Happenings of the Month: July 2016

You’d think that such a long month wouldn’t go by so fast! But then, I have had a lot going on this month. So it shouldn’t really surprise me that we’re in the last week of July.

Entertainment of the Month:

• Movies/TV

The Force Awakens is, of course, the much-anticipated and worried-over seventh Star Wars episode. It came out in December of last year, which is when I first saw it. Last week, I acquired the DVD and had the great pleasure of watching it again. And I loved it! This film introduces us to many new characters – Rey, the young woman from Jakku with Force sensitivity; Finn, the former stormtrooper trying to establish a better life; Poe Dameron, the best pilot of the Resistance; Kylo Ren, the conflicted and temperamental Sith of the First Order; and Supreme Leader Snoke, the otherworldly potentate of the First Order, among others. The film also brought back the beloved characters of Han, Leia, Luke, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2, albeit in different roles than you might expect. On its own, the film tends to raise a lot of questions and tension; I’m quite distressed that I have to wait more than a year for the next episode. Yet it also, in my mind, captured the magic of Star Wars, blending the old and the new brilliantly, and setting up a new story to be told over the next few years. In the future, I’m excited to see more of the youth and vulnerability portrayed by the new characters and hoping to see the hinted-at nuances of the villains’ dynamics expounded into something more complex.

• Books

The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron is a story that I’ve wanted to read for a long time, and it did not disappoint. This book tells the story of Sera James, an art dealer in modern-day New York, as she searches for a WWII-era painting; simultaneously, it also follows the story of Adele Von Bron, the subject of that painting. The book travels through the depth of the Holocaust and into the incredible reaches of the human soul, telling a story of suffering, love, and the power of God to bring beauty from and in the midst of ashes. The book would probably be too heavy for younger readers, due to the subject matter, but I highly recommend it.

• Music

I really love soundtracks, and I got the opportunity to buy some new ones this month. Thus, my music choices come mostly from those purchases.

“Rey’s Theme” – John Williams – This is the theme for the new main character of the Star Wars franchise, Rey. I love the whole The Force Awakens soundtrack, but this piece in particular is really fun. It actually puts me in mind of the Harry Potter soundtrack in a lot of ways.

“In Noctem” – Nicholas Hooper – Speaking of Harry Potter, this track comes from the Half-Blood Prince soundtrack. It’s so deeply tragic and stirring.

“Horse Racing” – Chinese Folk Song – I actually discovered this song through a game, Piano Tiles 2. After failing to play it all the way, I looked it up on Youtube, and it is a super cool song.

My Life This Month:

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve had a pretty busy month. I’ve been working, mostly, though with slightly diminished hours. Regardless, I’m thankful to still have my job. As I look at upcoming school costs, I’m a little nervous about finances. However, I know God’s got everything under control. He’s done amazing things for me so far; I know that’s not going to stop now.

I am looking into alternate sources of income, though. I’d particularly like to start earning money in my field, writing. To do that, I’m looking into article submissions. I wrote an article about creativity that I’d like to submit; now it’s just a matter of picking a good magazine, tailoring the article to it, and editing. I’m excited about the possibility, but it’s far from easy. Still, that is something I would like to do on a regular basis – article submissions.

We had family visiting this month, which accounts for the rest of my busyness. It was good to see everyone, especially my aunt, whom I haven’t seen in three years.

I’m still struggling with the whole singleness thing. There are good days and bad. I’m come to some really interesting realizations recently, though, that I’ll probably be exploring in future blog posts. What they come down to, though, is that 1) I’m not ready for marriage and 2) part of my frustration is coming from arrogance on my part. It’s been an interesting journey, for certain, and one that I want to explore. I want to be satisfied in all circumstances, and, to do that, I need to seek God’s will on all the relationship craziness.

Other Web Happenings:

A Girl and Her Goggles: Tips For Writing Steampunk | One Year Adventure Novel – This article is informative for so much more than just steampunk; it addresses mixing genres in general

How To Make Connections and Boost Your Writing Career | Rachelle Rea Cobb – This post is full of helpful tips on making real connections in the writing world.

A Kindergarten Fight For Love | Studio C – Because everyone could use a little more Studio C in their lives, and seeing adults pretend to be children is absolutely hilarious

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How was July for all of you? Busy or a little laidback? Let me know in the comments!