Sandra Chang

09:43 pm: Project Maybe II

( Part 2... keep reading )

*Post got too long, so... live with it, people. ^^


Tags: project maybe

03:38 pm: Project Maybe



project maybe

( Summary: I keep thinking that maybe today will be the day that my best friend Luke wakes up and realizes he loves me more than his girlfriend... So what if he's marrying my ex-best friend? I'm getting a cat! 'Cause when a heart breaks no it don't break even )

***EDIT*** This post will be added to and edited, so keep checking back. Now with a music soundtrack!!! Try it out if you're really bored, people. ^^

Click here for Part 2

Tags: project maybe

03:05 pm: Writer's Block: Heavenly Bodies
I'd be cheesy and name it Atlantis, especially if it's filled with swirly gases or swampy sludge.

Tags: astronomy, planets, writer's block

09:42 pm: Um... Hi.
I haven't posted in nine weeks. Wow, that's a long time. A lot has happened to me. I've been trying to exercise every day to lose weight. If that doesn't work out, at least my heart will be more efficient. I've been meaning to put up a beauty routine anyone can follow and then show mine... but it's still stuck in my head, I'm afraid. I have to catalog all my beauty products... It's so much fun.

For fun, I decided to share this recipe from the manga Kitchen Princess. For some reason, I became addicted to it and read everything in three days. I love stories where the heroine works hard to achieve her dream. It's so inspiring!





Tags: daily life

09:27 pm: Nanowrimo


Alright, so I bit the bullet and joined Nano this year. It's my first year, and it's possibly the dumbest thing I'm going to do. Not only do I need to win, I need to pass all my classes with flying colors (like I normally do). This is the worst timing ever. This year is crucial, because it's my junior year of high school, I'm taking AP Chem, my dream career, and all this other work I'm going to mash together.

And did I mention I need to win Nano so I have some self-esteem as a writer? I haven't finished anything (except two short one-shots and a lot of drabbles). Instead of writing a complete novel, I'm writing three short stories that I've been working on for a long time.

One is the romantic comedy: The Lover's Guide to Lying. It's listed as my book in my Nano profile. Name: Sandra Chang
Then there's the dark, high-paced sci-fi: Emotionless. I'm not giving anything away there. But "magic" is in there...
I also have a Sailor Moon fanfic that I accidentally started one summer morning. It's written from Usagi's point of view. It's AU, and it's about her unrequited love for Mamoru, who is dating... You'll never guess who he's dating. (No, not Rei.)

Good luck to all other Nano-ers. This is one tough competition. (Especially for slow typers like me)



Tags: nanowrimo

05:59 pm: I was not built for the cold...
What have I been doing?! A whole week has passed, I've been hysterical, and life hasn't gotten any better. I'm still procrastinating, but my nails are looking better than ever! Who's excited for Halloween?! I'm dying to dress up as a sick person. All week long, I've been sick, blowing my nose and dealing with hair tantrums. Don't ask me how my spoiled brat of hair has tantrums.

As for my beauty products... I've been going through withdrawal. All my scents seem too overpowering. Winter is coming, and that means dry skin. How do you combat dry skin? With an arsenal of bottles!

OK, so I'm not a big fan of greasy lotions mainly because they can make my hands really greasy. I usually apply my lotion after my shower, and have to wash my underwear afterwards. It feels really nasty to dip my hands in water, and is a total waste of lotion. I own several from Bath and Body Works, which can sometimes overpower my nose and give me headaches. I have my secret Avon lotion (only $4 a bottle! But that's another story.) that's very mild and rose-like, but my secret weapon is...

Baby powder. Specifically, Johnson & Johnson's Baby Powder in Lavender and Chamomile. I use original baby powder on my face.

It sounds crazy. Babies use baby powder. Doesn't it... dry out your skin? It sounds like a real oxymoron, but it really keeps your skin soft. The original baby powder SHOULD work, but the talc in it can weaken your lungs. After using it everyday for a week, I couldn't breathe well.

Buy a small size of the original baby powder. When I apply it on my face before the sunscreen/moisturizer, my face doesn't get oily as easily. It's a real life saver.

The Lavender one uses cornstarch instead. Do NOT use it on your face. It leaves behind a white coating, I put it on, sleep, and it disappears, but does not blend in well. However, it does not destroy your ability to breathe. It smells very mild, with almost no scent. I slather it on my body, and it melts away in water. Don't bother reapplying it on your hands. It would just leave white dust everywhere. But if your clothing covers a part of your body, slap it on! It seriously works as a dry lotion, of sorts.

Also, all of this is dirt cheap. :)

 

My writing is going down the drain. *sob*


Tags: beauty product review, daily life

09:12 pm: Turning Sixteen
Check out: Mirror of Shturt, where we're rereading Harry Potter, one book at a time.

I absolutely hate Livejournal right now. Gah. It should automatically save your posts, even if you accidentally click on something else, making you lose your just typed post. Hmmm. I will think about suggesting this to LJ.

Well, it's official. According to the Chinese and American calendars, I am 16 years old. It's funny because I woke up today with a stomachache, and spent a good 12 hours stooped over in pain (But thank god for painkillers) and feel about eighty years old. Sometimes, I swear I really am that old, except I don't possess much common sense or experience or wisdom.

Heehee. I'm having so much fun working on my short story named 'The Lover's Guide to Lying', sort of like 'The Idiot's Guide to...' I wish I could share it, but it's in a heavy editing stage... and I haven't finished it. On the other hand, I took a break from writing LGL and wrote the beginning of a Sailor Moon fanfic. I know; I'm drowning in fanfiction. But this should be good, because, well... the first line popped into my head and began violently growing for a thousand words. What can I say? I work very slowly.

OK, so I was thinking that because I'm such a beauty product junkie, (without a job; not very smart, eh?) I should recommend products. I don't like to use many products, but sometimes, one just rises to the occassion perfectly. Such is this: I don't like painting my nails. It can leave unpleasant tastes if I accidentally lick it, and only one week can ruin the manicure because my nails have grown out. But I believe you should protect your nails, in case of them breaking. One of my mine just broke, and it bled, on account of having broken past the nail bed. This shouldn't happen! So this is my wonder product:

Sally Hansen Natural Shine Instant Nail Finish


Yes, it smells like nail polish. It supposedly comes in two colors: Clear and Pink Tint, (Silver and Gold, respectively) but they both come out clear. This stuff dries in ten seconds flat; no kidding. By the time you recap the wand, your nails are dry and ready to go. How much more can you want? It's small, so you can easily carry it around for a quick manicure on the go. What I don't like is the fact that it can easily tip over, so I don't recommend doing this on the train or anything. You need a flat surface to balance the bottle part. It gets 3.5 out of 5 stars.

I bought mine in Rite Aid, for the full price of $5.99. No it does not EVER go on sale. Just buy it; seriously. I waited maybe 2 years for it to go on sale, and it never has. I had to suck it up and buy it as my self-birthday present... If that makes sense.

If you don't like the smell of nail polish, try: Neutrogena Instant Nail Enhancer, There is no nail polish smell there. It does come off easily, and requires constant application, like the article says. I have no idea; I've never tried it.

Alright, I'm going to shut up and post up the beginning of my new Sailor Moon fanfic. I don't know when I'll ever finish it. It won't be for a really, really long time. But I'm excited. It starts off as a kind of unoriginal AU; Usagi has an unrequited love for Mamoru. He doesn't know, even though they're best friends in this story. You'll never guess who Mamoru is actually dating... or how the they will end up together in the old-fashioned UsagixMamoru way. That's all I'll give away. It should be about... 5000-10,000 words. Not that long, really.

( I'm having that dream... )



Tags: beauty product review, daily life, sally hansen

10:30 pm: Stolen from bubblebubba . Hope you don't mind! And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to sleep.

1. Three guilty pleasure you indulge/have indulged in to get the ideas flowing:
-Doing my cuticles. I'm trying to get in the habit of hydrating my cuticles as I type. The balm smells so lemony-good and my keyboard gets sticky, but what can you do?
-Eating. I'm eating grapes as I type now. Hopefully I'll stop once I get in the habit of using the cuticle balm.
-Talking? I adore people in general. I ignore the lesson, often chatting with my friends. There's no better people to model characters after than ordinary, friendly people.

2. Book or other work that made you reconsider the value of being literate:
Don't hate on me, but I can't stand most classics. Catcher in the Rye? Awful. Pride and Prejudice? I loved the movie to the point of obsession (I watched the rain scene over and over.) but the book didn't get to me. I adore Lord Tennyson's Lady of Shallot, so I do like some classical pieces. I. HATE. The Kite Runner. It was pointless, disturbing and a whole lot of nonsense.

3. Okay, now a book that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside when you think about it:
The Animorphs series. It says it's for 4th grade and up, but I'm addicted to it. It's made me laugh and cry. I mean, it made me forget the subtle romance in the series. That says enough.

4. How many books do you have on your shelf? What kind of book dominates?
Because I'm a poor, unemployed high school student, I only own about 20 books right now. I donated several, just to  spread the love. Once I get a job, this collection is going to be huge. I'm thinking around 100 or so books. Fiction dominates my small library. I love imagining different worlds and different people.

5. You have the chance to write the book flap to any novel of your choice. Which book are you writing flaps for?
I would personally be honored to write for Memoirs of a Geisha. It changed my perspective on writing, and I think it really changed my writing style. Michio Kaku's Physics of the Impossible or Parallel Universes would be second. I'd like to see how much I learned. :)

6. Back to the writing: Ever wanted to write a fic for a fandom that you don't follow? If so, which?
I've always wanted to write for HaruxRin, from Fruits Basket. It seems to be a beautiful relationship, untouched by all the bad memories they have. They are each other's sanctuary, which is how love should really be. Nothing is edited, and they know each other. They really know.

7. What's the weirdest place you've ever came up with an idea for a story (or an event in a story you were already writing)?
For some odd reason, I get a lot of ideas in the shower. I'll just be admiring the scent of my body soap and suddenly, a scene will pop into my head. I remember thinking of a scene from an original story, where light is the 5th dimension, time is the 4th dimension and everyone else has to live in the 3rd dimension. It's sketchy, but it let me see the two people who are the light or the time as "higher" than the others.

8. Biggest writing distraction?
Reading. I like to read, and I like to reread. I can get caught up for an hour rereading a magazine, or a book or pondering something. Sometimes, I'll completely stop writing and do origami for hours. Or homework. It gets on my nerves. The worst distraction is when I get frustrated with my writing talent, and become convinced I'm a terrible writer. I stop for a few days, but pick it up again, because writing is truly the air I breathe. (So then why are you planning to become a cosmetic chemist? Oh, that's a story for another day...)


Tags: life, writing

09:25 pm: Unrequited Violence
*Posted elsewhere to prevent Fruits Basket spoilers... and for those who don't know what FB even is...

I finished my very first short story in June. I know; how the hell do you only finish 1?! But I'm a serial procrastinator. Anyway, I just can't believe I didn't post it up. I'm very proud of it. It's a short romantic comedy, set in 1st person. I wrote it with the intention of the reader believing she is the protagonist. There's no point in a summary. The title says it all. And here it is, edited and revamped:

 

( Unrequited Violence )

Tags: romance, writing

09:04 pm: Oh, what do you know...
So I entered the usako_mamoru Third Anniversary Challenge and I freaking won! I'm so happy; it revives my self-esteem in my writing. Yes! I'm not just crazy and all over the place! Some of the talented people I voted for won, also. (But that's a secret...)

It's been forever since I actually wrote anything. I feel like I'm getting out of practice. And that really, really sucks. Well, this is my meager offering. I now finally begin the 52 Flavors Challenge: Week 1. And Week 2 ends in about two days, so I better hurry up. (Wonder how I'm going to study for my Chem test right about now?) The point of the challenge is to write 1 drabble a week, but I don't want to finish again in September! I'm going to drive down the time limit to June. By then, all my tests are over and I can celebrate also finishing the challenge! I can do this; I can!

If you haven't finished reading Fruits Basket, don't bother clicking on the lj-cut. It has a huge chunk of spoilers. Sort of.

( #8 - Inside and Outside of Time )


Tags: 52 flavors, writing

01:53 pm: Rereading Harry Potter Club Members
Post if you're joining/have a suggestion or question!

Tags: community, harry potter

06:35 pm: ( 60. One Touch )
The above is the tiny bit of writing I managed to squueze through my sleep-deprived brain. This is so lame. As soon as the usako_mamoru contest ended, I start coming up with random ideas for each theme. This was supposed to be 1b. Cotton, but I just put it in with my 100 Themes.

Alright, so I was debating with pairing I wanted to use for the 52 flavours. I still don't know. (Shit. I'm probably just stalling... or procrastinating. It sounds very like me.) I think my options are:
1. UsagixMamoru
2. EdxWinry (Though I read a really great one on ff.net, so I probably won't measure up to that awesomeness...Snapshots
3. YukixMachi from Fruits Basket
4. Original Characters... except no one but me will know what I'm talking about...

I'm so TIRED. Waking up at 6AM for school is awful. It was really hot, and I smelled like sweat for hours on end. Now, winter seems like a relief rather than a curse.



Tags: daily life, drabble, writing

09:50 pm: Another Writing Rampage
So I decided that I should write more. It shouldn't be only based on whims, because I'll never get anything done that way. But I'm not so ambitious to try and write an entire novel. I'm going to start slow, by writing small drabbles. And community.livejournal.com/52_flavours/profile has caught my eye. OK, so I gave into my first love; poetry and philosophy. That's OK. As long as... I finish all of these by say, October? That doesn't sound hard. I have to sleep now, but I'll surely post something tomorrow. I swear. OK, now I have to sleep. Here's the first cycle's list. The newest list is good, too, but more ambiguous. This list doesn't exist anymore in the community. I had to go through old entries and write it down. -sob-

( The List... )


Tags: writing

01:00 am: Usagi and Mamoru: 2008 Anniversary Challenge

08:56 pm: 10 Purchases... To show I'm still alive


Tags: analysis

09:48 pm: The Swordsman and The Moon
( The Swordsman and The Moon )

07:09 pm: #78 - Kitchen
( #78 - Kitchen )

03:10 pm: #24 - Happy
( #24 - Happy )

11:22 am: #39 - Seek
( #39 - Seek )

06:14 pm: #67 - Confused and #90 - Bomb
( #67 - Confused )

( 90 - Bomb )