My story was about New York and I have never once stepped foot in New York. But the culture, music and everything is heavily promoted everywhere, especially in popular American film and media, as well as rap albums and what not. Those served as plenty of great research mediums to map out a story set in that area and in that sub-culture.
I also concur (with a response of one of the other students) Wikipedia works wonders.
Monday, April 19, 2010
He's Such A Bad Date
Writing from the perspective of a female
I bet he thinks he's getting some tonight. I swear that was his intentions all along. If he thinks that, he has another thing coming. Look at him taking out his wallet, flashing those bills. I can pay for my own dinner bastard. I know your game. I bet he didn't know his breath stunk so badly when he picked me up. Plus, who brings flowers on the first date? That's just so corny. If he really thinks he's getting some of this good-good tonight just because he is a corporate, upper-class type, he's got another thing coming. I bet he doesn't realize he's had a booger in his nose for the entire time. Why has he not stopped talking about himself? He hasn't gave me one moment to speak about what I do or my interest. Do you think I care about your fiscal year. Shut up already. "She'll have the lobster." Oh my f'n gosh! Did he just order for me. Ugh! Here I am just politely smiling like it was okay. If I could just reach this fork, I know exactly where it's going. That will guarantee he gets none tonight, or for a long time for that matter.
I bet he thinks he's getting some tonight. I swear that was his intentions all along. If he thinks that, he has another thing coming. Look at him taking out his wallet, flashing those bills. I can pay for my own dinner bastard. I know your game. I bet he didn't know his breath stunk so badly when he picked me up. Plus, who brings flowers on the first date? That's just so corny. If he really thinks he's getting some of this good-good tonight just because he is a corporate, upper-class type, he's got another thing coming. I bet he doesn't realize he's had a booger in his nose for the entire time. Why has he not stopped talking about himself? He hasn't gave me one moment to speak about what I do or my interest. Do you think I care about your fiscal year. Shut up already. "She'll have the lobster." Oh my f'n gosh! Did he just order for me. Ugh! Here I am just politely smiling like it was okay. If I could just reach this fork, I know exactly where it's going. That will guarantee he gets none tonight, or for a long time for that matter.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Bible Bill
"This was the 45th house today. If people wanted the word of God this much, they could easily come to the store and buy these bibles. I don't understand why my job thinks I should be doing this much door to door selling. I mean, I love God just like the next man, but he said people have freewill. We can't force this doctrine on them.". Bill Catherity walked up to the door and rung the bell.
"Yes", an elderly woman opened the door. Bill warmed up a little bit. He knew elderly people were a little more open to hearing about religion and spiritual things. She might even buy a bible out of courtesy.
"Hello ma'am. How are you on this fine afternoon?"
"I'm fine dear. Are you selling bibles?"
"Yes."
"Please come in."
Bill stepped into the house . It smelled of Rosemary and Mincemeat Pie. It was very inviting.
"Would you like a slice of pie.?" The lady offered.
"Yes, I would. Thank you very much for your kindness."
The lady sat a plate of pie down. She looked around the corner and yelled upstairs.
"Cindy, come down here. It's one of those bible guys again. You wanna go at it?"
The old lady looked back at Bill. "Good luck."
"Oh, so you're one of those religious types are you." Cindy said, coming down the stairs. "Well, let me tell you what I think about your kind..."
Bill sighed. Another day in the life.
"Yes", an elderly woman opened the door. Bill warmed up a little bit. He knew elderly people were a little more open to hearing about religion and spiritual things. She might even buy a bible out of courtesy.
"Hello ma'am. How are you on this fine afternoon?"
"I'm fine dear. Are you selling bibles?"
"Yes."
"Please come in."
Bill stepped into the house . It smelled of Rosemary and Mincemeat Pie. It was very inviting.
"Would you like a slice of pie.?" The lady offered.
"Yes, I would. Thank you very much for your kindness."
The lady sat a plate of pie down. She looked around the corner and yelled upstairs.
"Cindy, come down here. It's one of those bible guys again. You wanna go at it?"
The old lady looked back at Bill. "Good luck."
"Oh, so you're one of those religious types are you." Cindy said, coming down the stairs. "Well, let me tell you what I think about your kind..."
Bill sighed. Another day in the life.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Blog Journal: When We Don’t Say What we Mean
"So did they tell you the reason". Gina asked her best friend, Karen, as they sat on the window sill at the community center like they had for the past five years after school. Karen wiped a stray tear that rippled down her cheek. "Well, they gave me a bunch of crock about not being ready. Then the lady told me I should lay off the donuts and dump the lumps." Tears once again began to blast out of Karen's blue eyes. Gina hugged her tighter. "It's okay, hun. It's really okay. They just don't know what they're missing." "I mean, c'mon on. You know we've both worked so hard this summer for this. The long jogs at 5AM, the protein shakes and bars. Those horrible tofu dishes. Then she tells me dump the lumps?" Karen jumps up and lashes out angrily towards nowhere. Gina grabs her back down. "Calm down girl! This is so not the end of the world. I think you put way too much on this.". "I know you don't want me to be upset", said Karen. "I know you don't, but it's so fresh in my mind, I'm going to be like this for a while." Gina stays silently, deciding just to let her friend vent. Karen continues. "To think, I walked in here feeling like this would be my big break, ya know? After everything that's happened this year in school, the ridicule, the hardships at home and me just feeling like I didn't belong; I thought this was it. Modeling is me. It's what I was meant to do. Now it's like she balled up my dreams and played kick ball with it. My life is not a game." Karen looks over at Gina and gets teary eyed again. "You've been a great friend this year. My best friend. I love you so, so much." Gina awkwardly smiles and continues to embrace Karen. "I guess I should look on the bright side though", Karen said. "At least we can spend the summer together like we planned. Oh, you know Bobby Brewster? He's so going to be working at the Chill Grill this summer. He said we can stop by anytime and keep him company." Karen giggled. "Aren't you excited?" Gina, finally deciding to not let it linger on any longer, turned over to Karen with a somber face. "Karen, I want to be. I really do. But I can't." Karen's excited expression slowly transitioned from happy, to confused and then an epiphany hit, right as Gina said "They accepted me.".
Monday, February 8, 2010
Blog Journal - Brainstorming
1) Identify core concerns by making a “menu” of them. Pick the big emotions and make list in a journal. What makes you angry? What are you afraid of? What do you want? What hurts? Or consider turning points of your life. What really changed you? These will be areas to look for stories whether or not those stories are autobiographical.
Emotions:
Anger
Insecurity
Sadness
Depression
Joy
Excitement
What angers me is people who don't have a positive outlook on life and those who refuse to continue to learn, thinking they know it all.
I'm afraid of dying in my sins and not being right with Jesus. That's why I'm daily at the mercy of him, no matter how ashamed of my actions I am.
What hurts is people who don't understand where I'm coming from.
Turning points in my life that changed who I am was the murder of my older brother, the isolation of my best female friend during my senior year of high school and maturity through age in general.
Emotions:
Anger
Insecurity
Sadness
Depression
Joy
Excitement
What angers me is people who don't have a positive outlook on life and those who refuse to continue to learn, thinking they know it all.
I'm afraid of dying in my sins and not being right with Jesus. That's why I'm daily at the mercy of him, no matter how ashamed of my actions I am.
What hurts is people who don't understand where I'm coming from.
Turning points in my life that changed who I am was the murder of my older brother, the isolation of my best female friend during my senior year of high school and maturity through age in general.
Promise Cooper
Promise Cooper had no intentions of being the star she had become. She'd only joined this team to occupy time in her 10th Grade year. Her mother always worked late and her sisters were always involved in their own things; rather it was Julia hanging with the older girls learning about hair styling or her younger sister Sylvia having play-dates with the twins down the street, Promise was usually left all by herself. The first quarter of the year was so boring and Promise was simply in need of something; anything to do. She wanted to hop in the game of life and leave her mark. When basketball season started up, she tried out and made the team. She'd never really played competitively before, but was a pretty athletic and active teenager. She's become an unsung hero and helped lead her team to the playoffs. Who knew hopping in the game of life would start with hopping in the game of basketball. Promise was shaping up to be an all-star in both of them. There was three minutes left to play in the semi-finals of the Montana State Playoffs for Girls basketball. Promise's team, the Dinkenburg Deltas were losing 80 to 81 to the Skyview Heroines with 6 seconds left.
"We've made it this far. I don't see how we can mess thing up now ladies". Promise's coach spoke boisterously. "I've seen prime talent this season that I haven't seen in my 7 years of coaching Girls' basketball here in Dinkenburg." Dikenburg was a small town on the outskirts of Montana. Promise had moved there with her family three years prior. Promise didn't like Dikenburg at first . It was nothing like the city she grew up in. This town was quiet, small and civil. It's not that Promise didn't like things peaceful. She just didn't like too much quiet. Over the past three years, a lot of her tastes and interests changed and she began to warm up to the small town with the population of 12,000.
"Promise, I need you to touch up that defense. Fiona Mathers is kicking your butt out there. You doing well with guarding the outside, but you can't let her get an inside lane. That's you weakness, and there is no one there to back you up if she gets past the first step. Meanwhile, when she's on defense, she stealing the ball from you almost every time" Promise nodded attentively. "It won't happen again. I will try my best coach." "I don't need you to try, and need you to succeed.", Promise's coach said in a warming tone. "Who are we?" "Deltas". "Who?" "Deltas!". "Alright!", yelled Promise's coach as the team ran back onto the court.
Promise ran back on the court to get in position. Her mind started wondering and the time before the play actually began seemed to be in slow motion. She began thinking about her mother, who never showed up to any of the games all season. She looked around at the crowd of yelling people, and could identify many of her teammates parents. She saw her best friend Samantha Martin's dad. He played in a local band called "Easter Clothes". A few weeks ago, he and the band performed at an all-ages show and Samantha had invited Promise to come. It was incredible. Promise's mother wasn't anywhere near as interesting as a rock star. She only worked as a waitress at "Grandma's Cupboard", a dinner downtown next to the local bar "Bottom's Up". Promise wasn't complaining, but it would be interesting to have a parent who did something out of the ordinary, or at least one who shows up to the games from time to time. "Maybe I'd even play better", Promise thought to herself.
A whistle jolted Promise out of her daydream and the play on the court had started. The ball was in bounced. "Promise!" Her teammate yelled out as she passed the ball to her. Promise dribbled up the left side of the court. On the way, she glances out the side of her eyes, and sees none other than her mother, standing there with excitement. "Wow!" Promise thought, "She here! This is wonderful." Before she could finish her excited though, Fiona Maters stole the ball and headed up the court. She laid the ball into the hoop as time ran out.
"We've made it this far. I don't see how we can mess thing up now ladies". Promise's coach spoke boisterously. "I've seen prime talent this season that I haven't seen in my 7 years of coaching Girls' basketball here in Dinkenburg." Dikenburg was a small town on the outskirts of Montana. Promise had moved there with her family three years prior. Promise didn't like Dikenburg at first . It was nothing like the city she grew up in. This town was quiet, small and civil. It's not that Promise didn't like things peaceful. She just didn't like too much quiet. Over the past three years, a lot of her tastes and interests changed and she began to warm up to the small town with the population of 12,000.
"Promise, I need you to touch up that defense. Fiona Mathers is kicking your butt out there. You doing well with guarding the outside, but you can't let her get an inside lane. That's you weakness, and there is no one there to back you up if she gets past the first step. Meanwhile, when she's on defense, she stealing the ball from you almost every time" Promise nodded attentively. "It won't happen again. I will try my best coach." "I don't need you to try, and need you to succeed.", Promise's coach said in a warming tone. "Who are we?" "Deltas". "Who?" "Deltas!". "Alright!", yelled Promise's coach as the team ran back onto the court.
Promise ran back on the court to get in position. Her mind started wondering and the time before the play actually began seemed to be in slow motion. She began thinking about her mother, who never showed up to any of the games all season. She looked around at the crowd of yelling people, and could identify many of her teammates parents. She saw her best friend Samantha Martin's dad. He played in a local band called "Easter Clothes". A few weeks ago, he and the band performed at an all-ages show and Samantha had invited Promise to come. It was incredible. Promise's mother wasn't anywhere near as interesting as a rock star. She only worked as a waitress at "Grandma's Cupboard", a dinner downtown next to the local bar "Bottom's Up". Promise wasn't complaining, but it would be interesting to have a parent who did something out of the ordinary, or at least one who shows up to the games from time to time. "Maybe I'd even play better", Promise thought to herself.
A whistle jolted Promise out of her daydream and the play on the court had started. The ball was in bounced. "Promise!" Her teammate yelled out as she passed the ball to her. Promise dribbled up the left side of the court. On the way, she glances out the side of her eyes, and sees none other than her mother, standing there with excitement. "Wow!" Promise thought, "She here! This is wonderful." Before she could finish her excited though, Fiona Maters stole the ball and headed up the court. She laid the ball into the hoop as time ran out.
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Summer Of '86
I decided to turn a family story into a fictional scene. This is the beginning of the story of how my Dad met my mother.
It was 1986, a hot summer's day in Minnesota. The day was bright and the sun was shining. "It's going to be a hot one today ladies and gentleman.". The radio DJ blared through the speakers of Garret's Caddilac as he rolled down Lake Street. He whisked past the street signs a little over the speed limit. "Not to worry though." he thought. Even the cops wouldn't be out trying to catch petty speeders in this scorching heat. He pulled up into a nearby gas station to fill up the tank and grab a Cola.
"Garrett!". Someone yelled out coming from inside the store. Garrett turned up from the gas pump to see who. It was an old Job Corp. buddy, Bobby Wiles. "Hey man! Long time no see!" "Garrett Jones, brother what it up!". They slapped handshakes. "Boy, boy, you look good man! I see you lost some weight", Bobby said. "Yeah man, you know I had to get up in that gym and get it in for the summer. There are too many fine looking honeys out here this year.", Garrett said. "You ain't never lied man!" Just then a light-skinned, well figured woman walks past. She smiles at the two.
"Mmm, mmm,mmm! I see you girl!" says Bobby as he and Garrett watch as she passes by. "So anyways man, what you up to?" Bobby asked. "Oh, nothing much. Just cruising and what not, trying to find something to do. You wanna roll with?". "Oh yeah, most definitely man." Bobby replied. The hopped back on the road again, cruising through South Minneapolis. "So where you working at now?", Bobby asked. "I'm over at Northwestern Hospital, you know, doing janitorial services and what not." "Oh okay, that's what's up. I'm still over at Jimmy's." "You still work at Jimmy's Pizza Shack?" "Yeah man, I've been there for quite a while. I'm the manager now", Bobby replied. "Oh okay!", said Garrett. "I see you moving on up. You know I'm going to be by there to get the hook up." Bobby laughed. "You know I got you bruh. Anytime, come on through.
Garrett pulled into a K-Mart right off of Lake Street. "I gotta run in here to buy a fan. That old one my cousin Rico let me have broke. I have a feeling it was already broke when he gave it to me and by the grace of God, it worked for a good three weeks." "Oh yeah man, I still got some chairs Rico gave me from a while back. My mama came over one day, sat in one and the whole thing collapsed. Come to find out, there were no bolts on the screws. Your cousin is a stone cold trip", Bobby said. "You ain't never lied", said Garrett. The two walked into the K-Mart. The door security looked annoyed when he saw Bobby. Garrett noticed. "What's his problem?", Garrett asked Bobby. "I don't know. Every time I could up in here, he always has the look on his face like he got a stick up his butt." "You better watch out", Garrett replied. He might like that kind of stuff." "Hell naw man! He better go on somewhere with all that." Garrett chuckled. The two turned the corner at the soaps. The saw two women in the aisle, one who looked about 16 and the other, who was obviously her sister, that looked around 21. "Wow", Garrett whispered. "Who are they?". "Oh, that's the Rossum sisters. Boy, boy, boy. You gotta get to know them."
It was 1986, a hot summer's day in Minnesota. The day was bright and the sun was shining. "It's going to be a hot one today ladies and gentleman.". The radio DJ blared through the speakers of Garret's Caddilac as he rolled down Lake Street. He whisked past the street signs a little over the speed limit. "Not to worry though." he thought. Even the cops wouldn't be out trying to catch petty speeders in this scorching heat. He pulled up into a nearby gas station to fill up the tank and grab a Cola.
"Garrett!". Someone yelled out coming from inside the store. Garrett turned up from the gas pump to see who. It was an old Job Corp. buddy, Bobby Wiles. "Hey man! Long time no see!" "Garrett Jones, brother what it up!". They slapped handshakes. "Boy, boy, you look good man! I see you lost some weight", Bobby said. "Yeah man, you know I had to get up in that gym and get it in for the summer. There are too many fine looking honeys out here this year.", Garrett said. "You ain't never lied man!" Just then a light-skinned, well figured woman walks past. She smiles at the two.
"Mmm, mmm,mmm! I see you girl!" says Bobby as he and Garrett watch as she passes by. "So anyways man, what you up to?" Bobby asked. "Oh, nothing much. Just cruising and what not, trying to find something to do. You wanna roll with?". "Oh yeah, most definitely man." Bobby replied. The hopped back on the road again, cruising through South Minneapolis. "So where you working at now?", Bobby asked. "I'm over at Northwestern Hospital, you know, doing janitorial services and what not." "Oh okay, that's what's up. I'm still over at Jimmy's." "You still work at Jimmy's Pizza Shack?" "Yeah man, I've been there for quite a while. I'm the manager now", Bobby replied. "Oh okay!", said Garrett. "I see you moving on up. You know I'm going to be by there to get the hook up." Bobby laughed. "You know I got you bruh. Anytime, come on through.
Garrett pulled into a K-Mart right off of Lake Street. "I gotta run in here to buy a fan. That old one my cousin Rico let me have broke. I have a feeling it was already broke when he gave it to me and by the grace of God, it worked for a good three weeks." "Oh yeah man, I still got some chairs Rico gave me from a while back. My mama came over one day, sat in one and the whole thing collapsed. Come to find out, there were no bolts on the screws. Your cousin is a stone cold trip", Bobby said. "You ain't never lied", said Garrett. The two walked into the K-Mart. The door security looked annoyed when he saw Bobby. Garrett noticed. "What's his problem?", Garrett asked Bobby. "I don't know. Every time I could up in here, he always has the look on his face like he got a stick up his butt." "You better watch out", Garrett replied. He might like that kind of stuff." "Hell naw man! He better go on somewhere with all that." Garrett chuckled. The two turned the corner at the soaps. The saw two women in the aisle, one who looked about 16 and the other, who was obviously her sister, that looked around 21. "Wow", Garrett whispered. "Who are they?". "Oh, that's the Rossum sisters. Boy, boy, boy. You gotta get to know them."
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