Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Quiz: How fast can you type?

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Stefanie! :-)
BLOG: Funny's Happy-Housewife-Blog

MY RESULS:
74 Wörter

68 words

Monday, June 28, 2010

Wreck This Journal: Make A Mess. Clean It Up.

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(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")

Wreck This Journal: Make A Mess, Clean It Up.

I've always wanted one page with a puzzle theme, but it seemed to fit nowhere in. Then accidently I stumbled over these Mini Puzzles, which had exactly the right size for the book. Lucky me! :-) I fixed both with a looot of glue on separate pieces of paper, but I haven't glued them IN the book yet. I'll do that when everything else is done, because the puzzles take simply too much place!

Sunday, June 27, 2010

One-Minute-Writer: Week 25

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(Note: These are writing prompts of "One-Minute-Writer-Blog")

Monday, June-21: Point of view. Think about a time you were recently in public. Describe what you were doing, from the point of view of a stranger observing you.
Day: 157. Place: A bookshop. Observed object: A female human. Time: 01:36 p.m. The human has just entered the place and goes straight to the moving stairs for the upper floor. Despite the impression, the female knows what she's doing or wanting, she just strolls around without any recognizable aim. On several places she stops for a minute or two, targeting her look on some of the exhibited objects. Some seem to raise her interest, because they were taken into the hand and turned to the backside, where I guess some kind of information. To my disappointment, most of the objects were taken right back. Finally, the human seems to have found what she was looking for. She takes one of the objects. But again no scheme is visible, what made her decide. Now she's sitting down, very calmly, focusing on the white inwards of the object.

Tuesday, June-22: Silly rabbit. Remember that old Trix cereal slogan? Silly rabbit! Trix are for kids! Fill in the blanks: Silly _____! ______ are/is for _____!
Silly girl! Love is for the lucky ones!

Wednesday, June-23: Vaccination. Write about something (not a traditional contagious illness) against which you'd like to be vaccinated.
Well, a vaccination against human's stupidity and ignorance would be fine! What do you think? Okay, seriously speaking then: I would love to be vaccinated against my impatience. In my business life I'm Mrs. Patience in person, but in my private life - a whole different world! I truly HATE e.g. waiting for book releases, especially if the book is a part of a series! You desperately want to know how the story continues and you have to wait felt 10 years for more! This sucks!

Thursday, June-24: Skill. Are you a cat person or a dog person (or another type of person altogether)? Why?
In my love for books I treat them very well. No broken spines, no dog ears, no stains! But then I came across Wreck this Journal. A book  where you are challenged to do all those kind of stuff you usually NEVER do to a book, e.g. torn, poke, crumple, drown with water or even burn pages! For me it's hard to believe that I could ever to this, more to be surprised to find a very creative way in doing it!

Friday, June-25: Beggar. Write a brief bit of fiction using the prompt "Beggar".
Obviously there are situations in your life you could never be prepared for. One of those was my very first day in India. As we left Victoria Terminus, Mumbai's central railway station, all our senses were rushed with overkill impressions: The climate and the heat we had to fight with, the new the exotic and dusted smells, that confused our noses, the cacophony of the traffic and the crowds of people everywhere. But worst of all was the sight of beggars all around, to see mothers with babies and children begging for some money or food. No, I wasn't prepared for this!

Saturday, June-26: Obsolete. Write about an item you use frequently that you think (or hope) will be obsolete in 20 years.
I hope, and think also, our way of transportation we know these days will be obsolete. Well, at least our petrol running cars. Be sure the day will come, when our oil resources had run dry. Aren't engineers already working on substitutes? I hope so much, better sooner than later we change to electric cars or something similar, that helps to save our planet.

Sunday, June-27: Movie. Write about a movie you loved as a child.
It's not a movie, but a TV-series I remember very clearly! Star Trek, the original crew with Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. It's one of my most lively memories, when we were kids and playing Star Trek out in the garden. With enemies all around we had to conquer, new spaces we had to discover - our imagination was simply endless!

Friday, June 25, 2010

Wreck This Journal: Glue, Staple Or Tape These Pages Together.

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(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")

Wreck This Journal: Glue, Staple Or Tape These Pages Together.

Two layers of paper:
1. Layer: Covered with three different red watercolors.
2. Layer: Ripped apart, colored with skin-color, stapled together and glued on the first paper. Then plaster, freckles, piercing and tattoo added.
Finally: a bit of blood - Done! :-)

Monday, June 21, 2010

Wreck This Journal: Color This Entire Page.

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(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")

Wreck This Journal: Color This Entire Page.

I used the "Drown" from the German instruction "Drown This Page In Color." for the Underwater theme, plus some Beatles Yellow Submarine design!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

One-Minute-Writer: Week 24

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(Note: These are writing prompts of "One-Minute-Writer-Blog")

Monday, June-14: Broken. Write about a time you broke something.
Do you know the sound a dry piece of wood makes cracking it over your knee? When I heard it in my dreams, I woke up in shock and fear, heavily breathing. I had to focus back on reality, that this awful accident was over. You wonder, what I'm talking about? Cracking wood sounds exactly like breaking bones! My bones!

Tuesday, June-15: This moment. Write about one thing you'd prefer to be doing at this moment, instead of what you're doing now. Also write about one thing you're glad you're not doing at this moment.
When I close my eyes, I see the soft red shine of the sun above, feel the warmth on my skin, hear the soft breeze of palm trees, smell the scent of the close ocean and taste some exotic drink ... but when I open my eyes, I see windows to be cleaned, clothes to be ironed, dishes to be washed, household to be done! *sigh* I should better close my eyes and see ...

Wednesday, June-16: Free. Every so often, there really is such a thing as a free lunch. Write about something free you've received.
When it comes to every kind of handcraft, like knitting, sewing or embroidery, I simply have two left hands. But I got seduced to buy one of those "Wreck this journal"-books, where obviously some slumbering talents were awakened. To come to the point: For doing this book I had to buy some things. Not only once, but quite several times. And the very amiably old lady in one of those shops gave me some material for free! I still can't believe it!

Thursday, June-17: Cat or dog. Are you a cat person or a dog person (or another type of person altogether)? Why?
*hmm* Well, let's see the facts: I'm stubborn. I do whatever I want to do (even if others told me something else). I like to sleep, I like to eat. I can be very charming, if required to get something. I have two hairy, purring, meowing soul mates living with me. What do you think I am???

Friday, June-18: Barefoot. Write a brief bit of fiction. Somewhere in your story, use the word "barefoot".
Barefoot? Barefoot in the rain. Singing in the rain. I LOVE this movie! And I LOVE the songs! "All I do is dream of you the whole night through." - "Make 'em laugh, make 'em laugh." - "Good morning, good morning, we've talked the whole night through." - "Moses supposes his toeses are roses, but Moses supposes erroneously." - I should really watch this move one more time!

Saturday, June-19: Pity. Write about a person or group that you pity.
This topic made me think quite a lot. Honestly, I was not able to write something about it off the cuff. Finally I came to the conclusion, IF we pity a person or a group, we should not just feel pity and turn our heads away, but take a close look, learn how the situation had come so far and find a way to help!

Sunday, June-20: Father. Write about one way in which you want to be like your father (or other male authority figure.)
It's said, that every failure, every disaster, every catastrophe at least can be used as negative example. I sort my father into that category, and I think I'm doing quite well so far not to become like him!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Wreck This Journal: Lose This Page./Give Away Your Favorite Page.

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(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")

A picture of the original lost page:

Wreck This Journal: Lose This Page.

The text says, that HELLO "Wreck This Journal" KITTY was released for good behavior from THE BOOK, but asked to leave the state for her crimes. The person, who finds her, should give her a new home, but keep an eye on her.

Wreck This Journal: Give Away Your Favorite Page.

My "Lost Page" has become my "Most Favorite Page" and gifted to my dear friend Stefanie - SHE's a fan of Hello Kitty!

The background on the left is pretty easily done: only colored paper torn in tiny pieces and randomly glued on the page.

Writing Exercise 06: Developing Characters

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(Note: This is a unit of "Schreibaufgabe.de")

THE CHALLENGE
To make a plot thrilling or at least interesting, your characters should want something. There also had to be (open and hidden) conflicts, means very often novels have protagonists and antagonists. When your hero has some flaws and your villain some nice qualities, your reader will be even more taken.
The difficulty is NOT to tell your reader everything, that would be boring. You show through scenes what your characters want, and there the actions have to fit in with your character's qualities. Remember, the author always have more information than the reader!
What to do now:
  1. Take one of the names from "Writing Exercise 05: Names Is For Tombstones ...", forget the given background.
  2. Chose if your character is a protagonist or an antagonist.
  3. Make a cluster (cf. "Writing Exercise 06: Clustering")
  4. Make a short, tabular curriculum vitae for your character.
  5. Answer a bunch of questions, which were given on a separate worksheet.
  6. Do steps 1 - 5 for a protagonist and an antagonist.
MY OUTCOME
I thought for quite some time and decided to invest the work in my "Cathryn O'Connell", my leading character in "Voodoo Island". As for the fact, the author knows always more than the reader, I do NOT post the cluster and the curriculum vitae. Those would simple reveal too much.
But maybe I can make something with the bunch of questions? I got inspired by my dear friend and sister in writing Dolly:
In her post "Join me for some Fictional Fun" she invited her followers to pick characters from published books and invite those characters to a dinner party. What she did brilliantly in her "Dinner Party with Jane Austen's Heroines".
I'd like to do have a little chat with Cathryn and tell you about it.

QUESTION
Will you, please, be so patient and give me some time for doing this interview?

---
Continue with Exercise 07: Writing Dialogues

Monday, June 14, 2010

Wreck This Journal: Fill This Page With Circles.

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(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")

Wreck This Journal: Fill This Page With Circles.

The German instruction "Draw Your Circles." was simply too seductive NOT to chose that Alien and Crop Circles theme!

HOW TO:
- The background is made with three different water colors, very little water.
- The crop circles and the tractor traces are made with Stabilos (thin felt-tip pens).
- The green alien on top was separately made and then glued on the page.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

One-Minute-Writer: Week 23

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(Note: These are writing prompts of "One-Minute-Writer-Blog")

Monday, June-07: Mentor. Write about someone you have mentored or someone who has mentored you.
*smile-on-my-face* I never forget my beloved Mum, who had taught her stubborn little child how to read! The clever girl had learnt every word by heart instead of truly reading them. I don't want to think what might have happened with me and my life, if my Mom hadn't discovered my little "secret". I love you, Mum!

Tuesday, June-08: Sound switch. Think of a sound you don't like. What sound would you like your ears to hear in its place?
The only sound I really loathe is my alarm clock. Every. Damn. Morning. I can't imagine a single sound in the whole world that could make this sound more lovely! Even heavenly choirs would make this moment of truth any better. I simply can't stand mornings. Period.

Wednesday, June-09: Profession. Write about a profession that you think is unnecessary.
This prompt made me think very hard ... First thought was someone like Paris Hilton. What are they famous for? Having rich parents? How do they call their profession? Daughter and sons? THIS is totally unnecessary!

Thursday, June-10: Five years. Think about a frustrating aspect of your life. How might you feel about it in five years?
I don't like any kind of questions a la "Where do you see yourself in x or z years?". As fast as things happen these days you'll never know, what tomorrow brings. Okay, let me think ... maybe in five years, instead of "I want to go to India." I want to say "I WAS in India."!

Friday, June-11: Sick. Write a brief bit of fiction using the prompt "sick."
A few days ago I was sick of the rain and the cold here in Germany. I get literally sick of pineapple. In another way I get sick of ignorant, narrow-minded, prejudiced people ... right now I'm geting sick of not knowing, what to write!

Saturday, June-12: Strength. What is strength?
The toughest thing in life is to say simply "No!". It also needs quite some strength to stand to your opinion. We all have a great need for acceptance, but you must trust that your beliefs are unique, your own, even though others may think them odd or unpopular, even though the herd may go.
(I was so free to quote John Keating in "Dead Poets Society".)

Sunday, June-13: No Prompt available!
*sing* No prompt today, no lines straight away ... *ggg* I should better stop singing before somebody else is getting hurt!

Oh, here it is: Celebrate. What can you celebrate today?
*hmm* I don't know! No holiday! No birthday! No anniversary! Maybe ... I'm no soccer fan, but maybe others celebrate the first win of the German team against Australia in the FIFA World Cup South Africa. Okay, let's get our Vuvuzelas and celebrate! :-)

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Wreck This Journal: Bring This Book In The Shower With You.

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(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")

Wreck This Journal: Bring This Book In The Shower With You.

After my experience washing this other page, I did NOT want to take my book near any other water damages! So, what else could be done? I finally came up with the idea to simply quote a cartoon by Loriot (a famous German comedian, AKA Vicco von Buelow). In the original, it’s a cute, little, yellow squeaky bath duck, that has to stay out!

Sunday, June 06, 2010

Wreck This Journal: Last Page.

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(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")

Wreck This Journal: Last Page.

Starting with an Indian Goddess, the only logical conclusion was to end with an Indian God: "Ganesha".

Wreck This Journal: First Page.

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(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")

Wreck This Journal: First Page.

The subtitle of the book says "Creating is Destroying", that made me think of the Indian Goddess "Kali".

I used a full colored picture as pattern, but the black-and-white-interpretation is all my work! :-)

Wreck This Journal: Cover Makeover.

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(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")

Wreck This Journal: Cover Makeover.

A little Makeover, inspired by my most favorite journals "Paperblanks".

Additional Note: I have to re-do the cover - the book is getting thicker than I've expected!

One-Minute-Writer: Week 22

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(Note: These are writing prompts of "One-Minute-Writer-Blog")

Monday, May-31: Too late. What was the last time you stayed up way too late? Was it worth it?
The last time I stayed up late was for reading "Lover Mine". I had expected this book like a child Christmas Eve. So, I HAD to read and know how the story continues. Believe me, it was so worth staying up late!

Tuesday, June-01: Lie. Write about one of the more ridiculous lies you've heard.
Calendar says it's June, weather forecasts finally predicted summer, sun and warm temperatures. But, when I look outside my window, what do I see? Clouds and rain ...

Wednesday, June-02: Parenting. Write about a way in which parenting has changed since you were a kid (either based on what you observe, or on what the experts recommend.)
It's rather shocking watching documentaries about today's youth. They don't want to go to school, they drink alcohol, they just hang around. My Mom would have beaten the shit out of me, when she had discovered me missing school.

Thursday, June-03: Let go. Write about a time you had to let go of something you loved or wanted...a person, a dream, a pet, etc.
My beloved mother died very surprisingly about two years ago at the age of 52. Nobody would have expected that! I think, there is nothing more to say!

Friday, June-04: Late. Write a brief bit of fiction using the prompt "late."
Tick. Tick. Tick. When have five minutes ever been so long? Her fingers were clacking on the desk. Her eyes focusing, hypnotizing the tiny screen, NOT to turn blue. But she instinctively knew it would. She was never late. Never. Tick. Tick. Tick. When have four minutes ever been so long?

Saturday, June-05: Transportation. Imagine you are planning a trip across the continent on which you live. Assuming you have unlimited time, resources, and energy, what will be your mode of transportation?
Everybody, who knows me, can tell you under oath, I would never do a trip across Europe! I'm too much focused on India. Ask me about a trip and transportation there, and I guarantee you, you get more than just minutes!

Sunday, June-06: Understand. Write about something you'll never understand.
One word: MAN! (End of story.)

Friday, June 04, 2010

Wreck This Journal: Make A Paper Air Plane.

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(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")

Wreck This Journal: Make A Paper Air Plane.

Thanks to Youtube for those wonderful "How to make a paper air plane"-instructions!

Wreck This Journal: Scratch. Using A Sharp Object.

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(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")

Wreck This Journal: Scratch. Using A Sharp Object.

Every "can opener" knew their cats love to scratch on everything available - why not on books! =^..^=

Thursday, June 03, 2010

Confessions Of A Writaholic, Part 1

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Hello, my name is Sheila and I am a Writaholic.

Naturally I had sometime learnt reading and writing. My poor teachers were never happy with me, they called me lazy. I didn't agree. They demanded 500 words, they got exactly 500 words. Not a single word more! I simply didn't like to write.
When electronic gadgets became common, I didn't fancy for a computer. Why should I? I didn't want to email. I didn't want to chat. Okay, I loved my cell, I could hang on for hours and hours. But I did NOT text! Never!
Then happened December 17th, last year. On the icy roads another driver lost control over his car and skidded my car into a pretzel around a tree trunk. Later in the hospital, my first thought was: »Lucky me! My guardian angel had done a heck of a good job.« But when the doctor came and said: »Well, Mrs. Winslow, we had to hardwire your broken jawbone. Would you please use this pen and paper to tell us how you feel?«. Luck for the others they could only hear my suppressed grumbling, I was swearing like a trooper, even a trucker would have gotten red ears! »Okay, okay, come down! It's only transient. A few weeks and you'll be done!« - That's what I need to tell myself!
I could hardly await the day, the wires to be removed. But when it was done ... »God damn it! What's wrong here?« The doctors attested my larynx and vocal cords were perfectly fine. Given proof I could laugh and giggle and screech and howl, but not a single word was able to leave my mouth properly! And those geeks didn't sent me to a speech therapist, no! They considered it more logical to send me to a psychologist to treat my "post-traumatic stress disorder". You'll never guess what that f... idiot said: »Well, Mrs. Winslow, why don't you keep a diary, where you note all your feelings and dreams and fears?« - No comment!
First, I considered writing just like what it was: a sadistic punishment. My notes were only some lame catchwords. My poor therapist was not happy with me, he called me lazy.
Then, after some days, writing became something like a daily habit. I didn't like it, but it didn't disturb me anymore.
Some more days passed and things were getting a little strange. You know, I'm a sportsman. Once a week I meet my girls for volleyball and every day I go for a run. Are you familiar with the phenomenon that you have to run every day to get that rush and if you don't something is missing? Well, I've only came across this sensation with my running. Until now! On some days I felt kind of restless, felt like I had forgotten or missed or lost something. Everything I tried, even running, nothing helped. You can imagine, I found myself quite surprised, when I finally got the connection, that of all things writing was not only solution, but salvation. Doodling just felt good and relaxing, calmed me down, eased my pain.
Oh, and by the way, my voice had come back. I can't exactly tell, when and how, it simply did. My therapist was quite happy, but I'm not sure, if with me or more with his own brilliant therapy methods. With mission accomplished our sessions ended. Maybe I better should have talked about my lately occurred habits, but I didn't. True, my voice was back, but strangely I preferred the written words. Speaking meant for me returning back to my own plain voice. The voice I've known now for almost three decades. Familiar, ordinary, boring. While in the meantime I'd made a completely new experience. With writing I was able to modulate my voice, could make it louder, quieter, faster, slower, higher, deeper. I could give more or less intensity in articulation, accentuation or intonation. Granted, you could do that in real life, too, but be honest, doing this is only appropriate for a movie, stage or voice actor! I could do even more and nobody considered it stupid or silly or ridiculous. Within my written world I could be whoever, wherever, whenever I wanted to be. Before you came up with the clever idea of schizophrenia ... No! I've never heard other voices, there was always just me and myself. All the different parts of my personality became alive on paper.
Paper. It had to be on paper. And written. By Hand. Let me tell you why:
  1. Speed. My typing skills are about on the same level like the spelling ability of a first-grader. In plain language, my two forefingers pretend to be eagles playing hunt and peck with the letters on the keyboard. It would take me ages to type a single paragraph!
  2. Flexibility. A PC meant being stuck on one place. Even with a laptop, you are dependent on sockets or battery life. Literally, I wanted to write whenever and wherever I was, and as long as I wanted!
  3. Style and fashion. My first catchwords were written on a simple loose piece of paper. On demand of my therapist I had to buy a copybook, to keep my notes at one place, after all. Then I discovered those books made of fine paper and beautifully designed covers. I instantly fell in love with one book, that became my first journal. It simply looks good on me!
  4. And finally romance and exclusivity. Sitting in a café, my journal in front of me, having a fountain pen in my hand, sipping on a steaming cup of coffee and muse about my thoughts, believe it or not, that's simply wonderful. It gives me that feeling to belong into the circle of those famous writers of ancient times. That's pure romance.
Style here, romance there. Truth was, I couldn't live anymore without feeling a pen in my fingers. My once odious habit had become mad obsession. And I had draw quite some consequences: My daily live had changed completely!

To be continued...

Wreck This Journal: Add Your Own Page Numbers.

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(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")

Wreck This Journal: Add Your Own Page Numbers.

On this page are some hidden messages, taken from "Hitchhiker's Guide To Galaxy".

Tuesday, June 01, 2010

Wreck This Journal: Crack The Spine/Leave This Page Blank On Purpose.

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(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")

Wreck This Journal: Crack The Spine. Leave This Page Blank On Purpose.

With a snapshot of my own, most favorite bookshelf.

Wreck This Journal: Tear Stripes, Rip It Up.

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(Note: Taken from my Edition of "Wreck This Journal")

Wreck This Journal: Tear Stripes. Rip It Up.

A nice little collection of gift ribbons.
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