Being A Good Writer Is 3%....

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Hahahahahaahahaahahahahahahahahahaahahaa.
And, yes--- that is all I'm going to post.

Cultivate YOUR Mind

“A man's mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed seeds will fall therein, and will continue to produce their kind.”
                                         ― James Allen, As a Man Thinketh

NVP Quote - Positivity

"Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture... Do not build up obstacles in your imagination."        -Norman Vincent Peale

Remember.  It's all in your head.  If you cloud your mind with negativity and doubt, let your failures weigh you down-- life will never be what it can be.  It starts with you.  Think and do.  You can do it.   You will do it.

"Dood- you slapped a fiiish."

Weird- something stupid that makes me laugh hysterically?  Never would've guessed.

Liebster Blog- TAG!

JS over at The Joyful Sparrow tagged me with the Liebster Award!  Thank You!

Here are the rules:

1.  Post 11 random  facts about yourself

2.  Answer 11 questions from the blogger who tagged you.

3.  Post 11 questions for the bloggers you tag.

4.  Pass the award onto 11 bloggers (No Tag Backs!)

Alright- So here we go! 

((My 11 Facts))

1.  I was named after the band Asia.  See, down there?  How the "S" looks like a "Z" ?  Yep.  AZIA.

(Insert "Heat of the Moment"joke here)

2.  My favorite food right now are (is?) sweet potatoes.  They are fucking out-of-this-world DELICIOUS.

3.  Whenever I have found myself to be drunk amongst a large crowd of people, I always, for a split second, envision everyone as naked apes-- drinking, dancing, and acting like morons.  It really is an interesting way to perceive the act of drunkenness.

4.  When I was 4 years old, my favorite pizza topping was anchovies.  I have no idea how or why.

5.  I have not only a sister from another mister, but a brother from another mother.  (I know- not that uncommon-- but, admit it-- it just flows off the tongue so nicely.)

6.  If I could look like any celebrity- I'd pick Kristen Stewart.  Shut it.  She has awesome hair and I dig her style.  She's a total babe.

7.  About 7 years ago, Garrett and I went to a Mason Jennings show in St. Cloud.  We arrived at the theater suuuuuuper early.  The only ones there were us, and some dude with shaggy hair.  He was texting on his cell phone just kind of chillin'.  Later on that evening, the concert starts-- long haired dude walks on stage.  At the time, the only photo I had seen of Mason Jennings- he had short hair.  Totally felt like a dumb fuck.  But- a year later-- we ran into him in a hotel parking lot and got to meet him anyway!

8.  Speaking of meeting celebs- Garrett and I have also met Anthony Hopkins (they filmed the assassination scene for the film 'Bobby' at a hotel across the street from my mothers old house in California-- say that 5x fast).  He introduced himself as "Tony" all Italian-like.  We've also met Andrew VanWyngarden from MGMT and Julian Casablancas.

9.  When I was 10 years old, I wrote an Alice In Wonderland-esque story about a boy who follows a squirrel into a tree and ends up discovering this crazy squirrel society.  I sent the story to Disney asking them turn my story into a cartoon.  They did not.  Your bad, Disney, YOUR FREAKING BAD.

10.  I use the words "best friend" interchangeably between like... 5 different people.  You know who you are.

11.  We have an actual VIDEO STORE in our town- and it's awesome, amazing, stupendous, super cool!

((JS's Questions))

1.  What song describes you best?

I Kissed A Girl- Katy Perry

HAHA JK..  Umm... If you would've asked me this about a year and a half ago, I probably would have said You- Atmosphere- now... I have no idea.

2.  What is the best part about where you live?

I love New Ulm.. I think it's the small town charm as lame and generic as that sounds.  There are little Ma&Pa joints- tons of small businesses-- not just the typical Applebees, Target, etc.  It's also the most German town in the state (And home to the largest Oktoberfest celebration in the country) so there are Sausages and Kraut and awesome beer everywhere.

3.  If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

The English Countryside.  I describe it in detail here.

4.  Your perfect day would include...?

Tea with J.K. Rowling, 1 hour back massage from Garrett and Jake Gyllenhaul (shirts off), a personal concert by The Strokes, and sleeping in a huuuuuge comfy bed with Garrett, Abram and Eva (family cuddles!)

5.  What are you looking forward to?

It's Garrett's birthday tomorrow- and I'll finally be able to give him his birthday present.  I'm fucking terrible at surprises-- so naturally, this has sucked.

6.  If money were no obstacle, what would you do with your time?

Write.  Spend time with my kids.  Wait a minute... I just described my life.  AWESOME!  Honestly though- we'd travel.  I can't even say we'd travel "more"- because going to Wisconsin for a weekend at The Dells would be considered travelling at this point.  So, if money were no obstacle- I would write, play with my kids, and see the world.

7.  Your favorite item in your closet is...?

Right now- probably my silk scarf collection. 

8.  In an hour you will be...?

Working on my WIP.  I'd be doing it right now.. but I couldn't work out this thing- so I needed a bit of a mental break.

9.  What countries have you visited, and which was your favorite?

I haven't even been to CANADA.  I did go to a border town in Mexico a few times.  It was sad.  Lots of elderly women and children begging for money.  But, being that it's the only country I've visited- I'll have to go with it.

10.  Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

I can't tell you.  But, trust me-- it will happen.

11.  What are you currently reading?

Just finished 'On The Road' by Jack Kerouac... I haven't picked up anything new (first time I am not reading something in years) because I'm so engrossed in the story I'm writing.

((My 11 Questions))

1.  What was the name of your first pet?  

2.  If you could have dinner and drinks with any living person on the planet, who would it be?

3.  Aliens- Real or Not Real?

4.  You have to sing Karaoke, can't get out of it- HAVE to sing- What song do you pick?

5.  Who is more attractive: Prince William or Prince Harry?

6.  What is your favorite city and why?

7.  What is the meaning of life?

8.  What was your favorite pizza topping when you were 4 years old?

9.  One day, the government decides everyone has to wear jumpsuits.  You can wear either orange or purple-- what do you pick?

10.  Have you ever played "Bloody Mary"?

11.  What is the last movie you saw in the theater?  What kind of snacks did you eat/drink?

((Tag!  You're it!))

Ashley @ Ain't Got Nowhere to Go

JJ @ Simple Musings

NellieVaughn @ Buttons Are Not Currency

Sarah @ digging for fire

Mrs. One Day @ One Day I'm Gonna...

Amanda @ Who? What? When? Where? Why?

I know- it's not 11.  But... I'm sorry.  I have no excusess.

It's A Force Field

"We are like magnets -- like attract like.  You become AND attract what you think."

I've given up sleeping.  It's for the birds.  My weight loss project/blog- Mama's Got A Big Belly is taking off!  ((You should "follow" if you don't already!))  Between working out sponsorships, networking, editing, planning posts-- it's really taking shape! --And taking up time!

So has *working out* and getting out with the family!  Every.single.day I'm jogging, or doing yoga, or hiking.   SOMETHING!  I get the kids out of the house as much as I can.

I can't stay out of the kitchen.  My mind has all of these ideas for recipes... I see something and I find myself thinking 'How can I make this HEALTHIER and still taste good?'

Healthy living is a lifestyle.  I want to be around to see my GREAT Grand kids.  (According to Eva-- she is never going to have kids... so, I guess that one is up to Abram!)

Plus Abram is almost exclusively breast fed.  I don't have any breast milk saved up right now either... Which, is somewhat problematic... I should probably find time to pump because Garrett and I are doing something without the kids for a few hours this weekend for his birthday ((it's a surprise... so you can't know yet-- Garrett reads my blogs!))  So, I'm feeding him, snuggling him, making him giggle, bathing him, changing him-- you name it.

Speaking of Abram-- he had his 2 month check up.  He's gained almost 6 pounds since birth!  That means he's almost 15 pounds.  He also had 3 shots today.  Took 'em like a champ!  Didn't even cry until the very last shot... I think it was mostly a, 'Hey!  What the hell?  I've had enough of this crap!' type of cry.

((ARE YOU SENSING THE ADHD BRAINWAVES I HAVE RIGHT NOW!  GO! GO! GO!))

And then... a few days ago I was in the shower and HOLY #%@#%T%&*(@&%!!!  It hits me.  *THE* IDEA.  Writers- you know what I'm talking about.  THE WIP hit me.  Like a train.

I've had ideas come to me... but, this one is just different.  Much different.  I haven't been able to return to my other large project since birthing Abram... and I'm assuming that my brain needed time to energize me so I could get this idea!

Now I'm writing constantly.  Whether scribbles in my notebook, on napkins, recording (thanks Sarah) or repeating something to myself so I don't forget it.. WIP WIP WIP.  My mind is working out this story... the characters... their world.

GAH.

Like I said... sleep is for the birds.   Garrett and I are serious believers in **ONE THING** -- you get from the universe what you put into ii--

And I can say-- I'm giving it my all.

GUTGAA- Meet & Greet! Hello!

I'm participating in the GUTGAA Blogfest!  How fun!

I'm going to answer Deana's questions but first I'll tell you a little about myself:

Hi There!

I'm a 26 year old mother of two living in southern Minnesota.  Reading and writing have always been a major part of my life.  When I was a child, reading was a way to adventure and escape without leaving the safety of my bedroom.  I remember devouring everything I could get my hands on- reading all day.  I think The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney was the first book that I finished in one day.  As I got older, writing came easily and English was by far and away my favorite subject in grade school.  I write because that's who I am.  I don't know how to be or do anything else.  It is my release and brings clarity of emotion to my emotion-driven life.  I feel everything and writing gives me away to express all that energy so that it doesn't just sit inside me, laying stagnant and unused.

-Where do you write?

I usually sit at my desk and type away on my desktop.  But, I do also carry a notebook and will write wherever, whenever inspiration strikes.

-Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?

The Dictionary of Imaginary Places and the The Notebooks of Leonardo Davinci as well as a large window that allows the sun to warm my skin.

-Favorite time to write?

Anytime, really.  But, I seem to write the best late at night when I'm slightly fatigued.

-Drink of choice while writing?

Tea.  Warm, fragrant tea.  Cold water...  Occasionally a glass of wine, but that's only if I am feeling particularly vulnerable in what I'm writing.  (Liquid courage anyone?)

-When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?

It really depends.  Sometimes the silence is what I need to sort through all of my thoughts but, then music can really help you capture an emotion and keep your train of thought from wandering too far away from your original idea.  I do now that I absolutely cannot have the noise from the TV or a movie when I write.

-What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?

The 2 stories I'm working on currently originated from discussing life with other people.  Most of my inspiration comes from life in general- whether it be my own or the life of others.  Everyone has a story, it's completely fascinating to me.  I will hear about how something happened to "so and so's brother's cousin" and then imagine everything that lead up to that moment and who could have been involved and the outcome.  My mind is always going a million miles a minute.

-What's your most valuable writing tip?

Write as much as possible.  I have to remind myself that sometimes it's not quality, it's quantity.   Yes, you want everything you work on to be brilliant- but you have to not be afraid to write crap.  If you don't get into the habit of writing as often as you can, life can be overtaken by other things and you suddenly discover that writing has taken the back burner.