Why I loved reading Stephen King's "On Writing"

I actually really enjoyed reading "On Writing." I've never read anything by him but I have seen a few of the movies that are based on his books. I wasn't sure at first if I would like it, but I thought that the book was very useful and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is or is and aspiring writer.

All of his techniques were useful and some even made me think more in depth about the structure and process of writing. Some things that I really liked were that he used his own stories. "On Writing" was kind of a biographical self-help book.

His personal stories were very inspiring. Also his toolbox method helped a lot. I also think that the fact that he had one person, his wife, which was his biggest fan and his biggest critic, was very useful. I think that every writer needs someone like that to help them. Another thing that I really liked was that he said to just start writing and not worry about the story too much or where it'll go. When I write, I barely plan anything. So for him to say that was kind of a relief to me, to know that it's okay to not have a plan and to just start writing.

Being gay isn't the problem. Hate is.

We are all surrounded by negativity in one way or another every single day. But when we are young and still trying to find ourselves, it can take a heavy toll on our self-confidence and health. This is particularly true for those who are GBLT, who may experience harassment on a daily basis.

It's important to understand that no matter your age, race, sex, or religion we all contribute to the world. Now we can either do this negatively or positively. Those that are suffering with insecurities need to be assured that it's okay to be themselves. And those who are well confident with being gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, or transgender should be acknowledged for being confident enough to be themselves no matter what negativity may bring to them.

Every day we are bombarded by ideas of what we should or shouldn't be. It's obvious to see that things that are not understood are either loved or hated. Not everyone understands the homosexual lifestyle so therefore it creates positive or negative responses, usually negative though. To stop this we need to learn about things we don't understand, like the saying goes, "knowledge is power."

If we find ourselves in a homophobic situation, we need to ask ourselves why sexuality is so important anyway? It's not. Same with race, gender, and age. It's not important. Instead of finding negativity in others, look at yourself. You're not perfect, so why expect others to be? Even if you still don't think the homosexual lifestyle is right, it's okay. We all have different opinions. But understanding that sharing some opinions hurt others. Being gay isn't the problem, those reproducing hate are.

Now for some statistics. Today's Gay Youth: The Ugly, Frightening Statistics state that

• Over 30 percent of all reported teen suicides each year are committed by gay and lesbian youth.
• In a study of 194 gay and lesbian youth, 25 percent were verbally abused by parents, and nearly 10 percent dealt with threatened or actual violence.
• Approximately 40 percent of homeless youth are identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual.
• Approximately 30 percent of both the lesbian and gay male populations have problems with alcohol.
• Approximately 28 percent of gay and lesbian youth drop out of high school because of discomfort (due to verbal and physical abuse) in the school environment.
• Gay students hear anti-gay slurs as often as 26 times each day; faculty intervention occurs in only about 3 percent of those cases.
• Over 50 percent of national youth servicing organizations report that they do not have services or resources in place to educate youth on sexual orientation or to support gay and lesbian youth.
• In a study of 5 metropolitan areas (Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York City, and San Francisco), there were 1,833 [reported] incidents of anti-gay and anti-lesbian crimes, which was a 31 percent increase over the previous year.

Statistics provided from Today's Gay Youth: The Ugly, Frightening Statistics

For more information about how to stop the hate, visit:
LBCC's Gay-Straight Alliance Club
GLBT National Help Center
Free To Be Me

Why are we so obsessed with fame?

"We are living...in the age, in which the pursuit of all values other than money, success, fame, glamour have either been discredited or destroyed, ...for we are living in the age of 'the thing'" are lyrics by Felix Da Housecat and the truth in which more than half the world lives by. But why does nothing else seem to matter besides money, success, fame and glamour?

Maybe because it looks simple and can be quickly obtained. In today's world, being famous is easier than it was 20 years ago. It seems as though a person doesn't really need this thing called talent. A person can rise to fame quicker by dressing bizarre, dating someone "in the business,"or even acting like a complete fool and trading their dignity for entertainment.

It may also be because fame is a fantasy-like state of being, something not everyone has. The attention, the money, the notoriety a person has when their famous is enviable by almost everyone. Who doesn't want to wear Armani or Dior, go to award shows, or be VIP at the greatest parties? Unless you're the next Mother Teresa, I'm sure you have thought what you would do if you were famous.

Perhaps we are lonely?
Jake Halpern, author of the book "Fame Junkies," theorizes that celebrity magazines like "Us Weekly," "People" and "In Touch" are so popular because people are lonely. Halpern points out that today more young people tend to marry later in life and more can afford their own living spaces, so they spend more time alone. When we look at these kinds of magazines that exploit yet roll in the dough for celebs, we feel like we know them, and we want what they have.

Everyone can see what a celebrity really looks like under all that make up or that they eat fast food, just like us. Seeing this, we realize that they are just like us, therefore we may feel that we can be just like them.

In my opinion, it all comes down to attention. There's no doubt that every single one of us has wanted it more than anything at one time or another. Maybe it's the way we dress, what we listen to, or what we say that helps us get the focus. But for all those who can't wait to have the limelight, don't worry. Even the great Andy Warhol said "In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes."

Profile on Selena Blackburn

With genuine care and interest, Selena Blackburn works hard 5 days a week to meet her patient’s needs. With her LPN (licensed practical nurse) from Purdue University in Indiana and her Associate's Degree from Lower Columbia College in Longview, WA, Blackburn works at Community Home Health and Hospice.

Blackburn worked in the emergency room at St. John’s Medical Center in Longview, WA and she currently works at Community Home Health and Hospice in Longview, WA and is a RN who makes house calls to patients who cannot get to the hospital. She also delivers prescriptions and examines the patients. "My mom is one of the most caring and generous people I have ever known. She has the biggest heart and is really passionate about her job" says daughter Heather Blackburn.

While on a house call with Blackburn, I discovered this genuine care she has for her patients. It wasn’t like she just went in, did what she had to do, and left. She spent time examining and asking questions about how they were feeling and if they needed anything specifically. “Selena has always been a sweetheart. She has been seeing me since 2003 and I love her. I’m getting up there in age and it’s nice to know that she isn’t just doing her job, but she is actually concerned with my health” says a patient.

Blackburn was born on April 15 in Columbus, Montana to Dennis and Louise Chism. She grew up with two younger brothers, Nathan and Phil. “I never lived more than two years in one state growing up” she recalls. “I’ve lived in Arizona, Colorado, California, New York, Oregon, and Washington.”

Blackburn has been married to a man named Sean since June of ’93 and has four children; ages 9, 12, 19, and 23. “Selena is a wonderful woman and I am truly blessed to have the pleasure of being married to her” says husband of 16 years, Sean Blackburn.

She enjoys reading, writing, scrap booking and camping along with many other activities. She also really enjoys country and 80’s music along with watching "Gilmore Girls", "ER", "Grey’s Anatomy", "CSI", "Law and Order", "Bones" and "Criminal Minds".

Stephen King's The Writing

Some things I found inspiring, interesting, surprising: I thought it was very surprising how many obstacles he went through growing up. All of those ear problems would have killed me. I'm not very good with pain. What I thought was inspiring is how Stephen, since he missed a lot of school because of health issues, read a lot and started writing his own material. When he copied that one book (I forgot the title) and gave it to his mom to read, I really liked how she told him to write his own stories and that she would give him a quarter every time he finished one. I also found it inspiring how he worked for his brother's Rag paper. They were so young yet so determined to make a paper.

This book can be applied to feature writing because of many things Stephen King talks about. Don't over think. Just start writing. Also, never stop persuing your dream. Keep reprising your stories. Get information. Write things you're familiar with and things you know. Have a good imagination.

My favorite quote so far is: "In my family what you did was smoke your ciggarettes, and dance in the Jell-O and keep yourself to yourself. Yet the part of me that writes the stories, the deep part that knew I was an alcoholic as early as 1975, when I wrote The Shining, wouldn't accept that. Silence isn't what that part is about. It began to scream for help in the only way it knew how, through my fiction and through my monsters." This is found on pages 89-90. It's obviously now just one sentence, but almost a paragraph. But I really like it because he confesses that he was different, and that he had a problem. I like how he's real about it and he doesn't try to sugarcoat his life or experiences.

Ten Years Older: Jarrod Gorbel EP Review

After separating himself from his first band, The Honorary Title, Jarrod Gorbel starts new, and on his own. Ten Years Older is a four-song EP from the folk singer/songwriter. The Brooklyn native blends soulful singing and simple melodies to create his debut solo project.

Gorbel explained in a Twitter message that the reason for going solo by saying "It was a growing up of sorts, THT was a great vehicle to communicate my music but I want to move on." Gorbel felt as though he was maturing musically and wanted to try new things.

The EP sounds similar to the music of The Honorary Title but it's more personal and has people involved. The same dedication and passion is used and is heard clearly.

Some fans on his Myspace page express how much they love Jarrod and his music by saying things like "I'm really happy you're branching out. You're an amazing artist. I flutter inside at the sound of your voice...I can't wait until I'm back in the U.S. to see you play again" and "...I would like you know how much i truly appreciate your music, you have a beautiful voice, and lovely lyrical tunes" and "you are a music hero".

It's really difficult to pick a favorite song, but if I had to it would be "Optimism". The melodies and lyrics, in this song especially, are very similar to those of another folk band, Death Cab for Cutie. The chorus is the best part, where he sings
"Losing your voice in the crowded streets
Pulsing crunch of machinery
The oh so harsh frequency
In the city that we love
We love, we love, we love, love".

Some of Gorbel's other songs on his new EP are "Ten Years Older" "A Moment of Peace" and "How Long?"

When asked about his favorite song and why, Gorbel also replied in a Twitter message "How Long. It's so simple but says exactly what I meant to say and the production is warm and very Nick Drake* influenced."
*Nick Drake ('48-'74) was an English singer/songwriter.

About Jarrod
Who: Jarrod Gorbel
Style of music: Folk
Other musical projects: The Honorary Title
Next concert: March 1 in Portland, OR at Mississippi Studios. 8 pm. All ages.
More infortmation: Myspace page, Twitter, Facebook.

Review

I will write a review about the new EP from Jarrod Gorbal titled "Ten Years Older" which came out this year.