The Sunshine Blogger Award

Aaaaah yes. Spring time! The time of new life, rejuvenation, aaaaaand FINALS. If you listen closely you can hear the college students screaming in the far distance. Lend them an ear and prayer if you don’t mind. We all need it at this point in the semester.

But, I am choosing to take a break from studying to announce the exciting news that I have been nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award thanks to the lovely and brilliant Natalie over on The Texas Lass. She’s probably one of my longest running blog buddies so please check out her corner of the internet and maybe, I don’t know… HER NEWLY RELEASED BOOK Reciprocity!! Get it before it FLIES off the shelves and becomes an exclusive collectors item that is a remnant of writerly genius! Or something like that…ahem.

Getting back to the award! We must instill some rules here because the Wild West this blog is not.

The Rules:

  • Display the award’s official logo somewhere on your blog. 
  • Thank the person who nominated you. 
  • Provide a link to your nominator’s blog. 
  • Answer your nominator’s questions. 
  • Nominate up to 11 bloggers. 
  • Ask your nominees 11 questions. 
  • Notify your nominees by commenting on at least one of their blog posts.

Boom. First rule done. Gorgeous Award Banner displayed in all its glory.

As for rule #5, I’ve been sort of been MIA so many of my blogging friends are on hiatus so I shall see how many nominees I can manage. I promise I shall give it all and do my very best to find fitting award bearers. Now onto the fun part- the questions!

1. You’re stuck on a desert island with the main character of the last movie you watched. Are you two escaping, or inevitably getting eaten by crabs?

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was indeed the last full film I watched. And here is where we have to ask the complicated question of who the main character is. The story is pretty well divided between Aragorn and Frodo. One companion will almost certainly led to the death of us both via crabs and the other a much more suitable survival companion. Though it is probably safe to say that neither character would be too excited to be stuck with the likes of me in a ANY survival scenario. My body is built for fragility, pining, and writing snarky things about the world around me.

2. What was your main reason for starting a blog?

I’m not entirely sure. A mixture of things I think. The want to experiment with web design and produce something cool and pretty. Also wanting to foster a writing community. And, as Breanna Mentioned over on A Christian Kid’s Journal, just a dash of pride. All together and nice little cocktail of motivation.

3. What book absolutely deserves to be made into a movie?

The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas. Given that they wouldn’t be butchered.

These books really do have it all. Dragons. Magic Rocks. Wizards. Witches. More Magic Rocks. (They’re shiny too!!).

Another solid contender is The Dark Hills Divide by Patrick Carmen. A staple of my childhood as it involved talking animals and… *GASP* magic rocks!!!

Please don’t laugh. These books were 99% of my personality in middle school. Needless to say, I wasn’t the *most* popular at the time.

4. What movie will you always rewatch?

I am a rewatch queen. I’m a girl of comfort foods and comfort movies. I go through phases where I just want to rewatch one thing and that’s what I’m thinking of and watching every night for about a week. Popular picks of mine include Lord of the Rings (The Hobbit movies included. You have to start from the beginning, you heathen), Star Wars (Prequels included but Disney Sequels secluded. They don’t exist in my mind. There are no Disney Sequels on this blog), The Chronicles of Narnia, The How to train your Dragon movies, The Kung-fu Panda movies (The fourth excluded here), aaaand I could keep going. But those are the first ones that popped into my head so they must be important to me. nd yes, before you ask, I do the same thing with shows too (What’s better than binge watching Hogan’s Heroes and Rawhide when you’re sick?).

5. Do you wear socks with sandals? If so, what is wrong with you?

No…but maybe yes.

Not OUT of course. Socks and Scandals is a fashion crime punishable by 50 years in fashion Azkaban. But for 30 seconds when I need to go out and grab groceries and I have some snuggly lil socks on…. I’m not going to go to all the trouble to peel them off just for my pride, okay?

6. You can go back in time for fifteen minutes. Where are you going and why?

This is entirely a cliché but I’d go back and see my past self and tell her things were going to be alright. Specifically me from about a year and a half ago. That’s when I first made the big move to move out of my parents house and my situation was…let’s just say less than ideal. People from all parts of my life said it was going to be “alright”, but I think there was a part of me that was like, “Okay. But what if its not. What if I’m that 1/100 chance where everything just goes wrong.”

I often live with the fear that I am the outlier but in a bad way. Things work out for most people. Tragedies don’t seem to happen to most people. But what if I am not most people?

I think if I saw myself in one piece and happy, I would finally believe it.

7. Do you like to write while listening to music/ambience, or in blessed silence?

Ambience is all my little stressed brain can handle. Lyrics beg me to sing along and then all focus is lost. Rain sounds are fantastic but some good old tavern ambience never hurt anyone. I have a whole study playlist of soundtracks too that also work marvelously for me when writing.

ALSO. Video game Soundtracks.

Perfectly tailored to promote focus and mimic ambience all the same time.

8. If you could wish for any one thing and have it come true, what would it be?

Probably to be able to write for my career. Not just any writing though- DRIVEL. I want to be able to write self-indulgent drivel and somehow get paid for it. Tech writing would contribute too much to the world I’m afraid. I want to get paid for my Avatar the Last Airbender and DnD self insert fanfiction. Any takers?

9. Have you gotten into any new fandoms lately? What are they?

I do wish but alas, I haven’t had much time as of late to get invested in any media that requires me to sit for long periods of time. Between work and school, I am reduced to a brain dead zombie that only wants to scroll through Pinterest at the end of the day before crashing and sleeping for a less then the recommended amount of sleep a human should get. I love being an undergraduate.

10. Are you a morning person or a night owl?

I am always tired no matter the time of day.

This is the unfortunate truth of my college life currently but I do think that will change. My prime functioning hours are 9-5pm but I do love having the evening time to myself. That is MY time and no one can take it away from me. Except for maybe my night time job schedule. *goes to weep in the corner with my coffee*

11. Do you prefer animated or live-action films and shows?

Animated. Hands down. I just love the crazy sort of range of emotions you can portray in the animated medium that doesn’t look at all right in live action but then look too bland if you dumb it down (see disney remakes here.).

Then there’s the charm factor. There’s something inherently endearing about animation that transcends age and culture. Whether it’s the whimsical antics of Looney Tunes or the heartfelt journeys of Studio Ghibli, animated characters have a way of worming their way into our hearts and staying there long after the credits roll. Plus, who can resist the allure of a good old-fashioned dance number performed by a troupe of singing penguins?

And last but not least, let’s talk about nostalgia. For many of us, animation is more than just a form of entertainment; it’s a portal to our childhoods, a time when the world was full of wonder and anything seemed possible. Whether it’s revisiting the classics (The Incredibles? Ratatouille??? Cars 2????? Need I go on???) or discovering new favorites, animation has a way of transporting us back to simpler times, if only for a little while. Heck, sometimes I don’t even have to see the animation to feel the nostalgia punch- all it takes is the enormous, vibrating hum of the THX Logo as it blows the speakers out of any poor, unsuspecting television (Then comes the age old scramble to find the remote. Ah. The good ol days, amiright?).

Gosh, are we done already? Time for the nominees! I think I shall nominate a few blogs I follow regardless of whether or not they are aware of my existence. So, I nominate

Little Blossoms for Jesus

Ailish Sinclair

Miraculous Homeschool

UsandLove

Sircharlesthepoet

Andrea the Illustrator

My questions are as follows:

  1. If you could have any superpower for a day, what would it be and why?
  2. What’s the weirdest food combination you secretly love?
  3. If you could live in any fictional world for a week, where would you choose?
  4. What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you in public?
  5. If you were a flavor of ice cream, what would you be and why?
  6. What’s your go-to karaoke song, and why does it speak to your soul?
  7. If you could swap lives with any celebrity for a day, who would it be and what would you do?
  8. What’s your most irrational fear, and how do you cope with it?
  9. If you could time travel to any era, past or future, where would you go and what would you do?
  10. What’s the most unusual talent you possess that few people know about?
  11. If you could invent a new holiday, what would it be called and how would we celebrate it?

Have fun, fellow bloggers and writers!

Awkward Blogger Award

Hello everyone! You’ve read the title so I’m pretty sure you have an idea of what to expect. Is it any surprise that I got nominated for this? Special thanks to Amy over at Procrastiwriter for nominating me! Now, on to the rules!

Rules

  • Thank the blogger who nominated you
  • Include the graphic and rules in your post
  • Answer the 5 awkward questions:
  • 1. What are three words you find boring?
  • 2. Finish this line: “I feel awkward because…”
  • 3. What’s the last thing you thought about before the thought you’re thinking now?
  • 4. Have you ever gone to give someone a high five and you guys missed?
  • 5. Why is being awkward awesome?
  • Leave an open nomination for all the other awkward bloggers out there!

Now it’s time to answer these questions and rather awkwardly I might add…

  1. What are three words you find boring?

Hands down “brown”. I love the color but did they really didn’t have to do it dirty by making it sound like that.

“Aloe”. This word sounds stupid. I don’t know why. This could definitely be a me thing.

“Data”. Such a bland word for small informational tidbits. No personality if you ask me. And no, I’m not telling you the criteria I used to make this list (definitely not because I don’t even know it myself….)

2. Finish this line: “I feel awkward because…”

I don’t know how to do small talk. I suck at it. Period. I can’t think of things to say that are socially acceptably shallow. Someone talks to me about the weather, and my brain automatically thinks something like “You think THIS weather is bad? Well I heard it rain glass on Uranus SIDEWAYS.”

3. What’s the last thing you thought about before the thought you’re thinking now?

I am currently drinking a milkshake. So, clearly, I was think something like “Why is this so hard to suck up?? I shouldn’t have to use a spoon for this. Am I defective?”

4. Have you ever gone to give someone a high five and you guys missed?

This is a way of life for me. In fact, I notice the high-fives that I actually ACHIEVE because they’re so rare. Eh, maybe my depth perception is bad. Idk. Just remember, ya gotta own every high five you miss and every time you trip. Laugh at yourself every now and then.

5. Why is being awkward awesome?

I think on some sort of innate level, we are all awkward. And I think realizing this is, ironically, what helps people become less awkward. The thing is, life isn’t a movie. We do dumb things that have no significance to our life “plot” and often cringe at certain things we’ve done. If you haven’t, I would ask “ARE YOU AN ALIEN OR SOMETHING???”.

Ahem.

What I mean is I think being awkward is awesome because once we realize that we all don’t really know what we’re doing and own it, this opens the doors for people to come to you and say “Hey, I don’t know what’s going on either.” The best thing about being awkward is we are all awkward on some level and do so together.

So! Final words! Go forth and be awkward! Be yourself! And, hopefully, in doing so, make someone else feel a little less alone!

And that’s where I’m gonna wrap it up. Ciao!


Aesthete Blogging Award: My first award!!

Hello, everyone! Hope you are doing well this fine morning (or whatever time you happen to be reading this)! I have joyous news! I have been tagged for my first award! It is known as the Aesthete Blogging Award which is described best by the creator, Asmita.

“This award is to honor every creative person, irrespective of their number of followers and views. Because, as long as you create, that is all that matters. This award is for those bloggers who put an insane amount of thought in each of their posts and for those who spread creativity like wildfire! Just wow!”

Many thanks to Devangi over at Just Penning Down My Thoughts for tagging me! Go check out her blog and send her some love and support as she has some real interesting stuff over there that may interest you readers!

So, without further ado, onto the tag!

The Rules:

  • Use the official logo/graphic of the award and display it on your blog.
  • List the rules.
  • Show some love to the one who nominated you!
  • Mention the creator (Asmita@ the Fictional Journal) and link it back to the original post.
  • Tell me a something about this world that you admire.
  • What is your favourite form of creativity?
  • Nominate 7 lovely people and notify them by commenting on their posts; spread some love!
  • Ask your nominees 4 questions.
  • Share something you created. (can be anything!)
  • And lastly, just so you know: I LOVE YOUR CREATIONS!

What I Admire about this World

As a sort of cynic, I think I sometimes spend too much time looking at the flaws of the world so I think this is a lovely question to ponder. I really do love the kindness and gentleness you can find in the little corners of this planet where you least expect it. Despite this world feeling difficult and torn apart in so many ways, don’t let that make you believe that there isn’t some good to be find. There are still good people. There are still honest people. There are still kind people.

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.

“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides that of evil.”

Oh, did I sneak another Tolkien quote into one of my posts? Hmm, well, anyways-

What my favorite form of Creativity is

100% writing. Although I love to draw, paint, and play guitar every now and then, I think writing reigns supreme in my mental list of favorite creative forms. I love the images we can paint with words and the various themes and ideas we can convey through little symbols strung together in a specific order. It is a very fascinating concept.

Devangi’s Questions

  • What incredibly strong opinion do you have that is completely unimportant in the grand scheme of things?

That sweet tea isn’t that great and that you can be pretty southern and still hate the stuff. I’ve lived in the Southern part of the US my entire life and I have never understood what people like about it?? It’s just sort of gross and has a very tangy taste.

  • What’s on your bucket list this year?

Quite a few things are on the bucket list for this year, but I one of them is to see the Ocean for the first time in my life. I’ve somehow made it to my twenties and have never walked on a beach before. This fact has made me quite sad but this year I have had an opportunity that will result in me finally laying eyes on the Ocean.

  • What’s the last book/activity you gave up on and stopped reading/doing? Why?

I could not finish the Star Wars Solo movie. I am a big Star Wars fan having grown up in a house hold where we watched the originals on a pretty regular basis. I have a fond memory of The Prequels even though they’re pretty corny. I am, however, not that big of a fan of the Disney releases with the exception of Rogue One and the shows that are coming out on Disney+.

I wanted to like Solo, but no one beats Harrison Ford’s portrayal, not to mention after Han and Chewbacca meet, there felt to be very little reason to keep watching. I got less than half way through before realizing I really didn’t care or could predict what would happen next. I hypothesized that the girl would die because she wasn’t in the following movies and we all know that Han ends up with his ship and he and Chewie go on to be smugglers. There aren’t really many stakes because you kind of know what’s already going to happen if you’ve seen all the other releases up to this point in the franchise.

Wow. That was a long, drawn out mini movie review. Kind of had a geek moment there for a second, sorry.

  • What was the best compliment you’ve ever received?

Any compliments concerning my writing or skill that I’ve worked to hone. Those tend to stick with me because it feels to gratifying to be recognized for something you love but also work hard at.

Creations I’d Like to Share

A Digital Art Piece I did a few weeks ago on my ipad.

An Earring Set I made this week!

My Questions

  1. What’s your favorite work of art you’ve ever made?
  2. What’s your spirit animal?
  3. What’s a bad habit you have?
  4. Do you tend to procrastinate? Why or why not?

Now it’s time to tag people! I tag…

  1. The Texas Lass
  2. Suhani
  3. Rain Alchemist
  4. Stara
  5. Megan
  6. Wryter Worldsworst
  7. An Ordinary Pen

Have a wonderful day, lovelies!