#340 words

[victoria--skinner]

This week was another rollercoaster for me. I had a very busy week, and I worked all weekend so I didn’t get much of a break. This has made me feel stressed and very tired. It feels like no matter how much I work, or how hard I try, it’s never enough. I taught a lot of lessons Friday and Sunday, and I recorded Friday and Saturday. Recording is scary for me, even though I’ve recorded for auditions so many times.

On the bright side, I found out a new way to cope with this fear. Now I occupy my mind with thoughts like “get louder here” or “more expressive in the left hand” instead of freaking out about past or potential mistakes. This keeps me in the moment and focusing on something productive. It keeps my mind calm and organized, so I think I have found a good way to comfort myself. Also, I had really productive violin and viola lessons this week, and my teachers said that I am doing very well with preparing my music! This makes me happy, because I have been spending all week stressing out about not doing enough, but this gives me some validation. I also was able to confirm dates for my recital, so I am excited for that. I know I have a lot of time, and my friends and family will support me no matter what, so I mostly have positive emotions toward that.

I chose this picture of my “music room” (it used to be the dining room before I took it over), because that’s where I spent my entire weekend. When I was freaking out about recordings and after long days of teaching music lessons, this room wasn’t the place I wanted to be. However, I still consider this room to be my safe space. I always feel the most comfortable expressing myself here, and I’m hopeful that once I overcome my fears, I might be able to express myself like that in other places, too.

[asheewrites]

On Set Diversions

„One triple serving of fruit tornado berry speciale, please,” I said, synchronised with Allan.

He stared at me with some kind of puzzled, even almost alarmed expression, while I laughed with maybe a bit too much joy.

“Ehe…heeh… don’t look at me like that, your ‘secret’ ice cream tours have little chance of staying a secret if you are the star of the movie.” I patted at my chest. “Plus, you left the mic on”

“Oh, shit!” With a different kind of worry, he found the tiny switch and clicked it off. “… I’m not yet used to that…”

I laughed, hand landing on his shoulder: “It happens to everyone”

“Daaaaaaaan,” he whined, “I’m not supposed to eat ice cream all the tiiiime… and now everyone knows?”

I laughed again: “Don’t you worry, pal. You only have to follow the Aaronson training plan and DON’T skip leg day. And no one will complain”

The two cones of cold sugar got placed in front of us. I took mine.

It tasted of vanilla and berry and… therefore awful. Who would have thought. I made a bit of a face before I returned my attention to the one and only Mister Riverson.

Allan didn’t seem to have a problem with the flavour (would be strange after he ordered it every single day this week). He licked at it while giving me puppy eyes.

… the image gave me an idea why Steve might be under a little more stress than usual. Anyway. He said: “Are you sure it will be fine? I did get nutritional restrictions…”

“Let me say it like that… it doesn’t show. So right now, you are off the hook until it does. So, how about it? Leg day? Tomorrow? I’ll meet you after the shoot!”

He smiled brilliantly and gave me a thumbs up.

I put an arm around his shoulders and put him into a tiny strangehold. Ice-obsessed little-

“Do you not want to eat this?” He pointed at my cone.

… I gave him a noogie.

[asheewrites]

Chelle getting a personalized letter with the birth-announcement for Gabebaby? Her reactions/thoughts to that?

First of all: No. Second: Have a different perspective ^^;

‚We hereby announce an heir has been born to Samil’s court.The chosen name is Nima’So far so good.

Raphael had gotten that card as well.

The letter… the letter behind it was something else,though.

It was easy to picture his sister, misinterpreting everysingle thing.

Letters addressed to him were much further in between,but he, too, received letters from the Lady Gabrielle. So, he knew how a cheerfulletter sounded.

This here was one of those. No hidden sadness. Wideletters, exuberant language. It was perfectly fine and she was perfectly happywith the birth of her son.

The things his dear sister had possibly concentrated onwere the fact that it arrived a whole month early. And that she had been withouther husband.

Which, of course, was not exactly true, since the otherthree men were now married to her as well, but Michelle had slight trouble withthat distinction…

Then that it had happened at night… and there had been nohospital. A reason to yell about an ‘uncivilised’ country again.

The much biggerparts about the discussion of names and the happy reunion had likely goneunheard. Neither the feeling of bliss and the awe that shone through when shewrote about how small her son is. How adorable he was in her husbands’ bighands. How happy she was to have them all. How well everything was.

No, Raphael was pretty sure his sister had ignored thatwhen she had saddled a horse, grabbed a purse of money and galloped out thecity door.

Without any kind of message, of course.

Maybe there wasa little bit of excitement mixed in, if the scream ‘TINY GAAAABE’ was any indication, but the muttered curses whilepacking the barest necessities hadn’t been that reassuring in her good gracestowards Gabrielle’s partners.

There was nothing left to do but sigh. And prepare for adiplomatic mission in another country.

After all, he could not leave his seething sister alone

… there might be… complications…

[avtjiyong]

I'm Not Really Who You're Angry At || Solo

There were always two opposing sides to Jiyong, he realized, whenever he attended things like these. He loved festivals, but he wasn’t overly fond of the crowds. He wished he was more of a social butterfly, but he tended to be too shy. Whenever he was in the middle of crowds, he hunched his shoulders up and gripped onto his backpack strap protectively, not that he worried someone would take it—it was just an instinctual reaction in case he had to run somewhere very fast.

You learn to pick up that kind of stuff after almost two years living on the streets.

Things he wasn’t ever prepared for, however, included colliding head-on into a middle-aged woman, knocking all her bought goods and trinkets and candies out of her arms, causing them all to spill out across the street. She was much bigger than he was, so the impact left him sprawling backwards, waving his hands around for support or balance.

His face burnt a bright red as he realized what had just happened and began apologizing and bowing to her, only to be met with stern condemnation and scolding. She was very, very angry that he’d just basically ruined everything she had, and no amount of apologies could fix it. He scrambled onto the ground to try and pick it all up for her, but she only yelled at him to just nOT TOUCH ANYTHING.

Jiyong didn’t like yelling or pointed fury like that—not many people exploded at him like this. He ended up just dropping all her things onto the ground again, before turning and running away. He wasn’t so girly that he had tears in his eyes or anything, but she had been quite frightening and he didn’t like dealing with people who acted like that. Especially towards strangers, who had only made an accident. He wondered briefly, as soon as he was a safe distance away, behind some food stations, what the actual cause of her frustration today was. And reminded himself to be more careful in the future.

[casshansonbookstudy-blog]

Book Study #1

In English my group and I are currently reading "The Book of Negroes" by Lawrence Hill. It is a story about a young girl named Aminata who is taken by white people; branded and forced to become a slave. In the first section of the book both Aminatas parents have been killed before her eyes and she must now learn to survive as a slave and endure the pain and suffering that is thrown her way. Throughout her journey Aminata becomes stronger each day knowing of the consequences that can take place if she makes any mistakes for the road that lays ahead. I believe the title of my novel has a significant meaning. When Lawrence Hill chose this as his title he was surrounding it towards the actual historic document referred to as "The Book of Negroes"; the book in which slaves requesting permission to leave the United States and re settle in Nova Scotia wrote down their name into this one 'book'. His idea of the title did not only grab the peoples attention but did the opposite of what he believed would happen. The United States was refusing to read it making him re name it "Someone Knows My Name" but keeping the same title "The Book of Negroes" for the Canadian readers. When choosing a book to read the title of the novel is a major aspect. It can be focusing on the plot, central themes, characters/setting and offering a hint of the overall meaning of the story. The author decides on the title in order to grasp the readers attention and gain their interest for their novel, either having a negative or positive affect towards the piece. This is where the title of Lawrence Hill's "The Book of Negroes" comes into play; and where I do not believe that this title is wrong for this book for its historical meaning and story that comes along with it. Although I have only read 150 pages into this book this title adds to its importance where it is not only teaching the readers a piece of history- but we are learning about Aminata's remarkable story.