Totally Audacious Audacity & Meditations on Writing

So this is my super late post about the Audacity tutorials. Overall, they served a great purpose. I was already familiar with the program by the time we went over it in class. The only criticism I have is that the resolution was so low that I couldn't tell which buttons he was pressing! Even his podcast was a little quiet in the second one. The reading about Podcasting was very general, but it's always great to be reminded.

The "Shitty First Drafts" article we read I now have saved on my computer. I loved it. The writing game is all about getting excited in the moment. Inspiration can happen so easily when exposed to material like that. It's also comforting to know experienced writers go through the kinks too. Editing creative work is probably one of the most difficult forms of editing. The author first edits, which is all fine and good. But then when the editor comes in, it's difficult to stop and just copy edit. I find myself thinking: oh man that prepositional phrase should not go there, exist, or should just be... and it starts to blur the lines between style and grammar. 

The whole writing process is made so much easier when the writer can learn to relax. Take the pressure off, enjoy the experience. But when the urge to write comes... BY GOD GO WRITE. On several occasions I have left parties to go home and write. It's important to get it while it's fresh in your head.

Drafts are so important. They mature, as you do, with time. Stepping away for a while is a luxury you can only have when you don't procrastinate. Letting it breathe, getting out of your head, and changing the scenery are invaluable to making something that appeals to a wider ranging audience, or if it is the intent, a very specific audience. Perspective is vital. When writing the original draft that's just one train of thought in one moment of time. On second, third, fiftieth drafts we can jam in all the hair-fine details that makes creative fiction so lifelike.

For critical writing, my opinion differs slightly. This is something you can chip away at over time and do in parts. That is, ONLY if you have a central idea or thesis to tie it all in together. If you don't the paper is subject to change every time the author revisits it. It is my opinion that meditating on the the idea, letting it develop and take form while doing some general research in the meantime will allow the paper to flow naturally once it's written. Researching before writing also helps us find our topic!

Literary Criticism for example is all about focusing deeply on something with concision. This is where editing becomes really fun. Cutting is my best friend. Yes friends, cut that thing until it's clean! All of that extra stuff, those adjectives you can't part with so you put all three in, those superfluous words like superfluous used more than once, you know the drill.

It is also important to determine the tone, voice and narrative voice. I'm very informal in life, business, and writing. But I have trained myself to sound 'scholarly' when writing academic papers. My solution for matching the type of writing with the voice is to look at examples before writing. If I wanted to sound like the dense material I have read for my science classes, I would read that. But I would rather sound like Harold Bloom, who works a conversational tone in here and there.

Better Late?

Hey Y'all,

I'm Natalie. I'm not from The South, per say, but I am from down South, San Diego. A sleepy little surfer-yogi town called Encinitas. There is quite a distinction between North County (where I live) and San Diego - you should visit sometime and find out why. I love where I live, and I have to laugh at the quirky-pseudo hip attempts like a cafe and surf shop opening up together, called "Coffee Coffee" and "Surfy Surfy."

Sometimes, while on the bike path, I question the cliche, "Better late than never." Really? Is is really better late than never? Because being late is pretty annoying isn't it? If you know me, have had a class with me, or work with me, you would know I am notoriously late for everything. You've probably seen my green bike (or clothes) frantically pedaling along like the Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz, with the faint 'dun dunnunna nunna' music playing in my wake.

Art commissions are probably the most obscene, as I am always willing to take ALL of them on, but I (at least) prioritize school over those. I once spent an entire quarter with a blank white skate deck in my room reflecting my mounting guilt back at me, (probably preying on my nightmares while I slept). Then, when I brought it to my friend finally, he asked me to do one last thing. Well, that was another month. I ended up offering to pay him for the inconvenience!

Don't let my unkempt appearance fool you, I do shower and I sometimes sleep. I am the reigning queen of underestimating the amount of time there is in a day. But hey! Better late than never... I always say?

One thing I'm never late for, though, is with my undying dedication to the magazine I've been working on since April of last year. It's nearly been a year's work of what first seemed an insurmountable job to tackle, and that now is finally close to its debut. I've been called "catalyst girl" or "that Natalie from Catalyst right?" It's been hard to shed that from my identity, which is why I've included it here. It has become a vital part of who I am, though I wouldn't define myself by it. Working on this project, and for the majority, working on my own, I've had a lot of time to reflect on the reasons why people do the things they do. In regard to success, I have discovered there is no peace in living through your successes (and failures). Goals are so important! But I've learned not to assume things will drastically change, that I'll be "done" when this or that is finished. Well that got deep!

But really, who can keep that up? I'll accept a few B's and keep my sanity thank you. My new years resolution is to get back to my center. (Yep, here's the old Leucadia Yogini coming out in me). I really enjoy meditating, Yoga, (long walks on the beach...) and I'm an avid wakeboarder. Wakeboarding is a bro sport. It totally is. But I would say I'm better at it than my bro. So, knocked that stereotype! I've been going since 6th grade and it's something my dad was raised doing in upstate New York where my family is from.

Music = Necessity.

Things I like: Live music, discovering bands/artists at shows for the first time, Spoken Word (though I suspect I will never attempt it myself, though it is a secret dream), running and a good Scotch with my Paps. I write a satirical column for the Nexus about Manners and I work there as an illustrator as well. English Major, enjoy writing, and just learning photoshop! Favorite art medium: wood and burner.

I like talking about stuff. Really, any kind of stuff. I like stories. So tell me a story and I'll definitely listen! Also, I do art and I have this thing where I can only do art for other people. If you get to know me, it is more likely I'll surprise you with something. But if you ask, I'll probably agree on some price with you, then get to know you over the course of the commission, then give it to you.

I love a lot of things, am passionate about a lot of things, and have no idea where I will end up. I currently dream about living in New York, looking at art books with strangers on the subway, and running with my future mutt in The Park. I'm not sure what I'll be doing, but if it gets me to Brooklyn everything's groovy.

Looking forward to learning more about computers, because they give me headaches and sometimes make me panic, so this class will be great!

Very Very First Blog Post Ever

Hi! My name is Natalie.

I like coffee.