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My First Real Rating for Babyland was 2 Stars–Here’s How I Felt About it
Photo by Markus Winkler on Pexels.com I’ve been craving reviews for Babyland long before its publishing date. I’ve done my research: have beta readers review it,
seek out book bloggers, take your book to a reputable website that accepts books for reads and reviews.
While some choices I made worked, and others didn’t, I was left with the same feeling altogether: disappointment. A combination of lack of funds, missed deadlines or the need for heavy blog usage on my website were just a few reasons I missed out on sending my book out for a review.
What did work, though? Reaching out to book bloggers was my best choice! I didn’t get much feedback from professional review services, suffice to say.
I reached out to maybe fifty book bloggers, asking if they’d like to review my book. I’d say maybe 98% DID NOT RESPOND. The 2% responded with a polite no thank you or thanks but left an excuse. Others greatly accepted.
However, keep in mind when one accepts your book to read it in exchange for a review, you may not hear from them again. Take this as they’re busy, they did not like your book after all, or they’re plain rude.
I suggest you email them to make sure they received the copy of your book (whether digital or print is up to them). If no response, try again a week or two later. Still no response? It’s possible they’re too busy or lost interest. If you know they’ve read your book then, and haven’t left a review yet, remind them with one email.
Onto with the rating I’ve been meaning to write about. I reached out to a book blogger, she gladly accepted, she read my book, then it took her about two months to post the rating.
She emailed me her rating for it, at last. I wasn’t too surprised when she didn’t care for it. She did however, give it 2 stars over 1. The first rating I received was a star.
In so many words, she was excited to read it. Once she started to read it, though, she got bored with it and didn’t understand what the pictures were describing.
On a positive note, she first stated how it’s definitely not for kids. She loved how it was dark humor because she likes that, and she couldn’t spent hours looking at the drawings.
I could have gone out of my way to read the 1 star review, but that reviewer did not come off as nice as this reviewer did. If I can, I look for reviewers who are honest, not blunt, when reviewing books.
Best of all, the reviewer who earned my book 2 stars said she did not want to sound rude. She did just that.
I suppose I’m up for accepting (mentally?) reviews as low as 2 stars as long as the reader/reviewer found something likeable in my work. Especially so if I don’t find a nasty reivew. Authors get that their work won’t be loved by everyone on the planet. I don’t think it does much good (least for the author) to shout from the roof tops how awful a book was. If Twitter existed in the time of Jackson Pollock, something tells me his paintings would see the worst reviews ever. Maybe I branched off a bit.Enjoy the rest of the year! Feel free to ask any questions! I highlighted where you can read the review if you’d like!
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Unnecessary Words To Take Out of Your Writing
Let me delve into this blog post by saying this: I’m not writing this to claim I am the perfect writer. There is none. No writer can pull off the most spotless, no-rules-broken piece of literature. It would help if you had your spelling errors corrected, sure, and grammar corrected as well. I, for one, have my writing rules that I follow and believe are an amount that must be followed no matter what.
Okay, so what words should you avoid at all costs in your writing?1) Suddenly
Please, doesn’t everything on Earth happen suddenly? The toast popped up from the toaster, the baby popped out, the pigeon crapped on my head, I slipped on ice and cracked my ribs? Maybe it’s your lucky day if that’s all you broke open. If all!2) Try and
Try and make my day by writing grammatically correct. You’re better off with, “Try to.” Read this sentence: “Try and stop me.” Now this one: “Try to stop me.”3) The reason is because
Both “reason” and “because” are transition words connecting to consequences. To have two of them in the same sentence is redundant. You’d either write, “Because” or “the reason is that.” See? They’re twins, but they don’t need to share a sentence.:)4) Same exact
Haven’t we been here before? Again, we’ve run into twins? Fraternal twins, rather. “Same exact” is redundant. Choose either “same” or “exact” for a sentence. You can do it!5) Each and every
Similar to “same exact” and “try and.” Pick either of these, not both. I know, it must be like when you order at Starbucks for a frappuccino refresher. Yeah, I don’t order crazy drink combos often.6) A single individual
I believe an individual is single. You don’t go around saying, “I’m a single individual,” or do you? If you are single, is what I’m getting at here.7) Just
This word is often overused. “Just” should be used when defining something that happened a moment ago or an exact amount. It’s a word you use sparingly. Did you just get off the train, as in a minute ago, or was that an hour ago? How about just a dash of salt–not a tablespoon but a sprinkling?8) Same difference
Now here’s an oxymoron. You can’t have something that’s the same and different. Scratch out these two words altogether.9) End result
Results often are the end. In transitional phrases, you have an example of “in the end.” “End result” is redundant, as I mentioned a few specific words in this post. You could substitute “end result” with “in result.”I won’t hunt you down and kill you if I ever see cringe-worthy mistakes in your writing. Learn from them, as you learned from dumping that trashbag of a boyfriend. Feel free to break the rules, too. These might best come in handy for character dialogues, but hey, not for your dissertation.
Laters, peeps!
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November-My Birthday Month, Birthstone and More
Photo by Maksim Goncharenok on Pexels.com My Birthday Month, Birthstone and More
November: the eleventh month of the year, the coldest autumnal month, the month veterans have their celebrations, and we give thanks.
Hey, November happens to be my birthday month! Today, November 17th! In 1997, on a cold Monday night, a screaming, somewhat underweight baby was born. That red-faced strawberry (as I was dubbed; thanks, family) grew into a short, quiet, multi-talented me.
I fall under the Zodiac sign of Scorpio. As for my Chinese Zodiac, that is the mighty Ox.
‘Kay, into the specifics. Time to crush your meditative wellbeing. Your mindset, rather. Zodiac signs fall into astrology, like tarot cards and that horoscope shitty-shitty-bang-bang.
Astrology is a fake science! Sor-ry! Time magazine points out (they’re not the only ones that do) that astrology is fake science, science for fun. This isn’t to say you must stop a) performing b) following c) contemplating astrology. I learned this a while back, the lies of it! I didn’t put a stop to reading about astrology now and then, nor writing about this post.
Set aside the crushing truth I told you and get to know my Scorpio. Scorpio’s constellation is visible in the night sky during July and August. Known as Scorpius, rather. It doesn’t resemble a scorpion but more so a J or curved tail.
Photo by Sharath G. on Pexels.com Because Canva no longer allows free downloads of graphics :<
What about Scorpio–when are you a Scorpio? When you’ve hatched–ahem, sorry–a Scorpio is from October 24 to November 22. Such of their traits is protectiveness; they’re attached, they are a determined person. They are also known to be passionate, brave, resourceful, powerful, and true friends.
What’s more, Scorpios tend to like a good fight; when they’re right, they like to win; mysteries, truth, facts, talents, and teasing. They don’t like those who don’t mind their own business, dishonesty, secrets revealed and small talk. Their weaknesses are distrust, jealousy, manipulation, and violence.
Some other fun facts: Scorpios have the water element; their ruler is Mars (such as the planet), and their colors are red, scarlet, and rust.
I’m going by research, don’t ask what these have to do with anything!;)
Now, what about Chinese Zodiac signs? The animals associated with them rotate each year. My birth year was ’97, making my animal the Ox. What do you know, this year in 2021, it was the Ox again! I completely forgot!
Like our Zodiac signs, the Chinese Zodiac signs have specific traits associated with them. The Ox is considered determined and reliable. New to me, there are also elements assigned to them. If I’m reading it correctly, the elements differ by birth year. The elements are standard and exact: earth, fire, wood, metal, and water. For my birth year, it looks like my element is fire. Those with the element of fire are restless, animated, and love laughing. This is according to the Show Me Book.
Photo by Skully MBa on Pexels.com
Moving on to the November birthstone, topaz: topaz is best known for its brilliant yellow luminescence. However, orange, brown, pink, and light blue are other colors the topaz revel in.
In case you didn’t know, each month has its birth flower! Sounds funny, doesn’t it?
I’m visiting my birth flower today. She’s 101 years old.
Photo by TGH on Pexels.com This was one of the same graphics I found on Canva, prior to the unpleasant surprise that I need a paid account to download all my works made with Canva now! Including sharing them! Thanks, guys! How many paid accounts can one possibly have??!
We have birthdays, birthstones, birth years, birth months, birthplaces, birth parents, birthday parties, birthday buddies–
I can totally rattle off who my birthday buddies are: actress Rachel McAdams, director Martin Scorsese, actor Danny DeVito, diplomat Susan Rice! I never knew I shared a birthday with Susan Rice until I researched this.
Anyhoodle, November’s birth flower is the chrysanthemum.
Anyone recall the picture book with that title? By Kevin Henkes? It’s a cute one that my momsie’s read to me. There’s an animated version of it from Scholastic that I’ve watched long ago. That was when VHS existed. . .
Anydoodle, famous November birthdays include Hilary Rodham Clinton and Jodie Foster.
Going off-topic, back in 2016, it was required in my health class to take the Myers-Briggs personality test. It coincided with our career choices for college. Mine is INFJ, standing for Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, Judging. I won’t go into full-blown detail about it.
I pleasantly discovered which Disney princess shares my personality type: Elsa!What did you find intriguing or shocking in this post? Anything you want to share? Please share in the comments below! Scorpios (in spirit) unite!
Sources:
Dower, Laura. For Girls Only: Everything Great about Being a Girl. Feiwel and Friends/Hallmark Books, 2010.
Fagerstrom, Derek, and Lauren Smith. Show Me How!: 500 Things You Should Know: Instructions for Life from the Everyday to the Exotic. Collins & Brown, 2009.
Old Farmer’s Almanac. “November Birth Flower.” Old Farmer’s Almanac, The Old Farmer’s Almanac, 8 Oct. 2021, https://www.almanac.com/november-birth-flower.
Old Farmer’s Almanac. “November Birth Flower.” Old Farmer’s Almanac, The Old Farmer’s Almanac, 8 Oct. 2021, https://www.almanac.com/november-birth-flower.
“Scorpio Zodiac Sign Scorpio Horoscope.” Astrology Zodiac Signs, https://www.astrology-zodiac-signs.com/zodiac-signs/scorpio/.
Waxman, Olivia B. “Are Zodiac Signs Real? Here’s the History behind Horoscopes.” Time, Time, 21 June 2018, https://time.com/5315377/are-zodiac-signs-real-astrology-history/.
DeLarge, Alex. “I Always Knew Pocahontas and I Were Kindred Spirits (of the Wind).” Imgur, Imgur, 24 Apr. 2014, https://imgur.com/gallery/DKjUi81.
“Advocate Personality.” 16Personalities, https://www.16personalities.com/infj-personality. -
The Music Genres on My iPod
Once in a while, I download a song or two onto my iPod. That’s if finances aren’t dire and I can recall the song (s) I wish to download. Oh, I’m that person that does not carry their iPod with them. It lives on my iPad. Hey, I’m not that antique where I stick with the first iPad ever invented. It is the iPad mini. iPad mini lives! Like all its iPhone cousins and Apple Watch second cousins–
What are we doing here? Music is omnipresent, but of course! We are in the twenty-first century!
We are? *A dumb baby scratches her head.*
Allow me to dive in and list the genres of music listed on my iPad–iPod. One in the same?Alternative:
twenty one pilots; Barns Courtney; Coldplay; Imagine DragonsClassical:
Tchaikovsky; London Philharmonic Orchestra
There’s more, but I fail to bring any to mind.Hard Rock:
Three Days Grace; Saint Asonia; ApocalypticaHip-Hop/Rap:
Pharell Williams; Hamilton the musical
Hamilton counts. Look at the album.Holiday:
Bing Crosby; Enya; Trans-Siberian Orchestra; Manheim SteamrollerMusicals:
Like, Frozen . . . anything from movies, basicallyPop:
Avril Lavigne; Miley Cyrus (up to 2010); KT Tunstall; Michelle Branch; Sam Smith; Matchbox Twenty; Adele; Bruno Mars; SiaR/B:
Alicia. . . Alicia KeysRock:
David Bowie all the way; The Fray; The Killers; Breaking BenjaminSoundtrack:
So, the ones from the movie Hanna; Frozen II; Moana; The Polar ExpressTribute:
Kind of sounds as though these are dedicated to the ones who are gone. Nah. Just orchestral pieces combined into albums, written for Miley Cyrus and Three Days Grace.Ironic, right, that I care for rock, but classical, too? I love classical for its grandiose cadences. Hope I wrote that out correctly. The slight nuances I have to listen for, significantly when I can’t determine one piece from another.
Additionally, I like me some Celtic music, Japanese music. Dark, gothic music perfect for those days when the sky is thick with storm clouds.
To point out, I’ve grown with Celtic music. It’s reminiscent for me; in my younger days, the radio played those tunes. Celtic womens’ ghost-like voices crooned out from the radio. Along in the background played flutes.
I get my love for Celtic music from me Dad. You’ve probably guessed my heritage points towards the Emerald Isle. You are correct.
He has also introduced me to Scottish music. I’ve found a love for bagpipes in music. No, I do not play them meself, and I can’t bring meself to get close to them physically. Anyone who has been a good enough distance to them doesn’t need a telling of its deafening sound!
Alright, I must write more about what classical composers I like! I may not have a broad collection of them on my Apple device, but screw that!There’s Bach, Beethoven, Grieg, Handel, and still others I cannot name because they happen to be dead! This isn’t to say I am a fangirl of them! I’ve listened to a melody of theirs and fallen in love with it!
I gotta say, though, I can’t make sense of the numbers and letters written into the titles of orchestrated music. Not that I’m not intrigued to educate myself!I’ve enjoyed this laundry list! Tell me, what genre are you into (right now or always)? Any genres you can think of that I haven’t listed? These are a handful of genres, no shit. Feel free to write them below!
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Movie Genres I’m Into
As a cinephile, my intense love for the movies breaks into film history, film facts, celebrity news and so on. I scrutinize a film from the filming location to hidden Easter eggs.
Enough said, as mentioned above, being a cinephile, I expand my horizons. Where are we going here?
The Anime fanatics. War . . .jarheads. Diehard sports fans. Bandwagon fans. Using words I’m making up at the moment, sorta. Or not.
Don’t need to tell ya ’cause imma show ya!
I do not prefer one over the other. These are my go-to.
Without further ado, before I bore you into the next life, here:Action:
You and your bro stay up until four in the morning watching these. Your eyeballs feel like warm, teary hard-boiled eggs from lack of sleep. Weird? Yeaaahh. What an absurdist remark, ya noob!
Mad Max: Fury Road; X-Men franchise; Assassin’s Creed; Robin Hood OriginsAnimation: Or animated? Whichever.
Spirit:Stallion of the Cimarron . . .
You know I had “rise” in there instead of “stallion?” I don’t know where that came from!
Iron Giant; The Adventures of Tin-Tin; My Little Pony: The MovieYo, these go hand in hand. Tin-Tin is in fact live-action but hey, doesn’t it look animated?
Biography:
Lincoln; Steve Jobs
Why, aren’t the the film titles about Steve Jobs absolutely confusing? There’s the Ashton Kutcher film titled Jobs and the most recent film, Steve Jobs, starring the sexiest man ever, Michael Fassbender. How about the next film of the Apple giant bear the title, “Not User Friendly”?
Hidden Figures; Rocketman
It is, okay? There happens to be more music in it.
Mary Queen of Scots; Sully; Captain Phillips; The Revenant . . . ishComedy: Booksmart; Hot Fuzz; Shaun of the Dead; Airplane; Monty Python; Caddyshack; Deadpool 1&2; The Hitman’s Bodyguard
Classic: Spaceballs; The Naked Gun; The Sound of Music; Mary Poppins (1964); Heidi (1937)
Sure nailed that list!Chick films: Legally Blonde 1&2; Mean Girls; Sleepover; Princess Diaries 1&2; The Devil Wears Prada; Aquamarine
Note I’ve legitimately seen these films. I’m not posting particular favorites/randoms. Like I’m not gonna post The Hangover because–mind blown fact–I’ve never seen that film and have no interest in it. Sorry if I ruined your day.
Documentary:
Yes, I have docos on here. Docus. Should also be docos. As a young’un, it’s expected the lack of appreciation there. I’ve matured and realized the appreciation of education. If there’s a docu-doco out there for you that isn’t boring AF, go for it! I’ve found ones that interest me all the way.
Hail Satan?; Where to Invade Next; Jesus Camp
Okay, Jesus Camp is down here for the sake of shock and to poke fun at it. I’m in no way religious. Apologies if this is offensive to you. That’s my personality.Fantasy:
Pan’s Labyrinth; Harry Potter franchise; Cinderella (2015); Miss. Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children; Doctor StrangeForeign:
To immerse oneself into a foreign flick can be quite rewarding. For those who haven’t traveled for shit (me, me, me!) it takes you around the world virtually. As a reminder, traveling truly is exclusive. I’d do it if I acquired the funds.
Parasite; Mostly Martha; Pihu; BrooklynHistorical:
I’ve appreciated history once I’ve attended high school. History, I’d say, is subjective. Subjective like ones whom are after unicorn sloths versus unicorn cats. I’ll take the original–the unicorn–please.
Dunkirk; Jackie; 1917; The PrestigeHorror:
A wee I regretted sitting through. That scare factor, the bile coming up your throat. Yet your eyes linger to the screen when your insides are screaming to get out.
Get Out; Us; Oculus; Orphan; The Uninvited; Paranormal Activity; Midsommar; Freaky; The Shining; The Invisible Man (2020)
Hey, can I cut in like I have been and say what timing The Invisible Man had in coming out in 2020? Invisible but it’s there? Like the virus? Scary enough?
It Follows; Chernobyl Diaries; Run.; American Psycho
Honest, The Shining did not scare me to the core. I’ve played that on TV at least eight times. Unlike The Shining, Midsommar stayed with me negatively. If you aren’t prepared for that type of movie–ahem, cult–it might not be ya thing. That’s all I will say about that one.Sci-Fi:
Seriously depends. Are there aliens involved? Metamorphic zombies? If experiments are the substance of the film, humans turn out not to be humans, I’ll be there.
Hanna; Morgan; War for the Planet of the Apes (hello, Andy Serkis); Venom; Arrival; The Martian; PrometheusThriller
Difficult for me to think of here.
Panic Room; InceptionI intentionally left out “family,” “drama,” “holiday,” and “romance,” as those are cliché to me. There’s an abundance of them, to say the least.
What do you think of these genres/movies I listed? Any genres you can think of that aren’t usually a talking point? Say them below in the comments.
See ya ya ya!
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YouTube Channels I Love That I’m Subscribed To
Back in my day, YouTube was the video search engine where you sought out music videos. Where you saw Madonna whip it good. Or to watch uncomfortable homemade clips without the slightest inkling of what was to occur next.
Had TeacherTube ever really “made it?”
Goodness, then I couldn’t keep up with the changes! Make an account to save your fav vids or to make your own! Pay for YouTube Red! Oh, now it’s Premium. I’m already behind the times. Ads that blocked our enjoyment as we hoped to finish watching Bad Lip Reading! Go back to the way you were, YouTube!
As if all technology seems to go through puberty and adolescence, so did YouTube, where if you wanted all your videos saved in one place, make an account. Add those to a subscription.
Did I ever! I’ll barf out all my subscriptions right here!I believe in the power of education. How weird that must sound. I think not. As I’ve aged–and not like cheese–I’ve found to learn something new every day is rewarding. That’s where I take you to The Infographics Show. Their animated videos are done in infographics, complete with voiceover. This YouTube channel has thousands of content is uploaded daily. It covers topics from animals, countries, history, the human body, natural disasters, the paranormal, sickness, technology, and war. Broken down, each video details statistics, wicked facts, and recent updates on what it covers. I say updates because there is an abundance on the channel that mentions reality: a survival story, an actual person. Most recently–in the past year–there were uploads on the coronavirus. There you go. I find this channel addicting, rife with endless content you never knew you never knew.
I didn’t use to imagine myself as a YouTube kind of person. Can’t take it back now.
There will be more posts about YouTube! So have you heard of any of these channels? Watch any of them? Let me know in the comments!!
While I did ask for the following for their permission: Buzzfeed, Elliandra, Merman Simmer, Merrily Kristin, Tasty, and Tucker Budzyn, I did not hear back from them for comment.
Sources:
Entertainment, 3 Arts. YouTube, Bad Lip Reading, YouTube, 22 Mar. 2011, www.youtube.com/user/BadLipReading.
Buzzfeed, director. YouTube, BuzzFeed Video. BuzzfeedVideo, YouTube, 10 Aug. 2011, www.youtube.com/c/BuzzFeedVideo/about.
“BuzzFeed.com.” BuzzFeed, BuzzFeed, Inc., Nov. 2006, www.buzzfeed.com/.
Meal Swaps, YouTube, BuzzFeed Video, 21 June 2021, www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5vtqDuUM1DlR4z2DN_YpQAOxrR9zY12g.
Food Swaps, YouTube, BuzzFeed Video, 13 Aug. 2021, www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5vtqDuUM1DnT3fh2UZGf20LSgiTB7OPC.
Trying Other People’s Food, YouTube/BuzzFeed Video, 13 Aug. 2021, www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5vtqDuUM1Dk_e_U3KtNJm083SqH3bOH4.
Cieszynski, Zach. Police Try Playing Grand Theft Auto 5 Without Breaking Any Laws Professionals Play, YouTube/BuzzFeed Video, Apr. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JxL7qaDk9w&t=6s.
Kang, Sean. Baristas Guess Which Coffee Is $100, YouTube/BuzzFeed Video, 15 Oct. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hGM8ARkBG8.
Elliandra. Elliandra, YouTube/Elliandra, 29 Aug. 2016, www.youtube.com/c/Elliandra.
Elliandra. Create a Sim, YouTube/Elliandra, 19 Mar. 2021, www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxfFiM36790Ol0bVhhf5GJJKlOXGiMJlO.
Elliandra. Sims 4 House Building, YouTube/Elliandra, 9 Oct. 2019, www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxfFiM36790MQdE4AEUNEFxugBSW_wXo2.
“GameChangers EA.” Ea.com, EA, 2018, www.ea.com/game-changers.
Elliandra. Sims 4 House Building, YouTube/Elliandra, 9 Oct. 2019, www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxfFiM36790MQdE4AEUNEFxugBSW_wXo2.
Simmer, Merman. Merman Simmer, YouTube/Merman Simmer, 24 Mar. 2015, www.youtube.com/c/MermanSimmer.
Simmer, Merman. Sims 4 Mermaid Tail, YouTube/Merman Simmer, 14 July 2021, www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgFAaICl0aOygrbmB1JIl3Fi5AtbvYtz0.
Simmer, Merman. Winx, YouTube/Merman Simmer, 16 Mar. 2021, www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgFAaICl0aOyNKujbSZC51mfpp4OniUmk.
Simmer, Merman. Disney, YouTube/Merman Simmer, 21 Oct. 2019, www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgFAaICl0aOyYPv_1KSEQqNwsIrS1giVy.
Simmer, Merman. League of Legends, YouTube/Merman Simmer, 27 July 2020, www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgFAaICl0aOzY8W-QhtUJbqC_XpVX30Kr.
Hackett, Kristin, director. Performance by Kristin Hackett, Merrily Kristin, Merrily Kristin, 2013, www.youtube.com/c/MerrilyKristin.
Hackett, Kristin. “Welcome to MERRILY KRISTIN!” Welcome to Merrily Kristin, Merrily Kristin/801red, 15 Nov. 2020, www.merrilykristin.com/2020/11/15/welcome-to-merrily-kristin/.
Hackett, Kristin. “Mini-Reviews #2: With the Fire on High, Say Yes Summer & Love, Creekwood.” Merrily Kristin, Merrily Kristin/801red, 18 Dec. 2020, www.merrilykristin.com/2020/12/18/mini-reviews-2-with-the-fire-on-high-say-yes-summer-love-creekwood/.
Hackett, Kristin. “Harry Potter Store VR Experience.” Merrily Kristin, Merrily Kristin/801red, 14 July 2021, www.merrilykristin.com/2021/07/14/harry-potter-store-vr-experience/.
Hackett, Kristin. “Claudette, All the Bookstores & Ice Cream (Obviously).” Merrily Kristin, Merrily Kristin/801red, 30 June 2021, www.merrilykristin.com/2021/06/30/claudette-all-the-bookstores-ice-cream-obviously/.
Hackett, Kristin. “Party Planning: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.” Merrily Kristin, Merrily Kristin/801red, 12 Sept. 2018, www.merrilykristin.com/2018/09/12/to-all-the-boys-ive-loved-before/.
Hackett, Kristin. “Best Movies of 2020.” Merrily Kristin, Merrily Kristin/801red, 4 Jan. 2021, www.merrilykristin.com/2021/01/04/best-movies-of-2020/.
Hackett, Kristin. “About.” Merrily Kristin, Merrily Kristin/801red, 12 Dec. 2020, www.merrilykristin.com/origin-story/.
Tasty, YouTube/Tasty/BuzzFeed, 22 Jan. 2016, www.youtube.com/c/buzzfeedtasty.
Tasty. Tasty Latest and Greatest: Everything You Want to Cook Right Now (An Official Tasty Cookbook). Clarkson Potter, 2017.
Vohra, Dhruv. 7 Recipes That Will Take You to Chocolate Heaven. Tasty, YouTube/Tasty/BuzzFeed, 27 Oct. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkLuCN_7AtY&t=1s.
Soni, Paroma. 8 Rich & Wholesome Fall Soups. Tasty, YouTube/Tasty/Buzzfeed, 24 Sept. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcK9jrAy_GU&t=2s.
Lo, Tiffany, et al. How To Make The Best Strawberry Shortcake You’ll Ever Eat. Tasty, YouTube/Tasty/Buzzfeed, 29 June 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQsjLASGVwA&t=2s.
Soni, Paroma. 7 Bubbly Spiked Drinks To Deliciously Cool You Down. Tasty, YouTube/Tasty/Buzzfeed, 13 Apr. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiyXQ0NMR1E.
Ward, Stevie. 17 Microwavable Late-Night Snacks. Tasty, YouTube/Tasty/Buzzfeed, Nov. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=iARG9TXtlFI.
The Infographics Show, YouTube/The Infographics Show, 26 Feb. 2011, www.youtube.com/c/TheInfographicsShowOFFICIAL.
Incredible Survival Stories, YouTube/The Infographics Show, 26 May 2021, www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxwd9rWENEb_seQrosn74ImhaBMfcaKdP.
People With Incredible Stories, YouTube/The Infographics Show, 26 Apr. 2021, www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxwd9rWENEb_tu9wFqDBcXUczD_-vKqd9.
What It’s Actually Like To Have The Coronavirus (COVID-19), YouTube/The Infographics Show, 19 Feb. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvArUcf-1V4&list=PLxwd9rWENEb85nFNaT0ZaCcvP_qsAdkrz&index=2.
Budzyn, Courtney, director. Tucker Budzyn, YouTube/Tucker Budzyn, 14 July 2018, www.youtube.com/c/TuckerBudzyn.
Budzyn, Courtney, director. Dog Reviews Food With Baby Puppy | Tucker Taste Test 20, YouTube/Tucker Budzyn, 13 Dec. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpyB54lSpYg&t=84s.
Budzyn, Courtney, director. My Dog Has a Beach House Vacation, YouTube/Tucker Budzyn, 22 Nov. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhXH7W5ESRc.
Budzyn, Courtney, director. This Is What My Dog Does With Hair Clips, YouTube/Tucker Budzyn, 9 Jan. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm1rxbgnBBQ.
Budzyn, Courtney, director. A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!, YouTube/Tucker Budzyn, 5 Sept. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjB9Hk0f5-c.
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I’m Getting Nostalgic Vibes from PBS Kids’ Arthur
If you are up-to-date with what’s happening in pop culture, if you have a child at home, chances might be, you’ve heard the bittersweet news about PBS Kids: Arthur, the longest-running animated children’s TV series of ALL time, will come to a full stop at 25 seasons.
Twenty-five seasons sounds like a reasonable number of seasons for an animated series. For children, it’s impressive as much as I’d love for them to press on, though. How about 30 seasons? No? There are enough great-grandchildren from the writers who work on the show?
It hasn’t been long since I’ve wanted to write about Arthur. This is my chance since the TV show’s developer has made the most significant announcement.
First Arthur began as children’s books in the 1970s. By the early ’90s, video games developed to feature the beloved aardvark. With the transcendence of book sales–at OVER 65 million books sold alone in the United States–it’s no wonder Arthur got a TV show of his own. Episode one aired in 1996. Arthur, you are older than me. Not by much, I’m happy to say.
Okay, if you were like me, who watched Arthur when you were a child (you grew up with it), then admit you are feeling like all the greatest kid shows of all time, from the past, are dying out.
I recall the days when after school, I hurried home to watch episodes of Arthur. Episodes I hadn’t seen since I was . . . four. Whether I was six or seven at the time, I hadn’t a care. By 2005, there were already 120 episodes, so don’t expect a kid of my age to recall every episode ever seen.
Additionally, I can watch episodes repeatedly; others I’ve watched too much to enjoy them once more. The classic episodes hold a place in my heart since they are the best episodes, without question. Of those classics, I almost know them from start to finish. In contrast, for the classics I can barely recite, they make for happy reruns.
Once I hit my tweens, I silently debated whether that was where a kid puts a stop sign to the TV shows they’ve watched since childhood. From what I heard at middle school, those in my age group viewed Jersey Shore and Keeping Up with the Kardashians. I did not desire to turn off at Kid Street and onto Adolescent Avenue at age eleven and twelve. My heart beat for me, not my classmates. Arthur remained a continuity until I was a tween. No one would convince me that show was subordinate at my age then.
Those picture books I mentioned earlier, I can thank my mom for interesting me in Arthur. Then there’s my dad, where a specific memory stands out: when he read me one of the books, he lightheartedly referred to the grandmother in the book (known as Grandma Thora) as Grandma Thorax. It tickled me.
Later in grade school, I graduated from the Arthur picture books and onto the chapter books. I can’t say I stuck with them.
I’m not a crazy Arthur fan, but I will say I got my hands on a scant amount of merchandise: the juice tasted more delectable with that aardvark face plastered on the mini carton; Arthur’s Camping Adventure CD-ROM fed my computer addiction; I’m sure I occupied my time with one of many activity books which starred Arthur and his friends.
Recently, when I was out and about, maybe a year ago, I spotted a teen girl in a mid-riff top with the Arthur title card on it. I called out in excitement as to wish that I owned one.
As I mentioned earlier, Arthur aired in 1996. From the early days until the newest episodes, special guests made their appearances. Real celebrities used their voices to voice themselves within an episode. Matt Damon made “an appearance” going back over ten years ago. Joan Rivers voiced a pushy yet humorous Jewish grandmother. Ming Tsai stole the spotlight as a judge for the childrens’ food contest. Alex Trebek’s appearance was that of a television host on a game show. Michelle Kwan brought her voice to that of herself as an ice skater. Yo-Yo Ma reminded us of the beauty of classical music. From the “Car Talk Radio”, the Car Talk Guys cameoed perfectly as what they mirrored best: offering advice when it came to car trouble.
Other than celebrity cameos, Arthur made it real as his show covered IRL, diversified problems. Season 18, as it aired in 2015, covered hurricanes and their aftermath. More current episodes involved same-sex marriage and giving recyclables a second life by turning them into art.
Characters had their relatable stories, too. One little boy hailed from Africa and settled down in the fictional Elwood City. A girl in Arthur’s class moved constantly as her father was in the Army.
For those in our generation, we’ve seen the changes Arthur has taken. He’s made himself a thing on the internet. Anyone who reads through enough social media or the most up-to-date funniest content knows what I’m getting at:
Arthur, you’ve become a meme!
Several memes that is!
You went from that animated aardvark in online games on PBS Kids to an angry face on Buzzfeed!
Dang, how you’ve grown!
So there, Arthur. Your hand-drawn profile gets annihilated, and instead, for the upcoming generation of kids, your animation is drawn through computers. What’s more, you are a meme.
Arthur fans can only hope that when they walk down the street, and if they believe in themselves, you will be back someday. Maybe in a short video. Maybe your sister D.W. will supersede you, grow up and star in videos instead–after she takes “Dora” as her name.Have you ever watched Arthur? Will you miss it? Any episodes that stood out to you? Lemme know!!!
And a thank you to Marc Brown for allowing me to mention you in this post! 🙂
Sources:
Limbong, Andrew. “’Arthur,’ The Longest-Running Kids Animated Series In History, Is Ending.” WNYC, NPR, 28 July 2021, www.npr.org/2021/07/28/1021687616/pbs-kids-show-arthur-ending.
Brown, Marc. “The Little Aardvark with a Big Agenda.” Marc Brown Studios, Inkberries, marcbrownstudios.com/arthur.
Bailey, Greg, director. Arthur. Cookie Jar Studios, 1997. IMDB, www.imdb.com/title/tt0169414/?ref_=ttexst_exst_tt.
“Episodes.” Arthur Wiki, Fandom TV, 2021, arthur.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Episodes.
“People from the Real World.” Arthur Wiki, Fandom TV, 2021, arthur.fandom.com/wiki/Category:People_from_the_real_world.
“Arthur Merchandise.” Arthur Wiki, Fandom TV, 2021, arthur.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Arthur_merchandise.Brown, Marc. “Arthur’s Teacher Trouble (Video Game).” IMDB, Brøderbund Software/Living Books, 1992, www.imdb.com/title/tt7063748/?ref_=nm_flmg_wr_6. PC.
Brown, Marc. “Arthur Books.” Arthur Wiki, Little Brown and Company, arthur.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Arthur_Books.
Brown, Marc. “Arthur Chapter Books.” Arthur Wiki, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, arthur.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Arthur_Chapter_Books.
“Arthur’s Camping Adventure (Video Game).” CNET.com, The Learning Company/Mattel Interactive, www.cnet.com/products/arthur-s-camping-adventure-box-pack-1-user/. Apple. Microsoft Windows.
“Arthur Activity BOOKS (BENDON).” Arthur Wiki, Fandom, arthur.fandom.com/wiki/Arthur_activity_books_(Bendon).
“Matt Damon.” Arthur Wiki, Fandom, arthur.fandom.com/wiki/Matt_Damon.
“Is That Kosher?” Arthur Wiki, Fandom, arthur.fandom.com/wiki/Is_That_Kosher%3F.
“Ming Tsai.” Arthur Wiki, Fandom, arthur.fandom.com/wiki/Ming_Tsai.
“Alex Lebeck.” Arthur Wiki, Fandom, arthur.fandom.com/wiki/Alex_Lebeck.
“Michelle Kwan.” Arthur Wiki, Fandom, arthur.fandom.com/wiki/Michelle_Kwan.
“Yo-Yo Ma.” Arthur Wiki, Fandom, arthur.fandom.com/wiki/Yo-Yo_Ma.
“The Car Talk Guys.” Arthur Wiki, Fandom, arthur.fandom.com/wiki/The_Car_Talk_guys.
“Season 18.” Arthur Wiki, Fandom, arthur.fandom.com/wiki/Season_18.
Hirsch, Peter K. Shelter from the Storm. 9 Story Media Group/WGBH, 2015. IMDB, www.imdb.com/title/tt4135838/?ref_=fn_ep_tt_18.
Hirsch, Peter K. Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone. 2019. IMDB, www.imdb.com/title/tt10139500/?ref_=ttrel_rel_tt.
Berger, Glen. George Scraps His Sculpture. 2021. IMDB, www.imdb.com/title/tt13703460/?ref_=ttep_ep3.
“Cheikh.” Arthur Wiki, Fandom, arthur.fandom.com/wiki/Cheikh.
“Ladonna Compson.” Arthur Wiki, Fandom, arthur.fandom.com/wiki/Ladonna_Compson.
“Arthur’s Big Hit/Gallery.” Edited by DJ et al., Arthur Wiki, Fandom, arthur.fandom.com/wiki/Arthur%27s_Big_Hit/Gallery?file=ABH_56.JPG.
Hough, Soren. “The Golden Age of ‘Arthur’ Comes to an End.” Massachusetts Daily Collegian, The Student News Site of University of Massachusetts, 5 Nov. 2013, dailycollegian.com/2013/11/the-golden-age-of-%E2%80%98arthur%E2%80%99-comes-to-an-end/.
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What I Have Learned From Publishing (1 Month in)
So . . . I’ve been an author for a month now. Feelings range from shock to alleviation to disappointment. First-time authors deal with a range of emotions.
Before I get into the details, this is my own experience with publishing. I am self-published. A self-published author does not experience everything as a traditionally published author would.
Enough with the variations now! I’ve got a plethora of info to share with you! Publishing has been my education! I will cut to the (Chevy) chase and offer you my newfound knowledge!1) Copyright everything
Any new addition of work needs to be copyrighted. Any change, be it a new paragraph to something as simple as adding punctuation, means you copyright it again. In this case, before you send off your creation to the Copyright office, be oh so sure it is the final copy!
Besides the hassle of sending it off to the Office, there will be payment involved. The amount of charge varies on how many copies you send to the Copyright Office, plus what kind of application you send them. I mention this since you might not copyright your work ONCE. More copies may follow.
Now, you aren’t chained to a chair to copyright your work. There’s the public domain, meaning that that specific work is not under copyright law. Put this way; there is no law to copyright your work.2) ISBN
What does that stand for? INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BOOK NUMBER! Say it with me!
It’s a book’s identification. Needless to say, products besides books have them as well: audiobooks, coloring books, maps. However, not too many products besides books themselves receive an ISBN. It’s okay board games; we still love you.
Like copyright, you aren’t held against your will to buy an ISBN. ISBNs are for the benefit of searching for a book quickly enough in a database. Not to worry TOO much if you can’t locate your book without the ISBN. You will, though, look as if you are in the know of the publishing field.
I mentioned buying one. You’ll need to register to obtain an ISBN. As a warning, they’re expensive. Luck’s on your side when you can purchase two or ten at once.
Upon purchasing an ISBN, each is used once for one title. No sharing for titles. That’s a no-no.
Once the purchase goes through, give yourself time to fill out the form online. I was shocked at all the steps involved. :03) Prices vary
Not every store keeps the same price as your publisher does. This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise, now. Think of Amazon, where it has its costs rise and fall every day. Personal in the publishing business? No. It’s retail. You’ll see stores sell your book for less, and depending on what country, it sells at a higher price. At least that’s what it appears. Here’s to someone who has never used currency!4) It’s not you who edits
I did not want to believe this for a while. Authors write their work. Why can’t they edit their work, too? It makes sense to have someone else read it. A fresh pair of eyes that is. You don’t see it the same way a professional editor does. Authors who have been in the business for DECADES don’t edit their work. Spend money on one. Decide if it’s a line editor, copyeditor, or letterer that will suit your needs.
Editors have a way of reading carefully. They aren’t there to criticize, only to improve your work. Here’s a tip before sending your manuscript off to an editor: PLEASE edit it yourself in some form.5) Be patient with timing
Depending on the company that publishes your book, you must plan on your book’s release date and give yourself time to promote beforehand. Should there be any backlogs with your book, you’ll want to have a date set months in advance. For the publishing house I chose, the pub date I placed had no turnaround.
The following goes for what publisher you go with: you won’t receive payment that first week your book goes on sale. Ebook companies vary, also. You might receive payment weeks, a month, or MONTHS later. It’s frustrating, sure. In the meantime, make yourself a shopping list to burn all that hard-earned cash. 🙂Publishing is a long haul. A long haul that is worth every effort of work you put into.
Any questions about today’s post? Feel free to write a little something in the comments.
Love, Eileen -
Why I Haven’t Crossed Cursive Writing Out of My Life
For children of this decade, of last decade, you might seldom ever write a thank-you card to your relative. Yes, as in, you worked your muscles and physically wrote on paper to take the time to write an appreciation to them.
I feel a swell of pride that I still carry out this formality. There within a handwritten letter, I tell that person, “I thought of you. I took time to write to you.”
Call me an old soul. I don’t care! If you think you can’t handle this reading, please stand by, as this is not a blog about etiquette. Thank you. 🙂
Allow me to carry on. Those a generation younger than me (perhaps two) who won’t know what it is like to write a formal letter. There have been kids my age, where they RSVPed for my party, and it was a text message! This unceremonious outcome hurt my feelings! I’m telling you, a handwritten note is much more meaningful!
What am I getting at here? Cursive, of curse! Of course!
Cursive means “joined together,” from the Latin verb currere, which translates to run. The sole benefit of the development of cursive was for the writer to write quickly. Men had the training to write in what claimed as “a fair hand,” where the correspondence appeared in the same script. As for women, their cursive had loops to them.
Which is the prime reason for my style of handwriting: how swift words get written down. Moreover, if practiced correctly, cursive sure can look legible and beautiful.
Speaking of beautiful, I have received compliments in the past on my old-fashioned handwriting. One that stood out to me from my Freshman year came from a teacher. “Eileen. You have very, very nice handwriting. It’s pretty impressive.”
Overall, I suppose my grandma treasured my cursive writing the most. She adored my cursive since I wrote her thank you’s and other cards. Now and then, she brought up how she saved them.
That’s how I am with her! The woman’s cursive writing had that dainty, nineteen-twenties appearance to it. Without a doubt, it looked like it belonged in a newspaper ad from then or a movie during the war era. She had used the finest tipped fountain pen for her penmanship. She kept at it, even after a series of strokes muddled her penmanship, and she made fun of herself for it.
Now I’m the one who’s saved her consummate calligraphy. When I gaze at it, there’s a sensation in me as though I’ve stepped back in time. Even more so, at the sight of the numerous letters she wrote decades ago, it has inspired me to pursue this inveterate art for years to come.
Earlier I mentioned the compliments I’ve received throughout the years on my cursive handwriting. Lucky for me, I learned the art of cursive back in third grade. As we progressed throughout school, teachers had us believe us students would only write in cursive for school papers. The horror–for everyone else!
Later in high school, in one of my condensed classes (I have a learning disability), we were to refresh our minds by writing out our names in cursive. Everyone struggled but me. This baffled and fascinated me at the same time. When I expressed this to my parents, both expressed how proud they were of me.
According to the NY Times, as of 2019, cursive writing is gradually returning its way to the Common Core. While that’s all well and good, my mind goes to those children who missed out on the art of cursive writing. It’s a practice that must never die and will be advantageous throughout life.
We owe it to those before us, the subtle but widely recognized form of handwriting. There’s plenty of room for practice if you haven’t already.Sources: “The History of Writing, and Writing in Cursive Italics.” The Daring Book for Girls, by Andrea J. Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz, 1st ed., Collins, an Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2012, pp. 10–11.
Rueb, Emily S. “Cursive Seemed to Go the Way of Quills and Parchment. Now It’s Coming Back.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 13 Apr. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/04/13/education/cursive-writing.html.Did you learn cursive in school? Do you ever write in cursive? Let me know by writing in the comments.
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A Breakdown on the Creation of Babyland
Overall, Eileen had her Baby. Her character that is. She had the comedic, plus polyphonic voice, the gestures, the jokes, and the storytelling. Yet, Baby needed to be visionary. By all means, Eileen’s soulful craft begged for a story behind her.
Literally, the more Eileen babbled about Baby and acted like her, soon did the wheels begin to turn. Either seated at the kitchen table or ogling over her baby pictures, did it spark inspiration in Eileen. She loved (still does) the adorable baby that eyed back at her in those baby photos. According to her parents, whenever out with them, people stopped and took in the sight of the young one.
Eileen felt blotted out in those (ephemeral) years in the time of her infanthood. She yearned to have seen herself firsthand at six months old, from a third-person point of view. She desired to cradle her baby self, hug her, get her to giggle with no sense of control.
“I wanna make a story about myself as a baby!” Eileen (probably) said as she can’t exactly recall what she said upon her newfound idea. “I want all these babies to look like myself,” she probably added.
Babyland–a colorful, mystical land where only babies exist–churned out in her mind. Babies that looked exactly like her and names described their personality, occupation, hobbies, or lifestyle. Baby deserved a best friend; that’s where Funny Baby came along. It clicked on the whim, the name Funny Baby. Soon others like Nature Baby, Fashion Baby, and Sleepy Baby contrived from Eileen. These babies were to be neighbors and friends other than supporting characters in the story.
Once she conceived the story, Eileen wrote up a quick draft, along with pencil illustrations. She hadn’t drawn up a conclusion of who the audience was to be, as well as the type of format the story would fall in.
Her writing indeed hadn’t seen an audience, as it screamed editing, and while it was not her creative writing that called for improvement, Eileen had not yet reached seventh grade at the time.
An instance of this, taken that unedited writing, Eileen read the first draft of the Babyland series to her mother, where she, too, shared the rather lewd illustrations as well.
Quite . . . taken back by the pencil drawings and the Babyland story, Eileen’s mother hadn’t any fondness of it at first. It took years for Eileen to drive up the courage again to go back to writing the series.
In the early fall of 2018, about two months after losing her beloved grandfather, Eileen remained keen on job searching–job searching in the film industry. See, Eileen had finished up seven weeks at drama academy that summer and felt certain she’d nail an acting role after all the skills she’d studied. Skills she studied on the weekends, mornings, afternoons, and nights, with the education that forced her to engross all her waking hours to film study. Within the remaining hiatus, Eileen soaked up upon completion from the academy, and nothing seemed confident.
I know what I’ll do. I’ll write a book and earn my money there. I’ll get my career going from there, Eileen thought.
Eileen had at it. She first pondered over what she could write: there were ideas she had in the back of her mind but weren’t ready for publication. What’s more, when she pondered over her Babyland series, what started was what format the series would take place.
Graphic novels–Eileen concluded–though, and she wasn’t interested in them. Never read them or liked them. Indeed a tyro, there was much to process over this unfamiliar territory.
It would have to do. Babyland was to be picturesque and fit for teens and young adults.
As an outcome, the research took off: information about graphic novels, the pricing, the art supplies included, history of graphic novels, how they differ from comics. The list drove on for a long while.
Which is where the creative process of Babyland began . . .Know of any movies or TV shows that also started as graphic novels or comics? Let me know in the comments.
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