Contrary to the excitement promised in the title, it’s time for a dear diary post! If only I were a celebrity who was famous for no real reason, then I could get away with writing these and still be loved… or at least liked… by someone…
Do not play Candy Crush. This is not a warning, this is a promise: if you play this wretched game, you will live to regret it.
What have I done all summer? Besides reaching level 80 of Candy Crush, an addicting yet altogether worthless game available on Facebook, I’ve spent it reading, writing, and hanging out with friends (before we part ways for college and never see each other again… *cue sobbing*). I’m participating in Camp NaNoWriMo and aiming to produce a 50,000 word novel by the end of the month – if you don’t see too many blog posts that’s why. It’s a task in tossing away my perfectionism but it’ll be worth it, even if I don’t write anything worth sharing or publishing.
On an unrelated note, has anyone else had any random epiphanies lately? I had one today about how you much can change over the course of a few years. Do you ever just look at yourself in the mirror and think “holy purple dinosaur, I’m like a completely different person?” Two things triggered this for me. I reread a couple of my really old blog posts (think, about three years ago) and I was amazed by how much my ideals have changed on certain issues, like sex. I used to be that pretentious person in the corner ranting “people shouldn’t make sex such a public affair blah blah blah sex is bad blah blah blah” but now, after watching Queer as Folk and becoming completely obsessed with it, I’ve realized that there’s more – and less – to sex than some may believe. I also finished Easy by Tammara Webber and realized that I probably would’ve given the book four, if not five stars if I had read it as a freshman or a sophomore in high school. That just exemplifies how our standards and expectations can transform with the passage of time.
And, finally, to cap this stream-of-consciousness what-the-heck-is-Thomas-writing post, I’ve updated the “about me” and “contact” pages of this blog. I still can’t get over how when I first started the quiet voice I was stressing over whether or not the colleges I applied to would care if I posted slightly scandalous things, and now, I’m working on my first assignment for William & Mary. Time flies.
I also acquired an ugly leg wound a few weeks ago. Thankfully it’s healed to the point where bandages are no longer necessary.
Before I forget, you can check out my reviews of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling and Easy by Tammara Webber here and here, respectively. I’m contemplating whether or not I should just keep my book reviews on Goodreads and then every week or two publish a post on here with links to them. Either way, I hope you all have a marvelous 4th of July and a wonderful upcoming weekend! If anyone has any plans for this summer in general I’d love to hear them just so I can feel better as I try to capture plot bunnies in my head and accidentally injure myself in the process.
the quiet voice 
Still liked by me! 😉
That’s a relief! (:
🙂 🙂 🙂
“has anyone else had any random epiphanies lately?” Thomas I just had one a few minutes ago. It suddenly struck me how pathetic it was of me to value the amount of likes I received on Instagram photos I post. I will have to think about that a little more deeply now.
And as always, wonderful post Thomas! Haha this one was a bit more random than the previous ones, but I love it just as much! It must be so hard to have to part from your friends once university comes, but it’s nice that you’re making the last of it count! I hope you’re having fun with Camp Nanowrimo too!
-Grace 🙂
It’s great that you’re aware of how you feel regarding the amount of likes you get on Instagram photos! These days people value the social facade they place on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram so much – it makes for a great psychological/cultural study.
Thanks Grace, I’m glad it wasn’t a complete mess! Yes, I want to savor the company of the close friends I’ve made in high school. Camp Nanowrimo is going… interestingly. Let’s hope I finish!
WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR LEG?!?!
But anyway, great post. I know exactly how you feel about giving books a much higher rating if read while being a young teen or tween. It’s kind of creepy how that stuff sort of changes us and makes us completely different than who we thought we would be. Great post!
I burned it on an obstacle course, then hit it against a desk hard enough for the skin to rip off. I wish I was kidding.
Yeah… the transformation of our thoughts and our expectations is an exciting yet unnerving process! Thanks for reading and commenting. (:
I know exactly what you mean by giving books different ratings as you mature. Recently, I’ve been going through an intense inner battle as to whether or not I should reread my favorite book from sixth grade, The Green Glass Sea. I keep it in my top ten list of books (who am I kidding… since when have I been able to narrow it down to ten?) but I haven’t read it in four years. I really do want to read it again, but I’m afraid I’m going to hate it. Ugh.
That does sound like quite the dilemma… it’s like you don’t want to detract from your idealized image of the book, but then again it might be just as great as you thought it was back then. I feel like you may learn something new from reading it again even if it isn’t what you expect. Or you could just try the first chapter or two and then decide whether or not to continue. Thank you for reading and commenting!
Good luck with Camp NaNoWriMo!
I’m spending my summer volunteering at a lab, taking an AP English class, and reading (a friend and I decided a few days ago that we should create a book club for people who aren’t going to exotic countries this summer). I hope your leg gets better soon! (Also, have a great summer! Also, I was thinking when I read Easy that I might’ve liked it more if I were older when I read it. Also, I miss the days when I thought Harry Potter was the ultimate fantasy series (although I still love the fifth book obsessively, mostly because I can relate to the omnipresent angst.))
Thanks Jenny! Your summer screams of productivity, with your volunteering, that AP English course, your book club, etc. My leg is healing gradually which is good, and yeah, it’s intriguing how age and other factors can influence our perceptions of the entertainment/media we read or view. Looking forward to the fifth book of HP now – I’m reading the series now (only starting the third book) and I’m actually enjoying it quite a bit. Who knows, maybe it is still the ultimate fantasy series. (:
Haha “productive.” I mean, I am being (mostly) productive, except that I’m being productive by doing things I love (and not studying things that I’m legally required to be learning about). I hated the reading selection this year for English–every single book was about Proper White Boys–and so I’m going out of my way to read books we would never cover in the traditional English curriculum. I guess the only thing I’m doing that I don’t want to be doing is looking through one of the math textbooks we’re using next year (one of four, mind you)–but only because otherwise I’ll end up having to study a lot during the school year, and I hate studying. -_-
It’s wonderful that you’re taking the initiative to pursue your interests outside of the classroom! And, ugh, math – I’m so glad I’m pretty much done with that subject for the rest of my life. All of your studying and hard work will pay off in the end; as cliche as that sounds it’s true!
Ohohoh in How I Met Your Mother, there’s this subplot where all 5 main characters all try to find their “doppelgangers” — people that look exactly like them. This carries throughout the seasons, then on the last doppelganger episode when the last group member finds them, there’s this deep discussion along the lines of:
“Look back at where we were 5 years ago! [Examples of how they’ve all changed throughout the series]. In time, we become our own doppelgangers.”
As in, same appearance and same body, but somehow different person.
I dunno, that’s just what the big paragraph made me think of. I love that subplot so much though asdkjankfnjkjanfkjandfkjnkjfdf.
Ah that sounds so well-written in a “finding yourself” and “coming of age” sort of way! I’m glad that my blog post reminded you of something you love.
I shall take you advice and avoid Candy Crush! NaNoWriMo is awesome, I always do November but I should probably start thinking about a camp session as well. No summer plans, just work. Lots of work. No epiphanies either, but I do get them occasionally, followed by resolutions, followed by lazy back tracking lol! 🙂
It’s cool that you do November, I’m always in school then though and I can’t handle writing a novel and simultaneously completing my assignments to the best of my ability. Work is a wonderful way to spend a summer and I suppose that means you have some time leftover for other activities too. (: Thanks for reading and commenting!
Uh, what happened to your leg? That bandage looks like serious stuff 😛
I actually have been getting random epiphanies. Most of them have to do with my changing opinions. Some of the have to do with how bored I am and want something to do.
Oh, and I wish you luck on NaNoWriMo! I am sure that you will be able to do it 🙂 And Candy Crush does seem addicting. I find the bright candies to be quite mesmerizing….
I burned it while running through an obstacle course, then hit it against a desk. Painful and serious stuff indeed.
I’m glad I’m not the only one with changing opinions! Thanks for the good luck wish, and yeah, I’d rather you maintain your addiction to Queer as Folk than play Candy Crush… but if you want to give it a go, be my guest. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you. 😉
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Ok, I must’ve missed the part about you actually getting into college (congrats on getting into William & Mary! – very hard to do, I should know I applied and didn’t get in). Fun location though, went to a church event there and had some after hours fun in Colonial Williamsburg – I think all students do that there at some point. I love random life updates. I do them ever now and then. I love the idea of your writing a 50,000 word novel! I think you would be good at it. I wish I could focus more on my blog writing, that has been pretty neglected of late due to no interesting subject matter, other than Netgalley book reviews. The only other interesting thing I started this summer is volunteering to teach an English Conversation program at the library. It’s the only really fun thing I’ve been doing that helps maintain my sanity.
Thanks Rachel! Yes, I can’t wait to spend time at Colonial Williamsburg – I’ve visited a couple of times and it is such a quaint and beautiful place. My dorm is near it too so that will help. It’s cool that you’re doing Netgalley book reviews; I always tell myself that I should do those but I never do. Ah well. And that English Conversation program does sound intriguing… how often do you teach? I’ve seen those at my local library too and it certainly helps the community.