So yes, I may not have read the full 50 books, but I’m proud of my accomplishment none the less. And this is just my writing and reading, not counting how I moved across the world and dealt with sickness and drama and everything else, too.

For 2012 I plan to continue my exercise to stay healthy, want to try to stand up for myself more, want to worry about other people less, finish editing my current two finished novels and write and edit at least two more, read, make time for outside interests, travel, and enjoy every minute of my life. Last year I learned to try to focus on the positive. There’s so much you can’t control in life and focusing on what could be, or what was, instead of appreciating the moment and putting that first doesn’t help anyone or anything. Savor the moment. Find something to be happy about every day. And value those people in your life that you do care about.

All my hopes for a happy new year!

So I have to tell you all this hilarious story. Christmas is a big deal in Europe. All the food and wine and festivities abound. But there is something sinister about it over here. Something that makes children weep in terror.

Santa Clause.

Yes, Santa Clause or Papa Noel is an evil monster in France and Switzerland. You see little santas climbing maliciously over balcony railings and I was like WTF is this what he does when there is not a chimney? Hahahaha. No.

Santa is evil. He comes into your home to reward the good boys and girls with toys and candy. But if you were bad you face a horrible fate. You are kidnapped and taken to the north pole, trapped in time as your tiny kid self, to make toys for all the good girls and boys. No elves. No music. You are santa’s slave.

So when you are watching the Rudolph special about the misfit toys, the French people are all laughing. Haha! You want to be a dentist? Maybe you should have thought of that before you were bad. Nope you were bad, you are now a slave forever! Make those toys for all the good kids and think about what you did child slave. Now sing and wear a stupid costume and dream of the life you can never have again. Slave!

So I’m laughing pretty hard at the poor wannabe dentist and how kids here are terrified of Santa with good reason. I don’t want to be trapped on it’s a small world for all eternity either kids. Makes you rethink all the songs now, huh? He sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you’re awake. Santa Claus is coming to town.

But even with those types of character, it’s sometimes hard to really feel the interactions. Finding a good roleplay group or partner is a great way to play out plots, situations, character development. The internet is littered with them. And as most writers suffer from the lovely disease of procrastination, you could easily spend hours “studying” your character this way. For me, it’s fun to bounce ideas off of people and have a support system from fellow writers this way. It’s fun, motivating, and inspiring.

How do you get in your character’s head? Are you a situational writer or someone who knows your characters like people? What do you do to keep your writing and stories fresh and authentic?

On Sunday, people dress up in their 1600s garb and walk through the streets re-enacting scenes from the battle and using ancient weaponry. They also hand out hot wine, vegetable soup, and giant cauldrons made of chocolate to celebrate the woman who killed 2 invaders. It was really cool. History looks back on this event as pivotal for the Reformation’s success in Europe. Geneva, home of John Calvin, was a stronghold for protestants. If they would have fallen, the entire face of Europe could have been changed with Catholicism reclaiming Protestant lands, which could have gone on to effect the freedom of religion in the New World. Really interesting stuff!

Videos from last weekend at the festival in Geneva.

http://youtu.be/ZAAM_z3L5HE – Marching Drummers

http://youtu.be/CrDgfObPkLM – Flute Players

http://youtu.be/V0kxEdWo4uw – Horn players in the cathedral

http://youtu.be/XNdWIZPZbq0 - Muskets Firing

And pictures:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100354510769542.2535463.17107679&type=1&l=8f78894fce

What a story though! For some people, it’s about the winning, but for me Nano has always been about writing and community. It means everything to me to be encouraged to write and come together with others on the same journey. I’m really proud of what we all accomplished, whether you got the shiny winner plate or not.

I am working on finishing up the story and editing that one and another one to be submitted. I also have 2 additional series in the works and need to get those spit out sometime. So this year and next year will be a focus on writing. I’ve also written a total of 4 short stories ranging from 500-10,000 words throughout the month of November and today, NOT added into my novel word count above! I am impressed with myself, but more than that, I feel like I’m finally working wholeheartedly towards making my writing dream come true with a support system in place.

Two representations of wealth in a time we would look back at as poverty. Two representations of grandeur in two different settings. One high atop a hill in a prestigious city, a challenge against the Parisians. The other small, where the priest was probably the only one in the town who knew how to read. Where everyone came together to build something special for them. In their hearts and with their hands, more precious than even St. Peter’s or Avignon because of the sacrifice it took.

And I ask you, which of these is greater?

Way to drop the ball on a sensitive issue GLEE WRITERS!  Way to miss an opportunity to juxtapose a white MALE’s struggle with a MINORITY FEMALE’s struggle over their sexuality.  And way to have a WHITE MALE literally drag her into his world view like everything was gonna be ok, and then wrapping it up like a Saved By The Bell I’m addicted to caffeine pills episode.

I am so pissed off about this episode.  I love how the writer’s took a Mexican female and literally had her paraded around by a White Male who felt guilty.  Like if people threw enough sunshine and rainbows she would be happy about her sexuality and telling everyone.  And that everyone was ok with it?  Here was this HUGE plot of someone being forced out of the closet and instead of realizing how sensitive an issue this is they totally blew it off like see kids, everyone should just come out and everything will be ok.  Unless you’re old.  Because you know only old people think being gay is “bad.”  I’m sorry writers that you live in your little liberal playground of acceptance and privilege so you don’t see how states are banning gay marriage right and left and committing hate crimes against people of color and sexual difference, but people in the United States, in places like Ohio and Illinois and Oklahoma are NOT accepting like that.  I mean not only does Santana have a strike against her for being a lesbian, but she’s also Mexican which wasn’t handled AT ALL!  She has this HUGE uphill battle you completely nullified.  Do you not know anything about different cultures?  I liked that you tried, in your lame attempts, to incorporate the multi-racial cast without stereotypes.  But Mercedes becoming a diva princess, Tina and Mike standing in the background, and now this with Santana?  Give me a break!  Way to absorb the stereotypes.  You can’t have someone talk to their “abuela” and make THAT be your cultural nod/acknowledgement/achievement for the day.  People don’t accept race or sexuality, and it would have been EXCELLENT to show WHY Santana is so bitter and show a real struggle with bigotry over a few episodes instead of everyone accepting it, like how everyone accepted Kurt except for the one closeted gay who beat him up.  Like anyone who doesn’t accept being gay has something to hide.  Like how grandma is going to get the courage to come out now, just watch.

Thanks for rubbing white man’s guilt all over the place GLEE!  Like by taking the hand of the white man who threw you under the bus all minority issues can be solved to sing in 80s music glory and everything in life can be good.

And don’t even get me started on making the most fierce badass in the world, JANE LYNCH, afraid to be assumed gay?  I am SURPRISED she didn’t knock all your heads together and refuse to say that.  How’s that for some juxtaposition?  Santana can come out and everything can be ok but a grown woman has to hide behind a man?  Are you yourselves trying to show what a SHAM your own writing is?  Or are you going to do a big it’s ok to be yourself song and dance when Sue comes out?  Just be yourself and everyone will love and accept you.  Tra la la la la.  No gay person has ever had any issues, except from other gay people of course.  No family, town, or random stranger wouldn’t harass Blaine and Kurt or Santana or whoever.

By trying to show the way things could be, the way things should be, you COMPLETELY MISS the point and the struggle people are facing today.

Being blind to issues is still racist, sexist, bigotist, every ist.

And where is the fracking Parent’s council on Quinn talking about how sex ruined her life a few weeks ago and is now wanting to make another baby?  Or how Puck just had sex with the teacher?

/rage

Some other links from people who feel similarly:

http://www.xtra.ca/blog/national/post/2011/11/30/Glee-Being-gay-is-all-about-entertaining-straight-guys.aspx

http://deconstructingglee.wordpress.com/2011/11/30/dorothy-snarker-takes-glee-to-the-shed-for-a-spanking/