Confessions of a Teenage Blogger Queen

Inspire. Create. Write. TM

"Forgive me, Father for I have sinned."

"Tell me, child, what is your confession?"

Model: Taz Noble

Grace woke that morning with surprising purpose. She flung her body across the room to where her MacBook Air lay in wait. Drumming her fingers on the see-through glass desk, she started up the Mac. 981 emails, 346 twitter notifications, and 1407 Instagram mentions all greeted her anxious eyes. What joy she felt seeing this. It had only been 3 months since the launch of the website and the results were unprecedented. Before she began, Grace closed her eyes and prayed to the heavens… to her mother.

"Mother, guide me." The whisper escaped her lips, easing the tension in her shoulders. She opened the Twitter notifications.

@SON***ASHUK said, “I get a two-hour facial every month”

@BETHSH******I said, “I've been known to brush my hair with a fork in emergencies.”

@A_M***E said, “I use hand lotion to tame frizz in a pinch.”

@TW**TRA said, “I'll pull out a strand and use it as floss in a pinch. Disgusting - but it works.” (Authors Note**A friend confessed that she does it too!)

@BETH**POURI said, “I use lip balm on my cuticles in a pinch. Even the colored kind upon occasion.”

@SEA***TH said, “I shave with baby oil gel for the closest shave ever!”

@CHER****NENY said, “I keep all my perfumes on the dairy shelf of my fridge, so I don't have room for yogurt anymore.”

These were fantastic! Tweets from around the world were coming in, faster than she could blink. Even men were posting! She couldn't wait to upload them to the site's 'Beauty Diaries' section.

Next, Grace opened her emails and Seven minutes later.....

Droplets of tears coated her cheeks, a heavy burden weighed down against her chest. Grace sat there, alone and could not contain her sobs. Like a dam breaking, it started slow, then all together at once, it broke. The email before her, could not be felt any other way... her eyes traced to the sender. Maya from Minnesota, bless her soul had sent a short story of her mother's passing. In relation to the theme, Maya had written about how difficult it was having to learn everything a girl should be taught by her mother and rightly so. Things like how to apply blush, deal with split ends, how much makeup to use, boys & what bra sizes to get. It was all detailed in beautiful prose with an emphasis on how lost she felt without her mom there to guide her. Once a month, Grace would feature a story regarding Beauty confessions and this was definitely going up. Anything posted before, felt trivial in comparison. Maya wrote with such raw emotion & seemed quite knowledgeable now on all things beauty related. Grace thought back to those winter days of longing, where she would be perched against the frosted window. Watching in solemn thought, the neighbor kids playing around in the snow. People could only guess how she felt, they could never know exactly how it felt to lose a mother. The soul crushing darkness that she had been propelled into had left her wanting. Maya was the first person in a long time to understand that kind of despair and know the sheer tenacity it takes to step into the light again.

Grace could only marvel at Maya’s inner beauty. She had started the website called “GlamConfessions” as a way for her to connect with her friends around the world. To share beauty tips, tricks, trials & trips. The “Beauty Diaries” section had sky-rocketed in popularity after the first week, women from every country were posting in 140 characters worth of their Beauty tips, tricks, trials & trips. It was mind-boggling to see so many women; strong, independent, shy, lonely, depressed or in love all connecting and uniting with each other under this one banner. In order to keep a handle on the overwhelming amount of feedback, Grace enlisted the help of her two “besties like toasties”, Ashley & Nicole. Some of their best slumber party nights were sitting up & reading the Beauty Confessions from all around the world.

They had gotten a ton of email from teenage girls saying how much hearing other women’s confessions, helped them to not feel alone anymore. To know that they were not the only ones, impacted them greatly. Grace remembered reading a touching story about a girl from South Africa who was constantly being bullied at school for caring too much about fashion and beauty. Suicidal thoughts, which were vividly described, were a daily battle for her. Then the “Beauty Diaries” happened…The girl describes exultant emotions with what happened next. Due to her crazy obsession with beauty & fashion, coupled with her quick wit & charm, the girl became the go to #beautyconfession of the day! She gets retweeted, at a mean average of 400 times a day! People shower her with love for her Beauty tips, tricks, trials & trips. From all of them, it was truly, Grace’s favorite success story and it was time for another one just as big.

Grace hit the reply button to Maya’s email:

“Dear Maya the Angel

Your letter had me gushing in tears, laughing for joy but most of all, it had me reminiscent of my own mother’s passing when I was only a little girl. I know those feels so well, lil angel & I promise you it never goes away. Thank you so much for having the courage to write this, girls around the world are going to be inspired and enlightened by your words. I wish I could give you the biggest teddy bear hug right now! Please accept my deepest condolences for your loss. I am so happy that the website has helped you so much, I totally love love LOVE your inventive & creative handbags. Those pictures are just gorgeous.

Please know, that I have been reading letters and guest post proposals all month long. From the thousands, I have chosen to run yours in this month’s “Glam-Core” section. Congratulations! I cannot wait to see the world fall in love with you the way I have. You’re a star!

In addition, please see the attached form. I would love to offer you a position on my website. I know the girls and I would be honored to have you on the team!

Xoxoxoxox

Yours sincerely (& your biggest fan)

Grace Annelise Scott”

Grace hit the send button and laid her fingers to rest. She smiled quietly to herself, with big plans for Maya in her thoughts.

There is Beauty in helping others achieve their dreams. In hope, I wish we all find it.

Model Taz Noble

~"Be kind to one another."~ Ellen DeGeneres

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Authors Note*

The First Photo was taken by me and refers to my original short story on Wattpad, called the “The Lady in Blue Heels.”

If you would like to read the rest of Grace’s riveting story, you can check it out Here.

It’s filled with love, romance, intrigue, drama & suspense. Get to know more about Grace Annelise Scott.

The names of the confessed have been redacted for privacy purposes.

URGENT: This post is in honor & Memory of  #RIPAmy  
My heart goes out to her family & friends. This is not OK.            

The Blog Tag provides bloggers with daily Writing Prompts in line with a weekly theme.

If you're interested in taking part either follow the link or click on the image below which will take you to the Aesthetically Blog-tastic Website.

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Not Alone: The Beauty within a quiet moment of Reflection

Inspire. Create. Write.TM

Photography Cred: Me

Staring through my window, I look on as the summer rain drenches every individual blade of grass, in some way or another connecting sky and earth. Rain, being one of the many natural cycles that is essential to this planet, how could anyone not marvel at such simplistic process? The irony of it all I thought, how can one day seem amazingly perfect and complex yet the next be filled with so much pain it's hard to breathe?

I stood up abruptly not wanting to fall into the morbidity of such thoughts. I looked around my room and realized how crowded the walls seemed as opposed to years ago when I first painted it red and black in parallel to one another. Spending days here, reading and immersing myself in so many different worlds except my own, my blindness afforded my denial. There was no escaping it was there? Peace of mind would be unfathomable at this point. Not now, not when everything I touch is obscured by the vision of 'It' disintegrating before me, ashes. Just like ashes to the wind. There was a knock on the door and in that moment, a distinguished timeline seemed not to exist. I knew that the eventuality of my mistakes was upon me now.

                                                                          ***

I searched the classroom for her face and found it easily, her beauty always caught me off guard, no matter how many hours I had spent marveling at every detail of it. She wore a smile of understanding, I smiled back feeling secretive again wondering why I ever insisted that we keep what we have a secret. Then I realized that what we have, as I've always deduced, is inevitably either a sweet, sweet dream or maybe just a beautiful nightmare. How many days have I been in turmoil over what I had done to deserve such an angel? Countless. Her beauty has no equal and the beauty within her was even more of a rarity. In my reality, she would always by my dream and in her dream I would always be her reality. What a pair, the sky, and the earth, so very far apart yet connected in mysterious ways.                         

***

Before the pain…
Sometimes in life, you find a special person: Someone who changes your life, in impossible ways, just by being a part of it. Someone who makes you laugh until you can't stop. Someone who makes you believe that there really is good in the world. Someone who convinces you, that there is always an unlocked door just waiting for you to open. True Love is what holds you, the stuff of legend that binds you, in an unbreakable way, without any effort.
True Love and family… Ha! So naive was I, to have believed I could have both. What was I? If not, a soulless and selfish monster. No one alive could hate me more than I hate myself. 

I am an empty wondering idiot without a conscience, without purpose, and without hope.
A past erased and a future obscured. I am only left with the present, to live without anything besides one, just one, agonizing memory. 
What was it? Anger, pain, rage or disgust? I could not decide which to feel at once or even together. I knew but only one thing, that these emotions were nothing if not my immortal curse and mine alone to bear. 
They had taken me over so irrevocably it was as though they were given a conscience of their own. I was weak; I wanted, it to end, to die.
If only someone would be kind enough to give me my one true wish.
Death, it seems will always be both my enemy and my savior. 
You have to wonder, though. In the event that death is upon us, what would be the most intense aspect of it experienced? Would it be rage, despair, greed, sacrifice, destruction or even intoxication, madness, and nihilism?
Maybe the answer is, above all else, simplistic and a little ideal…. loneliness or old age? And yet still, the aspects of life seem to elude and discombobulate us.

***

Every family has their own domestic problems and after years of fighting against the tide, I just gave up, flowing with the current, not knowing where or when it would end. I would later find out just how wrong my decision was. The following disasters occurred; in my silence, my father felt he had failed me and chosen to revert back to the old ways of drowning his problems away at the bar with a favorite friend of his, named ''Brandy''. I could never understand how a man whose had a much longer time to be an adult than I, could not end such a cowardly habit or have any respect for himself at all but who was I to judge. I was still a beginner to life, a tenderfoot so to speak. The consequences of these actions then lead to my mother's depression, blaming herself for failing at her marriage and her misunderstood son. 

''Dad hurry up we are going to be late!!'' I urged my father as we were driving to the airport; after all the drama endured I would finally enjoy an independent, family-free holiday. In the distance, the airport came into view and with it a sense of unlimited excitement washed over me like that perfect wave all surfers dream of having. I was not going to waste it, as fast as humanly possible, we were at the gateway to the plane. My mother was in tears, my father looking like he was searching for the right thing to say and my sister feigned disinterest.

I knew there was no possible way to dissolve every issue before I left so I searched for the right words to say what I knew I would mean. ''I'm going to miss you.'' Was all that escaped my lips. My mother burst into tears and so did my sister, the both of them held closely by my father, clearly in no state to talk.

''Have a good trip and be safe son.'' My father replied, with a look of discomfort on his face. A little disappointed I walked away, a single tear of pain flowing down my cheek. ''WE LOVE YOU!!'' Shocked I turned around and saw my father too in tears, waving. I smiled and waved back until my view of them disappeared as I entered the gateway.

The plane trip was finally over, leaving me agitated and annoyed. The married couple next to me were constantly finding ways to grope each other secretively, with no success I might add. Whispers of ''I love you'' and ''I love you more'' were continually exchanged between the newlyweds, which drove me to the point of insanity and made my non-belief in love grow immensely. Sherlock Holmes once said that ''When you've eliminated all of the impossible, however improbable, only the truth will remain....'' Which begs the question what is love? How can one ascertain the truth of love if we live in a world where love is commercialized and it's true meaning abandoned when teenagers and majority of the public decide that after months of dating the next logical step would be the ''I love you'' part right? When clearly they've only offered the written meaning of what love is in the dictionary and not a personalized unaltered meaning of their own. How can one believe that love exists on the pretext of knowing that the French invented the word to bed women and play Casanova? It all becomes very complicated compared to the simplicity of it explained in books and movies. And still, those cheap meanings are still incredibly enticing and seductive, even I have longed to experience something so illogical, the novelty of it and all that. 

Upon arriving at the hotel, I immediately admired my surroundings: A huge entertainment area complete with a flat-screen TV, a mini bar, a recliner and even a light dimmer. And the luxuries continued with a magnificent en-suite complete with a multi-faceted shower for a massaging wake-up call, a refined almost heavenly Jacuzzi and yet another flat screen TV for the guest's viewing pleasure. A Massive king size bed with accessories like the most comfortable pillow I've had the honor of resting my head on, sheets that felt like Egyptian silk and of course a phone to indulge in late night food cravings. And finally the most important part, the view. Standing on the balcony marveling at the impossibly beautiful landscape of Rome, all my problems seemed to disappear with a long awaited and relaxed sigh. 

It was about two in the morning when I received the call that would change my life forever. Apparently after they had dropped me off and were heading back home, a drunk inexperienced driver lost control of the car causing a massive collision ending the lives of 12 people including my family’s. For several moments that felt like an eternity to me, I stood frozen next to the bed not thinking of anything in specific or able to move any muscle. ''They are alive, it was just a nightmare.'' Was the only thought recurring in my head as I raced to the terminal. I wasn't in denial, I wasn't in pain, I just needed to prove my nightmare wrong to know that the family I had neglected were at home… for me to redeem myself and ask for their forgiveness. They just had to be there, someone's family just couldn't be taken away in so instantaneously. Could they?

By the time I reached home I was already aggravated to the point of screaming at the taxi driver for his slow services, I through a bunch of notes at the undeserving driver and hurried into the driveway, bags in hand. What I saw brought me to my knees; both families were there, my father's side and my mothers, all in tears consoling one another in a feeble attempt to promise hope, hope they did not have to promise. The pain of realizing my worst possible fear was confirmed; it was unbearable, paralyzing every cell in my body. The pressure of it brought me to my knees and I stared in horror as the wind blew away everything, the house, the walls even the grass! Then there was only darkness, it devoured me and I welcomed it with open arms. 

***

''Ever since my mind has permitted me to remember, I grew up with the most compassionate woman I've ever had the honor of meeting. She taught me of what it means to give selfless unconditional love without any thought or expectancy of the outcome. Her life was filled with emotion and caring for this family. Every day she struggled to make each of us hap—''

I paused only to lose more of a breathing rhythm, I thought I could be strong, I thought I could ignore my emotions for just this day, to be strong enough for everyone else but I couldn't, in this moment I felt wave after crashing wave of torture. I looked at their faces all hanging on my every word, searching for hope and strength that I could not provide. And then, there she was at the end of the hall looking straight into me with a kind of compassionate intensity, in that instant, she became my bond to sanity… for the time being. Behind her were my parents and my sister, they were smiling… apparently unaware of their deaths. I knew then that I could be strong enough, strong for this day and not tarnish my family's memory.

This wasn't the time to cause more pain when the one everyone was experiencing that day was crippling enough. So instead I talked about how much my parents taught my sister and me, how entranced they would get over a game of scrabble. I spoke about all the things that made us a family; that made us unique.

''Our minds are the birthplace of ingenuity, of all decision and we have to work through our hearts and not from it, to achieve life's true meaning. My family has passed, and they'll never take another breath again. I don't know what will happen now but I do know they'll never truly be gone, as long as we keep those memories we have of them close and carrying them with us throughout our lives.''
Yet again another single tear shot down my cheek, I hastily wiped it away hoping no one saw. Looking up to the back of the room I saw her again, with my family on the cornerstones of her shoulders. ''Thank you all for coming, it means a lot to me.'' With that, I walked over to the coffins and placed a rose over each of their bodies, not realizing that at each coffin I had squeezed the stem of each rose so hard that it had caused my hand to bleed. The physical pain was somehow irrelevant at this point. In my sister's coffin, I placed a picture of her dancing, in my mother’s, a picture of our family in one of those unanimously and rare happy moments. In my fathers, a picture of him and I after a long day of bonding through the art of fishing. As I got off the platform, through my tear-filled vision, I saw that a figure was moving rapidly towards me, the way a rocket would through space and time. I could only regard this as a threat, instinctively shielding myself with my hands, but then the figure surprised me by launching its weight against me… embracing me and in finality, I knew it was her. She'd been waiting to take me away, away from the crowd so they wouldn't see me let go.

As the coffins were lowered into their resting place one by one I let out one final whisper to them, ''Love you.''

THE END.

There is Beauty within a moment of quiet reflection. In hope, I wish we all find it.

~"Be kind to one another."~ Ellen DeGeneres

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Breaking News* The official website launched yesterday for The Blog Tag! If you're interested in taking part either follow the link or click on the image below which will take you to the Aesthetically Blog-tastic Website.

Why Cracked Feet will Kill you.

Inspire. Create. Write.TM

Ever hear the saying, “Ain’t nobody got time for that.”?

Day to Day, with the way we consume time. It’s almost absurdly easy for anyone to say, Ain’t nobody got time for that, isn’t it?

Imagine for a microscopic second, that you’re walking up your cobblestoned driveway after a long & grueling Monday workday. The air is crisp with the freedom you feel and you cannot wait for your husband/wife, fiancé, boyfriend/girlfriend or cat to greet you. All you want in life is to shower, eat & relax. But hold on just a darn tootin’ minute, the world is wobbly, the air is now pungent with the pain you feel writhing from your feet all the way to your heart. Splat!

The horrible truth is nigh here.

The most shocking part is that, “Around 70,000 people are hospitalized with it every year.”

Now I could work out the statistical variance with a percentage value for the chances of you, Personally being involved in that amount. But, yes you guessed it, Ain’t nobody got time for that

Crazy averages aside, When you list ways for you to die:

Gettin’ shot up-side the head, being drowned in a river, finding them lumps & bumps or getting mugged in a dark alley.

Cracked Heels doesn’t sound worth it, does it?

Excellento! So let’s get with the smooth and fixin’.

Below you will find the Products on review today.

Or

How to Use:

1. Here’s the kicker, though, it’s literally 2 minutes before you shower and 1 minute after. Hardly a ridiculously vigorous routine ey? All the products above can be found in One-Stop at Clicks stores Nationwide. While there, won’t you pick up an awesome heel file, it’ll come in mad-handy shortly.
2. So the recipe for smoothness is thus folded, make sure the heel file is dry, begin to use one side to work on your right heel & the other to work on your left. The key is to find a gentle rhythm, remember you aren’t scrubbing for gold, so go easy will ya? The tiny particles of the dermis should look like white dust on your heels by now. Afterward, apply the Clicks – Exfoliating Foot Scrub in calm swirling motions with an outstretched palm. As per above mention, this should take you under 2 minutes to complete.
3. Exactly as you are (Clothing optional), hoppity hop into that sweet, warm embrace of water gushing down your body.
4. Once dried out after your shower, settle down and take out either the Clicks – Repairing Heel Balm or the Vaseline - Intensive Care Camphor Restore Cream. If you like symmetry, I would suggest the Heel Balm but if you’re product rebel, I would recommend the Vaseline.
5. Massage the cream of choice over the intended area, increase into outward strides to maximize the area of healing.

Feel Epic now, don’t you?

Make sure to wear loose fitting slippers or cuddly-wuddlies.

Personal Experience:

For years I detested my heels, it was an annoying problem I was too annoyed with to fix. Cracked & abused they tormented me, especially at outdoor functions or slumber-fiestas.

Months ago, I tried doing something. For days, I would scrub & scrub, but them damn cracks were stubborn yo! My ever-over loving mother being the Saint*ess she is, took pity and bought the above mentioned Four products for me. Within that same night of using the above directional methods, my Crack heels were no bloody more! No more slightly aching pains when I press my heels in for actions like driving, sitting at my desk or just plain kid-tastic running.

Now, I have used both the Heel Balm & The Camphor Restore but I would have to say I am partial to the sensationalizing Camphor Restore. It has the added bonus of a euphoric scent.

I would most assuredly recommend this to all. My dad is probably the perfect example of a before and after picture-spokesperson. Mom did his heels and the cracks are frickkin' inconsequential now. In One day, who can top that now?

Of course, daily or weekly use is encouraged, I know without a doubt I will never have Cracked heels again just because it’s this easy to get rid of.

BooyaHkasha!

(My New Ali G Word J+ the H)

• Beauty Product/s Review done. One day when I grow up……Can Say….Hey, I did that.
• Take Away: Write outside your comfort zone.

~"Be kind to one another."~ Ellen DeGeneres

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Breaking News* The official website launched today for The Blog Tag! If you're interested in taking part, either follow the link or click on the image below which will take you to their Aesthetically Blog-tastic Website.

The Light & The Dark: Open Letters to the Anonymous

Inspire. Create. Write.TM

Dear Ignorance, lend me your Ears!

After many conversations with you, I have finally realized that nothing I say, do, write or paint will evoke an epiphany in your condescending thoughts. You, who constantly bash on the withering souls because you don’t understand what it’s like to have your heart on your sleeve and a broken heart without choice. Because you see, every time I step into the distorted play we call reality, when I enter the world, YOUR world, I refuse to bow down to your social standards, morals, and beliefs. Because I will not hide the way I feel, I will not wear a mask and sacrifice who I am so you can feel comfortable. I will no longer stand by as you torment another person’s thoughts again and again with sayings like

“Get over it”

“Have you ever tried to just, not be like that all the time?”

“Attention Seeker, that’s all you are”

Because I’ve been there. I’ve stood at the edge of insanity, and pulled myself back into sanity with sheer strength and faith in a God. Who, I am pretty sure has big things in store for me. I’ve been there, seeing someone slowly kill themselves, poisoning their body with any kind of feel-good drug to get away from the never-ending circle of lies, despair and trickery that mental illness just so happens to carry with it. But you see mental illness isn’t satisfied with being alone. No. Misery loves company, and company it will bring.

Feelings of inferiority, check. Self-hatred, check. Loneliness, check. Addiction, check. Anger, check. Anxiety, check. 

Then again maybe you are reading this saying, why? Why is she writing this to me? Maybe because I know that playing house while posting status updates with a ~LifeIsBeautiful~ hashtag and an edited picture of a sunrise, you barely took two seconds to appreciate, is not the way to find happiness. Because life is fucking beautiful, but I don’t look for it in a hashtag, I look for it in the dark. I look for it in the ashes left behind from where a Phoenix just arose. I look for it in the eyes of a human being in so much pain, that they feel they can’t even take one more breath, but they do in any way.

So maybe you won’t understand this post because there are no hashtags, no edited quotes with an inspirational saying. That’s okay. But just know, that I’ve risen from a dark, cold prison named depression. I’ve defeated my own thoughts and broken through the restraints of every instinct in my body. And I will not idly stand by to watch you break down the struggling, I won’t let you interfere with their healing anymore. Barking out your irrelevant comments and destructive criticism. I am strong enough to stand against you and your ignorant thoughts.

With not so much love,

~That person you made The Comment to, but probably don’t even remember.

Great minds think alike but fools never differ.

****************

Dear Wandering souls, lend me your hearts!

I am writing this because I believe your story Must be heard. That too many of us have become unbridled with our focus on the negative. We turn on the news and all we see is how much this beautiful earth has been tarnished. I need them to see you, I need them to feel what I’ve felt.

Remember that interview? I do, you sat in quiet peace while the ladies did all the talking. I shook your hand and that was all I thought of it. In surprise, I got hired and your wisdom was revealed. You knowingly gave authority away without attachment. Which in turn gave them a sense of purpose apart from their daily, monotonous duties. It was the first mark of a True leader if I ever saw one. Before you, I had never known what it meant to be appraised or encouraged to do anything. At most I had to previously force-feed my own ambition. In the days and weeks to come you gave me purpose, tasks that were not meant for a lowly new employee. It pushed me to do more, learn more and above all, it made me actually enjoy something that I never thought I would. 

Before you I believed everything was all about me this, me that. I should have this, or I didn’t get that because of this. Upon sideward glances, I noticed something new. No one felt lower than you, no one inherently avoided you. They gravitated to you and you shepherded them to be better. In those moments, you taught me to not be better than my fellow man but be better than my previous versions. That by helping others get what they want, automatically gets you what you want. I have carried this with me always. A number of times you pulled up your sleeves and jumped into the trenches with us was truly astounding. You didn’t need to do it yet you did. In truth, before you, I had only heard of the word Mentor. You weren’t just someone to aspire to be but someone to inspire them all. 

We would have never found that funding to help the children’s hospital without those late nights you pulled, combing through the never-ending financials. We would have never all come together as a unit of singular motivation to find homes for those that had never known of one. I shudder to think of what would have happened to all those wandering souls had you not been there. Thank you for teaching me the value in appreciating every soul, no matter the flaw. If that was what it meant to be a real man, then you rocked it in spades.

In the wake of your silence, I have written this poem.

Let the dead raise again,

And Death I shall becometh, lay your smoky ring upon my finger.

You are the entity of inevitable choice,

And from Chaos we were all born. It's what binds us, keeps us and forgets us...

There is but only one face I would condemn all of my humanity.

So I say this now. Yes, Hear Me!

Bring me the Doors of thyself,

So I may retrieve what was taken.

Lay claim to my soul and punish my sin,

But deny me none, for Death I shall becometh.

In this tiny little sphere of ours, within the ever expanding sheer mass of the World, you have done more for humanity than they will ever know. Know that in the abyss of darkness, you were that speck of light to break through and free us.

So I know now that I must continue, I must live with the legacy you created. I promise you I will never falter or fail in this mission. Every child saved will know your name, they will come to have hope again and overcome the adversity thrust upon them. They will have hearth again, I swear it against all damnation. I will live every day in honor of your greatness, bringing the Light to all those shackled with the darker parts of humanity.

In finality, I am humbled by the destiny you left me with. Yes, we will soar, we will Phoenix.

This I lay my promise, this I lay my heart.

Find peace my brother.

~"Be kind to one another."~ Ellen DeGeneres

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“The Light & The Dark: Open Letters to the Anonymous”

By

Enricoh Alfonzo & the impeccably talented, Sumarie SteenKamp.

I am so honored to have her guest blog on this post. You don’t have to guess to know that her outstanding work is the first letter.

Sumarie is a web-designer by profession with a passion for words unlike any other that I have ever met. She devotes her spare time to helping friends and promoting other bloggers (I know right? Literary Saint).

If you're interested in taking part in The Blog Tag, either follow the link or click on the image below which will take you to the Facebook group. Breaking News* A new website is also in production!

The Literature Tag: What does it mean to be a Writer?

Inspire. Create. Write.TM

Most liked Quote this week:

"Too often do we settle for less when More becomes exceedingly unavailable.

  Believe in More."

Through many clicks, searches and referrals, I happened upon a captivating Facebook group called The Blog Tag. The community is warm and refreshingly humble. While combing through their archives, I have found many amazing blogs with content that I cannot wait to devour.

Today's Tag is Literature.

If you're interested in taking part in The Blog Tag, either follow the link or click on the image below which will take you to the Facebook group. Breaking News* A new website is also in production!

1. What is your all-time favourite book?

• Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix. J.K Rowling is the greatest Author I’ve ever read.
• My inner devil-may-cry voice will tell you it's my own (Coming soon) Debut Novel, The Cured: Rebirth. But I'm trying to be humble here, key word is trying.... Seriously give me any Harry Potter book. They are literary legends. 

2. According to you, which Quote best describes you as a person?

• Quis Custodiet ipsos Custodes? ~~ Who will guard the guardians? 

3. What is your favourite English word, and why?

• Antidisestablishmentarianism. And nope not trying to sound Fancy*fied.
• It’s my favourite because it comes from a book series I’m addicted to.
• It’s called Lover Eternal By J.R Ward. In it, the male MC (main character) is temporarily blinded when he meets the female MC. With nothing but his sense of touch, smell & hearing, here is how he experiences her: 

Rhage growled low in his throat and dropped his head down so his ear was next to her mouth. He wanted to give her another word to say, something like luscious or whisper or strawberry.

Hell, antidisestablishmentarianism would do it.

4. What is your favourite word in your home language, and what does it mean? 

• Haha, my home language is English. But I love the Spanish word Bambina, which roughly translates to a beautiful girl walking down the street.

5. Being a blogger, what is the most difficult part about writing for you? 

• I love writing, once I start, it just flows. I can’t explain it, I have yet to discover a “hard” part about writing anything. Gimme any topic and I will write it, such is my passion about the process. I am still a neophyte when it comes to blogging, though. There’s always something new to learn or adapt to. So I would say the most difficult part is not in the writing but in everything else within the blogosphere. Like promoting (without “Click-baiting” people), niches (I rebel against labels naturally & don’t want to be tied to one thing. Some even have multiple blogs with different niches, yikes. The admin sounds excruciating).
• In truth, I’m a follow you first type of guy. If you have an awesome blog, chances are I’m already elbows deep in your archive devouring every syllable you type. Some people have their own gravitational field, naturally pulling all towards them at an unconscious pace. It’s my dream to grow into a writer of worth.

6. What inspires you to write the most?

• I hear writers hate hearing this question & “what inspired that story/novel/blog?”
• The answer will always be Everything & Anything. As writers, we get thoughts or ideas constantly and it’s up to us to either shelf them or power through and discover the magic within it.
• But I suppose there is a difference between “what inspires you?” & “What inspired that?”
• So what inspires me, hmm. Fun. The pure undiluted joy I feel when I write is what inspires me.

See the legit logic to that is: Waiting for inspiration is like waiting for a Letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry… Through action, do you find true inspiration.

7. What is your favourite song?

• Given up By Linkin Park. It gets me motivated like no other. And that Scream at the end, over a minute long! I can’t Not love it.

8. What image/experience/memory do you instantly think of when hearing your favourite song? 

• A montage of images detailing my journey thus far in life. Expressed in the many crescendos and torpedoes of moments I’ve experienced. It reaches its pinnacle with that Scream at the end. Where I’m standing upon a precipice, the winds of change blowing through me. Ready to fling myself into the unknown with every ounce of courage I possess. Pushing my soul to its breaking point, in order to achieve my dreams.

9. In how many languages can you write?

• (Face Palm) One, at the moment… (Smiles cheekily), however as a writer, the answer could potentially be infinite. I’ll just create as many New languages as I need.

10. If you had to MAKE UP/INVENT one word, what would it be? And what would that word mean?

• Eloendant – being indefinitely indebted to someone. “In saving his life, Marcelus was eloendant to the Count Du Marke.”

11. Make a sentence containing the following words: Three, Birds, Sauce, Hug and Gay (As in happy)

• In the Mexican Valley of Souls, three birds sang, melodically gay in their love for the infamous Hug-day parade of one thousand and one sauces.

Note* So I added an S to Sauce. Hope that still counts. 

12. Assign your own meaning to the following made-up words:

• Bugalhet – In my slang I would assign this to the term, bugger-all. Meaning something like “I have bugger-all to do today.”
• Wiftigious- fleeting or ephemeral… “That Simon, he has such a wiftigious personality, oh boy. Somebody find him for me.”
• Doraning – the act of crafting a special metal found only inches from the Earth’s very core.

13. What word rhymes best with Sugar?

• Booger

14. Sum up your experience of The Blog Tag in one rhyming sentence.

• It was not the summit that congealed the suffering to enjoyment and wonder,

          But the under-looked journey, in all its extreme sweat droplets.

Note* so it doesn’t traditionally rhyme but it is from a poem I wrote about my writing experience that was published online.

 15. Quick Fire

Poems or Quotes

• Poems, they are the unsung dark-horse heroes of the literary world.

Rock or Pop

• Rock! It quietens my mind, yet awakens my senses. It provokes my sheer tenacity yet lulls me to slumber.

Handwriting or Typing

• Typing. It’s faster and less messy. Although I do admire its vintage appeal.

Biography or Novel

• Novel. I love anything fictional. NonFiction has never done it for me.

Black pen or Blue pen

• Black pen

Reading alone or for Other People

• If by “For other people”, you mean flowing with public opinion and reading what the masses are all about.
• And by “reading alone”, you mean finding solace in a book you discovered but not many people you know are talking about.

I would say my answer is equally divided. I would have never experienced the unbelievably magical world of Harry Potter if I solely read alone, ignoring public trends. Yet, alone I have found such deeply amazing books that I continue to read over and over, just for me.

What Epic fun this was to do,

If you're going to rock out with us on this, Awesome Sauce.

I would just like to take this time to Honor, the remarkable Cassarica Nadas & Sumarie Steenkamp, for being the admins that they are on The Blog Tag group. Thanks for the warm welcome ya'll :-) 

Happy Friday Dance yo!

~"Be kind to one another."~ Ellen DeGeneres