The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini

And Then We Came to the End – Joshua Ferris

Wordy Wednesday: #1

PRONUNCIATION:

(fi-li-PEN-juh-luhs, -PEN-dyoo-)

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin filum (thread) + pendere (to hang). Ultimately from the Indo-European root (s)pen- (to draw, to spin), which is also the source of pendulum, spider, pound, pansy, pendant, ponder, appendix, penthouse, depend, and spontaneous. Earliest documented use: 1864.

EXAMPLE:

What’s happening to us? 

We used to be so different, so in love. Everyone wanted to be us – the perfect mixture of friendship and soulmates. It was beautiful. 

But what’s happening to us? 

Our love — it’s filipendulous. 

We are both two lonely people who found each other. And now, we’re two lonely people who cannot leave each other out of our fear of loneliness. 
How can we fix this? I want to fix this.

☆ Nikki Quinn

Oh, Sylvia.

Today is the 53rd anniversary of the death of Sylvia Plath.

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An absolutely brilliant writer, she has been the basis of my mentor’s undergraduate, graduate, doctorate studies and an influence on her, as well. Throughout my undergraduate career, I have read her collection of poetry and The Bell Jar.

One thing I discovered is that there are songs written about her. And combining music with literature is one thing we all love. Here’s a playlist I found of songs about Ms. Plath:

A talent lost too soon.
October 27th, 1932 — February 11th, 1963

☆ Nikki Quinn

#storieseverywhere

Every month Gotham holds a Twitter contest in which the winner receives a free class (in person or online) – a great prize for a not so easily accomplished goal! The theme changes each month and the two biggest things to remember are:

1. You must tell a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end
2. Your story must be no longer than 140 characters, including spaces and the hashtag #storieseverywhere

On the surface, it seems easy – but when it comes down to actually trying to fit everything into a single tweet, it becomes next to impossible! Still, I think all writers like to challenge themselves from time to time and what better way than giving yourself the hardest challenge of all? Tell a story in, essentially, a single sentence!

Your stories (which can be true or made up) will be inspired by what you see, know, or do, and they should relate in some way to the February theme : Romance Gone Wrong

If you have a Twitter account and an idea, remember to use #storieseverywhere when you tweet it so you can be placed in the running for a free class at Gotham.

Unfortunately, since we work here, we aren’t allowed to submit to the contest – but that didn’t stop me from giving it a try! Here is my would-be submission :

she brought sugar & mint, I brought whiskey & sin, yet no lot of juleps could drown out the sight of her wedding ring #storieseverywhere

 

The Cursed Child

I’ve been a Harry Potter fan since I received my first book on Easter 1999. Admitedly, it took me a while to get passed the first three chapters. But once I did… I was sucked into the world of Harry Potter.

At the very end of the Harry Potter series — not just the book, but the movie series, too — I was distraught. A book that meant so much to me and was my escape has now come to an end. Where do I go from here?

I had Post-Potter Depression. And believe me, it’s a real thing.

But now… an eighth book is being released and I don’t know how to contain myself. J.K. Rowling has confirmed that Harry Potter and The Cursed Child will be released as an eighth book on the birthday of herself and Harry Potter.

The CEO of Little Brown Book Group UK, David Shelley, said of the announcement:

We are so thrilled to be publishing the script of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. J.K. Rowling and her team have received a huge number of appeals from fans who can’t be in London to see the play and who would like to read the play in book format – and so we are absolutely delighted to be able to make it available for them.

I don’t know about you, but I’m dusting off my Hogwarts robe for the midnight release.

Your Fellow Ravenclaw,
☆ Nikki Quinn

 

Looking For Alaska – John Green

Blogosphere.

 

Blogging has been a trend since the late-1990’s. Back then, it was an online diary. If no one knew your URL, you didn’t have to worry about your younger sibling stealing your diary and reading it at the dinner table.

AOL Hometown was a type of blog. Mine consisted of making dolls like these: 
Then, Google introduced Blogger. 
Yep… that was the login page. Totally Y2K, don’t ya think?

In 2004, Xanga was it.

Just look at the ad! Britney Spears’ In The Zone was the #2 CD on Xanga.
Britney Spears on a Top 50 chart… CDs — I mean, when’s the last time you bought a CD?! (Besides Adele’s 25)… replacing S with Z and tYpiNgG liKe tHiSs (← that took me forever to do).

So, if blogging has been around for the last two decades and then some, why has it taken off like crazy nowadays? There are a lot of guesses I could take such as:

• the advancement of technology and how easy it is to access the internet from anywhere
• we are the nosiest generation (i.e. 1990’s babies) out there; before, people kept quiet about their lives for the most part. Today, we have social media to rant on (Twitter and Facebook) and we are able to take pictures of our meals to show everyone how good (or bad) you eat. On top of that, we are just so invested in other people’s lives. Watching or reading other people’s lives will do one of two things for us
  • 1: Make us feel really glad & thankful OR
  • 2: Make us feel sad & miserable

However, these are multiple up-sides to this.

We all have hobbies that we are incredibly good at, and we want to share our talent(s) with others—giving them inspiration, motivation, and perhaps even teaching them. Lifestyle blogs have popped up in huge amounts: cooking, health, fitness, sewing & crocheting—you think of it, there’s a blog for it.

Some bloggers, like myself, make a blog to keep a portfolio of our work. Photographers, writers, graphic designers. It’s just easier to give a link to a potential employer or a graduate school than spending tons of money on printed photos or a lengthy manuscript. Most photos come in computer-ready form, too.

But what about you?
It’s February 3rd—a month into the new year. Except, January was a trial period of 2016, so the real new year begins now. Yeah, you may have left those resolutions a few weeks ago, but get back to it. If one of your resolutions was to blog, I gotchu.

Gotham has multiple blog courses to help you get started and stay connected to the blogging world.

• Blog Basics: designed for new bloggers or those without much expierience, this course will help you with the entire process—concept, setup, content, and traffic in four short weeks (or one long day). We have a few instructors with so much experience and down-to-Earth personalities that’ll keep you involved in the class—
  • Mo Krochmal, the executive editor and founder of Social Media News NY & a founding producer for The New York Times website.
  • Tom Brennan, comedian, writer, blogger, etc. who has worked for Marvel Comics, Disney, Dynamic Forces and CBS News.
• Blog Writing: you have a blog, but the content is dull. Or you don’t have a blog and need to figure out how to write to attract. Have we got a kickass course for you! Blog Writing will help you to write material that strangers will want to read, will subscribe to, will tell their friends about. As well as helping you maintain it by giving you a good idea of when & how often to post material. It’s all about conversation with your readers. If this doesn’t sell you, this will: Jen Armstrong, the instructor, has the perfect amount humor and personality that’ll keep you so, so engaged. She’s just great.
• Blog Launch: the class aspect worked, but you need more. You want a personal teacher to sit with you and go through every nook and cranny of a chosen platform. Or you’re brand, spankin’ new and not in New York—so, our classes couldn’t benefit you. Blog Launch will. Why? Because it’s in NYC or long-distance via Skype (or Google Hangouts, etc.). This one-on-one learning is beneficial to all types of learners and by the end of the three-hour session, you’ll have the beautiful blog you’ve envisioned.

Whatever you need, Gotham’s got your back.

Blog on, peeps.
☆ Nikki Quinn

Cool, Calm, Collected

Take a deep breath.

Inhale. Exhale.

“I’d be happy to help you with tha-”

“YES WELL NO ONE THERE SEEMS TO WANT TO HELP ME AND I’M GETTING REALLY PISSED OFF THAT YOU THINK IT’S OKAY TO RUN A BUSINESS LIKE THIS!”

Okay. Can I explain something?

“You can catch more flies with honey” is not just some phrase an entomologist came up with. This is a general rule to life. If you’d like something done, don’t be rude about it. If you’re having a problem, seek out help by using basic words our mothers taught us like “please” and “thank you”. Apparently a foreign concept to some.

Now, I am a professional. I know how to keep my cool when someone is incapable of practicing basic human decency towards a fellow member of their species. However, it’s not something I let go of easily. Funny enough, conversations like the one above get stuck in my brain like honey.

Look, we’ve all had bad days. We’ve all woken up on the wrong side of the bed. We’ve all taken out our frustrations on someone who didn’t deserve it. But what we don’t always do is take a step back, take a breath, and calmly tackle the issue at hand. I’ve worked in customer service now for about six years. From serving tables, to answering phones, to dealing directly with unhappy clients, I’ve dealt with every type of irate customer there is.

The screamer.
The sarcastic.
The crier.
The aggressive.
The defensive.
The vindictive.
The storyteller.
Seriously, you name it, I’ve heard it; I’ve maneuvered it; I’ve turned their woes and sorrows into a smile – you know how? Because I’m very good at navigating the waters of difficult people.

I wish I could list that on my resume:
Kimberly Alu
Well versed in Excel, Quick-books, and dealing with shitty behavior.

Anyway, I guess this post is just a vent after a bad phone call. But do yourself and everyone else a favor : if you’re pissed off about something, take a breath before you speak. It could really help you get the results you want.

Remember : You will always catch more flies with honey. Even if the vinegar is easier to reach.

Prey – Michael Crichton Playlist