City of Writers: A Weekly Newsletter
Writers tend to get emotional when we talk about looking at stars, right? In that vein, I feel small when I look at stars. I wonder how many people have made a wish on the same star that I have. And if their wishes came true for them. And if theirs came true, is there room enough for me to have my mine come true? Or is there some hard and fast rule that if you wish on a star, it can only grant a wish for one person in all of history? That's when their light get snuffed out.…
If I were a tree, I would be squatting by a river, listening to the tsismosa of the water, day in and day out. If I were a tree, you would see the sunlight struggling through my canopy. If I were a tree, I would have a thick trunk and scrawny branches. If I were a tree, you would find lots of love hearts carved into my crackled husk if you dug deep enough, but my bark would silence the wounds with time enough at last. If I were a tree, I would be jealous I wasn't a lemon tree.…
Quietly. The world expects a bombastic response when you go out and try to make sense of it. That's an insanely emotionally, mentally, physically, and financially draining path. Let people who want to be that person, be that person. Me? I'm going to be in the darkest corner, watching and judging and contributing my skills where I know they'll be needed. I'll jump in when it feels right; I'll step back and let others speak when the situation calls for it. I do wish people would quit mistaking my quiet for inaction. Let me figure things out first before I…
Thoroughbred (featuring the Mountain Brothers) by CHOPSTia Tamera (featuring Rico Nasty) by Doja CatHear by Moonpools & CaterpillarsDon't Wanna Fall in Love by Jane ChildSecret (featuring Jeremih & Serani) by Burna Boy10% (featuring Kali Uchis) by KAYTRANADALazyBaby by Dove CameronOutside by Megan Thee StallionJe n'ai pas besoin de toi by Aya Nakamuratelepatía by Kali UchisSing It Back (Boris Dlugosch Mix) by MolokoCan I by KehlaniCan We (featuring Missy Elliott and Timbaland) by SWVMoonchild by Cibo MattoChange Your Mind (No Seas Cortés) by Britney SpearsFlowers (featuring Sugababes) by DJ SpoonyPlastic Love プラスティック・ラヴ (Extended Mix) by Mariya TakeuchiSmokin' Out the Window by…
It's been a crazy week at Casa de Pacheco. That's all I'm saying right now. But I am disappointed that I couldn't rally to keep my posting streak going, so this one is being posted a day after. My car is where I go for solitude. Simple as that. I love putting music on in my car and letting my emotions flow out through the speakers. I think my senses are sharper when I listen to music and drive. I can't find true solitude at home because there are so many distractions, and so many things that say "take me…
My favorite part about myself is my ability to roll with things. I rarely let things get to me. So when they do, it's super serious shit, and get the fuck out of my way cause something's about to go down. To me, life's too short to get bogged down in sadness. Do you know that old saying? "Let things roll off your back like a duck in a rainstorm" or however it goes? That's me. I have an addictive personality. If I don't consciously call myself out on something, I will obsess over something to the point of losing…
One of my favorite colors is yellow. The feel of sunshine on my face, the smell of lemons growing on a tree. I'm a fan of color psychology and yellow has both positive and negative connotations when you think about it: The radiant color of yellow promotes happiness and optimism in the observer. Yellow is said to promote happiness more than any of the other major colors. Believed to have an influence on the left side of the human brain, yellow helps foster strong analytical thinking.The positive qualities of yellow can also lead to abrasion when it is used too…
Ooh, this is a good one. I had one of my teachers say that a story you write shouldn't be based on any dream you've had, and I remember feeling so deflated when he said that. I've honestly dreamed of some humdingers in my life. It's true that the written down story didn't end up exactly like the dream but it was a spark of something. So, here's my most recent vivid dream. I won't share too many details because I do want to write it eventually! Teresa, a gangly 20 year old Filipino girl, runs away from home with…
Guilliean: thank you so much for your time. Betty: no, thank you. Guilliean: so tell me a little bit about yourself. Betty: My name is Betty Jones. I was born in San Jose, California, on April 15, 1922. I love reading, going dancing, and trying new recipes. [laughs] Guilliean: What else do you like to do? Betty: I love road trips. Don't you? It helps to live so near to the beach. We can come and go as we please. Guilliean: Road trips are my favorite thing ever. I don't have time to do many overnight trips which is fine…
Asking a writer what their favorite quote is probably the hardest inquiry they'll ever receive in their life. Gif of Tim Allen as Captain Jason Nesmith saying, Never give up, never surrender. "Never give up, never surrender" from Galaxy Quest (affiliate link) is probably top ten for me. There's something so simplistic and catchy about it, yet it's layered as well. Gif of the cast of the 1994 version of Little Women. Little Women (1994) is definitely a comfort movie for me. I love having it on in the background. The cast was stacked and they were oozing chemistry. There…
One of my favorite historical eras is the so-called Belle Époque era. The Belle Époque or La Belle Époque (French: [bɛlepɔk]; French for "Beautiful Epoch") is the term often given to a period of French and European history, usually dated to between 1871–80 and the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Occurring during the era of the Third French Republic, it was a period characterised by optimism, regional peace, economic prosperity, colonial expansion, and technological, scientific, and cultural innovations. In this era of France’s cultural and artistic climate (particularly within Paris), the arts markedly flourished, with numerous masterpieces of…
Ooh, ooh, this is an easy one! Back when Hipstamatic first launched, I was thoroughly obsessed with using the films and lenses. The novelty of using a smartphone to take aged photos was appealing. It still is but it used to be too. I earned a beautiful 24 karat gold necklace from Disney Movie Rewards in 2012. That's when I was obsessed with collecting physical media and had an active subscription there. When it came in the mail, I was eager to play around with Hipstamatic. Thus my favorite photo that I've ever taken was born. My Cinderella necklace, engraved…