rebekah writes stuff.

Author: raadamswriting

  • Let’s have a Q & Hey!

    Let’s have a Q & Hey!

    Hey blogsters! Bloggeroonskiis – it’s April! I thought I would answer a few questions. I haven’t done something like this before, so let’s get into it!!

    Image by Storyset on Freepik

    Why did I start a blog?

    I started blogging for a bunch of reasons: I wanted to practice writing, I wanted people to read my writing and I wanted to be more confident (especially posting my writing!). I definitely struggled getting posts out when I first started and perfectionism really blocked my flow. I worried a lot about what people would think of my writing. Plus, physically setting up a blog seemed so daunting! I’m glad I just decided to give it a go. It took a few tries on different platforms, and now I’m pretty happy with my WordPress blog.

    Interestingly, the less I worried about what people might think and whether my writing was perfect or not, the better the words flowed. I’ve realised that the more I blog about stuff I enjoy, and because it brings me joy, the easier it is to press publish!

    What’s my favourite blog post so far?

    I think my favourite blog post is the thing with spicy food. It was genuinely a lot of fun to write and such a funny concept. I’m not great with spicy food – a mild curry is about my limit – and it made me think lol this could be a fun and relatable post to write about. Everyone has an opinion on spice, you know? They either love it or hate it!

    How’s your creative writing journey going?

    Yeeeeeah, it’s fair to say I haven’t even looked at my novel drafts in well over six months. It’s hard when you’re busy! I spent a while working on my novels and they say it’s good to take a break and come back with fresh eyes – and I will! Besides, blogging is fun and a good way to keep the writing muscle ripped.

    I would definitely like to talk more about my writing and any tips I’ve learnt along the way and hear about your guys’ writing journeys too!! Are you an aspiring novelist like me? Do you want to be traditionally published or self published? Or are you already published?? Let me know!

    What advice would I give to new bloggers?

    Just wing it! As a new blogger myself, I’m still getting my head around it! It can definitely seem quite daunting. I think it’s helpful to remember why you wanted to start a blog in the first place: i.e to write about whatever it is you are passionate about or that you enjoy or think is interesting! Pizza, movies, cooking, whatever! I write about pretty much anything I think is interesting because I enjoy it!

    Don’t get too bogged down about views and statistics. It’s easy to look at some blogs and accounts and compare. Remember, you’re just starting out! Sometimes I feel disheartened when I don’t get many views on a post or followers on instagram – but so long as my stuff is out there and I’m writing, I honestly don’t really care too much! It’s a win when I publish a post! And when I do get a like or a new subscriber or a follower, it always makes my day. I appreciate my little community!! Shout out to you who is reading this! 🙂 So yeah, as a relatively new blogger, just focus on actually writing and getting your stuff out there and the little wins along the way.

    Thinking face cartoon on Freepik

    You got this!! Hope you enjoyed this lil Q&Hey!

    rebekah writes stuff. is on insta! @rebekah_writes_stuff

  • Looking for a disaster movie to watch tonight? I’ve got you covered.

    Looking for a disaster movie to watch tonight? I’ve got you covered.

    Hi new subscribers! Welcome back to everyone already subscribed! And hello new readers – welcome to the blog 🙂

    Who doesn’t love a good disaster movie? Now, I know there are some bomb alien and zombie movies, but let’s stick to natural disasters today. These are my top picks!

    Are you in the mood for shifting crust, a GIANT wave and secret government shenanigans? Then 2012 is for you.

    I don’t care what people (and rotten tomatoes) have to say. This movie is hugely underrated. Sure, it’s a bit long but it’s pretty epic and never fails to give me goosebumps. Plus we all thought that 2012 was the year the world was going to end, remember?

    The movie is centred on Jackson and his family, but there’s a whole host of characters all over the world – scientists, government officials, you name it. If you want to strap in for an epic-holy-sh*t-thrill-ride with volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, famous landmarks collapsing – the visual effects though, can we talk about the budget 200 million USD!! – then get the popcorn and strap in for 2012. Also it’s the same guy who directed Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow soooo I’ll just leave that there.

    Are you looking for peak cinema and a modern day ice age? Then The Day After Tomorrow is for you.

    This movie cannot be topped. It’s not your classic natural disaster where there is fire and destruction. Nope, it’s a different kind of enemy. It’s the cold.

    The Day After Tomorrow made its mark as a top tier disaster film starring baby Jake Gyllenhaal. Climate change AND an ice age?? It’s unconventional, epic and it mostly centres on a group of teens on a school trip, as well as other scientists, and their survival. This movie rules. 4 words for you – eye of the storm. That’s all I’m going to say.

    Are you looking for a giant volcanic eruption movie with Terminator lady and James Bond? Then Dante’s Peak is for you.

    Dante’s Peak looks over a small American town. This movie breaks down the volcanic eruption, from the lead up to the aftermath. I believe it was inspired by the Mt. St. Helen’s eruption in 1980 that happened in Southwest Washington USA. This trailer is from 1997 – it doesn’t do the movie justice at all. Dante’s Peak is a banger disaster film. If you want to know more about volcanic eruptions, then Dante’s Peak is the one to choose.

    Are you looking for a MASSIVE tornado meteorologist adventure? Then Twister is for you

    Fun fact, I actually wanted to be a storm-chaser when I was a kid after watching this movie haha.

    For this rag-tag group of meteorologists and scientists, storm chasing is just part of their 9-5. However, testing out new tornado alert technology is not without its risks. Set in Tornado Alley (USA), Jo and Bill, who are on the verge of finalising their divorce, team up to trial Jo’s new tech. As the wind and tornadoes get bigger, so too does the drama. Again, another classic 90’s natural disaster movie. Give it some love!

    Now, which one do I watch?? What are your top natural disaster movies? What do you think of my choices?

    rebekah_writes_stuff is on insta! Follow to stay updated 🙂

  • Things in life you (probably) take for granted everyday

    Things in life you (probably) take for granted everyday

    Before I was even born, humans had created some of the most important, life changing inventions, from the car (1886), the lightbulb (1879), penicillin (1928), to the internet (1983), the polio vaccine (1955) and, dare I say it, plastic (1907). Yup, these are just some of the many clever ideas which have changed our world.

    But what about the inventions that are overlooked and less in your face? I can guarantee there’s at least one or two you take for granted everyday – I know I do!

    Roads

    We don’t have to dig out the spades when we head out to the supermarket (get it, dig out?). You don’t have to cut your way through bramble and bush. You don’t even have to think twice when you’re pulling out of your driveway and heading to work. All that back breaking work has literally been done for you. Sure, potholes suck and rain is becoming a bit more of an issue with climate change, BUT you must admit that roads are incredible. Next time you go for a drive or you get stuck in traffic, be grateful that someone in Mesopotamia 6,000 years ago decided to lay down a path – and that the trend caught on.

    A road in a modern city by evening_tao on freepik

    The indoor toilet

    Need I say more?? Did you know that Thomas Crapper wasn’t actually the first person to invent the flush toilet? As disappointing as it is, Sir John Harrington actually beat him to it in the 16th century. Despite this, most toilets weren’t inside. Roughly 100 years ago, most UK houses didn’t have an indoor toilet. Indoor plumbing is pretty recent and still not the status quo across the world. Think about it. You don’t have to brave the elements for a midnight pee. You don’t need to put on shoes or light a lamp and look for rats outside. Indoor toilets are the sh*t.

    An outside toilet (1978-1979), Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museum

    Toothpaste

    9 out of 10 dentists will agree that toothpaste is pretty awesome. I shudder to think about how bad everyone’s breath would stink and just how many of us would lose teeth and need surgery. A breath mint will only get you so far.

    Oral hygiene has an interesting history. Most cultures had their own toothpaste remedies, but it didn’t come out of a tube. The Ancient Egyptians, for example, mixed oxen hooves, pumice, myrrh, egg shells and just a splash of water. That did the trick. People of Ancient Greece, Rome, China, India – different variations of toothpaste existed long before modern toothpaste. Doesn’t say people’s teeth were in a good state though. Did you know Tudor Queen Elizabeth brushed her teeth with honey? She hardly had any teeth in the end. Mr Peabody and Colgate, I owe you one.

    Sunglasses

    Sunglasses didn’t actually do what they said on the tin for many years. Sure, they were fashionable and protected people’s eyes from Michael Bay-esque lens flares, but apart from that, they had no sun protection whatsoever. It wasn’t until the 1930s that protection from UV rays was integrated into the design of sunglasses. Edwin. H. Land invented polarised lenses in the late 1930s and Ray Ban’s Aviator sunglasses became renowned for their utility and style during World War II. Where would my sensitive blue eyes be on those hazy, cloudy days without my sunglasses?

    The Barcode

    Imagine carting your big shop up to the checkout. The checkout lady stares at the heaped trolley and gives a sigh as you start loading your stuff onto the checkout belt. She picks up a box of cereal and manually types in the number on the back. She does the same thing for the chicken breasts, the chocolate, the washing powder, the pasta sauce. This monotonous routine continues and, by the time she’s reached the bottom of the trolley, the chicken’s gone off.

    Yup, those little black lines are a godsend. The barcode revolutionised shopping and stock take forever. Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver invented the very first barcode in 1952. However, the barcode was ahead of its time and when technology finally caught up, the barcode was integrated into supermarket software. The first barcode scanned at a checkout was a packet of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit in Ohio, 1974. The rest is history!

    Aren’t you just bursting with gratitude? There’s definitely more I could write about!! What other inventions would make your list? Let me know below! 🙂

    Are you following @rebekah_writes_stuff on instagram?

  • Dragons now – what would it be like?

    Dragons now – what would it be like?

    There’s a reason dragons exist in your fantasy storybooks and myths of yore. They were enormous, there was tonnes of space and nobody had invented the bazooka yet. Yup, dragons just don’t fit in with the 21st century because everybody has a phone, spacious green pastures are few-and-far-between and the army have a lot more than bazookas now at their disposal.

    However, if we suspend our disbelief for just a few seconds … what would it be like if dragons did live alongside humans in the 21st century? In our bustling metropolises, rural villages and our fast food restaurants. Towering over our houses and hopping around night markets. Here are my predictions:

    1. Dragons would make incredibly popular (if not terrible) pets.

    Not all dragons are the same. Think of them like scaly dogs. Where some are tall and broad, others are small and handbag size. You know for a fact that there would be a market for lap-size dragons and ones you can fit in your purse. Instagram would go off. Would dragons take in the footsteps of dogs? Most likely – but forget fur and feathers. Dragons are not only hypoallergenic, but they don’t shed and they can fly. Instead of going for a daily morning walk, you’d be off for your daily swoop. Yup, pet dragons would protect livestock, jump for a frisbee and sit up and watch TV with you, all in exchange for a large, meaty treat.

    2. There would be fire. Lots and lots of fire.

    There is then, of course, the other side that comes with trying to co-exist with dragons. Sure, some will sit on your lap and put your fire on for you, but some will eat you. News headlines would be filled with constant reminders of how lethal dragons can be. Firestorm engulfs The Amazon as state of emergency continues. Ice dragon continues to freeze New York in what is being known as its longest winter blast in history. Dragons are eating the African elephant to extinction. You get the gist.

    Some dragons will destroy your newly built village a week after it is finished. Some will definitely attack aeroplanes and boats, and some will simply stand on you because they’re too big to remember where their feet are. How does one navigate driving down the motorway if they decide to go for a walk? Forget settling down. We’d constantly be running, relocating and rebuilding. Face it, there is no upside from a dragon having an off day. Just have your go-bag ready and invest in the fire department – if they haven’t already burnt it down.

    3. Dragon eggs would be sold on the black market for millions.

    Dragon eggs would be a hot commodity and one that people would pay a ridiculous amount of money for. Similar to the endangered/exotic animal trade, I imagine dragons and their eggs would be stolen and sold around the world. Why? For their power, rarity and popularity.

    4. Dragons would be weaponised.

    Forget dogfights. Wars in the skies would be fought with enormous, toothy beasts with humans at the reigns. Dragons would be utilised as protection for high ranking government officials and countries. They’d be trained to fight in the airforce and the army. They would receive medals and have their photos taken, like the police with their K-9 squad. Whether they’d replace tanks and fighter jets (or simply eat them all) remains to be seen.

    Some dragons, like Smaug, had a hide so tough it couldn’t be pierced by an ordinary weapon. It’s fair to say with how much DNA research is advancing, and the popularity of the Jurassic Park movies, making super dragons with impenetrable skin and multiple breaths, would only take pushing a few extra buttons.

    The idea of a dragon being used (and feared) for its strength definitely feels more fantastical, more medieval. Like the stories we are used to seeing. Nations attacking one another with their own dragons … this would absolutely happen.

    The world loves dragons

    Dragons have a firm place in history, mythology, culture and fiction. Humans are fascinated by their strength, power and personality, so much so, that dragons continue to be present in pop culture. Whether or not they’d co-exist with humans is another story. Happy year of the dragon everyone!

    What do you think of my predictions? Also, tell me who’s your favourite dragon? Are you year of the dragon?? I’d love to know in the comments below!!

    *I don’t own the images btw!

  • What actually happens in Encanto?

    What actually happens in Encanto?

    I watched Encanto a couple of years ago. There was a lot of hype and as a fellow Disney stan, of course I was going to watch it. The experience, however, left me feeling, for lack of a better word, confused. Waiting a year or so, surely it would’ve made more sense the second time when I rewatched it, right? Wrong.

    Strong start

    Before the title sequence, we are told about Abuela (Mirabel’s grandma) and how in fleeing from her home and losing Abuelo Pedro (Mirabel’s grandfather) to invaders, an ordinary candle became magical and created a refuge for all those displaced. The Encanto. The miracle, as it is referred, includes a magical house called casita and tall surrounding mountains. The magic candle also provides powerful gifts. Abuela’s children and her children’s children have all gone on to receive gifts. Well… about that…

    Our protagonist is Mirabel and we discover that at her ceremony, she didn’t get a gift. We’ve only just started and at this point, I’m hooked. Why didn’t she get a gift? What does this mean??

    A few years later, we can see how Mirabel’s lack of ’giftness’ changes how she is treated. As much as she tries to be part of family life, Mirabel is pushed away, especially by her Abuela. But why? People who are married into the family don’t have gifts, plus there’s a whole village down the road full of people with no gifts either!

    On this particular day in the film, it’s Antonio’s gift ceremony. He’s worried he won’t get a gift and will end up like Mirabel, but nooo. Instead, the miracle provides and Antonio receives the super amazing gift of being able to talk to animals. Poor Mirabel. What is the deal??

    Plot is thinning

    After Mirabel is blatantly left out of a family photo (like??!!), cracks appear in the casita. And, of course they disappear when she calls everyone for help.

    Something is clearly wrong with the magic. The next day, she asks Luisa (her older sister with super-strength) if she noticed anything at the ceremony. Luisa says she felt weak. Then there’s something to do with a vision and Bruno’s (her uncle’s) tower.

    In the abandoned tower, Mirabel finds Bruno’s vision and after We Don’t Talk About Bruno, she finds out that she is the reason the magic is wobbling… but we sort of already knew that, didn’t we? Dolores (her cousin) then blabs to everyone about Bruno’s vision and a proposal dinner is ruined and then Mirabel is blamed for trying to ruin the family yet again. So … now what?

    Plot is liquid consistency

    Mirabel follows some rats and finds her estranged uncle Bruno living in the walls of the casita. Now, we really need to talk about Bruno. He has been living in isolation for years inside the kitchen walls. He even has his own plate drawn on the table oh my god. This family sucks.

    Mirabel is still determined to save the miracle – still not quite sure what this means – and she asks Bruno to look at the vision again. When they do, the vision reveals the solution is … to hug her sister Isabela. Really? Is this just Frozen all over again? So, wait, the solution to the cracks in the casita, the weakness in the magic, is for Mirabel to apologise and hug Isabela? What?

    Plot has evaporated

    Where are we now?? Oh yeah. Isabela and Mirabel patch things up but the miracle isn’t saved. Abuela and Mirabel have another argument and the casita collapses and the candle peaces out. The mountains encasing them split open and Mirabel ups and leaves. Godspeed, Mirabel. Go and find people who actually love and care for you. Here, I’ll help you pack.

    Her Abuela follows her. She talks about the tragedy of losing Abuelo Pedro all those years ago and how she was so worried about the miracle leaving. I mean fair enough, it’s very dark and intense what Abuela and Abuelo endured … but then Mirabel just hugs her and all is forgiven? After all that?? So wait, was the solution that she was meant to hug her Abuela?

    Then they build the casita again and everyone gets their powers back and wait, was the candle the grandad? But how can they have their powers if the candle is burnt out?? Speaking of forgiveness, Bruno just forgives Abuela after years of neglect and isolation. Again, how??

    I’m lost

    Encanto is, visually, a beautiful film. It’s colourful and the animation is seamless, plus there’s a jaguar (winning!). Its messages are also solid… sort of. It’s true, you don’t need to be perfect. Encanto tells us that you’re more than your gifts. That you’re special just as you are, even though Mirabel was treated as an outcast for a majority of her life.

    Plot-wise, the story is long winded and littered with plot-holes. Did the magic specifically not give Mirabel a gift so that she would cause conflict? Then why give Antonio a gift? *Sigh* Mirabel deserved so much better. What caused the magic to wane? The fact Mirabel was being excluded? I can’t help but feel like she’s trapped in the Encanto and would fare much better out of it. There was a wonderful opportunity for the story to have shown why Mirabel wasn’t given a gift and perhaps taken us on a different journey. Instead, the main storyline is muddled in the lives of other characters.

    So, what do you all think? Do you feel the same or differently? Can you answer any of my plot questions?? Let me know your thoughts on Encanto!

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