I Dig Every Second (10/26)

This is mostly just some FYI about the last two poems I posted, "Farewell to Julian" and "First-Person Space."

The first poem is dedicated to Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones (featured in the photo uploaded with the poem), a man I'd read up on a great deal at the time of the poem's composition. The title comes from his favoritism of the name Julian which is derived from one of his favorite musicians, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley. I often feel Brian doesn't get enough credit for his achievements, and is more known for his destructive behavior than anything. So please know that Brian Jones was the original founder of The Rolling Stones, meaning he held the auditions for the band which Mick Jagger and Keith Richards attended. Brian was also the first noted musician to master slide guitar in England. He composed an entire film score which featured the likes of Jimmy Page, and mastered a little over twenty-one instruments by the time he was twenty-seven. Also, by the time of his death at the age of twenty-seven (thus making him one of the first and most famous members of the 27 Club), he was clear of all illegal drugs contrary to the popular belief that Brian had burnt out due to his substance abuse.

The second poem, "First-Person Space" is a villanelle. It's better that I not discuss the subject of the poem, but I will tell you that I love writing poetry with guidelines like villanelles. Usually the idea of rules tying down art is not something I think of affectionately, but it's not to such a suffocating extent. It's more like a rainbow, you know? Instead of having the colors spill every which way, they're aligned to make something neat and just as aesthetically appealing. 

That came out a lot cornier than I intended.

Still working out how I'll manage to watermark my writing. It'd be a lot easier if I still had my old photo editing software.

I also wrote a poem yesterday that I intend to recite for things like open mic nights, so I will not be uploading it till I have had the opportunity to perform it publicly. In other words, you'll be seeing it before you read it.

I must be off now - class is about to start.

Hasta luego!

Today have some Dave Grohl, aka my muse.

"First-Person Space"

I sit at my loom, spinning my tales

Threading through words like silver lace

And yet I sense my vision fails

I met a figure on foreign trails

Who sought for me a safer place

Where I sit at my loom, spinning my tales

He left me here for brighter gales

Left alone recounting his grace

And yet I sense my vision fails

Honeyed skin for which my heart ails

Sea foam smile with sarcastic trace

I sit at my loom, spinning my tales

Cold breath, soft as a nightingale's

Distanced by mere first-person space

And yet I sense my vision fails

Changes expose that which time veils

And as hard as I try to conjure your face

Sitting at my loom, spinning my tales

I only fear my vision fails

The Coldness of My Winter (10/23)

You know what's difficult? Keeping up with more contemporary musicians. I just found out yesterday that even though I'll be able to see Soundgarden and My Chemical Romance at Voodoo, I'll be missing The Raconteurs on Sunday. Oh woe is me.

I'm going to try to revise my most recent short story today. Shannon gave me the idea to upload pdf files of my work and watermark them so I'll be less paranoid about plagiarism when, in reality, I doubt there are people creeping about and just waiting for me to post my own work so as to steal it. Still, though, you never know.

Last night someone asked me if I was sober. Which I was. Which must say multitudes about my behavior.

In more relevant news I'm trying to keep up with what's going on in Turkey, as well as spread the word about Dr. Zhicheng whom I learned of from this lovely piece on deviantART. Do sign the petition and help the cause.

I know I said I'd be doing daily updates, but I feel like I should hold off throughout this week. This blog was intended to be about my writing, but I've been doing more prattling about my life more than anything. And even if you who reads this are not particularly bothered by such, I still need to figure out more ways of publicizing what I created this blog for.

Hopefully when I get started on this new book I've had in my head, I can post things like character profiles and sketches and previews. In fact I might post previews of short stories I've already written while I get this watermarking method figured out. 

That and more to be sorted out in my next installment. 

Have some Frank. New music video. So new, in fact, that I can't embed the video so you'll have to do with a link. Lovely song. Great album. Check it out.

Sometimes I feel like my life is one big Frank Turner plug. And if my header doesn't prove it, I don't know what does.

"Farewell to Julian"

Grey eyes would poison me

They would taint my blood, I'm sure

I suppose I'm safe from here

But maybe I shouldn't stare

At your beautiful feathered wings

Sheer and torn, broken and worn

But look at your eyes, I don't dare

Grey eyes would consume me

They'd swallow me up, I'm sure

Not everything is clear

But maybe I shouldn't care

About short-sighted, hurtful things

About barks to bites, words and fights

But look at your eyes, I don't dare

Grey eyes would betray me

They would break my heart, I'm sure

They paralyze me with fear

But maybe I should bear

The pitiful prick it brings

Being too late, spat on by fate

But look at your eyes, I don't dare

That Ain't No Crime (10/22)

I think I'm suffering from post-Rocky Horror Picture Show depression. Or it could just be the biology homework.

Yeah, I had to skip out on the LSU game today because of homework and allergies. I'm sure it's the change in seasons, but I do love this cool weather. The boys did great, though! Geaux Tigers! I can't wait till we take on Bama.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Little Theater was spectacular. Before I've only ever been to movie participations with a shadow cast, but this was an actual play. The actors did a spectacular job. I even got to take some pictures with the guy who played Riff-Raff. I would upload them here, but I'm making a very strange face I'd rather not tarnish my blog with. Very sweet guy, though.

I'll be posting another poem right after this. Two in one weekend! Don't get too overwhelmed.

Also, it looks like Robert Plant's going to be at Jazz Fest! Shannon is a witness to my excitement - I legitimately freaked out.

If you don't keep up with Nikki McGuire's writing blog, you're missing out. I'm helping edit her book right now and she's definitely a name you'll want to remember. On her blog, she posts a video diary which describes what said book entails. I would do the same if a) I had not copied off of her enough already and b) I knew what to say in a video. So, instead, have a video of me dancing to The Monkees with a Delia's bag over my head. Quality stuff.

Also, thank you to the Bogos for following! I miss y'all!

All Her Little Pets (10/21)

I may or may not be watching It Might Get Loud in my spare time.

And if I am, it's probably absolutely awesome.

I posted a poem a minute ago, so here's some information pertaining to it. The title is from the David Bowie song "Changes" wherein he sings, "And these children that you spit on as they try to change their world are immune to your consultation - they're quite aware of what they're going through." Many will recognize it as part of the introduction to The Breakfast Club. I wrote it earlier this year, somewhere around spring, and submitted it to my school's literary club, but I've tweaked it a lot since it was published.

The reason I feel a lot more comfortable with updating with my poetry is because I'm not a real poet. I'm much better and more confident with prose. Also, you have to have a complete disregard for rhythm while writing prose which suits me just fine. I do still write poetry frequently, but it's mostly for my own benefit. 

While I'm here, I might as well gush about how Shannon and I have found a theater that's doing Rocky Horror this month. For those who don't know, there are few things I enjoy more in life than attending a live performance of the Rocky Horror Picture show, and I might even be able to go see one tonight if the stars align right. 

Also, today I managed to use the sentence “hace treinta minutas que ecuché la música de Led Zeppelin,” in my Spanish class which I would call an achievement. If I'm going to participate, I might as well be obnoxious about it.

Again, thank you to all my visitors thus far. Thank you to my family, friends, and followers (which makes me sound like the leader of a cult and will never sound any different thanks to Kelsey Climer) and I hope you find time to check back regularly. I do intend for updates to become a daily event.

I think I'll end today with a clip from one of my favorite shows at the moment, the British comedy panel show Mock the Week. WARNING: contains strong language that was not censored by BBC2 because Europe is funny that way. 

"These Children"

(Photograph by Nikki McGuire)

It's all okay

It's all undone

Look at home with

Fresh, wet eyes and

Breathe and find time

Passing from the

Victorians

Who clutched at your skirts

Dance with the moon

Feel the world

Touch its tilt

But you are its turn

The spin

The earth under our tired feet, 

But still we walk 

And still we trust in you 

To carry us through sunshine 

Into darkest night
Through sunshine
Into darkest night

Because you move us

In your turn

Where You Do Belong (10/20)

It was really hard finding lyrics from the song I have stuck in my head that were appropriate enough to use for a post title. Oh, you Rolling Stones, you.

So, last night I finished a short story that's been gnawing at my skull for the past four months or so. It's about twelve pages as is, but it's still very rough. Right now it's going through the first preliminary rounds of revisions, and then will be sent out to whatever magazine I can find that'll accept it. I already have a list made up, but it probably won't be ready for another month. I'm really excited for this story, so I hope I can do well with it.

Also, once I get this short story out of the way, I can start on an idea for a book that smacked me in the face two days ago.

There are guys in the courtyard who always always always greet each other by yelling "yo yo yo," sometimes at three o'clock in the morning and I can't help but think that a special circle of hell is being made up especially for them.

Since I still have not actually posted any of my work, I plan on digging up some of my poetry for tomorrow's update if I have the time. Shannon and I are supposed to be seeing a Pearl Jam tribute band somewhere on Chimes, so details are a bit fuzzy right now.

At this point in time I have started advertising this blog for both my followers on Tumblr and friends and family on Facebook, so I'll say hello to you now and thank you very much for visiting. I hope you choose to keep coming back.

The quote of the day comes from the song where I derived my blog's header.

Paupers and kings, princes and thieves, singers of songs, righters of wrongs, be what you believe. Saddle your horse, shoulder your load, burst at the seams, be what you dream, and then take to the road. 

- Frank Turner, "Journey of the Magi"

Frank Turner is a force to be reckoned with. Do go look him up when you get the chance.

Seashell Eyes (10/20)

Riddle me this: why did I bother to put a date in the title? 


This blog is a very hapless rip-off of a dear friend's writing blog, but I went ahead and made it so we could match and be cute that way. This friend can be found at thenikkimcguiremovement.com


You can already see how much I've cheated off of her idea by comparing our URLs. I might as well have just called mine the Vivian Beltran movement.


And that's another thing: my URL seems quite odd, obscure, or trying too hard. There is an explanation, however. Upon recent research (AKA Google), I discovered that my surname roughly translated to "bright/famous raven" which sounds pretty wicked. Don't even lie to yourself - you wish your surname was hot like mine.


All the aforementioned trivial matters aside, I do want to take this blog seriously. After all, I am quite serious about my career as an author.


What I'll be updating this blog with is still up in the air, but I think it's safe to say you may find some poetry, analytical reflections on mundane experiences, and progress reports on major projects. However, chances are I will not be posting any actual major prose works on this blog. It's incredibly easy to plagiarize other people's work when the Internet is at your disposal, but when I do begin to have my pieces published I will be offering the names of whatever publishing resource has taken on the ordeal of working with me.


Also, I'm really into classic rock, so I might be posting songs or lyrics or maybe even pictures every now and again.


My profile photo is a silhouette that doesn't show my face; I must mean business.


I end with a quote by a man who, in my opinion, should not have been played by Timothy Spall in The King's Speech.

Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential. 

- Winston Churchill