Tag: 2014

2014 Writing Challenge

mari anjeliLeave a comment

50 topics. 50 weeks. Are you in? Let’s do this!

Well, hello there, 2014. So I’ve been musing on what direction this blog will be heading to this year. In my January 1 post, I said I would be starting a happiness project. True, I’ll definitely be doing that, but I won’t be posting my resolutions and progress reports here. And though I am keeping a virtual happiness box, that would be for my personal use, to be opened on days when I need something to make me feel un-blue.

I want to work on some other writing projects, too. There’s the one with the rewrites. And there’s one where I’ll be chronicling my almost-five-years-but-still-counting-stay in Malaysia. Wow, I’d have stayed here for five years this coming June!

So what will happen to http://www.mariscribbles.com?

It will still be around. I’ll still be working on it harder than ever.

And with that, I present to you The 50-Week Writing Challenge.

No, I am not going to list down all the 50 topics here.

I will post them by groups of five, though. And I will be posting my response for each challenge every Wednesday, same time, same place, here in your favorite TV — er, Internet? — station. All the topics are coming from http://writingexercises.co.uk ‘s topic generator, by the way.

So for the first five:

  1. Subject: Write a letter to yourself aged sixteen
  2. First Line: “It was broken, but she was determined to fix…”
  3. Dialogue: “For some reason, I’m attracted to you.”
  4. Scenario: Every day at the station, you see someone you’re attracted to, How would you go about getting yourself noticed?
  5. Title: What Lies Beyond The Garden Fence

 Game? Let’s get it on!

Gift of the Future: One Thing I Desire for 2014

mari anjeli3 Comments

One thing. My top of the head (and very spiritual answer) would be God but since that’s already given, what is it that I really want to happen this 2014? I want a lot of things to happen. So how could I wrap it all up into “one thing”?

Enter “The Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubin.

I bought the book on a whim when I saw it on the counter while I was waiting in line to pay for two little notebooks in a bookstore. I vaguely recalled Adrian mentioning it in a Skype conversation. Impulse then struck, making my purchase total to RM 37.50 instead of the initial RM 6.00.

A good thing for impulse, though. Now I know what I want for next year. Now I know what I will be spending a huge deal of my days on.

I want to be happier. I want to start my own happiness project, too.

“So if you’re pretty happy, why do a happiness project?” “I am happy — but not as happy as I should be. I have such a good life, I want to appreciate it more — and live up to it better.” I had a hard time explaining it. “I complain too much, I get annoyed more often than I should. I should be more grateful. I think if I felt happier, I’d behave better.” (The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, page 13)

Contemporary research shows that happy people are more altruistic, more productive, more helpful, more likable, more creative, more resilient, more interested in others, friendlier, and healthier. Happy people make better friends, colleagues, and citizens. I want to be one of those people. (The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, page 14)

A better friend, a better colleague, a better citizen. Why not, tsoknot? Wouldn’t I want to be one of those people, too?

Here’s to 2014. It’s the year to be happy.

Happy new year, everyone!

via https://mariscribbles.com/2013/12/11/gifts/

happiness proj