Zombie Apocalypse Team: Disney

Reading this gem of a question on reddit has made me think about my Disney zombie apocalypse team. No Star Wars or Marvel. That’s cheating.

Stitch
He was engineered to be one of the most poweful creatures in the galaxy. He’s already likely immune to anything the zombies have to throw at him and he can take a few out at a time.

Gaston
While he’s the original MRA, he was also a kickass hunter and very strong. Every team needs some big dumb skilled muscle and he’d be mine.

Merida
Expert archer and horseback rider, I fail to see how she’d be anything other than an asset. Her independence might make her a bit difficult to deal with at times but survival can make buddies of us all.

Mulan, Shang, and Mushu
Combat skills, weapons skills and knowledge, military strategy. This is an all around obvious answer. Mushu is a small dragon who can quickly climb and can always start fires.

Wall-E and Eve
Both are robots so they wouldn’t be of much interest to zombies which are likely scent driven. Plus, Eve could blast most zombies into smithereens.

Hercules and Pegasus
Super-strong with a good heart and attitude and a flying creature. Any recon could be done with one weapons person, one muscle, and the flying horse.

Pocahontas
In tune with nature, she’d be like Katniss minus the bow. Snares, edible fauna, and probably pretty badass in a pinch.

Aladdin and Carpet and Genie
Even if Genie was limited in what he could do by some magic law, he’s still be useful AF. Aladdin is scrappy, smart, and resourceful. Carpet is a sentient, flying object that would also provide a handy exit from most zombie situations.

Elsa 
While she’s emotionally fragile and kind of unstable, a frozen zombie can’t do shit. Even if she’s useless in a combat situation, she’d be handy as hell for security.

Cinderella’s mice
Small talking creatures who can climb inside walls? Tiny enough that they’d barely register to a zombie? I fail to see a problem here. We had a good scavenging day. Here’s a granola bar and they’re fed for a week.

Mulan and Shang riding carpet to scout a building? Silent and deadly. Merida, Hercules, and Pegasus as combat reinforcement? Pretty tough to stop. Pocahontas and Gaston would make sure we were always fed and adding Elsa would keep our compound secure. Gaston, Hercules, and Genie can set up on helluva fence.

Since Mushu and Genie are comedic relief characters, they wouldn’t be great anywhere stealth was necessary but they’d pack a handy punch. The mice would be handy in situations where it’s difficult to get a human through rubble and they could report back. Stitch and Eve would be the ultimate melee fighters.

Who needs Rambo when you have this dream team?

May TBR, a little April Wrap Up, and a Library Haul

I read exactly one book off my April TBR. I haven’t even finished it yet. Dear Reader routinely gives me cause to stop and walk away because the lies are so ludicrous that I can’t even for a while. I know it has nothing to do with Malice and everything the North Korean propaganda machine stands for. It still doesn’t make certain things easy to stomach.

I wanted something to cut the edge on Dear Reader and No Baggage would require more focus and investment I could give it while reading propaganda ‘nonfiction.’ It also kept me from being in the mood for All Stories Are Love Stories. Since DR is for the ‘takes place in Asia’ part of my challenge, it got a majority of my focus.

Instead of the earlier graphic novels I wanted to finish, I read 2 Lucy Knisley graphic novels: Relish and Make Yourself Happy. Relish was like a graphic collection of essays about what food has meant to Lucy Knisley and her family. It was lovely and I highly recommend it. I’m enjoying Make Yourself Happy which was borrowed from a friend and has been a collection of comics rather than a larger narrative. Still fun and worth a read.

Now, on to my library haul

Boyfriend works near the library so I was killing sometime while I waited for him to meet me there. I snagged Tyranny and found a few friends for it to come home with bumping my TBR to include:

Poisoned Apples by Christine Hepperman
This has been on my TBR for a while and I saw it wandering into the YA section of my library for the first time. Poems based on fairytales? Yes please.

Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera
A translation from it’s original Spanish, it tells the story of a woman who has to cross the river and look for her brother. It’s pretty short and vaguely reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy thus far.

Breeds by Fenella Smith and the Brothers McLeod
I saw this in the new releases area and knew I could finish it quickly. It’s got fun pictures of pooches and silly descriptions.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
I am about to admit something big which may count as a sin for book bloggers and vloggers everywhere: I have never read Rainbow Rowell before. Based on the premise and my close relationship with fandom, I decided this would be my first. Even after I realized how long my TBR was getting and how much short Eleanor & Park was.

A Tyranny of Petticoats edited by Jessica Spotswood
This was ready for me to get from the library faster than I anticipated. Unfortunately, I can’t check it for any of the boxes on my challenge but it should be fun.

Something New, Tales from a Makeshift Bride by Lucy Knisley
Released on May 3, my library will have it right away and I’m 3 out of 6 on the wait list. This hopefully means I’ll have it by mid-month. I can usually devour her works in about a day. I’m very excited to see what’s she’s got to say about getting married since that’s coming up on the horizon for me.

The Rook by Daniel O’Malley
The sequel, Stiletto, comes out in June and I’m already on my library’s wait list for it (#2!). Ergo I want to revisit this highly detailed world without the must-find-out-what-happens intensity of a first read.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Vol 2
I’m next in line on the wait list at the library so this should be ready shortly. I’m looking forward to the cute, continuing saga.

In addition to all these titles, I’ve got to finish Dear Reader and Adulting which is the book I chose to cut the edge off DR. This brings my TBR total up to 10 for the next 5 or so weeks. Can I pull this off? Probably not but it will be fun trying.

My Genre I Usually Avoid book has been chosen but I won’t reveal it until I’m closer to reading it. If inquiring minds want to know, you’ll just have to hope May is a banner month for reading.

Those Who’ve Done It Before

As I’m messing around with different iterations of my potential capsule, I’m debating if I want to go the whole Project 333 on this one. Christine Kobzeff is a YouTuber who does capsules and I’ve really enjoyed her decluttering and capsule wardrobe videos.

This recent video reminded me that this is supposed to be a fun experiment, not a trial in how little I can live with. She’s also got a great handle on her style. It’s probably easier when you live in a place like Maui and the weather is pretty consistent. The weather around DC in spring can land anywhere in between 40 and 80 so it’s not the ideal time for a capsule.

Hawaii is the kind of place I’d want to stay for maybe a year before coming home to get a better feel for the place. I’ve never lived right near the beach but it would be pretty amazing. Adding that to my list of things that would be nice but will probably never happen.

Summer is the only time when our weather is fairly consistent. Recently I was doing laundry and the high for the day was 85. In the wash was a fleece pullover I’d worn the week before when it was in the 40s.

Apartment Therapy’s take on the capsule in Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 was interesting and helpful. I think one thing that has saved me from the morning struggle has been a habit I’ve had since I was little: check the weather and pick out your clothes the night before.

Caroline Rector’s blog Un-Fancy has inspired many to take on the project, including this YouTuber whose capsule videos I love. I enjoyed Caroline’s interview on The Lively Show. Clothes have taken up too much of my time and money lately. I need to pay off my debt, buy furniture, acquire a new Kindle, and find more time for other things like reading and being with Boyfriend, and finishing the new season of Daredevil.

2016 Books #6

Yup. I done done it again. This time, it was inspired by something I’d previously Kickstarted. The editor sent an email with his previous publication information. There was a shark anthology.

In case you missed the leggings and tank I just bought, you may not have noticed I’ve got a bit of a thing for sharks. When I realized Sharkpunk edited by Jonathan Green was out of print but available new, for a price comparable to retail, I pounced. I want to see if they do sharks justice. While they are apex predators who are worthy of fear, they’re also living creatures who are worthy of respect. They play a critical role in the ecosystem and can be incredibly beautiful. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Richer Reading Life Activity #5

On Friday, I talked books with someone I’d never talked books with before: my MRI tech. I had to have a scan done (nothing serious, I’m fine) but he asked about college and I told him I’d studied English. He asked what my favorite authors were and I said I favored genre writers like Neil Gaiman.

My tech was actually a fan of poetry. His favorites were Lewis Carroll and Edgar Alan Poe with his all time favorite being the Jabberwocky. He was impressed Carroll committed enough to make a lengthy poem about nonsense. I told him I adored Alice in Wonderland and that my favorite Poe poem was The Raven for how rhythmic it was but Masque of the Red Death was excellent as well.

After I was done I recommended Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next series since it has dealings with Lewis Carroll and other classic literature. It’s relationship to Poe is very unique. He even let me in on a little secret. When I put my earplugs in wrong, he offered to do it for me since the machine is quite loud. Normally, he just leaves them but there was something about me he liked. It was a very pleasant experience, all things considered.

Music Monday: Contemporary Ballads

Contrary to popular belief, ballads weren’t always slow songs about love and/or heartbreak. It used to mean a song that told a story or had a narrative. You see it a lot in country music but it does happen in other genres occasionally. This week, I give you songs that a tale.

The Nights the Lights Went Out in Georgia by Reba McEntire
My Last Name by Carrie Underwood
Tie It Up by Kelly Clarkson
Harper Valley PTA by Martina McBride
Devil Went Down to Georgia by Charlie Daniels Band
The Last Time I Saw Richard by Joni Mitchell
In the Ghetto by Elvis Presley
The Cat’s in the Cradle by Harry Chapin
The Mariner’s Revenge Song by The Decemberists
Stan by Eminem
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel
Hotel California by The Eagles
Escape (The Piña Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes
All Too Well by Taylor Swift
Joel the Lump of Coal by The Killers featuring Jimmy Kimmel
Nature Boy by Nat King Cole

Bonus: Metropolis 2: Scenes from a Memory by Dream Theater (yes, the entire album)

30 Day Minimalism Challenge, Round 1

Here is my first attempt at minimizing the clutter in various parts of my life.

Day 1 – Turn off notifications

This one was quite pleasant to do. I don’t let many apps send me notifications anyway but now it’s only the Caps app and a wellness app.

Day 2 – Practice gratitude

I realized I had a lot of things to be grateful for. Living in a lively and interesting part of the country, not living in poverty, having access to fresh and healthy food, having a group of friends to do things with, having a loving SO who gets and accepts me, living close to family, being privileged enough to live in excess and wanting to restrict that, being able to see the Welcome to Night Vale live show, and the Caps sending the Flyers down in a garish orange flames.

Day 3 – Define my goals for the year

This one was a bit harder but working off my New Year’s resolutions, here’s what I came up with:

• Read more and enjoy what I’m reading
• Pay off my credit card
• Save money
• Spend less
• Start planning my wedding (once Boyfriend proposes)
• Travel somewhere
• Better myself
• Eat healthier
• Exercise more
• Lose weight
• Prioritize my health
• Pet all the dogs

Day 4 – Go for a walk and practice mindfulness

With all the nice weather we’ve been having lately, this was a pretty nice one to check off.

Day 5 – No email or social media until lunch

While this wasn’t super-difficult, it certainly messed with my regular routine. I tend to be more glued to these at home in the evening so I should probably add that to my regular routine to minimize electronic time.

Day 6 – Don’t buy anything for 24 hours

This one was fairly easy. I didn’t need groceries and we’ve always got something food-wise we can grab in a pinch to bring to a party.

Day 7 – Clean out my closet

I’ve done several major purges lately so this one wasn’t too difficult. I plan on doing this at my mom’s house with some of my old clothes there. That will be a part 2.

Day 8 – Meditate for 15 minutes

I got busy and this will definitely not be happening today. It has been pushed back to later this week when I have time to truly focus and do this task justice. I want to do it right, not get it over with to check it off my list.

Simple Summer

I’m addicted to videos about capsule wardrobes, minimalism, and people KonMari-ing their closets. I love seeing the closets with empty space and an easy selection of clothing. To see if I can pull it off, I decided to try and create my own capsule for the summer.

Summers here are hazy, hot, humid with highs 85-95 and chance of a later afternoon thundershower for the better part of 3 months. I don’t do well in heat so I like things that breathe. It involves a lot of leggings, cotton, and loose cuts. I’ve almost got it down to a uniform. A bad habit I have is wearing the same top with the same skirt. I need to break out of that and start mixing it up.

As per the standard rules, this will omit lounge wear, exercise wear, swimwear, underthings, PJs, and fancy wear. I’m also omitting accessories because it’s my first time doing this so I want breathing room. I don’t want to make myself crazy by having to decide that few necklaces I’m allowed to wear and if I should have a scarf.

I’m already very minimalist about my shoes. I only wear flip-flops to the pool and beach essentially making them active wear. Other than that it’s the same pair of sneakers and sandals. I buy shoes like most men: Find something that works, wear it into the ground, buy an identical replacement, repeat until the style is discontinued.

I’m also picky AF about my bags. I’ve got 1 regular backpack for commuting to work, 1 Vera Bradley satchel purse, 1 black boho purse, 1 medium sized TARDIS backpack, and 1 small Vera Bradley backpack. Other than wallets and pouches that go in the bags, that’s everything.

This may seem like a long list of things getting a pass but I’m taking a hard look at the actual clothing that will be included. Fun fact: I still have a lot of stuff.

I gained weight in the last 6 months and am back in my ‘fat’ clothes. Despite getting rid of most of my old ‘fat’ clothes, I’ve still got plenty of stuff. My recent shopping binge didn’t help. I’ve started a spreadsheet in Google to help determine my final capsule. This is not gonna be easy.

Book Tag: Reader Problems

It’s time for another tag. This one is brought to you by Problems of a Book Nerd.

You have 20,000 books in your TBR. How do you decide what to read next?

The same way I always do. Figure out what I’m in the mood for and if there is anything that I need to read for a current challenge.

You’re halfway through a book you’re just not feeling it. Do you quit or are you committed? 

I commit but only if I can’t find a synopsis. I hated Seven Wonders but I really wanted to know how it ended. I knew I’d be disappointed but I really wanted to know. If Wikipedia can tell me, I’m done.

The end of the year is approaching and you’re so close yet so far from completing your GoodReads challenge. Do you try to catch up and how?

Very much yes. Sometimes I ‘cheat’ and read children’s books in the store or deliberately pick a graphic novel I can finish PDQ. If I know I’m not going to make it, I move the goal posts. I wanted to be able to easily find the list of what I read that year and knew it wasn’t going to happen so I changed my number.

The covers of a series you love do not match. How do you cope?

This is currently my life with my Thursday Next books. I had all of the orange spines and then things changed and they republished the series midway through with new cover art. You accept it and move on. Unless the new cover art is tactile or obscene beautiful, in which case I upgrade.

Everyone and their mother loves a book you didn’t think was that great. Who do you bond with over shared feelings?

If I really want to rant about it, I go to reddit. Odds are that at least one of my friends will feel similarly or someone on GoodReads will see my review and agree with me. I don’t always have to have someone agree with my dislike, just listen and respect it.

You are reading a book in public and are about to cry. What do you do?

I’m not a big crier. It takes a lot to get me to shed actual tears. When a book makes me feel incredibly sad or emotional. I put it down and do anything else. Play a game on my phone, people watch, channel surf. Distract myself so I can process.

The sequel of a book you love just came out but you forgot the plot of the first book. Will you reread the book, skip the sequel, try to find a synopsis, or cry in frustration?

The odds of me forgetting the entire plot of a book I’ve loved is highly unlikely. I have such a long memory for books that it takes me a few years to really forget enough of the details to properly enjoy a reread. That said, I’d reread it. If I loved it so much, I won’t mind revisiting it.

You don’t want anyone borrowing your books. How do you tell them no?

I do not lend out autographed copies, ever. I also don’t lend out favorites. Most of my friends are big enough readers that they either get it on their own or respect my idiosyncrasies.

You’ve picked up and put down 5 books in the last month. How do you get through your reading slump?

I had a slump not too long ago. Sometimes I just don’t read much for a while or try to cleanse the palette with a graphic novel or something light and silly. If that doesn’t work, time to bust out an old favorite or a new title I’m sure to love.

There are so many books coming out you are dying to read. How many do you actually buy?

Now that I live in a place with a kick-ass library with Sunday hours, I’ve been adding all sorts of books to my queue. I’ve even cross-referenced my ‘Want to Buy’ list with their database and taken some things off the list because they had them. TL;DR not very many.

After you buy new books you really want to read, how long do they sit on your shelf waiting to be read?

It varies based on my current challenge, what I’m in the mood for (memoir/fiction/sci-fi), and what else I’m excited about. The short answer is too damn long. On that note, I should probably go read something.

Capsule Size

I’ve read several articles slamming Project 333 or Un-Fancy’s 37 piece capsules because the original intent was for it to be much smaller. Things change over time and different people live by different rules.

I am rubbish at not shopping so I’m trying to motivate myself to not buy things like clothes by focusing on other things like replacing my Kindle that just died or buying furniture for the bedroom so it’s not as much of a disaster. We’ll see if that helps.

My recent spending spree includes but is not limited to: a crab dolman tee (I’m from Maryland), a cactus dolman tee, an under the sea skirt, leggings, more leggings, yet another pair of leggings, and a floral top. There’s some other stuff but it’s all dependent on what fits. What fits and I love stays. If I don’t love it or it doesn’t fit, buh-bye. Everything shipped in the last 36 hours so we’ll find out this weekend what works and what doesn’t.

There’s one other thing on my wishlist but I’m waiting until May. I may have gone nuts but so help me, my 24 hour rule will hold. I may or may not add another pair of short leggings depending on how everything fits.

Based on my recent wardrobe increase, I’m wondering if I should modify my idea of a capsule. Project 333 feels like it would be an extreme jump from excess to minimal. Gradual change is often longer lasting than an extreme jump (or so I’ve heard). I’m thinking about doing a rule of 10. I can only have a maximum of 10 of the following items

• Dresses
• Skirts
• Pants/Capris/Shorts
• Work tops
• Casual tops
• Sweaters/Jackets
• Costume/Occasion wear

I know I will not hit 10 in dresses or skirts but I’m hoping to get 2 dresses I kickstarted later this spring/summer putting my estimated total around 8. I may hit 10 for bottoms but that’s because leggings are my summer wardrobe bae.

It’s better to have an excess of tops since people notice them more than pants and they make a small wardrobe feel larger. Plus, I have some things I love that I can’t wear into the office like my Kylo Ren is a punk bitch tank. I also won’t hit 10 sweaters but it’s usually air conditioned AF around here in the summer so a similar rule to tops applies.

I’m also limiting my costumes because I’m only going to 2 more cons during my capsule and some costumes don’t fit very well right now. It’s better for me to focus on the pieces that do work and have fun in those. I’ve still got to order a pair of boots (which will be included in the list) but I have to order 2 sizes to see which fits and return the one that doesn’t. I hate buying shoes.

If I find that the final number is too big or some pieces just aren’t seeing any action, I’ll cut down and update accordingly. I could completely change my mind again by mid-May but this is my current preferred idea. I’ll let you know how my haul works out.