THE MARCH MUCHNESS TAG // wherein I mostly ramble

Well, here we are- the last day of March Muchness and I'm just now answering the questions for the Wonderland tag. #oops 

This month has felt like it lasted about two seconds. One second I was ready for it to come in, and now I'm sitting here blinking because I think it came in the wrong door and took a quick exit. And somehow over thirty-one days, I failed to do this post until the very. last. one. XD But it's fine. (*suddenly wonders if I should have waited until tomorrow and opened with "I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date!")

Anyway, that's enough rambling. Read on for my answers to the March Muchness tag!

List six impossible things you’d love to do – wild and crazy answers 100% welcome!

- Find a time machine and go back in time to visit some of my favorite moments

- Find a sugar-free version of every ice cream and coffee flavor

- Write a book perfectly the first time 

- Visit Narnia

- Fly

- Conquer my TBR

I think these are all very sensible desires and I don't understand why they're not attainable. 

 What is a topic that grew curiouser and curiouser the more you studied/researched it?

I'm going to go broad here and say history. I've never been a huge history fan (unless we're talking American Girl books here), but over the past years- probably thanks to books and movies, let's be honest- I've become more and more intrigued by different time periods. And though I haven't done much research into them (outside of reading historical fiction XD), it's something I'd love to go deeper into eventually!

 If you could invite three fictional characters to a tea party, who would they be?

THIS IS SO HARD. But I'll grab a few that I think would be fun...

- Mr. Tumnus. I mean, why WOULDN'T I want him there? He could bring sardines and toast (never had it but if Lucy liked it it must be good), and after tea he could play a tune for us. It would be a grand time. 

- Princess Anna. I don't know why she popped into my head, but I just feel like she would be SO fun to have a tea party. And she could bring sandwiches.

- Steve Rogers. As my date.

Which Wonderland character do you feel you’re the most like?

I mean, I've got to say Alice. Because I, too, wander around aimlessly not knowing what's going on. xD

- If you could drink a magic potion that changed one thing about you, what would it be?

Um... motivation levels?? Like, seriously, give me a potion that turned all my procrastination into motivation and I'll be forever indebted to you. xD

How IS a raven like a writing desk?

The only thing that comes to my mind as an answer to this question is Edgar Allan Poe. Take that however you will. xD

If you were to make an enemy of Father Time, what time in the day would you choose to repeat?

I'm trying to come up with an answer to this question that doesn't involve more time in bed, and I'm failing. xD But seriously, those moments either just after you wake when you still have some time before you have to get up (aka, the hour in which I'm repeately hitting snooze), or the ones just before you fall asleep? When you're so comfortable and cozy? I'd love to repeat those. xD

If you fell down a rabbit hole, what would the land you pop into look like?

Hopefully Narnia, because honestly I'm not sure you could pay me to go to Wonderland. xD It's interesting but I'd be seriously creeped out if I went there. Maybe my rabbit hole will lead to the Freedom Fighters' headquarters from Sonic the Hedgehog. *shrug*

If you could have the body of one type of creature and the head of another (for example, the Mock Turtle has the body of a turtle and the head of a calf), what would that combination be and why?

I'm pretty sure I'd want the body of some kind of bird, maybe an eagle, because I desperately want to fly. As for the head? Uhh... I have no idea. Anything I imagine slapped on the body of an eagle just sounds ridiculously creepy and I don't like it. xD So, I'll cheat here and say another bird. How about the body of an eagle with the head of an owl? Then not only will I be super cool-looking, but I can watch my six and fly at the same time.

Have you read or written anything stylistically close to Alice in Wonderland? Tell us about it.

My mind is going blank and I can't come up with anything. I feel like at some point in my childhood I probably wrote something as random and wacky as Alice in Wonderland, though. xD

If you could either be as tall as a tree or as small as a mouse for an hour, which would you choose and what would you do?

I'd definitely want to be as small as a mouse. As a kid I probably would have chosen to hang out in my dollhouses, but those are in storage now so that's no good. Honestly, I'd probably just find a super cozy blanket and take a nap in it. xD

If you could give your younger or future self one piece of Very Good Advice, what would it be?

I think I would just encourage my younger self to breathe and grab the moments. I feel like this is something most of us don't learn to do until we're older, and then we have all these years behind us that we wish we would have appreciated more. There are definitely some times in the past I could have soaked in a little better. So, I would tell little Emily to look around, stop wishing for later, and just breathe in now.

And that's a wrap on March Muchness! I had so much fun putting this tag together with some blogger friends and answering the questions. Click HERE for the post where I linked to everyone else's blogs, because I really don't feel like doing that again. XD And here are those questions just in case you'd like to do the tag fashionably late: 

- List six impossible things you’d love to do – wild and crazy answers 100% welcome!

 - What is a topic that grew curiouser and curiouser the more you studied/researched it?

 - If you could invite three fictional characters to a tea party, who would they be?

- Which Wonderland character do you feel you’re the most like?

- If you could drink a magic potion that changed one thing about you, what would it be?

- How IS a raven like a writing desk?

- If you were to make an enemy of Father Time, what time in the day would you choose to repeat?

- If you fell down a rabbit hole, what would the land you pop into look like?

- If you could have the body of one type of creature and the head of another (for example, the Mock Turtle has the body of a turtle and the head of a calf), what would that combination be and why?

- Have you read or written anything stylistically close to Alice in Wonderland? Tell us about it.

- If you could either be as tall as a tree or as small as a mouse for an hour, which would you choose and what would you do?

- If you could give your younger or future self one piece of Very Good Advice, what would it be?

Go forth and answer! I hope you guys have had a lovely March/beginning of spring. I'm currently wearing a sweater and wondering why spring is always so confused. xD If you can point me to a geographical location where the seasons actually stay in their lines and give us the weather we're expecting, let me know so I can pack my bags and move there ASAP. 

Introducing- THE MARCH MUCHNESS BLOG TAG!

Happy, happy March, everyone! YOU GUYS. I have such an exciting thing to share with you today!

My amazing friend Christine's ELEVENTH blogiversary is coming up this month (which is, you know, AWESOME), and to celebrate, she created the March Muchness Blog Tag! This is an Alice In Wonderland-inspired blog tag, which a bunch of bloggers (including myself ;D) teamed up on to bring you some fun Wonderland-ish questions to answer. So, feel free to grab these questions and answer them on your blog to join in on all the whimsical fun!

THE QUESTIONS:

 - List six impossible things you’d love to do – wild and crazy answers 100% welcome!

 - What is a topic that grew curiouser and curiouser the more you studied/researched it?

 - If you could invite three fictional characters to a tea party, who would they be?

- Which Wonderland character do you feel you’re the most like?

- If you could drink a magic potion that changed one thing about you, what would it be?

- How IS a raven like a writing desk?

- If you were to make an enemy of Father Time, what time in the day would you choose to repeat?

- If you fell down a rabbit hole, what would the land you pop into look like?

- If you could have the body of one type of creature and the head of another (for example, the Mock Turtle has the body of a turtle and the head of a calf), what would that combination be and why?

- Have you read or written anything stylistically close to Alice in Wonderland? Tell us about it.

- If you could either be as tall as a tree or as small as a mouse for an hour, which would you choose and what would you do?

- If you could give your younger or future self one piece of Very Good Advice, what would it be?

You can tag people if you like, or just leave it open for anyone to join! Everyone is welcome to participate! I'll be answering the questions here on the blog myself sometime in March!

ALSO, if you'd like to join in on even MORE fun, there's also a March Muchness Instagram challenge starting today! You can find the details over at Christine's IG, @christinesmithauthor . I probably won't make it all 31 days (LOL) but I'll definitely be hopping in here and there!

Aaand lastly, here are the links to all the other lovely co-hosts of this here blog tag!

Christine - Sarah - Victoria - Maple Quill - Kenzie - Jessica - Emma - Esther - Merie - Josiah - Kal

Everyone have SO much fun with this- and don't forget to wish Christine a happy blogiversary month! *confetti*

THE NEVER HAVE I EVER TAG // writer's edition

Greetings, friends! Everyone's writerly life looks a little different, right? We all have different habits, have accomplished different things, and possess a number of other writerly quirks. Well, today I'm talking about alll that in this tag that has about 5 layers of dust on it because the wonderful Christine tagged me for it literally a year ago and I'm just now doing it. Ehehe. 

BUT fear not, because the tag shall no longer lie as a dead soul lost to mankind. I present to you: the Never Have I Ever tag- Writer's Edition! 

(in which I expose myself. ooh, juicy.)

-Link to and thank the blogger who tagged you! (Thank you, Christine!! ♥)

-Include the graphic somewhere in your post (or make your own!)

-Answer the questions truthfully and honestly. 

-Tag three bloggers. (*crickets*)

Here is the original post, if you want to check that out! 

NEVER HAVE I EVER…

. . . started a novel that I did not finish.

LOL. L.O.L. Y'all. I only started actually FINISHING my novels a couple years ago. xD I wrote and finished books back when I was younger, but I don't count those, sooo YES. I absolutely HAVE started a novel that I did not finish. (and continue to do so on a regular basis.)

. . . written a story completely by hand.

If we're talking novels, no, I haven't! Or at least not that I can remember. When I was a kid I used to write by hand quite a lot, but I'm not sure I ever really wrote a whole book that way. (And if I did, it certainly wasn't anywhere NEAR a full-length book.) I definitely have written many short stories by hand, though!

. . . changed tenses midway through a story.

Before a couple of years ago, I definitely didn't do this, because I always wrote in past tense. I still write my novels in past tense, but since I do write flash fiction in present tense now, I would totally believe that I may have slipped tenses. Not intentionally, though, because I always know what tense I want to be in when I start based on the type of project I'm writing. 

. . . not researched anything before starting a story.

Research? What is research?

I write fantasy, y'all. I make up worlds and then dive in head first. Research is the last thing on my mind when I start a story. xD

. . . changed my protagonist’s name halfway through a draft.

Ooh, I'm honestly not sure! I know I changed a protagonist's name before, but I don't think I'd started writing the story yet. I think there's only one other novel that has characters whose names I've changed, but that was after years of working on it.

. . . written a story in a month or less.

Surprisingly, no! I've done NaNo several times now and won three times, but I've never finished the book in that month. It's on my writerly bucket list!

. . . fallen asleep while writing.

More accurately, fallen asleep while procrastinating writing. xD I don't think I've ever drifted off literally while I'm typing, but I definitely have fallen asleep in bed with my laptop open. I was probably watching YouTube or doing something else random, but I was intending to write, at least. xD 

. . . corrected someone’s grammar irl / online.

Oh, yeah. DEFINITELY. ALL the time. To the point where it makes my family mad. (Which... I don't really understand? Just trying to help you out here, wouldn't want you going out into the world and embarrassing yourself with bad grammar.) Do I keep doing it? Yes. Fight me. 

I've never done it online, though. xD

. . . yelled in all caps at myself in the middle of a novel.

HAHA. Yes. xD I couldn't count how many times I've inserted a good "WHAT THE HECK IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN HERE" or "I HAVE NO IDEA WHO THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT LOL" (both fabricated for the sake of this question, but their nature is very accurate xD). To be fair, I think I do this more in my mess of a notes document than I do in my novels, but still. 

. . . used “I’m writing” as an excuse.

Honestly, I don't think I have! This is probably a sign that I should take my writing time a little more seriously. xD

. . . killed a character who was based on someone I know in real life.

Ha. No. But there's still time. >:)

. . . used pop culture references in a story.

*dies inside*

So, let me tell you a story. My first novel (to speak of) was a portal fantasy about a bunch of a teenagers, one of which I pictured as Peter Pevensie from the Narnia movies. In the first scene (prepare yourselves, this is the most epic opening of a fantasy story ever) they were all sitting around eating popcorn and watching... you guessed it... The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. 

Genius, I know.

But I said I wasn't counting my old stories, so forget about that. xD I don't really have many opportunities to reference pop culture, since I write mostly fantasy. If I ever did have the opportunity, though, you can bet I'd be taking it.

. . . written between the hours of 1am and 6am.

Yes! I'm not 100% sure if I've ever written after 1AM, because as much as I'd like to stay up through the wee hours of the night during NaNoWriMo, my body simply won't let me do it. #iamgettingold BUT I do know that I've gotten up really early and written at like 5:30. 

. . . drank an entire pot of coffee while writing.

Surprisingly, no. xD I usually make it through one cup and then realize I've just been procrastinating writing to sit there and chug the coffee, so there's no way I could make it through the whole pot and actually get writing done.

. . . written down dreams to use in potential novels.

I don't think I have! Which is really weird, because I have crazy dreams AND I draw inspiration from the strangest places. But oddly enough, the two haven't crossed over yet!

. . . published an unedited story on the internet / Wattpad / blog.

Unedited?? What do you think I am, some kind of monster??

I mean, yeah, the Trentley and Jynnia stories I post on here from time to time are less polished than stories I would submit anywhere to be published. But they're still at least roughly edited. xD

. . . procrastinated homework because I wanted to write.

I mean... yeah. Mainly during NaNoWriMo last year, probably, because the rest of the time I was too drowned in homework to do much of anything. But I did manage to win NaNo, so it's inevitable that I must have procrastinated homework at least once. 

. . . typed so long that my wrists hurt.

I can't think of a specific occurrence, but I'm pretty sure this has happened, yes. Not very often though, thankfully!

. . . spilled a drink on my laptop while writing.

Oh man. Again, I don't remember a time when I did this, but I KNOW I have. (Honestly, probably more taking bookstagram photos than writing. xD)

. . . forgotten to save my work / draft.

I think I've done this before, but not recent enough to remember, because now you can bet I save my writing every 4.5 seconds. I do remember once years ago when I somehow deleted my whole book and didn't know there was a way to undo it, so I just accepted my fate and rewrote the whole thing. xD (Don't worry, though, it wasn't a great loss.)

. . . finished a novel.

I have! Yay! Only up to the second draft, though. Definitely not 100%!

. . . laughed like an evil villain while writing a scene.

Lol. This is almost certainly true.

. . . cried while writing a scene.

I actually think that I have yet to make myself cry with my writing! I may have almost teared up before, but I haven't actually cried yet. 

. . . created maps of my fictional worlds.

I made a map for one of my fantasy worlds years ago, which was okay in itself, but I drew out the characters' journey and they literally went in a straight line over the whole map. xD

. . . researched something shady for a novel.

Oh, yeah. Mostly about injuries, I think? Gotta know how much I can wound a character before they can't possibly be alive anymore, right? 

And there you go- all the details about me and my writerly self that you'll ever need to know. Note to self: Still need to make myself cry with my writing. Or maybe I'm just a heartless creature who will torture my characters all day long but never feel anything from it. *shrugs*

I'm not going to tag anyone because I always find it unnecessarily stressful xD So, if you want to do this tag, consider yourself invited! I'd love to read about all your strange writerly habits. Let us be strange together.

So, how many of these do we have in common? What's the shadiest thing you've researched for your writing? And I wanna know who's made themselves cry with their stories, because I feel like I'm in the minority here. xD

THE MUSIC TAG (in which I have great taste)

Happy Saturday, everyone! You may have noticed I randomly skipped posting last week. Whoopsies. xD Me and planning posts ahead don't get along, but we're working on our relationship. 

BUT here I am this week, and I'm doing a tag for the first time in quite a while! (at least, it's been a while since I did one I was actually tagged for. xD) Nicole tagged me almost a YEAR ago (hehe whoopsies again) for the Music Tag, and I'm super excited to just ramble about music and share my slightly random music taste with y'all!

THE RULES

-Write ten songs that come on shuffle (no skipping). I'm not really sure how they want me to do this so I guess I'll just do my "on repeat" playlist on Spotify?

-Write your favorite lyric from each song. 

-Tag some people. Lol. We all know I'm not gonna do that.

ALL RIGHT. Here we go. Prepare yourself, because I have no idea how this is gonna go. xD

(okay I technically broke the rules already because literally the first song that I came to was the Skyrim theme which had no lyrics so)

1. WORN by Tenth Avenue North

I love this song. I LOVE THIS SONG. It's hard to choose a favorite lyric because they're all fantastic. And it's kind of hard to say I have a "favorite" lyric anyway, because the whole song is kind of sad. don't be deterred it really is a great song But here's one part that means a lot: 

I know I need to lift my eyes up

But I'm too weak

Life just won't let up

And I know that You can give me rest

So I cry out with all that I have left

I first started loving this song last semester, when I was just feeling so tired and, well, worn. I was exhausted mentally and physically, and all I could do was trust God and try to rest in Him. 

2. NEVER ENDING STORY by LIMAHL

*screams at top of lungs* TUUUUURN AROUUUUND

Ahem. This song gets me very excited. xD I can't really pick any favorite lyrics from this song, because they're kind of odd honestly, so I'll just put the first few lines; but just know that this song is very nostalgic and that opening music will get me pumped every time. (go listen to it if you haven't heard it. and watch the movie. YOU NEED TO WATCH THE MOVIE.)

Turn around

Look at what you see

In her face

The mirror of your dreams

3. IMMORTALS by FALL OUT BOY

Another song with odd lyrics. Honestly, I don't think I've ever heard a Fall Out Boy song that's made much sense. xD 

Sometimes the only payoff for having any faith

Is when it's tested again and again every day

I'm still comparing your past to my future

It might be your wound but they're my sutures

(like seriously what are they talking about) (but the first couple lines in that part are kind of neat)

4. DARE by STAN BUSH

ANOTHER SONG I LOVE! It's from the eighties and I just think it's so cool. I have it on my college playlist to motivate me. xD

Sometimes when your hopes have all been shattered

There's nowhere to turn

You don't know how you'll keep going 

Think of all the things that really matter

And the chances you've earned

The fire in your heart in growing

You can fly if you try leaving the past behind

Heaven only knows what you might find

Dare

Dare to believe you can survive

You hold the future in your hand

Dare

Dare to keep all your dreams alive

It's time to take a stand

You can win if you dare

(I know that was a lot of lyrics but like I said I love this song so xD)

5. THE WHOLE OF THE MOON by CELTIC WOMAN

I've been getting back into Celtic Woman lately after not listening to them for a long while, and I forgot how fantastic they are. This is one of my favorite songs to hear them sing, and it takes a couple times of really listening to it but the lyrics are beautiful!

I was grounded

While you filled the skies

I was dumbfounded by truths

You cut through lies

I saw the rain-dirty valley

You saw Brigadoon

I saw the crescent

You saw the whole of the moon

I love picturing the dreamy person these lyrics could be about. Someone who sees so much magic in life, who isn't afraid to live and do the important things. This song isn't new to me, but after rediscovering it recently it's one of my new favorites. 

6. NEVERLAND by ZENDAYA

WE'RE REALLY PULLING OUT ALL THE GOOD ONES HERE. I LOVE this song. I first listened to it when I was putting together my Trentley and Jynnia playlist, and fell in love with it. I'll use the word "dreamy" again, because this song is dreamy, and magical, and nostalgic, and just so lovely. It also gives me major Dust vibes (Kara Swanson's book) and I would like to see Dust made into a movie with this song as the theme song, please and thank you very much. 

We can sail away tonight

On a sea of pure moonlight

We can navigate the stars to bring us back home

In a place so far away

We'll be young, that's how we'll stay

Every wish is our command

When we find ourselves in Never, Neverland

7. SHADOWS by TENTH AVENUE NORTH

I'm not as familiar with this TAN song, but it's from the same album as Worn, and the whole album is seriously great. Go listen to it.

Oh, Lord, light up my dark eyes

Teach me to let go

I’ve been runnin’

Chasing nothing but shadows

8. THE STRUGGLE by TENTH AVENUE NORTH

I told you this album is great. xD 

Hallelujah, death is overcome

And we are breathing

Hallelujah our stone hearts become flesh

A flesh that's beating

Hallelujah chains have been undone

And we are singing

Hallelujah the fire has begun

Can you feel it?

9. RISE by DANNY GOKEY

Another great song! And another one I find hard to find favorite lyrics from. So, here's a pile of lyrics (and they're all even before the chorus so that shows you how good the song is).

There's a brokenness inside of you

There's a wound that still reminds you

Of the fear, shame and rejection

You have seen it, you have seen it

You know it's time to get up

But your heart's paralyzed, you're so stuck

You're past the point of trying again

You're defeated, you're defeated

But something inside you can't deny

You hear the call of your creator

I made you for more, unlocked the door

I wanna restore your glory

(This song is on the playlist for my story in the Warriors Against the Storm anthology, After the War, which you should definitely go listen to *nudges you toward my Spotify which is linked at the bottom of this post*)

9. THE TOUCH by STAN BUSH

Another eighties song, hehe. This one is also super cool!

You never bend, you never break

You seem to know just what it takes

You're a fighter

It's in the blood, it's in the will

It's in the mighty hands of steel

When you're standing your ground

10. DREAMS by VAN HALEN

...and another eighties song. xD

This is another one of those songs that just screams "nostalgia" to me. It was in Power Rangers: The Movie, so it takes me back to my childhood. It's also the song that inspired my Havok story Higher!

So baby, dry your eyes

Save all the tears you've cried

Oh, that's what dreams are made of

'Cause we belong

In a world that must be strong

Oh, that's what dreams are made of

Yeah, we'll get higher and higher

Straight up we'll climb

Higher and higher

Leave it all behind

Oh, we'll get higher and higher

Who knows what we'll find

And that's it! That was super fun and I'm actually really pleased with all the songs I ended up with. I guess I've just been listening to some great music lately. xD Like I said, I'm not going to tag anybody specific... so if you're reading this and want to do it, consider yourself mass tagged. You're welcome.

As promised, here's my Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/emilyd98?si=Aw5FR80oSCae7sencJgrqg

I hope you all are having a lovely weekend! I'm finishing out my spring break (very sad), and also took the weekend off from work (very happy), so I'm hoping to get some serious reading done today! I haven't been reading as much the past week or two, but hopefully today will change that. 

I also have a new YouTube video coming, probably tomorrow! Stay tuned for that. :D Have a fantastic weekend, everyone!

Have you heard any of these songs? What are some of your random favorite songs? Do we have any other 80's music fans in here?

THE #FANTASYMONTH FANDOM TAG!

Happy Fantasy Month, everyone! Oh, you didn't know?... February is Fantasy Month. ;)

Okay, well, in case you didn't know... Jenelle Schmidt started February is Fantasy Month a few years back, and it's basically just a month-long celebration of all things fantasy. (I shamefully always forget about it until it rolls around... but I always try to do something to participate because of COURSE I'll take any chance to celebrate fantasy!)

This year there's a super fun tag called the Fantasy Fandom Tag, which you can do on Instagram, or your blog, or whatever! So, to join in the fun, I decided to answer these questions here. (Prepare yourself for ramblings because they're definitely on the way.) 

(Here's the original post, if you want to check it out for yourself!)

What was the first fandom you fell into?

Okay, this was kind of a tough question. I'm the youngest of four, so with three geeky older siblings I kind of feel like I was just always a part of all these fantasy worlds. Which makes it kind of hard to pinpoint what my first one was. 

BUT after thinking about it, I think I would have to say Power Rangers. My brother has been a big Power Rangers fan for as long as I can remember (as in, he literally was obsessed with it before I even existed), so I (and my sisters) just kind of naturally was, too. I remember waking up in the morning when I was really, really little and my brother would be watching one of two things on TV: Saved by the Bell or Power Rangers. And I ALWAYS hoped it was Power Rangers. 

So, while I loved Star Wars and superheroes and Disney and everything from the time I was practically a baby, I think Power Rangers would have to be the first thing I was really into full-force. (I mean... I've been told some of my first words were the names of two characters from the show. So.)

What is the most recent fandom you've become a part of?

Oooh. Probably Avatar: The Last Airbender? Honestly, I've only watched a few episodes as of right now. But I already love it and am very invested in where it will go from here. (MY CABBAGES)

Star Wars or Star Trek?

Star Wars!! I've actually never seen Star Trek. At all. Like, the TV show or the movies or anything. I'm not really sure why?? 

But Star Wars I've always loved. Luke Skywalker was the first love of my life. One of my earliest memories is of Attack of the Clones coming out. I used to love playing with my brother's action figures (on the rare occasions he actually let me. hah.) and would just spend hours looking at them. (but rarely touching. xD)

Marvel or DC?

*sigh*

Okay. 

This is a tricky question. 

My first superhero experiences were DC. I watched the animated series from the late 90s/early 2000s (Batman, Superman, Justice League Unlimited, etc.) and had my own Batman and Robin and Superman toys. I watched ten seasons of Smallville. Superman is still one of my favorite superheroes.

But Marvel is just... doing so much better than DC. Okay, I haven't actually seen any DC movies (other than the old Christopher Reeve Superman movies and Superman Returns... but that's it). But I think it goes without saying that Marvel's movies set the bar PRETTY. STINKING. HIGH and DC just... seems to have trouble getting there??? I know, I know, I shouldn't judge without having seen the DC movies. But... there's a reason Marvel's movies get huge and DC's flop, right??

So, for the sake of answering the question (she said, as if she hadn't already rambled for five minutes to avoid answering the question): Marvel. I mean, without it I never would have come to know my precious Avengers (and Captain America). But DC is what started it all. 

What is a fandom you love enough to want to live in that world?

Is this even a question? NARNIA, OF COURSE. Although: I would rather live there in the winter than in the spring. I know, I know, it was winter when Lucy first went through the wardrobe because the White Witch had cursed the whole land. And Mr. Tumnus said how wonderful Narnia was in the summer and I would assume Narnias probably preferred summer. But oh my GOODNESS, winter Narnia is just so MAGICAL! There is absolutely no other movie or book, no other fictional world that holds as much wonder and magic and longing as frozen, snow-covered, evergreen Narnia. 

This past week we got a TON of snow, and I just... found myself really aching to find a magic wardrobe and discover an enchanted land. *wistful sigh* I just can't express how much I wish I could live those moments Lucy did when she stepped through the wardrobe. When she met Mr. Tumnus and went to have tea with him... and then when her siblings followed... it's just so... I don't even know what. I could go on and on and never quite say what I'm feeling. (The movie The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is just so amazing and captures that magic SO PERFECTLY and just makes me feel all these things and want more than anything to find Narnia in all it snowy goodness and I just AHHH I can't handle it or think about it too long or I get sad xD)

If you could hang out with a character from one of your fandoms, who would it be and why?

Okay... what kind of question is this. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY CHARACTERS I WANT TO HANG OUT WITH???

Um... do I have to pick just ONE character? Or can I pick one character from EACH of my fandoms? *evil grin ;)* Okay, okay, I'll pick just one. And I think I'm going to go with Aslan. No, he's not exactly the kind of character you might expect as an answer to this question- someone you'd be pals with and have tons of fun together. But we all want an Aslan in our life, don't we??? A big, furry, majestic, talking lion who you can just hug and love and GAHHH. I want one. xD

Unknown fandom (something you love but nobody else seems to have heard of)

Actually, I think this answer is Power Rangers again! I think most people have heard of it, but I feel like most (non-superfan) people who have seen it didn't really watch past the old classic Mighty Morphin. But it's a great show overall, and at its best it's AMAZING. 

This is from my favorite season. SO GOOD.

Yes, it's cheesy and wild and sometimes goofy, but overall it's a great show and I would definitely recommend giving it a try if you get the chance. It's certainly not for everybody, but if you like fun, lighthearted superhero-ish stuff, you might just enjoy it more than you think. (And there are literally more than twenty seasons to choose from, so there's a good chance you'll find SOMETHING you like. xD I mean... there's even a magic-themed season!)

(I feel like anybody who hasn't heart of Power Rangers is reading this like "what the heck is she even talking about")

(Told you I was going to ramble. xD)

Okay, that was SUPER fun and a total trip down memory lane. I actually feel pretty nostalgic after this, thinking about early fandoms and characters I love and everything. If you want to participate in Fantasy Month, this tag is definitely a fun way to start!

I hope everyone's having a lovely weekend- and recovering from this past week of crazy weather! Like I said, we got tons of snow and. I. LOVED it. I've said recently that I'm ready for spring, but big snows like this have been so few and far between these past few years that it was so welcome. I honestly can't remember the last time we got a snow more than a few inches that didn't melt right away, but it's been so cold that it stuck around. And this time was just MAGICAL. It started snowing the evening of Valentine's Day and didn't stop until late Monday night. It was deeper than I remember seeing for years, too- at least eight inches, I think, and my Very Large dog was knee-high in it. It was great. xD (It's starting to melt now, which of course has to happen, but it's always so sad when it goes away and this time will be especially sad. *sigh*)

ANYWAY. Happy Saturday, friends! I'll see you in the comments! ♥

All right, let's talk fandoms!! Do you have a favorite fandom? Do you remember what your first one was? Are there any other Power Rangers fans in here?? Who else has gotten the equivalent of about three winters dumped on them in the past week? (And can anybody else understand my inexpressible feelings about Narnia??)

CHARACTERS IN QUARANTINE TAG!

 Happy Saturday, everyone! 

Well, let's be honest: it's been a while since anybody's really talked about quarantine. At least to the extent we were a few months back. (Remember my post "The Quarantine To-Do List You've Been Waiting For"? That seems like a looong time ago, doesn't it?? O_O)

BUUUT today we're hopping back on the quarantine train! Because I'm behind on tags and need to do this one before it's irrelevant. xD (hopefully it'll be irrelevant soon enough!)

A couple months ago Catherine tagged me for the Characters in Quarantine tag (thanks, Catherine!), and I LOVE the idea of this one! It's exactly how it sounds: you share what your characters would be doing if they were quarantined. Easy enough. xD

So, I'll be doing this one with the characters from Roots to Claim. Buut I'm also putting a little twist on it, because as of right now there are really only three characters that matter a lot in this story (hehe yeah I have problems), so this would be a REALLY short post if I just left it as is. So, in addition to sharing what my characters would be doing if COVID existed in their world... I also decided to write each of them into a scene set in our world! You'll see them dealing with a few of the typical problems brought on by corona. This was a ton of fun and I hope you get a giggle out of it. xD

That being said, on with the tag!

ARCHLAN

Sits around depressed because he can't see his girlfriend. Goes on long rides on his horse daily to keep from losing his mind. Climbs trees and does everything he can to stay in shape so he can get right back in the swing of things when the Jays (the band of thieves he's a part of) are able to go back out. After a while, he embraces the solitude and spends much of his time bonding with the trees.

"Yes, Rian, I sanitized every surface." Archlan leaned his forehead on the wall in front of him, suddenly realizing that he had not sanitized that surface. Oh, well. 

"Archlan, this is serious!" Rian scolded him over the phone. "It's bad enough I can't see you right now. I at least want to know that you're safe."

"Don't worry, the evil germs are being kept at bay," Archlan said wryly, wondering if COVID-19 could be caught through your forehead from germs on a wall. 

"Archlan." Rian's warning tone made him stand up straight and sigh. 

"Okay, okay. I promise I'll be careful. Stop worrying, okay? I'll be fine."

"What a rotten turn of events, huh?" Rian's tone shifted a bit. "I need all these people to go back to work so we can get back to work."

Archlan gripped the phone a little tighter. A dangerous virus was going around and all Rian could think about was the fact that they were not able to break into people's homes and rob them? "We'll be fine. Remember, we had that great run just before everything shut down."

"I know. That's why I'm not having a panic attack yet." She gave a hollow laugh. "Well, anyway. I'll let you get back to your cleaning." 

I already told you I cleaned everything. 

"I'll see you..." She hesitated. "Hopefully soon. I love you."

"I love you, too." He hung up and turned around, surveying his house. Was there anything he had not sanitized?

A rustling sound came from behind him, and he turned to look. A tree limb was twining in through the open window, reaching for the doorknob. It brushed the knob with the tips of its branches. 

"Oh, yeah. The doorknobs." Archlan grabbed his bottle of Lysol and glanced at the tree hesitantly. "Uh... thanks." Still took some getting used to.

The branch slowly retreated back outside as Archlan approached with the disinfectant and a paper towel. "You didn't have COVID, did you?" Archlan muttered to the tree as he wiped the doorknob clean. 

KENNETT

Stays secluded in his castle, rarely leaving his room. Stays deep in magic meditation all day. Probably wouldn't even know that COVID was a thing if not for his psychic-esque abilities, because his life literally has not changed at all since quarantine. #introvertlife

Kennett opened the pantry door and pulled the string to turn the light on. He had been shut up in his room for two days without eating, hoping to latch onto a glimpse of the future. He wanted answers. How long would this virus last? How many people would get sick? 

When would the stores restock vienna sausage?

He groaned when he saw that his supply of go-to quarantine food- or everyday food, if he was being honest- had not magically replenished itself overnight. Was that too much to ask? He could receive prophecies and see the future, yet not conjure up processed sausage in a can for lunch? 

"Guess I'll check again," he muttered, reaching for his phone on the counter. He hated using this thing- especially when unwanted friend requests popped up. How had he created a Facebook account, anyway? And who wanted to be his friend when he only knew two people? 

But it was the only way to get his food delivery, so he kept it. Except sometimes it disappointed him. Like right now when what he wanted was still out of stock. 

Would it be irresponsible to use his abilities to look into the future and find out when it would be available again?

Oh, well. He had some Ramen noodles on the way already- a product of yesterday's unfruitful search for his preferred sustenance. And this was far from the longest he had gone without food- though usually it was because he was deep in magic, and not because his pantries were empty. 

Maybe he should go for a walk for a change to distract himself. One glance out the window immediately changed his mind. He always got strange looks from the neighbors when he went out- everyone thought he was just the weird hermit guy. Which, well, he was. But they didn't have to make it obvious.

His stomach growled. Suppose it's time to do something. He sighed and picked up the phone he so hated, wondering for a moment if he had even added any contacts. He certainly didn't know anyone's number by heart. 

But the person he needed popped up immediately, the first name on the list- well, there were only two names, but still. 

"Archlan, hello. Ah..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm afraid I... didn't prepare ovely well and ran out of food. I hate to ask, but would you, ah, happen to have anything extra to get me by until another delivery comes in? Yeah. Yeah, that's perfect!"

It was not perfect. He had tasted Rian's cooking once, and the frozen dinners she had apparently stocked Archlan's kitchen up with did not appeal to him. But he hid his disdain.

Rubbing a hand over his forehead, he shook his head. Had it really come to this?

"Thanks a lot, Archlan. I appreciate it. I'll return the favor someday... what? Yes, I think I have some disinfectant you can use. Why?"

QUINARD

Has no house and the inns are closed, so he sleeps outside every night. (Doesn't mind, though, because he enjoys being in nature.) Writes depressing songs about pandemics and practices them for when he can start traveling again. They probably go like this:

Shut the door on the world

Light a candle in the dark

The monster crawls in unwanted

Just a touch can light a spark

Distance brings us tears

When can we come close?

How did this get here?

On and on the darkness goes...

Misses people, but it's not primarily the interaction he longs for: it's being the cause of smiles. 

"Hello, everyone. How are you doing today?"

"Fine, thanks." Quinard gave his boss a wide smile through the computer screen. The other members of the Zoom meeting offered similar sentiments. 

"All right, well." Amos straightened a stack of papers in front of him. "Let's get started, shall we?" 

And then the conversation descended into the terribly boring black hole that Quinard had come to despise. Why did they need to talk business over a computer screen? Why not just work individually for a while? Maybe it would strength their work ethics. 

"Quinard? Any thoughts on this?" 

Quinard cleared his throat and realized he had been staring off into the corner of his kitchen. "I'm sorry, sir, what?"

Amos glared at him. "Pay attention, everyone. This is important."

He continued speaking, but Quinard only saw his lips moving with no sound coming out. Quinard frowned and leaned forward. "Uh..." He looked at the other people on the screen. "Can anybody else hear him?"

Amos stopped talking, appearing miffed that Quinard had interrupted him. Quinard pointed at his ears and shook his head. 

Realization dawned on Amos's face, and he squinted at the screen in front of him. Quinard grinned. This could take a while. 

"Well, then." He shrugged, observing the rest of the people in the meeting. Nobody was attempting to carry on the meeting. So Quinard reached around the arm of the couch and picked his lute up off the floor. "How about some entertainment while we wait?" He struck a chord on the instrument and hummed to pick up the key.

Rhett, the office grouch, looked at the ceiling and groaned. Lissy, the office flirt, giggled and leaned forward on her hand to watch. Amos looked infuriated that Quinard had so casually brushed off the interruptment. 

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you," Quinard said, pointing to his ears and shaking his head again. "Maybe try again in a minute." He began strumming out a slow, haunting melody. "Wrote this one a couple days ago." And then he sang about viruses and isolation and empty store shelves. 

Amos's face grew redder with every note. 

Oh, dear. My guys are having a bit of trouble this quarantine, it seems. (Although Quinard seems happy enough...) Hopefully Quinard's boss can get his volume back soon, and Archlan can clean his house to his girlfriend's standards, and Kennett can find some vienna sausage. xD

Anyway. I hope you enjoyed that tag and the spin I put on it! Listen, I think it's awesome and hilarious how this whole virus/quarantine thing hit and what do we writers do? We make a writing exercise out of it. xD (I bet Tolkien didn't know what his characters would do in quarantine.)  

I'm not tagging anybody, but if you want to steal this, feel free. xD

Before I go, just a reminder! My blogiversary's coming up, and I'm doing a Q&A. If you haven't yet, you can drop your questions HERE for me to answer in an upcoming vlog. Can't wait to see them! :D

And that's it! Everyone have a lovely weekend, and don't forget to sanitize your doorknobs! ;)

So, those of us still in quarantine, how are you doing? Who do you relate the most to in quarantine, Quinard, Archlan, or Kennett?? 

#AWESOMEBLOGGERAWARD

Happy Saturday, everyone! I hope this week's been kind to you and, well, if it hasn't been, I'll join you in the corner with ice cream and coffee because #relatable. (I'm pretty sure customers have been purposely trying to make me mad and just be generally awful human beings this week. But it's fine.)

Nicole nominated me for the #AwesomeBloggerAward a while back (thank you, Nicole!) and I'm pretty sure that now it's the oldest in my pile of tags?? Who even knows. But we're doing it. xD

THE RULES:

1. Thank the person who nominated you.
2. Tag your post with #awesomebloggeraward.
3. Answer the questions you were asked.
4. Nominate at least 5 bloggers and inform them of their nominations.
5. Give them 10 new questions to answer.

And here we go!

1. What’s your preferred method of planning (bullet journaling, Google Calendar, etc.)?

Y'all know I looove bullet journaling!! As you can probably tell by this post and this post. It's really the only planning method that's ever worked for me.

2. Favorite type of chocolate?

Dark chocolate all the way, dude!

3. What’s a trope that’s very overused, but you still like? (Your guilty pleasure, if you will.)

Uh... Most of them, I guess? I actually don't have a problem with most story tropes, as long as they're done creatively.

But I DO love childhood-friends-to-lovers. It's just so cute. I guess that would be my "guilty pleasure" (or one of them).

4. If you won $10,000, what's the first thing you would spend it on?

I would probably either pay off my car or get a new car. (As much as I'd like to spend it all on books... #adulting xD)

5. Who's your favorite YouTuber to watch?

WELL THAT'S A BROAD QUESTION NOW ISN'T IT. *goes to look at the list of 30+ channels I follow* Seriously, I follow such a wide variety of channels it's ridiculous. xD Buut I'll go with Nadine Brandes because I ADORE her videos and out of all the YouTubers I watch, her videos probably make me the happiest. (although maybe she doesn't count because she's an author more than she is a YouTuber? oh well)

6. Least favorite emoji?

That's easy. This one.

Yes. Please wipe its existence from the face of the planet. (I hate even having it here.)

7. Who was your first fictional crush?

LUKE SKYWALKER, BABY! #Luke4Life

8. What’s your MBTI personality type, and do you think it fits you?

INFJ! I've always doubted the accuracy of things like personality quizzes, but the one I took pegged me as an INFJ and I think it's pretty spot-on, if all the INFJ Pinterest posts are anything to go by. xD

But seriously, some of those INFJ things I read are spooky, like they came straight from my head.

9. Noodles or rice?

Noodles!!! PASTA IS LIKE ONE OF MY FAVORITE FOODS.

10. What is your opinion of the rating system of Goodreads?

My opinion is that every time I try to rate a book I stress myself out because WHAT IF MY RATING DOESN'T PERFECTLY DESCRIBE HOW I FELT ABOUT THE BOOK and WHAT IF PEOPLE THINK I LIKED IT MORE OR LESS THAN MY RATING INDICATES??

Short answer: I hate it. xD How can one's feelings about a book be truly summed up in so many stars??

NOMINATION TIME! I tag Christine, Faith, Rakayle, Melissa, and Skye. As always, if you're not interested or don't have time, no biggie! And if you've already been nominated... oops. xD

Here are your questions:

1. What's your earliest memory?
2. If you had to choose one of your top 3 favorite books to never read again, which one would it be?
3. Who's your favorite superhero?
4. Would you rather live in the mountains or by the ocean?
5. How many fictional characters can you think of who share your first name?
6. Cake is 10x better with sprinkles: yes or no?
7. What one color would you associate with your personal aesthetic?
8. Have you ever physically thrown a book because #emotions?
9. If you could bring one fictional character to life, who would it be?
10. What was your favorite drink as a child?

And there you go! Enjoy answering this random assortment of questions, if you so choose. *turns you all loose on the questions*

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! See you next Saturday!

ALL RIGHT GUYS what's YOUR opinion of sprinkles? (I think they're amazing and deserve to be piled on every cake and ice cream sundae in the world.) Are there any fictional characters that you share a name with? And how's your week been? PULL UP A CHAIR AND LET'S CHAT.