My Life – Page 9 – Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

My Weekly Update – My Life is About to Change

Published on October 7, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle21 Comments

I know that it a bit cryptic considering I am not going to go into to much detail. At least not yet. All I will say is that my life is about to change dramatically. I have a climb ahead of me and I am excited and scared, but it all for the best.

I wanted to just take this time to say thank you to all the people online who have been so supportive since I started this blog. Everyone has been overwhelmingly kind and I appreciate it more then you know. It is because of this support I have decided to make this change. Don’t worry, I am not going anywhere, just feeling the urge to show some love.

How’s that for a cliff hanger? On to the update . . .

The Healthy Writers Club

Shallee McArthur started The Healthy Writers Club; How to Push Your Writing (and Exercise) to the Next Level. I am sure my butt has expanded since I’ve been spending so much additional time sitting in front of a computer this year. And, given the option of writing early in the morning or exercising early in the morning, I have been picking sleep every time. (Yeah, you knew that was coming) I thought I was a great idea to record my workouts and find some like minded bloggers as well.

October 1 – 7, 2012:

Cardio: 3x – 60 min sessions

Strength Training: 2x – 20 min sessions

Stretching: 3x – 15 min sessions

Not a bad week.

Posts to View

Two weeks ago I wrote a post about using character profiles as a marketing tool. Dan O’Brien takes this concept a step further with his guest post on Armand Rosamilia’s site. He conducts an interview of his characters and the exchange between the author and the characters in this setting is fascinating. Now I can’t wait to read The Path of the Fallen.

I, along with 300,000 other people are in the midst of pre Nanowrimo anxiety and I hope everyone is preparing and ready to go on November 1st. I have been back and forth about whether or not I was going to do Nano. I love the concept, but not as happy with the quality of work I put out during these challenges. I will write more about this later, but it was one of my goals at the beginning of the year to participate in Junowrimo, August Campnano and Nanowrimio. So, I am going to do it because it has been a pretty awesome goal achieving year for me and I don’t want to stop now.

To assist my fellow writer, here are a few post that might help with your prep:

From one of my new followers, Kim Cox provided help on Outlining: The beginning, middle and end.

Felicia at The Peasant Revolt shared how she is Armed for Wrimo by introducing @wrimo: A 30 day Survival Guide for Writers by Kevin S. Kaiser. I bought it and am reading it now.

And, Amanda Fanger penned a motivational post on how to maintain Writer’s Momentum. It’s about pushing on towards your dreams.

New Followers

Brenden Dunne

Julie at Julieschicklit

CDworks

Javedbabar at A Story a Day

KC Storm

Citizen Plain

Chris Humpherys at My Mind on a Plate

Editor Etc LLC

J Spencer Goff

Next Weeks Schedule

Tuesday – Tattoo Tuesday (I promise not to miss it this week)

Wednesday – Sydney Quotes the Movies – Ridley Scott Goes All In

Friday – Write Practice – “Kaboom” Onomonopedia

Sunday – My Weekly Update

Tattoo Tuesday – I don’t like my tattoo.

Published on September 25, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle14 Comments

I know how Marvin feels. I didn’t like one of my tattoo’s, either. I had a great idea and a unique image reference, but my tattoo artist couldn’t quite capture my vision.

The tattoo didn’t turn out the way I wanted.

So, I had a few options. I could have pouted and cried, threatened and accused, or criticized and complained.

And, I did a little bit of all that. But in the end, I realized it was my tattoo. No one else’s. So, I could either cut my wrist off or I could learn to love it. The former wasn’t a viable option. Especially for a writer, I kind of need my hand.

I talked to the original artist and between of the two of us, we came up with a way to covered part of the bad tattoo with another image and still keep the same story and created a better tattoo.

It still isn’t perfect. But, I learned to love my tattoo.

If you get a tattoo and you don’t like it, there are options besides self mutilation (yeah, I get the irony of that statement considering some people think tattoos are a form of body mutilation):

If you don’t like your tattoo or it didn’t turn out the way you envisioned, say something to your tattoo artist. If he is good, he will change it or adjust it to make sure you are happy leaving his shop. His reputation is on the line.
Go to another artist and see if they have any ideas on how to change it or improve it. Fresh eyes may be the key to creating something good our of something bad.
Cover it up by incorporating it into a larger piece (not an option for my wrist tattoo, I have no more skin surface).
Live with it. Your tattoo may not be perfect, but it is uniquely yours. And, it doesn’t change the story behind why you got the tattoo in the first place.

Do you have a tattoo you’re not 100% happy with? What did you do about?

What’s Your Chocolate?

Published on September 10, 2012September 9, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle54 Comments

I told you it was a Blogfest heavy month for me. Today, I am truly excited and regretfully sad to bring you the What’s Your Chocolate? post.

Ciara Knight and her fellow host asked a very important questions recently; Do you love chocolate? Why yes, I do. And, thanks for asking. But, I am not a chocolate purest. Well, if given a piece of chocolate, I would eat it, but I prefer my chocolate with peanut butter.

Be sure to click on the badge to learn more about this blogfest and to visit other chocolate inspired post.

Without further ado, I bring to you my top 5 favorite chocolate and peanut butter pairings:

#5 – Butterfinger – The first candy bar I remember eating with my dad many, many, many years ago. I haven’t had one in years until recently. OMG, is it still good.

#4 – Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup – It is the classic chocolate peanut butter candy and still a crowd pleaser, but for me I prefer it in the Easter Egg, Christmas tree and the newly discovered Easter bunny shape. Year round, I prefer other forms.

#3 – See’s Peanut Butter Patties – a little fancy. A little pricy, but the only chocolate and peanut butter treat I can find in Hong Kong with any consistency. You do what you have to do.

#2 – Lindt’s Lindford Chocolate and Peanut Butter Truffles – These are super rich and super decadent and I discovered them at Barnes & Noble years ago. I would wander up and down the aisle of B&N looking for the perfect book for that day. Next to the check out where these lovely treats. I would only buy one. One is all you need.

#1 – Peanut Butter M&M’s – When I get off the plane coming back to America, I purchase this bag. On my way to the airport to go back to China, I buy another one of these bags. Take note, this is the XXL size bag. When ever anyone send me a care package they know to send me these. It is just BLISS in bite size chocolate peanut butter pieces.

None of these treats are available in China on a consistent basis, therefore I regret I am unable to partake as often as I would like. Oh, the deprivation.

There you have it. That’s my peanut butter chocolates.

What’s your chocolate?

Summer: Fact or Fiction? – The Big Reveal

Published on September 7, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle16 Comments

It is time for the big reveal in the What I did Last Summer: Fact or Fiction? Blog Hop. Thanks so much to all the lovely people who stopped by and casted their votes. I was thrilled with the response and appreciative of all those who where concerned about my health and those who enjoyed the Universe setting things back in balance (You need to read the stories to get what I am talking about).

Taking a walk down memory lane and putting these two story on paper was a great experience for me. I truly enjoyed it and discovered I have many of these types of stories rolling around in my head. I can use them in my WIP, might be fun. You know – – –

Oh, all right. I will stop stalling. Here is what you all have been waiting for:

Broke Back in Three Places – FACT

Roller Coaster Karma – FICTION

Thanks again Emily R. King and Melodie Wright for a cool Bloghop. I had a blast.

Make sure to stop by the other participants and see if you guessed correctly.

Have a great weekend!

IWSG and Summer: Fact of Fiction Bloghop

Published on September 5, 2012September 4, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle43 Comments

Ok. Busy day here at Sydney Aaliyah. Let’s start with my Insecure Writer’s Support Group post. I kept it short. Then, stay to enjoy story #2 of the Summer: Fact or Fiction Blog Hop (Don’t forget to vote in the comments which story you think is true; this one or that one).

The main area of stress and insecurity for this month is showing my work to other. I am super excited to have formed a critique group with two talented writers. We haven’t started, yet and I am scared to death to show them my work as a whole. Introducing characters, excepts for blog post, no problem, but the entire work at one time. Wow, scary stuff. Now, I know I will get over it and I understand to be a published author the goal is to get others to read my work, otherwise what’s the point. But, the initial idea of it is making me nauseous. But, I am really looking forward to the critiques, so go figure. What am I scared of? How did you feel the first time you let some else read your work? Does it get easier?

Story #2 – One summer when I was 13 and my brother was 16, our parents bought us and our friends (two each) season passes to AstroWorld in Houston, Texas. They were trying to keep us out of trouble I guess. The only rule, stick together.

Well, as you can image, 16 year old boys don’t really want to hang out with 13 year old girls. Besides, my friends and I were really silly. We broke out in song at the most in opportune times. I still do. It wouldn’t have been so bad if we could carry a tune. So, as soon as we entered the park, we all went out separate ways.

On one particular beautifully hot and muggy day in Houston. we were in line for the roller coaster. One of my friends hated roller coasters, but we were able to finally talk her into riding it with us. It just so happened, my brother and his friends were a couple of spots ahead of us in line for the same roller coaster. Seeing how nervous she was, one of my brother’s friends who was really obnoxious started teasing her and trying to scare her even more.

We ened up on the same ride and we started the slow, agonizing crawl to the top of the roller coasters first hill. Even I had that feeling in the pit of my stomach. But, that coupled with my brother’s stupid friend yelling “We’re going to get stuck, We’re going to die.” Even I was getting nervous.

The roller coaster creeped, creeped, creeped up the hill and it got to the top and started over and then it stopped. We were in the back so we had not made the crest when it stopped. The obnoxious friend, he was in the second car and was hanging over the edge.

Everyone was quiet for a moment. Thinking this was part of the ride, but after about a minute, we knew we weren’t going anywhere. We were stuck.

The park operators had to walk up, show us all how to unhook ourselves get out and walk down. My friend was handling it all pretty well. But, my brother’s friend. He was terrified. It was hilarious. First he refused to get out of the car. Then, when the park workers and my brother finally talked him out of the car, he held on to the guy in front of him and cried the whole walk down.

Category: My Life