Working for the Greater Good of Dogkind!!!

A DOG'S PRAYER

Treat me kindly , my beloved master,
for no heart in all the world is more
grateful for kindness than the loving
heart of me.

Do not break my spirit with a stick,
for although I should lick your hand between blows, your patience and
understanding will more quickly teach
me the things you would have me do.

Speak to me often, for your voice is
world’s sweetest music, as you must know
by the fierce wagging of my tail when your
footstep falls upon my waiting ear.

When it is cold and wet, please take me
inside, for I am now a domesticated animal,
no longer used to bitter elements.
And I ask no greater glory than the
privilege of sitting at your feet beside
the hearth. Though had you no home,
I would rather follow you through ice and
snow than rest upon the softest pillow in
the warmest home in the land, for you are
my god and I am your devoted worshipper.

Keep my pan filled with fresh water,
for although I should not reproach you
were it dry, I cannot tell you when I
suffer thirst. Feed me clean food so
that I may stay well to romp and play
and do your bidding, to walk by your
side, and stand ready willing and able
to protect you with my life should your
life be in danger.

And beloved master, should the Great Master
see fit to deprive me of my health or sight,
do not turn me away from you. Rather,
hold me gently in your arms as skilled hands
grant me the merciful boon of eternal rest...
and I will leave you knowing with the last
breath I draw, my fate was every safest
in your hands.

--- Beth Norman Harris --- 

In no way are dogs inferior to people. If anything, they must be superior. Dogs know the true meaning of friendship, they have no conditions or demands. They love like no other human can, and they never fail in their devotion. They should be loved in the same way by us, who sometimes take them for granted.

                                                                ---------------------------

Well, as you can see, dogs are important to me. if someone were to ask me, back in, what? Junior year of high school? yes. If you were to ask me, then, who my best friend was, I would have said "Oh. Definitely my dog."

Yes, that might sound lame, but it is true. He was my companion through those years, and I did all I could to repay him the kindness, and cure him of his, hhhm... what shall I call it? I am not quite sure. My mom and I talked about it once. We came to the conclusion that there was something wrong in his brain. Something that we think was caused by abuse, that gave him a deep sense of distrust. Yes, it was probably also from his breeding, but we could tell it was something deeper.

So we tried all we could to help him. But we could tell there was nothing we could do. Not really.

Now, about 2 years later, I am still working to repay my best friend. What am I doing, you ask? Well, I am working for the greater good of dogkind! Well, okay, I just go and volunteer at the local Humane Society. But it is important work! If those dogs are cared for daily, who knows how they could end up. And I hope that my efforts will educate others on the proper way to treat these lovely animals.

My hope is to eradicate the mistreatment of dogs, and to make a difference in the lives of the sweet hearts housed in that place, just searching for a home, and someone to love them.

Please, if you feel the same way, do all that you can. Do not let a single animal be mistreated or forgotten. They will love you with all their hearts, so why not repay it? Adopt, volunteer, foster, donate, anything! Its worth it, I promise. You might even find a best friend!

My Date With Mr. Darcy... wait what???

As I often do at various times in my life, I read a book this week. And it was such an interesting experience, I thought I would blog about it. So here is my story, or rather, My Date with Mr. Darcy.


Strolling through the fiction book section at Hastings, I discovered that they have some rather cheap books. Mainly because they are used. But, being a college student with a lame job, cheap is good! Excitement rolling through my veins, I found a book entitled My Date With Mr. Darcy (if you haven't already guessed). I thought "Hey, this looks good. looks like something i might enjoy, right?". So I bought it. $6.49.


Driving home, I was excited. It has been awhile since I bought a new book. Being as poor as I am, rereading books is kind of my thing. But here I was! A NEW (used) book! Oh the joy!


When I did get home, I looked up the book on  Goodreads, just because, well, I was curious. This website has tons of reader reviews for every book imaginable. Its amazing.


So there I was, reading the reviews for this new book I just bought. And there I was, having my hopes being completely crushed. Every single review just tore this book to pieces, saying that it was terrible, a waste of time, no way in H-E- double hockey sticks was it ever going to be a good book. And most of the comments about the book were about the terrible writing. And thats when I knew I was going to hate it too. As a wannabe writer, I value good writing, and I like to think that I can recognize terrible writing.


NOW what was I going to do?? I now owned this book and apparently it was a terrible one... All of my enthusiasm for reading it was gone. I had just spent part of my pitifully small paycheck on a book that I was likely going to hate... oh boy...


But, out of sheer stubbornness probably, I decided to try it anyway. I mean, really? It was published, wasn't it? How bad can it be, right?


Wrong. Horribly wrong. the book was TERRIBLE! I was ashamed that it was EVER published! I mean, I am only a freshman in college, with absolutely no experience in the area, but I knew that this book should never have been published...


The huge problem was, well, CHEESE. It was extremely cheesy. Although, to be fair, the whole PLOT was destined to be cheesy. But, in my opinion, a good writer has to be able to take a cheesy, clichéd plot idea and make it work. At least, that is MY goal. Because I do tend to have cheesy plot ideas...


But really, Alexandra Potter really didn't get that concept. For the first 30 pages at least, we had to hear all about how her heroine, Emily Albright, just ADORED Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Jane Austen's dreamboat character from Pride and Prejudice. It was rather pathetic. She had actually given up on dating men. From now on, she was going to stick with men in her beloved books. "I mean, why cant I go on a date with Mr. Darcy?" she says. Seriously, there is hopeless romantic, then there is just plain hopeless.


And, something I just HAVE to mention is the poor word choice. Namely, the cuss words, and other vulgar words. I mean really?? I might be a little biased because I was raised to know that cuss words shouldn't be used, that they are just too vulgar. But, in my opinion, they DO NOT belong in books. Okay, maybe the dialog, but certainly not the narration! Cuss words were just oozing off of the pages of this book. It got to the point that whenever I would see one, not in the dialog, I would mentally take it out, and you know what? The sentence worked SO MUCH better! It actually made it flow better, and it almost made the book actually worth reading. 


Also, while still on the subject of word choice, I hate the word 'OK'. Shouldn't it be 'okay'? I don't know. Thats just one of my pet peeves. And this book was full of 'OK's...


But, despite all of this, I kept reading. I don't like not finishing a book. I HAVE to finish it. So I trugded on. And you wont BELIEVE what happened. 


I have this theory. (Flashes of Mandy Moore in Chasing Liberty are going through my head. Her and her theories) I think that when inspiration for a story comes to a person, they have it all thought out perfectly as a result. They know exactly how the story is going to go, or going to end up. I think of Stephenie Meyer in this theory. She has said that her idea for her international sensation, Twilight, came in a dream. But her dream was just one or two scenes. She had to fill in the rest with her waking imagination. And, despite what other people say, I thought she did a very good job. Her story works out very nicely. (Although, I do admit that Twilight will probably never be a literary great)


It almost seems as if Alexandra Potter had a similar inspirational process (although I have no idea if it came in a dream). When she thought up the idea for this book, I am sure she knew just how it went, as far as the main story goes. But, in order to turn it into a novel, she had to fill in the rest. She had to introduce it. Thats where she went wrong. It seems, as I am reading it, she didn't put as much thought into the fill-ins. So that is why it, well, sucks. 


But, to refer back to the inspiration process, the part that she thought up first was probably impeccable. It completely and totally worked. 


Which is why, as I kept reading, I started to admire this author as a genuinely good writer. And it was because I had gotten to the 'dream' part of the book. The part that the author obviously had thought out to the very last detail. Her sentences started to flow better. I was amazed. I was actually starting to like this book. And, I am excited to say, she took some scenes, which I just knew had to be so cheesy that I would outwardly cringe, she took them and made them, how shall I say it? Brilliant! Somehow, she was able to take these 'cringe-able' scenes and make them really work. I cant quite place how, but they just worked. I really don't know how else to put it. 


And her theme turned out to be my favorite part. I thought that it would be a rather humdrum and shabby one. But it really made sense. And I really liked it. It thought that, miraculously, it was very well supported by her entire plot, although, while reading it, I was totally at a loss as to how it would be any good. 


Needless to say, I was very surprised. Finishing the book at about 1 am, I laid it down and thought "Wow. I actually liked that book." Funny how that worked out.


I have learned a really valuable lesson here. And it is "put as much effort into the fill-ins as you do into the heart of the story". Also, cuss words just do not belong in books. 


I was thinking, when I read the reviews online, that I would sell the book back to Hastings, and at least get some of my money back. But now I have changed my mind. I am going to keep it as an example of this lesson. It will be my go- to book when I am attempting to get rid of cheese.


I am still in awe of how good that book turned out to be. So that is why I am here, blogging about it. This story may not be one of intense excitement or one that will make me an instant internet star (one of my ambitions in life), but it has helped me to gain a slightly new perspective on the world of fiction. 


I found this on Goodreads. (told you I liked it) it is a review of a book: 
       "You know that bit at the beginning of Amadeus, where Salieri has composed this very uninspired little march, which he and the Emperor play for Mozart? Then Mozart sits down at the keyboard and says, hm, that's not quite right, is it? And he messes around with it for a couple of minutes, until he's suddenly transformed it into "Here's farewell to the games with the girls" from The Marriage of Figaro. "


Well, this is what I want to do with this book. the bad parts anyway. :) But I wont cause that is rather illegal. You know, copyright and all that.




Now, once I finish this blog, I get to study for an English final. At this thought, I am having my own fantasies about being in the world of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Now who is the hopeless romantic? Oh boy... ;) 


Wishing I could be in 19th Century Britain, yours,


Amanda In (21st Century) Logan.

My new endeavor begins!

It is 12:20 am, Thursday night, or rather, technically Friday morning. Oh boy! I have class tomorrow, and instead I am posting my very first blog ever. And wow, am I excited. (Listen to me, I sound like a six year old writing my first sentence.) I have been thinking for, what? A whole day now? I have decided that writing daily, instead of just an essay or a short story now and then, will help me to become a better, and more intelligent writer. So here I go.

Since it is so late, (early) I will try not to make this too long. I really must get to bed.

To start out my newest enterprise, I will point my readers in the direction of other's blogs and/or plots to change the world. Much like mine. (Did you know that this blog will change the world??? 'Cause it will.)

Something I do daily is read lots and lots of news articles and things. Mostly the ones featured on Yahoo! I find them quite interesting (its the best way to procrastinate, besides Facebook). So today I would like to share this one. In the spirit of it being December, and the lovely year of 2010 being almost over, Yahoo! has compiled some very interesting Top 10 lists. Although some really aren't THAT interesting. But you can judge for yourself.

So here you are, 2010 Year In Review. Check out the Inspiring Acts first, since that is the most intriguing. Then enjoy some of the other lists, but really, I advise you to stay away from the Cheat Sheet. Seriously, Its HER life! We don't need to know all about Elin Nordegren's sorrows...

So please, be inspired by my wonderful ramblings as much as you are by these stories!

Forever your's (or at least until I decide I am sick of the snow),

Amanda In Logan

P.S. As proof of my boring life, a few things from today:
Dinner: Mac n Cheese (you should know that I have this a lot. Its pretty much the only thing I can cook)
What I did to cause me to be up so late: watched Doctor Who. And wished I could travel in time...
And I spent about an hour reading the above article... what a loser.