Ashley Spurlock

We finally did it. We bought the camera. For about seven months Ty and I have been saving to buy ourselves a decent, what some might call legit, camera to record our marital bliss and the small town happenings of our little corner of the map.

We invested in the Nikon D5000 and so far, I’m thoroughly pleased. It takes outstanding pictures (from what my innocent eye can tell), records HD video and is extremely easy to use. So, without further ado, here are a few of my first shots.
 

I have two books that sit on my desk at all times. They must be there. It’s required. In fact, we take roll call every morning to make sure no one is missing.

As a writer, you tend to gravitate to things that inspire you, that help you become a better writer. And these two books have certainly inspired many dreary words. They spice up sad paragraphs; add pizzazz to sarcastic sentences.

They settle disputes, offer solutions to sticky situations and divvy out advice when absolutely necessary.

If one of them doesn’t have the answer, the other one most likely does.

They’re heavy, full of enriching information. They’re worn, loved and cherished.

Each book has its differences though.

One leans more towards descriptions and histories and origins. The other relies upon scrutinized regularity.

They often fight over who gets more attention. Jealousy and silly remarks slip out when I choose one over the other. They snap shut when they’re mad and sharpen their razor thin edges when they’re enraged.

Both have reddish tones flowing on their front covers but they often ooze green envy and resentment from beneath their protective layers.

But, nonetheless, they are my two favorite books and our struggling love triangle sets to work on the daily task of writing.

They are my two favorite books. My best friends and my worst friends, all rolled up into two, very simple stacks of published paper.

Can anyone name my two favorite books?

I was going through some of my old papers from college the other day and I found one I wrote about tangible metaphors used in literature. It’s a literary analysis paper that compares A Yellow Raft in Blue Water (Michael Dorris), The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini) and the use of metaphors in each story. This paper was written in my first semester of college for a very intimidating class about multicultural American literature. My analysis dissected the use of the metaphors in these two novels and their ultimate meaning. Here’s a quote from my introduction:

“The human experience is hard to describe. Whether we go through happiness, sorrow, grief, absolute bliss, or utter defeat, the words we use to describe these feelings can never satisfy the emotions attached to them unless we master metaphor. It is “a sign of genius, since a good metaphor implies an intuitive perception of the similarity in dissimilars.” As Aristotle points out, the mastering of metaphors is our only doorway into emotion. By connecting two things we all have come in contact with, one being a feeling and one a tangible object, we can then attach our emotions to physical items.”

The act of braiding creates a strong bond, symbolizing heritage and community in A Yellow Raft in Blue Water. The three strands of the braid achieve their highest potential through the process of the braid, through building their legacy.

In The Kite Runner, Amir finds his emotional metaphor in kite flying. The kite becomes a metaphor of the necessity of appreciation, a reminder of guilt and a way to be good again.

If you haven’t read A Yellow Raft in Blue Water or The Kite Runner, I thoroughly recommend you do. They’re fantastic reads that quickly outline the proper use of metaphors in literature.

Can you name any other books that use metaphors in clever ways?

I’ve always enjoyed writing. Even as a little kid I loved writing stories, poetry and simple, everyday events. I can remember packing around my tiny journals so I could write down small drops of inspiration.

I always had my nose in a book. In fact, I can remember a time when I was grounded from reading at the dinner table. I used to stay up late into the night, frantically reading from the dim light in the hall, just so I could find out what happened to Nancy Drew, Bilbo Baggins or Harry Potter. I accredit these acts to my now inconvenient need for glasses.

Growing up I imagined myself writing masterpieces and penning great works of motivation and change. I always wanted to be considered one of the greats, someone who had something to say with the will to say it.

Over the years, other activities have crowded my love for scribbling down every word that pops into my brain and reading every book I see on a delicately decorated shelf. But I intend to reach that time again through simple posts and a reorganized priority list. I’m a firm believer in achieving your dreams and creating your own future.

So I hope this blog finds its way into your creative, yet reasonably right mind. I look forward to future connections and long conversations. Let the games begin.