About people, writing and blogging

For writers, it's very important to surround themselves with people who also write, and with people who support their passion. I fully acknowledge that fact, but the truth is, I don't really have that many friends who love writing as much as I do. My friends and family do support me, but there isn't anyone that I could just sit down with, and have a deep conversation about writing.

Because of that, I rarely talk about my writing with my friends. I feel pushy if I bring it up and I don't want my friends to think I'm forcing them to talk about it. Sometimes they ask, and I get my chance to ramble. There are a couple of people, who ask frequently, and genuinely seem to be interested. You know who you are :) And you have no idea how much it means to me, that you care enough to listen and exchange thoughts. 

I guess this is where blogging comes into the picture. I'm writing this for me and for you, and my readers are very important to me. Just wanted to put that out there, in case you haven't realized how much I appreciate the time you guys take to read whatever I write here. I've been on Blogger for three years and I'm also importing these posts to Glipho (link: HERE). I'm very much impressed with Glipho and have gained a good number of followers. Thank you! 

Surrounding myself with people who love writing as much as I do, has become easier lately. I hope more people will find their way into my blog and we can all widen our circles still. I love being on Blogger and Glipho, where I can talk about writing as much as I want to, knowing there are thousands of others alike. 

Have a great weekend, everyone! <3

Updates on yours truly + plans for the rest of the year!

Hello, everyone. Another week has gone by and I have been swamped! Besides my job, I've been doing a lot of work at home; I got my new bed delivered and since the bed is a lot bigger than my old one, and I live in a studio apartment, I needed to improvise. I'm getting rid of one of my junk drawers, and now I have to figure out where to place all the junk. Right now it's all laid on my coffee table. I had to move all my furniture except for my couch and TV stand, and I'm very happy with the result. I still have way too much stuff, and I'm planning a major cleaning process starting in January. I wish I didn't hate cleaning so much...

The reason I'm not starting until next year, is that from now until December 18th I will be working a lot, and on December 19th I'm traveling to the States! Finally time for my summer vacation! ;) I am beyond excited and we have so much fun things planned! I will definitely take a lot of pictures and share my vacation with you guys, and I will also do some filming! Yay:) Talking about filming, sorry for the lack of videos since my very first one.. I'm not even going to explain what happened when I filmed a new video, so yeah, it will be a little while until I have something new for you! 

Getting a new bed and having to move stuff around the apartment has a lot of perks to it. Not only do I have a fabulous new bed (it really is amazing. I'm so happy I want to cry), and a new look to my place all together, but also a new, more inspiring environment. I feel like lately I've been lacking some inspiration... Writing hasn't come so easily, but I've been working on my stories in my head, which (as you may have read on this blog before) can sometimes be very exhausting mentally. I'm so bad at taking notes, and I lost a few nights worth of sleep because I had way too much stuff to think about. So for now, I'm taking a conscious break from working on my novel, and just focusing on other things. I will still write every day, but I am not exaggerating when I say I'm in serious need of a vacation. Three more weeks, you guys...

Do share, if the mental exhaustion sometimes gets you, too. And please let me know, if you have any tips! Hope y'all are having a good week so far! :)

-iira

My Bucket List

This post is way long over due; I don't know why it has taken me so long to do it. I'm actually a sucker for lists, so this was a lot of fun! Take a look and I hope this inspires you to make your own Bucket List! :)

*Tour around the world; my current must-go destinations are: Hawaii, Australia, Cook Islands, Abu Dhabi and Rio De Janeiro. Route 66 is also a life-long dream of mine, and happening next summer! S-T-O-K-E-D. 

*Go spot airplanes landing and taking off at St. Maarten

*Become a professional writer

*Dye hair pink (at least temporarily with a color that washes off)

*Swim with dolphins (this will happen next month!!!)

*Move to the USA

*Get a tattoo. Maybe? Still debating this... 

*Pack up your stuff, sell what you don't need, including your apartment (or lease it) and go somewhere. See where you'll end up. 

'Nuf said

Y'all know I'm all about becoming a writer, and if you didn't know, well... now you know. I'm always looking for tips and advice for aspiring writers, because I'm determined to make writing my career. Today, while googling stuff (I google stuff a lot), I stumbled upon some tips from some of the greatest. I wanted to share some of them with you.

You're welcome.

The first draft of everything is shit.

-Ernest Hemingway

If you have any young friends, who aspire to become writers, the second greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they're happy.

-Dorothy Parker

You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.

-Jack London

There are three rules to writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.

-W. Somerset Maugham

If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time -or the tools- to write. Simple as that.

-Stephen King

If writing seems hard, it's because it is hard. It's one of the hardest things people do.

-William Zinsser

Write drunk, edit sober.

-Ernest Hemingway

Start telling the stories that only you can tell, because there will always be better writers than you, and there will always be smarter writers than you. There will always be people who are much better at doing this or doing that - but you are the only you. 

-Neil Gaiman

Don't take anyone's writing advice too seriously.

-Lev Grossman

LIEBSTER AWARD vol. 2

This is the second time within a reasonably short period of time, that I've been nominated for the Liebster Award! This time by Tamara. Thank you!!!

Here are the rules:

- Show some appreciation to the person who nominated you, and link back to them.

- Answer the 11 questions presented by the person who nominated you.

- Nominate 11 blogs, preferably all with less than 200 readers. 

- Write 11 questions for your nominees to answer.

- Notify the persons/blogs you have nominated.

All right! Let's get started; here are the 11 Questions Tamara wrote:

1. For me blogging is:

- A way to express myself, an escape, a fun hobby, a booster... what isn't it? 

2. Name five beauty products that are a must to you.

- Foundation, powder, eyebrow pencil, blush, mascara. Ok, they were all make-up products, basically the ones that I use every single day. Five is too few... because there's a lot more I'd like to add to that list, and they're not all make-up products!

3. What is your main priority in life?

- Living a purposeful life. whoa... cliché much? yeah.. but that's still true. 

4. You just won $3000. Which store would you run to?

- Probably Louis Vuitton, and I would finally get that bag I've been wanting for so many years... the rest of the money I would spend on traveling. 

5. What makes you laugh out loud?

- I rarely laugh out loud when I'm alone, but with friends I do it a lot :) I guess they bring it out of me. 

6. What does your family think about your blogging?

- Well... My mom totally supports it and thinks it's great. I don't think my brother has ever even seen my blog, and maybe neither has my dad... I don't know. I'm not advertising my blog that much anymore. And I've been blogging for, like, three years :D 

7. Three of your future goals?

- Become a writer, start a family, see the world

8. Something that you've learned recently?

- That I'm a total scatter brain!

9. A pet peeve?

- People eating with their mouth open and making that noise.. makes me want to punch them in their throats. 

10. If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?

- This is sooooo hard! I don't know! Maybe Stephen King. 

11. What does your ideal day look like?

- No work, obviously. A day, where I could fit in writing, filming, hanging out with friends and watching a good movie. 

And now my 11 questions:

1. What is the one place in the world, where you would never want to go?

2. And the one place you're dying to go to?

3. What are you truly good at?

4. If you could act in any kind of a movie, what would the movie be like and who would you play?

5. Pick three items you would never ever give up.

6. Why are you writing a blog?

7. Would you want to be a professional blogger (as in one, who gets paid to write a blog?)

8. Name a few of your favorite bloggers.

9. What do you hope to have achieved five years from now?

10. What is your favorite place to relax in?

11. What does the fox say?

And I am nominating:

Elamilia

Sarah

Kagiso

That is not 11 nominees... but that's a power trio :)

Have fun with it! <3

The FIVE THINGS Challenge!

I was tagged to do the 'Five Things' Challenge by Elamilia. Thanks, girl ;) I love tags! I should do them more often. But yeah, enough chitchat, let's get started!

RULES:

-Link back to the person who tagged you
-Tag five blogs with less than 200 readers (now, I will tag ALL OF YOU, who are reading this, and have less than 200 readers! Seriously, do this tag, it's fun :))
-Get them to tag more blogs and keep this thing going (You heard it, keep it going!)

5 THINGS YOU NEED EVERY DAY:

1. My iPhone. Could not live without it. It's got Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Internet browser, Email, music, contacts, notes... everything. I know it's such vanity to be this addicted to a cell phone, but come on... you know you are, too.

2. Ear meds. Yeah... how fun. 

3. Music. I attach memories and thoughts into certain songs. Music inspires me and gets me going. 

4. Positive thoughts. I need to think positive and occasionally remind myself that it's all right :) Yay! 

5. Alone time. No matter how much I love my family and friends, no matter how much fun I'm having, I need some time to myself every day. I've never had any problems being alone, I enjoy it. I'm a little concerned this will be a problem if I ever get married, but haha, that's not happening any time soon, so why bother x) 

5 BOOKS YOU WOULD RECOMMEND:

1. Stephen King's On Writing. Mind blowing and amazing. 

2. The Lovely Bones. The movie sucks, don't watch it. Read the book. Makes you want to hold on to it until you're finished, and maybe a little longer. 

3. All of the Harry Potter books. Again, don't judge them based on the movies. READ the books!

4. The Hunger Games. 

5. Kathryn Stockett's The Help. One of the best books ever. I love love love it so much, it is so real and touching and wonderful. I think I may just have to read it again, soon... 

5 MATERIALISTIC WISHES FOR PRESENTS:

1. Money, so I could travel all the time. 

2. A Louis Vuitton Speedy bag. 

3. A new DVD-player. My current one is dying...

4. A ton of new, different kinds of notebooks. And pens. 

5. A vast variety of beauty products.

5 PLACES YOU WISH TO VISIT:

1. Hawaii.

2. Australia.

3. Cook Islands.

4. Abu Dhabi.

5. Rio De Janeiro. 

5 ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE YOU:

1. Flaky.

2. Quiet.

3. Loyal.

4. Nerdy.

5. Realistic.

5 THINGS YOU'D SAY TO PEOPLE ABOUT LIFE:

1. Sometimes it sucks.

2. Take risks.

3. Try new things.

4. Think outside the box and step outside your comfort zone.

5. Live it, damn it. It's too short to waste in all the "what ifs" 

So yeah, that was it :) Like I stated above, if you're reading this, consider yourself TAGGED! 

My 1st (5th) VIDEO!

Holy crap, you guys... I finally filmed a video that didn't have a messed up audio/picture, AND that was presentable enough to post online. I wasn't able to post the video here directly ('cause I'm stupid) so click the link down below and go see it on YouTube:


MY VIDEO  <--- the link is right there, you have to place the mouse on it before it shows...


After getting frustrated with everything else, I filmed this with my iPad, thus the weird frame on the video, sorry. I will try and make the next one look normal.

I had fun filming this, and I hope you'll have fun watching it :) Don't take it too seriously, I'm still a rookie, and just trying to find new ways to entertain myself and others. Like I say on the video, if there's something you want me to film, leave a comment and let me know! Editing was a lot of fun, and in time I'm sure I'll get much better at it. This time was more like just playing around with effects and such.

I'll talk to you guys later! :)

Excuses

I don't know about you guys, but sometimes I make up the most ridiculous excuses not to write, which is insane, because I love writing and I want to turn it from a hobby into a career.

I don't worry about people not liking my stories; that's inevitable. There will always be people who don't like you or your work, and writing is something one shouldn't do without acknowledging that fact. It's impossible to please everybody, which is why it's very important to write about something that you love, about something that makes you happy. Whether it's about vampires or wizards, just make it unique. Try to bring out something new to the subject.

Sometimes it's just not easy, and I'm sure I'm not alone when it comes to making excuses. Here are some pearls from yours truly:

*I'm scared that people will find my stories stupid and wonder: "why would this person write something like this?", but instead of really criticizing the stories, people criticize me. (Now, this one falls under the category I just talked about; how it's inevitable there will be people who don't like you. Still, the fear is there.)

*I have this great image of the story in my head. If I put on paper, I will just ruin it. 

*What if I write a book that's really great (in my own and my family & friends' opinion), but it never gets published? 

I know, right? These just happen to be things that I sometimes let myself ponder, even though I shouldn't. I should focus on the good things, positive feed-back and the fact that this is something I love to do -eventually I will make it. 

What are your biggest fears when it comes to writing and sharing your work? 

100 Questions TAG

99 questions + 1 bonus from yours truly:

1. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?

- Closed. Sometimes they open up by themselves, because my closet's pretty over stocked!

2. Do you take shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotels?

- No.

3. Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out?

- Varies. 

4. Have you ever stolen a street sign?

- No, but I know someone who has :D Hooker Street, lol. 

5. Do you like to use post-it notes?

- Sometimes.

6. Do you cut out coupons but never use them?

- Never.

7. Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swam of bees?

- A bear. 

8. Do you have freckles?

- Nope.

9. Do you always smile for pictures?

- No.

10. What is your biggest pet peeve?

- People making a noise when they eat. I swear, it makes me go from 0 to 60 in a fraction of a second. 

11. Do you ever count your steps when you walk?

- Yes. I have to make myself stop sometimes, because it starts to annoy me. 

12. Have you ever peed in the woods?

- When I was a kid. 

13. What about number two?

- Haha, that I haven't done. 

14. Do you ever dance even if there's no music playing?

- Of course!

15. Do you chew your pens and pencils?

- I might have chewed a couple of pencils when I was a kid. 

16. How many people have you slept with this week?

- That would be zero.

17. What size is your bed?

- umm.. 120cm wide I think. But I just ordered a new bed! A bigger one :P sooooo excited!

18. What is your song of the week?

- Ellie Goulding: Burn

19. Is it ok for guys to wear pink?

- Yes

20. Do you still watch cartoons?

- YES

21. What's your least favorite movie?

- Punch Drunk Love. Couldn't even finish it..

22. Where would you bury a hidden treasure if you had one?

- Well, it's already hidden I see...

23. What do you drink with dinner?

- Water/Milk/Juice

24. What do you dip a chicken nugget in?

- Chili mayo

25. What is your favorite food?

Mac&Cheese

26. What movies could you watch over and over and still love?

Pitch Perfect, Stand By Me, Mamma Mia!, Forrest Gump, Sleepless in Seattle, In Her Shoes, Ten Inch Hero, The Blind Side, Inception... to mention a few ;)

27. Last person you kissed/kissed you?

- I kissed my mom on the cheek

28. Were you ever a boy/girl scout?

No

29. Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine?

-NO

30. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper?

- Almost a year ago

31. Can you change the oil on a car?

- Um.. I can add oil and I know how to check there's enough :D And I take pride in that

32. Ever gotten a speeding ticket?

- No, but I have gotten a couple of parking tickets.

33. Ever ran out of gas?

- Once. 

34. Favorite kind of sandwich?

- Subway's Chicken Teryaki or Philly Cheesesteak

35. Best thing to eat for breakfast?

- New York Cheesecake Pancakes at IHOP

36. What is your usual bed time?

- After midnight 

37. Are you lazy?

- Yes :D

38. When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween?

- Never celebrated Halloween in my life

39. What is your Chinese astrological sign?

- No idea and no interest

40. How many languages can you speak?

- Finnish and English fluently, some Swedish. Very little German and French. 

41. Do you have any magazine subscriptions?

- No.

42. Which are better, legos or lincoln logs?

- Legos

43. Are you stubborn?

- I can be.

44. Who is better, Leno or Letterman?

- I don't really prefer one over the other.

45. Ever watch soap operas?

I watch Bold and the Beautiful like twice a year, and can keep up just fine with that pace :D 

46. Are you afraid of heights?

- Extremely!!! It's a phobia in my case. 

47. Do you sing in the car?

- Yes, I do :D 

48. Do you sing in the shower?

- No. I'm always afraid the neighbors will hear me. 

49. Do you dance in the car?

- How the hell can you dance in the car? 

50. Ever used a gun?

- Yep. A couple of years ago my friends took me and my family to a shooting range. I'd never fired a gun before, and had a little trouble with the hand gun. But I totally rocked the rifle!

51. Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer?

- I don't think I ever have..

52. Do you think musicals are cheesy?

- Some are. But mainly I enjoy musicals. 

53. Is Christmas stressful?

- Well, I don't celebrate Christmas, so no :) No shopping for presents or any of that. I mainly just enjoy that one time of the year when people are friendly to each other (because people are such grumpies here)

54. Ever eat a pierogi?

- No.

55. Favorite type of fruit pie?

- Apple, maybe. A year ago I had some amazing Peach Cobbler, though... that was so delicious!

56. Occupations you dreamed of as a kid?

- Librarian, teacher, singer, actress, writer, vet, pediatrician, psychologist... 

57. Do you believe in ghosts?

- No.

58. Ever had a deja-vu?

- Haven't we all?

59. Do you take vitamins daily?

- I never take any vitamins. 

60. Do you wear slippers?

- In occasion. 

61. Do you wear a bath robe?

- Rarely.

62. What do you wear to bed?

- PJ's

63. First concert?

- Does it count that my mother was pregnant with me when she went to a Bon Jovi concert? If not, then my first would be Elton John, when I was thirteen. 

64. Walmart, Target or Kmart?

- I go to Walmart and Target quite a lot when I'm in the States... rarely Kmart. 

65. Nike or Adidas?

- Nike. 

66. Cheetos or Fritos?

- idk

67. Peanuts or sunflower seeds?

- sunflower seeds

68. Ever heard of a group called Tres Bien?

- No.

69. Have you ever taken dance lessons?

- When I was twelve, I did some street dancing. 

70. Is there a profession you picture your future spouse in?

- It doesn't matter. As long as we can provide ourselves and our family.

71. Can you curl your tongue?

- Yea!

72. Ever won a spelling bee?

- We don't have spelling bees in Finland :)

73. Have you ever cried of happiness?

- Yes. 

74. Do you own any record albums?

- No.

75. Do you own a record player?

- No.

76. Regularly burn incense?

- No. 

77. Have you ever been in love?

- No. 

78. Who would you like to see in a concert?

- I'd like to see Celine Dion again, and I hope she's still performing in Las Vegas, when I go there next summer... I'd also like to see Taylor Swift and Adele. 

79. What was the last concert you saw?

- Christina Perri... but I wouldn't call it a concert, it was more like a gig. So I think Celine Dion was my last actual concert.

80. Hot or cold tea?

- Depending on the weather. 

81. Tea or coffee?

- I rarely drink either, but both are fine. 

82. Sugar or snickerdoodles?

- Sugar. Maybe. I'm not really familiar with snickerdoodles :D

83. Can you swim well?

- Well enough.

84. Can you hold your breath without holding your nose?

- Yes. 

85. Are you patient?

- No. 

86. DJ or band at a wedding?

- Right now I would pick a DJ.

87. Have you ever won a contest?

- No :(

88. Ever had plastic surgery?

- No. 

89. Which are better, black or green olives?

- I hate olives. 

90. Can you knit or crochet?

- Not well.

91. Best room for a fireplace?

- Living room, I guess.. I don't know if I would want a fire place. Only if there's someone to clean it :D 

92. Do you want to get married?

- Yes.

93. If married, how long have you been married?

--

94. Who was your High School crush?

- I don't think I had one. I was so boring :D 

95. Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your way?

- No... Always been more of a quiet, sulky one. 

96. Do you have kids?

- No.

97. Do you want kids?

- I think I do. 

98. What's your favorite color?

- Pink.

99. Do you miss anyone right now?

- A lot of people :(

+

100. What's your favorite book?

- soooooo many (I know, I should answer my own question better...)