Yet Another Milestone

So last night we hit another milestone, No One. I made my 100th blog post onto “A Blog About Hope” which is exciting.

proof.

And like I’m really proud of this, you little shits, it means we did something. Actually, I did something. You just sometimes read what I did which I mean is definitely cool, but you’re not doing the hard work.

Anyway, love you guys. Peace, one love, mother fuckers.

-Hope xoxo

I know I look like twelve, but shut up.

On Missing A Man In The Marines

It sucks. There’s no easy or nice way of putting it. When a man you know, love, support, and cherish, is gone and away and unable to talk, it feels like a hole is missing. Sure, Bobby is my best friend and I don’t know anything compared to what Marine wives must feel and I agree, I have no idea! I can’t imagine.

But honestly, from my own personal experience with this separation, it’s so hard to be without him. He’s practically my twin brother, my partner in crime, my BEST FRIEND. And I mean that truly and from the bottom of my heart. If I had to choose a single person, it would be him with no questions asked.

Now I’m left in a friendship without the other friend, which is a lonely and longing-filled place to be in. I can not wait to see him come December 5th and hug the living shit out of him, but damn I wish more than anything that I could do that right now.

It’s not like I can complain to anyone either! Either they haven’t had someone go off into the Marines or they don’t understand how much I want him back in my daily life. He has always made me feel so supported and loved and cared for and some days are like today when I just really need to hear that someone loves me and supports me in everything that I do, even if it’s a stupid thing.

Buddy, I miss you. Come home now.

-Hope xoxo

last time I saw him back in the beginning of september

he was the hottie that took me to prom

and the one that kept me smiling no matter what.

Today’s Letter to November

As most of you know (cuz I try to shamelessly do self promo on here), I do the YouTube thing and this month I’ve been writing daily vlogs to November as a poetic ode sort of thing to the month (for a more extensive understanding, please check out the videos linked at the bottom of this post) and today I did one that I’m really proud of you and that I wanted to share with you. I hope you enjoy the transcript and if you’d like to hear the performance watch the first video below.

Dear November,

Your early evenings are such a blessing and such a curse. They make me want to curl in my blankets to sleep by six o’clock and the short amount of time that the Sun is in the sky during the day, tricks me into believing that time is going faster than it normally does. But the harsh reality of cold, early, winter nights terrifies me to the bone. The encloses darkness surrounds me and my sight becomes reliant on light quicker. I’m scared to walk alone to my car at night for fear of what, or rather who, is hiding in the shadows. But there is no greater relief than sitting down in my car, alone and safe. I just wish I didn’t have it at all.

-Hope xoxo

Oh By The Way: An Update

I’ve made an actual update to my page so if you’re ever scrolling through your WordPress feed, click on either a post I’ve made or a category on my page and you’ll get to see a cool little bio that I’ve made. So you’ll see my face and whatever cheesey thing I decided to write about myself and all of the links to my various social media platforms (except my YouTube channel which is frustrating but whater).

So check that out when you get the chance and yeah. Okay back to doing homework.

-Hope xoxo

So Many Papers!!: An Update

I honestly don’t know how much sleep I am going to get tonight because I have so much fucking homework. Here’s a picture of my face. I love you and see you on the otherside.

-Hope xoxo

Taking Criticism and Running With It

Recently, I gave my novel to a professor who I admire very much so that he could read it over and give me feedback. When he finally did, the feedback was well in quantity and at first had me very beaten down, No One. If you’ve been here since then, then you know what I mean. If you are newer, here is a link to that blogpost ( https://hafletcher9718.wordpress.com/2014/10/17/critiques/ ). I’ve learned a lot about myself and being a writer through this one review of my novel and it has really helped me progress in my novel.

Now I wanted to show you guys how I took his advice and ran with it. Come along with me! 😀

Critique 1: A lot of my characters are stereotypical and lacking depth.

How I Fixed It: I’ve examined the gender roles and stereotypes that I (and society) had originally allocated to each character and broke them down. Deciding which trait or characteristics I would and WHY. Everything about each character now serves a purpose.

Critique 2: Well, of course she ends up with him. It’s a bit too obvious.

How I Fixed It: (trying not to give anything away, mind you) She doesn’t end up with him even though it looks that way because of her newly developed ande defined characteristic that span across both stereotypical male and female stereotypes.

Critique 3: This certain name means something entirely different from what I think you want it to mean.

How I Fixed It: Spent many hours of babynames.com and found a far better name.

Critique 4:  You haven’t gotten to the main plot line in under 50 pages.

How I Fixed It: (still working on this one, but) Deleted a whole chapter and wove what that one chapter was trying to do and say into a few paragraphs in the next chapter.

So there. I did a thing, got critiqued on the thing, then fixed the thing. Obviously this is just the second version of HALF of a novel so I still have a far way to go and much to learn, but I thought I should share what I’ve learned thus far with you all.

-Hope xoxo

Illness

I fucking hate being sick. Tiny chickens please get out of my head and let me feel better!!! It is so hard to write entire papers when you have to blow your nose every five seconds!

-Hope xoxo

Me on my favorite spot of the couch, trying not to sneeze or cough so I could take one damn selfie for my fucking blog. Enjoy. ❤

A Review On: Extraordinary Desserts

Tonight I went to this adorable little dessertia near Balboa Park named Extraordinary Desserts for the first time ever. Now I usually don’t get phased or awestruck by resteraunts, it’s just not in my nature. But this place. Holy shit, No One. Let me tell you something.

Not only did they have a huge variety of teas and coffees, but their desserts were both numerous and delicious.

My friends and I got this

and this particular dish is known as “The Viking” and holy mother of God it was good.

I honestly couldn’t tell you what was in it, but please just trust me when I say it was good.

It was a bit expensive there (I believe this slice was almost ten dollars but three people couldn’t finish it so you get the bang for your buck) but I truly think it is worth the money, time, and (for me at least) the drive.

The teas were also amazing. One friend and I split the strawberry tea which tasted like a warm strawberry shortcake in my mouth and the friend got some crazy tea that I can’t remember the name of (it had “girl” in there somewhere if that helps). I couldn’t quite put my finger on what that one tasted like and it honestly made it better by having its own distinct taste and smell.

So yeah, I just had to tell y’all about this place cuz I genuinely think everybody and their mother would like this place. The atmosphere is super fancy hipster chic and there were all types of people there, it’s not all weird rocker kids XD.

-Hope xoxo

and and

Clouds

Here in “Sun” Diego, the Sun is hiding behind quite the large sum of clouds. Honestly, it just looks like a big fluffy comforter of clouds just hanging above the hills.

While most of the time I don’t particularly like dark days (because well, the Sun isn’t out and I live in San Diego just for that reason), today I’m actually enjoying the gray and the cold. It’s practically refreshing compared to the hot and humid days we were experiencing over the summer and even into late September and early October.

Plus, when the weather is like this and the Sun peeks out from behind the clouds or a spot of blue sky is visible for a split second, it forces me to stop and appreciate the sky. Forces me to take note of the otherwise ordinary and appreciate it for what it is.

Beautiful.

-Hope xoxo

The view from a window near me.

Headphones Hacks

As most of you know, I am in love with music. Quite a bit really and through that love affair, I have mastered headphone gnomes (those tiny, annoying buggers that tie up your headphones when you aren’t looking) and naturally I wanted to share that gift with you so you can tame your headphones as I have.

Step one:

Grab the end of your headphones. The little bit that you put into the jack.

Here’s mine. I personally use skull candy headphones because for the quality they provide, they are extremely inexpensive.

Step two:

Get your hand or a friend’s hand and point your point finger and middle finger out in classic gun formation.

Please ignore my awfully chipped nail polish

Step three:

Take the end bit and place it on the inside of your two fingers and pinch it between those and your thumb.

Step four:

Now wrap the cord tightly around your two fingers and let your thumb go after the second or third time around.

let your thumb go

all the way wrapped around

Step five:

Get a small cannister of sorts and open it. Slowly slide the wrapped cord into the can and close the lid before it has time to unravel.

my little cannister

cord still wrapped around my fingers

just pulled my fingers out

after holding down the wires with one hand, use your other to close the lid and VOILA done

This might have been super easy and obvious to some people but I know this method has helped me a lot and saves me a lot of time trying to undo wires and untangle my headphones from other things.

-Hope xoxo