In which Hayley freaks about growing up. And is cold. Very cold.

I'm (finally) halfway through Paper Towns! I know, this isn't really anything to report. In fact, it's kinda sad that I'm reporting I'm only halfway through it when I've had it for almost a week. Anyway, I forced myself to sit down and read it (which is more what this post is about than the book. Chill, I'll get there in a second) this afternoon. Managed (as mentioned -- a few times) to get halfway through and past the heel and gusset on my sock! Ahhh! That's awesome. For me, anyway... I'm really loving this sock right now... I wish they'd finish themselves... And quickly. I wish I was as fast as Stephanie Pearl-McPhee... That'd be epic. But I've watched her knit before but she's just so freaking fast I can't figure it out...

ANYWHO! (I enjoy saying that. Oddly enough it doesn't happen so much in real life.) On with what most of this bloggy-posty-thingy is about. I mentioned how I forced myself to sit down and read. I'm really proud of myself for actually listening to myself. Because I suck at listening to myself. I can't make myself do something. I have an authority problem when it comes to myself. Or other people sometimes, but more with myself. Which is really bad. How am I ever going to finish reading a book? Finish a knitting project? Do school? Finish writing my book?

Anna and I were talking about being more responsible earlier about staying up so late/getting up earlier. And I decided I had a lot more I need to apply this to. Like reading/school/writing. Not so much knitting... I should probably limit my knitting time a little, even. That's why I was knitting while I read today... that makes it better. Anyway, I was thinking about all this -- because that's what I do. Yes. While reading. I probably missed something important. But that's what re-reading is for -- and I decided I needed to make a schedule for myself. But then I realized that if I did that, it ABSOLUTELY wouldn't get done because I can't listen to myself. So... I'm a little lost in what I should do. Maybe make the schedule and get my mom enforce it. But this isn't her thing, it's mine. My responsibility....

Gosh! I hate being responsible! I'm the first to fully admit I won't survive as an adult! I'm not looking forward to college (which I'll have to pay for myself. But I can't get a job to do that, because 1) I spend a lot of time either watching my brother or nephew. Or both. And, when she's a little older, my niece. 2) I can't drive! Working on that, though, finally! Ha! Finally... 3) Frankly, it scares me. More responsibility. I'm not a leader. Not a follower. Mostly I'm just there. And... that's not such a good thing with jobs. 4) I hate not being at home, or somewhere I can't immediately retreat into my shell for protection. Etc, etc. 5) I DON'T WANT TO GROW UP! I know, I can have a job/be responsible without growing up. But right now, right here, I don't see how that's possible.

I'm sure I'm just completely freaking. Going through one of those funks that we tend to get. But... I don't know. I just.... GAH!

I need a hug from someone other than my dad. Because his hugs come with lectures. I don't want a lecture. Why can't my mom be home right now? Or someone other than my dad with his lecturey hugs? (Not counting my brother... Ew... brother hugs...)

I didn't realize how much I needed a hug until I wrote that last paragraph...


AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

I'm hope I'm good now. I think I got out everything I needed to get out. Except maybe how cold I am. I'm super cold.

~Sigh~

Hayley

I'm an aunt! ...Again!

I think it's funny how people keep telling me this. Like I ever stopped being an aunt... Weird stuff. They realize I never became unrelated to my nephew, right? Sorry, very tiny rant there. Done now.

I've been listening to my MP3 (Odair) this morning -- er... afternoon -- and just now, as I was changing songs It's All Over by Three Days Grace started playing. Ironically, the next song was It's Not Over by Daughtry. I think Odair is at war with himself... Can't figure it out. Then Exitlude by the Killers came on. I wonder if that means something.... It stopped being ironic after that. This whole paragraph was pointless...

Anywhoodles! No, Anna, I have not worked on Netherground anymore... I'm really not planning to today, either. Though I may. I'm really not sure how to get where I need to get. If I should stretch it out or make it happen now. That, and I need to start on the real beginning, and I'm not looking forward to that so much. I should probably figure that one out a little more, too. And backstories. I need to work on backstories...

My foot is asleep... I just moved it. Ow.

I started a new pair of socks! Ahhh!
Another one?
Yes.
I'm using the stitch pattern for the Tilting Tardis Cowl by Marilyn Phillippi. It's a Ravelry link, so... sorry non-ravelers that aren't there, I'm just pretending you are... We should probably work on that, huh, Anna? Eh... later. ANYWHO! (Doctor Who!) I started making the cowl itself, then remembered that I don't wear cowls. (Kinda like a scarf, but it's more of a wide tube that you just wear around your neck. It's not all long and hangy.) I adapted the stitch pattern to make it work in the round. So... socks! Yeah! Because I need more of those... (I really do, actually. I wonder if I can get them done by Tuesday -- or Wednesday. Whatever day it is when we're supposed to be really cold... I literally just laughed at myself. Silly, ambitious, stupid me.)

I just started the majority of my sentences with "So." Add that to the list of stupid sentence openings that I make a habit of using. I went back and I think I got rid of a good amount of them. But probably not a lot...

Anyway, I'm sure you've already checked your email and you know this by now, but I'm sending you an email, Anna! One that is not relevant to anything I've just talked -- typed...? -- about. Not sure why I'm even putting this here. A filler? Sure. Let's go with that.

All the Right Moves by One Republic just started playing... HUNGER GAMES!

Hayley

Things you *really* want to know about: (Like the sugar I consumed today!)

1. I have just discovered that tugging hard on your ear lobe is not a good idea. It really isn't. You're trying it now, aren't you? Don't. It can only end in pain, and then you'll do something stupid like telling everyone how stupid you were.

2. I feel like I'm going to mention Doctor Who every time I post here, now. Bad thing? Heck no! Good thing! Well. Duh.

3. So! Since I'm going to mention Doctor Who every time I post here (or a lot of the time), let me just run with that. Not literally. I had a lot of sugar today and it has stirred up my cough. Running would not help it, I don't think. And I don't have socks on so I can slide around on the floor. And I just don't want to run right now. Anyway, running with mentioning Doctor Who - I've discovered how much fun it is to think in Doctor Eleven's voice. His thought pattern is all over the place. It makes sense and it doesn't, all at once. I love that. It really helps when I'm trying to justify something when I'm brainstorming. (Okay. Okay. I need him there. I need him to be in there because I want him to be in there and I need the reader to get attached to him, so they'll be sorry later when he's important...) If you imagine all of that in Matt Smith's voice and accent, that's how some of my reasoning goes when I'm figuring out stuff, now.

4. Speaking of the sugar I had today:
I was so good until I went out to eat. Then I got a big coke. And it was good. It was amazing. It was coke.
And then I started coughing.
I still do not regret the coke.
Then I came home - and I had grape jello with whipped cream. It was good too. Pretty darn great.
I ate what I wanted and then gave the rest to my dog.
I'm coughing now. A lot.

5. You really wanted to know about the sugar. I know. You're welcome!

6. *HUG* Whoever you are! Unless you're a creepy stalker or something. Then it would be weird and inappropriate. But I like hugs. Maybe I'll just direct this hug at certain people. (Hayley - *HUG!* And also *HUG!* to Luna Lovegood, Earnest P. Whorl, Kramer, Connor from Primeval, and RORY! )

7. I'm done! *waves*

Blogger accepts "TARDIS" as a word... I'm so proud of them!

Heeellooooo! *Rolls by in swivel chair, stroking purple fuzzy -- crashes into a wall* Ow...

Well, that was fun... Now that I'm done with that, I'll get on with the bloggy thing.

First off, I have to say how insanely jealous I am of Anna's mind/TARDIS comparison... That's just... the best! Wish I'd thought of it... Earlier, I attempted to think of something to compare my own mind to and came up completely blank. I found that a bit disconcerting... I am a writer, you'd think I could figure out something. Guess not. But that's fine -- I hate starting sentences with "but." I think because it was driven into my head as a little second grader. I listened then, not so much now. In fact, most of my sentences tend to start with "but" or "and." Sometimes "because." That's really bothersome when I'm editing. Another thing I hate! Editing. That's stupid... I cringe at the word. I'm gonna go on with what I was saying before I started this rant now, if you're lost, go back a few lines -- because I have plenty of time to figure that one out, and when I do, it'll be way cooler than the TARDIS. (I don't actually mean that... not a lot is cooler than the TARDIS.)

I'm tired. Insane how tired I am. I even woke up to a very chirpy alarm on my phone. I ended up turning it off and going back to sleep for another thirty minutes. Now that I think on it, it was probably the alarm that started today off on a bad note. I don't do "chirpy." Maybe on occasion, but very rarely. I meant to get up at a decentish time so I could read, mostly -- then squeeze in everything else.
What have a managed to do so far today instead?
Sleep.
Shower.
Watch Star Wars/eat breakfast.
And, now, Blog.
I feel so accomplished. I got up early -- for me -- so I could read, and still haven't gotten that done.

What am I (going to) read(ing)? ((The parenthesis are confusing but I'm not going to go back. Give me a break, I'm tired and there's a dog barking right outside my window. I kinda wonder why I did double parenthesis for this... Because I wanted to! Ha!)) Anyway, I'm (going to) read(ing) Paper Towns by John Green. I've read two paragraphs and it's pretty good so far, though I have no doubt in it. I mean, it is John Green. He kinda inspired the name of our blog... I think he deserves props for that. That sentence didn't make sense in my context... Hmm... Again, not changing it.

I was thinking earlier -- along with trying to figure out something to compare my mind to -- that Anna and I could review books and movies and stuff, but then I realized I hate doing that type of thing... So that's out of the question. Anna's more than welcome to, of course.

This is weird, referring to you as "Anna," Anna. Really weird. I may stop, and you can just assume by "you" I mean "Anna." But then, if we get readers, that would confuse them. Hm. I think I'll just stick with "Anna" for now see where that takes us.

That one was a lot more rambly than the last! Yes! I knew I had it in me!

Anywhoodles... I'm really not sure if I should sign out of this blog-posty-thing... I guess I will.

Hayley <-- How very unoriginal am I? Wow...

My Mind is a Blue Box

Yo-kay!

I really, really wanted to mess up the word 'okay' with 'y.' So I've done that. Yeah!!!

Yesterday, as I was on my way (look at that! all formal and stuff. As I was on my way...) to Hayley's house to pick her up, I started thinking about writing, and Doctor Who. Two things that probably cross my mind every day. I know writing does. I probably think about that more than anything else. Is that bad? Maybe if you're not a writer, but I am, and I'm programmed a certain way to think like that, so....it's not bad for me!

Great! I'm really, really glad that we got that cleared up.
Anyway!
I started thinking about writing and Doctor Who, and how every time I sit down to write, something happens. Sometimes it's just a bunch of bad writing. But sometimes - new ideas, new characters, or great lines show up! And there's usually at least one great line. Sometimes several (in hundreds of really bad lines! Lines, sentences, paragraphs.)

You never know what's going to turn up when you start writing. I am going somewhere with this.

Sitting down to write is like walking into the Tardis. The Doctor never knows what's going to happen when he steps into the Tardis! I mean, roughly. He knows he'll go somewhere, and see great things. Or terrible things. He knows he'll see things. When you sit down to write, you know that words will happen. Assuming that typing happens first. You know you'll write things.

So, I realized, that when I sit down to write, the most appropriate thing to say to...my laptop, fingers, imagination, whatever - (I kind of like comparing my imagination to the Tardis....) - and...where was...? Oh. The most appropriate thing to say to your imagination when you sit down to write is:

"Okay. What have you got for me this time?"

Oh, the wisdom of Matt Smith. BADGER!

And then, when you move on into writing and good things happen, you can talk to yourself some more. "Oh, you sweet, sweet thing, you."

Or you can yell at it and call it names, perhaps adopt River Song's words: "What's wrong with you?"

So...yeah! My mind is a blue box. I like that a lot, actually...

Procrastination

I hate to start this blog... post... thingy... (I'm gonna start calling them that) with the same word that's in the title but it's the best I can think of.
Oh, wait... Ha. Never mind.
Procrastination, I think, is really important for writers. Without it, nothing would ever get done. I mean, if you think about it, when you're procrastinating writing, you're doing other things. Today, I even considered doing school in order to avoid writing. Since when is doing school something you use to avoid something? Shouldn't it be the other way around? (I did eventually wind up doing school, because... you know... it's school... But mostly I just watched the vlogbrothers.) I didn't get any writing done.

Look at that! That wasn't too rambly! I was expecting it to be rambly, but it wasn't!

Anyway, this is our new, shiny blog that involves writing, knitting. Doctor Who, reading -- probably, rambling, other stuff... And... I think the last one just about covers everything.

Oh! I'm not gonna do the "Labels" -- they bug me.