Currently... (17)

"Currently..." updates will be every 2 weeks or so. Going to try to update on Tuesdays when Katy Upperman posts hers.

I found the Currently post at Kate Hart's blog, who got the idea from Amy Lukavics, who found it here. Please join in and link me in the comments if you do!


LOVING

• My awesome internet/Twitter friends - like Jessica who sent me a book in a Star Wars bedecked envelope and Tracey who sent me a freaking box of apple cider donuts straight from New England!!

• The Wizarding World in Hollywood!!! OH EM GEE.

So thanks to the Sister's excellent internet sleuthing, we went to Universal Studios during a Wizarding World "technical rehearsal," which is basically a soft opening. And it was AMAZING.


We LOVED the Forbidden Journey ride. It is *so* cool, though I still think it didn't have to have the 3D parts of it (which yes, did make me a little queasy). You never really see pictures of inside the Hogwarts Castle because it's too dark to take good pictures, but going through it as part of the line for Forbidden Journey is kind of magic. You literally walk through the castle - talking portraits and classrooms and all.


This mini-park is tiny though. It only has 2 rides, one of which is a kiddie roller-coaster, and I can see the park getting really crazy packed once it officially opens. Still, it's pretty magic. And frozen butter beer is the ish.

Yeah, and I totally bought a wand - Luna's!

READING

• A Gathering of Shadows
• Lucifer Vol. 3

WATCHING

• Downton Abbey - I'm sadder than I thought I'd be now that it has ended!
• Zootopia - Disney animation is really hitting these movies out of the park. Was not super interested in this outing until I heard that it's deeper than its "cute-talking-animals" premise would have you believe. Bravo Disney for taking a hard look at prejudice and not shying away from discussing it.
• Bam4Ham - this is the hashtag for yesterday's super fun Hamilton cast event/trip to Washington DC and the White House. Part of it was live-streamed by the White House, including 2 songs from the show. If you missed the live-stream (like I did because I was at work, boo), here's an article with links to all the vids: Cast of Hamilton performs at the White House.
• And of course, Lin-Manuel had to do a freestyle rap with POTUS in the Rose Garden.

Wait for it... ⬇️ #Bam4Ham
Posted by The White House on Monday, March 14, 2016

LISTENING

• Lore Podcast - seriously, go listen to it! It's the frightening truth behind fiction!

ANTICIPATING

The series of Geek Travel blog posts I'm working on in collaboration with Marlon of Nerdcoolture.

I don't even know where Marlon is here, but it looks epic. (Photo: Marlon)

Be sure to check out his first post: Why Nerds Travel (Pt 1) and mine will be up tomorrow at Girl on the Roam!


WISHING

For that hour back, darn you Daylight Savings!


THINKING ABOUT

• The truly amazing ways the internet has changed the way we connect with people. Really enjoyed meeting with and talking to these geek bloggers and creators thanks to Tony (@Crazy4ComicCon).

Photo: Tony (Crazy4ComicCon)

• How all our favorites are problematic (in light of the not-so-great material generated by JKR for her Wizarding World universe's Magic in North America - linked to a pretty good overview of the issues), how we should remember we will all misstep from time to time, and how we should strive to keep learning and keep doing better.

MAKING ME HAPPY

• Dinner with the First Draft Live gals. These ladies are so smart and funny. It was a whirlwind of conversation.

• Con Squad Outings - We visited the Descanso Gardens for the Cherry Blossom Festival!

We were not disappointed. Though it was crowded, the flowers were beautiful!

What's your Currently? Let me know what you've been up to in the comments!

Currently... (16)

"Currently..." updates will be every 2 weeks or so. Going to try to update on Tuesdays when Katy Upperman posts hers.

I found the Currently post at Kate Hart's blog, who got the idea from Amy Lukavics, who found it here. Please join in and link me in the comments if you do!

I'm seriously trying to do this every 2 weeks, but it seems like it's monthly. Anyway, lots happened!


LOVING

• The 3 poems I managed to finish this past month, and even the fourth one I started but haven't finished because it's kicking my butt. Thanks to everyone who read for me and discussed specific descriptors with me!

• Hanging out with my favorite people!

• Exploring all the art installations and exhibits around my city.

• Petal Drop LA was magical and whimsical.

A video posted by alice (@akangaru) on Feb 6, 2016 at 2:34pm PST

• Break Bread was provocative in its juxtaposition of the savage and sweet.

• The film costume exhibit at FIDM was wonderful - amazing how much intricate, creative work is done on these clothes.

Imperator Furiosa: badass and now Oscar winner too (for her fierce style).

Cinderella's stepsisters and stepmother.

Edith Cushing and Lady Lucille Sharpe (front)

• This hilarious Kylo Ren tank from Jordandene based on the SNL "Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base" skit. I am obsessed with it and will likely do an OOTD post featuring it.

• Meeting the ridiculously talented V.E. (or Victoria in the YA world) Schwab. She always writes the kind of stories I love to read, and she's such an inspiration because of her drive, perseverance, intelligence, and general graciousness. Basically, she's awesome and I loved her outfit when we met her this weekend on her A Gathering of Shadoes book tour. And I squeed a little to hear that her favorite character in the Shades of Magic series is Rhy because he's mine too, despite the limited page time he had in Book 1. But I always fall in love with side-ish characters.

READING

• LUCIFER VOL. 2
• A GATHERING OF SHADOWS by V.E. Schwab

WATCHING
Lots of movies!

• Sicario - tense and twisty. Good.
• The Martian - best comedy of the year (ha ha). While *not* a comedy, it's good, quirky, and has Gravity-lite moments.
• Spotlight - good, thought provoking, important.
• Zoolander 2- since I enjoyed the ridiculousness of the first, I enjoyed the second, especially Kiefer Sutherland.
• Deadpool - really enjoyed it - irreverent, oddball, meta and from what I know of the character seemed to do good by him.
• Straight Outta Compton - well done and so relevant to current events. Should've gotten more awards season love.

LISTENING

• Alessia Cara's debut.
• The new Of Monster's and Men album.

ANTICIPATING

• Possibly meeting up with author friends in real life in the near future!! Seriously, so excited about this!
• All the amazing March YA releases! Special shout-out to my dear Jessica Love (today IN REAL LIFE is out!!), and I am obviously super excited for April Tucholke's darkly evocative WINK POPPY MIDNIGHT (March 22).

WISHING

For more time to sleep.


THINKING ABOUT

Possibly going to Universal Studios. So excited, by the way, for Wizarding World to open later in the spring!!


MAKING ME HAPPY

• Our interview about fandom with Nerdcoolture went up! Check it out here: Finding Fandom

• My Hamilton anniversary! A little over a year ago, I sat in the Off-Broadway "room where it happened," and my world was never the same. I can't believe it's *only* been about a year! The version of the show I saw had Brian d'Arcy James as the original King George III and One Last Time was "One Last Ride" and included the Whiskey Rebellion. (Hamilton shouting "pay your taxes" at people during the song cracked me up.)

Bought the charm bracelet from BombDotComGeekery. Hamiltine from my sweet friend Justine.

• Traveling! Parents decided they wanted to go to Sedona over President's Day weekend. The last time I had been, it was with my best gals for a bachelorette weekend. This time was obviously different but still so magical! We hiked and went on our first helicopter ride and drove through snow dusted red rock country to get to Flagstaff.

• The highlights of this particular trip were incredible Antelope Canyon and breathtaking Horseshoe Bend, both located in northern Arizona on the Navajo Reservation. I posted tons of pics on Instagram (@akangaru and @girlontheroam), but these are the highlights.

• I also shared a bit of wander-verse inspired by Antelope Canyon on the Girl on the Roam blog called Color Memory.

• Putting together geeky outfits!

I'm wearing a Raven Boys t-shirt, which is kinda hard to see, but I love it! Great for exploring!

• Girl Scout cookies. Thin Mints + Samoas are the best.

What's your Currently?

Previously... (1)

Previously... is a monthly recap bloghop of your writing month hosted by Miss Cole and Tracey Joseph! These posts go up on the last Wednesday of every month. Don't forget to link-up at one of the host blogs!

I always miss this, but since I've been rather productive this month, I'm glad I remembered to join!


Previously in Writing

I've been meaning to get back to novel writing for ages, and while I still haven't opened up that doc yet, I've been on a poetry kick. Leave it to me to procrastinate from writing by...writing something else!

In any case, I've written 4 poems in about 2.5 weeks. Finished 3 of them, one of which has been subbed, and am trying to wrangle the last into shape. The poem is currently kicking my butt.


Previously in Reading

Getting back into reading as well and kind of balancing reading novels and comic books. On the comic book front, I picked up Volume 3 of THE WICKED + THE DIVINE, and I'm in the middle of reading Mike Carey's LUCIFER series. I'd like to read Holly Black's current run of Lucifer eventually, and I'm watching the not-really-at-all-like-the-comicbook TV series too - all of which has prompted me to finally start Carey's run (which I'd been meaning to do for ages). Lucifer is, after all, my favorite fallen angel. ;)

Books-wise, I just finished the fantastic SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo (and you should check out the cover for the sequel CROOKED KINGDOM because it is beautiful), and I'm currently reading A GATHERING OF SHADOWS, Victoria Schwab's follow-up to the excellent A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC.


Next Time in Goals

Start working on the novel!
Brainstorm short story ideas!
Finish the poem that is owning me!


A Word of Advice

Sometimes, your muse will take what you're working on in unexpected directions. Go with it. :)

Currently... (15) / 2016: One Word Resolution

"Currently..." updates will be every 2 weeks or so. Going to try to update on Tuesdays when Katy Upperman posts hers.

I found the Currently post at Kate Hart's blog, who got the idea from Amy Lukavics, who found it here. Please join in and link me in the comments if you do!


I missed all of January because I am lame, so there will be kind of a lot to catch up on. (I missed all of December too, but I posted my December activities in my year-end wrap up.)


LOVING

• Star Wars everything! This train shows now signs of stopping, neither does our love for Oscar Isaac's Poe Dameron. I freaking love the shirts my friend G designed for our "Poe Squadron"!

• Six of Crows - I'm finally reading this now, and I kind of love everyone. How will it end? When is the next book out?!

• Meeting up with fellow geeks and talking about fandom! Marlon of Nerd Coolture is posting a cool blog series of personal essays and interviews with other geeks about what fandom is and what it means to them. Marlon was kind enough to reach out to me to be part of this series!

• Hanging out with Sarah, Kirsten, and Maurene and finally meeting Sarah's cat Hammer. He is as smooshy and sweet as he appears in the photos. I love him!

• My Star Shoes (xmas gift from the Sis)

READING

• Six of Crows - see above.
• Sandman - working on the series.
• Lucifer - one of my favorite Sandman characters. His spinoff series was always one I wanted to read, and now, my library has it! Also, I have been watching the TV show, which I hear (and can kind of tell) is very different but I still find generally amusing. So.

WATCHING

• Star Wars 4DX - weird but ultimately fun experience. The moving chairs were kind of cool, the flashing lights and smoke- not so much.

• Inside Llewyn Davis / Ex Machina - part of our Oscar Isaac movie watch-list. I liked both films, and goodness, can that man sing. *swoon*

• Shannara Chronicles - I'm not sure if I think this show is good or bad (like sometimes it's pretty good and sometimes, it's like wtf, this pacing is terrible), but it sure does keep me entertained!

• Making a Murderer - the most frustrating, anger-inducing documentary I have ever seen. Makes you hate many people and fearful about how wrong our justice system can go. The Sis and I can usually binge-watch something like this within days, but this took us a full week because we had to keep stopping during episodes to rage at the TV.

• Mr. Robot - we'd started it back when it was airing and got behind. We finally finished this up, and ah! That ending! Give me the next season! Also, we have a special fondness for Rami Malek. He's wonderful in the role.

LISTENING

• Serial - Season 2 is well under way. I have to say I'm not as invested as I was with Season 1, but it's still very interesting.

• LORE - My friend recommended this one to me by saying "it's like Supernatural but real" because LORE is exactly what its name says it is. It's true life scary stories! I love all the historical accounts and folklore discussed in each episode.

• Poe Squadron Playlist - this is essentially a playlist of songs Oscar Isaac has sung. Many of these are from the Llewyn Davis soundtrack.

ANTICIPATING

Finishing this pre-Chinese New Year cleaning session. It's a clothes apocalypse up in here, and I am desperately trying to KonMari this ish. I would post a picture here, but it's too horrifying/embarrassing.

Also, Chinese New Year! Food, family, and red envelopes!!


WISHING

For longer weekends and more storage space.


THINKING ABOUT

When I'm going to go to Disneyland this year! This is more abstract. I volunteered at the Disney Star Wars Half Marathon and my reward for pulling an all-nighter and nearly freezing around 4AM is a Disneyland Park Hopper. WORTH IT.

One Word Resolution for 2016 - my word is INTENT, and you can read more about it at the Girl on the Roam blog.


MAKING ME HAPPY

• Geek Girl hangouts - we had a belated holiday/New Year's gathering with my ConSquad (aka the girls I teamed up with/roomed with/made friends with at 2015 Comic Con, hence the name) where we had Chewbacca donuts.

• And I had a New Year's karaoke session with my OG girl gang - and this time we had our Raverham Lincoln (we know he's not a Founding Father, but his jazzed up name was the one that sparked all the others) with us!

• Photo booths - I made it to my company's New Year's party this year, and they had a photo booth! Of course, the Sis and I couldn't resist.

• Hamilton Musical National Tour was announced, and they're coming to Los Angeles in 2017! So I'm basically going for my birthday that year. Raise a glass! (Here are 2 unrelated pics of me geeking out during Alexander Hamilton's birthday week.)

• Loki - Can't get over this guy. He is the cutest pilot in the Resistance! And he has a new friend, Mr. Lizard, whom he loves.

• Poetry - I've been struck by the urge to write it again (it comes in bursts) and am working on a second poem this week. 
• Also, to my surprise and delight, I found out ACTAEON was nominated for a Rhysling, which is an annual speculative poetry award given by the Science Fiction Poetry Association. I don't know who out there got me on the list, but I am so thrilled, honored, and thankful! I mean, have you read the other people on this list?! They're so good!

What's your Currently? How is 2016 treating you so far?