Freewrite #1: Immediate Gratification or Buyer's Remorse?

This is the first freewrite blog. The topic is entirely your choice. It must include one form of media (picture, video, music, links, etc.) and be at least 250 words long. My first freewrite is entitled: "Immediate Gratification or Buyer's Remorse," but you can call yours whatever you want.

Usually I do not need to do any deep soul searching when I set my eyes on a sweet fitted hat, but recently my inner voices have been battling over whether or not to take action and make a purchase. I am pondering the idea on dropping some greenbacks, that is slang for dollar bills for all of those who aren't "in the know," on two Bay Area fitteds. The first is a San Jose Sharks (Hockey) fitted w/ Elephant print bill, red Sharks logo, grey front panel, and black back panel. The second is a San Francisco Giants fitted flipped in San Francisco 49ers colors w/ old gold brim, cardinal red panels, and white SF logo. Pictures shown below: Sharks (left), SF (right)


Both of these hats are from ecapcity.com and the pictures are credited to them as well. Their website is definitely worth a look. They carry fitteds for all walks of life and the selections they have in stock are pretty comprehensive.




You may or may not be able to see my current dilemma, but I must pose this question to myself and others who would care to offer their two cents: Should I indulge in immediate gratification or should I suffer buyer's remorse? One part of my mind is telling me to buy the fitteds and ignore my misgivings and the other is telling me to be conservative style-wise and financially. So should I be frugal and slap the credit card out of my frenzied hand? Or should I throw caution to the wind and order the glorious headwear pieces to bask in their ephemeral light in less than a week's time? I am going to go ponder this on a walk outside.

(BLOG ACTIVITY PAUSED FOR ADVANCED PERSONAL RESEARCH)

Developing Your Character

Character Name: Ralph
Occupation: Jack In the Box Drive Thru Night Shift Manager
Age: 34 years and 364 days old

On the eve of his 35th birthday, Ralph realized that his life had not turned out like he planned. He was almost 35, still living with his overbearing mother, and stuck like a lifeless drone in his going-nowhere job. Ralph had always sat by passively and let life strain through his fingers, not able to grasp some meaning or importance. The 30 something fast food employee had always given some excuse for his current situation, but the time had come when change could no longer be held back by the dam comprised of Ralph's many insecurities.

This brisk September morning, the daybreak brought a boldness to Ralph’s being. Brazenly, he bounded out of bed, peered into the mirror, and belted out a cathartic groan. "Somehow," he thought while running his fingers through his brown bed bent locks, "this day will be different, it has to be."

Normally, Ralph would still be sleeping at this hour, but this morning he awoke, imbued with an unknown energy, a revived spirit. His eyes were open wide for the first time like the aperture of a camera, consuming every minuscule detail. They focused on his battered alarm clock. “7:33” appeared, faded red, on the rectangle digital face. “I am up way too early,” he remarked rather lively.

Triumphantly, Ralph emerged from his sub floor lodgings, also known as his mother’s basement, and was met with a pair of lukewarm Pop Tarts resting on an olive green plate and a glass of OJ made from concentrate, cloudy with pulp. Apparently, this was his mother’s idea of a hearty breakfast. Nonetheless, Ralph appreciatively scarfed down the pre-packaged pastries and the watered down juice. Now that he had a “square meal” in him he could finally take on the day.


**NOTE** This is an example of how you should develop your character. Remember there is a length requirement of 225 Words. I will also be adding to this character over time and to his story.

Setting

Setting: Oktoberfest @ Alpine Village - Saturday, October 4th 2008



For my setting I visited Alpine Village for their annual Oktoberfest festivities. Here are my sensory details (5 sentences for each of the 5 senses):

I hear glass clanking loudly in the background.
I hear obnoxiously loud (yet entertaining) polka music blasting from the speakers.
I hear the incoherent mutterings of a German man who apparently imbibed too much grog.
I hear the slamming door of a porta-potty that shuts with a shuddering "thwap."
I hear the "whir" of car tires spin as they kick up dust in the dirt parking lot.

I see steins filled to the brim with frothy drink.
I see dark brown wood benches with deep grooves .
I see the bright light reflecting off of the golden colored tuba.
I see people, with arms interlocked, engaging in a traditional German dance.
I see the line to the women's restroom that looks exponentially longer than the men's line.

I taste the melted cheesy goodness of chili cheese fries.
I taste the crisp bubbly liquid as it flows down my thirsty gullet.
I taste the moist cold air that always follows rainfall.
I taste the savory flavor of the German bratwurst.
I taste the explosion of flavor from the watermelon flavored gum.

I feel the light drizzle as it coats my grey hooded sweatshirt.
I feel the damp wood bench seat underneath me.
I feel the hefty weight of the glass stein in my left hand.
I feel the impact of Adam's hand as I receive a totally pointless "high five."
I feel the urgent pressure brought about by the need to use the restroom.

I smell the pork bratwurst cooking as the scent rises into my nostrils.
I smell the unmistakeable stench of urine as I near the front of the porta potty line.
I smell incredibly rude burp that Andrew blasts into my face, revealing the details of his prior consumption.
I smell the propane gas used to fuel the cooking grill.
I smell the cancerous cigarette smoke that lofts into the tent from the smoking area and invades my lungs.