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In a twisted version of Darwinian determinism, we tell ourselves that real artists can survive the most hostile environments and yet find their true calling like homing pigeons. That's hogwash.

The Artists Way: A Spiritual Guide to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron, pp. 28.

#readingchallenge2020 #personal #creativity #revival #nonfiction #course #safety #shadowartists #beautiful quote

Today, after having to put it off for a couple of weeks, I am going to be talking about Excuse #5 from “Girl, Stop Apologizing”. I think I felt hesitant to talk about this chapter because I have this excuse in the back of my mind, holding me back. So far, all the other excuses ring true, but it was an epiphany to feel that I have been using this one as well to justify why I can’t accomplish my dreams.

Excuse #5 is I can’t pursue my dream and still be a good mom/daughter/employee. However, I would like to mix it up a bit today. I forgot that at the back of the book, Rachel Hollis provided Discussion questions for each chapter. They can be used for anything.

I know, I should read cover-to-cover before I start typing! (Probably).

Anyway, I would like to take the time to answer the discussion questions based on my personal life as I dive into the chapter with you. Let’s go!

The first question asks you to fill in the blank, of the same excuse and to explain why you feel this way based on other’s expectations.

Here’s my fill in the blank:

I can’t pursue my dream and still be a good student, employee, and friend.

One of the things Hollis talks about is that there is no such thing as work-life balance, and I couldn’t agree more as I am in the middle of obtaining a bachelor’s degree. Work-life balance, from Hollis’s perspective, insinuates, “those two things live in harmony, perfectly divided up on the scale of your life” (pp.44). It’s a lie.

A way I connected to this is the idea of trade-offs if we can reflect on taking Economics in high school or college. A trade-off is an exchange between two goods, where if one needs to be produced more, the other lacks behind. The only time the two goods can fulfill enough resources to demand is at equilibrium, and I think that’s why we hold onto the lie that we can balance our work and life. It’s just not possible. There’s always going to be a trade-off for what you have to do versus what you’ve always dreamed of achieving.

Am I ringing some truth?

I used to think I could balance my life and work as well, but it never was the case. As a student, I know I am responsible to be present in class, physically and habitually when we transitioned to remote instruction, and complete the work on time. As an employee, the same thing applies. I tried to balance both of these expectations as a student and worker at a part-time job on my campus. From a career perspective,this job isn’t considered ideal, but it will look good on my resume, thus benefiting my future. However, working meant that I would lose some study time, such as completing assignments when I usually would, and I had to figure out how to have a life as I tried balance school, work, social time, and me-time. It felt like it was out of my control more than a balance. Then, I started to feel like I couldn’t be a good student for working, a good employee if I wanted to participate in extracurricular activities, or a friend because I didn’t have enough time to go out and have fun.

Again, there is no work-life balance, but I’m learning, now that I am taking a break from school until the next semester, that there is a way to achieve the dreams without it feeling like a trade-off out of your control. There is a way not to feel guilty for achieving something you want in life, and that is addressed in the next question.

Question two includes two parts as well to help the reader reflect on their well-being on pp. 213. It says,

“You cannot waste [your life] living only for everyone else” (pp. 42).

Do you feel it is selfish to put your well-being first? Why or why not?

After reflecting on the quote, I do sometimes feel like I am selfish to put my well-being before anyone else’s because I do not believe that it matters. Looking back over my life, I realize that I gave myself the role of a caregiver to others—accepting them regardless of their character—because I thought that would mean they would accept me. I put myself last because if I cared for someone else, I would get the love I would need to live.

I bet you’re shaking your head, maybe considering your own life as we go through these questions, but to be clear, I am slowly changing this belief about myself because I need to take of myself before I can take care of someone else. Living for others is not a healthy lifestyle.

I am thankful for the experiences I’ve had that have shown me it’s great to be kind to others, but I have learned that I need to be kind to myself and aware of others’ character before I get sucked into becoming manipulated. Presently, I am trying to take care of myself while being self-isolated, and I know I have the right people in my circle that have my best interests as I do for theirs. I can now start to focus on my well-being, life, and goals in 2020, gradually accepting that I am not selfish to have this excuse that I cannot be a good student, employee, and friend.

I can achieve my goals, and so can you.

Please feel free to take the time to answer these questions and to read her book if you’re interested! I like following Rachel Hollis and her company because they are making a great impact on young women and girls alike to become the best version of themselves, so I highly recommend checking her out.

(Also, let’s be clear, still not getting paid to do this! I don’t need to because I enjoy sharing resources with others that I think would be helpful!)

As for other updates, I am planning out future book reviews. The next two books I plan to post here are the ones I had to read for the semester because they count, and I had to put time and energy into them for coursework! They pushed me ahead in my goal, so they’re getting reviewed. Let’s see if they made high marks, eh?

There are no currently reading updates today except that I finished another book yesterday, May 7. I finished reading “The Subtle Knife” by Phillip Pullman—I couldn’t resist, and it wasn’t that bad—and I’m planning to read a young adult romance novel alongside this book and “IT”.

As always, stay safe out there and thank you for checking out my blog. See you soon!

*Photo Credit: this photo is a blurred version of the cover from the book. The cover is originally designed by Sami Lane from the Hollis Company, and the photo credit for the front page photo goes to Jorge Macias. Text is generated from FireAlpacca (Snap ITC).

#readingchallenge2020 #girlstopapologizing #nonficiton #excuses #dreams #review #personal

No matter what your age or your life path, whether making art is your career or your hobby or your dream, it is not too late or too egotistical or too selfish or too silly to work on your creativity.

“The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity” by Julia Cameron, pp.xii.

#readingchallenge2020 #personal #preparing #creativity #freshstart #writersblock #inspiration

I’m so thankful to be writing this review right now. Now, I can share one of the best books I’ve read this year. I have to consider this for the No.1 spot unless another book comes around and steals the title.

For this review, I’m going to see if I can try a different format for writing. Please feel free to leave feedback for which review is best for you to read. Any is appreciated!

In 2019, I received the “His Dark Materials” series by Philip Pullman as a Christmas gift. I watched the movie earlier in the year, which I know is not what a reader is supposed to do, but I loved it. The story was interesting, and I fell in love with the main character and her journey across the world to save her best friend. I started reading the first book, “The Golden Compass” after Christmas because I was excited to start, and I finished the book on the second day of the new year. It counts, by the way!

Here is what I think of the book, even though it’s four months down the road. Remember, spoiler warning:

1. What audience is the author writing for?

I think Pullman is writing for anyone that listens. The main character is about 11-13 years ago at the start of the book, so it does appeal to readers who are in that age range who likes mysteries, fantasy, and adventure. I would also argue that this book is for young adults, which is about 8th grade-12th grade, for there are vocabulary words that I had to look up a couple of times. The third audience would be adults because there are many parts in “The Golden Compass” that deal with mature thoughts, events, and feelings that are viewed from a child’s perspective. This book can appeal to any age group!

2. Do I care about the characters?

If caring is defined as ‘I like the majority of the characters’, then yes. For someone that watched the movie with no idea about what was going on until a half-hour in, I enjoyed them. Lyra is my favorite, and her daemon, Pan. I like her because she’s at that age where innocence is stripped for reality, and I don’t mean that in a sick way. She goes through several major events that alter her perspective on the world, politics, religion, and most importantly, what family is to her. It was intriguing to read the story from her point of view because Pullman revealed to the reader her thoughts, feelings, and motivations with appropriate dialogue and exposition.

3. Did it have a compelling plot?

Yes, YES, YES IT DOES! Excuse my enthusiasm, but here are some spoilers about the book.

It’s about Lyra Belacqua, a twelve/thirteen-year-old girl from Oxford who is forced to take a side in a complicated war. After stumbling on a proposal meeting for her uncle, Lord Asriel, she learns there are these mysterious particles called Dust, and it divides her home to two sides: those who want to explore it and those who despise it. She has no idea why people are touchy around the subject, but when kidnappers called ‘Gobblers’ abduct her best friend and the Master of Jordan college gives her a golden compass with symbols, she sets out on a journey to save her best friend.

This is all I’m going to reveal because the plot thickens and gets disturbing as she travels the world. Personally, I was hooked the minute I finished Chapter 1, and I even began to mutter comments to myself when I felt strongly about important plot points, especially when Lyra interacted with Ms. Coulter. Of course, I saw the movie and know Ms. Coulter’s role, but still! I felt so much more hatred for her than I did when I watched the movie. You don’t mess with that woman!

4. Did any quotes strike me?

Yes, but this one is another spoiler. Please feel free to skip this question!

When Iorek Brynison says to Lyra, “Belacqua? No. You are Lyra Silvertongue” (Pullman, pp. 348), I wanted him to win the fight against the bear king so bad. You see, Lyra and Iorek share a special bond because she rescued his honor in exchange for his allegiance to save the abducted children. He swore to protect her during the mission, but he also told her once that his kind cannot be tricked because they possess the talent to see pass deceit. However, because Lyra tricked the current bear king that she was Iorek’s daemon, Iorek respects her for proving him wrong. It makes me smile every time!

5. What is the author’s voice like?

The author’s voice is quite interesting. Pullman takes the role of a narrator—an observer in the world of the book. The narrator knows what Lyra does and thinks, and sometimes they view other character’s stories as well as share their opinion. Based on the verb tense, the narrator is speaking about a time in history, but when reading the book, it almost feels like you’re right there, watching Lyra as she reads the Golden Compass (or aethalometer!).

6. What is the author’s purpose?

I think that Pullman’s purpose was to demonstrate that religion has a strong influence on the minds of adults. As Lyra further investigates the Gobbler’s abduction patterns to save her friend, the Church’s opinion becomes prominent. It seems that those who work for the Church are against the investigations of Dust and have power over the distribution of information, so it becomes clear that Lord Asriel’s proposal is a threat to their cause. Pullman wanted to highlight this theme because religion is known throughout history to want to control the thoughts and beliefs of its followers, especially when it comes to new findings in science. Also, if science threatens an idea supported by the Church, then the world becomes divided on what is right and what is wrong.

7. What did I learn from reading?

I learned that the world is very different from the eyes of a child. A child, like Lyra, can pick up on something wrong from time to time, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good thing. The more a child is exposed to the reality of adulthood—such as abduction, religion, deceit, and war—the world changes. Lyra was able to compose herself, to remain present in learning about the world around her, but it still came as a shock when she found out that the people who loved her would also not hesitate to put her in harm’s way. Lyra learned the importance of bonds with people who are not your family with the Gyptians and Iorek Brynison, and this also established her core belief of loyalty and justice.

8. What rating did I give this book?

I gave this book 5 stars because it made me think, I wanted more, and I was intrigued by the themes!

9. Who would I recommend this book to?

I would recommend this book to anyone. It has a little bit of every genre in it, like fantasy, science fiction (I would argue), general fiction, and adventure. Because of the vocabulary and themes, I think it would encourage young readers to investigate meanings they don’t understand and ask questions. While religion is known to be restricted, sometimes offended for free-thinking, this is what learning is all about. I would also recommend it because it’s a good story, just a little something to read when you want to explore a different world.

10. When will I read the remaining books in the series?

Because of the pandemic, I am reading the next book, “The Subtle Knife,” earlier than I expected. The remaining books on my list for the year are somewhat similar, I want to include a little more diversity, besides just anxious about what happens to Lyra next!

Speaking of which, what am I currently reading?

· “IT” by Stephen King: You will not believe it, guys. I made it to the halfway point! I’ve completed 50% of the book, and it’s a lot to swallow. It’s certainly different than the recent adaptation (mind you, I haven’t watched that one all the way through, just snippets). Still, I think this is why I appreciate the book more. I love reading about the memories the losers club have when they return to Derry, and I’m always wondering what’s going to happen next, even if my eyes are tired.

·“Girl, Stop Apologizing” by Rachel Hollis: I haven’t continued to read much of this book because I still need to make a blog post for Excuse 5 and I’m currently working on their #Next90challenge course. When she started advertising for it and mentioned it was a free course, I thought it would be a good idea to try it out. So far, I’m having fun! I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the lessons. For now, thank you again for being patient. Excuse 5 will be created shortly after this review.

I finished three books since my last blog post, which were “The Fates Divide” by Veronica Roth, the novel version of the hit musical, “Dear Evan Hansen,” and “The Flight of Swans by Sarah McGuire. Currently, I am figuring out which book review to do next after the Golden Compass because I am behind. Using this month to focus on making posts is going to be beneficial now that I have this free time to do it. No more excuses!

As always, please stay safe wherever you are and practice healthy habits.

* Photo Credit: this photo is a blurred version of the cover from the book. The cover is originally based on art by Iacopo Bruno (2017). Text is generated from FireAlpacca.

#readingchallenge2020 #thegoldencompass #bookreview #spoilers #fantasy #dustanddaemons #favorite #fiction #novel #ages10andup

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Hey guys! This audio is to test how I can post recording on my blog in the future because I want to explore and have some things for my Senior portfolio before I graduate. If you like this format, please leave a heart!

I am planning to be working for the blog again next Monday. The semester was a bit rough on me with coursework, so I am taking the rest of the week off to relax, catch up on some other things, and to get centered for this month.

Thank you, as always, for being patient with me, and keep reading on!

#readingchallenge2020 #snip #update #audio #test

An Update from the Desk of Ms. Meredith: Mar. 20, 2020

Hello,

If you are reading this, then I must tell you I need to take another short break again. I received an email from the university last night that we are transitioning to remote online learning for the remainder of the semester due to the increase of COVID-19 in our state. I need to take some time to stay calm, adjust, and make plans.

Thank you for understanding.

I am looking forward to writing reviews soon once my schedule is intact. Please, wherever you are in the world, be safe and self-quarantine regardless of what age you are. This is a virus we have never dealt with before, so taking all steps of isolation is what’s best until a cure can be made.

Sincerely,

Ms. Meredith

#update #readingchallenge2020 #badnews #takeabreak #besafe #covidー19

Excuse #4--I’m not enough to succeed

When I starting reading this chapter, who knows how long ago, I paid close attention. I’ve used this excuse cards plenty of times, along with ‘I don’t have time to do that’, to trick me into thinking I can’t do something I want to do. I enjoyed listening to Rachel Hollis talk about her personal journey, too, though I wasn’t expecting it.

On pp. 31, the biggest excuse she gave herself not to start her own company is that she wasn’t smart enough. I was shocked! Hollis had never studied business or entrepreneurship at a university before starting her business. I was amazed that through all the experience she acquired, especially mentioned in Excuse #3, she could do it.

One thing that this chapter aims to teach you about can be summed up from one of my favorite quotes thus far, “Either piss or get off the pot” (Hollis, pp. 32).

When you want something, you just go for it. If you don’t have the passion, time to stop and find something you are in love with. I think that’s the softer version!

Finally, the big message from this chapter and Hollis is that you are enough. I need to know I am enough. I can listen to the facts of my accomplishments instead of the opinions of being ‘not good enough’.

Now, get out there and make something of yourself!

Whew, let me cool down for a second, for I have an exercise you can try on your own. I’m going to try and write down mine later tomorrow to share with you.

Hollis explains an exercise to write a letter to yourself, from yourself (pp. 36). In this letter, the sender is the part of you that hasn’t given up and knows you are enough to succeed in your passions and projects.

Whenever you feel like you are not enough, write a letter to yourself. Even when you’ve written a hundred letters to yourself, keep going.

Hollis, your significant other, me, or anyone doesn’t always have to encourage you for the fact that you are enough to succeed.

It starts with you.

#motivation #girlstopapologizing #readingchallenge2020 #personal #nonfiction #letters #excuses #youareenough

This post is a long time coming, isn’t it? I need to hold myself accountable for not posting on here about the great books I’m reading, and how fortunate I am to be talking about the greatest excise of all time!

Excuse #3--I don’t have time.

How many times have you told that to yourself this? I can tell you this: I think I say it too many times, and I continue to apologize for my procrastination.

I didn’t know that procrastination could be addicting, but I do know that it is a habit that can be broken over time.

In this chapter, Hollis talks about what it was like for her when she was working towards her goal to start a company. She dedicated hours to working in the entertainment industry to gain experience, she passed off relaxing activities on weekends to instead plan weddings--for free, mind you--and she also gave up invitations from friends or coworkers to continue to put in that effort, just so she could make her dream come true (pp. 21-22).

Tangent, for just a moment. I’m currently taking an economics course for a General Education requirement, and one of the big ideas we have to remember moving forward is there's always a constant trade-off, no matter what you’re dealing with: food, service, time, etc. Hollis made a trade-off to either put in the work towards a goal or put off the time and do something fun.

That’s a hard decision to make! I toast to her courage for keeping at it for so long, for she now is able to host her own conferences with her husband, encourage young women like me to be more than what we think we are, and still have time for her family, friends, and herself to be happy. I’m so proud of her, and she currently inspires me to be myself, not who I think I should be outside my house.

The best part is Hollis gives us four steps to dedicating time to a certain goal in life, and how to make it a reality than a wish. With that, I will share with you an example of my schedule, a very small snippet. I’m home from school for three weeks, and as much as I know to take care of myself, incorporate movement, and to get my homework in on time, I want to save some time for blogging and sharing the books I’ve ready so far this year.

(I’m not going to lie, I’ve already read 11. I need to hurry and write reviews for the other nine books I have yet to rate, so let’s begin.)

For now, this is my schedule for this week, March 16-March 22, 2020, also known as Spring Break, given in hours. If you have a copy of the book of your own, or you’re wondering what these steps are and have an online version, you can find her steps on pp. 23-26.

1. Make a Timeline of Your Week:

March 16-

8 a.m.-10 a.m.: Good morning, time to get ready and get some food! (Done)

11 a.m.-12 p.m.: Work a little on homework and practice makeup. Make an important phone call. (Done)

1 p.m.-2 p.m.: Yikes, go renew an I.D, get some food, and scan an important document! (Done).

3 p.m.-4 p.m.: Work on some homework. (Didn’t happen, sadly. I wasn’t feeling good, but my cat wanted to take a nap and snuggle with me for a little bit. She was so cute before she started biting my leg. Ouch!)

5 p.m.- 6 p.m.: Work on this blog post! Maybe work on another homework assignment.

7 p.m.-8 p.m.: Eat dinner and help around the house.

9 p.m.-10 p.m.: Get ready for bed. Goodnight!

March 17-

8 a.m.-9 a.m.: Good morning! Get ready and get food!

10 a.m.-12 p.m.: Homework Time! And get some lunch at noon.

1 p.m.-3 p.m. Hmm, most likely free time. I’m considering using this time to work on creative projects just for fun, since I am on break. Also use as time to get things done if I need to leave the house.

4 p.m.- 5 p.m.: Blog time! This means time spent posting blog posts for “GSA” or writing reviews to post in the future. Who knows, maybe even completing them and editing them to post around this time.