So I got two new followers on my story blog today!! Chapter seven has been posted:

http://alittleclosertofiction.wordpress.com/2012/08/13/halfling-chapter-seven/

I'm at 53 pages and 12,893 words for this rough draft. I'm really proud of myself, considering my history of writing a few pages of a novel and giving up on it. My mom gets mad at me for that, but I never knew where it was going. Now, I have direction, and I mostly know how I'm going to get there. I'm super excited to get this draft done, and work on polishing it up, because I already have two more ideas for novels. Hopefully people are enjoying what I'm writing...I don't get much feedback on it, really...but I can see that people are reading it...so that's a good thing, at least. I hope I can write a lot tomorrow...I feel like I got a late start today, then I went and picked up my sister and her dog to go to my aunt's softball tournament. Then we went to dinner afterwards, and then went window shopping down main street.

If you ever get the chance, go to Northfield, MN. It's such a great little town. It's in a suburb of the twin cities, and it's got two of the top ranking private schools in the state, St. Olaf and Carlton. Anyway, it's a small town, but it's big enough where not everyone knows everyone. Main street is old, with so many cute shops lining it. And, it's where they defeated Jesse James, the notorious bank robber from the late 1800s, I believe. The townspeople rose up against him and his gang, and there was a gun fight right outside the First National Bank on Main Street, where some people were shot, and the rest were arrested right outside town. Every year they have The Defeat of Jesse James Days, where they do re-enactments of the gun fight outside the bank and have their little carnival. The town has changed a lot and expanded quite a bit in recent years. I would love to live there someday. It's a very nice town, peaceful, with low crime rates. It's a great place to raise a family.

Update:

I've got chapter eight finished...haven't posted it yet. Maybe tomorrow. Thinking about starting nine...but, maybe I really am getting sleepy this time...I've written about 3-3500 words today...

So why don't I feel good about it?

Most people here know my history. I was molested when I was little. I've never said anything vocally about it, really. A few close family members know, and pretty much none of my IRL friends. A couple of them know. I've never talked about it in detail.

For cultural anthropology, we all had to give a 10 minute presentation on a social case study. Today, one of my classmates did a presentation on rape in the military. I think we all know how big of a problem this is. It happens frequently, and it's not taken seriously when it's reported. The victims are told that they are lying, and then they are treated horribly by everyone in their unit for reporting it.

Obviously, this bothered me. I am not impartial to this problem. I got more and more agitated. Finally, I raised my hand, and said something like this: "When someone is raped, it takes something away from them. Something you can barely describe with words. That's awful enough, and then to be treated this way, told they're liars, I can't even imagine." I can't remember exactly what I said, but it was something like that. Then I said, "I don't even know what I would do if no one believed me."

That...sentence was very powerful for me to say. It didn't say much in and of itself, but it infers an awful lot, especially if you were watching my facial expressions and body language. I just felt like, these people don't have a voice, it's not heard. They're screaming, and no one is listening. I can say something, I have to, for them.

With that one sentence, I told people face to face...that I am a victim of sexual assault. Kind of a big deal in my world. "Speak the truth even if your voice shakes." That's hard, oh so hard.

I don't want to be alone right now. I wish someone was here to cuddle with me, and tell me that everything is going to be okay, that I did a good thing...but my internet friends can't cuddle with me. I felt anxiety when I woke up from my nap. It was a bad attack, and I've been crying because I feel so alone. What can people say? I just wish someone was here to hold me.

I have to write an essay tonight that's due tomorrow, and I have no damn clue what I'm supposed to write about. I need one specific example of when a religion has maintained social order, and one example of how religion has facilitated social change. I HAVE NOTHING. I know absolutely nothing of any kind of religious history or anything else..... I am SO frustrated. I've been trying to think of this ever since I got the assignment on Thursday....and I can't think of anything at all

Help?!?! I need examples that I can research.

I haven't been a good Xangan lately...I've just been super busy.

Having a summer class that meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays is kind of insane. Plus, I've been driving 90 miles one way Mondays and Wednesdays to help my mom and step dad at the office.

Yesterday was Cody's birthday so he invited me over to his house with just a couple other friends and his family. We just sat and chilled...it was story time. His parents are awesome....entertaining and told some embarrassing stories of Cody, bahaha. His mom was telling stories about how their house is haunted, and Cody's girlfriend was all scared to go to sleep, lol.

Anyway, I've also been writing a lot....so if you haven't, check out the story I'm writing.....

You can start from the beginning HERE.

I just posted chapter six HERE.

I've got chapter seven started....and I'm just over 1/6 done with my word count goal. My goal for the first draft is 60,000 words, and I'm currently at 11,158. Hope you all enjoy!!

Now to watch the rest of this episode of The Newsroom and enjoy my coffee before I start on all the homework I have to do...