The One With the 2012 Resolution

Just like I did last year, I came up with a resolution! I looked at my post from last year listing three resolutions I had and the ones I crossed out are the ones I actually followed through with!:

1. Get an SLR Film Camera: Although I did not get the exact same one I used in my Photo class last year, I did get a nice Nikon L35 AF which is still nice :)
2. Start writing more short stories!: I wrote a couple of more short stories than I did last year! One of them even won an award this past month :D
3. Stop drinking so much caffeine!: Umm, yeah... 

So the caffeine thing hasn't changed much, but I feel like I did drink a little less this year. For 2012, I've only come up with one resolution so far and I really hope it works out.

The idea to this came from something I started up a couple of weeks ago. I started writing letters to this person and was never planning to send them. I just wrote on about how I felt about things that were going on between us. I was thinking about it last night when I couldn't sleep and I came up with this one resolution:

1. Write letters to people that have influenced my life: This is going to be a big commitment on my part, but I really want to do this. I want to write at least one letter a day (or every other day, I haven't decided yet) to a person that has come by my life. Each day will be written about a different person (I think I know a lot people). It does not have to be a person I know very well or that I still talk to. If I see someone on the street that makes me think, I'll probably write about them that day. It will just be something about that person from my point of view. I just really want to do some writing and it feels good to have pen and paper again because it seems like everything I do now involves a computer. Hopefully this project turns into something big and helps me in my future writing :)

It's a weird thing, but I really want to do this. The letter will not be sent to the people. Maybe I could send them when I finish for the year, but I'm not really planning on it. Hope you guys like my idea and I'm opened to suggestions!

Something I did in Photo this year w/ Sophia and Yvonne (P.)
[Light Painting]

About 2011: This year came with many surprises and new people. I opened up a Tumblr account, which is probably the best thing ever! I feel like I've gotten closer to many people this year and I'm glad for it. When I started my junior year, I told myself to try not to be so shy when I met new people and it's really helped. I got to go El Salvador, which I hadn't done since I was eight. I even had a chance to see Taylor Swift in concert and it's the biggest crowd I had been part of! My writing and photography skills have gotten a bit better and I've had a few great projects. Last year I won one Gold writing award, and this year I won one Gold and one Silver :) I really want to major in Creative Writing and it feels good to have a sense of what I want in my future. 

I feel really blessed to be around the people I hang out with whether it be at school, family, or friends. I have had many laughs and tears that I couldn't ask for better people to be surrounded by. Sophia, Taylor, Yvonne (P.), Liz, and Mark, I know we don't say it often, but I love you guys. I thought my high school years were going to suck and I would be forever alone, but when I'm hanging out with you guys and laughing it seems way better than to have any boyfriend! xD Leslye, Jessi, Diana, Carla, Elaine, Yvonne (M.), Keturah, and Crystal: I miss you all and it sucks to see us growing up and growing apart. I loved our crazy lunch days and football games, but I understand everything that's going on. I understand that we are growing apart, but my love for y'all has not changed. I'm glad I still talk to some of you guys often and I hope it doesn't change any time soon :) And this one goes for all of y'all! If we do grow apart, just know that y'all will always hold a special place in my heart! <3

Thank you God for the many beautiful moments that You have given me this year. It's one that will not be forgotten :D 

Sorry for going off like that, but it is my blog and you can't tell me what to do! If you read this all the way through, well thanks!

And a Happy New Year!

Lelly <3

The One Where I Remembered That I Had a Blog

I know I have not written on this blog in the longest! I wish I have because of all the things that have been going on. There have been so many changes that I can't believe that they're even happening. So many new books, artists I've discovered, and new people in my life. Junior year has brought on many new surprises. And like any hopeless romantic I have found myself writing hoping to come up w/ a sweet poem for a sweet guy, but of course that hasn't happened. What has happened is new awesome poetry and short stories! So this is what this post is for :)

I have a couple of poems I would like to share and even though I'll probably get very few readers, I hope that those who do read this will enjoy what they see! I've recently been hearing a lot of Slam or Spoken Poetry and some good advice I've gotten is to write about being your age. The first poem may sound a bit cheesy or simple, but that's basically where I am at the moment. I think I used a few creative techniques so I hope you like them. So here it goes:

If I had a Choice

I would cut my hair short.

It would be filled with layers

So I could easily run my fingers through it.

I would dye it almost black,

But enough so the blue streaks

Could be noticeable.

It's practically impossible, though.

My mother's genetics don't allow it.

What with all the knots and curls

That my fingers find themselves trapped.

If I had a choice

These teeth would be put out of pain

From all the wires and rubber-bands.

I would be able to eat an apple

Sweetly sinking into my teeth

Without a knife needing to go through it.

But beauty is pain and

Who doesn't want to be beautiful?

If I had a choice

My left ear would have rings

Like the way Saturn has jewels.

Each ring or diamond retelling

What gorgeous things I've heard

And even the bad things

Because every sound in my life

Comes from something special.

Piercings wouldn't happen either.

I heard that if you leave one out

For even just a few hours, it'll close up.

I wouldn't want my money to go to waste.

If I had a choice

My skin would be traced with ink.

My veins mapped out with words

That will let me say something wise,

Even when I am speechless.

I will always have words

When I have no one else.

I'm pretty sure that wouldn't happen either

Because some spots seem to painful

To have a needle tickle.

If I had a choice

I would try to do some of these things.

But now I give myself excuses

Because it sounds better than telling people,

"Yeah, my mom said no."

This second poem is a follow up of another one I wrote last year. I'm not sure if I posted it on this blog or on my creative writing class blog, but if I did well I hope it's still good. It's about beauty and how children might see it in these days. The poem is written in two parts, but is titled (as a whole) "Meet Lucy":

PART 1: See Lucy See

Snap, snap

Hold that pose.

Flash, flash

Look fierce.

Chin down.

Snap, snap

Flash, flash

DONE!

Click, click

Stretch lips

Make cheek bones higher

Extend length of neck

Eliminate all acne flaws

Suck in cheeks

Click, click

SAVE!

Printing...

Post.

"Mommy! I wanna look just like her!"

Worry...

PART 2: Hear Lucy Say

I am the seven year old

Who can only look up

At perfect faces

Hoping one day I'll look

Something close to that.

The tall high school girls

I pass by every morning

Use these color things

That make their eyes look

BAM!

And then a red crayon

That even mommy uses

To make their lips prettier.

Prettier.

That's what I want to be!

I look at Sarah, my big sis,

And the way she looks at herself

In the mirror.

She always complains,

"I wish I had a better nose."

"I hate my thighs."

"I wish my eyes were wider."

"I hate this tummy."

Some how she looks okay

The way she looks

But not like the magazines.

Maybe it'll help if I say that.

I stand in front of the mirror.

I "wish" for something pretty,

And "hate" everything I see.

(Sorry that it's all gray in the background!)

San Salvador, El Salvador

That's all I have for now, but I hope you like what you read! I'll try to write more often, but sadly no promises :( The picture on the left btw is from the trip I made to El Salvador this past summer! Had a lot of fun and got to connect w/ a lot of family. I was so thankful that I was able to hang out w/ my cousin Rudy who sadly passed away a month after we came back home. Te quiero Rudy y siempre estaras en nuestros recuerdos.

Salud,

Leslie <3