I Didn't Watch Any Christmas Movies! 0_0

The Holidays are full of traditions, and it's a little different for everyone. One of my traditions is to watch Christmas movies leading up to the holiday, and I just realized I didn't watch any of my favorites!  I didn't watch any Christmas movie at all.

Well, I started watching The Holiday, but fell asleep a third of the way through. Does that count? Also, I watched Serendipity. Does that count as a Christmas movie? It seems a little Christmasy. That was spontaneous. I'd been thinking of that movie and frozen hot chocolate, and Serendipity popped up as a movie suggestion. Weird. Oh, but it's such a cute movie.

A week ago my Dad said he was working through his four Christmas movies he watches every year: The Family Man, Muppet Christmas Carol, The Holiday, and Dan in Real Life. Technically the last movie isn't a Christmas movie, but it's all about family, and he watches it every year. Several days ago I went into his office to give him a message, and he was watching Die Hard, so that must also be on rotation.

Usually I watch a bunch of Hallmark movies, but had a hard time watching any. It's what I did with my Grandma, and she passed last December, so I just couldn't watch any of those types of movies. On Christmas Eve some of my family was watching The 12 Dates of Christmas. They said it was really cute and recommended it. Maybe I'll watch it later. It's all a bunch of silly predictable fluff, but they are cute. Maybe next year I'll watch some again. 

It's just weird. I didn't watch the Muppet Christmas Carol! How did that happen? There's so many good songs. One more sleep Til Christmas is such a sweet song.

So it's just weird. New years is a couple days away, so I've still got time to finish The Holiday. 

Next year I'll do better!!! :D

Sarah

Awaiting a Snow Squall

Squall: "a sudden violent gust of wind or a localized storm, especially one bringing rain, snow, or sleet."

A few hours ago there was an emergency weather alert, my phone buzzing, a square message covering mindless internet wandering. A snow squall was coming. Beware of limited visibility.

A snow squall? Sounds exciting... and dangerous.  I quickly consulted a weather app, screen shot the rader map, and sent it to my family. A couple of my sibs were in Salt Lake dealing with it there, trying not to bump into cars or slide off the road. They're now safe.

But here? Visibility was never a problem and the snow was more of a dusting. This isn't a bad thing, as safety is most important, but I'm a little disappointed. A snow squall would be fun to witness.

Several years ago we got a weather warning in regards to a blizzard. Salt Lake got hit hard. My sibs and I were nesting in preparation. As soon as the storm came around the point of the mountain it dissipated, scattering, barely any snow falling, and as soon as the storm moved south of the valley it came back together wrecking havoc down I-15. Storm systems are weird and unpredictable in Northern Utah.

I don't know how the squall affected different spots around these valleys, but as exciting as bursts of wind mixed with snow could be, I'm glad people are safe.

Sarah

This is the First Time I Want to Watch the Rose Bowl... but I Can't

So....

I learned something today. The University of Utah is playing in the Rose Bowl. They are PAC12 champions and got an automatic spot. (I didn't even know they won the PAC12! That's how aloof I am).

Being a sports dunce, I don't pay attention to sports, but with growing up in California I always loved watching the Rose Parade. It's a favorite childhood tradition. Even though I never watched the Rose Bowl, I knew about it. It's the only Bowl I knew about, and thought if a team I knew ever made it, I'd watch it.

Now I live in Utah, and watching the Rose Bowl would be fun this time around, only I no longer have live television, having given it up for streaming and YouTube. It seems the only way to watch it is ESPN and ABC.

It's exciting the U of U football team made it to the Rose Bowl. That really cool. And it's amazing they won the PAC12.

Good luck! That's a lot of really hard work. 

Sarah

Charles Dickens Christmas Tradition

"The Life Of Our Lord. This religious work was written by Dickens between 1846 and 1849, while writing David Copperfield. Always a devoted Christian, Dickens wrote The Life of Our Lord exclusively for his children, to whom he read it aloud every Christmas. He strictly forbade publication of the text during his lifetime and begged his sister-in-law to make sure that the Dickens family "would never even hand the manuscript, or a copy of it, to anyone to take out of the house." The handwritten manuscript was passed down after Dickens' death in 1870 to Georgina Hogarth and on her death in 1917 it came into the possession of Sir Henry Fielding Dickens, Dickens' last surviving son. The Dickens family continued to read it every Christmas and delayed publication until the last of his children passed away."

~  Delphi Complete Works of Charles Dickens

What a beautiful tradition.

This morning I woke up and listened to an audio recording of The Life of Our Lord, taking in the beautiful testimony of Charles Dickens.  It seems almost intrusive to listen to it, knowing now the sacredness of this text.  

Theater houses everywhere show A Christmas Carol this time of year, another one of Dickens writings.  A ghost story telling of a haunted scrooge until he discovers and awakes to the wondrous Christmas spirit.  I don't know how often Charles read this story to his kids.  Was this a Christmas tradition?  

Charles Dickens reading aloud his telling of the life of Christ to his family every Christmas is... there are no words to describe what I'm now feeling.  There's a gentleness, a peace, a love.  Remembering more than Christ birth and taking in what it means to be a Christian, and the gift of Christ's life for us, his blessings, his miracles, his goodness.

I was reading a one star review criticizing doctrinal errors in The Life of Our Lord.  Criticizing something that Dickens never wanted published.  Criticizing the testimony and faith that was a wish to remain private and sacred, a gift Dickens gave to his children.  And in this text we see what Dickens believes and values.

It's so easy getting caught up in the little traditions of this season.  There's nothing wrong with Santa and Christmas trees, but lets never forget the "Christ" in Christmas.

Merry Christmas,

Sarah

Suffering Through the Star Wars Holiday Special

The Star Wars Holiday Special is the stuff of legends, coming out after the success of the first Star Wars movie in 1978.  The special capitalized on the popularity of the movie, a way to keep the budding franchise in everyone's mind before VCR's were widely available, giving movie goers a chance to see their new favorite characters on the small screen.

It's rumored that the Holiday Special was so bad that George Lucas wanted it erased from peoples memories... (in the same vein as "Han shot first").  Thankfully the VCR came out in 1977, and lucky for us some people taped it, and the show can now be found on YouTube.

I grew up hearing about the Star Wars Holiday Special, wondering if it was real or not, hearing about the catastrophic legend.  Turns out the special was real, like a mystical beast coming to life.  So... I went to YouTube and finally sat through all 1hr. 37 mins...

And it lives up to the hype, fully earning it's 2.2/10 IMDb score and 27% Rotten Tomatoes score.  Apparently 44% of Google Users like this special.  Who are you!!?? :P

Okay, in all fun, it was weird.  I'll only see it once.  The special is just a really weird mix of music acts, Wookies jabbering for eons with no subtitles, a random animation section in the middle, etc, oh... and Mark Hamill wearing too much makeup.  

The story line is simple, Chewie needs to get home to celebrate Life Day, a Wookie holiday, to see his family.  Also, Chewie is an absentee Dad as his parents take care of his son.  Han tries to get his friend home while the Empire is making everything difficult. 

Honestly, though, the most redeeming section of this show was a "Day in the Life on Tatooine," watching a guy fall in love with a bartender at the Cantina.  I don't remember the name of the lady bartender, but she was awesome.  That character needs to come back in some way, somewhere.  Also, the cooking demonstration Chewie's Mom does was amusing, albeit a bit strange and odd... random... everything is just so random...

So... I've now seen the Star Wars Holiday Special. I don't think I'm all the better for it, but a childhood mystery has now been solved, so that's good, I guess.  

Also, Disneyland celebrated Life Day at Galaxies Edge last November.  I wasn't there for it, but there's videos of the event on YouTube.  A bunch of fans wearing red cloaks while holding glowing orbs.  Actually, it looks fun.

Well,

Hope you're having a great holiday and a Merry Christmas.

Sarah

P.S.... Han shot first.

 P.P.S. "Come back soon, I'll be waiting." ~ That bartender lady.

The Creator's Playbook Podcast, Episode 88: "Doctor McDuke" ~ Time Loops

The Creator's Playbook 

Episode 88: "Doctor McDuke" ~ Time Loops

Hosts: My bro Robbie and I

This turned out to be one of my favorite episodes!  And it almost didn't happen.  A lot of things were going on Saturday morning during recording, each in our homes with our individual set ups.  Robbie has two adorable kids, but as what happens when children are awake and playing, there was some crying.  On my end a plane was flying by in close proximity.  We were both a little spent, a little lost, and were about to hit the "stop recording" button and literally record the entire thing again on another day.  We didn't.  We pushed through... and I'm so happy we did.  This episode was really quite fun.

"What if you could have the perfect day? Nothing went wrong, all you did was right, and in the end you come out on top in every way. What kind of effort would be required to do that? It would take a culmination of all effort or very special circumstances. Or, maybe you could just relive the same day over and over again until it was just right. Time-loops are a story phenomenon that find themselves getting told again and again. Join Robbie and Sarah as they explore the inspiration behind time-loop stories."

Time Loops.  Funny enough I was watching a cute little show on Hulu this morning, Find Me in Paris.  It's for kids.  A little cheesy.  But super adorable.  The main character, a ballet dancer from 1905, time travels to 2018, and in the episode I was watching this morning one of the characters got stuck in a couple second time loop.  How annoying would that be??!!  But time loops are a fun plot device.  A movie about a seriously underrated holiday is all about a time loop.  In this episode my brother Robbie and I have fun talking about time loops, role playing a little, and then creating a story about a time loop.

Creator's Playbook is a podcast about the creative process, hosted by my brothers and I, and each week we tackle a new topic.  It can be found on Spotify, Apple, etc.

Hope you're having a great week!

I just looked at the weather report and I think we're getting 11 days of snow... :\

Sarah

    

The Creator's Playbook Podcast, Episode 87: "Soul Bleeding" Dystopias

The Creator's Playbook 

Episode 87: "Soul Bleeding" Dystopias

Hosts: My bros Michael and Robbie

"Cold and dark days have come to The Creators Playbook here in episode "Soul Bleeding" where Robbie and Michael delve into the backdrop of dystopian societies. You, Great Author, have a choice before you in how your characters are going to live through an oppressive regime! Will they be triumphant and conquer in majesty? Or will your society crush them? Join us as we delve into this wonderfully awful business of making our characters' lives terrible as we create a dystopia, and place our characters in it to live, thrive, or die."

It seems like dystopias are all the rage, and have been for sometime.  Something I've never quite understood, as they're depressing at times, but I've gotten caught up in the Hunger Games with reading and watching the series and other dystopias as well.  Michael and Robbie have some fun with this topic, and the episode is an interesting listen.  Michael, that opening is pretty slick.

Creator's Podcast is about, simply, creativity.  Taking different ideas and genres, playing around with tropes and the like, and finishing off by creating a new story. You can find the podcast on Spotify, Apple, etc.

Have a great week!

Sarah

 

Bright at Night

It's interesting how we all have different experiences depending on where we live. Natural events. Things we read about but cannot truly understand without living. 

Someday I would love to know what it's like to see the aurora borealis, glow worms in caves, fireflies.  I've tried to imagine, looked at pictures, seen videos, but someday I hope to see these things in person. 

When I was a kid I always wanted to live where there was snow.  Snow days and snowmen and sledding down hills.  With all the imagining there was something I never knew existed: How the world can be bright at night.

This phenomenon happens every time it snows at night. Each time I'm equally amazed. Looking outside everything is milky white, cloudy, swirly, lit up and glowing. It's strange and wonderful, something I never knew existed as a kid.

Heh, I have a love/hate relationship with snow. Childhood wonder mixed in with not wanting to clean frozen fluff off my car. 

In the end it's all amazing. Someday I hope to see the sky drapped in waves of color. For now I'm enjoying daylight in the dark.

Sarah

It's a Howlin'

Winter Storm Warning.

That's what the weather app says.

Whistling wind gives it away, no looking at apps needed.

Outside the air is glowing white. 

This is one thing about living in Utah I haven't quite gotten used to yet. The snow storms. Tomorrow there's supposed to be a break, then a couple days of snow, another break, and all next week more storms are passing through.

Looks like we're getting a white Christmas.

I do love a white Christmas, makes the day so much more magical. It's friends and family traveling about the worries me, hoping they stay safe.

But right now there are howls outside. Loud and winding, screeching in screams.

Lights flickering. Hopefully the lights won't go permanently out.

Tomorrow morning should be beautiful. There's nothing quite like freshly fallen snow sparkling in sunlight.

Hope you have a peaceful night!

Sarah

At Disneyland During the Genie + Launch

 

First of all, being at Disneyland last week during the Genie + launch was not my intention.  If anything, I was hoping it would have launched a few weeks later.  As an annual pass Dream Key holder, I reserved last weeks dates early last October.  Two months ago.  The Disneyland app said "coming soon" for Genie +, so I was quite shocked opening the Disneyland app on December 8th with the program announcement.

Backing up, what is Genie +?  It launched at Disney World last October, and is a paid replacement for the fastpass system.  All the previous fastpass lanes have been renamed to Lightening lane.  I believe it's $15 a day at Disney World and $20 a day at Disneyland.  I don't know the prices, as I choose to not buy in and did the stand by lines.  On top of the daily fee is the fact that Rise of the Resistance, Radiator Spring Racers, and Webslingers are not apart of the daily fee and are separate add on prices.  Apparently Rise of the Resistance topped off at $20 a ride, per person.  

Last week I was at Disneyland Monday through Thursday.  The weekends were already reserved and unavailable by the time I selected the dates.  Also, whenever there's rain that affects line wait times and crowds in the parks.  Tuesday had rain in the morning and Thursday was a little drizzly.  Wednesday had perfect weather.  It was so nice!  It was also when Genie + launched.  Also, the Holiday parade was recorded that day for broadcast on ABC on Christmas day.  I rushed to It's a Small World and got off the ride right when the parade was starting in Fantasyland.  The 45 min wait time turned out to only be 20 minutes.  Total win.  I then I left halfway through the parade to hop on Big Thunder Railroad because the line was only 10 minutes.  WIN!!

 

Just putting this out there, I'm not a fan of Genie +.  I loved the fastpass system, but in hindsight I view it quite differently.  Defunctland has a video called "Disney's Fastpass, A Complicated History". I haven't seen it, plan to, but apparently it talks about the fact that fastpasses cause the problem it solves.

 

Thankfully Genie + was having issues that day, so I had crazy good luck with the line wait times in standby.

Experiencing Disneyland last October and Monday/Tuesday of last week, I realized how much I didn't like the fastpass system.  Without the merger of fastpass/lightening lane users, the regular line moves so fast!  I got into Indiana Jones on Tuesday, 45 minute estimated wait.  It was about 15-20 minutes.  The line was constantly moving.  Same with Big Thunder Railroad.  Without the fastpass/lightening lane mergers, that line kept moving with little wait, half the time that was projected.  I did Rise of the Resistance twice.  On Monday it was a 60 minute wait time, and it ended up being so.  On Thursday it said the wait time was 65 minutes, but ended up being 45 minutes.

There are plenty of videos on YouTube showing people trying out standby verses lightening lanes.  Apparently lightening lanes win out time wise, though I wonder what the wait would have been otherwise.  From my experience I had pretty good luck.  Honestly only averaged 4-5 rides a day, on purpose.  I didn't do the ticketed holiday event.  Not paying an extra $170 for that party.

Where the real slam happened was Thursday night at California Adventure.  During the holiday event on Tuesday, which boots out "day guests" (loved being called that...), out of the park at 7pm, I hung out at Downtown Disney and did stuff there, so no idea what was happening in DCA.  Now, on Thursday night DCA was crazy crowded.  Guardians has a 95 wait time.  Radiator Spring Racers had a two hour wait time.  For Racers the single rider line was so long it was closed!  So I watched a band perform on the stage next to the Paradise Pier Lake.  Got a hot chocolate macaron from one of those food wagons.  And found a table close to the Mostly Kosher stage and enjoyed their performance.  It's all good.

Side note.  When I visited Disney World in 2016, I didn't use a single fastpass, mainly because guests of their hotels can book them so far in advance, and I was staying at the Holiday Inn and just didn't want to mess with them.  I found a website, studied which parks were doing magic mornings/evenings and when, and then planned accordingly.  Certain times in the day have lower wait times.  During those six days I did so many rides, all with short wait times except Space Mountain (so bumpy compared to Disneyland), and Snow Whites Mine Train was just so long I never made it on that ride.  Not a big deal.

Anywho, I don't like this pay to ride scheme Disney has going on.  I want it to fail, but it seems it won't.  Just another way for Disney to bleed us dry.

Walt Disney, may you rest in peace.

Sarah

 

Trying Chicken Waffle and Maple Bacon Flavored Taffy

Some ventures are better left untaken.

At least that's what I'm thinking as I stare at two savory pieces of salt water taffy, one chicken waffle flavor and the other maple bacon.  Why did I get them? I'm a glutton for punishment, but curiosity also overwhelmed my brain.

So here it goes!!

Chicken and Waffles first.  The smell is a little off putting!! Salty sweet with the scent of gravy. I really don't want to do this!!!! Hmmmm that was confusing. If there was a bland taffy flavor this would be it. How anticlimactic.

Now for the bacon!!  The scent is throwing me off. Kinda like a piece of bacon smothered in maple syrup, like if you were eating pancakes and the syrup went crazy. Okay, now for the taste... yeah, that was gross. Why did I put the second half in my mouth?? >_<

Chicken and Waffles win!!

Now to palate cleanse with hot chocolate flavor. Blah!

Have a great weekend.

Sarah

Participating in a Guinness World Record Attempt

I've been on a quest to achieve random bucket list activities and goals.  Some are substantial and will take time.  Some involve trips to far off places (World events and cost prevents some of these goals, but that won't stop the wishing).  One of my goals was to either personally break a world record or help break a record.

The opportunity came with Virtual Runners and their Most Users to Complete a 10K in 24 hours last September.  I was late to the game, as the FB group was super active with posts spanning months and months.  Word had it that over 100,000 were participating.  That sounded amazing.  But as time went on the number became false.  Some registering with the free entry and then forgetting.  Others double registering while ordering swag.

There was a lot of confusion in the group, contrasting information, in regards to what qualified as a valid entry submission proof.  We had to have a tracking app accompany our run/walk, a screenshot showing date, time, and distance.  Not all apps provide this information.  It was a mess.  I, with others, insisted a mass email sent to all participants clarifying the requirements so that their entry would be counted by Guinness.  

On the day of the challenge I woke up and got on the treadmill, and with it being just 2 months after my surgery I was able to walk the 6.2 miles (I did 6.4 just in case).  It took well over two hours, and was quite the challenge.  The app I used didn't fail and my screenshot showed all required information.

In the end we accomplished the Guinness World Record.  I received an email with this information: "Guinness World Records has now officially confirmed it. Together we broke the world record! Thanks to the help of so many runners. In total, there were about 40,000 successful participants. Due to the strict technical requirements, Guinness World Records confirmed 25,523!"

The thing is, I have no idea if I was included in the 25,523 confirmed entries.  Rumor in the group had it that if you received the email, you qualified.  This was never confirmed.  And no list of names provided.  So I participated, and hopefully my effort was counted.

In the end this experience was simply interesting.  A few times I almost ordered the official Guinness participant certificate, just to have.  Nearly completed the process twice, then deleted my shopping cart.  Really, it all just seems like a brilliant monetary operation.  Really, you can create the most random records and have a large group participate.  

I got the medal.  It's cool.  I showed up and did my part.  Made sure the entry had all the required information.  Virtual Runners is doing it again next year, and once again it's confusing.  They're going to have all these different distances, all to be run on the same day.  And I fear the confusion and ill planning will continue.  Keep the goal focused and simple.  Don't complicate.  Give detailed, good instruction.  

In the FB group this achievement meant so much to many.  The lack of communication of whose entries were accepted by Guinness discourage quite a few.  The fact that it appears next year will be just as convoluted is why I won't do this again.  Really, once is enough.

Have a good day,

Sarah

The Creator's Playbook Podcast, Episode 86: "Mr. Math" - Magical Shop

The Creator's Playbook 

Episode 86: "Mr. Shop" - Magical Shop

Hosts: My bros. Steven and Robbie. 

Creator's Playbook is a creativity podcast, hosted by my bros and I.  Each week we pick a subject, talk about it, and find ways of incorporating said subject into a story, where we create a story on the spot.  This week is all about magical and/or interesting items from a magical shop. Just in time for Christmas. :0)

"It's that time of the year. A time to go out and surprise others with gifts, treats, and service. It's a time of scrolling through online sellers and walking through isles trying to find the perfect thing. Sometimes all you need is just a little magic to make it all happen. Today join Robbie and Steven as they create a Magical Shop filled with wonder and mystery."

Heh, listening to this episode made me want to go window shopping. :P

Hope you're having a great week!!!

Sarah

Cat Sitting

A few weeks ago I watched the Olaf cat.  Steven and Ty were visiting with Ty's family.  So for the weekend I cat sat.  Olaf used to be our cat, but Steven and Ty needed him more, and my Dad decided he doesn't much care for cats, so away Olaf went.

I missed Olaf.  Missed his sweetness.  Olaf has a gentle, loving personality.  I don't miss when he goes into stealth mode and refuses to let anyone know where he's hiding.  That's not fun.

But it was sweet watching Olaf remember all the old things he loved doing.  A lot of little things, but it was funny watching Olaf hop up on the stair railing and try to lick his tail.  It was a feat much easily achieved when he was a kitten.  Age affects us all.

I love the Olaf cat.  I miss having pets.  But also, there's positives to not having a pet as well.  I'm good either way, to be honest.  But it was really nice having him around.

Have a nice day,

Sarah

Watching Doctor Who Burn

In Star Wars Kylo Ren said, "Let the past die. Kill it if you have to. That's the only way to become what you were meant to be." Chris Chibnall, current Doctor Who show runner, whether he heard this quote or not, has taken this sentiment to heart.

Jodie Whittaker is the 13th Doctor. And I gave her an honest chance. Watched the first couple seasons, though I didn't care for several aspects (many, many aspects) I kept watching. That is... until the rumors for the last series final came out. The Doctor's origin was being rewritten.  

I taped the Timeless Child arch, but didn't immediately watch the show. The spoilers warned me to stay away. Thankfully I heard the advice and listened. Watching a grown women kill a child, over and over again, simply to discover the regeneration powers of the doctor (said child) seemed abhorrent. The idea that the birth of the Time Lords was due to such killing is appalling.

The Doctor has now regenerated a 1,000 times over. William Hartnell is no longer the first Doctor. That is the greatest crime of all.

I started watching classic Who, the earlier seasons that began in the 60's, because seeing the birth of Doctor Who is interesting. I wanted to watch the legacy that spawned decades of entertainment. When the Timeless Child arch was broadcast I was at the end of the 2nd Doctor's episodes. Only about 10 episodes away from the regeneration of the 3rd Doctor. I couldn't stomach continuing the show and canceled Britbox.

I didn't even make it to Tom Baker's run!! I should go back and watch them sometime, just to spite the current show, because the past does matter.

The current series that ended last Sunday literally caught fire to the Doctor Who universe.  The Flux. A six episode arch. A band of fire time energy of sorts ripping through the universe, destroying planets, space ships, and life. The Earth was shielded thanks to the help of space alien dogs.

Without spoiling too much, the whole series was a mess. Too much going on. More questions than answers. Plots with holes and loose ends. Too much. Too quick. Bad ideas throughout. Good ideas with wasted potential and not fleshed out. A whole bowl of shame.

And the most interesting character died at the end.

The worst of it, the Timeless Child was doubled down.  We are now led to believe that the Doctor was indeed that child, murdered several times over.  That the Doctor has led countless lives.  This alone creates holes in previous plot lines. The sacrifice of some characters erased. Holes and crevices everywhere.  

I'm not against change. I love cleverness and creativity. Unfortunately this last series is anything but. The past does matter. Legacies should be honored and respected. Create the new while respecting the old. That's all fans, in all fandoms, want.

This last season had an interesting premise with its format. Six episodes, linked together, a different focus with each, while also interlacing many plotlines. But the problem comes with bloat. In short, too much with characters rushed in, little screen time, so in the end no connections were truly created. Just a lot of things that would have been cool if developed fully and explored, minus the Timeless Child. I wasn't emotionally connected. 

I no longer watch because I care. I watch to see how much worse it can get.

Now I'm repeating and meandering. 

It's all so heartbreaking. The flux tried to burn down a Universe. Instead the flux burned down decades of a beloved show.

Sarah

The Creator's Playbook Podcast, Episode 85: The Bunny Brigade ~ Wishes

The Creator's Playbook 

Episode 85: The Bunny Brigade ~ Wishes

Hosts: Myself with my bro Steven. 

“Wishes. It's amazing how much of our lives are full of Wish routines. Wishing on the first star in the sky or a shooting star. Wishing on birthday candles. Stories are also full of wishes as well. What we wish for shows what we value, and in stories wishing can be a window into a characters soul. Wishes can also serve as both a great blessing, but also trials and tests. Remember, be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.”

It really is crazy how wishing rules our lives.  We all have wishes and dreams.  At least, I hope so.  Wishes give us something to look forward to, something to hope for, and we all need something to look forward to and to have hope. 

This episode was a bit of a challenge.  Steven's internet was having issues, so our connection while recording was rough at times.  But even with having technical issues we always found our way back, and editing stitched it all together.  What a relief. 

The way this podcast went was a little on the silly side, but I like silly.  Sometimes we can be a little too serious.  A little lightheartedness is good for the soul. :0)

The Creator's Playbook can be found on Spotify and other podcasting places.

Have a fun weekend!

Hope, or wish, you'll have a listen. ;0)

Sarah

Getting My Fortune From A Pirate

Getting a fortune from a pirate in Disneyland, New Orleans Square, is probably the cheapest souvenir you can get in the parks.  (Shhh, don't tell Chapek).  It's a whole 25 cents.  A quarter.  Put a quarter in the machine and out pops a card, the Pirates of the Caribbean theme playing while a treasure map lights up.  The machine is found in between two stores in New Orleans under an archway of sorts.  I was getting out of the sun while waiting for a text for a reservation at Cafe Orleans.  

There was the waiting pirate sitting in his box.  I couldn't resist! Quickly grabbing my wallet I searched for a quarter.  Thankfully there was change.

The very first fortune was nice and sweet: 

"I see yer dreams, pirate! Do ye see 'em too? Givin' chase to a wish serves ye well.  Should ye e'er feel off course, set yer gaze upon the stars. Makes no difference the pirate-the night sky be a guide to yer heart's desires."

As I started digging for a quarter for my Mom so she could have a fortune, the machine started moving!  The song playing!  And I tried giving it a quarter, only for it to spit the quarter back out.  A fortune popped out which my Mom claimed.

Then I popped in my second quarter and another fortune came out:

"Impressed ye be with the uniqueness o' the Magic Kingdom. 'Tis yer creative nature what gives ye an appreciation fer such artistic details. Aye, but ye sails a course charted on detachment and ye signs articles with no one. 'Bout ship, matey, this here cruise be on the wrong tack. There be trusted lubbers standin' by to help chart this creative talent and arrange fo'c'sle coucils with important patrons. Do not repel them. Mark well me words, matey: Solitude be a pleasant port to visit, but a lonely place to stay."

This fortune hit me a little hard.  I know it's all silliness and fun, but there was some truth here that hit me in the heart.  That last line... it's so true.  And I've hung out at the port of solitude a little longer than anyone ever should.

Have a nice day,

Yo ho yo ho! A pirates life for me!!

Every Breath is a Breath for Hope, original poem

Every breath is a breath for hope.

Hope for the future.

Hope to keep living.

Hope that sadness will surely end.

Hope that joy will surely begin.

Hope for bliss.

Hope for laughter.

Hope there's always another chapter.

Hope that trials resolve in peace.

Hope that pain will find release. 

Hope for a dream.

Hope for more time.

Hope that every wish will align.

Hope for love and all that's divine.

 

Hope this poem won't end in a rhyme...

 

:P

 

Sarah

 

The Creator's Playbook Podcast, Episode 84: "The Eclipse Coin" ~ Storytelling Warm Ups

The Creator's Playbook 

Episode 84: "The Eclipse Coin" ~ Storytelling Warm Ups

Hosts: My bros Steven and Robbie

This podcast has a different feel.  Here Robbie and Steven are going to show what we do to warm up for an episode by doing different prompts and coming up with ideas.  The stories are more free flowing.  Prompts are something I always struggle with.  Ruminating in my ideas and thoughts is my go to natural thought process. But there are times, after recording an episode, it seemed the ideas explored during the warm up prompts were stronger and more interesting than the actual episode.

It's fun doing these warm ups.  Challenging, spontaneous, you'll surprise yourself with what you discover.  These are also fun to do around the dinner table or on car trips.

Creator's Playbook is a story creativity podcast found on Spotify and other podcast locations.

"If you were to look behind the curtain of the production of Creator's Playbook, there are several stages that would be very obvious. Research, writing, episode preparation, recording and scheduling, down to the editing, effects, and music selection. But one thing a lot of our listeners might not know is that we actually take the art of warming up before a recording very seriously.As much research goes into our show, there is still a very real sense of improv. Because of that, we need to be in the state of mind to allow for that creative exchange to occur!

"With the holidays coming up, we wanted to record a shorter episode today and show the process we use to get our creative juices flowing! Here are several of the warm up games we've designed to get us in the creative mind-set:"Key-Prompts" - One player give a key word or phrase, the other must develop a story around this concept using the key word as inspiration. That player then gives a key word to another player, who must use the inspiration to develop another part of the story. The only rule is that each player is adding to the same world or story, until a basic story comes together."Break and Tell" - A key word or phrase is given to start the prompt. The first player must begin telling a story until they trip over their own words or pause. The next player must immediately continue telling the story from where the last player left off. The story is traded back and forth if there are only two players, or in a direction if there are more."Pass Backs" - A player gives a basic phrase as a prompt. Player two takes the prompt and develops the idea a little further, typically adding a twist or a concept. Player one then begins to describe a scene from a would-be story that illustrates the prompt as a fleshed out idea. This scene it stand alone, and the next play is a new scene for a new would-be story."Not My McGuffin" - A player gives the name to an unknown item. Player two takes the name and describes what the item is, how it is used, and why it is essential to the plot of the story the item appears in. Try these games out and let us know what we think by tagging Creator's Playbook on social media!"

Have a great week!

Sarah

 

Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Trying to Find Mayflower Ancestors

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's just after 9 am, and the food cooking marathon is about to start.  In less than 20 minutes iFit is streaming their Turkey Trot 5k, which, if you participate live with a subscription, you can get a free race medal.  Tempting.  I'm actually not going to do it, though.  I've never done a Turkey Trot.  Didn't it start to help people feel better about eating a lot on Thanksgiving?  Don't know.  Nah, I need to get cleaning done and such.

Some of the fam is coming over, and we're playing board games.  That's kinda my new thing that I'm getting into right now, board games.  It's such a crazy world.  Board games are exploding.  So many coming and going and the cult of the new.  I was super tempted a week ago to back a kickstarter, but talked myself out of it.  But it's not just kickstarters, there's all these Euro games, and independent games.  Do you want a puzzly game?  Worker placement?  Deck builder?  A little of everything?  It's an expensive hobby, and the more you dig, the more review/playthrough videos you watch, the bigger the wish list gets.  You will be poor for life if there isn't restraint. Eh.... no comment.

But for Black Friday there are all these game deals going on.  I impulsed bought Azul last night on Amazon, regretted it, and tried to cancel.  They must have hired a lot of people, because within a couple hours that thing was ready for shipping.  Pandemic and Ticket to Ride are also crazy good priced right now.

Streaming services are also having all these deals.  A month or so back my parents and I decided to give up satellite television.  It is so strange!  In terms of streaming I subscribe to a service that allows me to watch live British/French/Irish television, and I've got Wondrium (formerly Great Courses Plus) and Curiosity Stream.  Those last two I need to watch more of.  Ireland's TG4 and Japan's NHK World are free apps.  But I've been eyeing maybe getting Discovery + and or Hulu.  Discovery's deal isn't fantastic.  But Hulu has a $1 a month for a year deal.  That's super tempting.  It's with ads, but that's not a big deal. (P.S. The Great British Bake Off just finished this last week.  This season was amazing.  So, so good.)

I'm into genealogy and ancestry stuff.  For the longest time I've wondered and wanted Mayflower ancestors, but with that said, anything beyond about six generations I get dubious about.  They become Hypothetical ancestors, unless the research and documentation is tight, or DNA proof. Between now and the 1600's there's so much room for mistakes and secrets.  Following the Stufflebeam line back, for instance, isn't hard, simply because the name change is firmly rooted to a common ancestor.  I'm related to all Stufflebeam's.  Other surnames, the common ones, have issues.  

With that said, I've been playing around with Relative Finder through Family Search.  According to the service and the research of others, I'm possibly descended from a few Mayflower travelers: George Soule, Degory Priest, Francis Cooke, and Richard Warren.  They all signed the Mayflower Compact, including Soule who was an indentured servant. I've been looking through the family lines leading back to these men, and some seem more sure than others, but not sure enough to try to get a membership into the Mayflower Society, or whatever it's called.  They're sticklers for tight research.  That would take a crazy amount of time, and I have other pressing research to perform.  

It would be cool if I was descended at least from one of these men.  For now they are hypothetical, until proven otherwise.  But who knows, maybe?  Regardless I picked up one of those magazine book things at the checkout line a few days ago: Mayflower, Birth of America by American Collector.  It's really cool, and the articles look interesting.  So I'll be reading it bit by bit.

I need to get to Thanksgiving prep stuff before the fam starts trickling in.  The live iFit race is happening, hopefully it's going well.  I'm just looking forward and thankful that this will be a nice holiday.  

Have a good day,

Sarah

P.S. According to Relative Finder Benjamin Franklin is my 4th cousin 10 times removed.  That's cool! Hope it's true! :D  Our common ancestor was born in 1515.... so... yeah.

Getting Caught Up Watching Movies ... and Skinny Jeans

Goodness, so the Ghostbusters movie review didn't go up yesterday because I got caught up watching movies.  After seeing the film last Friday I realized it had been so long since I've seen Ghostbusters (1984) that I had to see it before writing the review, but instead of streaming the movie I bought the 2 movie DVD set for $6, normally $15, and now back up to $10.  Ghostbusters 1 & 2 for only $6, and now I've got a physical copy.

Meanwhile, as I waited for the order to arrive, I started writing the review yesterday, but struggled.  Why? Because I had just gotten back from finally seeing the new James Bond movie.  Don't want to give anything away, but it's kind of a bummer.  So that depressed me a little.

Oh, and last Sunday I finally watched Dune before it left HBO Max.  Visually amazing.  The film is imaginative.  But dang the whole thing felt like one giant exposition leading to a cliffhanger.  Good movie, but I don't like movies that lead to a cliffhanger with no idea if there will be more.  Granted it has been announced that there will be a sequel, but I'll believe it when I see it.  Remember Alita Battle Angel?  Still waiting for word that part 2 will happen.  I just don't like major cliffhangers.

Anywho, got the Ghostbusters DVD's today, and I was going to only watch the first movie, but this evening suddenly turned into an at home double feature.  Dang those movies are fun.  And so 80's.  

Changing topics, I remember a thing going around saying how Gen Z mock Millennials for wearing skinny jeans.  I just searched the internet today about skinny jeans and this popped up: "The year 2021 said goodbye to a lot of unlikable things, including skinny jeans. ... Either way, teens on TikTok and recent designer denim offerings agree: skinny jeans are out.  In their place, a variety of overwhelmingly looser fitting and retro-inspired styles are taking over."

Well, I went to Target to buy a pair of jeans because I was in need, just a simple bootcut, and what did I find?  Skinny jeans everywhere!  Seriously, every row.  Every color.  Stacks of them.  I had to dig and miraculously found some bootcut jeans in only a few sizes, a handfuls worth, one of which was my size.  But seriously, what's up with all those skinny jeans?  :\ I just feel so lucky to find a bootcut in my size, and on sale for $25.  That was nice.

It's almost midnight.  I do want to see Ghostbusters Afterlife again, now that my memory has been refreshed by the first two movies.

And tomorrow I'm recording a Creator's Playbook podcast episode with my brother Steven. So prepping for that. It will go up next week.

Hope you're doing great,

Sarah

Wow I wrote a whole lot more than I was planning.  That James Bond movie... *sigh*

Sleeping Through a Blood Moon

I'm always trying to catch astronomical events, but for some reason the blood moon remains elusive. The last time I made an attempt it was cloudy and the moon was barely seen.

Last week there were articles about the blood moon that would be appearing early Friday morning. I was super excited!! Until I looked up the weather report. :P

Overcasted! Leading to cloudiness.

And sure enough as I was heading to bed Thursday night it was overcast, so why bother with an alarm?

Blood moons do happen twice a year, but they're visible to different parts of the Earth.  

While perusing YouTube videos I came across one of those channels that talk about the "signs of the times". Honestly I do watch those kind of videos. They're interesting!! And it's fascinating hearing the opinions and connections made by different Christian faiths. 

This video made the point that he didn't think there was anything significant about blood moons, that's not the main reason we have them. They're to show us that we have a creator.

We're the only planet in the solar system that has blood moons. Why? Because we're the only planet where everything lines up and comes together perfectly. Our distance from the sun. The size of our planet. The size of the moon. The distance the moon is from us. The moons orbit. Our orbit. It all comes together.

There are those scientists and philosophers who keep trying to tell us God isn't real. You're a fool to believe!! But then God keeps giving us proofs. Signatures from Haven. We're to walk by faith. Faith is one of the most important talents we can develop while on Earth. But God, while on our journey, smiles from Haven and is like, "See! I'm here. How can you doubt? Don't worry. I've set everything in perfect motion. Don't think I'm not aware of you as well. You're more important than everything. I love you."

Gifts and love.

Hope you had a nice weekend!

Sarah

The Creator's Playbook Podcast, Episode 83: "The Feeding Forest" ~ Ghost Hunters

The Creator's Playbook 

Episode 83: "The Feeding Forest" ~ Ghost Hunters

Hosts: My bros Steven and Robbie

"Every tale with a Ghost is a tale of history. The ghost is something left over from the past, a linger memory, and the haunted location is the canvas for its story. It's a Ghost Hunters job to uncover these mysteries, find the vapory clues, and reveal the ghost. These stories are exciting and spooky, and today we're going to tell our own tale."

Ghosts, them creepy things. Heh, I don't like them much, really. No one should be surprised.  And I told Robbie I didn't want to be in this episode because I didn't want to get scared!!  True story.  It doesn't take much.  But this episode is fun as always.  And just in time for the new Ghostbusters movie, which was purely by accident.  I saw it this morning, texted the fam it was good, and Robbie was like, "Woohoo! I thought that came out next week." 

Creators Playbook is a creativity podcast where my sibs and I talk about stories, fact/fiction, and then explores the creative process by developing a story in the spot. It's found wherever you like to listen to podcasts. (The links above will take you to Spotify).

Hope you're having a great weekend!  And that it's not tooooo scary.

Sarah

P.S. I'll be getting the Ghostbusters Afterlife review out on Monday.

Movie Review, CS Lewis: The Most Reluctant Convert

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” C.S. Lewis

Clive Staples Lewis. A profound Christian writer from Nania with its pure symbolism to The Screwtape Letters to Mere Christianity.  To this day his wisdom and faith is still quoted. It's crazy to believe that Lewis was once an atheist.  But he was.

C.S. Lewis lost his belief in God due to experiences in his youth.  Keeping his lack of faith to himself, Lewis simply went through the motions.  Religious rights and passages performed, silence within, all the while his hypocritical actions eating at him little by little.  As he grew his lack of faith was challenged.  Lewis also dabbled in the occult and what he witnessed as warning scared him away after the exploration.

In CS Lewis: The Most Reluctant Convert we learn about Lewis's faith struggle.  See him grow and challenged.  See him eventually accept wholeheartedly.  

This movie is based both on the one-man-show by the same name and "Surprised by Joy".  The man who acted as Lewis in the play, Max McLean, reprises his role for this film.  He's brilliant.  The movie is part narration and part action, seamlessly going between the two.  There's a trailer for the stage play if you want to see tiny clips, as it gives a window into his performance.  McLean breaks the fourth wall, taking us on Lewis's journey, speaking to us his thoughts and struggles.  When he stares at the camera we're pulled in.  For moments I forgot he wasn't Lewis.

The movie is 1h 25m, though I don't know if that includes the documentary that's shown before the start of the film.  I think it might, as the documentary felt to be at least 20 minutes (wasn't looking at the time), and the actual film felt short.  Being just over an hour seems about right.  I love behind the scene stuff, but as this documentary played I just wanted to see the movie.  Maybe the documentary should have been shown afterwards.  I just wanted more.  Frankly I didn't want to movie to end.

One thing, though, I wish there were more scenes showing the friendship between C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.  Is there a movie that shows just that?  Tolkien is one of the motivators for Lewis to question his lack of faith.

C.S. Lewis is just so inspiring.

“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” C.S. Lewis

The movie is still shown in limited release in a few theaters.

 

The Creator's Playbook Podcast, Episode 82: "The 100 Year Promise" ~ Space Exploration

The Creator's Playbook 

Episode 82: "The 100 Year Promise" ~ Space Exploration

Hosts: Myself with my brothers Robbie and Michael

"Space invites the mind to all kinds of ideas and stories. Exploring it has been the staple of thousands of science fiction stories across all medium, causing to wonder what worlds, people, creatures, and things float around the distance specks of light that sprinkle across the sky every night. Join Robbie, Sarah, and Michael as we explore our very own piece of space and turn it into a story."

This past week Michael, Robbie, and I talked about Space Exploration.  Needless to say it's probably obvious now how much we love space and science.  Traveling through space is a common theme is fiction, movies, and television.  Many iconic shows explore this topic.  Really, I think it's a call for our curiosity.  The wonderment of what's beyond and unknown.  Mankind has been pushing the boundaries of exploration since the beginning of time.  

It's just such a fun topic.

I hope you're having a great week.  And if you're craving a little creativity that you give the podcast a try.

Until next time,

Sarah

 

Ghost in the Desert

Every now and then we experience something out of the ordinary. It tricks our brain, causing us to question reality, and after awhile we wonder if it was all a dream.

On October 2nd,  a Saturday,  such a thing happened to me. My Mom and I were driving home from Disneyland, past Las Vegas by at least a half hour. Not quite sure of the location, but we were in the middle of nowhere traveling on the I-15 towards Mesquite.

The light in the sky was growing dim. A little past dusk but still awhile till twilight, when I saw the figure.  There was a hill, and I saw a person clothed in complete black walking towards the highway.  Faced covered, head to feet, no color variation or striking features. Nothing. Just this person walking, alone, in the desert.

"Mom, look! There's a person walking!" I said.

"What?"

"A person! Right over there." I pointed, but she was driving, looking where I pointed but right back to the road.

"I don't see anything."

"The person's right there!" I said again, pointing.

And she repeated, "I don't see anything."

As we were about to pass this person stopped at the road, shifting weight from one leg to the other as we passed, appearing to look at me.  I couldn't see their face. Couldn't see any features. They seemed to wear a black skirt and had a black side bag to their right.  Once again, no color variation. No skin. No hair. Not sure of gender. A physical shadow.

After we passed I looked over my shoulder looking at them, stunned and questioning my sight. They stood by the road in silhouette. Over my shoulder, looking at the side mirror, over my shoulder, and the mirror again I stared until they were out of sight.

On Amazon I found a full body costume that would cover a person in black. Perhaps they were wearing this? But why were they walking in the middle of the desert? There was a hill, maybe there was a town on the other side? A road? Was this person trying to freak people out? It worked on me. Not so much that I couldn't sleep that night, but the image of this figure shifting weight from one leg to the other flashes in my brain from time to time.

Did I see something real? Someone playing a joke? A ghost? ... a demon? Steven suggested it could have been an alien. :\

It's crazy when the practical seems unrealistic to the fantastical.

But maybe there are those who like to cover themselves in black, hide themselves, and go on casual walks in the desert? Why not? Stranger things have happened this year.

It really was weird!!!

Have a good night.

Sarah

The Miracle with My Grandpa's Dog

My Grandpa passed in 2018, but before doing so he had a super loyal dog named Ginger.  She was a dachshund/Chihuahua mix, golden in color.  Long body with a small little face.

My Grandpa adopted her, and she was traumatized by her first owner who was abusive.  For the first few years her fear was apparent at times, freezing and shaking, but as time progressed she eased and relaxed.

Ginger was a good dog, perfect for my Grandfather, but there was a problem.  She was the kind of dog that was fantastic with elderly people, but not at all good with kids.  My nieces and nephew were quite young, and when there were adults around Ginger minded herself.  When there were no adults around she ran and barked furiously at the kids, and as the kids ran into the house their faces were full of terror.  Thanks to Ginger the kids became scared of all dogs.

I don't blame Ginger for this, as all dogs are different, and we don't know her previous experiences.  Honestly I was upset with her at times as I'm super protective of the kiddos.  It did pose a problem, though, for when my Grandpa would pass.  We couldn't keep her, but we didn't know who to give her to.  The pound was out of the question, as were other places.  But we were afraid to take her to an adoption place, for worry she'd get adopted by a family with kids.  Ginger needed an elderly couple, but how could we go about finding a good fit for her? 

A couple days after my Grandpa passed, my Dad was playing and watching her in the backyard.  Then, while my Dad was looking in the other direction, Ginger ran away and squeezed through a gap in the fence.  She escaped and my Dad couldn't catch her.  She never tried escaping before, so it was odd.

We didn't know what happened to her.  Feared the worse.  But after about two weeks we got a call.  Ginger ran several blocks, and as she was crossing a major road with a lot of traffic, an elderly man rescued her.  For over a week he couldn't get close to Ginger to see her tag, but she finally let him read the tag for our phone number.

We did get Ginger back for a few days, but called the man back, asking if he would like to take Ginger.  He lived with his sister, both single, and they already had two other dogs.  It seemed like a long shot, but perfect.  He gladly agreed, and his sister claimed Ginger as her own, as the other dogs were her brothers.  Ginger found the perfect family with two dogs she got along well with.  Playmates, which she hadn't had, but needed.

God works in mysterious ways.  Prayers are answered, sometimes quietly, so quietly we may miss them, but sometimes prayers are answered so loudly they refused to be missed.  Signatures from the Lord bright and bold.

I'd like to think it was my Grandpa guiding and protecting Ginger to this family, as he was super worried about her fate.   

Every now and then I see Ginger out on a walk, and she's happy.  Living a full life as a loyal companion.

Hope you're having a great week!!

Sarah 

I Almost Quit This Thing plus Getting Back from Mexico

A couple weeks ago I decided to quit this blog.  I told a couple couple.  Felt quite absolute, but decided to sleep on it.  Honestly, I have decided to keep writing, but the feeling to end this blog was surprising.  This was the first time I've felt this way.  In the past I simply took a break.  So, for now, I'm going to keep this up, and at the moment not stress about writing more than three blog posts a week.  No worrying about being consistent with movie reviews on Monday.  Simply write what I find interesting.  

Technology keeps changing.  The popular in the moment never remains the same.  This whole meta thing has me worried.  Known about it for quite some time, along with other stuff.  The more technology advances, the more I want to embrace the past.  The more I romanticize simpler times.  Moving to a cottage on Prince Edward Island, in the Summer and next to a beach, seems so idyllic.  I love the quaint.  More and more I want in person interaction.  

Yesterday I got back from a cruise to Mexico.  My Mom and I canceled two booked cruises--one through the panama canal, the other to Costa Maya--and then, at the last moment, booked the first sailing on the Norwegian Bliss to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, and Cabo San Lucas. Didn't do any excursions.  Only got off the ship twice to look at souvenir shops near the port.  Found some treasurers.  Met really nice, incredible people.  Enjoyed the ship.

Now and then I still feel phantom swaying from the ship.  Walking through a cruise ship on a sea day is so crazy.  It's nearly impossible to walk in a straight line.  And the up and down from the ship creates a feeling of being stretched and then compressed.  The sensation is kinda cool.  We stayed in a balcony room, and when the ship was moving the ocean against the ship sounded like a beach surf.  It was so calming.  

The morning we approached Mazatlán I went onto the balcony as the ship was still moving, and there was a hill with all these homes.  It was dawn, so all these roasters were crowing in a grand chorus, dogs barking along.  And a few moments later a red sun peaked through clouds.

Sad to be back.  But I'm thankful to have had the experience.  Someday I hope to pass through the Panama Canal and see the Mayan ruins.  Both are bucket list experiences.  Someday.  But I'm thankful for every chance to travel and see things.  See and feel.

I hope you're having a great day,

Sarah  

 

The Creator's Playbook Podcast, Episode 79 ~ "A Tangled Death" ~ Plant Monster

The Creator's Playbook 

Episode 79 ~ "A Tangled Death" ~ Plant Monster

Hosts: Myself with my brother Robbie

"Plants, they seem harmless, right? Bouquets for Valentines and weddings. Daisies to brighten someone’s day. Fields of wildflowers to spark any lighthearted soul. But plants in stories? Oh, they be sinister. Seymour fed a plant human flesh and blood in Little Shop of Horrors. The villainess Poison Ivy uses plants to thwart her vigilante foes. The Whomping Willow protected a young werewolf from his classmates, and later destroyed a Ford Anglia. Plants can create many opportunities for plot points, plot devices, and characters in stories and art. Follow Sarah and Robbie as they explore plants in fiction as they create a plant monster, perfect for the upcoming All Hallows’ Eve."

This is the Halloween episode I did with my brother Robbie.  Plant monsters! Well, I've actually been wanting to do an episode centered around plants for quite sometime.  With it being Halloween I had to find a way to make it scary, and we all know how much I love ghosts. :P There are no ghosts in this episode.

As a note, I still can't say carnivorous.

And check out our FaceBook page!  Robbie's wife, Lindsay, has been working on it, and she's been adding some fun content.

So if you want to be a little creative, think up you're own story, maybe be inspired, have a listen to the podcast.  

Sarah

P.S. I am feeling better. Just needing this time to think and figure stuff out. Have a good week. 

Monday Movie Classics: The Goonies (1985)

A little while back I was having a conversation with a neighbor who is around my age.  She was going on about The Goonies, and how it was one of her favorite movies.  I never heard of it, and for some reason my brain said "Gremlins."  Why did she like Gremlins so much?  That movie freaked me out as a kid.  It just didn't make any sense.  "And I really like the adventure," she said, "and the treasure hunt."  By this point I was just baffled.  We were having two different conversations, and instead of clarifying the mental mishap, I nodded my head and walked away.

A little time passed and I was reading the new American Girl Courtney books, based in 1986, and again The Goonies kept getting mentioned.  Then I started noticing memes.  Articles here and there popping up.  "Where are they now," and so forth.  Sean Astin was in it?  Wow he's young.

It just came to a point that I had to finally see it.  This apparent quintessential 1980's film I somehow missed and knew nothing about.  

The Goonies is on HBO MAX.  Convenient.  No excuse, it was time.  Last week I turned it on, opening credits roll, and the sudden realization:  Wait, this is a Steven Spielberg movie?!! Okay, how did I not know about this film?  And I just looked on IMDb... Chris Columbus wrote the screenplay, and I'm done.

The movie wasn't at all what I expected.  I thought it would just be some pie in the sky sentimental tale about a group of boys in the 1980's, kinda like The Sandlot.  Instead it was an adventure, mystery story with a little bit of everything.  

The movie starts with the general "meet all the cast doing character defining cast things," so we know what we're dealing with and get a good primer.  The story picks up when all the young characters venture into Mikey's (Sean Astin) attic, where they look through all his Dad's stuff: Pirate paraphernalia, paintings, artifices, and a treasure map.  There's a lore, a legend, of a hidden treasure near their town, that no one has found.  And since Mikey's family is about to lose their home, and he's really depressed and wants one last, good adventure, he's determined to find the lost gold and gems. 

The small group joins on the adventure, later including Mikey's brother Brand (Josh Brolin), and a couple of girls, all the while thwarting some criminals in the process, and the whole thing turns into a race against time.  Solving mysteries and avoiding booby traps. 

Through the movie I kept getting Indiana Jones/Hook vibes.

In the end I'm kinda shocked I never heard of The Goonies, and it's nice to finally know what it's all about.  It's just a fun little adventure flick.  And now I need to re-watch Gremlins, because my memories are so morphed on the subject.  How did I confuse the two?!

Sarah

The Creator's Playbook Podcast, Episode 77 - "Feather's Landing" - Unfinished Business

The Creator's Playbook 

Episode 77 - "Feather's Landing" - Unfinished Business

Hosts: My bro's Steven and Michael

"As the seasons turn to fall, watching the colors fade from the trees and the wildlife turn to hibernation causes the human experience to reflect on the frailty of life and the cycles of death. As we enter the month of October we enter our spooky season here on Creator's Playbook, and what better way to start us off than launching into the subject of unfinished business among the ghosts of the dead! Paranormal activity around the dead had been spoken about all around the world. The concept that the soul of the body is eternal, and can sometimes linger and torment, as opposed to finding rest. Why do the ghosts of the dead stay behind, and why are stories of unfinished business so much run to talk about? Join us as we explore the mysteries of unfinished business on today's episode of Creator's Playbook."

It's October!  :D  And all month long we're going to do episodes with a more Halloween-ish spooky vibe.  This month it's all about unfinished business, spirits and ghosts who linger.

 I hope you're having a great day and enjoying this beautiful weather.  

And if you have a chance, take a listen to the podcast.  Creator's Playbook is a podcast hosted by my brother's and I.  We take turns hosting and leading.  The theme of the podcast is all about creativity and storytelling.  Our episodes can be found on Spotify or wherever podcasts are heard.

Sarah

P.S. In terms on my last post, I'm slowly but surely feeling better. :0)

. . . Day by Day . . .

We live in an interesting time.

I've never been the type of person to run off and get a test when I get sick, which is why I choose not to do so this time.  Until this last year I didn't even know there were tests to see if someone has influenza.  With the pandemic everything has changed.  People run to get tested for a sniffle.  The common cold is still around.  Remember the saying, "The common cold can't be cured"?  But there are still so many unknowns.  

For work, school, and travel I understand the need for tests, it just seems to be controlling everything.  And there's that other topic.  And what's sad is that I don't even know what I'm allowed to say or not say.  What opinions I'm allowed to express or not.  What words I'm allowed to utter.  And why am I being so careful?

I haven't read Brave New World or 1984.  Last year I bought the books just to have, because books are important.  I just haven't read them.  The books seemed important because of the debate between the two: Which prediction will prove true?  From what I've been hearing it seems 1984 won out.  I need to finally read the books to see.

In terms of my health, these last few days have been weird.  I lost my smell Monday night, which freaked me out a little, only to gain it back yesterday.  The first thing I noticed was how much I reeked of peppermint.  It helps clear the sinuses.  I've also been coughing as well.  My appetite has been weird.  I'm not nauseous, just can't eat.  I've lost four pounds in four days.  I got medicine from the doctor to help my lungs, and I've doubled up on Zinc and D3, so I have hope pulling through.  My lungs are a little tight, but I feel my body fighting this.  

It's just fear of history repeating.  In 2019 I had two major respiratory illnesses, one of which I think was the new virus.  The more I hear, the more convinced I am, especially with the cough that wouldn't go away, and then being put on that lung medication that causes mental illness.  Last Summer was a battle.  Working to get my lungs better was a processes, one I don't want to go through again, but life is unpredictable like that.  But I'm going to have hope.  I going to believe I will heal.

Singing makes me cough again, so that will have to wait.  But I will get my lungs back, this is temporary, and I will strengthen my voice and stop being so overprotective.  I've been afraid of causing more damage.  All that coughing...  I couldn't sing for a good chunk of 2019.  Struggled in 2020.  I'm going to fight to get it back.  I'm going to Fight!

Life circles if we let it.  Some of us allow the repeats until we're aware enough and/or brave enough to stop.  We have to be willing to take that leap.

Sarah

. . . bringing home a cold . . .

I said I would review a movie today. Well, I did watch a movie this afternoon, in between napping.

The funny thing is that yesterday I wrote about scratching my glasses at the start of both this years and last years Disneyland trip. Last year I brought a cold home with me.

Sadly this is a repeat occurrence as well. Started yesterday afternoon getting a sore throat at the base of my throat. Now it's moved into my sinuses. My temp is rising as well. Not an official fever, but I've been chilled all day and now I'm up a degree.

I was going to push through and hop on the computer, but instead I'm writing with my right thumb and using predictive text.

Last week was amazing, though, so I don't regret it. It's just funny bringing home a cold both times, despite the change in procedures. Same result.

Have a good week.

Sarah

Scratching My Glasses in the Dumbest Way Possible: Four Eyed Pride Problems

First of all, I just got back from Disneyland!!  I was there last week, getting all the feels.  And I finally got to ride Rise of the Resistance.  0_0!!!!!!!!!!!! More on all this later.

But.... -_-;; So, one thing that all (well, I probably shouldn't speak for everyone), but probably most likely a lot of people who wear glasses... don't like getting scratches on their glasses.  It's so annoying.  Little blurred lines.  And it's even worse when it's located directly on the main line of sight.

Well, while staying in a hotel in Mesquite last weekend I was writing in my journal, and I went to brush my hair back as it was down.  The pen I was holding bumped my glasses, and at first it didn't seem like a problem, until I noticed a blurred line.  Maybe it was an eyelash?  That happens.  But no, it wasn't.  The line was indented.  Scratched! And before getting to Disneyland.  At least it was just below my main sight line, so there were ways around the blur.

And you want to know what's even weirder?  The time before that I scratched my glasses was in February 2020, eating at the Earl of Sandwich in Downtown Disney, the night before going into the parks.  That time my eye was stinging a little, so I used apart of my hoodie to dab my eye, and scratched my glasses with the zipper! -_-;;

So case in point, Disneyland isn't safe for my glasses. :P

But then I've scratched my glasses with a ring once.  Lost my glasses canoeing.  Lost my glasses swiping a bee that got into the car.  Broke my glasses playing PE soccer.  Oh, and so much more.

In other news it was General Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints this weekend.  Listened to it in the car and at the hotel on the way back, all five sessions.  So many good talks.

Have a great week!

Sarah

PS. Classic Movie Monday will be posted tomorrow evening as I didn't have anything prepared.  Going to Disneyland was completely spontaneous.  Getting the Creator's Playbook Celtic Fairies episode edited and finished took priority.

The Creator's Playbook Podcast, Episode 76 - "Light in the Shadows" - Celtic Fairies

The Creator's Playbook 

Episode 76 - "Light in the Shadows" - Celtic Fairies

Hosts: My bro Steven and Myself

"We’ve grown up hearing about Fairies, popularized by a certain Tinker Bell who is small and sassy. Fairies have largely been commercialized, gracing children’s books, postcards, figurines, and shows. But who are the Fairies? They take many forms throughout the Celtic lands of Ireland, Scotland, The Isle of Man, Wales, Cornwall, and Brittany. There are legends and stories, beliefs, that are shared and different. Tales that haunt and tales that warn. Join Steven and Sarah as they talk about all things fairies, creating a story, and getting caught up with the lore and mystery about these secret fiends. The book referenced in the podcast is “The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries” by W.Y. Evans-Wentz, who traveled the Celtic lands in the early 1900’s gathering testimonies and first hand accounts."

This was such a fun episode to prep!  I listened to "The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries," which is over 9 hours.  So fascinating, and it brings a whole new light to the Fairy Faith, from the Fair Folk, the Gentry, Tylwyth Teg, Pixie's, Fae and everything in between.  So much information straight from those who lived it, living at a time when the Celtic beliefs were waning in light of Christian beliefs.  If you're interested in the history of myth, folk, fantasy, and apart of what the Celts believed, this book is worth a listen.

It was hard summing up a 9+ hour book in a few minutes, and I left SOOO much out, but it was fun talking to Steven about what was in the book, and a new angle to the mysterious fairies.  I was surprised.  Nothing like what I grew up with watching Disney, but is that a surprise?   A lot of it is dark!  Really dark.

And in Creator's Playbook fashion, Steven and I had fun creating a fairy story.

You can listen to the Creator's Playbook podcast on Spotify and other great podcast places online. 

I hope you're having a great time!

Sarah

 

The Colorful Wonderland of Dreamscapes in Salt Lake City

Back in May I visited Dreamscapes in Salt Lake City, at the Gateway.  It's labeled as an immersive art experience where different exhibits were created by several artist, emphasizing upcycled, recycled, and donated materials.  Cool idea of a place, interesting to walk through and seeing all of the different creations.

Sarah