Fandom Updates

Posted on May 19, 2009 by Jenni Elyse

Corey and I went to a movie recently and saw a new trailer for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I decided to look for it so I could post it on my blog. During my search for the new trailer, I discovered there was another one released after the last one I posted and before the one we saw in the theater! :? After seeing both of the trailers, I’m getting more and more excited to see the movie. :D Less than two months to go!

Also, the official movie poster for New Moon was released today. I think it’s pretty exciting! :D It evokes a lot of emotion in me because I know the story and what’s going to happen. I’m getting excited to see the movie and hope the new director won’t disappoint me.

New Moon Movie Poster

Free Writing

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Jenni Elyse

I decided to take a couple of my friends’ advice and start keeping a “free write” journal to help me find my creativity. Corey thinks this is pretty sound advice because he was required to write at least three pages a day to help get his creative juices stirring when he was in graphic-design school. I figure if he had to do it and he wasn’t even trying to be a writer, I should do it too. ;) I bought a cheap, purple spiral notebook to use. It’s also college ruled because I hate writing on wide rule paper. I know I’m strange and kind of OCD, and you probably didn’t need to know the color or the rule of my notebook, but that’s beside the point. ;)

Anyway, I wrote my first entry today. After doing some research about free writing online, I decided to write for a specific amount of time rather than a specific number of pages. I chose ten minutes. Even though you may not be interested in what I wrote, I thought I’d post it on my blog because it’s a momentous occasion; I’m actually starting something to help me rather than putting it off like I normally do. (It comes with the territory of being the queen of procrastinators.)

I hate writing in spiral notebooks They’re so uncomfortable But not just for lefties at least that’s what I’ve come to realize Writing without punctuation is hard for my perfectionist mind I want to put periods and commas where they belong Sheesh writing for ten minutes is going to be difficult because my hand is cramping This is kind of fun writing about nothing Corey keeps saying frog to Lauren I’m not sure if I’m doing my free writing correctly Froyo’s going to move in about a month I’m excited because I can give my two week notice at Dentrix soon thereafter PAIN my hand is killing me I’m too used to typing and not writing I used to love writing but then I got lazy how can I keep writing with the pain I’m experiencing It’s so intense Today’s Brittany’s birthday My mind is blank now other than the intense pain in my hand Am I holding my pencil wrong or too tightly Is that why my hand hurts What can I do to strenghthen the muscles in my hand Is this 10 minutes almost up My hand needs to relax

It’s kind of weird to see where my mind goes when I’m not trying to think of anything in particular. Obviously, pain is a huge issue for me. :| I also didn’t realize I spelled strengthen wrong until I was rereading my thoughts and typing them out. I must have been in the zone. Hopefully, that’s a good sign since I’m usually very OCD about spelling and punctuation.

I hope this helps bring back my creativity. If anything, it might be interesting to see if I get any real insights into my true person.

REAL Salt Lake

Posted on May 17, 2009 by Jenni Elyse

I’m not a huge sports fan. Actually, I hate sports unless I’m playing. However, I don’t mind watching a game if I’m actually there, unless it’s football. Over the years, I’ve been to a few college and professional sporting events. I’ve had the chance to see the St. Louis Cardinals and the Utah Jazz play. Both games were a lot of fun!

Real Salt Lake Logo Anyway, my brother’s sister-in-law Annette invited Corey and me to the REAL Salt Lake game on Saturday. I thought the game was at the same time the Children’s Book Festival took place, so I wasn’t going to go. When I realized the game was later, Corey tried to get me a ticket, but the others had already been bought and so there wasn’t any way to get seats together. I was a little disappointed, but I decided to plan a nice evening by myself. On his way to the game, however, Corey gave me a call and told me that someone had bailed at the last minute so I could come if I wanted to.

We arrived about 20 minutes into the game. The RSL team was playing against the Kansas City Wizards. The first goal of the game was scored in the first half by Kansas City. The RSL fans weren’t too happy about the goal because the referee didn’t see that the Wizards were off sides, which would’ve reversed the goal. The second goal was scored during the second half, also by Kansas City. That time, it was a legitimate goal so the fans bucked up and stopped booing shortly after the goal was made. I thought the end of the game was the most exciting as the plays were a little faster and the players were a little more violent. Also, with only 10 minutes left, the RSL team scored a goal, but it was reversed because the referee called off sides that time around. The fans were very unhappy this time around and booed for a long time. The final score was 2 – 0 with Kansas city as the victors.

This was the third or fourth RSL game I had been to. My first experience was in one of the box seats, thanks to our friends Nate and Dayna. Sitting in the box was a lot of fun as I thought it was kind of cool to feel VIP-ish. ;) The other two or three times have just been in regular seats, but this was the first game I’ve been to at the new Rio Tinto stadium. Other than the seats being a little cramped, the stadium’s very nice; a lot nicer than Rice-Eccles stadium.

Corey and I had lots of fun. Even though I have yet to see the RSL win a game, I do have lots of fun going because it’s something Corey likes to do and I like doing it with him.

After the Game (Together)

Nightmare Fun

Posted on May 17, 2009 by Jenni Elyse

Last night, I had a very eventful dream, or I should say nightmare. Today, I accompanied the choir in church for the first time and I think my subconscious was trying to deal with how nervous I was to do this!

I dreamed I had missed choir practice so I didn’t know about any of the last-minute changes the choir director decided to make. When I got to church, a couple of things happened all at once. First, I realized my family was there because Aymee and Dave, my niece and her husband, decided to bless Sophie in our ward. Second, the choir director told me he had decided to sing a different song, a much more difficult song.

After the initial shock of realizing I had to play not only in front of my ward, but in front of my family too (especially my brother-in-law who makes his living as a pianist) and the choir director telling me the song had changed, I told him it was impossible for me to play the new song with such short notice. I have to practice and practice before I’m okay playing a song without accompanying let alone with accompanying! Reluctantly, he finally agreed to go back to the original song.

When I sat at the piano and opened the hymnbook, I couldn’t find the hymn I was supposed to play. The hymn number was there, but it wasn’t the right song. I searched page after page for the hymn and couldn’t find it. I started to panic big time, but I had enough presence of mind to ask someone for their hymnbook. The hymn was in the second book, but it wasn’t the right number so I was still a little anxious. Luckily, I started to relax a bit now that I had found the right hymn.

I played the introduction and all went very smoothly. However, the instant the choir started to sing, a big gust of whatever rattled the pages of the hymnbook I was using. I didn’t have the song memorized so I frantically started to search for the hymn. After about a minute, the choir director started to yell at me. I told him I couldn’t find the hymn, but he didn’t care. He only cared that I had ruined the song. At that point, I was so distraught that I ran out of the chapel crying. And, shortly after, I woke up feeling very anxious.

I told Corey about my nightmare. He reassured me the choir wasn’t going to change the song and I would be able to find the hymn in the book I was using. Thankfully, Corey was right. With the help of a lot of prayer and some calming exercises, everything went well and I played as well as I could have. :?

Children’s Book Festival

Posted on May 16, 2009 by Jenni Elyse

A few of my friends and I went to the library today for the annual Children’s Book Festival. They have a ton of, usually local, authors come. The authors spend time with their fans in classes and also take the time to sign books.

This year, Shannon Hale attended. I just started reading The Goose Girl on Wednesday so I wanted to have her sign my book. She’s very sweet and funny. I’m glad I had the chance to meet her. Too bad I couldn’t say anything about her books because I haven’t actually finished any of them yet. :oops: If she attends again next year, maybe I can say something a little more profound.

Meeting Shannon Hale

Brandon Mull and Brandon Sanderson were there too. I’ve heard a lot of good things about Brandon Mull’s Fablehaven series and I wish I owned a copy and had read them so I could’ve had him sign my books. I’ve also heard a lot of good things about Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series and, again, I wish I owned a copy and had read them already. ;) Hopefully, they’ll attend next year since they’re local.

I also had the chance to meet an up and coming author Karey Shane. Her book, Secret Speakers and the Search for Selador’s Gate, will be published in September. The book has already won Textnovel.com’s Reader’s Choice Award. Since I love fantasy, I’m excited to check it out this September.

It was a lot of fun and I’m glad I decided to go. I enjoy meeting new authors and telling them how much I enjoy their books and how much they add to my joy of reading. It’s also a lot of fun to share these experiences with such good friends and fellow book addicts! :)