I'm taking a Creative Writing course this quarter because I though maybe it would unblock the writer's block I've been having. It kind of is and I'm feeling the desire to write again a little bit, so I thought I would share one of the assignments with everyone. It's a dialogue exercise that we had to create between our protagonist and another character in our overall story. It's supposed to be fiction, but a lot of the story (save some obvious parts), is loosely based on the beginning of mine and Felix's relationship. The best part? Because it's fiction, anything can happen and I've thrown in some heavily controversial issues that I think epitomize that saying between lovers about "going through so much together." Many relationships go through a lot, but I've decided to push it a little further in my short story and make them go through practically everything. So if you find this dialogue a little upsetting or the story offensive, don't worry, that's why they call it fiction.

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“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Yelena said from her place on the stairs. Her hair, dyed blonde now, wavered in the wind and despite the fact that the day was such a beautiful one, her tone and demeanor were beyond gloomy. This statement seemed to surprise Alex, if just a little. She had told him before how deep her history went with this particular kind of situation, but he wouldn’t find out how deep until further into the conversation.

“If this is what you want to do, then we should do it, but this isn’t how I was raised.” He looked up at her, leaning over the railing of the stairs that led to the second floor apartment.

“I’m not ready for this, Alex.” Her life had just come alive, really and it would be detrimental to her progress, especially since it had barely been over a year since they’d decided to be “together.” “I’m only twenty-one and I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Not a good idea?” He asked, his eyebrow rising in question. He rubbed his forehead with a hand and looked at her again, slightly confused. “It’s not a good idea to allow someone to live?” He could feel his background and beliefs coming into play and, despite the fact that she was visibly shaken and upset, “It’s not a good idea to create a stronger bond between us by having a kid?”

“I told you, I’m not ready for it. I can barely support us, let alone bring somebody else into this situation we’re living in.”

“I’ll get a job.” He said flatly, nearly cutting her off, but she shook her head.

“Where?” Lena raised her brow in question this time and cocked her head to the side. Anyone else passing by and looking at her would have noticed that the subject had her visibly upset, her cheeks washed with tears. “Where are you going to get a job that’s going to support us when I have to take time off to care for this baby?”

“Don’t you worry about that, I said I would-“

“But you’re not listening! I told you all ready that I don’t want to have this baby and I’m not going to let you just come in and ruin my life like this.” Alex was shocked at this, only able to stand there and look at Lena like she was insane, like the pregnancy had all ready took over her hormones to the point of no return.

Alex shook his head and took in a deep breath. “Len…” he walked around to the front of the stairs to sit on a lower step. “I’ll do whatever it is that you want to do, but I really don’t want to do this.” Lena had been becoming a strong, independent woman when Alex came into the picture and now he was feeling that superiority complex that she had. Because he didn’t have a job and she had to support them, because he did nothing but play Xbox Live all day, because she busted her ass and the light bill was still past due and the rent was late… Lena couldn’t count on him… for anything. She couldn’t believe him when he said he would get a job, especially since the relationship was still so new. Alex was the kind of guy that would come in, use a girl and all her spoils and then leave without a word… but he would change, he decided. For this girl, he would change.

Alex looked down, almost ashamed now that something like this had happened. The abortion wouldn’t stop him; he would try until she got pregnant again. She would be his girlfriend, the mother of his child and his wife. Lena would know what it was like to have her spirit taken from her, just as she had made the decision to take the spirit of their baby.

Here is a dark video of Annie playing with Bailey. Just FYI I didn't ask her to do it, she just came over to Bailey and Bailey just started cracking up.

Here are the pictures I took today of Annie and Bailey. Bailey was leaning over the back of her bumbo looking at Annie. The other pictures are of the major assignments for my Art Class, which is over today. The last one is my final, which is supposed to be a self portrait, but it looks not a damn thing like me. At least it's drawn well lol. Felix says it's my "South Park style"

Photo is a little blurry because I took the picture with Felix's phone. I'm not sure where our camera is, his sister borrowed it, but I don't know if it's come back yet...? Anyway, this was a three hour portrait we were supposed to do. Unfortunately, I spent WAY longer and was absent when this assignment was assigned, so I hope that I did it to specifications and such. I swear to God if it's supposed to be in charcoal, I'm going to be pissed. Anyway, I knew that no one would be around to sit around for three hours (or more, since this took me basically all day yesterday)so I just pulled a picture of Ayumi Hamasaki off the internet and smacked it into greyscale to help with my shading and went to town, so to speak. The picture drawn and the actual picture I drew it from coincidentally look nothing alike, so there you have it. Who will know, though? Probably no one. :D

So for everyone wondering how the school thing is going, here is a "project" that I spent much of my entire day yesterday preparing. It's a sketch of positive and negative space colored in with india ink and outlined in pen. Yes, I did this by myself with no help and it took me DAYS to complete. While I painted it yesterday, the night before I was up most of the night sketching it out. Any place where it overlaps into the next object, I couldn't draw what was actually there... positive space. The black, of course is all negative. I go to this class tonight so we will see what the "critique" section of class leads to.

Art class is good. Art History I mean. The kids are good... just came back yesterday afternoon after spending the weekend with Felix's parents. Mom is coming down to visit today and we're supposed to FINALLY get our washer and dryer sometime today! Now if only we had the $$$ to get our freaking couch! Anyways...that's the skinny on it. No thought-provoking insightful posts right now even though I've been thinking about a lot of things a lot of the time. I will write later... I think Bailey P O O P E D .

I haven't "written" a blog because there is really not much to say lately. My first online class started, really, on Monday. It's interesting. Online classes are accelerated so that means all the work in half the time. My regular class will start on Friday. I will go twice a week. Art History I is online and Observational Drawing is on-campus. Not two of my more ideal courses, but if I get them over with now, I (hopefully) will not have to do them again.

My books should be here tomorrow, which is good I guess. I have four assignments due for my online class by Monday and have only done one so far because I'm waiting to see if my Art History text has any other useful information for the next three assignments.

Anyway... there is an ant problem here, which sucks. Annie and Felix are getting bit the most. Mainly Felix though, I'm not sure why. Bailey is good, porking out quite nicely... Just this whole passing kids back and forth thing I don't like.

The oldest one (not Annie, the other "A") has a stealing problem. She's a kleptomaniac and doesn't even know she's doing it. The problem is, she has been doing it since she was about four or five now... I think I'm the only one that's really noticed... that's a shame. I don't know how to stop it. Steph said to scare the bejeezuz out of her by calling the cops and having them "arrest" her. I don't know. Felix says to tell her I'm going to burn her hands. I'm just not sure. I don't want to be hypocritical.

That's it for now. I should go to bed since Bailey is asleep. Night all.