Category: Writing Challenges

Old Salt Does Not Preserve

I remember its storefront. It stood out from the other, more touristy shops on the Ocean City, New Jersey boardwalk. Its brown facade gave it a beach feel that resonated within. This beautiful store, called Old Salt, was a treasure.

Unfortunately, it closed its doors last year and has since been replaced with another store. I miss it. They had some very unique things in that store, and I purchased items that I plan to hold onto for a while, if not forever.

Thank you, Old Salt, for the memories and for the craft ideas. Thank you for giving me a store to enjoy with my family. Thank you for the items that have made a lasting impact on my life, whether or not I still have them.

I’d give anything to bring this store back. Their sister store is located in town, but it is not the same without having Old Salt on the boardwalk. Things change and stores close, but memories can be cherished for a lifetime.

Origin Story: My Love of Music

The origin story of my love of music starts at a young age. I was lucky as a kid. I was exposed to some of the greatest music known as a child. I remember listening to older music like the Beatles and Queen. I remember getting a Phil Collins CD and a Queen CD for Christmas. My love of music of years past has continued to grow.

My mom played flute when she was in elementary school, which inspired me to start in 4th grade. I have been playing ever since. I then joined my church choir and took guitar lessons. My musical love led me to get my Associate’s degree in music from Montgomery County Community College.

There is nothing quite like seeing music performed live. I remember seeing Raffi as a kid. I remember the first time I saw Almost Queen and Celtic Crossroads at what has become my favorite theater. I even got to see Hall and Oates with my best friend! My music tastes have matured, but I still love live shows.

 

My Purpose in Life

My sole purpose in life is to glorify God and to point others to Him. Everything I do needs to be done with the intention of bringing Him glory. Whether it is in my music, my academics, or my writing, what I do needs to aim to give God the glory. I need to remember this in every task and every interaction. Am I perfect? No. Do I need to be more intentional? I would be lying if I said no. I will work on doing this more and will be the best I can be, so help me God.

(Response to https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/purpose/)

Everyday Inspirarion: Wrap Up

I can’t believe this course is over already! Has it been 20 days?? I have learned so much about blogging through this course. It has taught me how to reach out to others to organize a post. Going forward, I hope to do more of this and interview people for my new Tribute Tribune blog. If anyone knows any tribute bands that are looking for publicity, let me know and give me contact info!

Circus Memories

I went to see a circus once as a young child. Maybe it’s the music fan in me, but the one thing I remember distinctly was hearing the song “Hands Up” and seeing clowns dancing to it (this was before I became afraid of clowns). I also remember seeing the animals and getting a lightsaber-type thing that had an animal on it. It’s funny how certain things about an event stand out, while others drift away.

(Response to https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/circus/)

Free Write: Blank

Each day is a blank page. You have the choice to write your story any way you decide. God’s mercies refresh daily, making your soul blank from the sins of the previous day.

Each week is a blank slate. We are given time to reflect and refresh before we start over. We set goals to accomplish over the span of seven days.

Each month is a blank slab. We reflect on what we have accomplished and look to see what else we hope to achieve this year. Some months are shorter.

Each year is a blank journal. On January 1, we make plans and goals that we hope to accomplish over the next 365 days. We even get an extra day every 4 years.

(Response to https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/blank/)

 

Motivation from Above

I was working on getting my miles in a month or so ago. Anyone who has been following my 2029-mile journey knows that I am walking to raise money for Mercury Phoenix Trust, an organization started by friends and family of Freddie Mercury after he died from complications brought on by AIDS. I was walking on a slippery surface with socks on and I almost fell. I should have fallen, but something caught me. Maybe it was my hand hitting a table, or maybe it was an angel from God. I was in tears, wanting to give up, even though I was so close. Something in me, a voice in my head, told me to switch music stations on TV. Suddenly, I heard the line “I want to ride my bicycle.”

A few weeks later, I was once again trying to get miles in. I was walking, but I did not feel like getting my goal of 5 miles. I had a long day, and was emotionally tired. I was listening to a music station on TV when I heard the beginning snaps of “Killer Queen.” Freddie has, once again, done something through God to motivate me to keep pushing and to keep fighting for these miles and an end to his killer.

Quiz Results: One Year Later

A year ago today, I took a quiz on Facebook about what my brain is good at. My results then were “Linguistic Thinking,” and I think it had something to do with writing and words. I retook the quiz today at got “Creative Thinking,”, which says “You can easily visualize objects in three dimensions. You tend to think best when you are moving and you are likely to be particularly skilled at working with your hands. You may enjoy building models and making maps.”

A year ago, I was just getting into being a journalism major in college. While being linguistic is a part of that, so is creativity. Both types of thinking are needed in journalism. I think I encompass both types, but maybe is more prevalent than the other at particular times. Our brains are funny like that sometimes!

A Day That Changed My Life

I stepped off the train at Temple University. I was nervous and excited to start my first day at a new school. I was ready to begin my journey towards graduating into an alumni group that included Daryl Hall, John Oates, and Kunal Nayyar.

My first class was a Religion in the World class. I was anxious about finding the room, so I went down a bit early. I went in the room and staked out a place to sit. I wanted to sit where I could hear and see, but did not want to sit right in front of the professor.

The class started and we talked about the syllabus and what the course was about. After that class ended, I grabbed lunch at my go-to spot and headed to the building where my next class was.

After that class, I went to go to the building where my first class was. I was texting my mom about how my first day was. However, I looked up and had the sensation that I had no idea where I was.

I panicked and asked people where the building was. They had no idea. I texted my mom and told her I was a bit lost and that I would text her when I found the building. I pulled out my map and was able to figure out how to get to where I wanted to be.

That first day changed my life. I had no idea how much I would accomplish that year, and the year after. I just completed my second year at that school. Looking back, I can see how much God has done for me and how He helped me succeed in numerous ways.