Tag: new years

Welcome to 2021!

Posted on by in High Castle, News

I updated the look of a few things and hid some Easter eggs in Club High Castle for everyone šŸ˜‰ Expect more Easter eggs and things in the future! http://blog.mlcartthings.me/ #HighCastle
– Originally tweeted by Ms. Luna (@MishiWan) on January 1, 2021.

Letā€™s dive right in, shall we? My one goal for 2020 was to start writing again, and considering I could barely force a sentence out between 2018 and 2019, mission accomplished. It took me a few months to write more than just a few words, but I did it! Next step is to actually finish a novel. 

2021 goals

Drawing – 2020 put a damper on my art. Ask me one year ago today how I thought 2020 would go, and COVID-19 was not it. I made 90 posts on Instagram (which means roughly 90 pieces of art) compared to over 200 in 2019.Ā It’s time to change that.

I have some awesome ideas for this year! Grasshoppers, keep your eyes peeled because I have AN EPIC HIGH CASTLE project in the works.Ā 

Work Out – Hear me out! Donā€™t roll your eyes just yet! Iā€™ll have you know that this is the first time Iā€™ve ever listed this as a goal. Iā€™m not going to kid myself with this one because there is a slim chance Iā€™ll do it, but I want to at least try.Ā Little did I realize that I got 90% of my physical activity done at work …and I type this as I feel like Iā€™m coming down with a cold (physical activity is the last thing I want to do right now).Ā 

WWII French Resistance –Ā  Iā€™ve wanted to get into reenacting for some time, and a friend on Instagram suggested I do the French resistance. This idea is PERFECT for me. It leaves a lot of room for creativity and ingenuity, and besides, I might do a few in a certain, alt world šŸ˜‰

Homemade armband! More to come.

Finish Alice (or Metropolis) – Now that Iā€™ve finally been able to crack open my creative mind again, I want to finish something. However, writing a story in recent years has become a trip through a proverbial minefield, lest someone rake you through the coals for an excerpt taken out of context (that was part of my problem in 2018 and 2019). You can write all the disclaimers in the world, but it can still happen (and why do we even have to write them now? It used to be a given: Bad things happen in fiction, and we know the author obviously doesnā€™t support them.).Ā As long as I put that out of my mind, the creativity will flow.

2020 Grasshopper Awards

Posted on by in Grasshopper Nation, News

I decided to do something fun to celebrate the end of the year. Despite the train wreck that has been 2020, there were a few good things to come out of it, and so I wanted to host my own award show–blog post!Ā 

I will add more categories in 2021. If there is a category youā€™d like to see, let me know! This is the first of hopefully many.

Welcome to the Inaugural Grasshopper Awards!

Best Discovery – Awarded to a show, blog, podcast, or other media that I came upon and enjoyed.

Best Book – Awarded to my favorite read of the year.

Best Vintage Find – Because of High Castle, I am a huge fan of things from the 40s and 50s. This award goes out to my favorite vintage find of the year.

Best Wardrobe Find – Awarded to a company or person that exceeded expectations, including being budget friendly.

Best Discovery

I am forever grateful to @Mr_Picard on Twitter for spreading the word about this one. The moment I saw that these two gents were dedicated to talking about WWII through film (they just wrapped up 1939!), I was hooked.  

Best Discovery of 2020 goes out to Dan and Simon from FOXHOLE COMPANION! 

Thank you for hours of entertainment! Hereā€™s to 20201!

Best Book

There are a lot of angles to consider for this category. Books are highly subjective, and I didnā€™t read as much as I do in normal years. I am an avid fan of picking up books at airports. You find some gems hidden among the key chains, snacks, and toiletries. I picked up one airport book days before this started, yes, days. I have yet to crack that one open. Shame on me, I know. Here’s to reading it in 2021!

I decided to give this award to the book I’ve read multiple times this year (I mean, that in itself tells you how much I liked it!). It is not an airport gem, but one I pre-ordered two days before its release in the spur of the moment. I am glad I gave in to my rashness, for the winner of Best Book is The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes by Suzanne Collins

Thank you, Suzanne Collins! This book got me through this insane year. 

Best Vintage Find

I have a tiny collection of antiques Iā€™ve acquired since being captivated by the best show ever made. Iā€™ll give you one guess as to which show that is ;).

I discovered a new way to acquire beautiful things. I am decades late to the Ebay party, but here I am. Through it, Iā€™ve snagged some amazing props from High Castle that I will forever cherish. If you follow me on Instagram and Twitter, you know all about Club High Castle.

The winner of Best Vintage Find technically isnā€™t vintage, but Iā€™m counting it regardless. Props count. And choosing a winner was difficult, but in the end, I chose The Man In the High Castle: SDCC promo Premiere Ticket.

  • High Castle SDCC Front
  • High Castle SDCC Back

I got it for a great price (I could not pass it up), and I continue to be captivated by it. It really makes one feel like they are about to enter another world. I love the creative lengths the promo team went to make it look vintage. 

Best Wardrobe Find

This goes out to a talented shop on Esty. They make custom vintage style dresses in a multitude of colors and styles. I ordered one this year, and they found the exact color I wanted, not to mention that their pricing is great for the quality, custom fitted dress you get in return!

Best Wardrobe Find goes to heartmycloset!

Pictures don’t do it justice

That’s a wrap! Thank you for joining me! Remember, If you want to see a new category for next year, please let me know!

Excerpt from Alice and a New Decade

Posted on by in Alice, Fiction

With a new decade upon us in just a few days, I am going to throw myself in the the cliche tradition of coming up with New Year resolutions. Worry not, dear friends, these aren’t your run of the mill, generic, go to the gym every single day and stop going after a week or start eating stuff I hate to go on a diet and fail because gross who wants to eat crap they don’t like?

I want to start writing again.

That’s it. That’s my resolution.

I haven’t written much at all since 2018 and it’s high time I got back  into it. I’ve got a novel planned and outlined that hasn’t been finished since…you guessed it, 2018!

Here is the first chapter, and let me raise a glass to everyone; may the 20s be roaring.

New Years Eve

Posted on by in High Castle

 The future belongs to those who change it.

31 December 2017

Reflections

On a personal level, this year has been good to me. I got to travel to places Iā€™ve never been before, I got to see my sister on the West Coast, and Iā€™ve managed to improve my art.

I know I mention Amazonā€™s The Man in the High Castle in every single post, but I want to give the creative minds behind it, the actors and actresses, and all of the people who work on the show credit. Without them, Iā€™d have never branched out into unknown and untested artistic waters.

Iā€™d have never met some wonderful people whom I now consider friends.

Iā€™d have never gotten into making black and white photo aesthetics.

So thank you.

Thank you a million times over!

A few highlights from 2017:

What will 2018 bring?

I know it will bring more travel (I have an awesome job!), more artistic endeavors, and new experiences (that goes without saying).

My goal for 2018 is to finallyā€”once and for allā€”to crack out of my shy Internet-self shell! Iā€™m not a Marvel character with a quick, witty quip for every occasion. Iā€™m not the most hyper active conversationalist, especially on the fast-paced platform that is Twitter (home of High Castle happenings).

The challenge for me will be jumping into a conversation my way. In years past, Iā€™ve tried to be that hot-shot comic book character with an instant, witty answer for everything, but it never worked for me because I either thought of nothing or posted something bizarre. [ lol ]

So hereā€™s to 2018 cracking my shell and figuring out how to dive in!

My other 2018 goals are
1. Taking my art to new levels
2. Getting my novel, Sisters, polished and ready to publish
3. Creating more black and white photo aesthetics

Top quote is from (you guessed it) The Man in the High Castle.