LydMc

Celebrate Good News! If you're wondering why the LydMc blog updates have been a bit on the slow side recently, the causes are many-fold. Some are good, some are bad, and some are awesome. One of the awesome reasons is my latest job (nearly 8 months in now!) at Zoom.  Zoom, a newspaper/magazine hybrid with all sorts of great things going for it, is a community publication that showcases and celebrates the good that goes on in our local areas. Fundraisers, marathons, scout projects, you name it. If it's positive, Zoom is likely to cover it. As Associate Editor at Zoom, I get to process a lot of these events and even write a few of the articles. It's always exciting to hear why people are so passionate about the various causes they support, and it makes me grateful to have a job where I can help share their stories and spread their positive inspiration with others. So instead of a typical blog this week, here are links to a few of the features I've written for...

Flyer courtesy of NaNoWriMo You think writing blogs is fun? Try writing a novel. Like, seriously, try writing a novel! It is National Novel Writing Month after all. If you haven't heard of it before, the goal of National Novel Writing Month (a.k.a. NaNoWriMo ) is to sit down and finally finish that novel that's been swimming around in your head for years. Or alternatively, to start a new idea and chase it to the end. The challenge itself: write 50,000 words in one month, which is approximately 1667 words a day. Difficult? Yes. Ridiculous? Sometimes. Worth it? Um, YES! Writers, start your engines! It's true, 50,000 words in a month is quite the challenge, and the first two times I attempted NaNoWriMo, I barely made it halfway through. Still, I was 20-30K more words along than I would have been in an average month of writing. And, like they say, third time's the charm. Since I like to start NaNoWriMo with no plan at all (as I get to discover a whole ne...

UCSD Rocks!  I recently had the joy of returning to my alma mater, the University of California, San Diego, on a wonderful trip with my mom. It was the first time I'd been back since graduation, and it was an amazing adventure filled with old sights, new experiences, delicious food,  giant bear hugs (courtesy of  Bear  by Tim Hawkinson)  and an incredible race to the finish.  The reason this experience merits a Celebration Shout Out is because without a doubt, UCSD celebrates creativity. If the incredible architecture, spirit of learning and independent art scattered across campus weren't enough, the Stuart Collection of art seals the deal. So without further ado, please enjoy a small virtual tour! These could also be koala catchers. When I first arrived at UC San Diego, the RAs and tour guides introduced the strange blue creations hanging in the trees above as Giraffe Catchers, installed one fateful day to subdue some runaway giraffes escape...

This week's blog is part of a recurring series of special Celebration Shout Outs. While most of the entries here at LydMc are chronicling my own adventures in creativity, there are many other folks out there exploring,  creating  and inspiring all the time.  As these people and projects encourage me, I want to help encourage them and spread the word. The following video is by  Tasha (of  Tashlandia   fame), a good friend and co-creator who is very near and dear to me. Along with being an amazing director, a beautiful person and just plain awesome in every imaginable way, she is a domestic violence survivor. Thanks to her strength and creativity  she has turned something horrific into something empowering. The people of Newington, Connecticut and countless others have done the same and are changing lives because of it.  I was so inspired after watching this video (and rewatching it about five more times), that I spent the next few hours in...