A new site and a new adventure!

Hello blog followers!

Thank you for being a subscriber to my blog.  I wanted to let you know that I will be moving my blog to my new and shiny website!  You’ll still be getting posts from me, but they’ll look a little differently. You’ll get the same great content, but with a different look.

My brand new website is annarmercier.com and I hope to see you there.

Habit Building Advice from an 8th grade Teacher

I’m an 8th grade Language Arts teacher and I spend most of my day guiding young learners and sculpting young writers.  Most of the time my job is more about creating life long learners and individuals that are ready for the world and its challenges.  Today I stressed about building good note taking, writing, and reading habits.

It made me think about how much of a hypocrite I am sometimes.  I don’t write, read, or take notes every single day.  Not in the capacity it takes to be a writer.  Why should I expect anything different out of them?

I figured today was a good day to make a list of good writing habits that I should start following:

1. Write consistently-  I ask my students to read and make a habit out of reading. I also ask them to make a habit out of writing and writing every day.  It’s no good if I don’t follow through as well. I cannot become a good writer and reader unless I do it every single day in some form or another. Even blogging counts as words on the page. When I publish a post, I am working my writing-process skills.

1. Practice new techniques often- Whenever my writing feels stale or mundane, I figure out a new grammar or sentence technique and give it a whirl.  Recently I tried giving myself challenges: describe a ball without using the word round, describe the sun without using the word warm, etc. I found that I had some really interesting phrases and descriptions.
2. Write. Everything. Down.- I am the WORST for thinking up a phrase, loving it, and then forgetting it.  It’s like I think my big ol’ brain will keep it forever and extract it whenever I need it. I’m not Sherlock– I don’t have a mind palace. Write that shit down.

1. Learn- It’s a broad topic and a broad concept, but learn. This last week has been very empty of words and editing for me, but I have been learning about writing and the writing world. It’s kept me inspired and mindful of my own writing. If you haven’t checked it out already, watch a few of Brandon Sanderson’s lectures on YouTube. Free education, folks. Soak it up!

7/7/7

Thanks Claribel Ortega for tagging me for the 7/7/7 challenge.  I am not one to tag other people, but I’ll post it in Twitter for all to see and do!

Here’s how it works:

1. Go to page 7 of your WIP (Work in Progress).
2. Scroll down to Line 7.
3. Share the next 7 sentences in a blog post.
4. After the excerpt, tag 7 other writers to continue the challenge.

I’ll be posting from my YA paranormal MISTS OF EVENTIDE.

Ada pushed up from the bitter smell of dying leaves and kicked through them. Back and forth she went until her foot found another piece. After some effort, she had unearthed everything. Stepping back, she counted four stones.

Lavinia Hackett was reaching toward her family’s resting place. Four stones, four dead Hacketts.

She wished she had her jacket.

Thanks for the tag and I look forward to reading these delicious little snippets!

Who am I? Who am I? I’m 2460- Sorry. I’m Anna. Just… Anna… Hi.

I would wager that 50% of you know the joke in my title.  That’s the 50% I love and should read the rest of this post.

KIDDING! Kidding… Please… Read my words.

Poorly placed musical titles aside, I figured I would take a chance to write a small post about who I am and what someone can expect out of my personality and work ethic.  Most of the mentors that look at this post will probably dig deeper to find my shitty attempts at what this blog was going to turn in it.  Let me do some homework for you:

1. 365 Photography Experience that stopped at day… twenty?
2. Holy shit I made this recipe and here it is.
3. Hiking and trips I’ve taken.
4. Overly processed Instagram pictures.
5. General thoughts blog.

I think that about covers it as far as what you might find within these frightening pages.  While I might be a bit embarrassed by it,

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I think it also shows you a bit of who I am.

**** I’m all over the place as far as my interests are concerned.  I am not the kind of person to be able to easily tell you my favorite genres of music, movies, or books.  People bring me suggestions all the time and I find parts I like about what I see or hear.  I’ve recently started trying to like horror movies. Okay, that’s so I can watch Tom Hiddleston in CRIMSON PEAK without running from the theater crying.

(You’re welcome)

**** I love adventure.  Growing up, my family didn’t have a lot of money. We never went to the theater as a family.  If there was a movie out, I went with my mother or father– never both.  However, they instilled in me a sense for adventure.  They would turn even small hikes or drives into something exciting and new.  When I got my license, I was the kid that disappeared down back roads and climbed through the woods to find some amazing thing hidden in my little one horse town of the mountains.

**** I’ve got a husband that loves me and supports me beyond anyone I’ve ever known.  I’m “strong independent Anna don’t need no man” outside of my time at home.  I teach so I must have the mental fortitude of a general outside of the house.  When he comes home, I melt like butter and feel just as beautiful and capable as he thinks I am.

Me at school:

Me with husband:

**** I like being busy, but I covet my alone time.  Recently I’ve gone back to doing local community theater and we put on some amazing shows.  I don’t think you understand what I mean by amazing shows.  The costumes are phenomenal, the people are great to work with, and the talent is out of this world for our tiny little speck in the state of North Carolina.  In fact, a treat for all of you because if I get famous, it will find its way into the world anyway…

(Shrek this summer. I’m the witch in the middle. I love that costume, so be kind what you say to it)

**** For the mentors, I work hard.  When I set a goal and commit to something, I commit all the way. I might not see the point in something, but I’ll ask questions until I do understand it.  My goal is to constantly push myself to be the best version possible of me.  If that means perfecting my craft, my ability to take critiques, or my social media presence– I’ll do it.  I might not roll over and jive with everything said, but I like a good healthy conversation.

Honestly, there’s  not much about my personality that can’t be said in gifs. Head over to my Twitter feed for more internet madness and the things I’ll dig up for you.  Someone has given me a picture of David Bowie with wolves… What else can YOU offer, internet?

Striving for Happiness in Stress

I won’t bother asking because I know the answer already.  I’ll just say it instead.  You’ve had those days where everything goes wrong. I’m not talking almost everything– I’m talking every single thing you can imagine turns to shit in the palm of your hands and you’re left asking why you and why now?  It’s like you made some huge mistake but don’t know what it is and now you’re being punished for it.

It’s not a punishment.  It’s not karma. It’s just life running its course and you have to strap into the boat and ride the waves until the white caps disappear.  Sometimes those whitecaps take a while to disappear and sometimes the threat of a storm is just on the horizon.  That doesn’t mean that you cease paddling and quit exploring. This is the only moment that is your life. The present is who you are.

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” — Mahatma Gandhi

I found that quote today and made me reflect on my shitstorm of a day. I wasn’t saying what I was thinking in the best possible way and I wasn’t acting upon what I thought either.  None of those things were in tandem and I allowed myself to be trampled on by multiple people. Instead of finding the right words, I was caught up in a foray of emotions that ripped me up until it all exploded.

Just so you know the universe’s joke… After dealing with multiple emotional burdens with multiple people for six hours, I got to my car sobbing like a little baby and tried to get in my car.  Horrified that I had allowed myself to cry in any other location than my shower, I damn near ran to my car and pulled the handle.  Locked? No, not locked my friends.  THE HANDLE WAS BROKEN! It won’t work even today and I have to open the driver door by going through the back seat.

ANYWAY, I made it home and I won’t build the image of the cry fest I had.  I promptly showered, crawled into bed, and watched the LABYRINTH.  David Bowie’s hot pants and hair combination always make my day better.

So, today’s lesson is to learn how to make myself happy by saying what I think and then acting upon what I want.  If I don’t want someone to talk to me like I’m trash, I won’t let that happen.  If I think something is the right thing to say or do, then I am going to do it.

I’ve doing PitchWars in an attempt to do the thing I want to do.  My family always had this sense of doing the necessary thing and not stressing yourself over your desires.  It was always a work, work, work mentally and relax when you got home because you were stressed.  I’m done relaxing and I’m done just sitting around because I think I’ve earned it. Writing removes the stress so I’m going to do it come hell or high water.