Hello. [The Entrance]

Flora, upon deciding that she wanted to interview someone, and knowing that I could not come up with much to write here, decided to interview me for my introduction to this blog.

Flora says: So, Larry, please tell us some basics about yourself. You know, where you live, where you were born, how old you are, your interests, all that jazz.

Larry Griffin says: Okay, will do. I was born on February 2nd, 1991 in Florida, USA. I was the last person born on the busiest day of this brand new hospital - Arnold Palmer's, for whoever is in the area - and I was the first child ever to live in my current residence, which was basically an exclusively old folks' home. In my spare time, I write, exercise, read or watch movies. I also like long walks on the beach and romantic dinners by candlelight with a pretty lady.

Flora says: Okay so, why were you living in an old folks' home?

Larry Griffin says: Because that is where we lived, I guess.

Flora says: Well, I can just as easily say my family lived in a shit house when we came to Canada because that is where we lived, but it is because we were poor refugees that pretty much just came there. So, I'm sure there must be some reason why you ended up living in an old folks' home

Larry Griffin says: Well, really, there isn't one, aside from the fact that that's where my parents chose to live, perhaps for the fact that they just got a good deal, or that it is a safe place. As I've grown up, I've seen that there are barely any crimes here at all, and that it's easy to be able to walk freely in the streets without trouble. I think this might be a problem when I don't live here anymore.

Flora says: Why do you think there's so little crime where you lived? Also, you said you were the first child to ever live in your current residence. Do you have any brothers or sisters, or are you an only child?

Larry Griffin says: There is no crime here because it is a closed off gate community. I am the first child in my family. I do have a younger sister though.

Flora says: Okay, well you seem to like reviewing music a lot, and you seem to like music in general, a lot more than the average population. What is it about music that is so intriguing to you?

Larry Griffin says: I don't think I do so much, these days. I have been busier and more distracted with other things, as well as listening to some different stuff I haven't tried before. I review music because that's how I am, critical of mostly everything.

Flora says: Why do you find yourself to be "critical of mostly everything"? What aren't you so critical about?

Larry Griffin says: That's just how I am. I find that it lets me enjoy the good things in life more, if I can pick out what isn't so good.

Larry Griffin says: I'm not critical about...well, really, I don't know. I'm not too picky about movies a lot of the time, as is evidenced in my usually consistent ratings.

Flora says: Then what is your favourite movie, and why?

Larry Griffin says: Pulp Fiction, simply because it's very enjoyable and charming, if you will.

Flora says: Alrighty. Well, a writer always has his/her/whatever's starting point, and a good number of times, they regret their works made at this stage of their writing career. Do you have any regrets as a writer? Why?

Larry Griffin says: I don't think so, regrets as a writer...it strikes me as pretty stupid, frankly. Everyone has their starting points, and if you're ashamed of them or regret them, then it shows a good deal of insecurity on your part. Now, I'm not saying you have to like your past works so well, or that you can't be critical of them, but there's no need to be ashamed of them. Everyone has their building blocks.

Flora says: What are your "styles of writing"? And by styles of writing, I mean, for example... mine are politics, comedy, song-writing - lyrics and instrumentals, and stuff about the news.

Larry Griffin says: Interesting, interesting. I have dabbled in many genres as I've practiced writing, from superheroes to fantasy/action, to horror and mystery...but I only really got serious about it earlier this year, while writing a black comedy/satire called Around the Bend.

Since then, I have developed ideas for other stories along the same lines, mostly inspired by Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club and Lullaby, among others. I am attracted mainly to the weirdness and eccentricity of it, while the stories themselves remain serious when you get past the weirdness.

I am also quite inspired by humor/comedy writer Carl Hiaasen, who writes books about Florida and satirizes the odd culture of the place. Interesting reads.

I am also influenced by more "nerdy" things, although I have never cared about such terminology, like comic books or B horror films.

The one road block I have is the fact that I am pretty much devoid of any real cultural knowledge, having never traveled outside of my native Florida, and barely even anywhere in the state itself. This hinders me, but I get by.

Flora says: I feel dumb, I don't know of any of those people (I'm a Time Magazine and news type, FUCK BOOKS! )

Tell me about your black comedy, Around the Bend

Larry Griffin says: Haha, do not feel dumb, I don't know many of the "popular" authors myself. I just discover as I go at my own pace.

Larry Griffin says: Around the Bend is, as I imagine would be written on the book jacket, "a high-octane, sex-crazed romp through the black curtain of normalcy." It revolves around a fireman who is generally tired of his life. He is a failed writer, lacking any creativity to make a real story, and he likes to spend his time by himself, reading and keeping up with his taxes, in his large, three story home, in which he lives alone.

One day, he decides to run into a fire alone to try and save a young girl who is trapped inside.

He falls to the ground and loses consciousness, later awoken in a hospital, saved by a colorful, energetic pimp who runs a skin club on the edges of the city. He becomes friends with the pimp, and the story is a recount of the events that lead to his current position, sitting on Death Row, spiced up with doses of black humor and bloody action.

Flora says: That's pretty fucking good. Better than the stuff I've been coming up with lately... you should put your comedy on DeviantArt, they have a thing where you can save text.... but anyhow.. what are your biggest inspirations to write?

Larry Griffin says: On Deviant Art? I don't think so

My biggest inspirations? Reading books, that is the secret to it. Just reading fills me with creativity and ideas to write.

Flora says: What is your favourite book?

Larry Griffin says: I'd say The Stand by Stephen King, bit of an odd choice, but then again I never had the most amazing tastes.

I merely write for those like myself, not those looking for literary masterworks.

I suppose another inspiration of mine was Quentin Tarantino's movies, actually, because they are just cool, despite often messy and silly. They are representations of what the man wants to see on film, and my writing is the same in that respect, except for paper, you get the idea.

Flora says: Fuck, I don't know what else to ask. Well, looks like we're done! Welcome to the team.

Greetings from sunny Southern California!

Hello there! I am happy to introduce myself as one of the latest writers for ATWKS.

My name (or at least the one that I will go by in this case) is Cari, but I will sign my posts as Cali. I am the daughter of Zairean immigrants who met here in California. I was born and raised here in the suburbs of Los Angeles and as far as I'm concerned its a wonderful place to be.

I'm an aspiring model, coach, business woman, and possibly journalist. Those three things actually say a lot about me so I'll explain them a bit in an effort to show you who I am.

I was bitten by the acting bug at about 10 years old. My parents took me to a talent search at about 11 which picked me up and tried to place me with an agency. I signed to a modeling/talent agency here in Los Angeles and it didn't take me long to realize that what I actually really loved was modeling. Unfortunately, my parents pulled me from the agency as soon as my contract was up and urged me to concentrate more on school. I was heartbroken, but now that I am a legal adult I'm jumping right back in to the modeling industry, much to my parents dismay.

I'm a die hard cheerleader. I love it a lot and it has become a major part of who I am. I am considering transferring to a university on a cheerleading scholarship. After I am done with school, I plan on being a coach and opening up my own all-star gym because I am in love with the sub-culture that is All-Star Cheerleading. It is something that few people know about but many participate in. So you understand just what it is that I am in love with, HERE IS A VIDEO.

I love to write. I came to college with every intention of being a Journalism major but I soon found it all to to be quite tedious. It was sucking the joy out of writing for me and in reality, some of the best journalists have said themselves that they learned few things from the classroom. So I turned to my love of business and economics. The movement of money, wealth, good, services, investements - it all really fascinates me. So now I am a Business major and considering fitting Business Law somewhere in there. I'm also fascinated by law and I love a good debate. ;)

What will you see me write about? Well, just about everything. To be completely and totally honest with you I have quite a big mouth and I am not at all afraid to use it. So look for me to be very open and having no problem with being brutally honest with the things that I run into in everyday life. Feel free to challenge me. There's nothing like a good debate that everyone can learn from, including myself!

Happy reading!

Splendid. My First Post

Hello everyone! I am excited to contribute to And The World Keeps Spinning (love the title because it expresses how I view life; an endless mirage of craziness both in postive and negative ways with occasional blessed moments of peace). I will go by Flamenco or FlamFlam or Flammy; the last two, I guess, silly nicknames dubbed by Flora. Like Flora, I don't care much for talking and rambling on about myself. Rather, I like to take my experiences and observations and turn them into reflection, which is why we usually have such great discussions amid "I, me, my, mine" conversations.

Because this is an introduction, however, I feel obligated to say something about myself, which really begins with my username "Flamenco". Both my parents were born in Spain, and met in America. My father is a California representative in the House, and my mother owns and operates homes for people with mental diabilities.

I am a second-generation American. I am also a proud American through-and-through (note: does not mean I agree wholeheartedly with the current administration or fail to question authority), and I also feel a strong connection to Spanish culture. Flamenco is such a powerful, emotional, beautiful dance down to the hand movements, facial expressions, guitar beats that mimick the paces of the heart, and the elaborate yet almost conservative costumes. I am 17 years old, and I plan to go to the college of my choice, and major either in International Relations or Government (perhaps double major, I am crazy, I know).

I am not the best writer. I still don't quite grasp my writing style, and I only hope that you will be able to follow along my ramblings interposed perhaps with long drawn-out sentences filled with semi-colons and commas that do not belong. This is my theory: In English class, they tell you to rid your writing of ambiguity, to walk away from being a "talking thesaurus"; they tell you not to use the word "being". Just did. They want you to create your own voice, express who you are clearly, but follow a set pattern, lets say, of deductive or inductive reasoning. I "reason" all over the place. I say "walk away" because it literally takes physical effort to change your habits in writing.

Quotation marks are only for quotes and words you pull from the original text to fit the context you are placing it in. I, however, use it unreasonably, putting quotation marks around almost every word that slightly differs from its original meaning in the way I am using it. I say "yeah" a lot. Forgive me. They tell you so many seemingly contradicting "rules" to follow, that I say.... create your own. . In English they tell you one thing, and in Physics they tell you another. In English they say "do this", but common sense tells you otherwise.

Anyways, I will approach this blog with sincerity, with honesty, and I want to offer some of my own insight, and hopefully you can relate to it on some level. This is such a great way to be heard, to listen, to learn, and I genuinely want you to benefit as much as I want to learn and grow from these sorts of little things in life that help us get through; to try and understand ourselves and the world we live in.

Your fellow blogger,

Flamenco

Cheerio, darlings!

I haven't posted yet, so consider this both my first post and my introduction.

Most of you probably don't know me at all, so I'll start by filling you in. My name is Blair and I'm 100% English, born and bred. Until, that is, last April when my so-not-hilarious parents decided to move to Canada. For five years of my life, I have also lived in Singapore (a small country in South East Asia on the tip of Malaysia).

I am a competitive synchronized swimmer at a National level, and I love it. I used to do gymnastics and ballet as well.

I just spent summer oh seven living in the hospital for depression and an eating disorder. Don't feel sorry for me, though. I'm fighting every day and I'm determined to beat this.

Basically, I'll post about what I see happening in the world, along with somewhat useless things that I know you all love to hear about.

xxx

Howdy!

I know I forgot to introduce myself, and I've already made 5 posts on here since yesterday before doing so, but what the Hell? I'll do it anyway!

As you all know, my name is Flora. I was born in Batnayah, Iraq, which is a Chaldean-Assyrian village. No, I'm not Muslim (I don't have a set religion), and no, I do not wear burkas, nekabs, hijabs, or any of that stuff. For useless information on me, check out my profile under the "About Us" section. It's really not important stuff.

What will I discuss here on ATWKS? Probably music, politics, and any little "game" where I make you guess where I was that day or something. But I promise to never leave anything narcissistic. I'll definitely leave some reflections for you guys (as I already have in "In a world where God does not exist"). News about the site will be constant.

Really, that's basically what's in store for you guys in the future.

Ciao!