You know how the Diffys, a family from the 22nd century, use instamorph for disguises?? Today we have social media filters that change our faces. We’re still making our way through the 21st century. Mind blowing! 🤯
4pm – Blogging + Pixel Perfect 💻
In this movie you will spot Raviv Ullman, a familiar face from Phil of the Future, & Tania Gunadi from Go Figure. Also, another awesome soundtrack! 😭💕
This movie stars Aly Michalka, another familiar face from Phil of the Future. She is joined by her sister AJ. Aly Michalka. AJ Michalka. Aly and AJ Michalka. Aly & AJ. YES, THAT ALY & AJ!! 🎤
Final thoughts for the day: I was supposed to end the day with a hot bath & Now You See It, another movie starring Aly Michalka. Unfortunately I got distracted with work, & now it’s 1am. I’m off to bed so I can wake up & head straight for Disney+. Tomorrow this marathon hits the one week mark. Hopefully you’re enjoying my blog posts every day! If you’re not, don’t tell me. 😉
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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It has been a rough few days in my household. After my cheerful blog post on Tuesday, things went downhill. My mom got really sick & went to Urgent Care which turned into an emergency room visit. She used to be a nurse so sickness rarely affects her unbelievable threshold for discomfort & illness. I knew the pain was serious when she sought treatment from a doctor. Approximately fourteen hours later, all tests had come back negative, and my very tired parents were back home. I was worried sick about what the illness might be, but nothing major appears to be wrong. My mom is strong & healthy, and I have no doubt she’s going to make a speedy recovery. I swear she is a living, breathing superwoman. The day she got sick, she bought groceries & dinner despite the pain. After everything was unloaded from the car, she said the following to me: “Here’s the food. Please fill this container with dish soap. I’m going to Urgent Care. I’ll be back.” If you think that sounds nonchalant, you are correct. She might as well have said “I’m going to the nail salon. I’ll be back.” I want to be her when I grow up! 💪🏻
In the midst of being concerned for my mom, I received a distressing email early Wednesday morning from YouTube. According to their new standards, I am no longer eligible for their YouTube Partner Program. This means I lose out on making money from my videos as well as helpful features such as creating my own thumbnails & scheduling upload times. I wouldn’t still be a YouTuber if money was my main motivation, but what little I do make helps me to continue creating content. It is so motivating to watch my monthly income increase month by month thanks to increased viewership & support. Right now the news feels like a punch to the gut, but I refuse to let this stop me. I am here to stay for as long as I feel inspired to make videos. If you want to support my channel, thank you from the bottom of my heart! <3
The cherry on top of this emotionally draining week is a bit more humorous. Thanks to the amount of clothing I have jammed into my teeny tiny closet, the right pole flange (look it up) broke. I had to remove one of my hanging shelf organizers on the other side of the closet, no easy task when you’re angry & tired, and make space for some of the clothes about to fall to the floor. Just what I needed to cheer me up! 🙄
Last night I stayed up late reading. In my mind I knew I should be a responsible adult & go to bed, but my heart told me to take advantage. It’s been awhile since I devoured a book so I resisted sleep for as long as I could, specifically until 1:30am. Goodbye reading slump! For those that are curious, I’m currently reading Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco. It is the sequel to Stalking Jack the Ripper, and I am loving it so far. Speaking of books, my family visited Barnes & Noble Sunday night. I always know how depressed I will be looking at all the books I can’t afford, but I go anyway. My parents were kind enough to buy me a new book. THANK YOU!!!!! I chose Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero, a novel I’ve been dying to read for months. I am a HUGE Scooby-Doo fan so I hope this mystery gang-inspired story lives up to my expectations. In regard to my Tuesday agenda, I am currently blogging on my typewriter while watching my favorite Almanzo & Laura episodes of Little House on the Prairie. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day. Happy Tuesday! :)
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Today is November 5th a.k.a. the date of my birth. In honor of this special day, I want to tell you a story. There has been a lot of discussion in recent years about doing more to combat prejudice. During my family’s recent vacation, I witnessed a moment that touched my heart in an unexpected way. My dad, brother, and I wasted no time in checking out the pool once we arrived at our hotel. Right before we left, a trio of teenage girls walked by, each appearing to be of a different ethnic background. There was also an older couple, possibly in their fifties, sitting near the gate. I mention age and race for a reason so stay with me. The girls saw the couple and immediately lit up, saying hello and sitting down to talk; they even took some selfies together. I watched long enough to deduce that these five people were acquaintances because of the hotel. Age didn’t matter. Race didn’t matter. They were able to find things in common and establish a relationship. It is easy to get caught up in the news and feel weighed down by the negative all the time. I want this story to be a reminder of the good in this world as well as a beacon of hope. Please hold on to the positive, no matter how small, because it does exist. ❤️
This story begins at midnight on August 28th. I was the last person awake in my household and decided that reading a crime novel would be a great stimulant for sweet dreams. I happened to glance up and see something on the wall. I immediately knew it was a bug and what looked like a moth. Even though I know that they’re harmless, they still make me anxious. While deciding how the heck I was going to dispose of him without disturbing my sleeping family, I didn’t dare move or breathe. In a heart-stopping moment, the moth flew to a new spot on the same wall. Simultaneously I dove off the couch and ran down the stairs, making a beeline (get it?!) for the bug spray & fly swatter. Armed with weaponry, I slowly made my way upstairs. The moth had now moved even lower down the wall, low enough for me to see him up close. Even though I was scared out of my mind, I inched closer until I was halfway behind a wall but still about a foot away from my foe. I thought my fear couldn’t possibly get worse, but then I saw it. This was no ordinary moth. It was the Moth From Hell a.k.a. Mothra. I had never seen a moth with a head like this, if it was actually a moth. It had wings like a moth but a big head that appeared to be red, although I cannot defend the accuracy of what I saw since I had been reading a crime novel. The only thing I can compare it to is the round, red nose of a fighter plane; I’m not even joking. I couldn’t swat him because my brother was sleeping right behind the wall and had to be up early for work. I knew I had to risk it and use the spray even though Mothra could potentially fly into my face. I’m sure it’s not hard for you to believe that it took me several moments to summon up the courage. Thank God he didn’t move!! I finally pulled up my big girl pants and inwardly commanded myself to JUST DO IT. I assumed the proper stance for quick reaction, said a quick but heartfelt prayer, and sprayed Mothra with the vengeance of Godzilla. Of course he moved so I naturally ran and hid. Big mistake!! When I inched back around the wall, he was G-O-N-E. I thought his movement had been downward due to the lethal spray, but I wasn’t quite ready to search just in case he still had enough life left to fly at me. It was now 1am, and I was panicking. Unfortunately my mom saw the lamplight and decided to see who was still up. She was now part of my late night soap opera episode. We spent the next fifteen to twenty minutes searching the entire house for Mothra. We never found his body. Also, my fear became too much for me, and I cried. I don’t mean pitiful tears; I mean my body was shaking and water was leaking out of my eyes like the California drought was at stake. I calmed down a little bit, but nerves still ruined my night. I shut my bedroom door, which I never do, and after a few more hours of reading because I didn’t want to shut my eyes, I tentatively turned off my light. I had a difficult time falling asleep and woke up several times but did eventually get some rest. It still upsets me that Mothra disappeared. I know what I saw was real, but that’s hard to explain when you’re the only one awake and you’ve been reading a crime novel which amps up imagination. If Mothra reveals himself again, dead or alive, I will add an update. Hopefully tonight is uneventful because I am exhausted. 😭
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I recently reread the first three books of The Baby-Sitters Club series, and the nostalgia was overwhelming. I remember being inspired back in the day to make my own “kid kit” and be the best babysitter EVER. I’ve been blessed to care for children of all ages, and I like to think that I made some kind of positive impact on their lives. This is starting to sound heartwarming so let me put on the brakes because this is not about the good times. Be honest; you’re here to laugh at my expense. 😂 This is a more accurate description of what you’re about to read:
Just to be clear, I am a responsible babysitter, and nothing dangerous has ever happened in my care. The tales I’m about to reveal weren’t directly my fault, just a handful of humorous and unfortunate events.
– Board Game Gone Wrong –
The brother & sister I was babysitting suggested we play chutes and ladders, and I eagerly agreed because I thought it would be fun to relive my childhood. I have to be honest and tell you that I got beat fair and square. I didn’t come in first place nor did I come in second; I was dead last. This particular board game is meant for kids, and even though I had no intention of beating my young companions, I didn’t think I would be so terrible. We hadn’t been playing long before the sister turned to me and said with a straight face: “You’re really bad at this game.” There is nothing quite as humiliating as an insult from someone who is less than half your age. I haven’t played that game since.
– Late Night TV –
This particular situation was mostly my fault, but have no fear because it had nothing to do with my young charges. For an extended period of time, I had a steady babysitting job with a family who lived in my neighborhood. One night while sitting at their house, I decided to watch some television after the kids were sound asleep; of course I had the parents’ permission. It was late at night, and there was a thunderstorm brewing. Of all the things I could have watched, I settled on a crime show. That was my first mistake. I eventually decided TV was a bad idea, and picked up the book I brought with me which just so happened to be a mystery. That was my second mistake. My third and final mistake was leaving only one lamp on. I’m not sure why, but I never turned on the room light to make myself feel safer. It was a tense few hours. I didn’t know nighttime could be so noisy! I can’t even tell you how many times I checked the doors and windows to make sure they were locked ( once I built up the courage to do so ). When the parents arrived through the garage, I naturally thought they were murderers until they stepped into the house and greeted me by name. That was the last time I ever watched a crime show or read a mystery while babysitting.
– I Cry Fowl –
I will ease you into the fourth and final story with the typical babysitting story of a bird in the garage. It happened while I was outside with the “chutes and ladders siblings” for some fresh air and playing time. While taking a brief break from the sun, a curious bird joined us. He was harmless, but I couldn’t help panicking. The brother’s personality was unpredictable, and I pictured him opening the door and accidentally letting our new winged friend inside the house. Of course I had to cage (get it?!) my fear so the kids wouldn’t panic and do what I just described. I spoke softly and encouraged them to stay still so the bird wouldn’t feel threatened. He explored a little more and flew away, never to bother us again. Crisis avoided! I swear the animal kingdom is out to get me.
– Dino and the Popsicles –
I realize that the title sounds like a cool band name, but the following events are anything but cool. Literally! I was once again babysitting my neighbors, but this time it was during the day. The parents provided popsicles and told me the kids could play outside. Simple enough, right? WRONG!! When the time came, the siblings grabbed their cold, refreshing popsicles, and we ventured outdoors into the unbearable heat & humidity. After some quality playing time with their dog Dino, the sister informed me that she had to use the restroom. I thought nothing of it until she went to turn the doorknob, and nothing happened. I thought the door was stuck because that is normal in Texas, and I gave it a try. Nothing happened, and my heart started to sink into my stomach. I took some deep breaths and reminded myself that I had to stay calm because I was in charge of two kids and one dog. I made my way to the front of the house to try the garage door; I brought along the sister because she was old enough to stay calm and help me with the code to open the door from the outside. I managed to get the garage door open, but the door to the house was locked, and we had no luck finding the spare key. Trust me, I searched high and low. I had told the brother stay in the backyard with the dog; thankfully the garage wasn’t far from the gate so the sister and I pulled double duty keeping a close eye on them. Unfortunately that didn’t work. The little boy gave in to his curiosity and opened the gate before we could reach him. That wasn’t my main concern. Remember who he was with!! I spent the next 10-15 minutes running up and down the street yelling “DINO!!” No, this is not an unaired episode of The Flintstones. I desperately tried to shepherd him into the gate held open by the sister while simultaneously keeping my eye on the brother because, as you already know, he was very unpredictable (typical at his age). He tried to help by joining in with his small but mighty voice, but really it was just more noise and extra stress. Finally I got that darn dog into the backyard and locked all of us in. I had a mischievous dog and two sweaty, sticky kids in my care, and I felt helpless. I hated to pull them away from something important, but I had to inform the parents of our predicament since I had tried every other way to get back inside. Thankfully I had my phone on me so I called and left a calm, collected message. I spent the next hour or so keeping the kids distracted on the trampoline until their parents came to our rescue. I profusely apologized and fully expected to never work for them again. The parents shocked me by apologizing about their faulty lock, which they forgot to tell me about before leaving, and applauded my ability to stay calm in a stressful situation. I did indeed work for them again, and thankfully the preceding story was the worst experience I ever had, both with them and with babysitting period. It was a tough experience to go through, but I learned a lot.
I feel like a bear who hibernated through the spookiest month of the year and awakened just in time for the holiday season. I am currently watching Christmas movies on Hallmark whilst enjoying open windows & a cool Autumn breeze. Allow me to elaborate on where I’ve been. I had a cold for two weeks in September; when it went away, I thought my illness quota for the year was fulfilled. WRONG!! A little over one week later, the flu took me by the throat and refused to let go for a few weeks. A lingering cough wrecked my throat and made it really hard to talk. Of course that has no effect on a blogger, but it sure does put a damper on Youtube productivity. I still have a little bit of a cough, which is annoying beyond verbal description, but I am healthier and more energized than I was last month. I have a few more updates for you so keep on reading.
• I turned twenty-three on November 5th. Physically, I don’t look my age thanks to Baby Face Syndrome, but I am right on track mentally; I spend most of my time stressing about adult decisions and responsibilities. Growing up is awesome! 😭 In all seriousness, I had a fantastic birthday. I watched Christmas movies in the morning, ate Greek food with my family in the afternoon, visited Barnes & Noble in the evening (I may or may not have walked out with 2 books), & watched Impractical Jokers with my brother before bed. Not a bad day! 😊
• Allow me to introduce you to my new obsession: zoo live cams! For people who can’t afford frequent trips to the zoo, live videos of eight different animals are available on the San Diego Zoo website. Go ahead! Give in to your curiosity and take a peek! Hint: They are more active during the day, tigers excluded.
• I’m almost done with the 2016 Reading Challenge. I only have two more categories to complete. I will be posting a detailed update soon; in the meantime you can follow my Pinterest board and see all the books I’ve been reading.
I also joined the reading challenge on Goodreads by pledging to read at least 45 books before the end of the year. Find me using this link to see what books I have read:
• I reached 100 subscribers on Youtube!! From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has supported me thus far. I can’t wait to see what else the future holds. If you aren’t already subscribed, follow the link & hit the red button to become a member of my Youtube family and receive notifications every time I upload videos.
My channel is lifestyle just like this blog so I’m positive you will enjoy the content. Subscriptions are free and only require a Google account, Gmail included. I would really appreciate your support! Blogging brings me so much fulfillment as a writer, and Youtube is the whipped cream on top of a creativity sundae. 😄
• Fear not fellow Christmas enthusiasts! Artmas & Blogmas are already on my radar and officially in production. Due to my retail job, I might be a little more absent than usual this year, but I will be posting come hell or high water. Sit back, relax, & take a trip down memory lane to mentally prepare.
With sadness, I bid farewell to the 2016 Olympics. I have been filled with pride and joy watching my teams compete these past two weeks. Yes, I said teams. Of course USA is my number one, but I also support the countries that make up my heritage. After all, they are underdogs compared to team USA. No harm done! Let’s take a look at the medal count:
🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆🏆 🏆🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆
• Team USA 🇺🇸 | 121 Medals | 46 G – 37 S – 38 B
• Team Great Britain 🇬🇧 | 67 Medals | 27 G – 23 S – 17 B
• Team Spain 🇪🇸 | 17 Medals | 7 G – 4 S – 6 B
• Team Israel 🇮🇱 | 2 Medals | 2 B
• Team Ireland 🇮🇪 | 2 Medals | 2 S
🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆🏆 🏆🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆
What were your favorite moments in Rio?? I have so many I could mention, but I will try to narrow it down. I felt like a proud mother watching Michael Phelps have one last successful Olympic games after the rough few years he’s had (maybe he’ll be back!). The USA women’s gymnastics team kicked butt and made me feel more patriotic than I have ever felt in my entire life. Shout-out to Michael Phelps (5G, 1S), Katie Ledecky (4G, 1S), and Simone Biles (4G, 1B)!! According to Google, they are the top medalists for 2016. Team USA made me proud all around, but it felt good to dominate artistic gymnastics and swimming. After a rough start, I am so proud of Spain for getting the bronze in men’s basketball. Also, a silver in women’s basketball. Top 3 in the world. Not too shabby!! I watched Marc Lopez & Rafael Nadal win gold in men’s doubles. I’m pretty sure I grew gray hair during that match. The stress was real, but Lopez earned his first medal, and Rafa now has a gold medal in singles and doubles. I watched Team GB get the gold in women’s field hockey. It was a stressful but thrilling game. Well done ladies! I did not have the pleasure of watching Ireland at all, but I am nonetheless proud. Last but certainly not least, I want to express my admiration for Team Israel. My heart breaks knowing that the Israeli athletes continue to be treated like trash. However, they held their heads high, maintained composure, and walked away with two medals.
Farewell Olympics! See you in Tokyo!! 🇯🇵
🏀 🏇 🏉 🚣 ⛳ 🏊 🎾 🚴 ⚽ 🏀 🏇 🏉 🚣 ⛳ 🏊 🎾 🚴 ⚽ 🏀 🏇 🏉 🚣 ⛳ 🏊
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July 4th, the day that Americans put the flag on display and shout their pride from the rooftops in honor of freedom. Now is the perfect time to share what makes me feel patriotic. I love my country, but I’m not the most vocal about it. However, there are two things that make my blood run red, white, & blue. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I respect that. But, I can’t help feeling rage when someone born and raised outside the American borders feels the need to judge. I am American-born and American-raised. I can count the number of times I’ve left this country on one hand. I speak English with an American accent. I received education and now work as an adult here. I can criticize this country because I am a citizen and know what I’m talking about (for the most part 😉). Think of it this way. As a brother or sister, you can tease your sibling(s) to your heart’s content, but God help the outsider who feels led to do the same. Suddenly you’re on the defensive! Perhaps that paints a clearer picture of my point. Moving on. I see or hear stories about soldiers every day, but nothing compares to seeing or meeting them in the flesh. As a retail employee, I meet military personnel of all races and ages and feel an indescribable level of honor and pride to serve them. I respect the diverse group of people willing to train and fight for this country. If any soldiers, past or present, are reading this, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Lauren Michele ❤️ 