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nikicluff · 6 years

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Okay, so I know the title is totally misleading. I’ve known about audiobooks. But for some reason, I never thought about listening to them on my paper route. You would think that this would make sense. I drive four hours every morning delivering newspapers and that leaves plenty of time to listen to music or read. I mean, I listen to music all the time. I spend an inordinate amount of time working out playlists which frustrated my husband to no end. Let’s face it. Some days I want to listen to Daft Punk, Linkin Park, Bad Wolves, Sarah Brightman, Leah, etc. Some days I want to listen to soundtracks like The Legend of Zelda soundtracks or the Harry Potter soundtracks. I love music. I spent three years as drum major of my high school marching band and I’ve played the flute since 6th grade.

I even decided to learn a foreign language on CD. I tried to learn Celtic and Korean. Neither one of them stuck. I do hope to try learning them again someday, but I think I need something more immersive. Something with flash cards and stuff. I also want to learn Japanese and Vietnamese because the people who do my nails speak Vietnamese and introduced me to pho and I want to learn. So, if any of you have these skill and would love to teach me I’m in!

Why it never occurred to me to listen to audiobooks is beyond me.

With three kids, a paper route, and a second-day job at one point in time, I had very little time to read. If you would have asked me what my favorite place in the world was in fifth grade I would have said the library. If you were to ask my parents what I did with my free time in high school they would probably split their answers between reading and playing video games. And to be honest, that hasn’t changed much. I still play video games and I still read. Just not as much as I used to. Which makes me sort of sad. I’ve learned through counseling that I need a hobby so that when I fall into that pit of “I can’t control this”, I can focus my attention elsewhere. Because I’m a spender when I’m depressed or upset. And it has lead to a lot of debt issues.

Anyway, the problem is, I’m still buying books but I’m struggling to find time to read. I tried to make time before bed, but because I’m up at 2am to deliver papers I’m dead by 8:30pm. Which sucks because I have no life. Being a loner this isn’t always a bad thing because I don’t always have people to hang out with, but I still want to be able to spend time with my friends when they do want to go out. I tried reading during the day, but that seemed to be taken up with work, cleaning the house, taking care of kids, and working on my own writing. Which makes no sense because they say you can’t write if you don’t read. I mean, you can, but how do you learn what works and what doesn’t if you don’t read?

And then I went to a writer’s workshop in March. Which I’ll probably post the notes I took in my next post, but anyway. I realized there were so many books that I wanted to read, but hadn’t made the time for and I had the perfect app to do so. And I don’t mean Audible because let’s face it, I’m trying to get out of credit card debt right now and don’t really have the money for audiobooks right now. But I do have Overdrive. Overdrive. Such a beautiful app. I mean, my local library doesn’t have a ton of books. I live in a small town, but there are still enough that I can occupy myself for a while. And then there are the times when I have a little extra money and Amazon has books on sale for like $1.99 and you can add the audiobook for an additional $1.99 and I get two for the price of one and my kids get another book to read.

Who doesn’t love a good deal?

In the past few months, outside of going through the interview process for a 9-1-1 Dispatcher position and signing a contract for a book of mine to be published with Evernight Teen (which I got the mock-up cover of and it’s striking and I love it and I can’t wait to share it), I’ve been able to read a book every three days. Let me go through the list:

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The Paper Magician by Charlie N Holmberg

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

If I Stay by Gayle Forman (Which inspired my last finished manuscript, btw)

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Ever by Shannon Hale

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

The Death Cure by James Dashner

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (I’m really glad that I listened to this one on audiobook because I would have butchered the names to no end.)

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

The Fever Code by James Dashner (I really want a Newt book. He’s my favorite character.)

Austenland by Shannon Hale

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

The Glass Magician by Charlie N Holmberg

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

The Master Magician by Charlie N Holmberg

Cinder and Ella by Kelly Oram

Just One Wish by Janette Rallison

The Hundredth Queen by Emily R King

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling

What’s fun is I’ve had the chance to reread some books that I haven’t had a chance to read in years like the HP books. And I’ve done more reading in the last few months delivering newspapers from 2-6 am and delivering 1300 free papers on Wednesdays, than I’ve been able to do since my oldest was born in 2006. And I can’t wait to read more!

Got a favorite audiobook to recommend? Let me know! I love adding books to my list.

In Which I Have Discovered Audiobooks Okay, so I know the title is totally misleading. I've known about audiobooks. But for some reason, I never thought about listening to them on my paper route.

#amreading #books #reading #YA #young adult

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serendibidibidis · 6 years

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Issa Vibe Tag

I was tagged by @ssamdominic whom I love more than Kiseok loves not posting on ig. & @soul-less23 whom I love more than jay loves posting his stories on ig.

this has been sitting in my drafts for months

How tall are you? 5'7(/67inches/170.18cm according to google)

What color are your eyes? Gray/hazel

Do you wear contacts and/or glasses? Glasses because I'm super blind.

Do you wear braces? Yes I did from 3rd grade until my birthday in 5th grade.

What is your fashion style? Kinda boho, martial artist, painter, hip hop dancer, punk rocker, dog sitter, girl on her period...??? (I wrote this when I first got tagged and I'm looking at it now thinking “hmm makes sense”)

When were you born? I was born when the doctors decided to take me out.

How old are you? 18

Do you have any siblings? Yes.

What school/ college do you go to? I'm the hottest student in my school. Granted I'm the only student in my school but it still counts right?

What kind of student are you? Well my semester ends tomorrow, and I have 40+ over due assignments so. (again back when I was first tagged.. but I’m on my final semester & have yet to do any work..) I think I'm a great student

What are your favorite subjects? I love asl, Photoshop & photography

What are your favorite movies? Thats a really good question

What are your favorite pastimes? I don't really do anything with my life so

Do you have any regrets? So if you watched EXO on 'knowing Bros' when Chen shared his philosophy about 'i will not regret the the things I've chosen to do, whatever decisions I make, I will be responsible of them.' I live my life kinda the same way. I don't regret anything I have control over, because it was something I once wanted, something that once made me happy, or something I learned from. I refuse to regret the shit I've been through that's made me who I am. I joke about having regrets with non serious things like getting into kpop or trying to find a bias but I don't genually spend my days wasting away wishing I could go back in time. There is nothing I want to change about the past 18 years of my life regardless of how good or bad it's been. So therefore no, I do not hold any regrets. (this is gonna make me sound like a little bitch, but I’ve been through some shit I hope none of you never even hear about, and I refuse to regret my choices that possibly helped put me in those situations because I refuse to let people hold power over me.)

What is your dream job? I actually wanted to work in Asia for quite some time now and help with the mental health stigma. But I don't know. (I haven’t ever really been open abbot that and I only recently started telling people about it.. and the lack of support I've gotten, actually kinda surprised me.. so yeah I probably will end up doing something else)

Would you like to get married? yes and no, I put so much pressure on myself to be like my parents, who’ve been together for 26 years, married for a majority of those years. Who are just like my great grandparents that were together for more than 60 years, my parents have two wedding bands each. even my grandparents were together like 40 years. And I am so terrified that I’ll marry someone and we won't last. like I don't want to bring that shame to my family.. but I also don't want the shame of being unmarried either you know.. I want to please them..

Do you want kids? How many? I don't know. When I was younger I dreamed of having a big family because I have such a small family, but now I'm kinda like? Terrified of the idea of even becoming pregnant so I'm pretty sure I'll end up adopting my children (which I planned to do anyways ngl) but that causes me to have a slight problem cause I know I'd adopt older children but I have one name picked out for a daughter that I'd literally leave someone over if they said they didn't like it. And I kinda want that to like biological but it only works if it's a girl.. so it's very difficult.. idk.. I’ll probably foster children before I get married lol.. (that’s how you can tell if they're real or not, lie about the foster children.. and if they're chill with it that’s when you hit them with the truth and marry them)

How many countries have you visited? I've never left my own country before

What was your scariest dream? I have ptsd nightmares and to me I think those are the worst.. but I also have really fucked up dreams like Idk if any of you have ever fallen asleep high before or started hallucinating but I'll get dreams like that on the daily..

Do you have a boyfriend/ girlfriend/ significant other? Nope, it's literally been a year since my ex and I broke up (I'm not counting I only know this biased off of hair color 😂 most of you don't understand that but every year around this time I dye my hair a certain color and I know we broke up right before I did it last year because I was SUPER petty with that) in that year , I've made all these beautiful mutuals & become happy because yay friends. Whilst my ex got married (😂) to someone who only wanted them for a green card. #goals. I think I won.

skipping the first 15 songs

아라리오 (Araio) - Topp Dogg (one song in and I'm already feeing attacked)

뱁새/Baepsae/Sliver Spoon - BTS

Champagne & Sunshine - Plvtinum featuring Tarro

Hey - Jimin

Never Changed - Gmni featuring Chaun from the start

Deep End (Tarro remix) - THEY.

Post It - Loco Featuring Jay Park(’s vocals are higher than my self esteem)

Naked - The Tide

GO - NCT Dream

King Sh*t - Yo Gotti featuring T.I. (this was one of U-Kwonie’s hit the stage songs)

Trust Fund baby - Why don’t we (pls support this bop, I'm friends with someone in this group and I'm so proud of him, he’s worked so hard to get here. please don’t sleep on them.)

팡파레 (Fanfare) - SF9 (the original boomerang) listen I don't even care how much shit I get for that, wanna one gets accused of plagiarism far too often and it's usually with groups that mad slept on, and I don’t find that to be a coincidence. SF9 deserves better (plus fanfare is better than boomerang..)

F**k You - Derek Luh (I'm so proud of him)

Let’s get it - Woodie Gochild Featuring Jay park & Dok2 (when people say there’s not lgbt people in Khh show them this..)

Caroline - Aminé (not linking the mv, but instead an extremely powerful performance everyone should see) skip to about the 3 min mark if you don't want to watch the whole thing

why do these tags always make it look like I only listen to guys??

I’m tagging: @merlionmen , @pendulumandthepoet , @vangoghwithaflo , @fishiepower , @realmckitten , because you angels have all been in my notifs recently and I love you all very much

#tag you're it #this is late #oh well #you don't have to do it

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limejuicer1862 · 4 years

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Wombwell Rainbow Interviews

I am honoured and privileged that the following writers local, national and international have agreed to be interviewed by me. I gave the writers two options: an emailed list of questions or a more fluid interview via messenger.

The usual ground is covered about motivation, daily routines and work ethic, but some surprises too. Some of these poets you may know, others may be new to you. I hope you enjoy the experience as much as I do.

Jason O’Toole,

is a Rhylsing Award nominated poet, musician, and elder advocate. He is the author of two poetry collections published by the Red Salon, Spear of Stars (2018) and Soulless Heavens (2019). Recent work has appeared in Nixes Mate Review, The Scrib Arts Journal, The Wild Word, and Vita Brevis.

The Interview

1. What inspired you to write poetry?

From a young age, poetry has been my way of sharing thoughts and observations that could not otherwise be easily introduced into conversation. As an adult, it’s also how I process trauma and grief, from surviving shoot-outs and seeing horrible events at work, to losing contact with my children in the wake of a divorce. I don’t want to self-obsess and start every poem with “I” though and many of my current poems tell stories about the down-and-out people I encounter throughout my day, whether an addict waiting for her dealer behind a building or a disabled vet whose family never visit.

2. Who introduced you to poetry?

When I entered 4th grade I had a teacher at the Albany Academy named Mrs. Everett. She was from England and “old school” in the best way. We were given short poems to memorize and recite each week such as Carl Sandberg’s “The Fog.” If we got our assignments done, she let us read books from her library, which contained classics such as Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur.

My family had shelves full of books. My brother and I recognized that these contained the secret to the mystical power that adults had over us. He got started on the science books, and I started reading the philosophy and poetry. I didn’t always understand what I was reading but they felt familiar to me somehow. I kept a dictionary on hand to look up the meaning of words. The first poets that I recall relating best to were e.e. cummings, T.S. Eliot, William Butler Yeats, and A.E. Housman. I also discovered William S. Burroughs way too young.

2.1. Why did you find yourself relating best to “ e.e. cummings, T.S. Eliot, William Butler Yeats, and A.E. Housman.” ?

The accessible avant-gardist e. e. cummings appealed to me as his poems were stripped down to the bone yet impactful and visually appealing. His playful, off-label use of syntax and made-up words opened up possibilities for me as a kid writing my first non-rhyming poems.

T.S Eliot was another poet that every college educated family had hanging around on their shelves. The Waste Land gave me a road map for leaving the 20th Century. It didn’t go anywhere especially good, but how could it. “Well now that’s done: and I’m glad it’s over.”

William Butler Yeats was one of the greatest magickal minds of his time. I didn’t realize this on my first reading of his poems as his occult history was almost entirely glossed over by the academics. As a kid I knew there was something pagan and exciting lurking behind the verse. I also enjoyed reading the Irish folklore he and Lady Gregory preserved. Later I would learn of his run ins with Aleister Crowley and that added to the allure.

A.E. Housman’s A Shropshire Lad was written with the gloomy adolescent male in mind. I memorized several of the poems and drew cartoons to go along with them. When The Smiths came on the scene, I immediately connected with the lyrics on the Hatful of Hollow ep which seemed to have been spawned from a similar maudlin mind.

2.2. Why did you discover “William S. Burroughs way too young”?

My grandparents had friends, Vincent and Brita, who were painters who also owned an enviable art collection which included a Picasso, purchased for half-nothing before he was famous. I would sit and read in their library, and of course the title Naked Lunch jumped out at me. I was in middle school at the time. Maybe 5th grade? The strangest fiction I had read prior to this was Madeleine L’Engle’s Time Quintet and Ursla K. Le Guin’s The Lathe of Heaven. I didn’t quite know what the hell was happening in it, but it was filthy and funny. I was hooked and read almost everything Burroughs wrote before the age of 16. I enjoyed making collage and cut-ups, some of which I published in zines I made with Sam McPheeters, and during high school, Burroughs was one of my main influences along with The Situationists International, Dr. Anton LaVey, and The Church of Subgenius in my visual art, comics, poetry and prose.

3. How aware were you of the dominating presence of older poets?

In my early teens, I’d gone on my own to hear Allen Ginsberg and Anne Waldman read, and having read Burroughs, Kerouac, Corso and others associated with them, knew that I could learn a lot from the Beats. I also knew that I would have to find my own voice. I was in absolutely no rush to do so. Though I have contributed lyrics and vocals on several underground recordings of punk and experimental music and edited Situationist and Punk zines and an academic journal (Dialectical Anthropology) I did not start seriously seeking publication of my poems until 2018. Now I am one of the older poets!

4. What is your daily writing routine?

I never know when I will be struck by the need to write a poem or story. Almost none of my poems are planned. I don’t sit down and say, “I’m going to bang out a poem about a seagull.” I might overhear a phrase in conversation, read a terrible on-line review, or have a traumatic memory resurface. I always keep a notebook on me so I can jot down whatever strikes me as worth recording. Some of these notes wind their way into poems.

Less often I will write short stories, essays, or tinker with one of my novels-in-progress. I find that speculative fiction allows me to hide real stories and people (from my work as an investigator) in plain sight and process some of my worst experiences.

5. What motivates you to write?

Poets and authors have helped me make sense of being human better than any church ever could. I hope I can help others unravel some of the mysteries, complexities and inanities of existence. For some of us, it’s a matter of survival – finding a reason to stay sober, make less terrible choices, and get through another day.

6. What is your work ethic?

Many people complain that they have no time to write. I do my best not to have unmet obligations hanging over me. I pay my bills, get the laundry done, never leave a dish in the sink. I may find other reasons to procrastinate, but at least I won’t waste time worrying about daily chores and it’s easier to write with a clean house.

7. How do the writers you read when you were young influence you today?

I feel a distinct kinship with certain poets and authors. There is a lineage that exists for writers akin to the lineages in religious orders, martial arts schools or royalty. There are poets I read in my teens and twenties who I abhor now, such as Bukowski. I still read him now and again, perhaps as a reminder of what not to be. As for my own tribe, I’ll read Corso and then follow the stream back to Shelley who defined “the pain of bliss” that both poets articulated. I’ll jump from Ignatow’s mountains and bagels, to Williams, “No ideas but in things” to Whitman’s sacred bodies, and to teenage rebel Rimbaud, and then back to where I find – myself.

8. Who of today’s writers do you admire the most and why?

Juleigh Howard-Hobson is a fellow avant-garde traditionalist. Unlike most modern poets, she is also a formalist. Despite poems written in form not being in style, she is prolifically published and has earned awards and several important nominations. She’s also published fiction and non-fiction, all while living off the grid and running a small family farm in the Pacific Northwest. As one of my mentors, Juleigh has been generous with her time and is always willing to share calls for submissions and her extensive knowledge of the small presses and poetry journals.

9. Why do you write, as opposed to doing anything else?

I am a fair guitar player, have managed to sell some of my art in galley shows, and apparently my singing is okay for what it is, but poetry is the one thing I feel I have the ability to be “the best” at if I focus more of my energy on reading, appreciating and writing poetry. It’s sometimes a solitary exercise, but there is a vibrant community out there as well. Now that I’ve been sober for three years and am not a resentment machine, I can get along fairly well with other poets and maybe even be an asset to the community.

10. What would you say to someone who asked you “How do you become a writer?”

I can only answer how one might become a writer like myself. There are many paths, and some are surely more lucrative than my own. First you must be a reader. I don’t trust poets who don’t read other poets. I believe they are only taking selfies with words.

Secondly, you must be a listener and understand that listening isn’t the opposite of talking. It’s an active role. Be a semiotician and try to understand why people are saying what they are saying. Why are they choosing certain words over others? Pay attention to tone of voice, body language and the messages that they are trying to convey with their personal style. This practice of reading the signs that people flash, has the added benefit of anticipating problems, and could save your life!

Get outside, have some adventures, mix it up with people outside of your usual circle, and observe everything. Try to spot the details that others miss. Drive to some town you’ve never been to before and spot what’s different about it from your town. What are the names on the headstones? What are the mom and pop businesses selling? Get out of the car and talk to people and ask them questions and you may learn of local legends, ghost stories, and witch’s graves.

Stay curious and be present in life. Maybe then you’ll have something interesting to tell the rest of us. People love a good story, so you have that in your favour from the start. Go find one.

11. Tell me about the writing projects you have on at the moment.

I am contributing spoken word to recordings with Herr Lounge Corps and we should have an album out before long. I am performing and recording stateside with Alec K. Redfearn, a Providence based composer of weird music. I plan on introducing and editing the collected poems of a certain forgotten female poet and occultist. Some of my weird fiction stories have been published by horror presses and I’m slowly working on a couple of novels. I’m gratified that my poems have been published in journals and anthologies around the world, that I’ve been nominated for the Rhysling Award, and that I have more than enough for a third collection when the time is right. People are reading my writing and are reaching out to tell me what it means to them. For me, that means everything.

Wombwell Rainbow Interviews: Jason O’Toole Wombwell Rainbow Interviews I am honoured and privileged that the following writers local, national and international have agreed to be interviewed by me.

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