My nerdy little corner of the internet where I try my hand at updating regular like with game, film and television show reviews along with stuff that I find interesting...
I am ashamed to admit this but I recently had to face an addiction. It was something I did just because I was bored. It was something so mind numbing that I actually found it a fun kind of relief. I would rush home at the end of the school day, desperate to continue in my addiction. I would watch my little farmer wander around the farm, harvesting crops and animals. I waited, patiently, for my XP points to rise higher and higher. But yesterday I realised that it wasn't healthy...hell, it wasn't even fun!
That's right, folks, I played Farmville...like millions of others. I had my crops on the grow and my buildings slowly being erected all over the place.* It wasn't until yesterday, however, that I realised how much of my precious time I wasted making sure my 'virtual' crops didn't wither. So, as of 5pm-ish yesterday, the 23rd of September, I finally blocked the application and have not looked at it since.
I actually have been hanging my head in shame at the amount of time that I spent on that site. It's not a bad game or anything but I realised that I have more books to read and more films to watch. Also, I grew up on a freaking farm so why the heck did I want to play on one virtually. Not to mention, I can devote more time to my blogging and writing. Oh Farmville, you enabler of procrastination you!
Phew...I feel better after admitting that.
*Feel free to laugh at this. I sure as hell did...
Teaching is stressful. It is emotionally draining. It is tiring. And, just sometimes, it is not a good place to be. That is the reason that I did not post on Monday.
Instead, today I decided to focus on me and the things that really make me feel more like me.
I've mentioned before that I am quirky and I have some rather...um...odd idiosyncrasies but, the main thing is, that I enjoy those little things that make up for me. So I have decided to write a small list of things that make me, well, me!
I sometimes love to wear my hair in pigtails or plaits. I don't care that I am 29 and it may make me look 12. I do it because it makes me smile. I do it because I like the feeling of whimsy.
I like to dance around to showtunes and songs from the 80s. I don't care if I look like someone in the midst of a fit or someone standing on an electric fence.
Following on from the last point - I love to sing showtunes and Disney songs. Especially when I'm driving and I don't care if people look at me strange because it's my choice to want to do a rendition of Wicked while driving.*
I like to paint my toenails in winter, even though no one will see them.
I like My Little Ponies AND Transformers. (Though I liked Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors more!)
I love Penelope Garcia's style from Criminal Minds just as much as I love her personality. She likes to surround herself with things that bring her joy and I need to do more of that. Plus, she doesn't conform to those around her. Why should she?
I love to collect badges. Especially if they are quirky and make me giggle because I'm allowed to smile, damn it. I'm allow to be happy or amused! Adding to this, I also like to buy books because I know I'll read them more than once! Or, if I don't, I'll give them to a good home!
I love using large words that trickle from my tongue. I love to manipulate language until I have said the same thing three different ways. I love the sounds that words make and how they can change a scene from seriousness to comedic in a split second. (Or by the removal of key grammar points! Remember that grammar can save lives!)
I love making other people smile or laugh because I can. I don't care if I look like an idiotic. If I can make you feel better about being you why wouldn't I?
And, finally, I love expressing myself in my own way. I don't want to be a sheep. I don't care if my shoes are so '2008'. Like I give a frak. I was never put here to appease anyone but myself! If you don't like me that's your problem because, for today, I'm feeling pretty darn awesome.
Have a frakking wicked (no pun intended) day guys!
My posting may get a little erratic over the next few days as I slowly re-join the world of the employed again. This may or may not be by choice rather than by the huge student loan which is sitting on my shoulder taunting me with the knowledge that I have a BA in English and History - so not really the most employable subjects.
In the meantime I am back at my old job at a bookstore. This is good and bad because I actually really like books and I, honestly, like helping most people. There are, however, some people that I definitely do not like to help so, of course, these people make a beeline for me. I'm starting to wonder if I have a huge neon sign flashing above my head directing these people in my direction. These people being, generally, middle to late aged people who have never worked retail a day in their life. Or, my personal favourite, new mothers.
Before you get on your high horse I will state straight off that 95% of all my customers are lovely, kind and helpful. Then there is the 5% that make me want to repeatedly headbutt a brick wall for twelve hours straight.
There are five types of customers that irk me and I shall list them below.
New Mothers
I like babies as much as the next person - even more so when I don't have to deal with them for longer than a few minutes. Sure your baby is gorgeous and I'm sure that, at 8 weeks he is incredibly advanced for his young age. I'm sure that his first word was discombobulate. But please, don't bring your 4x4 pram into our store and complain loudly that our shelves are too close together. Don't demand to see the manager because we don't have 20 copies of the baby book that you want to gift all your friends. Don't even think of ramming me in the legs with that pram either. Plus, I'm watching your brats to make sure they don't steal anything as they run up and and down the store screaming and pulling books off the shelves... Too Cool Hipster
I'm so sorry we don't have the latest biography on Che or Noam Chomsky's latest book. Also, we don't have a Starbucks in store. Sorry that our chain bookstore is not 'cool' enough for you. By the way, do you even know who Che is? Do you know that Starbucks is a chain as well? Kinda thought that was the thing you were against? Middle Aged Women
Oh, you're going to be haughty to me? I'm sorry that I am very much beneath your socio-economic standings. Oh, you want the latest book by Nora Roberts? Sure, if you'll follow me? Oh, sure, you'd rather stay there while I run around like an errand dog? That's fine. I'll bring over every book we have on the art of sushi.
You saw that book on television last week and there was a picture of a dog on it? Do you remember the author? No? All right. Um. Do you remember anything else? No. Sorry, can't help you there. What? You want to speak to my manager. Okay, I'll just get them for you.
Middle Aged Men
Sir, can you please stop staring at my chest. You were after a book? Sir, my eyes are up here. You were after a book about...? Sports? Sir, I'm going to ask one more time, please stop staring at my breasts! Vague Shoppers
So, you're after that book that was reviewed a month ago by the radio station in the States. No, I'm not aware of it. It's about what? Let me get this straight. You want to know if we have the book about the person who goes to the place where they dance and then they decide to move there? Yeah I'm going to need more to go on. Do you know the author or title? I'm sorry, but our machine does need something a little more precise than that.
These are the five main customers that I rather dislike, though they do make the day interesting and they keep my on my toes. All the while I am smiling like the Cheshire Cat on speed while trying to make a good impression since the company I work for has just been recently taken over, and, although it's just a job, I'd rather not get fired anytime soon.
So, I'm about to relax on my sofa, chuck on a good movie and vege for the rest of the night. Any movie recommendations ?
I'm dusting off my soap box again. That is fair warning for any of you who don't want to hear read about the latest attack on YA fiction. (Young adult fiction for those not in the know.)
The world of twitter is a-buzz with the tag #YAsaves which seem to be in response to this article from the Wall Street Journal - Darkness Too Visible.
First, there are so many things wrong with this article that I am not going to go into. I don't have the time nor the patience to address all the flaws in logic that seem to spring from this 'article'. What I will address is the response from YA authors and YA readers a-like. All you need to do is go onto Twitter to see all the positive messages that are coming from from the #YAsaves tag. Everyone seems ready to state how much reading YA literature has saved their life and I can include myself in that. There are some great stories on twitter right now and they are inspiring.
Amy Freeman obviously does not remember reading any of the fairy tales and nursery rhymes so common in childhood and is now shocked by the lack of wholesome books for her thirteen year old. First, to her I would like to say that she needs to understand that reading about the darker side of life does not make one reach toward the nearest gun or dagger to perform ritual sacrifice or call on the dark lord any more than reading about a hungry caterpillar is going to turn people into over eaters.
Then she needs to look over the books that she read to her child when she was younger. I'm talking about books such as Hansel and Gretel, Jack and the Beanstalk and Goldilocks. If we look at these objectively the first one is about child killers, the second is about child thieves and killers and the third is about a girl who breaks into the bears house and steals food, breaks chairs and then sleeps in their beds. Is this the happy go lucky kind of reading she wants her child to have? In my own opinion Humpty Dumpty is a terrifying view of reality - imagine something being so broken that it cannot be fixed? If that doesn't hit home I don't know what will...
This is not meant as an attack on Mrs./Ms. Freeman it's more of a gripe that someone would base an article around such a silly statement that may have been taken out of context. The fact that she complains about vampires in stories rather than bunnies saying good night to things makes no difference to me, except to annoy me somewhat. What really worries me is that people are going to jump on this bandwagon or witch hunt and we are going to lose a freedom that comes with YA books. I can already hear the book banners and burners readying their pitchforks and lighting their fires.
I fear that this kind of attitude to any form of literature is going to result in the dumbing down of our children. Many places in the world already suffer from poor literacy levels and the moment books start getting banned...well we all know where that leads. As a fan of YA fiction and an advocate toward increasing literacy I don't approve of book banning since it could be the first step into a downwards spiral. We have to remember that darkness in books can be safer than darkness in real life - in fact, darkness in books is better able to help us cope with any darkness that we may face.
I can honestly say that if it wasn't for some of the YA books I read when I was younger I wouldn't be the person I am today. In fact, it could be debatable on whether I'd actually be here due to many things that happened in my life. YA fiction truly gives me hope and inspiration. It's why I work so hard on my own writing because I know the power of the written word. I know the feeling of being lost and alone is not just my burden to bare and so on.
So, Dear Wall Street Journal, please think about those lives that will be affected when you produce an article such as the one you did. Are you prepared to be a part of the current trend to dumb down the media available for children and young adults alike (plus the odd adult who really, really loves YA literature)? Are you prepared to aid in the banning of books which will result in their being less literate people around to read your articles?
As you may be able to tell, I am somewhat vexed at the moment so my writing is rather more passionate than I intended. I will leave you with some links to some great YA authors that have changed the way I think and view the world and I'm a 28 year old woman (I want to say girl but that sounds wrong) and sometimes too set in my ways for my own good...except when challenged to think differently by the following writers.
And, to those writers of such great fiction, you are heroes for writing great stories. Thanks to those librarians and book sellers who are not afraid to recommend great fiction to the youth of today. You are all heroes in my mind and in the minds of many others.
I love my comic books and graphic novels. There is something about the visuals that make for a great read and I have realised that I am a rather visual person so the graphic novel is a great medium for me though I still read a great amount of novels. Anyway, today's list will be my top five comic book heroes. Feel free to disagree or let me know who your favourites are as well.
Kitty Pryde/ Shadowcat/Sprite etc
I've always loved Kitty as a character. She may start off as the annoying kid sister but she has gone through various changes throughout the incarnations of the world of the X Men. She is also one of the bases for the character of Buffy Summers so that is a plus. I've loved her powers as well even though there are more powerful characters in the world of the X Men. Similar to my favourite literary characters Kitty is quite intelligent but she is also very adventurous and more.
Bigby Wolf Fables is one of those series that manages to give a new life to those classic faery tales that we grew up with and giving the big bad wolf a real personality and human side. I just found the whole series brilliant Bigby was one of the main reasons for this. He carries himself much like a film noir detective which adds to his charm.
Dick Grayson
Yes, he started as the boy wonder but he is so much more than that. He grows from strength to strength and has even managed to carry a series (Teen Titans) even though he has no actual supernatural abilities or mutations. Gotta give him props for that. If you look at a lot of the great comic heroes most of them have special powers but Dick has to rely on training and intellect. Plus, when he becomes Nightwing...well...he is a brilliant character and his relationship with Oracle is also beautifully portrayed.
Constantine
Forget Keanu Reeves as Constantine (although he wasn't that bad but he just wasn't John). He is almost an anti-hero. He smokes, he can be a jerk but he gets the job done. Some of the story lines that he has appeared in have been very dark and very well done. He is definitely a guy you'd want as a friend rather than an enemy.
Remy Le Beau/ Gambit & Wade Wilson/ Deadpool
I couldn't choose between these two. In fact, this list was very diffcult as there are so many great characters out there and the term hero is often hard to stick to as all of these characters are capable of bad deeds. But Gambit has to be on the list somewhere, seriously. That Cajun thief ... (is it wrong to have a small crush on a fictional character...) And Deadpool is a new love of mine. Insane and witty...great combination.
Compared to some of the other lists that I have done this has been a little more difficult. Having to choose just five is hard. There are so many that I had to leave out. Death and co from Sandman, Black Canary, Oracle, Dust, and the list goes on. Once my computer comes back I may have to do a revised list instead of these short ones for BEdA.
Let me know which characters are your favourites.
Peace and pancakes
P.S. Still no word on the computer front...last time I ever buy a Compaq - I'm sure they work fine for everyone else but so far I've had nothing but nightmares with mine.
Quick overview - both of my computers are broken at the moment so I am using my sister's little netbook and the keys are tiny and my fingers keep mushing together several keys therefore I am making up new words as I go. I am still determined to finish BEdA so wish me luck.
Now onto business - Today was the release date for City of Fallen Angels by the ever wonderful Cassandra Clare. I have barely scratched the surface and I refuse to give spoilers so all I can say is so far so good! Clare's amazing wit and talent show through from page one.
This does, however, lead me onto today's list of five. My five literary crushes...which could be embarrassing but here we go:
George Cooper
There are so many great male characters in Tamora Pierce's world of Tortall but I have to admit I have had a little crush on him since I first read the Song of the Lioness quartet. Prince Jon is a close second but George and his knowing looks and his trust in Alanna. He reminds me a lot of Silk from Edding's Belgariad series as well.
Simon Lewis
Cassandra Clare has created a great many character in my own opinion and I know there are many Jace Wayland fans out there but I have to say that there is definitely something about Simon that makes me wish I was a few years younger and he was real. What can I say...I love my nerd boys.
Charlie Weasley
I don't know why I have fixated on him. He isn't really a main character and we never learn much about him but he always seemed somewhat mysterious and interesting to me. I feel as if I have to get my books out again and have a good read.
Will Stanton
I love Cooper's books. They are brilliantly written and the character of Will is one I instantly loved from the moment I first read about him.
Tobias
I loved the Animorph series when I was a kid. I still have all my copies of the series at my parents house and Tobias was my favourite. Jake was okay and Marco was the joker but it was definitely Tobias that I liked to learn more about.
There are several other characters that I could add but these were the first few that jumped into my brain. So here are some honorable mentions: Perrin and Mat from WoT, Jeremy, Nick and Adam from Women of the Otherworld series, Julian from The Forbidden Game and many more...too many to list really.
It has been well established how much I enjoy reading but I thought I would talk about those characters that have truly resonated with me throughout my life. The problem with this idea is that there are so many characters that have inspired me that I will have to limit myself to the top five that really stand out to me.
Jo March (Little Women - Louisa May Alcott)
Although I was more like Beth I always loved Jo. She was feisty, strong willed and the first 'tomboy' character that I read about. I was also glad that she didn't end up with Laurie. They were too much alike and would have indulged each others bad points more than their good qualities. The Professor was a better match. Anyway, Jo was a writer, a day dreamer and far too head strong for her own good. (Which kind of sounds like me now...) She faced adversity and was prone to jealously. In my mind she was a well rounded character with faults that I could easily identify with.
Ender Wiggin(Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card)
Ender was somewhat of an inspiration to me. He made it okay for kids to be intelligent. I know that this sounds rather strange but here was a young boy who is forced into a situation that he really doesn't want to be in and he makes the most of it. He had to grow up very quickly in a 'war time' scenario and, even though he doesn't sound like a kid he still has vulnerabilities that make him human. He appeared to be quick to adapt to situations but he was just a child. I could go on and on but I really cannot do him justice in trying to explain why he is a hero of mine.
Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins)
I just finished re-reading this series and, once again, found myself admiring this character. Similar to Ender, Katniss is a young girl who is thrown into a dangerous game where her life is at stake. What makes her stand out is a similar theme for me. She has doubts, she is not perfect. Occasionally she can be selfish or jealous or angry. She feels emotions and isn't perfect, which makes her real. Plus, like Jo March, she is fiercely independent and relies on herself to survive a lot of the time.
Matilda (Matilda - Roald Dahl)
There are so many great characters that Dahl created and it is hard for me to narrow them down so I pretty much just chose the first one that popped into my mind. She is somewhat appropriate for this list as she is a reader, intelligent and, once again, plopped into an unfair situation from which she lets her true spirit shine through. Plus, she is funny. Because of how she was raised by her parents (and I use the term parents loosely) she develops an unique set of morals and ethics.
Shadow (American Gods - Neil Gaiman)
I have the feeling that Shadow is an odd addition to this list. He is the only 'adult' character in the list but there was something about the way he held himself and his entire journey that just seemed to stand out in my mind. He has attributes that I wished I had; namely the ability to stay quiet when needed. I have never been accused of being laconic although I wish I had. He appears to take everything in stride, which is something I wish I could do as well. Shadow is also a very complex character in my mind. He is difficult to describe and somewhat difficult to understand but he is a great character as well.
Now, this is a very short list and as I have been writing it I have a dozens of other characters demanding my attention in my head. It is amazing how writing about this great characters reminds me of many books that I haven't thought of in a long time.
I hope you have enjoyed this short list. (Maybe lists of five may be my theme...who knows.)
I am currently staring at the blank page of doom while the ideas on what to write fight battle royale style in my head. I am somewhat amused by how this image is going down in my head and I have to laugh at how my imagination integrates movie scenes in my head with ease.
This blank page of doom is actually scaring me because I want to write. I want to get published so I can call myself an author and I know that there are many others in the world who are currently in my position. I don't want to be one of those people who talk about writing the next great thing but never have the guts to go through with it. I know that this may sound a bit harsh but you have to admit that nearly everyone you meet will say that they want to write or they'd love to write a novel.
I have actually written a novel and, although I feel I must tweak it some more, I do want to send it off to a publisher and I am going to do that. Nothing like a bit of positive affirmation in the early morning. Well, it isn't as early as it was. For some strange reason my mind told me to wake at 5.30am and so now I am holed away in the corner of the shop (which doesn't open till 12 by the way) and have been for sometime. Hence the blank page of doom bemoaning. At least I am only on my second cup of coffee.
In other news I am finally watching The Hurt Locker and so far I am really enjoying it. I wasn't sure what I was going to think of it but the camera shots and angles are gritty and I love that kind of technique. The acting is pretty great so far as well but I have to watch the film in full before I can give a proper review. I am waiting for 127 Hours to finally start here as well as Black Swan both films that I desperately want to watch but since I am currently residing in the middle of nowhere I must rely on my stores of patience.
If there are any other films that you could recommend leave me a comment. Also, if you happen to know any sure fire cures of writer's block let me know. I've nearly gone through all the ones that I know.
P.S. My sister and her children are now safely up here. They left Christchurch on the first plane that they could get on. So I have a rather full house and have moved myself to the small bach out the back mainly to give them some space and to make sure I retain at least some form of sanity.
P.P.S. Dead Space: Extraction for the Wii is pretty damn awesome. It is a simple game but the story is excellent. I guess my next expense will be Dead Space for the P.C. since I don't have an XBox or PS3...
P.P.P.S. I've stopped playing WoW - mainly because my free trial is nearly up and I don't know if I can afford to pay for it since I can barely afford to buy anything else at the moment.
P.P.P.P.S If you've gotten this far go you! I just felt like writing the letter 'P' and this gave me the excuse I needed. But, since you have gotten this far I will give you something. Hmm...::*::looks around the table::*:: Um, I don't have anything off hand but I can recommend a musician that I just heard - Justin Nozuka. His songs are brilliant - especially After Tonight and Save Him.
I have been known to dive into things without thinking and I feel that I can be honest when I say that this has happened to most people that I know. As humans, we tend to like to voice our opinions and, because we are humans, we have to believe that our opinions are always right. This is not a bad thing, however, it can cause more problems in the long run. Think of it like the stone in a pond with ripples analogy or something like that.
So, the question is, do you continue to throw stones, knowing full well about the ripples or do you stay silent. Either way you are making a choice and, in making that choice, you know that people will disagree with you. Universal popularity is a myth, folks. Sorry if I burst your bubble but there are better things to be doing rather than making sure that everyone likes you.
Anyway, the main reason for that intro is that I have been hearing a lot about book censorship and arguments over everything for the last month or so. Yes, I know that it isn't anything new because there are always going to be people out there who must complain about something but I have to say, it really irks me when people start trying to 'censor' books, especially when these books are in the YA genre.
I love to read. (I can hear the collective 'duh.') I love to write and, as you know I hope to be a published author. Reading and writing go pretty much hand in hand and I am lucky to have been given the chance to read all sorts of great books and quite a few books that I thought were crap. I have no problems with recommending books, regardless of the language or scenes or anything, especially when it comes to the YA genre. If I read a book that I think is great I will pretty much scream my love for it from the roof tops. But, apparently, not everyone thinks the same way that I do.
Some of you may have heard about the Bitch Media's 100 Young Adult Books for the Feminist Reader debacle that is going on. I won't go into detail because either you already know or you can read on the link about or even google it. Breaking it down, what happened was they put up a list that included some great books but, apparently, some of those books deal with things that might 'trigger' children or cover issues such as rape and assault. This resulted in three books begin removed and several authors that I respect asked for their books to be removed as well, which I understand. I also understand that this was an individual list done by the staff at Bitch Media and they have the right to remove books if they choose. It's just the way it went down that turned it into a huge mess.
The reason I am bringing out my trusty soap box is that the idea of removing books for the reasons they gave is very sad. Yes, I understand that there may be some parents out there who want their children to remain innocent but the world isn't innocent. It is rough and beautiful, it is evil and good, crazy, terrifying, amazing and it is real. I really want to place emphasis on the real aspect of the world. This means encompassing the good and the bad. People get hurt, children die and children are taught to fight.
By 'censoring' or removing books, how can we expect our children to grow up with a sense of global understanding and even empathy. I dread to imagine a world without Huckleberry Finn or Scout or even good old Holden Caulfield. Reading is an important part of life and it is a part that many people do not get to experience but those who do, well, how can we expect them to learn if we tell them that they can't read this book because the main character dies or one of the characters experiences abuse.
In my view censoring YA books is the same as trying to keep a child in a bubble. This leads to children and adults becoming ignorant to the realities of the world. This makes me sad because, as I've said before, I love to read and those books that were removed from the list are going right onto my reading list. It is up to us to ensure that the next generation are given every opportunity to learn and if we continue to ban books or dismiss them without reading them - well, what kind of lesson are we giving to others.
I feel like I could go on about this but I only wanted to mention this because I feel that I believe in my opinion. I believe that books shouldn't be treated at impartings of evil and I belief that we should trust in the judgement of our peers and the young adults who choose to read these novels.
Anyway, enough of this seriousness. I'm putting away my soapbox but I will list the three books with links below.
When I was but a wee slip of a girl I had many role models, people who I looked up too in a near obsessive way. My mum can tell you stories and, this may or may not surprise you, many of these people were not celebrities. I recall doing a project on Marie Curie when I was in primary school and on Mary Anning. Dr Jack Horner was another such role model. (Further proof of my impending geekiness...) Sure, there were some singers/songwriters who were my inspirations but when I became a bit older it was writers such as Tamora Pierce and Stephen King.
Even now I still find people that I admire - Neil Gaiman, John Green and his brother Hank (who is awesome, btw!) I also admire strong characters from my favourite books and shows. KayLee from Firefly. Angela, Hodgins and Temperance from Bones. Katniss Everdeenfrom The Hunger Games. These are just a few.
Anyway, I do not like many of the so called 'role models' that people have these days. In my mind a role model is someone who you aspire to and you hope that your actions echo their choices and decisions.The end result is that, in having a role model, you can make yourself a better person. With that being said, I find it more than a little alarming that there are so many bad role models out there. This is not just a jab at those in the celebrity world because, although many may complain about being a role model, they have put themselves out there. Though I can't see what kind of role models that Kim Kardashian or Paris Hilton are and I'm not going to apologise for not seeing them as positive role models.
Now, before you think I'm just standing on my soap box doing my little rant I would like to point out that what I think may not be what you think or believe. What I feel strongly about, however, is that we do need more positive role models in our lives who are complex and not just some airbrushed ideal that is plastered on a poster. How can we expect our children to grow up idolising such things as Bratz Dolls or other gender stereotyping figures be they male or female.
I am not saying that celebrities are all bad role models as there are some very positive role models in the acting world and this goes for authors as well but I'm going to leave that alone.
After all this rambling, my main point for this blog came about when I was trying to focus on a new character for a novel that I am currently working on while waiting to send my draft off to the publishers to see if there are any bites. I was writing about this female character and I suddenly found myself obsessing over how I portrayed her as I wanted her to be someone that readers would admire but I didn't want her to be perfect, basically, I didn't want to create a Mary Sue. This lead me to thinking what my favourite authors would do and how they create such vivid characters that I admire. They have flaws, like real people, and they have emotions, like real people...I hope you get where I am going with this because there is so much that I would like to say about the idea of role models but I don't want to end up making this into some self righteous blog where everything I say is set in concrete.
To finish up I would like to say that having role models is an important thing but choosing the right role model will always be up to you. For all my writing I cannot make you like my favourite role models and I wouldn't want you to like something just because I like it. What I would hope is that you find someone you admire and use them as a guide - and, just because I don't particularly like someone doesn't mean that you should stop liking them.
Anyway,I'd love to know who you admire? Or what kind of character traits you think are good, bad or ugly?
Peace and pancakes all...
P.S. I promise to get this blog proper sorted out as soon as I know what I'm really doing...I apologise for it being a little wonky...
