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maandag 25 februari 2013

Writing, my passion.

I am, and have always been, a person with an incredible imagination. I always played a kind of roleplaying games with a friend when I was younger. We pretended to be some mythical creature or some kind of hero.We could do this for hours and hours without getting bored. That is probably why I am such a huge fan of roleplaying games on the computer. When I was around eleven years old, J.K Rowling (how cliché) introduced me to reading and I never stopped reading afterwards. My favourite genre is fantasy because it makes me able to escape this dull world and live in those very excited worlds filled with magic, knights and dragons. It wasn't very long after Harry Potter that I discovered fanfiction and tried writing. I didn't like writing. I loved it!

I read loads and loads of fanfiction and wrote a fair bit. Only a bare minimum I managed to finish though. Nevertheless I kept writing and I kept on starting new stories. Every now and then I started an original story but they were abandoned rather quickly. Now I am writing a fanfiction with a friend which turns out to have quite a good plot and we are planning to rewrite is as an original story; which will be quite a task but I'm looking forward to it! Beside that I also started very recently (as in yesterday) an original story. I have on scene and a small piece of the plot. Loads and loads of work on that one.

I have always toyed with the thought of being a writer but it was more a 'maybe' thing. If I had a good idea and managed to write a good story around it, I might consider to try and get it published. The thought of becoming a writer has turned into a dream. I want to write. I would love to earn money by creating stories. I would love to entertain people with my stories and perhaps teach them a thing or two, because books are full of life lessons.
I don't want to write to become famous or earn loads of money. To achieve this you have to be really good and perhaps lucky someone wants to make a film or tv series from your book(s). I know that the chances to be able to earn a decent living from writing are very slim, especially in Belgium. Unfortunately the market for Dutch fantasy is, unless I am mistaken, very small. Most fantasy readers I know read almost solely in English. So if I ever want to make a chance to live from that I would have to get a lot better in English and move to some English speaking country.
I actually already said the reason why I wanted to write: to entertain people. I would be so thrilled if someone would enjoy reading my work! Another reason I want to write is to create my own world; my own rules and laws and my own characters. Basically, I want to play God.  But the main reason I want to write is because I have to get ideas out of my mind. Christopher Paolini, author of the Inheritance Cycle (better known as Eragon and don't judge the books by the film, 'cause in comparison the film was horrible):

"Write because a story burns within you, and you find yourself thinking and dreaming of it every free moment."

I never felt this way before (for a long period of time) about a story until I started writing with my friend. It's an amazing feeling but sometimes very annoying as well.




woensdag 13 februari 2013

My love for words

I love words more than anything else in the world. It doesn't matter if they are spoken, written or sung. Words, or language, is the most powerful weapon we humans have. It can cause love, joy, happiness but also sadness, sorrow and pain. Words can inspire people or destroy them. Words can start a war or end one. People underestimate the power of words constantly. Don't we follow the one who can sell his ideas the best? Hitler manages to sell his terrible ideas by putting them in great words.

It has always amazed me that people can build whole words out of words. How heroes who have inspired so many people are formed just with words. Isn't it funny how easy we can in love with some pages filled with words? It's magic. It's enchanting.
Save for a couple, the people who inspire me did so by using words. When I feel like shit, words can make me feel better again, especially those words that are artfully crafted into an incredulous story or an amazing song.

My favourite author isn't the best one, but she managed to get me into reading (how cliché) and she opened a whole new world to me. She introduced me to the magic of words. Actually the person who's words left the deepest impression, inspired me and shape me to the person I am, is a singer. Well Actually it are four persons, but the singer writes most of the lyrics, but I've always seen them as a whole. No one's words can make me smile as brightly as theirs, no one's words can make me as heartbroken as theirs, no one's words have influenced me as much as theirs. Their words (and their instruments) have found a way into my heart, I think there is nothing on earth that I love more then their songs.

While I respect it, I have trouble understand people who don't like to read. You miss so much if you don't read. Reading can teach you so much about the world and about people. You can find yourself when you are lost in a good book. It will give you a break from this harsh reality. I suppose people who don't read have other ways to escape from this cruel world.

I think I will go insane if I will go deaf or if, for some obscure reason, I won't be able to read any more.

dinsdag 12 februari 2013

Concerts: paying for privileges

Lately it seems to me that more and more musicians offer special packages for their shows at, sometimes, insane high prices. These packages include a variation of things like meeting the artist/band, seeing the show from a special place on the stage, get signed stuff, be able to ask the band/artiest questions and I'm sure there a plenty more things.

It is a great commercial move to sell such packages. You give a chance to those who can pay it to meet their idol(s) while people who don't have the money have just to save up to get their hands on a ticket for the show. Everything costs money and a lot music is, unfortunately or perhaps luckily, due to the internet accessible for free while it costs a lot to make it and get it out in the world. My BF and I always buy the CD's we like if we can get out hands on them (some or not so easy to find unless you are willing to pay an insane amount of shipping costs)  and I will always but a piece of merchandise if I have the money and I like the artist.
I do understand why people buy such packages and I won't condemn them for it, but honestly it's just like visiting the zoo but except it's most likely not as educational as the zoo. And the artist(s) who offer such a packages are oblige to be friendly and in a good mood when they talk to their fans or whatever they have to do to full fill their end of the deal. I am pretty sure most fans would not be very pleased if the artist(s) are in a grumpy or bad mood. Isn't it more special that you meet the artist(s) after the show in the bar our outside the venue and that they listen/talk to you because they want to? I can imagine that it is not possible for every artist to do that so easily, but is the package formula than the right substitute? I think not. Give fans who don't have the money a chance to meet you as well or do not meet them at all. It's pretty pathetic if money should determine if you can meet your idol or not (excluding travelling expenses for it is logistically not possible for every artist to play a gig in your town). And I do understand that not after concert the artist(s) are in the mood to meet fans and don't come out at all and or go straight to the bus/car/whatever. That might be quite hard for a fan who's waiting for hours to see them, but artists are people as well and can have bad days. I would rather not talk to an artist at all than talk to one who is annoyed or in a bad mood.

Anyway, the aspect I hate the most about packages is the early access to the venue. I know it is handy, you don't have to wait all day in whatever weather it is, but you'll miss half the fun. Queueing all day long to get a good front row spot (preferably right in front the singer or whomever you prefer) is so much fun and sometimes a terrible torture. You get to meet knew people who share at least on interest with you, you might have to improvise a way be able to go to the toilet or try and stay dry and not freeze to death or melt away. If it is a torture, you will be glad you were a martyr when the the artist(s) steps on the stage and throw you a bright smile because they know you were insane and dedicated enough to wait form them all they. Most artists are not ignorant and know that the people in the first rows have waited for hours. 

I could go one on this for hours and hours and I am not going to do that. But remember that the fans have placed the artists on a pedestal. The fans are the ones who buy the CD's and come to the concerts and idolize the artists. It are also the fans who buy those packages and it is, unfortunately, due to those fans that they keep on doing it because it is successful. 


maandag 4 februari 2013

Time flies

The last couple of weeks, and especially yesterday, I have been reminded how fast times flies. It's very hard to grasp that the last ten years have passed in what seems to me a blink of an eye. It makes me realise that life is really short and we have to live every day the fullest and live for tomorrows.


Yesterday was the tenth anniversary of this song and I can still vividly remember that I was getting my hair dyes or a new hair cut when they started to play ITS on television. I looked at the clip in awe and fell immediately in love with it and with the band. Especially the singer drew my attention. I never stopped loving them since and I probably will always love them. 

I haven't changed much in ten years, I think. I grew up and became an "adult" (well I can still be a 16 year old teenager) but at the core I'm still the very same person. I still love the same things: I still listen to the same bands as 10 years ago (okay I've got to know some new ones, but with exception of a few my favourites are still the same), I still love horses, I still adore reading (and it are still the same kind of stores) and I still write. What has changed, however, is that I finally find something interesting to study and that I'm a lot more afraid of things that I used to be. I'm afraid to take risks. Ten years back I wasn't afraid to fall of a horse or ride a difficult horse but now I dread going for a walk with my horse because he is so tense than. When he starts being difficult I jumped as fast as I can from his back because I'm terrified something will happen. Honestly I hate that but there is nothing I can do about it I think. It might have something to do with an accident an acquaintance of mine had. She died because the horse she was riding got spooked and fell off it. I hate it that I have to think everything through. I want to be reckless again, I don't want to think about the possible consequences all the time but I do. It's annoying and it makes me feel like I miss out on a lot of fun. 

Perhaps those ten years have changed me more than I thought. Well live is to short to regret and worry about the past. I should look forward and embrace the future and try to fight my demons instead of wishing to be as I ones was. 

vrijdag 1 februari 2013

Finland

As long as I can remember I've wanted to visit the country. I've never been interested in 'warm' countries with exception of Egypt and that is solely for the pyramids and the culture. Nor have I ever had the ambition to travel the whole world and see as much as I possibly can. Most countries I want to visit attract me for their nature, not their climate or because there is much cultural things to do and see.


source: google

I've always been interested in the mysterious 'north' but unfortunately I've never been to it The most north I've ever been is Deventer in the Netherlands. Normally I would have gone to Norway in September but well that has been postponed until I don't know when. I think the northern lights must be one of the most amazing phenomena of nature. And I think the midnight sun must be incredible odd, in a way. There is barely such a thing as 'night' in the summer, while in winter days are very short. Finland attracts me, of the Scandinavian countries the most because of the music and the thousand lakes.
source: google


Most of my favourite artists hail from this country of a thousand lakes. The Finns have so many really good bands (some of them known around the whole globe). I know that their school system (the best in the world) supports making music, but that can't be the only thing that causes to many bands to create such fantastic music? Surely there must be something inspiring about the country?
I'd love to go on vacation to Finland and it doesn't matter in which season. I know it can be incredible cold in the winter, but as long as I don't freeze to dead when I'm inside, I don't mind it. In the summer it can be as warm as here! Maybe if I will be able to go on Eramus (studying abroad for a term) I should go to Finland or another Scandinavian country, though the U.K also lures me for it's interesting to improve my English.

source: google

I love Belgium, it's a nice country (not perfect, but which country is perfect?) but what I miss the most her is nature. If I go for a walk in the nearby park/forest I can always hear the sound of 'civilisation' and encounter other people regularly. Yes I could go to the Ardenne (whatever it's called in English) but I'm afraid of heights and I'm not a fan of climbing hills all day long. So that's one of the reason I don't go for a walk very often, although I love it. Maybe I'll be able to go to Finland on vacation in 2014... though i need to save up money for a lot of things already... hmm. I'll see what life throws at me, I am not much of a planner. I'll just wait and see what tomorrow brings!