tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47536805792867920742024-03-12T23:40:17.799-04:00Briana Lagosbriana lagoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206594397300415398noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753680579286792074.post-25427031083297350552022-04-27T19:05:00.000-04:002022-04-27T19:05:04.421-04:00On the student loan pause<p> Hey all! This weekend I was featured on an ABC News article regarding the student loan pause. Give it a read <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/student-loan-payment-pause-eases-financial-burdens-borrowers/story?id=84219407" target="_blank">here</a>!</p><p>I wanted to give a few more of my thoughts. It's incredibly awful how much education costs in the USA. Back in 2012 when I graduated high school, there was all this pressure to go to college, even if you weren't quite sure what you wanted to do. I majored in English because I enjoy reading and writing, wanting to better hone my skills, and none of the other majors sounded exciting (double minored in Creative Writing and Psychology—which would have been something else I considered majoring in but I felt like I didn't know what I wanted to do with a Psychology degree either).</p><p>One of the English professors at my college argued that an English degree provides a very good background for jobs, showing that you are articulate, can theorize and research. Couldn't argue with that. Took out a 20k loan to get that college experience and after graduation, still wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do, career-wise. Being a writer full-time is my dream, but I wasn't putting in enough time and effort in making that a reality because I was terrified of my financial future. </p><p>I don't want to be broke. I don't want to owe money. I want the biggest, heftiest safety net of savings because bad things happen all the time between getting physically hurt or having to replace some major house or car expense. And now I'm pregnant and all I see is <span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">$$$</span></b> </span>going into this (the prenatal visits alone are making me wince). </p><p>I had to get a good, stable job. After going through many different hats (all of which didn't require a college degree but I hope that this being on my resume put me in the best light for all these positions), I am finally at a job that I don't hate, make decent money, and a job that provides health care and bonus health incentives (Go365 is a thing). Hopefully, the hybrid schedule stays in place because I really hate driving (full remote is another dream). My husband also makes decent money but he really hates his job and also has creative dreams. </p><p>I learned that I am not career driven at all. I don't want to put my full energy in work. I want put as little energy as possible, because it's not something I'm passionate about. I want to enjoy life more, but this constant worry of bills, money, just really keeps me in this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObOK4HwSzD0" target="_blank">squid-like</a> stability. I am mentally done by the end of the day and just get sucked into <i>90 Day Fiance</i> shows (or LPs or video games). But these are things I enjoy passively because my energy is depleted. So a kid is sure gonna suck the life outta me (I kid, haha). </p><p>There was a period of my life where I was really hating existence because I didn't ask to be here so why do I have to work? If life is really supposed to be fulling for me, I get that from being outside, enjoying the various weathers and ambience, taking my dogs for walks, reading, writing. I can't help but feel like this kid may feel that same hatred one day because the fact that consumerism, striving to be the best is basically the constant state of being alive in this country, world even. I just wish we had more of a system that allows us to enjoy this life, this one life you get.</p><p>I am one of the fortunate ones that didn't have the biggest loan amount and saved enough to pay it off completely once that pause is lifted (hoping for a relief instead because now I'm worried about child expenses). It would be nice to keep that money, use it for something else. </p><p>I enjoyed my college experience. I met some amazing people, enjoyed some moments along with the constant state of anxiety for my assignments due. Even after finishing school, I still find things to get anxious about everyday. It is apparently my emotional state. </p><p>If there is anything I am going to pass along to this kid, it's save money. <i>Always.</i> Don't go to college right away or at all. Work and save. Think about what you want to do. And if what you want to do doesn't require a degree don't get it. But if you do want experience, do it. Save or get some scholarships (because we'll try to save money for you but I doubt it will be enough to cover even one semester in the future). Again, I don't regret it but I could have been smarter about it. My husband sure was and he doesn't have to worry about a student loan, just our mortgage. <br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXQvFwAtaHB54UNYcim4VMPYSBwU8bBjkpodUz5yCpHtJglMxVPm4bGDZNS7HAlGv9WaJmvPOVjMSGH2PnXX63WYWfQ4nPXiD4Y1MxOPu47DkKib4PJaqc7PeI7B4DfADv6fB_5BtE9uGjnt1zBKHJQosUWdqj_mZvVNkO_7Pj1ZAQ1L7NT7PqTTXsSg/s992/briana-lagos-01-ht-jef-220421_1650566530610_hpEmbed_4x3_992.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="992" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXQvFwAtaHB54UNYcim4VMPYSBwU8bBjkpodUz5yCpHtJglMxVPm4bGDZNS7HAlGv9WaJmvPOVjMSGH2PnXX63WYWfQ4nPXiD4Y1MxOPu47DkKib4PJaqc7PeI7B4DfADv6fB_5BtE9uGjnt1zBKHJQosUWdqj_mZvVNkO_7Pj1ZAQ1L7NT7PqTTXsSg/s320/briana-lagos-01-ht-jef-220421_1650566530610_hpEmbed_4x3_992.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>briana lagoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206594397300415398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753680579286792074.post-36535658884132718262021-10-31T12:00:00.099-04:002021-10-31T12:00:00.207-04:00HAPPY HALLOWEEN<p> <span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />I
must confess, my writing has been inconsistent these past couple of
years. I have not been attentive to it like I should be. Life has been overwhelming, but whose life isn't? We are all here</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;"></span><style>@font-face
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{page:WordSection1;}</style>did not ask to be here</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">—</span><style>@font-face
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{page:WordSection</style>and are trying our best. That's just the kind of headspace I'm in these days. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Still, every
year I try my hand at <a href="https://nanowrimo.org/participants/brianarants">Nanowrimo</a> (add me!) and hope to find my story along the way. This story I've been working on has been on the roster for a while and I've just starting breaking grounds on the plot. There's been a lot of changes from the original idea and now it's kind of a revamp from my Nano 2010 project with characters coming back and some similar structure. Been working on the outline, so far skeleton all the way down.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Speaking of which, in honor of Halloween my husband made a song! I did put a little bit of my creative input, but he's got the skills when it comes to making music. So put on some headphones or blast the speakers, the ambient sounds will take you on a spooky adventure.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> *</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">"<i>Train on the way to something unexpected. A party out of sorts and uncertain feelings.</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Walking around, tuning stations, there is a bright light from the sky.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Gone in seconds and no one can reach you anymore.</i>"</span></p><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1150913818&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Sans, Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/brianalagos" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="brianalagos">brianalagos</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/brianalagos/spooky-dooky" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Spooky Dooky">Spooky Dooky</a></div>briana lagoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206594397300415398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753680579286792074.post-414742899406528922021-03-15T20:00:00.008-04:002021-10-18T13:27:14.321-04:00Cola & Night of Revelation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjclr9oxZ4U3w33IxaHYUiOSFESpEgwger7Kl5Sd3aGNijADSkUNFkLBPJz2aroRl-1gpgrCH7ffzqAv39Un1McnRwSqwo8lEHlf6SZmWXbGbwvlynpQ59AejvObn3w6luQCiawr5e-Ku2V/w266-h400/3BF93463-F782-4267-A2D4-42EBBAF7BD99.png" width="266" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Excited to announce my short story collection, Cola & Night of Revelation, will be out next Monday, 3/22/21! I have definitely been wanting publish these pieces for a while! Here’s some details:</div><div><br /></div><div><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Cola</b>: Cola knows to be fortunate for the opportunities she's been given being able to take on college courses while still in high school, but she can't shake the feeling she's not doing good enough. Alton has his own issues to handle and a secret kept hidden within childish treats. The moments shared between these two allow them new perspectives that help further along their own individual growth.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /><b>Night of Revelation</b>: Tonight Quinn plans to confess her romantic feelings to Milton, a high school senior that most underclassmen adored. However, Carmen doubts any good to come from this tactic and hopes Quinn will change her mind by the time of her party. As the night rolls on, unplanned occurrences from other party-goers, including Quinn's long-time friends Lonnie and Barney, arise when other emotions are exposed. As these secrets come to flourish throughout the evening, the truth becomes quite crushing.</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Where to download: <a href="https://books2read.com/u/m0KMLP">https://books2read.com/u/m0KMLP</a></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></p></div>briana lagoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206594397300415398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753680579286792074.post-90350220280813864762021-01-31T16:20:00.003-05:002021-02-07T00:07:06.400-05:00New Book Annoucement!<p><br /> I have become a pretty angry person lately. Given the field of work I’m in and the state of the world, I feel a bit justified in this response. I certainly been trying to channel my energy into better things knowing that your state of mind impacts your overall health. Even using this energy to create something more beneficial for myself and maybe the world? I can say I had an interesting main character come out of this pandemic, that's for sure.</p><p>However, I wanted to put something out there for the longest time since I self-published <a href="http://www.brianalagos.com/p/criminal-offence.html" target="_blank">Criminal Offence :X</a>. I'm still in this work-in-progress purgatory for a majority of my novels and it feels like there is no end is sight. I just need to kick my ass into gear, honestly, but that's a discussion for another day. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKx0xP2tROMeTS0cin2-L_YsN1CdvnDp3dZ4_2EfVwwtTkNpx-N6za6Sa1k5Sz5h58hpMVgll519A4TtipB976cn4fU-1qjo60kOuMBk_Q6ywPZRAQyIq3ncuoY5OsIC9n5OkLznmpciCQ/s2048/pexels-karolina-grabowska-4466262.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKx0xP2tROMeTS0cin2-L_YsN1CdvnDp3dZ4_2EfVwwtTkNpx-N6za6Sa1k5Sz5h58hpMVgll519A4TtipB976cn4fU-1qjo60kOuMBk_Q6ywPZRAQyIq3ncuoY5OsIC9n5OkLznmpciCQ/s320/pexels-karolina-grabowska-4466262.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Here is the exciting news: on <b>March 22nd, 2021</b>, I will have a new book released! I won't say too much yet but more details will be revealed in a following post. This has been a long-time coming. It has been over 10 years so I can gladly say that my writing style has improved, even if I have barley been writing the past couple of years. I'd like to thank college for this improvement (at least I'd like to tell myself that). Really though, thank you to all that have read my first and only novel out there. I do hope that you'll enjoy my new work soon. (: <br /><p></p>briana lagoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206594397300415398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753680579286792074.post-78614723983729536782020-12-31T19:50:00.003-05:002020-12-31T19:50:34.037-05:002021 GOALS<p> Hello there!</p><p> 2020 has been quite the year, am I right? I know I am. Moving on. <br /></p><p> As always, when another year comes to a close I start thinking about goals to better myself in the coming year. So far, these past years I come up not that great. I tend to get overwhelmed with what I have to do that I fall into a routine of dreaming rather than doing. Chalk it up to chronic laziness too, I always mentally check out after work. And I’m doing minimal, at best.<br /></p><p>So what do I hope for next year...?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqB9h-rjJ1Bz3YUWnBKEH1Y2HWxcDYxbND3JuqExPI_9SzOLYD8hWw1X4dGBr3u4455rDa6jnw5f9DsoUlrvDyvKeCpj-2Tq9SfMwvnwU48sn_RsqRaLY__F9lC_155eD80UTsX4CCQ13m/s2048/pexels-vitalko-1573722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2048" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqB9h-rjJ1Bz3YUWnBKEH1Y2HWxcDYxbND3JuqExPI_9SzOLYD8hWw1X4dGBr3u4455rDa6jnw5f9DsoUlrvDyvKeCpj-2Tq9SfMwvnwU48sn_RsqRaLY__F9lC_155eD80UTsX4CCQ13m/w400-h267/pexels-vitalko-1573722.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><b>PATIENCE</b> : I’ve lost it, yet I demand it from others. It truly is that much harder to be patient these days with most things at your fingertips. Patience is a good thing. It leads to understanding and and compassion if done right. And I’ve lost touch with both of these feelings.</p><p><b>HEALTH</b> : Trying to be more conscious what I intake as well as exercise. Take my dogs out for more walks. And visit the gym. But my real focus will be on bettering my body rather than obsessing with my weight, which will get me nowhere except more frustrated with not being exactly where I want to be. I recently acquired a FitBit and so its been very helpful these days with tracking my movements and sleep. </p><p><b>HOBBIES</b> : Writing, where did you go? Oh, that’s right I’ve just been neglecting you. I say this every year but hopefully it rings true. I want to focus on writing. I don’t to feel overwhelmed by my work, I want to enjoy it again. I’ve been enjoying my plant life so I want to keep this up as well. Definitely would like to do more puzzles too. </p><p><b>ENVY</b> : I want to kill this feeling because it is slowly taking over my life. I know it has much to do with my personal insecurities and I just want to shake it off and move on. I haven’t been honest and pretending to play it off cool is not benefiting myself. This is going to be a long process but I am I’ve got to start somewhere.</p><p>Overall, I want to fight the urge to do nothing. I always feel bad when the time goes by in my day and all I have to say I’ve accomplished is going to work and watching old TV shows on repeat. I want to live more active than passive. Even with all that happened this year, I want to continue looking forward to a future. </p>briana lagoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206594397300415398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753680579286792074.post-34493446744354505202020-10-29T16:27:00.004-04:002020-10-29T16:27:44.585-04:00Nanowrimo 2020<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9TYKnRbeMErjR6GZyEBUT6AIxjCIROnbJlShYF5EApL93TFTT7uPQKRqFwcNRW0aR5hqDK2XXG8osbY9TGocCGlcyQ-xjAzv4Q1mXvT5Gqqebyb5Xz_3VhXSifOMHwd5b2XKX4neT5kh/s768/NaNo-2020-Writer-Banner-Twitter-768x256.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="768" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9TYKnRbeMErjR6GZyEBUT6AIxjCIROnbJlShYF5EApL93TFTT7uPQKRqFwcNRW0aR5hqDK2XXG8osbY9TGocCGlcyQ-xjAzv4Q1mXvT5Gqqebyb5Xz_3VhXSifOMHwd5b2XKX4neT5kh/w489-h163/NaNo-2020-Writer-Banner-Twitter-768x256.jpg" width="489" /></a></div><p><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It's been a rough year, I know I'm not the only one saying that. But Nanowrimo always gave me some sort of hope, rejuvenation maybe, though, I've not been able to write 50K in a month in a while and I see this year being no different.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I've been working on this short story that I thought would make a better novel even though the plot's not all there. Characters most definitely and so I'll built off that. My main character, Ethlynn, is certainly interesting. Her name derives from her divorced parents' mothers. She's angry mostly, but unsure what's got her so upset. So when I started writing this, I wasn't too sure where I was going with it. Again I'm still not sure but I'm hashing out characters and creating conflict from there. Can't speak too much on what the story is, but I hope to come to an idea on November 1st.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Hope all is well with anyone out there reading this. It has been <b>a</b> year. <br /></span></p>briana lagoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206594397300415398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753680579286792074.post-13627102799521291832020-01-13T18:16:00.000-05:002020-01-13T18:16:19.177-05:002020 Writing Goals \m/<div class="MsoNormal" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;">What’s your WriYe Word Count goal for 2020?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;">My goal is<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>120K</b>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;">Why did you chose it?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -0.25in; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;">The reason I chose this amount (and not 175K which was what I was originally going for) is because the word goal of the day is <b>329</b>, and for me that’s manageable. I’ve not been writing the past couple of years much (maybe here and there) so jumping back into it, I know for myself I need to take it slow and so far I’ve been doing the bare minimum or maybe a couple of hundred more a day and the quality of the words? Well, I’m proud of it so far.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;"></span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;">What are your plans for the year?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -0.25in; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;">My plans for the year besides hitting my daily word goal is being more healthy! Exercising at least 3 times a week for an hour at the gym, less carbs and more water. My little dog, Shelly, makes it also impossible to not go out for walks when I’m home. She gets so excited she’ll even whine for one in the mornings if it’s very apparent that I have a day off (how she can sense this, beat’s me, she just seems to know what’s up). I’m also going to try to re-learn playing the ukulele! I used to be able to do it in high school, just memorizing the songs I liked and playing those religiously. Hopefully I learn it enough to make some songs with my husband, who’s a pro at the keyboard and guitar.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;">What do you want to accomplish with your writing?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -0.25in; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;">I want to complete at least<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>one</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of my WIP this year. I have four incomplete novels and I started with<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b><span style="color: #558ed5;">Hold On</span></b><span style="color: #558ed5;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span>because I have more of a structured understanding on the story now than I did a couple of years ago. With the change of adding Jean as an alternate POV to Bernard, re-outlining the story and starting completely from scratch, moving around character roles and adding a few new faces to the mix has already happened in this particular novel so far. I wouldn’t be surprised if I end up doing this method with my other WIP’s (as in, completely restart<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>everything</i>).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;">What are you most looking forward to in 2020?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -0.25in; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;">I’m looking forward to being more productive, not just with writing but with life in general. The last couple of years haven’t been so great for me. Since I graduated college in May 2015, I kind of been a squid about life (just floating around and doing what I need to do to survive). Moving into my first home with my husband is what snapped me back into my creative side again. He’s been working on the basement to create a studio for his music and I finally got the upstairs room converted into my office/study. It’s real nice to be in a home with someone who’s lifestyle can coincide with my own.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I’m very fortunate and I definitely need to do more than watch TV and chill. I’ve also been going through some hard times with my job last year (depression and actually getting physically sick, if you can imagine) but my job role has changed (hopefully for good but I’m part of a pilot group for new form of communication with customers so things are always subject to change).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;">Let’s see what 2020 actually has in store for me. \m/</span></div>
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briana lagoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206594397300415398noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753680579286792074.post-2700021485679464152017-03-26T18:29:00.002-04:002017-03-26T18:29:51.940-04:00First World ProblemsSometimes when you're little, you don't realize when you start growing up. When a job with health insurance seems a lot more of a better deal (it always was) than a couple of jobs to make ends meet. When you always figured you'd be "forever alone" and some guy comes around and gives you the time of day. <br />
<br />
When you go seven and a half months without household internet and are on the verge of pulling your hair out. <br />
<br />
That's what my life's been like. Fortunately, that changed as of yesterday.<br />
<br />
See, I've always been an internet baby. And when my boyfriend warned me that there was no high speed services in his childhood home when I packed up my stuff from Florida and moved with him to Ohio, I figured I would be okay. I mean, they're not like total barbarians, they have cable. But the internet was my thing, my social outlet and I am always running out of data with AT&T (as soon as I pay off my and my mom's iPhones, I'm done). Lately, my need for internet revolves around advertisement free movies and YouTube videos.<br />
<br />
Truthfully, I did want those past seven and a half months without internet to be a gateway for me to write again. It's true, I haven't been writing lately. Here and there I'll splash a paragraph or so, but sitting down to do the nitty-gritty hasn't been on my agenda. I'd like to not think of myself as a failure but more as a person in need of a creative break (but hey, I did read a lot!)<br />
<br />
But, if I like it so much, why would I need a break?<br />
<br />
When I graduated college in May of 2015, I had no idea where I wanted to go from there. Financial stability was my main concern and now that I'm stable, healthcare is next. But I'm not here to talk about my job concerns (because its boring and it actually does worry me<style><!--
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<br />
I always dreamily envisioned myself to be a best selling author, that's what most writers hope for anyway. Though it may be a glimmering possibility, my lovely boyfriend revealed to me what I should really be aspiring for. <br />
<br />
That is, write for myself. I used to do it quite naturally (Criminal Offence :X), however, college has sort of killed the positive writing vibes. It certainly has made me a better writer, but its made me want to stay away from it because it has drained my energy. I don't regret going to college for my English degree (I try not too I still have monthly loans to pay back) but I think I overworked myself and killed the fun spirit of writing, making it <i>work</i>. <br />
<br />
I want it to be fun again. I want to write stories that will make me happy and, hopefully, some others as well. <br />
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So here it goes, round...whatever. briana lagoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206594397300415398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753680579286792074.post-59986839452471965332015-07-03T12:11:00.001-04:002015-07-03T12:11:34.692-04:00The problems of being a new 20-somethingAs a recent college graduate, I've entered the pool of young adults in search of financial stability. Some in my graduating class were fortunate enough to land a job in their respective fields right after graduation, but some, like myself, avidly search for employment anywhere that's hiring (that is if these graduates haven't already attained a position during their attendance at college and just stick around).<br />
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I live in the burden of student loans and unknown life goals. I'm not exactly sure what I want to do with my life—everything seems kind of bleak right now—but I do know what my dreams are, and making that a reality is a work-in-progress, on the side job. I can't be passive about that, as I tend to be with anything important due to my overall nervousness. And I often find myself running these lines in my head: "Life is what you make of it" and "It's not forever." The problem with it not being forever is that the present seems like forever. Stuck in a drooling cycle of low hope, even when you're trying to be optimistic and peppy about anything that comes to you.<br />
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Assertiveness brings you far as I've learned these past couple of months. And sometimes assuming that role is hard for shy, anxious 20-somethings who just want everything to go according to plan (because we do have a plan—just not a very good one). <br />
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A friend of mine gave me advice when I witnessed her exchange pleasantries with a cashier at a gas station. As we settled in her car, I looked at her and said with serious awe, "How do you do that?"<br />
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"Do what?" she asked.<br />
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"Talk to strangers with such ease, like it comes so easy to you, it's no big deal. With me, I'm like so awkward and don't really know what to say most times."<br />
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She took a moment to consider what I said, then replied smoothly, "You know what it is: I just don't care."<br />
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I think that's what everyone is slowly beginning to realize in this generation, if they haven't already—and it's still a concept to me that I'm trying to open myself up to. Not concerning yourself with what other people think of you is the bases of making it through life. I'm still having trouble with it as I constantly rehearse my answers for job interviews and standard conversation when dealing with customer service. I want to go at it with a care-free attitude but having set responses give me a vague piece of mind, even if it makes me look a bit boring.<br />
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This was just a thought in the downtime. Good luck to those in the same boat as me!briana lagoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206594397300415398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753680579286792074.post-38721276698273878362014-08-21T00:45:00.002-04:002015-07-03T12:03:48.131-04:00On "Criminal Offence :X"It's been about a solid four years since I finished, thought I might come forward and talk about it. By that, I mean the writing process and general idea behind it.<br />
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<b>PLEASE ONLY READ THIS IF YOU FINISHED IT BECAUSE SPOILERS AHEAD. OKAY, THANKS!!</b> <b>(:</b><br />
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I began writing this in my sophomore year of high school, after my parents presented me with my very first laptop in the summer! For without the laptop, I don't believe I would been able to dedicate such time in having to hog the family computer for my writing endeavors. (the said laptop is now currently being used by my mother, a bit slow now though, but it's sturdy).<br />
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Here are five facts I did on twitter (because I do daily tweet cleanse, it's deleted) before I get into major detail, I covered the basics:<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">yeah, this is how i normally convey myself through twitter.</span></div>
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I guess I was always the creative-writer type; did some diary entries through elementary and middle school, got aboard the ff.net bus with my take on terrible <i>Bleach</i> fan-fiction, then even wanted to start my own paranormal-esque series when the Twilight epidemic began to spread.</div>
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But I don't believe I was cut out for creating anything other than realistic fiction. I like real-life too much, mainly high school life (my own high school life inane and boring, sad really). And I enjoyed writing about people just hanging out. Explaining it any further would be weird.</div>
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So, I'm a hopeless romantic and I love the whole cliche of "two people falling in love when they really shouldn't" ordeal. That, and the drawing interest of Stockholm syndrome (I'm still fascinated by it). Thus, my Dorothy and Eric were born!</div>
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Developing them wasn't too hard, I had influences of other writings to work off of. Dorothy was my first protagonist so everything just kind of flowed, and her reactions were mine, basically. And Eric was just every guy I've ever had a crush on come true (ha).</div>
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Another thing I worked to develop was the side characters. I wanted to write a story that wasn't all about Dorothy and Eric, I wanted other characters in the play. I've read so many stories, too much in fact, that was <i>so</i> focused on the romantic interests and simply used side characters to build up the romance. I didn't want Janaki, Shannon, Travis or Aaron tossed aside like they didn't matter, they were important. They're their own people too and I wanted to make that very clear. <i>(I'm not saying I did this well, I didn't. But I tried and am trying further with future novels.)</i></div>
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I guess what I'm saying is I wanted to also write a story about friendship. Because to me, personally, stories about friendship are foreshadowed by stories about romance. I love romance, but as I'm growing older, I realize friendships are so much more significant! </div>
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-<b>THE BIG SPOILER</b>- </div>
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Okay, so, before or at least the first couple of chapters into writing, I knew Eric would die. I barely gave it a second thought too, so I still don't understand my motives behind it other than the fact of him living would cause a whole mess of the police getting heavily involved and the two lovebirds never being able to see each other ever again, probably (of course, they can't with this ending either, sorry). I also believed (in the very back of my mind) Eric was too much of a mess and him and Dorothy would be damaged in the long-run. It just wouldn't work out. It would<i> never </i>work out.</div>
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When I finished writing the story, I was in disbelief. It took about a year to edit it out, then put it up on Smashwords (bad idea, still needed editing). Then it took this summer to put some time aside and really go forth in editing now that I've actually, <i>hopefully</i> improved in my writing (but it still needs editing).</div>
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So, I got a kick out of writing this story! I was passionate about it, as I'm sure every writer is passionate about their first story. </div>
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<b>However, this story is not noteworthy.</b> </div>
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It's just another story in the millions of independent teen realistic romances out there. But I'm so glad that anyone would take a chance on reading it and even giving it feedback (good or bad, I don't care). To have people reading it, it's the best feeling! So thanks. Thanks so much! I appreciate the heck outta you all! </div>
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Please, pass it along if you enjoyed it, and here's the <a href="http://8tracks.com/briana/criminal-offence-x" target="_blank">playlist</a> if you want to listen to the music behind the writing.</div>
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Thanks to all who read it. I mean it. <b>THANK YOU. (:</b></div>
briana lagoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206594397300415398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753680579286792074.post-28125666457911617082014-07-23T11:03:00.000-04:002015-03-11T15:05:01.846-04:00Liebster Award (for writers/bloggers)<h3>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><br /></b></span></h3>
The Rules!<br />
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<li><b>Each nominee must link back the person who nominated them: <a href="http://cheyennetrumbo.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Cheyenne Trumbo</a> </b>(thanks again)!</li>
<li><b>Answer the 10 questions which are given to you by the nominator. </b></li>
<li><b>Nominate some other bloggers for this award</b> [I'll get back to this once I bond with other authors because I really have no one I could turn to at this point, I suck, I'm sorry--I don't know many people]</li>
<li><b>Create 10 questions for your nominees to answer:</b> I don’t feel like coming up with new questions, (much like K.R. Green) so we’ll keep it to the same ten, yeah? (Cheyenne)</li>
<li><b>Notify nominees. </b></li>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b> </b></span></h3>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>MY ANSWERS!</b></span></h3>
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<b>1. Why do you write?</b> </div>
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Because my life is hecka mundane that I need an array of characters to throw into some crazy plots which I can mess around with. And pointless character dialogue, absolutely cannot live without it.</div>
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<b>2. What do you hope to achieve with your writing? (E.g. raise awareness of something, tell a story, teach a lesson…)</b></div>
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Characters are a big thing to me, and I just hope that my characters will amuse as well as become memorable beings. I just write in hopes that I can entertain an audience with a good story--and friendships are a huge thing in all my stories so bonding with people (which is something real-life me really sucks at) is some kind of subliminal thing I guess. Haha.</div>
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<b>3. If you could go back in time and give yourself some writing advice what would it be?</b></div>
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Take some editing classes, because it would be<i> really</i> helpful to know grammar and formatting, luckily I live in the age of Google. And stop leaving the novel halfway through, I've got so much more work on my hands now. ):</div>
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<b>4. Do you listen to music as you write? If so, what sort of music?</b></div>
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Sometimes, yes. It varies. Maybe I'll listen to soundtracks of my favorite tv shows/videogames/movies (Akira Yamaoka, Angelo Badalamenti, Shiro Sagisu, Petri Alanko, Michael Andrews just to name a few favorites), or I'll listen to my novel playlists (and then get distracted and edit said novel playlists). Sometimes it's whatever playing on my iTunes at the moment. I also like background sounds <a href="http://coffitivity.com/" target="_blank">Coffitivity</a> is great!</div>
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<b>5. Where do you get your ideas from?</b></div>
People, really. Or from other characters (from one particular series I absolutely love, haha). I can meet a person or see a person and instantly feel a "novel connection" and I get some ideas from their appearance or they way they do something. A lot of my novels start off like that, with just one person I either hear talked about or have seen around. Plots develop afterwards.<br />
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<b>6. What is your writing process? Are you a pantser, a plotter or a mixture?</b></div>
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Maaaan, sometimes I'm both, depending. I've started writing a sequel to another novel of mine and I haven't planned anything other than the general idea of its purpose, and now <i>not planning</i> is coming back to bite me in the a** (especially since I'm using this writing project for Julno). Most times I do a brief outline with where I want my stories to go. Sometimes I do detailed outlines.</div>
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<b>7. Where do you write best? (E.g. at your desk, in bed, in a cafe…)</b></div>
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For a majority of my writing career (which started when I began high school), I didn't have a desk in my room (still don't aside from dorms). So I wrote everything from my bed, and I've gotten so used to doing all my work in bed that I even write my academic papers for college in bed (unless I'm stressing out which I rush to the quiet rooms in the library and shut myself from the world completely).</div>
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<b>8. Is there anyone that keeps you writing despite struggles? If so, who?</b></div>
I would say my mom, who is a little oblivious about what being a novelist really means, believing that I'm going to be the next best-seller (I don't want to break it to her and tell her most writers make sh*t, even though I partially have<style><!--
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<b>9. If you could meet any author who would it be?</b></div>
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A bunch of my YA favorites: Sarah Dessen, John Green, Rainbow Rowell! And if he hadn't already passed, Paul Zindel would have been my ultimate. His YA classics are so wonderful. Such an inspiration!</div>
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<b>10. What is your favourite book of all time?</b></div>
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I still feel strongly for Melissa Bank's <i>The Wonder Spot</i>. Her writing style is top-notch, so cut and clean. Seriously, I read that book when I was in middle school and I was so infatuated with how it was written so perfectly. And especially the story; about a girl through her teenaged years into adulthood, trying to learn more about life and about herself (told you, I'm <i>big</i> on characters).<br />
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<i>As I said, I'll come back to nominating eventually. But if you read this and wanna do it, I NOMINATE YOU. Get at it. :) </i></div>
briana lagoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206594397300415398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753680579286792074.post-9853100488291747972014-06-20T15:01:00.001-04:002015-07-04T21:20:25.906-04:00in which i introduce myself for the tenth timeHey, I'm Briana Lagos. I've been well acquainted with blogging and have been an avid blogger since I was 14 years old in fact. But of course, as any right-minded young adult, I took the old me down (I still read back on posts, cringing at my past self's ideology).<br />
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I'm new and improved, but I don't think I'll be blogging as frequently as I used to. I could never grasp how to blog correctly—I either went too personal or ranted on about things I knew no one cared to read. Truth be told, infrequent blogging is the safest bet for me. Although I'm very active on <a href="https://twitter.com/brianarants">Twitter</a>, so if you wanna get in my life hit me up on there (I also delete a lot of tweets, cringing at past self from three hours ago). <br />
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I'm a writer, well, an author. I'm the chick that wrote <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/34723">Criminal Offence :X</a>, which—let's not lie—is a super emo love story. I wrote it all in the tenth grade during my first Nanowrimo, so I do cringe at it a little. I edited it the best I could just recently, but there are still mistakes within the final text. Sorry folks.<br />
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Over the course of re-reading it, I learned to be proud of that dumb book. It made me realize I freakin' love to write and feedback has been overall well (someone told me I've got talent, thanks--you're sweet). After that book, I've written four others, that's right. <i>Four</i>. I've got plans for another and one's got a sequel (just a sequel, no book series for me). Problem is they're all incompletes (except one). I've got a nasty habit of leaving things undone. <br />
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If you read my first novel and liked it, I want to take this moment to say thank you! You reading it means that all my efforts in writing were worth it. If you didn't like it, that's fine. I wonder if I like it much either, most days. I'm still working on my writing style and trying to find the right voice I want to convey in future novels. And characters, characters are super important to me.<br />
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Stick with me if you want. And talk to me if you want too! That's it for this introduction. :)briana lagoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16206594397300415398noreply@blogger.com0