This appears to be a very dark period for me and, most of all, I have no clue how long is going to last. Have you ever experimented one of those crappy lengths of time where it seems that everything that could go wrong it would? Well, this is exactly what is going on with me. I have problems in work and I feel a bit lonely stuck in a different country with nobody to talk to. I mean, I have people to talk with, but I mean some special friends I could rely on…close by.
I admit my addiction! Hello everybody, my name is Franny and I’m a friendholic!
But this is a matter for another post, why should I bother you twice!
Now, because I have to find a fast way to release my stress and my tension, I thought that, as an aspiring fantasy writer, the best way of doing so was dreaming. And I don’t mean the usual subconscious way of producing dreams, because over there is just nightmares at the minute.
What I mean is I try to stay as more focused as I could on my daydream and my writing so I can have my lovely stress-free zone at hands at all the times!
Strictly connected with my daydream number one is my daydream number three: Joe Hisaishi!
I learned to appreciate him listening to the most delicate and at the same time powerful soundtrack of Miyazaki films and I’d say one of my everlasting favourite is this: Ashitaka’s theme.
This theme is full of power, romanticism and it doesn’t really matter how many times I’ll listen to it, I’ll always feel moved.
Next, I discovered that he composed for films as well and it was then that I got very, very, very excited! So I happen to love Takeshi Kitano’s films too and several of them bring Hisaishi sensei signature for the soundtrack! For example:
He manages to interpret the spirit the film, the essence, the pace, even the story. I believe that someone could just listen to soundtrack and, at least, get the sense or the mood of the whole.
One of my most recent posts was about Okuribito film. Joe Hisaishi created the magnificent soundtrack and confirms what I’ve just said.
If you have ten minutes or even two, I’d suggest you to have a look at one of his concert videos. This man changes his expression when he plays or when he direct the orchestra seems floating among the notes, he’s the creator of the music, he’s the lover of the music, he is the music.
So my daydream would be meeting him just to tell him how much I appreciate him as artist. But if one of my stories could receive his soundtrack I’d be the happiest person in the world.
For the moment I say thanks for your work Hisaishi sensei!
And what about you? Who’s your favourite? Tell me in the comments below!
Since in the past two days had kept raining, yesterday we were under alert and today the weather has been cheeky, I find this a good topic!
I’m waiting for my partner to finish his WoW raid and I’m working on the blog drafts, while outside a heavy rain is battering on the window panes and the wind blows so strong that I hope the old rusty gate of our neighbour house will remain where it is!!!
But let’s talk about the rain! I have a love and hate relationship with rain. Actually, I have a love and hate relationship with almost everything, but I guess this is related more to my creative side. At least I hope so, otherwise I should start to worry about having a personality disorder.
I live in Ireland so rain is something you should get used to see almost on daily basis. And I’ve just found this bit from Father Ted show. I’m going to put it here because I couldn’t stop laughing for five minute solid and it gives you the idea.
Now that I think about that, I should watch more of this TV show!
Also, if you come from a country like Italy you should be prepare to face a different kind of rainy day. When in Italy you wake up in the morning and it’s rainy, it mostly will be alike for the entire day.
When in Ireland you wake up and it’s raining, you know that in maximum an hour span of time it could be the shiniest day of the year or it could start snowing or storming. See, Ireland doesn’t let you get bored!
Despite the fact that in Ireland it’s rainy more often I always manage to avoid getting soaked in water, while the few times I got caught in a rain shower in Italy I went home looking like a mop in its bucket…I was a very colourful swearing mop!!!
Said that I want to explain the controversial relationship.
I love rain when it comes to writing. For some reason I cannot still grasp, the steal coloured sky, full of clouds heavy with rain, the drizzling on the window pane or even the stormy lashing, inspire me. They make me comfortable with my piece of paper. As I said before although I was freezing to the bone standing outside the door greeting the rare customers, I was happy to look at the grey sky, because thanks to that, and the old building, I come out with a couple of nice ideas for my supernatural WIP!
However, I find myself very clumsy when I try to get out and be on errands when it rains. I know it’s not nice for anybody but still I feel a major feeling of hatred surging out of my stomach. I might look like a sweating rhino charging the pray…or at least that’s how I feel! And this happens when it rains straight…just imagine the show when it’s windy too and it rains sideways!!!
So what about you?
Do you like rain?
Do you hate it?
Let me know in the comments below!!
And this seems the right post to leave you with one of Maya’s favourite nursery rhymes!
Here I am again to give you news about my writing situation! I think, at least this month, I’m managing better the timing of the posts I set my mind on. Of course, up to the last week! As usual life gets in the way, but let’s focus, as this is a writing post!
I’m still writing my current supernatural/urban fantasy book and still stick to the decision I’ve made of handwriting it.
I’m just at the beginning of the story introducing characters and situation but, feeling very restless, I managed to find a compromise with my_stick_to_the_rule self.
I have a ten point plot. I had to know where I was going with the story, so I guess it wasn’t such a bad idea, since I feel now more at ease.
Also, I’m mildly researching, which means when I have two or three minutes I open the app I downloaded about supernatural creatures to see if there is anything interesting. Also I’m watching my source of inspiration, Supernatural, once again from the very beginning and I’m watching it in English this time so I can get all the right technical words.
Ok, I know I said I wouldn’t do that but I figured that I’d need a very mild and superficial knowledge of the subject I’m writing about.
To all these you have to add the hours spent outside the door in my workplace. The absence of customers mixed with cloudy weather and the continuous stare to the old building made my imagination wondering and I started to work on that.
This is where the story starts…Baby Fields in Licorice village, Dough Land!
The very good news is that the stay away period from Sonrisa had worked because I felt myself wondering about my other story and also willing to start writing it again! Actually by the time I managed to correct this post draft for publishing I started to jot down this book too. Again it’ll be handwritten for the same reason I gave you before.
At least now I have the choice of what to write according to my mood! At least I can be free on one thing in my life!
There is only one problem. Of course.
As I mentioned earlier in this post and in the previous ones, my life has become even more hectic than before and full to burst of anxiety. I know this is not the place to complain and rant, but since everything in my mad life seems to be connected, my writing is greatly affected. Now, for reason I cannot reveal yet I’ll have to reduce the already tight writing time and this thing is killing me. My ever low self-confidence is sliding in the blackest hole and I’m wondering when I’ll be able to get to the point to send my books out to editors or even when I’ll be able to reach the point of publish them on line.
It’s not a matter of “If you want, you can”, believe me because I’m the deepest crappy situation at the moment, which need my full attention and also my full spare time.
Of course, whenever I’ll be able to give you details, I will!
That’s why this writing log is so short and the next ones probably will be as such!
It keeps being a very hard period. I keep feeling sad and betrayed.
Then by chance I saw the following video and I felt better. Considering I’ve bothered you already in the past two posts and it’s likely I will again in the future (as writing is my only way to vent!) it’s only fair I share with you the following video.
One Piece not only is a great manga/anime but, as I said many times before, it’s a well written and well plotted story! Right now, however, I want to focus on some of the messages it gives:
-Real friendship does exist; -Loyalty to people isn’t disappeared; -Believe in your dreams; -If you believe it intensely, your friends will do too; -Be brave!
I’ll leave you here and I’ll watch the video again! Do you have dreams? Do people believe in you? What do you use to motivate yourself? Let me know in the comments!
I don’t want to bother my readers too much, but I feel a lot stressed lately. I’ve been constantly bullied and betrayed in my workplace for a while, and I’m afraid I might be a tiny bit too sensitive by nature! To give you an idea on my level of idiocy I’ll tell you I was crying re-watching Cinderella yesterday. In particular when the two ugly and evil stepsisters destroy her dress for the ball the little mice and birds managed to put together with a big effort.
Let’s say that at the moment I feel exactly the same…
Google search
I’d feel a lot better with friends here, but as a matter of fact all my friends are far away or in Italy and so are my mum, my brother and my sister in law. Besides, someone I thought my friend apparently is too busy with her life to even write a message for moral support, so it’s like not having anybody at all.
In order to cope with the thunderstorm happening in my brain I decided to write a post.
And of course, considering it’s me we’re talking about, I decided to talk about baddies…the bad and evil characters representing villains in books, films and so on! Tell me you didn’t expect this!
As an aspiring writer I’m aware that you need bad things happening to your main characters in your stories and also that you need the baddies: those characters you need in order to have a conflict inside you book and without whom your story would be flat like a crepes…without being delicious!
There is someone who tells that this should happen in life as well otherwise it will be too boring. To be completely honest with you, I’d rather have a very, very boring life. I’m sick and tired to be betrayed by someone I thought a friend, being disappointed by a person I liked, being abandoned for no reason or also being bullied for no reason at all by people with a minimum and a maximum of power in their hands.
I mean, where the hell is my revenge time? Shouldn’t there be a moment when I could feel good and at ease and, if not lucky, at least not completely miserable?
Also, I have to say that, although I cannot stand the baddies, I managed to do a distinction. There are baddies and baddies.
There are those who have a reason why they’re mean and resentful, while others are just evil for no reason. Well, I hate the latter and to be honest, at this stage of my life, the peaceful side of my character is willing to close an eye while I hope they could suffer one of the most painful fates you could imagine.
I mean, if I manage to understand why they’re being evil, or if they just have a characteristic that make them memorable I might even like them, while people just mean are no attraction to me.
For example, remaining in Harry Potter world from last post.
Voldemort is THE evil, but actually I kind of understand him. I mean, he has his past, his trauma and his own reason why he’s doing what he’s doing. I don’t like it, I’d fight against him, and still I understand him.
Fudge is evil to some extent, but he’s a coward and acts as such out of fear, so I understand him too.
But what about the Umbridge? What are her reasons? She’s evil for evil’s sake. Unless somewhere else is written clearly why she does what she does (And being loyal to the minister for magic is a bit poor excuse!) she just enjoys causing sadness and making the other people suffer.
Or do you want other examples?
Umbridge is more or less like Cinderella stepmother and stepsisters who are evil for such a feeble reason as jealousy.
See? Jealousy as well is something I classify as unacceptable as not having reason at all.
John Silver from Treasure Island, Count of Montecristo, Caine from Gone series or President Snow from Hunger Games have a reason why they do what they do. But Silver’s pirates or Drake or President Coin to mention a few from the same sources, they are just mean, they think to their personal gain and create confusion and sadness just for personal pleasure.
Or let’s take another example with One Piece, my other favourite.
There are many baddies but not all of them can be considered mean till the bones or so mean you would hate them… we’re still talking about pirates anyway, we must be flexible! Sometimes they’re portrayed deeply enough to have a valid reason why they do what they do! But Black Beard or Doflamingo, who are disgustingly mean and power driven just because they want to have some fun from time to time and don’t care about nobody else but themselves are disgusting human beings.
See my point? I don’t understand being mean without reason and for selfish gaining’s sake. Being evil for fun I think it’s one of the less appealing and the most repugnant things that I could think of.
And, as matter of fact my employers enter in this latter category, think about them as a mixture of Umbridge and Doflamingo, and I think this is the main reason why I feel frustrated.
Google search. One of my boss smiles exactly the same! Creepy!Google search
I Ihave many weak points and I’m not saying that I’ve never hurt anybody in the past.
But I didn’t do on purpose, I always apologized when I realized what I did and I didn’t when I didn’t or nobody notified me. I admit to be a very distracted person, so sometimes it might happen I do something without realizing I’m doing it.
But I’m not mean.
And I would feel very down and ashamed knowing that someone suffered for my actions.
Wouldn’t be a better world if everybody could live in peace, being honest with other people? We could look for challenges and adventures in other places or concerning other topics.
Why on earth people have to be mean to each other just to save themselves from boredom?
I just hope that sooner or later I’ll have my revenge!
For the moment I’ll be happy to turn them in my fictional characters and make them suffer!
What do you think?
Let me know in the comment below if I’m right or wrong!
P.S. I’ve just realized I’ve chosen all images with pink as main colour! I don’t have anything against this colour! So I think the text should match.
P.S.2 See? Both Umbridge and Doflamingo even dress the same colour! It must mean something then!!! I didn’t do it on purpose!
As I’m currently re-reading the Harry Potter series, I think that the quote in the title isn’t only easy to use but also very appropriate considering the situation!
I’ll just write a few words today, because I feel very down, very disappointed and very sad.
Once again I had the bad experience of being bullied in work by my employers and to be perfectly honest I’m sick and tired of this.
As I simply said in the title, at the moment I feel like after a closer encounter with a Dementor.
For those who’re not familiar with Harry Potter world, Dementors are the creatures who feed on happiness, hope and good feelings, leaving you with the awful sensation of not being able to be cheerful again.
And that’s exactly what my employers are, Dementors.
They said they’re not picking on me, I’d say they are, I cannot explain otherwise.
I’m very sad, disappointed and frustrated and they’re landing me in a very difficult situation. And despite knowing that they don’t care because the business is more important than people.
Remaining in the Harry Potter world of comparison, they’re just waiting to perform the kiss, leaving me soulless.
But let’s try to find a funny side. If they keep going on this way I’ll soon be able to join the following meme characters:
It was the first day of the year and, bang, we’re in February already. Sometimes this kind of thing destabilizes me! I have the sensation the time is bewitched!
Well, since I write fantasy, why should I be bothered by such a mere detail?!
So let’s talk about business, in particular reading!
I’m going to show you what happened to my January reading pile.
Ok it seems better than it really is!
Gone, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Il cervello anarchico were almost finished already, so it isn’t a real achievement.
Although Orson Scott Card book is still there to be finished, I have to say I almost managed to reach my goal of getting rid of the unfinished 2014 books.
Hopefully this month I’ll manage to eliminate the last one too!
I loved Neil Gaiman book and Maya too. She would like to re-read it immediately! I think I passed on the re-reading mania in the next generation, but re-reading a book immediately after finishing it, it’s a bit exaggerated even for me!!!
I love I tre moschettieri. Dumas proves to be genius once again! I’m looking forward to read the end!
And now let me introduce you the pile for this month!
I have Michael Grant’s second book of the series. It’s just amazing.
I have Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, just because now that I started the re-read I have to finish the whole series, otherwise I’d feel too sad!
As you can see Maya passed to books more apt to her age…kind of! So I have the fantastic Roald Dahl, which is a re-read for me but is really appreciated by my toddler!
I know I have two books in Italian adding I Celti (Celts) but as I needed to start a mild research for the book I’m concentrating on now, I had to insert something in the reading pile. I’ll talk more about that in this month writing log!
Dr.Franny and Mrs.Myself 