An Open Letter to Anyone Who Has Political Opinions About America

Well, we've made it through 2020, and we've started 2021. 

Needless to say, 2020 was quite the year. We have had COVID and all things related (it would take too long to go through them), we have had tragedies, almost had murder hornets, and, to top it off, this was one of the most incredibly politically charged years that I have ever experienced. The stakes were high in this election, and on both sides, Democrat and Republican, anger, hatred, and malice were spewed all over social media, in conversations, and by those who would, despite their actions, claim that "loving your neighbor as yourself" is the second great commandment given to us by Jesus (Matthew 22:36-40). 

Am I innocent of this over-obsession with politics? No. And it's sad. 

I'm not going to get too far into my own political opinions, but I have seen so much hate, both from the Right and the Left, by people who profess Christianity. Many of us seem to forget that, in the end, whatever president sits in the White House is the president who has been elected inside of God's supreme authority, power, and inside of God's sovereign plan -- even if we disagree with everything that a president or a candidate says, in the end, as long as we are not commanded to disobey God's commandments, all we can do is keep on living and trusting that God does, in fact, have a plan for The United States of America. It might seem messy, confusing, and upsetting to us, but the bottom line is that we aren't God, and we aren't in control. He is. 

So, to my friends on the Right side of the political pendulum swing:  Don't whine. Yes, express your beliefs, speak out for what you believe, but don't be sore losers. That's how elections work: someone wins, someone loses, and the process repeats every four years. Take a breath and go on with life.

To my friends on the Left side of the political pendulum swing:  Don't gloat. Yes, celebrate if you feel like it, be happy by all means, but don't be sore winners. This is how elections work: someone wins, someone loses, and the process repeats every four years. Take a breath and go on with life. 

And to all my Christian friends, wherever you lie on the political spectrum, remember God's response to Job. Job went through the worst terrors and trials and tragedies that we could imagine on our human scale. He experienced death and destruction, but was never outside of God's holy control of the universe. Job laments his experiences, seeming to ask God "why has this happened to me?" and in response, God speaks in Job chapters 38-41, asking Job if he controls and understands the world, has power of any type. His speech carries more power and might than any human being, asking Job why he thinks he has any right to question the Creator and Ordainer of all things. 

But I cannot do it justice. There is a song that came out several years ago called "Where Were You," which is a powerful summary of that speech and that moment in the book of Job. 

In the end, God is still in control, no matter if your political opinions are popular or not, if your party won the election or not. Take a few minutes to listen to this song. I included some excerpts from Job 38-40 below, but I would recommend reading all of chapters 38-42. (ESV Scripture taken from Bible Gateway)

38 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

² “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

³ Dress for action like a man;

    I will question you, and you make it known to me.

 

⁴ “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?

    Tell me, if you have understanding.

⁵ Who determined its measurements—surely you know!

    Or who stretched the line upon it?

⁶ On what were its bases sunk,

    or who laid its cornerstone,

⁷ when the morning stars sang together

    and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

 

⁸ “Or who shut in the sea with doors

    when it burst out from the womb,

⁹ when I made clouds its garment

    and thick darkness its swaddling band,

¹⁰ and prescribed limits for it

    and set bars and doors,

¹¹ and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,

    and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?

 

¹² “Have you commanded the morning since your days began,

    and caused the dawn to know its place,

¹³ that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth,

    and the wicked be shaken out of it?

¹⁴ It is changed like clay under the seal,

    and its features stand out like a garment.

¹⁵ From the wicked their light is withheld,

    and their uplifted arm is broken.

 

¹⁶ “Have you entered into the springs of the sea,

    or walked in the recesses of the deep?

¹⁷ Have the gates of death been revealed to you,

    or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

¹⁸ Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?

    Declare, if you know all this.

 

¹⁹ “Where is the way to the dwelling of light,

    and where is the place of darkness,

²⁰ that you may take it to its territory

    and that you may discern the paths to its home?

²¹ You know, for you were born then,

    and the number of your days is great!

 

²² “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,

    or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,

²³ which I have reserved for the time of trouble,

    for the day of battle and war?

²⁴ What is the way to the place where the light is distributed,

    or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?

 

²⁵ “Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain

    and a way for the thunderbolt,

²⁶ to bring rain on a land where no man is,

    on the desert in which there is no man,

²⁷ to satisfy the waste and desolate land,

    and to make the ground sprout with grass?

 

²⁸ “Has the rain a father,

    or who has begotten the drops of dew?

²⁹ From whose womb did the ice come forth,

    and who has given birth to the frost of heaven?

³⁰ The waters become hard like stone,

    and the face of the deep is frozen.

 

³¹ “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades

    or loose the cords of Orion?

³² Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season,

    or can you guide the Bear with its children?

³³ Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?

    Can you establish their rule on the earth?

 

³⁴ “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,

    that a flood of waters may cover you?

³⁵ Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go

    and say to you, ‘Here we are’?

³⁶ Who has put wisdom in the inward parts

    or given understanding to the mind?

³⁷ Who can number the clouds by wisdom?

    Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,

³⁸ when the dust runs into a mass

    and the clods stick fast together?

³⁹ “Can you hunt the prey for the lion,

    or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

⁴⁰ when they crouch in their dens

    or lie in wait in their thicket?

⁴¹ Who provides for the raven its prey,

    when its young ones cry to God for help,

    and wander about for lack of food?

.....

40 And the Lord said to Job:

² “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty?

    He who argues with God, let him answer it.”

Knitting: a Rediscovered Hobby

 A long, long time ago, my grandmother taught me the very most basic knitting steps. She taught me how to knit a stitch, how to cast on, and how to bind off. With those skills, I knitted several washcloths, a couple of scarfs, and maybe a winter headband or two. 

In the past couple of months, my part-time job has gone away (don't worry, it'll come back...it's a COVID shutdown thing....), so I have had a lot of extra downtime on my hands! With that downtime, I have rekindled a love for knitting!! The very last day I worked, I picked up a few "how-to" guidebooks from the library, stopped at the crafts store for some yarn, and attempted to knit a hat. 

.....

That hat failed. 

However, after a few attempts, I made a slightly crooked, uneven cap, which was a bit small for me but fits my little brother perfectly! 

The very first hat...a little crooked and a bit small on me, but still quite functional!

From then on, I went into a knitting frenzy!!! I became more familiar with the craft store's yarn aisles than I ever thought I would be, and then my husband's coworker donated a great deal of high-quality yarn that she had no use for, which was MUCH appreciated! 

Anyhoo, this post is to share my knitting projects (most of which were Christmas presents) with you and ask if any other fellow knitters out there have favorite patterns or ideas they would like to share! :) 

The second thing I knitted was this red hat, which was done in about 4 hours and was super easy! (Sorry about the bad photo quality...my phone is not the best for pictures!) 

After that, I attempted a pair of hand warmers and a couple more hats...

I really like this classic black beanie...

And THEN it was time to attempt something new...I had learned knitting in the round, mastered the knit and purl and knit/purl combination stitches, but then I attempted learning how to cable knit, on this scarf for my mother and hat for my mother-in-law: 

Those were both fun challenges! It turns out that cable knit, while it can be time consuming, is not quite as difficult as it looks! 

Last but not least, I shall leave you with the last hat I made, and a picture of my yarn basket under our Christmas tree. It was a cozy, peaceful hobby, and I am very glad that I picked up the needles and yarn again. Here's to a New Year filled with more knitting projects!! :) 

I think this was my favorite hat...I really liked the pattern. 

Publishing, Query Letters, and More

The other day, I was asked by a friend if I had any advice about getting novels published, or if I had any advice about using Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing service. The question caught me a little off-guard, so I took a day to think about it before I sent back my answer. 

(Yes, I dabbled a bit in KDP publishing, but as of right now, I have decided that self-publishing is probably not the way that I want to go with my writing career. Lately, I have been researching and querying over the past few months. So far, my queries have been unsuccessful or I have never gotten a response.)

But as I was seriously thinking about the topic, a lot of different thoughts and useful tips that I have either gathered from experience, from writing professors, or from research popped into my mind, so I sat down and wrote a bunch of advice, trying to tell this person what I wish I had known much earlier as a writer. 

Since this blog was mainly started as an outlet for my writing and such, I figured I would post this (rather long) list of advice and explanations, just so that anyone who is thinking about publishing (whether traditionally or self-published) can have it for reference! 
In no particular order, here we go! 

#1. Know the different types of publishing. 

First, there is standard “traditional” publishing through an established publishing company, usually via a literary agent. Then there is Amazon’s KDP publishing, which, at the other end of the spectrum, is totally self-serve and self-published — no review process or editors or anything. Lastly, there are “hybrid” models. I’ve heard mixed reviews on those, though, so I would approach them with caution -- these are the websites that say "we'll publish your book! You can be in control, but we'll do the heavy lifting!" or that make you enter an email "if you're interested," prior to spamming you with eight emails a day. A lot of them claim to be “the best for your book if you don’t want to self-publish but don’t want to bother with agents and such,” and maybe that’s right for some people, but I tend to be wary of companies with few or no reviews by previous users. There's something that just doesn't feel right to me. 

#2. If traditional publishing is the way you want to go eventually, then your best bet is to first find a literary agent who knows how the technical aspect of communicating and making a deal with publishers works. 

A lot of agents work for specific publishers, so they have an “in” to get your work published after review and all that fun stuff. An agent will work with you to get your work published by a reputable company, making you a professional author, not a "self-published" one. As a writer who isn’t established in the field, try looking for a junior agent or an agent who is still building a list of people to represent! To find agents, simply Google publishing companies and their agents, read the bios, and send off emails or letters accordingly. It can be tricky and very intimidating, but hey, the worst that can happen is them saying "no" to you. You might as well try! Just stay away from querying to agents who represent big name authors -- you're not going to, as an unpublished writer, query to Stephen King's agent, if you know what I mean. 

(There was a book published this year called “Guide to Literary Agents 2020," which looks helpful! It looks like it gives you different agents and what they are looking for -- I would check your local library website for it and other similar resources! I'm guessing there'll be a 2021 version published soon.)

#3. Amazon or similar “self serve” publishing services are great if they have all you need! 

If you just want to be able to have copies to share with family and friends, or if you’re willing to be your own advertising campaign manager and constantly plug your works, then Amazon is great! It gives you total control over your formatting, editing, and publishing options, lets you publish ebooks and paperbacks, and isn't bad quality at all! I know that a lot of writers (especially those who got started as bloggers or writing fan fiction) succeed as self-published authors, mainly because they put a huge effort into advertising and promoting their stuff. But if being a recognized author is a goal (i.e. walking into Barnes and Noble to see your book on display), then using KDP is going to be a lot trickier in the endgame, even though it is easier to get started that way. 

#4. Write a query letter/pitch!!!! 

Even if you don’t send out queries to any agents and you decide to self-publish, condensing your book into one or two paragraphs (or less) is a valuable thing to be able to do. You need to have your story condensed so that when somebody asks "well, what's your book about?" you can explain without rambling on and on, losing their focus. I have taken a couple screenwriting courses, and learning about pitching a movie to a producer is really similar to the skills that a writer needs to pitch a book to an agent/publisher. You have to be able to explain WHY your story is a story worth an agent’s/publisher's time, or why that person browsing Amazon should buy your book and not one of the thousands of other self-published books. Without being snobbish, you have to say "my book is the best one you've seen today, and you should pick it up." Learning to do that takes time and practice! 

In addition, if you're querying agents, you can make slight changes to a basic query letter that speaks to the specific things that different agents look for. Maybe one is looking for character-driven stories, and another is looking for stories set in a futuristic world -- so if your story is both, then make sure to cater to those specifics. For the first agent, lean on the fact that it's character-driven, but for the second, lean on the futuristic setting. 

(If you have time, look up “the One-minute pitch” lecture by a screenwriter, Pilar Alessandra. It’s a great tool to compress your story into what’s really happening and what really matters -- hopefully it's available on the open web!) 

#5. Be patient. 

With Amazon:  you’ll have to be patient with the monotonous and dreadful self-editing and formatting nonsense. They have tools to help you, but to get it how you want your story to look, it takes a lot of trial and error and re-doing of things!  

With agents? They may not write you back in less than 3 months, if ever. I sent out four queries in March and have only heard back (a polite refusal) from one of them so far.

#6. Along with being patient, don’t be discouraged. 

Most agents aren’t sitting in their offices, cackling, rubbing their hands together, and saying "Mwahahaha, I’ll refuse this manuscript to spite this person!” No, they’re busy people who are just trying to do their job and put bread on the table for themselves and their families -- just like you. Maybe your story just didn’t vibe with them that day -- it doesn’t mean that your story is bad, just that you might not have the same tastes, or you might need to re-work how you're presenting the story. 

Save your refusal letters, don't trash them! Most authors aren’t accepted on the first try, or even the thirty-first try! Don’t get dragged down into a funk because you got refused by a few agents or even a hundred agents — these things happen to everyone. The key to becoming successful is to never give up trying. 

#7. If you’re sending queries (and I can't stress this enough), DO THE FORMATTING CORRECTLY!

Little things like spelling or punctuation errors, or clunky professional writing, can throw off an agent. As a student writer, I've done a lot of peer reviews, and it's incredibly difficult to see a good story or good ideas through a messy layer of technical issues -- it's a distraction, it seems super unprofessional, and detracts from the actual content of a story. 

Put the information in the letter that the agents ask for -- don't leave things out that they want, and don't go overboard on extras. Keep your tone professional and polite, but also strong. Also, as I mentioned earlier, different agents look for different info and details in your letter; make sure you read up on their submission requests and submit accordingly. 

#8. Last but not least, don’t give up!!! 

This is a TON of information (by no means comprehensive), and it looks overwhelming at first! Also, these are just my personal opinions, what I've found helpful, and maybe something totally opposite of what I've said will work better for you. By all means, work however works for you! 

If I can be of any further help, or if any of this needs more clarification, let me know! 

And always keep writing!!!!! :) 

I found this really helpful!

So...You Haven't Posted In Over A Month....

*coughs* 

I have been pretty absent from the world of blogging lately, and it seems as if I begin every post saying something to that extent. I have a tag on my list of posts to write, I have movies that need to be reviewed, and the world is so much in turmoil that I could potentially write a "serious" post about how I view current events and such living in Michigan, where so many things are going on. 

But instead, I just binge The Clone Wars...

Oh well, there are worse things. I have never watched the series before, so it's nice to see something new, I suppose! I wasn't totally sold watching the first few episodes, but they are growing on me! And I'm already a quarter of the way through the second season! My husband and I are also watching The Adventures of Merlin, which is thoroughly fun. As a blogger, I've heard TONS about the show, but never actually sat down and watched it, and, well, quarantine is full of opportunities! It's quite fun--I could criticize its faults, but I prefer to enjoy the escapades, silliness, and melodrama, rather than dismiss it. Also, it's a great source of memes and hilarity. 

Anyway. 

What else have I been up to that has distracted me from blogging so much?? Well...since the public libraries are closed, I haven't been working, but I did finish a rewrite of my novel and I am starting to send out query letters to literary agents! It's exciting, scary, and a bit nerve-wracking...but I'm trying to be calm and positive about it. I have a tendency to plummet to the depths of despair at rejection, but as I was researching traditional publishing/agents, I have learned that rejection is normal and if an agent sends you packing, it's probably for your own good; it wasn't meant to be. I probably won't make any progress for months, but it doesn't hurt to try! 

As far as writing goes, that's about all that I've been doing. I'm planning to work on my Honors College senior thesis in June, so you'll probably hear about that, but most novels are paused except for jotting down ideas/notes, and for working on agents/queries. 

With that being said, I would love to hear any ideas for further posts this summer! I PROMISE I will get around to finishing up the last post I was tagged for, and I would really like to review The Rise of Skywalker or maybe Merlin once I've finished it. I'm also thinking of doing an "Ask Me Anything" post next month, but I am eagerly seeking out new ideas! I hope you are well...and I shall leave you now to tag yourself as a Pride and Prejudice character in quarantine: 

Confusing Times

Me now that my classes are all online

As much as I hate to contribute to the general panic about *whispers* coronavirus, it's kind of a historic

moment in our lives right now, and I want to have some record of it for all posterity. 

Plus, I'm behind on blog posts. 

I have a couple tags that I am planning to get to SOON, so I apologize to those who have tagged me...but the posts are in the works, I promise! 

So, what have I been up to lately? Well, mostly school and work, which is why my posts are few and far between these days. Now, however, my classes have converted to fully online, so I'm still doing homework, etc., but I have a lot more time to just sit around and work on things I want to do -- such as blogging. I also work at a public library, so they have closed down until further notice, which means I am out of a job. 

My husband and I have also been researching blog platforms and such, and he just found out yesterday that any content one posts on the Blogger platform is not actually the blogger's property anymore; it now belongs to Google should they decide that they want it. In light of that, I have gone ahead and removed any of my own writings (short stories and poems) from this platform, not because I'm paranoid, but just because I don't like the thought that Google could steal them. (Not that they would...but you know.) I'm super sorry about this if you wanted to read any, but...you know. 

In the same vein, I recently started re-writing (and by re-writing, I mean that I opened a NEW WORD DOCUMENT and started RE-WRITING) my previously self-published book.....and I'm planning to start seeking a literary agent to pursue traditional publishing. (Perhaps.) So, because of this, I have taken down the information (or most of it) under my "Writing" tab on this blog, as well as discontinued the sale of my Amazon self-published book. 

But! 

Things are not so bleak as they seem. Even with the threat of enforced quarantine (ironically in America, land of the free and home of the brave, though I'm not going to get political here), we should not panic, we should not go into chaos mode, we should not, in other words, go buy all the food and toilet paper that we can. Sharing and helping each other is important, as is common sense. But I don't want to talk about this anymore, and I'm sure you're just as sick of hearing about it as I am. 

Personally, I'm just hoping that more time at home gives me more time to write! :D And possibly do some blog work. I also had time to peruse an antique store, where I found this amazing action figure still in the packaging! (Totally not a waste of money...) 

As a final note, any thoughts about my new blog design? It's still in process, but I thought it was about time for a change. :) 

Why Can't We Have A Decent Treasure Island Movie?? Thoughts On Casting, Etc.

So, this evening, I just watched Disney's Treasure Planet for the very first time. Yes I know it was released in 2002...don't judge me. While I was watching it, I started wondering: is there a "good" movie version of the actual book? I have seen the Muppet version, but I have always felt that R.L.Stevenson's Treasure Island deserves a movie that is not Muppet-ized or Disney cartoon-ized.

Naturally, I hopped on IMDb to see what was up. It looks like there have been plenty of adaptations of the book: 1990, 1998, and most recently, a TV movie made in 2012, but none of these look exactly wonderful (correct me if I'm wrong, I mean, I haven't actually seen any of them). They either look old or badly produced. The 1990 one could be interesting, looks like the best bet for a decent film, but it is 30 years old (nothing wrong with that but I feel like an updated version is in order).

The 2012 version basically relies on the fact that Elijah Wood plays Ben Gunn, which is horribly miscast (again, don't get me wrong, Elijah Wood is a great actor, but Ben Gunn is NOT his character). 2012 also looks much less family-friendly than any other adaptation, which I don't think was Stevenson's intent: I think he was intending his story to be read by adults and children, though of course I'm no expert. And, of course, there is fighting, it's a pirate movie--there's going to be a little violence, but can we keep it at a Pirates of the Carribean style of violence, please? (Plus, it's a TV movie...not a feature film.)

So hear me out: a new, feature-length production of Treasure Island that is accurate to the book, well done, and has good acting. Is that too much to ask? Probably, since I'm not a Hollywood producer....

Of course I have to share my ideas on casting, etc...because what would be a movie idea without casting ideas????? What would be the point????

Let's start off with the protagonist, Jim Hawkins. He's about 15, a good kid, works hard, needs a father figure in his life, and of course he has to be a precious cinnamon roll who must be protected. He seems like a really sweet kid who gains courage and agency throughout the story. I know a lot of you are thinking "Tom Holland, Tom Holland!!!"

To that, I say:

Mr. Tom Holland is not correct for Jim Hawkins, I'm sorry. My idea is actually someone around his age, but not quite as famous. You remember Bard's son from The Hobbit? 

Remember???? This guy??? 

That's who I think of as Jim Hawkins: John Bell. He's grown a bit since The Hobbit, but still has a very young face, and I think he could pull of a 15-year-old pretty well. He's a blond in real life, which is a no from me, Jim is a brunette OBVIOUSLY, but ya know...that sort of thing is easily changed in the movie industry. 

On to the next characters, Dr. Livesey and Squire Trelawney. You'll have to forgive me because I haven't read the book in a While, but I'm remembering him being a kind, logical, serious, and competent fellow...of course, I'm going to cast someone who I think could fill that role very well. He isn't too young or too old, and I think he's played enough heroic main characters (or villains...). It's time for Tom Hiddleston to step into a logical, gentle mentor role as the kind doctor. 

As for Squire Trelawney, I feel like he's kind of the rich sponsor of their adventure, the one who is all excited about setting out but really doesn't know how to go about the mission...he gives them money and decides to tag along, basically. So, I'm thinking that Dan Stevens could perform a somewhat clueless, cheerful sponsor. 

I know this is from Sense and Sensibility, but still...

All right, on to Captain Smollet! He is a competent, shrewd sailor who is hired (by Trelawney and Livesey) to captain the hired crew and the ship. He recognizes most of the crew as the pirates that they are and is uncomfortable from day one, but still faithfully does his duty. I'm thinking Martin Freeman for this role. 

This leads us to the exceedingly tricky task of trying to pin down an actor for Long John Silver. He is a pirate in every way. HOWEVER, he also becomes a sort of father figure to Jim, at least for a while. He's a Bad Guy, but he's not totally evil. He is also brilliant in a pirate-y way, and people listen to him. I think that Matthew McConaughey would do a great job capturing both Long John's villainous side and his soft side. In addition, he also has the kind of molasses-drawling voice that I imagine Long John would use to cajole people into joining his side. 

From the 2012 film Mud, which I have not seen

Billy Bones is one of the trickiest to cast, I think. He's an old, washed-up pirate who ends up spending his last days alive in Jim's mother's inn, hiding from the black spot. He's gruff, refuses to pay bills for his excessive drinking, and eventually dies in the inn, leaving behind the treasure map that spurs the whole adventure. I'm almost tempted to cast Liam Neeson, but I am really unsure about this one. Also, using Sean Bean as the "haunted guy who dies" is just cliche and I could never live with that...

AH-HA! Andy Serkis as Billy Bones!

Before the only female character in the film (Mrs. Hawkins), I think that the role of Ben Gunn, a marooned sailor/ex-pirate who is able to start a new life, belongs to Mark Ruffalo. I'm not totally sure why, but the role seems to fit him.

And lastly, Mrs. Hawkins, Jim's mother. This is actually not a huge part, but it is central to Jim's character, and so she is important. I would like to see Emily Watson as Jim's mother. She has a motherly face, but can pull of the matter-of-fact, shrewd personality required by a woman running an inn with only her son's help. 

Also here's a quick collage putting all of the pictures together...I literally threw this post together so I apologize for how haphazard it is! 

So there we have it, folks! These are just my ideas for a new Treasure Island  movie...any thoughts? 

Apparently, My Costume This Year Was Very Successful!

So, I have never posted a Halloween post before, but this year is a bit special! For one, MovieCritic over at Movies Meet Their Match is hosting a Blog Costume party, for which you can see the graphic up on my sidebar and another one to introduce this post! So, thanks to you, MC!!! :D

In past years, I haven't done much with Halloween, mainly because my family preferred to have a cookout in our backyard and then watch "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" by ourselves with our own candy rather than traipse around the neighborhood in the cold with small children...but this year, I was PREPARED. I had a costume pretty much all set - it's one I've done before but I've been perfecting over the past year or so. I also had a college professor who offered us extra credit for dressing up on Halloween. So, without further ado, here is my costume! (I apologize for the picture quality and size, but I didn't have anyone to be my photographer that day!)

Compared with Rey in The Force Awakens....

It's not quite perfect (I still can't figure out how to get arm wraps to work right!), but I think the hairstyle really helps! I even ended up winning our class costume contest out of maybe 10 people, so...that was cool.

First, I had a tunic made from a thrift store shirt and sewn-on bits of fabric I had lying around, some gray sports capris, a pair of gray boots and a belt, and a poncho that I borrowed from a cousin for the day! I also had a makeshift lightsaber made from a broken flashlight. With that, and my hair all done up, some makeup on, I daresay it turned out all right!

Anyway, that's that!!! Thanks for the blog party, MC! :) 

The Sunshine Blogger Tag!

I'm assuming that the title of this post speaks for itself!! I have been tagged for this post by the lovely MiddleEarthMusician, and so let's get straight to the tag! 

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog so others can find them. 

Thanks so much, Mem! :D 

2. List the rules and display an award logo on your blog post.

3. Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you. 

1. What is the most recent book that you finished?

I just last week finished a tiny novel by one of my creative writing professors...it was very interesting and moody...more of a "word study" than a "plottish" story, I would say. It left me with just several words revolving constantly in my head: mud, brother, fish, river, us...it was an intriguing read. I don't think I would like it if I didn't know the author, but being able to understand his "voice" (and I can totally imagine him reading it) really made the book interesting. It is called Good, Brother by Peter Markus. 

2. If you could pick any planet in our solar system to visit (besides Earth of course XP), what would it be?

Oooh...I want to go to Pluto. Now, now, why, you ask??? Simply because the poor planet has been denied the status of a planet!!!! How rude!!! I would like to support poor little Pluto.

3. What is your favorite mythical creature?

Dragons...yeah...

3. Would you rather own the Batmobile or the Invisible Jet?

I think that I would probably lose the Invisible Jet if I owned it, so the Batmobile is a better choice...

4. Pick a favorite literary quote.

I have many "favorite" literary quotes, but this is a very excellent one from The Hobbit. 

5. Favorite type of tree?

I have always had a strange affinity for Oak trees...no idea why. 

6. What is a book that you have heard tons about but haven’t read yet?

The Hunger Games books...I know, I know, they're practically AnCIeNt now...but I just have never had the desire to read them...*shrugs* 

7. Yoda or Gandalf.

Gandalf by a landslide!!! Not only is he way wiser and probably more helpful in a time of need, he also speaks regular English!!  XD

8. What is a favorite instrumental song of yours?

I really, really love this song by Phil Keaggy. Now, I know it's a "Christmas song," but how can you not love it?? It has such a great feel to it, and makes my heart happy and my foot tap. So...here ya go. 

9. What is an incredibly weird superpower that you would love to have (i.e. the ability to stop people from talking, the power to create instant cupcakes, the ability to talk to frogs)?

The power to always wake up feeling well-rested and not snooze my alarm clock seven times before I get up...'twould be an amazing thing to be able to get up (willingly) whenever was necessary and not have to set alarms for 30 minutes before I *actually* need to be up. 

10. Would you like to be able to balance grapes on your nose for an extended amount of time? (I’m curious, guys.)

Um, YES, absolutely!!! But even better would be the ability to stack grapes up into a tower...without them falling over. 

4. Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award.

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....I'm not sure if I've got 11 for you, but I'll at least find a few. If you've already been tagged, done this before, or just don't feel like it...then no pressure!!! :) 

1. MovieCritic at Movies Meet Their Match
2. Rachel at A Girl's Place
3. Ruth at Amongst Spring Blossoms
4. R.M. at The Book Hound
5. Natalie at Ramblings of a Redhead Girl
6. Miss Woodhouse at Notes From a Hartfield Girl
7. And last but not least, Josiah at The Eclectic Presby

(Haha, seven is good enough! :P) 

5. Ask the nominees 11 new questions. 

1. Would you rather be able to run really fast (like, think Dash from The Incredibles) or swim like a fish (unable to breathe, but super fast and nimble)? 
2. What is the most ridiculous bit of trivia that is floating in your brain right now? 
3. What is the worst possible name to give your child? 
4. What is your favorite smell? 
5. If money wasn't an option, what kind of jewels would you adorn yourself with on a special occasion? 
6. What song(s) especially compel you to sing along even if you don't know all the words? 
7. What is your favorite classic Disney cartoon? (Or favorite cartoon in general)
8. What would be a perfect weekend, in your opinion? 
9. If you had a pseudonym (or if you had to change your present one), what would you call yourself?
10. What is your favorite spot for reading, writing, or internet-ing in your house/apartment?
11. And lastly: what is your opinion on cilantro? 

Well, thanks again very much Mem!!!! This was great fun. :D