Hannah Marie.
Bio
Storytelling Through Art.
My goal is to show experiences in a meaningful way through short stories and hand-drawn sketches.
Find me on IG too! @Hannah_Marie._Artwork
—Hannah Marie.
Stories (69/0)
Confessions from a Book Lover. Pt. 1
One of the first things people notice when they walk into my apartment are my beautiful bookshelves. They are right now filled to overflowing because everyone knows I love reading so everyone gives me more books during the holidays! I love it, but my fun reading has been taken over by my literary reading (more on that later) so in consequence, my books overflow the shelves. Most of these solid, wooden bookshelves were handmade by my dad, who is a woodworker by hobby. They are beautiful, tall structures that make me imagine every day of having a giant library of my own. At the moment, though, I live in a small apartment and must allow space in my living room to live and write.
By Hannah Marie. about a year ago in Geeks
7464 in the New Year
"No! For the last time I absolutely will not donate the ottoman!" Cade slams the door in the face of his neighbor, who had been hounding him for weeks to donate to "the best charity on the block". He'd already sent four bags right after Christmas. He needed something new, something that stirred him out of this after-holiday funk. Commotion outside drove him to open his door again and he peered outside. Nobody on the porch. No sound in the street. But a shadow in his peripheral made him spin around. It was one of those silver drones, which seemed too big to be flying around where kids were playing. It whizzed past his head, barely missing him. He ducked, but by the time "Hey!" could come out of his mouth, it had changed direction and disappeared. He couldn't find anyone, even though he walked out to the street and peeked down the alley. A small box KER-PLUNKED onto his perfect grass. There was no need for a front yard anymore, but he still liked to keep it immaculate. He tried to open it, but there didn't appear to be a lid. There was something written on the bottom, a string of numbers. "Two, Two, Three, Dash, Six, Four, Six, Three," he read out loud. Someone must have meant to pass this to their friend and couldn't learn a simple instrument like a drone. He typed in the numbers to his phone, trying to see if they were connected to something familiar. It might be a phone number. But no luck. Maybe a code? He tried putting in letters in place of each, starting with B as 2. BBC-FDFC. Nope. He picked up the box and looked at each corner and all the edges. Definitely no opening, but there did seem to be letters here, scrawled in a light pencil, like someone tried to erase it. "Song" was the word, if he read it correctly. Just then, the phone rang.
By Hannah Marie. about a year ago in Fiction
New Beginnings
I might not become famous, but I would like to start selling my novels, even if it’s just one every couple years! I put my thoughts, dreams, and imagination into these five or so manuscripts, and I know that there is some other visionary out there who can learn just as much from my writings and take my ideas even farther. Yes, I realize I write (mostly) fiction, but the imagination can be inspiration as well, and teach people of all ages to dream their hearts out!
By Hannah Marie. about a year ago in Humans
Breaking Away.
One morning at the beginning of November, I was scrolling for ten minutes on my Instagram account. I decided that it was sucking away my time and I wanted to give up social media for a while. There were books piling up next to my bed and with NaNoWriMo in full swing and my full time job, I was constantly trying to find enough time to do everything that I want to do. That does not include the things that I need to do for my self care.
By Hannah Marie. about a year ago in Journal
Dreams and Destinations.
Changes happen in life. I just didn’t know one of my dreams would come to an end by my forgetting the second half of my sonatina at a piano recital in front of my peers! I was around fourteen years old, and we were grouped by proficiency level to individually play piano in front of a judge. This contest was one of the two, annual, semi-competitive elements of our piano-playing lives, called a Sonatina contest. The musical piece was something everyone practiced for months, memorizing and attending a designated "judgement day" that lasted a couple hours out of a Saturday. Most of the time, this took place at a local university and the halls would be buzzing with nerves and excitement as a bunch of little piano players found their area and waited expectantly to play. This particular Saturday I was one of a handful of performers who chose to play the movement. It was a quick, fun piece and I enjoyed playing it.
By Hannah Marie. about a year ago in Journal
Art as a Lifestyle.
This week has been one of the hardest and the most rewarding of my teaching life! I’ve had kids screaming and crying, as one would since I teach grades kindergarten through sixth* grade in my classroom every day. However, I’ve also had kids (miraculously!) learning to listen this week, sharing politely with each other, and expressing themselves more through their art in ways that I haven’t seen up to this point. As a teacher, that is what I like to see! I want to find kids who are using their words and their actions in a kind manner. I always challenge them to get out of their box whenever they are attempting artistry in my class. but as an art teacher it especially makes me proud that these kids are making an extra effort to try things that don’t come naturally to them. That takes true courage and I’ve definitely seen that come out in conversations and finished projects. Every day is another moment to learn.
By Hannah Marie. 2 years ago in Journal
November Vibes. 🍁
Making Room. As part of my upcoming NaNoWriMo challenge, I decided to make my apartment a little bit more cozy. I have given away a lot of things over the past several of months because I moved into a smaller apartment. However, getting rid of things doesn’t seem so bad in the light that more that I have around me now are things that I appreciate rather than getting lost in a pile (it happens a lot!). My biggest purchase recently was to get a new writing desk, which also doubles as my artist easel, as there is a contraption on the front that allows the desk to lean forward for a convenient artist area! I am also welcoming in winter by hanging up three paintings which invite the woods into my house, reminiscent of the hiking experience I had this summer. I did not paint these, but they have been waiting in my closet for over a year and are finally seeing the light.
By Hannah Marie. 2 years ago in Journal
Lessons from Our Elders
Jumping into Things A couple years out of college, when I was just starting out putting my education into practice, I was teaching in an area that had many Spanish speakers. During college I had received a minor in Spanish but honestly, I was still rusty when it came to things outside of everyday conversations. Over the summer I chose to travel to a Guatemalan language school to immerse myself in Spanish.
By Hannah Marie. 2 years ago in Journal
Jumping into the Unknown.
You know the first scene in the movie La La Land? There is an entire freeway of backed up traffic with lots of horn honking, gradually developing a rhythm that leads into the first introductory song of the picture. The cars are full of dreamers, each with their own idea of their goal for coming to Los Angeles. These dreamers are, both literally and metaphorically, waiting in line for their big shot. I felt like that today, as I finally made my way into San Antonio to meet a friend for brunch. I am in a place where this is a new world and I am learning new routines, new job, new people, new community, new church. It is something that is a little bit unsettling at times, but is mostly exciting. Even though I don't quite know what I'm doing yet, I think I can eventually find my niche.
By Hannah Marie. 2 years ago in Journal
Looking Back...Final Thoughts.
I have really enjoyed my different experiences on the AT, or the Appalachian Trail, which is an east coast mountain range that runs the length of Georgia to Maine. My first adventures started in a previous blog, which you can read here. I try to be a stickler on my mileage as I’m hiking, but enjoyed the daily-occurring spurts of spontanety. That could be stopping to chat with someone in a shelter, listening to the wildlife around me (NOT rattlesnakes!), listening to other's conversations, hearing the background of why people are on the trail, and even smelling nature.
By Hannah Marie. 2 years ago in Wander
HYOH - "Hike Your Own Hike"
Supposedly there is a saying on the Appalachian Trail: "Hike your own hike," which encourages each person to hike the way that they want to, giving whatever they have for their own hike to complete their goal. I did not see this a lot on the AT, but I am slowly learning to take the sentiment to heart. I was given a backwards compliment one day when a thru-hiker (someone who is hiking the entire trail from Georgia to Maine) asked how far I had covered that day. I told him I started late and just hiked eight miles. He said, "That's why you look so put together," basically stating that I didn't do much. This was my first example that I was not on the same wavelength as other more "seasoned" hikers who had been there for more than three months.
By Hannah Marie. 2 years ago in Wander