Jacqueline E. Smith's Blog, page 35
September 4, 2014
My Guide to the Perfect Sick Day
For about the past two weeks, I feel like I’ve been going, going, going. This is usually a good thing. I always prefer to be active and to have something to do than to have absolutely nothing to do.
Throughout the past few days, however, everything seems to have caught up with me. I’ve been absolutely drained of energy (hey… maybe there’s a ghost around! Ha ha ha… Cemetery Tours humor) and on top of it all now, I just really, really don’t feel good. I don’t think I’m actually sick, just run down. However, I don’t want to treat my poor body like it’s not sick because it’s obviously not feeling its best for a reason.
To be totally honest, I haven’t had a real sick day in a while because… well… I don’t really get sick anymore (knock on wood). I used to get sick ALL the time with upper respiratory infections. I finally got fed up with it near the beginning of 2013 and I decided to see an allergist. As it turns out, I am allergic to everything that grows except, get this, mountain cedar. Go figure. The one thing that everyone in the world is allergic to is the one thing I can sniff all day long and not sneeze one little bit.
Sick days are still as un-fun as they were the last time I was sick, more than a year ago, but there are ways of making them slightly more enjoyable.
Guilty Pleasure Movie Marathon
You know those movies that you’re ashamed to own and even more ashamed to admit you love? Watch them all. Go for it. You want to binge-watch Twilight? Go ahead. Nicholas Sparks movies? Start with The Notebook. Yeah, people might judge but you’re sick and you should do what you want to do. Especially if it takes your mind off how awful you feel. My favorite sick movie is the third Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Not sure why. It’s just the first movie I turn to when I’m not feeling myself.
Comfort Food
Baked potatoes with lots of butter, Ramen noodles, ice cream, warm french bread, soup, I could go on forever. Delicious and soothing comfort food is definitely one of the best parts of not feeling well. Unless, of course, you can’t keep it down, in which case, I do now want to see you, I do not want to talk to you, I do not even want to acknowledge your existence. Stay away from me.
Pajamas
Now, I love pajamas even when I’m not sick, but I can never ever justify staying in them all day unless I’m not feeling good. I usually go for my special, extra-comfy Christmas pajama pants, a tank top or comfy t-shirt, and my fluffy Bath and Body Words bathrobe. Sooo cozy.
Camping Out on the Sick Couch
When I’m sick, I transfer my entire world to the living room couch. It’s crucial that the ailing body remain as close to food and to the television as possible. The couch is usually that ideal central spot. Take your pillows, your blankets, your tissues or whatever medicine you might be requiring, a heating pad… Anything and everything to ease your suffering.
A Big Glass of Ice Water
Or any beverage of your choice, but water is my favorite. It’s a good idea to stay hydrated even when you’re healthy, but it’s extra important when you’re sick. Some of you may prefer something with a little extra kick, like tea or Gatorade.
A Pet
Unlike most animals, my kitty is not a very empathetic creature. Except when I’m sick. Somehow, whenever I’m not feeling very good, she always seems to sense it and she comes over to sit on me. Granted, this usually turns out to be more of an inconvenience than a comforting gesture, but it’s the thought that counts. At least I know she loves me.
A Good Book
When I’m sick, I tend to reread my favorite books. This usually comes down to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban or A Ring of Endless Light. I’ve read Azkaban so many times that the middle portion of the book is no longer attached to the spine. If I open it up, a big chunk of the body of the book just falls out. But it’s always worth it.
On that note, if you’re in need of a good book, I recommend Cemetery Tours. And even if you’re not, it would make me feel better.
Talk to you all later!
September 3, 2014
Frozen Fever
This might be the most controversial blog post I’ve ever written, but it is something that I feel needs to be said. I hope I don’t offend any of my readers or lose any friends over this, but I can’t hold it back anymore. I’ve got to let it go.
I do not think Frozen is the best Disney animated film of all time. In fact, I don’t think even think it’s in the top ten.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Frozen a lot. My sister and I saw it together and, since it was about sisters, naturally we both cried and loved it. Leaving the theater, I remember thinking, “Aw, I like Olaf. And I like Elsa’s dress. Definitely a cute story. I’d see it again.”
But then the hype started. Suddenly, everyone everywhere was all about Frozen. Buzzfeed articles, Pinterest boards, list upon list of why Frozen is the best thing Disney has ever done in the history of ever. I’ve never seen so many YouTube cover videos in my life. I like Let It Go, but if I hear one more person who ISN’T Idina Menzel trying to sing it, I might just punch someone. In the face. With a computer.
Today, the newest Disney short, Frozen Fever was announced and naturally, the Internet is completely losing it over the impending arrival. I’m not upset about the upcoming short. I love Disney. And like I said, I really do like Frozen. I just like lots of other Disney movies a whole lot more.
Mulan
Let’s begin with my sister’s favorite Disney movie of all time, Mulan. Mulan ROCKS. For some reason everyone seems to think that Frozen is this groundbreaking movie that proves that women don’t need a man to save them. Um, HELLO people. Mulan saved ALL OF CHINA. She also saved Captain Shang and her entire army of men like, fifty times. Mulan also has features of the most iconic Disney songs ever recorded (I’ll Make a Man Out of You), an ingenious script (“I’m doomed! And all because Miss Man decided to take her little drag show on the road!”), and more GIRL POWER than all five of the Spice Girls put together.
The Lion King
Talk about a classic. Featuring the voice talents of James Earl Jones and Jeremy Irons AND a soundtrack by Sir Elton John, The Lion King is easily one of the best Disney movies out there. On top of that, it’s based off of Hamlet. This is Shakespeare with lions and meerkats and Rafiki. Sorry, Elsa, but you can’t beat that. And that scene when Mufasa comes back to talk to Simba? Does anyone NOT tear up at that moment?
“Remember who you are…”
Brother Bear
This might be one of the most underrated Disney movie of all time, but it also happens to be one of my absolute favorites. This is just a beautiful story with beautiful animation, a fantastic soundtrack by Phil Collins (one of the best), and so many beautifully bittersweet moments that I never make it through a viewing without crying. There are also killer whales in it. HOW can you beat a movie with KILLER WHALES? It’s one of the most moving Disney films out there if you ask me.
Hercules
Okay, I’ve already dedicated an entire blog post to Hades and how he’s my absolute favorite Disney Villain of all time (http://jackiesmith114.wordpress.com/2014/05/30/why-hades-is-actually-the-best-disney-villain/), but if you ask me, Hercules itself is near the top as far as Disney’s best animated features go. Greek Mythology is cool. That is pretty much indisputable. And Disney took those cool stories and made them bright, colorful, and kid-friendly, all the while keeping them surprisingly historically accurate (speaking as someone who yes, used to watch the animated TV series on Disney Channel). In my oh so humble opinion, Hercules is one of Disney’s most clever and creative franchises.
Aladdin
It’s hard to think about this one without drawing a few tears, especially due to recent events. Aladdin truly will never be the same without our beloved Genie, but it has always held a special place in my heart, even before the late, great Robin Williams’ departure. I loved Aladdin so much as a child that I named my first kitten Jasmine after Princess Jasmine. She also recently passed and I got a tattoo of Jasmine flowers on my ankle in her honor. But all that sadness aside, Aladdin is one of the most awesome, colorful, and FUN Disney movies out there. Heartwarming with high adventure, magic, great music, and probably one of the most charming Disney Princes in history, Aladdin wins all the way around.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
This is another of my favorite Disney films that is SO completely underrated. This is a beautiful movie with a touching story, a heartwarming hero, a completely kick-butt heroine, and one of the best soundtracks with some of the best vocal performances that Disney has EVER created. I could listen to the opening number, Bells of Notre Dame, on repeat. In fact, I have. But seriously, let’s talk about Esmeralda for a minute. She is the BOMB. She stands up for what she believes in, is brave, smart, snarky, she sees the inner beauty in people, and she sings one of the most beautiful songs in Disney’s repertoire, God Help the Outcasts.
Meet The Robinsons
I feel like a lot of people forget that this is a Disney movie, but again, it is one of my absolute favorites. I love everything about this movie. The characters are wonderful, the script is brilliant, and the ending makes me cry every single time I watch it. It’s such a wonderful film and again, so underrated. I wish they would make a sequel to this one! I’d watch it in a heartbeat.
Beauty and the Beast
Of course, this has to be on the list. It’s the tale as old as time, one of the most beautiful animated classics of all time, and the first ever animated film to be up for an Academy Award for best picture. I understand that Frozen won a few Academy Awards, but Beauty and the Beast was a film ahead of its time. And it’s just beautiful. Is there a scene or a song more beautiful than the ballroom scene? Or more chilling than the fight between Gaston and the Beast on the roof? Or more magical than the Beast’s transformation back into a Prince?
Not even close, Frozen.
Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella
These three are all together because story-wise, none of them are stellar. However, as far as storytelling and animation goes, these are MASTERPIECES of their time. The work of GENIUS. The heroines, true, are not all that much. In fact, Snow White is dumber than the apple that almost killed her. But they were all true works of art and will remain historic classics for all time. These were the movies that broke down barriers, the magic that started it all. Disney would not be where it is today without the early Princesses.
All of Pixar. Ever.
True, these are not just the work of Disney, but Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc, Toy Story, UP, all rise above and beyond Frozen in terms of pretty much everything.
Finally, the Best of All…
THE LITTLE MERMAID
I think I’ve made it pretty clear how I feel about The Little Mermaid, but if anyone doesn’t know, you can just check out this blog post here…
http://jackiesmith114.wordpress.com/2014/02/23/under-the-sea/
Growing up, I truly believed that Ariel was one of my best friends. I loved everything about The Little Mermaid, and to this day, I can’t hear the opening theme without getting the chills. Ariel was absolutely my hero growing up. She was beautiful, she was brave, she followed her heart even when everyone else thought she was weird, and she ALSO saved her Prince (eh-hem… did not need a man to rescue her). And she was a mermaid and come on, what little girl didn’t want to be a mermaid? Not to mention Ariel got three movies, her own television series, AND her own Broadway musical. I think it’s pretty clear that she is the ultimate winner of best Disney Princess ever.
So, that’s just to name a few of the movies which, in my opinion, beat out Frozen as far as best Disney animated classics go. I didn’t even get to all of them. Tarzan, Atlantis, and Princess and the Frog are also on the list. But I’m afraid if I type any more, my computer might actually explode.
Frozen was great. Again, I’m not trying to say it wasn’t. But when I look back and really compare it to other Disney films, I’m afraid it pales in comparison.
September 2, 2014
I’m a Writer
The biggest asset to the independent author (or any artist, for that matter) is the online community. Making friends, making connections, with fellow authors, bloggers, and writers is probably the absolute best thing you can do. This community is one of my favorite things about being an independent author. Everyone I’ve met is so helpful, so friendly, so supportive. It’s a wonderful group to be a part of and I’ve just had such a wonderful experience.
One of those authors and bloggers that has greatly helped to shape my path as an indie author is Rachel Thompson. You can visit her website here: http://rachelintheoc.com
The other day, she posted this quote.
This quote really made ME think. What do my books do for others? How will reading them impact their lives? How does any book, for that matter, impact our lives? Why do we read in the first place?
We don’t read because, despite what book lovers may believe, we don’t need to read to survive. They aren’t vital to our survival like food or water or oxygen. But I do believe they are vital to our existence and our human experience.
Books enrich our lives. They open our minds up to new experiences, to new worlds, to new perspectives, and to a greater appreciation of our own lives and the world around us. We read books for the same reason that we indulge in dessert or travel to new and exciting places or make friends, and that is because as humans, we do not exist to simply exist. We are meant to live and to experience and to enjoy.
As for what my books, Cemetery Tours and Between Worlds, specifically bring to the table, I usually think that’s for my readers to decide. As the author, I can tell you now my point of view is extremely biased. I think my books are great. I think they’re funny. I think they’re spooky. I think my characters are likable. But any writer who doesn’t think the world of their books probably shouldn’t have published in the first place.
What does a reader gain from Cemetery Tours?
A fun and fast-paced read about ghosts.
Twists and turns.
A touch of romance.
Characters that I’ve grown to love as friends. Honestly, I miss them when I’m not writing them.
A few chills down your spine and maybe even a few tears.
A new perspective on death and the afterlife.
Brink (everyone’s favorite character… the Ensemble Dark Horse)
That’s to name a few. All I know is that I love these books. I enjoy writing them and it simply makes my entire life when I hear that readers are enjoying them too. To have just one person go out of their way to tell you that they truly loved something that you wrote is just about the best thing in the world. It makes my day, every day, more so than sales or even the act of writing, both of which I really love.
That all being said, what has been your experience as a reader/writer? How have books changed your life?
September 1, 2014
Castello di Amorosa
Deep in the heart of Napa Valley, there is a castle. A wine castle. It’s called Castello di Amorosa and it is just about the coolest place in the United States.
This is a legit castle. It has everything, from gargoyles…
To wishing wells…
To lush gardens…
To the regal Prince Edward the Cat (we named him… that’s not his official name) who reigns over the castle with a stern paw.
He’s so regal.
And of course, there are the vineyards…
And the wine itself!
The wine, of course, was amazing. Interestingly enough, I’m usually a fan of red wine, but my favorite wine here was definitely the Chardonnay. It was the most amazing white wine I’ve ever tasted.
Finally, after the sampling, we made our way to the gift shop, where I realized that these vineyards and wineries have discovered the most brilliant marketing plan ever: get your customers buzzed and then set them loose in the gift shop. Seriously. You want to buy everything. I especially liked this book…
After a delightful dinner, we ended up leaving Napa around 10:30 – 11:00 at night. Four hours later, the massive 6.0 earthquake struck. My friends and I had no idea until the next morning, when I woke to several text messages, a missed call, and a voicemail.
I immediately assumed my parents were checking to make sure I would make it to the airport on time (which, in case you’re wondering, I almost didn’t), so I called my mom and told her, “Don’t worry. I’m awake. We have plenty of time.”
But instead of expressing her relief, she just asked if I was okay, if we’d been affected at all. I had no idea what she was talking about. By that point, my friend Hannah was awake and also receiving text messages from concerned loved ones. It turns out that, had we been awake at 3 AM, we would have felt the earth shaking and swaying.
I know it’s been more than a week now, but I’m still thinking about all the nice people that we met in Napa. It’s such a beautiful and wonderful community with good, honest people. I hope that they’re all alright and that they will soon bounce back from this horrible disaster.
Aside from the earthquake, my trip to California was an absolute delight. Thank you, Hannah, my dearest friend. I can’t wait to return!
August 29, 2014
Redwood Wanderings
When I planning my trip to California, my lifelong best friend Hannah asked me what I wanted to do once I got out there. I had several things in mind, but something I really wanted was to spend more time with the redwoods. I’d seen them once for about five minutes. It was awesome, but it really wasn’t enough time at all.
I love hiking and I love forests and the redwoods are nothing short of magical. Just being there, you can sense how old they are, how long they’ve stood. It’s almost eerie thinking about how much they’ve witnessed and how short our lifespans are in comparison.
The redwoods are perfect for sparking the imagination. I envisioned witches gathering in the groves and fairies flitting about through the sunbeams.
We ended our time with the redwoods by driving to one of the neighboring beaches for a quick stroll. It was lovely, but the entire time, I felt my thoughts drifting back to the forest. Odd, since I love water and the beach probably more than just about anything.
August 28, 2014
The Problem with Pictures
So, I have a problem. It’s called I Want to Share my California Pictures with all of you but I Take WAY Too Many Pictures for One Blog Post. To solve this problem, I’ve decided to split the pictures up into several different posts.
For this first post, I thought I’d share my favorite part of San Francisco… the SEA LIONS!
Seriously, I love sea lions. They are absolutely one of my very favorite animals ever. I was thrilled this trip to be able to visit the Marine Mammal Center and see how they work to help stranded and sick marine mammals all over the coast: http://www.marinemammalcenter.org
I also got to visit the Aquarium on the Bay (I think that’s what it was called). I’m a big fan of all marine life, so I will never pass up an opportunity to peruse an aquarium.
As you can see, I’m particularly fond of jellyfish and sea stars, especially this sea star who looks like he just finished an epic Broadway musical number.
August 25, 2014
Video Killed the Radio Star
Okay, well, the title doesn’t exactly go with this post, but there will be videos, so you know, just thought I’d kind of go with it.
I am home from California and I had a super amazing awesome time! I can’t wait to share photos and stories with you. Until then, however, please enjoy the following links.
The first is to the Cemetery Tours book trailer! Besides a brief cameo (please do NOT judge me for my poor acting skills… I am a writer, not a thespian), I had absolutely nothing to do with this trailer. These awesome theater and film students wrote, produced, acted, and directed it all. They are all so, so, so talented and amazing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xr7b59l1s4o
The second video I’m sharing should probably never see the light of day, but I’m going to share it anyway. It’s my ALS Ice Bucket Challenge! I was nominated by my little cousin and by fellow author, Toni (http://tjwiltshire.com). I’m sure most of you know the drill by now, but if you’re nominated, you either dump a bucket of ice water on your head or donate or both. I will be doing both.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=143186665856323&set=vb.117714978403492&type=2&theater
Hope you all have a good week! I’ll talk to y’all soon!
August 20, 2014
California Bound
Hi, friends!
Well, after writing that lovely post about getting back to work and being a responsible adult… I’m off to California! My best friend from high school lives out in San Francisco, so I’m going to spend a few days out there, seeing sea lions, drinking wine, and having an all around good time. I’ve been once before and had an awesome time.
I’m especially excited this year to visit some new places, especially the Marine Mammal Center. Although one of my goals is to become a New York Times best-selling author by the time I’m 30, marine life will always be my first love.
Well, I’m going to continue writing as much as I can today, though I will be setting my books aside in order to pack and prepare for the journey to San Francisco tomorrow. I hope you all have a great rest of the week!
