To The New Year

   Well, it's the end of the year and time to say good bye to the old year and hello to the new one. It's also that time to make resolutions. So here's my resolutions:

• Edit my novel-in-progress
• Write two full first drafts during 2011
• Get an agent and send edited novel-in-progress out for publication
• Get rid of all negativity in my life (more as in negative people instead of negative tasks as in work)
• Join a local writing group
• Learn to drive
• Experience new things (i.e. build something, go to new places, see new things, go camping, ect, ect.)
• Read more books and keep a journal
• Protect my writing time more than I have been

   There's my list. I hope you all manage to accomplish all your new year resolutions. This will be my last blog post for 2010, so farewell 2010 and hello 2011. I hope you'll be better and full of new adventures. I look forward to the new chapters in my life and the exciting new adventures that lay ahead.
   Looking back on this year I could have accomplished so much more. I don't want that regret at the end of 2011. I want to live my life to the fullest and enjoy every moment of it-- even the hardships.

   So here's to the new year and the new adventures that are waiting~
   May it be blessed with happiness, fortune, love, and excitement.

- Siddy

New Year Updates

   I've decided that New Year's Eve or day, at the latest, I will be incorporating my planned updates for my blog. It won't be completely done when I change the layout as I don't have my banner or such finished yet, but it'll be done enough to work. So be ready for a new layout and a new name!

   So here I am, preparing for the New Year, and working on my resolutions. One of the biggest things I want to leave behind is the anger issues I've had this last month or so. I've been thinking everything over very carefully and I think I need to start doing that now. So from this point on, I'm going to ignore the biggest source of my anger-- it'll be gone soon enough anyway, and by ignoring it I'll be frustrating it further.
   I have to start working on editing my novel and making my way towards getting published. That's going to be my main focus this upcoming year. I also want to start outlining for next year's NaNoWriMo earlier than I did this year and rewrite another novel-in-progress of mine before NaNoWriMo.

   What are your New Year resolutions? Do any of them have to do with writing?

- Siddy

Have a Fantastic, Fantasy Christmas~ With a Pinch of Writing

   Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you all had a good Christmas with people you love. Christmas isn't Christmas unless it's spent that way.

   I received wonderful gifts from my parents-- most fantasy themed, just as I love it! One of my favorites being a silver ring with a dragon on it.

   Isn't it lovely? I also received a dragon shirt, with a lovely silver dragon perched on a cliff looking dignified and proud, another one with two dragons and their riders ready to battle. I also got a dragon egg with candy inside-- though to get the candy you have to break the egg so I won't do it, a gold Asian dragon pen, Stephen King's "On Writing", and the Writer's Market 2011. Part of my Christmas gift was my new Samsung Transform-- a phone which I'm not sure how I lived without.

   Christmas was a good day. Even my dog enjoyed it as she used my leg as a pillow, snoozing after we opened all our gifts.

   And we can't forget the warm slippers my mom bought us. A sure essential for writing in the colder months, I'm sure! My youngest sister has the pink ones on the left. Mine are the black ones on the right.

   My aunt bought me beautiful journal too. I'm very excited about writing in it.  Along with all this, I also have some cash handy and stashed away for later days.

   Once again, I hope you're all enjoying your holiday season and spent it in the company of those you hold dearest to your hearts.

Merry Christmas and Happy Yule!

- Siddy

Preparations for Editing

Well, NaNoWriMo has been over for 21 days, December's almost gone and I finally have my manuscript all printed out and ready my red pen for editing. Parts must be rewritten while other parts just need a good going over. Unfortunately a writing mishap happened and it didn't print in double spacing like it was supposed to... I think it was because it was opened in an internet browser and not in MS Word... But that's all right. I plan to work with it as it is since I feel I've killed enough trees today...

   And there it is. The death of a dozen trees and my novel-in-progress in it's full, rough, unpolished, and unedited glory, still untouched by the Great Red Pen. I'll probably casually go over it, switching between working on that, reading library books, and writing other works-in-progress until after New Year's and then the real work begins. After I edit this one, add in scenes, and remove other scenes, check characters to make sure they're in character, and go over my grammar again and again (not exactly in that order but you get the idea), I'll redo it on the computer and reprint everything out-- killing more trees; I feel horrible for it-- to go over the second draft.
   Why print it out? Personally, I like editing on paper. It's different from working on the computer and the bright, glaring screen. No, not all of my editing is done with paper but I, personally, find editing easier if I print out my novel-in-progress and go over it that way.
   So like so many other Wrimos on their writing adventures, I'm preparing for the long, perilous journey of editing. But for now, I'm off to check the skies once more for the 2010 lunar eclipse, be disappointed when I find the sky is thick with clouds as it always is in winter, and then fall asleep on the couch-- my lovely bed away from bed.

   Hope everyone is having a great holiday season and enjoying the winter solstice,

   - Siddy

Pet Peeves and What REALLY Pisses me off

   I have many pet peeves. I'm aware of my pet peeves. But usually I can get over my pet peeves if someone does them. One I do get pissed off about is when someone puts things on my desk and clutters it up when I specifically say not to. And putting things in my desk chair instead is no better. To me, that just means you're being an ass and looking for a fight.
   No, my pet peeves I can usually overlook and ignore. I have three younger siblings who are all aware of what irritates me. I've had to more or less learn to overlook my pet peeves. But one thing that really pisses me off is when someone is mad at me and ends up taking it out on my siblings.
   It is a crime I cannot forgive. Especially if they go after my youngest sister. She's autistic and only 13-- younger mentally. I've had this happen recently. Someone was mad at me and went upstairs where they told my youngest sister that I was angry at her because she kept interrupting my show on the TV. Now my youngest sister wanted to ask me but couldn't. You see, it was past her bedtime and the deal is that she can watch TV as long as she doesn't come back downstairs after her bedtime. So she stayed upstairs. Hours later, I came upstairs to go to bed. I have to go through her room to get to mine.
   She sat up and asked me in a quivering voice if I was mad at her. I was stunned. It felt as if someone had slapped me across my face. I had never heard my sister have that tone before when she asks if I am mad at her. I quickly reassured her I wasn't mad and asked her why in the world she would think that I was.
   And that was when she told me. That someone told her I was angry at her about the TV when I was actually angry at them.

   What kind of person would tell a 13 year old autistic girl that their oldest sister was angry at her over a TV? What kind of person would say that and hurt a little girl just to spite me? One that has lost all my respect, that's for damn sure. It's an unforgivable crime in my eyes. My youngest sister and I have a rough time getting along as it is. I try to get close to her and often times she pushes me away yet she torments me for attention. We've been getting closer lately-- and suddenly that someone does this, forcing her to wait hours before I come upstairs to reassure her that it wasn't her I was angry at. Had I know she had said this I would have fixed it sooner but I had been completely unaware. Thankfully, my little sister knows I'm not and was never upset at her and has been more than happy to watch Soul Eater with me today. She loves the series now.
   And there is no way that it was an "accident" as so many other things this someone has been playing off other situations. The fact is that they were angry and they opened their big mouth when they should have kept it shut and my little sister ended up upset because of it and now I'm pissed off.
   To degrade me, pick on me, and torment me is one thing... But to go after any of my siblings is a completely different thing and once someone does that, friend or not, they are an enemy from then on. Are some people really so desperate to feel like a 'big' person that they'll upset a child? A disabled child at that? I'm disgusted! When I upset her when we fight is one thing. We're siblings. All my siblings and I have fought at one point or another. We all know that in the end we'll come to terms with everything and always love each other and have one another's backs. No matter what we'll always be there for each other. But for someone not even related to her and older than my 20 years to do something like this... Disgusted doesn't even begin to describe my feelings.

   So to that someone... I hope you are happy. You've ruined our friendship and upset an autistic 13 year old girl and made an enemy of a 20 year old writer and probably other members of my family. I hope karma comes back and bites you hard on the ass one day.

   That's the end of my rant and Gods help anyone else that ever angers me through upsetting my siblings in any way,

- Siddy

Upcoming Updates?

   Hello, readers. I plan to update the blog soon with a new name and layout. Along with my own maturing I feel the blog must mature with me. So I'll update the layout and name in the future eventually. Probably shortly after New Year's if all goes well.
   But it'll be done when it's done. With any luck I might be able to get Arcane and her crazy skills to help me out with it. If I can get her to help then the blog will look amazing.
   I hope everyone's Christmas season is going well. Mine has been full of trials but what can one do? We'll see what happens and how everything goes after the holiday seasons. What do you guys all want for Christmas? I, myself, couldn't ask for much. I got everything I needed and wanted this year. I have my new netbook, Toshi, and a nifty android cell phone. I had the best NaNoWriMo of my life thus far and a first draft ready to be edited as soon as I can manage to print it out.
   It's been snowing almost nonstop here. I'm waiting for it to drop down cold enough so I can toss boiled water outside and watch it turn into powder and steam. Knowing my luck, it won't drop down that cold now that I want it to. If it does drop down that cold I'll post pictures and try to post video of it.

   I have my desk cleared and cleaned up and did some writing tonight. I'll do more before the night is over. I like how my desk looks but I can't wait until I have an actual desk so I can have leg room but for now my dresser/desk will do perfectly. Here, just to share it with you all... This is a picture I took and posted to my Twitter after a writing mishap and my light bulb busted while I was settling in to write:

   I have my sketchbooks up there too from working on Christmas gifts for my parents, so it looks a little cluttered. I was also considering getting a second lamp for the other end of my desk but we'll see what the future holds.


- Siddy

Post-NaNo Hangover

  Hoo boy, this year's NaNo hangover hit me hard. To make things worse, I won't let myself start editing until after the holidays (unless it's just organizing notes or preparing everything for editing) because my family ends up really busy around this time and my parents need all the help with the house as they can get.
   But I have other things to keep me busy, though. Like the chaos in the household and keeping on our house guest to find a job and do everything she needs to do. It's extremely tiring but it had to be done.
   I'm working on a new layout and name for the blog, so you can expect some changes soon. I've designed my own crest and with any luck and a bit of help from my dearest friend Arcane, I might be able to change everything soon.
   I would like to start posting some artwork and short stories soon too. Perhaps after the new year. And once I get my new cellphone I'll be able to post more photographs too.

Hope everyone is having a nice (and not extremely stressful!) holiday season!

- Siddy

Until Next Year, NaNoWriMo

   Well, it's over and my Post-NaNo Hangover hit me hard this year. I've been easing myself away from coffee by drinking tea again and contemplating certain scenes for my novel. I can really see the potential in this story. It just needs me to polish it up and whittle away the roughness until it shines.
   The weather held off until the end of November too. It's almost as if it waited to snow just to mark the end of NaNoWriMo. We're supposed to get snow for the next eight days, a clear day on the ninth day, and then more snow on the tenth day. As long as it stays warm in the house, I don't mind. I may have to go find my snow boots, though.
   But it feels strange. NaNoWriMo went by so quickly. I miss it already, and although part of me was ready for it to end so I could relax a little, the rest of me didn't want it to end. But there's always next year and I have editing to do and other stories to work on until then. Others in my WriMo group say we should make it a NaNoWriYe or NaNoWri∞. I love these suggestions and after December and all its trials and stresses and joys I might join them in doing this. But for now I'm forcing myself to take a little while to let myself relax, let my fingers recover from the endless typing, and to let the story sit for a little bit while I contemplate. When I pick it back up, hopefully I'll be able to see it with a fresh view and I'll be able to edit it more proficiently.
  It was a good month that went by with surprising speed. The MLs in my group did an incredible job and I once again want to give them a shout out and let them know that they are awesome. This was one of the best years I've ever had in NaNo and I look forward to next year already.
   This was a fantastic learning experience for me. I found out more about myself as a person and as a writer. Each NaNoWriMo brings new surprises for me and new challenges and each year I've managed to overcome them and learn more and every time I sit down to write or read I better myself as a writer. So here's to NaNoWriMo 2010. One of the best NaNos I've ever participated in.
   So I'm off to sit by the fireplace and read a book that I've neglected all November and drink a cup of hot tea while enjoying the peanut butter cookies I've made as a reward for all my hard work and effort in November.
And to all my other fellow Wrimos out there I want to say great job. You've earn every reward you may be giving yourself.
Enjoy.

- Siddy
95,414 words.

P.S. I'm dedicating this win to my Mom and Dad. Without their support (or my new netbook that they bought) this year probably wouldn't have been so amazing or successful. I love you guys with all my heart. Thanks again for everything you guys do.