Nanowrimo goal word count: 5001

Good Luck, Writers!

*Love Always, Sara*

And yes. this is a writing quote. Everybody always just assumes the paranoid people are lunatics, but even so, that doesn’t mean they’re wrong. Just thing about that.

As promised, starting today, the quotes will be writing, related for the month of November.

Don’t use words to big for the subject. Don’t say ‘infinitely’ when you mean ‘very’; otherwise you’ll have no words left when you want to talk about something really infinite.

~C.S. Lewis

And I won’t bother you with a countdown til the end today. Just enjoy your first day and night of writing your little heart out!

Word Goal: 1,667

*Love Always, Sara*

To Do: take on the world

Next: Write a novel in a month

Countdown: 6 and a half hours.

*Love Always, Sara*

Hahahahaha today’s quote is the favorite of  Rika, Ari, Jala and myself.

You are what you eat. That’s strange. I don’t think I’ve eaten any sexy beasts today.

Nanowrimo countdown: Its day after tomorrow, folks.

*Love Always, Sara*

this is a test post to see if something will actually show up now which means the server is back to normal!

The wisest advice to me that I didn’t teach was to lock up the heart but keep the key within reach.

You’ve got to make a choice when the music drowns you out and raise your voice every single time they try and shut your mouth

“Cuz nothing feels like home when you’re a thousand miles away”

I’ve decided I’m going to bring the The Nearby Future back to life. Starting with my Daily Quotes…..

So here’s today’s!

“In order to be irreplacable, one must always be different” (Coco Chanel)

Prepare yourself for a rant.

WHYYYYY!?!?!? Why, world, must you do this to me!?!?! Wwwwwwhhhhhyyyyy?!?! *Begins to sob*

So I recently auditioned for “Cinderella”. I didn’t make it. No big deal. But it re-awoke something inside of me. I can’t think of anything else except acting now. BUT no other theater near me is holding auditions!!!!

Guess I’ll just have to wait for the school plays and see what happens with those.

AND today’s quote

I love acting. It is so much more real than life.

~Oscar Wilde

Love, Sara

So maybe I’m not as crazy as everyone says. So maybe my dreams can come true. So maybe it is possible to be all that I’ve hoped.

What am I talking about?- you ask.

Oh, my apologies. Allow me to explain. I am–what the world would deem– a “rather unlikely” combination.

I am:

• A novelist
• A poet
• A lover
• A fighter
• A spy
• A hero in training
• Just a girl who goes unnoticed
• A teen without a driver’s license.

Sure a few of these things go well together, of course. But  those of us who are  all of these are a rare breed indeed. And the world doesn’t like things that they can’t relate with. And they hide the minority from each other. But several quotes I found today opened my eyes to the rest of us who also value these “unlikely combinations.”

-A spy, like a writer, lives outside the mainstream population. He steals his experience through bribes and reconstructs it. (John Le Carre)

-I think I would make a good spy. I can sort of be a chameleon. People don’t notice me very easily. I never get recognized.

-Nurture your mind with great thoughts; to believe in the heroic makes heroes. (Benjamin Disraeli)

-A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer. (Emerson)

-Our heroes are people and people are flawed. Don’t let that taint the thing you love. (Randy K. Milholland)

-The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets. (Christopher Morely)

*And one more just to remind everyone who’s struggling that they’re worth so much more* Don’t you worry your pretty little mind, people throw rocks at things that shine. (Ours- Taylor Swift)

SO i know it’s been a while since I posted anything, but I’ve been CRAZY busy. With writing.

My word count

Yeah. This is the farthest I’ve ever gotten and I can’t wait to finish it!

*Love Always, Sarah*

If you’ve ever wondered what its like to be a Mormon dAP/NHS student who’s about to move during finals week (and school doesn’t get out til the 23rd) who works at TNF, well… you’re in luck. I’m about you give you the inside scoop on a day in the life.

(Saturday)

1. Wake up at 6 am
2. Eat breakfast/get ready/ take a moment to breathe cuz you know you wont get another one
3. Go in and start organizing/packing/getting rid of stuff in your bedroom (630ish-1130ish)
4. Occasionally go and do the same thing in other rooms of the house
5. Write quick TNF post
6. Eat lunch (1130- 12 ish)
7. Go finish #3-4 (12-315)
8. Get stuff together and leave the house
9. Arrive at school for basketball game (330)
10. Work door at game for NHS hours/ study for finals (330-830)
11. Go home
12. Eat dinner
13. Study some more
14. Go to bed (around 1130)

(Sunday)

1. Wake up (6am)
2. Eat/get ready/breathe
3. Study
4. Leave for church (845)
5. Go to church (9-12)
6. Get back
7. Eat lunch
8. Work on Christmas presents
9. Study
10. Quick TNF post
11. Work on Christmas presents
12. Eat dinner
13. Study
14. Study
15. Go to bed
16. Do it all again Mon-fri

*Love Always, Sarah*

Today’s Quote: “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it” (Henry David Thoreau)

I love this group. This video is called “Prop Closet”. Just watch it. It’s hilarious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_crfHay4vM

*Love Always, Sarah*

I beg your pardon! I’m black, he’s tan. How dare you make that assumption! You should be ashamed of yourself and your family!

Today was a learning experience. What did i learn? …… well, ’tis quite simple really. Make sure you focus when you are on a treadmill, because if you lose focus, bad things happen. If bad things happen, keep calm.

*Love always, Sarah*

A true friend remembers your birthday but not your age.

I am, however, positive that year 17 will the best one yet. <3

*Love Always, Sarah*

Watching the news today, I saw the story of young Patrick Lyons Jr. He was named for his father, a NY firefighter whom he never met. Patrick Sr. was on dispatch on that fateful day– 9/11/01. There was something the newscaster said, while showing that the fire trucks had the names of each firefighter lost painted onto the side, that really stood out to me

[Proving] that there is a way to remember, even when life goes on.

This gives me hope–hope beyond compare, beyond description.

Another alarming fact was recently brought to my attention as well. The firefighters, police officers, and other first responders  will not be invited to the tenth anniversary of 9/11 at Ground Zero. (CBS New York http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/08/13/report-911-first-responders-not-invited-to-10th-anniversary-ceremony-at-ground-zero/ ). Which news, naturally, found its immediate path to social sites like facebook. My news feed was literally overflowing with copies of the following post.

Due to “lack of room,” NYC Police Officers, Port Authority Police Officers and FDNY Firefighters are not “invited” to the 10th anniversary of 9/11 at Ground Zero. Funny – they weren’t invited on that day in 2001, either – they just “showed up” and became our heroes. Please re-post if you think they belong MORE than the politicians who are invited.

This, my dear friends, is NOTHING short of an outrage. The men and women fought and died for us! They carried us out of the burning fires, or died trying! That they are not invited to attend the memorial of this tragic event in which they risked their lives to save the lives of others is PREPOSTEROUS! I am not a happy camper right now. These heroes–for they are nothing less–DESERVE to be there. They’ve earned it.

*Love always Sarah*

Found this one randomly, ENJOY!

Its not who you are that holds you back, its who you think you’re not.

You can truly be anything you desire if you believe and try hard enough. It won’t necessarily be easy, but it will be possible

*Love Always, Sarah*

PS. Gone on vacation the rest of today-sunday, so next post will be Monday

You people crack me up, do you know that?

In the mighty league known as the “Staff of The Nearby Future”, we have a group of people known as the “Q Division”. They’re in charge of making super cool gadgets for our missions that we go on when we’re sick and tired of writing for you people.

They also tell us what keywords our dedicated visitors are searching on and how they find our website.

image by Foqus via Flickr

Here are the things you guys type into Google that leads you to us, the unstoppable TheNearbyFuture.com:

• “oceans may dry but true friends never say goodbye” I’m not gonna lie. This is pretty witty, despite the fact that we’re not really sure what the oceans drying up has to do with goodbyes. We have no idea how this keyword landed you on our website, but from now on we plan on spamming this phrase and hooking all of our witty Google searchers!
• “pictures of bella and edward human kissing”. Oh. My. God. Why? If Rika would let me, I’d delete every single Twilight reference on this website. And now we’re getting hits because we *supposedly* have pictures of Edward and Bella?! Someone shoot me now!
• “unfair soldiers come home early for tv show” Dude, how did you even find us on Google with this keyword? And how are soldiers unfair? Why are they coming home and for what TV show?! This keyword reminds us of Lost. It just keeps drawing more questions while we spiral into a never-ending pit of confusion.
• “ vulcan plasma disintegrator” Best. Keyword. Ever. Read the article here.
• “what is 30% of 50000″ ahahaha you come to us with your math homework and we give you this!!
• “calister oil” Isn’t it funny that I’m the second and third search terms? I feel so famous.
• “do you think keith harkin would marry a heavy gal?” First of all, who is Keith Harkin and secondly: sure, why not?

And, our personal favorite:

“domesticating squirrels”

I’m not sure if you know this, but it was our lifetime goal to appear third on Google when you search “domesticating squirrels”. How disappointed our Google visitors must be to realize that this article is really one big metaphor for National Novel Writing Month! Oh, how misleading we are!

You people make my day.

-Callister F. Wells

Hey everybody!

So I posted a random quote from National Treasure 2 on my facebook page the other day, and my friend brought up a very good point.

The quote was from Ben Gates, talking to the President in the tunnels under the cellar.

Everything I am is because of my ancestors

My friend argued that:

We all make our own way, choose our own path to follow.

On some accounts, he is right, however I returned that:

While we still have our agency and our ability to choose, every person leaves a legacy (whether good or bad) and that legacy will influence your posterity. It could influence them to be like “hey look, that person was good example, I want to be like that when I grow up.” or it could influence them to be like “Woah! I am NEVER following that example.” but it will always influence them. Speaking for myself: I am who I am, and where I am, because of them and their examples and choices. Both physically and spiritually. Physically- I AM because they chose to marry who they did and go where they went. Spiritually- IAM because I derive strength from their examples. I have the ability to choose my path, and I have chosen to follow them. Thus, Everything I am is because of my ancestors.

But now my curiosity is piqued. What is your veiw on this issue? Do you agree with my friend? Do you agree with me? or do you have a whole different oppinion entirely?

Leave a comment with your thoughts!

*Love, Sarah*

Hey everyone,
Remember when I made the post called “the bestest, most amazing-est thing ever” about palindromes? and I said that the longest linguistic palindrome I knew was “rats live on no evil star”? Well, I found a longer one. It is
“Able was I ere I saw Elba”

another fun one is “Madam Im Adam”

Thats all for now!
*Love, Sarah*

The best, still fresh and relevant posts of TNF are here! Check ‘em out!

Background picture by sgw via Flickr

Do You Want a Side of Doom With That?

Where will YOU be when time stops?

Smart stock advice: gauge how a company is doing using verbs and adjectives!

Excessive use of verbs and sparkles!

Why textbooks are responsible for dropout rates

Winning and Losing: Inspirational Story Time With Rika

Chalk One Up For the Blame Game

Four Ways to Live Forever

Why Cake is So Good

The Nearby Future VS. The Irregular Posting Schedule: Video!

What do you think of when you hear “CIA”?

Narcolepsy: To Sleep or Not to Sleep

Yum! Distilled Water and Crystalline Fructose!

Giving an Old Danger a New Name: Crystalline Fructose

What does change smell like?

APOCALYPSE SURVIVAL GUIDE:

Apocalypse Tip: Know Your Geography

Apocalypse Tip: Reading Material

Apocalypse Tip: Superstores

Go Bag Preparedness

When the Nissan Leaf comes to my city to offer test drives, you can bet I”ll be the first in line.

What’s the Nissan Leaf? It’s the deliciously zero-emission all-electric trendy new car that makes gasoline obsolete. It’s not a golf-cart either. This car is the real deal and is perfect for city driving. All that stop and go driving wastes a lot of gasoline- think how much money you’ll save as you parade around town in your snazzy electric car as gas prices soar around you. When oil collapses, electric cars will be the only ones on the road.

Another recent innovation in transportation that has been entering a rigorous testing phase is Google’s new car. That’s right. Google’s testing a technology for cars that drive themselves. Their goal is to eliminate the margin for human error out of the equation. Computers can’t lose focus like humans can. On top of these new cars are a variety of cameras that allow the car to monitor other drivers surrounding your vehicle.

It’s pretty neat stuff. To learn more, go to Nissan’s website or go to the NYTIMES.com and search “google cars”. I’ll write a full post on these technologies as time goes on.

This month we’re resuscitating The Nearby Future with an age-old tradition.

The Anecdote Circle.

We’re social creatures here at The Nearby Future. We love talking the ears off of anybody who will listen. That’s why we run a site based on social commentary, with interspersed anecdotes about our personal lives.

Like this morning I was having breakfast at the new swanky coffee shop with Calister F. Wells. We were having a rap battle in Spanish when the topic of immigration came up.

“If you think about, we’re all immigrants,” I said pensively, swirling my iced cappuccino with a straw.

“I’m not against immigration. I’m against illegal immigration.”

“Well you’re also against illegally parking in handicapped spaces, yet you do it anyways when you’re late to work.”

“Touche’” he said.

I shrugged. I’m so good at winning debates.

“Listen, Rika, there’s something important I need to tell you.” Calister said.

“Same here.”

“Ok, you go first. Because normally, if you have something important to say, you’ll interrupt me. So go ahead.”

I narrowed my eyes, sensing a trap hidden under that altogether too honest expression of his.

He shook his head. “Fine. I’ll go first. My grandparents recently divor-”

“I’m secretly British,” I interrupted.

He stared at me in disbelief.

“What? I like eating cheese on toast. And dancing at discos. And driving on the wrong side of the street. Occasionally I even celebrate my Canadian heritage by drinking milk in bags like they do over in Canadia.”

“You are a terrible listener. And also very misinformed about customs in other countries.”

“Statement rejected.”

“You can’t reject the truth.”

“I just did, fool. What now?”

“Don’t try and pretend you’re gangster,” Calister said, “because you aren’t. You’re a middle class Caucasian female whose ancestors were 1/16th British.”

“1/20th.” I amended.

“That’s not helping your case. Now you’re even less British.”

“That is false.”

“You don’t understand fractions.”

“5/4 of the world doesn’t either,” I pointed out.

“That’s a mixed number.”

“Your face is a mixed number.”

“See? This is what I was talking to you about. The more defensive you become, the more your insults don’t make any sense.”

“Your Mom-”

He stands up. “I’m leaving.”

“You can’t. You drove me here.”

He sighed. “See? You even ruin my dramatic exits. Let’s go.”

***

And that’s my day. In a nutshell. What is your day like?

-Rika

Image by slagheap via flickr

September 11, 2001. Three important monuments of sorts were devastatingly destroyed. We will always remember them who died there. Will we, however, remember the fourth airliner? The one that crashed in the Pennsylvania field? We need to remember them as well, for they were war heroes just as much as others who died upon the battle field. They more likely than not did not wake up and get on the plane that morning so many long years ago thinking “I will do something today to change the world and save lives”.  Yet that is what they did.

Image by Tracy Hunter via flickr

Many say that US presence in Iraq did nothing save harm and anger and threaten. Those people have been deceived by the lies of the media. In actuality, we helped more than can possibly be imagined. We healed and tended to the sick….

and the children have felt safe through these Nine long and tragic years

Image by The US Army via flickr

*Love, Sarah*

You guys beat me to it, here’s your article of how we are destroying the ocean!

Have you been wondering why fish is so expensive? Why fish like Tilapia are being raised in unregulated Chinese hatcheries? Why it is illegal to fish for Salmon in certain rivers? Like the title depicts, we are being over-fished. American fish staples like Atlantic Cod and Salmon are almost completely depleted.

How does this happen, do you ask? Well, America likes fish, a lot. So, fishermen go out into the ocean on their boats all the while dragging huge nets behind them that pick up everything in it’s path, but this happens in different ways:

Purse Seining:
This is when a boat drags a gigantic net that looks kind of like a drawstring purse behind them trying to catch a particular school of fish; but this tends to pick up anything in the way of the net as well.

Gillnetting:
This is when a fisherman will set up an almost invisible wall of net that fish swim into. While this is meant to catch Sardines, Salmon, and Cod; sharks and sea turtles can accidentally become entangled in the net and drown/suffocate.

Trawls and Dredges:
These work kind of like purse seining, but are often dragged along the sea floor to pick up fish and shellfish like pollock, cod, flounder, shrimp, scallops, clams and oysters. The nets can be as large as a football field, and can harm the sea floor when the net is dragged around.

Traps and pots:
These are submerged wire or wood cages that attract fish with bait and hold them alive until fishermen return to haul in the catch. Traps and pots are usually placed on the ocean bottom, often to catch lobsters, crabs, shrimp, sablefish and Pacific cod. They generally have lower unintended catch and less sea floor impact than mobile gear like trawls do.

So what do we do? How can we enjoy our fish responsibly? Well, here’s a list of “safe” fish and capturing methods.

Go lake fishing! There are many American fisheries that stock local reservoirs and lakes with sustainable fish that were meant for us to catch! Some include Rainbow and Brook trout.

Eat more squid! These slimy creatures breed quick, die quick, and are just begging us to eat them up! (responsibly of course)

Eat from American fisheries! Unlike China, America has extremely stringent (but not perfect) rules and regulations that try to keep us and the environment safe.

Lay of the big fish! Fish like tuna and swordfish have a knack for having high levels of toxic metals.

All in all, eat fish responsibly and we will all be happy!

-Jane

Sources:

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/sfw_gear.aspx

This site goes into great detail on how fish are caught and farmed!

They all tell me I’m Crazy

Because I speak My Mind

I don’t see why they can’t Understand

That someone’s gotta say it!

                      They say I don’t know

What I say all the time

But the truth is that I

Will not deny the truth.

Someone’s gotta say it!

                          They call me a fool

As they all remain silent

I guess they don’t know

That when you need change

Someone’s gotta say it!

                         Their lives are a mess

Their paths they know not

Futures are clouded by vision so dim-

No one had said it.

              I mean, Hey!

Someone’s Gotta Say it!

                       We know our way

No longer in the dark

Our futures we see

On the pathway before us-

We have said it.

                  I mean, Hey!

Someone’s gotta say it!

*Love, Sarah*

I am a ThunderHead. BIG TIME!!!!!! A “ThunderHead” is a person- such as myself- who is an ultimate fan of the band CELTIC THUNDER! Celtic Thunder is amazing. They write their own songs and remix classics. They are the FIVE MOST AMAZING SINGERS EVER!!!!!!!!!!!! (I think they MIGHT even top Frank Sinatra, they definatly are tied with him).

Damian MacGinty-

He is the youngest member of the group. He will be turning 17 in September.  He sings their remake of “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do“…beautifully, I might add……..watch the video at: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheThunderTube#p/c/CA95C3A5A67B886C/0/j5hgEWDiiAo

He also sings “Come by the Hills” (I’m pretty sure its a CT original) : http://www.youtube.com/user/TheThunderTube#p/c/CA95C3A5A67B886C/1/M86bcDZ-tA4

Keith Harkin-

Many consider him the “heart-throb” of the group. His enchanting accent can be heard clearly in any song he sings. My favorites of his are “The Island” and “Lauren and I“.      The Island: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3ZmSZ8yOW8    Lauren and I: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2e0nN9Kx0k

Ryan Kelly-

 Definately the “Bad-Boy” of the group- POSSIBLE relation to Celtic Woman’s Lisa Kelly- Ryan’s style is one of my favorites. He sings “Heartbreaker” : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOGVD0V8c8U and “Brother’s In Arms” (This version set beautifully to clips from The Lord of The Rings) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsbJXIaMJro

Paul Byrom-

 He is pictured here with dancer Zara. Paul’s style is usually more mellow than Ryan’s, which makes their harmony in “That’s A Woman” the most beautiful thing you will ever hear: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnQScdw24yg . Paul also sings a touching love song called “Nights in White Satin” : http://www.youtube.com/user/TheThunderTube#p/c/DF23338D9F668778/5/BHAiaX2kC0A

George Donaldson- 

The father/uncle figure of the group would probably be the best way to describe George.  You can feel his passion in every note he sings. You feel a connection to him, like the strings of your heart are litterally tying to his. Weddings are the theme of “The Voyage” : http://www.youtube.com/user/TheThunderTube#p/c/DF23338D9F668778/6/4CHS5Tj1h_A   and familial tragedies are the focus of “The Old Man” (A personal connection of mine- when I listen I feel closer to my Grandfather) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Cw1yorwijY

A few group favorites of mine-

Hallelujah (introduces Neil…the newest member and this is the only place I can find him): http://www.youtube.com/user/TheThunderTube#p/c/8B207A129EB5BBCA/9/GE26oQcFTF0

Raggle Taggle Gypsy: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheThunderTube#p/c/CA95C3A5A67B886C/12/qo4gm4Shyeo

Danny Boy: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheThunderTube#p/c/CA95C3A5A67B886C/5/nv6xrTh–7o

Ireland’s Call: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheThunderTube#p/c/DF23338D9F668778/20/YY1_qlTr-rM

Thanks for reading and listening! Hope we have some more ThunderHeads out there now! Leave a comment!

*Love, Sarah*

Sources: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheThunderTube/

and google images

When you think of the word “future” what do you think of? Do you think of careers and jobs you may have later in life? Your children’s wedding days? Goals you have set for yourself? That’s all well and good….for the NEARBY future. What about for the long term future? Do you see wars or peace? Do you see more inventions? What types? Do you see greater societies (economically speaking) or depression?

No matter what the (long-term) future turns out to be, it will be what the majority thinks it will be, even now. If a great number of people envision peace, peace there will be. Inventions are already being created in the minds of the young generation through their imaginations. If economic trimuph is strived for by all, then it will be achieved. 

John M. Richardson JR said:

When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: Those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened.

The future depends on us and our choices. We will recieve the consequences, good or bad, of our actions and we must be ready to accept them.

*Love, Sarah*