To Marry or not to Marry?

jennypruna — Wed, 12 May 2010 19:38:14 +0000

What is the hurry? Why do people need to rush into marriage because “it is time?” A couple has been together for almost 5 years and that automatically means that they have to rush to the alter. Why?

I find that question nagging at me constantly.

I am 21 years old and my boyfriend of almost 4 years is 31 years old. I am still in college heading toward my senior year after this summer and my boyfriend, Mike, is already grounded with his own business, job and life. Just because we have been dating for so long, everyone who meets us or knows us has asked when we are getting married knowing that we aren’t even engaged yet. Kind of takes the surprise and mystery out of a proposal doesn’t it? Each time we are both asked, “When are you getting married?” we both look at each other or just shrug. I am always tempted to say…”We will let you know when the time comes,” and leave it at that. Now I can relate to Kim Kardashingan with her fustration of reporters asking her when she will marry Reggie.

Worst of all, my parents are trying to corner me with an ultimatum. They are telling me that I need to either marry Mike or come to Florida with them. My father is already planning to get me a job even though I had not asked him of it. I am not interested anymore in my major, journalism but they haven’t even considered that little factor with them being so busy planning out my life and how they think it should be.

By Puerto Rican standards, I am not allowed to live with Mike without being married and so the dilema of where the heck I am supposed to go remains a question mark. Do I leave where I live and where Mike, the love of my life, lives, and catch a plane to Florida? Or do I marry Mike?

God, Mike hasn’t even proposed yet and now I feel like my parents are not only pressuring me but Mike as well to get hitched. All the world is wondering when? and Mike and I are wondering why?

I am a rebellious child in a sense of that fact that I HATE it when my parents try tell me what I need to do with MY life. I don’t rebel with drugs, alcohol or anything like that, but I do like to do the opposite that requires a delicate middle finger being pointed toward the sky. My parents don’t even know the half of it because the satisfaction is in the relief that I have a choice rather than showing them that. My parents rushing me to head to Florida, makes me want to do what they don’t want me to do. Live with Mike or be on my own with my own place and job. Of course I don’t want to live with my boyfriend unless I am married either so that leaves me with one choice….live on my own here?

My parents travel all the time. Since I have been in college they have already moved twice. First to TN and then to Florida. Why do I have to follow them? Especially, when they can just up and leave later! I dont want to follow them like a lost dog even if I love to be in FL. I mean it’s a fun place. There is always something to do, restaurants to eat at, people to meet, parks to visit. But none of those things sound appealing with out Mike to enjoy them with. And with him having his own business, he cant just up and leave here.

I want to get married to Mike. I do. I want to be his wife forever and live with him. But all this hype and annoying pressure makes me frustrated and almost rebellious at the idea. I just want people to shut up about it and I want my parents to help me make decisions when I ask them to, not when they feel like they need to do it for me without my permission. I appreciate their help, love, and all but they need to let me be for once.

Mike says he wants to marry me, but he wants everything to be a surprise, which is hard when everyone that finds out about us is constantly asking, probing and pressuring.

I don’t want to disappoint my parents but it has come to a point where I am getting fed up with the ultimatum. Has Mike proposed? Will Mike propose? When do you expect he will propose? Well if he doesn’t propose you have to be with us in Florida! Blah Blah Blah….

It is all a bunch of none sense. Where is the mystery in life? Where is the wonderful rush of love when it is unexpected? Most importantly, why have people still not learned to mind their own business?

Story Generator

jennypruna — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:38:48 +0000

You are sitting at your desk, fumbling with your pen. Tapping your feet while you rack your brain for some marvelous idea for a story. You twist in your chair, switch butt cheeks and sigh once every minute. The clock ticks louder, and the neighbors’ conversations become clearer. Distractions. Writers Block. All enemies of our goal to finish a story. They sit there lurking behind your desk shadows waiting for the perfect moment to infiltrate your pen or keyboard and then into your head. Annoying little buggers.

The frustrations of being a writer come like cloudy days in the winter. More often you are stuck somehow, wondering what do do next. The lack of creative juices that you thought your brain produced naturally, no longer pours. You then wonder…”Damn, how did Faulkner or [insert favorite writer here] do it?

As I have discovered in my beginners prose class last year, all writers are interconnected in their frustrations. We are all on a rocking ship of blank ideas or rainy distractions.

So what do you do? My prose teacher suggests always free writing for fifteen minutes everyday and/or every time you are stuck.

Others turn to technology as their writing guru to spur them into a direction of answers by using web sites that suggest writing prompts, priced software, or online journals.

Some have the journalistic ear and listen for great story ideas.

I am not in the slightest bit an experienced and published pro writer. I am of course an amateur finding my weapon of light to guide me to success. Too dramatic? Sorry.

I do know that every writer must read. Reading always helps your creative processes.

So I did some research and heres what I found:Maartje van Hoorn

Go for a walk (works, according to J.K. Rowling).
Read other people’s work. It can inspire you.
In case of a story writer’s block, RolePlay. It’s helpful to let other people share their creativity with you.
Try to write on a different location. You might get ‘the vibe’ there. In the Zoo, for instance. Or in a cafe.
If you have any drafts, edit these instead of trying to write something new.
Write nonsense, it can trigger your imagination and spur your creativity.
Look around you, you might pick up a good idea by just looking around. Just sit, for ten minutes, and take in your environment.
Do something else. Really, can’t get over your block? Do something else for a while. For me, doing other creative things, like drawing, helps.
Ask others how they get over theirs. You might learn a new method.
Go in denial. You do not have a writer’s block. Writer’s block doesn’t exist. It’s just a blockade you’ve put upon yourself because you’ve got nothing better to do. You do not have a writer’s block!

Here are some other tips:

Using Objects to Cure Writer’s Block

Collect ten random objects on a tray and cover them with a cloth. Then choose one without looking. Now write 100 words describing this item. Here is a brief example using a thumb tack:

The tack lay on the table, a miniature umbrella with a brightly colored top of vibrant red. The underneath was dull brass with tiny striations circling the pin. The point was sharp and tiny shards of plaster clung to it. Maybe it had tumbled down from the ceiling.

Magazine Characters can Help with Writer’s Block

Cut out an assortment of photos that show a cross section of people. Include both sexes, different ages and races and different economic groups. Then choose one and write a complete profile underneath. Here are some of the points to remember:

Name
Age
Sex
Appearance
Address
Job
Family
Hobbies
Weaknesses
Strengths

Atmosphere in Television Shows

Choose a favorite television show and describe the atmosphere in any given scene. Look for things like tension and suspense as a person ascends the financial ladder on Who wants to be a Millionaire, or recreate the utter weariness and desperate hunger of a contestant in Survivor. This is an ideal way to bypass writer’s block.

Describe a Natural Disaster to Help with Writer’s Block

Place a character in a normal setting such as on a bus to work or washing dishes in the kitchen. Then introduce an unexpected earthquake or volcano and tell the story of the character’s immediate reaction.

Convert a Newspaper Article to get Thoughts Flowing

Choose a newspaper story and change it from past tense to present. Try substituting different verbs and adjectives as well and see if the meaning is retained. Building on another person’s work often helps to banish writer’s block

Write a Tongue Twister can Cure Writer’s Block

This is a fun way to get words flowing. Make the tongue twister one sentence long and try and start most of the words with the same letter. Here are a couple of examples:

Susie Slug slithered silently, sulking sourly
Timmy Turtle trudged tiredly on tarred tracks

Then laugh while repeating them fast and watch writer’s block disappear.

Describe a Terrifying scene

Imagine being on an airplane on a routine commuter flight. Without any warning, there is a loud bang and flames shoot from the right engine. Describe the emotions, physical manifestations and levels of fear as the pilots battle to land the aircraft.

Brainstorm Weather Words to Help with Creative Writing

Take a large page and write weather words inside circles. Then surround them with words that expand and add to their meaning. Here are some starter ideas.

Lightning
Clouds
Hurricane
Sun
Depression
Gale
Blizzard

These prompts are simple and easy to do but can trigger fresh ideas and overcome writer’s block. The secret is in stretching the mind and causing it to think in new patterns and look at life in a different manner.

Book Review

jennypruna — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:09:15 +0000

Hey guys, I have a new book review for this week on John Green’s “Looking for Alaska.”

Please go and read it and let me know what you think about the book, if your interested in reading it or not, and what I can do to improve on my book reviews. I would appreciate it! Thanks!

Review on John Green\’s \”Looking for Alaska\”

Thanks!

Valentines Day

jennypruna — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:54:59 +0000

Girls are planning excitedly, guys are bringing out their wallets hesitantly, and the corporate industry is urging you to show your affection for your love so that you don’t lose them to someone else.

For the past 3 years, my boyfriend and I have been faithful Valentine celebrators. We would plan a dinner and buy each other gifts. This year, however, we are leaving our cash in our pockets. No outing, no presents.

I mean if you think about it? Why need to have a day to tell someone you love them? Are we that busy in our postmodern world to even look at our sweetie at least once a week and tell them that you love them? Do we all really need to pick the same day to fight for restaurant spots or sales for gifts? I think not. Call me a hippie, but I have decided to “stick it to the man” by not participating in a pointless holiday.

I mean, it is still nice to give a shout-out to friends, family and loves. But other than that, we should always tell everyone that we love them.

Plus, this holiday makes singles more longing when they should be feeling strong about being independent. But instead, they lag around wishing that they could have their very own sweetie of their own or hastily scurry to find a temp to fill in just for the day.

If you stop and look around, you will see tons of ad clutter over flowers, chocolates, and items on sale that coiuld be the best love in a box. Its everywhere! Corporate America loves holidays like these. Christmas, I am sorry to say, fits in a money mongol category of Valentines day…only, Christmas is sooooo much more forgivable becuase it brings much more things to the plate than depressing, or gooey Valentines day.

So, in the spirit of the day after Valentines (Since it is 12:43 right now), I will say “boo” to this holiday and horah for telling your sweetie that you adore them in every fashion everyday (Or at least once a week). That you are so happy your are with them becuase they give you a warm, fuzzy, and at times ichy feeling inside. You should surprise them with a rose, or fav flower on a random date like March 18th or a videogame in August. Point is, don’t depend on a vague and out of touch holiday to be honest. Be mysterious for once and remind your love what has been there all along.

Update

jennypruna — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:04:56 +0000

So…I didn’t flake out on my news years resolution. I have been writing just not on my blog. I just got an internship to write for my school newspaper doing book reviews and every so often a world news article. Great opportunity, and I am so far pleased, especially since I am taking 12 hours this semester. I have time to do homework, read, and then write reviews for them. So I cannot complain. I hope my senior year Ill be able to do the same.

If interested in following my book reviews go to theappalachianonline.com under exclusives every Wednesday and see moi! Also you guys can tweet me at… http://twitter.com/jenniferpruna

I will try to blog more often, so if you are bored, come to moi.

So that’s the update!

Laziness or Overloaded?

jennypruna — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:59:36 +0000

A student tells a 60-year-old professor that he can not do an assignment. His argument is that there is too much information out there. Back in the professor’s day…there were less resources, but now there is so much that it is nearly impossible to track down the right information. Is that laziness or are students really bombarded with information?

Well, I feel that the argument can go both ways. Although I lean toward laziness on the students part, I do see his point. Research takes a long time sometimes because you are searching for specific facts. You go from a general category to specific details, which is hard half the time when there are a lot of bozo sites on the internet. Anyone now can post up a web site and claim it to be fact when truth be told, it was actually created and written by a 14-year-old. Teachers also expect quotes and facts that are specific. They don’t want some source to be so vague it can apply to any subject.

But if you think about it, wouldn’t that make us less lazy if we are constantly searching for truth? Isn’t it another skill to figure out the truth from the false information? Plus it helps us be skeptical of what people claim is truthful. I have had to do this kind of research since the 9th grade high school. So the student had a good point, but then again, I think he was just covering his ass! lol Being in college, research should not be a shocker.

Technology Impacting Youth

jennypruna — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 01:00:35 +0000

I went to my Mass Media and Society class today and we had some interesting discussions. Brief though because we went over the class syllabus, but still attractive.

My teacher said some research shows that technology is affecting our brain development. The research poses the idea that our attention spans decreases through generations. True or no?

Well, I think it might be. I mean, ADHD and ADD are increasing in diagnoses for one thing. I see more people my age and younger multitasking like no ones business. I know this one kid, 11 years old (about to be 12 in Feb), he can have the tv on, listen to music on his iphone, and play World Of Warcraft (WOW) on his computer. Crazy. Another kid, senior in high school, I saw play a game on this computer with music and play tetris on his phone. It is like they are not entertained enough so they pull a bunch of technology together. You see less kids playing outside and more obesity. Through the years, cells are getting into the hands of younger and younger kids. I mean there’s a toy phone for babies even!

Technology is really forming society these days. Our older generation is trying to keep up but it is still sad to see an old lady trying to figure out how to rent a dvd from redbox or fill out a check at a cash register during a long line. So you have to always keep up to survive, or be left behind now that technology is getting more advanced.

So is this true? And if it is…is having a short attention span a bad thing in these days? I mean will the skill of being able to do more than one thing help us move forward in our future jobs and/or family? Or will it hurt us in that it will hinder our ability to be entertained and not focus on family and other things that require more attention and focus? Heck, It might be good and bad.

Soap Operas

jennypruna — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 01:00:23 +0000

My mother is into Spanish, hysterical, soap operas. Every night of the week from 8 to 10 or just 8 to 9 pm (depending if it is good enough) She devotes her time to following the lives of these fake characters. Even when the soap is starting to really suck, she nods away the suggestions to not watch them and instead, sits down with her cup of cereal to wait out for a big event where a secret is revealed, someone has died off, or whatever. Watching these soap operas are a part of the Hispanic culture. The same with sexy outfits…but that’s on another note.

I am not trying to kick soap watchers in the shins when I talk about the faults of soap operas because as it turns out, I like watching them too. If I had the channel where I live, I’d watch them (well, the “good ones” anyways). I look forward to the passionate or exaggerated acting in which people yell in anger, blubber through their tears, or ooze in cheesy happiness. There is a sort of satisfaction that comes with sitting down and having your heart melt when the hot male lead is being sexy by twirling his stubborn love into his arms and tells her sweet nothings so close to her face that she can taste, smell, and feel his breath (Like in the soap, Cuidado Con el Angel). Grrrr. lol

I know, I know! I could be way more productive by writing in my room during this vacation that will end way too soon. But I love the gooey feelings I get when the two main characters encounter and have a soft or feisty moment.Even as little girls we think of prince charming and play house as a wife. So it is almost engraved in our brains of a fantasy that doesn’t really exist. At least that is how it was for me. As a little girl I was Nala searching for my Simba in the prairies, or as Jasmine for my Aladan as I played with my toys. In high school I kept searching for my high school sweetheart but I ended up with…to put it softly… buttheads. I die when my current boyfriend does something romantic. I get crazy butterflies which is soooo addicting for a girl. Feeling special and being treated like so just makes our toes curl at the thought. Maybe I’m just a huge sensitive person, but I cant help it….I liiiiike it. lol Anyhow, the craving for romance, difficult or strong, never dies within a woman. sigh…..

Writing Distractions

jennypruna — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 02:30:27 +0000

So my new years resolution is to continuously blog and write everyday. Kind of had a shaky start considering January 1st was several days ago… but here we go! I noticed that I am really easily distracted. My iphone, shopping, and watching television have grabbed my attention instead of sitting down with this cute Dell laptop and writing this Christmas Break. This Christmas, I got to spend a month in Florida. Boutiques, malls, department stores with crashing new sales, my iphone and spending time with family have distracted me tremendously. I am not blaming the cool technology nor the location, but lets just say it doesn’t help.

Last Christmas was spent in Nashville, TN. There wasn’t much to do and not enough cash in our pockets, so my mother and I sat and read most of our days at home. Read, Read, Read…Which I loved. I thought this vacation I would be about the same even though our wallets have stretched and still on budget; but I was wrong. Everyday, my mother and I have visited tons of stores and my rents have taken me to Orlando and to the beach on the weekends. We still have not fully covered our territory here in Tampa. We have vowed to not go out anymore until I leave Saturday to North Carolina. So I should be able to start the habit of writing that will help me complete my resolution.

What is it about technology that attracts us. Is it the invincible feeling of being able to do more than you thought you could with a phone? Phones are only getting more and more advanced. Every time I visit my family, they are hooked on the newest gadget which leads me to getting caught up in the technology frenzy. Away from them, I am able to resist because I would have convinced myself that I didn’t need it and didn’t want to become another goof that craved the latest gadget that can make me fly or see through walls. lol

The iphone specifically has mesmerized me. Being able to touch the screen and be on facebook is awesome! I love it. Just feeling the soft flat screen as I command it to my will is intriguing in of itself. lol My older phone was a Blackjack one that I have had since Senior Year of high school. I love that phone but the Iphone is my new toy. But dont worry blackjack, you’ll always be my baby! lol

Scary Future

jennypruna — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 02:33:59 +0000

I am a junior now and I am worried. Worried about a lot of things. Things that make my stomach curl at the thought and make me breathe more shallow. I know I shouldn’t worry and that I should tell myself…oh things will come into play, but I keep thinking what if?

I always felt being prepared will avoid accidents. So I have always prepared myself. But now, I feel like I am falling behind. Everyone majoring in journalism seem to be already involved or have been already involved in an internship. Me? Nada. Zip. I tried this past semester for a hot second at the university newspaper but I ended up losing my mind being overloaded with work, and so I saw my grades slowly falling. With little time and much demands from my classes and the responsibility the job carried, I couldnt hack the pressure. I wasn’t happy.I was always filled with anxiety causing me to stay up late and not be able to fall asleep. I was constantly upset and crabby and so after an emotional breakdown, I felt my sanity was worth keeping so I left my internship to concentrate on my work at school while my classmates continued plugging away with the same classes and an internship at the same time. I always felt that once I get a job I could explain that I like to keep my focus….but now, it feels that once I graduate, I am on the bottom of the food chain as a candidate. I ended up with mostly As but…does that mean anything?

I want to write for a magazine or be involved in book publishing. I was thinking about changing my major from journalism to english but my adviser told me I could still do what I want to do with my major so I decided to not run more into debt and keep plugging away. I am not very interested in being journalist after taking an awful class this year that has left me discouraged and not excited about the future of journalism. I thought I wanted to be a journalist but I don’t like the aspect of chasing people down to save my ass from being fired. I don’t like if by the end of the day, my source hasn’t contacted me, I am left to blame. I don’t know what I was expecting out of this career but I feel unhappy. Maybe there’s a different side to this field I haven’t seen yet? I would like to know what that is because so far, I feel it is soo not for me! But if an opportunity arises to be a reporter and I get the job? I will do the best I can with a positive attitude.

I know once I graduate, finding an entry level dream job will not fall into my lap. It might take a year or two before I get to sink my teeth at the foot of my dream job. But I am willing to work hard to reach my goals. I just hope the opportunity is out there for me! I just have to listen to my boyfriend and mother and keep looking for opportunities. I hope that I can snag a spot with the school magazine somehow and get experience from that. We will see?