Category Archives: Anything & Everything

Aug16

Dating During The Pandemic

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Dating During The Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it hard to do just about anything, let alone date! This has resulted in a lot of people feeling lonely with not many viable solutions to easing the problem. Luckily, there is much that can be done both virtually and in real life to get yourself back out there in the dating world. Here we go:

Check In With Yourself:

If you have been unlucky in love or have just gotten out of a long term relationship, it’s important to check in with yourself before dating again. What went right in your past relationships? What went wrong? And what are you looking for now? These are all key things to consider if you are looking for an actual relationship and not just a fling. Be honest with yourself because, only then, can you be honest with potential partners.

Chat Virtually:

If you are participating in online dating, then chatting online is a great place to start for meeting with potential matches. You could email, instant message, text, make phone calls, try video dating, or do things old school style with snail mail! The best thing about chatting prior to meeting up is that you can better determine if you have a connection or if they could just be good friends. That way, no time is wasted on awkward first dates because a connection has already been established prior to.

Narrow Down Your Options:

There are a plethora of different dating websites and apps for specific things that you are looking for like if the person is religious, is a senior citizen, or enjoys a more laid back or high end lifestyle. If you have something really specific in mind, then this could be a great way to go because the dating pool has already been narrowed down for you. For example, if you would like for the person to be of a certain faith any deal breakers will be eliminated from the jump.

Venture Out:

If you are fully vaccinated, then why not venture out and mingle a little? Speed dating could be a fun, different option to try. Or what about a dance club where you need to find a partner to cut a rug on the dance floor with? Don’t forget that confidence is key! Strike up a conversation and put your best face forward. This doesn’t mean cheesy pick up lines or flooding someone with compliments – just be your best self and go from there!

It can be scary to enter the dating scene at any time, but it is a whole different ballgame during a pandemic. Consult the tips above and you should be just fine. Best of luck!

Aug14

Get In The Writing Zone

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Get In The Writing Zone

Hi! I am quickly approaching a 1,000 post streak of writing on lifewithlilred and it is incredibly exciting! As promised, I will be sharing all of my favorite tips and tricks when it comes to writing as we continue on with the countdown to 1,000. The tips shared today and in the linked post have been essential in making such a long streak of daily writing possible and I am happy to fill all of you in on them. Let’s get started:

Stick To A Schedule:

I follow a very strict schedule when it comes to my writing and it is almost painful for me to stray from it! I wake up extra early before leaving for work to have time to write and get ready for my day. While I love being able to sleep in a little bit longer, I love being all done with my blogging so that I don’t have to do anything once I return home even more.

This is the schedule that works for me but it might not work for you and that’s okay. Figure out the best time to write for you whether it be before work, after, or even in the middle of the night and stick with it. Daily writing is so rewarding and despite almost 1,000 days straight of it, it still feels really good to check it off of my to do list!

Create A Writing Nook:

It’s important to have somewhere comfortable and distraction free to write so that you can keep your creative juices flowing. This is also why I like writing early in the morning because my husband has already left for work so it is just me and my laptop. Create a space in your home that is designated just for your writing. I, personally, thrive by having my own home office. However, if this is not possible for you, then a cozy spot on the couch, some space cleared on your kitchen table, or your favorite coffee shop will work just fine.

Play Some Tunes:

Although I don’t listen to music very often while writing anymore, I used to do it all of the time and it definitely served its purpose. Now, I tend to play some tunes if I am struggling with writer’s block. Some people work and focus better when they have a bit of background noise. If this sounds like you, then create a playlist to write to. Once the music is on and you’re in the zone, there is no stopping you!

Practice Makes Perfect:

Daily writing can seem like a daunting task but just like anything else, practice makes perfect. Writing every day will help you grow exponentially in your craft and you will be amazed at the difference in your posts compared to last years’ or even last months’. Like any new hobby, you might feel shaky in the beginning but continuing to try writing daily will help your confidence in your skill soar as you start to get the hang of it. 🙂

As a seasoned blogger, it is exciting to me to enter the Writing Zone every day and the tips above have all played their part in getting me to that level. I hope they do the same for you! ❤

What are some of your writing tips and tricks? Do you have any questions for me? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug9

1,000 Post Countdown!

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1,000 Post Countdown!

Hello!!! In thirty-nine short days, I will have reached a 1,000 post streak for writing on lifewithlilred. That’s 1,000 days of writing in a row and, my goodness, has it gone by quickly! I had no idea where I was at in terms of a streak until WordPress started notifying me daily and I get more and more excited every morning when I sit down at my computer to write. 😀

Today, we are going to discuss some of my favorite writing tips and tricks that have made this over two year streak possible. And, of course, keep it locked on lifewithlilred for more Countdown posts and one (or more) giveaways! Let’s get to it:

Go With The Flow:

Let’s be honest, we have all had those days where we experience writer’s block in some form or another. It’s easy to think that you have nothing to say but we all know that’s not true at all! If you are feeling stuck, remember that you are writing for your blog and you can write about anything. Go with the flow of it and remember that short and simple posts are A-okay… Did you have a crazy dream last night? What kind of mood are you in and why? Have you tried cooking a new recipe recently? It’s okay to not have groundbreaking posts every day so take a breath, relax, and go with the flow.

Take Notes:

I am constantly taking down notes for potential posts because I know that if I didn’t, I would forget my ideas in five seconds! Use a physical notepad or use the one on your phone whenever you have inspiration for a new post. Having a backlog of things that I can write about really comes in handy when I am struggling to come up with content. In fact, the Old School Rulez post featured recently has been on my notepad for ages until I finally wrote about it!

Content Won’t Create Itself:

If you are hurting for more exciting content on your page, remember that it is not going to create itself. I know firsthand that it can sometimes be a chore to create bigger posts like OOTDs, MOTDs, or travel based pieces – but, man, do I feel so good once I have a more time consuming article that I am happy with. Schedule some time throughout the week to dedicate yourself to taking pictures or visiting local events. When writing prep is planned, it makes it so much easier for me to follow through with it.

It’s Your Party:

People are visiting your page because they are interested in what you have to say and want to know more about you. Recommendation posts are amazing for that reason! What have you been binge watching? Which products can you not live without? What is one of your fondest memories? How about some gift guides if you pride yourself on being an A+ gifter? Review style posts are great for when you have writer’s block because picking your favorite thing and writing about it is easy to complete and effective to read.

I keep the above tips and tricks in the back of my mind constantly and they have all helped me get to the point of an almost 1,000 post streak. I hope they help you too! 🙂

Do you have any questions for me? What are some of your writing tips? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug7

Old School Rulez

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Old School Rulez

Hi! A charming quirk that you might not know about your girl is that I absolutely refuse to get a smartphone. Rather, I opt for my tough as nails slide up keyboard phone which I can make calls and text on:

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This shocks so many people, especially since I work in social media. However, I just have always failed to see the point in a smartphone because of my equally old school iPod Touch that I can access the internet on if there’s WiFi and take pictures. This system has worked for me since I was a teenager and as the saying goes: If it’s not broken, then don’t fix it. But, unfortunately, my old school wayz might need to be altered sooner than later. -_-

When I first moved into my apartment two years ago, I had excellent reception and can recall being able to text or make phone calls from any location inside. Fast forward to the past several months and, slowly but surely, it has been getting harder and harder to send a text and I can no longer make phone calls from my apartment whatsoever. In fact, for the first time last evening, I couldn’t send a text message despite trying to over half a dozen times.

I always knew that this day might come – I just didn’t expect this change to happen so abruptly. It seems like just yesterday I could be a Chatty Kathy from anywhere in my apartment! My lack of reception is, admittedly, insanely inconvenient and I finally have thrown up my hands and agreed to my first smartphone.

While this will certainly be a different change of pace for me, I am just a tiny bit excited to be able to have a phone that takes better quality pictures. This will be awesome for lifewithlilred and for snapping precious memories with my family, friends, and husband. 🙂

Old school has ruled for so long for me but it is going to be out with the old and in with the new before summer is over, I’m sure. Keep it posted here for more updates on this shocking development! 😀

What is something that you are old school about? Which smartphone has the best camera? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul24

Whirlwind Weeks

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Whirlwind Weeks

Hello! I don’t know about you guys, but this summer has been flying by for me because it has been so busy. I got married, my husband and I celebrated our birthdays, and I started a new job. Not to mention that over the weekends, Johnny’s band, The Outside Voices, is usually performing. While these are all incredibly exciting things, it can also be incredibly exhausting!

Busy? Yes – but I am LOVING my new schedule thanks to the job I accepted and never get home any later than four o’clock Monday through Friday… It is beautiful and I feel much more well rested. And, although my weekends haven’t been the most relaxing this summer, it is so nice to see all of our friends again as Johnny and I have been fully vaccinated since May.

My favorite hang out to date this summer was when our dear friend, Shannon, stayed with us for a weekend. He is a wonderful photographer and he took pictures of The Outside Voices playing at a gig. Shannon also was kind enough to take some pictures of yours truly too – some of which are taken on a Polaroid camera which was really cool. Tune in tomorrow for an OOTD with some of the sneak peek photos he has sent me!

^^^ This was the first picture Shannon took with his new Polaroid camera and it is one of my favorites of me and Johnny. ❤

What has your summer been like so far? How do you relax after whirlwind days? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun20

Married Life

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Married Life

Hello! Ever since tying the knot on June 4th, Johnny and I have been asked time and time again if we feel any different and we always answer with no. Being married to Johnny is the best thing in the whole world but we both agree that it feels exactly the same as it did before when we were dating and recently engaged. We have had a wild bag of replies back of people concurring or feeling the polar opposite but we can all agree that married life rocks!

Since our nuptials, Johnny and I have enjoyed double birthday celebrations, a road trip to Marietta, trivia night, and the endless support of our loved ones and it has been awesome. In fact, all of these outings after being in the apartment for over a year due to the pandemic feels more like when we first started dating! It has been so exciting to finally be fully vaccinated and have the opportunity to go out and about with our friends and the novelty has yet to wear off.

While our now weekly date days and hang outs with friends have been great, our favorite thing to do is veg out together after work. Whether we are playing video games, watching documentaries, or endless hours of Family Matters we both love our time to relax and enjoy each other’s company after a long day. As soon as I exit my car and walk to the apartment when I return home, I always feel butterflies knowing that my Johnny will be there to greet me and it never gets old.

We have both come to realize that married life doesn’t feel much different because we have never left the honeymoon stages of our first dates and there is no better feeling than that. Here’s to our never ending honeymoon! ❤

Did married life feel different to you? How so? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun19

Give Yourself An Instant Summer Makeover

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Give Yourself An Instant Summer Makeover

After over a year of being cooped up due to the pandemic, it is only understandable to want to put your best self forward now that it is possible to be out and about again. There is no better way to wow those who you haven’t seen in so long with a makeover! The options we’ll discuss will have instant results and you will be sure to stun the next time you step out. Let’s get to it:

Visit The Dentist:

It was so strange to not be able to see what anyone really looked like during the pandemic because of the face masks and it is nice to see people smiling again. Speaking of smiling, how is yours looking? Bi yearly trips to the dentist are a must and a cleaning will make your pearly whites even prettier when you flash a smile. If more extensive work needs done, your dentist could use the high quality appliances from orthodontic laboratory Toronto to completely perfect your smile. Instant makeover? I think yes!

Upgrade Your Wardrobe:

There is no need to buy a brand new wardrobe with the changing of the seasons. Rather, upgrade what you already have by purchasing a few statement and weather appropriate pieces to refresh your wardrobe. It will be such fun to go shopping again and now that fitting rooms are open, don’t be afraid to experiment with things you wouldn’t normally try on. You never know if something works unless you try it and new to you shapes and colors will be an automatic boost to your closet.

Don’t Skimp On Skin Care:

There is something to be said for bright, soft skin so don’t skimp on skin care this summer. You can’t go wrong with a gel moisturizer for lightweight hydration and don’t forget to get one with SPF in it! The same goes for a body lotion with SPF too. We see a lot more of everyone in the summer thanks to shorts and tank tops so no dry patches allowed! Make your complexion the most radiant with a Vitamin C serum and now we’re in business.

Work On You:

People just glow differently when they are happy, don’t they? Spend some time each day with yourself to meditate, journal, do yoga – whatever. As long as you are relaxing and focusing on inner peace your “me time” could be anything. The important thing is that you are working to improve your mind and body so you can smile more often and make your aura even more beautiful.

Give yourself an instant makeover this summer with the tips above and don’t be afraid to shine. We all deserve it after facing so many difficulties this past year!

Jun3

On Fire!

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On Fire!

Hi! Once I give myself a goal, I try my darnedest to stick to it – especially when it comes to my blog and practicing five different languages on Duolingo. I am proud to say that I have accomplished a two hundred and twenty day streak on Duolingo since my last update and I cannot wait until I hit one full year of daily practicing. I also reached a major milestone on WordPress, when a notification let me know that I am on an eight hundred and ninety day streak for posting on lifewithlilred. Woah!!!

When I am on the Duolingo app, the streak counter updates every day once I complete one lesson, so I always know where I stand. However, I have never received a notification for days of writing on WordPress and was blown away when my writing streak was announced. I never really thought about how many days straight I had been blogging on lifewithlilred and felt so proud of myself when I was able to put an actual number to it – which amounts to two years and a hundred and sixty days.

For eight hundred and ninety days, I have wrote before work and on the weekend and have been true to my goal of daily blogging. And, since the pandemic, I have made good on practicing with Duo every day too! These habits have become so ingrained in me and, now, I can’t imagine a day without my morning writing sessions and language learning. Writing and trying my hand at different languages have always been my favorite hobbies and it feels so good to accomplish such big milestones on the things that I am most passionate about.

I am very much looking forward to hitting a one year streak on Duo and a one thousand day streak on WordPress and I don’t plan on stopping there! Here’s to countless more days for all of us to reach our goals – I know we can do it. ❤

Do you have any goals for yourself? How do you stay motivated to achieve your goals? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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May19

Crunch Time!

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Crunch Time!

Hello! The countdown for my wedding is on and I definitely feel like I am in crunch time now. And, mind you, this is just for a super small ceremony – I couldn’t imagine the stress that soon to be married people feel for a big wedding! Thankfully, if there’s one thing that Lil Red loves to do, it’s plan and Johnny and I are constantly checking things off of our wedding to do list. In fact, I was able to cross three things off in just one day.

This past week, I got halfway through with removing all of the horrible and heinous disk sequins from my wedding dress. It is a night and day improvement with just having the top half completely sequin free and it is so worth the painstaking, time consuming effort. Later that afternoon, Johnny and I went to the courthouse to get our marriage license application sorted so that is all good to go which is very exciting!

After going to the courthouse, I treated myself to brand new jewelry for the four studs in my nose at Lucid Body Piercing. I never change the jewelry in my nose so my crystal studs were looking incredibly dingy and that just won’t do for my wedding day. The professionals at Lucid were able to hook me up with slightly bigger studs with a disk backing, which means a little more bling and no more screw posts forever getting tangled. 😀

Once my jewelry was selected, the owner of the studio, Alex, put them all in for free and it was such an amazing experience because he is so skilled and knowledgeable. We had many a laugh while he swapped my studs out and when we weren’t chit chatting, he thoroughly explained what he was doing which made me feel so comfortable. After my wedding, I am playing around with going back to the shop for a potential new nose piercing. Just being in a piercing studio to have jewelry changed out was enough to have the body mod bug come back biting!

Mine and Johnny’s wedding check list is winding down and soon, we will have nothing left to do but wait for our big day. I have really enjoyed doing the wedding preparations with my fiance and I can’t wait to get married! ❤

What helps you stay organized? Are there any new piercings or tattoos in your future? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May18

Radio Silence

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Radio Silence

Hello! For the past year or so, my radio in the Little Red Love Machine would do this adorable thing while I’m driving and stop working. Lol, I used to joke that the ghost from my apartment had made his way into my car because it would always start working again after a day or so. While super annoying, I was never too bothered by it because I knew it would turn on the next time I ran over a bump in the road.

Your girl doesn’t know anything about cars but I knew that there was definitely some type of issue and, unfortunately, my radio stopped working altogether about two months ago. I drive a lot for my job and this has meant no more Top 40 singalongs, CDs, or using the aux cord for my iPod. The only thing I can do is play my iPod at full volume and continue recycling the exact same songs that I have been listening to since I was fourteen! Haha.

Normally, it’s a good thing when you don’t hear any noises from your car because that means everything is in working order. However, radio silence is a whole different ball game – especially for me. I work for myself and provide care for people with special needs. My time in the car with my music while driving between clients or returning home from work allows me to decompress from the stresses of the day and it is very hard being without.

“Then why haven’t you gotten your radio fixed, Sarah?” I was just getting to that! Between paying taxes, repairs for my car in April, and purchases for my wedding I can’t justify another charge to my bills. But trust and believe that my car radio will be fixed sooner rather than later and the Little Red Love Machine will return to her former glory in no time!

What is your go to driving music? Do you have a name for your car? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah