artist Archives

Poetry Reading at the 2021 Utah Arts Festival

September 11, 2021April 21, 2022 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

On August 29th, I participated in the 2021 Utah Arts Festival as a Literary Artist. I read about twenty minutes of poetry, a blend of works in progress, poems written in workshops, and a few pieces that I dredged up from documents I’d long forgotten.

I attempt to crack jokes during my poetry readings to lighten the mood. That’s why you’ll notice these photos of me are a little silly. I usually find that sometimes people can get quickly bored at poetry events, especially if they’re hearing one poet after another reading pretty heavy stuff. This has led me to attempt to “wake up” my audience. I’m still working on how to perfect this process.

Alina Happy Hansen Poetry Reading at the 2021 UAF

The UAF was a packed event on a hot summer’s day in Salt Lake City. The air was hazy from the wildfire smoke trapped in the valley by the mountains, leaving a slight aftertaste in the mouth and an underlying scent everywhere. Besides the smoke, the ongoing Pandemic appeared to be an afterthought for most people in SLC. I saw very few people downtown and at the UAF wearing masks or social distancing. Masks have been recommended for people outdoors because the air quality is so poor.

I want to say thank you to UAF, those in charge of the Literary performances, and everyone that attended my reading. I had a wonderful time sharing a selection of my poems and engaging with my audience.

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https://www.alinahappyhansenwriter.com/portfolio-publications-events/

Life During COVID-19 (5/13/2020): Freelancing, Patreon and New Toys

May 13, 2020July 8, 2020 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

What a crazy week! I am spinning from how much has happened.

This will be a short and sweet post because I am swamped with stuff I need to get done.

Freelancing on fiverr.com

Yesterday, I completed my first ever Fiverr gig. It was a fun experience, and the buyer that I worked with amazing. Check out my services on fiverr.com, I offer Beta Reading, Blog/Article Writing, and Critiquing Creative Writing.

Internship

After a week-long break, I am back to work for my internship. I am excited to read new submissions and gain more experience. This internship has been incredibly fun so far, and I think this is because it is a professional and well-organized internship. So much better than my last internship!

Freelancing for Friends

Yesterday, I was called by one of my close friends and asked to help them edit and format their short stories. I am excited to be doing this extra freelance work on the side. I never thought people I know would be reaching out to me for my help on things I love to do!

More Freelancing…

Currently, I am reaching out to numerous online magazines and journals, pitching them stories. Hopefully, I will catch a Freelance assignment soon and make some more extra cash.

Free Online Classes

Right now I am taking free online courses through edx.org

I am enrolled in the following courses

Writing for Social Media
Intro to Music Theory
Ancient Masterpieces of World Literature
The Icelandic Sagas

And I have already enrolled in English Grammar & Style that starts on July 26th. I think this course will help me hone my editing and writing skills.

Patreon

I am updating my Patreon page. I haven’t worked on it since last Spring, and it has been severely neglected. It’s been on my mind lately, and I’ve been thinking about how I could utilize my Patreon page and provide more of an intimate “behind-the-scenes” access to my personal writing life to my blog and social media followers. Here is what I am putting together:

For PATRON-ONLY Access (Monthly Subscribers)

Scanned copies of my handwritten poems (not published anywhere else online)
Scanned copies of my daily writing notes (not published anywhere else online)
Exclusive videos available to PATRONS-ONLY featuring me reading some of my poetry and writing
Podcast-like updates about what is going on in my life related explicitly to pursuing my writing career, working on my novel, submitting poems to literary journals, and what I am currently reading

Starting today, I will be offering “Handwritten Thank You Card + Poem” to all Patrons; this unique offer is scheduled to end on 06/30/2020 at 12:00 p.m.

These handwritten Thank You Cards with be accompanied by one of my handwritten poems, unique and never published. Thank you, cards, and poetry will be mailed to Patrons directly via snail mail.

I will be updating posts and content on my Patreon page for the next week, and I will be posting new PATRON-ONLY content starting Friday.

New Toys!

My bf got me a Rocketbook for my birthday and decided to give it to me early. It is so cool. What it is is a reusable notebook that you use to write and scan pages directly to your email and/or Google Drive cloud. This is a fantastic tool, and I will be using it all the time. It will be my tool of choice for posting PATRON-ONLY handwritten poems, notes, and writing to my Patreon page.

New Kindle! For the first time since I was laid off back in March because of COVID-19, I have bought something I don’t need a new kindle! It is beautiful, waterproof, and I love it.

Job Search & Interviews

Lately, I have been burning out. In the last three days, I have applied to an average of eight jobs every day. It has been exhausting, and I feel like my brain is fried. I am trying to not stress out, but with June fast approaching, I am worried I won’t be able to find full-time work before the CARES ACT unemployment runs out (end of July). But I am staying positive, I have been able to save money, pay off debt, and pay my rent and bills.

This week I had an excellent interview for an Editor Position at a local business. Fingers crossed I make it to the next round of interviews. This position is part-time and would be perfect for my schedule. I also have a video interview through HireVue that I have to complete, it is for a Copywriter position, so I hope that that one goes well.

Overall

It has been a great week, and my days are packed. From 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. I am working in my office at home getting as much done as I can until dinner time.

Thank you for reading about my personal life during these strange days. What I think is bizarre right now is how it is beginning to feel normal staying home all of the time because of COVID-19. This new normal is unsettling to me and my bf, but I can’t help feeling that this will be the new normal for the rest of the year. Staying home, working from home, being…home.

Stay safe and stay healthy!

-Alina

Want to become one of my Patrons? Go to my page here and join a tier. All patrons regardless of Tier have access to all of my patron-only content right now! Tiers start at $3/month!

Subscribe! Get notified when new posts are published plus once a week I will send content just for you: poem, personal update, reading list, writing tips and more!

Why I’m Not Celebrating Independence Day This Year(Opens in a new browser tab)

My Stories on Medium: Poetry, Writing and Freelancing(Opens in a new browser tab)

Life During COVID-19 (6/6/2020): George Floyd Protests and My White Woman Privilege(Opens in a new browser tab)

Life During COVID-19 (4/28/2020): Job Search, Internship and Opening Up Utah

April 28, 2020July 9, 2020 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

Job Search

I am focused on applying to jobs. I’m specifically looking for remote work because I think in the long run it makes sense to work from home in case Covid-19 flares up later this year. It’s hard to find remote work, especially in writing fields that isn’t freelance. Finding positions that offer full benefits, time off, a flexible schedule and a good 401k are rare. My goal is to find remote work so I won’t have to work in a restaurant after the stay-at-home order is lifted in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Internship!

Yesterday, I got a Literary Internship for a publishing house. This internship is unpaid but requires only 10-15 hours of work per week. It is valuable experience that I know I need to help build up my resume. My career goal is to work for a publishing house in publishing/editing. This internship is an exciting opportunity and I get the feeling it will be a positive experience.

I know that I can balance full-time work (when I find it) and my internship with everything else I do: blogging, writing, reading, art, and music.

Utah & COVID-19

The stay-at-home order issued by Governor Gary Herbert through May 1st, will presumably be lifted by the end of this week. I am still checking twitter and local news for updates from Salt Lake City’s Mayor Erin Mendenhall. We’ll see what happens, what regulations will be put in place by the Utah Department of Health for restaurants to be have dine-in service. It will be interesting to see what happens this week and the next.

Current Covid-19 stats for Utah

Summary: Total Cases 4233, Total Reported People Tested 100195, Total Covid-19 Hospitalizations 349, Total Covid-19 Deaths 41

Population of Utah (estimated) 3,282,115

A Tiny Opinionated Rant

I believe it is important to save lives and stop the spread of Covid-19 as effectively as possible. It is frustrating to hear about protests saying the stay-at-home order is unconstitutional. I think these people fail to realize the gravity of the situation and that having no vaccine for Covid-19 makes this a serious matter. The argument to sacrifice the weak to open up the economy is revolting.

If anything these people that are protesting against the stay-at-home orders across the nation should be protesting against Trump’s failure as POTUS to handle Covid-19. They should be protesting the government’s pathetic attempt to ‘help’ Americans financially: a one-time check of $1,200 is a slap in the face, the $600 add-on to weekly unemployment is more helpful right now but not for those that are having trouble filing for unemployment.

Trumps response time to Covid-19, his ignorance to take it seriously, his continual suggestions to ingest disinfectants, his failure to help state governor’s, and his continual back and forth indecision about almost every little thing is unacceptable. The man is an idiot and his presidency is a joke. My main concern is voting for this years presidential election. With the spread of Covid-19 and everyone trying to just make it through, the risk of the election being ‘manipulated’ with the excuse of Covid-19 I think is a very real possibility.

End of My Poetry Workshop

Yesterday was the last day of the Free Poetry Workshop taught by Natasha Saje. This workshop was about four months long and I absolutely loved it. Saje is amazing, she taught me so much and I look forward to staying in touch with my fellow students.

Facebook

I finally caved. I am extremely opposed to Facebook but over the last few weeks I have realized when it comes to putting my writing out there and connecting with readers, having a Facebook Profile and Page is a necessity. Below are links to my Profile and Page.

I will be using my Profile for personal/writing updates and my Page is specifically for all content I post to my blog.

Alina’s Facebook Profile

Alina’s Facebook Blog Page

Reading

I finished reading Joan Didion’s Where I Was From

This was a great read. I started it the last week of March and took my time with it. Didion talks about her family history which creates a sort of ‘bookend’ structure for the rest of the book. The meat of it is a detailed history of California, specifically Sacramento where she is from. It was an informative read and I have a craving for more Didion, so I might be raiding my boyfriends bookshelf very soon (he has most of her books).

Uncertainty and Relief

I am hopeful that a gradual re-opening of Salt Lake City will be successful. Our case counts and deaths are very low in comparison to the rest of the nation. But I think there is a real risk at opening the state too soon and a second wave could rip through Utah and our deaths could increase rapidly.

Thank you

I hope that you are safe and well wherever you are. Thank you for reading about my life during Covid-19. Feel free to respond, comment, or contact me directly.

Best,

Alina

Become a Subscriber! Get notified when new posts are published plus once a week I will send content just for you: poem, personal update, reading list, writing tips and more!

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Life during COVID-19 (4/13/20): Poetry for $ and more poems

April 13, 2020July 9, 2020 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

It’s almost been a month since the last day I worked (March 17th). It’s bizarre to think that time has passed so quickly and somehow so slowly at the same time. I feel like I’m utilizing my time well but I’m so frustrated I haven’t landed a job yet.

UNEMPLOYED AND JOB SEARCHING

I’ve done interviews and skills tests, I’ve written cover letter after cover letter and still nothing. Right after graduation I spent six months applying to jobs requiring a BA, specifically in English or related fields, nothing. I gave up. I needed a break, now I’m doing the same thing again. What does it mean to keep pushing, keep trying for a job that requires a BA? I don’t know. I hope it’s worth it. I don’t want to cave in and get a Customer Service Rep job for a call center. I don’t want to get another job that is the complete opposite of what I want to do with my life, my career, my writing. But it is so hard.

I am grateful for my unemployment checks. They are small but something and I’m hoping the extra $600/week from the Cares Act Stimulus bill that was passed last month kicks in soon.

RECEIVING $500 FROM THE TIP YOUR SERVER DONATION

By some weird stroke of luck, I ended up winning the lotto for the $500 from the Downtown Alliance’s Tip Your Server donation. I’ve decided I want to help my co-workers so I am building a list of all my friends that need the money right now that are unemployed and looking for jobs and really strapped for cash. I hope to shell out at least $100 each and spread the money out. Thanks to a $100 contribution from one of my friends, this will now be $600 that I can spread out among my friends.

MAKING $ FROM MY POETRY FOR $

I’ve also had quite a bit of luck with my POETRY for $, to date I’ve completed 14 poems for supporters. I accept any $ via Venmo then write a personalized handwritten poem with a little bit of my own stylized art. I send a digital copy (pdf) via email then the original through the mail.

I’ve done two poems barter/trade style. One poem I wrote for a friend who bought me Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar (including her collection of poems). And another friend I wrote a poem for is brewing me my very own small batch of beer (he brews beer for Wasatch Brew Pub in Salt Lake City, Utah) I am so stoked for this!

20200322_175024 — Original poem I wrote/made for a $upporter

MAKING A ZINE

I also drafted up an outline of my upcoming digital zine in InDesign. It will have all the poetry I’ve written during the Pandemic/Stay at Home order. Pretty much since I was laid off. I am including copies of all the poems I’ve done for $upport as well as some art and photography. This is such a fun project and it will be free to the public when it is finished.

I feel so fortunate to have such caring friends and because of their generosity right now I’ve been able to pay a few bills and have extra money for groceries, saving anything extra for the future.

END OF NATASHA SAJE’S POETRY WORKSHOP

My Poetry Workshop at Westminster (online now) is coming to a close. There’s only a couple more assignments left and then it will be over. I am not looking forward to this since I’ve really enjoyed this workshop; reading other students poems, the poetry books, assigned reading, and pushing myself with the poetry assignments. I’m really going to miss it.

CANCELLING MY SUMMER CLASSES

I’m bummed out because this summer I was going to start pursuing an AAS in Music Recording Technology at Salt Lake Community College but since I was laid off, I can’t afford it so I had to drop the classes I already registered for. I just plan on taking free courses online, finding tutorial videos, and continue to make music and publish my songs on soundcloud.

OVERALL

It’s been a good experience thus far, I’ve kept to my daily routine, and I’ve made my daily quota for the number of jobs I apply to, and I write and read and write and read and write and read…

I just have to keep going.

TALK TO ME

How are you getting through the Pandemic? Have you been ordered to Stay at Home? How are you coping?

I would love to hear about your experiences during this time.

Please feel free to comment or message me.

Thank you for reading!

Stay safe and stay well out there!

-Alina
XOXO

Become a Subscriber! Get notified when new posts are published plus once a week I will send content just for you: poem, personal update, reading list, writing tips and more!

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Life During COVID-19 (4/21/2020): Poetry, Sylvia Plath and My Novel(Opens in a new browser tab)

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Life during COVID-19 Personal Update: March 23rd, 2020

March 23, 2020July 25, 2020 Alina H. Hansen Writer & Poet

The sun is out, the sky is blue, and the flowers are blooming. With everything going on, I keep forgetting that Spring is coming. I woke up, turned the electric kettle on and took our Boston Terrier, Nora, out for her morning walk. I can’t help thinking that maybe this quarantine thing might be a good time to acknowledge all the natural beauty around us. I’m sounding cheesy and yes, I am still riding the wave of gratitude I’ve been feeling since after the Utah Earthquake on Wednesday. But still, it’s really beautiful out there.

Over the past few days, I have felt extremely lucky and dearly loved by friends who have sent me some $ for POETRY. Every little bit counts and I am realizing that as an artist I can give back to my friends and family, my community and the world, in a very special way. I can create and reflect on this unusual time probably in ways some people can’t. If they find solace or can connect with what I create whether that’s art, poetry, fiction, or music, it brings me happiness to hope that I may be helping someone on a personal level.

PLANS FOR TODAY

I am going to try to figure out what is going on with my unemployment. I am having difficulties figuring out when my first check will arrive or if it even will. The DWS website looks simple but I am finding it to be complicated and somewhat lackluster.

Apply to writing jobs, or jobs that require a Bachelors of English. I made a promise to my family I would stay inside until this all blows over, they are worried about my health and don’t want me working in-person jobs right now. I am respecting their wishes and applying solely to online-only jobs in case this COVID-19/Quarantine thing lasts longer than we think.

As of March 20th, 2020, I was officially LAID OFF from my full-time job at Squatters Pub Brewery. No income and no health/dental insurance.

So many of my co-workers are in the same situation. Our only source of income was our one restaurant job and now we are all scrambling to file for unemployment and look for new jobs. Yesterday I posted LAID OFF: SUPPORT MY RESTAURANT FAMILY, this post includes venmo links to my co-workers that wanted to be listed and need money asap to pay rent/bills and buy food/supplies.

Squatters Crew (some of them) — Some of my friends and fellow employees

As for me, I will continue to offer POETRY FOR $ and when I get a job that is dependable, permanent and hopefully full-time with benefits (would be a plus). I will be donating any money for POETRY that I make DIRECTLY to my co-workers that need it the most.

After I’m done with the essentials on my to-do list today, I will be working on homework for my Poetry Workshop, making art, and writing.

If you want to stay up to date with my going-ons, I am posting regularly to my Instagram story.

Thank you for your time.

Stay safe and stay well out there!

–Alina

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