Hello friends, and welcome! If you’ve read the title you can probably guess what this post is going to be about already…
This ol’ blog has been around for a grand three years. It’s seen some changes, both good and bad, but it has come through.
I, as a blogger, have changed quite a bit myself. I’m almost nineteen years old now, and it’s hard to believe I started blogging when I was a wee fifteen-year-old. It seems so long ago…XD
Shall we take a gander at an old post of mine? This one dates back to April 4th, 2016, my very first blogiversary.
[Titled Short & Snappy Blogiversary]
Well, it’s been officially one year since I started Short & Snappy. Can you believe it?
It’s been a crazy year. I’ve posted so much, and yet it feels like so little. XD I’ve had a great experience, reading all of your comments, discovering new blogs, and making new friends. It’s been great fun. ^_^
And so, to celebrate, I’m thinking about adding a new segment called Character Conversations, where I’ll (try) to post an interview of my characters every Saturday! What do you guys think?
Thank you guys for making my first year blogging a great one! ❤
Quite painful, to say the least. Did I attempt to put any sort of effort into this post? I’d like to say I’ve grown as a writer since then…XD
This blog has seen a lot of traffic during its lifetime. Over 3,000 of you guys have visited my little corner of the internet, over 170 of you have made the descison to follow my adventures, and nearly 2,000 comments have been dropped on a total of 225 posts. Gosh, that’s a lot of people. I’m truly touched by all of your generosity.
And now, for that special announcement! If you’ve read some of my previous posts, you’ll know that I’ve been considering creating a movie review blog. Well, I’m glad to say that this has become a reality!
I’ve always loved movies, and I love talking about them, so please, considering dropping by and leaving a friendly comment! I’d love to chat with you!
Thank you all for being so supportive of this little blog! I never imagined just how wonderful my stay in the blogosphere would be, and I have only you guys to thank for it! ^_^
Hello, fellow fantasy freaks and geeks! I’m here to present to you a most fabulous new project put together by three lovely ladies called Fairy Tale Central!
Once Upon a Time… two girls had a dream. A dream of a fairy tale site, an internet library, if you will, for all the fairy tale lovers of the land to gather and converse. To learn, to read, to fangirl/boy, to bask in the goodness that is fairy tales.
As this dream blossomed, the two girls recruited a third. Because, after all, all good fairy tales come in themes of three.
With the third member in place, the girls got to work. The dream began to take shape, until it was no longer just a dream. But something real.
Every month a single fairy tale will be featured, and posts will include:
Reviews for retellings/shows/movies/etc.
Essay, origin, and discussion posts on the featured fairy tale
Interviews with fairy tale retelling authors
Galleries featuring fairy tale artists and artisans
And a whole lot more!
The FTC’s goal is to unlock the magic that is fairy tales and build a community of fellow fairy tale enthusiasts. Arielle, Faith, and Christine are thrilled to share this new fairy tale-centric space and connect with all you epic fairy tale fans!
You can CLICK HERE to find the site and join the Fairy Ring! (Don’t worry, you won’t be enchanted or cursed.) And, if you want to connect even more, you can find the FTC on:
(If you’re inclined to share about the FTC in those places too, you may or may not be blessed by a fairy godmother. *smile, smile*)
Do tell a friend, or a dragon, or the fairy living in the hollow tree behind your house. All humans and mythological creatures alike are welcome!
I am SO PUMPED about this project and I cannot WAIT to see what the three fairies who put this masterpiece together dream up next for this site! Please go check out the site and all of the bloggers who worked so hard to make it a reality!
Hello guys! Sorry for the slight hiatus I took out of the blue, I’ve been working on some other projects, and I’m probably going to be changing up my posting schedule once my movie review blog goes live. But anywho! I have…!
…Guess. Just guess.
I have created another challenge! Shocking, I know.
I love this gif so much. XD
I think it’s safe to say we all love reading. Possibly so much so that we’ve often wished we could travel into our favorite worlds and interact with the characters? Or is that just me?
Whether you have or not, I have a challenge for you regarding fictional places. I’ll give you a choice of two places, and you have to choose one, and only one of them to visit. What, it’s called a challenge for a reason? XD
The rules are simple:
• Include the graphic I made!
• Answer the questions!
• Tag some other people if you feel so inclined!
And now, let’s begin!
Would you rather…
• Train with demigods for the summer at Camp Halfblood OR attend Hogwarts to learn some spells for a semester?
I would definitely say Camp Halfblood. I would get to meet Percy and Annabeth and the whole gang! Maybe I would even learn my true heritage… If I had to guess, I bet I would be Apollo’s child. I mean, he’s the god of music and poetry. He’s clearly a creative loner, like moi. XD
• Go on an epic quest through the lands of Middle Earth OR be crowned a king or queen for your bravery in Narnia?
This is a reeeeally hard one, but I’d have to go with Narnia. It has such a special place in my heart, and the chance to meet Aslan? That would be so EPIC. And, talking animals, also, I mean, hello.
• Fly with Peter and his Lost Boys in Neverland OR have a crazy tea party with the Mad Hatter in Wonderland?
I love both of these worlds so dearly, but if I had to choose, it would be Wonderland. I’ve always had an affinity for the strange place. I would love to meet all of the interesting characters… ^_^
• Get trapped in the world of Jumanji OR be forced to dress up and attend a party at the Capitol of Panem?
What, I had to through one hard one it there? Fantasy worlds aren’t always all that great! I would pick Jumanji, despite the possibility of getting killed. I don’t think I could stomach a party at the Capitol… XP
• Sample all of the candy you’d like at Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory OR have a nice stroll with Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood?
As much as I would love to visit Willy Wonka’s factory…I have to choose the Wood. Maybe I’m still coming off of my love for the new Christopher Robin, but it just sounds like such a pleasant, peaceful way to spend a vacation. ❤
• Head out on a gold-hunting expedition to El Dorado OR hop in a submarine and explore the lost city of Atlantis?
Atlantis has always intrigued me, but I really don’t like the idea of going in a submarine… I think it might be worth it though? Like what if there are mermaids? Or fish people? What if they’re magical? I think I’d risk it.
• Skip through the merry town of Oz OR have a nice walk through the kingdom of Camelot?
I’m…currently kind of obsessed with Merlin? So. I think I would like to visit Camelot. Even though they’re a bunch of magic-haters. 😛
• Get sucked into the world of Fantastica and go on an epic journey with Bastian OR get sucked into the Inkworld and travel the land with Meggie and her friends?
Argh, I love both of these stories TOO MUCH. *frustration* But if it really came down to it, I think I would choose Inkworld. I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to meet Dustfinger, you know? That would be an…interesting meeting.
Easily Pastable Questions //
Would You Rather…
Train with demigods for the summer at Camp Halfblood OR attend Hogwarts to learn some spells for a semester?
Go on an epic quest through the lands of Middle Earth OR be crowned a king or queen for your bravery in Narnia?
Fly with Peter and his Lost Boys in Neverland OR have a crazy tea party with the Mad Hatter in Wonderland?
Get trapped in the world of Jumanji OR be forced to dress up and attend a party at the Capitol of Panem?
Sample all of the candy you’d like at Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory OR have a nice stroll with Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood?
Head out on a gold-hunting expedition to El Dorado OR hop in a submarine and explore the lost city of Atlantis?
Skip through the merry town of Oz OR have a nice walk through the kingdom of Camelot?
Get sucked into the world of Fantastica and go on an epic journey with Bastian OR get sucked into the Inkworld and travel the land with Meggie and her friends?
There is my challenge! I tag Deborah, Kenzie, and Jenelle! And if you’d like to do the tag, feel free to give it a whirl. 🙂 What’s another fantasy place you’d like to visit? Let me know in the comments!
Hello friends! It’s been a crazy February for me so far…life has been chugging along and I’ve kind of been feeling a bit dragged by my heels. Do you ever feel like this? Like you’re just holding on for dear life? Like you’re just trying to ‘get by’? Just putting along the road of life, trying to keep it together, and feeling like you’re failing?
I do. All the time.
I’ve been thinking a lot about my future. If I should go to school, if I’ll get married, how I’m going to make a difference in the world…It’s all really scary to think about, honestly. And thinking about all that deep, heavy stuff, feeling like the weight of the world is on your shoulders…is not good for your body.
I’m learning this little by little, but your physical body is so, so important. Stress most assuredly takes tolls on your mental and spiritual health, of course. But I feel like sometimes we forget about our actual bodies.
According to God’s Word, our bodies are temples where the Holy Spirit resides (1 Cor. 6:19-20). That’s kind of crazy to remember. But in that light, I believe that it is incredibly important to take good care of not only our mental health but our physical health as well.
There will be Pusheen gifs. Please enjoy.
• Get good (and enough) rest every night
This one is a toughie. Too often I find myself shutting my lamp off at midnight. But the best kind of sleep you can get is in the hours before midnight. Think about it. Midnight is the middle of the night. If you’re awake in the middle of the day, you should be asleep in the middle of the night.
And don’t have your phone or other screens with you in bed. The light is really bad for your eyes, and it can affect your circadian rhythm. Read a book, or listen to soothing music or noises instead.
• Eat good food
Another tricky one. I love food about as much as the next guy, and that can really get you into trouble. (You know it’s bad when the main reason you’re excited to go on vacation is because of all the yummy, new foods. XD)
Colorful fruits and veggies are your body’s friends. So are lean meats, calcium-rich milk and yogurt, and oats, brown rice, 100% whole wheat pasta and bread. Stick by unsaturated fats and naturally occurring sugars and stay away from saturated fats and added sugars.
This is basic stuff, but I was reminded just how important it is to eat good foods when I was getting sick and tired after not eating those foods. That’s not to say that you should never have any treats. Moderation is the key to eating healthfully.
• Remember the small things
Herein lies my biggest struggle. Remembering little things, such as
Cutting your nails often
Brushing your teeth well
Getting your hair cut regularly
Sleeping on a good mattress
Brushing and cleaning your hair
is REALLY HARD. Don’t say taking care of yourself is easy. It’s not the easiest. Sometimes you just wanna forgo brushing your teeth one night when you’re tired, or just ignore your nails until they’re crazy long. But these little things add up, and then they become not so little things. They become big problems and bad habits.
Don’t forget about them. They’re just as important as any of the big things.
• Find things to smile about every day
This might not seem like a big deal. I know some days I would just rather frown and scowl at everything and everyone. Why should you have to find happiness in such a grim world?
Well, because it’s good for you. It’s a proven fact.
I could get into how endorphins and serotonin are released into your brain, which then helps your body relax and ease pain and lift your mood, but let’s just say that smiling has real physical benefits. Plus it can make others happy too!
• Exercise
I don’t think this one really needs an explanation. We all know it’s good for us. It boosts your mood, it lubricates your limbs, and helps fend off depression and seasonal-affective disorders (which I go through every winter, not fun, lemme tell you).
If you don’t like the idea of lifting weights or tread-milling, then consider a sport, like soccer or basketball. Something that will get your cardiovascular muscles working. I personally like dancing. Whether it’s Just Dance on the TV, or swing dancing or square dancing at a party, it’s a lot of fun, and it gets you sweating (sometimes embarrassingly so…especially when you’re with a partner XD).
• Keep out the garbage
My mother taught me a simple acronym when I was younger. GIGO.
Garbage
In
Garbage
Out
She explained to me how everything that I put into my body, both physical and mental will eventually come out in some way.
If you eat bad food, you probably won’t be feeling at your best, and you might start to snap at people.
If you don’t sleep well because you were up late watching YouTube, you probably won’t have any energy or drive to do anything in the morning.
If you don’t eat well for an extended period of time, you probably won’t feel very well, and might get sick.
It all comes out, one way or another. Remember to be conscious of what you put into your body, both mentally and physically.
• Pray and read your Bible every day
Possibly the best thing you could do for yourself on this list. In Matthew 4:4, Jesus tells us that ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ That’s pretty powerful. If Jesus is telling us that food, the thing that we love so much, the very thing that keeps us moving, is not enough to live by, you know He isn’t kidding around.
Getting into the habit of reading and praying every day is something I’ve struggled with for years. I still struggle with it. Every time I think I’m doing better, I’m suddenly reminded again how feeble my attempts are.
One thing that I’ve been working on is reading just a few verses a day, preferably in the mornings. It’s not too much to take in, it gives me a simple idea to think about throughout the day, and it’s less pressure when you’re only reading one or two verses. If a good thought or conversation with my family comes out of it, then that’s wonderful, but if not, then at least I know that I’ve read His Word today, and He can show me something wonderful the tomorrow. It may seem like small potatoes, but it means a lot in the long run.
Just so you know, I can say all of this to you guys, but I’m really not an expert at any of this. I’m actually really bad at…well, all of these. Part of the reason I wrote this post is because I’ve been having a hard time taking care of myself. And I’ve learned that when I’m going through something hard, thankfully, I’m usually not alone.
So I hope this post serves as a sort of ‘wake up call’ for you, if you’re struggling, and that it would encourage you to live the life God has in store for you.
This was kind of a different post than what I normally put out, but I hope you guys enjoyed it. Have you been struggling with one of these things? Let me know down below, so we can talk about it and not feel so alone! ^_^
Hello friends! Wow…what is it with me and coming up with tags…? Is there something wrong with me? XD
Let’s not dwell on that fact, and instead delve into my latest creation! Since Valentine’s is fast approaching, I thought this would be a great time to talk about the things we (or at least I) really love!
Rules //
• Include the graphic somewhere in your post!
• Answer the questions!
• Tag two fangirls (or boys, I suppose!)
(If you don’t know what a fandom is, it’s basically a group of fans of a particular thing, like Star Wars or Harry Potter.)
~
Le Questions //
What’s the first fandom you remember becoming a part of?
What’s the newest fandom you’ve come to enjoy?
What’s a fandom guaranteed to give you feels?
What’s a guilty pleasure fandom of yours?
What’s the weirdest fandom you’ve heard of/are a part of?
Favorite popular/widely-known fandom?
Favorite bookish fandom?
What do you consider your ‘homebase’, a fandom you can always come back to?
What’s a fandom you know all about…but aren’t actually into it?
Which fandom has the best characters?
Name your all-time favorite ship.
What’s a fandom you’re curious about joining?
~
• What’s the first fandom you remember becoming a part of?
Though I didn’t really know what a fandom was at the time, Disney and Pixar have been around for me since I was, well, born. I grew up watching the classic Disney movies, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin, in particular. And I remember watching Monsters Inc., Toy Story, and The Incredibles many times too. I guess you could say it was the start of an obsession for obsessions…XD
• What’s the newest fandom you’ve come to enjoy?
That would be Over the Garden Wall! It’s a very short mini series, only ten episodes long, about two brothers who get lost in the forest. It’s surprisingly deep for a cartoon, and the animation is gorgeous. If you have an evening, give it a watch, it’s quite entertaining.
• What’s a fandom guaranteed to give you feels?
That would be Undertale. I’m sure you’ve heard of it, it’s an epic video game with wonderful characters and a crazy, twisted story that you don’t figure right away. Getting to know the characters and how the game works is what really makes my heart hurt. And the fans don’t help with this in making some awesome fan art and fan fictions. It’s a deep, twisty game that will have you crying and laughing at the same time.
• What’s a guilty pleasure fandom of yours?
…
…
• What’s the weirdest fandom you’ve heard of or are a part of?
There are so many weird things out there, but to give a classic answer, I’ll say Gravity Falls. It’s the definition of weird. There’s unexplained phenomena. There’s weird and wonderful creatures. There are deep, dark secrets. There are crazy, but lovable characters. THE WHOLE WORLD ALMOST–you know what? Never mind. I’ll let you watch it. You’ll love it, trust me.
It also has the best gifs, so…yeah. There is that. XD
• Favorite popular/widely-known fandom?
That’d be the Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit. I’m fairly sure almost everyone in the world has heard of this, and for a good reason. Though I’ve only seen the movies, I’ve come to love the characters SO MUCH. It’s magical, it’s epic, and it has Orlando Bloom and Viggo Mortenson, so really how can you lose? (Thorin is myyy preeeecious.)
• Favorite bookish fandom?
The Lunar Chronicles!! CRESS IS A DARLING AND THORNE IS A JERK BUT I LOVE HIM. Also, WOLF AND SCARLET ARE SO ADORABLE. AND JACIN AND WINTER AGGGGHHHH. *ahem* Yes. I really like the Lunar Chronicles.
• What do you consider your ‘homebase’, a fandom you can always come back to?
Gosh, who made these questions so hard? (Me. It was me.) It would probably be the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I started watching in 2015, and I remember going to the theater with a big group of people to see Avengers: Age of Ultron. I had watched the previous movies in order with my family, but it was when I saw that movie that I really started loving it. And I’ve seen every Marvel movie in theaters since. It’s a very comforting, familiar fandom for me. (EVEN THOUGH IT’S KIND OF ON FIRE RIGHT NOW BUT IT’S OKAY EVERYTHING’S FINE.)
• What’s a fandom you know all about…but aren’t actually into it?
That would be Star Wars, for me. I watched the prequels, (well, kind of…I kinda skipped over the third one because I was cringing too much…XD), and I know the entire original story and all about the newer installments. So I know everything. I’m just…not that in love with it. It’s fun, and goofy, and entertaining, but…it doesn’t quite grip me like other movies or books have.
• Which fandom has the best characters?
ALL OF THEM. ALL OF THEM ARE GOOD. Ugh, if I really had to choose though…It’d be a three-way tie between Undertale, Marvel, and the Lunar Chronicles. IT’S TOO HARD. Why did I make these questions so hard? XD
• Name your all-time favorite ship.
Hm. NYAGH THERE ARE SO MANY. But I pick Cress and Thorne, because I think they’re really cute and they both support each other so well, her being quiet and whimsical and naive, and him being rough and cocky and a joker. It mixes so beautifully, I could cry. Cress + Thorne =
• What’s a fandom you’re curious about joining?
Sherlock! All I hear is how amazing it is, and I want in on some of the epic-ness! Though I worry for my mental health’s sake…too much emotional trauma may just ruin me… Tell me below if this is a good idea, please. XD
That’s the tag! I nominate Deborah @ The Road of a Writer, Christine @ Musings of an Elf, and Kenzie @ Smudged Thoughts for this tag! And if you’d like to do this tag, feel free! I’d love to see what fandoms you love the most! ^_^ Also, there will be no post next week, since I’ll be on vacation!
Hey guys! I just have a short post for you today, due to working on some other projects (wink, wink 😉 ), but I hope will benefit some of you!
As writers, we all know the internet is severely distracting and procrastination-inducing, but it isn’t all bad for us writers! Here are 3 websites that I use like crazy when I’m writing.
This is a website with dozens of ambience and music tracks with tons of different places and moods. It’s especially helpful when you want to really place yourself into the atmosphere of whatever you’re writing. I tend to use the Fantasy section most often, but they sections with really awesome Sci-Fi and Historical tracks too!
You’ve probably heard of this one. It’s my favorite thesaurus/dictionary to use, with a really friendly interface and a forgiving search bar. You can search ‘give someone the creeps’ and it will come up with results. It also has a translator and a rhyming dictionary, which is all kinds of handy.
If you ever want hundreds of different names (not just fantasy, as the name implies), give this a look. It comes with more classic name generators, with names from different countries and time periods, while also having made-up names for different mythical creatures, place name generators, pop culture name generators, object name generators, and even description generators. I highly recommend if name-giving is not your specialty. And also if it is, too, because it’s just super fun to explore. 🙂
Sorry for this shorter post, I have something fun planned for next week, so be on the watch for that! Are there any websites you recommend for writers? I’d love to hear them!
Hello friends! I have a bit of a shorter, more laid-back post for you this week, becaaaaause… I’ve been working on my newly announced movie review blog, getting some shiny new posts up and ready for the release date! I’m pretty darn excited about it. XD
But on to today’s post, a tag! Shocking! I know! I almost never do tags! XD I feel like tags are always what I fall back on when I have no ideas for posts, but I’M NOT ASHAMED. It’s nice to have a pre-planned post every once in a while, ‘kay?
‘Kay. Let’s do this.
I originally saw this on Cait’s blog, and she said she got it off of Instagram…so…not entirely sure about the rules…I know you list three bookish things…And that’s the extent of my knowledge. But let’s just jump into the questions, maybe I’ll tag a few people at the end, I don’t know, we’ll see.
ANNNNNNND GO.
• 3 Favorite Authors
Oh my word, HOW. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION. Maybe this tag was a bad idea…XD
Okay, let’s see…
• Marissa Meyer writes one of my most favorite series of all time, she’s pretty neat.
• I have to give credit to Shannon Hale, since she’s the one who got me into reading. Her Princess Academy books, and her Books of Bayern will always stick with me.
• Oof. I think the last one is a tie between Anne Elisabeth Stengl and Heather Dixon. I LOVE Anne’s Tales of Goldstone Wood, but Heather writes some AWESOME standalones, particularly Illusionarium…AGH. I can’t choose.
• 3 Weirdest Things Used as a Bookmark
Oooooh, this is an interesting question!
• I’ve definitely used napkins before. They weren’t dirty, of course.
• I use library receipts waaaay more than I’d rather admit to. XD
• Hmm…I think I used a popsicle stick one time. And it wasn’t a clean one. It was one where I had just finished the popsicle part. I was a little kid, okay? Don’t judge.
• 3 Series Binged
This one’s kind of hard, because I’m usually waiting for the next books to come out, so I really can’t binge read. But…
• I remember binge-rereading the Lunar Chronicles a while back. I should really do that again…
• The Bright Empires series (by Stephen R. Lawhead)! I can’t say I reeeally binged it, I remember reading a different book or two in between some of them, but I got through the whole series pretty quick.
• And when I was little one summer I zipped through the Magic Treehouse books in a matter of days. That was fun. Kinda miss that.
• 3 Characters You Love
This is so hard because there are so many characters I love so dearly! But here are some that stuck out in my mind.
• Carswell Thorne from the Lunar Chronicles is my favorite roguish bad boy in fiction. He likes to pretend he’s a hardened tough guy, but he’s actually just a soft marshmallow underneath.
• Rin from Forest Born (by Shannon Hale) was a really inspirational character for me when I was younger. She didn’t really know her place in the world, and she felt so alone and scared. I used to get really scared and anxious when I was a kid, and knowing that I wasn’t alone was a real comfort to me.
• I think this is a three-way tie for Kell (from A Darker Shade of Magic), Percy (from Percy Jackson), and Leo/Lionheart/Leonard (from Tales of Goldstone Wood). Kell is a character I’ve recently come to love, as is Percy, and Leo…well, he’s Leo. You know what I mean if you’ve read the books. He’s just a human. Trying to figure things out. Sometimes Usually making mistakes.
• 3 Unpopular Bookish Opinions
• Young Adult is an AGE GROUP, not a GENRE. It’s a category, like Children or Adult. It always annoys me on websites like Barnes and Noble or Amazon when they list all the book genres and then stick ‘YA’ at the end. 😛
• I…didn’t really like Archenemies (by Marissa Meyer). I loved Renegades, but Archenemies just felt like the same story over again, except with more romance between Adrian and Nova. 😦
• I don’t really like contemporary books. They seem really dull and boring to me. If I wanted to read about realistic life…why wouldn’t I just go out and live?
• 3 Popular Bookish Opinions
• I love deckled edges! I think it makes a reading experience even more magical!
• E-books will always be inferior to a real, physical book. Always. Not that e-books are bad or anything, I have like a hundred of them. XD I’ll just always prefer a real book.
• Nothing is better than a shiny new copy of a book! I will buy used copies, or get them from the library, but nothing beats a new book.
• 3 Favorite Book Covers
There are soooo many gorgeous ones…how can I choose just three?!
• 3 Book Goals for the Year
• Try to read 30 books!
• Read some more outside of my main genre (fantasy, in case you didn’t know, but you probably did). I’d like to dip into some historical fiction, some sci-fi, maybe even a bit of contemporary…despite what I said above. Just ignore that. XD
• Read some of the e-books I have on my Nook! I’m so bad about keeping up with these. I have so many I’ve gotten for free and there are so many I’ve bought too. I need to get through some of them this year.
Well guys, we made it. Another year has passed, gone like a blink, like 2017 was just last week.
But then again, 2018 has felt like the longest year of my life. So much happened, and I’m still trying to process what being an adult feels like…
Time is weird, amiright?
Anyway, I wanted to highlight some of the great things that happened this year, as well as some tentative goals for 2019. Oh, and stick around for a fun announcement! 😀
My 2018 Goals //
My loose plans are to work on outlining a TON. I don’t think these ideas can stay in my head for much longer. I need to write them all out so my brain isn’t so strung up on details. XD
Welp. Didn’t…quite get to that…I did some outlining, but it wasn’t with a new project, I was fixing an old one. Guess I’m still strung up on the details.
I have no plans to do JuNo or NaNo, but I’m not against it. I’ll have to see how open my schedule is at the time and decided from there.
Whoot-whoot, I did NaNo!! And it was INSANE.
And as a last goal, I really want to try and not put too much pressure on myself. I’ve found that I am VERY hard on myself and I don’t know when to stop. So if I need to take a hiatus, then I will. If I need to rework my blog schedule, then I will.
And that’s not just for blogging. Reading, writing, and life too.
Hmm…well…kinda majorly failed this one. I’m still incredibly hard on myself. But maybe I’m getting better. I can’t really say, myself, honestly. I think I did take several hiatuses this year, and I reworked my blog schedule to a post every two weeks for a bit there…So…I guess I kind of achieved this goal? XD
So I half completed my loose goals last year, half not really, but I think I did fairly well. But enough of that, let’s get into the details (that I’m apparently strung up on XD)!
Life Stuff //
Now that I’m looking back, all of these things happened in the summer. Huh. I had kind of a crazy summer…
• I made it through my very first Summer Reading Program as a library aide! It was…utter insanity. Kids, books, paper, they were everywhere. And even though it’s a part-time job, I was still exhausted. I worked almost every day, aside from Thursdays and Sundays (and every other Saturday).
It was intense and I may have desperately wished to quit on a few occasions, but in all, it wasn’t bad! I stayed busy, came home tired, but fulfilled, and really savored the time I had to myself.
• I went to a week-long Bible camp as a cabin counselor in June. It was the longest I had been away from home, by myself, essentially. My dad and brother were there with me, but we were apart for most of the time. The first few days were awful. I wanted to cry quite a few times. And I don’t cry. Hardly ever.
But as the week progressed, things got better. I got to hang out a bit with an old friend, and I met lots of new people. I’m glad I did it, but if I ever go back, I would ask to be a worker, helping cook in the kitchens or cleaning. I’d feel much more comfortable that way. 🙂
• And last but definitely not least, I attended Realm Makers for the first time!!! It was so amazingly fun, and I really hope to go again this year! I so enjoyed meeting my blogging buddies! It was so nice connecting with you in person, and just talking to other writers! It was lovely and I highly recommend attending if at all available.
Some of my wonderful peeps! (picture courtesy of Deborah)
• Also, I turned 18. That’s. Kind of scary. I’m an adult now, guys. I got my braces off, I have a job, a car…I’m so close to reaching peak adulthood! XD
GUYS. I’VE GOTTEN INTO THIS SHOW. IT. IS. SO. GOOOOOOD. I will now proceed to use as many gifs from this as possible.
Writer’s Desk //
Nothing really significant happened on the writing scene this year, but…
I WON NANOWRIMO FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!
I’ll link to my experience post so you can see the insanity I went through the month of November. It was so much fun, and the novel I was writing was actually a rewrite of Imprint, a book I’ve been working on for SO. DARN. LONG. I think I’ve gotten it to how I like it, so, after I let some close friends give it a run-through…I may consider sending it to some beta-readers. Sometime this year. Hopefully soon. So. Keep an eye out for that.
I spent a lot of time perfecting Imprint this year, but I still somehow I managed to come up with two new ideas (one about two prince brothers who rule the kingdoms of light and darkness, and the other about an alternate dimension involving cartoons, magic, and mischief (note: EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT THESE), and worked on some character profiling for my superhero trilogy I want to get started on.
Book Nook //
Another exciting thing… I won my reading challenge for the first time, since I joined Goodreads!!!
I only gave myself 20 books, but I’m still kind of happy with my accomplishment! 😀 I suppose this is a year of firsts for me, huh…?
Some highlights of this year //
Renegades by Marissa Meyer // SO. EPIC. I love so much superheroes, so this was a fantastic read!
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard // So many twists and turns, plus amazing characters and a neat setting!
A Thousand Perfect Notes by C.G. Drews // I always thought the first book Cait would publish would be an epic fantasy, but instead she came up with this genius contemporary Beethoven retelling that I love to bits and pieces.
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater // I can’t recommend this, since there’s quite a bit of content, but SERIOUSLY. THIS WAS AMAZING. I immediately read the second book, and I’m itching to read the third book!
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab // Dark, twisty fantasy with alternate dimensions and magic and THE CHARACTERS. THE CHARACTERS ARE EPIC.
Movie Theater* //
I saw a lot of movies this year, but here are a few I really had an opinion about //
Black Panther // I loved this movie, but I could be biased. It’s a Marvel movie. I’m going to love any of the MCU movies. That’s just how it works.
Avengers: Infinity War // WAIT. NEVER MIND. I CHANGE MY MIND. MARVEL YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME. *quiet sobbing*
Incredibles 2 // This was really fun! The action sequences were soooo gorgeously animated, and the humor was delightful! I didn’t quite like it as much as the original, the villain in particular I didn’t enjoy, but…the original just really can’t be topped, in my opinion.
Ant-Man and the Wasp // Loved it. So much. Scott and Hope’s relationship is so adorable, and I thought the villain was really interesting, more like an anti-hero than anything else.
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation // These are older, but I just recently got into them and WOW I’m a fan! I really need to see Fallout…
Star Wars prequels // These were…interesting, I’ll say. I disliked the first one, (except for Qui-gon, he’s legit), the second one was better, but then…I could barely watch the third one. The dialogue was just too cringe for me…At least with the originals you’re expecting the cheesiness…
Wreck-It Ralph 2 // I…wasn’t a fan of this one. It…didn’t work as a sequel for me. It seemed to go backwards in character growth, and it almost totally disregarded the events of the original. It was one of my least favorites of last year. That ending…man…
My face while watching the end.
Christopher Robin // This was so innocently adorable. It was such a nice, fresh change from what people have been putting into theaters lately. Watch it to be filled with sweet nostalgia.
Aquaman // I technically watched this one this year, but since it came out last year, I’m counting it. Oh gosh…it was not for me. I thought the story was bland, I didn’t connect with any of the characters, and most of the action scenes were underwater, making them blurry and hard to understand.
Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse // AAAAHHHHH JUST WATCH IT OKAY. MY FAVORITE OF 2018!!!! *cries over beautiful animation*
*Okay, small aside, but is it just me or does it seem like all Hollywood puts out is sequels, reboots, and book adaptations? Is it just me?
Goals for 2019 (oh my word, just typing ‘2019’ scares me…) //
• Try to do one, big thing that’s outside of my comfort zone.
I feel like I miss out on so much in life, just because I’m scared to do it. I’d love to be able to just dive right outside my comfort zone. Even if it’s something simple. Like going somewhere I’ve never been, or taking some college classes, or even getting another job somewhere. I don’t know what to do just yet, but I’m going to try to be brave in the coming year.
• Send Imprint to some beta-readers and then…possibly…start querying for an agent?
This kind of terrifies me, but I think I’ve worked hard on my novel, and I want to get it out there. I want my writing to inspire and entertain others, like it does to me.
• Read 30 books.
If I can do 20, I can do 30, so help me.
Alright, remember what I said about making some kind of announcement? Well, here it is…
• I’m going to attempt to start a movie review blog.
That’s right. Another blog. Movies have always been special to me, and I have a lot of opinions about them. So I decided, why not start reviewing them?
This idea is still pretty new, but I’ve always had it in the back of my head that I’d like to start another blog. I would probably have to work out yet another new schedule so I don’t die trying to churn out so many posts a weeks, but I think it could be worth it!
It’s called… Reel Thoughts | Honest Opinions on the Latest in Entertainment
I’d like to include some game and music reviews as well as movies, but nothing is for sure yet. I’d also like to get this brainchild of mine up by Short & Snappy‘s anniversary, which is sometime in March (Hello past me, nope, it’s April). We’ll see how that works out. But keep a look out!
How was your 2018? Do you have any amazing goals for 2019? Share your thoughts with me down below!
I can’t believe it’s already 2019…It sounds so…futuristic. XD
The past few weeks have been pretty busy for me, with Christmas and New Years and trying to get back into the normal way of life. I’m planning on posting a 2018 year review, along with some goals I have for this year sometime this month, so you can watch out for that. 🙂
Anyways, I’m back with a pitiful bit of prose just for you! This little scribbling is what partially inspired my superhero trilogy that I’ve had in the back of my head for years. It’s really clunky, really cheesy, and I hope you laugh.
Two men came in.
I knew those two baddies, so I hid behind a table.*
*Stellar opening, 10/10.
Jake, the boss, went up to the water park*, while Jasper, the asisstant, stood guard at the bottom.
*…up?
I decided to have some fun. I walked up to where Jasper was guarding (which was Manager Hofsteads office)* and said, “Hiya, Jasper!”
*Okay, but, like, what exactly is he guarding? The entrance to this manager’s office? Or…the water park that is apparently on top of it? Couldn’t he be used in a more useful way? -_-
Jasper whipped his head at me* and stuttered, “M-M-Melody,”
*”Right in the head, he just smacked me with his face.” XD
I held back a giggle. “I didn’t know you had a job as asisstant manager!”
“I….d-d-don’t,”
“Then why are you standing in front of Mr. Hofsteads door?”
“I…..”
“What are you doing Jasper?”
“I……he…..”
“He who?”
“Jake,” he said slowly.
“I didn’t know he was out of jail,”
“He is……”*
*I’m…really, really unsure what is supposed to be so funny about this exchange. What……was I……..thinking………..with…..all……..of………these………..ellipsis…….?
“What was that?”*
*Is this supposed to be a sarcastic remark? Or did she actually hear something and we just don’t get to know that?
Jasper stopped talking, and let me through.
Mr. Hofstead was in there, and I decided not to worry him.* His office is like a door into a room and then another door in the back that leads up to the water slide. So his office under the Water Slide.
*Another thing: what is there to worry about? So far, these two dudes, bad guys, whatever, have done absolutely nothing to indicate that they might be doing something nefarious. Melody is just assuming that because they’re bad guys…they’re going to, I don’t know what, blow up the building? Rob from…the waterpark? I really just don’t know.
I tried to walkd Stealthly* to the door but he was walking out. I was thinking that Jake must have used the ladder on the side of the office.*
*Grammar, little me. Grammar.
*…why is there a ladder?
“Melody, can I help you?”
“um, going up this way?”
Mr. Hofstead looked reprimending, but he said “Alright.”*
*Did I think I sounded smart? And also, really dude? You’re going to just let this kid…use your office to…get to the top of the…waterpark…? I’m done. I can’t figure this out.
I raced up to the rood* to listen in on what Jake might be saying.I had flipped on my side and was using the little hole at the top to listen.* I heard Mayor Galvin, Wait and his daughter!*
*I’m assuming this is supposed to be ‘roof’, but with the way this story is going, it really could be anything.
*..little hole…? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!
*Feels like I should acknowledge this development, but just really doesn’t care at this point.
I gt off the roof and sneaked in. Jake must have seen me sneaking under the second floor, because he stepped on my hand, which threw him a little off balance.*
*That…that wouldn’t throw you off balance. That would just hurt your hand really bad.
I ran up to the second floor, the highest spot in the park.*
*What even is this place? What’s the layout? Where are we??
“I have got to get a new asisstant.” Jake said grabbing his knife. “Oh, well, you’re too late anyway!”
I saw the Mayor and his daughter, hanging on to the ledge of the slide, but Jake was in my way.
“Let them go!” I said.
“Never!” he said, cutting the rope.
I had to stop him. “Wait!” I shouted. Jake stopped. “What if I took there place?”*
*… … … what?
Jake looked at me, “You would do that?”
“Of course I would! If it would save there* life,”
*PLEASE JUST USE THE PROPER WORD PLEEEASE.
Jake thought, then said “It would be funner, but I have to do them in for other purposes.”*
*Can Jake talk like a normal human being? Answer: no.
I took a deep breath. Here goes.*
*…”My sanity.”
The rope snapped. I leaped to grab it, but then Jake grabbed me. He wasn’t strong enough, so I managed to grab the rope, But then we were dangling by a hand. My hand.*
*…I’m so confused. What happened here? I have no idea what happened here.
Jake came closer and said “Wonderful! I’ll finish you all off!” and then he stepped on my hand.*
*See, it DOES hurt.
I had to think fast. Then I remembered a trick I had learned. It’s called the Switcheroo.* I mustered up all the strength I had, grabbed Jake’s foot, and swung the Mayor and his daughter up to safety.
*For some reason this reminds of something a cowboy would say. Not exactly the feeling I wanted to invoke here, I’m pretty sure.
Now I was dangling with Jake hanging on for dear life. I pulled myself up and pulled up Jake too.
Jake was to flabbergasted to speak but the Mayor thanked me and decreed that Jake and Jasper go back to jail.*
*JASPER HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS. WHAT ARE YO U DOING.
The Mayor left happily with his daughter. As I handcuffed Jake, he didn’t struggle.* As I walked him down and handcuffed Jasper, strangly, he smiled.*
*And just like that, folks, he’s given up. Why? …We don’t really know!
*Strangly…he wants to strangle you. Is that what that means?
I brought them outside and called the police. Before they got hauled away, Jake quietly said “Thank you.” and then he was gone.
I felt a little twinge in my heart. I didn’t know what to do.
Okay. Yup. That was. Wow. Okay. If you read this entire mess, you deserve a cookie. ^_^ It doesn’t really make sense, but…I was really proud of it when I first wrote it so…that counts for something, right? Let me know if you enjoyed this ridiculousness down below!
Forever I will sing songs. I will have a Christmas love in my heart.
Love is forever a Christmas tradition that I will sing with songs of joy.
Songs I love will forever be remembered and I will never not love Christmas time.
Christmas songs I love shall I sing forever with a passionate will.
Will Christmas be around forever? So I may sing songs of love?
Forever will I treasure them. I love Christmas songs of love and joy.
~
Gingerbread sensations tingle on your tongue,
The smell of warm sugar and familiar spices
Sweetening an icy interior.
~
There’s a happy feeling nothing in the world can buy.
When smiles are genuine and the world feels lighter.
There are colored lights spread across the town, and life feels merry.
When gifts are situated under the tree, shiny with bows and ribbons.
There are hearts all aglow, filled with love and joy.
Christmas time is here. Fun for all. The most wonderful time of the year.
~
Quiet heart. Careful hands.
Rosy cheeks. Soft embrace.
Peaceful night. Touching scene.
Wondrous sight. King of kings.
~
Just a bit of Christmas poetry for you. It’s nothing fancy, but I think it’s kind of nice. 🙂 Merry Christmas to you all! I hope you’re having a wonderful holiday! ❤
