Monthly Summary: December 2019/Yearly Wanderings

2019 has been a pretty good year. I feel like the first half of it was epic then the latter half still had good moments but the majority got kinda weird. Things happened that made me cry in absolute joy and then others that made me sob in grief and worry. So I’m very split when it comes to my overall opinion of the last year of this decade.

I'm on Hiatus 12/20-1/14!

I’m going to be on my annual hiatus until January 14th to enjoy Christmas and New Years with family and maybe slip in some writing. I will be still active on Instagram though. See you soon!

Merry Christmas!

The 20 Question Book Tag!

I haven’t done a tag in a while so I’m excited to do this one that Emily @ The Ones That Really Matter tagged me in!

Writing Lessons from TV Shows: Gravity Falls

This past month I've finally gotten into Gravity Falls. I've known about this show for years. I've seen fanart and cosplays, but the animation was a big put off for me. I thought this was just another stupid kid's show with cheap animation, retcon character arcs or zero character arcs, and a shallow incoherent plot if there was one at all laced with fart jokes. So when my good friend Cassia suggested I watch this I was honestly thinking, "Really? This show?"

I was very surprised.

To be honest, I still dislike the animation (I'm spoiled on anime.). I'm a big fan of the redraws I've found online, but the characters and writing are very impressive. The plot grows and so do the characters. Stakes escalate and real bonds are created. The show does not use the typical kid's show tropes like stagnant characters, inconsistent animation, and retconned plot points. So I'm happy to announce I'm a fan and here's why. 

SPOILER WARNING: The biggest ones are in points three, four, and five.

If this is your first exposure to Gravity Falls, I'm sorry but this gif was too perfect.

A Book Review of A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

When Sparrowhawk casts a spell that saves his village from destruction at the hands of the invading Kargs, Ogion, the Mage of Re Albi, encourages the boy to apprentice himself in the art of wizardry. So, at the age of 13, the boy receives his true name - Ged - and gives himself over to the gentle tutelage of the Master Ogion. But impatient with the slowness of his studies and infatuated with glory, Ged embarks for the Island of Roke, where the highest arts of wizardry are taught. There, Ged's natural talents enable him to surpass his classmates in little time. But when his vanity prompts him to summon Elfarran, the fair lady of the Deed of Enlad, he unleashes a shapeless mass of darkness - the shadow.

Series: The Earthsea Cycle (Book 1)
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy
Publisher: Parnassus Press (1968)
Page Count: 205

I've seen people recommending Ursula K Le Guin for years. Unfortunately, I didn't know about her until her passing in 2018. I saw all of the blog posts across the community about how much Le Guin meant to so many people. But because of all of these heartfelt words I've wanted to read some of her work. I also saw Studio Ghibli's Tales of Earthsea. The world seemed so fun, I really wanted to dive into it.

Canada 2019 Report

I know this is long delayed but here is my report of my Canada trip from November 6-18! I spent roughly two weeks with one of my closest friends in Alberta. I’ve had a lot going on in the latter half of this year so it was really great to get some time away from it all so I could just relax and be myself.

Monthly Wanderings: November 2019

Hey, guys! I know it's been a while. I had to reassess a lot of my priorities in November and mental health stuff cropped up so I needed more time to get myself together, but now things are a lot more manageable and I feel much more refreshed after my trip to Canada!