Mags

Happy St. Patricks Day!

It's been a few days! I have homework to do, which means it's time to make a life-update SU while procrastinating so I feel less lazy.

I've been not feeling well the past few days, so I've skipped out on school today hehe. I did try to spend my time drawing, but unlike yesterday, I couldn't get anything to turn out super good. It's not bad, I'll probably glue what I drew in my sketchbook, but I don't really love it either. I suppose I got my allotment of successful drawings yesterday, lol.

I am feeling a bit better, for those who are worried from my posts in the mental heath club. I suspect I'll feel even better tomorrow when I get to see my friends again. As someone who struggles with social interaction, I find it so surprising how going a few days without seeing my friends can really mess me up, but I'm actually glad for it. It means I've found some really lovely people.

I haven't read much of anything lately, I'm still on Keeper of the Keys, by Janny Wurts. This is the second book of a trilogy, and my thoughts on the first one are somewhere in the 'what books are you reading?' thread if you're interested in hearing about it. Unfortunately, while I definitely don't hate it, and even found I've grown somewhat found of the world since I finished the first book last summer, Wurt's writing is just so dense, it's difficult to get through quickly. It's not even necessarily complicated, though her vocabulary is much bigger then mine, it's just hard to get through somehow. Like, 25-20 pages in an hour hard to get through. But anyway, I will be sticking it through to the end. This book is just 260-270 ish pages long, I just need to soldier through it.

My next read after that will be Mockingjay, because I need to finish that series before I forget about it, and because I managed to thrift a nice copy and it's begging to be read. I'm hoping that one will be faster going for me because YA is so much easier to shoot through.

The goal being of course to get through my current stack of paperbacks I was going to read before WaT so that I can finally get back to reading Tolkien stuff. I think I'm going to start with The Fall of Numenor, but I also have The Fall of Gondolin and Unfinished tales. If anyone has a recommendation as for what to tackle first, let me know!

My 18th birthday is creeping closer, and I'm trying very hard not to think about it. I keep reminding myself that I will be an adult, but I will still be very young. No one is expecting me to be a cynical middle aged lady who knows how to do taxes on my 18th birthday. I have until like, 25 before my brain is even done developing.

I still don't know if I'm going to go to college this fall, or try to arrange a gap year. I keep flip flopping on whether I truly want to major in the arts, or try for something useful. These days any major will be a waste of time, so might as well do what I want, eh? It's still pretty scary. And it's not that I hate STEM, I actually really enjoy my current STEM related college courses. The question is, will I grow to love it, or resent it?

I really need to email my counselor about whether my scholarships are delayable . . . deadlines are coming up . . .

Before I got sick, I did get back into creative writing, and was really enjoying it! I mostly write at school, between classes, which is why I haven't done it the past few days. I wish I could share it with you, but it is in fact Silmarillion fanfiction, so I don't know how many people would be interested in reading that  (I should clarify it is reasonably NORMAL fanfiction, by the way, just a character exploration piece. I'm not trying to write romance or anything . . .). I just don't know how readable it would be out of context. 

My big stats exam is coming up next month, and I'm lowkey scared about it, but we have a lot of class time to review. I'll be fine, not perfect, but fine. I may not be a genius, but I am a capable person .

This last Saturday I went on my weekly trip to the nearest thrift shop to raid their book section hehehehe. Unfortunately, I didn't find any interesting fantasy, but there was a really nice academic copy of Jane Eyre, so I'm happy about that find. It's the same height as my copies of the Iliad, and the Aeneid, so it looks super great on my shelf lol. Another classic to add to the pile I need to get to between the fantasy! My mom and sister both love Jane Eyre, and so I've already seen film adaptations. I don't know if it's particularly to my taste, but I'm trying to expand my horizons.

Also at the thrift store I found this absolutely adorable little mouse rag doll thing, and it makes me smile every time I see it! It's on the shelf above my bed, and it's so cute! Knick knacks really do make you feel better folks . . . take my word for it.

They put Frieren on Netflix, which means I'm rewatching it and loving it even more then the first time. I really need to find a way to read the manga lol. Nothing like a meditative anime about living life to the fullest to remind me not to doom scroll so much.

Spring is starting to arrive, even though it snows every other day. I'm very excited, because it's my favorite season. I can't wait until the grass turns green and the trees start to blossom! The endless blue sky and clear mountains make me want to pack a bag and go exploring in the wilderness or something. It's too bad I'm not athletic enough to walk for miles . . . Born to frolic in flower filled meadows, forced to live in concrete urban land.

Recently I've started to realize that one of the reasons I love fantasy so much is that I also really like historical and medieval settings. I think that's why stories set in the cliche medieval have never bothered me. I already like that setting, so I don't mind seeing it over and over again--in fact, I actually prefer it to other things. It's just the clothing! and the music! and the art! It's all so lovely. Nothing makes my brain more excited then a nice, whimsical medieval fantasy fairytale aesthetic. I think that's also why I have such a hard time liking sci-fi, the futuristic look and vibe is so ugly! 

I'm trying to still figure out a reading journal, the one I started at the beginning of this year just wasn't working for me, and I don't like how I set it up. I am now starting over, hopefully this time with a better vision of what I want it to. I'm taking inspiration from illuminated manuscripts and medieval art to decorate the pages because I think that's so pretty, hehe. I haven't been able to work on it recently, but maybe when I finish some pages I'll be able to show you!

Okay, for making it through my endless rambles, you get a song recommend as a treat: Black Fox by Heather Dale. It's really great, and kinda the inspo for the vibe of the current fic I'm writing. I've listened to a few of her songs, and really liked them all! She's been added to the pile of artists who I need to listen to all of their stuff at some point. 'The Games' from the Brave OST also slaps, actually, even though it's from a kids movie. I was obsessed with that movie as a kid.

Okay, I should really go do that bio reading I'm avoiding . . . it's getting pretty late.

I hope you all had a great weekend, and I'll probably try to pop on here more tomorrow! Here's to hoping I feel better and actually make it to school, lol. I really need to get back into the swing of things and start being productive again, lol. I may not feel 100%, but getting out of the house and getting stuff done will make me feel even better, I think.

Lets see what I say when I have to wake up early tomorrow 

okay BYE

Why is writing dialogue so easy and fun but the description so hard. I blasted through a conversation scene yesterday and right now I'm stuck on how to elegantly describe the characters tying their horses to the trees at their camp .

Here's an update from the man, the myth, the legend himself:

(I just copy-pasted the screenshot for eases sake, let me know if anyone can't see it)

obscure and extremely niche vintage fantasy paperbacks from the 70's-90's with the delicate painted covers and colorful lettering my beloved

Wait so we still call you Haly ????¿?

Or should we do Birdy instead ?

Furi ?

I'll come up with something