Lucid Waking

Archive for the ‘End-of-the-Year Review’ Category

The 2009 Review

        2009 has been a very rough year. It’s been difficult because of the many unexpected deaths being reported in the news and even in my own life. It’s been difficult because I have transitioned from living at home to living at school and managing my time on my own. It’s been difficult finding my muse and actually writing fiction. It’s been difficult watching time slip away and finding that all the time that was in the future had just passed.
        I’d like to have this year go by so differently than it did. I wish I could have published more this year; I had many opportunities to write that I chose to do something else. I wrote a grand total of 31 fiction pieces; less than half of what I wrote last year. Many people will give me very valid reasons why it’s ok that I have not written, but I feel that I am doing myself a disservice more than my readers. Every year I’ve improved, but without practicing, it’s hard to see the bar line ascend. I’ve even written this article last minute because I realized what day it was and I like to keep deadlines especially since Lucid Waking’s birthday was up late and my Christmas post didn’t get published at all.
        This year wasn’t a total waste, however, when it comes to Lucid Waking. I added a film page which should hopefully have something else if I can get my act together. My print shop on Deviant Art is fairly substantial and ever ready for more prints. This year I also put everything on the blog as opposed to maintaining separate pages and started putting my artwork in the archive. But I feel these are small achievements.
Never the less, this has been my fifth year writing an end-of-the-year review and even though I almost stopped doing Best of the Blog, I decided to continue it. So, I’m still trucking despite everything.
        There are personal reasons why this year was not as bad as some and worse than others. I think I triumphed through all the dragons sent my way and I hope that I can keep writing, keep thinking and keep going through many years to come. I want to wish everyone the best tonight and the next year to come.

p.s. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don’t forget about Best of the Blog!! Vote on your favorites and tomorrow I will post the winners!

2008 in Review

        Everyone has his or her traditions on New Year’s Eve and I’ve always had mine. But this year Dec. 31 snuck up on me. I didn’t have time to look up this year in review or go over the already numerous sources on what happened in 2008. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”…enough said. If I promised anything special, I’m going to apologize in advance that this isn’t going to be very special. But I think it’s important to reflect just how far Lucid Waking has grown over the past year and since its fruition in 2005.
        I wrote 97 fiction posts this year, pushing myself to a record high of 25 non-recycled posts in July. Last year, I only wrote 94, so despite November, I made progress. The first post I wrote for Lucid Waking was the Music Box. Unfortunately, Shades of Pink has disappeared off the face of the earth, so you can follow this link to see the first post that I ever published on the web. (Eesh!) If you need a refresher on what I write like now, click here. I think I’ve made some progress with my writing. But Lucid Waking will always remain a practice spot.
        I also made some gains with my artwork. The both new galleries are up and running sporting 54 photographs and 49 pieces of art. My deviantArt page was started in June, for prints. Lucid Waking, however, will have more artwork than deviantArt on the basis of keeping this an exclusive spot for my latest artwork.
        In June this year, lucidwaking.com turned 2 years old! With this year’s contribution, I have published 307 fiction posts on lucidwaking.com in that time. The commentary page turned into a general What’s New—not big news, but still a change all the same. The Best of the Blog contest was canceled and gotten rid of, due to no participation. It wasn’t worth it to keep it going, but Author’s Choice is still being updated on a rolling basis.
        In an effort to make the world a little better, I’ve decided to add links to the side bar on ways that you can help out. To Write Love on Her Arms is a site where you can buy some very awesome merchandise and the others you can help out for free. Every so often if I find a site that I like where you can do good in the world, I’ll put it up.
        And I suppose that’s it for the year! Not too shabby. Let’s hope 2009 is just as good, if not better. And again, I hope everyone has a healthy, safe, and productive year!

The Best of 2007

        Every year, I write an ending letter on December 31 in which I reflect over what has happened over the past year. This is more because of common tradition than anything else because I do not read the news, I do not remember what has happened over the past 365 days, and I could not possibly cover all of the things that might or might not be of importance that I wish to recall. Last year, I talked about the future for 2007 and brushed upon general goals I had hoped for that year. Unfortunately, none of them were fulfilled, but I’m keeping my hopes up.
        This year, I wanted to do something different, but was unsure of how to go about it. Sure good things happened, bad things happened, but nothing spectacular happened and if I was going to reflect upon the year, that’s what I would talk about. Making goals are difficult, though the ones for Lucid Waking I can keep, but ones that really count (such as those towards world peace) are going to be hard to do on my own (especially with a war going on that I had noting to do with). So I leave this year’s review up to you. Whatever things you’re happy for or happy about…share them. Whatever things you hoped went better, work to change them or prevent them. Or if you want the news, take this survey and see how much you know. I didn’t do so well, but you might fare better.
        This year, I want everyone, including myself, to focus on the good, hold out, and keep it up. Giving up only when you forget and then getting back right on track when you remember. Call someone up and talk for a little while. Let them know you’re still thinking about them. Give a couple gifts, even if they’re just hugs or hellos, live it up for a day. Give a little, care a little, respect more than ever. Help someone. Think about others. Breathe.

        Happy New Year to all, you have a fresh start. Keep standing tall and live through your heart. Best wishes.

The 2006 Review

I don’t know about you, but I don’t really care what happened during the past year, I would like to focus more on the future. While looking back is a good thing to do once in a while to see how much we’ve grown, it’s also a dangerous return to the past where we might get stuck wondering where the time went to do things we were too afraid to do. And quite honestly, wondering where we went wrong to get us here today. The past is depressing because you have in black and white what happened and what didn’t; simply put, cause and effect. The future has so much in store that while more realistically, bad things may happen, we have an equally good chance of good things happening. In the past if bad things happened, bad things happened, so I want to focus on things that might happen that are good.

NASA has been proudly stating all their accomplishments over the past year, including spotting evidence of water flow on Mars and Enceladus (one of Saturn’s moons). This new discovery started scientists bubbling over the possibility that eventually, we would be colonizing Mars. The triviality and status of saying you live on Mars, I believe, would be enough to get people off of Earth and out elsewhere. Eventually (the way I’d like things to go), the human nature sprites who care about our mother, Earth, will stick around and do all that they can with the technology we’ve obtained to help fix it’s problems and make her healthy again.

That’s quite easy to say coming from someone with daily Internet access and excess food on the table. The fact of the matter is that most people on this planet don’t have the option to pay a huge sum of money to go to Mars. People in Africa are living in less than standard conditions in the middle of a desert and drought. Yet, with help from the United States Mercy Corps millions of dollars are spent for food. Children are staying in school because they are getting fed there and people living in small villages are getting the nutrition they haven’t been getting because of drought. These efforts have been helping keep children in school and help rural families with taxes and bills mostly by setting up programs to give out food. If we all help out in whatever ways we can, eventually this problem should cease to exist.

Personally, things have turned up around my life as well. I’ve become a much better writer and will continue to improve as I keep practicing. I’ve kept my promise from last year and have art submissions piling up in Erato for you to enjoy; I’ve also gotten quite good at drawing and painting. I’ve made several new friends who I can relate to and work with. They’re people who love me as much as I love them. My family has remained healthy and I’ve acquired a new fuzzy sister. And while the beginning of the year remains a hazy memory, I’m sure wonderful events have occurred then, also, to keep me thankful for the advances we made and looking forward to 2007.

(By the way, for a quick pick me up about the news, click here.)

The Best of 2005

Originally published on December 31, 2005 (and the last of the flashback posts)

           According to the US media, 2005 was a good year. Those that made it on the Joe Siegel’s top ten are (from ten to one) Syriana; The Constant Gardener; Cinderella Man; A History of Violence; King Kong, Chronicles of Narnia; Munich; Crash; Good Night, and Good Luck; and Brokeback Mountain. This year seemed a good year because there were so many to see that didn’t seem stupid or bad. The Oscars this year were interesting: Jamie Foxx won for best actor, Hillary Swank for best actress, Morgan Freeman and Cate Blanchett for best supporting actor and actress, respectively, and Million Dollar Baby won best film.
            Things weren’t all bright and cheery for 2005, however. Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Hundreds of people gave aid to the victims and several different schools donated to the cause.
           As for me, things have been busy. My friends and I came up with a D&D group, which meets together on Sundays. This Hanukah I received several wonderful gifts. My room was painted lavender and pink this summer. I also discovered Cat Legend and Inverloch this year, which, to me, are the best comics I have discovered yet. Hopefully by 2006, I will be able to show you some art submissions as well.
           Blog wise, I started this blog in September and somehow managed to keep it going. In late November I changed my first blog into a completely new website, Muse.  Here is my very first post I’ve written on Lucid Waking:       

Weekend in the country
It could be a gift or a gathering-
A word. A weekend. A whisper.
In shades of chocolate, honey, and biscuit
The perfect partner  
Summer day heat wave
Sugar and spice
a chameleon hiding in plain sight,
our island universe
you asked for it
it is ending…

            Here’s today’s post (you didn’t think I was going to go without a post did you?):

            Megan was always a busy bee when it came to parties. Last night she baked eight-dozen cookies. Today she was running around getting shrimp and salsa for the rest of the meal. Chaos was her structure and in the end, it always paid off. She lived for the this-is-so-good-where-did-you-get-this and I-can’t-believe-you-bought-this-I haven’t-had-it-in-years. Tonight was a little different because she had her friends over and their family, but the basic principle was the same. She ran out and got presents for the little ones and then ran out and got presents for their parents. She made bagel dogs for the kids and shrimp for the adults. When she was done, she had too much to carry down into her basement, where they would watch movies until eleven and then watch the ball drop. She anticipated a fun party with tons gossip and playing with the kids. Her only mistake was letting her friends pick the movies.
            Alexandria and her family came fifteen minutes early with more food and three different movies. She looked at the selections and inwardly groaned. Stupid humor that she knew she wouldn’t enjoy. She thanked them, gave them their gifts and told them to start on the food. Their oldest, Todd, took no time in diving into the food, conversing in between bites of quiche. Chrysanthemum was quiet and opened her present in the corner of the room. There was a short moment of panic when she slipped past Megan and walked downstairs, but soon everybody joined her. Megan was right, she hated the movies her guests brought, but at eleven o’clock she stayed and watched the party in New York City. Her guests fell asleep by eleven thirty, so she flipped channels between New York and Navy Pier. Finally twelve o’clock struck and she shut off the television. She smiled at the sleeping family and started cleaning up. At four in the morning, she finally collapsed on her bed and fell into a deep sleep.