Hailey Hudson's Blog, page 15

Movies I Watched in 2022: Part One

This year, I thought it would be fun to keep track of all the movies I watch and share my thoughts on each one. So far, I’m up to ten movies in the first four months of the year, which felt like a good number to share in my first movie post. Here are the first ten movies I’ve watched in 2022–let me know if you’ve seen any of these and your thoughts! (This post does contain spoilers.)

Ready Player OneSci-fi adventure, 2018

“I’m a dreamer. I build worlds.”

I finally watched Ready Player One and, according to my brain dump of thoughts afterward, I “FREAKING LOVED IT!!” In this sci-fi adventure film set in 2045 and based on the book by Ernest Cline, Wade Watts (played by Tye Sheridan) searches for a digital Easter egg in the OASIS, a virtual reality universe where most people spend their time.

I loved the whole concept of this movie. I’ve been writing more and more about tech-related topics such as cybersecurity, VR, AR, and AI, so I enjoyed it from that standpoint–and I also loved Wade’s character arc. I didn’t guess any of the clues or plot twists, so everything was a surprise and that was fun!

The movie also made me think a lot about the “real” world and the online world. What is real? There’s value in both worlds–but there has to be balance, and we can’t escape completely into the virtual world. We need to continue to dig in and stay and keep trying to fix the world’s problems. You can choose to be whoever you want in this virtual world, but you’re neglecting the real you.

The Map of Tiny Perfect ThingsRomance/fantasy, 2021

“It’s time. And it’s not gonna be perfect… I was wrong. Everyone else is awake and we’re the ones dreaming… I know it’s gonna hurt really bad. But I think I have to wake up now.”

This wasn’t a masterpiece, but it was light and cute and fun aaaand also made me cry kind of a lot at the end. Kathryn Newton (my fave) and Kyle Allen play two teenagers who are stuck in a time loop. The movie is filmed as if Kyle’s character Mark is the main character. But at the end, he realizes the whole time it was Margaret’s (Kathryn Newton) story after all.

I found the whole concept very allegorical (everyone else is sleepwalking through the world, you’re the only one who knows). The movie reinforced to me that there are so many good and beautiful things all around us in the course of an ordinary day, if we cut through the filler to look for them. It also made me think again how we all feel it–that something is wrong with the world. Something is broken that’s not fixable. And in our own little ways, we want to try to fix it… but whatever we fix just gets broken again. We are not the fixers. There’s only One can do that. (The movie didn’t go this deep, but I did. lol)

Legally BlondeComedy/romance, 2001

“What, like it’s hard?”

Can we believe I got this far in my life without having seen Legally Blonde? I absolutely LOVED it and I’m SO glad I finally watched it! I also have to say, I nailed Elle Woods’ personality type right away (enneagram 3w2–same as me–and a Slytherin). This girl is like me. Her character development was so good and I loved the themes about the importance of human connection and integrity. So good and so fun. What a classic!

DunkirkWar/action, 2017 (rewatch)

The first time I watched Dunkirk, a Christopher Nolan film depicting the evacuation of the Allied forces from France in 1940, I remembered absolutely loving it. But this time, I didn’t feel the same way. To be honest, it kind of bored me–I couldn’t hear the dialogue (and there isn’t much anyway), I was unsure what was happening, and I had no emotional response. It was disappointing to rewatch a movie I thought I loved and discover I actually don’t.

UnchartedAdventure/action, 2022

“If something is lost, it can be found.”

I saw this in theaters and I have to say, I didn’t love it. It was fun, but predictable and formulaic and unrealistic. I wasn’t invested in any of the characters, except for Sully’s cat–it was giving Kaz and Milo (#iykyk). 3/5 stars… but I’d see the sequel if it had more of Rudy Pankow.

Mean GirlsComedy/teen, 2004

Again, I’m not sure how I made it this far in life without watching Mean Girls (it’s one of those movies that is so ingrained in pop culture, you just feel like you’ve seen it, you know?). It was funny and it’s definitely iconic, but honestly, all of the meanness and cruelty was over the top for me. It’s not my favorite 2000s rom-com, and I like the musical better.

Red NoticeAction/comedy, 2021

In this Netflix original, an FBI agent played by Dwayne Johnson teams up with an art thief played by Ryan Reynolds to catch another criminal, played by Gal Gadot. It was a fun movie–I enjoyed it! It reminded me of a snowy Azkaban, with a Black Widow-esque rescue. And Ryan Reynolds always cracks me up.

American AssassinAction/thriller, 2017

I’d been wanting to watch American Assassin for years, and it was SO GOOD: oh my gosh, I LOVED it!!! Based on the books by Vince Flynn, this action-packed spy thriller features Dylan O’Brien playing a CIA black ops recruit who works with Cold War veteran played by Michael Keaton to find and fight terrorists. The end was epic–we love a good helicopter rescue. And I SHRIEKED at how it ended–I NEED a part two!

Ender’s GameSci-fi/action, 2013

“The way we win matters.”

Ender’s Game is based on the book by Orson Scott Card and follows a gifted child who is sent to an advanced military academy in space to prepare for an alien invasion. While I enjoyed the movie, I felt like the character development was lacking; the movie wasn’t very engaging (you were basically just watching people play video games the whole time); and the ending didn’t provide a lot of closure. However, I did appreciate the themes about leadership, and the soundtrack was pretty epic.

The Sun Is Also A StarRomance/drama, 2019 (rewatch)

“Home is a place you fight for.”

Maybe I just need to quit rewatching movies, because this 24-hour NYC romance was a disappointment this time around. Some parts of the soundtrack were so beautiful they made me catch my breath, and Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton are the two most freaking gorgeous humans on the planet. (Unfair.) But, I don’t know… the trouble with a story that takes place in 24 hours is pacing, and I feel like this romance was maybe a tad rushed and unrealistic–that Daniel was kinda pushy and the theme was laid on kind of thick with all the coincidences. Or maybe I’m just a skeptical realist like Natasha and I need to open my heart? Who knows–but overall, I was disappointed with this rewatch.

And those are the movies I’ve watched so far this year! Have you seen any of them? If so, what did you think of them? Let me know in the comments, and tell me what I should watch next!

April 2022 Monthly Wrap-Up

There’s nothing like April in Georgia. Everything is so GREEN! This month was filled with work, music, and sweet time with my church family whom I love–plus a lot of medical difficulties and feeling miserable, but what else is new.

This month I’m…

Reading: The Diamond Eye, Kate Quinn. The Dressmakers of Auschwitz, Lucy Adlington. Trusting God in A Twisted World, Elisabeth Elliott. Always Jane, Jenn Bennett. I Must Betray You, Ruta Sepetys. One For All, Lillie Lainoff. Find Your People, Jennie Allen. The Bronze Bow, Elizabeth George Speare (reread). Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, Oliver Burkeman. Castles in Their Bones, Laura Sebastian. The Right Fight, Chris Lynch. Ginger Pye (reread) and Pinky Pye, Eleanor Estes. Wishing Upon the Same Stars, Jacquetta Nammar Feldman. 14 total.

Listening to: My April 2022 playlist (everything from The Lion King musical to Jonah Kagen to Billy Joel). Lizzy McAlpine’s new album. The Stuff You Should Know podcast.

Watching: YouTube: Thoraya, Natalie Barbu, The Frey Life, Kiara Madisen, Jordan Bauth, Natasha Bure, Monica Church. Movies: Ender’s Game and The Sun Is Also A Star (rewatch). TV shows: Fate: The Winx Saga.

Writing: Work-wise, my income was higher this month than it has ever been (without me even trying), so that was pretty cool. I wrote about 5,000 words (ugh) in my novel The Art of Staying, and wrote three songs and one prose piece for Escapril. I also did volunteer work for the Diamonds Conference and People Hope as well as writing letters to pen pals. (Oh, and click here to watch my vlog from the Blue Ridge Writer’s Conference!)

Buying: Flights and concert tickets. New stickers for my laptop. An outdoor tent for my cat (which she does Not like). Storage for my music books and tubie pads (thank you Joanna Gaines).

Grateful for: My favorite little one at church catching sight of me and running through a big crowd to find and hug me. A friend texting after a rough day, saying she was praying for me to sleep well. Easy work projects for rough health days. Clair de Lune alone at night. Windows down weather. My broken AC getting fixed. Being able to be out in the world.

What did you do in April? What kind of music are you listening to these days? Have you read any of the books I read this month? What’s your favorite thing about spring?

March 2022 Monthly Wrap-Up

March was crazy. Several exciting things happened, such as starting voice and songwriting lessons at a new music studio (my previous voice teacher recently stopped teaching); speaking at my church one Sunday about church and chronic illness; going to a Maisie Peters concert; participating in 40 Days For Life; and hiring a new virtual assistant to help me keep up with new clients. However, all of this excitement was way too much for my body, and my health was very bad this month.

This month I’m…

Reading: Aggressively Happy, Joy Marie Clarkson. My Fine Fellow, Jennieke Cohen. God Behind Bars, John Perry. Timothy and Titus, Michael C. Griffiths. Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke, Ann Blankman. Wolf by Wolf and Blood for Blood, Ryan Graudin. Signs of Survival, Renee Hartman, Joshua M. Greene. My Friend Anna, Rachel DeLoache Williams. Greenglass House, Kate Milford. Book Girl, Sarah Clarkson. Sink or Swim, Steve Watkins. Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves, Meg Long. Admissions: A Memoir of Surviving Boarding School, Kendra James. The Star Outside My Window, Onjali Q. Rauf. The Invisible Husband of Frick Island, Colleen Oakley. (16 total)

Listening to: Artists: Abigail Barlow; Maisie Peters; Jonah Kagen. Albums: Jason Miraz. Playlists: WIP–The Art of Staying; morning coffee; night light; SALT. Podcasts: Heart and Hustle.

Watching: YouTube: Jordan Bauth; bestdressed; Joyish; The Frey Life. Movies: Mean Girls; Crimes of Grindelwald (re-watch); Red Notice; American Assassin.

Writing: I continued drafting The Art of Staying and wrote about 12,000 words this month. I did volunteer work for the Diamonds Conference, People Hope, and Chronic Joy. I was interviewed on the Porch Swing Conversations Podcast, I wrote letters to pen pals, I wrote songs. And work-wise, I got several new clients and hired a new virtual assistant.

Buying: A dictionary (which cracked me up that I didn’t have one–I usually just Google words, I guess, and I was struggling during screen-free times). A necklace holder. These awesome Baker Bible Guides, which I had to scour the Internet for because they’re out of print. Clothes at thrift stores.

Grateful for: The jewelry I left in Mississippi made it safely home. Littles at church who have decided I’m their new best friend. Balcony weather. An amazing experience with accommodations at a venue. Freelancing friends. The flexibility to rest when needed. The energy to run into Walmart. Compliments from clients. Fun spring dresses.

And that’s it! What about you? What did you do in March? Did you watch any good movies or do anything fun? Let me know in the comments!

March 2021 Monthly Wrap-Up

March was crazy. Several exciting things happened, such as starting voice and songwriting lessons at a new music studio (my previous voice teacher recently stopped teaching); speaking at my church one Sunday about church and chronic illness; going to a Maisie Peters concert; participating in 40 Days For Life; and hiring a new virtual assistant to help me keep up with new clients. However, all of this excitement was way too much for my body, and my health was very bad this month.

This month I’m…

Reading: Aggressively Happy, Joy Marie Clarkson. My Fine Fellow, Jennieke Cohen. God Behind Bars, John Perry. Timothy and Titus, Michael C. Griffiths. Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke, Ann Blankman. Wolf by Wolf and Blood for Blood, Ryan Graudin. Signs of Survival, Renee Hartman, Joshua M. Greene. My Friend Anna, Rachel DeLoache Williams. Greenglass House, Kate Milford. Book Girl, Sarah Clarkson. Sink or Swim, Steve Watkins. Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves, Meg Long. Admissions: A Memoir of Surviving Boarding School, Kendra James. The Star Outside My Window, Onjali Q. Rauf. The Invisible Husband of Frick Island, Colleen Oakley. (16 total)

Listening to: Artists: Abigail Barlow; Maisie Peters; Jonah Kagen. Albums: Jason Miraz. Playlists: WIP–The Art of Staying; morning coffee; night light; SALT. Podcasts: Heart and Hustle.

Watching: YouTube: Jordan Bauth; bestdressed; Joyish; The Frey Life. Movies: Mean Girls; Crimes of Grindelwald (re-watch); Red Notice; American Assassin.

Writing: I continued drafting The Art of Staying and wrote about 12,000 words this month. I did volunteer work for the Diamonds Conference, People Hope, and Chronic Joy. I was interviewed on the Porch Swing Conversations Podcast, I wrote letters to pen pals, I wrote songs. And work-wise, I got several new clients and hired a new virtual assistant.

Buying: A dictionary (which cracked me up that I didn’t have one–I usually just Google words, I guess, and I was struggling during screen-free times). A necklace holder. These awesome Baker Bible Guides, which I had to scour the Internet for because they’re out of print. Clothes at thrift stores.

Grateful for: The jewelry I left in Mississippi made it safely home. Littles at church who have decided I’m their new best friend. Balcony weather. An amazing experience with accommodations at a venue. Freelancing friends. The flexibility to rest when needed. The energy to run into Walmart. Compliments from clients. Fun spring dresses.

And that’s it! What about you? What did you do in March? Did you watch any good movies or do anything fun? Let me know in the comments!

30-Day Outfit Challenge: Discovering My Style and Boosting Productivity

Confession: More days than not, I don’t get dressed.

I know about all the studies that have proven how getting dressed can boost your mindset and productivity. I know how a cute outfit makes you feel more confident. I know how colors can influence your mood for the better. But between growing up homeschooled and then transitioning straight into the WFH (work from home) life–not to mention dealing with years and years of chronic illness, which means I have very low energy every day and often feel pretty terrible–I’m just not motivated to get dressed in the morning.

Of course, I put on real clothes when I’m leaving the house–but not until fifteen minutes before I have to leave. And usually, as soon as I walk in the door, those hard pants are coming right back off. Seriously, I refuse to put on jeans just to sit on my couch. And I often have days where I’m at home all day and don’t see anyone in person. So what’s the point in getting dressed?

But over the last several months, I’ve noticed that something has changed: Little by little, I’ve become more and more interested in clothes.

The Feeding Tube Fashion Phenomenon

This is a phenomenon I’ve noticed with several girls who are tube fed, and I have several theories on why. I think the main reason is because it’s something we can do; a part of life we can participate in, even if my bloody stoma or leaking formula or long line of tubing affect my choice of outfit. Can’t go grocery shopping? Let’s buy clothes instead. No meals to plan? We can still plan our outfits, so we’re sure as heck going to do so!

One chronically ill friend (whose style I admire) even got theological about this, telling me how she thinks that, as women, we have a unique ability to create beauty out of brokenness–how maybe, when we clothe our malfunctioning bodies in bright colors and beautiful fabrics, this is an act of redemption and a way that we proclaim our broken bodies to be still good. Another friend (who is not chronically ill) pointed out the practical truth that for the first time in a long time, my weight is stable, and I can wear what I want to wear–which helps develop my style as I can now buy clothes with the knowledge that I’ll be able to wear them long term.

Whatever the reason, I have continued to enjoy fashion (although that might be a strong word) more and more. However, I’ve felt increasingly guilty about the ridiculous amount of clothes and jewelry I have accumulated that I never wear. And that leads us to this challenge: Get dressed in “real clothes” at least six days a week, stay in those clothes for the majority of the day, and take a photo each day to document the outfits on my blog for inspiration, motivation, and accountability.

How the Challenge Will Work

The goal of this challenge is to create a habit of getting dressed each morning that will carry on long term. For the purpose of this challenge, I’m defining “real clothes” as anything besides actual pajamas. I think another reason I don’t get dressed is because I sleep in leggings and T-shirts, which are in that gray area where they can count as either leggings or real clothes. For Christmas I got some wintertime Harry Potter pajamas, and I asked for more pajamas for my birthday so I could have a clearer transition between day and night.

Basically, if I put on something fresh in the morning and wash my face with something other than just water, it counts. The criteria is if I can open the door or go get the mail without being embarrassed. We’re shooting small here, folks. I’m also reserving the right to wait to change into black jeans or a black dress right before leaving the house because, cat hair. It’s a problem.

With all of that said, let’s get into my outfits from the last 30 days–and don’t forget to stay tuned to the end of the blog post for the results of the challenge!

Day 1 (Sunday)

I hate to take my one “off day” so early in the week, but yesterday was a travel day and there was no way real clothes were happening today.

Day 2 (Monday)

I had a stern talk with myself about not abandoning the challenge on the first real day. Then I chose a legging-and-T-shirt ensemble for this cloudy day at home.

Day 3 (Tuesday)

As often as I gravitate toward delicate gold jewelry, I also love an excuse (like this new white Old Navy shirt) to break out the colorful earrings.

Day 4 (Wednesday)

The worse I feel, the less I want to do this challenge. Anyway. I was hot this morning, so I threw on these workout clothes (the top is cute, but made me super itchy everywhere it touched me). Before going out later, I changed into the other outfit shown below.

Day 5 (Thursday)

Nope, still not convinced to wear jeans to sit on my couch all day.

Day 6 (Friday)

I don’t know why it never occurred to me until today to pair my black lace bralette with this hand-me-down top. I added black jeans and silver jewelry, and also dug these light blue Keds out of the back of my closet. Normally I wear the same pair of white tennis shoes all winter and the same pair of slip-on sandals all summer, but I want to start branching out with shoes.

Day 7 (Saturday)

Unfortunately, today’s outfit was for a funeral. I dressed up my black maxi dress with gold flats, a jean jacket, a ring I bought in Alaska, and these interesting new earrings (from Belk). I also added a touch of color with this necklace–passed down from my aunt who sadly died when I was younger, it’s been a staple in my wardrobe for many years.

Day 8 (Sunday)

I LOVE this sweater dress (from the Bates Sisters Boutique a few years ago)! I usually wear it with black leggings and gold flats, but since it was pouring rain today, I traded the flats for wedge booties.

Day 9 (Monday)

I should’ve just put up a bunch of pictures with no captions and let y’all guess which days I left the house and which days I stayed home. It’s probably pretty obvious. *smile*

Day 10 (Tuesday)

All blue all the time today. (I also cleaned my mirror. Can you tell?)

Day 11 (Wednesday)

All the spring fever vibes today, right down to the Birks! This gray/pale pink color combo has been my fave this week. And I have to say, I’m actually loving the feeling of getting ready every morning, even on days when I feel pretty bad. (Like normal people do. You know.)

Day 12 (Thursday)

I love this Old Navy dress I found at Goodwill last week. I also have all of my favorite/nicest jewelry again (I accidentally had left it in Mississippi a few weeks ago)!

Day 13 (Friday)

I felt awful, had a bad attitude, and was going to take my one day of the week to stay in pajamas. But in an attempt to turn my day around, I got dressed in some semblance of an outfit. Considering the blue flannel I added when I got chilly outside, there were no points for style today, but overall getting dressed definitely helped.

Day 14 (Saturday)

I stayed in the T-shirt and shorts I slept in all day and had a great attitude about it.

Day 15 (Sunday)

This is an outfit that I’ve absolutely loved this winter–it makes me feel so stylish! On top I have a black tank top from Target and a cozy cardigan handed down from a friend. On bottom, I’m wearing jeans and wedge booties, plus pearl earrings and gold rings.

Day 16 (Monday)

For years, 75% of my shirts were blue and striped. So I banned myself from buying any more blue shirts… but I think I overcompensated, because now it feels like all my shirts are pink (and still striped). I’m not mad about it though.

Day 17 (Tuesday)

I REALLY did not want to get dressed today, but I dug out the comfiest outfit I could find and sucked it up.

Day 18 (Wednesday)

I got this Gilmore Girls sweatshirt for Christmas and I think I wore it every single time I left the house in January. Also, today I tried layering necklaces for the first time–layered necklaces are trendy right now, but this was my first time, and I loved the look!

Day 19 (Thursday)

Okay, I am OBSESSED with this outfit!! It’s SO cute, but so casual and comfortable! New favorite outfit unlocked, for sure.

Day 20 (Friday)

We love a T-shirt dress moment for a day at home!

Day 21 (Saturday)

No real clothes happened today.

Day 22 (Sunday)

I liked this cozy new Loft sweater from Goodwill (and as you can tell, I’m now obsessed with layered necklaces), but I think it would’ve looked much better if it had been tucked in somehow.

Day 23 (Monday)

Today’s outfit was for a concert downtown and involved a lot of deliberation! The final product: black jeans, brown boots, a black lace bralette, red tank top, jean jacket, and as usual, gold jewelry including layered necklaces. I absolutely loved how this outfit came out–such a fun “going out” outfit. (I would’ve added a red lip but, you know, masks.)

Day 24 (Tuesday)

This was about as much as I could manage today.

Day 25 (Wednesday)

Initially, I really didn’t want to get dressed today–but I really enjoyed wearing this breezy wrap skirt that a friend gifted me a while back.

Day 26 (Thursday)

Today was St. Patrick’s Day. I spiced up my green shirt, skinny jeans, and white tennis shoes with these fun earrings.

Day 27 (Friday)

Adding some color to a rainy day at home.

Day 28 (Saturday)

No change of clothes happened today.

Day 29 (Sunday)

Blue shirt and blue jeans plus gold flats and simple gold jewelry.

Day 30 (Monday)

Thirty days is a LONG time, but we finally made it! And I shamelessly repeated this outfit today because it’s seriously my fave.

Results

I still don’t really want to get dressed in the morning, especially on the days when I’m going to be at home all day. But I’m always glad once I do. Is it just a coincidence that I’ve been more productive and happy? Maybe so… but getting dressed is definitely helping my mindset on days when I feel worse than usual.

I had so much fun creating outfits and putting together jewelry, shoes, colors, patterns, etc–a great way to exercise my creativity and develop my style. It was also helpful to track what I wore–I now have a full month of photos to look back through and see what outfits I liked the most, which ones I thought looked cute initially but then didn’t do it for me, and what clothing items I wore multiple times (or didn’t touch for the entire month–I feel like I barely scraped the surface of my closet).

Also, can we just appreciate the amount of weather Georgia threw at me in a month?? There were days during this challenge when it was 80 degrees, and then two days later it’d be snowing. Crazy times.

Anyway, the bottom line (lol this post is SO long) is that I really enjoyed this challenge and I’ve officially gotten myself into the habit of getting up and getting dressed every morning. And now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to plan my outfit for tomorrow!

Do you get dressed every day? What’s your style like? What was your favorite outfit from this challenge? Talk to me in the comments – and if you want any links to anything I wore this month, I’m happy to try to find them for you! PS – if you’re wondering what the writing peeking out from the top of my bathroom mirror says, it says Love is not something that can be wasted.

February 2022 Monthly Wrap-Up

February was overall a good month! The main thing that happened: I flew to Mississippi by myself and spent two weeks (including my birthday) visiting my grandpa, which was so special. I also got to spend time with my aunt, uncle, and friends, including Brooke who drove three hours one way so we could spend a day together. Back home, it’s felt really good to settle into a lovely routine, although my heart is heavy with everything happening in the world and everything happening to people I love.

This month I’m…

Reading: Rise, Lindsey Vonn. Enjoy: Finding the Freedom to Delight Daily in God’s Good Gifts, Trillia J. Newbell. Skystepper, Katherine Rundell. The Girl of Ink and Stars, Kiran Millwood Hargrave. The Thief Lord, Cornelia Funke. Onion John, Joseph Krumgold. River Secrets, Shannon Hale. The Journey Home, Johanna Reiss. The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place, E.L. Konigsburg. Fever 1793, Laurie Halse Anderson (reread). Heartlight, T.A. Barron. Some Kind of Courage, Dan Gemeinhart. Prisoner of Night and Fog, Anne Blankman. 13 total.

Listening to: Artists: Abigail Barlow. Albums: The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical. Playlists: Folk & acoustic; WIP: The Art of Staying; Morning Coffee; night light. Songs: It Would Be You (Acoustic), Ben Rector and Ingrid Michaelson; Thinking ‘Bout Love (Acoustic), Wild River; Last Time, Adam Melchor. Podcasts: Freelanceology; Story Embers.

Watching: YouTube: Deepica; Jordan Bauth. TV shows: Inventing Anna. Movies: Legally Blonde; Dunkirk (rewatch); Uncharted.

Writing: Outside of work (where I made a lot of money this month but felt like I comparatively worked very little), I wrote 18,000 words of The Art of Staying (first draft) and came up with a shiny new middle grade story idea that is truly a story of my heart. I also volunteered with the Diamonds Conference and People Hope, as well as writing 21 letters and Valentines. And I shared this video for Feeding Tube Awareness Week.

Buying: The Bridgerton musical songbook. Way too many clothes (plus some earrings and shoes) from Old Navy, Goodwill, Belk, and Ross–I unfortunately never was able to find this green jumpsuit again, but I DID find this green dress that’s pure magic and totally makes up for it.

Grateful for: Dreaming about tiny houses with a friend. Drawing tie dye horses with little girls at church when we’re supposed to be paying attention to Bible study. Rediscovering blackout poetry. Getting some beautiful family jewelry from my mom/grandma. Encouraging feedback on my new story idea. A friend who brought me flowers because she couldn’t bring me food. Making precious, priceless memories with family. An unexpected phone call from a neighbor. Sunshine. Joshua saving me when I locked my keys in my car. Happy reunions. Cognitive energy. My new debit card finally coming.

And that’s it! What did you do in February? Where do you like to shop for clothes?

How I’m Transitioning From A Pantser to A Plotter (Or: Save the Cat Saved My Life)

In the fiction writing world, there are two schools of thought: plotters and pantsers. Plotters outline their stories ahead of time. Pantsers, as the name suggests, fly by the seat of their pants. I’ve always been a pantser. But recently, I had an epiphany: Maybe my pantsing tendencies are the reason why I have exponentially more unfinished novels on my hard drive than finished ones. And maybe plotting is just what I need to help develop a sustainable novel-writing career.

When it came to plotting, I wasn’t quite sure where to start. Normally I think of a setting, plop some characters in it, and jump into writing with only a general idea of where I’m going. But as I thought about how I’m a chronic under-plotter, I felt more and more certain that plotting was the answer to help me actually finish novels that people actually want to read (as much as I wish you could write a bestselling novel with just ~vibes~, story needs structure, too–and that’s a weak spot of mine). However, I was worried about how to teach myself how to plot a novel. And that’s where Save the Cat! Writes A Novel by Jessica Brody–highly recommended by Nadine Brandes and Sara Ella in their webinars–swooped in to save the day.

Save the Cat! Writes A Novel is based on the Save the Cat screenwriting technique pioneered by Blake Snyder in his book of the same name. The book walks you through a structure cheat sheet: the Save the Cat! Beat Sheet, which is divided into three acts, which are further subdivided into fifteen total beats. The formula is laid out very clearly, and that was EXTREMELY helpful to me–you mean all I have to do is fill in the main points of the story?! Sign me up! I’ve written a lot of novels, but I genuinely never knew that plotting a book–or even writing a book–could be this easy. Using the Save the Cat! Beat Sheet, I plotted out an entire novel in a two-hour car ride to Tennessee last fall.

It was also encouraging for me to be reminded that you don’t have to be a 100% plotter or 100% pantser. In fact, most writers are a combination of both. Every writer needs a different level of detail before an idea is ready to be written. And what’s needed might vary from story to story, too.

For me, I always thought plotting killed the magic. If you go to all the trouble to write an outline (I know some authors who write 10,000-word outlines, which is incomprehensible to me), then to me, it feels like you don’t need to write the actual book because the story is already down in black and white. But as I’ve worked through brainstorming and plotting The Art of Staying, I’ve actually found that the opposite is true: I felt confident and excited going into the drafting process at the beginning of January. It felt like the hard part was done because the entire story is already in my head. Now, all I need to do is get it on paper. And I left a little wiggle room for the magic to happen, too.

So far, my outline is working great. Despite having a crazy month in January where my mind was very far from my story most of the time, I was still able to continue writing and moving the story along. It wasn’t hard to get back into the story when I did have a chance to sit down and work on it, because I had so many resources prepared.

Before I started writing this particular novel, I decided that I wanted to have the following materials ready:

Save the Cat! beat sheet. I typed out each beat in the Save the Cat! process, including what percentage of the novel/approximate word count that beat should be, and then briefly described what will happen in that beat. For example: “Opening image, 0-1%. Viv is in the Atlanta airport on her way to Miami for rehearsal.” I am not a very linear writer and I’ve been jumping around somewhat. But it’s easier to jump around when I have an idea of what’s happening before and after a certain scene.Character cheat sheet. This lists all of my characters and the basic information I need to know about each one–such as their motivation, flaw, desire, personality, physical appearance, job on the ship, age, home country, etc.Map of the ship. I’m a visual person and I always hand-draw maps for my novels. That way, I don’t have to scroll back through my novel looking for the answer every time I want to offhandedly mention a certain place on a certain floor of the ship.Timeline. This document is a very simple timeline mapping out the pace of the story. It also includes a general idea of the ship’s itinerary, and of Viv’s daily and weekly schedule.Research notes. In this document, I compiled all of my random notes from my research (done via YouTube, Google, and books) about what it’s like to be a performer on a cruise ship. For example, there is a seafarer’s house in San Juan where cruise line employees can send their mail.Dances. Since this book revolves around dancers who perform in two shows onboard the ship, I wanted to have the basics of each show (a production dance show and a musical) written out before jumping in. Again, this prevents me from wasting time later going, “Hmm, how many numbers did I say are in this show?”Theme. Here, I brain dumped my thoughts/quotes I liked about the theme of the novel–staying and belonging.Atmosphere. While this isn’t a page in my binder, I have always been a firm believer in the importance of the atmosphere when you’re writing a novel. So I made sure to create a Pinterest aesthetic board, a WIP playlist, and purchase a specific candle scent to burn while I write (sea salt vanilla). These associations all help you get into the story.

Once I had all of these elements complete, I felt equipped to start drafting, knowing that I wouldn’t have to stop to Google something every other paragraph. I spent the month of December fleshing out these documents as well as simply brainstorming and thinking about the story, letting details and ideas bounce around in my head. By the New Year, I had everything ready to print out and put in a binder so I could have them handy when needed during drafting.

This is an entirely different novel writing experience than I’ve ever had before (you might say it’s a… novel experience. Sorry). But so far, I think I’m a fan.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? What do you think are some pros and cons of both? Have you ever heard of Save the Cat? (I highly recommend it!)

January 2022 Monthly Wrap-Up

January started out with morning podcasts and Wednesday Bible study and novel writing, all framed by fresh orange roses, new fairy lights, and Jen Lauren vlogs serving as productivity inspiration. Then my month went off the rails due to medical issues, as it so often does–this time, three tube replacements, an ER visit, and a hospital admission in less than two weeks, plus some other complications at the end of the month. I was very sick and needed a lot of time to recover. Somehow I still pulled off hosting a brunch and speaking at the Diamonds Conference.

This month I’m…

Reading: Clockwork Princess, Cassandra Clare (reread). Article 5, Breaking Point, and Three, Kristen Simmons (rereads). Adorning the Dark, Andrew Peterson. An Emotion of Great Delight, Tahereh Mafi. A Castle in the Clouds, Kerstin Gier. The Swallows’ Flight, Hilary McKay. Bones of a Saint, Grant Farley. My Broken Language, Quiara Alegria Hudes. A Little Princess, Frances Hodgson Burnett (reread). The Year We Were Famous, Carole Estby Dagg (reread). When the World Was Ours, Liz Kessler. The Orphan Band of Springdale, Anne Nesbet. When You Get the Chance, Emma Lord. Bored and Brilliant, Manoush Zomorodi. Rebel Spy, Veronica Rossi. My Vicksburg, Ann Rinaldi (reread). 18 total.

Listening to: Albums–The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical; Nine Track Mind, Charlie Puth. Podcasts–Theology and Apologetics; Dare to Self Care; She Chose Hope. Artists–Lennon Stella; Valley; Vivaldi. Playlists–WIP: The Art of Staying; late night driving; night light; morning coffee; my classical favorites. Songs–Living My Best Life, Dream On, and Supernatural, Ben Rector; Damn It Feels Good to Be Me, Andy Grammar; S.L.U.T., Bea Miller.

Watching: Movies–Ready Player One; The Map of Tiny Perfect Things. TV shows–The Queen’s Gambit. YouTube–Jen Lauren; old Frey Life vlogs; Natalie Barbu; and Joyish.

Writing: I started drafting my next YA contemporary novel, The Art of Staying! Despite being rudely interrupted in the middle of the month, I somehow managed to get down 15,000 words. I also volunteered with People Hope and the Diamonds Conference, where I’m a staff member and speaker; this year I spoke about how to connect with a local church as someone who is chronically ill.

Buying: A ring holder. Music theory workbooks. A ring light.

Grateful for: Having Olivia as a drafting buddy this month (although she wrote WAY more words than me). The way my church supported the Diamonds Conference. My favorite nurse on the endoscopy unit (we spent lots of quality time together this month…). Cozy Harry Potter pajamas. Getting snow.

What did you do in January? Did you watch any movies? Discover any good music, or new favorite books? Did you get snow? Talk to me in the comments!

2022 Diamonds Conference – All the Details

The Diamonds Conference is a free, virtual conference for chronically ill Christians. Our 2022 winter event is next week (January 28th – 30th), and I’d love for you to come!

I’ve been fortunate to be part of the Diamonds Conference since the very beginning a few years ago. I’m on staff as social media manager and sponsorship coordinator, and I’m a speaker, too. This year our theme is Connected and I’ll be sharing a session titled Hold Up Our Arms: Connecting With A Local Church As A Chronically Ill Christian.

15 other amazing speakers will be sharing, too–people like Heather M. Dixon, Esther Smith, Cassidy Poe, and many more. The conference is live streamed on YouTube but also features small group breakout sessions (I’ll be leading a breakout session about community), prayer sessions, worship sessions, panels, and so much more. Plus, don’t forget to purchase a copy of the beautiful Diamonds 2022 study guide so you can keep track of everything you’re learning throughout the weekend (the Kindle version is free). We even have a merch shop!

I’d love for you to join us and listen to any of the sessions that pique your interest–view the full conference schedule on the website here (my session will be Saturday, January 29th, at 6:00 PM EST). Don’t forget to also follow our Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to stay up-to-date on all the conference details. I can’t wait to see you there!

Click here to register for the Diamonds Conference for free. Have you attended the conference before? Do you plan to come this year?

My 2021 Anticipated Releases: What I Thought

Last January, I published a list of 35 2021 releases I couldn’t wait to read. Twelve months later, I’ve read the majority of them–and now we’re looking back to see if they lived up to the hype! Read on for all of my thoughts, and then let me know in the comments what 2021 releases you especially enjoyed.

Fiction Books I Was Excited About

You Have A Match, Emma Lord (release date: January 5th; YA contemporary)

I LOVED this book! It’s essentially a Parent Trap retelling, with older characters who had more mature storylines, and it was so much fun. The ending had me squealing. Emma Lord is my fave.

Roman and Jewel, Dana L. Davis (release date: January 5th; YA contemporary)

Although this could’ve benefited from more scenes set at the theater and less scenes smoking weed, I really loved this musical theatre book!

The Lion of Mars, Jennifer L. Holm (release date: January 5th; MG)

This was an IMMEDIATE favorite. The concept captured my imagination, and the book made me both laugh and cry. Definitely pick this one up.

Written in Starlight, Isabella Ibanez (release date: January 26th; YA fantasy)

Unfortunately, this one was a bit of a disappointment for me. It wasn’t awful, but it definitely was not as good as the first book (Woven in Moonlight). The cover is so beautiful, though, and the jungle setting is lush and vivid.

A Vow So Bold and Deadly, Brigid Kemmerer (release date: January 26th; YA fantasy)

A solid, five-star conclusion to the Cursebreakers series!

Payback, Kristen Simmons (release date: February 2nd; YA contemporary drama/suspense)

The conclusion to the Vale Hall trilogy was REALLY, really good! So many twists and turns and revelations, I couldn’t keep up.

Everything that Burns, Gita Trelease (release date: February 2nd; YA historical fantasy)

I love Enchantee and I was so excited about this, but unfortunately the sequel did not do it for me. I don’t remember what exactly I didn’t like about it, but this was sadly a DNF.

Sing Me Forgotten, Jessica S. Olson (release date: March 9th; YA historical fantasy)

This genderbent Phantom of the Opera retelling was great! I loved how the book explored the connection between memory and music, and I related to Isda so much.

Kisses and Croissants, Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau (release date: April 6th; YA contemporary)

This was super cute! However, it definitely felt like a story I had read before, and the characters were a little flat.

Six Crimson Cranes, Elizabeth Lim (release date: July 6th; YA fantasy)

This was excellent–I highly recommend it!

Hearing Lies, Olivia Smit (release date: July 15th; YA contemporary)

Predictably, Olivia’s sequel to Seeing Voices was SO good! Vibrant, well-rounded, and memorable.

Ones I haven’t gotten around to reading yet: What’s Not to Love by Emily Wibberly and Austin Siegemund-Broka (release date: April 20th; YA contemporary); Realm Breakers by Victoria Aveyard (release date: May 4th; YA fantasy)

Honorable Mention Fiction Books

The Gilded Ones, Namina Forna (release date: February 9th; YA fantasy)

This got a lot of hype, but unfortunately fell flat for me. I don’t fully remember why–I know I was struggling to focus on reading at the time because of brain fog. I’m also just not as into this type of fantasy; I prefer urban fantasy, or something that leans more sci-fi.

A Pho Love Story, Loan Le (release date: February 9th; YA contemporary)

This was cute, but nothing special.

Rule of Wolves, Leigh Bardugo (release date: March 30th; YA fantasy)

This was SO FREAKING GOOD and I did a lot of squealing about how perfectly this book connected all of the Grisha characters and books. There were a lot of funny parts and favorite characters that I didn’t expect to see, and I loved the way it ended.

Kate in Waiting, Becky Albertalli (release date: April 20th; YA contemporary)

This was a theatre book set in Georgia, so I was excited–but it fell flat for me. The plot felt shallow and I wasn’t into the profanity on every page.

Tokyo Ever After, Emiko Jean (release date: May 25th; YA contemporary)

Princess Diaries, but make it Japan, anyone? I absolutely loved this book and I can’t wait for the sequel!

Ones I haven’t gotten around to reading yet: Happily Ever Afters, Elise Bryant (release date: January 5th; YA contemporary); Wings of Ebony, J. Elle (release date: January 26th; YA fantasy); A Taste for Love, Jennifer Yen (release date: February 2nd; YA contemporary); The Stolen Kingdom, Jillian Boehme (release date: March 2nd; YA fantasy); Bones of a Saint, Grant Farley (release date: March 2nd; YA historical fiction); Once Upon a Quinceanera, Monica Gomez-Hira (release date: March 2nd; YA contemporary); The Secret Recipe for Moving On, Karen Bischer (release date: March 23rd; YA contemporary); Indivisible, Daniel Aleman (release date: May 2nd; YA); We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This, Rachel Lynn Solomon (release date: June 8th; YA contemporary); An Emotion of Great Delight, Tahereh Mafi (release date: June 1st; YA)

Nonfiction Books I Was Excited About

Fighting Forward: Your Nitty-Gritty Guide to Beating the Lies That Hold You Back, Hannah Brencher (release date: January 5th)

My main takeaway from this (excellent) book was the theme of showing up–both for your others, and for your own life.

Sensing God: Experiencing the Divine in Nature, Music, Food, and Beauty, Joel Clarkson (release date: January 12th)

I was SO excited about this book, and it did not disappoint. It’s a must-read for any creative and any Christian. The points Joel brought up blew my mind and helped me understand sacraments and the Incarnation in a new way.

That Sounds Fun: The Joys of Being an Amateur, The Power of Falling in Love, and Why You Need A Hobby, Annie F. Downs (release date: February 2nd)

I really enjoyed this book and took away a lot! Annie says that she thinks when we search for fun, we are really searching for Eden–for home. What we have lost is real, she explains, and we need a way to believe that what we have lost can be found.

The Whole Life: 52 Weeks of Biblical Self-Care, Esther Smith and Eliza Huie (release date: July 26th)

This is a great resource with actionable advice on how to steward every aspect of your life well.

Ones I haven’t gotten around to reading yet: Turn Your Season Around: How God Transforms Your Life, Darryl Strawberry (release date: January 12th); Walking Through Fire: A Memoir of Loss and Redemption, Vaneetha Rendall Risner (release date: January 19th); Growing Boldly: Dare to Build A Life You Love, Emily Ley (release date: February 9th); The Life You Long For: Learning to Love From A Heart of Rest, Christy Nockels (release date: February 16th)

And that’s what I thought of my 2021 anticipated releases! What were some of your most anticipated releases last year? What did you think about them? Stay tuned for a post coming soon on my most anticipated releases for 2022!