Monday Mayhem #5: Don't Worry

Halloween has got the world going a little whackadoodle. I'm not going to lie: last week was tough. But looking back on it, it wasn't unmanageable. It was just bad in the moment, and now that we've separated ourselves from one another, I feel stronger because I got through it. I don't know... Maybe I'm being too analytical about things again.

But God tells us not to worry about tomorrow. He takes care of us and all of our days are in His hands. I used to hear this and, for some reason, forget His word whenever a trial or tribulation came my way. But the message has finally sunk in. I finally get it. I have no control over the future. I can only make do with what's in front of me, now. I love the "one day at a time" mentality, and, knowing that this way of thinking is not just "alright" but is what we're supposed to be doing makes me feel a whole mess better. Even though the world is changing, God's word is constant and you know what he says?

Don't. Worry.

"Cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you." -1 Peter 5:7

I was going to post another Gothic Girl song today, but we shall do that on Wednesday. I think you guys have had enough of me for tonight. Tonight's song is one of Bee's current loves (she is all for anything Colbie Calliat so I LIE. This is one of MY former loves and I'm hoping she doesn't mind it) so give it a listen and be sure to check her out, soon! If you guys have suggestions for the end song, let me know. I'll definitely take them into consideration.

Until next time!

Love,
Deserae
P.S. Doesn't her voice make you want to relax?! "Don't worry... Be happy..." And all of that jazz. :)

Monday Mayhem #4: Good Things are Happening

Do you ever wake up (especially on a Monday) thinking that today is going to be the worst day in the world, but when you actually get through it, you realize it wasn't as bad as it could've been?

Yeah. That's me today. In fact, I'm going to go as far as to say that today was actually nice. And that's mayhem! Especially since (as you can see) it's a Monday!

Aren't Mondays supposed to be horrible? Aren't they supposed to be like evil creatures from the heavens above?  Mondays, though, have been very kind to me lately. So maybe this is a sign that I shouldn't assume things are going to be horrible before I even give them a try. This goes for people, foods, events, and, now, Mondays.

But I also think this is a sign that good things are happening. I'm really big on signs, because they're fun to look for and meant to keep us hopeful or aware. So I feel like this the Lord's way of telling me that things are never as bad as they seem. And that maybe, they're getting better. And that maybe, they're getting--- good!

I feel like things are getting gooder than good. Real great-like, even. So now I want to spread some goodness to you guys. I'm going to gabble about a giveaway I heard about! And if I remember to, I'll do this more often.

Today's giveaway gabble is featured at PJ Hoover's blog Roots in Myth for a book called Glow.

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...

Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.


PJ Hoover is an Indie author who is being represented by the Andrea Brown Literary Agency's Laura Rennert. Her newest e-book, Solstice, is an ecclectic mix of dystopian and mythology so be sure to check her out, too, while you're over there. 

   

If you guys like the giveaway gabble, let me know and I'll keep doing it. Until later (because I might post again today! Yay for maybes and mights!)...

Love,

Deserae

Snapshot Saturday #3: College Life

So this post is going to be about college and a phrase I use three times in the following video:

Yes. I totally named that video "Be Encouraged!" exclamation point and all. Even though looking back on it, it's not the most encouraging video in the world... The point I wanted you guys to take from it was this: that we all feel lost and confused sometimes. That it can frustrate the heck out of us in the moment. But that if we pursue our dreams and our wants and our passions with vigor, in the end, we'll be victorious. We just can't be afraid to see the project through.

The phrase you heard three times up there and the phrase I'm using (cough, cough, coining, cough) to sort of embody and speak for this mentality is called being encouraged to not be discouraged. And I'm probably going to go a little motivational speaker on you guys as I go through this, but college life is a good example of this philosophy. Of not taking no for an answer.

REALLY QUICKLY -------->

The picture over there is a snapshot of the essay I'm writing for my mandatory class. It's finished, technically, but I'm a little upset the last paragraph didn't fit and there's random punctuation flowing throughout its veins. But ANYWAY, in this essay we had to think about something in our personal style that we "stole" from something or sometime else. I wrote about my pearls and how I wear them to project a "lady-like" image and also connote that I'm a modern Wonder-woman.

OKAY. NOW WE'RE ROLLING...

My sister and her hubby dropping me off first day

When you're in college, you literally have to make every decision for yourself. The easy ones like when you'll wake up, where you'll go eat, who you'll hang out with for the day, where you'll do it, when you'll come home, etc. are pretty much the decisions you're already making in high school, but they're amplified now that your parents are away.

View of the forest near my apartment

Now that you're completely in charge, you really get to explore the following questions: What do I want to do? Who do I want to be? Where do I want to go? When do I want to get there? How am I going to get there? Why do I want this so much? And what's going to either stop me from getting what I want or help me get what I want? The questions don't need immediate answers, but they're always in the back of your mind. I was lucky. I kind of had a pretty good idea of a lot of the answers in high school, but now that I'm here, things like what I want are becoming a little blurry and how I'm going to get those things, blurrier still. But that's okay. I know, now, there are people here to help me. And while all of them REFUSE to just hand me answers (which is what I went into the office three times looking for!), all of them continued to try to nudge me in the right direction. In my opinion, they weren't nudging hard enough. But there was a nudge--- I felt the push--- and when I just decided to let go of their hand and jump, I found myself feeling a lot better--- more confident--- and now I'm in classes I love and am excited to be in.

Place where a baby deer was until I pulled out my camera

I felt lost for sure. I felt out of place and like the total stereotype of a freshman. Almost all of my apartment mates know exactly where they're going, they know the shortcuts, and they're not afraid to get lost. But me? I felt like the deer in the headlights. Confused. Out of place. About to die. Okay... so it wasn't THAT dramatic. But in the moment, it all felt so important. Like it was a sign from the heavens above that I wasn't meant to get to that freezing class after all. And maybe it was. I know it was, actually. Because now I'm in classes I love and WANT to be in. And that's the key thing here. Doing things you WANT to do. Not doing things you think you HAVE to do.

The bridge that takes me home

I just want to encourage you not to lose faith in yourself. To see that fork in the road and confidently set foot on the path you WANT to take. Don't hesitate. Don't doubt yourself even for a second. Because the thing is, there's going to be a day where you get to call all the shots. Start owning every decision, every step, every breath you make and take. This is your life. Own it. This is your shot. Take it. These are your dreams. Live them. And this is all you. So make it happen.

"Take a risk, take a chance, make a change,"
-Deserae <3

P.S. CALLING ALL ARTISTS!!! I want a "Encouraged not to be Discouraged" T-shirt, but I can't design anything! So if you want to make a design for me send it to scillafrederricks@hotmail.com and I'll get a shirt made for myself and the person who made the winning design! Make it happen, folks!

Monday Mayhem #3: Mi Casa Nueva

This week has been hectic. I'm not gonna lie.

The problem isn't (or wasn't, let's say) that I had a lot to do. There is that homework I need to get started on and the whole "have to get to know the campus" thing I've been working on this whole entire time, but seriously? The thing taking up the most time is the general fact that time literally flies when you're alone in the woods. I'm serious. Seriously so.

This week, I've had to participate in a number of welcome week activities including, but not limited to:

-CA meetings (CAs are like RAs only they're "community" advisers)
-A night hike
-A welcome dance
-Resource fairs
-Mandatory presentations
-Going out with the roomies

That last one might not SEEM like a welcome week activity, but every time we're all in the apartment, we kind of make it a thing to go eat together or explore together and when there's NINE of you, you meet people, you're getting to know people, you're feeling a little more welcome as the group of you start to bond and get to know each other. I swear, these guys are great. Last night, for instance, five of us made a trip down to another part of the college to pick up my roommate, Kaitlin, because she didn't want to walk alone in the dark. I. DON'T. BLAME HER. On top of the deer, there are elks and raccoon... I wouldn't want to be anywhere near any of them on my own, either.

BOTTOM LINE: I've been busy. I think that when classes start, things are going to get less and less hectic. HOWEVS, they're not right now, but that doesn't mean I don't love you. It just means:

1. I have bad phone reception
2. I only get internet downstairs because I can't get it in our room
3. I am trying to figure out where things are at the moment
4. I'm adjusting and seeing where my time will be best spent.

SO... to prove I love you guys, I made this ("illegal") video of my new place so you can see where I live and see my smiling face one last time before it goes back into its hole until this paper's done and out of the way. I love and miss you guys. Here is proof. I call it, "Mi Casa: Where Ma Homies' At." Hahaha! I'm so lame. But then again, aren't we all? No?.... Not even a little bit?... Okay, here it is.

And this is for you. Because I know you care about my music and my feelings. Tee-hee! :)

Love you guys! And check in on me tomorrow because I am doing a post about my roommates. They're gonna be my Teaser Tuesday for my Wednesday Quick-Write.

Ciao for now,
Deserae McGlothen (a.k.a. Your Beloved)
P.S. Sorry there was no Snapshot this Saturday! You guys know I'm trying to stay consistent but right now, it's hard. Also, thanks for voting in my "what should Desi do" poll! Remember, you can keep voting until the end of Wednesday, I think. Also, if you want to participate in any of these memes, contact me and I'll link to your blog! I know I'm forgetting something, but I'll talk to you all tomorrow anyway. Byyyeee! And happy Monday, All!

P.S.S. OH YEAH!!! I was supposed to play Float On for you guys. Next time, Gentlefolk.... Next time...

Quick-Write Wednesday #3: Hard to Say Goodbye

FIRST! A new video for you that I like to call "Bye, bye, bye." Sorry I'm such a spaz in it. I was seriously just... blabbering because I was so A.) paranoid Z was going to catch me and B.) sad-slash-glad-slash-weirded-out-slash-everything-besides-upset.

AND THEN!... A new song! Just for my Wednesday Writes! Woot! No prompt this week. Life is the prompt and I am going with it. :)

Hard To Say Goodbye -Time's Up (aka Another One of MY Fictious Bands)

I'm at the end
I'm at the end of
I'm at the end of this road.
I can't pretend
I can't pretend I
I can't pretend I'm not alone.

It doesn't feel right;
It doesn't feel like anything
at all...
This doesn't look right;
This doesn't look like what I
signed up for.

No.

I want know, I want to know
Why it's so hard to say goodbye
Why there's no reason and no rhyme to the tears
That fall
From my eyes
Even though I know, I've got to go.

Lord knows I
Lord knows I tried
Lord knows I tried to get along.
But something held
But something held me
But something held me back; I knew it was wrong

I couldn't help it;
I couldn't help myself from
turning back...
I tried to hold it,
Hold it together but that just made me a mess.

I want to know, I want to know
Why it's so hard to say goodbye
Why there's no reason and no rhyme to the tears
That fall
From my eyes
Even though I know, I've got to go.

I want to know, I want to know
Why it's so hard to say what needs to be said...
What needs to be spoken...
I want to---
Want to know...
I want to---
Want to know... Even though... I know...
I know that I've got to...

AND FINALLY!!!!

Hahaha! Love you guys! Byyyyyeeeee!
Deserae McGlothen
P.S. Dear Mom, Kia, Dad, Gabby, Eva, Ms. K, and all of my SoCal Lovelies (like Adriel. Lol!),
I'll miss you millions. <3

Monday Mayhem #2: Moving Out

I'm moving up North on Wednesday, so I'm starting to get all nostalgic and what-not. It hasn't kicked in, yet, that I'm actually leaving. So I filmed this video earlier this morning of our apartment so you could see where I stayed BEFORE college took me away from those I know and love. Hahaha! Just kidding. But yeah, here is my casa. And on Friday, I'll show you mi casa nueva.

So yes. Leaving is starting to feel a little bittersweet. But at least there's more sweet, than bitter, you know? I'm spending a day with my wonderful friend Eva tomorrow so who knows? Maybe she will guest star on the blog by doing a post for you guys.

Anywho, 'tis all for now. Until we meet again!

Byyyyyeeee!
Deserae McGlothen

P.S. SO the books on the shelf that I pointed to will probably be given away when I come back down so stay tuned for a contest! AND like I said, if you buy Sweet Venom, and take a picture of yourself at home (in your bedroom since I showed you mine! Hahaha!), I will send you Sweet Venom bookmarks and stickers. E-mail me at scillafrederricks@hotmail.com and attach your pic!

Snapshot Saturday #2: Don't Want This Anymore

EDITED TO ADD: I am posting the video in a Teaser Tuesday blog post! And the lyrics officially match what I'm singing! Yay!

So I was trying to upload a video of me singing the song I wrote for the chapter I'm working on, but the best I could do was supply a picture of me and the lyrics to the song. Enjoy!

Don't Want This Anymore -KISSE
Sometimes I have to wonder why I ever needed you.
You never really cared so I can play uncaring, too.
I went through heck and back to see
That you never wanted me
You proved to me this wasn't love.
Cupid shot me in the heart,
But perfect aim's a faulty art,
And I've finally had enough.

'Cause I thought that this was special; I guess that I was wrong.
This game that we've been playing--- I've finally had enough.
You thought you had me figured; you thought I'd be strung along.
I guess you were wrong. I guess we were wrong.
'Cause I don't want this---

Some nights when I would call you just to say hello,
You'd hang up--- I remember you'd hang up--- and I'd still be on the phone.
Holding hands was too stupid, too immature, too unsophisticated and overrated
Nothing ever pleased you, you know...
My friends act too obnoxiously, too uncontrolled, rambunctiously
You hated their loose behavior
You never talked to them but there you go...

I saw something in you; I thought you saw a something in me, too.
But here we stand, the sand's in hand and it's slipping through our fingers.
I wanted to be with you; I thought you wanted something with me, too.
But here we stand, the sand's in hand and it's slipping...

I thought that this was special, but I was wrong.
This game that we've been playing--- well have you had enough?
You thought you had me figured; you thought I'd be strung along.
I guess you were wrong. I guess we were wrong.
'Cause I don't want this---

Anymore...
Anymore...
Not anymore... Oh no...
And you thought you had me figured; you thought I'd be strung along.
But guess you were wrong, I guess we were wrong,
'Cause I don't want this...

Fin.

Take care,

<3
Deserae

Quick-Write Wednesday #2

Thrift Store Blues

I open the door
in hopes I will find
a blouse, a top
for five dollars or less.

It's called stubborness.
The strain in the search.
I want to give up
but I know my size is somewhere.

My sister taps my shoulder,
"Come on we have to go."
"Just give me a second."
A million fly by.

My heart starts to sink;
I don't have another
moment to waste on hoping
I'll find what I'm looking for here.

Fin.

Laugh if you must, but I rather like how that turned out. It's more free than I'm used to with my poetry, but it's still got that four line structure I absolutely adore. I don't know if it's obvious or anything, but I am big on cadence. I like things to sound a certain way when I read it. Sometimes I have to read sentences repeatedly in books because there are too many syllables or it's short of rhythm. I know. I AM WEIRD. But that's how my brain works. I think it has to do with the fact that I had to hear "five, six, seh-ven, eight" most of my life.

Anywho, I've been super busy with Anna edits and what-not, so I didn't complete the awesome prompt given to me by Anita over at Lisi's blah-g in advance. I had to wing it today and I FAILED (in someone's opinon), but oh well! There's always next week's Wednesday Writes. And maybe I will be able to put THIS awesome prompt to good use:

Setting: Antique Thrift Store

Sigh. I was all excited about it, too. But enjoy this video of people singing, because, as they say, "Failure is always the best way to learn."

Kings of Convenience rules!

Deserae McGlothen

P.S. Remember, I am always looking for new prompts and people who want to participate! Leave me a comment if you're interested or if you have an idea.

Monday Mayhem #1: Disasters Natural and Otherwise

So last week on Lisi's Blah-g, I was talking to a girl named Deirdre about how she was taking the hurricane. She was keeping me company (God bless her soul) while most of the blah-g gals were at school, and she was telling me that New York didn't get hit as bad as they thought it would--- that they were kind of overprepared because of all of the hype that Irene brought around.

I wanted to talk about how natural disasters made me feel, BUT as ususal, when I start writing, things tend to take an unconventional turn. My first thoughts to share with you this Mundane Monday was going to be to explain my general fear of natural disasters because of how powerless and unprepared I feel when they come around. But, now there's something else I want to talk about. A word that kills.

Hype.

Disasters, like drama, are unavoidable circumstances. They come at times you least expect them to. They can come in low blows or at full-throttle. But sometimes we're lucky enough to see them coming ahead of time. So we prepare according to what we assume is going to happen. We prepare just in case the worst is going to come at its worst.

Assumption leads to devastation, sometimes, though. Today, I assumed something was going to blow out of proportion and ended up being wrong. I prepared for the worst--- I hate having my own name dragged through the mud--- and I tried to stop it early on. But the tables were turned and yes, they were turned against me. But building up to that moment (and now, even after it) was just a bunch of premeditated and now uncontrollable hype. You live and you learn, I suppose.

Is it wrong to stock up for the winter if you know it's coming? Heck no. And is it wrong to have certain things in place in case it storms? Absolutely not. But, in the end, you have to realize that no matter how much you prepare, no matter what you do to try to stop something, the storm will always run its own course. The  storm will always make its own twist in the story. And you've just got to be able to go with it.

How did you deal with a disaster (natural or otherwise) in your own life? I'd love to hear from you in the comments. Until Wednesday with my latest quick-write (prompt courtesy of the amazing Anita)...

Happy Labor Day,
Deserae M.

Snapshot Saturday #1

Yes, yes... it's Sunday. BUT you still get the snapshot, don'tcha know? Here is a snap of my current WIP. It's the first part of chapter one. Lucky you!

I think if you clickity click on the picture, you can enlarge it. BUT, just in case that wasn't possible, I blew it up as large as I possibly could. :) And oh gosh... thanks to this snapshot, I just saw something I need to change. See?... You guys are helping me. Amanda's middle name is not really Natalia. What the freezing heck? Anywho, here is a picture of something that inspired me this week. Actually, I found this picture a while ago on Maya's blog, and I TOTALLY needed to share it with you. Because Anna kind of feels like the subject of this photo and the caption provides the LOL! moment that is her life. Love you guys mucho. Have an amazing rest of your weekend!

Hehe!
Deserae <3

Quick-Write Wednesday #1

Don't Go To Sleep

"It’s much larger than it seemed. And for that, I am grateful.

            I slip off the drenched green coat that weighs down my shoulders, and toss it on top of the burlap bag that I’ve already set on the cave’s floor. I can’t start a fire without dry wood, and the torrential rain outside mocks my shaking figure as it slumps to the rocky ground and tries to relax into a comfortable position.

            My thoughts echo off the walls of my skull, restless and scattered, as if everything and nothing needed my immediate attention. Every breath I take disappears into the darkness, leaving me alone with them, telling me to sort them out. I want to, but I can’t. They fight me without need of a respite. They taunt me from the depths of my brain. They say they’ve forgiven but they don’t want to forget. They’re killing me from the inside out.

            A year ago things were different. I lived in the city with my wife and my kid. We were happy. I was whole. A second changes everything— one decision, one regret—

            I try not to look to the past for answers. The future holds more of them, anyway."

To read more, click on the link WAY up above... And now... for the cover and prompt themselves...

Cover thanks to Google Images and Wallpaperweb.org.

Oh! And Paint. Gotta love Paint...

 The official prompt was given to me by Arianna over at Lisi's Blah-g:

"It's much larger than it seemed."

+cave +male perspective



 

Now I admit there was a lot of whining on my end before I even started writing. Because Ari KNOWS I am afraid of writing from the male POV. But she challenged me to it anyway and you know what?

It's not so bad.

Sure it's different... a little uncomfortable... But I learned that it's just WRITING. Weird, right? I know!

SO, if you're afraid of writing from a guy's perspective like I was, let it be known that it's not as bad as it seems. I know "Don't Go to Sleep" isn't my finest piece, but I'd still love to hear what you think of it and how you think I can improve upon my next Wednesday Write because Dudes and Dudettes, this is a learning process, and I intend on being schooled (Get it?! Schooled?! Oh man... HOW do I come up with these zingers?!).

If you'd like to be a part of next week's Quick-Write Wednesdays or if you'd like to suggest a prompt, please leave a comment! Also for the comments: do you think it's possible to forget things that you consider to be "unforgettable"?

A list of this week's Quick-Write participants:

Arianna with the prompt: "He lied when he said one kiss wouldn't kill me." -Deserae

Alice with the prompt: "It felt like we were standing at the end of the world." +sibling +told in "another world" -Deserae

Anyone can join in, and the prompts son muy fabuloso. Remember: Snapshot Saturdays are on... Saturday! Stop back in to see what I'm currently working on.

Love and Ladybugs,

Deserae McGlothen

Teaser Tuesday #1

Real quick blog to show you what progress looks like... The document is finally OPEN.

Yep. My prompt for tomorrow's Quick-Write has to do with men and caves. Manly caves for men, you know? You will see the official prompt somewhere above the excerpt I provide for you tomorrow as well as linkage to the other (two) participants' blogs and projects. Remember! YOU can join in simply by leaving a comment on tomorrow's post feigning interest! Love you guys millions, and I wish you luck in your current writing endeavors!
Happy Writing,
Deserae McGlothen

New Features On the Blog

I'm trying to make a conscious effort to keep my fingers on the keys. Therefore, I give you the following blog features I intend to do every Xday from here until the end of September:

Monday Mayhem
Probably sounds more exciting than it is, but I'm going to make it my intent to blog every Monday about something that's been on my mind for the week. For example, this week if I were doing a Monday Mayhem blog (which, I'm not because *whew!* I'm doing THIS blog. Hehe!), I might talk about the fact that headaches have been on my mind since I've had a different one for the past three days or so. Luckily, starting next week these things are going to be of a more philisophical nature, and if you want to participate, just let me know in the comments and I will link to your blog somewhere in my post. Who knows? Maybe your mayhem will inspire something from me!

Quick-Write Wednesdays
Originally called One-Liner Wednesdays. But I thought it over and I figured, any prompt is a good prompt. A few girls from Lisi's blah-g and I are starting this meme where we provide a prompt for each other on Wednesday and have to complete a short piece from it by the end of the day. We can write whatever we want: poetry, a short script, a short story, the first chapter of something we hope will be longer--- WHATEVER. But if it's kind of long, we post the complete piece to Figment and put an excerpt plus a link to the complete project up on our blogs, PLUS linkage to the other participants' blogs so you can check out all the goodies that our Wednesdays have produced.

You can't suggest a prompt this Wednesday, but check out our Wednesday Writes this week so you can make a suggestion for next weeks' prompt. And, again, if you'd like to participate, please let me know in the comments, so I can add you to the ever-growing list of our meme supporters. :]

Screenshot Saturdays
Which is a lot like Teaser Tuesdays. Snap a quick photo of your current WIP and then find a photo (or snap another) of something that's inspiring you to write, something that reminds you of the scene you're working with, or of something that's keeping you sane while you're busting out your projects! This post requires no words--- a HUGE reason why I'm going for it--- but feel free to let us know how awesome (or not so awesome) you're feeling at the moment you snap the photo. I am a fan of commentary. :] As I've stated before, I will link to anyone else participating so let me know in the comments...

And that's it! Three days of blogging. People, we can do this. :)

With all my love,
Deserae