My last post was a bit of a downer so tonight I’m focusing on sources of joy from my Thursday. Even though I’m exhausted & don’t feel good, I was productive with my work tasks. I got some reading & note-taking done for the book review I’m currently working on. Pssst, I’ll let you in on what I’m reading: “Gilded” by Marissa Meyer. ❄️ I placed an order for an exciting, TikTok-approved YouTube video. I watched Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman which is one of my comfort shows; obviously I love it for the strong female lead & beautiful Colorado mountain views. 😉 My parents treated my brother & I to Sonic ice cream, which I can never say no to; if anyone’s curious, I got an M&Ms blast. 🍦 I listened to some throwback Disney songs while doing a Lucy Wyndham-Read arm workout; I’m on day 3 of the 7-day challenge, & I finally managed the whole thing without stopping for a break. FEEL THE BURN! 🔥 Last but certainly not least,I purchased the brand new Neopets Faerie AOP T-Shirt from Cakeworthy. I wear their all-over-print shirts every single day so you can imagine how extensive my collection is. When I saw a teaser for their Neopets collection, I IMMEDIATELY marked my calendar. If you need me, I’ll be looking out the window, impatiently waiting for my package. 🧚♂️
When life gives you lemon after lemon after lemon, it’s nice to set aside time to make lemonade. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the bad & forgot about all the good that’s right there. Writing all this down was very therapeutic so I thank you for indulging me. 💕 I’ll try & do these casual updates more often, especially after good days like today. I hope you had a great Thursday too. Good Night! 🌙
Birds of Prey came out this past February, but I unfortunately didn’t make it to a theater, the reason having nothing to do with the movie or reviews. I was very excited to see it, but honestly the harsh criticism leading up to the release was a major bummer. I understand that DC fans are disappointed with a large portion of our cinematic universe, but that doesn’t excuse negative reviews of something that hasn’t even come out yet. Sadly, people did not show up like they did for previous DC films. I don’t want to feed the idea that it struggled because it’s a female-centric film but can’t help doubting the motives now that I’ve seen it for myself. The filming and music and costumes and cast were all fantastic. Color me confused because I have no idea why it came and went without the support I expect from the DC Comics community. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t a total flop. It doubled its budget & received mostly positive reviews. However, its box office gross ranks last in three different categories compared to the seven other DCEU movies that have come out since 2013. I think the lack of success can be interpreted in a couple different ways, but I’d like to confront the elephant in the room. One of the biggest complaints had to do with the feminism and politics people picked up on in the trailers. I want to make one thing clear: YOU NEED TO GIVE THINGS A CHANCE BEFORE YOU PASS JUDGEMENT! I had concerns about the movie too but still gave it a fair chance. Turns out I love it, & there was never anything to be worried about. Now’s your chance to make amends & show it some love. Watch it on HBO Max, buy the DVD/Blu-Ray, stream the music, purchase the soundtrack, follow the cast, & spread the word. All I ask is that you give Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn a chance. 💋
For once, I completed my reading goal with time to spare & exceeded it by two. I set my goal at 55 and completed 57 books. Yay! 🎉 Now for the semi-disappointing news: I didn’t complete the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge. I could beat myself up, but reading is supposed to be fun, not a competition. Not all of the 2018 challenges matched up with what I wanted to read last year, and that is okay.
*Note: The definition of “ethnicity” is different depending on who you ask so I relied solely on where an author was born. I didn’t include British authors because of my own family’s roots, but perhaps that was just overthinking on my part.
Hello readers! Today’s post is going to be short and sweet. I didn’t grow up with pets therefore I am not used to the care and love ownership requires. However, I love animals, and it breaks my heart anytime I see stories about abuse or pets people didn’t want because of how they look. I came across an animated short film today on social media thanks to Youtuber Leigh Ann (LeighAnnSays). It is so cute and yet so powerful. For your viewing pleasure, here it is:
Source: https://vimeo.com/152985022
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• Film: The Present
• Writers: Fabio Cavalcanti & Jacob Frey
• Director: Jacob Frey
• Starring: Samantha Brown & Quinn Nealy
• For More Information: http://www.jacobfrey.de/thepresent/
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Hopefully I am not the only person whose life has revolved around the Saturday Night Live marathon on VH1 Classic for the past three weeks. The mega marathon is leading up to the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special airing tomorrow night at 8/7 central on NBC. Because my mind is consumed with all things SNL, that is what we are discussing tonight.
Favorite Era: The 90s & 2000s
Favorite Host: Justin Timberlake
Favorite Cast Member(s): Amy Poehler, Ana Gasteyer, Andy Samberg, Bill Hader, Bobby Moynihan, Cheri Oteri, Chris Farley, Jason Sudeikis, Jimmy Fallon, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Molly Shannon, Nasim Pedrad, Rachel Dratch, Taran Killam, and Will Ferrell.
Favorite Impression(s): Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton, Andy Samberg as Nicolas Cage, Justin Timberlake as Jimmy Fallon, Kate McKinnon as Ellen DeGeneres, Jane Lynch, & Penelope Cruz, Maya Rudolph as Beyonce & Donatella Versace, Nasim Pedrad as Arianna Huffington, Taran Killam as Christoph Waltz, Brad Pitt, Eminem, & Michael Cera, Tina Fey as Sarah Palin, and Will Ferrell as George W. Bush & Robert Goulet.
Favorite Character(s): Bobby Moynihan as Drunk Uncle, Cheri Oteri as Rita DelVecchio, Chris Farley as Matt Foley, Dana Carvey as Church Lady, Jason Sudeikis as The Devil, Kristen Wiig as Target Lady, and Mike Myers as Linda Richman.
Favorite Sketch(es): “Chippendales”, “Get Off the Shed”, “Homelessville”, and “More Cowbell.”
Favorite Sketch Series: “Bronx Beat”, “Celebrity Jeopardy”, “Delicious Dish”, “Get in the Cage With Nicolas Cage”, “The Californians”, “The Culps”, “The Lovers”, “Two A-Holes”, and “Wake up Wakefield.”
Feel free to comment with your favorites. Have a great Sunday & don’t forget to clear your schedules for 7 pm, NBC. “LIVE FROM NEW YORK, IT’S SATURDAY NIGHT!!!”
Lauren Michele ❤️ 