It's Been A While - Looking Back at 2020

At first, nothing really changed for me.

My day job is work from home gig. I was already home everyday. The biggest difference was having the children at home. Initially, I blogged (among other things), more than I had in a while. It felt good. I was sharing what I was doing/watching/reading. It was nice to share again.

I wrote a lot. I finished a draft of my work-in-progress and started editing. I discovered I might have a mild obsession with my characters' hair. I mention hair a lot.

Then I stopped blogging. I'm not sure why. I was still blogging for the WCYR and doing other work for them/us. I love my writing community. Many like-minded people coming together for the love of writing. We share our ideas, our quirks, unique habits. We're a support and a resource for each other. I'm glad I found them years ago and that I'm now a part of them.

Exhaustion gets me at inconvenient times.

I still did a lot. I attended online meetings/seminars. I read. I watched movies and television. I continued to work at my job. 

Months have passed in this new normal and I find I want to blog again.

Here I am.

I have used Goodreads to track my writing progress for many years. I really like how they put together my year in review. It's a nice way to look back on the books I've read, remembering favourites from January or February, seeing where my reading trends took me. I read by feelings, cravings, imaginings.... 

I read a lot of rom-coms/romances this year. I guess I needed some "Happily Ever Afters". Some favourites? Get A Life, Chloe Brown - I may have cried. The Friend Zone - Not what I expected. Wrapped Up In You - That's 2 for Talia Hibbert. Boy Toy - That title, plus a post-baby body. Meet Cute - The main characters needed so many hugs. 

I also read a lot of fantastic fantasy. Deceptions - Kelley Armstrong making me long for the characters. The Ghost King (The Legend of Drizzt) - Surprisingly sad. Six of Crows - For the win. Rebel - Giving me an amazing end to Day and June's story. Carry On - Surpassing expectations.

I also read All Systems Red - Science-fiction at its best, I think. I read some graphic novels (Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, Lumberjanes, Avatar, Hawkeye). I read three more Stephanie Plum books. I just realized I didn't read any In Death books this year. How did that happen?

I watched Mulan and Wonder Woman (yes, I paid the premium price). I watched Lucifer. I was sad when Flash and Supergirl abruptly ended in the spring. I enjoyed My Next Guest Needs No Introduction (RDJ has llamas). Nostalgia had me watching War on Cybertron. The need for laughter had me watching Mr. Iglesias. I've been watching Star Trek: Discovery. I loved Star Trek: Picard. I watched the final seasons of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power and Anne with an "E". 

Though 2020 could have been [a lot] better. It also could have been worse. I've come out of it with my health and the good health of my loved ones. I know that can't be said for everyone, so I'm more than grateful for that. 

Will the coming year see me back on my blog? I hope so. I'd like to think so. I've always enjoyed writing out some thoughts here. I know I'll have to tell someone when I read the next Murderbot book. 

Now, for the traditional picture of books.

What I Read Last Week #3

I read 2 novels last week. One mystery/comedy, and one YA retold fairy tale. 

High Five, the fifth book in the Stephanie Plum series, by Janet Evanovich. It was fun, exciting, and had an ending that drove me a bit crazy. I think that Stephanie is such a ridiculous and interesting character. She's so full of bad luck. Will things ever get better for her?

Of Curses and Kisses was and was not a fantasy. It was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It was kind of mean. I liked it, but the end was not my favourite. I wanted more. I'm hoping because it's a series, the next book will tell me what happened with Jaya and Grey. Because his father was awful and her "friend" was very manipulative. I'm also really interested in the secondary characters. They were all really interesting.

What I Watched Last Week #3

For your viewing pleasure...

Have you been watching Patrick Stewart's sonnets? So good.

Alicia Keys has also been pretty awesome. She put her on spin on Flo Rida's "My House." 

Samuel L. Jackson also read from the book, Stay the F*ck at Home, and it was a treat. 

I just started a new anime series, InuYasha. Last week, I read Wasted Words and the InuYasha manga was mentioned. The books series is a television series on Netflix. I'm so bad at deciding what to watch next on streaming services, that my inspiration comes from the most random places.

I'm continuing to watch all my favourite late night hosts. Those guys make me happy. 

What I Watched Last Week #2

Let's start with Stephen Colbert fixing his bike. Remembering things you used to know how to do. So true.

Also, I quite enjoyed on Tuesday's show watching Jimmy Fallon interview Trevor Noah about doing shows from home.

Also, Seth Meyers talking about learning to make YouTube videos in the middle of A Closer Look is pretty funny.

This week on Netflix I watched The Letter for the King. An easy 10 episodes. It's got some really interesting and unexpected twists. The relationships between the characters were interesting. The ending, while a good conclusion, definitely left room for the series to grow.

I also rewatched a favourite episode of Lucifer because, ya. If you haven't watched Lucifer, it's so good.

My daughter discovered Carpool Karaoke. We watched Niall Horan, Billie Eilish, Ed Sheeran and Adele. All good. All fun. Though we did get into the discussion of the Carpool Karaoke "scandal" from earlier this year. It was funny. "So, he's really driving?"

What I Read Last Week #2

  

3 poems from Edgar Allan Poe. Not his most famous (I've already read those). I really enjoyed To Isadore, The Village Street, and The Forest Reverie. As I read The Village Street, I kept thinking that this would make an eerie short story. Every so often, I read a bit from Poe's complete works. I enjoy his poetry, but sometimes I can only take so much creepy.

Serpent & Dove was a book I couldn't put down. It definitely did a good job of distracting me from EVERYTHING. I'm very excited to read the sequel, Blood & Honey when it comes out later this year. - I'm hoping the release date doesn't get pushed back.

Wasted Words was my now weekly (?) Romantic Comedy. It was cute and sad, and had a great ending. It's interesting how the events of our teen years can affect us as adults. Even when rationally, we know we're acting "crazy".

I finally read The Search, the second series of graphic novels from Avatar: The Last Airbender. My daughter rewatched the series on Netflix and it was hard to pull myself away when it was on. Reading this book satisfied the itch for more Avatar. If you want to know what happened to Zuko's mother, this is the book you need to read.

Blog post from the Write Practice. It's short. Kind of helpful. Mostly it made me feel better that in my WIP, I occasionally have scenes that are 350ish words.

A reminder to myself that I only need to read so much about Coronavirus and COVID-19.

What I Watched Last Week

I've been putting some time in on Netflix. Most of us have, no? At this point, I'm happy to have more than one streaming service and some cable. Though I really miss sports. 

I watched the latest season of Castlevania. I was waiting for my favourite trio to get back together... and if I say too much, it'll be a spoiler. I did, however, watch them all survive the horrors of a post-Dracula world. Like, wtf?

I decided to try a new anime too. Beastars had a big banner at the top of my Netflix page, so I watched. The show is weird. I can't say if it was good or bad. Just weird. But once I started watching, I had to finish. I needed to know how it all turned out.

Also, I may have finished YouTube.

I have been enjoying the late night hosts "at home" shows. I like Stephen Colbert's elements theme. Jimmy Fallon's house looks amazing and super fun. His daughters are incredibly adorable. Trevor Noah is basically doing his whole regular show, just from his couch. Unlike Colbert and Fallon, it looks like Trevor Noah's crew is still putting in time, just from home. There's even a "moment of zen" at the end of each episode.

I've been watching a lot of news too. CP24 sometimes in the morning. I have alerts for whenever CBC or CTV says the Prime Minister is talking. I've watched the WHO broadcasts too. I'm trying to keep informed, check my sources, but not become too overwhelmed. There's a lot of information out there.

Helpful links:

Canada Public Health Services - COVID-19: 

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html

WHO - Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic: 

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

What I Read This Week

I needed a happy ending. That lead to Romance, which read to Meg Cabot. I enjoy Cabot's writing, her style, her characters. I knew that not only would I get a happy ending, I would get rich, interesting characters, and maybe a crazy fun plot. No Judgments did not disappoint. Even though the natural disaster the characters are going through is different that what's happening now, I found some of the isolation and attitudes of the characters similar to what we are dealing with.

I finished The Ghost King, by R.A. Salvatore. The Ghost King is the 19th book in The Legend of Drizzt series. It was a great book. Lots of action, adventure. I got to spend time with characters that I've been reading about for years (and will continue to read about as there are at least 15 more books). It's a good thing I sandwiched this fantasy between some happy endings, but this one was and emotional end for me. I yelled at my husband when I closed the book. (He's read all but the most recent of the Drizzt books.) He knew what was going to happen! Not that I'd want him to stop me from reading it, but I had to let that emotion out somewhere.

I also read Chaotic Good, by Whitney Gardner. It's a teen romance, but it's so much more. They play D&D in the book. It was so good. The title, of course, is what first got me. But it's also about growing up as a girl, and as a geek girl. What it's like to feel alienating from the things you love. How much easier things would be if you were a boy. It's also about how evil the internet is. I kept thinking, the main character is a CHILD. She hasn't even started her last year of high school! Honestly, I'm so glad they didn't have social media when I was in high school, but I worry about what it's going to be like for my children. I hope not like this.

I've been reading the Government of Canada COVID-19 website a lot too. Mostly, so I can look at the stats. I want to know how many cases are in Canada and where. My local sites. The WHO website. I have to really watch that I don't read too much of it, because then I'll just go into information overload.

I have also been spending too much time on Twitter. Also bordering on information overload. I do like the photos I saw of the Venice canals being clear though. It's strange how this lockdown / isolation is changing the world around us.

Things I Learned Today (and Yesterday)

Well.ca is offering online medical services in Canada. I just saw an ad for it. It looks like you have to make an appointment, but then you can video chat with a doctor. There are definitely things you need to see a doctor in real life for, but this seems really useful.

Various Modo Yoga Facebook and Instagram accounts are live streaming for classes. It seems that each yoga studio is doing their own classes with their own teachers, as well as the main Modo Yoga account. Modo Yoga Online is also offering one month free. I'm sure we could all use a little more fitness and zen in our lives.

Helpful links:

Well.ca Services: https://well.ca/index.html?main_page=landing_page&id=2312

Modo Yoga: https://www.instagram.com/modoyoga/

Canada Public Health Services - COVID-19: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html

WHO - Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic:  https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

Best Things I Watched Today

To help with our Social Distancing / Self-Isolation / Self-Quarantining, here are some things I watched today which I enjoyed.



I love Stephen Colbert. He's so smart and he makes me laugh. I also love how John Batiste plays us out.



Jimmy Fallon's daughter did the "graphics". His wife's laughter made me so happy.



PIVOT!

Global Lockdown

The world is shutting down, but we’re still here. Don’t forget. Don’t take this lightly, but don’t go nuts. The precautions are real and necessary, but after a few more weeks, a month or two, things will go back to normal. At least normal-ish. 

Social distancing. I love and hate it. I grew up in a culture of hugs and kisses, but I’ve also been more reserved, forcing myself to engage in the expected norms. I’m fine with that too. If I didn’t, I’d be a recluse. I’m still a homebody, so not going out isn’t a big deal. But it is. Events have been cancelled. Baby showers and birthdays. Will my friend’s wedding shower be okay in May? My cousin’s wedding in June? I can’t say for certain.

I just told my Hubby that I’m fine. I’m not fine. But I am.

I’m worried, but optimistic. I think as with SARS and H1N1, this will pass. Is it worse? Something to take very seriously? Yes. It might forever reshape how we interact with each other and the world. I’ve never had a problem placing a grocery order before. I laugh when I think of us ending up like the chair people in Wall-E. But we won’t (probably).

So ya, I’m having some feelings and I’m worried. Life isn’t stopping though. I’m working (from home). I’m talking to my family and friends. I’m cuddling my children as much as I can. I’m reading. I’m writing. I’m going to blog. I’ve just been getting back into it. I’m looking forward, while being aware of now.

Helpful Links:

WHO - Coronavirus

Canada - COVID-19 Updates

*Source your information. It matters.*

My Evolving Affair With Romance Novels

Romance novels have taken over my to-be-read list! I thought I was still sticking to my old reading habits - diving into a fair mix of books. Some literary fiction, some genre. I've started dipping into poetry. But nothing has grabbed my attention lately like Romance. A quick look at recent reads from my Goodreads shelf shows how many of them have been romance.

I've also realized from this screenshot that
I've read a lot of graphic novels lately too.

About two years ago, I blogged about reading romances. I had become a fan of Melissa Foster and a few others. Their typical style: A couple meet. They're attracted to each other. They get together. Something happens to keep them apart. They work past it and live happily ever after. They are still fun reads.

There are two things that have been attracting me to my current choices in the Romance genre. The first is interracial romances. That's my life. My Hubby is white and his experiences with family and culture are different than mine. I'm not looking for romances that exactly mirror my relationship (frankly, there aren't really any that exist). I find any interracial romance interesting. From The Chai Factor, to The Kiss Quotient, to Duke by Default. (Another fun part of Duke by Default, is the American/Scottish dynamic added to the mix.) The other dynamic has been what also makes The Kiss Quotient and Duke by Default compelling. The female lead of The Kiss Quotient has high-functioning autism (Asperger's). Not only does she navigate love, parents, and cultural differences, but she learns to accept her own differences with someone who loves her exactly the way she is. In Duke by Default, the female lead is labeled as "flighty", "a party girl", and "unreliable." What she learns as an adult is that she has a form of ADHD. With this new knowledge, she learns how to better navigate her life. Those are the serious issues that I find reading about in these relationships fascinating.

The other thing that has been attracting me to Romances is the humour. I've been reading Romantic Comedies. Sometimes, you need a laugh. Man Hands is a good example. Even the title makes me laugh. The next book in the series is Man Card. That's enough to make me want to read it. There are definitely a lot of the same romantic tropes that you're going to find in any romance story, but the quirky situations had me laughing out loud. 

All these books are full of strong women. Most of them are over 30 and very relatable. They're working towards their dreams, being independent, fighting with family, coming together to support other women. They're people I would be friends with. The men too. They learn, grow, are kind, protective without smothering the woman in their life... or if they to do start smothering, they back off and admit they were wrong. They have their own issues, also relatable. Of course, they're also all super studly. 

So, this is me coming to accept the level of Romance in my reading life. Looking at that picture of 30 books, 12 of them fall easily into the Romance category. I always thought I read more Sci-Fi/Fantasy, but not in the last few months. Maybe it's just me looking for a laugh and a happy ending. 

Assassin Eco-Corpses

I loved Grinder. I had to say it. I don’t know what it is, maybe “biker with a big heart”, but he got to me. I know Junior is fun and spunky and unique. I can see how she would be someone’s favourite character. She’s awesome and I very much enjoyed her and her interactions with Hazel, but Grinder is the one for me. Cuthbert is another great character. A dapper man with a biker partner, and occasional English accent, he seems intriguing. All the characters do. I feel like Assassin Eco-Corpses was just a taste of who all these characters are.

I don’t want to give anything away, but I appreciated the villain twist. It wasn’t what I expected, and I do enjoy the unexpected. “Eco-Corpses” really start to make sense. I also appreciated the story taking place somewhere I was familiar with. I know that won’t be the case with every reader, but I liked the little details, seeing the different parts of town the corpses traveled.

Endings can make or break a story for me. I read a book recently where one of the sub-plots left me wanting. Not that I need everything to be wrapped up in a bow, especially with a series, but there needs to be a level of satisfaction with the ending. Assassin Eco-Corpses ended with emotion, surprise and curiosity. It also ended with possibility, which is what will have me looking forward to the next D.E.M.ON. installment.