Finding Strength in Trump's Reign

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Tomorrow marks the rise of a man I never thought would become our president. A man who has implied that he would have relations with his daughter, a person so persistent to shape the country in his image regardless of the damage it will bring, a being so vile and uninformed, that his cabinet is filled with people sharing his unfortunate attributes. I think we all know who I’m referring to and it’s incredibly terrifying to know that we have come this far in this election.

There have been rumors escalating of Trump eliminating the National Arts Program.  It’s even more horrifying to know that this program, along with the tons of others, would be cut. Destroying the National Arts Program, defunding Planned Parenthood, demolishing NASA’s global warming research. These are all notions he wishes to execute for whatever reason he believes. It’s a mortifying transition, but we need to hold on and live the best way we can. I have never delved into politics, but now I honestly wonder: why did we allow this to happen? What more could we have done than to vote and protest our beliefs in this world?

I still don’t understand how it’s come to this. What choice do we have but to live with it and try to voice our opinion when we can? We have a right to our voices – Trump cannot take this away from us. We can craft art without funding and do what we can to make it amazing in our (and hopefully others’) eyes. We can still retain our beliefs and facts and absolute science that global warming is real. Our health is something that we so desperately need to survive in this cruel world with the short lives we have. We will accept the best health there is in this newfound Trumpland that we are being plunged into.

We must remember that no one can take ourselves away regardless of our gender, sexual orientation, and who we firmly believe we are. Not even someone as ungodly powerful as Trump can break us or tell us who to be. We know who we are, so let’s embrace them wholeheartedly. From this, we can gather any strength we can, to walk on through life in these years to come.  Be strong and be ourselves – it’s a way to live for the better, despite what the future may bring.

Thanks for reading tonight’s entry. If you liked it, feel free to comment, critique, share, and subscribe.

So tell me, what will you do to become stronger?

Hold Your Head Up and Stand Tall

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Tonight I’m going to briefly talk about something that I’ve been avoiding because it’s not my particular field of expertise. Yes, it’s been prevalent for the past year and it will linger on our newsfeeds in the four years to come. Yes, you guessed it, it’s the election.

Donald Trump is our new president-elect and most people are against this. Demonstrations and protests have emerged in our nation, tags #notmypresident and #nevertrump have appeared on social media, and even safety pins have popped up on citizens. Trump has struck fear into many people’s hearts especially those of the LBGTQ community, those of different ethnicities, and women like myself. We reflect on the horrible things Trump has said from building a wall to the mentally/physically disabled and even the way he views women. Trump has also carried himself on threats and lies and in the future he will have to act as president and not give way to empty words, but actually do something. So what will he do? Will he live up to his word? Or will he hide behind the media’s veil and continue to spout false promises?

To be honest, I’m still digesting that we have this monstrosity as a president. My mind is still racking from the disbelief this election has brought. I also feel incredibly angry as a woman that America would rather have this incredulous carrot for a president as opposed to a woman. It’s as though they believe that a ‘woman’ (someone of their own gender) can’t handle the responsibilities of being president.  These next four years will not be easy on those who Trump has specifically targeted.

I know the phrases are usually “it’s always darkest before the dawn” and that “there’s a light at the end of the tunnel” and yes, those words offer mild reassurance in this time. Our nation is filled with so many ethnicities, women, and those of LBGTQ – it’s hard to offer such a grand amount of strength to tons of people.

Yet, it is in this time that we must band together and stand all. Accept each other as fellow brethren and sister of humanity, fight for those who deserve every single right as you do, and educate instead of breeding hate. Yes, there will be those who will not listen and cannot be saved, for they are too mired in their ignorance that Trump and his army feeds. There will be others who will open their minds and ears to what you tell them and those will be the ones who will hopefully join your side.

I was against Trump from the start with his fear mongering tactics, his ungodly slurs, his childish jabs at everyone, and even the mere sight of him: a screaming tangerine that ought to keep their lips shut. I stand with my fellow friends of the female gender, the LBGTQ community, and different ethnicities. We’re all humans who deserve equal rights as anyone else – what’s wrong with that?

Thank you for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to share, subscribe, comment, and critique.

So tell me, what are your thoughts on the election?

Confidence in Cosplay

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

The biggest con event of the year is happening this weekend. That’s right it’s New York Comic Con. NYCC is one of the largest cons in the nation drawing together iconic celebrities, cosplayers, and geeks.  Most cosplayers will probably roam about the city and be themselves.

For someone with anxiety, roaming around the city in cosplay is a victory. Growing up, cosplay was looked down upon and considered to be a waste of time. Whenever a cosplay was worn it was often made fun of and the cosplayer was deemed a loser. Even when attending ACBC and WWP this year, I was a bit hesitant to walk around in public dressed in my cosplay. I had no idea how I would be viewed or would be said of me. However, maturity and cosplay’s modern acceptance and view have changed me.

I’m a woman in her late twenties cosplaying a fictional character and to be frank with you, I couldn’t be happier. It’s an extension of expressing myself and to publicly wear that cosplay for a con I’m attending gives me joy. Sometimes I’ll get compliments. Sometimes I’ll get strange stares, but at the same time I simply don’t care. I’m being myself and it’s wonderful. It takes a ton of confidence and assurance to be one’s self in this world with bullies (both physical and cyber), society’s perspective of things, and people in general. I think after all these years my confidence has come to fruition especially by means of cosplay.

When Saturday comes I will happily walk onto the train, through the stations, down to Manhattan, and wherever else I please wearing my cosplay. I have the confidence to override my anxiety, ignore what other people think and/or say of me, and just generally be myself. It’s a feeling that once embraced, can never be taken away from you and cosplay has helped me achieved that.

I think in life we need to find the things that make us incredibly confident. It can be one thing or it can be multiple things. For me it would have to be writing and cosplaying and maybe it’s other activities I haven’t discovered, but if there are any more, I plan to discover and fully embrace them.

Thank you for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to comment, critique, share, and subscribe.

So tell me, what makes you feel confident?

The Geeks Have Inherited the Earth

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Time tends to change concepts. For example, homosexuality in the 50s was considered as something taboo and forbidden as opposed to today where homosexuality is generally accepted. The same applies to the geek culture.

From what I remember, the media often portrayed geek culture as something negative. The dweeb with the pencil pusher pocket, the incredibly intelligent being who knew a ton about “Star Trek” and rocket science, the giant comic book nerd who never got the girl. Granted, these televised tropes are still broadcasted today, but their depiction has shifted in media and society.

Growing up, the media reinforced the notion of it was bad to be a geek. Brawn were better than brain, those who had brains were mocked or ignored. Characters like Dexter (from “Dexter’s Laboratory”) were made fun of for their intelligence and portrayed in a stereotypical dorky appearance. Comic  Book Guy (from “The Simpsons”) was pictured more harshly in being an overweight geek who hasn’t grown up, still clinging to something he greatly admires and knows a great deal about. Comic Book Guy was a cynic at times, but he was still portrayed as a geek given his environment, personality, and what he specifically enjoyed.

Cosplaying was something I remember being made fun of. People were dressing up as characters that people didn’t know like Vegeta from “Dragonball Z” or Sailor Mars from “Sailor Moon”. They wore outfits that weren’t something were obscure in everyday life or just for Halloween.  It was different and therefore, laughable.

Flash forward to the current year and time has changed society’s views on geeks. Characters like Dexter are lauded for their intelligence and not made fun of as much. People like Comic Book Guy are accepted and considered to be cool with their extensive knowledge of various fandoms. Cosplaying is seen as a form of art with fantastic results and original designs. To be passionate about something (an artist, a certain topic, a specific show, etc.) is something that’s admired and encouraged.

The geeks have inherited the Earth and with it, they have changed how our society views them. At one point, people realized that cosplay is amazing, high intelligence is attractive, and being geeky isn’t bad at all. If anything, geeky became the new sexy and socially acceptable.

To be honest with you, I know people who are in their thirties and have a successful lifestyle (well-paying career, a home of their own, etc.) and still cosplay and gush about “Star Trek” and “Doctor Who”. They have active social lives, close friends, and are generally accepted by everyone in my workplace. This has become a reassurance for me – seeing that I can have a fruitful life at the age of thirty and still think that Han shot first or believe that Squirtle is the best original starter. I always believed that at some point you had to give up what you enjoyed doing and what you loved in pursuit of a mature life filled with suits and briefcases. It was a belief the media had reinforced time and time again, but only now is the belief giving away through entertainment and real life experiences.

What was once a culture I found myself allured to despite its trials of being made fun and knowing I would someday have to surrender, I can now found more comfort in. I can be a geek and exercise my enthusiasm for the things I’m passion about, I can cosplay whoever I want to, I can be thirty and be who I really want to be: myself.

Thank you for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to comment, critique, subscribe, and share.

So tell me, what makes you geeky?

Hilde Lysiak: Hold On Tight to Your Dreams

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Hilde Lysiak, a nine year old journalist from Selinsgrove, PA, has been shaking the media world. At such a young age she has recently covered a case on a homicide in her neighborhood, enthralling reporters everywhere. Because of this, they have responded with comments claiming that they are disgusted that a child believes she is a “real journalist” and that she should be having tea parties instead. Even their home phone was filled with degrading comments regarding Lysiak’s actions. However, Lysiak didn’t listen to their criticisms and called reporters out for their comments.

One important question I have regarding this situation is: why were reporters trying to stomp out this child’s ambition?

Children are incredibly impressionable and for them to pursue something they love, only to be discouraged and berated is terrible. It staunches their motivation and resides in their memories. Ambitions bloom in childhood because kids are exposed to the world and its endless possibilities. For them to find something they love and cling to crafts motivation and aids them in working toward their dreams.

From how it appears, this girl has ambitions as big as the moon and it is wonderful. Yes, a homicide case might be gruesome for a little girl, but she seemed to have handled it without any trouble. Plus I can imagine that her parents were there watching her interview people and taking photographs and video of the crime scene.

Lysiak has already developed grass-roots sources within her area which in turned helped her gain people’s trust and is a publisher and a reporter of her neighborhood newspaper, “The Orange Street News”.  For this girl to accomplish so much at this age is purely amazing. Even other media outlets like the Pennsylvania Media Association and “Good Morning America” have applauded Lysiak’s efforts.

Why anyone would want to this staunch this girl’s dreams and desires is a crime. Clearly, Lysiak is passionate about journalism and is exercising her admiration for the field. She takes news reporting seriously, so much so that she’s willingly staked out a police station regarding an act of vandalism in her neighborhood.

The utter devotion she pours into her craft and the field is outstanding and by no means should it be trampled upon or looked down on. Rather, it should be encouraged by parents, loved ones, admirers, and media outlets. More power to Lysiak for handling criticism extraordinarily, for pursuing her dreams, for providing people with the truth, and for being herself.

Thank you for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to share, subscribe, comment, and critique.

So tell me, what are your thoughts on Lysiak’s reporting? 

Never Lose Your Passion

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

A few days ago I witnessed something that absolutely broke my heart because it made me realize that no matter at what age it is said, it’s still diminishing to hear.

I was at the store waiting to pay for my groceries. There was a boy, no more than six years old who was trying to talk to his mother about something and she kept responding dully with ‘uh huhs’ and ‘yeahs’.  Her eyes were focused on her phone – I have no idea what she was looking at, but they were in the line next to me. From what I could tell, the boy was excited about “Captain America : Civil War” coming out soon and how awesome it was going to be (and let’s face it, it’s going to be amazing). At one point, he grabbed an action figure of Captain America that happened to be resting on a magazine rack (I guess someone put it there). He kept trying to get his mom’s attention, trying to show her the figure, and explain to her how cool Captain America will be in the movie. Finally, she looked over and stared at at the figure blankly before saying:

“Oh, I thought it was something important.”

It was as though someone told the kid that Santa didn’t exist. His crestfallen eyes gazed at the Captain America figure and he bit his lip. He put the action figure back and kept quiet for the remainder of their time in the store. His head was bowed and his mother kept prattling away on her phone until it was their turn in the checkout line.

For the record, I am not a parent nor do I intend on being one, but when you diminish someone’s passion it hurts them terribly. I’ve seen it in relationships where partners attempt to express something they’re passionate about to their significant other only to be shot down with that line, if not something similar to it. The awkward silence that follows that line is the listener realizing that that person may not care and the other one questioning: is what I feel so strongly about important?

Yes, yes it is because that something is a part of who you are. It’s something that makes you grin from ear to ear and want to shout it to the world because you find it wonderful.  It’s something that inspires you, gives you life, and makes you excited as a child on Christmas morning. It’s a part of you that has deeply affected you in some way. Never lose whatever that special something is.

Furthermore, never lose sight of what makes you feel alive because someone disapproves of it or simply doesn’t care. If that person doesn’t understand your passion or enthusiasm for something you love dearly and proceeds to diminish it and berate you about it, then you really have to wonder if they appreciate you.  When they tell you, “Oh I thought it was something important” you tell them, “Well it’s important to me.” If they brush that off, fight you about it, or refuse to understand why you love what you do, then forget them. Find someone else to vent your passions to, teach them about how wonderful it is, and why it makes you love it so.  There are tons of people in the world who share the same passions as you; you either haven’t met them yet or you will meet them in due time.

Thank you for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to comment, critique, share, and subscribe.

So tell me, what do you love so dearly and why?

Coming to Terms with Thirty

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

You know, there’s something I’ve realized anymore.

What is the ideal dream? Growing up, it was get married by thirty, establish yourself by thirty, and move out by thirty. Notice the word that keeps repeating there; ‘thirty’. Thirty is the dreadful number of society that signifies the halfway point of our lives.  Movies and shows have programmed it into our minds that thirty is the end all be all number to have our lives sorted out. If we don’t, we are doomed to be failures.

Yet I find anymore that that dream is just a built up societal trope. In our early to late twenties, we are doing everything: finding a job, having fun, living life, finishing school, starting school, finding ourselves, finding our future spouse. We are only human beings that can do so much. When we realize that we only have so many years before we hit thirty, we begin to panic. Some of us have already found a career, some of us may have already found a partner, some of us might even be out on their own; but what about those who aren’t any of these things?

Truth is, not everyone is established or happily married or moved out by thirty. In fact, there are still some single persons, some people who still live with their parents, and even some who are still working themselves to death for a job where they hope they can get a promotion. And you know what?

That’s okay.

It’s okay that some of us are thirty and still haven’t found our Mr./Mrs. Right. It’s okay that we’re still living with our parents because the housing market is ridiculously high and apartments have outrageous rent. It’s okay that we’re still trying to craft a career. We have time and by no means should that phrase intimidate us. Rather, it should inspire us because we still have time to do everything we’ve always wanted and take our time with love and life. We still have so many seconds to hold hands, chug a beer, take that Chinese class, and have fun. Yes, we can catch ourselves when we procrastinate because we’re intelligent and can differentiate between procrastination and relaxing from working ourselves to death.

So screw you society into making me dread ‘Thirty’ after all these years. ‘Thirty’ is nothing to fear at all, but rather embraced in knowing that we still have time on this Earth to find love, to work towards a career, and to be ourselves.

Thank you for reading tonight’s entry.

If you enjoyed it, feel free to subscribe, share, comment, and critique.

So tell me, what are your thoughts on hitting thirty?

Goodbye 2015

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

With a new year ringing in tonight, everyone is making their resolutions. Everyone’s resolutions are for different reasons, but most are usually for self-improvement. Below are my resolutions for 2016.

1. Get Cooking

The one thing I learned about myself this year is that I really enjoy cooking. Albeit, I’ve only made cakes and dirt cups (with chocolate zombies coated in hot sauce) for my game night and work, but still I had fun with it. What I’ve done has pushed me into actually wanting to cook more. I already know how to craft simple foods, but I want to try more complex dishes like Thai Coconut Curry and the perfect quesadilla. I have my eye on what I need – now it’s just a matter of getting it.

2. Do More Cons

This might be my last year for attending conventions because of life and wanting to move forward with it. So far I have a few local ones I want to do and some out of state for a total of seven events (five cons, two Renaissance faires). Since this may be my very last year to do these things, I want to have a little fun with them and do cosplays I have had my heart set on.

3. Write More

This will always be a New Year’s resolution for me because I feel as though the older I get, the more time I lose. If I want to accomplish my dreams, then I really need to hustle it out. This will not stop me from writing my blog entries or fanfiction for all you lovely followers and readers. When I write what I do it gives me experience that I use towards my original works. These entries and fics serve as writing exercises for me to better myself and my craft and I couldn’t be happier to do them.

Thanks for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to comment, critique, share, and subscribe.

Happy New Year! What are your New Year’s resolutions?

Connecting with Anime

Good evening and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Tapping into my nerdy, anime side tonight I’m here to present you with the top three most relatable animes. I have seen a ton of animes in my life and I’m basing this short list off of the animes I believe to have a strong connection with viewers.

3.  Ouran Host Club

Ouran Host Club is about a girl who dresses as a boy to pay off a debt for breaking a vase. What does this have to do with life? Everything. This series deals with finding yourself and discovering that you don’t always need to be alone in life. That you can make friends who you can trust to be there for you and that you don’t have to face things alone.

2. Toradora!

Toradora! is the what if scenario of when a delinquent meets another tinier, delinquent.  Automatically you think a fight breaks out and that it has nothing to do with our lives; but there is so much more to this show than fighting. Toradora! is everything that will ever happen to you when it comes to love. You fall for your best friend, you hate yourself for feeling that way, you try to love someone else to get your mind off them, you realize that no matter what you’re still in love with your best friend, you grow extremely protective of your best friend, you get jealous of anyone that enters their life, you have break ups, and so much more. It’s also a story of coming to terms with yourself and your emotions and being strong in life.

1. Revolutionary Girl Utena

Revolutionary Girl Utena is about a girl who aspires to be a prince because a prince appeared in her past and pulled her out of a depressing situation. This series is filled with sword fights, transforming clothes, and nonsensical situations. But these things don’t exist in reality; our clothes don’t magically change nor do we engage in sword fights on a day to day basis. Behind these mystical features lies the story of growing up from a naïve individual into a grown, mature person. We see the main protagonist (Utena) completely clueless of everything around her and brushing it off, not wanting any part of it. She soon finds herself getting caught up in the world and realizing that she has a place in it: to grow up, to become what she’s always desired and not treat it as a fantasy, to become someone in the world around her. 

Thanks for reading tonight’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel free to comment, reblog, and critique.

So tell me, what’s your favorite anime?

2/14: Just Another Day

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

With Valentine’s Day a few days away, some of you may or may not have someone special in your life. The media advertises this particular day as a day for lovers and targets gifts towards them. Husbands and boyfriends should buy their partners jewelry and in return, partners should purchase sexy lingerie to present themselves in. But I’ve learned with the passing years that this advertisement is nothing more than bologna.

First off, Valentine’s Day is a day commemorating the massacre of St.Valentine. St. Valentine was revered as the Saint of Love because he rebelled against Emperor Claudius’ edict prohibiting marriage among young people.  Claudius was against their marriage because he believed unmarried men made better soldiers and could easily focus on combat more as opposed to a wife or family. However, St. Valentine decided to wed young people behind Claudius’ back. Eventually he was captured and imprisoned, and later given a three part execution which entailed beating, stoning, and beheading. Sounds like fun, no? Just like Thanksgiving!

Secondly, you don’t need anyone but yourself on this holiday. If you do have someone, then celebrate your love with them. If you don’t have anyone, then don’t sweat it. The greatest love is not the love you receive from a partner, but rather, from yourself. You must love yourself before you can love any other. You can love yourself in any way you please, especially on Valentine’s Day.

Thirdly, don’t let the stereotypes depress you. Yes, you will probably see couples on Valentine’s Day. Yes, you will see endless ads for flowers, chocolates, and anything romantic. Yes, you will see slews of sentimental shows on television, but do not let any of these things bring you down. These stereotypes are a part of everyday life and will always be found on television and society. By taking these stereotypes to heart, depression and loneliness will overcome you easily (trust me on that). So instead of being saddened by just another day, go out. Have fun, hang out with a friend, go on a shopping spree. Do what makes you feel good and don’t let another overhyped holiday bring you down.

Thank you for reading today’s entry and if you enjoyed it, feel free to comment and reblog. As always, feedback is welcomed.

So tell me, what are your plans for Valentine’s Day?

Hints for Surviving the Holidays

Season’s Greetings and Welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Folks, it’s just two days away from Christmas and I’m more excited than a dog with a chew toy. The holidays can usually be a hit or miss time of the year, especially with family and friends.  Some people dread the holidays due to in-laws, parents, being alone, and other reasons. Here are some tips for the upcoming holidays.

5. Baking Makes Any Soul Happy

As I’ve mentioned before, I have depression. I know the symptoms too well and still suffer them, but I accept it as a flaw of mine that can be healed with time. You know what makes me happy though and forget my depression? Baking. Baking is as therapeutic as cleaning and is an art. Baking takes your mind off everything and helps you focus on the situation at hand: to ensure that you bake the best food the universe has to offer.

It’s your baking; you do it how you want to and it will teach you what you did right or wrong. If people don’t like what you made, it’s not your fault. You didn’t ask them to eat what you made, they just decided to eat it. You just made it because it made you happy and there’s nothing wrong with that.

4.  Treat Yo Self

Ah, yes the concept from “Parks and Recreation” that the Internet has adapted. You may be someone who doesn’t celebrate Christmas or any holiday for that matter. You may be a person who doesn’t buy gifts for people. Either way, you have your reasons. However, this is the season of giving and there is no harm in giving yourself something. You’ve worked for it all year, you’ve had your eye on that one thing that you know will make you happy. So by all means, order it online, go to the store and buy it, because you deserve it.

3. You Don’t Need a Partner

One of our primal needs is intimacy, which can be thought of as love. The first and most important type of love is to love yourself. Accept everything about yourself even if your mom hates your hair or your aunt thinks you could be prettier if you lost some weight. Whenever anyone criticizes your appearance, you immediately question what they were like at your age, and disregard their negativity.  Chances are they were like you in their youthful years and will never admit it.

After loving yourself, there are many types of love: infatuation, admiration, adoration, and so many others. Then there’s true love, the type of love you often associate with a relationship. When your family questions why you have no one during the holidays you just tell them that you don’t need one. That’s it.

You don’t need a partner for the holidays. It doesn’t make anything more magical or special, if anything it just offers companionship which you can have with a friend online or in person. Even if you never want someone to stand by your side, that’s perfectly normal and all right. You are a strong person who can stand on their own two feet and love yourself in a way that no one else can. It’s a special type of love that only you can have and makes you feel fantastic.

2.  Don’t Worry About Life

Yes, you will figure out what college you want to go to, what major you want to pursue, what you want to do in life, where you want to live, and much more. It doesn’t need to be decided in the blink of an eye or as a hurried response to someone who questions your life. They’re asking anyway because they care about you and want to see you succeed in life, which is the want of parents and relatives everywhere. However, nothing can be gained by rushing through life and finding yourself working at a job that makes you miserable with a degree in something you never wanted. You decide what you want to do when you’re ready. Eventually things will work out.

1. Let No One Ruin Your Holiday

I emphasize ‘no one’ because no one: parents, exes, friends, enemies, relatives, should ruin your holiday. This is a day of celebration, a day of looking back and realizing that you made it another year, that you are strong and can go onto the next year, and a day of overall merriment.  Holidays are like your birthday: they only come once a year and since our lives are so incredibly short, it’s best to embrace them, and do whatever we please with them. If you don’t feel like having dinner with your family, but rather see a friend then do it. If you rather sit in your room all day and treat the day like any, then by all means go for it. If you want to do nothing, but drink the holiday away then have fun (just please don’t drive or turn into the Hulk when you’re completely smashed).

In short: let no one take your happiness from you, especially during the holiday season.  Parents and relatives can be ruthless and relentless with their questions, concerns, and antics, but at some point you can’t just run from them anymore. You must stand up for yourself and slay their words with your own sword of justice, crafted by your personality, desires, and emotions.  They cannot rule over you and what you want to do. At best, they can offer ideas, but it’s up to you to take them or not.