Happenings of 2017

Well, I definitely owe you all something of a year-end wrap up, since I didn’t keep you very updated during the year, did I? So much for my grand plans in March. Oh well. Such is life. I’m here now.

Entertainment of the Year:

• Movies/TV

I’ll be honest: There weren’t any stellar standout movies for me this year. There were good spots, but nothing that I really feel like raving about. I was really excited to see Wonder Woman but found myself kind of disappointed by it. There were certainly parts I enjoyed, but, overall, it fell kind of flat. I’m still not entirely sure why. I did see Dunkirk, which was very different in about every way from what I normally watch. I can’t say I loved it, but it was a different experience, for sure. I also saw Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which was hilarious and entertaining, if more crude than I appreciated. I finally saw Thor: Ragnarok a couple of weeks ago and thought it was great. The level of violence was a bit much for me in places, but I really liked what they did with Thor’s character. And the soundtrack… Ugh, so good!

I haven’t seen The Last Jedi yet, but I have every intention of doing so. I’ve heard conflicting opinions about the movie, but I’ve managed to avoid spoilers so far, and I’m determined to form no opinions until I’ve seen it. The other movie I really want to see is The Greatest Showman, which I have heard wonderful things about. Kristy Cambron, author of the The Ringmaster’s Wife, has been ecstatic about the film on Twitter, and I have a soft spot for musicals, despite my recent disappointment with La La Land. And I also want to see Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, which looks hilarious!

Finishing school for the semester was pretty much code for a chance to watch some mini-series I’ve been wanting to try. So, my last few days have been spent essentially binge-watching BBC dramas and developing a distinctly-British way of speaking, minus the accent. I watched the first season of Call the Midwife, which is about the role of midwives in London’s East End during the late 1950s. It’s an interesting series that’s very well-acted and is definitely engaging. I’m not sure I’m entirely comfortable with the social statements it makes, though, so we’ll see whether I come back to it or not. I just finished the first season of Lark Rise to Candleford, which I had attempted several years ago and had a rather lukewarm reaction to. This time around, though, I find myself enjoying it much more. There’s a slow simplicity to the story that is really refreshing.

Oh, wait, there was one standout for me this year, but it’s not a movie. Instead, it is the Masterpiece TV Series Victoria. Oh, this series is exquisite! I’ve been rather partial to the story of Queen Victoria ever since watching The Young Victoria years ago, which is itself a fabulous story. This series gives the story space to breathe, though, adapting it as a TV series. Season One was absolutely wonderful. Jenna Coleman as Victoria and Tom Hughes as Prince Albert are perfection. Watching this series is absolute bliss. I haven’t been able to get ahold of Season Two yet, but I do believe that is what I’m going to spend my Christmas money on…

• Books

I’ve read more books in the last two weeks than I think I have all year. That might be a slight exaggeration, but I have devoured a bunch of stories in a very short amount of time. My reading was essentially split into some at the beginning of the year and some at the end, with very little over the summer. Favorites of the year include:

The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill  – Morrill’s foray into historical fiction was a resounding success with this jewel of a mystery set in 1920s Chicago. It’s got a likeable heroine, excellent supporting characters, a plot that kept me guessing, and plenty of fun historical details. I really hope she continues with books like this.

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson – This is a really well-written, gripping account of the sinking of the British ship Lusitania by a German submarine during World War I. It’s sad, of course – how could it not be? – but I found it to be really engaging and illuminating historical non-fiction.

I read some of Katherine Reay’s books for the first time, and I can’t decide which one I liked better, Dear Mr. Knightley or Lizzy and Jane. They both deal with some really deep topics – the foster system in the former and death of a parent in the latter – but Lizzy and Jane affected me a little more in that department. I love her Austen references and the descriptive details she includes. Most of all, though, both books really hit me right in the heart.

I finally got to read some of Roseanna White’s books, and I am completely in love! I devoured her Ladies of the Manor series, whose three books are set a few years before World War I and each contain a healthy dose of danger, mystery, and romance. I’m so excited to read her other books!

I also really enjoyed Melissa Tagg’s sweet little novella One Enchanted Christmas. In so many ways, it’s a story about new beginnings and letting go of the past, wrapped in a sparkling romance that gives a little thrill. In some ways, it makes me think of Taylor Swift’s song “Begin Again.”

• Music

“10 Years of One Republic Medley” – Peter Hollens feat. Mike Tompkins – I’ve shared this one before, I’m sure, but it’s such a fun medley and video that it deserves to be shared again.

“Miracle” – Unspoken – Oh, guys, I am so in love with this song. It’s super catchy and just a touch bittersweet, but its message is all hope and faith.

The Answer – Jeremy Camp – I got Camp’s latest album for Christmas, and I’m really enjoying it. The whole album is great, but I especially like the last track, “Awake O Sleeper.”

“The Fifth of July” – Owl City – This song off Owl City’s upcoming album, Cinematic, is about the day he was born. It’s an ode to his parents’ love and the simple things in life. I really like it.

My Life This Year:

Well, as I’ve mentioned, I had a pretty busy year. I’m still working at the hotel job I mentioned. And I love it! But we live in a heavy summer-tourism region, so summer was kind of insane. I honestly feel like I grew so much more than I could have ever imagined this summer. And really this year, as a whole. 2017 has been a growing year.

I’ve always been a little bit (or maybe a lot) scared of stretching myself. I like things to stay the same – predictable, routine, safe. I’m a homebody; I like things to be a certain way. Ever since I was a little kid, my parents have always had to push me into situations that go beyond my comfort zone. Meeting new people, going new places, anything “new” has always made me a bit uncomfortable. Even with my job, I was really scared to start, convinced that it would be too much for me. And, I’ll admit, not every day has been simple. In fact, few have. I had a lot of emotional breakdowns and stretching moments throughout the summer. But I really feel that I came out stronger. God knew exactly what He was doing when He placed me where I am, and I’m so glad I stuck with it. Because I really do love my job.

This past semester, I got to take an acting class for the first time! Getting to be in that play last year was a dream come true, and I’ve wanted to do more at my community theater. But the timing with work and school just hasn’t come together. The chance to take an acting class was great, though. It’s one of the things I love about college – the chance to take a class that has exactly nothing to do with your major. So, I took an acting class. I had a magnificent teacher and more stretching moments and, in general, a lot of fun. I got to deal with nerves (because I can never seem to get in front of people without them) and forgetfulness and self-doubt and all kinds of things that it takes practice to overcome. I also took a radio class, which was awesome, since I really would love the chance to work on audio productions one day. It was far from my easiest class, though. I was reminded, again, about the parts of journalism I struggle with and have little desire to do, like talking to total strangers. But I learned about writing for radio and what makes good sound, and I had an absolute blast learning to mix sound in this free program called Audacity. It was a good experience.

I stretched myself a bit by attending my campus chapter of Cru, formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ. Honestly, I still haven’t gotten entirely comfortable there, but I’m going to keep with it in the new semester, and we’ll see how it goes. I just know that I need some kind of community on campus, and what better option than Christian community? Especially when I don’t feel particularly connected at my church. Which is a whole ‘nother ball of wax. Regardless, I know I need this kind of outlet, so I want to be more intentional about pursuing it.

With my scholarship coming to an end next year, I’ve been forced to think more intentionally about money. I’ve budgeted for several years now, but sometimes it’s really easy to get off the rails. Actually setting out goals and parameters has been a work in progress, but it’s good for me. I’m trying to take more responsibility for how I’m using my finances. I don’t want to take money in and then have no idea where it’s going. But I also want to be aware of what I’m looking toward and strategize the best way to get there. It takes discipline, but I want to cultivate that kind of discipline. If you’re curious, the budgeting software I use is called YNAB. I use the old, non-web based format, and I’ve found that it really works for me.

And the closer I get to graduating, the more I realize that I want to do something travel-wise. I haven’t decided exactly what that will be yet, but I definitely want to do something. I’m really not a wanderer at heart; I’ve never wanted to travel the world. And I still don’t. But I want to go somewhere different, experience something new. I just want to do it in a well-planned, organized fashion. So, I’ll keep that in mind and work toward it steadily, one day at a time.

Tomorrow it will be 2018. Amazing. I want to make it count. Happy New Year, my wonderful readers!!!

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What did you read, watch, and listen to in 2017? What defined your year? How did you grow? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear all about it!