Response to Authors

Word Count: 563

I personally found the meeting with authors Daisy Johnson and Rebecca Schiff to be extremely interesting and surprisingly entertaining. We started the meeting with an introduction to Daisy Johnson in her oxford study. She is a self-proclaimed horror writer and the author of a work named Fen, which came out about two years ago. She gave the audience several tips on writing as a profession – for example be cautions writers to be patient with the process. She explained how it took her about ten years to actually get published and that each time she works on a piece, she has to take her time. She encouraged us to “read outside of your comfort zone and go outside of your interests,” – which I think is extremely solid advice when it comes to perfecting any craft really. She also encouraged us to show other people our writing so that new pairs of eyes could take a look and give necessary feedback – also solid advice.

Prompt:

“I had come back and it was just the way I left it” – or was it? I remember the trees hanging the way they are now, seemingly weighed down and depressed. I remember the air being this crisp and the sounds that echo around me here. I love this forest. I love the smell of the pine and the sound of the leaves crushing under my foot. I even love the competitive squawks the squirrels make back and forth, and hearing the borderline unsettling sounds made by random creatures in the background. Its all so refreshing; it centers me. This place makes me feel alive; it reminds me that I am whole. What I don’t remember is the trash all over the place, or what used to be a clear river being this faint yellow color. I hate what humans do to nature.

The second author that we heard from was Rebecca Schiff (whom I actually preferred, if we’re being totally honest). After her explaining what kind of work she did, I was all:

She read the audience a piece called “Little Girl,” during the meeting and it made me want to look into her as an author because I truly liked her piece that much! The excerpt was about a sexually liberated girl going through the motions and experiencing life in the way she saw fit; I liked it a lot because it isn't a narrative that we hear often in our society. I like things like that, that go against the norm and are a little taboo. I enjoyed her word choice but I also really liked the way she read the piece. She also gave us advice; she started off by stating that if what we are writing bores us, then it will definitely bore the reader - which I had never thought about before. Sometimes when I write, I get bored of what I am writing but that’s usually when I'm trying to convey important details to the reader/listener - ya know, the in between stuff. She continued on to say that we ought to embrace any awkwardness that we feel in our piece, and that that kind of material is usually what is best. Her biggest piece of advice was to keep trying no matter how much we fail, because the end result is rewarding.

All in all, I actually enjoyed the meeting a lot!

Toffees Podcast

Wrapping up Homecoming season one ...

Homecoming Ep. 5 & 6

Word Count: 489
This podcast seems to just get better and better, growing more and more interesting longer I listen to it. Episode five starts off with Heidi having a session with Walter. Only this time, things are different. He does not remember Lesky from his unit getting killed by the hit and run, he does not remember the Titanic Rising prank that he helped pull on Benji; he does not remember anything. He takes this to mean that he is healing from all of the trauma he has experienced, and that makes me feel sad because obviously that is not why. He even goes as far as to express his new viewpoint – that he has a lot of time in life and that he is young with his whole life ahead of him. I feel badly about the hope in his voice and it makes me mad at Heidi! For someone who claims to care so much, she sure is a good liar and a grand deceiver; Walter trusts her and has feelings for her and this is what she does?! Shaking my head; Can't trust anyone these days.  

The next scene, Heidi is on a date with a guy who sounds a lot like Colin. They are on a boardwalk and the sounds were perfect! They were so real in this scene that I actually had to take my earphones out when I was walking and look around because I thought that the muffled voice on the speaker was actually happening around me, and not in the podcast. In this scene we heard a variety of noises and sounds; we heard the muffled voice that I had mentioned, shoes, kids yelling, and the like. We learn in this scene that Heidi does not remember faces or names - which is proved with the fact that she doesn't even remember Colin's face or voice.  

Later in the episode we hear Heidi being triggered by the sound of the bird – which was a great touch in the script if you ask me. Next, in the following episode, we hear Heidi talking to the department of defense guy after he picks her up... this being after she runs into the highway. She is openly telling him what she does and doesn't remember, and he reveals that they have discovered her taped sessions between herself and Walter. I wonder why they haven't arrested her.  

The season finale ends with Colin reporting to his higher up, a very savage woman by the name of Temple, the situation concerning Heidi's memory. There's also a conversation between Heidi and Walter where they plan a fantasy trip – a road trip to Alaska where they pan for gold, catch fish, and ditch their car. This conversation made me kind of sad because you kind of know it will never happen. All in all, the first season was very interesting and I am extremely curious about what is in store.  

Homecoming Ep. 1-4

Word Count: 358

Homecoming 

In class we began listening to a podcast by the name of Homecoming – created by Gimlet Media and available to all via Soundcloud. As a home assignment, we were asked to listen to the following three episodes.. And might I say WOW. As an individual who usually does not listen to podcasts, I was not originally too thrilled to be forced to listen to anything, but this podcast certainly changed that for me. Now, I'm not saying that I am going to dive head first into every podcast that I come across, but I am certainly more open to the idea now that I have started this one. It is just that great, so far, that is.  

Homecoming was written in an exquisite manner; the dialogue was excellent and the sound effects were superb. Not only was the word choice picked out well, but the sounds selected were right on cue. Even the natural sounds that one might forget to include were there. Those aspects specifically are really important considering the fact the audience cannot see what exactly is going on. It makes the audience feel like they are there in that moment. Another thing that is really important are the voices themselves; not all voices ought to be recorded truthfully speaking. In addition to the actors themselves sounding good, they also act really well! They do a fantastic job of spacing out the words when needed, providing just the right amount of silence when needed, and things of the like.  

The plot itself is also really intriguing! It is full of detail, and the story line just pulls you in.  I asked myself so many questions both during and after listening to the podcast. Why doesn't Heidi remember working where she worked? Why doesn't she remember her ex – the when and hows of the breakup, or even how long they dated? Why is Colin such a douche-bag? What experiment is happening, exactly? What's going on with Walter and Heidi (whom I love as a couple very much, I might add)? Did they wipe Heidi's memory? I just hope that all of my questions are answered, and soon! 

A poem by one of my favorites! (As depressing as he may be...)

For this post, we have been asked to record a poem that we really like. I chose Annabel Lee by none other than the joyful Edgar Allen Poe! That can be found below:

https://soundcloud.com/kalyn-davis-4/annabel-lee-assignment

A funky secret

No class? Blue Mass!

Word Count: 469
The picture I selected for this assignment is Ryan McGinley's Jack (Blue Mass) 2009 - pictured below.

There was a mysterious body of water that the whole town knew about - the Blue Mass. It was located in a cave, not too far from town. The travel time was not too long, but my was the commute a confusing one. This was not the type of destination that was on any map or any GPS, that would be too easy. To get to the Blue Mass, you had to actually leave the small town and drive north. You spend some time driving north to get on to the nearest highway, but before you know it, you're on a narrow dirt road with too many twists and turns – all a part of the journey. You're on this road, and roads like it, for a little bit before you have to just park and walk the rest. Most people go during the day, since it will be dark in the cave anyway. But, they also go during the day because this is not the kind of trip you would want to take during the night; rumor has it, several people have gone missing trying to get to the Blue Mass. The entrance to the cave is not the most inviting; there are even man-made signs advising you to turn around and go home. To the truest of explorers, though, these signs are no threat. After about half a mile of navigating through the untamed, seemingly undisturbed environment, you finally reach said entrance.  

One day, during a typical Monday afternoon, a few kids from town decided to take this trip. Sammy, a skinny, 18 year old girl with extremely long blonde hair was the driver for that day's expedition. The second group member was Tony, her boyfriend of 2 years. He had dirty blonde hair and was only 17. Last, there was Vincent. Vincent was Sammy's younger cousin; he was only 11 and followed the couple wherever he could. He was short for his age, and did not really have any friends his own age.  

After doing all the driving and wondering, they finally arrived at the cave. After reading the signs, Vincent and Tony expressed worry and wanted to back out. Sammy would not let them; she pressured the two to follow her in. The further the three walked, the darker the inside of the cave got and the deeper the water too. When the water was too deep to continue without getting all the way in, Sammy told Vincent to strip naked and get in the water. He hesitated, but he knew Sammy would just keep asking and pushing had he refused. So he did it; he took off all his clothes and got in slowly as Sammy took out her camera.  

This picture was the only thing left of the three of them after that day.