny moment is ended. A simple and quick motion can cause a change in pace. The only thing that goes through my mind after every point is that I want it to keep going. I don't want to have to stop playing. I don't want to stop moving. Having to stop so suddenly feels like trying to keep my balance at the top of a mountain on a windy day. I don't want to stop doing any of it. I want to keep going.

Our hero must say: she had a surprisingly good day today.

SOLC 5: In Which We Have A Break

Everything is loud
The noise verging on unbearable
But not quite there
People in nearly every corner
Every spot inhabited
It feels like an ocean
Filled with movement
Instead of water

But when the game begins
It all feels still
The people who used to move and drift
Halt
Snapping the noise in half
At the sound of a whistle

And you can hear everything

Every whisper
Every breath
Every moment
Suddenly appears
Leaving all traces
Of overwhelming noise
Of unstoppable crowds
Of impossible energy
Hidden beneath the plastic tiles

SOLC 4: In Which We Find A Pencil

A pencil drifts carefully across the white eternity. Trailing behind it is a dull, slate line. With every tiny motion the tail grows longer and longer, curving and looping as needed. It is the pencil's sole purpose, threading gray lines forever. But there is joy in its line of work. For every minute spent on the paper the pencil grows closer to perfecting its scribbles. Looking forward it can see that someday the lines will be straight and neat. Someday it won't need to try so hard to perfect every movement. Someday soon it will be able to remember how every shape is supposed to feel under its tip. It will finally make it. It will finally be happy.

SOLC 3: In Which We Consider The Night Sky

The sky is perfectly dark, lit with tiny white lights. While lying on the ground you can look straight up and see nothing but stars and thin branches from the surrounding trees. The grass of the clearing rustles quietly in the evening breeze, the ground alive with insects. It's the kind of thing that you read about in books and see in the movies. A navy blue sky and a flat spot in the forest. Every once in a while there might even be a shooting star, soaring through the stillness before quickly fading our of sight. This moment is as close as I might ever be to genuine magic. You can't find this kind of beauty just anywhere. There is nothing quite like staring out at something so big. It's humbling but at the same time, it's captivating. Looking away is almost impossible and you can find this beauty almost anywhere in the world. When you get away from all the light of civilization you can finally see what was there all along. A vast expanse, shining just for you. This is what I'm here for. If only I could spend more time. If only I wasn't trapped by the limits of day. All I want is to lie down somewhere quiet, with no city blocks or cars to bother me. I just want to stare at the night sky forever.

The adventurer, after taking only a couple of steps has already come across a bump in the path. This is what you might call "Starting off on the wrong foot."

SOLC 2: In Which Things Are Broken

I have a rose pearl necklace. Although I'm not sure if I can actually call it that. It's broken. It used to belong to my grandmother. It's funny how some things never really seem to break, but others can't  stay in one piece. No matter what you do to try to protect them and keep them safe, they just fall off of a counter or get dropped. How unfortunate. I keep all sorts of things on my dresser and some just don't last long. Some times it doesn't matter where you put something. It can't be saved. That necklace is still in my house somewhere, waiting. Each little pearl sitting quietly, knowing that someday it's time will come. My grandmother gave the necklace to me when I was six and that makes it kind of a big deal. She trusted me enough to give me that necklace so I can't help but remember it. It matters to me. I don't care if those pearls are never restrung. Knowing that it is still with me reminds me that I am trusted. I am so proud to have been given such a precious object. It doesn't matter if it's broken because it's mine.

The adventurer, having very recently set out for her journey has yet to hit any bumps along the road. But then again, she has only taken a couple of steps.

SOLC 1: In Which We Begin

    Today is March first. The first of 31 possibly very long days with possibly very long nights. Today marks the first day of the Slice of Life Challenge and we'll see if I can actually do this again. Last year was (I'll admit) a little bit rough, and I'm really hoping that it's a bit easier this year. This challenge isn't a requirement, but I really love writing and I never get to write as much as I actually want to. I figured that this would be a way for me to start writing again after a long break from the kind of writing that I like to do. Therefore, it is time to go forth and explore this new challenge in this new year. I don't exactly have a game plan or an idea of a direction to go, but I can't help but be excited for these days to come! I loved being able to do this last year and am so happy to be doing it here again. It's time to get back to the keyboard and keep my writing going. Hopefully I won't run out of ideas. I guess that I just need to start writing day by day and not worry about what's to come right? I hope this works.

    And so we begin! The daring hero sets out along the path to success! With a determined heart and some tricks up her sleeve, she is ready to take on the challenge. But will she persevere? There's only one way to find out.

FInal SOL: Trip Memories

This Is For The Trip

This is for the trip. For the airplane and the boats. This is for the bubbles and the grass. This is for the who-knows-what's and the who-knows-where's. This is for getting lost. For getting found. This is for being spies and koalas. This is for the elephant, and the whale, and the earrings. This is for the flight simulators. For chasing rainbows and playing tag. This is for the same put-two-fingers-by-your-ear-and-wait. This is for the pictures and the journals. This is for the rain and the heat. This is for earth, fire, water, air, and cosmos. This is for the green and the blue. This is for ourselves and our futures. This is for the firsts and the lasts. For the beginnings and the ends. This is for Obama and the beavers. This is for red chalk and fluid. This is for running and floating down the river. This is for bruises and cuts. This is for mud and waking all day. This is for the city. For the bay. This is for the orchestra and the quarters. This is for the burgers and the statue with his hand in the air like he's trying to catch something. This is for bunk beds. This is for the marble and the wood. This is for that-one-time-we-did-that. Don't you remember? This is for the candy, for iced tea and Cheetos. This is for change and improvement. This is for the frogs and caterpillars. This is for the shoes and the messes. This is for the ropes course and the swing. This is for ga-ga and nicknames. This is for the memories. For the goodbyes and the thank yous. So there you go. Thank you. That was for us.

Sophie's World

This past week I spent some of my time reading Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder. The story begins when Sophie Amundsen opens the mailbox to find an envelope addressed to her. She opens it to find that the only thing inside is one sentence: "Who are you?"  In pure disbelief, Sophie launches into confused questions. Still trying to understand, she looks in her mailbox again to find a second envelope. The letter inside reads only "Where does the world come from?" In the time that follows she receives anonymous letters and packages containing essays and stories that toss her into a crash course through philosophy. The philosophic questions and ideas begin to take up the majority of her time but none of her family members seem to ever question anything. This book teaches philosophy, and is still a continuous story about a girl, a stranger, a mailbox, and a postcard.

I got pretty far into this book about a year ago and have just now started to restart. I would recommend this book to most people although I am not sure if others would be interested in reading it.

Time and Again

Finney, Jack. Time and Again. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1970. 

This past week I started reading Time and Again by Jack Finney. This book is set in New York in two different time periods. It tells the story of an artist who joins a mysterious government program and travels back in time. I am very much enjoying this book but am not finished with reading it. I like the first person telling of the story and how unique the plot is. I am enjoying learning about both of the time periods that this book is set in. The dialogue is descriptive and interesting and the characters are not cliche or boring. Overall, I am excited to finish this book and would definitely recommend it.

SOL9: Trip Prep

I am so excited for our trip to DC but there are still some things that I have to do. First of all, I have to finish packing. I need to pack clothes and money and pencils and games and a sketch pad and my poetry book and some other things too. And even though I am going to be packing all of these things, there is a very good chance that I will overpack, forget something, or both. Trip prep is difficult and slightly stressful to think about for me so I decided to write a poem.

Don't forget
And make quit sure
To take your meds
For they're the cure

Don't ask dumb questions
Don't talk too loud
And bring a coat
If you see clouds

Finish journal pages
Don't break the ships
We love you so
Now have a nice trip!

The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy

Adams, Douglas. The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy. New York: Harmony, 1980.

This past week I read The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy by Douglas Adams. This is a classic book that tells the tale of a man living in England who is taken away from the Earth by a good friend of his who is actually from another planet but has been stranded for fifteen years. The two are picked up by a stolen space ship and travel across the universe. I enjoyed reading this book because of its interesting characters and quirky worlds. Adams is fantastic at creating unique and creative settings and plotlines that are different from other books in a similar genre. Overall, I enjoyed the comedy and writing in general of this book and would recommend this to most people, even those who have already read it.

 

 

Also, I am currently reading Time and Again by Jack Finney

SOL8: Poems

Here are a couple poems that I've written in the past couple of weeks. Some you may have seen and some maybe not; but I hope you like them.

Bird
A bird
Is bleak,
Or bright,
Or brown.

A bird
Is through,
Or broken,
Or silver.

A bird,
Is indifferent,
And undecided.



In My Pocket
A pen that clicks
Some tape that sticks
A paper clip
A mint

A silver thought
A tin robot
A document
To print

A black-ink pen
Vermillion wren
A tiny ball
Of lint

A dragon cave
A child saved
A drawing in
Full tint



Koi Pond
Golden fishes
Cool in springtime sweetest-
Dreams of lemonade.



Road from Veneux to Moret- Spring Day
(based on the painting by Alfred Sisley)

The road
the path
from which
none stray
is smooth
and cool
on such
a day

The trees
above
throw shade
below
protect
ing ground
from harsh
 a blow

And none
dare tear
through breeze
so blue
as sweet
Moret
in sight
anew.



A Cat Called Mewster- A Limerick
There once was a cat I called Mewster
Who at church would sit straight in his pewster
And the people did rave
Of the sermons he gave
And the way that he purred Halleluster



For Whom the Garden Grows
Walking through tranquility,
A tiny pair of shoes,
A dainty child made from the wind,
To dance with Solitude,

Petal-soft weighed thoughtfulness,
A song of Roses true,
A flick'ring, careful candlelight,
Softly glowing through,

And as she stepped if mesmerized,
Forget-Me-Nots blushed blue,
She sat upon a bottle-cap,
As Tulips bloomed anew.



Well, I hope that you guys enjoyed reading these poems, and you can expect more in the future!

The Road

McCarthy, Cormac. The Road. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. 

This past week I read The Road by Cormac McCarthy. This is a post apocalyptic book about a boy and his father who are traveling along "the road". Their world is an altered version of America, set some time after a great catastrophe. The man and the boy go through a long list of challenges on their way to no place in particular, and risk their lives nearly every day. They are threatened by both humans and forces of nature while their time together on the road slowly draws to a close. I enjoyed reading this book because of how unfamiliar the world and characters are even though it is set in America and the characters act in a familiar way. I am still a little bit unsure about some parts of the book and how I feel about them just because it was so unique. Overall, I thought that this was a good book with an interesting plot, and I am not sure if I liked it or not.

 

 

 

P.S.

I am currently reading The World is Yours to Change by Daisaku Ikeda

Rose Under Fire

This week I read Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein. Rose Under Fire tells the story of an American woman who transports planes during WWII. She is doing pretty well until she is captured by Germans and sent to a concentration camp created for women. There, she has to find a way to cope with her new surroundings and then try to find a way to escape. She finds new friendships and learns about herself. I enjoyed reading this book because I could relate well with the main character. The plot was interesting and I liked the perspective. I would definitely recommend this book to most people.

SOL7: Little Petal Poem

Here is a short poem that I wrote today about a lonely flower petal. I hope people like it!

Little Petal
Little Petal
On a flower
Why won't you speak with bees?
Why won't
You answer
Questions?
Or chat with all the trees?
And Little Petal
On a flower
Why won't you share your smile?
Why won't
You laugh
At jokes?
Or maybe walk a mile?
Oh and Little Petal
On a flower
Why won't you share a dance?
Why won't
You sing
A song?
Or watch the lilacs prance?
Yes, and Little Petal
On a flower
Why won't you drink your tea?
But Little Petal
Most of all
Why won't you talk to me?

More Finished Books

Here is the sequel to my previous post about finished books. This is just my final thoughts on A Northern Light. If you would like to read my previous summary, it is also available.

Donnelly, Jennifer. A Northern Light. San Diego: Harcourt, 2003. Print.

I enjoyed reading this book mostly because of the main character and the setting. The main character was not the most creative but I still enjoyed reading about her and the things that were happening to her. I also liked how well the character fit in with the setting. She has the perfect kind of personality for the story and the small town that it is set in. I also liked the mysterious element because it made an otherwise bland story much more vivid.