A Friend Of Mine Said "Hello".

"Stacy, I really think you need to reconsider this-"

"Why? I mean, we're really in love, y'know? We really care for each other."

"Yeah, yeah, Stacy, I know, but I just think you need to give it some more time."

"Time, time, time! Everyone's all about giving it more time!"

"Stace..."

"God, don't you guys ever believe in love?"

"Stace, it's not that we don't believe in love, it's just-"

"'It's just', 'give it some more thought', 'Stace, Stace, Stace'! It's like you guys don't believe me or trust me or anything!"

"Stace, I'm sorry - That's not what I-"

"Sure, it's not what you're trying to say, but it sure as hell is coming across!"

"Stace, please, just, just listen to what I have to say, please."

"What."

"Thanks."

"What."

"Right, it's not that we think - or I should say, I think, I can't talk for everyone else... I just think that you should look at what your history with him is. You've been with Jerry for three weeks. I'm just worried you might end up regretting this decision."

"I won't, I know I won't."

"That's just it - how do you know if you haven't spent more than a month with this guy? I'm just scared he might hurt you right after he marries you."

"Why? Because that's what happened to your sister?"

"Stacey, my sister has nothing to do with this - and if I had to say, yes."

"Hmph."

"It's because I care for you like my sister that I want to make sure that you don't get hurt. Because of what happened with Lizzie I can recognize the signs - and I think you might want to wait a bit longer."

"But we don't want to - we know enough."

"Stacey, if he really loves you, he'll understand and agree that you need to try it out some more. If he really loves you, he wouldn't care if you married him or not - so long as you were with him."

"But I know he loves me already, I know!"

"Stace..."

"What. I've listened to you now, can I go?"

"Go?"

"Yeah, Jer's outside - we're going to go look at wedding night lingere. I can't wait."

"Lingere already? You haven't even tied the knot yet."

"Oh, come on. You know we've 'tied the knot' way before this."

"Stacey, that's not what I'm talking about... A marriage ceremony is an imporant tradition - he really should think about the wedding itself instead of the night after."

"Oh, Kyra, you're such an oldie!"

"I am not - I'm just as old as you are!"

"Ha ha, no you're still a few months younger - remember? Who had to lead you through the bar on your eighteenth?"

"Okay, okay... Stace?"

"Yeah."

"Just... Take care of yourself, please?"

"Sure."

"Okay... Love ya."

"Love ya, too."

...

"Kyra, did you hear?"

"Hear what? What's up, Mel, you sound a bit frantic."

"It's Stacey!"

"Stace? What happened? Is she okay?"

"She's in the hospital."

"Hospita- Which one?"

"Kyra?"

"What hospital is she in! Quick!"

"Kyra, she's in pretty bad shape, you're probably not going to be able to visit..."

"I'll get through. I'll find a way to get through."

"Kyra, calm down. You sound like you're-"

"Angry? I am."

"Kyra, let's meet up before, okay?"

"Mel?"

"I'm scared, Kyra..."

"Okay - I'll swing by and pick you up."

...

"Hey, girl."

"Kyra!"

"Whoa, Mel, whoa..."

"K-Kyra-a-a!"

"Hey, hey, hold on a sec, Mel - we haven't left your house yet."

"Huh-huh-I-I know! I-I'm just... Stacey..."

"Okay, hold on. Before you start me on the waterworks, okay? Let's just get there, okay? Anyone else coming?"

"Yvonne a-and Ch-Chad... A-and... And..."

"Shhh, shhh, okay, it's okay, you don't have to tell me. We'll just give a quick call once we're there, okay?"

"O-okay..."

"Alright, so let's get you in the car and we'll listen to some of your favorite Vivaldi on the way, okay? Would that help?"

"Y-yeah, thanks, Kyra."

"'Course, babe. Careful, now, your head."

...

"Thanks for everything, Kyra..."

"Sure thing, Mel."

"I mean it, I'd be a nervous wreck without you."

"Oh, come on - you're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for."

"Yeah, but you're always able to just keep going, you're like, my hero."

"Oh, come on. Stop it with the praise, you'll make me cry."

"Hah! The great Kyra spouting water works? More than anyone of us could hope for."

"Hey, I'm not that much of an Ice Queen!"

"Ha ha ha, sure, sure, Your Icy Highness."

"Mel!"

"Ha ha ha..."

"Well... There it is... Our Loving Sisters Hospital... It's pretty big, isn't it?"

"Yeah... Oh! There's Yvonne and Chad!"

"Oh, so they are. Let's go met up with them, huh?"

"Okay."

"Alright, I'll take down Stacey's teddy."

...

"I'm sorry, Miss, but I don't think that you can see her now. She's in a fairly bad state."

"Please, Nurse, we just really need to see her. We've been her best friends since junior high and we really need to make sure she's okay."

"I know that this must be a hard time for you, but I can't let you all see her."

"Please, Nurse, please. We need to see her - to give her some support."

"I understand your feelings, but..."

"P-please... I-I... We need to make sure she's at least... at least...."

"Mel? S'alrigh', 'kay? S'alrigh', hon..."

"C-Chad... She was... she was just..."

"It's Kyra, right?"

"Yes, ma'am... Can we at least give her this? It's her favorite teddy bear. She's had it since she was born."

"You're all her childhood friends?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"...Just a moment."

"Thank you, ma'am."

...

"Alright - only twenty mintues, okay? Twenty and no more."

"Thank you so much, Nurse, thank you."

"Sure, now hurry it up, okay? And nothing to stress her out - the works, y'know."

"Of course."

"Okay, we go' in, and there she is..."

"Chad, don't go making it sound like a secret mission - this is serious stuff."

"I know, I know, Yvonne - jus', it's the humour that takes th'edge off, righ'?"

"O-oh.... She looks... s-so... K-Kyra-a-ah!"

"Whoa, Mel, hush, now, hush. I know you're upset, but we've gotta make sure we don't stress Stace out any more than necessary, okay?"

"O-O-okay..."

"Okay, let's just sit beside her, okay? Chad, Yvonne, do you guys want to go to the far side?"

"Righ'to."

"Sure, sweetie."

"Thanks."

"S-Stace...."

"Hush, Mel, it's okay. She's just asleep."

"I can' believe this... I can' believe this..."

"That's some bastard to do this to such a sweet girl as Stacey."

"He's a damn bastard alright. A fucking bastard."

"K-Kyra?"

"Sweetie, I know you're mad as hell, but bashing a bastard's face in ain't goin' to help our Stace any."

"She's righ', Kyra. Our first concern is little miss Stace, here."

"Sure. Mel, here, you can give her Mr. Stitchy."

"Okay... I... I remember wh-when I first saw this guy... We were having our f-first sleepover..."

"'S a darn shame I never go' a sleepov'r with ya girls... Ouch!"

"Serves you right, Chad, you ain't nowhere near good enough for us, eh, Kyra?"

"Ha, right. You'd be in over your head, Chad."

"Aw - c'mon, ladies..."

"G-Guys!"

"M....mmm.... J-Jerry? Is-at you?"

"O-oh... O-oh G-God...."

"Sweetie, hush, it's just her first reaction, okay?"

"Tha' bastard..."

"Fuck it."

"Kyra, Kyra, sweetie, where ya goin'?"

"To fucking spear that ASS with a fucking ten foot pole!"

"Kyra, hon, I know yer mad - 'kay? But it's not gonna do anythin' fer ya ter go off like tha', okay?"

"Oh, oh, it's not is it?"

"K-Kyra, please..."

"Kyra, sweetie - you're makin' Mel nervous."

"God... GOD.... jesus.... I... I just can't believe I let this happen..."

"Hon, c'mon, let's sit'cha back down, 'kay?"

"I can't believe I let this happen... God... I can't believe this..."

"Mmm.... Hhhhnnn..... K-Kyr?"

"Stace? Yeah, it's me... I'm here, babe, I'm here."

"Kyr.... It... It wasn't his fault... Okay? I didn't do what he wanted me to, okay? Jer's a nice guy..."

"oh my god..."

...

"Kyra! Kyra! Get back 'ere!"

"NO! FUCK THIS! I can't believe I let him get away with this... He's a damn FUCK!"

"Kyra-! Aaaah! Gah! What in the bloody fuck was that for?!"

"Just stay away from me! That fuck is gonna pay for what he's doing!"

"Kyra! Jus'... Dammit - ow! God, OW! Stop- stop squirming!"

"Lemmego!!!"

"Kyra, stay calm, 'kay? You gotta listen to yerself!"

"GOD!!!!! Let me GO!!!"

"Kyra!"

"AAAAAAAHHHHH! FUCK! Chad, let the Fuck go!!!!"

"Kyra..."

"let me go... let me go... let... let... me... g-go...."

"Hush, hon, s'okay... s'okay... Alright, slowly now, slowly... There ya go."

"I can't... I can't... why? why? no, no, no, no, no, no...."

"Kyra... hon... look, I know it's hard for you - I know... I'm Lizzie's friend, too, okay? We were both there for her, okay?"

"I know.... it's.... Gah... W-why can't they ever just listen? I wanted her to know that when I talked to her..."

"Shhh, hon, shhh..."

"It's... it's like everything I said to her just went out the other side... Why can't she see? Why can't she see it's because I love her that I can't just.... I can't just..."

"Let her go?"

"I just wanted to.... to... keep her safe..."

...

"Hey, it's Stacey... I don't know if you're there or not... I just wanted to say thanks for everything... Chad told me about how you were really mad... Heh... He showed me his black eye... Said you got real feisty on him... Umm... anyways... I'll... uh... I'll just call again..."

"Hey, Stace again... Missed you earlier... and this time, too.... Uh... Just wanted to um... yeah... I'll, uh.... I'll just try again, okay?"

"Hey... It's me... Look, I'm sorry, okay? But really, you're being a kid! Kyra, pick up the phone! I know you're there! Pick it up!"

"Kyra! Jesus! I know you're there. We've been friends since, like, the beginning of time. Stop acting like a child! Kyra!... Kyra!.... Fine. Y'know what, fine."

"Hey, hon. 'S Chad... Stace told me ya weren't pickin' up her calls... Looks like I either missed ya or yer really upset... Jus', don't do anythin' ye'd regret - 'kay? Luv ya lots. Talk ter me if ya need to."

"Look, Kyra, I know you're screening your calls now... But... C'mon - tell you what, I'll distance myself from Jerry, okay? Would that make you happy? C'mon - I'll be choosing you over him now, okay? So... so... just... pick up the phone will you?"

"Sweetie, it's me. Mel called me a few hours ago... Looks like you really are screening your calls, girl - that's a way to treat bad boyfriends, but not a way to treat friends... But I can understand where you're coming from... But Mel sounded a bit frantic - apparently Stace is just really down lately. She's pretty emotional, and you know that Mel doesn't do emotional pretty well... You don't have to call Stace, but at least call Mel, okay? Alright. I'm here if you need me, girl, so call me up if you want some good soul food, 'kay?"

"Kyra?... I know you probably hate me right now... I'm sorry... Y'know... You were right... Jerry is an ass... I should have listened to you. I know it's not much in means of apology or anything... But... I just want you to know that I broke up with Jerry - and he moved away. He was an ass, but at least he doesn't seem to be a stalker... And... I took up kick boxing... Yeah, I know, it's a huge change for me, but I think it would be a good idea just to know how to defend myself, y'know?... Anyways... I'm sorry... I hope... I hope that you could find it in yourself to forgive m-"

"Stace..."

"Kyra!"

"Hey..."

"Hello..."

Details and Comments

Drafts: One, minor edits after a five hour wait period.

Edits: Applied to Chad's speech and some of Yvonne's.

Late Edits: Grammar correction and certain italics.

Comments:

Yeah... This was a lot heavier than "Waste A Day", but it was also a lot more meaningful and challenging but extra fun to write. I've always wanted to try writing a piece in pure dialogue. I actually planned to do my first ever NaNoWriMo in complete dialogue (50,000 words of conversation, can you imagine that?).

Anywho, I'm not entirely sure what motivated this persay, but I do know that it has a fairly personal meaning. There are a few themes in there which I tried to convey... Firstly there's the sort of self-blame and how it really is a rather destructive quality. Then there's the message on blind love (hope it's not too strong). And how ignorance can cause as much harm on the ignorant as the person attempting to enlighten them.

So... yeah... hope it's not too much of a heavy read... nor something too confusing...

Comments, feedback, criticism - all welcome and considered!

Waste A Day

I thought that it was a special day. Y'know, like those days that people always talk about...

"I woke up and I knew that day was different."

"The day started off like a miracle - like God was watching over me."

"It all started that day."

Well, here I was, sitting up on the side of my bed, the room dark save for the moonlight filtering in around the blinds. I swear I'd shut them tight - I must need new ones. But I digress. I was sitting up on the side of my bed, head hanging down for a bit, then I looked up and looked around. Nothing out of the ordinary - my room on the main floor of the house I shared with four other people. Johnny was snoring in the next room - I swear, I need to either soundproof that wall or suffocate him... Gin was up, I could hear him in the kitchen - his work schedule allowed him to work whenever he wanted, so he worked nights. I always envied him for his job as a video game writer, it might seem geeky, but it really is a dream job. I assumed that Jenny was asleep in her room on the main floor, and that Vance was most likely sleeping out his alcohol down in the basement.

So, in short, nothing was wrong with the house. I shrugged my shoulders a bit - they always get a little sore when I sleep - and looked at the clock. It was exactly four o'clock in the morning - just like all those songs. I decided not to go into the kitchen. Gin would start talking, and I didn't feel like talking.

I opened the blinds and managed to get a sliver of a view of the moon between the top of my window and the roof of the neighbor's house.

I dunno why, but I just couldn't get back to sleep, so I just kinda lay on the floor under my window, watching the moon. I lay there, not asleep, but not thinking, until I heard Jenny's distinctive yawn. It's a sort of singing yawn - it goes up, down, up kinda thing. I got up, pulled on my jeans and a loose designer long sleeve and made my way to the main floor bathroom. Jenny wasn't in the kitchen, but I saw her legs by her closet - I assumed she was co-ordinating her outfit.

I did my stuff, washed my face and rinsed with mouthwash - I hate morning-breath - before I went to the kitchen. Vance had been in my orange juice again, but I was way too tired to go down and kick him. I was cooking an omelette when Jenny returned to the kitchen, pulling her hair into a quick ponytail as she went.

"Hey." She said.

"Hey." I replied.

"Breakfast?"

"Yeah - I noticed you were up, so I figured I'd make enough for both of us."

"Cheeky, are you?"

"I'd say 'considerate'."

"You're right." Jenny said, giving me a quick hug. "Thanks."

"No problem." I said, leaning my head against hers for a quick moment. We weren't dating, and we never had that kind of relationship. Jenny wouldn't date any of us guys in the house - well, Gin didn't count, he was gay, after all. But we were all like brothers to her - we teased her, she teased us, we got angry at guys that hurt her, she used us like bodyguards. It was a nice relationship.

Jenny and I ate breakfast together. Gin was at work, and Vance was still sleeping. She never once asked me why I was up as early as she was - I usually woke up just as she was washing her dishes from breakfast. It was a nice change to eat breakfast with her - she was a nice girl to talk to.

Anyways, after she left for work - she was a junior marketing director at the local university - I started packing things up to go to my job. I wasn't a video game writer like Gin, I wasn't a university frat boy like Vance, and I wasn't a young exec like Jenny - I was a plain old office worker for the government. I guess you could say I had the best job of all. Almost no expectations, no homework, good pension, good pay and always fair hours. But then again, it was far from interesting.

That morning on my way to work, I never expected anything interesting to happen - nothing ever did. It was just something I'd become accustomed to - nothing happening. I mean, don't get me wrong, it wasn't like I was depressed or angry with life - angsty is not one of the many faults I have. But it was just like that.

But this one day, something kinda special did happen. Some random kid with a sticky note, a Sharpie, some tape and a I'm-gonna-say-something-cool attitude had packing-taped a sticky note to the sidewalk at the interesction I crossed to walk to work.

By Reading This, You Are Entitled Too A Day Of Wonder And Adventure.

Look At Everything In A New Light.

Live Life.

It was certainly an interesting thought. I looked at that note for an entire ten minutes - I missed my crossing opportunity. I guess I stopped reading it and stopped thinking for a while, because I don't remember the rest of my journey to the office. I was at my desk, typing away at a file that I'd started working on the night before and was almost finished (a week before schedule) when I felt like I'd come out of a trance. I stopped typing and thought about the note.

"Tch... Damn kids and their grammar... 'Too' - it's 'to', idiot."

And that's my day. Nothing interesting happened. That night, Gin said I looked like I needed a vacation - I ignored him and went to bed.

Details

Music: 

Song: Sleep Spent 

Artist: Death Cab For Cutie 

Album: "Something About Airplanes"

Drafts: One

Comments? Feedback? Interpretations?

A New Direction

Alright, seeing as the next NaNoWriMo is a bit farther off, I'm taking a new direction with this blog.

As often as possible - hopefully daily, if not, then a few times a week - I'll be posting short stories or little spoken-word-type posts. These most likely will not be small, but they ought to be a bit different - hopefully.

So, yeah, that's about it. Hopefully you like 'em. I'll start off right after this.

Ah, I'm not sure if even introduced myself. Sorry 'bout that...

I'm Clarise, yup, the crazy one from Seventeen Going On One Million and Off The Presses, Into Hands, and this will be yet another blog. I know, I'm crazy - I warned before hand, though, didn't I?

I'm an amateur writer, with a whole legion of semi-completed novels and short stories, a few (rare things) finished short stories, a mountain of un-thought-out poetry and one single completed screenplay.

So far, I've competed in two consecutive years of NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month - and have won once. My first and only victory so far? My first year. For those unfamiliar with NaNo, the goal is to write 50,000 words of fiction in 30 days. Yeah. Now are you convinced I'm crazy?

My entire reason for this blog started as a running commentary about my adventures through NaNo - but I think I can turn this into my running commentary about my adventures through the English language as a girl who simply loves to write and is coming to rather disheartening realizations that her writing is far from publishable.

So, that's the basic story - I hope to convince you that I'm either crazy or not so crazy as the tales go on. 

Cheers to constant adventures in English - while many others might consider you a geek, nerd or just plain weird.

Clarise

The Kick-Off... And The Sorting Hat...

This year... in the Edmonton Region Group of NaNoWriMo Participants - aka Edmowrimos - had our first NaNo Event of 2008! The Kick-Off Party was a mad gathering of food (amazing bread-crumb-covered Mac and Cheese whomever made that), Wrimos new and old, MLs and new ideas! Due to our amazingness, the Edmowrimo Group has judged that we are going to compete against ourselves instead of bludger the competition.

Thus, the House System was born! Well, not really... The House System was established in England long ago, but it was recently popularized by the Harry Potter Series. While it might seem a bit nerdy, it's used in pretty much every kind of organization - sports teams, if you think about it. Any kind of competition and community, really.

Well, in the Kick-Off, we were to draw a coloured lanyard from a hat in order to be sorted. There were four different colours - one for each house.

Red : Exclaimation Mark House / HOUSE! / Exclamador

Blue : Parentheses House / (HOUSE) / Parentheclaw

Green : Question Mark House / HOUSE? / Questyrin

And...

Yellow : Ellipsis House / HOUSE... / Ellipsipuff

I have no idea why, but I've wanted to be in HOUSE... since the concept was introduced. So, I was, of course, naturally ecstatic to find myself holding a yellow lanyard after dipping my hand into the hat. Now, after the Edmowrimos were sorted, the festivities began!

Food, food, food and some drinks accompanied some new friends and soon I was having a heck of a lot of fun!

Unfortunately, I couldn't stay for the entire night - I had to attend the Rocky Horror Picture Show!!! It was amazing. 

NaNoNovel 2008 "End to End" Progress :

Same as the 26 October Post...

The Beginnings...

 NaNoWriMo... a kind of journey which can't be taken lightly... And also cannot be thought of with a heavy heart. This is my second year attempting this feat, and far from my last.

The Common Question is always "What is this NaNoWriMo of which you so often speak?"  to which I would have to reply "'Tis a wonderous month-long journey to find your inner writer and perpetual inner-child."

While that may not be the most conventional answer, it's definitely one which I find true. There are hundreds of other ways I'll answer that question, but I'll provide only one more. The Offical Goal of NaNoWriMo:

WRITE 50,000 WORDS OF FICITION IN ONE MONTH

Crazy, isn't it? That might be so, but it's definitely worth it in my opinion. My mother is considering doing NaNo this year for the first time, but she's quite stuck in the stage of "I'm tempted". Translated, that would mean something close to "I'm thinking not". Her fears are mostly stuck on not having enough time to complete 50-thousand, but I told her that the number was just a guideline. Then, the whole splat about how the entire point of NaNo is not to write fifty-thousand words of fiction period, it's supposed to be  about actually making the commitment to yourself to sit down and frickin' write.

I'm still unsure of what'll happen, but I'm hoping that she'll come out. However, she'll most 

likely miss out on the majority of the events, which will be kinda sad, but ah well. I have one 

other ray of hope on the Lone Wrimo Horizon - a friend in Grade 11. She's registered for the site, 

but her internet is down and I'm unsure of her commitment level.

Now... That concludes the section on what's going one around NaNo... Now for the actual

NaNo Progress Report... Here goes...

NaNoNovel 2008 "End to End" :

Basic Outline : 100% - Complete

In-Depth Plot : 60% - Paragraph Form Complete, Working on Settings and Characters

Character Background : 99% And Stuck - Completed to the amount which is necessary

Details of Circumstances Within the Story : 0% - Not Even Started...

All-in-All : Lookin' Forward to it!