springtime + a feature!

Hello, dearest friends and watchers! It's been four months since I've written a journal, on account of being mostly absent from the internet. Life has been insane. I'm entering the busiest time of my school career (Junior year, SATs, college apps...they're all coming up!) and I've missed you all. In the midst of internship applications and midterms and corralling teachers for recommendations, I have managed to write a few things. I'll be putting them up soon. Thankfully Spring Break has just started, and despite having lots of things to do, I feel so at peace with everything for the first time in a very long time.  

I've tried to keep up with most things regarding dA over the past several months, but it's been difficult, especially with keeping up with my group, Flying-Fingers. I've also had a hard time keeping up correspondence with several of my friends--you know who you are, and if you're reading this, I'm sorry! Now that Spring Break is here and things are quieting down a little bit (although I don't know how long it'll last), I'll try to ease myself back into all things dA lit and start interacting with the community again. 

Since I don't have many interesting things to say (unless you all want to hear about the multiple projects, exams and applications I've been juggling for the past several weeks), I'll talk about books. I've read some really fantastic lit since December-- The Picture of Dorian Gray,Tender Is the Night, and I'm currently working on Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain. Afterwards I'm planning on reading Sense and Sensibility (I want to read all of Austen's works this year!) Slaughterhouse-Five, and A Separate Peace. I've been indulging in lots of World War lit, mostly because the dynamics involved are interesting, and the lives taken tragic. It's haunting and sobering, and to me, it's so essential to understand all that went on during that time. Destruction of that magnitude can hardly be comprehended, but reading memoirs and literature about it sort of gives us that hindsight needed to... internally synthesize the results of human conflict, and understand the cost of the freedom we are given today. Historical and war lit is so important not just for preventative measures, but for remembrance, and in a macabre sense, for gratitude. 

So anyway, that's what I've been doing. I haven't been able to get much writing done besides the occasional poem or journal entry, but I do happen to be very close to finishing the 2nd draft of my novel, which is exhilarating and terrifying. I'm hoping to use the time given to me this Spring Break to not be lazy and finish it up. I've also put an indefinite hiatus on Tumblr for that reason, among others. I found that a majority of the time, Tumblr was really contributing to the negativity in my life, not to mention it was an aid in procrastination, which isn't good at all. I haven't been on it for several weeks now. I don't really miss it. 

Also, regarding books--I have a Goodreads account where I keep track of my reading progress and the like! I'm trying to write a review for every book I read this year (my goal is 25, and I'm a bit behind...whoops) so if you want to friend me over there so we can encourage each other in our reading pursuits, feel free to do so! ---> www.goodreads.com/user/show/20…

Now to a few features, all of which are fabulous works which won d-e-l-e-t-e-d's Month-aversary Contest! Without further ado: 
Christmas Habits by dparparita is so lovely, comforting and nostalgic. I love it. 
Save the ones you doom. by Scintede is tense, thrilling and gut-grabbing. I enjoyed it intensely! 

Weeping Willow by vvlpes is such a striking, enduring metaphor of a poem. 

Phantasmagoria by EmoKittenX3 is a well executed story about a terrifying and intriguing (but thankfully imaginary...or is it really?) concept. 

Weather or Not You're Cold by MyPoeticReality is a rhythmic, heartfelt poem that manages to be both despairing and hopeful. 

rise and fall by crystallized-skies has the greatest metaphor, one that I didn't completely understand until I read the description, but once I did, everything came to place and I was able to appreciate it even more. Fantastic work! 

Definitely check out all of these works and their writers--I truly enjoyed each and every one. I hope anyone who reads this is doing wonderfully, and that you're all enjoying the beautiful weather wherever you are.  

, 

veda