"Don't worry, I'm a BFG" October 31, 2011- Halloween

Today was anxious.

And all I could think about was how I've always been caught in this sort of rosebush. A rosebush of interests, with all of these thorns poking at me.
But I can't pull at all of them.

I can't love music, science, economics, writing, travel, acting- all of this at once.
I have to go one by one.

Maybe then I'll find the one that's really causing me pain.

And then I can pull at my real love.

Today's rating: 5.6

Listening to: New Slang- The Shins

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Mostly Played iTunes Song: Anxious and Worrying- Defiance Ohio

NaNoWriMo prewriting progress: Fair

"The statues? Yes, they are statues. They do statue things that aren't very statue-y. Like create lazors!" October 30, 2011

Articles you should read:
We're All Mad Here- Get Proud By Practicing 
Let's Talk Sexism in the Punk Scene
Byronic Daria
Why Isn't Hellen Keller a Bigger Deal?


Particuarly that last one, for a couple of reasons.

1. I fucking love Steve Levitt
2. It's short. Because, let's face it. You're not going to sit through reading those longer ones. Even if I think you should. 
3. And it connects to my post on the last day of April, "Cynicism isn't Wisdom" which you can read here

Today's rating: 5.2

Listening to: The List- Defiance Ohio

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Mostly Played iTunes Song: Anxious and Worrying- Defiance Ohio

NaNoWriMo prewriting progress: Moderate

"Just take the fish and tie it around your pants area with the string" October 29, 2011

Day 29 - Share a link to either your NaNo profile or a location on the internet where your story can be found. If someone offered to beta read for you, would you be willing to do the same for them during the subsequent editing process?
So this didn't last all 30 days, because I had to cut some word-count related stuff. But, nevertheless.
You can add me as a writing buddy on NaNo's website here
And you can follow my Tumblr, which will have frequent updates and more insightful character and plot outlines. You can find all of the NaNo prewriting I've posted on the 'Liz Does NaNo' tag.


Thank you for sticking with me through this pre-NaNoWriMo month. We're almost to November!
Two more months, guys!

Today's rating: 5.2

Listening to: Minecraft- Mountain of Kikatchu- Part 3

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Mostly Played iTunes Song: Tennessee- Theo Hilton, Toby Foster, and Ryan Woods

NaNoWriMo prewriting progress: Moderate

"I love the sound of your life" October 28, 2011

Day 28 - Name one thing in which you indulged as a treat to keep yourself motivated and writing that you wouldn’t otherwise have done.

To be perfectly honest, I don't know. Nothing, really. Last year it was ice cream, but we pretty much never have that in the house now. I don't seriously engage in anything during NaNo, that I wouldn't otherwise.

Today's rating: 4.9

Listening to: Zen Garden- Callie Moore

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Mostly Played iTunes Song: Tennessee- Theo Hilton, Toby Foster, and Ryan Woods

NaNoWriMo prewriting progress: Moderate

"Also, I read 'the hell' as Avril Lavigne sang it." October 27, 2011

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

Dr. Seuss

I'm going to take a break from my horrid NaNoWriMo stress and talk about the people I love. 

It's no secret that I'm under a lot of stress right now, and whenever that happens my body goes, "No. Fuck you. Here, have some kidney problems. Oh, and some OCD and panic attacks. And let's through in trichotillomania, and why not some weight loss and sleep-loss. Yeah. That's good."

And I for some reason that I don't understand, my friends stick through this. I know. I guess it's because they're as screwed up as me. 

I've been trying to make an effort to tell the people that I appreciate how much I appreciate them more often.

Austin, Sarah, Johnny, Jacob, Powell and the team, Hippo

Ryan, Rissa, Adam, Bailey, Catherine

You care a whole awful lot

I love you so much.

Thank you. 

You're my family, and I am so, so lucky.

Today's rating: 5.3

Listening to: Gimme Gimme- The Glee Project cover

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Mostly Played iTunes Song: Tennessee- Theo Hilton, Toby Foster, and Ryan Woods

NaNoWriMo prewriting progress: Moderate

"Get better soon! No, now!" October 26, 2011

Day 27 - Name one thing you shafted all month in favor of participating in NaNo.

Last year it was studying for AC/DC, which was a poor choice. So I'm cutting TV. TV is for the weak of soul! I don't need America's Next Top Model,

or My Little Pony, 

Or NCIS,

Or Doctor Who,

or Criminal Minds...

Oh. 

This is going to be a long month.

Today's rating: 5.3 (I've had a lot of days that are the same rating two days in a row)

Listening to: Let's Play Mother 3, Pt. 92: Break It Up Kids

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Mostly Played iTunes Song: Tennessee- Theo Hilton, Toby Foster, and Ryan Woods

NaNoWriMo prewriting progress: Meh

"Snug like a bug in a rug!" October 25, 2011

Day 26 - Was any research involved (historical or otherwise) in your NaNo prep?

Some.

Today's rating: 5.3

Listening to: Freakonomics Radio: Does College Still Matter? And Other Freaky Questions Answered

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Mostly Played iTunes Song: Tennessee- Theo Hilton, Toby Foster, and Ryan Woods

NaNoWriMo prewriting progress: Meh

"Turkey had a 7.2 earthquack" October 24, 2011

Day 25 - What are the names of at least two of your main characters? How did you choose their names?

Bailey Alyssa Summers

Sutton Savannah Austin

Micah Louise Coder

Dexter Miles Milhouse

I'll leave you to wonder what they mean...

Today's rating: 6.6

Listening to: Goodbye Frankie- Danielle Ate the Sandwich

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Mostly Played iTunes Song: Tennessee- Theo Hilton, Toby Foster, and Ryan Woods

NaNoWriMo prewriting progress: Meh

"Kill EVERYBODY!" October 23, 2011

Day 24 - Is religion featured in your novel at all? If so, which ones? If it’s/they’re your own creations, describe it/them and how it/they play(s) a part in your characters’ lives.

Not in a direct way, but it's made clear that it became a problem for most of the group. Death does things like that to you, and while they hope doing this [going to the last place they spent with their dead friend, one year later] will help with that, it doesn't. 

Today's rating: 6.6

Listening to: Coraline (Movie)

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Mostly Played iTunes Song: Tennessee- Theo Hilton, Toby Foster, and Ryan Woods

NaNoWriMo prewriting progress: Meh

"I hate fun! What the fuck! I hate fun, fun's rubbish!" October 22, 2011

Day 23 - Do animals play any part in your story? If so, how do they add to it?

Goodness, no.

But there are some My Little Pony jokes I hope to slip in.

Today's rating: 7.2

Listening to: Boast Busters (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Mostly Played iTunes Song: Tennessee- Theo Hilton, Toby Foster, and Ryan Woods

NaNoWriMo prewriting progress: Meh

"What if you did Hippo, John and Jacob things in front of my mother?" October 21, 2011

Day 22 - If you’ve participated in or won NaNo before, what happened to your other novel efforts? Still in the revision process/querying publishers/scrapped it immediately/etc...

They sit. Sometimes, I edit them. But pretty much I just look at them sit on my laptop.

Today's rating: 7.2

Listening to: Freaky Friday (Movie)

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Mostly Played iTunes Song: Tennessee- Theo Hilton, Toby Foster, and Ryan Woods

NaNoWriMo prewriting progress: Meh

"I'm out of here Picasso!" October 20, 2011- Spirit Day

Day 20- What are your plans and goals for your novel, should you successfully complete it?

I don't know.

Simple.
So, in the spirit of everyone on Twitter today, I'm going to talk about why I love to write.

I love to write because I like to prove to people that good things do come out of dreaming.

I love to write because I love words. The idea of making people feel with things that people pass off as so simple- words. Language is the most powerful and beautiful tool in the world.

I love to write because I love to lie things into exsistance. To make a world, and let people see it through someone else's eyes.

I love to write because I can give words to those who are too afraid to speak- and hopefully help them speak up.

I love to write because I love sharing. I love letting my loud mind slip from my quiet lips, even if it's on the page.

I love to write because for once in life, the way I see things is the absolute best way to see things.

I love to write because I love to sense the world- to give feeling to things without it. So see, hear, touch, taste and smell everything in life.

I love to write because I love people. Nothing everything about someone other than myself. 

I love to write.

Today's rating: 5.9

Listening to: Tanks, Tanks, Tanks- Defiance Ohio/ Ghost Mice

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Mostly Played iTunes Song: Tennessee- Theo Hilton, Toby Foster, and Ryan Woods

NaNoWriMo prewriting progress: Meh

"Put the key in the lock!" October 19, 2011

Day 19 - If you could meet one fictional character from any book you’ve ever read, who would it be, and why?

JESUS.

He seems like a pretty chill guy.

Today's rating: 6.6

Listening to: Nothing!

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Mostly Played iTunes Song: Tennessee- Theo Hilton, Toby Foster, and Ryan Woods

NaNoWriMo prewriting progress: Moderate 

"You mean forking?" October 18, 2011

Day 18 - Which authors or books have inspired your own writing the most, and why?

Thanks for giving me the MOST LOADED QUESTION EVER.

John Green, JKK Tolkien, ee cumming, JK Rowling, Ellen Hopkins, JK Salinger, Maureen Johnson and Libba Bray are some of the select few.

Today's rating: 6.8

Listening to: Assassins Creed: Brotherhood 2.0 #59

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Mostly Played iTunes Song: Tennessee- Theo Hilton, Toby Foster, and Ryan Woods

NaNoWriMo prewriting progress: Moderate 

"Man in his underwear is a-firin' his lazors." October 17, 2011

Day 17 - Who is the antagonist in your novel? What drives their actions?

Oh, well...

death.

Short day! Sorry guys

Today's rating: 6.0

Listening to: Is Lady Gaga a Man?

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Mostly Played iTunes Song: Tennessee- Theo Hilton, Toby Foster, and Ryan Woods
NaNoWriMo prewriting progress: Moderate

"It's a fucking basketball, you numpty" October 16, 2011

Day 16 - In what time period is your novel set? Is it in this world or another?

I could never write anything that took place in the past, or in the extreme future. Or anything in another world or dimension. I'm no Lovecraft or anything like that.

I'm all about writing fiction that happens here. Now.

Today's rating: 6.0

Listening to: Pumped Up Kicks Remix- George Watsky 

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Mostly Played iTunes Song: Tennessee- Theo Hilton, Toby Foster, and Ryan Woods
NaNoWriMo prewriting progress: Moderate

"Nuclear holocaust, dating Trevor, missing chicken Thursday, Hippo" October 15, 2011

Day 15 - Do any of your characters have a disability or mental illness? If so, how does that affect their development throughout your story?

I... No... But...Well, I guess... But not really.... But yeah...

No.

Yes.

It's complicated.

Today's rating: 7.5

Listening to: An Open Letter to Stephen Fry- Molly Lewis

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R Tolkien, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Mostly Played iTunes Song: Tennessee- Theo Hilton, Toby Foster, and Ryan Woods
NaNoWriMo prewriting progress: Moderate