kit - i mean, cinderella

Guys, I just had a brain-blast about how to solve a pacing issue that's been bugging me! Two surprises were happening too close to each other but I realized that if I shuffled a few things around I could keep the core of those moments while spacing them better throughout the story. I'm not going back to rewrite it right now but just knowing I'm going to restructure this makes me feel so much better about where the story's at right now.

I finally saw Cinderella last weekend with a friend and I really enjoyed it. We both spent the whole film coveting the costumes [I think every girl wants to try on one of those dresses at least once] and appreciating the character development they added, primarily for the king, the prince, and the step-mother. All three were filled out in a very satisfying way. I was pleasantly surprised by the level of humor but my favorite part, as morbid as it may sound, is the scene where the king dies. As the camera pans up from the bed you see Kit curled up next to his father. That is probably the best thing they could have done to bring a tenderness to that scene that is generally lacking in moments like it in other movies. So many adaptations of this fairy tale emphasis the parent-child relationship between Cinderella and her father so I was happy to see them carry that strength over to this father and son relationship.

Also, this guy has the bluest eyes I've ever seen. I mean:

 Really.

To go back to costuming really quickly, I also appreciated the nods they gave to the original Disney animated film which I noticed specifically with Kit's outfit at the ball and the wedding:

Seem familiar? All of the clothing was amazing but I really enjoyed little throwbacks like this.

For a story that's generally princess-centric [and Lily James was phenomenal, don't get me wrong] I was rather more taken with the prince in this version. Richard Madden somehow managed to bring an honest sincerity to a roll that typically isn't given much personality. It didn't feel like he was overacting or crossing the line into cheesy territory when he gazed into her eyes or talked about her with love-sick rapture. You simply believe him. Which is pretty impressive for a story that banks a lot on love at first sight.

on a mission

Sorry about last week, guys. I was working on a post but it was mostly a really random and heated rant about national stereotypes that I ultimately decided didn't need to be published.

Operating on some good advice given by a old friend, I'm looking to immerse myself in some dystopian literature in an effort to spark my imagination again with my own story. I've been reading quite a bit lately but none of it has been the right genre for relevant inspiration. Reading similar stories to what you're writing is really important and helpful for staying focused and keeping your imagination where you need it. The problem for me is that I generally have an aversion to dredging my way through dystopian novels in this day and age since there's a lot of wading that has to go on before you find something more interesting than an echo of the big titles that made the genre popular when I was in high school. I'm currently looking into The City of Ember and Floodland though I would welcome suggestions [as well as any personal opinions about those two titles].

I'm hoping I can find some good material to get my mind in the right place again but I'm also aware of the fact that my story doesn't neatly fit into the dystopian genre. When I think of true dystopian I think of societies that appear utopian to the central characters who then discover a dark underbelly that tears apart their concepts of reality and morals [see: The Giver]. Marked falls a bit more along the lines of the Hunger Games in the sense that the centrally horrific part of the society is acknowledged from the get-go and the main characters themselves never believe it's a utopia. Most of the literature being billed as dystopian seems to fall somewhere between Giver and Hunger Games without really landing on either side which has developed a series of tropes and patterns that I'm a bit tired of, frankly. One of the reasons The Giver will always be on my bookshelf is that it never dissolves into all-out war, as is so common in a lot of the series that are popular now. At it's root, the characters we love in this genre are loved because they fight for something but does fighting for something better always come through war? Of course the answer to that is "no" and it may well not bother anyone else but I feel like that's a dangerous precedent to set, even in fiction. This paragraph has kind of wandered but the point is that I hesitate to simply say "dystopian" whenever someone asks what kind of story I'm writing. Is readership willing to let the genre grow to a definition that has more variety?

the most wonderful time of the year

I've become unofficially known as the garbage disposal in my office. I'm not complaining. Free food is free food. If someone doesn't want the second half of their sandwich I will gladly eat it, haha.

Tonight is our first book group meeting so I'm trying to inhale Brene Brown's The Gifts of Imperfection as fast as I can since I just started it this morning. Thankfully, it's short. Double thankfully because it's non-fiction and self-help, two genres I typically don't read and I find a little tedious most of the time. She's got some good points though so, halfway through, I could recommend it.

Easter is probably one of my favorite holidays but I've discovered that I'm not very good at keeping up traditional activities on my own. Much as I enjoy dying Easter eggs, we've only done so once since getting married which I chalk up to my own laziness as well as the fact that more holiday things don't feel right to me unless there is a group of people involved. I figure once kids start cluttering up our place holiday traditions will probably make a big comeback. I think I will try to do an Easter tree this year though. Tim's family did Easter trees growing up and the idea is basically to take a tree branch [or in our case, a tumbleweed], stick it in a basket or pot and decorate it with Easter ornaments. Tim's mother gifted me a few boxes of these adorable tiny eggs and bunnies [if I remember right, they got them while they lived in Germany] so I feel like I have something ready to use. I just need to go out and find me a tumbleweed. Shouldn't be too hard out here.

Easter for me is what New Years is to most people. I'm more inclined to reflect on where I'm at in life, my priorities and goals, around this time of year when there are so many overt reminders of the Savior. I talked with my class about what resurrection means for us on a personal, day-to-day basis and I realized that resurrection is what gives me perspective. The idea that there is nothing after this life has always lent a sort of desperation to people. If this is all there is then what you value, what matters most to you and how you spend your time/resources is framed in a completely different way. Our economy is frequently driven by people who are obsessed with creating an empire, some kind of legacy to leave behind when they die. I'm not saying working hard for a goal is a bad thing. I just think that a consuming focus on work and money for the sake of prestige and wealth doesn't seem like a fulfilling way to live. Knowing I will have the opportunity to look back on my life after it's ended and see what I chose to do with this time changes what I think is worthwhile. It actually helps me become less focused on doing what I think other people expect me to be doing at this stage of my life and instead spending time developing relationships and talents that will enrich my experience of living.

Talking about religion online may not be popular and it's generally something I'm slow to do but it's nearly Easter and this season I want to add my voice to those who proclaim that He lives. I feel that knowledge with a certainty that I feel about little else.

He lives. And that makes all the difference.