LeNoWriHo! (Or how I am spending the next 40 days. Also, acronyms are fun!)

I've deactivated my Facebook, I've thrown myself into my novel, I'm writing book and TV show reviews, I'm reading more and more, and social life is taking a backseat. Why you ask? Because it is LeNoWriHo!

Why, what could LeNoWriHo possibly mean, Ben?? Let me tell you! It means: Lent Novel Writing Holiday. Yes, I came up with that all by myself. I consider myself somewhat of an acronym connoisseur.

I've got my thinking hard hat on! (No, I'm not a construction worker).

For the next forty days and forty nights, I shall write, read, blog, review, and more! My last blog post was all about seizing the moment and realizing that both good and bad moments are never permanent. So in the spirit of Catholic guilt, I shall give up the addiction to Facebook, the addiction to stress and worry, the addiction to cronuts... (er, actually, I won't be giving up cronuts, who am I kidding with that one!).

Heaven never tasted so good.

So, 

Follow me as I continue to write my novel. Things are heating up in this fake world inside my head. Only the fluorescent screen of my computer shares in the exciting drama of my novel. Soon, world, soon...

"A mind needs books, like a sword needs a whetstone."

Follow me as I compete in my first ever "52 books in 52 weeks" challenge. I kept seeing my former roommate compete in this challenge year after year and I kept telling myself I was going to do it. 2014 is the year. Check out my goodreads page and be my friend to see the stats! I'm already 10 books in. 42 more to go.

Follow me as I also compete in a "Reading Bingo" with my girlfriend. Basically, you have to read a specific book in order to cross it off the bingo sheet, such as the "second book in a series," "a forgotten classic," etc. It's a fun way to read and learn. Nerd Alert!

I'm the green one. Mel is red. She clearly needs to catch up :)

Follow me as I write book and television reviews for the website Whedonopolis.com. They write about all thing Joss Whedon and all things geek. One of the shows I review is Bates Motel, which is in its second season. If you haven't seen the first season yet, please watch it on Netflix. The show is quirky and creepy and altogether a bit psychotic!

Now... LeNoWriHo shall commence! I promise* I will stop using these obnoxious acronyms.

*by promise, I mean I don't promise. Not at all.

- ben josé

This Too Shall Pass

*Warning: Overly dramatic and sensitive "life-inspiring" blog post to follow!

Currently listening to a song called "Moving On" from the "Lost" Soundtrack by Michael Giacchino and realizing that "this too shall pass." That quote harkens back to a story about a king who thought everything was going well and he wanted his council to give him advice that would help him weather any hardship. They said to him "this too shall pass." At first he didn't understand what it meant, but soon his kingdom was attacked and he had lost everything and had his back against a wall. And then he remembered those words: "This too shall pass." And he was content, for even his hardship would pass. Change is the only permanent thing in this world. Everything changes. Emotions, circumstances, hardships, joys... they are not constant.

It's been a tough few weeks for me, trying to focus on writing while also looking for a new job. Life keeps getting in the way. I'm an ambitious individual with a grand imagination and high expectations for my future. It pains me so much everyday to be stagnant and stuck. I know things will change though. This feeling of hopelessness and entrapment will pass. I just need to keep moving on and not looking back or to far forward.

Be in the present. I hope this for everyone. I stumbled upon a YouTube video entitled "Top 5 Saddest Pixar Moments" and I decided to watch it at work for some reason. [Side Note: Don't ever watch a 'sad Pixar' clip at work. You'll regret it]. Damn you, Pixar, you know how to make a grown man tear up. Perhaps the saddest story for me was that of Carl & Ellie from "Up."

If you've never seen "Up," be prepared to cry within the first ten minutes. Carl and Ellie were adventurous and fun and loved each other dearly. They had dreams of exploring the world. But life got in the way. Over and over again. And they never got to live their dreams and see the world...

One of my worst fears. Life is short... I don't want to waste it. I want to see the world, meet new people, share in experiences with the ones I love.

Sorry if this is a depressing/weird/unrelated post, (aka Dear Diary), but I just needed to get these things off my chest. I've deactivated my Facebook (or what I like to call, WasteBook) for the time being. Time to focus on the more important things in my life: my loved ones, my passions, adventure, travel, cats, nature, writing...

Adventure is out there! Don't wait...

So, everyone go out and do what you want to do. Don't be afraid, or wait, or make excuses. Life is too short to not take that risk or that chance.

This has been benjosé with your cliched inspirational post.

P.S. My book is still coming along, so don't worry, my intrepid readers. You will see it one day. I'll leave you with this: #LeNoWriHo