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What does Thanksgiving mean to me?

My parents are people that have come from two imperfect families. Their parents, siblings, and/or extended family were often in jail, mean, or just not there at all. Somehow, even with this past, my parents have helped create traditions for my siblings and I. We run the Graceworks Turkey Trot every year. Our meals normally consist of turkey, dressing, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, ham, pumpkin pies, and once even some duck. The night of Thanksgiving, my siblings draw each others’ names to get gifts for that will be given the night before Christmas Day. The next day, we decorate the house for Christmas, though whether the tree is put up yet or not depends on the age of the youngest in the house—normally, the large tree is put up with a baby fence around it three days before Christmas.

Thanksgiving is a time to be  thankful—giving thanks is in the name of the holiday! So…

I’m thankful that I have my family, even if it is hard to show it, and even though we argue a lot.

I’m thankful that I have my friends—they’ve helped me through a lot. I’m thankful for the resources my family has, and that we have enough to be able to help others. I’m thankful for the family traditions my parents have set up for us. I’m thankful for the lady I am dating, who encourages to be my best each day. I’m thankful for a good job. Even if it’s not the one I want to stay with, it pays well, and helps me attend an excellent school—all of which I am especially thankful for. I’m thankful that I was homeschooled and in a state that allowed it. Homeschooling has helped prepare me so well for university. I’m thankful for all the men and women who serve my nation, especially the military men such as my dad. This is especially hard to be thankful for sometimes, because while he is normally home now, my dad has had to travel and be deployed twice—not as much as it could be, but still a lot harder on a young boy than would be preferred. That struggle will probably be in another post, though. I’m thankful for the excellent meal that my family, particularly my mom, prepared. I’m thankful for the computer I am writing this on. I’m thankful that, while this blog probably seems to be a goofy start that likely will never profit much, if any, I’m able to write something. On that note, I’m thankful I did take the Creative Writing class I am taking this semester. It’s a rough class, but it has expanded my writing borders and things I am comfortable with immensely. But this list could go on and on.

What are you thankful for?

I’ve decided that I’ll want to continue blogging a little more professionally, and I have started a Wordpress blog! This post can be found at https://awritejourney.wordpress.com/thanksgiving/

22 November 2018

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This is a podcast with my songwriting partner, Carrie, on how we have progressed with our assignment for a song collaboration.

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In this podcast, I interview my friend Alice Silva, a teen creative writer and teacher.

29 October 2018

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My Experience with Creative Writing

I haven’t written a lot of fiction before this class, Creative Writing, which I am taking to challenge myself. I have started three or four stories, as well as a few poems, but very little of my creative writing has ever been anything that I thought considered any good. 

In eighth grade, I write my firs short story. It was called “A Wolf’s Reckless Revenge.” It was nearly a page and a half single spaced about a wolf who finally got caught and shot stealing chickens from the villagers who killed his mother. The following is the last paragraph of the story:

“This cannot be happening! I was always told revenge was to be prized! It has finally caught up with me!” As the life goes out of me, I collapse in the blood of the man I just killed and my own crimson liquid. My last breath comes heavily, and I close my eyes whimpering, never to open them again.

The next thing I finished was my story for my first Creative Writing Class Project. I had help editing it, but I really like how it turned out. This 4 and a half page, single spaced, short story is about a crazy kid who has been raised by his psycho sister, and how when a sheriff and his less-than-bright deputy investigate siblings’ house, the officers end up dead. The following is from the last several lines of “Jeremy”:

The sheriff feels his heart attempt to beat a hole out of his chest as he realizes what has happened: the deputy is dead. Those scratches on his arm must have been on purpose by Juliet to poison him. The strong sheriff starts to cry, but the tears just won’t come. Juliet’s feet pad the concrete as she walks over to one of the walls, then to hand Jeremy a large knife—the sheriff can just see it out of the corner of his eye.

“Have fun, Jeremy!” Juliet’s voice rings.

“Oh, I will!” Jeremy grins gleefully. As Juliet ascends the ladder, she feels a grin of her own spreading across her face. 

I have written one poem that I particularly like called “Pleasure and Pain.” That poem is looking at self-harm from the viewpoint of someone trying to help the person who is engaging in self-harm. I won’t share that here because it is personal to me.

A common theme in my writing that I consider good seems to be around pain and murder/blood. I would like to work on writing about happier subjects, and will try to for the poetry that will be due over the coming weeks, as well as for my next project. 

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Growth

This semester has been such a long semester. There has been so much drama. It is insane. It seems like there is something new every few days. 

It’s kind of funny. I remember, a couple weeks before my ex broke up with me, I had wondered what made my mentors the people they are. I wondered if there was a way that I could gain and actually internalize wisdom without having to go through the experiences they have had to suffer. Then, my ex broke up with me. Through the stuff that happened, things have been terrible. I have lost several friends for speaking the truth about what I saw that happened and for what has happened since coming to school. It’s sad. 

There is also other stuff with several people from a couple different social clubs that I have lost friends over. I am sad about that.

Out of all of the drama and backstabbing and childish behavior—admittedly some from me just last night—I have had some good. Besides the fact that I would like to think that I have gained some maturity, I have found some people that I know I can count on—no matter what. Those friendships are the type I’ve wanted all my life. As a homeschooler, I never really had good friends. I wish I wouldn’t have to have experienced the hurt and have hurt people that my ex and I used to be close to. But I wouldn’t trade the friends I have made.

I still wonder, though: is it possible to actually mature without experiencing the pain of mistakes yourself?

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Late-night Thoughts

I am someone who overthinks a lot.

I am someone who is imperfect.

I am someone with many mistakes in my past.

I struggle with anxiety, and have been going through a lot of stress recently. 

Even so, I take courage from this hymn. 

It Is Well With My Soul

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

I struggle with temptations.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

I have made mistakes. I constantly make mistakes. But Jesus has shed and does shed his blood for me, an unworthy and imperfect human.

There are other verses, but my thoughts have been everywhere recently. I have been very stressed. On the bright side, however, I am getting to know myself far better, and getting material to “steal like a writer.”

Some other random thoughts:

I am someone who tends to care for people far too much and far too quickly. 

I will do nearly anything in my power for my friends, even to the detriment of my sleep and health.

I want to help as many people as I can. I want to find a way to help people through my writing.

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A Take on Creativity

I do not consider myself a particularly creative person. I enjoy researching to find cold facts and theories to write about. This class—even the idea of me being creative—is something I have not previously taken much time to explore. Yes, I have kept journals, but even those have never been much more than putting the facts that have happened since I last wrote. What, then, does it mean for me to be a creative person? 

I remember that a year ago, I tried writing something creative every day. For the most part, I completed my goal, even if it meant only writing a short haiku. Unfortunately, after a couple months, I dropped off in this practice. I even stopped writing frequently in my journal for a number of months. This is where I made what is noted as the number one mistake in every podcast about being creative I’ve listened to: creativity doesn’t necessarily strike you as a muse. Like any other truly good thing, creativity takes effort, even when you feel like you are grinding your wheels.

This point brings takes my discussion away from the question of who I am as a writer to the question, “What is creativity?” 

First of all, creativity is hard work. There are other things that must also be factored in, though. I was homeschooled with little social interaction and even less experience with pop culture. As I go out into the world, and especially since I have come to college, I feel like I have gotten far more life experience. This has made writing and even simple small talk with people far easier for me. I have far more material to put in a creative work than I had a year ago.

I believe the other component of creativity is time. According to podcasts by men such as Tim Ferris, Jordan Harbinger, and Brett McKay, you need time to be bored and to be able to turn your ideas over in your mind. It is often during the most mundane tasks that the great inventors get their ideas. For example, J. K. Rowling had the idea for Harry Potter while she was delayed on a train. Walt Disney reportedly had the idea for Disneyland when he was at a park with his children, but unable to go on rides with them. 

I do suppose that there is some amount of simple genius and lucky happenstance that goes into finding a “big idea.” I won’t discount that. I will say, however, that from what I have seen in myself and what I have heard from experts, the most important factors to “become creative” are namely: hard work, life experience, and time and boredom. 

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Introduction

Name: Nathan Roberts

From: Tennessee

“What are your writing and/or academic research interests?” I enjoy writing and researching about a variety of things, but my strongest interest right now is about ancient history, especially that of Rome.

Writing Experience: I have never written a lot regularly. I’ve kept a journal very inconsistently for some ten years. I have tried writing poetry and short stories. In the past, I have never stuck with or cared much for my writing unless it has been for research purposes. That is changing with this class, though.

Hobbies: I haven’t had much time for hobbies in a while, but when I do have time, I particularly enjoy discussing theological and philosophical topics with people smarter than me. I enjoy crocheting, and can knit. I sometimes play a bit of Minecraft on my phone. I read historical fiction books. My favorite pastime that I have kept up since I can do this while I do mundane tasks, however, is listen to podcasts. I particularly love self-help podcasts such as The Tim Ferris Show or the Art of Manliness.

I am starting this blog for a creative writing class at my university. I plan on updating regularly, including after I finish my class.