Trust me, I keep learning this lesson the hard way.
It’s so tempting to keep jumping around from task to task.
You can very likely get a lot of different things done this way, but it doesn’t mean it’ll be all that fulfilling. You’ll just burn yourself out and then you’ll be miserable. I go through this cycle all the time, but I’m finally ready to try and break it.
So I said last time too. And in previous blog posts, you might’ve noticed me talk about self-care, taking breaks, etcetera. But you know what I realized recently?
There’s actually a third option besides just being a workaholic and being a couch potato.
Yes, seriously – and it’s called feeding your soul.
It’s not a question of working or taking a break – it’s actually more about doing things that make your heart happy. For me, as a content writer, my work is extremely draining on the creative front, so I recognize that I need to take time for my art as well.
Sure, it might not pay as lucratively as my articles about pest control or personal care items, but there’s something incredibly important about writing things that let your light shine. I have a story that’s been begging to get out for a while. And most importantly, big plans for it once I do.
All that being said, if you’re curious about my other stories that have already been published, you can grab copies of those HERE. They’re a mix of coming-of-age, science fiction, and YA/NA romance.
So now the question is, how do I actually get this done?
Right, of course – because it’s rarely that simple. Without any clear plan, it just won’t. That’s why I’m trying to institute Feed My Soul Fridays. Basically, I won’t do any creative work for clients on Fridays (unless there’s a legitimate urgent need). Otherwise, Fridays are my day to plan, daydream, and work on my story. That’s something that will help balance out my work-life. I also want to keep working on music and studying guitar so I can teach students soon – because that will also feed my soul.
One of my soul-feeding hobbies: amigurumi crochet! Check out my art page for more about these funky characters.
Some easy tips I would suggest to help you start a similar habit would be the following:
Spend a day observing your habits – what do you naturally gravitate towards? Even if you can’t drop everything to do that thing in the moment, make a mental note of what you want to do later.
Think about your schedule – are there some parts of your typical day or week that are busier, or more open? Try to fit in a bit of these soul-nourishing habits when you find breaks in your schedule.
Commit yourself to honoring your body and mind consistently. Maybe it means taking time to read for a while before going to bed no matter how late it is. Following through on the promise you made to yourself is a crucial part of self-care. So don’t disappoint yourself!
If you do all these things, I am convinced your work-life balance will get better.
I wish I could say that I’ve mastered this skill, but full disclosure: I definitely haven’t yet. My hope is that by blogging about it and sharing it with you, maybe these habits will get easier to instill in my own life. So feel free to be an accountability partner for yourself, or anyone else around you that’s clearly pushing themselves too hard. I’m the worst about this, but I’m feeling the effects of not doing that, and it’s definitely not going to pay off in the longterm.
So here’s to a productive, yet fun, soul-nourishing summer. Sink your toes into the sand and live it up, because you’ll never be this young again 😉
I always struggle to think up new things to blog about. My life rarely feels all that exciting. Except for when it does. Then, it’s like a deluge of things and my head spins with all the added changes and adjustments. But that isn’t usually a bad thing – no, quite the opposite actually!
In previous seasons of stagnant progress, I often wondered when (or even if) things would ever change for me. And oh boy, did they change. When I graduated from college wondering what I would do for work, I had to network and work hard for over two years until I started getting real paid gigs. But when I recently bought my first-ever brand new car, I had this moment of “holy crap, I’m actually getting somewhere in life now”. You can read more about that experience in this recent blog post.
But to share with you what I mean, I’ll break it down into three categories:
1. I got a boyfriend.
I know, I was shocked too (JK, it was bound to happen eventually because I’m freaking adorable, obviously). But the WAY in which this one happened was so incredibly wild, I’m still processing it even over a month later.
I originally met Adam TEN YEARS AGO in band camp. I was the guitarist, he was the drummer randomly assigned to the same group. We didn’t talk much, but we definitely hung back while the louder, more confident kids led the conversations. Pretty typical for awkward teenagers (and boy were we awkward). In the decade that followed, we mostly lost contact until he hit me up on Instagram a couple years ago and we started chatting again. Then, this past December, Adam was like “hey, I haven’t seen you in forever, want to catch up sometime?” And so I was like, “Sure, why not?” I can always use more friends. I was partially right about that, it just escalated in a way I definitely didn’t expect. It turns out, we have all the same values and energy. It honestly blew my mind how crazy we connected, and just the sheer depth of our conversations. So I recently asked him, “Are you glad I let you out of the friend zone?” And Adam didn’t skip a beat, he just said “I never really saw it that way.” Enough said, we’re adorable and stuff. I definitely chased guitarists too long when I guess it was always meant to be a drummer 😉
2. I’m starting my guitar teaching journey.
Yesterday was a typical Wednesday for me, except for the fact my guitar teacher dropped the news that he was leaving the store to teach elsewhere. So that’s when I finally decided to take the plunge and go for it – it was time for me to finally start the process of applying to teach. He was already helping me with this process on the practical level, but now is the time I decided to push myself out of my comfort zone and actually go for it after years of toying with the idea. I’m equal parts terrified and excited, but I know that it will be so fulfilling for me, AND will bring some much-needed structure to my weekly routines.
3. My writing gigs are picking up.
I finally am seeing real progress in my professional work. I have clients that come back to me again and again, as well as a couple larger gigs that bring consistent assignments to me. These are HUGE blessings, and the only drawback I can see is that they’re keeping me from writing my next book because I’m often creatively spent by the time I get to it. But that’s okay – I know the creative process takes time, and that as long as I don’t give up, it’ll all happen the way it’s meant to (as seen in the above points 1-2). Of course, there’s still a long way to go, but there’s something really surreal about seeing your life finally start taking shape the way you’ve always wanted it to.
Where has your life been taking you recently? Share in the comments and let me know how you’ve been. And if you’re ever in the market for creative content writing or editorial work, please drop me a line via my freelance website HERE: https://www.angelinasinger.com/freelance
In the spirit of bringing one of my favorite shows back from the dead, I’m taking a brief tangent from my typical author blog content to bring you something a little different.
Picture credit to @unsaid_bee
Written by Angelina Singer
In the hopes the streaming platform wakes up to its mortal error, fans of the show are banding together to resurrect this beloved series of love, loss, and tainted hotdogs.
Netflix Original Series Julie and The Phantoms has a lot of heart, (undead) soul, and rock ‘n’ roll. It’s also won multiple Daytime Emmy Awards, besides having a soundtrack with real staying power on the iTunes charts. Kenny Ortega (High School Musical and Descendants) is the director of this musical show about a teenage girl finding music again with the help of a ghost band. Creators of the show, Dan Cross and David Hoge, have also done most of the pre-production and script writing for season two so they were ready for the greenlight – but it never came.
@unsaid_bee on Instagram
There are many variables to consider before renewing a Netflix series. This includes mostly logistical concerns, like coordinating cast scheduling. The show’s ghostly leads Charlie Gillespie (Luke), Owen Patrick Joyner (Alex), and Jeremy Shada (Reggie) have recently shot to stardom – so they’re working on other projects now. Julie and the Phantoms was lead starlet Madison Reyes’ breakout award-winning role (Julie), so she would most likely be thrilled to embody this beloved character once again.
What executives don’t realize, is that fans are getting wiser about how the entertainment industry works. If they’re passionate enough about something, they’ll quickly become experts on the subject – and question loudly when things don’t add up. This is the evolution of an audience and how they pay attention, so that’s why some of the fans have been reaching out to streaming services for answers. One such account provided some information about how shows can get picked up after being cancelled. According to a Disney+ agent, Netflix still owns the show, but given Kenny Ortega’s documented successes with Disney franchises in the past (High School Musical and Descendants), this presents a very real possibility.
This agent also cited a 2019 report from Deadlinewhich stated a Netflix Original will be prohibited from airing anywhere else for a certain amount of time. The exact period of time was not shared, but at least that gives fans a bit more insight on what to expect in the coming months for the fate of Julie and the Phantoms.
Another gem from @unsaid_bee
Media outlets have also been taking notice of the outcry, including TV Fanatics, PopBuzz, PopCulture and What’s on Netflix – and that’s just the American platforms. If we’re talking international, there’s even press coverage on BadTaste (Italy), TeleLoisirs (France), FilmTV, Yahoo DE News, Filmstarts (Germany), and Series em Cena & Cabana do leitor (Brazil). Oh and by the way – it was trending in 43 countries (likely as a result of fan-organized streaming parties). What more could they want to see? The worldwide ripples from this one pebble in the water of limitless media speaks volumes. Your move, Netflix.
To attract even more media attention, FANtoms Emma Suyasa from Australia, alongside Cianna Rees from the UK, Erin Nestor from Maryland (United States), and Selina Hollevoet from Belgium commissioned billboards of performance art centers around the world in support of renewing the show – including an Orpheum whenever possible. Why the Orpheum? It’s the center of Sunset Curve’s unfinished business – the boys were getting ready to play there the night they died. Given its central element of the show, it’s the perfect place to blur the fourth wall and bring this show to the real world. So far, these motivated media marketing mavens have crowdsourced funding for notable billboards like the Sydney Orpheum, as well as a billboard located on the bustling EDSA Road in Manila, Philippines – plus another location across the pond in the UK. This is a truly tangible testament of the show’s worldwide reach. Fans have also had a bit of fun with the billboards, even incorporating a bit of the show’s lingo of “don’t tell me how to ghost” on a venue in Glendale, California named Alex – a flawless representation of everyone’s favorite undead drummer. Mr. Reyes, father of lead starlet Madison Reyes even got in on the fun by snagging a billboard in their local Allentown, Pennsylvania area. There are many more stops of the “Orpheum Tour” that have happened and continue to roll out, which just shows that simply put, people all around the world want this show. And they want it bad.
Click through to see a selection of billboards on the Orpheum Tour!
There’s also a fan-run hub known as https://savejulieandthephantoms.com – a one-stop shop for all the info about the show and how to win back that coveted season 2. Linked to this website is also one of many petitions via https://www.change.org/p/netflix-we-want-season-2-of-julie-and-the-phantoms that at the time of this writing, has gleaned almost 170k signatures in support of more good-natured hijinks and heartwarming adventures from this diverse and talented cast. Started by a fan from the Netherlands, this petition embodies the tangible proof that the demographic and geographic reach of this show is unparalleled.
The cast even got to rendezvous with some fans in Paris during Back to the Musical World Convention at the end of 2021 when the cancellation was officially announced. At these meet and greets, fans and cast members both got to witness the surreal emotional impact of this glittering, music-filled gem of a series.
“The atmosphere of having fans from all around the world in one place to celebrate a show we loved was amazing. Even after the news of the cancellation – which had everyone quite upset and in a state of shock – the convention became a celebration of what we had been given by the cast and crew of Julie and the Phantoms. From the interactions I had with the cast, you could tell the actors loved meeting fans, were touched by knowing what an impact the show had, and [were] grateful to the fans of the show. The show came out in a time of need for many people because of [COVID-19] – that’s why so many people relate to it so deeply. I was also able to meet some of my best friends that weekend that I had made from the mutual love of the show, and now I couldn’t imagine my life without them.”
Cianna, United Kingdom
Even on paper, this show has performed quite well, with these accolades to its name:
8 other prestigious awards won, including MTV and Imagen
Instead, fans of the show are raising their voices to the rain, making their dream of a second season a reality no matter how many times they relight that spark. They’ve got unfinished business with Netflix and will do anything short of haunting the place to get their favorite cast back behind the camera.
Until then, keep streaming the show on Netflix, and trust that what is lost can be found – it’s obvious.
I’d been putting it off for months. It’s a time-sucking, highly addictive platform that I knew would probably be more irritating to deal with than it was worth. But I did it anyway – because marketing reasons.
Yep – in any marketing endeavor, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that you’ve got to go where your target demographic is. And for me, as a Young Adult / New Adult author, I know that my readers probably are hanging out on there. So engaging on that platform was a no-brainer, even if learning the controls was slightly clunky at first. But in many ways, it’s not really all that different from Instagram (which I’d like to think I’m pretty well-versed in).
The concept of Tik Tok is fun, because it’s pairing music with trends and ideas that bring people together. I’m not typically a huge fan of taking selfies, but I do that anyway for marketing reasons. If there’s anything I learned from my college marketing classes, it’s that people want to see the human behind the product. Even though I’m selling books, they want to relate to and see who they’re supporting. So if Tik Tok is a way for readers to catch a glimpse into my illustrious life of sitting at my desk blogging, then so be it.
If you want to give me a follow on Tik Tok, I’d surely appreciate it, but by no means do you have to, of course! I just appreciate that you’ve read this far, and care about my stories.
I always try to limit how much of the irritating “buy my book” posts I do, but I have to tell you that my sequel is getting SO CLOSE to being finished! Well, the first draft anyway. If you want to read the first installment of my time-travel coming-of-age bully-ass-kicking snark-story, you can find a copy of Forgetting What I Couldn’t Remember HERE.
“Maybe getting older lets you finally see all sides of the dice – not just the ones that are facing up.”
Vera Bartlet is a soon-to-be college graduate with absolutely no idea how messy her life is about to become. It’s not just the job search looming on the horizon or her lack of a boyfriend that’s got her stomach in knots – rather, her dad has been missing for almost a decade, and no one knows what happened to him.
When Uncle Edgar mysteriously arrives back onto the scene, he comes armed with some interesting new ideas about what may have happened to Vera’s dad – and an even more revolutionary idea of how to find him. With nothing short of bending time and space, Edgar sends Vera back in time in the hopes that she might find the clues they need to get her dad home.
As she sifts through the mangled pieces of reality and her altered memories of middle school drama become jumbled in between truth and fantasy, Vera has to choose which elements of her past should stay in the past, and which she might like to incorporate into her future. Time travel is never simple, and there are always side effects – but in this case, it might just hold the key to finding her dad. Will Vera stay sane long enough to find her dad and make peace with the bullies who made her miserable?
As a person, and as a writer, I’ve experienced a significant amount of growth this year. 2020 kicked everyone’s butt in one way or another, but for me, my faith grew stronger, my writer’s voice developed even more, and I’ve never been happier. You can read more about that HERE.
But seriously, if you grew up watching Disney Channel like I did in the 2000s, you’ll know Ally & Aj. They were special, the two sisters with undeniable talent and what I know now are total punk-rock influences. A recent grazing session on YouTube reminded me what a totally banger this song is. Between the beautiful, haunting vocal harmonies, and the insightful lyrics, this has everything.
“I’m convinced these songs were written not as much to bop to as kids, but to return to when you’re older to empathize with the lyrics and let the message warm your soul.”
Commenter on YouTube
So I thought that for you, my lovely blog readers, I’d take a little deep dive into what this song means for me in concert with my favorite lyrics. When I was nine, I knew it as one of the songs that would play in between commercials while I was watching some of my favorite sitcoms. Or maybe I knew it off of the Twitches soundtrack. Regardless, it means a lot more to me now than it ever did before. Aly & Aj were special – they seemed like old souls on a kid’s channel, and I’m so glad to see that they’re still doing the music thing even all these years later (I seriously LOL’d at their 2020 explicit version of “Potential Breakup Song”).
Into your head, into your mind Out of your soul, race through your veins You can’t escape, you can’t escape
It’s an overthinking anthem! I don’t think I felt quite this stressed when I was nine years old. I mean, I did deal with some difficult life things, but overall, I was relatively relaxed aside from those particular struggles. Now at twenty-three, I’m trying to build a life for myself and breathe new meaning into the profession and hobbies I’ve chosen for myself.
Don’t let nobody tell you your life is over Be every color that you are Into the rush now, you don’t have to know how Know it all before you try
This is my anthem for 2021 and forward. I’m so done with the haters, and letting snotty, irritating people steal my joy. I’m done feeling like an imposter, and mindlessly digesting whatever crap people throw at me. Instead, I’m going to be my neon-pink, sparkly self and carefully steer myself into my own success. My bright pink hair brings me so much joy, so I’m going to keep it that way as long as I still like it. I even finally pierced my nose this past fall, which I’d been wanting to do since literally high school. More than ever, my joy is up to me, and I’m not tolerating fake people (or fake cheese). Life is far too short for that, after all.
I also love this idea of taking that risk in life, whatever it may be, even without knowing how it’s going to turn out. That’s what they’re talking about here – the rush. You have to go for your dreams, and make them happen. Vibrate at a higher frequency, look beyond your struggles, and break through the walls that others try to build around you.
It takes you to another place Imagine everything you can All the colors start to blend Your system overloads again Can you feel it?
It’s a constant battle to choose joy and peace. Something my holistic nutritionist told me that really resonated was that you gotta avoid unconscious reaction, and choose conscious action instead. Happiness is a choice – and yeah, crap still happens, and you might still get stressed, but you can’t stay there. You pick yourself up, and you keep fighting. Giving up is accepting defeat, and your future self will thank you for keeping at it.
If you’re like me, and you’re fascinated with time travel and all the theoretical ramifications of time, space, and energy, then you might like my latest book. It’s about me going back in time to see my younger self in the name of seeking justice for old bullies that got away with way too much crap. You can find the book HERE.
Thank you for being here, and reading this far if you did. I’m so excited for what 2021 holds. Remember, be you, and be unapologetically bold. This world needs what you have to offer.
As you probably know from reading my blog or following my Instagram @angelinasingerauthor – music and writing are my bread and butter. I write posts for Inkitt, as well as music and concert reviews for Boston Sports Desk and Motif Magazine.
But something I noticed lately, is that there’s actually an interesting cross-section between some of my favorite pop punk songs, and the stories they tell. More specifically, the narration is omniscient (that is, the story is told from the view of someone watching the story happen, almost like an eye-witness). This is usually signaled by third-person pronouns used in the song (ie. he, she, they, etc.).
Not only is this something I enjoy in the literary world, but it’s also really fun to hear in some of my favorite pop songs. Below, I’ll share some of my favorite examples:
#1: Nobody’s Home (Avril Lavigne)
Although early eras of Avril often have a tendency to be a bit too angsty for her own good, she really nails this story. “Her feelings she hides / her dreams she can’t find / she’s losing her mind / she’s falling behind / she can’t find her place” etc. show this extremely well. There’s a very poignant story here, and I really love this approach she took.
Sonically, there’s also some great string-section accompaniment, bouncing fluidly off of the electric guitars. Listen to it HERE to see what I mean.
I took this picture during her more recent Head Above Water Tour. She puts on a phenomenal show!
#2: Remembering Sunday (All Time Low)
This song is so emotional in the best way. Telling the story of love and loss, the present tense brings about some very deep feelings. Told by the words of expert songwriter Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low, it really resonates with their fans. It’s not a new song, but somehow it’s stood the test of time. With just the acoustic guitar, it really feels extra raw and authentic. Listen to it HERE.
There’s something interesting that happens about midway through the song, as the narration moves from omniscient narration, back to first-person. The effect it has is haunting.
For example, verse 1 is omniscient: “He woke up from dreaming and put on his shoes / Started making his way past two in the morning / He hasn’t been sober for days / Leaning now into the breeze / Remembering Sunday, he falls to his knees / They had breakfast together / But two eggs don’t last / Like the feeling of what he needs.”
Then the chorus moves to POV one: “Forgive me, I’m trying to find / My calling, I’m calling at night / I don’t mean to be a bother / But have you seen this girl? / She’s been running through my dreams / And it’s driving me crazy, it seems / I’m going to ask her to marry me.”
It’s extremely powerful, and the tense changes layered against the POV changes are so surreal.
Fun Fact: The love interest of my latest book, Forgetting What I Couldn’t Remember is based visually off of Alex Gaskarth. You can find that book HERE.
#3: Brick By Boring Brick (Paramore)
By now you’re probably seeing what I mean, so I’ll cut to the chase with this one. In this strikingly-beautiful fantasy land that I was so affected by that I designed my college graduation cap after it (pictured below), Hayley tells the story of a young girl trying to escape a bad situation. Like a slightly-darker Alice in Wonderland situation, it’s edgy and creative. Watch it HERE.
Similarly to “Remembering Sunday” as seen above, it does change tenses:
Verse 1 omniscient: “She lives in a fairy tale / Somewhere too far for us to find / Forgotten the taste and smell / Of the world that she’s left behind / It’s all about the exposure the lens I told her / The angles were all wrong now / She’s ripping wings off of butterflies”
Chorus, POV 2: “Keep your feet on the ground / When your head’s in the clouds / Well go get your shovel / And we’ll dig a deep hole / To bury the castle, bury the castle / Go get your shovel / And we’ll dig a deep hole / To bury the castle, bury the castle.”
And yes, I really did graduate from college with magenta hair. The way I see it, you only live once!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this little deep-dive into the cross-section between the music and literary worlds. I could’ve thought up more examples probably, but I won’t ramble on about it any further LOL. Thank you for reading if you have this far ❤
Angelina Singer Author Updates 