Category Archives: Writing Remarks

Writing Remarks

Sunday, 13 March, 2011

30-Day Challenge 7: The Broken Hearts Blogfest

Question of the Day: If today was your last day on Earth, how would you spend it?

Day 07: A picture of something that has the biggest impact on you.

Because of books, I have discovered my love for writing. Because of books, I am able to escape the real world and discover the millions of best friends that I have found within the characters of Jo March, Huckleberry Finn, Anna Fitzgerald, and so many more. Because of books, I know what is to become of me and what I want to do with my life.

Today is The Broken Hearts Blogfest day!

This blogfest is hosted by Dawn Embers at It’s In the Book. The idea is pretty straightforward… an entry with the theme of broken hearts. It’s not too late to sign up–the whole thing lasts from today ’til Tuesday!

I decided to share with you an excerpt from my novel, Sophie. It may be a bit over 1,000 words but much of it is dialogue. I have slightly altered it for you to better understand the context. Please enjoy!

Saturday, 05 March, 2011

30-Day Challenge 5: Giveaways Update

Question of the Day: If you could live with only television or only music…which one would you pick? Why?

Day 05: A picture of somewhere you’ve been to.

I have had the privilege of visiting many beautiful locations during my youth, including Germany, Japan, Spain, the U.K., and of course….China. One of my most memorable vacations, however, took place in our very own country, America. During the year of 2007, we went to Waikiki and Big Island in Hawaii. That state is one of the most gorgeous areas I have ever been to in my entire life. There were exotic plants and foods that I had never seen before. Mongooses (I confirmed with Google that mongooses is correct, as opposed to mongeese) roamed the streets as often as squirrels do in North Carolina. I hope to return there some day.

Saturday, 19 February, 2011

30-Day Challenge 3: Public Speaking 101

Question of the Day: What characteristic or trait do you admire most in a person?

Day 03: A picture of you and your friends.

Once again, I have a no-real-photos policy at the moment so I decided to portray my friends and I through Yahoo! avatars. The first Avatar chick is actually me, you see…I am surrounded by books, have my signature “reporter” glasses and have a layered ‘do. :) I’d like to introduce you to my amazing friends, all of whom have some spectacular and distinct personalities:

From left to right, top to bottom…

1) The Red Angel (me!) I don’t look very red and I don’t look like an angel though…

2) Madame Curlique loves the beach and everything that has to do with nature.

3) Jammin’ Poe-Poe is one of those “I JUST WANNA PLAY MY MUSIC” kinda guys.

4) B-Ball4Eva likes sports and is a die-hard fan of our university teams.

5) Mr. Senator has always loved everything politics.

6) Gloss&Shiny has beautiful hair, loves colorful things, and owns a fantastic imagination.

Monday, 07 February, 2011

30-Day Challenge 2: The History Behind “TRA”

Question of the Day: In my last post, I confessed that I know how to burp by will. Care to ‘fess up a hidden talent of yours?

Day 02: The meaning behind your ~~Tumblr~~ Blog name.
My second-ever post on this blog actually dealt with the meaning behind my alias, Red Angel. Looking back at all the old stuff I wrote when I first started blogging, it is almost embarassing to read what I wrote as an unexperienced blogger! 8) It is still fascinating to me what a long way I have come.

Basically, the idea of a “Red Angel” came to me when I fantasized what the name of my band would be if I ever chose to make one. One of my favorite colors is red because if its rich hues and meaningful symbolism behind that color. In China (Ethnicity=Chinese! for those of you who don’t know), red is associated with good luck and fortune; it can also stand for love, passion, blood, and pretty much any super intense emotion.
READ MORE

Monday, 24 January, 2011

Top 10 Songs Blogfest

Question of the Day: What motivates you to blog?

Yes, yes, another blogfest! :) I promise you, the next post I write won’t be a blogfest entry haha. This one is hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh, and we are supposed to list our top ten musical hits. :)

Between my piano, my Pandora radio, and YouTube, it’s safe to say that I’m a total lover of music. I like everything from rock to classical to pop, so I have a very broad range of tastes. Hope you enjoy!

In no particular order…here are my current favorites:

1) Firework by Katy Perry — this is such a happy, energetic, and inspirational song! It makes me want to dance, sing, scream, and run all at the same time. Listening to this song helps me believe in myself.
READ MORE

Saturday, 22 January, 2011

Happy Birthday, Tessa! Blogfest

Question of the Day: What was the best birthday party you’ve ever had?

Happy, happy birthday to the amazing Tessa Conte! Hope you have a lovely time with your friends and family. :) And lots of cake! And wear a birthday crown, because today you’re the princess! :)

In honor of her birthday, she is hosting a blogfest that must be related to birthdays, cupcakes, presents, or candles in some way. Yayyy, you all know that I LOVE blogfests!

Thursday, 13 January, 2011

Your Ultimate Journaling Guide: Part #2

Question of the Day: Comedy shows, game shows, or reality shows?

In my last post, I discussed some good reasons to journal as well as the positives and negatives of using an online diary versus a print journal. Today I’ll be going a bit more in-depth about the content of a journal and how-to’s of journaling. It’s not that it’s a complicated process, and I am by no means saying these are the only things you should abide by while journaling, but if you’re thinking about starting a diary and aren’t sure of where to start, you’ve come to the right place. :)

What to Journal

Scenario #1: Today’s your first day on job after New Year’s….and your boss has just accepted your project proposal! Woohoo! But man….this proposal is a lot more work than you thought it’d be! In fact, by the time it’s lunch break you’re overwhelmed by the Post-It Note reminders scattered all over your desk and the stacks of papers that you’ll eventually have to go through. Feeling half-insane, you trot to the nearest Starbucks and, while fishing for your wallet to pay for a third cup of coffee, spot that new journal your co-worker-pal Amy gave you this morning. It seems to beckon you with its leather “arms” like a friend.

What to Write About: Once you return to the table with that freshly brewed cup of Joe, you take out your journal and have this sudden urge to write in it. For the next twelve minutes, you scribble down an entire plan for your project proposal and a short schedule for the next month. You fill the pages with to-do’s (personal and business-related) and lists of priorities and steps to be completed for the project. By the time your lunch break is over, you feel sooooo much better about what you need to do and, somehow, much less stressed. You leave the coffee shop with a smile on your face, feeling ready to conquer the day.

Scenario #2: Your sister asks to borrow your camera on her night out with friends. She looks hurried, so being the awesome person you are, you say of course and with a quick hug she grabs your beloved camera and zooms out the door. Three hours later, Sissy comes back and fesses up. In a moment of excitement while preparing to take a photo, she experimented with the buttons to find the last picture she took and accidentally deleted all of your prior photos. After an hour of yelling nonsense such as “Why couldn’t you have been more darn careful?!” and “It’s YOUR fault you got such a stupid, complicated camera!”, you stomp off and slam your bedroom door behind you. A few pillows get abused, and a couple tears get shed. Then, you spot your trusty diary tucked neatly underneath your mattress. You almost yank it out and start writing furiously.

What to Write About: Sissy is SO dead meat. Why does she ALWAYS have to ruin everything?! She is so dumb, she can’t even figure out a camera by herself. URGH! After writing a few more profane sentences (most of them being threats) and rereading them with a satisfied nod, you suddenly realize that…maybe this whole thing could have been prevented if you’d made her stay a few extra minutes to give her a short how-to on working the camera. Oh, the shock.

Scenario #3: After 34 years of working as a nurse at the local hospital, you’re finally retired! Yay! At first, all this free time you have is nothing short of luxurious….it meant more time to visit the grandkids, be more active in your local Seniors club in town, and work on your vegetable garden. But after a while, you begin to feel like now that you’re retired, there is no major purpose for you anymore… What are your goals now? Before, you woke up everyday knowing that you were meant to help people, to assist in saving lives at the hospital. That was your purpose. Now what?

What to Write About: You start to attend some counseling sessions to regain some perspective and insight. One day, your therapist suggests that perhaps you could try writing an autobiography. Yes!! How lovely. You’d always loved to write when you were younger, after all. That night, you take out a spiral bound notebook (the one left over from your grandson’s school shopping) out of your drawer and begin to plan out the main events in your life and outline your autobiography. You list all the people who have changed you over the years, most of the being patients, and what they meant to you. Pretty soon, you spend everyday planning your life story in that little notebook of yours. There were significant stories from your past that even you had had buried deep down inside. A few months later, the first draft lies in front of you, ready to be edited for the first time. You take out a red pen, smile, and feel as though you are doing what you’re meant to be.

How to Journal

Again, there’s no right or wrong way to journal. But if you’re starting for the first time and feel as though you need a bit of guidance, here are a few suggestions.

Where: Everybody has different preferences. I personally have to be in just the right spot at the right time to be able to journal and give my writing 100%. Sometimes, I prefer to be surrounded by people I don’t know, say, at a coffee shop. Listening to conversations about other people’s lives and seeing and feeling the bustle all around me somehow helps me reflect and contemplate better. Sometimes, though, I just want to be alone in the corner of my bedroom where everything is quiet. It just depends. Maybe you like to be near nature when you’re writing? Take your journal to the creek or a nearby river. Or perhaps you need a lot of stuff going on for you to concentrate and start flowing. OR maybe you’re like me and need to change it up a few times. Bottom line is, you don’t need to have a set area where you should write. Go where you feel like going, depending on your mood. Walk the steps or bike the miles it takes until you find the right place where you feel like you can find your muse. Random locations for journaling include: the park, the bathroom, a tree house, on a train ride, on the roof of your house, in the dark under your blankets with a flashlight, Barnes & Noble.

When: It’s hard to find time to write sometimes, thus it’s easy to actually forget to write. The right time to write is similar to the right place to write: it’s different for everyone. I actually get the most done at nighttime…I am a total night owl, which can get in the way of my sleeping but I compensate by taking frequent naps. :) If you don’t mind getting up early though, try rising an hour earlier than usual. Watching the sun yawn and stretch its arms out and being greeted by the twittering birds is bound to give you some inspiration. Try to write a little bit everyday if possible, even if it’s just a paragraph. You never know when you’ll discover something about yourself that you hadn’t known or realized before.

Remember….it’s never too late to start a journal.

Friday, 07 January, 2011

Your Ultimate Journaling Guide: Part #1

Question of the Day: Have you ever kept a diary or a journal? If so, for how long? Was it more of a personal memoir of your thoughts and feelings, or rather an objective account of your daily doings?

One of my New Years’ Resolutions for 2011 is to “write a journal entry once a day, no matter how short it is.” I’ve been keeping a diary for goodness knows how long…all I know is that my first diary was a little Hello Kitty notebook with colorful pages and sweet, dotted lines. When I take it out from under the dusty shelves in my closet and open it to reveal the secrets of preschool-to-Kindergarten-year-old-me, I almost can’t…my handwriting is so hideous that it hurt my eyes to try and read the letters.

I’m not exactly trying to embarass myself here, even though I’ve obviously succeeded in doing just that. =P So why take the time to journal at all?

Reasons to Journal

1. Reminisce. Reflecting upon sweet dreams, fantasies, lessons learned, valuable experiences, and nights to remember will let you relive those memories again while you jot them down. Remember to add the who, what, where, when, and any other details that made it worth writing down. Doing so leads to increased happiness (especially if it’s a *HAPPY thought*) and even helps you keep an active memory system in your brain. If you’re creative in literary terms, you could even write them in a short story form in your journal to make it more interesting and write your thoughts and reflections as if they were a character’s.

2. Heal. Many studies show that keeping a diary helps reduce stress. Let’s say you get in a fight with your sister/brother/mom/best-friend, and you’re so mad that you storm off to write about how unfair/mean/irrational/other-unpleasant-word that person is. Scribbling your contemplations down not only allows you let off steam, but you’ll feel A LOT better afterwards. It gives you time to cool down, and even if you don’t gain any extra insight, you’ll still be more willing to look closer at the issue and work things out. Bottom line is, a personal journal isn’t simply just a place where you can vent, it’s an outlet of expression and emotion.

3. Record. Wouldn’t you like to look back thirty years from now and, while cleaning your old dusty furniture and other outdated belongings from the couch, discover the journal you wrote in when you were twenty-four? A few days ago, I was packing up my clothes from home to bring with me to college, and found my box of old journals (yes, every single one I’ve ever owned!) and it was like a major…blast to the past. Whoosh! There were indeed some “oh-my-gosh”s and “I-can’t-believe-I-thought that”s, and overall it was an interesting little journey into my head when I was seven, twelve, sixteen, whatever.

4) Understand. Ultimately, you know yourself better than anyone else. Who else can you tell everything to but yourself? Too often do I write down my thoughts about a particular feeling or topic that I’m skeptical or confused about and then, after jotting down random notes, I come to realize something that I otherwise would not have figured out. Journaling is ultimately about not only understanding others better, but also yourself. And when you write out your thoughts and feelings, things become clearer much more easily.

Okay! You’re motivated! You’re all set to begin your very own journal! So what do you grab for first at the end of the day when you want to record the happenings of your life?

Web Journal v.s. Print Journal

One wouldn’t think that it matters whether you contemplate and ‘fess up using an online diary like WordPress or with a simple notebook and pen. I used to be really addicted to Livejournal, and as you can see my blog sometimes acts as my journal as well. But I’ve used paper notebooks all my life and definitely prefer those over electronic ones. I’ll provide some facts, and then leave it up to you to decide.

Web Journal: The pros of an e-log is that you can most likely type faster than you write, which means you can get all your thoughts down almost right after you are thinking them. Most online journals let you have a password along with a username, just like Blogspot, so nobody will ever be able to find your secrets! Plus, you can customize your text with cool fonts, colors, and graphics. If you wanted to do that with a notebook, you’d have to bring out colored pencils and stickers and all of that nonsense. On the other hand, however, you’re more likely to lose your entries whether you write them on the Internet or on Microsoft Word. The website could go down unexpectedly, or your computer could crash. Of course, to prevent these things from happening you should always back up your files on USB drives and disks so you have multiple copies (this goes for everything, not just journal entries!)

Print Journal: What is so great about the print journal is that you’re using a centuries-old method to preserve your thoughts and ideas! People have been writing stuff down for record-keeping since the time of dinosaurs (just kidding..you know what I mean). Plus, you’ll be more likely to write down everything you’re thinking and feeling and less likely to reach for the eraser. In other words, you’ll be more inclined to confront yourself with the truths. I write with a pen because pen marks don’t fade, but when I truly do mess up I just scratch it out. The bad news is that your hand will hurt more. I have a pretty big callus on my middle finger and it’s gross and hard. Ick! And it’s because of all that writing (and my excessive use of chopsticks for eating). Oh, and it’s easier to find a diary hidden under a bed rather than a small file of journal entries embedded within a huge folder labelled Writing on a USB!

So…what do YOU think? Which type of journal do you prefer more?

Your Ultimate Journaling Guide: Part 2 will be coming up next!

Sunday, 02 January, 2011

No Kiss Blogfest: The Day Chloe Gets Her Smooch….well, Almost!

Question of the Day: Would you rather kiss a goldfish or a turtle?

Hurray! Frankie is hosting her 2nd annual No Kiss Blogfest, in which all participants should post an entry from a book/movie scene involving an almost-kiss! How could I not sign up? Kissing scenes are so fun, but almost-kissing scenes are as intense to read as it is to write them! Of course, I just had to pick the scene from Smallville’s finale in Season 1 where Chloe finally gets to go to the spring formal with Clark Kent. As some of you already know, I am a total Superman fan. :) During the first big half of the series, even though Clark’s drama with Lana keeps our attention at a max, we still can’t help but hope for “Chlork” to happen…

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville. The series belongs to the Alfred Gough and Miles Millar.

The Day Chloe Gets Her Smooch…well, Almost!

The jamming music of Remy Zero drums and guitars suddenly eased to a slow, mellow tempo. The soft tunes of Perfect Memory began to fill up the gym. My jaw dropped and I uttered to my girlfriends in surprise, “Oh my gosh, I love this song!”

In the near distance, I could see him walking towards me, his eyes fixed on mine. Yes, there he was in all his beauty and perfection. Clark Kent. My friends melted away into the shadows as he came approached me with that huge, goofy grin of his.

“May I have this dance?” He said, hooking his arm around mine. Even as he said those words, I still couldn’t believe that this was real. Was it all just a dream? Or was it truly a dream turning into a reality? I couldn’t begin to count how many times I had imagined this moment.

“Of course,” I replied, not able to stop myself from smiling up at him. Perhaps it was the way Clark was looking at me, but I somehow knew that it was him who had requested the song. As we walked to the middle of the dance floor, he touched my hand, the one that was woven around his arm. The incredible warmth of his fingers seemed to send a jolt through my body. I couldn’t help but bring my other hand up to clasp those fingers that had held me, and saved me, so many times in the past.

We laced through the millions of couples that were slow-dancing, and a few of them were even in a lip lock. Seeing those couples together made my heart pound….would that be us in a few moments?

Clark pulled me close to him, and I put my hands around his wide, muscular shoulders. He was still the sweet, farm boy I’d always known, but here was a side of him I’d never seen before.

“Clark Kent, man of mystery,” I said. “Just when I think I have you figured out, you surprise me.”

“How’s that?” He asked, his eyebrows scrunching up together.

“The song…the tux….Tonight.”

“And I’m still here,” Clark pointed out.

“Yeah, you are.” He was right. He was still here, just like I’d hoped, just like he’d promised. He was here with me, not with Lana or anyone else. Clark was here with me, and we were together.

He held me closer, and I wound my hands around him to close the embrace. I bent my head down and could feel his cheek pressed against my hair. I’d done this so much in the past…his body was so familiar to me. But during all those other times that I’d hugged him, Clark had been my best friend, and I had been his.

This time, it was so much more different and nerve-wrecking and exciting. For the first time, I was letting myself open up to him and show those feelings that I’d held within me for so long. I’d liked, even loved, Clark for so long. Ever since I knew him. How many times had he saved me from peril? I didn’t know how he’d been able to do it, and I still didn’t know now. For once, it didn’t matter to me. He was, and had always been, my own personal superhero. And I knew now that he cared for me. That was what mattered.

I wrapped my hands around him, holding all the more tighter. I didn’t want this night to ever, ever end.

Clark gently pulled back, and I looked up at him. His nose was inches from mine, and I could see his chocolate-brown eyes moving across my face, from my eyes to my lips. Oh gosh, this was it! Clark was finally going to kiss me.

My heart thudded faster and harder than the wings of a hummingbird. He tilted his head to the side, and so did I. I closed my eyes, waiting for the moment I’d been waiting for for years. Just before his mouth touched mine, the loud piercing sound of a microphone interrupted.

“Stop! Stop the music for the just a moment please. Uh, can I have everyone’s attention please,” the dance coordinator said from the stage. “Uh thank you. The National Weather Services just issued a tornado warning. Apparently three funnels have been spotted heading towards Smallville.” Clark and I exchanged worried glances.

“Now, please everyone stay calm,” the man continued. “The twisters are gonna set down south from here. For your own safety, nobody will be allowed to leave the gym.”

“The bus station’s south from town,” said Clark. His eyes widened in alarm. “Lana’s there.”

My heart plummeted all the way down to the depths of my stomach. I found myself shaking my head. “Clark don’t worry about it…I’m sure she’s home by now.” Was I saying that to keep him clam, or to convince myself? “You know what, I’ll go call her on my cell and you wait here, okay?”

I immediately spun around to retrieve my purse from the gym doorway, but something in my mind whispered for me to look back to make sure my dream-come-true was still there, and would surely be waiting for me even after I got back.

I turned and, sure enough, Clark had pulled one of his signature disappearances. I looked this way and that, so fast that everything was a blur. No, no, this wasn’t happening, I thought to myself in panic. He promised. He’d promised me he would stay with me.

People pushed by me, confused and shocked and nervous. None of them were Clark Kent.

~~~

There you go! I hope you liked it. :) Be sure to vote in my “Rate & Review TRA” poll on the right. I’d love to receive some feedback about how I can improve the blog in 2011!