Day 1561: Literary Parents

I was supposed to write this blog post for my Creative Writing seminar a week ago, but then life got in the way and it never happened. I did, on the other hand, think pretty deeply about the answer to the question we used as a prompt - Who are your literary parents? - and as I like to say, better late than never! 

Honestly though, I initially had no clue about how to answer the question at hand. While I've been an avid reader and writer my entire life, there isn't anyone in particular that's inspired me to the point where I'd single them out as a "literary parent." Well, I suppose, with the exception of Walt Disney and the writers behind some of our favorite animated films. And if we're citing Walt as a literary parent in regards to fairy tales, we really should be citing the writers of the original stories, and that's where things get deep. 

One could say that I don't know precisely who my literary parents are because it's unlikely anyone knows who they are. If the root of my literary background stems from fairy tales, my literary parents are sort of like those long-lost relatives someone might try and search out on the TV show Who Do You Think You Are? In the fairy tale tradition, many of the stories we know and love are simply transcriptions from oral fairy tales that were passed down through the centuries. Unfortunately, no one apparently found it important to write the names of the storytellers down, or dig up information as to where the tales came from before that, so much of the knowledge has been lost or destroyed. Aka, a tough break for those of us trying to figure out where our literary parents are. 

Of course, some of them are definitive. There are some fairy tales, many fairy tales actually, created by the author that's listed on the front cover, such as Hans Christian Anderson or modern day fairy tale writer Emma Donoghue. Plus, my writing style has certainly been impacted by the show Once Upon A Time, so you could also say that the creators, Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, along with their army of writers, have earned a spot on my list of literary parents as well, but the point still stands. No on in particular jumps out as the literary parent, and here's an additional thought as to why that may be: 

Somewhere out there, there's a quote that talks about how we're influenced by every person we meet, even if it's only a small influence or, perhaps, no apparent influence at all. I'm not entirely sure it would be fair to say that if you'd never interacted or "randomly stood next to each other and didn't even notice each other that one time" that you entire life would change, but fate does seem to work in mysterious ways. Regardless, if you apply this theory to literature, you could say that every author I've ever read is one of my literary parents, because they've all impacted me in some way. Some may have made a major impact, like the authors of fairy tales, and some may play only a minor role, like the authors of the books I read but don't remember reading in middle school, but the important part is that they all, in one way or another, have influenced my writing. 

So who are my literary parents? I'd say everyone, and while that may seem a bit messed up biologically, this isn't a science class, so who cares? 

Have a magical day! 

Day 1467: Grilled Cheese

A shorter post today, but one of my favorite social media events is finally back! 

A couple of years ago, Jennifer Morrison started a social media "event" called 101 Smiles, where she, along with her fans, would post a picture a day of something that made them smile for 101 days. Being the huge Once Upon A Time fan I was (and still am), I of course jumped on the train, and participated in both the inaugural 101 Smiles and the sequel in late 2015. When the smiles didn't return for the fall of 2016, I had to admit that I was disappointed, so when I logged on Twitter today and found that the campaign was beginning again, I couldn't have been more excited! 

The idea is simple. Every day you post a picture on Twitter of something that made you smile that day and tag it with #101Smiles. That's it. It's simple, and after two years of participating, I know for a fact that posting just one thing that made you smile each day greatly increases your overall positivity, and that means it's a great way to start out 2017! 

For today's smile, I happened to go for lunch at Culver's with one of my best friends, and she suggested that we have Grilled Cheese and Onion Rings, which just happens to be Emma Swan's favorite meal on Once Upon A Time. I agreed and we chatted over our food, taking pictures to tag on Twitter for our first smile! Jennifer Morrison herself even favorited Frank's picture on Twitter! As for my picture, I think you'll all recognize the bit of Disney I threw in just to create an extra smile! 

I can't wait to see what kinds of smiles the next 100 days will bring, and you can follow along with my smile journey on both my Instagram and Twitter accounts! Otherwise, I encourage you to join in! 

Have a magical day!

Day 1362: Which Three?

The latest craze to sweep across social media led me to more than a few nights on intense pondering. Describe yourself in three fictional characters? Only three? How are I expected to sum up a lifetime of identification with television, film, and literature characters by picking only three? Plus, platforms like Twitter and Facebook don't really give me the space to go on and on about why these characters are obviously me. 

Luckily I have a blog and readers here to ramble on to, right? 

Emma Swan of Once Upon A Time

This probably doesn't come as a surprise to anyone, although I must say that over the years it's probably more of me becoming Emma Swan than Emma Swan ever embodying who I was. Regardless, today Emma Swan and I share a number of characteristics beyond our wardrobe of leather jackets. We're absolutely both confident, but are haunted by inner demons, and that's something that has really proven true this year. We tend to want to run in tense situations, but often stay because we know it's the right thing to do. Also, Emma tends to claim she's not sentimental when in every reality we know she totally is, and while I probably don't want to admit it, my room probably speaks the same for me. 

Leslie Knope of Parks & Recreation

Of the three characters on this list, Leslie Knope is probably the character that embodies me the most. My friends comment that I'm no where near as obnoxious as Leslie is on a daily basis, and they're right. I'm usually not that obnoxious...on the outside. Truth be told, I regularly have ridiculous ideas and schemes and words that, unlike Leslie, just don't come out. But that doesn't mean I don't think them. And it also doesn't mean that Leslie's upbeat, high-spirited, dedicated personality doesn't mirror my own. 

Rapunzel from Tangled

This character trio certainly wouldn't be complete without a Disney character thrown in there too, and while there are tons to choose from, I just kept coming back to Rapunzel. Tangled spoke to me in a way no Disney film ever has before, and Rapunzel had a lot to do with that. The way she so eagerly follows her dream, is a bit naive while pursing it, and is just a bit over-dramatic about everything is pretty much an embodiment of me. Plus, the fact that her hobbies so directly line up with mine probably isn't a coincidence either - baking, cooking, reading, painting, playing guitar, and the list goes on! 

So there you have it, the three fictional characters that best describe me, as according to me. There were more than a few runners up, including Tiana for her hard work and love of cooking, Kathy Selden from Singin' in the Rain because on stage we're pretty much the same, Hamilton from Hamilton because we both write like we're running out of time, and also a bit of Monica from Friends because as much as we'd both like to deny it, we have OCD tendencies. 

Now, if I could just find Captain Hook or Flynn Rider or, better yet, Ben Wyatt...

Have a magical day!

Day 1276: Dead of Summer

I really love off-season TV shows. Honestly, it almost makes more sense to have a TV show in the off season. Why? Because everyone waiting for their favorite show to return in September or October is sitting bored on their couch, wishing that there was something, anything, on TV worth watching. Of course, the summer also usually means travel for some, and the possibility that viewers won't be at home after all, but it seems that's the risk Dead of Summer is willing to take.

I've never been one for the horror genre. As a kid I would hide behind my Dad's arm and close my eyes tightly even when we passed the Alien section on The Great Movie Ride at Hollywood Studios, and while my friends venture out to Haunted Houses for Halloween, I'm perfectly content staying at home and watching The Nightmare Before Christmas. And yet, there's something about Dead of Summer that keeps a person hooked, whether they love the horror genre or not.

It should be noted that the show isn't your atypical horror anything though. It's more of a mythological thriller, really, and while it's already obviously slow at the start, I'm curious to see where the rest of the season takes these camp counselors. Reviews for the series so far give low ratings, although I personally believe it has more to do with the format than anything else. Created by the executive producers behind Once Upon a Time, Dead of Summer follows a similar format, exploring the individual stories of each character and then compiling those backgrounds into a current event, connecting the individuals together in one overarching theme. The first episode focuses on OUAT Veteran Elizabeth Lail's character, Amy, and introduces us to Camp Stillwater, a Midwestern Summer Camp with more than a few secrets.

The most interesting moment of the episode, however, came in the form of a big reveal from Zelda Williams' character, Drew. I won't give away the surprise, although if you're really interested and don't feel like watching the show, there are plenty of headline news articles today that can fill you in. All I will say is that while we hardly see Zelda in the episode, I'm already looking forward to Episode 4, when her character's backstory will be explored, and I'm sure that it will be revolutionary.

Dead of Summer airs Tuesday nights on Freeform.

If you watched the premiere episode of Dead of Summer, what did you think?

Have a magical day!

Day 1229: Just Be Nice

If there's one thing I've noticed as a part of the Once Upon A Time fandom, it's that people can be just downright rude. Aside from my personal experiences lately, I can't help but see the constant bullying, arguing, and honest to God wars that occur via social media. It's really terrible. Which leads me to my point today, and I'll try to keep it brief. 

Just. Be. Nice. 

We're all very different people, from all over the world, with different backgrounds. We have different favorite characters, different favorite episodes, lines, ships, and story arcs, but that doesn't mean we should be arguing about it. One of the most important lessons I've ever learned was the idea of agreeing to disagree, and I think that's what the OUAT fandom really needs these days. 

I think that's what we all need these days, to agree to disagree, and understand that just because we don't share every single opinion doesn't mean we should be rude. No one is worthless because of their opinion, and while I have my own ships and favorites, I'm not about to say that anyone else is wrong because they prefer someone else. That would be ridiculous. 

So don't do that. Be nice. That's not that hard to accomplish.

Have a magical day!

Day 1161: Welcome Back

It's been a long time in coming, but we finally have an official poster for Once Upon A Time that features none other than our favorite pirate captain! I can't tell you how long I've been waiting for that to happen, and while the flaming apple is a bit weird, I do suppose it fits with the underworld theme that's prominent in the second half of Season 5.

All in all, the story here is that Hook sacrificed himself for Emma and for Storybrooke, but in reality Gold just sort of screwed him over and now Emma, along with half the town apparently, is on a mission to get him back. It's funny because usually when a character dies on a show, they tend to stay dead. That's not always the case on Once, especially with all the flashbacks, but it seems that even after 300 years, Hook will still be making his way back to the world of the living, or at least that's the hope.

The first episode introduced us to the entire new arc for this second half, including a new realm: The Underworld. The red was an interesting choice, although the fact that it's literally just another Storybrooke is sort of weird. It is nice to see characters we haven't seen in a while, and to be introduced to some new ones as well. It seems many of the former inhabitants of Storybrooke have made quite the little home down there.

Oh, and I should probably say something about it being the 100th episode of the show, which is a huge milestone for something like this! While I wasn't entirely impressed with this particular episode (the writing of Regina's birthday to fit the occasion seemed a bit forced to me), I think we should definitely still be celebrating. After all, Once Upon a Time was a show that no one expected to last the first season. In fact, most expected it to be canceled early on. And yet, something worked, and now it's one of the biggest shows on TV with a huge fanbase, myself included. The fact that there's been way more than 100 Sunday nights since I watched that first episode back in 2011 is a little terrifying, but it's still a cause for some cake!

Cardboard Colin and I celebrated simply by watching with our friends, like we're so used to doing, and live tweeting the episode! You can follow our cardboard friend on Twitter if you haven't already!

Let me know what you thought of the Mid-Season Premiere of Once Upon A Time!

Have a magical day!

Day 1160: Sentimentality

I'm not an overly sentimental person, or at least, I try not to be. I definitely collect things, but that's usually based on a specific theme or something, not the simple fact that I want to keep something because there's a memory associated with it. However, like all people, I do have a few times I do get a bit sentimental, like when I return to the exact location where I talked to Colin O'Donoghue on the phone.

I forget sometimes just how lucky I was to have that experience. I've literally talked to one of my favorite actors on the phone because I drove four and a half hours to see his new movie. It's one of the most obnoxious and fangirly things I've done in my life, and I don't regret one bit of it. Unfortunately, due to the loss of friends that I would have, at one point, considered family, it's a bit of a bittersweet memory. I try to block out certain parts of that weekend, which I'm still sure was one of the greatest weekends of my entire life.

You all remember the weekend I'm talking about, when I drove to the Twin Cities for the Twin Cities Film Festival, where Colin O'Donoghue's new film The Dust Storm had its world premiere. When I found out about the showing, I made a joke that turned into a full blown road trip, and between talking to Colin on the phone, meeting the cast and crew of the film, and basically becoming the talk of the festival that night, it's not a weekend I'll soon forget, at least not completely. 

That's why, when I found out I'd be returning to the Twin Cities for the National Sigma Tau Delta English Convention, I knew I had to find a way to return to the theater and the exact spot where all of this took place. Of course, I ended up finding a way to see a film while I was there too! It just happened to be opening weekend for Zootopia, so after a Gala Dinner at the Convention, a friend and I hurried over to the theater for a late showing of the movie, and again, the Shops at West End made my day. 

Have a magical day! 

Day 1138: Flash Way Back

One of the greatest things about the Disney Parks is that they're always changing. This can, at times, be extremely sad and disappointing, especially when it involves something we loved more than anyone thought possible (Maelstrom anyone?), but it can also be pretty great (Soarin' was a pretty great addition, I must say). However, not everything at Disney changes, as sometimes it's our job to change instead. We all see Disney from a different angle, and it's one of the reasons it's absolutely worth it to go back to the Disney Parks when you're an adult, even if you haven't been since you were a kid. Things are different, and honestly, every time I go things are different, but I'm definitely different too. 

For instance, I apparently never got tired of sitting in the car outside of the SciFi Dine-In Theater...but I guess I found a few new friends somewhere along the line. 

Minnie and I still have a wonderful relationship...even if we are the same height now.

I'm still constantly searching for my Leave-A-Legacy at Epcot. (I'm not any better at finding it though).

Mickey and I both have changed over the years we've met up at Garden Grill.

I haven't really stopped taking pictures...although my hair seems to be longer and I've upgraded to video. 

I'm also still driving pretty well at the speedway...although now I can drive with one hand! Also note that these are in two different places...because I've been to Disneyland now, but still do the same thing I always do. 

Obviously a few things have changed over the years...but a lot has stayed the same too. And, just for fun, here's a bonus picture...because I'm obviously still sassy...and apparently have no qualms about sharing terrible pictures of me from my childhood with the internet. 

Have a magical day! 

Day 1129: It Happened Again

Life works in funny ways sometimes...and often it's more ironic than we might expect too. There is a perfectly good explanation as to why I've started today's blog post with a giant picture of Josh Dallas, and it has everything to do with the autograph that's on it. Almost a year ago I received the above picture randomly in the mail, and it took me a while to figure out that it wasn't so random after all. Nope, it was actually a response to the letter I'd sent him about a year previous. In fact, I sent more than one letter...I sent one to all the main actors on Once Upon A Time, and following the picture from Josh, I figured it was all over.

I was wrong.

Today I was sitting at lunch with my roommates and friend Lauren and happened to tell them the story about how I sometimes get amazing mail from people like Josh Dallas. The topic actually came up because I was headed to the mail center to pick up a new wrist brace for my ever injured right wrist, and I checked my mailbox while I was there because I hadn't checked it since early January probably. I knew for sure that there was a certificate for the Dean's List in there, but when I opened the box and found a giant yellow envelope I was a bit thrown off. And then I noticed the name in the upper corner of the envelope: Robert Carlyle.

That's right, after almost two years, I got an autograph back from Robert Carlyle. Funny how that same paper, which I wrote them about for my fairy tales course, is now headed to a national convention, and while that weekend will mean a lot of traveling and logistic problems, getting this autograph in the mail seems like a sign that maybe, somehow, everything is going to work out just fine.

Have a magical day everyone!

Day 1094: 2015

Usually on this blog post I go back and count all the words and the top searches for the year, but that sounds like entirely too much work at this point. After all, I can probably tell you flat out what some of the top things I talked about this year, and since GIFs were such a huge part of the year too, I figured we might as well share those topics through GIFs! It's like killing two birds with one stone!

Star Wars

I think it's safe to say that Star Wars was a HUGE topic this year, what with The Force Awakens premiering on December 18. With that premiere, the entire world exploded with Star Wars, and I couldn't have been happier. After all, I'm an avid Star Wars fan, and this new film gave me the perfect opportunity to get right back into the series at hyperspeed! 

Spaceship Earth

I talk about Spaceship Earth a ridiculous amount, but that's to be expected when it's your favorite Disney attraction. Honestly, I have no idea how many times I've been on it, although I definitely estimate it at over 150 times. Regardless, I'm pretty sure I could just sit and watch this GIF all day long. 

Disneyland

With my trip to Disneyland in August, I definitely talked about the original park more than usual. Plus, on top of my trip, there was also the 60th Anniversary, which certainly accounts for something too. And you know what, while I love Walt Disney World, I really love Disneyland too, and I can't wait to plan a trip back.

Colin O'Donoghue

Considering the fact that I love Colin enough to drive four and a half hours to go to the premiere of his new movie, I doubt it's any surprise that he ends up on this life. In addition to his spectacular acting on Once Upon A Time, you have to also account for the fact that he one upped his 2014 Happy Birthday tweet with a phone call. I may have forgotten my own name, but that's not what matters here. 

Once Upon A Time

And speaking of Once Upon A Time, that probably continues to be one of my most talked about things as well. After all, it accounts for a good half of the Sundays in the year, and the other half I just spend waiting for OUAT to come back. 

College

I don't have an actual GIF for this, but I think this one will do rather nicely. After all, Han here perfectly demonstrates what most of the college experience is like! From final exams, back to studying, classes, long hours, homework, multiple meetings per day, concerts, computer problems, and a lack of sleep, by the time you finish each semester you definitely feel like you can take on a whole galaxy. 

Walt Disney World

Aside from Spaceship Earth and Disneyland, my home of Walt Disney World is always a popular topic around here, especially with two trips in 2015 and one coming up super soon in 2016. 

And you know what, as we approach a new year, everyone is going to ask you one question: 

To which you reply:

But actually, 2016 might just be the best year yet. 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on December 31).

Day 1092: 101 Smiles, The Sequel

I was started to get worried that there wouldn't be a 101 Smiles 2016, but Jennifer Morrison has never let us down before, and she certainly hasn't now either! I was absolutely thrilled to find out that she was running a second year of the challenge, which I did last year as well and really enjoyed. In fact, I wrote a whole blog post about it HERE!

Last year, I really made an effort to allow those smiles to run my life. It made me a more positive person overall, and I was in a really good place. After all, just look at all the things I had to smile about last year:

This year, however, was a little bit harder. For some reason, life overall was rough this fall, and while it was sometimes a bit harder to smile, that doesn't mean I didn't smile, and I'm so thankful for all the wonderful people in my life who got a smile on my face even on the most difficult of days. And you know what, I've got another 101 Smiles to show for it: 

If you want to see all of the pictures close up, you can head over to my Instagram, as they're all posted there! I want to give a quick shoutout to Jennifer Morrison for running this crazy escapade again this year, and I can't wait for a third round in 2016!

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on December 31).