Monthly HapPENings: January

I know I've said this every month, but can someone please explain how we're already one-twelfth of the way into 2018? Please? How does this happen every time? *shakes my head* Well, you know what time it is, then.

Yes, I finally have an official picture for these posts. It took forever for me to get around to doing, but it's here now. And yes, I blurred out the background picture myself. I didn't want to steal someone's painting, though if they wanted to protect it, it shouldn't be on Pinterest!

So what all happened this month? Well, I finished my stint as a cashier at a calendar store and started working at a new job, which I got within a week or so. I'm still adjusting to it, and I'm keeping my eyes open for a better job, but I think it'll be good to have a well-rounded resume.

Other than that, the month has been fairly uneventful. I'm not sure whether to consider that a good thing or a bad thing . . . I'm leaning more toward the "good thing" option, since it meant relaxing with my family and whatnot.

Bookish HapPENings

source

YAS. I finally finished reading a book! *does a happy dance* Not only is this my favorite Anne Elisabeth Stengl novel to date, but I think I can also honestly that it's one of the best books I've ever read. No joke. It had everything from to a strong plot to unique character to charming wit to great action sequences. And the theme! It just resonated with me so much. It's very hard--nigh impossible--to get me to cry while reading. I suppose I'm more of a visual person in that regard, as it's much easier for me to cry while watching a movie or even playing a video game. But this book brought me close to tears on a few occasions. All in all, the story was a satisfactory conclusion to Lionheart and Rose Red's character arcs, and I cannot sing its praises enough. If you haven't read Tales of Goldstone Wood yet, I'm telling you to start right now. Seriously, leave my blog this instant and go read her books. I never imagined that I would enjoy them, and yet here I am! They're definitely worth the time you invest in them.

HapPENings on the Screen

source

I love the Pirates franchise, and Dead Men Tell No Tales was no exception. It had all the staples of the previous films, including, but not limited to, boatloads of humor, extravagant battles, creepy and monstrous villains, a drunken Jack, and a phenomenal score. But this one added something not present in any of the other movies: genuine emotion. I can't disclose why, but it was spot-on. Maybe that's why this installment and At World's End are my favorites, because they have some serious emotional depth to them. In my mind, anyway.

source

I enjoy spy movies and books. There's just something about them that appeals to me, even if they often have a lot of tropes I can poke fun at. But I didn't really care all that much for The Bourne Identity. I think the reason for that was I watched it expecting to be like Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (one of the only spy/secret agent movies I've seen), and it wasn't quite as mind-blowing or action-packed. And it also felt like an old movie, which didn't help matters. However, I do want to continue watching the series, because I've seen the trailer for the most recent installment--Jason Bourne--and it looks amazing. So hopefully the other movies get better.

Things are definitely heating up in this season. I'm still in the dark about the villainess's plan, so it should be interesting to see what she has in store. Although I will say I find her kind of annoying. Not even her accent can save her. (Peter Pan is still my favorite villain.) And speaking of favorite character, Hook has just taken Rumpelstiltskin's place as my favorite hero. He's just such a cool guy, with a lot more to him than meets the eye. I anticipate seeing the rest of his character arc.

OH. MAH. WORD. I am so close to being done (five episodes left), and I have such strong suspicions about who the villain really is. If I'm right, and I've got a feeling I am, it would change everything. Plus, it'd be ultra-mind-blowing. I may need to pick up the pieces of my heart once this season's over.

Gaming HapPENings

source

Remember how, last Monthly HapPENings post, I bemoaned the fact that I got totally owned by a Talus monster? Well, since then, I've defeated that one and at least one another (shown in the above picture). I've also killed a couple of Hinox, which was surprisingly easy, and even a Guardian! A stationary one, mind you, but even so! Remember, folks: when playing a Zelda game, if you fight a foe with a single eye, that's the weak point. It's good to know some things don't change.

I've done so much in this game, I can't cover everything in this post. I've trekked across Central Hyrule whilst (mostly) dodging Guardians; thankfully, it's a lot easier when I'm riding my brave steed, Cookieeeee! (Don't ask.) I've been recovering Link's memories, which is a lot of fun. Zelda needs to seriously stop doubting herself and Link so much. I've ended up on Eventide Island by mistake, which was actually a lot of fun. You definitely have to think differently if you wish to survive that trial. I've been dying many, many times, but that's all part of the fun in the game.

I think I can officially deduce that this game is the last one in the timeline. Besides the fact that it's post-apocalyptic, it has referenced several other Zelda games in awesome ways. There are iconic locations like the Temple of Time and Lon Lon Ranch. Islands like Mercay, Zauz, and Linebeck reference Phantom Hourglass. Heck, Zelda even says in the first lost memory, "Whether skyward bound, adrift in time, or steeped in the glowing embers of twilight . . ." That's a pretty straightforward reference! (I also love Zelda's mention of the voice in the sword, clearly hinting at the fact that Fi still resides there. Fi is actually my favorite fairy character in the series thus far! But that's a topic for another post.)

source

One of my friends from New Zealand and I have been playing this game a lot recently. While it's fun to play by myself, I think the real joy is in interacting with others and working them to build your house, hunt monsters, etc.

We've had a lot of fun thus far, but one of the funniest moments happened just the other day. My friend had built a wall in the middle of lake/really deep pond(?), and we drained the other side to make a dam. Somewhere along the way, I realized my sword was gone, and I figured I may have dropped it in the ocean not far from the dam. I died making my way there and got sent all the way back to the spawn point, so my friend decided to carry on in my stead.

At one point, he says something along the lines of, "Now I'm stuck in the dam thing because monsters are attacking me."

I paused, then replied, "You do realize what you just said, don't you?"

He tells me that no swearing is intentional, then goes on to say something else about the "dam place." I found the whole thing quite amusing.

source

I hadn't played Undertale in quite some time--about half a year ago or so. So I decided to boot it up and continue just the other day. Suffice it to say that mistakes were made . . . and I left my play session feeling bad. I'd go into detail now, but I don't want to clog up this post too much. I've actually been itching to talk about and review this game for a while, so I think I'll save it for a post all on its own.

Writerly HapPENings

So this month didn't include much actual writing. I've reread most of A Totally Epic Pirate Story so that I can finish, just for closure's sake. I also started working on The Darkest Dawn with a friend of mine, and that's been a lot of fun so far! We're both hoping we'll be able to publish it, because we both want to be authors. If we could publish the story, it'd be a great way for us to each get a foot in the door.

Hopefully I'll do more writing this month!

So that was the beginning of 2018. What was it like for you? Have read any good books? Watched any good movies/TV shows? Played any good video games? Written any good stories? Done anything good at all? (I'm sure you have. I'm just messing with ya. *winks*)