In honor of anti-bullying day I decided to do a pink related blog post. The prettiest gal in pink that I've ever come across is Molly Ringwald. I love the movie Pretty in Pink and Molly Ringwald is probably one of my favorite actresses. I find 80s movies by John Hughes so captivating and I have almost watched all the 80s movies that Molly has been in.
I guess one of the reasons I like Pretty in Pink is because it deals with being different and trying to push the boundaries society has created. Plus her best friend Duckie is so amazing that there are no words to describe him. Andie (Molly R.) and Duckie show that they can rise above all the hate and the bullies and come out on top. Below is one of the best scenes of the entire movie (featuring Duckie of course!!!!).
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Changes
Today, I decided to change my memoir topic. I had a hard time writing a story that didn't have a conflict. I also couldn't dig through the rubble of broken memories. So instead I've decided to talk about decisions and the way I've dealt with them through the past year.
My new topic has to do with why I changed schools this year. Some people know where I came from and maybe have experienced one of the standard answers as to why I left.
This includes: "I was bored"
"I wanted to try something new"
"I didn't like it"
And so on. I hope this memoir will delve into the exact reasons behind my decision. I want to find a way to express the uncertainty when weighing the options and the process in which it took me to get to a conclusion. Now let's just say that I have never been good with figuring out what to do.
It also wouldn't hurt to find synonyms for the word 'decisions'. Now would it?
My new topic has to do with why I changed schools this year. Some people know where I came from and maybe have experienced one of the standard answers as to why I left.
This includes: "I was bored"
"I wanted to try something new"
"I didn't like it"
And so on. I hope this memoir will delve into the exact reasons behind my decision. I want to find a way to express the uncertainty when weighing the options and the process in which it took me to get to a conclusion. Now let's just say that I have never been good with figuring out what to do.
It also wouldn't hurt to find synonyms for the word 'decisions'. Now would it?
Monday, February 20, 2012
Blank
Vague scribbles dance across the walls
Just a blank room, a pen and me
Staring up at the galactic ceiling
Glow-in-the-dark stars haphazardly taped on top
I dream
I feel like I'm sleeping
But I'm far from it
The words in my head twist and contort
Like wisps of smoke
As my pale hand fails to catch them
I look back at all the little side notes
And wonder
If it'll ever add up to four full walls
Of words
Or the remnants of ones
My hand smudges as I write
A new beginning
Just a blank room, a pen and me
Staring up at the galactic ceiling
Glow-in-the-dark stars haphazardly taped on top
I dream
I feel like I'm sleeping
But I'm far from it
The words in my head twist and contort
Like wisps of smoke
As my pale hand fails to catch them
I look back at all the little side notes
And wonder
If it'll ever add up to four full walls
Of words
Or the remnants of ones
My hand smudges as I write
A new beginning
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Radio Songs
In tenth grade, we had a double block of English every other week. We'd sit in the room that constituted as the library with cupboards full of books wrapped around the perimeter of the room. It was here we learned about Macbeth and To Kill a Mockingbird. After the first block, we'd take a little break before learning more. If the weather permitted, the entire class would go outside and soak up the rays on the field. Some of us would just stand there and watch as the other kids attempted to do cartwheels and handstands on the patchy green grass.
The teacher also allowed us to listen to the radio if we were doing a fun assignment. I'm all for listening to the radio but in that class I was lost most of the time. Several of the kids insisted we listen to a specific downtown radio station. It was one I only listened to on occasion but usually didn't care for. I felt like I was pretty fluent in what was hot and what was not in the world of music but then again I didn't. Songs would come on that I had never in my life heard before yet it seemed that everyone else had. I'd just sit there as my classmates sang along to songs and artists I never knew existed.
"Who is this?" I asked sheepishly. They told me and none of the names struck a cord or made the light bulb in my head go off.
Here's the thing I find funny about listening to the radio or songs in general. Often you just know the words that come next. On numerous occasions I'll be in the car listening to a song I've never heard before and sing along and by the time it's over I know most of the words. The other people in the car looked at me with disbelief as I did this for a couple of songs in a row. I think it's because we want to hear what we would say and what is expected or destined to come next. So when a song says a completely different word than I sing, it throws me. It takes a few pushes of the replay button to get the right word. I find, however, that in my mind I still song the word I would rather hear. Funny how that goes. Most of the time when I listen to or read something I look for the words that connect best with me. Often I find that about 75% of the words match and the rest don't. It's not my story. That's why we write; to put the stories out there that we can relate to or that we hear in our heads. That's why I write.
So I challenge you to listen to the radio or any song you can get your hands onto and listen. Just listen. Do you know the words that come next? Would you change them?
Here is the song that's been stuck in my head all week:
The teacher also allowed us to listen to the radio if we were doing a fun assignment. I'm all for listening to the radio but in that class I was lost most of the time. Several of the kids insisted we listen to a specific downtown radio station. It was one I only listened to on occasion but usually didn't care for. I felt like I was pretty fluent in what was hot and what was not in the world of music but then again I didn't. Songs would come on that I had never in my life heard before yet it seemed that everyone else had. I'd just sit there as my classmates sang along to songs and artists I never knew existed.
"Who is this?" I asked sheepishly. They told me and none of the names struck a cord or made the light bulb in my head go off.
Here's the thing I find funny about listening to the radio or songs in general. Often you just know the words that come next. On numerous occasions I'll be in the car listening to a song I've never heard before and sing along and by the time it's over I know most of the words. The other people in the car looked at me with disbelief as I did this for a couple of songs in a row. I think it's because we want to hear what we would say and what is expected or destined to come next. So when a song says a completely different word than I sing, it throws me. It takes a few pushes of the replay button to get the right word. I find, however, that in my mind I still song the word I would rather hear. Funny how that goes. Most of the time when I listen to or read something I look for the words that connect best with me. Often I find that about 75% of the words match and the rest don't. It's not my story. That's why we write; to put the stories out there that we can relate to or that we hear in our heads. That's why I write.
So I challenge you to listen to the radio or any song you can get your hands onto and listen. Just listen. Do you know the words that come next? Would you change them?
Here is the song that's been stuck in my head all week:
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Origin of Sidestreets
The name of this blog came from a couple of things. One of which was from a character outline I did last semester. The girl I created was a a freelance writer who was in Italy staying in a small house, down a side street. The other reason I named the blog Sidestreet Dreams was because I'm slowly learning that the original path to the things we want to achieve branches off and before you know it you're walking totally lost down a different artery. Maybe it's scary and off course but I'm beginning to learn that you have to embrace it and let these roads take you wherever they think you ought to go.
Last summer I went on a road trip and the GPS messed up on more than one occasion. One time in particular, we ended up on a back road in the middle of nowhere. It was frightening being so isolated and far away from civilization. Though I don't mean to throw you off when I say there were other people there but only whizzing by in their cars going who knows where. The point is that you get a story; a moment out of this. You may not necessarily like it but that's what often happens in life.
Last summer I went on a road trip and the GPS messed up on more than one occasion. One time in particular, we ended up on a back road in the middle of nowhere. It was frightening being so isolated and far away from civilization. Though I don't mean to throw you off when I say there were other people there but only whizzing by in their cars going who knows where. The point is that you get a story; a moment out of this. You may not necessarily like it but that's what often happens in life.
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