Tristan King sat and stared at the flashy green sign in front of him. ‘25 Miles to Atlantic City’ it loudly proclaimed.
“Fucking waste of tax money,” he mumbled as he loosened his tie, bent over, and threw it in the suitcase at his feet. "Like anyone in Jersey doesn't know where Atlantic City is." He looked across the street at the busy playground. Kids all shapes and sizes running around, happy for their freedom. Bright yellows, reds and blues made his eyes tear.
"Man up, King" He whispered to himself. He wiped his eyes and tried to keep the bad memories at bay. He remembered bringing Danny to that same playground, pushing Danny on the tire swing as his little hands held on tight and yelled, "Higher Daddy, higher!" He looked at his watch impatiently, 4:30. Time seemed to go by at a slower pace since Danny died, though it had been six months already, everyday seemed like a struggle. Not to his wife though. No, Mrs. Susan King was living it up, enjoying her life.
"Move on" she said. He wondered what his wife would think of his idea of moving on. He looked at the suitcase filled with the money from their joint bank account and savings, and some clothes he grabbed. As the 4:35 bus pulled up, he thought that Atlantic City was the perfect place to 'move on'.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Spring Break read
Over spring break, I read the novel ‘What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day’ by Pearl Cleage. This is Pearl Cleage’s first novel; she’s originally a playwright and after reading her novel you can definitely tell. Her characters are well-rounded and the dialogue she uses is powerful, thought provoking, and moving. ‘What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day’ is a story about a woman, Ava Johnson, who comes to Idlewild for the summer where her sister Joyce lives. The book deals with a lot of heavy issues. Ava is HIV positive, while Joyce works at a shelter with deals with teen pregnancy, rape, domestic violence, addiction, and a pedophile priest. Though there are a lot of tense moments, the light moments make the book. Ava eventually meets a man Eddie, and they fall in love, despite her illness. It’s an intense book but it’s the witty narration that doesn’t make it to heavy. Passages like this describing her HIV status, “Most of us got it from the boys. Which is, when you think about it, a pretty good argument for cutting men loose, but if I could work up a strong physical reaction to women, I would already be having sex with them. I'm not knocking it. I'm just saying I can't be a witness. Too many titties in one place to suit me.” She makes these horrible issues funny and witty, which is really difficult. It's definitely a new take on a romance novel. I would definitely recommend this book to others.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Notes to my Biographer critique
I really enjoyed Notes to my Biographer.It went from really funny to really sad. First, the title is great. It really pulled me into the story. I thought he had some great descriptions that made me literally laugh out loud like, “The mental-health establishment can go screw itself on a barren hilltop in the rain before I touch their snake oil or listen to the vision less chatter of men half my age.” or “I could run circles around those kids. They're spoon-fed Ritalin and private schools and have eyes that say, Give me things I don't have.” My favorite line is "All I can think is I hope this guy isn't out here trying to get acting jobs, because it's obvious to me right away that my son is gay and is screwing this character with the expensive-looking glasses".
It also had some very sad parts;his family doesn't want to see him,he hasn't seen his family in four years, and his son thinks he might be dead after all that time. The character is really like able though very eccentric, I didn't know if I should laugh with him or at him or if I should feel sorry for him. I was upset he left his son in the hotel room by himself, but I'm glad he left the note for him. The only issue I had was I wished I knew what was wrong with him. Clearly there was an issue with him, I'm just curious to know what. All in all though I loved it.
It also had some very sad parts;his family doesn't want to see him,he hasn't seen his family in four years, and his son thinks he might be dead after all that time. The character is really like able though very eccentric, I didn't know if I should laugh with him or at him or if I should feel sorry for him. I was upset he left his son in the hotel room by himself, but I'm glad he left the note for him. The only issue I had was I wished I knew what was wrong with him. Clearly there was an issue with him, I'm just curious to know what. All in all though I loved it.
My sensational but nonchalant event
As I unwrapped my Subway turkey sandwich, I knew exactly what I was going to see. I looked up at my parents and hoped they didn’t see the disappointment in my eyes.
“Oh no, they put mayonnaise on it?” my mom said as she looked up from her sandwich. I shouldn’t have been surprised my mom has always seen right through me.
“It’s OK mom. I’ll just wipe it off.” I went to the kitchen and grabbed a handful of napkins as I walked back into the living room, I noticed my parents whispering together.
“So what’s up guys, why did you wanna see me?” As I looked at the goopy white stuff on the delicious bread I gagged.
“Well the thing is we got a letter the other day hunny. And there’s something we need to tell you.” My mom wrung her hands together and my father grabbed them.
“Son, the letter was from your real parents. We adopted you twenty-six years ago and now you’re real parents want to meet you.” My dad put his head down in shame.
“Well twenty-six years is a long time but I guess I can give them a call or something, right?” As I scrape the mayo off the turkey, I tried to avoid getting it on my fingers. It was pretty gross stuff.
“Joe, do you understand, we’re not your parents? Are you mad, do you have any questions for us?”
“Yea ma, I get it. I told you I’ll call or something, squeeze them in but can you get me some bread. This shit is all over.”
“Oh no, they put mayonnaise on it?” my mom said as she looked up from her sandwich. I shouldn’t have been surprised my mom has always seen right through me.
“It’s OK mom. I’ll just wipe it off.” I went to the kitchen and grabbed a handful of napkins as I walked back into the living room, I noticed my parents whispering together.
“So what’s up guys, why did you wanna see me?” As I looked at the goopy white stuff on the delicious bread I gagged.
“Well the thing is we got a letter the other day hunny. And there’s something we need to tell you.” My mom wrung her hands together and my father grabbed them.
“Son, the letter was from your real parents. We adopted you twenty-six years ago and now you’re real parents want to meet you.” My dad put his head down in shame.
“Well twenty-six years is a long time but I guess I can give them a call or something, right?” As I scrape the mayo off the turkey, I tried to avoid getting it on my fingers. It was pretty gross stuff.
“Joe, do you understand, we’re not your parents? Are you mad, do you have any questions for us?”
“Yea ma, I get it. I told you I’ll call or something, squeeze them in but can you get me some bread. This shit is all over.”
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Embarrassing Moment
I’ve had a lot of awkward moments in my life. Being a klutz, it was normal for me to trip over air or hit something daily. In fourth grade, at the age of ten, I did something a little out of the ordinary. I was in my Science class, a class that I loved at the time. We were learning about plants and the water cycle, and my teacher Ms. DeLuise told us we could plant our own plants and see how they grow. I have to admit I was pretty geeky and excited to get a flower, the only bad part was that some people would have to share because she was short some flower packages. I was certain that I didn’t want to share my flower. My plan was to be the first one to go get their flower packet and then the ones at the end would have to share; I would already be busy planting my flower. The only issue was that Ms. DeLuise, though a sweetheart and every kids favorite teacher, was also very scatterbrained. While she was busy looking for some papers and writing assignments on the board, I was waiting patiently for the picking of flower packets to begin. As I was waiting, I started to get that feeling deep down. I started jiggling my leg but it wouldn’t go away. I thought of dry desserts full of sand and rolling around in the laundromat dryers, but nothing. I had to go to the bathroom, desperately. I thought in my head that we had to pick flowers soon, class was almost over. I could even take the packet with me in the bathroom, so I definitely wouldn’t have to share, it was a better plan then I had before. Finally, Ms. DeLuise realized what time it was and let us pick our flowers as I was getting up to rush over, I tripped on the side leg of my desk and fell…and peed. I couldn’t hold it in without my legs crossed. I thought I could get away with it, just rush to the bathroom and wait until the bell rang. That was until my archenemy, Mike Haluska yelled out to the class, “Stephanie peed her pants.” It was the worst moment of my life; I can still remember everyone turning to look at me on the floor. I didn’t even get a flower.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
5 Stereotypical Characters and their changes
5 Stereotypical characters
1.) The Jock- tall and handsome, strong, well built, charming, not smart, usually a jerk or a jerk turned good, dates a cheerleader or a popular girl
2.) The Girl Next Door-the ‘perfect’ girl, she is pretty but really sweet and smart too, down to earth, friends with everyone, usually ends up with the jerk turned good or a jock
3.) The Stoner- smokes and eats, unkempt, never gets anything done or adds up to anything, the losers, thinks weed can make any situation better
4.) The Snob- mostly a popular girl, pretty but not very smart, blonde, wants everything to go her way, doesn’t associate with losers, gossips and usually spreads nasty rumors about someone innocent
5.) The Nerd-too smart for his own good, picked on by his peers, either unkempt or extremely neat, not very good looking, usually corrects people when they speak or say anything incorrect, losers, probably wears glasses, dresses out of style
Not so Stereotypical characters
1.) The Jock- fakes an injury to get out of sports to see if he can get into college by his own merit, he does and becomes a sportscaster
2.) The Girl Next Door- goes to college, starts experimenting with drugs in her dorm, ends up with a bad crowd, fails out of college, goes back home and with the support of her parents gets her drug problem under control, goes to nursing school and becomes the head nurse at the local hospital
3.) The Stoner- smokes until his fifteen year old son finds his stash and asks to smoke with him
4.) The Snob- realizes that idle gossip isn’t for her and majors in journalism and communication studies in college; she gets a job as a local news reporter spreading truth across the area
5.) The Nerd- becomes a lawyer to help the ‘little people’ who can’t help themselves
1.) The Jock- tall and handsome, strong, well built, charming, not smart, usually a jerk or a jerk turned good, dates a cheerleader or a popular girl
2.) The Girl Next Door-the ‘perfect’ girl, she is pretty but really sweet and smart too, down to earth, friends with everyone, usually ends up with the jerk turned good or a jock
3.) The Stoner- smokes and eats, unkempt, never gets anything done or adds up to anything, the losers, thinks weed can make any situation better
4.) The Snob- mostly a popular girl, pretty but not very smart, blonde, wants everything to go her way, doesn’t associate with losers, gossips and usually spreads nasty rumors about someone innocent
5.) The Nerd-too smart for his own good, picked on by his peers, either unkempt or extremely neat, not very good looking, usually corrects people when they speak or say anything incorrect, losers, probably wears glasses, dresses out of style
Not so Stereotypical characters
1.) The Jock- fakes an injury to get out of sports to see if he can get into college by his own merit, he does and becomes a sportscaster
2.) The Girl Next Door- goes to college, starts experimenting with drugs in her dorm, ends up with a bad crowd, fails out of college, goes back home and with the support of her parents gets her drug problem under control, goes to nursing school and becomes the head nurse at the local hospital
3.) The Stoner- smokes until his fifteen year old son finds his stash and asks to smoke with him
4.) The Snob- realizes that idle gossip isn’t for her and majors in journalism and communication studies in college; she gets a job as a local news reporter spreading truth across the area
5.) The Nerd- becomes a lawyer to help the ‘little people’ who can’t help themselves
Monday, February 9, 2009
My town
Bound Brook
When I was eight I moved to a small town called Bound Brook. It is one of the smallest towns in New Jersey. Length wise it’s only a mile long and it only has three major streets: Union, Mountain Ave, and Main Street.
Union Avenue is where everything important is. Whether it’s Chinese, Italian, Mexican, subs, sweets, hotdogs, burgers, or a grocery run, you’ll end up on Union Ave. Union Ave. has two Chinese restaurants, an Italian restaurant and bakery, a Subway, a Dunkin Donuts, a Quick Check, Burger King, a Weiner Heaven, Tony’s Pizzeria, Jose’s and a Shop-Rite; you cannot go hungry on this street if you have a couple of dollars. Besides food though, you can also fill your tank, and get all your sporting good needs at the Gulf and Efinger’s. There are also two pediatricians, a dentist, the high school, and some houses littering this street.
Vertically from Union Ave is Mountain Ave. This street, old-timers call Amen Ave. Mountain Ave has 3 churches, one Roman Catholic, one Methodist, one Protestant; it has a temple, a funeral parlor, and a cemetery. It is the most depressing or uplifting street you can be on, depending on who you ask.
The last street, parallel to Union Ave, is Main Street. You could call Main Street the ‘bad part’ of Bound Brook. Main Street is where the train station and the Bound Brook community housing is, or the projects to people who live there. It is a big Hispanic community and a lot of people living there are illegal immigrants or may have family who has illegal immigrants. In 2001, Hurricane Floyd ripped through our area leaving Main Street and many other parts of Bound Brook underwater, literally. Because of this hurricane, a lot of businesses and homes on Main Street were unlivable due to mold and water damage. Unfortunately, because of the status of some of the occupants downtown they were thrown out of their houses and businesses and downtown was left destroyed.
The next year, Bound Brook was hit again by Hurricane Katrina. The brook overflowed this time and most of town had to be rebuilt. The water had come so high that it hit the traffic lights and many had to be re-wired. Again, Main Street got ignored and many people had to leave their homes.
It was only until a couple of months later when Hurricane Rita came that our mayor decided it was time to do something. Lately they have been putting up walls to block the water from coming on the main streets. Main Street is an on-going project. Many houses and businesses had to be knocked down because of the condition and neglect, and many are sitting there empty. Only time will tell if it will go back to its original state.
When I was eight I moved to a small town called Bound Brook. It is one of the smallest towns in New Jersey. Length wise it’s only a mile long and it only has three major streets: Union, Mountain Ave, and Main Street.
Union Avenue is where everything important is. Whether it’s Chinese, Italian, Mexican, subs, sweets, hotdogs, burgers, or a grocery run, you’ll end up on Union Ave. Union Ave. has two Chinese restaurants, an Italian restaurant and bakery, a Subway, a Dunkin Donuts, a Quick Check, Burger King, a Weiner Heaven, Tony’s Pizzeria, Jose’s and a Shop-Rite; you cannot go hungry on this street if you have a couple of dollars. Besides food though, you can also fill your tank, and get all your sporting good needs at the Gulf and Efinger’s. There are also two pediatricians, a dentist, the high school, and some houses littering this street.
Vertically from Union Ave is Mountain Ave. This street, old-timers call Amen Ave. Mountain Ave has 3 churches, one Roman Catholic, one Methodist, one Protestant; it has a temple, a funeral parlor, and a cemetery. It is the most depressing or uplifting street you can be on, depending on who you ask.
The last street, parallel to Union Ave, is Main Street. You could call Main Street the ‘bad part’ of Bound Brook. Main Street is where the train station and the Bound Brook community housing is, or the projects to people who live there. It is a big Hispanic community and a lot of people living there are illegal immigrants or may have family who has illegal immigrants. In 2001, Hurricane Floyd ripped through our area leaving Main Street and many other parts of Bound Brook underwater, literally. Because of this hurricane, a lot of businesses and homes on Main Street were unlivable due to mold and water damage. Unfortunately, because of the status of some of the occupants downtown they were thrown out of their houses and businesses and downtown was left destroyed.
The next year, Bound Brook was hit again by Hurricane Katrina. The brook overflowed this time and most of town had to be rebuilt. The water had come so high that it hit the traffic lights and many had to be re-wired. Again, Main Street got ignored and many people had to leave their homes.
It was only until a couple of months later when Hurricane Rita came that our mayor decided it was time to do something. Lately they have been putting up walls to block the water from coming on the main streets. Main Street is an on-going project. Many houses and businesses had to be knocked down because of the condition and neglect, and many are sitting there empty. Only time will tell if it will go back to its original state.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Thelma's dialogue
“Thelma, I want the truth.” Steven Dudley’s chubby red face pushed into hers. Thelma looked down at her stomach and wanted to throw up.
“I went down to that gym, you know, I saw the two of you. You are such a slut, you know that.” Steven went to the cabinet and took down the vodka and poured himself a tall glass.
“Steve, you don’t mean that. Please don’t talk that way. I got to tell you something, it’s important please.” Thelma went to grab his hand but he pulled back.
“Don’t you dare touch me. I know exactly what you want to tell me. You’ve been fucking your trainer. Do you think I’m dumb? How long did you think you could have kept this from me?” He took another big gulp and threw the glass down. Glass and the leftover liquid flew everywhere and Thelma started to cry.
“Please Steve it was a horrible mistake. I’m so sorry.” At the thought of the phone call she received earlier, she started crying harder. “But I really do need to tell you something it’s important.”
“What could be more important than our marriage breaking up Thelma? You are such a selfish bitch sometimes.” Steven looked down at the mess he made and sighed, “I don’t think I can handle anything else.”
“I’m pregnant Steve.” Thelma looked down at her now flat stomach and couldn’t even imagine it with a child inside. She looked up at Steve and saw the question in his eyes.
“I don’t know who the father is.”
“I went down to that gym, you know, I saw the two of you. You are such a slut, you know that.” Steven went to the cabinet and took down the vodka and poured himself a tall glass.
“Steve, you don’t mean that. Please don’t talk that way. I got to tell you something, it’s important please.” Thelma went to grab his hand but he pulled back.
“Don’t you dare touch me. I know exactly what you want to tell me. You’ve been fucking your trainer. Do you think I’m dumb? How long did you think you could have kept this from me?” He took another big gulp and threw the glass down. Glass and the leftover liquid flew everywhere and Thelma started to cry.
“Please Steve it was a horrible mistake. I’m so sorry.” At the thought of the phone call she received earlier, she started crying harder. “But I really do need to tell you something it’s important.”
“What could be more important than our marriage breaking up Thelma? You are such a selfish bitch sometimes.” Steven looked down at the mess he made and sighed, “I don’t think I can handle anything else.”
“I’m pregnant Steve.” Thelma looked down at her now flat stomach and couldn’t even imagine it with a child inside. She looked up at Steve and saw the question in his eyes.
“I don’t know who the father is.”
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Thelma action story
Here is my Thelma Dudley action scene:
Thelma’s arms ached but she refused to stop. The elliptical machine read 10:01 and she groaned. Her breathing quickened and sweat ran down her heavily made up face, face for three her husband would say. When she saw her young Russian trainer approaching; she quickly dried her face, sucked in the stomach fat that was hanging over gold-sequined sweat pants and adjusted the zipper on her top to show off her ample assets.
"Hi" she said, trying not to pant.
"Hi yourself. Ten minutes already that's great Thelma."
"Ten minutes already? Wow I feel like I just got on."
"You're doing great. I think you're my star pupil." He put his hand on her back and when it slid down farther than what is appropriate, she smiled.
"Maybe I can teach you some things too." she said and winked.
Thelma’s arms ached but she refused to stop. The elliptical machine read 10:01 and she groaned. Her breathing quickened and sweat ran down her heavily made up face, face for three her husband would say. When she saw her young Russian trainer approaching; she quickly dried her face, sucked in the stomach fat that was hanging over gold-sequined sweat pants and adjusted the zipper on her top to show off her ample assets.
"Hi" she said, trying not to pant.
"Hi yourself. Ten minutes already that's great Thelma."
"Ten minutes already? Wow I feel like I just got on."
"You're doing great. I think you're my star pupil." He put his hand on her back and when it slid down farther than what is appropriate, she smiled.
"Maybe I can teach you some things too." she said and winked.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
SNOW DAY and Whippoorwill Critique!!
Though I did have some classes today, it is the perfect day to stay at home and snuggle with your computer and blog. For the story that we had to read Whippoorwill, like I kind of got into last time I didn't really enjoy. I guess I saw no real point in the story. The story didn't really have any plot or lead anywhere and neither character were really interesting or made me want to read more. Maybe it's me but I don't believe a stage fright trucker. Besides this there's no real conflict (besides some of his homophobic fears). Also the dialogue felt kind of fake. At points I felt maybe the trucker was a little unstable or slow but I never got a definite feeling about him. There was some good descriptions though. He definitely had some interesting word choices. Maybe if he added some suspense and a dramatic ending it would feel like the story actually went somewhere. It seems like he builds up a whole bunch of suspense and then nothing. To be fair, maybe it just wasn't my kind of story but I didn't enjoy it at all.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Thelma and Whippoorwill
In class, we wrote these descriptions of a name Thelma Dudley. The first thing I thought about was this gaudy, 50- year old trying to get rid of her white trash roots. It was weird. I decided to re-work it, like Professor Selgin said in class, so here it goes:
Thelma Dudley decided that a mid-life crisis was exactly what she needed. Fifty had hit her hard, but she thought she pulled it off with her tacky rhinestone jewelry and big blonde hair that any Davenport, Tennesse girl would of been proud of--not that she cared what anyone in Davenport really thought anyway. She had finally gotten all her five sons out of her house, two in unsteady marriages due to unexpected pregancies, and the other three succeeding (hopefully) in Conn. Community College. Her now sagging husband was interested more in the Mercedes in the garage and the Emily in his office; so she emersed herself in her new hobby:shopping. The more rhinestones and glitter the better. It was funny because growing up her mother never had the means to take her shopping, forget about rhinestones. She was forced to wear her two older brothers hand-me downs, which usually included a lot of flannel and defintely no glitter. The kids at Davenport Elementary made it their job to make fun of her out of date attire- it didn't help that she was overweight. Her mother had tried to understand her somewhat unruly youngest child but years of unknown men coming and going through their trailer and the smell of alcohol on her breath as she yelled at Thelma, made her lose all respect at an early age. It came to no surprise to anyone when the youngest Smith child decided to run away to Connecticut, the exact opposite of Davenport everyone thought, with Steven Dudley, the quiet computer nerd who always stood up for Thelma. Within a year she became Thelma Dudley.
I hope it's better :) I think I added a lot of details and made some things abstract and other things more concrete. The other part of the assignment I wasn't all that excited about. I didn't really enjoy Whippoorwill all that much. I'm interested to see what everyone else has to say about it.
Thelma Dudley decided that a mid-life crisis was exactly what she needed. Fifty had hit her hard, but she thought she pulled it off with her tacky rhinestone jewelry and big blonde hair that any Davenport, Tennesse girl would of been proud of--not that she cared what anyone in Davenport really thought anyway. She had finally gotten all her five sons out of her house, two in unsteady marriages due to unexpected pregancies, and the other three succeeding (hopefully) in Conn. Community College. Her now sagging husband was interested more in the Mercedes in the garage and the Emily in his office; so she emersed herself in her new hobby:shopping. The more rhinestones and glitter the better. It was funny because growing up her mother never had the means to take her shopping, forget about rhinestones. She was forced to wear her two older brothers hand-me downs, which usually included a lot of flannel and defintely no glitter. The kids at Davenport Elementary made it their job to make fun of her out of date attire- it didn't help that she was overweight. Her mother had tried to understand her somewhat unruly youngest child but years of unknown men coming and going through their trailer and the smell of alcohol on her breath as she yelled at Thelma, made her lose all respect at an early age. It came to no surprise to anyone when the youngest Smith child decided to run away to Connecticut, the exact opposite of Davenport everyone thought, with Steven Dudley, the quiet computer nerd who always stood up for Thelma. Within a year she became Thelma Dudley.
I hope it's better :) I think I added a lot of details and made some things abstract and other things more concrete. The other part of the assignment I wasn't all that excited about. I didn't really enjoy Whippoorwill all that much. I'm interested to see what everyone else has to say about it.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
First class
We had our first Fiction class last week and I just finished the homework ( I know I'm an extreme procrastinator). The story was pretty funny, in a kind of messed up way. I chose to write about a girl Marci and a run-in with a famous actor who robbed a bank. I hope it's not cliche, it took me awhile to think of it so I'm crossing my fingers. I think I'm going to learn a lot in this class so I'm pretty excited.
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