“I got a ways to go…”

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Title today comes from Grouplove’s new single “Ways to Go”. They are a favorite of mine and their music just puts me in a damn good mood. I always end of dancing and smiling when I listen to them. The video for their new single inspired today’s challenge. Go check it out.

Challenge 77: Music writing challenge! I want you to take a line of lyrics from a song (about one line or so) and incorporate the lyrics into a story. The lyrics can appear at any part within the story, but I want the main focus of the story to be the content of the lyrics. Basically, the story is inspired by/centered around the lyrics. Keep it under 450 words. 

 

 

Laters,

AW

 

Chelsea’s response is due Sunday, June 23. 

“When you’re ready come and get it”

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My personal secret is that I am loving Selena Gomez’s new song “Come and Get It”. Oh lord, that was hard to even type out. I blast that shit in the car almost everyday. We’ve all got secret music loves that we are embarrassed to admit. Own it! Share yours in the comments below.

Challenge 76: One of my favorite blogs is a project called PostSecret (I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned it in a previous post or not) where strangers from across the country – and sometimes around the world – mail in their secrets on the backs of postcards anonymously. An amazing man named Frank Warren collects these cards and posts a selection of them every Sunday. I’d like you to pick one of the “secrets” that are up this week and write a story inspired by it. Maybe it’s from the author of the postcard, or someone who reads the secret and is touched by it. Make it at least 500 words.

 
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Katrina woke up in the morning to the smell of sweat and Jack. As she turned over, she wiped the smeared mascara from under her eyes. She let out a loud sigh as she took in the image next to her: a snoring, pale man with a Hawaiian tattoo splayed across his back. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand ,exciting the bed one limb at a time.

Creeping down the hallway in search of a bathroom, she tip-toed passed another room with a “Metallica Fans Only” sign across the top of the door. “Gross”, she said under her breath as she continued down the dawn-lit hallway. She finally came to a black and white tiled bathroom and groaned as she took in the dirty toilet. “Disgusting” she said as she lifted the seat with a piece of toilet paper that she had broken off. As Katrina peed, she recalled the events of the night. Unlike most of the people who surrounded her in the downtown bar, she maintained sobriety almost the entire night.

As she crept back down the hallway, Katrina heard a stirring in the room at the end. She tried to recall what she had left in the room. She remembered tossing her purse by the front door as they made their way to the bedroom last night. She looked down at what she had on: boxer shorts and her cami. Shrugging, she turned towards the front part of the townhouse and grabbed her purse. Better to sacrifice a cheap, second-hand dress than to risk an awkward good morning. She opened her purse to inspect the contents. Keys? Check. Wallet? Check.

Katrina squinted as she exited through the front door and into the morning light. She breathed a sigh of relief as she took in the sight of her car, glad that it had not been towed. As she drove through the deserted downtown streets to her house outside of the city, that all-too familiar feeling of regret set in. The feeling never visited when she was actually committing the act: going home with a stranger. It wasn’t the sex that she was looking for, but the warmth of sleeping next to someone. She was so lonely. It stayed with her like a heavy feeling on her chest. The only thing that cured the feeling was the temporary relief of a one-night stand.

She had NEVER behaved this way in the past. But, now it was different. Now she was alone. Sex came with the feeling and like clockwork, every morning she awoke next to a man whom she had met the night before, she automatically felt like a slut. Katrina pulled into the driveway of her two-story home, much too big for one person. But, she couldn’t bring herself to move away. She opened the door and made her way to the shower, to clean off last night’s shame.

As she wiped the foggy mirror with her towel, she heard the doorbell ring. She quickly ran a comb through her damp hair and put on her robe. Heading down the stairs, Katrina glanced through the glass door to see the man she had been with the night before. Confused, she opened the door. “Hi”, Mel said taking in her robed person. “You left in such a hurry that you forgot these,” he said as he handed her a pile of clothes and her shoes, “and your license, that’s how I got your address.” Katrina returned his words with a perplexed glance. “I hope that’s alright,” he added, “I wanted to make sure you were ok.” She didn’t know what to say. This had never happened before, she thought to herself. “Would you like to come in?”, Katrina offered, gesturing to her living room. “I just put on a pot of coffee.” “Sure”, Mel replied, taking the steps up to the door. “Let me get changed”, she added, “I’ll be just a minute.”

Mel glanced around and noticed several picture frames with Katrina and a man in dress blues. As he walked deeper into her living room, he also noticed many awards honoring a “Major Tucker”. He turned quickly as he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. “Who is the guy in the pictures with you?, he asked prying  “Are you married?”. Katrina made her way towards Mel with two cups of coffee. “He was my husband”, she replied, looking remorsefully. “He died two years ago.”

 

Hope you enjoyed the story. Definitely made the  ”500 words at least” mark : ).

 

Laters,

AW

“We’ve come too far to give up who we are.”

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I’ve been listening to Daft Punk’s new album pretty much on a loop for a few weeks now, and when I discovered that one of my favorite artists, Daughter, covered their song ‘Get Lucky,’ I swiftly became obsessed. It’s a wonderful cover that brings a new meaning to the lyrics and makes me love the song even more.

Challenge 76: One of my favorite blogs is a project called PostSecret (I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned it in a previous post or not) where strangers from across the country – and sometimes around the world – mail in their secrets on the backs of postcards anonymously. An amazing man named Frank Warren collects these cards and posts a selection of them every Sunday. I’d like you to pick one of the “secrets” that are up this week and write a story inspired by it. Maybe it’s from the author of the postcard, or someone who reads the secret and is touched by it. Make it at least 500 words.

Cheers,

CM

Alexa’s response is due Sunday, June 16

“This must be the place…”

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Title quote comes from Conway’s ‘The Growl,’ which is the bonus track on the soundtrack for Star Trek Into Darkness. C’MON YOU KNEW IF I COULD MAKE A REFERENCE, I WOULD.

oh my god if you haven’t seen the movie go now. Ugh Benedict is fantastic on top of the MOVIE JUST BEING SO GREAT okay…

Challenge 75: Chelsea’s vlog debut time!! Maybe she’ll let me make a guest appearance? Your challenge for the week: Ok, graduation is over now. You are through your first week. This was one of the hardest, most inspiring, and challenging times in my life. What are you feeling? What are your plans? For this next week? Month? Year? Tell us! We’re dying to know. 

Please keep in mind that this was my first video… ever.

Cheers,

CM

 

“Can we survive it out there?”

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That’s right, I just quoted Vitamin C’s “Graduation”. What of it? You would be lying to yourself if you said it never pops into your head when thinking about graduation.

Challenge 75: Chelsea’s vlog debut time!! Maybe she’ll let me make a guest appearance? Your challenge for the week: Ok, graduation is over now. You are through your first week. This was one of the hardest, most inspiring, and challenging times in my life. What are you feeling? What are your plans? For this next week? Month? Year? Tell us! We’re dying to know. 

 

 

Laters,

AW

Chelsea’s response is due June 9th

“I wanna do real bad things with you.”

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So, the dude who did the score for Dexter also did the theme for True Blood. Hence, why I quoted it n today’s title. And also because I just popped in a random CD that was hanging out in my car and this song was on it. Love it.

Challenge 74: So, apparently I love television writing; it’s basically what I’m shooting for a career in… and in my television drama writing class, we’ve been keeping up with popular shows and watching a few pilots of new shows. What I’d like you to do is pick a new television series that you’ve never seen and give us a review of the pilot. It has to be something that’s been released within the last 2 years at least, because I’d like it to be current. Go in-depth about the characters, where you think they might take the series, and how the logline compared to the actual episode. Then tell us whether you’d stay for the next episode.

Extra points if you do Hannibal. I love that show so much.

I am notorious for starting a tv show and not finishing it. So, the challenge for this week was in fact not too much of a challenge for me. I have a list of shows that I have started that I need to finish (oh that’s right Chase, I STILL haven’t finished Charmed), and shows that I would like to start. Dexter has been on my list for quite some time (the eighth and final season starts at the end of this month). Let me add a bit of a disclaimer about tv shows and me: I hate pilot episodes. I’m that person who asks you to watch a tv show, hypes it up, and then tells you over and over how much better it gets because the pilot sucks so much. BUT IT’S TRUE! Pilots are always slow, dry, awkward… I could go on.  I think my favorite pilot to hate was the pilot for Moonlight. If you have not watched that show please do so, my heart is swooning right now.

After watching the pilot for Dexter, I can honestly say I didn’t HATE it. The acting was somewhat hesitant and uncomfortable (how many of you want to kill me right now?)  and it was a little slow moving. For the most part though, it definitely caught my attention.

The characters, oh the characters. Well, there’s Dexter. Whew, what a complex and intelligent being. I cannot begin to comprehend what’s going through his mind so far. It is a very unique standpoint to gain insight into a serial killer’s daily thoughts and activities. He is complex yet very simple and straightforward.  And yet, he is relatable. He doesn’t creep you out too much to where you think he is a horrible person. He balances the line between gruesome and justifiable. His sister annoys me quite a bit, her mannerisms and the way she vocalizes. I feel like it is either the character or the actress that is trying too hard. I’m pretty sure it is the character, because she actually reminds me of a few female cops that I know. We haven’t gone too in-depth with any others so far, although I am sure characters at the department where both Dexter and his sister work will develop.

Well, I already know that they are eight seasons in, so I can assume that Dexter is continuing with his habits. I love shows centered around investigations, etc. They can develop while keeping interest with different cases. Although, I do hope that Dexter’s cases will carry on throughout different episodes instead of being as frequent as a different case each episode. We will hopefully figure out or at least gain a glimpse into where Dexter’s need to kill stems. I would also love to learn more about his father, or foster-father rather, and their relationship.

It is literally the logline that enticed me to watch the pilot. I mean, a blood splatter pattern analyst working for the Miami Police who in turn  is a serial killer who gains justice by killing those who have committed heinous crimes? Yes, please.

Will I stay around? I watched the second episode directly after the first and plan on watching many, many more if that answers the question.

Can I add how badass the opening credits are? Paralleling the basic morning routine of Dexter to the basic routine of his serial killer self: GENIUS.

Btw- Sorry, I couldn’t do Hannibal. He gives me the heebie jeebies.

Laters,

AW

“To boldly go where no where no man has gone before.”

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I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO QUOTE STAR TREK SO I TOOK IT, OKAY. Have I talked about Star Trek yet? No? Okay, um. I love it. Always have. And now Benedict Cumberbatch is the villain in the new film? I mean seriously guys… you had to see this coming. And it makes sense with the challenge, I promise.

p.s. have you seen the movie okay you need to go see it seriously it’s amazing please just go he’s so good and it’s so good and idsblhadfvn

Challenge 74: So, apparently I love television writing; it’s basically what I’m shooting for a career in… and in my television drama writing class, we’ve been keeping up with popular shows and watching a few pilots of new shows. What I’d like you to do is pick a new television series that you’ve never seen and give us a review of the pilot. It has to be something that’s been released within the last 2 years at least, because I’d like it to be current. Go in-depth about the characters, where you think they might take the series, and how the logline compared to the actual episode. Then tell us whether you’d stay for the next episode.

Extra points if you do Hannibal. I love that show so much.

Cheers,

CM

Alexa’s response is due June 2nd