Helping Hands

Hello and Merry Christmas! I originally didn't have anything planned as far as holiday posts go other than Winter Chill, which I hope you enjoyed, but I've been wanting to do a post like this for months. I figured what better time to ask people to do something nice than Christmas? This year has arguably been a terrible year for most people, but what always emerged from the terrible situations I saw was a sense of humanity and unity in the face of uncertainty and devastation. The holidays aren't fun for everyone and some people have a really tough time with this final part of the year and I wanted to do my part in trying to contribute to something worthwhile, so I made this post.

I didn't want to focus on the traditional holiday stuff with gift guides and the like this year and other than a couple of DIY For Cheaper posts based off of gifts I made, there isn't going to be much talk about the holidays. I wanted to post something a bit more meaningful than the usual holiday fluff. So I put together a small list of fundraisers for some of the tragedies that happened this year and include some helpful resources to a few causes that I support. I know I left a lot of things off the list so if there are any you feel I should have included, please link them to me in the comments. If you can help monetarily, that'd be great. If you'd prefer to sign a few petitions, that's awesome too. If you can only share this post in hopes that someone else will be able to help, I'd love that as well. I'd also like to keep this up so that if you're unable to help now but would like to at a later date, you can refer back to this post.

Before I get to the charities though, let me first advise that you do your homework before giving your money or resources to a charity. The big ones I've heard that rob people or don't distribute their funds properly aren't on this list nor will they be if I can help it, but there are tons of smaller charity funds that end up stealing from people. Unfortunately, unless the charity makes a big mistake or wrongs enough people to go viral, they'll likely slip through the cracks and people won't find out until its too late. I don't want to recommend somewhere to you that ends up taking everyone for a ride. I got most of these lists from known organizations and websites that do thorough investigations before recommending charities so as of now, the ones on this list have the green light. I still recommend checking before making a donation just to make sure everything's still legit. ProPublica has a pretty good list of guidelines to follow if you'd like to donate to a charity and I recommend reading it if this is your first time donating.


1. Hurricane Irma recovery efforts in Puerto Rico

I got this list from AJC and there are a few charities on the list that I didn't include here, but here are a few:

-United for Puerto Rico
-Save the Children
-ConPRmetidos


If you'd like to find other YouCaring or GoFundMe accounts to help individual families or regions, you can start by searching the tags #PuertoRico, #MariaPR, or #PrayforPuertoRico on Twitter and see what you find. Again, don't forget to do your due diligence before donating anything.

2. Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts in Houston

GHCF Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund
Feeding Texas Hurricane Harvey Relief Effort
Houston Humane Society

3. Hurricane Maria/Irma recovery efforts in the islands

I know I didn't include all of the islands that were hit, but these seemed to be the ones hit the hardest and/or mentioned the least now that the immediate firestorm has died down.

Anguilla--Anguilla Relief Fund--Hurricane Irma, Anguilla Hurricane Relief Fund

Barbuda--Barbuda Recovery Conservation Trust Fund, Official Barbuda Relief Fund, Barbudan Relief, Cleaning and Rebuilding Effort Mass Post

British Virgin Islands--Hurricane Irma BVI Relief, Virgin BVI Community Support Donation Appeal

Dominica--Dominica Hurricane Maria Relief Fund, Dominica Relief, official list from Dominica on all supplies needed

US Virgin Islands--21 US Virgin Island Relief Fund

4. Mexico earthquake survivors

Vox put up a list of many of the places you can go donate to those affected by this year's hurricanes and earthquakes and I didn't include all of them so that you'd check out the source I got them from, but here are a few:

International Disaster Relief Fund
GlobalGiving Mexico Earthquake Relief Fund
UNICEF Mexico
Oxfam Relief Fund for Earthquake in Mexico

5. California wildfire survivors

Fundly has an awesome post on all the ways you can help the survivors of the wildfires in California. Many options are for California residents who want to help others, but I'm going to include some donation links for different fundraisers I found. The ABC7 affiliate in California has a bunch of links as well on how you can take action and help out. Many of these are also for other Californians, but there are quite a few things that those who live outside of the state can do.

Fundly California Fire Relief Fund
Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund
Sonoma County Resilience Fund
Help 40 Families Get Back on Their Feet


6. Suicide prevention + hotline volunteering

The holidays can be a rough time for those who've lost others to suicide, those who are going through something or those who don't have anyone around. If you have your own experience dealing with or overcoming suicidal thoughts, you'd be a great person to help those still fighting.  HealthyPlace has an article up on how to go about becoming a suicide hotline volunteer, and another on how to help a suicidal person. I've battled suicidal thoughts a number of times throughout my life, almost constantly during extreme depressive episodes, and attempted it twice. That's not a badge of honor or a list of accolades, that's just me saying I understand. If you're in need of help, here are a few hotlines and websites you can contact. Please don't be ashamed to ask for help. I've had to call a suicide hotline myself and the volunteer I got was patient, kind and more than generous with her time. She was there for me when I desperately needed it and gave me enough strength to keep pushing. If you see someone struggling, reach out.

PRS CrisisLink
IMAlive
National Suicide Prevention Hotline
Network for Good Suicide Prevention
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention


7. LGBTQIA+ teens and hotline volunteering

Much like the holidays are rough for those going through something, having a bad time with family or don't have others around, they can also be tough for LGBT teens, especially those who don't have a supportive family or aren't yet out. I wanted to include some resources on the off chance someone needing an ear stumbles across this blog and wants to find someone who understands them and won't judge. For allies, this would be a good time to do a little volunteering; a young adult in the process of coming to terms with themselves and learning to live in their truth can be extremely difficult and they shouldn't have to go through all of that alone.

The Trevor Project
Helpful Resources for LGBT+ Youth and Supporters
LGBT National Youth Talkline
HealthyPlace LGBT Help and Support Groups


8. Planned Parenthood

I wanted to include this organization because it's been a large target of the defunding efforts introduced by the current presidential administration. It's a gateway into the larger issues, healthcare and women's health as a whole, but this is a post for help, not to get overly political. Planned Parenthood has helped so many women over the years, myself included, with family planning and birth control, pregnancy tests, safe options for abortions (which I know is a sticky subject) and helped prevent a larger amount of STDs by openly advocating for safe sex. As a teen, the fact that Planned Parenthood had a jar of condoms at their front desk for anyone was funny, but I took advantage of being able to get condoms, no questions asked, a number of times. As an adult, however, I can fully appreciate the lack of judgment I received, the options I was given at both PP and the local teen health clinic--which was kind of like the younger sibling to PP--and the employees' dedication to my health. The organization does a lot of good, and I'd love to do what I can, even if it's just sharing a link on a site barely anyone reads LOL, to keep the word out about Planned Parenthood.

Donation Landing Page


9. Las Vegas terrorist attack fundraisers

There are only two links here, but one of them is to the landing page of the GoFundMe accounts started by families of the victims, both those who were injured and the burial costs of those who died, so you can donate to whichever you'd like. Some have completed their fundraisers while others are still ongoing. I'm going to link to the main fundraiser as well as the landing page.

Las Vegas Victims' Fund
Las Vegas Terrorist Attack Fundraisers


10. Helping the homeless

The need for better/more shelters to accommodate the homeless is never more apparent to me than during the winter. The temperatures are low enough to be life-threatening, many don't have blankets or even cardboard to protect them from inclement weather, and many cities have ruled it illegal for the homeless to take shelter in different parts of cities so they don't have many places to go. Unfortunately, hard times don't discriminate and homelessness can happen to anyone. The elderly, sick, retired veterans, mentally ill and even children often end up homeless. It's something that deserves so much more attention than it receives. Contacting local organizations to find out how you can assist local shelters would be a good start, but educating ourselves on how to help prevent it would also be a good start so here are some resources:

SAMHSA Homeless Programs and Resources
9 Ways to Help the Homeless
VOA Assisting Homeless People


11. Ending childhood hunger/supporting food banks

This one is extremely important to me as more than a few times, I was a hungry child. I didn't starve or go days without eating--ironically, that didn't come until I was an adult lol--but I went without more times than I should have. It's a commonly repeated fact at this point, but the waste restaurants alone throw away could significantly dampen, if not end, childhood hunger in America entirely. Starting out in foodservice and building my career at least partially in that industry confirms this for me, which is something I'd like to contribute to decreasing in the future. I'm including a few links and resources here for different organizations specifically geared to helping with food banks and ending childhood hunger around the world. The Spruce has an article that mentions a few other organizations I didn't include here, including Meals on Wheels,

Dancember @ Convoy of Hope
No Kid Hungry
Global FoodBanking Network
Feeding America
Action Against Hunger

12. Sexual assault resources

I'm not going to include all of the resources here because there are a lot of similarities between the lists, but check out RAINN, The Daily Dot and Stop It Now for a much more thorough look into the resources available for survivors of sexual assault. There's a link to support those in the LGBT community who've suffered a sexual assault as well as a link for male survivors of sexual assault.

RAINN Chat and Hotline
Safe Horizon
Anti-Violence Project
Men Can Stop Rape


13. Current petitions that could use your signature

-Petition to Waive the Jones Act for Cargo to Provide Hurricane Relief to Puerto Rico

-Petition for Congress to stop blocking gun violence research

-Petition for Congress to pass the CARERS Act, which protects medical marijuana patients and removes CBD from the Controlled Substances Act

-Petition for Congress to vote No on cuts to Medicaid for the elderly in nursing homes

-Petition for Congress to reauthorize and restore the Children's Healthcare Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides healthcare funding to over nine million children

-Petition for Congress to pass Kari's Law, which would remove the need to dial "9" when attempting to call 911 from hotels or motels

-Petition for Congress to maintain affordable prices for cancer medications

-Petition for Congress to stop morcellation in minimally invasive hysterectomies, which have been known to spread cancer

Now if you've already done your part this year and have charity fatigue, which is completely fine, then just keep this post in mind for when you can donate again. I don't want this to come off as pressuring because it isn't. If you've already donated, can't donate anymore or simply don't want to, that's totally okay. I just wanted to make a post that isn't about the commercialism of the holidays and encourages the Good Samaritan in all of us. It's impossible for any one of us to help everyone going through a rough time so charity fatigue these days is quite easy to get, but the possibility that just one of us can help just one other person makes it a lot better. The kindness and generosity of others is something so desperately needed--and so often misused--in today's times but I'd love to do my part in showing others that we're still out there and we still want to help.


If any of these charities shuts down or is later deemed to be fraudulent in any way, let me know and I'll remove it. If you'd prefer to help your local community instead, search for your city on different donation sites to see if there's anything there, check the hashtags for your city on social media and see if there are any donation funds or individual families needing assistance, or ask organizations in your area if they're aware of any charities you can donate to. You can also volunteer at local food banks or shelters; they're usually in need of extra hands and I'd rather you spend your day with others than being depressed at home. If you need any help getting through the holiday season and don't have anyone, don't be afraid to use the hotline and websites I mentioned here.


Thank you for reading all of this and spending a little time with me today. Whether you decide to give your time, money, belongings or a little space on your newsfeed/social media page from anything I mentioned in this post, thank you. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas if you celebrate it and I'll see you soon. 

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Winter Chill

Hi! This is my last inspo board for the year and after two years of doing these, I'm thinking of switching it up a bit. I still love my boards, but I want to try something different. Haven't fully decided what I'd like to do yet but I'm considering it. I like how this board came together and I actually posted it on time so I think I deserve some points for that. Anyway, let's get to the board. 

Color Palette: icy blue, pale pink, lilac, light gray, white, rose gold, and glittery colors (white, green, gold, silver and red)

I've found that a muted color palette relaxes me during this time of year, which is important to me as I am undoubtedly at my most anxious during the winter. The decreased sunlight, isolation, stress of the holidays (and three birthdays in a two-week time span) and whatever I have going on personally at the time often create a toxic cocktail for me so like I said during the fall inspo post, my main focus is to surround myself with things that are relaxing. I said all that to say that a muted color palette often helps me relax, so that's what I try to gravitate toward. I'm still here for the glittery colors though because duh, glitter. 

Beauty: dark halo and glitter eyes, nude lips, highlighted skin, dramatic wispy lashes, long, glittery or dark coffin nails

Despite not being here for the fancy fashion this year, there's no better time to roll out a dark, dramatic look than winter. I'm not feeling dark lips right now so I'd rather keep them nude, especially if I'm doing a darker eye. I don't worry much about my skin other than keeping it hydrated during the winter but this year I want highlighted, bright skin rather than the pale matte finish I usually have. Obviously with it being the holidays I'm here for the long, dramatic lashes and even though I can't maintain the claws for too long, I've been getting into them again. Shoutout to the women who can wear them year-round without scratching themselves in the vag or having to stop doing certain activities. I could never. LOL

Hair: holiday/seasonal headwrap fabrics, deep purple hair, shiny, deep waves or bone-straight hair

I haven't given too much thought to what I want done with my hair other than not looking like a fool for the holidays. lol I'm still into the headwraps but maybe in lieu of doing something complicated with my hair I'll just find holiday fabrics I can use as headwraps instead. The only thing I have given some thought to is the color. I'd prefer to color my natural hair because I'm getting bored with it but I have to build up the strength a little more so I'll settle for a black wig with purple undertones. lol Again, as far as styles go I don't have much in mind. I love center-parted, bone straight hair for this time of year but I also really like shiny, deep waves. They photograph well and hold up over long periods of time. 

Fashion: hoodies, loungewear, thick, fuzzy socks, black and nude lace, pom pom holiday tees, sweatpants, wedge sneakers, beanies

Since I have no life and no holiday parties to attend, I'm much less inspired by the fancy stuff for this winter than usual. Even though one of my favorite holidays falls during this time (New Year's), I always bring in the year at home and I'd rather be comfortable instead of trying to squeeze into something nice just to say I brought in the year looking human. I'd rather beat my face and wear sweats. lol Basically, my entire aesthetic for winter is to be a walking blanket. If I can comfortably sleep anywhere in what I'm wearing, it's a win. One of my few favorite things about this time of year is that my beloved beanies can finally make their triumphant return to my dome without overheating my scalp. This is a random note but I think I'd like another piercing. I've been going back and forth on it for a minute, but I think I'd like to make it a Christmas gift to myself. Go figure, I'm afraid of everything else in life but I have no issue with blood or needles. And who says God doesn't play jokes? LOL 

Headspace: cozy, reading, holiday, solitude, gift, warmth

There's never not a good time of year to make a fort but for me personally, the best time (ironically) to do it is always winter. Health complications aside, its the perfect time to make a bed fort, cocoon myself in a blanket and read. Forts are also surprisingly good at holding in heat so as it gets colder that's going to come in handy. I think I just feel safer, more comforted, in a small, secluded space. I'm claustrophobic though, so not too small. I really am a walking contradiction. Moving on, of course the holidays and gift giving are on my mind, but the former more for the stress they bring and the latter because I enjoy making gifts. I've found it easiest to make gifts for my sister, who also loves making gifts, but for my brothers I'm all thumbs. They're gamers too so even though I know exactly what they'd like, I can't afford any of it. It makes me supremely salty to think about buying PS4 games for others when I can't buy them for myself because I'm a console behind. lol 

I want to say I said this in last year's Winter Wonderland post (I had to slip it in here somewhere 😏), but in case I didn't, I'm not the biggest fan of Christmas music in general but if I have to hear Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas one more time I will rip the tracks off my wigs then pull out my own hair. When did that become 'the' Christmas song? Why couldn't we have kept it old school with my personal favorite, Nat King Cole's The Christmas Song? Or put a New Wave spin on it with Wham!'s Last Christmas, which is another favorite (not sure why, it's a song about Christmas heartbreak but I digress lol)? I'm not sure when the Christmas committee got together and decided that was the song, but I didn't attend the meeting, didn't put in my vote and if I had, it wouldn't have been for that song. ✋Okay. I'm getting really passionate about a song. Let me stop. Anyway, I included two playlists for this winter. I first included a Spotify playlist of contemporary holiday music because I know not everyone shares my disdain for it lol, then I included a YouTube mix by Pulse8, an ambient and chillstep channel, that I've been listening to lately. The latter has a lot of chill, mellow instrumentals which might sound a little depressing, but I've been loving it. The music, not the depression. lol 

cozy room decor, holiday and glitter heavy accessories and accents

From l to r: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

I think one of my main focuses around this time of year is gifts. I love making gifts and treats for others; they're a good way for me to get better at DIYing things, they're affordable and come from the heart. I try to choose practical things so that I'm not the asshole making people things they clearly don't want or will ever have need for. I think my major goal is to create something that rivals or at least comes close to store quality without spending that amount of money. Like I said, its harder to do that for the males in my life but I'm figuring it out. Honestly, I'll probably cave and end up buying them something lol. I also enjoy winter DIYs, like different rustic-looking wall accents, luminaries and glittered accessories so that I can keep them up throughout the holidays. As I mentioned up above, if I can be a walking blanket during the winter I absolutely will, which is why there's a DIY blanket poncho included on this board. 😂

pine, peppermint, spice-based scents, woodsy and musky notes

 

1. BHG A Wonderful Winter--Peppermint, evergreen, winter citrus, mistletoe

2. B&BW Champagne and Glitter--champagne, pear, vetiver, cedarwood

3. BHG Candied Caramel Pecan--Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg

4. Yankee Candle Balsam and Cedar--Balsam, cedarwood, juniper

5. BHG Spiced Gingerbread Meringue--Gingerbread, cinnamon, clove, vanilla, buttered brown sugar

6. B&BW Fireside--cedar, clove, embers

7. BHG Warm Rustic Woods--Tobacco, cedar, patchouli, pink peppercorn, nutmeg, mandarin leaf, vanilla tonka

8. B&BW White Woods--white oak, cashmere musk, santal, vanilla bean

9. Yankee Candle Silver Birch--Siberian pine, clove, eucalyptus, cypress, pine, patchouli

For some reason, I prefer more masculine scents this winter; the woodsy, musky notes are much more my can of soda this year. The scents are cleaner and crisper than the floral musk scents I usually tend to gravitate to. Just to borrow from the winter theme of being mostly about food, I like the warmth of spice notes in my scents as well but I don't need my house smelling like gingerbread until April so it's better as just a footnote. The sweet elements like the crisp fruits and sweet accents kind of round out the woodsy or musky scent notes, which can be kind of bitter and harsh on their own. I also like the tree scents because they remind me of Christmas and winter, and since I'm allergic to pine I can't be out in the wild trying to get a whiff so I might as well get a candle that smells similar. lol

savory, slow cooked meats, filling sides, small desserts, stuffed entrees

From l to r:  1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

I've realized that this year I'm not into the traditional holiday menus at all. I'm kinda over 'em. I'm a little over the holidays in general, if we're keeping it 100. What I am into this year are homemade sweets and treats. I don't like pie but I stay trying to make one. lol Even though I'd like to make a bunch of sweets, I noticed that I didn't include too many sweet treats on this season's board. I got caught up with things I want to cook and before I knew it, this collage (which isn't heavy on the sweet stuff at all) was born. Two things should be apparent by looking at this board: 1-I don't watch what I eat, especially during the winter (which partially explains why I've put on 15 pounds from the neck to the knees lmao) and 2-I really like cheese. My sister reminded me last week that a couple of Christmases ago my mom and her got me a bunch of mozzarella sticks as a shits and giggles gift but I was legit happy about it. I didn't remember that until she mentioned it but now that it's out there, I wouldn't mind it being a stocking stuffer this year. lol Anyway, I didn't notice until I'd finished the collage that I picked a bunch of thick, greasy food. My spring taste boards are always lighter on the palate so if this isn't your jam, check back with me in March. lol 

So that's this year's inspo board for winter. Compared to other parts of the country, Texas winters are mild by comparison but they're chilly enough for me and my busted ass immune system to stay in the house. lol Luckily, there's no snow on the horizon so for as long as that holds true, I'll take it. I'd be fine if it remained in the 60s all winter but since you can't have everything you want I'll be cocooning myself until March. I hope you liked this board; as I said before this might be my last seasonal one for a bit while I play around with different types of themes. What's inspiring you for winter this year?

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What I've Been Watching: November

Hi! When I first started putting this month's list together, I was initially going to have September through November in here, then I remembered my mouth and how much I like to run it. lol So I decided to give them their own months, which you may or may not have seen already. In case you haven't, here's September's and here's October's. This month I watched some pretty good tv which was mostly, ironically, on traditional tv. lol Like I said, I never get things right the first time around, which was why I changed the name to "What I've Been Watching" this summer. God loves me anyway. Let's get to the list!

Elizabeth Smart Autobiography

I Am Elizabeth Smart

Blade Runner Killer

Shade: Queens of NYC

Survivor Series

Live PD

Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie

First We Feast/Hot Ones

jacksfilms

I think it was a couple of weekends ago that Lifetime, A&E and Biography teamed up to help Elizabeth Smart tell her story and I really enjoyed it. If you've been under a rock (or you're not American) and don't know who Elizabeth Smart is, back in 2002 she was kidnapped from her home in the middle of the night and after 9 months of captivity, she was finally reunited with her family. She was only 14 at the time so she then dropped from the public eye so she could recover, heal and resume a normal life. Everyone heard different variations on the story, depending on where they were at, but other than in Elizabeth's book, I don't think there's ever been a complete retelling of events. It's been 15 years since she was taken, and she made the decision to tell the story now in her own words. I watched the Autobiography first, where she along with various relatives, detectives and witnesses piece the entire story together for the public. It was a raw, honest look at what happened, both to Elizabeth in captivity and her family in her absence. It somehow managed to be powerful and devastating, heartwarming and infuriating, all at the same time. Despite the horror of what happened to her, there were moments where you could see Elizabeth's dry, rather sarcastic humor on the situation shine through while she was narrating and I admired that she was able to infuse herself, not as a victim but as who she is now, into such a terrifying ordeal without falling apart. It made me extremely uncomfortable to watch but I'm so glad I did. It was a much more complex case than I initially figured it to be and I admire the hell out of Elizabeth Smart for her strength and determination in such a life-altering situation. 

The following weekend, Lifetime came through with their part in it, I Am Elizabeth Smart, which was a film with a complete re-enactment of Elizabeth's story and also peppered with her narration. There was this level of awareness with the film, as certain moments were paused for Elizabeth to ask the viewer a question that exposed how we were all feeling while watching: uncomfortable. She either produced or directed the film, I can't remember exactly which, and even though I'd already seen the autobio the previous weekend I really wanted to watch the film as well. Totally worth it. I haven't been able to find any other listings of the movie on my program guide so if you didn't catch it I don't know when you'll be able to, but the entire saga is worth your time. 

Speaking of true stories, during the Elizabeth Smart Autobiography over on A&E, Lifetime was premiering their newest true crime story, Blade Runner Killer and it too was a great watch. Blade Runner Killer is the story of Oscar Pistorius, and how he went from being an Olympian to being a convicted murderer following the shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp after supposedly mistaking her for an intruder in the middle of the night. I never bought that story and I'm glad the South African justice system finally came through for the victim's family; last week it was announced that the courts were doubling Pistorius's sentence to 13 years rather than the 6 he was initially given. Thirteen years is hardly enough time to pay for a stolen life, but since that's probably the most we'll get its a hell of a lot better to deal with than 6. The release of this film caused outrage from both families involved, but you know Lifetime. lol They were never not going to release that movie. I always toe the line with films that depict someone's life but don't have the family's approval; it feels kind of inappropriate to go on and tell the story anyway, but at the same time I still watched it so what does that say about me? 

Moving on to lighter programming, I forget how I heard about Shade: Queens of NYC but I caught an episode earlier this month and got hooked. When I first saw it was a show about drag queens I was skeptically excited. By that I mean I was excited to see a show about drag queens that wasn't RPDR, but I was also skeptical because most reality tv follows the same skeleton--gathering a cast full of frenemies and enemies who socialize in the same circles and making them interact for the explicit purpose of creating drama. I don't care for manufactured drama, which is why most of the time I don't eff with reality tv, and I don't care to see producers making gay men play the stereotypical prototype of the flamboyant, shade-throwing, disingenuous queen who also happens to be a one-liner machine. That's what RPDR is for. lol Kidding. 😅 Sorta. But this seems a bit more authentic and so far I like it. I get more of a 'community' feel from this show and maybe I'm judging it prematurely because I've only seen one episode, but in that one episode I saw one queen help another find a church that would accept him for who he is, and another queen help two fellow performers save some cash by creating an item swap. It wasn't full of cattiness, cutting remarks and uncomfortable silences and I liked that. In case it hasn't already become apparent, I'm much more of a "Can't we all just get along?" kinda gal. 

There isn't much for me to add about Survivor Series; it's the last dual-brand PPV of the year so I always make a point to watch it. Also, one Roman Reigns was in attendance so that The Shield could finally(!) properly reunite so obviously I was going to watch, longtime thirst notwithstanding. It was a solid PPV, for once I don't have a laundry list of complaints about it, and on a random note I would really love if they'd cool it on the PPVs and let these people go home to their families sometimes. lol It's bad enough they had to work on Christmas last year. I mean, Walmart's not even open on Christmas. If Walmart isn't open, why is anything else? 

A show I mentioned last month that I've been getting into is Live PD. Still hooked, still low-key embarrassed of the shenanigans broadcasted by my fellow residents, still low-key proud of being featured on the show this season. lol 

My final watch for regular tv is the one I've waited the longest for, Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie. I've literally waited for half my life for this movie. Seriously--I was 15 when the show ended, rather abruptly might I add, in 2002, and I'm 30 now. That 'literally' was factual. lol I liked the Hey Arnold! Movie and was more than a little salty when Netflix snatched it off my screen awhile ago because they never show it on tv. This was the conclusion so many of us '90s kids had been waiting for and not only was it worth the wait, it was perfect. Hey Arnold! was my favorite show as a kid (but it was a very close race with Legends of the Hidden Temple and All That lol) and to this day, I still watch the show all the time. It's not the empty fluff that's on tv now with no substance. When you really break the show down, it depicted so much of how life honestly is, both the good and bad, in a way that I don't see reflected in quite the same way today. I may or may not have cried at the end of the movie because it felt like finally, I was able to say goodbye to an old friend but it was bittersweet AF. It's amazing how attached we get to things like tv shows and movies, isn't it? For those 15 years that I was begging for a resolution because there was no finite ending, it also felt like the door was always open for a return of some kind. I think interest in the show has peaked again, mostly from us '90s kids feeling nostalgic and missing our shows, so I do think a market for a reboot of the show is definitely there. But I kinda feel like a reboot after the fact would dull the impact of the movie so as much as I would love a reboot, in theory, I think The Jungle Movie also served as a potential closing of the book. I imagine that was as bittersweet for Craig Bartlett (the creator) as it was for us. After all, he waited just as long as we did to see this come to fruition. He did recently mention hoping that the movie would spark interest in continuing the show but just as Nickelodeon held the dice for the last 15 years, they hold the dice here too so just in case they decide to make us wait another 15 years, The Jungle Movie was a nice way to say goodbye. The Jungle Movie was awesome, nostalgic, and made me ache for childhood in a way I only do when I'm watching this show. I would say I feel dumb for being this sentimental about a show, but it really was pivotal to my childhood and as I saw on Twitter from others watching the movie, I'm not alone. If you didn't catch it it'll be back on tomorrow but I don't see it on the program guide after that so you'd better DVR it. 

Moving to my last two picks, the first one is the First We Feast YouTube channel, home of the Hot Ones challenge. I first got into this show because I wanted to see the Terry Crews episode and ended up getting hooked. I saw this show pop up from time to time on the trending and recommended lists over the past couple of years but never gave it a go because being the raging emetophobe I am, watching people eat increasingly spicy wings sounded like trouble waiting to happen and I wanted no part of it. lol If I had to recommend 5 episodes to others, I'd go with Key &Peele, Terry Crews, Tommy Chong, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Guy Fieri. Those are just some of my personal favorites. Even though the format of the show sounds terribly elementary to many people--an interviewer getting into a celebrity's head while they eat a bunch of hot wings--there's also something so genius about it in such a simple way. It's interesting to see how everyone handles the sauces; as the heat increases the questions get a bit more complex and personal and I love the moment the celebrity realizes the genius of the show's simple format. It's so much deeper than it would initially appear to be; it's more intimate but without all the manufactured, press-friendly soundbites in other interviews and it's quickly become one of my favorite series on the 'Tube.

Finally, jacksfilms isn't a new creator to me; I've been watching his videos for years. I initially found him through his now-signature series Your Grammar Sucks, which he officially took to legendary status two years ago when he made an hour long episode with over 30 cameos by other YouTubers with a script and dialogue based entirely off of the ridiculous grammar of others. I was recently thinking about how much work, how much creativity, it takes to stretch out a series based off of terrible grammar for years and still make it interesting. Jack's an OG creator; he recently celebrated 11 years on the site and I think he's a great example of how creators have to adapt and shift their content to remain relevant and entertaining on an increasingly oversaturated and drama-run platform.

Pick of the Month: Elizabeth Smart Autobiography, Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie

Throwaway Pick: Live PD (only because I featured it last month)

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Hubble Contacts

Hi! I have a review for you today! 😀(Can you tell I'm excited? lol) I recently had an eye exam but because of my insurance, I can't get my glasses because I'd need to have the lenses shaved down and that's considered a cosmetic procedure so my insurance won't cover it. I've been looking at glasses online for a couple of years now to see if it would be cheaper to get frames I like and be able to shave my lenses, but I hadn't come across anything for contact lenses. I forget exactly how I came across Hubble; I'm guessing I signed up for the newsletter because I do remember reading an email and going to the site to check into it further. So let's get to the quick deets:

What is it? Hubble is a monthly subscription service that provides sets of daily contact lenses. 

How much does it cost? A two-week, 15 pair lens trial period is free, but an automatically renewing monthly membership fee of $30 is the standard charge afterward. 

Sign-up and ordering: Like I said, I remember reading about the trial in an email so I guess I either signed up for the newsletter or came across it in another company's newsletter, I can't remember exactly which. Anyway, signing up for the site and ordering your free trial are extremely easy. After entering your prescription and eye doc in the site form, Hubble confirms your prescription with them and sends out your lenses. The trial box is preset and the monthly subscription is set to automatically renew following the end of the trial, so all you have to do is enter your shipping information and confirm the purchase. 

Site navigation: The site is simple and easy to navigate. All of the important information about the site and its services are clearly expressed and easy to find.

Delivery and cancellation: Delivery was very swift. Within a week of signing up for the trial, I already had my lenses. I ordered the trial back on the 14th, received an email notifying me my contacts had shipped on the 16th and I received them on the 18th. Cancelling the service is done over the phone during business hours, but is also easy and by the time you finish speaking to the customer service rep, you already have a cancellation confirmation email in your inbox. After cancellation, you'll receive an email asking you to rate the customer service rep you spoke to and what reward, if any, you think they should receive for their service with you. Yet another email comes a day or two after that, giving you another opportunity to go into detail about your experience. As of yet, I haven't received any more emails from the company, promotional or otherwise. 

So what comes in the box? 

The box is pretty small and compact, with only the contacts and a small booklet about the company inside. The box for my left contact lenses are orange, while the box for the right lenses are green. On the side is the number of lenses included in the box, so both of mine show the trial 15 lenses. Inside it are three rows of five lenses apiece.

My experience: My experience with Hubble Contacts, from start to finish, was nothing but easy and pleasant. As I mentioned in the 'Quick Deets' portion of the review, ordering, receiving and cancelling were all a breeze, which are extremely important for my personal overview of a service. For me personally, though, the contacts weren't the best fit. The contact was a bit too big for my eyeball and as a result they moved every time I blinked, which hurt my eyelid after awhile. Because they were too large, I could see where the prescription ran out on the contact, which made my peripheral vision trash. lol When the contact is too large, it feels like you always have allergies or dirt in your eye but you can't rub them for fear of scratching your cornea with the contact. I also noticed that the lenses dried out rather quickly. In my left eye, the vision was a bit distorted because I have astigmatism in that eye, so my vision was a little blurrier than the right one. Because Hubble is still relatively new, they haven't yet accommodated those with astigmatism so the slightly blurry vision in my eye was to be expected. I'll keep an eye out for when they update their website on it again.

Extras: After I cancelled my subscription, I received another email asking me to rate the call and the ability of my customer rep to handle my issues. I appreciated that not only was the company aware of exactly who I spoke to but that they allowed me to actually list what the rep helped me with rather than a generic multiple choice survey. I was also asked for my opinion on what reward my rep deserved, another thing I hadn't seen before and really enjoyed. Somehow, the company balanced the feedback from their users with allowing the customer to be part of the reward experience and I thought that was different but enjoyable. The following day I received another feedback email, during which I got another opportunity to tell the company about my experience.

Coincidentally, I found out a week after I got my lenses that one of my brother's friends is also using Hubble and he loves his contacts. He says they fit his eyeball nicely, he doesn't have any issues seeing out of them, and they've almost completely replaced his glasses. His only complaint was that they dried out rather quickly as well, which can easily be remedied by keeping eye drops on hand. I actually didn't realize that until he mentioned it; I have dry eyes so I just figured it was my eyes, not the contacts. My brother's friend doesn't have the same issue I have with my eyes nor is his vision as bad as mine, so for him these have been a perfect and affordable alternative to glasses.

Overall, I like Hubble and I like the concept of subscription contact lenses. I appreciate that they make efforts to set you up with Hubble-approved doctors in order to get all the specifics of your contact lenses correct in your order. At least that's what the website says, because of a detail I'm going to mention below, I don't know that all of the doctors on the list are necessarily Hubble-approved. Regardless, the entire service seems to run very efficiently and my experience with customer service was nothing but pleasant. The packaging was compact and cute, the little card that accompanies the contacts is simple and informative, and the contacts themselves aren't rough on the eyes or difficult to put on. Because I uploaded my regular prescription rather than a specific prescription from a doctor on Hubble's list of partnered doctors, I got the stock size contact, which was too big for my pupil. I also have astigmatism, which Hubble hasn't been able to accommodate just yet, so for me these weren't the perfect fit just yet but I'm willing to return once Hubble has allowed for more personalized contacts and expands the type of lenses they can provide. But if your eyes aren't as bad as mine so your prescription is easier to accommodate, I definitely recommend giving Hubble Contacts a try. The two-week trial period will give you a sufficient preview of their contacts, which is more than enough time to know if it'll be a good option for you. I'd personally give it a little more time, let them tweak their operations a bit and allow for more specificity before ordering from them again.



Mandy's Note: While finishing this review, I read an article that was lightly exposing Hubble; the person filled a fake prescription complete with a fake doctor's name, and the prescription still got filled. I can understand the point of the article because that can be dangerous for people's eyes and the company does need to improve that part of their service but I also think you have to expect things like that when the company is in its infancy and still figuring things out. Hopefully that article reaches the powers that be over at Hubble and gives them something to make a concentrated effort to fix. If you are going to require that people enter their doctor's name to verify the prescription, it should probably actually get verified. I noticed this when I was filling out the form; my doctor's name didn't come up in the list so I had to enter it manually, but my prescription was still pushed through so I noticed it probably wasn't actually verified. I think when doing something like filling contact prescriptions online you should be diligent with ensuring the safety of the contacts you receive as well as their fit for you. Of course there's a risk when doing things like this or ordering prescription glasses, but that's a given. It's an online company. You just have to determine if the risk is worth it or not. For me, right now it isn't but there are quite a few success stories coming out of people who've tried the service. I recommend giving it a look, but do your homework first.

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Being Thankful, part 2

Hello and Happy Thanksgiving (if you celebrate it)! Even though I don't really celebrate the holiday anymore, I do still identify with the gratitude portion of the day. It's a daily thing for me, which is one of the reasons Thanksgiving doesn't really do anything for me as holidays go, but whatever. I still like taking the time to think about what I'm thankful for in my life. If you've read some of my posts throughout the year, then I'm sure it's not a surprise at all that this has been a challenging year for me. I've had worse years, but 2017 has been especially difficult for me personally and financially, and a lot of the time that's what I'm focusing on. How bad the year has been, what I've been trying to overcome throughout the year. It's easy to be thankful when things are going well and you feel like the universe is on your side. It's a lot more difficult but more fulfilling to produce a list of things to be thankful for when you feel like things are going wrong and the universe isn't on your side, which is why I wanted to make a part two of this list.

I did one a couple of years ago and things weren't fabulous then either, but I definitely had a lot more in the tank then than I do now. Because things have been rather bad, I thought it would be a perfect time to make a list of the good in my life this past year, so that I'd have something positive to look back on the year. I'm always thankful for the little I do have, but it gets hard for me to remember that sometimes when the bad is usually more prominent. 

1. I'm thankful that my foot is finally healed. 

When I did this list two years ago, I'd mentioned that I was grateful I hadn't broken my toe when I hit it a few days prior. I was still on crutches at the time but the swelling and pain had started to subside, so I assumed it was just a really bad bruise. As I updated later, that shit was broke. LOL So now that I'm on the other side of a year of appointments, therapy and a surgery, I am immensely grateful that my foot is finally healed. I'm 7 months post-surgery and my doctor finally gave me a clean bill of health on my toe back in August. The break has caused arthritis to develop in my toe, which has been a real thorn in my side the past two winters, but now that it's healed I'm a little excited to see if there are going to be any long-term changes. Overall I'm just glad it's healed. I'm not in a boot, not in a shoe, not stuck doing 30-minute long TENS therapy treatments every night, no longer having to limp everywhere. I may have arthritis in my toe now and I'm still learning to trust the strength of my foot in general again, but it's no longer broken and as of now, no more surgeries or treatment are on the horizon. 

2. I have a family who loves me. 

I've made no secret of my strained relationship with my family despite still living with them. Things aren't as great as they could or should be and I sincerely doubt that they'll ever genuinely get to where I'd like them to be. That's okay. What I know and what I choose to try to focus on is that, for all of the issues we have with each other, I know these people love me. I know they want me to succeed in life and in the things I do, and I know that they don't want any harm to come to me. That's a hell of a lot more than some people can say about their families and I realize how blessed I am to know that despite the issues we have, I don't have to worry about my family not loving me. I know they do. They just suck sometimes. lol 

3. I'm thankful that I can pay all of my bills every month. 

Another thing I've made no secret of is my strained relationship with my pockets. lol They're usually empty and I'm not very happy about or appreciative of it, but I'm glad that they're empty because I paid all of my bills. I definitely don't have a lot of money but with the little I do have, I can still get everything done. I remember what it was like having to constantly negotiate with bill collectors, I remember having to duck and dodge them back in the day before everything went automated lol, and every month I'm grateful all over again for being able to pay everything in full. My pockets are empty, but my house has heat, the lights work and I can flush the toilet whenever the hell I want. 😂 I never have to worry about not being able to provide these things for my family and that feels really nice. It's very basic, but I will never forget that part of my life and I'll never be at a point where I won't be thankful for the ability to have the basics, even if that's all I have.



4. I'm thankful for my senses.

That probably sounds stupid, but you don't realize the importance of each sense until you have to function without it. I'm a nature buff (ya know, when its warm out) and usually going out somewhere green and lush, preferably with birds, helps me to calm down a little when I'm feeling anxious or stressed out. It's another basic thing that I really appreciate the ability to see, hear and feel. I think that's why I prefer my seasonal inspiration boards broken down into senses rather than how I've seen other bloggers put out their inspo boards--I think I approach the world in a similar way so doing my boards like that make the post more true to who I am. I try to involve all of my senses in whatever I'm doing so that it's a more immersive experience for me, and as a result I find that I enjoy things a lot better than when I just went into something but didn't ever take the time to realize or appreciate how special it was to experience it at all. I know, I know. Corny and probably sounds dumb as shit. But I'm thankful for the ability to experience things with all 5 of my senses.



5. I'm thankful for my nieces. 

I already mentioned being grateful for my family and the fact that they love me, but if you ever wanted to get to the root of my being, you'd have to go through my nieces. My family is my heart. My nieces, however, are my soul. I love them so much it literally makes my chest ache. lol My nieces are 7 months apart so they're nearly twins, but they're two completely different children and it's been so much fun to establish an individual bond with them both. I think the role I relish most in life is aunt. The love of a child is so genuine and unconditional and being able to have the unconditional love of two children warms my entire heart, which is quite cold these days. LOL I didn't think the family--or my brother, for that matter--was ready for any children when they came along, but I can't see the past four years of my life being the same without them. They've gotten me through so many dark times in my life, have no idea how they've saved me and wouldn't understand if I tried to tell them. I'm so grateful for them and the joy they've brought to my life.



6. I'm thankful for my house. 

Let me be clear about something. I hate my house. It's drafty and has no insulation, is terribly structured and in desperate need of repair, to say the absolute least about it. It sucks. It could certainly be in worse condition and I am so grateful it isn't, but truthfully, it sucks. But its a roof over our heads and again, I remember what not having one felt like. I remember sleeping on people's couches, and I remember sharing a bed with my mom and brother because there was no room to sleep anywhere else and the place was crawling with bugs so it wasn't safe to sleep on the floor. I've come a long way. I hate this house the way it is now, it's falling apart and Housing refuses to fix it and wish I had the money to properly renovate it, but it's a roof over our heads. Everyone has their own space, nobody's sleeping on a couch (and if they do it's by choice lol), and for the kids, this is their childhood home. They grew up here. I grew up in a bunch of places, so it was important for my mom and I to give them the stability I didn't get to have. I'm thankful we've been able to do that, even if the house sucks. 😄



7. I'm thankful for the ladies at my mom's church. 

That probably sounds random, but I was just thinking about one of the ladies from my mom's church. She's such a beautiful soul. She brought us some food for Thanksgiving and gave my mom a gift card so we could get dinner and I was just remembering how much I loved her for thinking of us like that. My mom's been part of her church for a little over 3 years now, and she's had four hospital stays in that time. Every time she's been in the hospital, some of the ladies from her church study group bring us food to help lighten the load. I usually have the house on my own when my mom's sick, so it was a Godsend that they thought of us and gave me one less thing to do every day. One lady in particular has come by every time my mom's been in the hospital, every Thanksgiving and every Christmas to give us a gift card so we can buy food and she brings us food when my mom's sick. She gives the best hugs and has the most caring, gentle, loving spirit. Her husband, who is also a sweetheart, has serious health issues and she will spend all day caring for him and still think of us enough to bring us by some food and genuinely ask how we're doing. I remember the first time I met her, she brought some food over and she asked how I was doing. I was tired, stressed out and cranky but something about her just set me at ease. She told me she loved me and I almost lost it right there. This stranger, who wouldn't know me from Adam, told me she loved me and gave me one of the best hugs I've ever received in my life. lol There was something so loving and authentic about it that if she hadn't left when she did, I would have become a blubbering mess. I am so thankful for their generosity to us, for their concern for us, when we needed it the most. I would love to repay them for their kindness and I hope that one day I can.



8. I'm thankful for you!

If this is the first post you've read or you read my posts regularly, thank you for stopping by. I really appreciate you spending a little time with me and hope you make it back to visit again soon.




I know this was a shorter list than the last one but on a superficial note, I just put some nails on and can no longer type properly so I'm using two pencil erasers to type. 😂With this change in conditions, I have to end the list here. lol I'm still trash at typing with nails on so I'd rather not spend the rest of the day making typos and pressing Backspace. It's annoying, to say the least, so I'm gonna go now. What are you thankful for this year? Have an amazing evening and I'll see you soon!

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What I've Been Watching: October

Hi! This is probably going to be the shortest WIBW I'll ever do, so you won't be here til dinnertime reading anything. For once. So enjoy it and soak it in because it won't be happening again. lol I haven't had a lot of time this month to watch too much of anything; I'm helping my godmom relaunch her social media sites for her company and wrapping up Octoberfest over on ATV. When I wasn't busy with other things, I was watching Halloween makeup videos on YouTube. lol The three things on this month's list are the only three I made a point to watch and of course Hocus Pocus is on here. If you don't watch Hocus Pocus, did you really celebrate Halloween? 

Hocus Pocus

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries

Live PD

Hocus Pocus gets the biggest piece of this month's picture because duh. It's a Halloween tradition for me to spend my night with dimmed lights, snacks and Hocus Pocus. This year I invited my sister and we made a fort in the living room while the kids were out trick-or-treating. Of course, watching it now as an adult I'm always struck by how campy this actually was, but I think that's also what makes it so much fun. If you haven't seen it I'm not going to describe it to you because your lack of knowledge about the movie means we can no longer be friends. Point is, this is what I waited all month to watch and I loved it.


A returning favorite on this month's list is Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. It's beginning to look like the show is over as a film trilogy was recently confirmed and I think the announcement is what made me go back and watch some of my favorite episodes of the show. Well that and I was cleaning the kitchen and needed something to watch while I washed the dishes. lol I got my sister into this show a couple of years ago and accidentally created a monster. I feel like I've covered the show before in a WIBW so in case I have, I'll be brief. The show is set in late '20s Australia about a socialite turned lady detective Phryne Fisher. Her assistant Dot helps her solve her mysteries, but the investigations usually crash into those of Detective Inspector Jack Robinson and his constable Hugh. It's a delicious mix of murder mysteries, sexual tension and the 1920s.

Lastly, I've been harassed by relatives to watch Live PD for I don't even know how long, and I finally caved earlier this month. My uncle and his wife watch the show religiously every weekend and they told me the new season was going to be featuring our hometown so I should check it out. What my uncle actually told me to do was find a way to get on Live PD (aka cause a disturbance sufficient enough for someone to call the police and hopefully the responding officers will be the ones that the show features) and give him and his wife a shoutout on-camera. LOL When the episodes featuring my city started to air, he would write me on Messenger 30 minutes before the show aired, again 5 minutes before, and then right at 7:00 on the dot to ask if I was watching. If we talked on the phone that evening after the show was over, he'd harass me for not watching, then do it all over again the following night when it came back on. See why I said bullied? I was going through my craft stuff to get ready for Halloween earlier this month and figured what the hell, let me go on and get this out of the way so I can stop being harassed but I ended up getting hooked instead. And whaddya know, I get hooked and my uncle stops asking/live updating me about the show. He stopped talking about it almost entirely. Dafuq? If you haven't seen it, it's basically a live feed into six counties around the nation, my city being one of them. We get to follow the local departments on their shifts for three hours and see things as they happen in real time. It's like COPS for today's generation, another police show that frequently featured my city. lol While I'm slightly embarrassed by the various acts of fuckery and tomfoolery that are sometimes aired on the show, it's also kinda cool to see my city having some kind of national coverage for something that isn't entirely bad. I dig it. Because it's live you never know what sort of situations will end up on air, whether its a basic traffic stop, a police chase or an accident and I like that everything is entirely live. Not only does it keep the police accountable because the bodycams are on and the nation is watching their every move as well, but it also means that literally anything can happen. Check it out if you haven't already; it airs every Friday and Saturday on A&E. 

Because there were only three items on this month's list, I have no Picks of the Month or Throwaway Picks. 

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