Doctors, Detectives, and (Adorable) Dorks, Oh My!

Carly at "Books and Etc." tagged me in the Favorite Screen Characters Tag, and because I'm a huge fan of TV shows/Netflix/binge-watching (second only to being a bookworm), I couldn't resist!

Technically I think the list is supposed to be primarily movie characters, but like Carly, I'll bend the rules a little. ;) Writers are nothing if not rebels. (By doing things like using the Oxford comma even when people say it's wrong. Totally dangerous, amiright? We're practically Batman.)

Actual photo of me as a superhero.

Anyways. Time for a list where I'll try to limit myself to one character per fandom! (In no particular order.)

1. The Doctor from "Doctor Who"

Where to begin with this one? He's a character who spans decades of television history, always changing yet remaining the same familiar alien who brings hope to the world. No matter which regeneration of the Doctor is your favorite, they all share a few things in common. They love with a passion, feel loss deeply, and would do anything to protect the innocent. My personal favorite is the Tenth Doctor--as shown above--who can not only be serious and strike fear in the hearts of creatures such as the Daleks, but can be a total goofball. He's a Time Lord mixed with the best parts of humanity, and the chemistry he has with his companions makes the Doctor Who universe that much more enjoyable.

2. Charlie Bradbury from "Supernatural

Charlie Bradbury is a geek, and the world loves her for it. She's a total quirky fangirl, making Felicia Day the perfect person to play her. Charlie is a bright spot in a dark series, making me laugh in every episode she's in. Within the first two minutes of meeting her, I wanted to be her friend. She's compassionate, sarcastic, and knows just what to do to help the Winchesters out when everything else fails. Oh, and she's a computer hacker with a tragic past. So many layers!

3. Sherlock Holmes from "Sherlock"

There are so many things I could say about Sherlock, but I'll keep it brief. Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of this classic character is by far the best I've seen. It's hard to imagine anyone else now when I read the stories or even see the name. Everything we know about him is still part of the character, but with a modern twist. He's aggravating and a know-it-all and sometimes all you want to do is slap him so he'll behave, but you also get to see him soften throughout the series. He's a complex mystery himself, which makes the show so perfect.

4. Sookie St. James from "Gilmore Girls"

A klutzy chef with a sense of humor and is always up for a fun time? Yes please! Bubbly and always giggling, Sookie is the best friend we all want in our lives. She'll drop anything to show up at your door with a plate of homemade cookies when she knows you're having a bad day. Anytime you need cheering up, Sookie's there. She's one of my favorite parts of this show.

5. Severus Snape from the "Harry Potter movies

There are actors you will always see as a certain character, and Alan Rickman will always (see what I did there?) be Snape to me. He brings the character to life on the screen in a way no one else would have been able to. Can you imagine a different actor pulling off his cool "obviously" in the way Alan Rickman did? He was fantastic in all the movies, but the eighth was where he especially got to show off the depths of his character. Sometimes I don't like it when I've seen a movie adaptation and now every time I read the book I see that actor, but I don't mind with Snape. He's exactly how I pictured him.

6. Dr. Horrible/Billy Buddy from "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog"

In just forty-five minutes, Joss Whedon managed to cram buckets of awesomeness in this web-miniseries. Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion, and Felicia Day make up a dream cast. But the root of this geekdom heaven? Dr. Horrible himself. If you've ever seen "Megamind," he reminds me so much of the protagonist in that, too. Dr. Horrible (or Billy Buddy, when he doesn't want to give away his secret identity) is sarcastic (see above), socially-awkward (in the best way possible), and straddles the line between good and evil. His quest is to get into the Evil League of Evil--and yes, that is the actual name--but he's also falling in love with Penny, who couldn't be more good than she already is. She volunteers at a homeless shelter and sees the positive attributes in every single person she meets. If you want to see a little glimpse into Dr. Horrible's personality, just listen to "My Freeze Ray," one of the first songs in the show.

7. Peggy Carter from the Marvel universe

There's no other way to put this really: Peggy Carter is badass. She runs circles around the men who condescend to her and knows how to play to her strengths. Every movie or TV show she appears in is a hundred times better because of it. She's not a side character who gets shoved to the side while the heroes take the spotlight. She is a hero, and an equal, to Captain America and any of the Avengers.

8. Rey from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"

(Some spoilers ahead.) I am beyond excited to have a female lead in the new Star Wars movies who is as cool as Rey. She's strong, quick on her feet, and anything but a damsel in distress. Watching her wield a lightsaber or use the force (UNTRAINED, might I add) on the big screen was epic. I'm just disappointed we have to wait so long for another movie.

9. Richard Castle from "Castle"

Oh, Castle. There are so many words I could use to describe him: impulsive, witty, protective, caring, childlike, clever, oblivious, optimistic, creative, and many, many more. He's a best-selling mystery author who got permission from the mayor to shadow NYPD homicide detective Kate Beckett. They drive each other crazy, and the playful banter is never lacking, but they actually make a fantastic team. He's always there for the people who need him, even if it's at his own expense, and overall has a great relationship with his mother and daughter.

10. Regina Mills from "Once Upon a Time"

I went from absolutely despising Regina the first couple seasons, to feeling conflicted about her, to loving her. Only a character as complex as this one could do that. She's the evil queen from Snow White, but this show has managed to make her so much more than that. You learn all about her childhood and the events that led up to her becoming a villain, but you also get to see her care for a son in Storybrooke. It's been a roller coaster of a ride getting to watch her turn into something other than your typical Disney villain, but it's been a fun one.

11. Rogelio De La Vega from "Jane the Virgin"

"Jane the Virgin" is a pretty recent discovery (thanks to my mom getting me into it). Rogelio is one of the many reasons why I love it as much as I do. Even though he drove me crazy the first couple of episodes I got to see him, he made me laugh hysterically. To put it in the best light possible, he never lacks confidence in himself. He's a huge telenovela star with a heart as big as his ego. He's very naive about most things, which only adds to the humor of his one-liners as he's unaware he's saying something he shouldn't. And he constantly tweets updates about his life or "New Pants Wednesdays" on the show, which somebody took upon themselves to create in real life. I had a blast going through his account: @RogelioDeLaVega

12. Stiles Stilinski from "Teen Wolf"

Stiles is HILARIOUS. Even during the episodes that are just okay, he's always there to pick up the slack. Dylan O'Brien is great in this role, surprising me with pain and tears when I least expected it. Stiles is a great friend. You can't help but want to give him a hug all the time. And if you need to sneak into a strictly off-limits location in order to save the world, he's the one you want on your side to provide a distraction.

13. Jessica Day from "New Girl"

Simply put, Jess is an adorable dork. Nearly every single thing she does or says is so totally awkward, but she's one of the most lovable characters on TV. She's the kind of person who randomly breaks into song or dance in order to ease the tension in the room. She'd also be the one to adopt the kitten that just keeps coming back to her door or bake cookies for the hungry. She's the character who came up with her own theme song for herself. All around, she makes the perfect sitcom protagonist.

I tag any and all who want to use this tag! Who are your favorite screen characters?

Why Do We Write?

Last summer at my first overnight writer's camp, I wrote a poem called Why Do We Write? The first day of the camp in one of the classes, everyone was asked to go up to the chalkboard and write one of the reasons we write up there. I used a bunch of the reasons that resonated with me in the poem. A couple months ago I submitted the poem to my local library's poetry contest, and it was one of the winners! It's one of my favorites that I've written.

Why Do We Write?
Kate I. Foley

Why do we write?
You may as well ask, "Why do we breathe?"
We write to explore different realities,
To be more than ourselves and for
Self-expression.
To take control.
To give us life.
To see.
To build the worlds we wished we lived in,
To immortalize our thoughts and
Make people feel something.
Because we just love stories and to
Keep ourselves sane.
For freedom.
Because we have to.
Because our souls say we must.

February Wrap-Up

Books I Read

Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke

4/5

I'm not exactly sure how to begin to describe the story. For a couple days I kept switching my rating from 3.5 to 4 and back to 3.5 again. This book was odd in both ways that made me like it but also not sure what to think of it. There were times I'd get lost in beautiful writing and characters that leapt off the page, and other times I was just confused and bored and wondering if I'd continue. It had a style similar to We Were Liars, but it lacked the rawness. It was both simplistic and complicated, but all of those tangling chapters and plot lines left me feeling just kind of...empty. Like the story won't stay with me a month later. But after letting all of these feelings sit, I'm giving this a firm four stars. The story was actually very unique and whimsical and the annoyances I had with it were minor compared to the rest.

Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate

DNF


The cover was so enticing I thought I'd take a chance and go into it blind to see what I thought. I didn't really know what to expect as I hadn't heard anything else about it, but I was pretty disappointed right away. It was a lot of high school girl drama. I can't stand that sort of thing, nor can I relate to it. The whole seven deadly sins premise was intriguing, but it wasn't enough to carry me through the story. That's not to say someone else won't enjoy it, but it wasn't my kind of book.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell 

4/5

Where to begin with this book?! Despite the distracting similarities to Harry Potter (although that really only lasted for the first 100 pages or so), I loved the story! It was a magic school with a unique twist, once you got past the beginning. I loved Simon and Baz as strong protagonists with depth and personality. Everything Rainbow Rowell touches turns to gold, so I'm not surprised that I loved this, too. This book is a must for fans of her YA book Fangirl, but anyone who's a fan of YA fantasy or Harry Potter can and should read it! Although I do definitely recommend reading Fangirl first to give it some context.

Movies I Watched

"The Music Man"

3/5

This movie was full of life and lightheartedness. The scenes always had bright colors and music you could dance to, and a very simple plot. All of that I liked. It was one of the cornier musicals I'd seen, though a few parts did make me giggle. But the main characters just did not strike me as a good fit for each other. They had absolutely no chemistry. It's a fun movie for the family, but be warned, the songs will stay stuck in your head for a long time! Read my review HERE.

"The Sixth Sense"

5/5

Oh my gosh, this entire movie was brilliant. I especially appreciated the paranormal eerie vibe and creep factor being a "Supernatural" fan, but it was the plot twists that really made it. That and the amazing acting from Haley Joel Osment. It's hard to talk too much about it without giving anything away, but take my word for it and go watch it if you haven't already!

"Hercules"

4/5

My favorite part of "Hercules" were the characters. They all had their funny moments, villain included, and personalities that felt more unique rather than a copy of other Disney characters. My favorite character was Hades, just because he was an antagonist that cracked me up, like Lucifer from "Supernatural." Read my review HERE.

"The Bourne Identity"

4/5

I definitely recommend this movie, as well as its sequels, to fans of "James Bond." I love espionage shows and movies, and this one kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Plus, Matt Damon was perfect for this role.

"Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark" 

3.5/5

I'm glad I finally saw an Indiana Jones movie! For a film made so long ago, the effects and acting were actually pretty good. It was exciting and funny at times and all around a fun couple of hours.

"Tarzan"

4/5

The best part of "Tarzan" was the overall story. It wasn't your usual Disney "quest for something" plot, but a more interesting approach to bridging two different worlds. I liked the different relationships between all of the characters as well as being pleasantly surprised about what would happen next. I've seen most of these Disney movies before, but it's been so long since I've seen them, I didn't remember everything about them. However, with the others, it was fairly easy to predict what the next plot twist would be. I didn't feel like that with "Tarzan." Read my review HERE.

"Brooklyn"

4/5

I'd only seen Soarise (pronounced "soar-sha," if you can believe it) Ronan in "The Host," which was a pretty good adaptation, but nothing to scream about, so I was really excited to see her in something else. The overall plot of the movie was really simple, but enjoyable. I liked the characters (especially Tony and his little brother) and anytime Irish accents are involved, it's bound to be that much better. This was a great Indie film.

"The Lion King" 

4/5

I loved the music in "The Lion King" best. It was catchy, fun, but avoided most of the normal cheese that you can expect in a Disney movie. My favorite songs were "Hakuna Matata" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." Read my review HERE.

"The Book of Life" 

5/5

How had I not heard about this before?! It's a fantastic animated movie and definitely didn't get enough attention when it came out, seeing as I'd only seen maybe one teaser trailer. The whole thing is beautifully done, very colorful, and has great music. The story was unique, I was giggling throughout most of it, and I loved getting to learn more about Mexican culture.

"The Bourne Supremacy"

4/5

(See above: "The Bourne Identity")

"50 First Dates"

4/5

This was a super cute and fun movie. I'm a big fan of any story that tackles a memory or dream theme in a unique way, and pairing that with a romantic comedy turned out really well. I laughed several times and the characters were sweet.

"Waking Ned Devine"

3.5/5

Oh, this was sooo quirky. In a good way for sure. The dry Irish humor fit perfectly with the simple and yet ridiculous plot of the movie. Every time you thought you knew what was going to happen, it turned out just a little differently. I really liked it.

Quotes I Wrote

“Astrid—” She started in that tone of hers, the one that meant she was about to argue.
“There’s no time, just phone her!”
A pause, then, “Don’t do anything stupid, all right?”
I almost smirked as I glanced sideways at her. “That’s why you’re here.”
-Ms. Holmes

“We have to go.” I hoisted up my skirts without a thought and pulled the gun free, storming out of the room. “He can't have gone far.”
“Astrid—”
“I'm going with or without you!” Was the last thing I called out before flinging the front door open and flying through it.
Even from outside, I thought I heard Dawn mutter another swear that would've had Mr. Hudson in a tizzy about “harsh language.”
-Ms. Holmes

Obsessions I Acquired

No new obsessions this month, although I have been learning how to sign different songs in ASL, which has been fun. I can sign along to most of "Call Me Maybe" as well as "Shake It Off." :)

Picture of the Month

Chocolate chip pancakes from Valentine's Day.

How was your February?