#WCW: Favorite Fictional Females

Women are awesome. That seems like a generalized statement, and it is, but it's still true. I love women. I am constantly inspired by amazing women, both fictional and in real life. I think that comes from the fact that I come from a family of strong, intelligent, independent women who were constantly showing me that as a girl, I could do anything. While my Mom was in nursing school, my paternal Grandma would watch me everyday. She was a retired school teacher, a single mom since my dad was little, and boy was she strong and tough! But not only that, she was kind, tender, loving, and one of the most generous people I have ever known. She had very little money, but I never knew that until I was older. It didn't stop her from splurging on pizza when we came over, or buying ice cream cones, or taking me to get a new doll or stuffed animal at the store. She didn't have much, but what she did have, she gave freely and wholeheartedly. She taught me how to read, how to be strong, but most importantly, she taught me how to give. 

And my mom, who had 5 young kids (I'm the baby of the family) while in nursing school, still managed to get an award for excellence in grades. She is a freaking ROCKSTAR if there ever was one. I mean, she was a NICU nurse, for heavens sake, you don't get more amazing than taking care of sick premi- babies! She's always devoted her life to taking care people, and she taught me how to be kind, compassionate, and loving, and also, how to have FUN. My mom loves with all her heart; she is truly a healer, both for body and soul. Her mom, my maternal Grandma, was one of the people that touched my heart the most. She was so funny, witty, sassy and boy was she resilient. She taught me how to laugh at myself, how to make life-long relationships, and how to tie a big ornate bow with wired ribbon.        

Growing up in the 90's, we had *girl power* and many awesome female idols to look up to. We had the Spice Girls, Mia Hamm, and Kerri Strug, who all taught us that A) If you wanna get with me, you gotta get with my friends. B) Anything you can do, I can do better [Remember Mia's Gatorade commercial with Michael Jordan??] and C) Even in the face of the most extreme adversity, we can RISE, and we can run, vault, and STICK THE LANDING. 

Nowadays, we celebrate #WomanCrushWednesday, which is probably the greatest hashtag ever. To celebrate, I've been working on a list of all my *FAVORITE* fictional females and thought I'd share it with you. 

My Favorite Fictional Females

1. Pink Ranger/ Kimberly Hart, Mighty Morphing Power Rangers 

This might not make sense to a lot of people, unless you're a girl that grew up in the 90's. Then this makes perfect sense. Kimberly aka Pink Ranger was our first girl-fighting-can-do-it-just-as-good-as-the-boys idol. She was awesome and taught us that girls can kick serious butt, whilst wearing head-to-toe pink if they wanna.

2. Mulan

MULAN IS THE GREATEST FEMALE DISNEY CHARACTER EVER. Sorry Belle, I love you (like, LOOOOVE YOU!!) BUT, Mulan is the greatest. Because she taught us that if you are determined enough, you can do ANYTHING. She pretends to be a BOY (because women weren't allowed in the army) to save her Father from being drafted into the Chinese Army, goes to boot camp and kicks the boys' butts! After some serious down-and-out moments, of course. She comes back even after they all ABANDONED her to save the Emperor and ALL OF CHINA. YEAH. She is a serious Bad A. And yes, she fights like a GIRL, which is the greatest compliment I could possibly give her. Bravo Disney, Bravo.  

3. Sydney Bristow, Alias

Seriously one of the most awesome female characters of all time, I don't care what you think. Sydney is as close to a female James Bond as it comes. She is a spy who continually risks her life to save America (and other countries), all while kicking some SERIOUS butt in her 5 inch stiletto heels if needs be. She is super intelligent, brave, courageous, and loyal, and will do whatever it takes to protect those she loves and the greater good. 

4. Veronica Mars, Veronica Mars


Veronica, Veronica. Oh how I love thee. Veronica, the sarcastic, witty, smart, tough P.I. that I always wanted as a friend and never as an enemy. Veronica taught us to do what you liked and not give a rats A if anyone liked it. Sure, she was a flawed character, she had trust issues, but who doesn't??  Amirite?? Veronica fought tooth-and-nail for her friends and family, and always stood up for those who couldn't stand up for themselves. She was a tiny but feisty girl who could seriously TAKE YOU DOWN, with a well-timed insult or a little help from Backup. 

"Why do you insist on pissing me off??"

"This face right here? My over-the-moon face."

"After all these years, do you not instinctively fear me?"

"I hope we're still friends after I taser you."

"It's a very powerful thing when someone sees you as the person you wish you were."

"Should I check myself before I wreck myself?" 

5. Dagney Taggart, Atlas Shrugged

“I’ve always been unpopular in school and it didn’t bother me, but now I’ve discovered the reason. It’s an impossible kind of reason. They dislike me, not because I do things badly, but because I do them well. They dislike me because I’ve always had the best grades in class. I don’t even have to study. I always get A’s. Do you suppose I should try to get D’s for a change and become the most popular girl in school?”  I met Dagney at the perfect time in my life, when I was really learning and challenging my preconceived notions of the world and what being a "woman" meant. It didn't take very lone for me to fall in love with this character. SHE IS FREAKING AMAZING. She taught me to ignore haters, go with your gut instinct, and to stand up and FIGHT for what you believe in and not let others persuade you otherwise.    

“You don’t have to see through the eyes of others, hold onto yours, stand on your own judgment, you know that what is, is–say it aloud, like the holiest of prayers, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

6. Buffy Summers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Okay, okay, judge all you want, but I LOVED Buffy. Again with the 90's kid stuff, I know. But she was AWESOME and she seriously #SLAYED before it was cool. ;) She was a vampire/demon/werewolf hunter and continually saved everyone's lives, all while surviving high school. Who didn't want to be Buffy, I mean, come on!  Girl was bad in the best possible way and always had perfectly coiffed hair. Jealous!!

7. Elizabeth Bennet, Pride & Prejudice

Lizzy Bennet is perhaps the greatest character in literature.  She was waaay ahead of her time, and I'd like to think, she was a big part of Jane Austen herself. Lizzy is smart, witty, speaks her mind, and willing to wait for true love, no matter if it comes or not. I love that about her. Especially in that time, to refuse a "prosperous marriage" was rather unusual, to say the least. Lizzy is passionate and willing to wait for something more, even if it never comes. She knows that even the prospect of it is so much better than settling. Elizabeth Bennet always speaks her mind, which I whole-heartedly admire and respect, she stands up for herself and others, and is basically the original #BOSSLADY if there ever was one. 

“There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.” 

8. Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games Trilogy 

Katniss is one of my favorite modern-day heroines. She is SO AWESOME, I've truly loved reading and watching her character and story unfold. Katniss is flawed, yes, but she is brave, tenacious, incredibly loyal and fierce, and will stop at nothing to save Prim, Peeta and Gale, amongst everyone else. She is always willingly and constantly  sacrificing herself for the ones she loves. She may not love easily, but when she does, she does so with her whole heart. Not just anyone could be the Mocking Jay and stand up to the Capital and lead the Rebellion. 

“My spirit. This is a new thought. I'm not sure exactly what it means, but it suggests I'm a fighter. In a sort of brave way. It's not as if I'm never friendly. Okay, maybe I don't go around loving everybody I meet, maybe my smiles are hard to come by, but I do care for some people.” 

9. Hermoine Granger, Harry Potter series

Hermoine!! Oh, how much I LOVE Hermoine!! She is one of those characters that you love more and more every time you read/watch them. My love for her grew so profoundly by the end of the series, I could hardly stand it. And the scene pictured above, it seriously broke my heart. Hermoine is the glue that held it ALL together. Harry and Ron would have been NOTHING without her. That's the honest truth. She is super intelligent, compassionate, loyal, loving, and kind. Hermoine is one of the best ever role model for girls. She a powerful #BOSSWITCH, both literally and figuratively. On countless times she saves the day, whether it's through using her head or using her heart, she always finds a way! (Okay, that rhymed and I totally did not even try. #winning)

Carol, The Walking Dead


This was a tough decision between Michonne and Carol, but I couldn't NOT pick Carol. She is a grade A, Bad A-- B! When we meet Carol, she is a helpless, broken women, married to a wife-beater, who never stands up for herself. But OH HOW SHE CHANGES! Carol's progression through the story line of Walking Dead is perhaps the greatest. She becomes a tough, no-nonsense warrior, who protects everyone at all costs. (Sometimes she takes it too far, but her intentions are good!) She loses her husband and her daughter, and two pseudo- daughters, and still manages to be loving and compassionate to the close few of her inner circle. And she constantly takes care of baby Judith. The others would not have survived as long with out her; she is integral to the gang, and can hang with the likes of Rick and Daryl and hold her own! She is a serious BAD A #Boss!! Carol's cookies...need I say more?? 

Luna Lovegood, Harry Potter series

Luna has to be just about my *favorite* Harry Potter character. I love her whimsical, quirky outlook on life. She is definitely a little out there, but that's what I love about her. Luna is incredibly kind, accepting of others, and always loyal and supportive. And maybe my favorite thing about her...SHE DOESN'T CARE WHAT ANYONE ELSE THINKS ABOUT HER. She just is who she is. She's so real, so honest and always true to herself. And she's always there for her friends. She definitely has NOT had an easy life, but Luna always looks on the bright side of things, finds the silver lining, and cheers everyone up! Did I mention she's whip smart?? 

The Dowager Countess of Grantham, Downton Abbey

I love the Dowager, she is my favorite Downton Abbey character (After Matthew of course, RIP!) Violet is sarcastic and sassy and I just love everything she says. She has, by far, the BEST lines on the show. She's always ready for an awesome one-liner. 

"Vulgarity is no substitute for wit."

"All life is a series of problems we must try to solve."

"It's the job of Grandmothers to interfere."

"Oh dear, you flatter me. Which is just as it should be."

"At my age, one must ration one's excitement."

"Is this an instrument of communication or torture?"

"I wonder your halo doesn't grow heavy, it must be like wearing a tiara round the clock."

Lorelai Gilmore

Lorelai is the BEST TV mom there is. She's also somebody I wish I could have as a friend in real life, because she is AMAZING. Lorelai grows up in a wealthy privileged life, but when she gets pregnant at 16, she leaves, and  works her butt off to raise her child (Rory) alone, even eventually opening up her own B&B, the Dragonfly Inn. She is tenacious, relentless, and one of the most WITTY characters to have ever been written. She is funny, smart, supportive, and has a killer knowledge of all things Pop Culture. She is THE BEST!

"If you're going to throw your life away, he better have a motorcycle!"

"This is a jumbo coffee morning. I need coffee in an IV."

"I have a New Years resolution for you; become more cynical and self absorbed."

"It's all any of us wants- to find a nice person to hang out with till we drop dead. Not a lot to ask!

"I am the Oracle. I carry all the knowledge".

"Oy with the poodles already."

"It's not too much food. This is what we've been training for our whole lives. This is our destiny. This is our finest hour!" 

Olivia Pope

It's handled. Olivia is one of the most powerful women on television. She is BAD A. What I love about Olivia is that her relationship with the fictional POTUS does NOT define her. She is brilliant. She is the BEST fixer there is. She has her metaphorical big white hat and she fights for injustices no matter the consequences. She is a gladiator in a suite, gosh dang it! She also has some of the best lines ever. Thank you Shanda Rhimes for creating the baddest #ladyboss of them all! 

“I am not the girl the guy gets at the end of the movie. I am not a fantasy. If you want me, earn me.”

“I am very good at what I do. I am better at it than anyone else. And that is not arrogance, that is a fact.”

“I’m choosing me. I’m choosing Olivia. And right now, Olivia is dancing. Now, you can dance with me or you can get off my dance floor. I’m fine dancing alone.”

“I don’t want normal, and easy, and simple. I want painful, difficult, devastating, life-changing, extraordinary love.”

“If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work, but you have to try, because if you try, if you leap and you try, and it doesn’t work out, it’s not on you.”

“I am many things, stupid is not one of them.”

Professor McGonagall, Harry Potter series 

Professor McGonagall is one of my heroes. She is like that one teacher you had in high school that was hard on you, but was also your favorite. She is incredibly brilliant and an amazing witch. McGonagall is brave and loyal and while she can be stern, you love and respect her. She is an excellent teacher and overall the OG #bosswitch. She actually sorta reminds me of my Grandma who was a school teacher. Maybe that's why I love her so much! :)

Ron: [Harry and Ron arrive late to Transfiguration, relieved that Professor McGonagall isn't there yet] Whew, made it. Can you imagine the look on old McGonagall's face if we were late?
[the cat sitting at the head of the class suddenly transforms into her]
Ron: That was bloody brilliant!
Professor McGonagall: Well, thank you for that assessment, Mr Weasley. Perhaps it would be more useful if I were to transfigure Mr Potter and yourself into a pocket watch? That way, one of you might be on time.
Harry: We got lost.
Professor McGonagall: Then perhaps a map? I trust you don't need one to find your seats.

So here's to all the lady boss' slaying out there.  You go girl! Girl power! And er, Who run the world? GIRLS.

An Ode to My Best Friend

Today is my best friend’s birthday!! So in honor of her, I decided to write a little something… 

Brown Eyed Girl has a Blue Eyed Bestie and it’s her BIRTHDAY!!! Not many people can say they’ve been best friends with their BFF since they were born, but WE can!! Although, we generally say that it ALL started when I was 1 and she was 2, because that’s the first photo-graphical evidence we have. 

SEE. We are born exactly 11 months apart and have been besties ever since. Best Friend or even BFF, is a title that doesn’t quite seem to do our friendship justice. She is my SOULMATE. We have been through EVERYTHING together. And honestly, I wouldn’t change a single second of it.

She is the first person I text in the morning and the last person I text at night. We have been through births of kids, deaths of loved ones, the hardest, darkest moments together as well as the happiest most wonderful ones. We’ve been through break ups, heartaches, side-splitting laughter, every birthday, every holiday, vacations, concerts, soccer games, band performances…you name it, we’ve been through it. I cannot imagine my life without her, nor would I ever want to.

I actually can’t remember a time before we were friends... probably because I was an infant, but there’s something to say for someone who has literally been through your entire life with you. It’s almost as if we were friends even before we were born. You can scoff at that all you want, but I know that it’s true. We are not the same people we were as 5 year old besties, or 10 year old besties, or 15 or 20 or even 25 year old besties, but somehow we’ve always grown up together, grown closer together, even sometimes in the most impossible ways and circumstances. That’s why she is my SOULMATE.

Every relationship has rough patches, but ours have been almost nonexistent. She has been the one constant thing in my life since the very beginning. Everything I am, everything I’ve done, has been because of her, because of our friendship. I am not me without her, nor am I anything without her. She is as much a part of me as my own soul, like two old trees whose roots have grown completely entwined, immovable, and stronger together than on their own.

So to my BESTIE, my SOULMATE, on her Birthday…I love you to the moon and back and a THOUSAND times over.

You are my sunshine. My only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You’ll never know dear, how much I love you. Here's to the next 70+ years and on through infinity.

Xoxo

Impostor Syndrome, Or How Feelings of Inadequacy Rained on my Parade

I always wanted to be extraordinary. Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to grow up and change the world. I had big dreams and I wanted to be the best at every single one of them. There was a time when I was convinced, at the age of 5, that when I grew up I would be a professional soccer player, figure skater, ballerina, gymnast and lifeguard, all at the same time. Like, I’d simultaneously be holding down 5 (vastly) different jobs, and be the best at every single one of them. And I had no doubt in my mind- I was definitely capable of this. In fact, had you told me that it wasn’t possible, my 5 year old sassy self would’ve scoffed at you, right in your face. Because of course I could. I didn’t care what you thought was possible because your limitations meant nothing to me. In the words of Ron Swanson, I knew what I was about. And I was going to be a professional soccer player/figure skater/ballerina/gymnast/lifeguard and nobody could stop me. I was awesome and I knew it. I was capable of anything.

But life gets tricky (tricky-tricky-tricky-tricky! …I hope you heard RUN-DMC in your head or that made absolutely NO sense!) As you grow up, things happen and believing in yourself sometimes (or all the time) isn’t that easy. At least it's not for me. Next thing you know it you’re in your mid-to-late twenties and you’d gone back to school and now you’re just struggling to survive. You’ve been in school for FOR-EV-ER; you worked full time and went to school at night, which finally got you to a University years later and now you are neck deep in classes (and still working to pay the bills) and all of a sudden it hits you, like a brick in your face, this awful self-doubt that you can’t do it, that your dreams are too big and you, ordinary you, cannot possibly make them happen. You start thinking you’ve gone through all this stress, anxiety, depression, hard work, no social life, and tiiiime and nothing is going to ever come of it because you are just little ol’ you. You look around and think you couldn’t possibly measure up, that there’s no way in heck you, of all people, YOU could do it. You’ve dreamed too big and now, when push comes to shove, you realize you’ll never make it.

Imposter syndrome; “feelings of inadequacy that persist even in the face of information that indicates that the opposite is true”. I know I'm not the only one who has gone through this. It sent me into a panic during my first Psychology seminar; I was listening to people who have their PhD’s talk about their careers and getting into Grad programs and about how competitive it is; how you have to do SOMETHING to set yourself apart from ALL THE OTHERS, not to mention you better have a stellar GPA, graduate Magna Cum Laude and oh yes, you better have off-the-charts GRE test scores to boot. Yes, I listened as people I had hoped to one day call my peers told me every single reason why doing what I wanted to do was nearly impossible. And you know what, I believed them. I went from the girl who knew exactly what and where she was going to a popsicle on a hot day, melted in panic because the odds were clearly stacked too high against me. Which is stupid because I'm a smart cookie and I've done really well in school. But for some reason, my brain ignores all of the positives and only sees the negatives.

It wasn’t the first time I had battled these feelings. I have gone through periods of self doubt, depression, as well as general performance anxiety on the regular. But I can tell you, sitting there with those horrible voices and feelings flooding through my system, was some of the worst feelings I have ever had. I've experienced people doubting me, but it never impacted me as much as me doubting me. That had such a deep concentrated affect; it left me in a nauseous, head-spinning-whirlwind. Later, as I’ve talked to friends and classmates, what I’ve come to realize is that many people have these experiences, BUT WE SHOULDN'T. We are entirely unfair to ourselves.

Impostor syndrome is “experienced internally as chronic self-doubt, and feelings of intellectual fraudulence. It is basically feeling that you are not really a successful competent and smart [person], that you are only imposing as such”. Looking into this further, I found a lot of really great information through CalTech University. Of course this doesn’t just happen for students, it can happen to anyone, and is “associated with highly achieving, highly successful people”. A sad truth is that it occurs at a higher frequency in woman more than men. But why? Why are SO many of us plagued with such deep underlining self-doubt? 

Impostor feelings are related to the inability to accept and internalize success, and when a person is successful, it does not relieve those feelings of inadequacy or change how they feel about themselves. CalTech University's counseling website says that two main problems persist: the fear of success and the pressure not to fail. People who suffer from impostor feelings tend to over internalize failure and may actually fear success because in brings these two conflicting thoughts to the surface.  “There can be a huge amount of pressure currently not to fail to avoid being “found out”. This leads to not being able to enjoy/internalize success”.

But just because you have these feelings, doesn’t mean they will always be there. In fact, CalTech gives several things you can do on your own to cope with these feelings as well as take steps to prevent them:

1. Have support- make sure you have someone to talk to when you have these feelings that will listen and be understanding as well as remind you of your qualities and successes.

2. Identify the impostor feelings- become self aware so that when you have these thoughts or feelings, you notice them, can take a step back, and evaluate where they are coming from and why you are having them. “Awareness is the first step to change and it is not obvious since many times we are not aware of our automatic thoughts”. [Automatic thoughts are defined as underlying, unquestioned thoughts which affect your perception of events, situations or yourself. Example: “I am not smart enough”]

3. Give yourself a Reality check- when you notice these automatic thoughts happening, question them and try to replace them with more positive thoughts. Understand the difference between these thoughts/feelings and reality. This takes time, you really need to know yourself and think about how you think and feel. When these situations do arise, change the thought to “I may feel ____ but it doesn’t mean that I really am”.

So for those of you who’ve felt like a fake, who’ve believed sooner or later that someone might "find out how little you actually know" or "how ‘barely adequate’ you are", for those that have continually attributed your success to luck because clearly it “wasn’t your own abilities that got you where you are”, or to those that continually downplay your success, you are not alone. But you need to know that when those feelings creep up on you, they are NOT true.  In Greek mythology, there’s an inscription on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, which says "gnōthi sauton" or “know thyself”. Perhaps this is the greatest tool one can posses; to know yourself, to really know yourself, might be the highest source of power there is. So when those thoughts and feelings of self-doubt flood into your brain, you can kindly kick them in the behind and let the door hit 'em on their way out. Because YOU ARE AWESOME. Don't ever think any different.  

 https://counseling.caltech.edu/general/InfoandResources/Impostor

Halloween Movies, Second Edition

Halloween movies are the BEST. I know Christmas sorta has the 'holiday movies' on lock, but really, Halloween movies are the freaking BEST!! I know last year I published Halloween Movies here  but there are so many good ones, I had to do it again! The best thing about "halloween movies" is that they don't even have to be "halloweeney"; if it's frightfully fantastic, you get to watch it under the guise that "it's Halloween, we HAVE to watch something scary!" It's wonderful! You have a whole month to watch fright fest after fright fest and no one can judge you for it. (Also, you shouldn't be friends with people that would) Scary movies are the BEST movies. 

And I know last year I named some of the BEST Halloween movies out there (Hocus Pocus, Sleepy Hollow, Nightmare Before Christmas, The Addams Family, Monster Squad, Beetlejuice to name a few, full list here) but don't worry, I've totally got you covered!  I know ABC Family does their "13 Nights of Halloween", but within the last couple years, it's been sort of lackluster, which is disappointing. So don't fret! Here is a list of MORE Halloween movies to watch NOW! :)  

[On a side note, I really *wish* I could live in Halloween Town from Nightmare... *dream come true*.]

BEST Halloween Movies, Second Edition

Scream, 1996  (or the TV show that just finished): 

I mean, it's ghostface. Scream is a personal favorite of mine, and I absolutely adore Wes Craven. He is THE BEST. (RIP) I mean, I'm definitely not opposed to the whole series, since it's now 4 movies long and I loved the MTV tv series. I just love it and the nostalgia it brings. Also, I completely love I Know What You Did Last Summer and that would be a great companion movie to follow Scream with. Get you're slasher-movie on! 

*Insert Your FAVORITE M. Night Movie Here*:

So, I know the last couple movies Night made weren't the greatest, but I still love him. I do. I just always will. He has a new movie in theaters as well, but for me, it doesn't get better than The Sixth Sense (1999). Because this movie SCARED THE PANTS OFF OF ME AS A KID. I mean, this movie was a game changer for scary movies. And it scared me for life. I still think about most of the scenes with the different ghosts and it STILL freaks me out. Signs and The Village are also good. 

When a Stranger Calls, 2006

I love this movie even though it's like my worst nightmare. When I was like 7 or 8, a girl on my soccer team told me this urban legend and let's just say it haunted me from the time a started babysitting (like 10) until present day. Even though I don't "babysit" anymore, the premise about someone being in your house the whole time they are terrorizing you is absolutely terrorizing. But I still love it.  

 Edward Scissorhands, 1990 

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, do I really need to say anymore than that?? I shouldn't, but I will. Sure, this movie isn't scary, but the cinematography is beautiful and the tone is perfect for a cold night in. Plus, it's Johnny Depp, in what might be his greatest role of all time. And your October HAS to include Burton, it just does. Make it a double feature and watch one of my *favorite* "Halloween" movies first, Sleepy Hollow! ;)

Monster House, 2006 (family)

As kid movies go, I like that this one flirts the line of being a "kid horror film", which is super cool. It's not scary, but the premise is definitely familiar...as in who didn't think about this as a kid??  

Underworld, 2003

There are two types of people in this world, Underworld people and Resident Evil people. And sure, I like both franchises, but I've always liked Underworld more. Whether you're team Selene or team Alice, Underworld is the perfect Vampires vs Werewolves backdrop for your Halloween pleasure. (No, it's NOTHING like Twilight, so don't even think of comparing it.) It's gritty, gorey, and has a lot of great action. 

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, 1966 (family)

THIS. Of course. It's not Halloween without it and somehow it was left off my list last year, so I'm rectifying my mistake. You have to watch this. EVER. YEAR.

Ghost Busters, 1984

Who ya gonna call?? This movie is a classic. And seriously, Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd are HILARIOUS. Need to lighten the mood? This is a fun ghost movie and everyone can enjoy it. 

Warm Bodies, 2013


Okay, I liked this movie. It's not as gory as Walking Dead or Zombieland or any of the 28 days/weeks later, but it's still a good Zombie/Romance film... There normally isn't a whole lot of "love" in Halloween movies, so this is a good mood booster if all the typical carnage starts getting to you. 

Halloween Town II, 2001


The Disney Channel classic! Of course Halloween Town has to be apart of it! Last year, the first one was on my list, but the second one is just as good! #90skidsunite

Woman in Black, 2012

This was a good scary movie. Not so bad that you can't sleep at night, but still enough to leave you jumping and holding your breath throughout. I'm a HUGE fan of ghost stories, but they're also the ones that creep me out the most. Also try Insidious (if you're brave) or any of the Paranormal Activity's. 

Casper, 1995 (family)

I seriously LOVED this movie when it came out!! Again with the 90's kid business, but it's wonderful an everyone should see this movie. After all, he's a friendly ghost!  Plus, Christina Ricci, who practically dominates Halloween movies! (Addams Family I & II, Sleepy Hollow) 

*Your Favorite Hitchcock*
I loooooove Hitchcock. Who doesn't?? He's the absolute MASTER. We wouldn't have the films we do today without his influence. Surprisingly, there's a lot of people nowadays that haven't seen his films! SO if you don't have a favorite go-to Hitchcock, you can take mine! :) Notorious is an awesome thriller staring the gorgeous Ingrid Berman and the swoon-worthy debonair Cary Grant. But of course, the classics are great, Psycho, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Rear Window, The Birds...to name a few. 

A Nightmare on Elm Street, 1984

Nightmare on Elm is a classic and again WES CRAVEN is the mastermind behind it. In a film that gave my personal favorite, one Mr. Johnny Depp his first break as Glen Lantz, this movie is cemented in film history as one of the greats. Whether you're team Freddy, Mike, or Jason (or all three, like me) you can definitely enjoy this classic, sure to bring on the nightmares. ;) 

[Trivia Time: Freddy has under 7 minutes of screen time and they used over 500 gallons of fake blood to make the movie!]
TV SECTION:

The Walking Dead

The premiere of Season 6 is on SUNDAY (10/11) and I COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED!! We just re-watched the whole series to get ready and it was the perfect pre-Halloween adventure. If you haven't seen it, now's the time!! All seasons are available on Netflix and they're re-showing them on FX this week to get ready for Sunday's festivities.

Supernatural (Seasons 1-3)

Supernatural used to be my favorite show, but it hasn't been as great for me for the last several years. The best seasons are 1-5, but my most favorite seasons are 1-3. Last year I watched all of season 1 in October and it was fantastic. This year, I've been going through and just picking out my favorites and using them as a break from studying. ALSO, don't forget to watch Episode 5 of Season 4, "Monster Movie" close to Halloween!! :)

Are You Afraid of the Dark? 1990-1996

Submitted for approval by the Midnight Society, I call this story... One of my favorite shows as a kid (it's no wonder I turned out the way I did...) this show was aired on Nickelodeon and it's basically a weekly horror show for kids. Seriously, it's amazing. Basically, the show is about kids who met up in the woods around a campfire at midnight and tell scary stories...each episode is a new story and it's fantastic. And it's available to stream for FREE on Amazon Prime!! Not to mention YouTube and other sources.  I'm a proud member of the #midnightsociety and I even have the shirt to prove it! 

Wednesday & Morticia Addams are my Spirit Animals

It's no secret that I LOVE Wednesday and Morticia Addams. If you're anywhere on my Instagram account (brwneydgrl1988) , you know that on Wednesdays I like to post Wednesday Addams pictures, because, well, of course I do. Ever since I was a little girl I loved the Addams Family. I loved the TV Show and I especially loved the movies. This should be of no surprise since my favorite movie as a tiny tot was Nightmare Before Christmas and I've been in love with Johnny Depp since he was Edward Scissorhands. So, suffice it to say that I have always been a lovely goth girl at heart (and later on, in real life lol). I LOVE Halloween. It's the best holiday there is. Sure, I love Christmas too, but Halloween is my favorite. I love the whole month of October, I love scary movies, I love witches, werewolves, zombies (Walking Dead shout out!), vampires (the scary ones, not the sparkly ones), demon hunters (Supernatural shout out!) and basically all that comes with it. So to celebrate the beginning of my FAVORITE month, I thought I'd pay homage to two of my favorite people...Wednesday & Morticia! :)

Wednesday & Morticia Addams are my Spirit Animals


#1: First of all, let's talk about their total #BOSSWITCH looks. They are very different but equally important and equally enviable. 

I guess will start with the B.A. matriarch, Morticia...

Morticia's trademark "look" is that beautiful knowing look that immediately screams "I know what you're really doing/saying/thinking, so if you think you're fooling me, you aren't." She's nice and polite but you'd definitely not want to mess with her. 

Also, her "That's what I thought." look, which is priceless. Morticia is the Queen of Everything and she knows it. 

THIS PERFECT MEME. CHEERS.

Let's move on to Wednesday and her perfect Resting B Face, which is CLASSIC. 

This is me every morning.  Girl knows how to mean mug and you can't even hate her for it. Because it's like looking into your soul. 

Exhibit A: 

And this perfect meme that fully summarizes at least 12 situations throughout my every day life. ;)

#2: They know the *power* of wearing black. 

TRUTH

RULE #1

MY VERY THOUGHTS EXACTLY. 

I love black. I remember sitting in a room full of girls dressed in bright colors and being head to toe black, including my nails, hair, and dark smokey eye. We were doing a "get to know you" thing and the person asked me what my favorite color was and I said "black", and she said "I didn't know that that really counted as a color." Of course inside my face was Wednesday but outside it was Morticia. I just smiled her smile and didn't respond her to. BLACK IS A COLOR. Black is the best color! So infuriating. 

#3: Morticia knows: pastels are disgusting. 

Sorry to say, but I hate pastels. With the exception of maybe 2 nail polishes that I have that are borderline pastel...because everything else looks like an Easter egg. *vomits*  Jewel tones and black or nothing!

#4: Wednesday has zero time for babies and sissies. 

Christina Ricci is the *PERFECT* Wednesday. Creepy as hell!

TV Show Wednesday, adorable, not a menacing as Movie Wednesday.

Just like Wednesday, I have no patience, sympathy, or time for this. Put up or shut up. And stop crying about it.  

#5:  Rain is THE BEST!!!

I hate summer. This is DEFINITELY not new news. I hate the sun for the most part. If you saw me, you'd get it. I'm pale by choice because I HATE THE SUN. It's hot and bright and annoying. Give me rain, clouds, fog, storms ANY DAY OF THE WEEK! 

PURE HAPPINESS

PREACH.

FACT: The sun kills. Stay inside kids and only go out when it's dark and overcast! 

#6: Eye Roll Perfection.

Seriously. She has the BEST eye roll. Wednesday takes no crap from anyone and she is not afraid to bluntly express her irritation/disgust. 

#7: Wednesday and Morticia are constantly setting the societal Patriarchy on fire like the #bosswitches they are.

Exhibit A:

Morticia teaching Wednesday that if you're going to go after the Patriarchy, you're going to need a bigger weapon. ;) What a good mom! 

#8: And she's doesn't stand for white privilege.

Re-writing history like a BOSS.

I love this scene when she decides to veer from the script of the first Thanksgiving and tear that s--t to pieces. 

Burn it down.

#9: Wednesday knows that Co-Dependency in an unattractive and unhealthy form of relationships. 

Don't you know that co-dependency is a dysfunctional relationship where one person supports/enables another person's addiction/ immaturity/ irresponsibility/ under-achievement. DOES THAT SOUND LIKE REAL LOVE TO YOU?! I didn't think so. 

#9: Morticia and Gomez have the VERY BEST relationship.

#RELATIONSHIPGOALS

ALL THE BATS!!

#10: Wednesday is strong and everyone knows she is not to be messed with.

I wouldn't get on her bad side if I were you. Wednesday is tough and I love her fighting spirit.

#11: THEY ARE TOUGH AS NAILS.

Is it any wonder Wednesday turned out as tough as she did? Morticia is a serious Bad A who's fiercely loyal and loves her family more than anything.  

Oh, and the Addams Family motto: Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc. We gladly feast on those who would subdue us. 

#12: Wednesday is the Queen of Sarcasm

A girl after my own heart, she is witty and as sarcastic as they come and I LOVE her for it! We sarcastic people have to stick together!

#13: The Power of the perfectly *executed* one-liner. [eh eh, get it?! Dark humor... ;) ]

Wednesday is the BEST. I'm sorry but I can't help it, I feel like quoting Wayne's World right now... we're not worthy. we're not worthy.

#14: Morticia gives the best advice.

IT'S NOT. IT'S REALLY NOT.

BEAUTIFUL AND TRUE.

LOVE THIS! SHE'S NOT ABOUT SOCIETY'S HORRIBLE  TRADITIONAL BEAUTY STANDARDS. SHE'S BETTER THAN THAT.

ALWAYS REMINDING US THAT WE CAN'T FORGET THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE STRUGGLES TOO.

#16: Wednesday is a truth teller.

So wise beyond her years.

#17: Morticia knows her priorities, but it doesn't mean she doesn't have dreams. And she sets a good example for her kids. 

DON'T WE ALL?? ;)

Exhibit B:

#COLLEGEFIRST

#18: Because no one does a better plotting face than Morticia.

This is a VERY important life skill.

#19: And because she is a SURVIVOR. (Even before Destiny's Child.)

#20: Wednesday knows this is the ONLY way to sleep.

Complete with creepy twin doll.

#21: Morticia knows that tragedy is also beautiful. 

As F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote, "I'm a romantic; a sentimental person thinks things will last, a romantic person hopes against hope that they won't." Happy endings are wonderful but sometimes a beautiful tragedy is the only good ending.  

#22: And that brunettes (black hair included) definitely have more fun!

#24: WEDNESDAY IS NOT PERKY AND I LOVE THAT ABOUT HER. 

Again, the struggle is real. I am NOT a morning person, though most of my life starts bright and early, which means I'm this Wednesday exactly, until about...noon. 

#25: AND AGAIN, BECAUSE NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WITH SCREW WITH THEM AND THAT MAKES THEM FREAKING AWESOME.