Today's creative complex is another writing prompt.
This time, you are climbing a pine tree. You climb higher and higher and higher, but you still don't get to the top. What happens next?
Spruce Nogard
Attributions:
Showing posts with label Adventure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adventure. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Creative Complex: Climbing Trees
Good Day, Friends!
Today's creative complex is another writing prompt.
This time, you are climbing a pine tree. You climb higher and higher and higher, but you still don't get to the top. What happens next?
Today's creative complex is another writing prompt.
This time, you are climbing a pine tree. You climb higher and higher and higher, but you still don't get to the top. What happens next?
Monday, June 27, 2016
My Writing: The Adventures of Emily Hattinkson: The Terrible Tumble
Greetings, Friends!
This week is an odd week. It is the fifth (at least I'm counting it as the fifth) week in June. My blog schedule is for four weeks only, so this week is extra. So, I'm going to share a story I've written with you.
Thank you for reading my story, Friends! On Friday, Dragomir will be doing another guest post!
This week is an odd week. It is the fifth (at least I'm counting it as the fifth) week in June. My blog schedule is for four weeks only, so this week is extra. So, I'm going to share a story I've written with you.
Once upon a time, there was a girl who
rode the city bus every day to school. She was an ordinary girl, but
even extraordinary things happen to ordinary people sometimes. The
first time she rode the bus, there were many new faces. All were
adults going off to work, and she was terrified she would miss her
stop, get lost, and be stuck on the bus forever. Maybe she would be
on the bus so long, she would become a ghost, and wander that same
bus for all of eternity.
However, this was not the case, as she asked a benevolent
young woman when to get off, and successfully made it to school.
This was the first of her many
adventures aboard the city bus, and goodness, how many she would
have. On this particular day, she was studying the “usuals;” what she called the
people who were on the bus mostly every day. There was the
grandma-ish lady with graying hair (her nametag said Nancy), and she
worked at a hospital, and the older lady with curly blond hair;
Charles the Accountant, the “Jodi Picoult” lady, named because
she always read Jodi Picoult books, the lady with the bright pink
Kindle and shoes that clopped, the man who read, the lady as old as
the hills (she really did look like it), the young man with the
yellow winter coat, the man only as tall as she was, and the lady
that walked fast. Every day, people were bleary-eyed and tired,
dozing off in their suits and fine clothing. Conversations rarely
started, but when they did, she found them irritating, for they
caused too much noise at too early an hour. Today, she was sitting at
the very front of the bus, in one of the sets of three seats that
faced each other, and, with such an awful lot of things to carry,
what with schoolwork and an instrument, it was a bit of an ordeal.
Her bus whizzed along the highway
quite confidently, being a commuter bus, and having the privilege to
use the shoulder. On this route, few turns existed, but, the turns
that did exist were harrowing. She was ever afraid she would fall,
and, this day, she actually did. She fell with her knees over her
instrument, which had also fallen, and the floor scraped her hands,
although barely. She got up quickly, righted her instrument, and
struggled not to be embarrassed. Nancy, the hospital lady asked if
she was all right, and then put her foot in front of the girl's
instrument so the girl could focus on keeping her balance. When she
left the bus, she was glad she had time to regain her dignity.
This is the first of the many adventures of
Emily Hattinkson.
Do you like to write?
Spruce Nogard
Attributions:
Monday, June 20, 2016
On My Mind: Zootopia
Hello, Animal-Lovers!
Today, Zootopia is on my mind.
How many of you have seen Zootopia? How many of you liked it? I know it's a kids movie, but that doesn't mean we can't like it. :)
Zootopia is about a place where animals live in harmony, whether prey or predator. The story is about a rabbit, Judy Hopps, who fulfills her life's dream: to become the first rabbit police officer. Meanwhile, animals in the city of Zootopia are disappearing. The police force is having trouble finding them, but then Officer Hopps takes the case. The rest of the police force is less than thrilled. Meanwhile, Officer Hopps has to work with Nicholas Wilde, a fox who isn't always on the right side of the law, go to a naturalist club (the animals don't wear clothes!), deal with some very slow sloths, and much more!
Sorry, but because it's copyrighted, I can't put any pictures of the movie here. Here's a link, though:
http://img.lum.dolimg.com/v1/images/products_zootopia_digitalhd_5f05fae6.png
Zootopia is a great movie with wonderful morals. I would tell you about them, but that would give you plot spoilers, and, if you've already seen the movie, you know exactly what I'm talking about. I love Zootopia for three reasons:
Go watch it, then comment below. What did you like about it? Were there things you think they could have done better?
Today, Zootopia is on my mind.
How many of you have seen Zootopia? How many of you liked it? I know it's a kids movie, but that doesn't mean we can't like it. :)
Zootopia is about a place where animals live in harmony, whether prey or predator. The story is about a rabbit, Judy Hopps, who fulfills her life's dream: to become the first rabbit police officer. Meanwhile, animals in the city of Zootopia are disappearing. The police force is having trouble finding them, but then Officer Hopps takes the case. The rest of the police force is less than thrilled. Meanwhile, Officer Hopps has to work with Nicholas Wilde, a fox who isn't always on the right side of the law, go to a naturalist club (the animals don't wear clothes!), deal with some very slow sloths, and much more!
Sorry, but because it's copyrighted, I can't put any pictures of the movie here. Here's a link, though:
http://img.lum.dolimg.com/v1/images/products_zootopia_digitalhd_5f05fae6.png
Zootopia is a great movie with wonderful morals. I would tell you about them, but that would give you plot spoilers, and, if you've already seen the movie, you know exactly what I'm talking about. I love Zootopia for three reasons:
- As I said earlier, it has great morals and lessons
- It has an intriguing plot
- It parallels real society very well (in my opinion)
Go watch it, then comment below. What did you like about it? Were there things you think they could have done better?
Spruce Nogard
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Writing: Genre of the Month: Mystery
Greetings, Detectives, Criminals, and Witnesses!
This month's genre is mystery. How many of you have read a mystery novel before? It could be a simple first- to second-grade chapter book, or it could be the stories of the most famous detective ever: Sherlock Holmes.
Whatever it is, mystery novels are all characterized by one main thing: mystery. Here are some of the mystery books I have read;
The Cat Who Got Carried Away is a very simple chapter book, for kids who are just learning to read. It was my first chapter book, and I got it for my sixth birthday. The summary on the inside of the jacket cover is as follows:
"In this Grand and Gripping story, Gus and Gloria have a lot of running to do, Mrs. Gaskitt hardly ever gets out of bed, and something dreadful happens to Horace!
Also starring: a brainy rat named Randolph, a barking baby carriage, and a considerable number of penguins."
Although it is the third book in the Gaskitts series, it reads well as a stand alone.
A to Z Mysteries is a mystery series I read in first to second grade. Basically, Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are three kids who solve mysteries. They're really fun books!
I read the Nancy Drew Mysteries in fourth grade. They are about Nancy, a teenager, and her friends. She is an amateur detective, and these books are kind of like an older version of A to Z Mysteries, or any other younger mystery series. This is my opinion, however, and so is debatable. Nancy Drew books have more frightening things happen, like being threatened, almost getting killed, and getting kidnapped. They are a couple years older, both in writing style and in content. Have fun reading them!
Sherlock Holmes. Absolutely amazing. I have read every single Sherlock Holmes story Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote at least twice. Some stories I have read three or four times. They are amazing and educational. However, not everyone thinks so. Some people think they are dry, dull, or too confusing. I disagree. They are extraordinary. However, they can describe murder scenes, etc. in extreme detail. . .so beware. These are some of my favorite books.
Other mystery books/authors/movies I did not have enough room to write about: author Agatha Christie, the TV show Murder, She Wrote, The Boxcar Children series, The Question of the Missing Head, and the movie Zootopia, as well as others I'm probably forgetting about.
Have you read any of these? Which ones are your favorite? Do you like mystery?
This month's genre is mystery. How many of you have read a mystery novel before? It could be a simple first- to second-grade chapter book, or it could be the stories of the most famous detective ever: Sherlock Holmes.
Whatever it is, mystery novels are all characterized by one main thing: mystery. Here are some of the mystery books I have read;
"In this Grand and Gripping story, Gus and Gloria have a lot of running to do, Mrs. Gaskitt hardly ever gets out of bed, and something dreadful happens to Horace!
Also starring: a brainy rat named Randolph, a barking baby carriage, and a considerable number of penguins."
Although it is the third book in the Gaskitts series, it reads well as a stand alone.
A to Z Mysteries is a mystery series I read in first to second grade. Basically, Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are three kids who solve mysteries. They're really fun books!
I read the Nancy Drew Mysteries in fourth grade. They are about Nancy, a teenager, and her friends. She is an amateur detective, and these books are kind of like an older version of A to Z Mysteries, or any other younger mystery series. This is my opinion, however, and so is debatable. Nancy Drew books have more frightening things happen, like being threatened, almost getting killed, and getting kidnapped. They are a couple years older, both in writing style and in content. Have fun reading them!
Sherlock Holmes. Absolutely amazing. I have read every single Sherlock Holmes story Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote at least twice. Some stories I have read three or four times. They are amazing and educational. However, not everyone thinks so. Some people think they are dry, dull, or too confusing. I disagree. They are extraordinary. However, they can describe murder scenes, etc. in extreme detail. . .so beware. These are some of my favorite books.
Other mystery books/authors/movies I did not have enough room to write about: author Agatha Christie, the TV show Murder, She Wrote, The Boxcar Children series, The Question of the Missing Head, and the movie Zootopia, as well as others I'm probably forgetting about.
Have you read any of these? Which ones are your favorite? Do you like mystery?
Spruce Nogard
Attributions:
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Creative Complex: Character Constructing: Baby Under Willow Tree
Hello, friends.
A baby girl is found under a
willow tree. Create her past. Who finds her? Why was she there? How old is she? How did she get there?
Spruce Nogard
Attributions:
Monday, May 23, 2016
On My Mind: Hanggai
How many of you like to listen to music? Okay, how many of you like to listen to popular songs and artists, like Taylor Swift? Finally, how many of you like to listen to unique songs and artists?
I am one who prefers unique music over popular music. Actually, I really only used to listen to Christian music, classical, and movie soundtracks. I find them fun, exciting, and soothing in turn. However, I recently discovered a new type of music.
This is Hanggai. On a school field trip, we saw them perform, and when I got home, I started listening to their music. Hanggai is a Mongolian folk/rock band, and they combine traditional instruments, like the horse fiddle, with modern instruments, like electric guitars. Here is a link to a picture of a horse fiddle (I couldn't find any free images): http://www.festival.si.edu/images/past_festivals/silk_road/nomads_morin_large.jpg.
This is a video of one of their songs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjRskDUq_eM
It's about horses, so here is a picture:
Their songs aren't in English, and one maddening thing about the one song I've looked up the lyrics to is Google Translate doesn't read Mongolian very well. Their are translations, but they don't seem to be 100% accurate. For example, there is a word, "Тогур" that is repeated many times, but is nonexistent in the English translation. The other word that is repeated is "Шигэp," which is in the translation.
They also use tuvan throat singing, which is traditional. The person playing the horse fiddle does the throat singing, and you can tell when he starts. Throat singing is amazing, and I have no idea how human voices can make those sounds.
Do you like Hanggai? Do you think it's unique? What types of music do you like to listen to?
Farewell, Travelers.
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Dragons: The Inheritance Cycle
Greetings, Riders.
Today is a day of dragons! We are going to look at how dragons are portrayed in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle. If you are unfamiliar with the series name, the book names are: Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance. The series follows a farm boy who finds a blue stone in the middle of the woods. The stone turns out to be a dragon egg, and Eragon, the boy becomes its Rider. The rest of the series follows Eragon as he has to fight a powerful and evil empire, and bring back Dragon Riders.
Someday, I may write a review on this series, but for now, I want to talk about the dragons.
In the Inheritance Cycle, dragons hatch for their Riders. This means that a dragon could stay in an egg for three hours or 2,000 years; they hatch for the person they want to become their Rider. Once the dragon hatches, the dragon and Rider are bonded forever. They "mindspeak" to each other, but the farther away they are from each other, the harder it is.
In these books, dragons are much wiser than people (or elves or dwarves) but are bound to people. Dragons possess a magic that is inconsistent but powerful. A dragon's name is extremely important to it.
This is our first look at one of many views on dragons.
Experience the joy of dragons, Dragon Riders.
Today is a day of dragons! We are going to look at how dragons are portrayed in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle. If you are unfamiliar with the series name, the book names are: Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance. The series follows a farm boy who finds a blue stone in the middle of the woods. The stone turns out to be a dragon egg, and Eragon, the boy becomes its Rider. The rest of the series follows Eragon as he has to fight a powerful and evil empire, and bring back Dragon Riders.
In the Inheritance Cycle, dragons hatch for their Riders. This means that a dragon could stay in an egg for three hours or 2,000 years; they hatch for the person they want to become their Rider. Once the dragon hatches, the dragon and Rider are bonded forever. They "mindspeak" to each other, but the farther away they are from each other, the harder it is.
In these books, dragons are much wiser than people (or elves or dwarves) but are bound to people. Dragons possess a magic that is inconsistent but powerful. A dragon's name is extremely important to it.
This is our first look at one of many views on dragons.
Experience the joy of dragons, Dragon Riders.
Spruce Nogard
Attributions: https://www.amazon.com/Eragon-Inheritance-Cycle-Book-1-ebook/dp/B000FBJCK8?ie=UTF8&btkr=1&ref_=dp-kindle-redirect
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Creative Complex: Murder Scene
Good Day, Detectives!
Today, describe the ideal murder scene you want to see in a book. As a challenge, write it as if you were actually writing the scene in a book. If you want, include a picture.
Today, describe the ideal murder scene you want to see in a book. As a challenge, write it as if you were actually writing the scene in a book. If you want, include a picture.
This is similar to what mine would be!
Spruce Nogard
Attributions:
Monday, May 2, 2016
Mental Library: Archetypal Hero Journey
Welcome, Wanderers.
We've all heard of heroes,
right? They're the people who go on quests, fight evil, and gain
wisdom.
However, a lesser known
concept is the archetypal hero's journey.
To start, I need to define
archetype. As Google defines it, and archetype is: “a recurrent
symbol or motif in literature, art, or mythology.” Some examples of
archetypes are: the hero, the damsel in distress, the theme good vs.
evil, the quest, and colors. However, I will save archetypes for a
different post.
There are six parts to a
hero's journey:
The Departure, Crossing the Threshold, the Temptations, the Trials,
Descent into the Abyss, and Return to Society. You
can find the archetypal hero's journey just about anywhere. For
example, Luke in Star Wars goes on the archetypal hero's journey, as
well as Odysseus in The Odyssey.
I am going to use Luke and Odysseus as examples, so if you don't
want to read plot spoilers for Star Wars, or The Odyssey,
or haven't seen/heard of either of them, don't read the rest of this
post. :)
- Departure: This is where the hero is called to adventure. In A New Hope, this is when Obi Wan Kenobi asks Luke to come with him on Tatooine. I've only read The Odyssey, not The Iliad, where Odysseus's adventure begins, so I'm not sure about this part of Odysseus's journey.
- Crossing the Threshold: This is the point of no return. After the hero crosses this point, they cannot turn back. In A New Hope, this is when Luke finds his aunt and uncle dead, and has nothing left for him on Tatooine. Again, I'm not sure about this part of Odysseus's journey.
The
Temptations: There are three temptations: Wealth, Beautiful People,
and Giving Up. Odysseus isn't really tempted by wealth, but he is
tempted by beautiful women on Circe's island and on Calypso’s
island. He and his men are tempted to give up by eating the Lotus
flowers. Luke is tempted over and over to give up and join the Dark
side.
- Trials: These are the trials a hero endures. One trial Luke endures in A New Hope is the trial to destroy the Death Star. One trial Odysseus endures is crossing into the Sea of Monsters through the gateway, and facing Scylla and Charybdis.
- Descent into the Abyss: This is where the hero descends into the underworld, either literally or figuratively. This is a place that tests the hero greatly. The hero changes from this experience. In The Empire Strikes Back, while Luke is training with Yoda, he enters a cave and sees Darth Vader. There, he defeats Darth Vader, only to realize it is himself, Luke, under the mask. Odysseus must go to the Underworld and speak with dead people.
- Return to Society: This is when the hero returns with new wisdom to society. At the end of Return of the Jedi, everyone celebrates the fall of the Empire. Odysseus returns home.
What movies/books do you see the archetypal hero journey in? Do you
like the archetypal journey, or would you prefer heroes' journeys all
be different?
By the way, I'm sorry, but there are no free pictures of Luke, and no good free pictures of the Star Wars logo. It's driving me crazy. However, Darth Vader seems to be very popular. :)
Spruce Nogard
Sources:
Attributions:
Saturday, April 30, 2016
On My Mind: New Blog Header!
Hello, Friends!
I just got a new header, new font, and new picture. This amazing formatting was done by my dad's cousin's husband. I am so grateful for it! The picture was modified from a picture I drew with a silver pen. The pen is all one line.
Which do you like better: the old header or the new one?
Enjoy the new blog, Adventurers.
I just got a new header, new font, and new picture. This amazing formatting was done by my dad's cousin's husband. I am so grateful for it! The picture was modified from a picture I drew with a silver pen. The pen is all one line.
Which do you like better: the old header or the new one?
Enjoy the new blog, Adventurers.
Spruce Nogard
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Adventure in the Rain
Welcome to Creative Complexes! This is where you get to practice your writing and imagination skills. I will give you a writing prompt, and whether you choose to write a story about it, think about it, talk about it, or find images online about it, is up to you. Have fun!
A girl in a black cloak walks up
to you on a rainy, dreary, day. What happens next? Challenge: write
as if you were writing a professional story.
Spruce Nogard
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)