Movie Review: Jesus Revolution

Have you ever watched a movie that you just couldn’t stop thinking about for days afterward because it was so well-done and moving that your mind replays the scenes over and over again, your heart attempts to soak up all the same feels, and your soul longs to breathe in the same experience?

Have you ever heard a message that was so powerful and inspirational that it filled your whole being with hope and motivation to go out into the world and bring the change it so desperately needs?

That is what it’s like watching Jesus Revolution.

The movie Jesus Revolution has so many things going for it – an inspiring true story, talented actors, an engaging plot, and pacing that makes you not want to leave the theater to use the bathroom.

From hilarious moments that make you laugh to dramatic moments that make you cry, Jesus Revolution both inspires and lights a fire in your soul, while set against a backdrop of true history so unbelievable it will make you believe the miraculous can happen again. The movie is one-of-a-kind because it has all the makings of a hit while simultaneously bringing a message of light and hope to a desperate world.

This movie is for just about everyone – adults, parents, teenagers, grandparents, pastors, leaders, and especially anyone who is broken and hurting, numb spiritually, or, like one of the characters, close to “quitting” Christianity.

My only warning or suggestion is that you strongly consider whether or not you want to bring your young children. Although some scenes could have been way worse (I mean, it was the hippie era), obvious drug usage and consequential scary moments may be too much for kids. There is no language or sexual content other than a few sweet kisses, but the drug use is something parents should keep in mind. If you do decide to bring your kids, just make sure you’re prepared for a debriefing conversation as they will have questions. Even without that issue, young kids may get bored as the movie is not geared toward children. Teenagers and pre-teens, on the other hand, will love the movie.

So…buy your tickets (it premiers on February 23rd), buckle up, and prepare for an incredible movie that has the potential to change the world.

Pitch Wars 2021!

Let’s just say 2020…and a good part of 2021 was a break from all of my author-ness stuff. Don’t get me wrong! I did some more revision on my WIP and submitted to some literary agents, but my heart wasn’t fully in it. Either it wasn’t God’s timing, or I got lazy, or the craziness of everything these past 2 years got to me…probably all of the above.

Whatever the case, I have something new inspiring me and lighting a hopeful fire underneath my complacent bum! Pitch Wars! If you haven’t heard of it, it’s an awesome author mentorship program where veteran authors pair up with newer authors with a new book that hasn’t been published yet. Through the whole process these mentors help the mentees revise their book and perfect their pitch to potential agents. I am super excited and can’t wait to see if I was chosen by one of the four mentors I submitted to! If I don’t get chosen, I won’t let that get me down, but it doesn’t hurt to have hope in the meantime, right? 🙂

Here’s a shout out to the lovely mentor authors I chose to submit to because of their expertise and the many things we have in common in what we write and what we like. (Click on the images to read more!

Dante Madema and Liz Lawson!

Check out Dante’s books!

Coming in March of 2022 – An emotional mystery, thriller set in Alaska! Sounds great!

A YA contemporary novel written in verse form? Clever and unique!

Check out Liz Lawson’s books!

Heavy emotions with all the feels about the aftermath of a school shooting!

Also, The Agathas, co-authored with Kathleen Glasgow, set to come out the summer of 2022! No cover yet!

2. Emily Thiede and Lauren Blackwood

Check out Emily Thiede’s book!

Fantasy full of emotion, adventure, and romance!

Check out Lauren Blackwood’s book!

Fantasy, Horror, Romance, with Jane Ere vibes!

3. Jennifer Yu

Check out Jennifer’s books!

Timely YA Realistic fiction that deals with mental health with a touch of romance

Another Realistic fiction dealing with different types of mental health issues with a focus on friendship as well!

4. M.T. Khan

Since there isn’t yet a cover for her upcoming book, Nura and the Immortal Palace, here’s a lovely picture of this author instead! Click on her picture for more info about the book coming out in 2022 – a fantasy that explores Pakistani culture as well as child labor!

Author mentor choices are announced November 1st, so I’ll keep you posted! In the meantime, let me know if you’ve read one of these lovely authors’ books and what you thought!

Why So Sad? (Teachers During COVID-19)

I get it. I should be incredibly grateful and happy right now. And I am grateful. I truly am! I get to stay home and safe with my kids and still get paid. It’s unfair really for all of those out there who either have to work in unsafe environments or have to stay home and lose pay or even their jobs. To you all, I am very sorry.

And yet…I’m not happy.

I just learned that we, as high school teachers in my district, are essentially done instructing for the rest of the year. Our students are supposed to spend time on Khan Academy every day to continue distance learning. As teachers, we will continue to have meetings and discuss curriculum for next year, but that’s about it.

So why does that bother me so much? Why, instead of being happy that I will have so much extra time for myself and my family, am I so broken and sad?

Because I am a teacher.

It’s who I am. It’s my identity. If I can’t teach, then what’s my purpose? Now, I know that may sound a bit dramatic. I’m still a wife, a mom, a friend, even an author. But teaching was and is one of my biggest identifications. People ask, “What do you do?” I say, “I teach.” Now, it’s like my identity as a teacher has been stripped away from me suddenly and without warning. And I realized all too late that I should have used my time with my students more wisely. Just one more conversation, one more smile or compliment, one more lesson, one more inspiring word of encouragement. One more chance to make a difference in their lives.

I miss my kids. I feel cheated.

Aside from all of that, I guess there’s also the shock to the system that this definitive announcement represents. I can’t pretend anymore. This world is not the same and will never be the same. MY world is not the same and will never be the same. I think in the back of my mind, I was holding onto the hope that things would somewhat go back to normal. When I started teaching my kids again, even from a distance, that would mean one step back to the way things were. Back to normal. Teaching would make it seem like the earth was still spinning and life was still happening.

But things are not normal. Yes, the earth is still spinning and life is still happening, but not in the same way. And I’m going to have to get used to that.

We all will.

6 Lessons COVID-19 Has Taught Me

If you’re like me, you’ve been going back and forth between laughing at COVID-19 memes and worrying if all the hype is warranted. You’ve also probably been going back and forth between being annoyed at the inconveniences and being fearful of potential future problems. Still…I wonder…if hidden underneath all of those feelings, is something else a little different. Something wiser. Something strong and zealous that’s trying to rise to the surface and teach us something if we’ll let it. A voice that says, Listen. Look around you. Observe. View things differently. Don’t miss this opportunity. The world needs a perspective shift. This could be it.

I’m trying to let that voice speak to me because I don’t want to miss an opportunity to gain wisdom and maybe turn things around in my own world that have become stale or distorted.

Here’s what I’ve gleaned so far…

 

#1 ON BEING STUCK AT HOME – As much as I love my new home…seriously, if I had to be stuck anywhere, it would be here…the idea of not going out much and the potential of having my kids here and not going back to teaching for a very long time is a bit daunting. It has me scratching my head, wondering what world I’m living in. What am I going to do? How am I going to make the most of this time at home and also be productive? How am I going to make sure my kindergartener knows how to read by the end of the school year if we end up staying home? How am I going to keep them occupied and not bored without going out? How am I going to teach from home if that’s what it comes to? So many questions. Very few answers.

LESSON #1 – For now. Just for now. Maybe the voice is telling us we need to focus on our family. Maybe for now we shouldn’t worry about those pressing questions and just use this time to relax. Since I’m a teacher and know for sure that I’ll be off through April 5th, I must say my To-Do List for spring break this week doesn’t seem so pressing anymore. Those moments with my kids that so often pass me by because I’m in “get stuff done” mode have successfully made me pause, and I’ve been able to savor them. With fewer responsibilities and time constraints, I’ve been able to focus more on my girls and my family. What if that’s what life is supposed to be like? What if we’ve cluttered life so much with stuff that we’ve forgotten family is meant to be the priority, not the afterthought?

 

#2 ON NOT BEING ABLE TO SOCIALIZE – For introverts, this is not an issue, lol. For myself, a die-hard extrovert, it’s honestly difficult thinking about not hanging out with people and going places I enjoy. I mean, it is spring break after all, and what about weekends? Just this week, I had planned to have coffee with some author friends I met recently, but I’m having to cancel. For some people, including me, we find joy and meaning in life through our interaction with other people.

LESSON #2 – What if every now and then we need to focus on ourselves and look inward? Many of us avoid looking inward because we either don’t like what we see and/or don’t want to deal with what we find. Sometimes we need to, though, and if we don’t ever do it, maybe some social isolation is in order to force us to ponder and reflect. If we don’t ever slow down to think about our own lives and, therefore, make necessary changes, then we’re just like the people in Fahrenheit 451 who always distract themselves with mindless entertainment so they don’t have to think since thinking makes them unhappy. Dear God, may we never come to that.

 

#3 ON SEEING ALL THE EMPTY STORE SHELVES – Y’all, this has been crazy. When you think about it, though, it kind of makes sense. If we’re asked to stay home as much as possible, then it makes sense that we’d want to stock up on stuff to not need it again too soon. But then it makes it difficult when we run out of certain things and can’t find them anywhere.

LESSON #3 – Although we’ve been pretty lucky so far, finding most things we’ve needed, I’m already thinking about what I do have in my fridge and pantry and how I should plan effectively to make sure we use all of it and that none of it goes to waste. When we can’t find things we normally use and need, it makes us realize how much we take things for granted. We’re used to having everything we need and want. It’s just a short drive or a few-day shipment away.  What would it be like if we were less reliant on our material things? What would it be like if we were actually mindful of and grateful for the things we do have? 

 

#4 ON LOSING WAGES – I’m not in this boat yet myself, but my husband may be. I may be at some point, too. I don’t know. Even so, we’re in an okay financial position that we can handle it at least for a little while. However, I am very aware that this could be crippling for some families. We’ve been paycheck to paycheck before with no wiggle room, so I can imagine the strain and worry some are feeling right now.

LESSON #4 – I have two thoughts on this that may seem a bit opposing, but they’re both valid. One is that maybe we need to add more margin in our finances when possible. I know for some this is a distant dream and not possible at this stage of life. But for many, we choose to live with no margin in our finances. We could choose a lower standard of living so that we can put money in the bank and have extra every month, but we push ourselves to the limit. I’m speaking to myself just as much as everyone else, btw. It’s a hard lesson to learn and not one we can do much about right now. But maybe…just maybe, when this is all over, we can remember the difficult situation we were put in by both circumstances out of our control AND our own lifestyle choices. And maybe that will make us think twice about the way we live in the future.

The second lesson is simply this: We need to put our hope and trust in God, not in our financial situation. Our finances can change in an instant. God never does.

 

#5 ON WORRYING ABOUT THE ECONOMY – This legitimately has me concerned. I’m no economic expert by any means, but it doesn’t take a genius to know this is already and is going to hurt so many individuals, as well as our economy as a whole. I hurt for small business owners as they suffer through this. I know we can do some things to help. I just hope it’s enough. I also worry about what this might mean for our country’s economic system now and in the future.

LESSON #5 – As much as I worry about this, this is what I’m learning… People may run businesses. People may run the government. But God runs the world. If God can create the entire world in a handful of days, He can handle rebuilding the economy and taking care of hurting people. He is the keeper of promises and the maker of new beginnings and opportunities. He will guide us through this. We just have to trust Him and move forward with wisdom.

 

#6 ON NOT BEING SURE WHO TO BELIEVE – If you’re like me at all, you want to get this right. You don’t want to appear foolish by buying into all the madness, but you also don’t want to later regret not taking it seriously enough. I don’t necessarily want to weight in except to say that I’m guessing the right response is somewhere in the middle. And the more you read up on valid information, the more you’ll understand where people are coming from with all of this.

LESSON #6 –  The lesson I’ve learned here is that sometimes, not knowing what to believe is okay. Yes, you heard me. For those like me that are black and white thinkers and have to know everything, that sounds sacrilegious, but I’m serious. This is where trust comes in. Whether or not all this social distancing and quarantining is needed, it’s happening. So we can either get angry and complain about it or accept it and try to trust the people in charge. Maybe they actually do know what they’re talking about. What I do know is that being angry and complaining drains my life, while acceptance brings peace. I’m going to choose what brings peace.

 

Simply put… Throughout this difficult time… Rest. Recharge. Reconnect. Reflect. Satan may be trying to bring us down, but God will revive us and make us even better than we were before…if only we’ll let Him.

Enneagram Fiction in the Works!

Being a huge Enneagram fan and an author who imagines unique worlds was the perfect combination to propel me into this idea until I was neck-deep, an idea that has captivated me ever since it was born in my crazy mind. 

What if the world was only made up of one personality type?

Makes you wonder, right? If you know about the Enneagram, you know that in this construct, there are 9 distinct personality types everyone fits into. Although there are several variants involved that can make people of the same type seem very different, most people of a certain personality type will have many of the same traits and motivations.

So what would happen in this fictitious world? Would it depend on the personality type? Or would it be doomed no matter what?

In my new book series I’m working on, I promote the idea that our diverse personalities are not only necessary for us to thrive, but also what make society beautiful. Every personality type has flaws, true, but every type also has amazing strengths that are needed and that can be helpful to other types. We need each other. We are better together. That is the biggest theme in this book.

The other main theme is similar – we need to discover who we are to become better people, as well as what our strengths and talents and passions are so that we can use them to make our world better. If all people knew who they were and could find their passion and follow it, not only would they be happier, but also the world would be so much better for it.

Btw, if you can’t tell…I’m a type 1, wing 9…the Reformer and the Idealist. 😉

For now, get ready and excited if you love the Enneagram. A fiction book is coming soon! (Be sure to click Follow to stay informed on the progress of this project!)

Oklahoma Teen Book Con with Neal Shusterman!

Calling all Oklahoma readers and fans of YA lit! You need to be at this conference on November 16th at OU! Here’s a link to the event.

If you are unfamiliar with Neal Shusterman’s Unwind series, probably his most acclaimed series, or the Sythe series, of which the 3rd book will be released in November, or any of his other numerous books, you are missing out! I’m just now reading Scythe, and so far I’m loving it, but I’ve been a huge fan of the whole Unwind series and his writing style for a long time. Check out my reviews of Book 1, Book 2, and Book 3. Apparently, I never got around to reviewing Book 4, but I remember it was just as awesome, lol.

As an author myself, he’s kind of my author hero. In other words, if there was anyone I would want to aspire to be as a writer, it would be Neal Shusterman.

As a reader, I LOVE the complexity and thought-provoking nature of his stories. They push the boundaries of what we think and feel and know about our world and society. They make us question ourselves and how our world works. And all of his books are one hell of a ride! I appreciate not just being fed a fun story, but being carefully served a story with meat – stories that say something.

As a writer, I greatly RESPECT how he can create so many unique characters with unique voices. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many characters, even minor ones, in one book with their own distinct voices. He has a way with narration and diction that truly makes his characters come to life. So much so that my only criticism of the Unwind series was that in the last few books, some of the chapters spent time in the antagonists’ heads as they were the narrator. I have to say that Shusterman did such a good job making those characters realistic that I seriously wanted to get out of their heads and on to the next chapter where someone else not so evil would be narrating. Lol.

As a creative writing teacher, I APPRECIATE being able to use so much of his writing as examples in my class because of how skilled of a wordsmith he is. We read and annotate passages as examples of what they need to be doing in their own writing. I use some great short sections for my 1st person narrative unit (I tweaked the pronouns to be in 1st person) because of how great he is with showing tone, and I use an awesome dialogue scene for our dialogue unit because of how great he is at showing tone and action in creative tags, as well as some killer dialogue!

Lastly, putting all of those things together, I am in AWE of how poignant his writing is. His thought-provoking themes, his unique character voices, and his word-crafting abilities all come together to create some of the most poignant statements and passages you will ever find in YA lit. Here are some of my favorites:

“Unwinds didn’t go out with a bang-they didn’t even go out with a whimper. they went out with the silence of a candle flame pinched between two fingers.”

“That’s what law is: educated guesses at right and wrong.”

“Hope can be bruised and battered. It can be forced underground and even rendered unconscious, but hope cannot be killed.”

“How do you judge the brightness of a light when you’re the source? A spotlight can never see the shadows it casts.”

“One cannot let the events of one’s past murder one’s future.”

“…facts never prevent the ignorant from jerking their knees into the groin of science.”

“A pedestal is the most insidious prison ever devised.”

“…survival is a dance between our needs and our consciences.”

“I hate you!” he yells back at them. “I never meant it when I said it before, but now I do.”
Connor can tell it cuts deeply into these parents, but not as deeply as the scalpels of a Chop Shop.

 

Spooky Book for Halloween

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE Halloween! I love everything about it! I love the decorations, I love the spookiness, I love the movies, I love dressing up, I love Halloween parties, I love how excited my kids get with dressing up and getting candy, and I love going trick-or-treating with them!

Now, I’m not trying to claim that my YA urban fantasy series, The Shadow Eyes Series, is in the horror genre or intensely creepy. However, seeing as how the main character sees shadowy figures (demons), I’d say it has its moments. Apart from all of the creepy demons that keep terrorizing Iris’s life and the lives of her family and friends, there’s even a scene dedicated to a Halloween party! What can I say? I guess my love for the holiday somehow slipped on in there. 😉

So, if you love Halloween and spooky things like I do, check out the first book of the series, Shadow Eyes. Below are some of my favorite creepy snippets from the book, as well as part of the Halloween party scene. Enjoy!

Creepy snippets

“…the second shadow tilted its head back and opened the dark abyss of its mouth. What came out was the most horrible noise I had ever heard. It sounded like the echoing cackle of a demon drowning in a deep well. As piercing as nails on a chalkboard yet as murky and surreal as a nightmare.”

“Suddenly, a gush of black water poured from the back seat over my shoulder and into my lap. I barely had time to let out a gasp of surprise before it circled rapidly around my body in a thick spiral, tightening its grip as it climbed up to my face. Within seconds I was smothered, consumed, oppressed, and overcome.”

“With his eyes still fixed in our direction, he continued to flaunt how much he enjoyed her agony. How much he savored the ecstasy of twisting himself around her wrists and lapping up her blood.”

“The voice that swam to my ears was heavy and gradually made me feel loaded down and ponderous. Each word was like a brick piling up inside me while water simultaneously poured into the remaining spaces. Sometimes their edges scraped and hurt. Others danced and sloshed around in the water, making me nauseous.”

“Before long I spotted the large group of intimidating gang members in a loose huddle in front of an aging house. They weren’t moving much but kept scouting out the area as though they were waiting for someone.

The frightening ink-black figures in the air above their heads, however, moved enough for them. They were even more intimidating than the actual gang members, which was remarkable because the humans had guns. But the way the dark masses moved—violent yet methodical—it all screamed of power and control. Their domineering presence would make an army commander cower in submission. They were more than agitated. More than fitfully fighting within themselves. These shadows weren’t ready to cause a fight. They were ready to kill.”

 

Halloween Party scene

“You look adorable, by the way!” I eyed Nicole appreciatively in the glimmer of Josh’s Halloween lights as we headed to Josh’s front door. The air was bitingly cold and I would have sworn there was snow on the ground if my eyes had been closed. She was wearing a short, black fringy dress with black gloves, black heels, a long, gold beaded necklace, and a black headband with a feather over her short haircut. Deep red lipstick stood out boldly from her powdered face, and her cheeks were rosy red, although that was probably more from the frigid temperature.

“Really? You like it?” Nicole was always so eager for any affirming comment about her appearance.

“Absolutely! That era flatters you. I mean, you already had the classic, short bob and everything.” I reached the door first and rang the doorbell.

“I know, right?”

As we waited in the cold, shivering, I admired the Halloween decor Josh and his parents had set up out front. Orange, green and purple lights draped over bushes and surrounded tree trunks. A graveyard sprawled over half the lawn where skeletons peeked out in front of their tombstones, clawing the earth with their bony fingers. For added visual effect, a creepy green spotlight illuminated the grim scene. A homemade, life-sized mummy with ketchup-bloodied rags had been hung from an awning and was pointing its stained, bandaged finger at us. From the driveway to the door, two flickering trails of small ghosts lit the way up the sidewalk. Cobwebs stretched out and attached themselves to outside walls, trees, bushes and the entryway, and eerie Halloween music crept out the door to the chilled air outside. No wonder his house was a hot spot for trick-or-treaters.

“Hey!” Tyler swung open the door, wearing a black zoot suit and gangster fedora hat. His fake Tommy gun was pointed directly at me. “Whoa! I better not shoot an angel. That’d be bad luck or somethin’, eh?”

 

Also, check out the creepy BOOK TRAILER here!

Avengers Enneagram Types

What is more natural than combining my two obsessions, the Enneagram and the Avengers! I’ve seen all the movies, many several times, and I’ve read a lot of blogs and articles about the characters. I’ve also looked into what type other people think our favorite characters are. I agree with some of them, and some really made me think. But others I just flat out disagreed with.

Here’s my take on their personality types and why…in no particular order. Feel free to debate with me about it in the comments! (NOTE – Some of them I specified wings and others I didn’t feel I had enough evidence to do so or that it wasn’t as important.)

THOR – 3

Thor is very charismatic; everyone loves him and is drawn to him. He cares a lot about how he appears to others (well…almost always…ahem) and is, let’s be honest, kind of vain.

He also wants to be known as the best and the strongest and proving that (competition) is important to him

Also, we can see him going to his 9 in stress in End Game as he sort of shuts down and hides out away from everything.

CAPTAIN AMERICA – 1w2

Steve Rogers is obsessed with doing things the right way and is extremely moral to a fault, especially early on when he’s more rigid and hasn’t had as much growth.

Also, in Civil War, he doesn’t want to sign the accords because he doesn’t want to lose control over making the right decision. In other words, he trusts his morals more than other people’s. And he does have flawless integrity, but, like any 1, he’ll justify breaking the rules for what he thinks is truly right, as seen when he advocated for his friend, Buckey. Speaking of which, the 2 wing is because he is definitely a champion and advocate for others like defending Buckey and leading a recovery group in End Game. As any good 1w2, he would lay his life on the line for others.

FALCON – 6

Sam Wilson is always loyal to Captain America as his faithful “sidekick.” When they’re about to go against the law and many of their friends for someone Sam barely knows, he says to Steve, “I just want to consider all of our options.” He wants Steve to be aware of what exactly they’re getting themselves into, but then he goes along with the Captain’s decision anyway.

 

Also typical of a 6, it seems like part of his job is to assess possible threats. He’s always thinking ahead.

 

IRON MAN – 8w7

Tony Stark is rebellious and combative. If someone told him he couldn’t do something because it was against the rules, he’d do it just to prove he could and that the rules don’t apply to him.

He’s impulsive and reckless with most of his decisions. He’s also pretty narcissistic, thinking he’s always right, no matter what. And when he was faced with being wrong in Civil War, he couldn’t hardly admit it and there was a fallout.  He’s sarcastic, which can be typical of an 8, and although many may call him a jerk, especially early on (which is also fairly typical of an 8, lol), we still love him. 🙂 Part of this is probably because we see him being very protective of his family and of his world and very into justice as most 8s are. He feels like if something has to be done in his realm of expertise, he should do it. He can’t “rest” until he does.

When he’s stressed, he goes to a 5 and becomes reclusive and obsessed as seen in Iron Man 3 with all of his suits and having a hard time talking to Pepper about what he’s feeling. His 7 side is because he is reckless and loves fun. He hates boring things and likes to shake things up to keep it exciting.

WAR MACHINE – 1

Rhodey is always following the rules, even if it means going against his friend. He will do what’s right in his mind, no matter the cost.

He also gets annoyed by Tony Stark’s 8-ness and how he doesn’t feel like he has to follow the rules, which bothers a lot of 1s. That and how egotistical he is. However, they make a good team, and if the 1 and 8 are both healthy, they can work really well together.

THE HULK – 9w1

Banner wants to avoid fighting and conflict or picking a side among friends/allies. He even tried to go hide away and avoid people and fighting altogether, even as the Hulk.

The 1 wing is because he wants to do the right thing, especially seen in his working as a doctor in poor countries. He’s easygoing and friendly and wants peace like a 9, but when he gets angry, look out…he’ll explode on you just like a 9 will when they’ve had enough.

HAWKEYE – 1w9

Barton is very detail-oriented and perfectionistic, as seen in everything he does but also in how he teaches his daughter archery at the beginning of End Game. The following quote is a great example of him being a perfectionist in his job. He doesn’t just want to be average; he wants to be perfect. And if he’s not, he’s hard on himself.

His righteous anger is fuel to fight the bad guys, but he also fights out of a sense of duty as he references in Age of Ultron, “I’m going back out there because it’s my job.” When things go south for him and his family, he definitely unleashes his anger and lets his emotions control him (going to 4 in stress). The 9 wing is because of how private and to himself he is and how he avoids the fight unless necessary.

BLACK WIDOW – 6w5

Natasha Romanoff may not appear like a 6 at first glance because she seems so confident, but that’s because she is one of those 6s that generally runs headlong into danger or fear instead of running from it.

However, she does have some of the doubt/fear/suspicious behavior of a typical 6, always thinking ahead about possible bad outcomes and often doubting others’ intentions. One of her teammates even calls her paranoid. Her 5 wing is because she is way more secretive and reclusive than showy and longing for fun.

Another 6 aspect of her is her loyalty. Once Hawkeye shows her mercy and befriends her, she is loyal to him forever, even into End Game when he doesn’t seem to deserve her loyalty anymore. When they fight each other in Civil War, she does the 6 thing and wants to assure things are still okay between them.

We also see her 6 come out in how she is desperately loyal to her “family,” the Avengers. She is very concerned with this support system or structure staying together and will do anything to keep it that way. She’s even the one who keeps it running in End Game so she can still be a part of this group that she has put all of her faith in. Without it, she feels like she is and has nothing.

SCARLET WITCH – 4

Wanda often feels like she can’t do things and lacks confidence and will. She also has trouble handling her emotions and not letting them overcome her (as seen especially in Age of Ultron).

She’s also mentioned a few times that she feels like people see her a certain way that’s different than how she sees herself. She doesn’t feel understood. I also think Vision’s line to her at the end that gave her the last push to kill him for the sake of the world was very fitting for a type 4 and what they would want or need to hear.

VISION – 9

Although Vision is an android, he does seem to have a personality. I peg him as a 9 because he’s definitely a peacemaker who wants to avoid fighting and conflict. Honestly, he could be such an amazing fighter and contributor to the Avengers, but he’s absent most of the time and that’s because he doesn’t like fighting. He even wants to just stay out of it all with Wanda in Infinity War.

He is also calm in the midst of chaos, easygoing, and neutral, and he is willing to sacrifice himself for others.

DR. STRANGE – 5

Dr. Strange loves to know things others don’t, which is typical of a 5, I think, and he easily masters whatever he tries, as seen when he starts his training. He loves knowledge, even useless knowledge like songs and their release dates.

He’s sarcastic and not really in touch with his emotions. He’s a practical/logical thinker and has no patience for morons. He wants everything to make sense and fit in his logical mind, and when it doesn’t, he has a hard time with it.

SPIDERMAN – 2

Peter Parker wants to be included and accepted by his superhero peers and he does his best to be useful, asking what he can do to help.

He also wants to make sure everyone is taken care of. He’s very friendly (friendly neighborhood spiderman) and always wants to help people in need. Like a 2 when stressed, he went to his 8 side and became very vengeful when his uncle died. Another thing about 2s is that they like people to appreciate what they do, which Spiderman really enjoys, and they also want people to show they care. This is seen in End Game when he finally feels the love from his mentor Tony Stark.

STAR LORD- 7w8

Quill is vain and egotistical but in the best way because he doesn’t realize it most of the time.

His ever-present childlike joy is contagious. He also comes up with these grand plans and gets excited about them like a 7 does. He is all about fun and is truly more interested in having fun than saving the day and fighting for justice, although that is a close second, which explains his 8 wing.

GAMORA – 8

Gamora is super confident and all-business. Stupid people annoy her and she’d rather just do jobs on her own. It takes her a while to open up to the idea of being on a team as she’d really rather be in control. And the thought of being vulnerable is…well, it’s just not happening.

She is the rebellious type for sure, acting like a rebel against the world at first but then rebelling against her family later. However, she also has that 8 justice side to her that wants to do the right thing.

AGENT FURY – 8

Agent Fury is hard on people and doesn’t really care or worry about others’ feelings.

But he’s also a great leader and likes to help others reach their true potential. I mean, that’s what Shield is all about. He is totally fine with being a rule-breaker too, especially if he feels he knows better, which he pretty much always does.

BLACK PANTHER – 1w9

T’Challa has a strong desire to do what is right by his people but also in his own eyes. He struggles with this balancing act as he tries to make his people happy and safe and do what he’s supposed to do as the leader of Wakanda. But once he realizes he’s in the wrong, he wants to right that wrong as seen by his words to and treatment of his cousin, Erik Killmonger, the philanthropy he begins at the end of Black Panther, and his strong resolve to change the entire culture of Wakanda.

The 9 wing is because he is much more into the big picture idealism of his country than he is about individual people. Plus, these two quotes below just scream the 1w9 idealist to me, and I would know…I’m a 1w9.

ANTMAN – 7w6

Scott Lang is optimistic and is always reframing negatives to positives. Nothing is ever really a big deal, even when it is, and he’s always trying to lighten the mood (uncomfortable with negative emotions). His face often shows that childlike joy of a 7, like when he’s wide-eyed and grinning as Thor tells his aether story in End Game, even though everyone else thinks Thor’s story is awful. He also finds ways to entertain himself and not be bored.

The 6 wing is because he is very loyal to his family, even if it means breaking rules for them. But he’s also very kind to others and worries that others may get mad at him. He even apologizes as he fights for goodness’ sake.

CAPTAIN MARVEL – 8

Carol Danvers is overflowing with confidence and would rather work alone and do the job herself. She wants to be in control and feels like only she can do what needs to be done. She doesn’t need anybody. I thought maybe she was a 1 because of this, but after consulting with a lot of other 1s, we realized she was a little too unapologetic and rough around the edges to be a 1, lol.

The Kree say she’s emotional, which makes her mad, probably because she feels emotions make her vulnerable. She also hates the idea of being controlled by others. She can come off as kind of harsh or curt and doesn’t really care how she is received, which is typical of an 8. Lastly, she easily switches her mind or alliance when she discovers what’s truly going on and wants to make things right (justice).

 

 

THANOS – 1w9

(Not an Avenger but still important) I hate to admit it because I am a 1, but he really thinks he’s doing the right thing and will stop at nothing to do it. He’s just a really unhealthy 1.

He doesn’t generally seem to get a thrill out of killing people or controlling everyone; he’s not power-hungry. However, he does show anger and frustration that nobody appreciates or understands what he’s trying to do (1s often get frustrated when others don’t share their same ideals). He shows emotion with Gamora but generally stays away from emotion and is mostly even-keel, on the surface anyway, which 1s are known for.

 

His grand plan of saving the whole universe is very 9-like, hence the wing, and when he’s done with his plan he just wants to go be peaceful by himself, secluded from everyone.

Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed digging through some of the characters of the Avengers movies with me. As I keep writing my new YA Dystopian series based on the Enneagram, you can expect to see more of these types of posts!

 

 

 

Why You Shouldn’t Tell a Teacher, “We Need More Teachers Like You”

First, let me just say to any of my friends who’ve said this to me, don’t feel bad. I know you meant well, and I appreciate the compliment. But now let me speak for teachers everywhere when I tell you why this is NOT what we want to hear.

This statement, although most likely meant as a form of encouragement and flattery, implies something: That most teachers out there are not good. So instead of uplifting us and making us feel good about ourselves and the way we do our profession, this comment reminds us that the general public thinks of teachers as being below average, or below wherever the teacher being “complimented” places his or herself on the implied scale.

And let me tell you, no matter where we put ourselves on that scale, we know for a FACT that there are TONS of teachers who are at that same level with us and even more who exceed it.

We are NOT an exception.

We are NOT a rare breed that needs to be showcased and sought after.

We are NOT the sole exemplary model for what teachers should be while all other teachers are a worthless shame to the profession.

We are NOT an exception.

We ARE the rule.

ALL TEACHERS have to deal with the same problems that range from student behavior to district requirements and expectations to curriculum issues to class sizes to a bunch of things that consume our time to an overwhelming amount of skills we’re asked to cover in an underwhelming amount of time.

We ALL have ups and downs, where one moment we feel like the best teacher ever, and the next moment, maybe even later that same day, we feel like a complete failure.

You see, we don’t need a few teachers to be praised. We need to ALL be praised. We need to be told that you see us. You see our struggles. You see our failures. And yet you are proud of us anyway.

We want to know that you appreciate not just us, but our profession. And that includes everyone in it. Because when the whole body is strong, we are strong.

So…next time you’re tempted to “encourage” a teacher by saying “We need more teachers like you,” try something like this…

“You really remind me how awesome teachers are. Thank you!”

“The work you teachers do is amazing. Thank you!”

“I appreciate you teachers so much. Thank you!”

“What you teachers go through is unreal. Yet you still do it. Thank you!”

 

 

(Note: I know that some of you may have had some bad experiences with teachers and that not every teacher is perfect. That’s true in any profession. I don’t mean this to be a blanket statement, just a general one.)

End Game Hangover (warning…spoilers!!)

WARNING: MEGA SPOILERS AHEAD!!!! This post is only meant for those who have seen End Game and are now in that strange, quantum realm state, if you will, where time has no relevance and you’re not exactly sure what to do with your life.

 

Or, reversely, it could be for those who don’t care about spoilers because they don’t really get the whole Avengers thing and why everyone is freaking out.

Let me try to explain. Superhero movies, unlike most other genres of movies, do so much more than entertain us.

First, they give us HOPE. Who doesn’t want to believe in a world where good always defeats evil (okay, except in Infinity War…), where heroes are people we can actually look up to, and where all the evil in the world is only shown through a PG-13 point of view. This is a world that offers us a ray of light in our dark world.

Second, Superhero movies INSPIRE us to be better people. These heroes have flaws, yes, but that just makes them realistic. They have so many virtuous qualities, too, and their selfless, heroic acts give us the feeling that maybe we can be real-life heroes as well.

Third, Superhero movies help us make lasting MEMORIES with our families. There aren’t very many long movie sagas that you can share and enjoy with your children. Although I’m sure there are more, only the MCU, Star Wars, Star Trek, and X-Men come to mind. And because they give us hope, inspire us, and entertain us, sharing these cinematic moments with our families makes the experience even more impactful and memorable.

Because of all of this, when that journey comes to an end, it’s almost as if our hope, inspiration, and memories are now dead, and we are left to mourn them along with the characters who died.

(***SPOILERS***) Honestly, it would have been bad enough to see some of our favorite characters die, even if it was done very well and was necessary. But the fact that we’re, in effect, also saying goodbye to other characters we may not see again makes it even more difficult. Or if we do see them again in future movies, it won’t be the same. This particular 22-movie journey is over, as was evidenced by the lack of a teaser after the credits of End Game. There was such finality to it, along with Pepper’s poignant line at the end, “You can rest now,” that it left many of us feeling like we were mourning after a real funeral. And the next day even, I know some of us felt that very real hollow and numb feeling of grief.

For me, personally, Tony Stark/Iron Man was my absolute favorite of the Marvel Avengers. One of my favorite movie characters ever, actually. He was extremely intelligent, hilarious, sarcastic, fun, relatable, realistic, and heroic. And…he kind of reminded me of my husband, lol, who actually made an Iron Man costume one year for Halloween and sort of looks like Tony Stark. 🙂

But my personal connection aside, we all have journeyed with Iron Man through 11 years and 9 movies seen countless times each. Tony Stark started the whole MCU and has just become a part of life for so many of us. We know he’s not real but HIS CHARACTER BECAME A VERY REAL PART OF THE IMAGINARY PART OF OUR LIVES. Tony Stark/Iron Man was a representation of American hope and heroism. And now he’s gone. As his journey ends, so does ours.

So, for those who don’t understand, just know that we’re not just mourning a character. We are mourning a part of our lives that will never be the same.