Writing

We have recently been writing short stories in my creative writing class. Unfortunately they are much more difficult than I expected. The biggest difficulty I faced was ending my story. Since I know so many facts about my characters I wanted to continue writing and building onto their lives. I felt that they deserved more than just a short story but rather a novel. My ideas for them are almost endless. I struggled with the ending because I did not want to completely close the story. The reader, I felt should make their own assumption as to how the lives of the characters would end.

The next issue I faced was the characters themselves. Since I enjoy reading, I found my characters to have similar personality traits. Another student in my class even commented on a similarity. This was challenging because the characters from books I have read often make a lasting impression. I wished to incorporate some traits but not duplicate the character.

After overcoming these few problems I think my story turned out well. Now I just need to think of a title.

1000 Years

Death and the afterlife is a sensitive topic. Everyone has their own belief system on heaven and hell or reincarnation. My belief, however, is a blending of the two. A teacher recently asked, in one thousand years where do you think you will be? My belief on what happens after death is slightly complicated. In order to describe where I will be in one thousand years, I must first explain my belief behind death.

After death, my body will be buried but my soul will hopefully go to heaven. Once in heaven, my soul will have a choice. It can either remain in heaven or be reincarnated on Earth. I think most choose reincarnations as an opportunity to achieve peace in the afterlife. My soul, I believe, would be reincarnated as a tree.

After reincarnation, the soul can choose again until it finds enough peace to remain in heaven. Now my belief behind heaven is complicated as well. Heaven is not a geographical location. It is a place where a soul chooses to remain. Everyone has a different heaven , although several can combine if it is desired. I also think that souls can visit one another in the different heavens.

The afterlife is complicated since no one really knows. Where do you think you will be in one thousand years?

Hope

I recently attended a field trip at school. The idea behind this trip was to connect students, mainly freshman and sophomores, to their peers around them. A group of students are chosen to participate in various activities that enable them to openly express their feelings in a comfortable setting. Out of respect for those involved I will not share exact details of what was shared but rather my experience.

I have participated in this project for the past two years as a anonymous guide for my fellow students. Currently I am a member of an organization known as The PEACE (Protecting Every Abused Child Everywhere) Project. Members like myself are invited to help the students around us be more comfortable and open to the day's activities. Our main objective is to give the students a comfortable place to discuss any issues that they may face.

The first year I participated in this activity I was very unsure what to expect. These students are the ones that sit behind me in class or a few tables away at lunch. I did not know if I would be able to open up to them. I was very wrong however.

Small groups were chosen and teachers were placed with each. In my group there was every type of person you could imagine. One student barely spoke a word while another would not stop talking. Some of my group members were open to the idea of sharing while another prematurely accused us of gossiping about what was said. As we answered the suggested questions, I was amazed to learn about those around me. The struggles faced by some were far worse than anything I have endured.

A year later I returned to participate again. This year, however, I came with expectations. My group participated and I was again amazed by what I heard. These are not random people I do not know but my peers whom I see everyday. I should help these people and appreciate them for they are all unique. Being kind is not something of shame but of wonder.

Hearing their extraordinary tales made me appreciate my own extraordinary life. The life I have is mine, not to be judged but to be lived by only me. My only desire is to live it for the better.

Read a Book

So I know there are many people obsessing over the Twilight books and movies. I do not want to put myself in that category. I read the books within a week (I also have insomnia) and enjoyed them. But upon hearing the news of a movie I was disappointed. It seems that any type of novel or series that has a remote following is instantly turned into a film. I hardly even chose to read a popular novel anymore and wait instead for its film release.

Not only are these taking away from people reading, many are not even well made. I know that is an arguable statement but it is true. The most recent example being Twilight. The novel is entertaining, addicting, and semi-realistic. The main character, Edward, is made to be a woman's dream. He is supposed to be gorgeous but he also says the right thing. However, the movie seems to rely on his physical appeal not his mental. Anytime he said anything romantic it implied something more laughable. This made the movie, and in turn the novel, appear corny and unrealistic.

Twilight is not the only movie to have done this. The second Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants movie condensed three books into one confusing and pointless story that did not do the books half the justice. Also, a big favorite, Harry Potter, has fallen victim. The third and most recent fifth movies have led to disappointment. Neither has followed the story line closely and left out important details. I know a long novel must cut out detail but when the fifth movie was one of the shortest of the five Harry Potter films, you must wonder why such editing was done. If you are a true fan you will be eager to sit through a three hour movie. That would be a joy compared to a disappointing movie.

Many will dispute my argument with the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I admit these movies are awesome but few movies can achieve this. This was accomplished by making the movies longer than average (the five hour edition of The Return of the King). It also relied heavily on the material and detail from the novel rather than just the actor to make the movie work. But, to return to an earlier point, who is going to read this trilogy now when a movie can easily be watched? Very few people.

For myself, I have read many novels that are made into movies. The main reason is because I have read the novel prior to the making of the movie or I hear that the book is so much better. I however love to read. Between reading a book or watching TV, I would chose reading (I wish TV shows would be made into novels). But I have heard too often a friend saying that she will just see the movie rather than read an amazing story. It is frustrating because I know what the person is missing. A movie will never make up for the lost emotion, detail, and creativity a novel has.

A poor movie can never make up for a book. You must know that, when seeing a movie made from a book, it will never compare. And trust me, if you hear someone say the book was much better, believe them. Then go read it!

Running Out

This kind of love I should covet
With a steady ominous man
Ball and chain on around my finger
Was not intention nor a plan.

I should find it internal solace
That this is a little girl’s dream
But breathing became suffocation,
My whispers became a scream.

Packed my bags and laced my shoes
Left the chain beside the door.
Walked away from this love
Because my heart longed for more.

Eyes of Blue

Eyes of blue icy blaze,
Under a mantle of brow they smolder
Like pools of the sun’s ray
That light the face never older.
Ignite my soul as they gaze,
To make my heart burn bolder.

Blue flames shiver down my back,
As you look toward my stance.
Frozen I watch the burning attack
As if put into a numb trance.
Quick my brain I must wrack
To stop the fire’s slow advance.

Night and Day

From the east she does rise,
Colors spread over the distant horizon,
As beauty floats into the skies.

I see her again in the west,
Still she sinks with color rays of splendor
She must go despite protest.

Here I illuminate the night
Floating softly through the jet black sky.
Reflecting only her light.

Planets all circle around
Yet they look past the brilliant beauty
To her light I am bound.

Rarely I get a close glimpse,
As the two of us travel in circles round
Except when we do eclipse.

Separated by a day
Earth forever will stand in the middle
Blocking my love’s way.

The Girl

Strength comes from within
the depths of her soul
If you decide to venture in
Cautious of what you now know.

Unconscious provides its insight
Of the world she does perceive
Through vivid dreams in the night
Minds reality to deceive.

Hearts deception befell here
When she made the fatal mistake
Causing her essence to disappear
His love made her break.

Escape

I stayed with society as long as I could
But their greed grew quickly old,
Longing for more then they should.
I fled with night as a hood,
From the icy hearts of cold.

Running I stumbled into a field,
Filled with honey and milk.
Flowers surround as a shield
While my mind slowly healed,
Lying on the grass of silk.

I awoke under the morning light,
Fresh dew, clean and pure,
I filled with fear upon the sight
Of those who gathered in the night.
Staring eyes at me obscure.

Ashamed I turned my face to hide.
Standards cannot be outrun.
Their scowls all implied,
The verdict they did decide,
They and I were not one.

Intro

Hey! My name is Kelly! This blog is for my creative writing class at school. The class is pretty fun. It is nice to have an outlet for my creativity in between my normal academic classes. It is much more difficult though, because there are no right or wrong answers. The class is relaxed which makes the day seem to pass much faster.
I am a junior in high school this year which is very exciting. Unfortunately this year has been the most challenging. I spend all my free periods in the art room doing whatever I can find. Any type of artwork is fun for me. I currently have an art piece in the local show at the art museum. It is nice because it is a follow up to a piece I did from freshman year, which was in several shows. My freshman piece was a self portrait made of torn newspaper. I had to collage the different shades, from white to black, according to a picture I had. It took over a month but looks exactly like me. This piece was a big deal for me because it went into a state show and hung in a government building in downtown Columbus. It was a nice honor for all the hard work I put into this piece. However, I have a talent to live up to.
Besides art I am sort of a hippie, tree hugger. I am an officer in the Earth Club at school. We are very excited for this year because many people have been attending meetings. The club is responsible for the recycling programs in our cafeteria and commons. We also are in charge of the trash pickup around the school. The cold weather, which I love, will force us indoors for awhile.
Some other things about me. Well, I am a huge Notre Dame football fan, pre-Brady Quinn and despite the fact that they are not that good. I am OCD and obsessed with proper grammar, despite the fact that mine is terrible. I have been told I am mean but funny and that I am cynical and sarcastic.