Favorites – Normal Happenings

Over the last week or so, we’ve mentioned that we’d be undergoing significant life changes. It’s time to share those with our blogging family.

The Daily Inkling for January 16, 2019 was:
You return to your hometown or community after five years of being away. Give us a rundown as you rediscover things place-by-place with new eyes.

Let’s turn that into a fact.
We’re returning to our hometown after two years of being away. We’re preparing to rediscover things place-by-place with new eyes.

Such is life.

On July 1^st, we’ll be moving back to Montgomery, Alabama U.S. I got a terrific position as a public relations professional – a career-advancing opportunity far too good for me to pass up. I don’t recall ever feeling such mixed emotions.

Let’s talk career. I believe in blessings – and that sometimes those blessings pay off as a consequence of hard, God-focused work. As such, I could not be more grateful or humbled that a 27-year-old could be entrusted with such a role.

Honestly and objectively, there’s a lot to like about a strangely thriving Sun Belt city, free from the stress of ice storms and a relatively short drive to the beach. The cost of living is low. The food is good-ish* – it is Alabama, after all. Let’s be real, Montgomery is doing some great things despite having a mixed reputation at times. Everywhere has darkness alongside the light.

*Sidebar: Alabama is known for its legendary food, but I’m not a fan of Southern food. Southwestern and Mediterranean food all the way for me. Though I admit I can make one heck of a poppyseed chicken casserole.

Yet, we’re sad. We have learned to love our home here in St. Louis. We’ve met some amazing people, and worked with three incredible bloggers! We’ve also done lots of healing here, because despite all of the positives referenced, we were both in a pretty dark place when we moved away. Such distance from our families and those we grew up with provided us with the one thing we needed most – perspective.

Our world bigger, we set upon casting off the opinions of others and finding our true nature. We like the people we’ve found, and are nervous we might lose them as we journey into the great unknown. I’m scared. I know we’ll be okay, but I’m scared. In many ways I wish we were moving somewhere completely new, but maybe the nearness is the next step in our healing process. I am, and always will be, optimistic in the face of a cynical world.

Now let’s talk about Normal Happenings. As we enter this time of transition, I actually feel I’m going to come out the other side with more time and energy to devote to my craft. As such, this might be a good time to go ahead and pursue another objective – that of transitioning to a self-hosted platform. More moving.

Such is life.

There are a lot of things we want to do design-wise regarding The Characters That Define Us! Normal Happenings is a blog of subtly, so don’t expect huge changes – just a few tweaks to change up the norm a bit. Bear with us as we build up our resources for a fantastic 2020.

We’ve ordering some special styluses laser engraved with The Characters That Define Us logo! Why? To reward our Patrons, of course! Any $5 and up Patrons by the end of June will receive one with their July Snail Mail Inklings! More on that in this post!

Did you know we’re part of the best community of bloggers in the world? Now that the Normal Happenings Starry-Eyed Discord is up, we’re having incredible conversations every day! You can join us right now by becoming a Patron of Normal Happenings! Also, $5+ Patrons unlock Snail Mail Inklings and get featured in very special blog posts!

June 6, 2019June 14, 2019

Matthew // Normal Happenings15 Comments

Calling Newcomers for The Characters That Define Us!

We want you to be a part of the most epic of collaborations! There’s a lot of information ahead, so let’s jump right in.

In a Nutshell:

This is a capsule description of The Characters That Define Us. For many more details, head on over to our announcement post! For those in the know, feel free to skip to the next section.

Each week will be a celebration of a character from the multiverse of video games, along with the blogger who is bringing them into the light.
This will truly be a year-long collab!
Every Monday in 2020 — all 52 of them — we’ll be releasing a new entry in The Characters That Define Us written by an incredible blogger like you!
That same day, we’ll craft a Daily Inkling specifically crafted with your piece in mind!
Daily Inklings for that week will be loosely based on the themes of your piece!
Many of the normal pieces from Nikki and I will also be inspired by the themes of the piece you craft!
Social media posts, including promotional artwork, will focus on your work and character!

The Roster:

Negotiations are complete, and amazingly we’ve managed to bring back almost every Returning Champion! And, we have some absolutely amazing people already set on joining us for the first time.

Matt @ Normal Happenings [LOCKED]
Nikki @ Normal Happenings [LOCKED]

RETURNING CHAMPIONS!
3PStart [LOCKED]
Adventure Rules [LOCKED]
The Bizarro Mage [LOCKED]
gamergal.exe [LOCKED]
Games With Coffee [LOCKED]
The Gaming Diaries [LOCKED]
Murr @ Geek. Sleep. Rinse. Repeat [LOCKED]
Will @ Geek. Sleep. Rinse. Repeat [LOCKED]
A Geeky Gal [LOCKED]
Git Gud at Life [LOCKED]
HideNGoShauna [LOCKED]
Hungrygoriya [LOCKED]
Imaginating Life [LOCKED]
The Ink-Stained Mage [LOCKED]
Just Geeking By [LOCKED]
Krysanthe [LOCKED]
Kim @ Later Levels [LOCKED]
Livid Lightning [LOCKED]
Mr Backlog [LOCKED]
My Life as a Quest [LOCKED]
Nerd Side of Life [LOCKED]
The Off-Centred Earth Mage [LOCKED]
Overthinker Y [LOCKED]
The Purple Prose Mage [LOCKED]
Sheikah Plate [LOCKED]
Shoot the Rookie [LOCKED]
TWOTALL4UFOOL’s Gaming and More [LOCKED]
Upon Completion [LOCKED]
The Well-Red Mage [LOCKED]
Wintendo 64 [LOCKED]

NEWCOMERS!
AmbiGaming [LOCKED]
Dee Misses Games [LOCKED]
Rachel @ Double Jump [LOCKED]
Kris @ Double Jump [LOCKED]
A Geek Girl’s Guide [LOCKED]
Hear Dave Write [LOCKED]
McWritestuff [LOCKED]
Neko Jonez [LOCKED]
The Reel Anna [LOCKED]
Musings of a Nitpicking Girl [LOCKED]
Brink of Gaming [LOCKED]
Backlog Crusader [LOCKED]
Home Button [LOCKED]
Lodestar_Valor [LOCKED]
Nana Marfo [LOCKED]
MoeGamer [LOCKED]
Midnight Mountain [LOCKED]
TriformTrinity [LOCKED]
Professional Moron [LOCKED]
Phil @ Later Levels [LOCKED]
[DLC]
[DLC]
[DLC]
[DLC]
[DLC]

What is DLC? Simple, it’s both a feature and a built-in fail-safe. If life happens and a piece isn’t able to be written for a prime piece, a DLC piece will simply take on the role! Each DLC piece absolutely will be published just like a prime piece. Like with The Games That Define Us, each DLC piece will be treated with the same respect and recognition as the normal ones.

At the time of writing this, we have four more prime slots available, along with five available DLC slots! So sign up quickly! Let me know in the comments or on Twitter if you’d like to take part. And be sure to let us know your Twitter so we can send you a message.

Choosing Your Character:

Here’s our fool-proof way we’re selecting characters!

First, we’re using this hierarchy:
1. Bloggers who have been involved in all three previous collabs.
2. Patrons
3. Bloggers involved in two previous collabs.
4. Bloggers involved in one previous collab.
5. Newcomers!

Instead of chaos in real time, we’re doing a silent character selection. You’ll send me the THREE characters you’d like to write about privately in a message by WEDNESDAY, June 12. It doesn’t matter when you send them, as long as it’s by then. No mess or fuss or trying to corral everyone at a particular time. We’re on at least three different continents, after all.

Rank your characters in order of preference.

EXAMPLE:
1. Mr. Saturn
2. The weird meme guy in Guacamelee.
3. Tetris L-Block

Honestly, the more creative or obscure, the more entertaining. So be you! Be specific about your character choices. For instance, “Link” runs the gambit of different characters, so make sure to let me know which one defines you.

Just not Link, the Hero of Wind (Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass). You can’t have the Hero of Wind.

Please don’t send them in a comment or public tweet — we want everyone to be uninfluenced by each other.

Then, here’s how the selection will happen! You’ll get the top character that hasn’t been selected ahead of you in the hierarchy! See, it’s that easy. I’ll spend that Thursday and Friday sorting out any edge cases, like all three characters have been picked ahead of you. I’ll also spend that time getting the COLLABORATION DOCUMENT ready!

Then, that Saturday, I’ll announce everyone’s character by mentioning you in individual TWEETS– yes, 50-something of them — giving you a chance to retweet and celebrate and all that! Of course, I’ll message you if I need clarity on something. And free to message me about ANYTHING you like.

So, all that said, if you already know your characters, send them over. But please take all the time you like! Well, as long as it’s by Wednesday! We’re so excited to meet The Characters That Define Us!

Communication:

We’ll be using our The Normal Happenings Starry-Eyed Discord as our “official” method of communication. It’s so fun, and you have access to an elite team of supportive bloggers! Newcomers, you’ll be getting your invite in your Twitter inbox soon.

We’ll be using a collaboration doc to craft our posts, which will be made available after we choose our characters. More on that in the Discord.

And with that, the rest is up to you. Join these incredible bloggers and come be a part of the most epic collaboration ever!

Special Patreon Reward:

June 3, 2019

Matthew // Normal Happenings5 Comments

Special Patreon Reward: The Characters That Define Us Engraved Stylus

Happy Monday everyone! We would like to briefly tell you about a special offer for the month of June. We’re ordering some special styluses laser engraved with The Characters That Define Us logo! Why? To reward our Patrons, of course!

Well, okay, I do have one ulterior motive. I’m looking at the calendar and a very important date sticks out like a potentially sore thumb – well, a sore thumb if I didn’t have a stylus, that is. The 28^th of June is when Super Mario Maker 2, the sequel to one of my favorite games ever, comes out on the Switch. Nintendo, in their infinite wisdom, is offering styluses packaged with pre-orders of the game, except here in the U.S. I need a cool stylus to craft my masterpieces! I can’t make labyrinthine experiences in storytelling with my finger… ugh. And running to the nearest department store and snagging a generic stylus simply will not spark joy (or creativity). I’m sure all of use have particular uses for styluses as well.

A creative experience is best shared, so I’ll be sending out the styluses with July’s Snail Mail Inklings! So, as long as you’re at the $5+ tier level by the end of the month, you’ll be getting a shiny Characters That Define Us stylus in the mail. And your contributions will help us as production ramps up on the project!

So, join this small but growing list of Patrons and help us make great art (and possibly great Mario Maker courses, but I digress). More on our massive year-long collaboration project can be found here.

Shout-outs to our Patrons!

📨 Nerd Side of Life
📨 GamersUnitedGG
📨 Neko Jonez
The Shameful Narcissist Speaks
Rachel @ Double Jump
Livid Lightning
The Bizarro Mage | The Well-Red Mage
Dee Misses Games

May 29, 2019June 4, 2019

Matthew // Normal Happenings35 Comments

Announcing Collaboration #4! An Epic One-Year Celebration of Video Game Characters!

They say fortune favors the bold.
We’re putting on the boldest of collabs.
And we want you involved.

Without further day, we’re finally ready to reveal what the next collab is going to be.
And it’s a big one.

Collaboration #4
The Characters That Define Us

That’s right, the sequel to The Games That Define Us is coming to roost during the entire year of 2020. Each week will be a celebration of a character from the multiverse of video games, along with the blogger who is bringing them into the light.

52 weeks. 52 characters. 52 bloggers.
This. Is. HUGE!

I have literally never seen anything like this done before, and I think by planning this far ahead 2020 can be a year to remember for all involved!

The Premise:

Much like a beloved video game, we all have that one character we feel most attached to. Existing in our minds like a friend or companion, we find ourselves comparing our life circumstances to theirs. Despite being a work of fiction, we share memories and stories with that character… the character that defines us!

Each amazing contributor — that means you — will write about the one character that influenced you the most from the moment they entered your life, telling stories of your adventures along the way and discussing how they still impact you to this day. Continue reading “Announcing Collaboration #4! An Epic One-Year Celebration of Video Game Characters!” →

May 20, 2019May 20, 2019

Nikki // Normal Happenings11 Comments

Let’s Have Lunch: Why Eating Is Such a Struggle for Me

This post contains a mild trigger warning:
Nikki discusses eating disorders and the mental hurdles pertaining to them. We’ve tried to keep things light, but of course some details are necessary.

– By Nikki –

When I was a teenager I struggled heavily with an eating disorder.
There, I said it.

I’ve avoided writing about it because I have always felt like it’s something that I could control. My lowest point was when I was in high school and I found myself forcing a toothbrush down my throat to get rid of what I just ate. I would skip meals and exercise all the time, only to end up binge eating later in the week. I actually put on about 15 pounds from this issue in high school.

I finally got a handle on it in college. I stared counting my calories to make sure that I am consuming enough food, and I made it a point to exercise four to five days a week. I lost the weight (the 15 pounds) that I had gained overtime and I became very strong and confident. However, even now after all of my progress I have to keep a rigid routine to keep myself on track. If I skip a day or two at the gym, I start getting antsy about my size. If I have a splurge night, I start to worry that the girl that lost control in high school is going to come back. During busy times I often still forget to eat, or sometimes it is just too exhausting to consume food. I have to keep a close eye on my calories — avoiding both overeating and undereating — or the vicious cycle will continue for who-knows-how-long.

There is no voice dramatically telling me that I’m fat while eating dinner. Well, not anymore at least — that voice used to ring loud, honestly. I remember when I was in the trenches of my eating disorder and I saw myself in a window. Defeated by damaging self-image, I saw the unhappiest girl on the planet. Consequently, my weight fluctuated in high school because of this problem. However, sometimes I thought if I counted my calories and ate enough to get by I could achieve a smaller frame.

See, I let the voice in at times in my life, but now I choose to ignore her. It’s true, my eating disorder does manifest itself as a voice, but I have chosen for a long time now to act like she doesn’t exist and it works. So now I try to eat healthy foods on most days, and I usually give myself Saturday night to enjoy a fun cheat meal and dessert. I try to exercise four to five days a week to keep my body strong and on most days this process works for me. I feel better and more confident than I ever have. I think feeling good about my health routine and my confidence go hand-in-hand.

Honestly I don’t diet. I choose to live an overall healthy lifestyle and sprinkle in my splurge days. I usually can’t be around people that have food anxiety for long, and I don’t have any secret weight loss tips. Truthfully I think most diets and weight loss tips are bologna. I’m here to say I no longer weigh myself. I get obsessed with a number and I can’t function. I just pay attention to how my clothes fit me. I don’t do body transformation photos anymore because they make me get back into obsessive thought patterns about my body. I just live and if people ask my advice on how to lose weight I avoid giving it. It takes time to lose weight and to get fit. These overnight weight loss plans honestly cause more harm than good. I’ve been there, but I’ve come to the realization that many people don’t like to listen to experience, and they have to learn on their own the best strategy for themselves.

Each time I tell my story I get told that there is something wrong with my views on this issue. Despite my clean bill of health from my doctor. Despite my clothes fitting better. I don’t think that many people like to see other people being happy. In fact, if they can drag an otherwise happy person down, they will. Don’t let these people get you down. Instead try to just be happy and make deep connections with people that offer love and respect. No, cutting people completely off isn’t always the answer — often that’s unhealthy and harmful in my opinion — but just know the limits of what can and can’t be talked about with these people.

For those of us like me who struggle with an eating disorder, know that no matter how small or in shape I became, I was never able to perceive myself as good enough until I accepted myself for who I was instead of the number on a scale or the reflection in a mirror. That’s never easy to do, but hope can be found through surrounding yourself with encouraging people and seeking the help needed.

If you have dealt with any form of eating disorder, we would love to hear your story. Tell us your story in as many or a few details as you like. We’ll be around in the comments to talk!

For other recent pieces from Nikki, be sure to check out:
Dear Future Nikki
Animal Crossing | The Game That Defines Nikki

May 17, 2019

Matthew // Normal Happenings10 Comments

Glad Topographies: Finding Abundant Optimism in the World Around Us

To find optimism, all one must do is look around.

Over the next few days, we are really going to attempt to strengthen our Instagram game. We’ll have a big announcement early next week — a little project Nikki is putting together.

However, as for now, I think I am ready to truly introduce you to my super secret Instagram. It’s called Glad Topographies. Some of you already follow, and I really appreciate it! But for the rest of you, well, I think it’s something you’ll truly enjoy!

In the past, I had been taking direct inspiration from the legendary @sadtopographies — with their blessing, of course — and finding only super happy place names.

View this post on Instagram

Oh-be-joyful Creek, Crested Butte, Colorado U.S. #oh #be #joyful #joy #colorado #weirdnames #happy #peace #content #glad #gladtopographies

A post shared by Glad Topographies (@gladtopographies) on Feb 5, 2017 at 7:29am PST

Alas, there are only so many Oh-be-joyful Creeks in the world — and if I kept it up for too long it would reflect insincerity. There’s so much more to life than that.

Therefore, I’ve since simplified the premise, scouring Google Maps and finding cool, pretty places that reflect optimism. Included are amazing pictures credited to Instagrammers who have visited these interesting places. Follow to receive perhaps a jolt of wanderlust without all the touristy trappings common to the emotion.

That lends itself to a new weekly feature on Normal Happenings, which I’ll be calling This Week in Glad Topographies. I’ll simply be compiling the posts for that week, and reflecting further on them here on the blog!

This week we’ve attempted to discern the mystery of Agloe:

View this post on Instagram

Agloe, New York, U.S. 🇺🇲 — Where no one has gone before. Agloe is perhaps the most famous of the "paper towns," a concept made popular by the YA novel of the same name. It's simply a cartographer's trap, designed to ensnare counterfeiters trying to take advantage of the hard work of map makers. Like a fantasy world, Agloe only exists in our imagination. — So many Instagrammers tag Agloe to be ironic, but @emmaswanders and @nickaustin7 are the real deal for making the journey to Agloe. Full photo credit goes to them. — #agloe #newyork #notreal #fiction #fantasynovel #johngreen @johngreenwritesbooks #papertowns #papertown #books #maps #map #topography #geography #nowhere #imagination #ny #upstatenewyork #glad #contentment #gladtopographies

A post shared by Glad Topographies (@gladtopographies) on May 14, 2019 at 2:58pm PDT

We’ve ridden horses across the dunes of Tolowa:

View this post on Instagram

Tolowa Dunes, California, U.S. 🇺🇲 — Perusing the satellite view of the west coast, a certain flat terrain caught my eye just south of where Oregon and California meet. Tolowa Dunes and its collision of ocean side grassy dune and wooded ridge immediately obsessed me. Turns out many visitors ride these trails on horseback — no doubt an incredible way to enjoy an otherwise ordinary day. — Full credit goes to @chrishalsted and @nicolejeanhill for these incredible photos! Thanks @north_coast_redwoods for taking care of a place like this! — #california #pacific #pacificnorthwest #dunes #park #tolowadunes #coast #westcoast #leftcoast #oceanside #horseback #trail #trails #hiking #pines #ridge #peaceful #calm #happiness #glad #gladtopographies

A post shared by Glad Topographies (@gladtopographies) on May 15, 2019 at 12:18pm PDT

We’ve hiked the mountainside trails of Gladstone:

View this post on Instagram

Gladstone Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦 — Glad Topographies makes its triumphant return! We're going to do things a little different this time around. We're not so much going to focus on finding the overtly happiest place names in the world, rather we're going to venture beyond the topographies. We'll be going to amazing places and seeing the sights of these epic life explorers who adventure to them. The world is beautiful, and anything is a Glad Topography in its own way! — Images of this beautiful park on the shore of Christina Lake are fully credited to @glendularfever and @johnsoda1234! — #hiking #hike #trekking #trek #lake #christinalake #wilderness #wanderlust #scenery #scenic #forest #outdoors #landscape #canada #britishcolumbia #trail #joy #gladtopographies

A post shared by Glad Topographies (@gladtopographies) on May 10, 2019 at 11:30am PDT

And we’ve rounded the famous cape where two oceans meet!

View this post on Instagram

Cape of Good Hope, South Africa 🇿🇦 — A Glad Topography in name and beauty, the southernmost headland of Africa has captured the imagination of authors, sailors, and cartographers for centuries. Something about those rocky cliffs makes it one of the most interesting natural landmarks on Earth. — Thanks @vivienlnk and @galethesnail for venturing here and taking these amazing photos. Full photo credit goes to them. — #hiking #hike #cape #capeofgoodhope #travel #adventures #trekking #trail #trails #wilderness #wanderlust #wandering #southafrica #naturalbeauty #glad #gladtopographies #oceanside #scenery #scenic #rocks #exploration

A post shared by Glad Topographies (@gladtopographies) on May 16, 2019 at 9:55am PDT

Where will the future take us? Only time will tell — specifically, next Friday, and the one after that, and the one after that… Go follow Glad Topographies on Instagram!

May 8, 2019May 9, 2019

Nikki // Normal Happenings4 Comments

Dear Future Nikki

Dear Future Nikki,

As I have been applying for jobs to truly get my career started, I have come to the realization that I have gotten a lot done in the past six years (2013-2019). I’m certainly not trying to pat myself on the back, but these past few years have been anything but easy. Right after I graduated I applied for jobs, and had a number of interviews throughout the past few months. Remember that one time that I thought I had made it? I thought without a doubt I would start my career in June 2019 at a university not far from where I live. After a great phone interview and a successful in-person interview, I felt very connected to this college. I waited for the invitation to return to the university for what I thought could’ve been a dream job. I checked my email one day and got a rejection reply. At first I was very bummed, and I began to worry that I was a failure. Continue reading “Dear Future Nikki” →

May 7, 2019May 9, 2019

Matthew // Normal Happenings4 Comments

Apparently You Can Actually Like Your Own Writing

Cleaning my vehicle the other day, I discovered a long-forgotten CD under the seat. It was Modern Vampires of the City by Vampire Weekend. Turns out it’s been seven years since that album came out, and I hadn’t missed a thing – they were just now set to finally drop a new album in the coming months. New release Friday came last week, and of course I was going to stream their new album Father of the Bride two or three times, especially considering how good their lead single, “Harmony Hall,” is. I found the album a mess – all the ingredients are there, but some were overcooked and some half raw. That’s life; it happens. I’d just like to take care it doesn’t happen to me.

I started blogging around 2012, first on Tumblr, then self-hosted, and finally the WordPress Premium platform you see here. Tracking each year until now, I always found myself horribly repulsed by my own writing in increments of one year after hitting the publish button. The year 2015 would lead me to reject 2014’s scribblings, for instance. That is, until last year. Continue reading “Apparently You Can Actually Like Your Own Writing” →

May 6, 2019May 9, 2019

Matthew // Normal Happenings2 Comments

STARSTORM: Be a Good Reader on WordPress

I want to discuss what I consider to be the ideal strategy for being a good reader on WordPress. It all focuses on stars, which I consider to be the unsung hero of being a wonderful blogosphere citizen.

We have a cool feature on our Normal Happenings Starry-Eyed Discord. It’s called STARSTORM, and we’re really loving it. Basically, everyone gets to share their new posts, and then we go and make sure to star them on WordPress. I use a very similar process regarding my own WordPress reader. Continue reading “STARSTORM: Be a Good Reader on WordPress” →

May 3, 2019May 9, 2019

Matthew // Normal Happenings2 Comments

Babble | Re: Inkling

Based on: Babble | Daily Inkling.
Feel free to join in with your own response!

We all have words we can’t seem to properly say. List the words you just can’t spit out, and then write a story with them.

In many ways, I am not a normal person – perhaps a surprising revelation considering I run a blog called Normal Happenings. Honestly, I remind myself of a robot sometimes, especially when it comes to the concept of words.

Words are particularly special to me. Sometimes I view them as living things. They always have been, in many ways, my greatest ally in moving beyond my own nature and becoming something greater than myself — well, excepting one word in particular. Continue reading “Babble | Re: Inkling” →

Category: Favorites

Goodbye St. Louis, You Gave Us the World