My Spring Bucket List {2020}

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Hello friends!

I have a new project that I would like to try, and I thought I would invite you in on it! I was inspired by a couple things - one being an Instragram post I saw recently (but for the life of me can't find again), and another being Rachel's seasonal To-Do lists... both of which combined with a desire to add a slightly more festive, fun-loving spark into my 2020 has led me to create my own spring-inspired bucket list. :) 

As both a means of accountability and inspiration, I will be sharing it with you here! (I also fully understand that for at least half of you, the season would be autumn and not spring, but the idea is still the same. ;)) 

So let's get to it!

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MY SPRING BUCKET LIST {2020}

- Learn "All of Me" by Jon Schimdt on the piano

- Give flowers to a friend

- Have all/most of my Christmas shopping finished by the time summer/December rolls around

- Freeze fruit (such as grapes and bananas - I've never done this before but everyone keeps telling me how amazing it is!)

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- Go for a long bike ride

- Draw something spring-inspired

- Cloud gaze

- Drink coffee on the patio

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- Dry some flowers

- Make ice cream

- Freshen up my blog look

- Add more cute summery dresses to my wardrobe

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- Photograph nature

- Learn to braid my hair properly

- Make and decorate cupcakes

- Listen to "The Light in the Piaza" (musical)

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And there you have it! A lot of those things are specifically spring-inspired, but some are also just random things I would like to do. ;) I realize we're already a full month into spring so I'm quite a bit behind! I'll try to give myself some grace if I don't get through the whole list, but I'm curious to see how much I can tick off before December.

What are some things you want to do before summer (or, perhaps winter) rolls around? Is there anything I should add to my list? Let me know in the comments!

EOWYN: Shieldmaiden of Rohan

I no joke get SO excited about Rachel's Annual Tolkien Party every year, and since I actually have my own blog this time around, I felt the urge to contribute at least one extra post. It's been a hot minute since I've watched or read any Tolkien, I must admit, but his stories run deep in my mind, so I shall write this nonetheless.

After giving it some thought, I decided to write an Eowyn appreciation post, because I probably admire her the most out of all the female LOTR characters. And I hope, by the end of this, you will admire her, too. (If you don't already!)

EOWYN.

Dear, darling, Eowyn. 

How I pity you, and admire you, and feel so proud of how far you've come.

You are one of my all-time favourite female characters; I swear I learn something from you every time I encounter your story.

First of all, you lose your cousin. Then, your brother is banished by your uncle, who you see on a daily basis being overpowered by the wickedness of Grima. You are stuck inside with a greasy-haired creep who stalks you and watches your every move. (Shivers.)

Later on, you meet Aragorn, who you understandably fall for. Yet, he does not return your love. At one point, you are told that he is dead, and hope begins to slip away. Going disguised, you join the army out to battle, kindly taking Merry along with you, because you feel his pain of not being able to help his friends or fight alongside them. In the face of the Witch-King, you still stand and wield a sword, eventually bringing him to his knees and conquering him. Unafraid of death, you fall onto the battlefield, unconscious from pain. 

Your uncle is now dead, your body now weak, and your hope quickly fading.

And then who do you meet?

Another, who has known pain and sorrow like you. Someone who has gentleness and strength from a painful past. Someone who is fighting alone as well. Faramir. 

He finds you in the Houses of Healing, and he never leaves your side. Your hope has nearly disappeared completely, and the life has almost gone out of you. But not quite. You are stronger than that.

Faramir reminds you of what you've known all along; that hope still remains. He sees you for who you  truly are - a shieldmaiden of Rohan, who is stronger and more courageous than many an honoured warrior. For though you faced intense darkness, never once did you give up. Never once did you back down. You fought with every breath inside of you for what you knew to be good and true and honourable. Even though others doubted you, you proved that stature and status does not make a hero - the courage to do what is right and the strength to carry it out does.

You remind me that even though I may feel small and useless, strength and courage can take many different forms. And whether or not I ever brandish a sword or win a battle, I can choose to fight for what is good and true and honourable. Even though I fall. Because, just as Faramir did for you, I know there is Someone out there who will pick me up, stand by my side, and remind me that there is always hope.

May we all have the courage and strength that Eowyn showed to stand and fight for truth and hope, and may we never forget the One who is fighting right beside us. 

Tolkien Blog Party Tag Answers!

For many years, I have participated quietly on the sidelines for Rachel's Tolkien Blog Party, but now that I finally have my own blog, I can actually join in properly! Suffice to say, I am Very Happy about this. ;)

Today I will be filling in the tag answers that Rachel has created for her 8th annual celebration of Tolkien's works. :D

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1. What Tolkien character do you think you're the most like?

Oddly enough, the first character that comes to mind is Bilbo Baggins. He's not out there to make history or prove his honour or discover treasure - he's going on an adventure, and he's making more friends while he does so. He enjoys comfort (*raises hand*), good food, and takes awhile to find his feet and try his courage. I do believe if I were ever given such an opportunity as Bilbo, I would resist it out of fear at first, then eventually give in, and by the end of it, wonder how I ever had lived my life in such a dull way beforehand.

2. What Tolkien character do you wish you were more like?

Eowyn. I love her strength and her courage, her convictions and her skills. I have a whole post coming on why I love Eowyn so much, so stay tuned for that. ;) (For the record, however, Aragorn comes in as a close second.)

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3. What would your dream home in Middle-earth be like?

Very much like a Hobbit Hole! Only, I would prefer one with plenty of windows, which seems a little ironic. But something cozy, homely, with nooks to read in, a large kitchen, and green meadows surrounding my house, where flowers grow easily - that would be perfectly lovely!

4. You get to make a movie of the story of Beren and Luthien!  Who do you cast as the leads?

Oh goodness, I've never thought of this before! Well, she might be too old for the part now, but Amelia Warner would play a convincing Luthien, in my opinion... Beren I'm a little more stumped on. Armie Hammar keeps coming to mind, but I feel like he might be a little too... modern?

5. Have you ever marathoned the LOTR or Hobbit movies?

Yes! Last year I joined my two older sisters in watching all three extended Lord of the Rings films in cinema, back to back. I believe it was over 12 hours of film. (And no, I do not normally watch that much screen, haha.) To top it off, we did the entire thing in costume! I had a very stiff back by the end of it, but it was worth every second, and I felt like I had really joined the fellowship on their exhausting journey, and experienced it in a more in-depth way.

6. Do you have a favorite song or track from the movie soundtracks by Howard Shore?

Why, "Concerning Hobbits" of course! It's so peaceful, yet lively. I always let out a happy sigh whenever I hear it, and immediately picture green meadows and children chasing butterflies.

7. Which of Tolkien's characters would you like to be best friends with?

Faramir, please. :) <3

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8. Who of the people in your real life would you want in your company if you had to take the ring to Mordor?

Probably my older sisters, because they would be good at roughing it, and my older brother because he's a nurse haha, and then I would query all my friends to see who was the most fluent in Elvish. ;) But I would probably also be that person that would ask EVERYONE to join me because the more the merrier, right?! (Also, I would need all the help I could get, *cough*.)

9. Have you read any of Tolkien's non-Middle-earth works?

No, although I have listened to the "Farmer Giles of Ham" on tape, so does that count? (It was most amusing.)

10. Is there a book by Tolkien you haven't read yet, but want to?

Not in particular, although perhaps someday I would like to tackle "The Silmarillion". 

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Thanks for the fun questions, Rachel! I will be publishing a post on Eowyn later in the week, but in the meantime, go check out the epic giveaway going on!

Sunshine Blogger Award

 Hello friends!

Olivia tagged me for the Sunshine Blogger Award! I love sunshine and I love tags, so let's do this thing. :D

Rules

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you in the blog post and link back to their blog (thanks Olivia! 😘).

2. Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.

3. Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and ask them 11 new questions. 

4. List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

Olivia's Questions

1. Is there a particular song you would show to people if you were trying to explain yourself - your personality, your heart, your aesthetic, your inner landscape - in musical form?

Wow, this is such a great question, but also a very deep one. I could think of so many possibilities, but honestly, this is the one that keeps coming back to me:

"Dream" by Priscille Ahn

Another song that I would gladly take as my anthem would be "Live Like You're Loved" by Hawk Nelson, but that would be more about my passion than my personality. (Also I feel like the cheat answer would be the Enneagram "Two" song by Sleeping at Last, haha.)

2. Do you like tattoos or no?

As a general rule, my answer is no. The average skull or giant picture tattoo that people get does not appeal to me in the slightest. However, I do appreciate the small, meaningful words people have tattooed, especially if it's in memory of someone, or one of God's promises. This may have partly to do with the fact that I have affinity for words on ANYTHING.

Just a random cute picture

3. What is your favourite thing about your favourite holiday?

Is it odd that in Australia we don't really call festive occasions 'holidays'? Holidays are what you Americans call vacation. ;) But anyhow, to get to the point, my favourite 'holiday' would most definitely be Christmas... what's less clear is my favourite thing about it. The general carefree, warmhearted attitude people having over Christmas time... the nostalgia, the festivity, the excitement that never goes away... but I especially love how we all get a chance to let go of everything else going on in life, and just celebrate Jesus. That's my favourite thing.

4. What non-story-related hobbies do you enjoy?

Oh girl... so many. I'm a multi-passionate person. ;D Music (namely piano and singing), theatre (hmm... is that a story??), dancing, bullet journaling, baking, languages, videography... quite a few!

5. Top 3 favourite TV shows?

That would be White Collar, Gilmore Girls, and the classic Get Smart. All totally different, all totally loveable. *hugses them*

6. What is one thing that the world needs more of, in your eyes? (Serious or trivial.)

The first thing that comes to mind is wisdom, to be honest. Or just plain common sense. I wish people would think for themselves more, and realize that it's important to question what others present as facts, and know the truth for yourself. 

But also, in a trivial light, I think the world needs more musicals. ;) (Never enough to suit me!)

7. What is one thing that the world needs less of, in your eyes? (Serious or trivial.)

That one's easy! A reliance and use of technology. (*cough* Says the girl as she types up a blog post.) But I genuinely believe the common addiction to screens and phones is not something to take lightly. It's literally wrecking our society. *hops down from soap box before a rant takes shape*

8. Do you need more cool air or more heat when you sleep?

Well, as I live in Australia, I'm tempted to say cool air, but I think I would sooner go heat, because if I am hot, I will eventually get to sleep, but if I am cold, I will literally lie there shivering for hours and it is NOT fun.

9. What scents do you tend to love in candles, perfumes, etc?

All the flowery ones! Also those ones that tend to smell like fruit punch. (Is that odd?) 

10. Top 3 favourite animals?

This changes all the time... but at the moment, birds (especially ducks <3), dolphins and dogs. (I'm SO original, I know.) (Cats and elephants also follow up that list closely.)

I mean, how can you not love this adorable ball of fluff??!

11. Socks or no socks?

Oh, no socks all the way! I hate wearing shoes or socks, and would go barefoot all the time if I was able to. 

My Questions

1. What is your dream job?

2. If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

3. What is your go-to beverage order?

4. Do you normally try new items on a menu, or the same thing every time?

5. Chocolate or caramel?

6. What is the nicest compliment you've ever been given?

7. If you could learn any language in one day, what would it be?

8. Which actor/actress looks the most like you?

9. Can you hold a handstand?

10. Do you ever wear glasses?

11. Spots or stripes? 

I just like flower pictures, m'kay?

I WOULD tag people, but almost everyone has already been tagged... so, if you've been holding out for someone to tag you, by all means, I dub you my nominee and you may take these questions and run away with them! Just don't forget to come back and let me know. ;) (And of course, feel free to answer them in the comments if you'd prefer.)

Life Update + Happy Things

 Hey friends!

Just popping in with a few things to tell you, as they will probably cause me to implement a few changes around here. 

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So, the biggest update I have for you is that I got a new job! Hooray! After almost two years, I have finally gotten the job I've been trying for - a receptionist position. (I know, some people can't imagine enjoying that but it's honestly something I have wanted for a long time. I love communicating and organizing, and an administration position is great for that.) It's quite a complicated role, and will take me a few months to settle in and know my way around the system, but I am excited for the challenge. The people there are so lovely and welcoming. I'm keeping my cafe job, too, thereby doubling my work hours for the week (turning it into a five day working week).

Obviously, this means I'm going to have a lot less free time. I'm flat out trying to squish in my tap dancing and singing lessons, and alas for my poor blog. However, I am not giving up on it yet. 

It may be ambitious, but I do want to keep up with blogging in some way, shape or form. Without a doubt, I won't be able to post as often, nor keep up as well, but I'll do my best. 

I mostly wanted to forewarn you that my posting may be rather haphazard and inconsistent, but hopefully still a reality. So if I disappear off the face of the internet, just know that it's probably because I'm napping after a long working week. ;) (Just kidding, I hardly ever nap.) (Although I definitely advocate them.)

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Since this post may seem a little flat if I leave it like this, I thought I would add a quick little section of things that have made me happy lately. Because we all need a little positivity. :)

Things That Have Made Me Smile:

• When I was driving on the day I had my interview for the new job, my local radio station played a song I had requested from them MONTHS BEFORE. It literally made me so happy. :') I was shouting and singing at the top of my lungs, haha! (And if you're curious which song it was, it's called "If I Don't Have You" by Love and the Outcome.)

• The crazy amount of well wishes I have had for my new job. People are so encouraging and supportive, and it honestly makes my day.

• Lauren Daigle's album "Look Up, Child" has given me LIFE the past few months. Love it.

• Listening to podcasts (particularly the "Whoa That's Good" podcast) and doing my bullet journal

• The fact that spring has finally arrived!!! I can't believe it's here already! But I'm very happy about it. :D I've already dumped all my winter clothes in favour of cute summer dresses and singlet tops.

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• The snuggly, fluffy baby guinea pig that we have. When it was first born, it easily fit into the palm of my hand... and I have small hands. ;)

• Taking a step back, and realizing that almost all of my prayers from a few years ago have been answered. It's so amazing when you realize how much God listens, and cares.

• Also realizing that God's "no's" have been as good as His "yes's" because I can see now how His plan was so much greater for me than what I thought it was in the moment.

• The strawberries that my little sister painted onto my toenails, haha. Every time I look down at them, I smile.

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I'll end there, but please add to my list and let's create a page full of sunshiney thoughts!

Tell me, what are some things that have made you smile lately?! :D