This is a bit of a mouthful so please be patient with me. I’ve been inactive in all creative aspects of my life so don’t feel like I abandoned this blog for something else. I have been in not just a creative slump but also what I would call a life slump. We are nearing the end of a decade, & I feel like I’m going through a personal crisis, questioning my purpose in life & what I’m meant to be doing. At the end of the day, I am an artist at heart so none of this will be going away anytime soon. Writing keeps me sane, especially at times like this. That brings me to the next part of this saga.
A little less than two weeks ago, my dad drove himself to the emergency room. Three days later, he had open heart surgery. The next day he woke up with amnesia; it isn’t an extreme case but serious enough to require slow, detailed sentences & repetition. One week later he was able to come home, still showing signs of memory loss. To say my family is emotionally drained & physically exhausted is an understatement, but we are walking hand in hand through this journey & taking it one day at a time. Every day he shows signs of improvement, & I cling to those glimmers of hope because the lowest moments have brought me to my knees sobbing in prayer. Perhaps that’s where God wants me to be more often. I am so grateful for the overwhelming amount of prayers & outpouring of love. I know my dad is the best so I’m glad other people think so too. 😉 Onto the last part of this update!
I know this is a change of tone, but hear me out before you roll your eyes. Disney & reviews.orgare offering $1,000 in exchange for watching 30 Disney movies in 30 days on their new streaming service Disney+. First of all, this would be a bright spot in my life after a sad ending to the month of October. Second, I am a Disney fanatic & binge-watcher extraordinaire, the perfect candidate for this “dream job.” Third, that money would be an amazing gift to me & my family. This is where I need Y O U R help so pay close attention. The application process includes social media following & a video reviewing my favorite Disney movie. The video is not on Youtube yet, but you can start clicking on each of my links & following me. What are you waiting for?? GO GO GO!!
If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading everything I had to say. I appreciate everyone who has supported this blog. It means the world to me. 🌍 I promise it won’t be long before I’m back with a new post. Keep an eye out! 👁
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My clumsiness is no secret, but I have outdone myself. If you’re even the least bit squeamish, LEAVE NOW JUST IN CASE!!
1. On Friday September 15th while folding clothes at work, I looked down and realized my arm was scratched and bleeding; I still have no idea when or where it happened.
2. On Saturday September 16th while carrying a heavy sign at work, I stubbed my toe. It hurt momentarily, but I didn’t think anything of it. When I put the sign down, I realized my toe was bleeding… A LOT. Thankfully it wasn’t as bad as it seemed; my toenail was only partially split, and the bruise caused very little discomfort.
3. Fast forward to Thursday September 21st. I was preparing my usual breakfast: coffee & a blueberry bagel with lactose free cream cheese. The cream cheese was brand new so I slid my finger around the container to loosen the lid. What you think happened did happen and required immediate medical attention. Nothing a quick patch up couldn’t fix! I went back to preparing my bagel and found myself uttering these words: “Dang it! I got cream cheese on my band-aid.”
4. I can’t remember the exact date, but I know that sometime that same week I tripped going up the stairs and scraped my leg in two places. I can’t even remember the last time this happened to me so it was bound to happen sooner or later. The bruises are still visible.
One, two, three, FOUR accidents in one week. That is quite possibly a record! The embarrassment is long gone so feel free to laugh at my expense. If you don’t want to laugh at me (I appreciate your loyalty), laugh at this girl. ⬇️
I can’t apologize enough for my absence. To make up for lost time, I’m going to be blogging through Hanukkah. I will call it “Blogukkah.” Genius! I have a good excuse for not blogging this week. I worked myself into the ground and got the flu. I had the worst day of work possible Tuesday, and it went from bad to worse once I got home. I spent both my days off resting and reenergizing for my last two shifts before Christmas. I hope you follow my art blog and Youtube channel because I’ve been active on both those platforms all month long. I’m not sure why I haven’t been posting as often for Blogmas this year. I think it has a lot to do with my retail job. I’ve felt like such a grinch and haven’t done anything outside of working. No spirit and no fun means no good material for your reading pleasure. I do have something to share with you tonight so let’s jump right in. I watched Frozen for the first time. I’ll let that sink in for a moment.
Have you composed yourself? Alrighty then! I’ve heard a lot of different perspectives. People loved the movie. People liked the movie. People hated the movie, some only because of the ridiculous amount of attention and hype. I didn’t want my first viewing experience to be ruined by someone else’s opinion so I waited and waited and waited until the right time. I’m glad I did because I was pleasantly surprised. I knew the music would be good, but other than that I had no expectations. I ended up liking it much more than I thought I would. The animation is beautiful, and the characters are charming. Idina Menzel’s voice is beautiful as always, but Kristen Bell’s voice stunned me. WOW! I love the end (SPOILER) when Kristoff is available to save Anna with an act of true love, but she ends up being saved by sisterly love. That is a refreshing twist. It’s adorable how Kristoff’s gruff exterior is slowly melted by Anna’s quirks. I could watch an entire movie with him, Sven, & Olaf. Those three crack me up! I highly recommend this film if you love Disney, but wait until your mind is clear from the bombardment of other opinions.
I heard about the library of fragrance during Vlogmas last year from youtuber Zoella. The idea of buying scent versions of fragrances both conventional and out-of-the-box intrigued me. I bought seven Christmas scents to test.
Close your eyes and imagine lying down on the couch admiring the lights and ornaments on your family’s Christmas tree. The woodsy smell of evergreen hitting your nose is exactly what the Fragrance Library has reproduced. If you need Christmas in your life year round, this scent is the perfect match for you.
I love eggnog so I was hoping to like this fragrance. I expected it to smell like eggnog, but it smells more like vanilla with subtle spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc). The scent is pleasant, but it isn’t what I was expecting or wanting.
This fragrance is everything I expected and more. If you aren’t a huge fan of gingerbread, I would still recommend you try this scent. The soft ginger smell is distinct without being too strong.
I don’t drink cider, but I know what it smells like. This fragrance is spot on. If you sprayed it into the air and closed your eyes, you would swear you were holding a piping hot mug of apples and spices. I don’t usually like apple scents, but this one isn’t half bad. I don’t hate it!
This scent messes with my mind. When I first took a sniff, it smelled fresh and clean, nothing too distinct. When I closed my eyes and took several more deep breaths, I could smell snow. Snow doesn’t even have a strong scent so I don’t know how this was pulled off. This isn’t my favorite scent, but it definitely grabbed my attention and made me think.
This scent is so hard to describe because I don’t have any reference to compare it to. It definitely smells of fresh ground spices. There is a warmth to the scent that reminds me of what I feel when I look at an orange jewel. Look at the picture below. That is what Frankincense smells like. I know it’s weird, but that’s my impression of this fragrance.
I thought this fragrance would be hard to describe considering the difficulty I had with frankincense. Au contraire! Myrrh does smell of spices, but it’s much more of a distinct masculine scent.
This company is worth looking into. The scents are well made and true to their names for the most part. I also appreciate the variety of sizes available. I was able to get what I needed in sample sizes and save money. I can’t wait to buy more fragrances!
There is a time and a place for everything. I am the first person to speak up if I think political topics are being discussed through an inappropriate medium. Certain subjects are too much for kids to process at a young, immature age. Zootopia deals with bullying and prejudice, two issues relevant to to this day and age. Brava to the cast and crew because the subject matter is palatable for kids and poignant for adults. The concept will keep kids’ attention while the story plants questions and leaves a lasting impression. Why can’t bunnies be cops? Why can’t foxes be trusted? Do all predators have to be isolated because they are carnivorous by nature? Prey and predators have been living together peacefully in the city of Zootopia for decades, but cases of predators reverting back to wild behavior create panic and tension. The citizens start looking for the worst in each other rather than considering that evil intentions are at play. This movie had me hooked from start to finish. I highly recommend it both as entertainment and a teaching opportunity.
Happy faces?? I think not!! I am sure I’m not the only one who hates crowds, especially around Christmastime. I love shopping, but holiday crowds are in a league of their own. I want to share the tips I have learned from my experiences in hopes that your stress level will decrease and your holiday spirit increase. Let us proceed with the merriment!
1. It is never too early to start Christmas shopping. Sometimes the best deals show up after Christmas. Why not get a head start? The only thing you will have to worry about is a good hiding spot. ;)
2. Make a budget. Know what you have to spend and shop accordingly. Keep track of your money every step of the way. Before shopping, I make a list of anticipated prices; I round up each price (e.g. $15.35 would be $16) and add fifteen dollars for tax and shipping. Always overestimate and expect the unexpected. Bonus: It feels good to finish shopping and have money left over.
3. Have your loved ones write down what they need/want. A list will eliminate guesswork which takes precious time away from shopping and other holiday tasks.
4. Adding to #3, make a list of what gift(s) you are getting for each person. This way, you only have to spend time finding the best deal for specific items instead of wandering the internet with no light at the end of the tunnel.
5. Do not be afraid of the interweb! The internet is your best friend if you want to avoid crowds. Also, you get to shop in pajamas and sip hot chocolate from the comfort of your home. Nothing wrong with that!
6. If you are concerned that an online store is sketchy, use a website like scamadviser.com or consumeraffairs.com. You can also type the name of the business and the term “legitimate” into your web browser’s search engine for results containing reviews.
7. If you are worried about online shopping costing more due to shipping, fear not! You will be pleasantly surprised at how many online stores offer low shipping prices or free shipping, especially during the holiday season.
8. The websites I visit first are Amazon and eBay. Those are two good places to start if you want to dig and find good deals.
9. My main tips for handling an eBay auction are as follows: Be online for at least the last five minutes of the auction, continuously refresh the page, wait until the last few seconds to bid, and bid at least one dollar above the price (e.g. if the price is $30, bid $31). This isn’t a surefire way to win, but you will have a better chance of avoiding being outbid and winning. And yes, I have won an auction with this plan.
10. The Google Shopping tab is a good tool to use for finding the lowest prices for products.
11. If you find coupon codes, use them! I know this sounds like an obvious tip, but I am 100% certain there are people who have made purchases without realizing that there was a great coupon code available. Not all coupon codes are valid so some trial and error may be involved, but it is worth it. At least try! One way to get coupon codes is to make a free account with the website you are shopping on; most online stores send a discount to new members. Another way is typing the name of the store and the term “coupon code” into your web browser’s search engine. The first few results are usually the most reliable (e.g. RetailMeNot or Groupon).
12. Adding to #11, coupon codes and discounts are great, but make sure you do some math before checking out. Discounted products could allude to higher tax and shipping cost. Full price is not always the enemy.
13. Another good way to compare prices is “checking out.” Basically, I start to check out on two or more websites with the same item but only go to a certain point. I do this in an attempt to find out the exact tax and shipping costs and calculate the cheapest total.
14. I know there is a rush that comes with shopping for loved ones during Christmastime, but be patient. If you rush, you might miss out on some great deals and/or accidentally go over budget. Do not give in to impatience and accept the first price you see for the sake of feeding your excitement.
15. On the flip side, if you find a ridiculous deal and your gut says act fast, do it. Certain deals come once and only once. Experience is the best tool for gauging if a deal is good or not. That’s right! The more you shop, the more you know. ;)
16. When in doubt, remember why you are shopping. You want to put a smile on the faces of your loved ones and show them how much you care. That is all the motivation you need to complete your mission shoppers.
My 2015 budget was $266, and I had three people to shop for. I bought my first two presents and felt pretty good about where my budget was at. Then, a shopper’s worst nightmare came true for me: I realized that I had accounted for $40 I did not have. DUN DUN DUUUN!!! That number may seem insignificant, but when your piggy bank is a source of income and a budget your lifeline, $40 is a make or break amount. I had a complete meltdown: tears, screaming, the works. After my less than stellar adult moment, I regained composure, put on my thinking cap, and did some more research. Currently I have all but one gift purchased and am well under budget. A Christmas miracle in November!! Once I purchase my last gift, I will have spent $194 total for six gifts, received $80 for outside contribution, and be $152 under budget. Keep in mind that the six gifts I bought for three people could easily be six gifts for six people. I hope this gives you a visual of how the 16 tips listed above are effective, especially when money is tight. Also, they are functional year-round. Happy shopping!
Lauren Michele ❤️ 