Tattoo Tuesday – D. Savannah

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle3 Comments

D. Savannah is such a creative soul.  And, when she shared with me her tattoo story, I had to share it with you.  Ironically, today is the anniversary of her marriage to her now ex-husband.  Read on and experience the irony.

Thanks for sharing D. Savannah.

My Tattoo

By D. Savannah George

1.  How old were you when you got your first tattoo? 
29 ½.
2.  What made you want to get your first tattoo?
My (now ex-) husband had always wanted to get a tattoo, but his mother had been firmly against it. She even burst into tears at the sight of a fake, temporary tattoo he’d put on his arm or something.  So, when he turned 30, he decided it was high time he got a tattoo, because, after all, 30 is practically grown-up, right?
I had never had any interest in getting ink. I got my first while he got his first. His took 3o minutes. Mine took two and a half hours.
3.  How many tattoos do you have?
I have seven (in order of getting them): wolf howling at the moon, Native American design, right stomach; Japanese Kanji for courage, left shoulder; turtle with the universe in its belly, right lower back; infinity symbol with a turtle, left hip; tree of life, right shoulder; feather with quill and birds, left shoulder (around kanji); “Open a vein”, right wrist.
4.  What is your tattoo story? If you have more then one tattoo, tell me your most recent or your favorite tattoo. 
I got my second tattoo when I got divorced. I got my third when I moved to the ocean. I got the fourth when I remarried. The last three have to do with my art and writing. If I start at the first one, and go on to the 7th in order, they circle my body, like invisible rings. They are all, except for the first two, original. (My idea, someone else’s actual drawing.)
My tattoos are the story of my life. I like that people wouldn’t know I have tattoos unless I show them – they are all (except the one on my wrist) easily hidden with clothes. But I also like that I can show off the three on my shoulders if I want to. (I have to drop trou to show the other three.) (Which I’ll gladly do, if you ask nicely enough.)
My favorite has got to be #6. My artist (who also did #5) free-handed it on my back, and it surrounds #2. It also feels the most “me” (whatever that means).
I had no idea tattoos were so addicting! But I promised my (current) husband I’d stop at seven, so I guess I will.
5.  Tattoos on a significant other, like or dislike?  Why?  
Like, obviously. Ironically, my ex-husband’s current wife has none, and my husband has none, and I’m pretty sure he just tolerates them on me. Also, my ex-husband only has three tattoos, while I have seven.
BIO
D. Savannah George has a tendency to be verbose, so writing short blog posts is good exercise for her brain. She is a multi-disciplinary artist – she writes, paints, crochets, takes photographs, and makes beaded jewelry, bookmarks, and notecards. She has published several short stories and a number of poems, as well as numerous articles in various newspapers and magazines, and has won several awards for her writing. Her first book, A Spicy Secret, #22 in the Annie’s Attic Mystery Series, will be released in January 2013. She also serves as a book editor for authors and several small publishers.
 
If you want to find out more about D. Savannah George, visit her at:
www.dsavannah.com
www.dsavannah.com/blog/
twitter: @dSavannahcreate

The feather quill with the birds is absolutely beautiful.  Thanks again D. for participating in Tattoo Tuesday.  

If you want to share your tattoo story.  Let me know in the comments. 

 

My Weekly Update – The Secret to Winning NaNoWriMo

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle13 Comments

Yes, ladies and gentleman. This is the one and only Nanowrimo prep post I am going to pen for you this year.  Frankly, the only one you will need.  I have the secret to winning Nanowrimo.  Now, I haven’t actually participated in Nanowrimo.  But, I have won Junowrimo and Campnano in 2012.  So, that make me an expert on these month long writing challenges in 2012.

But first, the advice. Here it goes. All the advice you’re every going to need.  And, I do mean all.

Insane and Uncontrolled:  Surviving NanoWrimo
Nanowrimo – an insight for the first timers
My 10 Not So Secrets to Winning Nanowrimo
12 Thoughts about Nanowrimo
5 Ways to Silence Your Inner Editor
Nano What-O?
Nail NaNoWriMo – start now! 3 old hands share their tips
@WriMo is a Must Read for #NaNoWriMo
Who’s Doing #NaNoWriMo?  We Are!
Coincidence? Maybe, Maybe Not.  #NaNoWriMo
How to Prepare for NaNoWriMo:  Should You Outline Ahead of Time?
How to Plot for #NaNoWriMo (Pantser Style)
My Junowrimo Daily Journal – my blissful writing adventure
My Campnano Daily Journal – my challenging writing adventure
Scrivener NaNoWriMo 2012 Offer – really the best WP for writers
National Novel Writing Month – the official website
 

There are many more post, sites and books dedicated to helping you prepare for Nanowrimo.  Take a few hours, read through some, skim through others.

But, you came here for the secret, right?

Come November 1st, forget it all.  Just sit down and write. And write and write and write. 

If you want to follow my progress during Nanowrimo, come back and read My NaNoWriMo Daily Updates.

Good luck fellow NaNoWriMo writers!

New Followers – Thank you!
JK at Nice Weekend Books
Anna at In Between the Speakers
Susan Roebuck 
 
Next Weeks Schedule
Tuesday – Tattoo Tuesday – D. Savannah
Wednesday – Sydney Quotes the Movies – Dark Shadow
Friday – Spooktoberfest – Still trying to figure out how to do this without having nightmares for a week after.  Stay tuned!
Sunday – My Weekly Update – November Schedule  
 

Did I miss any good NaNoWriMo advice?  Share some of your favorites in the comments. 

Sydney Aaliyah Writes – Write Practice – Longing

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle2 Comments

Write Practice #3 – Longing – Write for fifteen minutes about longing.

Do you remember back when you didn’t have to worry about setting an alarm? Do you remember a time when you stayed up late and didn’t care about the consequences the next morning? A time when you just woke up because your body was done sleeping?  I remember and I long for those times.

Today I had to drag myself out of bed after staying up way to late. My alarm didn’t go off, which set in motion a series of almost late events that caused me to have mini panic attacks even 4 hours later.  This is my life. This is what it has become.

I miss those times when I work up at 6:00 am not because I had to, but because I went to bed at 8:30 pm the night before. Now I was 8, but still. It was nice.  My days were busy.  I had to dress all my dolls and get them ready for their 2pm tea party. I had to go out back and see if the nest I found the day before had any  birds in it. I had to run across the street to my best friends house and see if we were playing in her back yard today or mine.

But, none of this matters now. Life isn’t like that anymore.  Life will never be that simple again. Do you know why?  Because I grew the hell up.  I didn’t mean to.  God knows I didn’t want to, but it happened.

But, now that it has happened, there are fewer lazy days and there are even less backyard play dates and tea parties.

There is only 6:00 am wake up calls and workouts and meeting after meeting.  Conference calls over lunch, if I have time to eat lunch at all.  Followed by more meetings, emails, and phone calls.

If I’m lucky, and only if I’m lucky, I get an hour to watch my favorite show at night while writing or editing or blogging or doing some other activity I love to do.  Even that activity is beginning to feel like a chore because of my lack of time to fit it all in.

So, what do I do?  How do I cope? Do I just live with fitting it all in anyway I can? Do I continue to long for a time when time chased me or continue to live this life where I chase time? Is is possible to find time to do all the things I want to do instead of the things I have to do.

It is my choice. A choice that has more consequences now then it did back when I was 8 years old.  But, still my choice.

What do you long for?  Write about it. 

My Sweet Peyton! I long to hang out with him more, too.

Did I Notice Your Book? – That Time of the Month by Emily Shaffer

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle23 Comments

Ciara Knight & the Ninja Captain Alex are hosting another community building blogfest.  They have given me the opportunity to tell you about a book I noticed a couple of weeks ago.  And, the only way I can really tell you how much I enjoyed this book is by describing what happen to me when I read it.

The book I noticed is That Time of the Month by Emily Shaffer.

Scene #1 – I am trying out a new restaurant near my house.  I entered the place and there were about 20 people in a room that really should have only sat about 10 people.  And, I order and take out my iPad to read.  I ended up with a headache trying to stifle myself from laughing out loud.  If I had let go like the story warranted, these people would have thought I was crazy.
Scene #2 – I am sitting in my coffee spot (appropriate considering the setting of the book)  and decide to read a couple of chapters before getting into my own work.  4 hours later, I am still reading.  It is a bit more rowdy in here so I can laugh to my hearts content. And, I make no progress on my own novel.
Scene #3 – It is 12:00 am. I have had a long day and am tired. I open my iPad just to finish the chapter I was on.  At 3 am, I finish the book and am still tired, but happy.  And even though I have to get up in 4 hours, I fall asleep giggling.

I won’t spoil the story for you, but something about Ellie, the main character, I could so related to.  Like Ellie, I am a former attorney and I want to be a published writer.  I am super clumsy (picture tripping over nothing and walking into doors) and have broken, sprained and separated multiple body parts. I tend to cut myself a lot, too. And, like Ellie, I tend to embarrass myself in front of guys I like.  That is all I am going to say about that.

So, I noticed this book and you should to.  Just make sure you are somewhere where you can laugh out loud and not worry about being hauled off to the funny farm.  HAHA!

The Nineties Blogfest

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle30 Comments

1990 – Favorite Movie – Goodfellas – Best Gangster Movie Ever

1991 – Favorite Sitcom – Seinfeld – although it debuted in 1990, I didn’t start watching it until season 2.

1992 – Favorite Album and Album Title – 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of . . . by Arrested Development – Song:  Tennessee, Mr. Wendal, People Everyday.  Favorite Lyric:   “Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day, teach him how to fish and he’ll eat forever.”

1993 – Favorite Reality Show – The Real World Los Angeles – MTV was the only channel that was doing reality shows and The Real World was the original.  This season featured Tami, David, Beth, Jon, Aaron, Dominic, Irene, Glenn, Beth.  It was more then 7 because David got kicked off by his roommates for inappropriate behavior and Irene got married.  This show has come a long way.

1994 – Favorite TV Drama – My So Called Life – The whole series the cast would refer to other characters by their full name:  Angela Chase, Rayanne Graff, Jordan Catalano, Rickie Vasquez, Brian Krakow (I did that from memory.) It was a great show despite being cancelled after the first season.

1995 – Favorite Movie Character Name – Keyser Soze from The Usual Suspects

1996 – Favorite Concert – The Fugees – Tallahassee, Florida

1997 – Favorite year for Movies – Titanic, Good Will Hunting, As Good as it Gets, Starship Troopers, Grosse Pointe Blank, The Devils Advocate, Boogie Nights, G.I. Jane, L.A. Confidential, Donnie Brasco (“For get about it”), Deconstructing Harry, Amistad, Face/Off, Contact, Affliction, Eve’s Bayou, Gattaca – Now, I am sure you could do this with any year, but truly some great movies came out this year along with a few of my all time favorite; Titanic, Good Will Hunting and Face/Off.

1998 – My favorite Book – Bag of Bones by Stephen King – one of his best.

1999 – Favorite Acting pair – Edward Norton and Brad Pitt in Fight Club

What are your favorites from the 90’s?