Names Are Hard!

Last song: the Barbie soundtrack, when I saw the film at the cinema

Favourite colour: I love most colours except hot/bright pinks. So I’ll go for rainbow 🌈 

Currently watching: Magpie Murders, based on the Anthony Horowitz novel, lots of nerdy quiz shows, and I have the latest season (12?) of Call the Midwife and Season 16 of Criminal Minds:Evolution to start when I get home. May have a Criminal Minds rewatch before starting that though.

Last movie: Barbie, which I loved, bar the last few minutes, where it ruined the message completely. Loved the visuals for Barbie Land, the narration, the songs… 

Currently reading: The Inheritance Games and re-reading Magpie Murders

Sweet/spicy/savoury: usually sweet, but sometimes get salty cravings. I am a big spice wimp

Relationship status: chronically single

Current obsession: swimming and nerdy quiz shows

Last thing I googled: the new ( to me, at least) Pret à Manger cold chocolate drink

Currently working on: planning out a missing episode from Season 4 of Criminal Minds where Hotch’s eardrum bursts and he has to stay behind with Penelope. Bonding ensues and it is a much better experience than Gideon’s time with her. 

9 people you'd like to get to know better ♡

i can always count on @olivinesea to fulfil my desire to talk too much about myself in tumblr asks like this. thanks pal!!

last song: Lies from the Chasing Lights album by The Saturdays, in a moment of nostalgia for British girl bands that i liked in university (which as it turns out was only The Saturdays lol)

favourite colour: i tell kids my favourite colour is rainbow because i generally like all of them. it’s easier to tell you that i’m not fond of most shades of orange.

currently watching: Six Feet Under by myself, The Wire and VEEP with my husband, Recess over Sunday morning coffee & bagels, The X-Files with a friend. very soon starting a rewatch of Gilmore Girls, for the fall vibes. i watch too much tv, perhaps.

last movie: Barbie in theatres (i love how much Barbie cries). Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. at home (like meeting a pen pal in person for the first time)

currently reading: Cosmoknights vol 2, a large variety of picture books for work, and Judy Blume (so many i haven’t read before!)

sweet/spicy/savoury: savoury, for that salty umami goodness

relationship status: not to be gross on your dash, but i’ve been with my best friend and favourite person for ten years and it is friggin great.

current obsession: overwhelmingly human (English) names for pets. one of my kid friends from work (my job is great) told me their turtle is named Vanessa.

last thing i googled: a Black Russian, to confirm that it is indeed a drink.

currently working on: oh, i always get inspired by songs, so i have loads of drafts that are just song lyrics with the phrase “this is about [these people], figure it out!!!” but one of those drafts is shaping itself into a pretty angsty hotchniss mess, as per usual. maybe no satisfying happy ending, either.

ahhh, to tag or not to tag, the anxiety-inducing question. please feel no pressure to do these, but i tag @sequinsmile-x @danadeservesadrink @louisaland @scorpsik @beebeelank @bevfank @storiesofsvu and anyone who sees this and wants to answer them (tag me so i can read them if you do!)

@louisaland

Things that make me happy:

1) spontaneous hugs from the children I work with

2) Spring is here! It’s getting warmer, but not too hot, flowers are blooming, trees are blossoming

3) Cinemas re-opening in 3 weeks, all being well! I will be going to see anything and everything!

4) Picking out the perfect present for someone, especially if it’s a random ‘I saw this and thought of you!’ unexpected gift.

5) Delicious food, especially desserts!

Pass the happy! 🧡 When you get this, reply with 5 things that make you happy and send this to the last 10 people in your notifications!

I love these so much ;u;

1) My friends!

2) Posters of fun things!

3) The Sims!

4) Music <3

5) YOU!

The engagement ring that Hotch uses to propose to Penelope in my AU Into The Gotchaverse. It’s supposed to be rose gold, with an opal in the centre, surrounded by alternating diamonds and pearls. I figured Hotch wouldn’t go for a stone of any particular colour, as Penelope wears all of them ( Jack comes to help and says he thinks Penelope’s favourite colour is rainbow!) and a coloured gem could clash with whatever outfit she was wearing. Pearls and diamonds are also neutral/go with anything, and Penelope also wears gold and silver jewellery, so rose gold seemed like the best choice. Traditionally opals and pearls are not used in engagement rings, as opals are supposed to come loose very easily and pearls represent tears/sadness, so not very auspicious. I feel like Hotch would know that and mentions it once Penelope has accepted. She, of course, loves it! Now I have to write the proposal, in my head it is very romantic, thoughtful and sweet, so I hope that translates to the page!

I miss this/my friends/hugs

I love books/them/this

I hate college/everything/people/everyone!

reblog and type ‘I miss’, ‘I love’ and ‘I hate’ in the tags and let your secrets be revealed!

Well into Season 3 of Downton Abbey! Mary and Edith have stopped being witches with b’s to eachother. Love Matthew looking out for Tom and saying they have to stick together against their fiery wives was very sweet. I know how it all ends with Edith and Anthony Strallan, which sucks, but am waiting impatiently for Mary and Matthew’s wedding! 

✨I started two jobs, one nannying, just before lockdown started and one in a crèche, during lockdown!

🌸 going back to work after nearly 2 years of unemployment!

☁️ More travelling!

🥂seeing my parents for Christmas 2020!

😐 hunting for food or household essentials that were out of stock!

🌄 N/A

🎬 Onward was the most memorable, in early 2020. Oh, and Little Women. I saw them both twice! There was a period of a few weeks when the cinemas re-opened and I went to see everything I possibly could during that period, even if they were all rubbish!

📈Lots of arts and crafts with the children I nanny, writing more letters, writing fanfiction...

📖 Circe by Madeline Miller. Interesting to hear a mythological tale from a strong female perspective,  beautiful writing and just a great read!

🎼 Not really!

📆 April, with the birth of my nephew, or June/July, when I found out my brother had got engaged! August was good too, as it was my month off work and I had a month at my parents’, watching TV, eating home-cooked meals, swimming and walking.

☀️ My nephew being born in April, brother’s engagement in June/July!

❤️ favourite meal out of 2020: going out to celebrate my brother’s engagement with my parents, brother and future sister-in-law in August!

📝 that magpies steal eggs from other birds’ nests! 

💥that I miss seeing people sometimes, even though I am really good at and enjoy being on my own. Also that I need to go to the cinema a lot!

🌈 my brother’s wedding, if it goes ahead, and a proper family Christmas!

🔥 N/A

⏱ I guess, as what is considered late for some people/cultures is on time for others!

2020 asks 😄

✨ whats the most "unprecedented" thing that happened to you this year? lol

🌸 whats something youre proud of for accomplishing?

☁️ whats something you wish you couldve accomplished?

🥂 most exciting thing you did?

😐 most underwhelming thing you did?

📸 post a picture from your camera roll.

🎬 did you watch any new movies this year? what movie(s) would you have preferred seeing in a theater?

📈 any new hobbies that you took up? or old ones that you went back to?

📖 did you read anything particularly interesting this year? why was it interesting?

🎶 did you discover new songs or artists this year? write a two-sentence review for your favorite one(s).

📅 favorite month of 2020?

☀️ favorite event of 2020?

❤️ favorite _____ of 2020?

📝 whats something you learned this year?

💥 whats something you learned about *yourself* this year?

🌈 what are you most looking forward to in 2021?

🔥 ask me for my opinion on something.

🕐 bonus: do you think time is a social construct?

My drawing of Alex Miller going on her first date in the PSOLC universe, created by the incredible @themetaphorgirl . The blush is too dark, but I think I nailed the hair, the rest of the m1keup and the outfit as a whole. I haven’t done any drawing for ages, but I was inspired

1) Nothing, in a bit of a slump!

2) The Friends We Keep by Jane Green.

3) Some of the newer fantasy books ( Leigh Bardugo, VE Schwab...)

4) I have a book by Hank Green ( brother of John) that looks right up my street

5) I don’t think so.

6) Anne of Green Gables series,  Little Women and sequels are both regular re-reads. Babysitters Club and Nancy Drew, plus the Sweet Valley Twins series. I have by no means read all of them, so would happily do so if I were given them/found them available cheaply.

7) I love the Percy Jackson/Trials of Apollo/Roman god companion series, they appeal to my deep deep love of mythology. I think the Cormoran Strike detective novels are great too, hope there’s another one soon!

8) Fantasy! But I have not read much sci-fi...

9) Nothing for the moment ( damn my slump!).

10) Oh yes, especially when a version comes out just before the film and it has the lead actor on it! It hinders my ability to picture the character properly! I have definitely been turned on/off by a pretty or ugly cover too-I’m evidently a very visual person!

11) Yes, a JK Rowling one, her first or second adult/non Harry Potter book. Not her Cormoran Strike ones, written under a pseudonym.

12) Yes! John Barrowman, Michael Caine, Lauren Graham... Biography: Marilyn Monroe, if that counts.

13) Don’t mind, but prefer biographies as they are more objective.

14) Fiction!

15) Chick-lit, YA, crime... Impossible to choose!

16) biographies, travel journals ( love Bill Bryson), origins of words/expressions/language evolution and usage...

17) not usually a big fan, it has to be social history ( women’s rights, fashion, food) rather than political and have engaging characters to follow. Tracy Chevalier does this well, I liked Jessie Burton’s The Miniaturist too, and possibly a Philippa Gregory too.

18) Read the book first, unless I am unaware that a book version exists ( First Wives Club). This means I have the right to complain when characters or settings on screen do not match the picture I had in my head, and I get annoyed at all the side plots/minor characters that were glossed over/written out...

19) Paperback

20) Yes, most of my collection is on my e-reader!

21) one very small one, due to having a Kindle!

22) By order of purchase on my reader!

23) Buying on my e-reader, as they are often cheaper than the paper versions, and take up far less space! Otherwise I try to get them second hand/previously owned.

24) Fairly happy to, although I have lost some for good, unfortunately!  25) I try to look after them as best as I can, but I often eat or drink while reading, so they sometimes get a bit dirty, oops!

26) To Kill A Mockingbird has a special place in my heart. It was assigned summer reading but we ended up studying a different text. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin I read the summer I finished my GCSEs and I still love it, even though I ended up studying it for A-Levels!

27) Love stories that end tragically, parents losing a child, abuse, friendships unravelling...

28) A happy ending, strong (female) friendships coming through, an unexpected love interest....

29) Gone With The Wind. I think the copy I had was 600-800 pages.  30) I’m most like Meg and Beth from Little Women , would love to be friends with Anne Shirley, adore Atticus Finch, and think Peeta from The Hunger Games is my kind of guy too.

Book Ask

What book are you currently reading?

What book did you recently finish?

What’s a book that’s been on your to-read list for a long time?

What’s the next book you’re hoping to read?

Is there a book you own, but aren’t planning on reading?

What was your favourite series as a kid? Would you still read it now?

What’s your favourite series now?

Fantasy or sci-fi?

What’s a book you want to buy?

Have you ever judged a book by its cover?

Have you ever bought a book because of who the author was?

Have you ever read a celebrity memoir? If so, whose was it?

Are you a fan of autobiographies?

Fiction or non-fiction?

Favourite fiction genre?

Favourite non-fiction genre?

Historical fiction: yea or nay?

Do you read the book or watch the movie first?

Paperback or hardcover?

Do you read e-books?

How many bookshelves do you have?

How do you organize your books?

Do you prefer borrowing books from friends, borrowing books from a library, or buying them?

How willing are you to lend your books to other people?

In what condition do you keep your books?

What’s your favourite book?

What books can always make you cry?

What books can always make you smile?

What’s the biggest book you’ve ever read, and how many pages did it have?

What character do you connect with the most?

Her character is one of the reasons I got so into Criminal Minds! In a lesser show, she’d have been the dumb, blonde secretary and her role would be played by a stereotypical nerdy guy! As a short, curvy blonde who is very empathetic, I was so happy to see her on screen!

I am in love with Penelope Garcia. Obviously.

As a plus size woman, i love having plus size representation in the media. It’s really hard to find.

Most of the time, if there’s a plus size character at all, their only character trait is that they’re big. They’re always pictured eating and talking about how much they love eating.

I love Penelope Garcia because I want representation.

Because Hollywood is unfair to people who wear anything bigger than a size 2.

Because Penelope has a successful career.

Because Penelope built healthy relationships, platonic and romantic.

Because Penelope wasn’t held back by being big.

Because Penelope isn’t just fat.

She’s a person.

Because Penelope is beautiful and funny and sweet and has amazing characterization!!

Bless the Criminal Minds writers and casting agents, and bless Kirsten Vangsness for the amazing character that she embodied and gave to people like me to look up to.