About Falon Ballard

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Adventures in Gardening: Part One

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Guys, I’ve found a new hobby. Baking my way through the apocalypse has become sweaty work now that it’s mid summer and I just can’t make myself want to turn on the oven. So I’ve turned to a new hobby, equally sweaty but outside and not around food so I’m going with it: gardening. This new hobby (which for me means lowkey obsession) mostly stems from the main character in the book I’m currently working on, who is a gardener and a florist. I started doing some research and all of the sudden, I wanted to get dirty. So I ordered some seeds and some soil and here we are. We recently had a lot of work done in our backyard and we currently have two plant beds just empty and waiting for us to fill them, so really this is coming along at the perfect time. Of course, it’s July and I probably shouldn’t be planting anything, but I’m banking on the California sunshine to help see me through. I’ll continue to give you updates as I attempt to figure this all out, but here’s the first part of my adventure!

If you had asked me a couple of weeks ago, my solution to planting flowers would have been to throw some seeds in the ground and hose them down occasionally, but turns out, you gotta do some major prep work first! So once my first set of seeds arrived (dahlias and zinnias), I gathered the rest of my supplies and got to work. I dug up these ice cream cups from somewhere in the depths of my cupboards (sometimes it pays to never throw anything away), ordered some potting soil, and grabbed one of my many measuring cups.

Using my measuring cup, I scooped some of the potting soil into the cups, mostly filling them, leaving just a smidge of room at the top. After filling them, I watered the soil a bit, making sure it was damp but not too wet (I had to add some more soil with a couple of them). Then I placed five seeds in each cup, planting them about a half an inch under the soil, according to the direction on their packets.

Once the cups were all planted with their sweet baby seeds, I placed them on the window sills in my kitchen, where it gets warm, but not super hot. There’s direct sunlight, but not for all hours of the day. After a tip from Instagram, I covered them with some plastic wrap to try to create a greenhouse-ish effect.Now supposedly, I’ll be seeing some sprouts within a couple of weeks, but honestly, I have no idea how this little project is going to turn out. There’s a good chance I will screw it up along the way and end up with nothing *shrugs*. But hopefully these bad boys will give me something and I can transfer them outside to their new homes. If you have any gardening tips for me, please let me know as I need all the help I can get!


Last Month in Quarantine: June 2020

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Isn’t it so cool that after quarantining for four months, being out of work, distance learning with my kid, and basically shutting down my entire life, we have to start the whole process over again because some people are selfish assholes? Yeah, fun times. If we had an ounce of common sense or I don’t know, intelligent leadership, we could be slowly getting back to normal life right now, but we’re not. We’re still in lockdown, and we’re going to be for the foreseeable future. Wear a goddamn mask and stop going to bars. All that to say, as we face down yet another month of quarantine, I’m not super stoked about the idea of looking back at last month’s quarantine. But such is life, and hopefully as I go through these little moments, I’ll find something to make me smile.

I’m definitely more active on Twitter than Instagram these days, and every once in awhile, I like to share a tweet, just because my follower audience is vastly different on both platforms. Pretty sure all my Twitter followers know where I stand, but my Instagram used to be only Disney so I imagine some don’t really know. Side note: I’ve lost a lot of IG followers over the past couple months. *shrug*

Any time I have an excuse to buy an RBG themed product, and a pink lip gloss nonetheless, I’m taking it.

Noticing a theme to my posts for June? I didn’t post often because it just seemed like nothing I could post could truly convey my thoughts and feelings on the trash fire world we are living in right now, but this one really resonated with me.

Talking to Squirt about racism hasn’t been easy. Not because he’s not open-minded or not willing to engage, but because he’s six and his mind goes in a million different directions during every conversation we have about anything. Books have really helped us figure out how to approach the topic with him and these are some of his favorites.

I’m just gonna SJW all up in this post. Not only do Black Lives Matter, but we also need to start taking care of our planet! You can read about my experience with CleanCult here and see how I’m changing up how I clean in order to cut down on plastic waste.

Welp. Can’t say there is much here that gives me happy squishy feelings inside, but the past six weeks or so have been eye-opening. I do have a lot of hope that things are starting to move in the right direction. I’ve had some great conversations over the past few weeks. I’ve also blocked some toxicity from my life (that’s okay too). I’m personally still working to continue to educate myself and do better every day, and hopefully you are too.

Also, stay home!

Monthly Recap: June 2020

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It’s hard to believe it’s time for another monthly recap because time has lost all meaning. What are days? Are months still even a thing? Honestly, it’s all blending into one mindless, numb fugue these days. But according to the calendar, June has indeed passed which means it’s time for another round up. So here we go.

On the goals front: I literally just had to look back at my list because I could not for the life of me remember what my goals for June were. But hey, good news! I met all of them! Granted, not making any crazy goals during quarantine because quarantine, but I met them nonetheless and I will take any victory I can get these days, no matter the size.

On the reading front: I read nineteen whole ass books in the month of June, which is not too shabby. I also probably bought at least that many in order to #BlackOutBestSellerList so I have just as much reading to do this month, if not more. If you’re interested in reading reviews and seeing my monthly book highlights, make sure you check out Coffee Books Wine Repeat. I also reviewed White Fragility and So You Wanna Talk About Race here, and will continue to post reviews here of my anti-racist readings.

On the writing front: My writing goal for June was to finish the first draft of my fantasy romance, and I totes nailed it. Said first draft is now in the hands of my agent and beta readers so they can give me some feedback and I can go back and make revisions. No idea what’s going to happen with that one since it’s out of my wheel house, but it was a lot of fun to write. I also found a plot bunny for a new contemporary romance during the month of June, so in addition to finishing my manuscript, I was also brainstorming and fleshing out that idea, which I’m writing now. I’m happy to say that overall, quarantine hasn’t hurt my ability to sit down and write, which I am uber grateful for.

On the movie front: June was about two things: movies by Black filmmakers and terrible Netflix dance movies. I compiled a list of films you can stream now by Black filmmakers. I also reviewed the cinematic masterpieces Feel the Beat and High Strung Free Dance. Bad dance movies, why can’t I quit you?

On the self care front: LOL. Again. Honestly, June was a brutal month in terms of my mental health. It was not great. It felt pretty shitty like a lot of the time. But I’m thankful for Matt, who always gives me a breather when I need one. And even though Squirt is sometimes a pain in the ass during these long days at home, he’s really handling things well, all things considered. It could certainly be worse. I’m definitely making time to read and write, and I ordered a bunch of gardening supplies which will be my July self care project so I feel like things are on an upswing.

Peace out June! Hello July! Stay home and wear a mask!

Monday Movie Review: Hamilton on Disney Plus

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Guuuuuuuyyyyyyys. Cue the actual sobbing tears. Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock, you probably heard/saw/were inundated by social media posts about the release of Hamilton on Disney+ this weekend. I’ve never made my love for Hamilton a secret. I saw the Original Broadway Cast perform in New York and the experience was nothing short of magical. I saw it again when it came to LA. I know all the words. I am 100% a Hamilton fangirl. So when I heard it was coming to Disney+ I started a countdown. I’ve already watched it three times and I can only imagine I will watch it many, many more over the days/months/years to come. This post isn’t so much a review, but just some of the highlights from my first few viewings and why this production, being filmed in this manner is such a gift.

First, the production value here is fantastic. I love that is was clear you are watching a play, but with the added benefit of being able to zoom in on individual characters. You get the wide shots of big moments, and the close ups for small moments, and honestly, it’s incredible to see. I also liked that there was an audience, but it was an audience who wasn’t intrusive. You could hear the laughter and applause, but it never detracted from the show. Honestly one of my greatest wishes now that we have this is that every show will film like this because it’s wonderful to have these performances captured.

I have always loved Jonathan Groff as King George (hell, I’ve always loved Jonathan Groff). Matt and I were talking about him when we watched Hamilton together and I was like I just don’t understand why any singer of his caliber would ever do anything other than Broadway. And Matt was like I don’t know, Mindhunter is great and it’s cool to switch it up. Then we watched George’s first song and Matt turns to me and goes, “You’re right. Why would anyone who can do that choose to do something else?” It’s amazing what the man does with ten minutes of stage time. *chef’s kiss*

One of my favorite parts of watching the filmed version was getting to see close ups of the cast. Even when you’re in the front row of a production (which I never am because I want to be able to see the whole stage), it’s tough to really see the emotions the actors are portraying. Obviously I knew all these guys were talented actors, but I was blown away by some of these moments. Lin’s face during Quiet Uptown is gut-wrenching. Even having seen the show live before, that was something I missed and I loved being able to see those tiny moments.

Can we talk about the choreography for a minute please? I will be rewatching some of these numbers over and over and over because it is so brilliant and nuanced. The littlest movements, the wiggle of a finger or a roll of a hip have so much meaning. I feel like the choreo gets overlooked sometimes because everything else is so big, but this is a show with basically zero dialogue. Almost the entire show is choreographed. It’s huge and it’s brilliantly done and I know I will be finding new moments to love every time I watch.

And speaking of new moments and little details, I’ve already started finding cool new things to geek out over. Like how in Wait for It (Burr’s song in Act One) he’s extremely contained and compact. He mostly stands center stage and keeps his movement limited. Whereas in Room Where it Happens (Burr’s song in Act Two), we get to see the switch flip. This is the moment when Burr’s character changes, and the difference in movement is breathtaking. In Room, he just explodes with energy, the dancing is fierce and intense, and Burr is all over the stage. It’s a masterclass in character development in just two songs. Brilliant.

I always loved the women in this show (obviously), and “include women in the sequel” has always been my favorite line. But seeing these ladies up close has given me a whole new level of appreciation for their performances. Not only do they kill it on the vocals, but the acting is off the charts. And I also forgot how much they are onstage. If you watch, even the numbers they don’t have solos in, they are usually on the upper level, still singing and performing and kicking ass. Gah. So good.

Guys, I could literally write a book about this production. How incredible it was to see live, how inspiring it is, how much I love it. And now I have this piece of art that I can access anytime I want and I can absorb and study even more of its brilliance. It’s honestly just such a gift, and in these really dark and shitty times, I needed this burst of light.

Book Review: White Fragility and So You Wanna Talk About Race

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This post contains affiliate links.

Alright friends, as I mentioned in my The Least We Can Do post, there are a couple of bare minimum actions we white people should be taking as racism in America is at the forefront of the conversation. I recommended a bunch of books, all of which I purchased myself, all of which I will be reading. I’ll be reviewing each of them as I make my way through, sharing the most helpful bits. But please still take the time to push yourself and your own learning. This is just the beginning.

White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

This book is probably best for someone who is just starting their learning when it comes to racism in America. Written by a white woman, this is aimed at those who still think white privilege isn’t a thing. Those who think racism was solved in 1965. Those who argue systemic racism is a myth. Those who get defensive when told something they said or did is racist. Which is a lot of people. What I think is effective about White Fragility is the way it breaks down some of the common myths and explains things in a way that white people can hopefully wrap their heads around. DiAngelo gives some basic differences between the terms prejudice, discrimination, and racism that I think are really important (and misunderstood by most people). My biggest takeaway was the need to get rid of the notion that if you say someone said or did something racist, you’re calling them a bad person. In our minds, racists equal members of the KKK. And yes, they are racist (duh). But so is every other white person raised in America. Our system has been designed this way, and it takes a lot of work to unpack that ingrained racism that has been pushed into your brain since birth. And it’s okay to say that you are working to become less racist. We have to get comfortable admitting we have a racism problem because if we can’t admit we have a problem, how can we ever solve it (rhetorical question because you can’t). I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I have said and done a lot of racist things in the past. Things I know have caused harm. I still have racist thoughts pop into my head. It sucks, and I need to do better. If you’re still coming to terms with this notion, White Fragility is probably a good place to start.

So You Wanna Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

In general, I found this book more informative and more helpful, partly just because I found Oluo’s writing style easier to read. While this book also goes through some of the basics, it goes more in depth than White Fragility. What I liked about it were some of the specific examples the book gave about things like microaggressions (things I can almost 100% assure you you have said/done), checking your privilege, cultural appropriation, affirmative action, and the school to prison pipeline. These were all concepts I was familiar with on a surface level, but So You Wanna Talk About Race really lays it out there as to what each thing is, why it’s a problem, and ways you can start to fix it. I also found the chapter on intersectionality super informative. I felt like I walked away from that chapter with a firm grasp on a topic that seems to get twisted, especially as it relates to feminism. My biggest takeaway from So You Wanna Talk About Race was the actionable things I can do to push myself past just talking. I’m getting more comfortable talking about race, but the ultimate goal is to do the work to dismantle systemic racism, and that is obviously going to require more than just words. I found Oluo’s suggestions about actions to take to be really helpful. All of them were manageable and things I am going to work on incorporating into my action plan.

While I found both of these books to be full of good information, if you’re only going to read one, I would recommend So You Wanna Talk About Race, mostly because it pushed me and challenged me more than White Fragility, and I felt like I took away tangible ideas after reading.

If you have questions about either book, please feel free to reach out!


Quarantine Habits I Hope to Keep

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Look y’all. I’m not going to come in here and pretend like I’ve been #LivingMyBestLife during quarantine. LOL. Definitely not the case. But as we’ve adapted to life during quarantine, a couple of new habits have formed that I’m actually kind of into and would like to make stick around once this whole thing is over. Someday. In the very distant future because for some reason wearing a mask is impossible for some of you. But that’s a whole other story. So yeah, while there are some quarantine habits I will need to kick (looking at you, staying up til 3:00 am), these are the ones I’d like to keep:

Eating dinner as a family or with my husband: There are A LOT of times during our hectic and random everyday schedules when family dinners are just not a thing. We still tend to not eat at the same time Squirt does, but lately we’ve all been sitting together during his dinner time, and then Matt and I eat together after he goes to bed. It’s nice to have that touchstone moment at the end of our day when the two of us talk and connect and actually have adult conversation. This is a habit that tends to fall by the wayside when we both get busy, but I’d like to make a more concerted effort to keep it up during our post quarantine life.

Writing every single day: I know for some quarantine has been a creative drainer, but for me, it has been the opposite. I feel like I NEED to write every day in order to stay sane and my writing productivity has been super high. I finished the first draft of a new book in two months, which is significantly faster than my normal pace. I don’t know that I will always be able to keep that up, but I’m going to try!

Calling up friends just to chat: I think I’ve talked with a lot of my friends more during quarantine than I have in a long time! I live an hour and a half to two hours away from the majority of my friends, and even further from one of my besties, so it’s hard to see each other for a casual hang out. But now that we’re all trapped at home, it’s easy to jump on a call or a Zoom and catch up, and it’s been nice to reconnect.

Spending way less money: In a lot of ways, it feels like we’re hemorrhaging cash because we’re spending more on groceries and alcohol than we normally would. But on the other side of it, we’re not going out to eat or grab a beer. We’re not going to the movies or to Disneyland or to any of the places I would normally go and drop anywhere from $20-$50 on an average excursion. We’re also being more mindful of spending since we’re both unemployed, and that obviously sucks, but I would like to keep up our saving habits when we come out on the other side. (Note: I am still spending a small fortune on books and that will never change and I make no apologies for my book buying habits, I’m keeping the publishing industry alive!)

Have you developed any helpful new habits during quarantine? Let me know!

Monday Movie Review: High Strung Free Dance

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Guys. Netflix has been blessing us with all of the bad dance movies and I am here. for. it. I knew Free Dance existed since I’d already discovered the majesty of High Strung, but when I watched High Strung the first time, Free Dance wasn’t streaming yet. So imagine my utter delight when I discovered it on Netflix this weekend. I clicked that shit so fast.

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