The Adult Who Reads Comic Books

I am a grown adult, and I like to read comic books.  Well, to sound less conspicuous, I might call them 'graphic novels.'  I especially enjoy manga, which are Japanese graphic novels.  In fact, my favorite book series of all time is a manga called "Fruits Basket."  I have collected all twenty-three volumes and cherish them with all my heart.

But wait, aren't comic books just for kids?  Am I implying that I enjoy books that are below my reading level?  Have I failed to mature my literacy, and recognize the imminent importance of reading "Le Adult Literature?"  I should be spending my time studying books that are worthwhile, like "The Canterbury Tales" and "Moby Dick."  Then I can show off my literacy knowledge to my peers.

The truth is, I have read and enjoyed many classic literature, including "The Canterbury Tales."  I recently finished rereading "The Secret Garden," and I'm currently reading "Heidi."  However, my favorite kind of literature is still comic books, and there are several reasons why.

1. As a right-brainer, I am very visual.  I can imagine my own images when I read text-only books, but I especially connect with comics because of their picture-based story telling.  In "Fruits Basket," the author tells the story through amazing imagery sequences that often don't need dialogue at all.  I can just feel the emotions of the characters through the image without any words whatsoever.  After all, a picture is worth a thousand words.  Like this beautiful piece by dandonfuga on Deviantart.  Nothing is said; there isn't even an explanation of what's going on, but I can just feel the emotions from this beautiful image.
2. My sense of humor is revolved around visuals, too.  There are just some funny things that cannot be expressed except through images, especially things that have no dialogue.  For example, here is a short comic from one of my favorite comic series on the Internet, Lackadaisy by tracyjb (the last panel just cracks me up!)

The last (and perhaps most important) reason I like reading comics is because they are (usually) kid friendly.  I am an adult, but that doesn't mean I have to read books that have adult content, and I'm not just talking about sex scenes.  When books are 'realistic,' that usually translates to being 'depressing.'  Cheating/abusive spouses/parents, death and illness, commentary of human suffering...  I would rather indulge in comic books that, more often than not, are based on fantastical plots, whether it's cat gangsters or kids with wings.  Comics just make me feel happy, and there is no reason why they shouldn't be considered liable reading material.  It's just another style of it, and one that I enjoy to this day.

Amazon's Kindle Fire - A Review and a Story

My wonderful husband bought me a Kindle Fire for a (v-e-r-y) early birthday present.  I feel so modern!  And a little surprised, because there was a time that I was against tablets in general.  I'm technically young, but I find myself having a lot of "when I was a kid" moments.  My family was not technology up-to-date, so we got Internet, cellphones, and video games later than other people we knew.  Heck, I played the majority of my Game Boy games in good old fashioned black and white.  I never felt the pressure or desire to have the latest and greatest, which I have carried throughout my life.

So it's no surprise that I was leery when reading tablets first started coming out.  Books have been around for thousands of years.  Our society is built on books.  Instruction manuals, cookbooks, fiction, textbooks, photo albums, magazines, journals, picture books galore.  Libraries let you borrow then for free, and people are always giving them away.  They are easy to collect and easy to personalize with highlighters and notes.  I loved and took pride in the books I personally saved money for and bought.  Nothing is more satisfying than a bookshelf packed with lovely books.

Therefore, when I learned about electronic books that lacked all physical form, that threatened to change the way mankind interacted with and collected books, I was kind of like this...

I can be very stubborn when I want to be (just ask my mom and husband).  With time, however, reading tablets became more advanced, more user friendly, and (most importantly) more affordable.  More of my friends got tablets so I could (cautiously) observe how they worked from a distance.  Finally, I outright looked it up and research it.  I eventually learned enough to make me consider even (*le gasp*) buying one. 

Well, I'm glad I made that decision.  :)  The Kindle Fire was a very good purchase, and has many benefits.  First, I'll cover the basics:

• It has a super-responsive touch screen.  My iPod Shuffle's touch screen can be a little hard to manage, and Barnes and Noble's Nook can be downright frustrating, but Kindle Fire has been a real pleasure to use.  The screen is easy to clean, too.
• The battery life has been reliable, even with almost constant use. 
• The graphics are lovely and it's SO user friendly, which is a really big deal for a personal electronic like this.
• You can't beat Amazon's variety in books.  There are tons on free stuff (including many classics like Pride and Prejudice and Heidi) and lots of books under $3.
• I can upload PDF files and Word Documents.  I made a homemade comic book this way by pasting a bunch of online comic pages on a Word Document and sending it to my Kindle.

There are many more great things about the Kindle Fire, but the most important thing is that it changed my perspective on reading tablets and ebooks.  First of all, I literally have a library that can fit in my purse.  I can take a moment, anywhere and anytime, to access my books.  I often have anxiety on the job, so having access to "Shift Happens" is crucial to maintaining a optimistic day.  I can read a quick chapter during my break and feel worlds better.  I have also downloaded the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, and General Conference talks so I can also have small spiritual moments, too.  Of course, I also have access to pleasure reading.  I can actually read a book instead of grabbing whatever is nearby to read (i.e. a cereal box, coupons, magazines I don't care about, etc.).

Not only is the Kindle Fire a convenient way to carry books around with me, it also prevents my home from being overrun with books.  Just like I mentioned earlier, the sight of a crammed bookshelf makes me happy, but there must be moderation in all things.  My mom has over 15 bookshelves in various rooms throughout her house, and she still doesn't have enough room for all her books!  That being said, I am a firm believer in exposing children to real, physical, honest picture books.  So when my kids are young, I am bringing them over to my mom's house and letting them have fun with her massive library.  For me, however, I have embraced electronic books and all the benefits I get from them.

If you have specific questions about how the Kindle Fire works or my opinion on certain facets of it, please leave a comment.  :)

Books I'm Reading Right Now On Kindle Fire:

 

Whenever I read Holden's short and easy-to-read chapters,

my anxiety just melts away.  It's the best self-help book I have ever read

because it doesn't make me feel guilty!

As a fiction writer, I have learned so much from this book series,

and I love Orson Scott Card's contribution.  He doesn't tell you

how to write; he tells you how to discover how you write.

My mom read this to me and my brothers when I was little,

and I have many fond memories of it, so I want to rediscover a classic's charms.

This book was absolutely free.

Oh, and I'm playing the Fruit Ninja app, too.  :]

I Have PMS *whaaaaaaa!*

Every woman (and every man, hopefully) knows what PMS is. It stands for Premenstrual syndrome, and women refer to it before, during, and sometimes after their menstrual cycle. There are a list of physical symptoms that accompany PMS: fatigue, bloating, cramps, food cravings, etc. However, it's the emotional symptoms that women (and men) are most aware of: irritability, tension, mood swings, etc.

For someone with anxiety like myself, I notice a significant increase in negative emotions such as anxiety, depression, fear, sorrow, and bitterness. It took me a surprisingly long time to realize that my anxiety increased during my menstrual cycle. One week I would be doing great and feeling good, and the next I was a train wreck. I would revert back to what I call "The Dark Days" of anxiety which, trust me, are NOT good. I would lament, "Why aren't my strategies working anymore?" and "I don't even know why I am feeling so bad. I'm losing my mind!" I would freak out, call my psychologist, and set up an appointment to change my medicine because it obviously wasn't working anymore. By the time my appointment actually came, however, I was back to feeling fine. "Oh, I guess my medicine is still working," I would say with a shrug. "I must have had a bad week." And I did. It was called my period!

Thanks to medicine, cognitive therapy and my religion, I have a pretty good handle on my anxiety. But anxiety, just like my body, has its natural cycles. It's impossible to feel good 100% of the time. If my body goes through PMS once a month, so does my mind. But that doesn't mean that I've failed to control anxiety or I need more medicine. It's just something that I have to ride through. Menstrual cycles only last about a week for me (thank goodness!) so I can fall back into a good rhythm. If there's one thing I've learned about anxiety, it's this:

Living with anxiety is not about keeping a perfect track record.

It's about knowing how to rebound once you've gotten off track.

Do you suffer from anxiety, depression, or other mental health during your menstrual cycle? You are not alone! Being a woman is awesome, but let's face it, there's once a month in which being a woman really sucks.

Oooooo...The Pressure!

I loved being homeschooled. I was taught to love learning, develop my passions, and seek understanding from the world around me. The downside, however, is the pressure to be exceptional. There are many homeschoolers who have accomplished great things. Some graduate Harvard, and some start businesses in their twenties. This is cool, and I'm happy for them, but not every homeschooler can be exceptional like that. So what happens when a homeschooler is only, well, average?

I have been approached by well-meaning people who were interested in my homeschooling experience. A conversation from one of these people might have gone like this:

Inquisitor: "So what are you doing now that you have 'graduated' homeschool?"
Me: "I went to college for a year, and then got married."
Inquisitor: "Oh, how nice! Do you plan on going back to school?"
Me: "I don't think so. My true passion is writing books, so that's what I'm going to pursue right now, and I don't need a college degree for that."
Inquisitor: "Okay. Have you published yet?"
Me: "Not yet. I have been working on a book for several years, but editing is slow."
Inquisitor: "So what are you doing now?"
Me: "Well, working full-time, and stuff."
Inquisitor: "Uh-huh."

Maybe I'm just overreacting, but I can't help but wonder what the Inquisitor might have thought after this conversation. Was I the product of homeschooling that she had been expecting? After all, she's taking a leap of faith in pulling her own kids out of school and homeschooling them. But what she witnessed was not a phenomenal human being who has changed the world with her talents and accomplishments. Shouldn't your average homeschooler play mozart at six years old, write bestsellers in their teens, or create stunning, museum-worthy artwork? If they don't, then what was the point of taking them out of school? If giving a child the freedom and opportunity to develop their talents doesn't make them exceptional, then what will? Oh, that's right. SCHOOL. The children might be unhappy, but at least good, old-fashioned discipline and threat of punishment gets results fairly consistently.

Hmm...so unless I look like this:



















WOO! Look at the great stuff
I'm doing! I'm AWESOME cause
I was homeschooled!







I must look like this...


















Um, I'm still working on
getting somewhere... Cause,
you know, homeschooling
failed to make me AWESOME.




So the question that must be explored here is...why are we homeschooling our children? So that they can develop super awesome talents that will make them rich and famous? So they can accomplish great things and be lauded by the world? So their parents can feel all warm and fuzzy because they created a phenomenal child?

Or...because we love to learn, and love what we do, no matter how small or insignificant it might seem to the world?



















If a woman worked at a small laundry business all of her life, would her parents be ashamed? Would she be considered a nobody by the world? But what if the woman LOVED to do laundry? What if homeschooling led her to discover this passion, and then helped her find work that she enjoyed? What if she was happy to do laundry for the rest of her life? Did she fail, or did she succeed?

What if I never manage to publish a book? Now, that's not saying that I won't try, or that's not what I desire to do. But what if I don't? What if my stories are only enjoyed by me, my family, and a few close friends? Would I have failed? Or would I be a success? Well, if I wrote to the very best of my ability, and it brought me joy throughout my life, then I would consider it a success (with lots of therapy). But see! Even I have a worldly perspective of success and failure that I need to work through! Everyone does. And no matter what kind of life I will lead, I will choose to follow my passion and purpose without needing to compare my accomplishments with the rest of the world. And, in so doing, I hope to be happy. :) What is your perception of success and failure? Please feel free to share your thoughts!

Minecraft - A Game For All Players

Minecraft. It's a word that's becoming more and more common in the English language, like a secret code that only a few understand. There are usually other words associated with this word, such as Creeper, Diamond Pickaxe, and "heck yeah, I love that game!" I anticipate this review will be lengthy, so I may divide it into several posts. This post, however, focuses on the player diversity of Minecraft. No matter what kind of game you prefer to play, Minecraft will probably accommodate you.

First, a few facts. Minecraft is a computer game developed by Mojang. It can only be purchased online from the official Minecraft website: http://www.minecraft.net/ In a nutshell, Minecraft is a world made up entirely of cubes. You can explore, manipulate, and build whatever you want. It's hard to do the game justice by mere words, so check out the trailer below for a better idea of what Minecraft is all about...



I will warn you right up front: Minecraft can be extremely addicting. No video or computer game is inherently bad. Even though Minecraft, like World of Warcraft and Farmville, has a reputation for wasting people's lives, it doesn't have to be that way with a little self-discipline. And that's for the individual to figure out for themselves. As for me, I LOVE Minecraft! And a lot of other people would agree with me. What makes Minecraft such a sensation? I believe it's because Minecraft's diversity accommodates a variety of different player preferences, such as:

1. The Builder: Minecraft has endless possibilities for a builder personality. Buildings, dungeons, statues, mazes... You name it, you can build it. I don't quite have the eye to build stuff, but here are some images of amazing structures that other people have built:






This is a log cabin created by the Minecraft forum user Baxter
(click here for more pics)















This is the inside of the same log cabin. I want to live there!













People have also created jaw-dropping statues. This Mario was created by Leefield
(for more of his Minecraft work, click here.)






2. The Explorer: Minecraft is the world that never ends...literally! Mountains, valleys, deserts, jungles, swamps, caves, oceans, forests, glaciers, ravines. Each world you create is uniquely generated, so no two worlds are ever the same. And what big worlds they are! Maps, compasses, and landmarks are necessary to explore it all. And even then, there is a labyrinth of tunnels, caverns, lava pits, dungeons, mines, and strongholds beneath your feet. And if that wasn't enough, the world actually generates new land whenever you reach the edge of the map.











3. The Treasure Hunter: finding and gathering materials and treasure is a big part of Minecraft. There is a practical side to treasure hunting. Much-needed food can be foraged, plants can be acquired, and simple building materials like lumber, stone, dirt, and sand is necessary for making a shelter. But the real joy is in hunting for REAL treasure: gold, redstone, and precious diamond. These can only be found deep underground where monsters roam and twisty paths can get even the most die-hard explorers lost. And if you're lucky, you will stumble upon dungeons where you can find treasure chests with rare items within.




A scary cave deep underground. Prime treasure-hunting!










4. Monster Slayer: Minecraft has several modes. Creative mode, for example, is for those who just want to build with an unlimited supply of materials right at their finger tips. Most people, however, play in Survival mode. This includes a variety of monsters that come out at night or linger in dark caves. These monsters are no push-overs, and when dealing with them in large numbers or with inadequate armor and weapons, they can be deadly. Players must rush to get a crude shelter built before night falls or become monster chow. Also, anyone wishing to hunt for treasure deep underground will have dangerous creatures to contend with. A few of the monsters include zombies, skeletons, and giant spiders. The most famous of these monsters, however, goes to the Creeper.


These strange, green monsters sneak up on unsuspecting players and...BLOW UP! Not only does this inflict terrible damage to the player, but any nearby blocks are blown to bits. This is especially frustrating when you are trying to build something. I've had a Creeper blow up an entire house and everything in it. It's a tragedy only Minecraft fans can truly understand.




5. Nest Builders: I admit, I fall under this category. As much as I like adventuring, there's nothing more satisfying to me than creating a safe, beautiful home to live in. I'm not a great builder, but I craft my homes with love. Lanterns light the halls, rugs lay on the floor, flowers border the glass windows, paintings line the walls, and all of my belongings are organized neatly in labeled chests. Outside, I have a garden. Wheat, watermelon, pumpkins, sugar cane, and cactus grow there. I also raise sheep, cows, chickens, and pigs. I find a lot of joy in tending my little world. Perhaps that's why the dishes are piling up in my real kitchen... I'm joking!



A lovely room created by Leangreen (blog link)



















A lovely farm of golden wheat.









In conclusion, Minecraft is a simple but diverse game that is sure to please many different kind of players, young or old, experienced or newbie. Don't be afraid to check it out. Who knows, maybe you'll catch the Minecraft fever, too. If you already play the game, leave a comment describing which kind of Minecraft player you are. Questions are welcomed, too!

Coming soon: "Minecraft - How to Survive the First Day," a video post for new players. Also, I might write a parenting guide to Minecraft that gives a player's perspective on why the game is so addicting, why right-brainers especially are drawn to it, and why the game - when played in moderation - is good for the heart and soul.

A Little Nature In My Home

I often go on random errands with my mom, and one day, I found myself at the Boy Scout store. This particular store was large and expansive, and very impressive. They had everything from an Native American roach kit to handmade, leather belts to sporks. I was drawn to the book section and one book kind of jumped out at me from the shelf. "The Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder" by Richard Louv. I was intrigued. I liked nature, but what was this nature-deficit disorder? Surely a homeschooler like me wouldn't have that, right? I flipped through the pages and skimmed the chapters, and was immediately hooked. I needed the information in this book!
In a nutshell, nature-deficit disorder is a fancy way of saying that a person has become too disconnected from nature. Even a nature lover like myself spends way too much time inside the house in front of a electronic screen (like blogging, oh no!) But Louv is not anti-technology. On the contrary, he recognizes and approves of the amazing advancements human society has made. The Internet is awesome, cellphones are essential, and blogging is a great way to share ideas with hundreds of people. In his book, Louv teaches that technology should not be replaced with nature interaction, but that there should be a healthy balance. The more technology that's in my life, the more nature interaction there should be, too. Louv does a great job citing dozens of scientific studies and theories that support the benefits of nature in the human life. I prefer personal experiences and stories myself, but the scientific info is good for any doubters who may read his book. And Louv does share his personal insights into nature interactions as well as the insights of others. It's those parts of the book that especially touch and inspire me, because I am a feeler. I read something and know it is true deep in my heart, or at least the thought inspired by the reading is true, if that makes sense.

I was inspired to spend more time outside, even when it is hot and muggy like it often is in North Carolina. I also wanted to bring more nature inside my home as well. The main way I have done this is through my frog terrarium.

It's a 30-gallon fish tank on a wooden stand. Inside are three glass figurines from Hobby Lobby, two live plants (pothos and dracaena), and a green tree frog. I LOVE frogs and hope to put more in the tank! Anyway, this terrarium brings a bit of nature into my home. It's green, bright, and makes me happy. And hopefully, it helps me avoid the dreaded nature-deficit disorder.







The terrarium seen from afar. It took some time and effort to put it together. I'll blog about the process another time.















A closer look inside the terrarium. The ivy on the top and the fern in the middle are both fake plants. The pothos is on the far left and the dracaena is on the far right. Both are easy plants to grow in a terrarium and safe for frogs to crawl around in.










The glass squirrel is probably my favorite! They were unexpectedly expensive, but thankfully 50% off at Hobby Lobby. In case you're wondering what that big, ugly black thing is in the background, it's a heater for the frog.

















The fake froggie next to the pothos.
















The very artsy snail next to the dracaena.



















The real froggie on the fake ivy. It's a green tree frog bought from Petsmart. It is not tame but can be caught and held if I really put the effort in. I love frogs!

VaHomeschoolers 2012 Conference

This weekend, my mom and I traveled to our neighboring state, Virginia, to attend the VaHomeschoolers Conference and Resource Fair. I have attended this conference several times in the past, and even though it is small compared to other conferences (about 300 attended), it is very pleasant. This year, the conference was held at the beautiful Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, which alone had many wonderful art displays.There was also a wonderful little shop called "The Atack Family Gift Shop" that had gorgeous jewelry, paperweights, pottery, paintings, and other crafty things. In fact, I bought a beautiful pearl necklace and black-beaded bracelet from there, and love them!

When my mom and I first arrived, we were led by very easy-to-follow signs to the used resource sale and book fair. There were dozens of boxes filled with tons of used books of all kinds: textbooks, fiction, picture books, cookbooks, self-help, science, classics, sticker books, history, and guidebooks just to name a few. There were also new books for sale, many of which had been recommended resources by the conference presenters (including my mom). The sight of so many books gave me chills, and before I knew it, I was pulled in by the alluring power emanating from those paper-bound treasures and quickly acquired a precarious stack to purchase immediately. Thankfully, I know how impulsive I can be, so I forced myself to walk around for a few minutes to shake the magic spell the books had cast over me and to rationally pick from my pile what I really wanted. Most of the books were easy to put back, but one was harder than the others: "Living Color" by Steve Jenkins.

It reminded me of a childhood favorite of mine, "Hailstones and Halibut Bones," which was an exploration of color in the world around us. I love colors, and I wanted to buy "Living Color" for my future child to enjoy. But who's to say that my son or daughter will be interested in colors like I was? They might like robots or something. So I reluctantly put it back. I finally settled on two books: "Confessions of a Slacker Mom," which promised a funny memoir on the imperfections of motherhood; and "The Unicorn Treasury: Stories, Poems, and Unicorn Lore," because Bruce Coville books made a strong impact on me when I was young, so I like collecting his books wherever I see them.

Excerpt: "I think parents probably have better instincts than they know. You don't have to be a pediatrician or a child psychologist or an academician to have some inborn wisdom about raising your child. You just have to be a mom or a dad with a sense of what's practical, and a willingness to listen to your inner voice, instead of bowing to the inevitable pressures of 'perfect parenting' messages. And don't think this book is just one more installment in those endless parenting archives. I'm not going to end each chapter with reference material such as, "The Thirteen Baby Supplies You Really Need" or "The Only Six Toys You Ever Have to Buy" or "The Three Disciplinary Methods That Actually Work." I'm way too much of a slacker to come up with lists like that. But I do hope it'll give you enough to mull over that the next time you hear from some magazine, TV show, friend, or in-law about the latest thing that you, as a parent, are supposed to do or buy, you'll pause. And if you hear your inner voice saying something like 'yuck,' you'll listen."

There were a bunch of vendors in the conference as well. Most of them were advertising local programs or educational resources, but one stood out to me: the chicken vendor. The vendor was run by a nice woman who was passionate about raising backyard chickens. She had several books on the topic as well as a real live chicken named Oprah Henfrey on display. The chicken was huge and beautiful, and very interesting to watch. For more information, see the chicken website: www.chiknegg.com

Saturday was when all the wise and wonderful presenters gave their workshops. Alas, I wasn't able to hear them all, but several workshops were especially good:

"Beginning Homeschooling" parts 1 and 2 by Stephanie Elms

"The Natural Stages of Growth in Writing" by Julie Bogart

"On Homeschooling and Structure" by Jeanne Faulconer

Of course, my mom - Cindy Gaddis - was one of the best, too.

"The Collaborative Learning Process: A Strengths-Based Education Approach"

and "Understanding the Right-Brained Child" (for more information, see my mom's blog!)

For the first time ever, I was my mom's assistant during the workshop because she could not present and run the projector at the same time. My mom did a great job speaking, and many of those in attendance were really moved by what she said. A lot of people talked to my mom after the workshop was over, but some people asked me questions, too. Most of the parents had young children, so they had yet to see if homeschooling was going to work out for their kids. I was proud to be an example of a normal, functioning homeschooled adult. In fact, I felt a little bit like a celebrity. "Yes, even a homeschooler like me can go to college, have a good job, and get married to a hot man!" ;)

The VaHomeschoolers Conference was simple but effective. I wish there could have been more activity-based workshops available, or a place where people young and old could gather to play nerdy cards games (*cough,* Magic the Gathering, *cough*) Despite this, I had a nice, relaxing weekend with my mom and the homeschoolers of Virginia.

For more information about VaHomeschoolers, check out their website: http://www.vahomeschoolers.org/