Why I Love the Oscars

Ah, the Oscars. It's glitzy, filled with rich celebrities with outfits they'll never wear again, editors and other behind the camera type people we've never heard of, memorial tributes that make us all cry, and bad jokes. But I absolutely love it.

Each year I'm always on the fence about the Oscars. Most of the movies are ones I haven't seen or don't really care about. This year, I watched because of Neil Patrick Harris, two of my favorite British men (Eddie Redmayne and Benedict Cumberbatch), and, of course - a lot of pretty dresses.

Yes, I enjoy watching the red carpet and making commentary on their clothes while I sit in my recliner eating nachos in my sweatpants. SUE ME.

But let's be honest - it's more of me going "Oooooo! Pretty! Can I play dress up too?"

And I wonder why I work at a pre-school sometimes.

Then, as the award show goes on, I remember I watch the Oscars for so many more reasons. I tend to enjoy award shows in general, but none of them (except maybe the Tony Awards) grab me the way the Oscars do.

Each year it has its own highlights such as fabulous opening numbers.

I loved the Into the Woods tie in and how this year it made me think of Broadway. It makes me so happy.

And random moments from celebrities which will forever live in GIF infamy.

But seriously, I'll be using this GIF for years to come I'm sure.

Beyond all of that though, I think there're other reasons I love the Oscars. I love movies and music and great storytelling. I love we can honor those things in our society. Yes, there's a lot of other things Hollywood could be spending their money on. Yes, Hollywood is ridiculous and messed up. Yes, there a lot of bad movies out there. But, there's a lot of good ones out there too.

Even the Oscar hype leading up to it I kind of love. Earlier in the week ABC did a special on 15 movies which changed the way movies are made. I loved it! Even if I didn't agree with each movie, it was fascinating to see people talk about which movies touched them the most and which ones people feel "changed the game." Movies are one of my favorite ways of seeing culture and where the world is and how we've changed in the world. Which ones stand the test of time and which ones we look back and think "wow... that would never fly in Hollywood today!" 

We all have our favorite movie. Everyone loves movies! (Unless your Anna Kendrick in Pitch Perfect... )

Movies are part of our culture and I think it's okay to recognize what a large role they play in it. I feel like people in the entertainment business aren't always respected. They're well liked - yes. But respected? Not always.

I go to church in a movie theater where the walls are covered with classic movie posters and there's a museum filled with props and costumes. The last couple of weeks they've been promoting praying for Hollywood. They said how so many times Christians complain about Hollywood and what they're putting out there in the world, and instead we should pray for them. Which is awesome. 

But when I sit there in the theater and look around me, I can't help but think of how great Hollywood can be. How most "Christian" movies I really don't enjoy because they have bad theology and even worse acting and story lines. Honestly - I think that brings more dishonor to God. More often than not, I see God in the movies Hollywood brings out (even if they don't intend it that way) than in the ones "Christians" produce. I love that we can honor and respect people who create wonderful things.

Even when I haven't seen 90% of the movies honored at the Oscars, I still find myself appreciating their art and the hard work put into them. How the writers and producers and directors and editors and actors sometimes put everything into their work and push the limits of what they can do and what is allowed and keep on getting new ideas. I firmly believe creating is a holy act. The entire Bible begins with God being creative and we are made in his image. Doesn't that mean we're created to be able to be creative too?

I love how when you look at the Oscars you can see where we are as a culture and what is happening in the world. History plays out before your eyes during the Oscars. I mean, I still tear up when I hear clips of Halle Berry's oscar speech because it was such a huge moment in the history of Hollywood.

I love seeing people who we didn't really know or care about get their moment in the spotlight bringing us all to tears and appreciating what they are saying and what they stand for. 

"Stay weird."

I love it when my favorite actors who have worked so hard and have done so many fabulous performances get the recognition they deserve and bumble like an adorable idiot because they're so overwhelmed. 

I love seeing performers I love shocking everyone by KILLING IT and being hugged and recognized by a legend. 

I love when everyone in the audience and at home are tearing up over moving performances and speeches because just for a moment we think about things that matter.

And of course... Lego Oscars.

Do you love this award show as much as I do? What were your favorite moments?

Linking up with Mingle Monday today!

Gypsy Life

It's not really a secret I love Lady Gaga. It's one of those things where I used to be embarssed about it, but I just can't be. I love Lady Gaga. There are some songs I could take or leave, but there are some songs of hers I just LOVE LOVE LOVE. Whether it's a fun dance song I can jam out to in my car or some of her more personal and powerful songs.

Okay yeah... she has some issues. I won't deny it.

But she posts more photos of her dog on Instagram than I do and you gotta love a girl who loves her dog, right? Right.

I do truly love how she stands for being an individual and letting your inner weirdness (or "monster") shine. Is it just an act or simply the "brand" she's given herself? Maybe. But it's one I can stand behind so I'm okay with it.

Naturally... I wanted to learn a Lady Gaga song on my ukulele. That's pretty much where all of my music inspiration has been coming from lately. I decide I want to learn to play a song and then I basically just live and breath that song until I have it down.

The song I chose was "Gypsy" which I feel like is the best song on "Artpop." It's a love story about people who have wanderlust and leaving everything behind but still wanting someone to love.

What music have you been getting inspiration from lately?

I'm also linking up with Mingle Monday!

WHOA! We're Half-Way There!

It's November 15 and we are officially at the half-way point of NaNoWriMo.

If you're participating - give yourself a round of applause!

Whether you have hit the 25k mark, have exceeded it by leaps and bounds, or you're way behind. Getting to November 15 is still an accomplishment. It's the part of Kristina Horner's NaNoWriMo song where you're "at 20,000 words and I'm feeling awesome. Maybe I should make writing my career! My characters have chemistry my setting is believable. I think I'm gonna win this year."

A lot of times week two gets a bad rap from NaNoWriMo. The adrenaline is down, the excitement of week one is over, and things are starting to generally slow down. For me... this usually hits in week three which is what's coming up next.

It's because it's the middle. The dreaded middle. Even in some of the best books, the middle can be dead boring. Yes, I've hit the 25k mark and I"m moving forward. The first act (out of three) in my novel is done and I'm getting more into the meat of the story. But let's be honest - the middle is hard.

At least I think it is.

The beginning is so much fun because you're meeting the characters for the first time, learning about the world they live in, and everything is fun. Then something HUGE happens in your story and you land in the middle. The exciting beginning is done but you aren't quite ready to jump into the climax of the novel. That in-between time is rough.

My suggestions for the dreaded middle of NaNoWriMo and your novel?

Have a major plotting session with another writer.
Earlier this week I was feeling a bit stuck in my plot. I had the basic outline and I knew what was going to happen, but I knew it still needed something extra. I needed help putting pieces together. Tuesday night I went over to a friends house who had no idea what my story was and I presented my concept to him to get a fresh perspective.

This was exactly what I needed! I was excited for my project before, but now, I'm ecstatic. I can't stop thinking about my story and the characters and how I'm going to write different scenes. My plot holes aren't quite as deep as they were before and this novel can be epic.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Having other writers helping you along the way is priceless. They can give you ideas and perspectives you've never thought of before and give new life to your novel.

Skip Around
If you aren't really sure what's going to happen right this moment, but you know exactly how another scene later is going to go, write it now! I remember I used to be strongly against skipping around. I claimed it threw off my flow. It didn't feel right. Then, one year I did it when I was stuck, and I've never looked back.

Generally, I still try to write in order. However, there are times I just need to skip around a bit and write what inspires me.

You can fill in the gaps later. It's okay. You have permission.

Don't Give Up
Especially to those of you who feel like your word count is way behind and you'll never catch up.

Stop stressing and keep going.

The words you have on the page are wonderful! Those are words that weren't there before. That alone is something to be proud of. Also, you can always catch up. Last year, I didn't write for at least a week and a half.

Seriously. That's 10 days of ZERO words. Then, I somehow snapped out of it and wrote like a maniac for the remainder of November and still got my 50k.

Just keep going.

So, how about the rest of you? How did your week 2 go? What part of your novel are you the most excited about? What troubles have you run into this week? How can I help?

Currently

After a 6 hour drive through boring Illinois and switching back and forth between musical soundtracks and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and quickly doing a video for VEDA today, it's nice to finally be at my parents house. Sitting in the kitchen while Mom cooks (I offered to help, but she wisely said she was fine as long as I brought my laptop out so I can sit with her and chat as she worked and I blogged. No one really wants me to help in the kitchen!) I can hear the news playing from the living room where my dad sits and feel a nice breeze coming through the back screen door.

I'm jealous of Chicago's weather this week and wish I could take it back with me to Missouri in a few days. Sunny and today's high was 70. I know some people love the heat, but 60s and 70s (and sometimes upper 50s!) are my absolute favorite temperature ranges! It makes me wish fall would get here already.

Some things that are happening currently in my life....

I am currently...

2012 - The Music Edition

Usually, the last day of the month I post a playlist of the top ten songs I've been listening to this month.

However, since it's New Years Eve, and I posted earlier this week about the books I've read in 2012, here are the songs that have been playing almost non-stop all year.

(Tomorrow or sometime later this week I'll do a whole year wrap up post... hopefully...)

Music Will Help Me Win!

What? It's the last day of November already?

Source

With all of NaNoWriMo going on ... I've kind of lost track of time. Especially this week since I was OUTRAGEOUSLY BEHIND on my novel and every spare moment has been dedicated to getting my word count up. Once tomorrow hits and I've won NaNoWriMo for the 5th year in a row (losing is not an option) I will be able to dedicate my "free time" to other things. Which include but are not exclusive to:

- Reading books vs. writing them. I learned while reading The Fault in Our Stars by John Green... reading during NaNoWriMo is a poor life choice.The list of books I want to read had at least doubled this month.

- Working on Letters Not Sent, the newest project I'm heading up with Nate St. Pierre.

- Finishing decorating my apartment for Christmas and posting photos of said decorations on the blog.

- Actually writing legit blog posts. (Have several ideas for December. Yay!)

- Socializing with the outside world.

- Editing and revising the travesty that is my novel.

- Seeing ALL OF THE MOVIES that are coming out this holiday season,

In the meantime... I'm off to go write at least 4,000 more words. Here are the top 10 songs I've been listening to this month to keep me motivated:

No... Lutherans and Catholics are NOT the Same Thing

After a refreshing dip in the pool we all gathered around the table laughing, drying off, and grabbing the last extra pieces of pizza. When it's been about 110 degrees every single day for ten days with outrageous humidity, getting wet was exactly what the doctor ordered. And making a few new friends was pretty awesome too.

"Yeah, I'm the bad youth minister and I'm blasting Lady Gaga all the way up as I pull into the church parking lot," I joke to my new friends.

"Not Christian music?" one of the guys asks, surprised.

I shrug as I ring my hair out. Water splashes onto the ground. "I used to be really into the Christian music scene, and I like some of it, but not a whole lot anymore."

"I don't like much of it either," one of the other guys says. I'm a little relieved as he says this. In some circles I at times feel a little guilty that the popular Christian station in town is my last resort for music.

"But I also grew up in a really old school Lutheran church," I add. "Hymns, chanting, the whole thing."

The second guy laughs. "Oh, so you're like Catholic!"

May's Soundtrack

I'm a little behind this month - so I'll have my introductory post for June's theme (Art That Touches My Soul) on Monday!

In the meantime... here are the top 10 songs that I've been jamming out to this month:

Likes Girls

Inspire

Dictionary.com defines inspire as:

1. to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence
2. to produce or arouse (a feeling, thought, etc.)
3. to fill or affect with a specified feeling, thought, etc.
4. to influence or impel
5. to animate, as an influence, feeling, thought, or the like

That's what I want to talk about this month. 

Wrapping Up The Year

I've seen this on a couple of other people's blogs and I thought I would join in. While I did a wrap up of blog posts for 2011- here is a summary of LIFE in 2011. Kind of. Can you ever really sum up life? I didn't think so. But here's to trying.

Please Don't "Redeem" My Novels

It's not a secret that in recent years that my fandom for "Christian" music and books has died down.

When I was in high school - I was all about these scenes. Our youth group was always going to Christian rock concerts and I loved every moment. I would make my mom listen to the Christian radio station, even though it wasn't her favorite. (Although I'm pretty sure she was a bit relieved when I wasn't listening to the popular rap and hip-hop at the time.) I also dove into Christian fiction books and ate them up.

Now... I haven't enjoyed doing this as much. One of the teenagers I work with once told me how he found it hilarious that his youth minister would rather listen to Lady Gaga (paws up little monsters!) than the local Christian radio station. There are some Christian artists that I enjoy and I play their music frequently on my ipod, but more often than not they are overruled by the Gaga.

Why You Be HATIN??????

I feel like there's been a lot of hate going around lately.

Entertainment hate. 

And it makes me sad.