Write, when reading gets boring

        Sometimes life gets a little boring. All that happens in my daily life gets mundane and that's when I get the urge to write. Just gliding a pen across a paper will help get my thoughts going and eventually I find that I've written a short story, nothing notable but good enough to be proud of. Some days I think about writing something longer, like an actual novel! But then I get lazy or my story wraps up too quickly and all I'm left with is six pages of usable material. (Sigh) Rome wasn't built in a day right?
        If I were to get past those six pages and actually write a novel, I think it would be a fictional story about a great adventure across the continent. The characters would be best friends and embark on a road trip because they're so bored with their sheltered life, they crave excitement and new knowledge of the world around them. One character would have to be the opposite of the other, thus showing the reader two very different viewpoints of one situation (I think this would make the story more intriguing and show contrast). For example, if a large cow is grazing on grass by the road Friend One would suggest they stop and play a game of "smack the cow and run away" while Friend Two would suggest they slowly drive by to avoid hurting it. Yet they agree that leaving home for the summer was a good idea, they need to open their eyes to the wonders and problems around them. Throughout the novel the two character's watch out for one another, discover problems like poverty and ultimately return home with opened eyes and an unforgettable summer. What I want the reader to get from this is that living on the safe side isn't always the best way to live. Someday you'll look back on your life and think that you could've done more when you were young, that you could've traveled or taken more risks. This is what my story would try to remind the reader of, doing things in life while you've still got the chance.

Books won't stay banned and Ideas don't go to jail

Liturature that has been banned can't possibly be all bad. Actually, I doubt its "bad" at all. Its obviously written well and conveys some sort of message, otherwise it wouldn't be published. I think that books shouldn't be banned because they allow for some controversy and encourage the reader to actually think about what they're reading. Some novels are just for fun and don't require character analysis' or judgment of morals, The Book of Awesome for example, is all about the little things that brighten our life. Simple as that. But a book like Slaughterhouse Five, has explicit language and sexual references that offend some people. I don't understand how those are the official reasons for its banning, not the anti-American sentiment. Its totally pointless to ban a book because it shows a different point of view, to me the whole point of reading something like Slaughterhouse Five is to understand the war through the eyes of a veteran, to read his thoughts in a way. The profanity and sexual references aren' found on every single page, if you get offended just SKIP the few pages or paragraphs that use that. Its not that difficult. Vonnegut probably didn't want the readers to focus on that stuff anyways, his main message can be interpreted as anti-American but I interpret it as his way of telling people that war isn't glorious. To simplify it as much as I can without ranting about that too. Anyways, liturature that provokes thinking and the expansion of knowledge is the best there is! I find no reason for it to be banned. To put it bluntly to all those that get offended by books like Slaughterhouse Five, Catcher in the Rye or 1984, if you don't like the book PUT IT AWAY and get one that you enjoy. Your hands aren't chained to the book and there's no gun pointing at you to read it. Calm down everyone.

Hmm...reminds me of something...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHVU3fKhsjI

While watching the trailer for The Adjustment Bureau I couldn't help but think about the theme of Fate vs. Free will in Slaughterhouse Five (Im not going to rant about it here, as I've already posted about this topic).
See for yourself and leave a comment of your thoughts! :)

Laughter is the spark of the soul

A way of expressing saddness, frusteration or happiness. An overflow of emotion or exhaustion. Most of the time that I see people cry is because the situation isn't pleasant. Looking back on those moments, crying is so useless because the situation you're crying about doesn't change afterwards. The world doesn't get brighter; actions aren't undone and words aren't unsaid. I'd like to point out that I scarcely cry. I grew out of it years ago. Laughter is a big part of my life nowadays. Its a great way to feel better about anything...almost anything. Laughter can lighten the mood or stop an awkward moment. It can express happiness as well as saddness. Like remembering the way things used to be and softly laughing to yourself about it all changing. I think laughter is a fantastic replacement for tears. Laugh lines or crows feet and dimples are much better than runny mascara or a red nose and blotchy skin. I really do love laughter.
"Laughter and tears are both responses to frusteration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward."
Vonnegut clearly incorporates this thought into his novel, those moments he laughs at and uses dark humour... most people would cringe and sob if they were in the same situation. I think this quote signifies that he had endured so much in his lifetime and crying everyday about those moments wouldn't change anything, it would only make him remember them more and increase the heartache. Laughing about the difficult times could have been his way of coping, if he found some form of humour it would be easier to write about and recall. Maybe Vonnegut thought America wasn't ready for the full on experience of the war too. I think, this quote proves that Vonnegut was wise enough to save himself a lifetime of puffy eyes and his unique humour adds to the style that defines him.

Fate leads the willing and drags along the unwilling

There's a strawberry shortcake in the fridge, but no clean forks to eat it with...is that fate? No. That's just a poor stroke of luck for you, but easily solved by washing a fork. Those kinds of scenarios I wouldn't consider fate, to me, fate is something that's preplanned for you and is unavoidable. So yes, I do believe in fate. I think that every person has some sort of plan set out for their life. I don't think fate is very specific though, otherwise everyone would be a robot simply going through the motions of their preplanned life. There must be freedom in fate. Being able to choose friends or University is my choice, but the friends I choose are going to influence my character and the University I go to will teach me the things I need to know for the career I'm meant to do. Those sorts of final destinations are what fate plans. All the moments and people that get me there are because of me, my decisions, my emotions, my actions and my will to achieve the final plan set by fate. I think that's why we're all unaware of our fate, dreaming and hoping for something better in life is what gets most people through the day. Sometimes we all need that, a good dream to pursue and taking the opportunities to get there. "All time is all time. It does not change...It simply is." The Tralfamadorian said to Billy when he asked how he got into their flying saucer. I can agree with this statement because time doesn't change and fate is something that just has to be accepted. Although, I also think that each person can have the choice of how they enjoy their life and how they achieve fate's plan for them so there is in fact a point to life and we're not just robots. I'm learning day by day to capture the time I have and not pout over the "what ifs".

Humor is tragedy plus time

Many times in our life we're told how special and unique we are from everyone else. That every aspect of our personality is different and that it sets us a part from the people around us. "You're so special!" You hear from parents and friends. Vonnegut must have been told this many times during his childhood, he is definitely a different kind of writer. The way that his novel jumps from idea to idea, retells his war experiences and incorporates humour through it all. Oh that humour of Vonnegut's...it is quite special. The eloquent way he makes fun of the American soldiers during the war; their coats being solid ice and their seemingly savage appearance in comparison to the British soldiers is mildly amusing. Although most of the time I don't understand Vonnegut's sense of humour, I simply can't figure out at what times he's trying to be funny. When I read something blunt like, "Billy Pilgram tried hard to care", I don't pick up on the humour intended by Vonnegut, it's as if I'm the one trying hard to care. Not that I don't appriciate his attempt to lighten the mood, this novel is definitely depressing at times with all the "So it goes." I just don't connect all the humour to what is actually taking place in the story at that moment most of the time. It just seems pointless to add that in the text, his "humour" takes away from my reading experience sometimes because it makes me think twice about what I just read; and having to read something more than twice is really tedious when time is running out for my reading and I have other homework to start. Couldn't he use more humour like, "the zipper on the fly of God Almighty"? Now that was funny, like laugh out loud funny! This other stuff about dogs barking and soldiers turning on their own men isn't funny to me, yes, I understand that Vonnegut has a dark sense of humour and uses it as a means of coping with his life's hardships, but even with that knowledge I can't always laugh along with him. Hopefully he will be able to redeem himself as I continue reading the book, so far, he has made me think too much about his jokes (if I catch them at all) and I like to laugh at the joke first, then make the connections to the plot, character, etc. So it goes.