“What are you getting all dressed up for.”

“I’m not getting that dressed up.” I check myself in the mirror to make sure I am looking casual. Summer might get the wrong idea and might he too. I need to be dressed down. I’m just wearing a summer dress and flip flops. No heals, or accessories.

“I’m just kidding with you. Can you honestly ever take me serious?”

“Well only when your in your work clothes. those outfits give you power.”

“Haha I only hope. But seriously where are you going? Did Jersey call?”

“He did not but I am just grabbing a drink with a friend.”

“Would this friend be Austin by any chance?”

“It would be.”

“I warned you. You know I love you but, no more helping you with him.”

“I’m just getting a drink. If he does not step it up or show signs of change then there's no point in my even trying to be his friend or anything more than that.”

“Okay good. Do you want me to be close by for something to do afterwards?”

“I think I am just going to go home. But if after I want to I will give you a call.” Summer just looks at my reflection with concern but smiles and walks out of her bathroom. I love how I basically live at her place. I put on my lip gloss and head for the door. Please don’t let me regret tonight.

Kean’s coffee is always the best to have. Everyone looks so put together like we weren’t out till 4:30 last night. I am the only one struggling. Back home you are allowed to rock the struggling look. Here you show a weakness and people pounce. I got dressed that was enough for me. I’m glad even though I’m around trust fund babies they know how to work and are accepting.

“So, you and Jerry?”

“Did everyone see that?”

“Considering we were all going to leave to go home. Yes.”

“Oh goodness. Summer has a photo. What about you Alexa?”

“Why would you think I would have any kind of evidence. I solely just wanted to ask.” Alexa keeps her head up holding back a laugh till she take out her camera to Jerry kissing me while I stare with a shocked face. She has a setting where is can take photo after photos while you hold down the button. So I got to see how Jerry turned me around kissed me I was in shock! But I just started making out with him. Right in the middle of the side walk then got in a cab. Oh what lovely friends I have.

“Please tell me he has called you. I wont accept texts or bbm’s it must be a call.”

“Considering I just woke up. No.”

“Jerry needs to step up his game. He’s been wanting to do that for sometime but you had that boyfriend of yours.”

“Well he got his chance. Lets see if he pulls through.”

“Well you know Jerry.”

“Yes I do.”

All the girls can’t help to laugh but Summer cuts in with, “Jerry, Jerry, Jerry.”

Speaking too Soon

Without a fail. He would be the one to call. Not the mystery boy from jersey I know. But the guy I started seeing when I first moved out to LA. I knew they invented caller ID for a reason.

“How was your birthday?”

“It was good. What do you want?”

“I just wanted to see how your birthday was. I haven’t seen you for a while.”

“And your surprised by that?”

“Well I just thought we could or would be friends you know. It’s weird not hanging out with you everyday and I miss you.

“Well..”

“Well... What?”

“Austin, you know what.”

“I was hoping that you could forgive me and give me a second chance. I know I messed up. People make mistakes. Don’t you think this has been going on long enough.”

Summer walks into the room and mouths asking who it is. I mouth back Austin. Her normal reaction, rolling her eyes, plopping down on the couch throwing her arms in the air.

“Look I have to go.”

“Alright. But could we please meet up for lunch or a drink this week?”

“Maybe. I have to go.” Before Austin could even respond I hung up and just sat back.

“So I thought you guys were done?” Summer adjusts herself to stare right at me now.

“We are. We’ve been done. I didn’t even know it was him I just answered the phone without checking and to my surprise it was him.”

“Well, surprise!” We both crack up and get up to meet the rest of the crew for coffee down the street. Summer stays in her dress from the night before. It isn’t exactly a dress you could pull off for night and day but Summer always dose what Summer wants.

“Hey could I borrow a pair of flats? I think if I try walking in heels i might just fall down.”

“Oh what. Did someone have a rough night last night?”

“Funny. But seriously?”

“Have you not learned yet that you never need to ask.”

“Your too good to me.” Smiling I walk up to Summers walk in closet which still is bigger than my apartment but the girl has amazing taste and a bank account with a never ending supply. I grab her black Chanel shoes, Chanel I have always loved. Collection is always timeless and reminds me of being home.

Morning After

Waking up after your 21st is never a good thing. You were with great friends all night celebrating. Creating memories you wont remember but stories you will share over a much needed glass of water in the morning. Looking around at this apartment is like a movie. It is unexplainable. It has tall ceilings, shag rugs, white walls, white tile floors, white couches, paintings that seem as if they came from the MET. Even though the size of her living room is the size of my whole apartment it does not phase me, Sure I am clearly pointing this out to you now however it is purely for description purposes.
“Well hello birthday girl!” Summer says in her morning after voice with make up still perfectly on hair crazy, and dress barely hanging on toe her curves and and added boobs. But can’t lie even all the survey could not give the crazy body she has from a trainer that is known for having a waiting list for the next two years of clients.
“Hello!” I say smiling back but avoiding moving for the dear of the head ache that is about to come. Luckily Summer is never affected and runs to the ridge grabbing four waters for us bother. She slowly sips on one while I chug two quickly then gradually sit up. Now nursing the third one memories from the night begin to flood my mind.
“So by any chance do you remember almost getting in a cab with Jerry last night?”
“With who?!”
“Yeah I figured. I snapped a photo on my iphone just for these moments.” Summer reaches for her newest bag her parents sent her from Milan and grabs her phone. Looks intensely for the photo to show me actually in the cab with him fist pumping for us to go. A photo truly said a thousands things. There is nothing else I could do but stay in shock and laugh.
“Oh birthdays and nights in LA.”
“This was not LA we were in East Hollywood at this time.”
“We went to Hollywood?”
“You didn’t expect us to stay in LA all night did you?”
“No but just never thought we left it. Was Jerry was my only boy of the night?”
“Oh you wish. We ran into a few old friends. Well I shouldn’t say my old friends more like yours. They just moved here from Jersey as well and knew no one else. I was talking to him for a while. He was nice. I could see why you liked him.”
“Who was it?”
“Well I told him you wouldn’t remember seeing him cause you have reached that point and probably would wake up till now so he will be calling you in about an hour.” Summer gives a smile knowing she has made me happy with not telling me. But knows its better her knowing the details while I am surprised by everything. I just settle into the couch pull up the blanket and enjoy the fact that some mystery boy will be calling and I would not rather be any where else but right where I was.
Just as finishing that thought My blackberry starts ringing and without checking whose calling I answer from being in a world of bliss what could go wrong?

Intro

         People are ever changing while the world is ever evolving. We went from times of hard working and labor forces. Watching the dollar tightly will keep status and keeping the classes happy. To now an era of blackberry’s, starbucks, and plastic surgery. Money is not an object, but giving the persona of being apart of a class is key. The things around us may have changed throughout the years and how things are viewed and what is appreciated. However one thing has not changed. Image.

People what to been seen a certain way. Even though it could be a nock off people still wear the Chanel or Dior sunglasses with the purses. Keeps  them looking classes with a bank account well stocked. While the girls cling to their real coach things happy their real but still witht he bank account of a working class person living in the teen years. When getting out of the girl phases they move to the better designers and learn how to dress and become presentable. It is all about what you give off while keeping who you are on the down low. When your with a family who is struggling to get by no one sees that when you are wearing the clothes of someone from Orange County while driving a car that looks like someone from the woods. The two don’t mix but mass transit can hide the one flaw that gives you away. Friends drive a Ferrari and you tag along with your high heels that you say are an unknown designer with the payless brand rubbed off, the leggings for $3.50 from forever 21, top from Gap on clearance for $9.97, and Chanel purse your friends bought you for your birthday and fake sunglasses from the vendor you pass by in your friend car. No one knows the secret of the girl from Jersey trying to make it in the city that can take over even the best of people.

Looking around at the trust fund friends that work from the good graces of their parents and these places where others are better qualified but they have the name that easily lets them do anything. While you say you have just moved out here and trying to find something and a place to live and just crashing in this apartment for now till you find something you like better and for you connections to come through for a few jobs. When in reality this apartment was all you could afford, you love your job and it is why you moved out here, and wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. However telling these people that they would not have understood and not have “wasted their time with you.” But this is me.

Story

I am killing the story for the Parts. I did not feel as if the story was going anywhere so why drag it on? I have been working on this other short story that I was thinking of publishing but who knows. Instead of letting the story die I will add on bits to the blog. Edit it on my own will and then who knows if it will get published. This will most likely be my shortest blog ever.
If you did like the old stories email me and let me know. If I hear back you were enjoying that story and want to know where it's going or add on where you see it going, I will continue or will post yours!

Generation

I used to think that each generation was one in the same. In a sense it is but now I am realizing it truly is not. I feel so bad for my generation and younger. They do not know the social disconnect we all share. When our friend is sitting right next to us we will text and have our own private conversation. Why not talk to them?! They are next to you. But oh goodness our others friends that are there which we are suppose to be hanging out with are sitting there and we don't want them to know what we are talking about.

I will admit I am guilty of this crime too. I will be with friends and something with come up and I want to share it so I text that one person. My other friends might want to know too. They could even enjoy what was going on around us. However I keep them out. Why? We are all guilty of this and it has gotten to a point of being normal. How is this a normal behavior? We lose empathy for people. We loss the joy others can give us. We loss our creativity. Those are crimes in which we cannot go back.

We have all seen it. When was the last time an original movie came out? One that was not made from a copy of a book, copy a cartoon, redone a movie, or had a new storyline? Everyday is a new day but we continue to live in the past. There have been a few books that have changed and written what we have not read before. When I look at books now I see a new memoir written about a celebrities life.

The classics are in the back of Barns and Nobles while the celebrity memoir is up front. Are people going to buy books that have been around for years that will change their life? Or grab and "easy read" about a celebrity that is all over the magazines, but we don't know the truth about what really happens in their life. It is a memoir. Read a classic Keep those a live.

I will start reading the books I have heard so much about but have not read because I hear of these other stories and I finish them quickly. I will read through the list of books my Creative Writing professor has given me:

Angela's Ashes Frank McCourt

Tuesday's with Morrie Mitch Albom

Note found in a bottle Susan Cheever

Boyhood: Scenes from Provincial Life J.M. Coetzee

Colored People:A Memoir. Henry Louis Gates

The Shadow Man Mary Gordon

Daddy We Hardly Knew you Germaine Greer

Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia Marya Hornbacher

All Souls: A family story from Southie Michael Patrick MacDonald

Are You Somebody Nuala O'Faolain

Dubliners (Stories) James Joyce

The Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad

Dangling Man Saul Bellow

Seize the Day Saul Bellow

Ravelstein Saul Bellow

The old man and the Sea Ernest Hemingway

The Sun also Rises Ernest Hemingway

A Farewell to Arms Ernest Hemingway

A Separate Peace John Knowles

Slaughter House Five Kurt Vonnegut

The Color Purple Alice Walker

Jazz Toni Morrison Beloved Toni Morrison

Sula Toni Morrison A Mercry Toni Morrison

Interpreter of Maladies Jhumpa Lahiri (Stories)

Unaccustomed Earth Jhumpa Lahiri (Stories)

The Namesake Jhumpa Lahiri Madame Bovary Gustave Flaubert

The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald

This Side of Paradise F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Book of Evidence John Banville

The Death of Artemio Cruz Carlos

Fuentes Mrs. Dalloway Virginia

Woolf Light in August William Faulkner

Sanctuary William Faulkner

Native Son Richard Wright

The Invisible Man Ralph Waldo Ellison

The Fifth Child Doris Lessing

Love Medicine Louise Erdrich

Tracks Louise Erdrich

Love in the Ruins Walker Percy

The Catcher in the Rye J. D. Salinger

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents Julia Alvarez

Love in the time of Cholera Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Wise Blood Flannery O'Connor

Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck

The Dark John McGahern

Slow Man J. M. Coetzee

Disgrace J. M. Coetzee

Waiting for the Barbarians J. M. Coetzee

I will Read this list. I will continue to add on stories but will also add on a review of these books. If any other book stand out to you which I should read please comment. I hope that you also feel incline to read a book. Reading gives us knowledge, creativity, and can bring new friendships.

Let us get our generation involved, social, creative, and gain knowledge.

- Seeking Originality

Rare

I felt as if it was appropriate to change the leaves from being green to colored lives considering this time of year. What I want to share is this time of year. It is so special. The season changes, we get to bundle up in a sweater, or for those lucky enough we get to see the leaves changing. This year I feel as if things are a little different. The snow stayed longer and definitely came stronger. Summer we had a lot of hot days and even last week was quiet warm but now fall feels as if it is truly upon us. Now I am trading in the iced drinks for the hot ones. Oh the little things that happen each season.
I am sure we all have our little things. When it gets cooler out though we start to grow closer with those around us. If you are lucky enough to enjoy your family you would stay in more and have a night with them, or if you are out on you own you will have a girls or guys night in. Forget the bars having to wait in the cold. This time is before the stress of the holidays so we enjoy and embrace the company. Or if you have had a stressful week then cozy up to a good book. There is probably been a book you have wanted to read to pick it up! Read it.
I did not want to tell you to read but this time is rare work is calming down because the change of season the pace is slowing down. Or is it? My sister shared this article with me from the Wall Street Journal, Slumping at Work? What Would Jack Do? (When I first saw the title I thought it was meant as a Jack Bauer reference.) It is an article about how we need to relax and not get caught up in the work and work ourselves to death. I know I have gotten caught up with putting in 18 days. Now who does that help. Getting sleep deprived? Getting touchy/mean from being over work? I know it is not helping you.
I am not too sure where my thoughts were when I started writing this or how I circled it all around. Or if I even made sentences. However I am going to publish this to share with you because I feel like we all need to enjoy the days we are given and relax. Everything last only for a season.

- Seeking Originality

Part Two

Okay why is there beeping? I know this beeping. It sounds like the kind og beeping you hear at the hospital. Am I at a hospital?
"I think she's coming back to us."

Oh God it's so bright. "Yes she's coming back to us."
"Am I in a hospital?"

"Yes you are. Now you gave us quite a scare. You wouldn't want to do that now would you?" This voice gives me chills. I see her up against the window in the corner, wearing leather boots, black tight tank top she made a dress, and spinning a knife in her hand. "Now, now. Don't be afraid. Your parents know where you are. They just don't know what state, country, or that your not going to survive." All she does is grin and walks past the curtain to let me fully see my surroundings.
There is a wall full of windows, tiled floors, and red walls. But the red is a red of misery, torture, and despair. All I can think of is how to get my brother here.


"Honey what's wrong?"
"Mom?" My mom is shaking me and I open my eyes. She is trying to hold me down. "Mom? Oh my God Mom!" I lunge up to hug her, to be pulled back down in a thriving pain. I yell from the rushing pain. "What happened to me?" Now I feel the pain of being beaten, cut, and chained.
"Oh honey don't move. Are you okay?"
"I can't think. All I can focus on is the pain. Oh. God! Ryan! Where's Ryan?!"
"RYan is coming. He was on a business retreat in Australia without a phone. He got our messages yesterday and got a red eye here. He should be here soon. Your father went to the airport."
"Thank God. He got on the plane? He called saying he was on the plane?"
"No sweetie he called us from the car taking him back to his apartment. What's wrong?"
"The girl who had me. Ryan. just make sure he's safe! And that he's on his plane. I just need to know that he's safe."
"Your not making any sense."
"Mom just do it! I'll explain just make sure he's safe."

Authors

I am adding the final edits to the Part two for the story. However I want this blog to be a collection of multiple authors. I am advertising on my twitter to have authors submitting their work but all I can really say is submit your work! With the stories that are sent to me I will not, I repeat WILL NOT take credit for your work. I will add the stories to the main blogs. If many people submit their work and have multiple stories to add I will create a new tab, with your permission of course, and have all their stories there. The tab can be your name, pen name, whatever you want to call it.
I will not only take stories. I will take poetry, photography, drawing, anything that is creative and you wish to share. I hope to receive some of your stories soon!


- Seeking Originality


How could I forget, send your stories or photos to seekoriginality@gmail.com

naked: Archives

naked: Archives: "Older scribbles and scribes. I know it's a strange combination of work, but each was written on a different day with different feeling. '..."

Embarassing

For my creative writing class we had to write an embarrassing moment of our lives. This moment I shall share with you:

“Where’s my phone?” I probably dropped it in the moments of getting my drink off the floor. Here I’m standing outside in a crowd of people too drunk to know how cold they actual are in this February weather. I turn around to see Tori’s face.

“You okay girl? What happened?” Tori is my closest friend. I can talk to her openly about anything. She’s from California with a free loving spirit. Even in this total darkness her beach blond hair is glowing. She probably thought I was being ridiculous.

“My phone. Where is my phone? Damn it had my money, JAC card, and hello my phone. It’s my baby.”

“You left your phone in there?”

“Rebecca you okay?” I see Brenn’s face staring at me. His face is full of concern like I was attacked or something.

“Yeah I’m fine I just didn’t want to dance with that guy anymore.” Oh God that poor kid. I just ran away from him. “

“Yeah his face was so confused.”

“But I left my phone in there. Oh. God. My phone. That is my baby. I need my baby.” Looking back screaming ‘I left my baby’ people must have wondered why I even brought a baby to a college party. Still I stand there staring at the door like it is hundreds of feet away even though it is just 10 feet. How can I go back inside there?

“Is Molly still in there?” I look around and don’t see her. Molly is my roommate Brenn is Molly’s best friend from home, a typical “Southern Gentleman”.

“Maybe Molly got my phone? Yes. Oh. God. what if that guy has my phone? That douche stole my phone. He has my baby!” Screaming 'he has my baby' adds on to the crazy points I had racking up that night.

“Hey, guys why did you run out of the party?” I see Molly coming and she is still with the guy that she was dancing with. She is half his height, red hair, and pale - a typical ginger. 

“Did you see my phone by any chance?”

“No. You lost your phone.?”

“I think the guy I was with stole my phone.”

Before running out of this party I was dancing with this guy. For all purposes let’s call this guy Charlie. He was probably taller than me, strong built, baggy clothes on, military cut, and tan. He told me that he was on the basketball team. I was at the game earlier that day and I told him I didn’t see him on the court or bench. He dropped the basketball line. That is all I remember of our conversation. I was not much for talking that night.

I had just broken up with my boyfriend Daniel. He’s tall, athletic, brown eyes and hair. We were friends for seven years. For the past six months we were together. But while I thought we were still together he went and got a girlfriend. I found out that Monday - five days ago.

For the night Charlie was just a quest of forgetting the ex. Charlie was a sweetie. He tried talking to me but all I did was continue to drink what I had made back at the dorm. I just nod and dance to what Charlie was saying. I didn’t really care. He could have told me he was a prince to some country and wished to marry me and I would have just said ‘that’s amazing’. I kept dropping my drink; thank God I had it in a Nalgene bottle to keep it safe. I want the pain and memories to be out of my mind. I turn and I just started kissing Charlie. I can say emotions and not the right state of mind had this effect but lets be honest. It wasn’t. I was used and wanted to use someone to forget.

The drink is now empty and the effects are not as strong I realize I am dancing with this guy who is not who I thought. He’s my height. I am short. He had a small built. I could beat him up. I had the hair and clothes right though.

My mind starts running in circles of how to get out of this. How could I let Daniel get to me? I want to cry. I turn away from the guy. I continue to dance, it was a good song. Tori is dancing in front of me with a surprised expression that I had just made out with this guy. “Escape now.”

“Right now?” I nod. Tori pulls me and Brenn who she’s dancing with.

I should have at least waited till the end of the song. I'm sure it was a good song.

Staring at the door I did not know what was about to happen. Would I see who I was dancing with? I check the floor where we were dancing and my phones no where in sight. I see Charlie. I run up to him. I’m like a mad woman who should be locked in a cage. Charlie was just trying to enjoy his night meet a sweet girl and maybe take her home. Instead he got me. No sweetness. No taking home. Just a big tease and a bag of emotions. That was not the worst part. Our conversation probably went something like this:

“Do you know where my phone is?”

“Excuse me?”

“I had my phone when we were dancing now it’s gone.”

“Maybe it’s around here.” Charlie begins lightening up his phone on the ground to try and find the phone. The party is starting to clear out. They can clear out all they want my baby is missing and I want her back. I know he has my baby. Why is he bothering?Just give it back to me.

This poor kid. I never saw him again. I think we both would run away from each other if we did. I have drank but not made out with anyone. Nor have I seen or talked to Daniel. All for the best. When emotions are high I’ll stick to chocolate and a movie. Keeping the crazy caged.

Part One

Blood everywhere. So much blood. Why is there blood? Is this my blood? Coming to full realization I am hurt but not enough to create all this blood. The rain makes the blood stream down the pavement. Making the crime be washed away. Who did this? I scan for my friend Heather. Tall. Bone ass skinny. Long brown hair. Basically the complete opposite of me. Heather was with me at the club. I thought we left together. Damn this string shirt held on better than I thought it would. So not what I should be concered. There is blood all around men I can barely move, and I am focused on how this top was able to stay on. 

“Nica?” Okay. That’s my name. Who would be calling me?

“Heather?”

“Nica where are you?” I spoke right I wasn’t just imagining that?

“Heather I’m over here.”

“Over where?” That wasn’t Heathers voice.

“Oh I see. You thought you could run away now didn’t you?” Who is this girl? She looks familiar. “Your brother will be so happy I found you. Then he would take back breaking up with me. Oh what a mistake he made.” Mumbling to herself as if making an evil plan.

 Now getting into the light this girl was the girl who has stalked my brother all through out college. They had a one night stand. It was not by choice. She drugged him. Wait how did she know my name?

“Do I know you?” I can barely get the words out. I feel like a drunken daze.

“No I’m with the help and rescue team. We have been looking for you since last night. Do you remember the last three days?” Who is this person talking to me? Is it the girl or is this a boy?

Plans

When we wake up in the morning do we know what were going to do that day? Do we wake up with goals saying today I will final finish that book I've abandoned with a few pages left. Or I will go to the gym start my day off right and work? That is how I thought my day would go. Wake up have an amazing breakfast and go to yoga. The breakfast happened but yoga went on without me. The trenchal down pour made it seem like an unwise idea.
So hear I lay on a confy couch writing to this world that I told would be receiving a story from me once a week. So far no stories have been posted and writings went undone. I promised a story and a story is what I started. I just wanted to share a few thoughts with this world of bloggers or followers. Nothing we set out to do truly becomes what we want it to be. I did not see myself home and going to school. Even though I did not see this for myself that is what I have. I would not be doin these things if I were not here I can say that. I would not be working, hopefully getting started on this blog and sharing stories with you. Nor would I be doing volunteer work. I'm searching around for what to get involve with.
So leaving you with this rambling I wanted to add my first story is something out of the box for me. Still in need of editing but I do hope you enjoy.

~seekingoriginality