2018 Recap-Because I actually survived 2018? What?!

GUESS WHO’S NOT DEAD?

As some of you may have noticed, right around the time the school semester started, I disappeared.

I think it’s high time I filled you in on what has been happening in my life what books I have been reading.

2018 went away quite suddenly and left me standing, dazed and confused, on the edge of 2019. (Help.) Here’s a bit of a recap of that runaway year.

Books

A few of the best I read this year, in no particular order:

Whimiscal and clever. Includes impromptu songs about pasta.

So sweet and lovely. Lonliness and love, with a dash of morbid humor thrown in.

This dear emotionally damaged child needs a hug.

Stays true to the style of the original book while still bringing it’s own spark to Neverland.

The writing = beautiful and poetic. Beck and Joey = my children.

These children have NO IDEA WHAT THEY’RE DOING. Things get scary.

BROTHERS. Literal and figurative. What’s not to like?

Twin brothers and a mysterious sea creature and… oh, look I’m crying.

Goblins, elves, scholars, spymasters, and unreliable illustrations.

(+Sequels) I am here for interdimensional travel, complex family relationships, and also Kell’s coat.

(+Sequel) Superhero-ish kids who are so lonely and don’t want to hurt anyone but can’t stop?? SOMEONE HELP MY CHILDREN.

A brilliant, hilarious cast of characters. Seriously. Don’t be scared away by the hideous cover.

The most beautiful, terrible, bittersweet ending. LET’S ALL CRY.

Writing

I wrote quite a lot this year.

Projects included:

• A book about a skinny, beardless, extremely anxious Santa Claus. (Started in 2017. Finished in 2018)
• A short story comprised of emails between a self- proclaimed anti-solipsist and a boy named Jelly.
• A one-act play about a baker and a hologram.
• A book about a polite psycho who enjoys Shakespeare (and torturing children). (Camp NaNoWriMo)

All first drafts of course. Maybe I will edit some of them this year? *sweating* *hyperventilating*

Maybe I will share more about some of them in a later post? Maybe there will be snippets?

Maybe I will hide under a bush?

Theater

This year I had the amazing opportunity to fulfill one of my all-time dream roles: I was in NEWSIES. And I played a NEWSIE.

I’m still kind of amazed actually.

I never thought I would be able to play a Newsie, but anyone who has been involved in community theater knows that guys who can sing and dance are hard to come by. Thus, some of the newsies were cast as girls. Thus, years of ballet paid off in an extremely rewarding way.

SO MUCH DANCING. So exhausting but SO WORTH IT.

As far as the audience side of things, I got to see several filmed shows this year:

An American In Paris

Gershwin songs + gorgeous design + amazing choreography + so many lovable characters (*cough* *cough* Adam). How can I not love it??

Sweeney Todd in Concert (2001)

This show is… really dark. But I really like a lot of the music. And Count Olaf as the sweet innocent child was strangely endearing.

Bandstand

THIS SHOW, GUYS.

The music is FANTASTIC and the acting is AMAZING and the story just SMASHES YOUR HEART in the best possible way.

I’m not obsessed at ALL.

The entire cast was brilliant. They were acting and singing and dancing and PLAYING INSTRUMENTS?? Laura Osnes was AMAZING as Julia. Her voice was so powerful and her acting?? And Corey Cott???

For several days after we saw it, my little sister and I couldn’t stop freaking out about “Corey Cott on the floor shaking and crying”. His performance was SO FREAKIN’ AMAZING.

Please put this show on Netflix. On Amazon. I will rent it. I will buy it. Just let me see it again.

I also saw Les Miserables live on tour. It was a little disappointing (especially because tickets are SO EXPENSIVE). But Joshua Grosso was THE BEST MARIUS EVER. And I don’t even usually care about Marius?? But he was my favorite.

There was this one part where his microphone was turned down and he was crying, but we were sitting close enough that I could hear it acoustically and it was so heartbreaking.

 

Other randomness

• My cousin had a BABY. Whenever I’m in the same room with him I may or may not completely ignore everyone else and just stare at him and squawk every time he moves. My completely unbiased opinion is that he is the most adorable baby ever.
• I discovered several new favorite songs! Including Bridges Burn by Needtobreathe, Always Gold by Radical Face, and Three Ravens by Libera.
• I wrote a paper on Paradise Lost for a British lit class. What fun.
• I blogged SO MUCH.
• HA.

How was your year? Did you discover any amazing books? Have you read any of these? Is it just me, or did 2019 arrive quite suddenly? Do tell!