There Are Teenagers In My Library!

So...um...this might be slightly obvious to you bookish and writerly peeps...but seriously, libraries are so cool! I mean, I knew this already. Libraries are full of books, and books are awesome, and therefore libraries are awesome. This is merely fact.

However.

Last week I got my very own, very first library card since I was a kid. It was like entering some kind of magical wonderland! Books, books, everywhere! People who love books! People who read books! People who love people who love and read books! I immediately gravitated toward the YA section and stood in wonder as I scanned the shelves. All my favorite authors were stocked. Books I've been wanting to read but haven't had a chance to buy yet were readily available. But now, I could read them for FREE. FOR FREE! Seriously? How is this amazingness even possible? (Yeah, tax dollars, I know. Shhhh.)

So, my new obsession is the library. I decided to indulge in this obsession last night, and so I packed up my laptop and my notebook, and headed to the most magical place on earth. (Sorry, Disney World--I still love you!) I sat at a table and opened my laptop, only to find the battery was dead because I forgot to charge it. Awesome. I was kind of in a bad mood until I heard something...

voices...

TEENAGE VOICES!

You guys, my library is full of teenagers!!! (Um, WOW that sounded creepy. *backs away slowly*)

But seriously. I was SO intrigued. I was in the perfect position to eavesdrop on real life teen conversation. This was RESEARCH, people. Research.

This is what I learned:

1. Some teenage boys are all about RULE BREAKING. There was one boy who INSISTED on using his cellphone even though the rules clearly stated that no cellphones shall be used in the library! But he was a rebel. He whispered into his cell phone, talking to "Chris" and telling "Chris" that he was with "Michelle" at the library. I think he might have said that he was with "Michelle" seven times. Which leads me to believe that

2. Some teenage boys are all about BRAGGING ABOUT GIRLS THEY ARE WITH. This boy clearly had a thing for Michelle. Or maybe Chris had a thing for Michelle and he wanted Chris to be jealous, perhaps elevating his social status? Who knows. All I know is that it was IMPORTANT that Chris know he was with Michelle.

3. Some teenagers LIKE TO PROCRASTINATE. They were supposed to be studying. Maybe they were even TRYING to study, but let me tell you...no studying happened. There was much joking, loud talking, illegal phone calls, and making of plans for after studying. At one point, Michelle even told the first boy (the one who called Chris), "I'm never studying with you again." Wise choice, Michelle, if you ever want to get any actual studying done.

4. Some teenagers are RISK-TAKERS. This is on a small scale, of course. I mean, how much risk is there in a library? But anyway, one boy was talking LOUDLY, and even using some choice expletives WITHIN EARSHOT of the librarian. Some teens shushed him, saying, "We're in a library!", but he continued until he finished his story. It was worth the risk.

5. Some teenagers are QUIET and STUDIOUS. Okay, this totally contradicts everything I just said, but there were other teenagers there that were not part of the group. They were alone. And they were quiet. They followed the rules. And they studied! Which leads me to believe that

6. Teenagers get more work done and follow more rules when they are ALONE, but seem to have more fun and take more risks when they are IN A GROUP. Astounding, no?

My conclusion is that teenagers are UNIQUE and INTERESTING and JUST LIKE US! But younger! Some are introverts, and some are extroverts! Some are loud and some are quiet! Some like to procrastinate and some like to study! And  yeah, some are more keen to breaking rules and taking risks. But that's why I like to write about them! That's WHY THEY ARE AWESOME! Aren't all good stories about taking risks?

Anyway, I'm sure there's much more to learn. I hope to make my library trips a weekly thing, and I really, REALLY hope there will be more teenagers that I can listen to. It's been eye-opening.

Also? Teenagers rock. I kind of want to make friends with them. Maybe that's the next step...slowly move my chair closer...laugh at someone's joke...gradually enter the conversation...suggest some BOOKS...

Or not. Would that be weird?

Non-Writerly Friends, A Conversation

Here is a paraphrase of an actual conversation I had with an actual Non-Writerly Friend.

Me: Yum, dinner was delish. So glad we were able to get together!

Non-Writerly Friend (NWF): Me, too! Wanna go get some coffee somewhere?

Me: *checks watch, sees that it's 9:30pm* Um, actually, I need to get home.

NWF: Why??

Me: Um. You know that book I told you about? The one I'm writing...?

NWF: Oh, yeah....

Me: Well, I need to write it.

NWF: *stares* What?

Me: Yeah, this is my only writing time.

NWF: Oh. *pause* Just skip it tonight.

Me: *laughs* I would, but I can't. I get kind of upset if I don't reach my daily goals.

NWF: (???)

Me: Um, like a To-Do list, sort of.

NWF: (???) Coffee?

Me: Sorry, next week?

NWF: I don't want to go home yet!

Me: Oh. Um...

NWF: (???)

Me: (!!!)

NWF: (???)

Me: (!!!)

NWF: *stares* *blinks* Fine, I guess I won't FORCE you...

Me: *laughs* Sorry, it's late anyway.

NWF: Not really. You used to stay out with me!

Me: Yeahhhh. I just...*struggles for words*

NWF: (???)

Me: ...like...to write...now. *checks watch* *feels anti-social*

NWF: Fine. *sighs* *stares*

Me: *stares* *smiles* Okay, well, goodnight!

NWF: *pouts* Goodnight.

*hug* *awkward wave*

/end convo

I adore my non-writerly friends to pieces, but sometimes...they just don't get it. :)

I love you, writerly friends!<333

Thursday Things

Some random things for this fine Thursday:

1. If winning $20 in Fandango Bucks to see The Hunger Games sounds like something you'd like (OF COURSE that's something you'd like!),  click here to go to Jessie Humphries's blog, because she's doing a giveaway :)

2. We are moving...again. HAHAHA...HAHA...ha... *collapses*
Seriously, we just moved in December. I'm taking this MaRcH MaDnEsS thing to a whole new level, apparently. Anyway, The Husband and I are going to be saying goodbye to Connecticut and hello to Long Island where we grew up! It will be a fun adventure, I'm sure. I just have no idea how I'm going to keep up with my writing goals while packing and then moving. I think the answer is lots of caffeine and little to no sleep, which sounds so appealing, doesn't it?

3. Speaking of MaRcH MaDnEsS, I totally made my week 1 goal of 7,500 words! Woo! This week...um...not yet. Not YET, I say, because even though things are crayzay at the moment and I'm totally behind on word count and it's basically the end of the week, I'm going to seriously try to catch up! For realz. I promise. :) (I'm suddenly reminded of some of you who can write thousands of words in one day. TEACH ME YOUR SECRETS!)

4. OMG YOU GUYS, DAMON The Vampire Diaries is back on tonight after a short hiatus that felt like an enternity!! I'm...slightly excited about it.

*I could rip your heart out with my Vamp brutality*
*Or maybe I'll confess my undying love for you*
*But probably, I'll just smolder*

5. I've been listening to this song constantly, non-stop, all the time since January. Why? Because it's the song that encompasses the mood of New Novel. And I'm still not sick of it! I love Florence so much! I have other songs in a playlist that I made for New Novel, and especially for when I'm writing in a different character's POV, but this song is still totally the theme song. :)


How are you guys doing with your monthly goal if you have one? Do you watch The Vampire Diaries? (TELL me you do! Seriously. If you don't, then you need to start, STAT.) Is there one song that seems like it's made for your novel?

Thursday Things

Ahoy! Three things for Thursday:

1. I am 17,000 words into New Novel. It's going smashingly for the most part, except that I had to delete a scene the other day. I hate deleting, because it feels like wasted work. I'm glad I caught it early though. 

2. Two words: Treasure Trolls. Ever since Jessica Naccari mentioned them I've been obsessing over getting some for my desk! Do you remember them? I got a whole play-set for my birthday once. Ugh, I wish I didn't throw it out! Wouldn't they be cute for a desk or office? Just a few. Not a whole army because that would be creepy.

3. Another obsession: Ghost Towns by Radical Face. Actually, I'm obsessed with the entire album. I've been listening to it non-stop all week. Listen to it, and then if you know what's good for you, listen to the whole album and buy it :)

Welcome, Chair!

My desk chair is ridiculously uncomfortable. I mean, if I'm only sitting in it for a little while then fine, it's not SO bad, but considering that I'm sitting in it for like 8 hours a day, it's pretty bad. The problem is that the cushioning is so worn that I'm literally sitting on a metal bar. And THAT, my friends, is not comfortable. I've been dealing with it, but it's been like this (this=hard metal bar under my butt) for like a year, and I only bought it a year and a half ago! Very. Annoying.

Last week I tried sitting on one of those big exercise balls instead of my uncomfortable chair. It was...interesting. There was nothing to lean back on, obviously, so I got to strengthen my 'core' by sitting upright the whole time. I also bounced, which was fun. But the thing is that I usually sit with my legs pulled up onto the chair. Like right now, my knees are bent and my feet are on the chair and this is my Optimal Comfort position. Sometimes I sit cross-legged, but that's only if I've been in the Optimal Comfort position for too long and it stops feeling Optimally Comfortable. But with the exercise ball? That was NOT POSSIBLE. I did, however, master the cross-legged position, but the only problem with that was every so often I would lose balance and start to roll backward, and then I'd have to cling onto the desk until I re-situated myself. It was a nice change of pace, but not something I would want to do everyday.

But ever since three hours ago...I have a new desk chair! And it is AWESOME! Like seriously, awesome. I mean, any new chair probably would have been great, but THIS new chair? It's like sitting on a cloud! It's so fluffy yet also supportive! Even the arm rests have padding! I'll be able to sit for longer! And I'll be comfortable the whole time! I'll be a word-producing machine! Really, I think it's going to help me work better. I have high hopes for this chair. And if the padding wears within months and I'm again sitting on a metal bar...I WILL PROBABLY FLIP THE HECK OUT I'll probably buy the same chair again anyway. Because THAT is how much I love it.

So I'd like to dedicate this blog post to my new chair. Welcome, chair. I hope you enjoy your time as my chair. I hope you do some chair-exercises at night while I sleep to keep yourself buff and fluffy. If you do good, I promise not to throw you out like I did with the chair-that-must-not-be-named. If you need anything, I'll be here 8 hours a day, so just let me know. Alright, chair, I'll see you tomorrow morning, so be ready for a full day's work! LOVE YOU!!

<3Amanda