Psychic Persuasion

The World Cup is now over. I followed it pretty closely and am disappointed that I won't be able to flip on the TV to watch cup coverage for the next four years.

There was one thing about the Cup matches that began to intrigue me this year. It wasn't the refereeing, the different country dynamics, or even the nice legs of the players (although all those things certainly kept me watching.) The thing that had my curiosity kicking and my interest increased was Paul, the psychic octopus.

Paul was 100% correct in all his predictions for the 2010 World Cup. How weird is that?? It's like a game of Heads or Tails, and the chances of anyone always being right is astronomical. So, is Paul really psychic? Or maybe his reputation preceded him. Did the team he picked get a boost of confidence that turned the tide of the game?

Here is a clip of Paul picking (correctly) the final World Cup match between the Netherlands and Spain.

What are your thoughts?

Happy Monday, everyone. I feel like it's been ages since I've posted!

Who needs Dr. Phil?

Over two years have passed since I recommitted myself to writing, beyond what is required for work. There had been a long hiatus for me since I previously attempted a personal project.

I owe a nod re: my creative resurgence to fellow Inker Diva Donna who invited me to my first LDS Storymakers conference AND founded our writing group, which has been a great source of motivation and inpsiration to me.

I've been plugging away at my first novel, writing as often as I have the time and energy to focus on it. Recently, I had an intense couple of months at work with many overtime hours. During that period I did not write anything for my novel, and it has been difficult to get back into the groove of the story.

However, I am writing again, slowly but surely, and I have had an epiphany - writing is great therapy for me. There has been such a big difference in how I cope with stress and my general outlook when I am focused on writing vs. not.

Although I wanted to be further along by this date, I'm grateful for the time away from my novel for making me realize how important writing is to me. But, even if my story never makes it into book form and my characters live only in a file on my computer, I'm determined to finish it and give them their happy ending. They deserve it, and it's much cheaper than a therapist.

Photogenic vs photophobic

You asked for photos, did you not? Well here's proof that I'm not photophobic. The pictures from Sushi were really just BAD!







Plus the other Inkers haven't seen these yet. So I can brag about my photogenic friends. Check out Deb's skirt in the red. DJ totally sewed that for her the night before the conference cause she is super nice that way.

Summer

I love summer.  My WIP (work in progress--I know the industry term is MS, but I have the disease MS, and I don't want to think about it.  Besides WIP sounds so cool!) I digress.  My WIP is about summer.  About one magical summer.  Did you ever have one?

My most magical summer was the one between 8th and 9th grade.  I was living in Mesa, AZ.  There was a group of kids and we all lived within walking distance and we just hung out. In the 120 degree heat you live in your pool during daylight hours.    When the sun would finally go down we would converge on the street.  We swam, watched movies, and played basketball.  I don't really remember the specifics--except my best friend walking to my house barefoot and burning her feet.  But to me it remains a magical memory.

At the end of the summer my family moved to Seattle.  I had a great time in Seattle and always tell my parents how grateful I am that we moved, but that last summer in Arizona was my summer of magic.

Do you have any summer magic memories??

Surprise!

I spent the Fourth of July weekend at my sister's house which was completely fun and entertaining. For example, in the midst of the chaos of lighting fireworks on Sunday, my sister had all the little kids line up along the sidewalk so they could get sparklers. They were so cute all lined up in a row, waiting patiently for their sparkler to get lit, but when she was just in the act of lighting the first sparkler, my husband interjected with, "Wait, Jen! Those aren't sparklers. They're bottle rockets." Of course, they were sparklers, Scott just likes to pull a harmless prank now and then. Unless you've lived with him for a few years, you too might get caught. And my sister definitely got caught! The thing I loved about this little scene was how he saw the opportunity and took it. He didn't have to go through any elaborate set up. He just exploited the situation. In many ways, this is how great writing happens. If your characters and plot are strong, the right situations arise without almost any effort, just waiting to be exploited. i.e. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The entire book. Each character plays into the plot so effortlessly it's ridiculous. So, go reread it for kicks or a how-to lesson on how to reveal information. Delightful!

Inception

Next weekend I will begin a glorious 17 day vacation period off work. Although I wish our budget would allow for a week-long stay at an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean or similar, I am excited for the time off and the "staycation" we have planned, indulging in fun activities close to home.

I plan to have at least one movie date with hubby and was excited to see a trailer for Inception, the latest film from Christopher Nolan. I am a fan of Nolan's work, especially Memento and The Dark Knight.

Here is a plot summary from IMDB:

Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible-inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming.

The cast is promising. Even though Leonardo DiCaprio sometimes annoys me, he's good at intense (see Baz Luhrmann's Romeo & Juliet). Also, there is Ellen Page, who I loved in Juno, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. But the real star is writer-director Nolan. I hope it is another success for him.

I'm totally there!

A Shower of Inspiration

The new budding idea of a story is so exciting. Then there is the moment when the missing elements come together, a plot glich is smoothed out, a new character appears to save the day or maybe a brand new element comes to life.

So many times the best ideas--the ones that have been ruminating in my busy brain--seem to get washed to the surface in the shower. Is it strange that my mind works best in the shower? Did someone enchant my water pipes or something? Maybe its just the one place a busy mom gets a minute or two to think. It happened today when I figured out a completely new direction for my latest story...I'm in outlining stage so its great timing.

Where do you all get your best ideas and plot problem solving done?