Menu Close

Tag: me

miscellany

Tracey Dyck 26 Comments

There are a handful of knick-knacks I wanted to share with you that are too small to merit an entire post, and too random to be grafted into any other topic. So I’ve cobbled them together and now dump it on the table for your perusal.

Blog updates

I’ve been meaning to pretty up this little corner of the internet for a couple months now. Nothing massive, no huge overhaul. Just a few little odds and ends to make this place a bit more solid and a bit nicer to look at. I can’t say when I’ll get around to it (one thing in particular is a proper about me page, and a proper about me page needs a proper photo . . . so I’m waiting for an opportune time to snag the skills of a photographer friend), but it is coming. Just so you know.

Canadian winter

Some of you who read my Christmas tag mentioned snow (and how you hadn’t had any for five years or were jealous of the bit you could see through my window), and Emily in particular wanted to see what a Canadian winter looks like. So while this season still has us wrapped in its icy clutches, I thought I’d show you my backyard.

I accidentally left my flash on and look! I captured snowflakes!

Randomness (because I am acutely feeling the leanness of this post and want to throw some stuff at you)

-A few months ago, an online friend introduced me to a YouTube channel called Studio C, and now I am addicted. They have tons of clean comedy sketches, like this one. (Watch it, and there is no going back. If you spend an hour of your time clicking on video after video and laughing maniacally at your screen, I refuse to apologize.)

-This week, I suddenly remembered the movie Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, and now very badly want to watch it again.

-I am in the midst of reading an atrocious book. I can’t reach the final page fast enough. More later, in this month’s Subplots and Storylines.

-My brother is reading Hamlet for school, which led to him reading quotable lines to me, which led to us looking up Shakespeare quotes online, which led to a weird desire to pick up a Shakespeare play and . . . actually read it?

Posts I’m loving lately

There have been so many wonderful blog posts recently, so I’m spreading the love.

  • What if? – Annie lists some thought-provoking questions daring to ask, “What would life look like if I was brave?”
  • 7 Reasons Why Every Aspiring Writer Should Work in a Bookstore – Cassia makes me intrigued (and maybe jealous) about the valuable experience of working in a bookstore. I would love a job like that.
  • One Day at a Time – Sarah offers a great perspective on worrying less while still reaching for your goals.
  • //coffee and connections – Mirriam presents the staggeringly simple power of just connecting with people.
  • Dear You – Christine basically wrote a hug personified in her post reminding us of our beauty and worth.
  • Writing vs. Editing: The Different Mindsets – Tori compares the drafting to the gruelling process of editing, and explains how one must take a different approach to the different stages of writing.
  • The Nature of Goodness – Mary just started a blog! Eeep! In this post she writes about the goodness of God . . . how needed, and how very great, it is.

Stay tuned . . .

Because of today’s brevity, I aim to join a link-up this week, a rather new one that looks like scrumptious fun. (Figuratively scrumptious, I mean. Nothing to do with food. Everything to do with Words and Story, but some of us devour those very much the way we scarf down strawberry cheesecake, am I right?)

P.S. I apologize for the lateness-in-the-day of this post. I meant to have it up by mid-afternoon, and then my shift got extended. At least it’s still Saturday! Or it is in my part of the world, anyway.

Keep Reading

Suplots and Storylines – December (and 2015 summary)

Tracey Dyck 16 Comments

How is it the end of December already? I feel like I just wrote November’s S&S post.

This month opened with my brother’s birthday. He did not just become a legal adult. No, he did not. I refuse to believe it.

The store I work at was positively buzzing with activity this month, and I was shocked (though I shouldn’t have been) over how many people procrastinate with their Christmas shopping. Seriously, people. Christmas is on the same day every year. You know it’s coming. And you know your size 4XL father-in-law is hard to find clothes for. Yet you expect to find something in his size two days before the 25th?!

Speaking of work, early in the month we had a Pajama Day. A day on which I wore PJs. To work. It felt completely weird to leave the house in pajama pants instead of jeans, drive to work, and actually . . . work . . . dressed like that. Customers gave me odd looks until I explained the reason for my unprofessional attire (and, like a good employee, took the opportunity to talk up the PJ sales).

We babysat my cousin’s four children, ages 3-9 one evening. I adore those kids.

A stunningly beautiful piano/violin duet visited my church and played along during praise and worship, then performed a few carols on their own. Swoon.

I spent an evening with my mom, littlest sister, and aunt browsing a cutesy little shop in town, then having chai white hot chocolates together.

Christmas festivities sprinkled the entire month in good cheer, from decorating the tree, to two family gatherings (with another yet to come), to shopping for my parents’ stocking stuffers, wrapping gifts, listening to Christmas music, etc. I worked Christmas Eve, which meant that I got the following four days off! Hallelujah! It was so good to have a little break. To spend time with my family, no interruptions or calls or places to be. My homebody, hobbit-y side rejoiced.

As per request, I have a few pictures of our traditional Lego building on Boxing Day!



I realized later that we don’t look particularly happy here.
Forgive us. We’re all concentrating.



my “Battle of the Five Armies” set
(an eagle and Bard and Legolas and Azog and awesomeness!)



my “Attack on Lake-town” set
(yay Tauriel! and Bain!)

You know those minifigure series that come in individual packages, and you never know which one is inside? We’ve been finding those little packages tucked into our usual Christmas presents the past few years, hidden in sweater pockets, DVD cases, socks, etc. Below are some of my favorites this Christmas.



from left to right: a king, a fire wizard, a phantom thing, a stone
gargoyle, and a banshee

Since my dad was not featured in the first Lego picture (he was my photographer), here’s what he built last year. He hasn’t started this year’s set just yet . . . it’s rather large, and from the Technic series (meaning it’s complicated and intricate and not quite my cup of tea). He’ll build it later on, when he can have the whole kitchen table to himself. Anyway. As I said: last year’s epic build . . .


Metalbeard’s ship

December’s movies

Last month I only watched one; this month I saw four (plus TV episodes).

Maleficent (rewatch): I loooove this one! It had been a really long time since I’d first seen it, so watching it for the second time ’twas fun. I hold a deep dislike for Stefan, and a deep fondness for Diaval.

Rise of the Guardians (rewatch): Again, I hadn’t seen it in quite a while. Rewatching it reminded me why I love it so much. The characters are awesome, and the film itself helped put me in the Christmas spirit this year.

The Song: Starring Alan Powell of the band Anthem Lights! I watched this just with my parents, as it’s not a family-friendly flick. (I would recommend checking reviews like the one on Plugged In before watching.) The story is a modern day retelling of King Solomon, so as you can probably imagine, it’s not pleasant. The main character, Jed King (Powell), is not a likable man for much of the story. Perhaps that’s why I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as expected? As a cautionary tale, it’s great. But if you’re wanting a character to love and root for, side with his wife.

Ant-Man: I didn’t know what to expect going into it, but it was definitely a worthy addition to the Marvel library! The humor was great, the visual effects of Ant-Man’s shrinking were awesome, and the pacing was different from your typical superhero movie. I really enjoyed it.

Minions: While it offered some funny moments, this movie ultimately fell flat. Despicable Me (1 and 2) were much better.

7 episodes of Once Upon a Time, season 2: Guess what entered the house on Christmas day? Once Upon a Time seasons 2-4! So of course my sisters and I dove right into it. You need only know this: Hook is awesome. Mulan is awesome. Everyone is awesome. And I have already flailed and shrieked and analyzed the storylines more than my sisters think is necessary.

December’s books

You’ve already seen the list in my Books of 2015 post, but here are some brief thoughts.

The Choosing – Rachelle Dekker

I tried not to compare her to her dad, Ted Dekker, but I needn’t have worried. This gal can hold her own in the realm of storytelling. The intensity and deep nature of her themes are like a feminine slant of her father’s, yet the dystopian flavor is very much her own. Carrington is a relatable main character, and Remko–a CityWatch guard with an endearing stutter–is just AMAZING. Can’t forget about Aaron. He was one of the best Jesus figures I’ve read about.
Rachelle used a lot of sensory ‘showing’ phrases (she saw, she heard, she felt, etc.), which rubbed me the wrong way a little bit. But the characters were special enough that I really enjoyed this book, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series!



A.D. 30 – Ted Dekker

One Dekker book after another! This one took me a while to get through, which is little fault of the book itself. I was simply busy at the time. It is a meatier, somewhat slower, read; involving political subplots and historical depth. The story follows Maviah, a Bedu woman born into the most dishonorable circumstances, as she sets out to save her people . . . and meets Yeshua along the way. Some powerful scenes in this novel, that’s for sure.


Angels Walking – Karen Kingsbury

So I’m technically not quite done yet, and probably won’t be before midnight either. (Nevertheless, I’m cheating by counting it a December 2015 read.) Anyway, it fulfills all the usual Kingsbury requirements: touching messages, heartwarming character arcs, and an easy, faith-filled, feel-good aspect. The story involves a supernatural element–angels are sent to earth to aid the characters. It’s not 100% accurate in that regard (but then, how should I know?), but the human side of the drama gets a lot more page-time and is definitely engaging.


Life Is ___ – Judah Smith

Again, I’m a chapter away from finishing, but this one I plan to complete tonight. Judah Smith has such a great voice. Humorous, simple, engaging. It’s like reading a book-length blog post, or chatting in the living room over coffee. The book is divided into four parts. Life is: to be loved and to love; to trust God in every moment; to be at peace with God and yourself; and to enjoy God. I found those reminders to be rather timely.

December’s writing

Due to the social nature of the Christmas season, I didn’t accomplish much in the writing department. Most of what I did do was in the first half of the month, too, so I feel like I’ve done very little writing lately. (January, I have high hopes for you!)

  • Read over The Brightest Thread one last time, and sent it off to the judges on December 7th! Now we wait . . .
  • Read over and edited five chapters of book 1. I was able to cross off one or two things on my editing list. And a discussion with my brother relieved my mind over a really Big Thing further down that list, leaving me feeling a lot better about the whole matter.
  • Spontaneously decided to line edit for a friend whose story I was beta reading. I thought I was crazy to even volunteer during such a busy month, but it actually didn’t take long at all, and I had so much fun doing it!

Well, that was December! It was an overflowing sort of month, as one day spilled into the next, and as life plunged headlong toward Christmas . . . and then kind of sat back, sighed happily, and continued on as normal.

As for 2015 in general?

I went from unemployed to working a temporary job at a jewelry store for a month, to unemployed again (oh, the dreaded job hunt), to working part-time at a clothing retailer. I’ve been there eight months now, two and a half of which were full-time. I started out coming home exhausted after each shift, tired of people in general. Since then, my capacity has grown so much, and talking to strangers on a regular basis is becoming much more natural.

I cleaned up a number of editing issues in book 1, including a stylistic edit. I engaged in ‘masterminding’ for the series’ storyworld and fleshed out a number of previously vague elements. I started this blog and discovered how much I love it. I read over the horrid old draft of book 2 and laughed at my younger self, then proceeded to outline the new and improved book 2. Progress on this series halted when the Five Magic Spindles contest was announced. This led to the writing of The Brightest Thread . . . and the subsequent squishing down of a 30,000 word novella into a 20,000 word novella. I assisted my brother in editing his entry, edited book 1 some more, and then concluded my year of writing with the aforementioned line edit for a friend.

Far more important than the writing and the working, though, are the signs of growth I’ve seen in myself. Painful growth, but important. And all of it is still very much a work in progress. I feel as if I’ve made few forward strides–but at least the truth is working roots into my heart. Truth about my identity, and how it’s not linked to my performance. Truth about God’s faithfulness. Truth about the unpraised glory of the little moments of life and the importance of sandpaper days.

The tension between my dreams and my reality has perhaps never been stronger. But this season of life is a training ground. A chapter of preparation for, I believe, great things. 2016, no matter what you hold, I’m deciding that you’re going to be the best year yet.

Now that I’ve blabbed on about myself, tell me something about your year!

Keep Reading

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year – a Christmasy tag

Tracey Dyck 19 Comments

Deborah O’Carroll from The Road of a Writer is spreading Christmas cheer by doling out this Christmasy Tag. Thanks, Deb! This is a nice excuse to chat about seasonal wonderfulness.

Rules
Post the picture on your blog. (Neither Deb nor I have any clue what picture this means.)
Answer the questions.
Tag up to 12 bloggers.
Make up 10 questions for other bloggers.

What is your favourite Christmas treat?
Gingersnaps and mandarin oranges and chocolate everything and nuts and eggnog and peppermint and (gasp) have you ever tried a chai white hot chocolate? You must.

Are there any special traditions that your family has to celebrate Christmas?
Yes.

How do you normally celebrate Christmas?
This is very much like the above question, which is why I’m properly answering here. On Christmas morning, my mom makes apple scones. We put a candle in each one and sing happy birthday to Jesus (a tradition we’ve been doing since I was a wee child). Then we take our long, leisurely time unwrapping gifts, all of which is videotaped for posterity. On Boxing Day, we often spend the afternoon building Lego, since all six of us receive sets for Christmas. (Yes, even my parents!)

Do you enjoy getting presents for your friends and family? Do you buy your gifts or go the homemade route?
Of course I do! Some people are harder to shop for than others, but ultimately I love picking out thoughtful gifts. I usually go the store-bought route, because I don’t consider my crafting skills to be . . . er, skilled enough to produce good presents.

Is it cold where you live? Have you ever had a white Christmas?

This sort of question I find endlessly amusing. Because yes, it is cold where I live (though it’s been unseasonably mild up until this week, during which eight inches of snow fell on us). I’ve never not had a white Christmas!

What’s on your Christmas list this year?
BOOKS. As always. Also boring, practical, un-Christmasy things like black socks and a back-up hard drive for my laptop. Music and movies are always on the list, too.

What’s your favourite Christmas song?
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel is probably my top favorite carol. A modern song that I fell in love with is Hillsong’s We Have a Savior. Michael W. Smith’s It’s a Wonderful Christmas is a beautiful orchestral album, and I also love Chris Tomlin’s Glory in the Highest album. (And I’ll admit that the Oakridge Boys’ Christmas Carol gets me singing every year.)

What is your favourite Christmas memory?
I have too many to recount! As Deborah said in her post, they all kind of blend together. I suppose all my favorite memories revolve around family.

What does your Christmas tree look like?

My parents give my siblings and me a new ornament every year. As you can see, the collection has grown. It kind of looks like a Christmas toy shop exploded on our tree.






What are you reading in December? (Anything festive?)
Currently A.D. 30 by Ted Dekker. It’s not exactly festive, but . . . it does occur during Jesus’ life on Earth. Does that count?

Are you an organised little elf or are you still shopping/preparing on Christmas Eve?
I am a semi-organized little elf who let the mild weather trick her into thinking Christmas was a long way off. Then the snow came, and the calendar shrieked at me in panic. (Okay, it hasn’t been all that bad. I just have a couple odds and ends to finish up.)

How early do you start to get into the Christmas spirit?
December 1st. No earlier. Usually no later. The tree goes up in the first week of December, and out comes the holiday music. I myself didn’t really ‘feel’ Christmasy for the first week or two. But now I feel like a child again, absolutely giddy with anticipation.

Do you make any Christmas crafts? Decorations? Send physical Christmas cards?
Depends on the year. As I said earlier, my crafting skills are not quite prepared for much gift-creating. Though if I took the time (and money to purchase supplies), I think I’d have fun with it.

What’s the menu for Christmas Day?!
Apple scones for breakfast, which I already mentioned. Lunch is late and consists of all manner of snacks. Supper this year will be at my grandma’s. Who knows what scrumptiousness she’ll conjure?

What makes it FEEL like Christmas for you? (Weather, specific tradition, food, smell, person, etc.?)
I definitely had a hard time getting into the Christmas mood before the snow hit, shallow as that sounds. Decorating the tree, singing carols at church, driving around town and seeing all the beautiful lights . . . I don’t know, it’s a combination of a lot of things. Mostly it’s the cozy feeling of family, nestled in the warm living room on Christmas Day, laughing and enjoying each other while pristine snow blankets the world outside.

Do you have relatives coming? Excited? Nervous?
For Christmas itself, no, nobody’s coming. After Christmas, yes. The family continues to expand as cousins grow up and get married, so lassoing everyone into the same spot for Christmas is no longer simple. I’m excited about getting time off to spend with family.

What famous Christmas character do you most identify with? (Scrooge, Elf, Tiny Tim, the Grinch, Santa, etc.)
Um . . . none of them?

If you were to start a new Christmas tradition, what would it be?

Goodness. Way to put me on the spot here. I love the traditions my family currently has, and can’t think of anything more to add!

What Christmas movies do you like to watch this time of year or what’s your favorite?

Unlike some people, there’s no set movie that comes out every single year. It could be Rise of the Guardians, a Christmas-related VeggieTales movie, Miracle on 34th Street, or any new film we find under the tree.

Look, Jack Frost left his signature on my front window last year!

What’s your favorite Christmasy book or book with a favorite Christmasy part?
I love, love, LOVE Max Lucado’s The Crippled Lamb. It’s a touching story about an outcast lamb who ends up getting to keep baby Jesus’ warm.

I tag . . .
Cassia @ Dimensions of My Universe
Sarah @ Ink and Paper Tall Ship
Emily @ Ink, Inc.
Jack @ However Improbable
Amy @ Little Moon Elephant
And whoever wants to add a little Christmas fun to their blog! Go on. You know you want to snag it.

Questions to use (because I haven’t the time to create new ones today):

  • What is your favourite Christmas treat?
  • Are there any special traditions that your family has to celebrate Christmas?
  • How do you normally celebrate Christmas?
  • Do you enjoy getting presents for your friends and family? Do you buy your gifts or go the homemade route?
  • Is it cold where you live? Have you ever had a white Christmas?
  • What’s on your Christmas list this year?
  • What’s your favourite Christmas song?
  • What is your favourite Christmas memory?
  • What does your Christmas Tree look like?
  • What are you reading in December? (Anything festive?)
  • Are you an organised little elf or are you still shopping/preparing on Christmas Eve?
  • How early do you start to get into the Christmas spirit?
  • Do you make any Christmas crafts? Decorations? Send physical Christmas cards?
  • What’s the menu for Christmas Day?!
  • What makes it FEEL like Christmas for you? (Weather, specific tradition, food, smell, person, etc.?)
  • Do you have relatives coming? Excited? Nervous?
  • What famous Christmas character do you most identify with? (Scrooge, Elf, Tiny Tim, the Grinch, Santa, etc.)
  • If you were to start a new Christmas tradition, what would it be?
  • What Christmas movies do you like to watch this time of year or what’s your favorite?
  • What’s your favorite Christmasy book or book with a favorite Christmasy part?

    • Keep Reading

    Writing Strengths + Weaknesses

    Tracey Dyck 28 Comments

    In which I let you in on my secret (or not-so-secret) flaws and my maybe-possibly strengths.

    I’ve seen other bloggers post on this subject in the past, and it’s been fascinating to see their self-assessments, to see where other writers excel and where they recognize their weak points. So I thought I’d do it myself, partially as an exercise in honesty and partially to see what I come up with.

    *cracks knuckles*

    (But not really, because I never crack my knuckles.)

    Disclaimer: These strengths are not always strengths; likewise, the weaknesses are not 100% weaknesses either. These are tendencies, broken by the occasional anomaly. Continue.

    Strengths

    Pacing
    I’ve been told since my early novel-writing days that I know how to pace a story. This mystifies me somewhat, because at that point I hadn’t really studied the craft. But I did inhale stacks of books. Perhaps that’s one of the best ways to learn. Anyway, I suppose I’m good at moving the story along and spending an appropriate amount of time on things. (Gosh, you guys, I feel like I’m bragging. That’s why I’m getting the strengths out of the way first.)

    Worldbuilding
    This used to be a big weakness! My WIP series started out as a generic fantasy world: medieval England-type setting populated by humans, a handful of stock fantasy creatures, and a cut-out king. Nothing was fleshed out or truly lived in. I hadn’t a clue about currency, worldview, religion, society roles, neighboring kingdoms, geography, or even the physics of things. It’s still that—still a medieval England-ish place and whatnot, but over the years I’ve come to recognize some of the flaws, and have slowly shaded in the details. People comment on my worldbuilding, so I suppose it’s working?

    Prose
    Again, this was previously a weakness. Actually, it was pretty much nonexistent in my first drafts. Perhaps it was my dabbling in poetry, or simply becoming more aware of the little things, or just absorbing the artful words of others . . . But now creating vivid descriptions is one of my favorite things. I love metaphors. I love personification. Ascribing unusual qualities to things makes my writer self shiver with delight, such as when a sound is described by color. (This is one reason why I adore the Auralia books by Jeffrey Overstreet.)

    Emotion
    I feel deeply. I’ve been known to exaggerate situations in my own mind, and then feel silly when I put it on paper or say it aloud, because huh. It wasn’t so big after all. I also empathize with others. So putting those emotions into characters is really fulfilling. I have not been to the very depths of despair, but I’ve experienced sorrow of a kind, so I amplify it for that character in her darkest moment. I have never felt murderous inclinations, but I put my moments of hatred into the mind of a villain.

    Weaknesses

    Pacing
    Yes, I did just list that as a strength, but it’s also a weakness. Because sometimes my love of emotion and prose and worldbuilding bog down my pacing! Case in point: The Brightest Thread, in which I ran ten thousand words too long. I’ve always struggled to write anything short. When given short story assignments in school, the silly things would unspool into grandiose plots. And when I edited book 1, it jumped from 68,000 words to 131,000. Conciseness and I are not the best of friends.

    Character motivation
    So this is mildly embarrassing. I have found myself on numerous occasions typing happily along, sending characters on their merry way to death and destruction, only to be struck by a disturbing thought. “Why are they even doing this?” I seem to be a plot-driven writer, and so it takes conscious thought to beef up the character side of things. After all, what’s a story without characters? And nobody wants to read about a prince who goes gallivanting off to save the princess for absolutely no reason, or a villain who wants to rule the world simply because that’s what villains do. I think I’m growing in this area, but I still need to make sure those characters have minds and motives of their own, rather than plodding along from plot point to plot point.

    Fight scenes
    I write high fantasy a lot. Battles are inevitable. But I have never wielded a sword in my life, nor directed an army. So keeping the fights believable isn’t easy. The actions can start sounding repetitive. The movements of armies can become robotic and illogical. And tactics! Yikes, I need to work on those! (John Flanagan’s Ranger’s Apprentice series does so well in that area.) Instead of just “FIIIIIIIGHT!!!” I’d like to have moves and countermoves, brilliant schemes and even brilliant-er foils. Have I mastered that yet? Well, I’m . . . getting there.

    Speed
    In the tortoise and the hare fable, I am the tortoise. (Hey, does that mean I’ll win?) While others pump out thousands of words a day, sometimes a whole book in a month or a week (Cait, here’s looking at you!) I have been grooming one book—and its half-finished sequels—for oh . . . about seven or eight years now. Yep. Haven’t moved on. Oh, I’ve worked on other projects in between, such as my Rooglewood retellings, but by and large my focus has been on this one thing. And it’s taking forever. I hope that once my dream of fulltime writing is realized, I’ll discover that I’m really the Flash of writing, otherwise a whole generation of readers might pass before a sequel ever comes out.

    There you have it, folks. Some of my strong points and some of the areas in which I need to grow. Now I’m curious—what are your strengths and weaknesses in writing? Do we share any? Have any of your weaknesses developed into strengths (hopefully never vice versa)? Share in the comments!

    Keep Reading