WMTG

I've been sort of noticing a decline in my optimism or even just general happiness lately and it's completely unjustifiable because my life, though hectic, is bordering on fantastic. So I don't know what brought about this silly mood, but I know what I'm going to do to change it.

Today I created WMTG - "What Made Today Great".

It's pretty self-explanatory, really. My plan is to take a few moments everyday and just think about the experiences or whatever that happened over the past twenty-four hours which made my day particularly great. I may include more WMTG posts in future, or I may just keep my personal affairs to myself... but where's the fun in that? haha

Anyway, the reason why I'm blogging about it today is to put the idea out there. In case anyone else is feeling the winter blues or going through some difficult times or school is already starting to stress you out - whatever your situation, I'm sure WMTG can't hurt it :)

So here's my WMTG for Thursday, January 12, 2012.

1) I made an amazing thrift store purchase today. Brand new H&M dress with the original tags and everything [ for dirt cheap! :D ]

2) 30 Rock has finally come back with their newest season! :)

3) I got to write Jan 12/12 at the top of all my notes in class today.

4) I came home to find that my mom had ordered my favorite take-out for dinner.

5) I went to the archery range for the first time in a few months.

6) My fortune cookie (from my above-mentioned favorite take-out) read: "Your present plans are going to succeed" ... which means I should really start making some plans to do something! lol

7) I finished my first assignment of the semester and handed it in.

And 8) My dad gave me some really great advice in the car on the way to archery. His words have already helped me breathe a lot easier.

What's really great is the fact that I could still add more to my list! It's funny, when you start to look for the good stuff, you'll usually find a lot more than you were expecting. I hope it's the same for you! Even if you can only find one thing that made your day a little brighter, then WMTG has helped.

I may not blog about it, but I think I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for things to put on my list tomorrow! Might I recommend you do the same? You won't regret it ;)

Keep it real!

The End?

I'm an avid reader of YA (young adult) fiction. Sometimes I call it research - that I'm studying the ways of authors who've succeeded in the genre I write for - but it's more than that. I find YA just contains my favorite writing style. Fast-paced, relatable and sympathetic characters, adventure, romance - yes, all of those things at once. It's quite the feat, really. But one thing I'm getting really tired of is the endings.

I just finished reading The Hunger Games (I literally couldn't put it down), but it's only the first novel of three. It ends... but not really. I'm satisfied... but I already plan to buy Book 2 over my lunch hour today. I came to the end of the book, but no where near the end of the story.

Whatever happened to the stand-alone book? It's like everything is a part of a series these days. Maybe this isn't the case for all book genres and my perspective's slightly skewed from never looking past YA, but it seems to me that movies are taking this direction too. Is it a money-grab? Is it because our attention spans have been shrinking as the years have progressed? Is it that our imaginations have shrunk too? We can't think of our own stories for our favorite characters and we like them too much to let them go so we expect the author to continue their stories endlessly?

This series idea seems novel, though when viewed within the history of the story itself, 'new' can even encompass the last few decades, if not more. Look at J.R.R Tolkien. His publisher was given one giant book (granted, it was divided into nine parts - but it was meant to be sold as one story) and he decided to make it into a series of three books. Why?

I'll admit, the aspiring author in me has plenty of series ideas up her sleeve. But I miss the C.S. Lewis series. The way The Chronicles of Narnia contains seven books, but each can function as a stand-alone book. I like reading the words 'The End' and knowing that it really is the end. That the good guys will stay out of trouble, for the most part; that the bad guys have really, seriously been vanquished. My brother and I watched the third Transformers the other day and found it hysterical that they've managed to drag out the same villain for all three movies. Megatron just can't die. It's funny until you think to yourself, "Really? That's the best we can do?" Again, it's Michael Bay so I know it isn't the best our society can do - at least, not when it comes to story.

Don't get me wrong, I loved The Hunger Games, and if it's my money they want, it's my money they'll get. This afternoon at 1 o'clock, I'll be purchasing my copy of Catching Fire and, if it's on sale, Mockingjay. But I just miss the old-fashioned ending...

Is that what it is? Old-fashioned? To say 'it is finished' and actually mean it?

Anyway, I need to get to work so I can make some money to feed my reading addiction...

Keep it real!