Muse Music: October Edition

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Explaining your story and listening to others

One of the things I find most frustrating yet so helpful is explaining your story.
So here we are, still freshly started on NaNoWriMo and my story is just creeping along. I can already tell my brain is having a hard time putting all the pieces together and making everything fit in the way I eventually want it to work out.
One of the ways I get through these slow times is I talk to someone (a friend or my relatives) about my story. As I explain my story I start working out what doesn't work in the story and what could help as a catalyst to bring about other events in the story.
The problem I find, however...is the listener. They tend to ask too many questions right off the bat and aren't content to just listen to the story as you have it in your head. So then you have to stop and explain a back story or an obscure motivation that explains why the character does this or that, but then your listener gets stuck on asking more questions about the back story too!
And on and on it goes until you are so far back in time that you are explaining how the character's parents met.
I do think that we as writers get so caught up in the idea of certain story elements and events that we lose sight of if it is plausible. I think having a listener is a good idea because they can offer insight into what simply doesn't work in a story or when something works so well you need to expound upon the idea.

What I have noticed as a writer is it's hard to listen to other writers who are trying to explain their stories. I believe it's because we as writers don't think about our stories in a clean cut, linear timeline. We have all of these lines of a spider web connecting relationships between characters, backstories, sub-plots, motivations, antagonists, protagonists, and all the characters in between the two. Simply asking a writer "What's the main character's motivation?" is a can of worms that no one is ready to open and deal with, not even the writer because they have to explain too many elements of the story in order for the motivation to make sense!
The right questions to ask are more specific to the writer's story because it shows that you (as a listener) have been comprehensively listening to what actually is going on and truly want to understand the story.

Deep breath.

Now that I got that off my chest it is time to go back to writing...

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NaNoWriMo

This year I'm going to try this again.
Last year I didn't even come close to crossing the 50,000 word finish line and I think I know why...

Sure, the idea is that you can marathon sprint your novel into existence but like every marathon, you need to practice. At the time, I was writing maybe 1,000 words a month. It is not a completely terrible pace considering I have a full-time job, and a life. But to go from that to trying to strangle 50 times that out of my brain is freaking difficult.

Another thing is I didn't plan. Wrimos call it "pantsing" as in "flying by the seat of your pants." It is a fun idea to see where the winds of inspiration will lead. But the winds died in the second week into it last year and I deleted my account out of spite.

As I registered my new account this month, I went poking around the website and I found the "regions" section. I didn't bother with much beyond the word count on the website last time and now that I decided to look around, I'm glad I did. The regions' tab got me connected with people in my area who participate in NaNoWriMo too! The foreigners in South Korea can be quite diverse and it can be hard to find others who have similar interests. So, not only is this a chance to create a motivating network, it also serves as a way to meet new and interesting people who already share a lot in common.

So here is the checklist of things I need to work on BEFORE November 1st rolls around:

1. Start getting the hang of writing every day with small goals at first and work up to larger word counts.

2. Plan a general outline of the story. This includes characters, major events, plot twists, culture tips, Pinterest the crap out of pictures that give great visuals for the story, and a good music playlist.

3. Connect with people who are also doing NaNoWriMo and share inspirations, tips, and give support. Don't be so selfish!

While I did some reading on ways to be successful at NaNoWriMo and how to prepare for it, I also saw a lot of people out there who are completely against the idea of a National Novel Writing Month. Most of the negativity seems to revolve around the belief that it is just about a word count and will be worth nothing at the end of a month. Where do you go with a novel that is full of "reallys and verys?" You edit.
This is only a first draft.
Maybe they should call December the National Edit Your Draft Month. No, wait...we need a break after that marathon in November and a chance to enjoy the holidays since Thanksgiving gets all gobbled up. Pun intended.
Anyway, my point is to stay away from the naysayers and just work on getting the novel out of the brain. Worry about the cutting board later.

Let's do this!

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7 Things to do in Thailand

A little while ago I mentioned the options we expats have when Chuseok comes around. This Chuseok (September 26th-28th) I decided to try traveling abroad! I've never traveled abroad for this holiday or for such a short amount of time before but I was positive this was going to be a marvelous adventure.

My friend Ayla and I decided to visit some mutual friends of ours in Bangkok, Thailand! Kris and Pedro were more than happy to play hosts/tour guides and started planning our visit right away.
Ayla and I planned on staying 2 nights and 2 days, which meant we had to maximize on our visit and get as much stuff done as possible! Let me give you the awesome run-down of stuff we did and things I highly recommend doing while on a short trip in Bangkok, Thailand:

- Khao San Road is well-known in Bangkok (if not worldwide) for attracting backpacking foreigners. The road is lined with bars, restaurants, food vendors, clothing vendors, outdoor massage shops, souvenir vendors, hostels, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but you get the idea. There was so much to take in, my senses were on complete overload! I think my favorite parts were having nice long chats with friends over refreshments and getting Thai foot massages while sitting in lawn chairs outside.

- Chatuchak Market is a maze of vendors with items ranging anywhere between plastic fruit to pets. The market has pretty close quarters with each of the vendors and gives you the feeling of being lost in a long colorful closet. There are also art vendors who have beautiful paintings and sculptures, so even if you don't buy anything, you can still treat the market as you would an art gallery. Word to the wise when visiting this place, if you see something you like, you either get it right there and then, or come to terms with the fact that once you leave that vendor, you will never see that same item ever again. I'm still kicking myself for not getting a purse that I took a fancy to, thinking I would find something better along the way...and I never did. 

- Get a massage! Thai massages are amazing! I've gotten used to the deep tissue Korean massages here, so getting a luxurious Thai massage was completely relaxing and exactly what I needed. I got two different types, one was a foot massage (120 Baht) I got on Khao San Road, and then another was a head/shoulder/back massage (400 Baht). Both were soothing and SO CHEAP!

- Dining by or on the river. The Chao Phraya is a large river that weaves its way through the heart of Bangkok, so it shouldn't be difficult to find a restaurant on the river front. The other option is to book a river cruise that also includes a dinner menu. My friends and I did the first option and had a magical dining experience at the Shangri-la Hotel. During the dinner, we were treated to a couple of traditional dances near our table and we could watch the river cruises float past with beautiful lights adorning them.

- The Grand Palace! This place is a MUST while you are in Bangkok. The architecture and the intricate designs on the buildings are absolutely breath-taking. If it's a sunny day you will be treated to an even more dazzling sight as the tiles on the buildings shine and glitter in the sun. The large compound doesn't just house a royal palace but also has a temple for the Emerald Buddha. Because this is such an important landmark they have a strict dress code that everyone must adhere to. Women can wear dresses that are below the knee or longer and men must wear pants, no short pants or shorts. Women can also wear pants but you must remember pants cannot be tight like skinny jeans or leggings. Everyone must have their shoulders covered, no tank tops are allowed and no shawls will suffice. Shoes must be close-toed. Even if you don't arrive with the right kind of outfit on, you can rent clothes pretty cheaply just outside the Grand Palace. 

- Visit a temple also called a "wat." Wats are everywhere in Bangkok and there are several that are very popular for tourists. The wat we chose was Wat Pho, located near the Grand Palace this wat houses the gigantic statue of the famous Reclining Buddha. They usually have the same dress code as the Grand Palace, but the admission prices are much less.

- Shopping Malls! Bangkok has no lack of shopping malls all over the city. They usually have several floors with everything from name brand stores to eclectic local brands. I was pleasantly surprised that all the brands were surprisingly affordable given the prices I'm used to seeing at the Korean malls and department stores! I definitely recommend giving it a look if no other reason then to enjoy the air conditioning while you hide from the sun.

I know there is so much more to do in Bangkok, so if you have any other recommendations feel free to leave a comment below!

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Free Photo Editing Online

Recently I have been browsing the internet looking for ways to edit photos for myself and for this blog and I stumbled on to a few that make editing simple and fun!

Here is a list of a few free ones I have found to be helpful:

Canva - This is a photo editing website that has a similar feel to Pinterest in the sense that you can create and share your edited photos like you would on Pinterest. Their way to make and edit content is pretty simple and straight forward. You can choose a layout that is ready made, with the fonts, colors, backgrounds and graphics all picked out for you, or you can upload your own image and do all the dirty work yourself. Just so you know, some layouts and graphics are not free, but it's easy to tell if something is free or not, so don't worry about any hidden costs. FYI: I made the graphic for this post on their site.

Pixlr - Yes, this is the same photo editing company that brought you the mobile app. They also have a desktop program you can download or if you want to keep everything simple and clean, you can launch their web apps inside your browser. The Pixlr Editor reminds me of Photoshop, mostly because of its layers and tools. The other web app you can use is the Pixlr Express which is much like a mobile app with its filters, effects, and borders.

iPiccy - If you like the idea of Pixlr, but you need it to be a little more simple, I highly suggest this editor. Again, it works inside your browser and you upload your own images and can save them when you are finished directly to your computer without having to sign in.

FotoFlexer - THEY HAVE STICKERS! Another app-style photo editor, this one is packed with fun stuff. It is set up a little like Powerpoint and is amazingly easy to navigate around and edit and add things to your photos. Like all the other editors, you can save your photos directly to your computer, animated glitters and all. That's right, I said ANIMATED GLITTERS.

Let me know if you have found some other awesome photo editors and I will add them to the list! Enjoy!

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Expat Life: What to do during the Chuseok holiday?

As you might have gathered from a previous post of mine, I live in South Korea. I have lived here for a few years now as an English Teacher and each year I have to wonder, what do I do for the holidays? 
The major holidays in Korea are not close to most of the western holidays I am used to, so planning to meet friends and family around those times is usually not a good idea. The two biggest and longest holidays in Korea are Seollal (Lunar New Year) which is usually around the beginning of February and Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) which is usually in September, both last about three days. For Koreans, these are HUGE family events with a whole lot of preparing and cooking (think American Thanksgiving or Christmas style).
When I first arrived in South Korea, I was told that because those are important family holidays, you won't really see many Koreans in the big cities. WRONG! Although it is true that there is a mass exodus of Koreans to their family's hometowns in the rural areas, still there are a lot of families who live inside the cities and stay there for their gatherings. 
So, what to expats do when this time of year comes along? Here is a list:

1. Travel abroad! Lots of people choose to get out of Korea at this time because it's still a prime vacation-weather season in many parts of the world. I've had friends who have taken this time to go somewhere in Europe, or stuck to Asian countries. The most popular places being Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Japan. All are very easy for us to travel to and find cheap airfare. However, if you plan on traveling abroad, I definitely recommend booking at least a month in advance since it is an extremely busy holiday season for both inbound and outbound travelers. 

2. Travel inside Korea! This is not a popular choice for expats since transportation ANYWHERE inside the country will be jam-packed full of people. This includes accommodations in big cities. In the past, when I misunderstood that big cities were mostly deserted during the holidays, I decided to wing a trip to Seoul. Bad move. All the hostels and hotels, motels, and whatnot were full of other expats and travelers. Thank God I just happened to run into some friends of mine who let me crash in their room at their guesthouse. The good news about traveling around Korea during Chuseok is that many places will offer discounted or free events! The palaces and major cultural centers in Seoul are open for free and some even offer free traditional concerts! Great time to do all that touristy stuff. 

3. Stay home! Now don't go thinking this makes someone a hermit, just because they decide to do a staycation. For those of us who are teachers, this holiday occurs right after we have just started school back up for the Fall semester, and we already need a break. No planning involved...no thinking...no getting up early...just staying in our town and hanging out at home or with our few friends who have also stayed in town. People also choose this option to save their money and their sanity, traveling is hard this time of year. One Chuseok I decided to stay home and invite some friends from my old town (that I used to work at in Korea). We did some hiking at the famous mountain behind my house, did a little tour of my town, and binge-watched Dexter. It was a proper slumber party and I loved it!

No matter what you end up doing for the holidays, it's important to remember to take the time to relax and enjoy yourself.

If you are an expat like myself, what do you do during Chuseok? If you are Korean, what does your family do for Chuseok? Do you keep to a traditional family gathering or do you do something different?

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Movie Review: Austenland

This is a fantastic take on what happens when a 30-something, Jane Austen aficionado goes on a week-long vacation to Austenland - "the world's only immersive Austen experience." Set in England on a grand estate in the country, the trip includes a regency era makeover of everything from hair - to gowns - to names, and that's not even the best part. The guests of Austenland get to experience romance with actors playing characters you might find in Austen's stories...or cheap romance novels. 

Now that the synopsis is out of the way, let me tell you this movie is ridiculous, and I mean that in the best way possible. The cast obviously had a lot of fun in the making of this film and that feeling gets carried through the enormity of the movie. There are so many moments when you can tell the cast got to cut loose and improv, which only adds to the overwhelming ridiculousness. 
By the way, I just have two words for you: Jennifer Coolidge. 
Her character "Miss Elizabeth Charming" is only at Austenland for the fun of playing dress-up and experiencing an old-fashioned way of life, mostly. It's obvious even from the beginning of their trip that Elizabeth Charming doesn't have a clue about English customs, history, or Jane Austen and she really doesn't care, she just wants to have a good time.  

She is by far my favorite character out of the bunch because of the sheer insanity of the things she says. When Jane Hayes (Keri Russell) finds out that her character's "spinster" background story matches her own real-life background and is shared with everyone at the dining table, Elizabeth tries to comfort her and then proceeds to tell her not to kill herself:

That's just a taste of some of the silly lines in the movie and believe me, there are some gems.

The story itself really keeps you on your toes because as I have mentioned above, the men at Austenland are paid actors which really makes you wonder...are the things they do and say real or just acting?

Jane Hayes, the Austen aficionado, has been in love with the character of Mr. Darcy since she was young, and this translates to an attraction to the resident Mr. Darcy, Mr. Henry Nobly (JJ Fields). 
The problem we find is that Jane apparently bought the cheap "Copper Package" which excludes her character at Austenland from several activities and experiences during her stay and may also exclude her character from having a happily-ever-after moment. So, even if she is attracted to Mr. Nobly, he is probably meant for someone else's character. That is a rather depressing thought that she can't have what she wants even when she is in a fictional setting. But then again she's not even sure she wants Mr. Nobly anyway because as we all know, he's just an actor.

There is still so much I want to say about this movie, but I don't want to give away everything. I will say this movie gets better every time I watch it. For one thing, it's impossible to catch all the meanings in the dialog. Even JJ Fields said in an interview that he hears something new each time he watches the film. Maybe it's because of all the improvisation, but once you understand a whispered phrase or hidden meaning in a scene, it's like getting a peek at a subplot.

Also, to highlight just how awesome this movie is, here is the extra music video they did in the credits:

That's all for this movie review. I hope you enjoyed all the sneak peeks and quotes from Austenland. Also, since there is an overall theme of "fiction vs. reality" in this movie, I want to know if you have ever had a crush on a fictional character? Do you think we set our standards too high based on characters in books/movies/tv shows? Let me know!

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