The New Year Is Coming

December 28, 2016December 27, 2016 ~ shawnaborman ~ 5 Comments

Hello, hello! The new year is almost upon us. Unlike a lot of people I know, I have to say that 2016 wasn’t a bad year for me. Personally, it was a quiet and uneventful year. Yeah, bad and scary things happened in the world, but good things also happened. For example, Spinraza was approved by the FDA as the first therapy for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (which was one of my diagnoses over the years, but I was assured 7 or 8 years ago that I actually have Ullrich Congenital Muscular Dystrophy). Also, a lot of people were lost this year, including icons like Alan Rickman, Gene Wilder, and Carrie Fisher. But we’ve survived. We’re still here to make 2017 a better year. To make ourselves better people.

15726690_10154915430007848_1371003916072326513_n — R.I.P. General Organa

If we want the new year to be better, we have to start with ourselves. Many people make New Year’s Resolutions, which are great if you stick with them, but most of us don’t. A week into January and that resolution to exercise more flies out the window with that first pulled muscle. That resolution to be more positive disappears with the jerk who dents your car in the grocery store parking lot and doesn’t bother leaving a note. It’s hard to change our habits. And that’s okay. But if you really want the year to be better, you’re going to have to make an effort. That’s why I’m making a goal for myself for 2017.

For 2017, instead of trying to change my habits (which is what resolutions usually entail), I’ve decided to pick one area of my life that I want to advance in and create a high (but reachable) goal for myself. Right now, I’m mostly concerned about my career, so my goal is to find an agent by the end of 2017. Hopefully, it won’t take an entire year, but it’s a goal I’m comfortable with. If I were feeling courageous, I might go so far as to make my goal having my first novel published, but that takes time and requires an agent first (okay, so I don’t technically have to have an agent and I could go the whole self-publishing route for those who want to argue those points, but I don’t feel comfortable with those options for myself, so an agent I shall search for).

So, that’s my one big goal for 2017: find an agent.

I simply feel that if we aim to improve one part of our lives at a time (whether it’s our career, personal relationships, health, or whatever) with a concrete and reachable goal, we’ll have a better chance of achieving it and thus improving our year. By all means, make some resolutions or extravagant goals. Aim to change the world if that’s what you’re into, but remember that change starts at home. By improving yourself, you’re improving the world. Don’t let anyone tell you different.

quote-if-you-want-to-change-the-world-first-try-to-improve-and-bring-about-change-within-yourself-dalai-lama-106-25-22 — Exactly.

Do you have any resolutions or goals for the coming year? What area of your life would you most like to advance in during 2017? Leave a comment here or on my social media pages to share your plans for the year.

See you next year!

Sweet Tooth: A Top Five List

November 23, 2016November 22, 2016 ~ shawnaborman ~ 2 Comments

Hello, hello! It’s Thanksgiving week! My favorite holiday ever, as if you didn’t know. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thursday and gets to spend time with their loved ones and eats tons of goodies. Also, instead of shopping Thursday night and Friday, I encourage you to stay at home and binge-watch Netflix (Gilmore Girls!) or play games or something fun. Anyway, in keeping with last week’s light and fun food related post, I thought I would devote this one to desserts. This has nothing to do with Thanksgiving per se, it’s just my top five favorite desserts, along with an honorable mention.

1. Creme brulee. If there’s creme brulee on the menu, you can pretty much guess what I’m getting. There’s just something about the creamy goodness underneath the crackly crunchy coating that speaks to my soul. It would take something super weird that I’ve never had before (because I like trying new things even more than I like creme brulee) to beckon me away from this particular dish of delish.

tiramisu_2a_landscape — I’m making myself hungry.

2. Tiramisu. Ladyfingers and chocolate and coffee and creamy marscapone custard deliciousness and (depending on the recipe) booze. What’s not to love? The real question, though, is whether I like tiramisu because I like boozy coffee or if it’s the other way around. I guess we’ll never know.

67aca9f79f5cd1fece296ca0b3a98188 — I may or may not have just drooled on myself.

3. Flan. In the process of making this list, I have just realized that I have a weird attraction to custardy desserts. I have no idea where it came from. I’m not complaining, nor am I apologizing. Flan is special, though. It combines my love of creaminess with my love of caramel sauce, so it gets bonus points for that.

blueberry-crumble-pie-8 — Blueberry crumble pie? Don’t mind if I do.

4. Pie. I admit it. I like pie more than cake. The problem is, I can’t pick just one kind. Blueberry crumble, key lime, peanut butter, chocolate creme, pecan. The list goes on and on. There are a few exceptions, like coconut, pumpkin (yeah, I said it), sweet potato, or anything banana, but otherwise, as long as I’m not allergic to it, I will probably like it in a pie.

red-velvet-cake-with-vanilla-cream-cheese-frosting_ashx_ — It looks so good.

5. Red velvet cake. If we’re talking regular old cake, I lean more toward red velvet. Maybe it’s the color, maybe it’s the cream cheese frosting, it’s just so delicious. I could totally go for a piece right now.

tasteit15159cheescake-1x1quad — I couldn’t not include it.

Honorable Mention. Cheesecake. There’s just no way to make a list of favorite desserts without at least thinking of cheesecake. I’d never turn a slice down even though I may prefer other things.

What about you? What’re your favorite desserts? Is there a particular dessert you’re looking forward to on Thanksgiving? Feel free to share your lists or thoughts here or on my social media pages. Thank you for reading! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

See you next week for my 100th post.

Our Thanksgiving Menu

November 16, 2016November 15, 2016 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! Since my favorite holiday is right around the corner, I thought I’d share our usual Thanksgiving menu with you. Dad makes a feast and it’s only fair that I share all of the mouthwatering morsels. Plus, we need to start making a shopping list and this will help us remember what to add. Who said a blog couldn’t act as a handy-dandy reminder? So, in no particular order of deliciousness, our Thanksgiving spread includes:

thanksgiving-day

1. Turkey, of course. Dad’s kind of a traditionalist when it comes to the bird. It’s stuffed and roasted. When I was a kid and we had 30+ people over, I vaguely remember the occasional backup ham, but we always have the turkey.

2. Stuffing. I know we’re in Texas and that cornbread stuffing is like the law here, but that’s not what Dad makes. He does an Italian stuffing with sausage and other things. I fully admit that it’s my favorite part of the meal.

3. Mashed potatoes. This has morphed a little over the years from a traditional dish to something more flavorful. There’s usually garlic and other things involved. It’s another favorite.

4. Mashed sweet potatoes. Originally, we had the whole candied yams dish with the marshmallows and all that, but Dad found a recipe a while back for a mashed version with nuts and brown sugar. I’m not the biggest fan of sweet potatoes, but the mashed version seems to go over well with other people.

sweet-potatoes-are-way-better-then-asshole-onions-114762 — And then you murder them and eat their insides.

5. Green bean casserole. Every year, Dad tweaks something or adds something new. Last year, he went from the old recipe pretty much everyone does to a fresh version we saw on Good Eats. It was tasty and pretty easy to make.

6. Corn pudding. This is actually a fairly recent addition (within the last five years). It replaced the canned corn that we always forgot to put out. As far as I know, Dad still tweaks this one.

7. Spinach casserole. We’ve had this one for as long as I can remember, but I only started eating it within the last ten years. It never seems to change.

8. Stuffed mushrooms. These are one of our usual appetizers. Italian sausage stuffing and lots of cheese. Everyone loves them.

9. Deviled eggs. The other usual appetizer. And I just feel the need to point out that Dad always remembers that I’m not big on the paprika sprinkled on top, so he makes half without it. I’m very loved.

10. Cranberry chutney. This seems to change every year. Last year, Dad found a recipe without apples, so I could eat it. This is served alongside the jellied cranberry sauce, because why not?

I feel like I’m probably missing something, but I can’t think of anything. Dessert is left up to our guests. What does your Thanksgiving feast include? Are you the chef or a guest? Do you have any traditions you’d like to share? Feel free to share it all in a comment on here or on any of my social media pages!

How To Survive The First Few Days After An Election

November 9, 2016November 8, 2016 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! By the time this post gets published, America will have a new president (or at least be in the final stages of deciding). If you’re anything like me, you didn’t like any of the candidates and you’re beyond tired of hearing about them and seeing their faces splashed all over your social media sites. But today, and for the foreseeable future, you’ll only have to deal with one of them. That means for the rest of the week (until something else distracts everyone), your social media will be full of the winner’s supporters bragging and the loser’s supporters complaining (because there’s no such thing as a graceful win or loss in this election). So, how are we, the ones with nothing important to say on the matter, supposed to survive until the next big thing comes along to distract everyone? Here are three handy tips to help you keep your sanity.

informed-sanity — That’s what I’ve been struggling with myself.

1. Snuggle up with Netflix or your DVR/TiVo or a book, etc. I’m not going to tell you to avoid social media altogether, but make sure you temper your exposure with healthy doses of entertainment. Netflix has the advantage of avoiding all things annoying simply by clicking play. Or just read a book if you prefer something besides screen time. If you want to watch TV or the news, do yourself a favor and record it, that way you can skip through the things you want to avoid while keeping up with everything else. You can do the same with a newspaper or magazine. There are ways to stay informed without being over-exposed to certain things.

good-guy-netflix-meme-2 — Watch another episode! Don’t be a quitter.

2. Do all the things! You know that stuff you’re supposed to be doing when you’re scrolling through Facebook? Now is the perfect time to do all of it. Do the laundry. Clean the kitchen. Catch up on your NaNo writing. You can be productive and avoid the post-election uproar all at once. Truth be told, I’m actually avoiding the last of the pre-election voter smugness (I’m happy you’re happy you voted, don’t get me wrong, but some people take it too far when they think it makes them and their candidate of choice superior) by writing this post.

3. Surround yourself with cute animals. There’s never a wrong time to look at cute little animals. If you’re into cat videos, the Internet is rife with them. Dogs are everywhere too. You can find bats and birds and even adorable snakes. It’s all just a search away. Who can stay annoyed when looking at those kawaii wittle faces. Even I get happy when faced with the cuteness of doom.

a9png20_700b — It’s a Dapper Danger Noodle!

111 — Look at those big eyes! Batties are adorable!

I’m sure there are other ways to maintain your sanity over the next few days, but this is what I will be doing. Do you have any plans or tips for avoiding the insanity of it all? I suppose being a recluse is the most helpful thing during these times. Stay safe and sane.

See you next week.

Ten Books (Or Series) That Have Stuck With Me

October 26, 2016October 25, 2016 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! I haven’t been feeling 100% the last couple of days, so I thought I would make today’s post short and simple. We all have books or movies or songs or works of art or whatever that stick with us. You know the ones. Those things that we randomly think of even though we haven’t seen or thought of them in years. The things that pop up in our lives at the most unexpected of moments. They helped shape who we are today, for better or worse. That’s what I’m going to talk about today. Namely, the books or series that have stuck with me.

d6de63e8a6f4d617ee170e163589916a — It’s kind of like that.

1. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King. It was the first book I remember reading that I didn’t actually have to read. Pretty much everything by King sticks with me, though.

2. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. I don’t think there’s anyone around my age who wasn’t at least exposed to Harry Potter. It’s one of those series that keeps surprising you, even after you’ve read it for the third time.

3. Angel Sanctuary by Kaori Yuki. I know it’s a manga (Japanese graphic novel) series, but it taught me so much growing up. I learned that, sometimes, the cruelest of demons comes packaged as an angel, and vice versa.

4. A Separate Peace by John Knowles. I honestly don’t even remember liking this book, but I find myself thinking about it quite often. It’s one of those books that I’m afraid to read again, in case it ruins the nostalgia.

5. The Seance by Joan Lowery Nixon. This is another of those books that I haven’t read since I was small (it was my first “pick your own book” book report in elementary school). It was my first foray into the whole spooky mystery thing.

6. Ransom by Lois Duncan. Again, this was something I read in elementary school. It was the first book I remember reading that had a disabled kid. He wasn’t in a wheelchair or anything, but he was different from everyone else and it was strange to see someone else deal with that kind of stuff.

7. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. I fell in love with Gaiman’s writing because of this book. It will always hold a special place in my heart, even if some of his other stuff was less than impressive.

51io310opcl__sx307_bo1204203200_ — I should read it again.

8. Anne of Green Gables and most of the other Anne Shirley books by L.M. Montgomery. Yes, I went through a stage where reading about the everyday antics of Anne entertained me. I still think of her fondly every once in a while.

9. His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. This is another series that forced me to ask questions. It makes me think. I come back to it a lot when I’m thinking of religion and all that.

10. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. I don’t know of anyone who hasn’t been exposed to this title thanks to the movies, but that’s not how I know it. For me, it will always be that short, fun read that opened up the fantasy door.

What about you? What are some of the books that have stayed with you over the years? Feel free to list them here or on my social media accounts.

One Long Vacation

September 21, 2016September 19, 2016 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! It has been a fairly blah few days with an unidentified sickness. I haven’t written anything except this since Wednesday (the 14th). It’s currently Monday (the 19th). I guess when I said it was okay to take a self-care day now and then, my body decided to take it seriously. Tomorrow (yesterday?), I have (had?) a dentist appointment, so I probably won’t write then either. Shame on me, but it goes well with a question someone suggested as a blog topic last week: “What would do if you no longer needed to work/write for a living? How would you spend your time?” Apparently, I’d spend it being sick! Really though, it depends on the situation.

meduringexamperioditsfunnybecauseihavean_04d51a_4988223 — This isn’t entirely inaccurate as far as the possibilities go.

First, I have to actually get to a point where I’m making a living with my writing. That’s a distant dream all on its own. But, dwelling on my current lack of success (I refuse to claim defeat or failure in such a subjective field) isn’t as fun as daydreaming about the possibilities of the future. However, it really depends on the circumstances surrounding my ability to quit writing. What are we talking about? Am I able to quit writing because I have billions of dollars and awesome investments to keep that money rolling in? Do I have enough for the near future, like a five year plan or something? Have I simply found a different job that I like better? The answers are always going to be different.

Honestly, if I had enough money to survive in luxury for the rest of my life, I probably wouldn’t write much anymore. I know I should say that I would and that writing is in my soul and I can’t live without it, but I can’t lie. It’s just not the way I am. Writing is great, but it’s a job. Instead, I’d get a tricked out RV and travel the country visiting with all my distant friends. When I got bored with that, I’d hit the connected countries. Then, I’d look into a customized private plane if the doctor gave me the okay to fly (if not, maybe a cruise ship) and travel the rest of the world. But cripple friendly RVs and planes and ships probably cost more than I could ever think of making. It’s my daydream though, so the money supply is unlimited.

Port of Entry at Universal's Islands of Adventure. — Can’t forget to stop at some theme parks.

However, if money wasn’t an issue for only five years or so, I’d definitely keep up with the writing. I’d probably take a few months off here and there to do some traveling and visiting, but I’d still want to produce work to put out for when money started running low. Plus, I’d need some extra cash to buy an RV to do the traveling in. So, I’d have fun, but I would keep planning ahead by writing.

Lastly, if I found a different profession, I most likely wouldn’t write at all unless the job called for it. Writing is time consuming. I love it. But, if I want to do something else, that would be where all of my energy gets focused. Though, I can only think of a couple of professions that I’d drop everything for, so I think my writing is safe.

loafing-is-the-most-productive-part-of-a-writers-life-quote-1 — According to this, I’d be the most productive writer ever no matter what.

What about you? What would you be doing if you didn’t have to write or work anymore? Would you go on a grand vacation or stay locked up in your home to avoid the world? Share your daydreams in the comment section here or on any of my social media sites!

Labor Day Weekend

September 7, 2016September 5, 2016 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! In the United States, this past weekend was Labor Day Weekend. On Sunday, Dad made a baked ziti with a homemade ragù (yes, you should be jealous), and we had an impromptu thing. Some people came over and hung out and we watched part of the UT/Notre Dame game. It was a nice day all around. But Labor Day Weekend wasn’t always just another weekend in this house. It used to be a weekend spent at the ballpark or the race track or wherever the Dallas location of the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon was being held. It was a lively, busy weekend surrounded by a bunch of MDA volunteers and local celebrities and all that fun stuff.

I hadn’t participated in the telethon for a few years before it devolved into the “Show of Strength” with the departure of Jerry Lewis, then faded away into nothingness. I don’t know why Mr. Lewis and MDA parted ways. I don’t know why they decided to end the telethon. These things just happen, I guess. But I do know that the money raised over the years helped a lot of people. I know MDA continues to help a lot of people. It’s something I’m grateful for.

I’m also grateful for the memories of those weekends along with all of the other fundraisers I participated in over the years. I got to meet a lot of people I otherwise wouldn’t have. As a kid, all I really cared about was the fact that the caterers usually brought delicious desserts even if the meals weren’t all that tasty. Now, I’m happy that I was a part of helping others like myself. I’m glad that I got to experience the behind the scenes of the telethon, even if it was only at the local level. I was able to observe and learn. It’s not something everyone gets to do.

14195334_10208938750563501_8428296951711579464_o — Always had to display the nails.

Knowing that the money went towards research and helping families who couldn’t afford equipment and the like makes it worth it. Even when I was going through that phase where I felt guilty for asking people for money, I at least knew it was helping people. MDA has helped me on numerous occasions, especially when I was a kid and didn’t qualify for Medicaid because Dad made too much money. But, there was no way we could’ve afforded all of my equipment (my chairs and later my breathing machines and all that) without MDA’s help. That’s just part of what MDA does. It’s part of what Jerry Lewis helped raise money for. Without him and his telethon, MDA wouldn’t be where it is today.

14188197_10208938750403497_7197986324778897088_o — At the ballpark.

I suppose what I’m trying to say is, thank you. Thank you to MDA, to Jerry Lewis, and to everyone behind the scenes. Not only did the telethon raise money for a great cause, but it also provided many of us with wonderful memories and fun stories to tell. I’m sorry that the telethon is gone, but I’m happy to have been a small part of it.

Political Correctness: The Cake Is A Lie

August 31, 2016August 31, 2016 ~ shawnaborman ~ 2 Comments

Hello, hello! A few days ago, I posted the following image on my personal Facebook page and one of my friends thanked me for it. I’m still not entirely sure whether she meant it as a “hey, I never thought about it that way before” kind of thing or as an “I can relate, as someone has done this to me” kind of thing. Either way, I was a little taken aback. Have we, as a society, really become so politically correct that we can’t take kindness at face value? That we have to be told when people are being nice even if it clashes with our personal beliefs? I even went so far as to read the comments on the original post (never read the comments), and people were actually arguing that saying ‘You’re in my prayers’ to someone you know is an atheist is like serving PB&Js to someone you know has a peanut allergy. So, you’re going to go into anaphylactic shock because of something someone said? That’s a mighty severe allergy you have there.

13886252_519409638245090_6014490597356370909_n — This isn’t common sense?

Seriously though, when did we become so caught up in ourselves that we couldn’t look at things from the other person’s perspective? Honestly, I noticed a significant rise in this type of behavior when people started encouraging “political correctness.” The Right argues that political correctness is a restriction on free speech. The Left argues that it’s simply about being respectful and that there’s no hidden agenda. I’m sorry, but any phrase that contains any form of the word ‘politics’ is hiding something. That’s what politics are: the art of who can hide their true agendas from the public the best. It’s sad, but true.

When we can no longer walk down the street during the holidays and wish people a Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah or a Joyous Kwanzaa or whatever we celebrate for fear of offending someone, things have gone too far. When we can’t try to comfort an acquaintance the best way we know how for fear of offending someone, things have gone too far. When sincere attempts at kindness are met by snark and anger under the guise of political correctness, things have gone too far. So yeah, this whole political correctness thing has gone much too far.

main-qimg-e50fc45a8a973c846fed73eb98a42039-c — This. So much this.

There’s no hidden agenda behind political correctness, but in order to be truly PC, you have to fit the mold created around that ideal. You can’t be overtly religious, you can’t have your own opinions unless they match everyone else, you can’t be different. But America was built around differences. It’s not called the Melting Pot for nothing. We should celebrate our differences, not try to squash them out.

Don’t get me wrong, the basic concept or goal behind political correctness (treating each other with respect) isn’t bad at all, just the execution of it has perverted it into something else entirely (hence, the cake being a lie). You see, respect goes both ways (even if politicians on both sides would have you believe otherwise). Personally, I’m not someone who believes in the power of prayer, but I’m not going to disrespect someone else’s beliefs by telling them not to pray for me because of it. Just like when I tell someone I’m sending them good vibes, I don’t expect a lecture on science calling my vibes pseudo psychological hippie crap. That’s the kind of crap that’ll make me never talk to you again. Learn to accept kindness at face value.

4e7567f6fc823a92c2e5872ff85adc47 — That works too.

In other words, stop worrying about being “politically correct.” Be kind. Be respectful. Remember that we’re all different and occasionally people are going to inadvertently do or say things that go against your personal beliefs. And if someone ever truly hurts you, whether physically or emotionally, by all means let them know. But if it’s simply a case of their beliefs clashing with yours, let it go*. After all, if we were all the same, the world would be a pretty boring place.

*This only applies if they’re being nice and respectful to you. If they’re being asshats, do what you have to do.

A To Z: Songs To Write By

August 24, 2016August 23, 2016 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! As you can probably tell by the title, I’m having a hard time coming up with topics again. Suggestions are most welcome. Anyway, I decided to do an A to Z list (by song title) of songs that (usually) end up on my writing playlists. Granted, every story is different and requires different music, so this is in no way comprehensive. In fact, my current WIP has been written with little to no music. Sometimes, noise just gets in the way. But, when I do use music, you can be pretty sure the following songs will be playing.

A: “All of Me” by John Legend. In case I have to write one of those sappy love scenes. You know the ones.

B: “Battlefield” by Blind Guardian. Because power metal makes everything you write sound more epic. Even when you’re sure it sucks.

C: “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” by Yoko Takahashi. “A” and “The” don’t count. But this is the opening of Neon Genesis Evangelion, which reminds me of Shinji, who reminds me that it’s okay to write characters you know some people are going to hate. Because I love to hate Shinji.

Get+in+the+goddamn+robot+shinji+neon+genesis+evangelion+in_8a24b3_4672778 — She’s not wrong.

D: “Did You Hear the Rain?” by George Ezra. It’s a new addition for my list, but it’s awesome and that’s enough of a reason.

E: “Eres Tu” by Kany Garcia. Because sometimes you just need a bouncy song when you’re slogging through the tedious parts of stories.

F: “Float On” by Modest Mouse. To remind me make everything worse before it gets better, but to have my characters take most of it in stride.

G: “Girl Anachronism” by the Dresden Dolls. The song is great, but anachronisms are bad in stories.

H: “Hiai to Melancholy” by Matenrou Opera. No special reason. It’s just lovely.

I: “I Come with Knives” by IAMX. For all those weird scenes that you sit there going “what the hell is wrong with this person?” as you write them.

J: “Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars. Because sometimes I have to remind myself that I originally liked these characters for some reason.

K: “Kraam” by Bodyslam. A soothing Thai song is always appropriate.

L: “Love Me Dead” by Ludo. Because sometimes I have to write about unhealthy and creepy relationships, but Ludo makes it fun.

M: “Muma -the Nightmare-” by Buck-Tick. Because Buck-Tick, that’s why.

015 — What’s not to love about Buck-Tick?

N: “Neo Universe” by L’arc en Ciel. Upbeat for all the happy moments, rare as they may be. Plus, they have Hyde-san.

O: “Odd One” by Sick Puppies. Because everyone needs moral support sometimes. Even the voices in your head.

P: “Postcards” by James Blunt. For the sappy scenes. I swear.

Q: “Quitter” by Edgewater. Sometimes rage is needed in stories.

R: “The Rest of My Life” by Less Than Jake. To remind me to include internal conflict as well as all the fun stuff.

S: “Sympathia” by Versailles. Just because I really like it.

T: “Thank God I’m Pretty” by Emilie Autumn. To remind me that even the luckiest of my characters need to have issues. Everything, even beauty, has a downside.

U: “Ugly” by the Exies. Because sometimes I forget how to do teenage angst. Songs like this help me remember.

V: “Vinushka” by Dir en grey. Creepy, rage, dark, disturbing. That’s the kind of stuff Diru is helpful with. Also, beauty and depth.

W: “Wolfen (Das Tier in Mir)” by E Nomine. Epic music makes for epic stories. Also, werewolves.

X: “Xanadu“ by Moi dix Mois. It’s actually the only song on my computer that starts with x.

Y: “You Can’t Be Missed if You Never Go Away” by Cobra Starship. In other words, heed that call to adventure and leave me alone.

Z: “Zakuro” by Vaniru. It’s another one of those that I just like. I don’t know the words, so I can tune it out if I need to in order to write.

What are some of the songs that usually go into your writing or painting or whatever other creative outlets you pursue playlists? Feel free to share some links in the comments or on my social media pages. And don’t forget to suggest some blog topics or ask me some questions if you have any.

See ya!

A Day Of Art

August 3, 2016August 3, 2016 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! Last week, my friend Marika invited Dad and I to go to the Dallas Museum of Art with her and the munchkins. I’ve lived roughly half an hour away from this museum all my life and can only think of two other times I’ve been there, so we decided to go with them. We spent the afternoon wandering around some of the exhibits. Dad kept getting too close to the fancy furniture, so the staff kept a wary eye on him. We got huffed at for allowing one of the munchkins to touch a sculpture (to be fair, it was outside and looked like a fancy garbage can, so yeah). We also got to talk Masterpieces and Stephen King with the guy in the gift shop. All around, it was a nice day away from actually writing (and yes, I’ve been a good little writer with meeting my word count lately). Sometimes, getting away from your own artform and exploring others is healthy.

13895025_1191441057543293_4318436982796614638_n — And sometimes, it’s just weird. All pictures courtesy of Marika.

I’ve always liked art anyway, so it’s not hard to imagine me finding plenty of inspiration in a museum. But I admit that I was a little surprised by just how much inspiration I came away with. For instance, the Irving Penn exhibit (open until August 14) had a few images that are still stuck in my brain almost a week later. One of them, which I don’t have a picture of, was an eye in a keyhole that had a keyhole reflected in the eye, kind of like a tunnel effect. I don’t know why it’s stuck with me, or if it’ll cause a story to blossom, but it gave me something to think about.

Aside from inspiring the writer in me, I was also tempted to draw again. There was quite a bit of abstract work that was interesting, as well as some things that looked like they were drawn by a three year old (not my cup of tea). But, it was actually the furniture on the fourth floor that really made me go “Ooo, I could do that.” Meaning that I could draw similar patterns, not that I could build anything. I’ll leave the woodwork up to Dad.

13882103_1191440887543310_2879147841082910548_n — I could definitely draw a swirly design like this.

Then, there were all the things that weren’t exactly inspiring, but they were simply beautiful. Not everything has to make you think or make you want to create. Sometimes, we just need some eye candy. On the second floor near the room where you can see one of the restoration areas, there was the Wittgenstein Vitrine (a fancy display case the DMA restored). It’s a really ornate box decorated with silver and pearls and opals and moonstones, etc. But I wouldn’t even know what to display in it, let alone what to write or draw about it. It does nothing for me except sit there and look pretty, and that’s okay. We need that just as much as we need the inspirational things.

13876274_1191441050876627_7943533065143473555_n — A corner of the Vitrine.

So, what is this post all about aside from me telling you about my day at the museum? Nothing, really. I’m just saying that it’s okay to take a day off once in a while to explore creative outlets outside of your norm. Put down the pen or step away from the keyboard and go explore a museum or go to the symphony or whatever. It might help you recharge, and you could have fun in the process. I know I did.

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