Things I've Done: January

I meant to do this on February 1st, but I couldn't squeeze it into my busy YouTube-watching writing schedule. I'd like to make a habit of listing my menial monthly accomplishments not only to shore up my self-esteem, but also for posterity (but mostly for the self-esteem). Here's a list of things I did in Janurary.

• Finished editing my sci-fi novel.
• Began an outline for a new sci-fi/horror novel.
• Constructed the most beautiful spreadsheet in history to keep up with the ever-growing list of literary magazines that might publish my short fiction/poems. Seriously, it's a work of art. Mr. Excel would weep proud tears of honor if he saw it.
• Quit smoking.
• Started smoking.
• Quit smoking.
• Raided my grandma's vintage pattern collection. My dream of dressing like Joan from Mad Men inches toward reality.
• Realized that I am not a size 8 by 1963 measurements.
• Fashioned a mostly functional skirt, hemmed the sleeves of a cute jacket, and cut out the pieces for another skirt. My dream of sewing all my own clothes inches toward reality.
• Convinced my mother to look for travel nursing jobs in California (finally, finally, finally!). 

Yellow is the Color of Gold

In my high school days, I wanted to be a journalist.  That was ten years ago, before the Internet became the most reliable source for breaking news. The 24-hour news networks already overpowered written print, but Twitter and the endless bombardment of real-time updates were in their infancy. Still, I saw a noble aspect of being the person who delivered accurate, well-researched stories on current events.  I entertained fantasies that I might be the next Bernstein or Murrow, extracting well-constructed truths to inform and provoke the thoughts of the public. The Internet largely killed that dream as the journalism world turn its back solid stories to focus on tabloid-shaming scoops and privacy-invading details.

Yesterday, a friend and I attended the 11am showing of The Hobbit. At ten, we stopped at a McDonald's for breakfast. The flat screen televisions inside were tuned to CNN, and the network's in-depth coverage of the Newton, Connecticut school shooting was in full swing. The ticker offered few details about the number of victims, but journalists were stationed at the school, killing time until the police offered more information.

After the film, we stopped at an IHOP for lunch. I was beyond surprised to find a flat screen television in the bathroom, also tuned to CNN. While my friend and I visited Middle Earth, details of the shooting infiltrated the public. The death count was up to twenty-six, but the identity of the killer had not been announced.