My Heroes (Part One)

July 15, 2015July 14, 2015 ~ shawnaborman ~ 3 Comments

Hello there! I’ve been thinking a lot about Stonecoast and all of the awesome people I’m missing right now (it’s summer residency and I’m not there *sadness*), plus all of the conversations I’ve had with these people. One topic that never seemed to lose its attractiveness was superheroes. A hazard of specializing in popular fiction, I guess. These talks ranged from debates about who would beat who to the lack of females (as strong primary characters) and POC (persons of color) characters when we were growing up.

Personally, I grew up with the Bishoujo Senshi and a ton of other magical girl anime (a topic for another time), so I never really noticed a lack of strong female role models in my superheroes. I suppose I should thank my obsession with anime and manga for that. Honestly, I never really paid attention to any of the lacking qualities of the genre until I got to grad school. Even when the flaws were pointed out, they didn’t really bother me much. I was always the kind of person who could find some character to relate to regardless of how dissimilar our outer appearances were. I mean, come on. Do you know how hard it is to find a wheelchair bound superhero? Let alone someone who started out that way (meaning their disabilities weren’t caused by accidents and injuries). Yeah… Charles Xavier and Barbara Gordon as Oracle are the two who spring to mind most readily (both of whom were injured, not born that way).

Actually, Oracle never really interested me that much anyway, so I’m not entirely sure she even counts as one of my heroes. Yeah, Batman will always hold a special place in my list of favorites because he was one of the superheroes my dad and I always followed together. Bats, Gargoyles (does anyone else even remember that show?), some Superman stuff. It was all daddy-daughter time, thus it was all special. I still love all of those heroes, but they were never my favorites. The X-Men held the number one spot in my ranking from the very beginning.

Now, I could go into some deep philosophical debate as to why they were my favorite, but it’d be a load of crap. I could tell you that I fell in love with the idea that a random genetic screw up could lead to superpowers instead of crippleness and the like. I could tell you it gave me role models who were similar to me in the fact that nature had messed with us and turned us into freaks. Today, yeah, that might be part of why they continue to hold the number one place for me. When I was a kid, though? No way! Rogue and Storm were kickass, I was utterly in love with Gambit, and I totally adored so many of the “villains.” There was no deeper meaning. I was simply enamored by the X-Men.

So, who were/are your (super)heroes? Are they all from western comic books? I have way too many from both comic books and manga (hence the “part one”). I’ll talk more about my anime and manga heroes later. Now, I kind of want to binge watch all the X-Men things.

Until next time!

Knowing when to Stop and Breathe

July 8, 2015July 7, 2015 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hi everyone! So, I’m not really the best person to talk about stopping and smelling the roses, mostly because I’ve never been really good at that when I have specific goals to achieve. In fact, if I have goals, chances are that nothing else in the world will exist for me, especially roses. But when that happens, I have a tendency to burn myself out and end up overcompensating in the other direction (a.k.a. goals suck, let’s just veg in front of Netflix forever). It’s an annoying balancing act that I can never really get… well, balanced.

Rose1 — I traced a photo of a rose, then colored it in Photoshop a long time ago.

Is this a common problem among writers? Honestly, I don’t know. A lot of the people I talk to seem to have more problems meeting goals rather than being obsessed with them, so of course I feel like the odd man (woman?) out. I guess my biggest problem is knowing when to let goals slide. Granted, I’m more apt to look at my list of goals and push reading off to make time for writing, but it makes me feel super guilty. I also push the things on my list that are for other people higher than things like my word count. I can always make up my word count tomorrow, right? Like that ever happens. It actually usually means not taking that second day off. *eye-twitch*

And, of course, when I do find a nice balance, I have to start changing things. I recently decided to try upping my word count from 900 words five days a week to 1500 words. Throw some new obligations on top of that, and I end up spending all my time doing everything except having a life. It got a little rough this past week, which is what brought on this ramble.

Weirdness — A random thing I made a long time ago. I like structure.

I needed to stop and take a breath, which I did. I’ve proven to myself that, under normal circumstances, I can do 1500 words five days a week with no problem. Right now, I can’t. As much as it ticks me off to say that, I just can’t do 1500 words AND everything else I need to do AND have time to relax. It’s impossible. Thus, my new plan for balance!

I will continue with the new obligations for as long as they last (three to six months at the moment), because I made a promise, I enjoy what I’m doing, and I’m gaining a lot of experience should I decide to teach at some point in the future. That’s my first priority. Second, instead of worrying about words for a while, I’m going to work on revising my first novel again (surprisingly not as time consuming or stressful as writing all the words!). When I do get back to writing toward a word count, I’ve decided 1000 words are good enough until I have fewer things to worry about. And apparently I have to add a goal to my list that boils down to “have fun away from the computer, or GO OUTSIDE, IDIOT!”

Boredom1 — I should probably add “draw something” to that list.

It’s not an easy thing to achieve, but balance is necessary. We can’t always focus on work (that’s a fast-track to insanity), just like we can’t always focus on fun (unless you’re a billionaire, then yeah). Remember to stop and take a breath, or smell the roses, or whatever. Just don’t kill yourself to achieve all the things on a list that doesn’t account for spontaneous interruptions or miscalculated times (we all have those things we say will take half an hour, then three hours later it’s still not done). Take some time and go outside! Or whatever.

The Writing Space of Doom!

July 1, 2015June 30, 2015 ~ shawnaborman ~ 4 Comments

Howdy, howdy! Happy (almost) Fourth of July to all of my American peoples! Also, happy Canada day to all of my Canadian friends! If I’m missing any other holidays being celebrated this week, let me know. Anyway, today I wanted to share my writing space (more commonly known as my bedroom) with you. I haven’t done that yet, right? Be afraid. Be very afraid. Not really. But do be prepared for extra pictures!

025 — My desk and armoires, built by Dad (he installed the floor, too)! That’s where the writing happens.

Not sure if I’d call it magic, but this is where it happens! It’s a very busy space, I know, but I like it that way. I don’t understand how people can get anything creative done when surrounded by white walls and an empty desk. That’s so boring to me. I really like the fact that everywhere I look, there’s some kind of inspiration. And mirrors! I can’t turn my head without moving my whole chair, so my mirrors let me see all around me at once. If I want to stare out of the window, there’s a mirror for that! Want to check my door to make sure no one’s sneaking up on me? Mirror! Okay, maybe I’m just lazy.

024 — Better view of the beer signs (they’re Dad’s, but they look better in my room), and my stuffed animals.

The best part about being able to glance up at all of these knickknacks and things is that each one has a number of stories to tell. There’s the story of how I received each one (and I fully admit many of those tales are long forgotten), the story each one immediately brings to mind, and all of the stories they inspire or take part in after hours of staring at them. And, of course, sometimes they’re stubborn and won’t give me any ideas to work with.

That’s my basic writing area. It’s where I’m facing 90% of the time when I’m doing writerly things. However, I do get stuck. Some days, nothing in that little corner helps me. What do I do then? Well, I stop relying on the mirrors, and I turn around. What? You think my desk is the only interesting part of my room? You’re funny.

020 — My doorway. It’s been redecorated a bit, but you get the gist.

Posters, pictures, weapons, musical paraphernalia (up above the door). Ignore the nightstand. Dad hasn’t gotten around to making one of those, yet. But anyway, you can see how nowhere in my room is boring. I keep myself immersed in stories. Is that what a writer does? Oh, and if you’re noticing a severe lack of books, that’s because the spare room doubles as a library, so they’re all in there.

Up last, is the actual bed area. Definitely no magic going on there, but there’s even a lot of inspiration there, too.

026 — The tree Dad painted above my bed!

027 — Okay. Now, I might just be showing off Dad’s skill.

So, that’s my writing space! What’s your workspace like? Are you like me, where you enjoy a ton of stimuli? Or do you prefer more of a blank canvas kind of space? Maybe you’re in between? Let me know in the comments, or on Facebook, or Twitter, or G+!

A Look Inside St. Pete’s Dancing Marlin

June 24, 2015June 23, 2015 ~ shawnaborman ~ 6 Comments

Hey there! It’s been another week, so I suppose it’s time for me to start rambling again. Instead of the usual, I’d say it’s about time to do another food review! This month, I think I’ll give St. Pete’s Dancing Marlin over in Deep Ellum its due. It’s on Commerce for all those familiar with the area. Everyone else should check their website (linked above). Now, I know I promised you something different in the last food blog, and it is different. I swear it’s not JUST seafood. They have all sorts of things. At least it’s not another oyster bar. Anyhoo, here’s your reminder of the rating system:

MMMMM = Everything is magnificent!
MMMM = Great, but something is off.
MMM = Pretty good, but a couple of things could be better.
MM = The bad’s starting to outweigh the good.
M = Definitely more cons than pros.
… = I couldn’t find anything nice to say.

029 — These stirrers used to say St. Pete’s Dancing Marlin, but I suppose times change. Still pretty neat!

As usual, let’s start with accessibility. It’s a bit of a tight fit navigating the tables for larger wheelchairs (like my own), especially if the Dancing Marlin is packed. We usually go on Sunday evenings or late afternoons during the week to avoid crowds. Aside from that, the tables are a great height. Most of them are rectangular, but they do have some round tables if those work better for you. Occasionally, the floor feels like it’s going to give way (not technically an accessibility issue, but extra scary when you’re in a heavy chair), so it’s kind of an adventure!

The service. The wait staff at the Dancing Marlin gets bonus points because they don’t normally act like I’m invisible. That’s always a good thing. The waiter today was attentive (kept our drinks full, answered questions, etc.), didn’t bring our food out too fast (we had time to finish things), and never once made us feel rushed. The staff also consisted of people who calmly dealt with someone who was sitting outside complaining about a fly in their drink (it’s summer in Texas and you’re drinking wine outside. Put something over your glass if you don’t want flies in it. C’mon, now). No complaints there.

Now, the important stuff: food! For an appetizer, we got calamari. It was good. Not too chewy. Had a nice crust. It wasn’t my favorite thing there, but it was tasty. Now, if you like garlic half as much as I do, I definitely suggest the baked garlic appetizer. Yes, they bake garlic. For the not-so-garlicky people, there are other delicious choices as well.

As far as entrees go, they have a decent selection from pizzas to pastas, burgers to hot dogs. The Dancing Marlin also has a tuna steak (it comes in a number of ways). Dad got the grilled tuna salad (tuna steak on a salad) with grilled mushrooms, onions, and jalapeños. They sure know how to cook a tuna steak! Dad always gets it rare (how else would you eat it), so it’s pink and tender and delicious. And the salad definitely wasn’t skimpy. It was a real meal.

I usually get penne with red clam sauce (highly recommend it), but I decided to get something different this time. I went with the F. B. Combo (catfish fillet and shrimp) with pasta salad instead of fries. The fish and shrimp were crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. The breading wasn’t salty, but seasoned nicely. And the pasta salad… I normally don’t like pasta salad, but I figured I’d give it a shot. It was actually pretty yummy! I was impressed.

Dessert. The selection here is pretty strange. Baklava, cheesecake, chocolate cake, and ice cream bars. Personally, I suggest the baklava. It’s a tiny serving, but super sweet, and a perfect little end to a wonderful meal.

And, of course, we must talk about price. It’s actually not too bad. It’s not often we look at a check expecting it to be a certain amount and have it turn out to be less. It happens at the Dancing Marlin.

My overall rating:
MMMM

See you next week with more writerly randomness!

Word Count? Who Needs That?

June 17, 2015June 16, 2015 ~ shawnaborman ~ 4 Comments

Hello, hello! It’s that time again. Today, I want to talk a bit about word count. It’s a subject that Lew Andrada suggested when I asked for questions and comments and all that. It’s also a subject I struggle with, because it’s pretty arbitrary. Anyone you ask seems to have a different answer when it comes to the correct lengths of things.

We’ve all encountered a scenario like this one. I actually kind of think that’s where the concepts of word counts really help (me at least). It gives me a firm goal to keep in mind and work toward, that way I can have a more realistic idea of how long a project will take me to finish.

So, how do I approach word count? I keep it simple! I basically follow SFWA’s counts for the Nebula awards. In other words, these rules:

Short Story: less than 7,500 words.
Novelette: 7,500 words to 17,500 words.
Novella: 17,500 words to 40,000 words.
Novel: 40,000 words or more.

Now, I know that “novel” is an extremely broad category that can be broken down by genres or even target audience age. In fact, the list above is just one example of many break downs you’ll find with a quick Google search. No, none of them are the same. Yes, it gets really confusing really fast. On top of all that, you also have lists for middle grade, young adult, adult, and a relatively new category dubbed new adult. It’s complicated. I don’t like complicated things.

In other words, I don’t bother with all of that crap. My goal is based on my story. If I’m going for a flash fiction piece (<1000), I usually aim for 900 words. A short story? Around 5,000 words. A novel? It depends on what it feels like. I tried for 70,000 to 75,000 for my first novel after tons of research on word count. It is a supernatural YA, so on top of feeling like a good amount, it also turns out to be a fairly average count for that type of book. The novel I’m currently working on is different. I’m going more by my gut for this one. My current aim is 80,000 to 90,000 just because that’s what it feels like it will need. I’m sure my past research is playing some kind of unconscious role, but whatever.

On the other hand, enforcing a word count can lead to fears of rambling. Don’t worry! You can fix all of that during edits. That’s also another factor that goes into choosing my own word count. I like to choose a middling number, just in case I need the wiggle room. I have space to brutally cut out all of the nonsense if I need to, but I also have room to fix anything that’s not fleshy enough.

What I mean to say is that word counts are great tools, but don’t let them freak you out. Let them help you establish a more concrete timeline for finishing your work, but don’t let them rule your work. Keep it simple and fun, or it’s not worth doing. At least that’s how I feel about it. What are your thoughts on word count?

Inspiration! Does It Strike You?

June 10, 2015June 9, 2015 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Welcome! Another question today. My Minion (Joel Rede) asked me “What inspires you?” Well, is “everything” an acceptable answer? At least that’s the immediate answer that usually pops into my head. However, the more I think about it, the more I go off on a tangent. More often than not, I’m inspired by a multitude of things all playing off of each other, but sometimes I’m not feeling inspired at all. So, while I’m going to talk about sources of inspiration for me, I’m also going to address what I do when nothing is striking me.

I’m easily inspired (it’s awesome, but it’s also a curse because I have SO MANY unwritten or forgotten stories). I’d say that music has the biggest impact on my writing topics. Sometimes, it’s a whole song that catches my attention. A lot of the time, it’s a single line or even just a word that piques my curiosity. I’ve written a screenplay based on a song, and I’ve written short stories that were inspired by a verse or less. The mood of whatever music I listen to also has its fair share of influence on my writing. It’s just one of those things.

Another source of inspiration is people. I’m a people watcher. If I’m obviously staring at you, chances are that you’re not even on my radar, but that guy arguing with a tree (or someone hidden by the tree) behind you definitely has my attention. C’mon. Who doesn’t want to know why the guy is yelling at the tree nymph? Scenes like that, ones that probably have a completely reasonable explanation, are the best things ever! Combine them with snippets of overheard conversations, and you’re golden. It’s especially amusing if you’re somewhere like an anime convention where you have a lumberjack-looking guy dressed as Sailor Moon flirting with a furry. I couldn’t make this stuff up.

cosplay-family-guy-sailor-moon-costume_jpg-demotivational-poster — There are, not they are. Yes, I correct grammar on the Interwebz.

The world is full of inspiration if you’re open to it, but what about the days it fails you? I write anyway. I’m not a believer in writing only when inspiration strikes, because frankly (and I’ve said this before), the muse is a fickle bitch. If you wait for her, you’ll never get anything done. Yeah, you might get 5000 words written one day, but then you’ll hit a month long dry spell. What’s the good in that? On the other hand, I don’t advocate writing every single day, so if you’re consistently inspired five days out of the week, go ahead and take those other two days off guilt free.

If you’re like me, and some days the words just won’t come, write them anyway. It usually happens when I’m between big projects or I’ve hit a spot that I haven’t quite decided how to work my way through. On those days, I free write. I let my mind go blank, then write whatever pops into it. A lot of the time, I just end up writing a three page rant about why writing/certain characters/plotting/whatever sucks. Sometimes, a sentence will pop into my head and lead to a three page description of a new story or novel. So, even free writing can lead to inspiration!

Hand with Reflecting Sphere — M. C. Escher

In other words, whether you find inspiration in music or people or art (another big one for me) or in nothing at all, keep creating. Maybe one day, you’ll be the one inspiring people. Maybe you already are and just don’t know it. Keep it up!

No School! The Feels…

June 3, 2015June 2, 2015 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello there! I think I’ll address another question/comment today. Remember, feel free to send me questions or comments or whatever here or at Facebook or Twitter. This one is from Dallas Funk. She recently brought it to my attention that we aren’t preparing for a new semester, we aren’t panicking to finish up our last packets, and we aren’t getting ready to travel halfway across the country for ten days of writerly business and fun. How does that make me feel? Well…

Actually, that’s only kind of right. Sure, I’m sad, but I’m also a little excited and relieved and not as stressed (though I fully admit to facing new kinds of stress). I mean, right about now is usually when I’d be starting to prepare for the residency and worrying over the drive that isn’t for another month (irrational fears FTW!) and all that. Instead, I started writing a new novel this month while I wait for feedback on the other one. I had been working on a collection of short stories, which was becoming tedious, so I switched projects. The fact that I’m not working towards a thesis, and that I didn’t have to check with anyone first, made it much easier to convince myself that this kind of shift is okay. The freedom, man! The freedom!

I will definitely miss everyone, but this is what happens as we grow. We lose touch with some and make new connections with others. Also, I’d normally have a social buffer right around this time to make the transition easier. A weekend out among other similar minded freaks (granted, these are anime lovers, not writers, but still). Also known as A-Kon weekend. But I’ve chosen to skip it this year (that was a dumbass move on my part). I think that has me more sad than anything. I knew school was a limited time thing going in, but this is the first time in thirteen years that I’ve skipped A-Kon.

472 — The Minion and I almost ready for the masquerade ball last year.

Don’t get me wrong, it is time for a break from A-Kon, but I kind of regret doing it the same year I finished school. However, I am trying to stay a little social by going to readings and stuff. Yeah… I guess that’s really the biggest “sad” part about not prepping for a new semester. It’s just the lack of socializing that’s got me a little down. That’s actually a pretty terrifying revelation for someone who never really cared about having a social life. Gee thanks, Stonecoast!

I guess what all this boils down to is that I’m having feels about the situation, but none of them are really standing out. Actually, I posted a Facebook status a few days ago that said “It feels weird to not be prepping for A-Kon or a new semester. I shouldn’t have stopped both in the same year. Sad Cyn is sad. In other news, I decided to start a new novel tomorrow. It’s a standalone. Much more post-apocalypse (but not really) sci-fi than I’m used to writing. I’m kind of excited.” That was when a friend’s mom asked if I was bipolar (jokingly, of course) and I replied with “It’s a writer’s life! Conflicting emotions are the norm.” So, that there’s the short version of everything I just said.

A writer’s life… So many feels, bro. So many feels.

A Look Inside Big Shucks Oyster Bar

May 27, 2015May 26, 2015 ~ shawnaborman ~ 2 Comments

Hello again! I haven’t done a food review in a while, so here you go. Yes, it’s another seafood place (I’ll think of something different for next month). Big Shucks is a place we’ve been to a fair amount and we always have a good experience food-wise. Here’s a reminder of the rating system:

1610868_851485004894763_854183972455716638_n — Borrowed from their Facebook.

Normally, we go to Big Shucks in Dallas, but this last time we went to the one in Richardson. Locations can be found at their website, linked above.

Let’s start off with accessibility as usual. The very first time we were going to try this place, we actually wanted to go to Aw Shucks (they’re sister store) in Dallas. At the time, Aw Shucks was inaccessible (they may have upgraded by now, but I have no idea), so they sent us a couple of blocks over to Big Shucks after explaining that it was the same thing, only accessible. Since, we’ve been multiple times, plus twice that I remember to the Richardson location. The tables at the Dallas store are a mish mash, so some are perfect and some are knee bangers. The Richardson tables aren’t as eclectic, and they’re pretty nice height-wise with legs that don’t get in the way. Both locations have outdoor seating as well. I didn’t check out Richardson’s patio, but Dallas’s has picnic style tables. The ends are usually long enough for me to get under them, so it’s pretty nice.

A brief mention of service. It’s basically self serve. You go to the counter and give your order, sometimes they bring it to you and sometimes they just call your name and you go to the pick up area, then you go back and forth if you need things.

Onto the food! We always get oysters as a start. They also have shrimp cocktails and ceviche, which are delicious.

Oysters at Big Shucks — Yup, I ate half of them. Be jealous.

It’s one of those places where the food comes out as it’s ready, but I’ve never felt rushed. Their pacing is pretty nice. So, we were able to savor the yummy oysters before our entrees arrived. Now, I admit Big Shucks has a fairly limited selection, but what they do have, they do well. I almost always get the scallops. They’re grilled with a little seasoning. No fuss, no muss. None of this fancy bacon-wrapped special sauce crap. You get pure scallop goodness. Dad usually rotates through a few selections, but this time he got the salmon. Again, there’s nothing fancy to it. Just lovely, cooked to perfection fish. That’s the great thing about this place. You get to taste the seafood instead of a bunch of sauce and toppings.

028 — Dad’s Salmon and veggies, and my scallops with rice and veggies.

Dessert… It’s less than spectacular. All they have is “homemade” key lime pie that is almost certainly from a box. It’s not bad, it’s just not great. Luckily, Dallas’s Big Shucks is just down the street from TCBY and a few streets over from Pinkberry, so if key lime pie doesn’t blow your skirt up, you can go get yogurt!

That brings us to the price. It’s actually really reasonable considering it’s seafood in North Texas. Also, remember that they use the honor system. It’s your job to keep track of what you ordered. So, I suggest bringing a pen and paper if you order a lot.

Overall Rating:
MMMM

Back to answering questions next week! See you then!

Is Reading Actually Work?

May 20, 2015May 19, 2015 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! I recently asked people on my personal Facebook account for advice on what to ramble about on here, whether they had questions for me, etc. So far, I’ve received four ideas, which I will address in this and future posts. But first, I wanted to invite anyone who reads this to send me suggestions or questions or just random comments! You can do it here on the blog or Facebook or Twitter or whatever.

Q_by_heise — You have questions, yes? Art by Heise (Lian Yan Fang)

The topic I’m going to address today comes from my dad. Yesterday, I spent a good chunk of my time reading instead of writing, and he randomly asked me if reading was part of my work. I had to pause, and formulate a satisfactory answer. He just wanted a yes or no. Unfortunately, I had to re-convince myself. It’s something I’ve thought of before and I consistently arrive at the same conclusion, but I always feel kind of weird saying yes, simply because I enjoy reading. No one actually enjoys “work,” right? So, how can reading be work? It is. I think.

The more I think about jobs, the more I realize that they’re constantly changing, and people have to study to keep on top of it all. It’s not far-fetched for companies to keep an eye on the competition (also known as other companies). Well, in the writing field, your “competition” is other writers! What better way to keep track of what everyone else is doing than by reading their stuff? At least that’s how I rationalize reading current authors. It’s studying! It’s not my fault that my studying involves zombies and werewolves and fun stuff like that.

And anime/manga. I get to study that too.

Actually, studying applies to basically all of my reading. When I read the classics, I’m studying form or the craft or whatever you want to call it. That pretty much goes along with any author, current or past. I blame Stonecoast. I used to read just for fun, but once I had to focus on certain aspects (characterization, pace, diction, the list goes on), it took over my entire reading life. I can no longer open a book without noticing parts of the craft that the author excels at (or fails miserably at). In that way, reading definitely gets tedious if I don’t enjoy the story enough to override all of that. Those books are most certainly work, but I can’t forget that I get something from every book. I learn things. That sounds like good work to me.

One last reason that reading is work for a writer is actually the most obvious. Writing often requires knowledge outside of the author’s wheel house. This means they have to study those things, and if they can’t do so with a more hands on approach, they have to read about them. For example, I write about serial killers every so often. One way I prep for such stories is to brush up on psychology. Granted, I studied the field in undergrad, but terms are always changing and I know very little compared to people who spent years studying it. I do this because I get irked by authors who obviously have no idea what they’re talking about. So, if you’re writing about something and only have a vague idea how it works, please go read up on it. Google makes this fairly easy.

quote-Lawrence-Kasdan-being-a-writer-is-like-having-homework-21729 — It’s not wrong.

So, what does all of this mean? Basically, there’s more to writing than just the words you put on the page. It requires studying, which means it requires reading. It’s all part of a writer’s job. At least that’s my take on it. What do you think?

Moving Forward and Looking Back

May 13, 2015May 12, 2015 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, again! It’s May 12th, as I’m writing this. According to Facebook’s “On This Day” thing, I graduated from Southern Methodist University exactly three years ago. I never really put much thought into this supposedly momentous occasion. I had my issues with SMU (some of which I will probably complain about here), but it was always just a necessary stepping stone to me. It wasn’t a big deal for me or anything. It’s funny how time changes your perspective on things like this.

027 — The obligatory fountain picture, again.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that SMU held a lot of firsts for me. It was my first major unpleasant experience with lack of accessibility issues. It’s a major university with millions and billions of dollars being sunk into its sports programs and stadiums, so of course I assumed it would be entirely accessible. But you know what they say about people who assume things! Yeah, I learned my lesson. (Major eye-twitch inducing moment for me.)

It was the first place where some of the classes actually challenged me. That was an impressive experience. My first C+ on a test, however, was not as impressive. And yeah, I know that sounds cocky, but it’s true. School was always a place where I excelled. The real world, not so much.

It was also the first place where my graduation day was uneventful (like no broken bones and no family squabbles). Yeah, I had serious bad luck with my previous two graduations. I really didn’t want to go through another, but I did, and it wasn’t bad.

002 — Dallas Hall… I could get in the basement, but couldn’t fit in the elevator. Good job, SMU! Also, the date is wrong. This was some time in April of 2012.

Anyway, it’s three years later, and I’m still in touch with a number of the faculty (I fully admit SMU had an awesome faculty and staff, despite my other issues with it). I didn’t come away with many friends (one who I keep in regular touch with, and two I fall in and out of touch with every now and then), but I wasn’t looking to make friends at that point, so I’m okay with that. For someone who was in “get in, get degree, get out” mode, I’m impressed by the connections I did manage to make.

Now, I’ve got a Master’s degree, which I wouldn’t have gotten without my SMU adviser’s advice, and letters of recommendation from others at SMU. I’ve made a number of connections during my time in my Master’s program, some of which actually tie in with my SMU connections. I’m in the process of cleaning up a novel that started as a short story in one of my SMU fiction classes. I learned very quickly what kind of critiques to take to heart, and which to brush off thanks to my writing classes at SMU, which made my time at Stonecoast that much easier. So yeah, I guess SMU was more than a stepping stone after all.

034 — SMU Mustangs. Pretty sure this was the day or so before graduation.

Why am I rambling on about all of this? Honestly, because I couldn’t think of anything productive to write about. But sometimes it’s good to take a look back, especially at things you took for granted. It often gives you a new perspective to move forward with. And moving forward is all we can really do, right?

Shawna's Blog of Doom

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Author: shawnaborman