4 “Minor” Health Issues That Could Actually Be Major

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4 “Minor” Health Issues That Could Actually Be Major

We’re all a little guilty of ignoring new health symptoms, especially if they seem fairly minor in nature. We think that we can treat them ourselves or that they’ll go away on their own as long as we don’t do anything to make them worse, and most of the time that may be the case. However, there are numerous “minor” health issues that could actually be more serious than you think. Let’s take a look at them now:

Constipation:

Constipation can be uncomfortable, but it can also be embarrassing, which is why most of us try to deal with it ourselves by taking a little senna or adding more fiber to our diets. Most of the time that’s all that’s needed. But, if you are suffering from constipation that is both prolonged and painful, it could be another story altogether. Persistent constipation can lead to hemorrhoids and even confusion, especially in older people. It could also be a symptom of bowel cancer or an intestinal blockage, so you really should seek the advice of your doctor if you are experiencing constipation over a period of time. However, most bouts with constipation are temporary conditions that can be easily solved. They sometimes might result in hemorrhoids but that too can be treated with hemorrhoid cream.

Gum boils:

If you start to notice boils or sores on your gums, you may naturally just pop to the chemist for some ointment to soothe and cure the problem. Again, that may be all that’s needed, but if you get a lot of sores and boils or if they become infected, it could be a sign of something more serious like gum disease. You should make an appointment with a dental practice like Rivers Edge Dental as soon as possible. If it’s caught early enough, gum disease can be reversed, and if that is not possible, it can be managed so that it doesn’t get worse. If you notice any oral health issues, you should not wait to seek help.

Feeling down:

If you’re feeling blue, you’re uninterested in doing much, and you’re more tired than usual, it could be more than simply feeling down, you could be depressed. Depression is really serious and the sooner you seek help for it and get the right treatment, the more likely you are to get back to your old self and start feeling good again. Not only that, but depression can also be a symptom of several serious physical illnesses including M.E, and even cancer in some cases, so it really does need to be explored.

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Accidentally peeing:

You might think that accidentally peeing a little when you laugh or cough is no big deal in terms of your health, but it could actually be a sign that there is a problem with your pelvic floor, for example, and there are things you can do about that. So, there is no need to suffer in silence – go and see your doctor and see what can be recommended for you.

They may seem minor, but if you experience any of these symptoms, seeing a medical professional is a good idea.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Happy Early Birthday To Me!

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Happy Early Birthday To Me!

Hi! If you know Lil Red, then you will know that I simply cannot wait to give people their presents for gift giving occasions. My fiance, Johnny, on the other hand prefers to open gifts until the day of the birthday or holiday or at least get fairly close. So, imagine my surprise when Johnny wanted to give me my birthday presents super early. Our birthdays are one week apart from each other in June and this was an excellent development for me because I had been dying to give him his gifts!

Earlier in May, Johnny gifted me with an amazing standing makeup holder for all of my bits and baubles. And, this past week, he gave me my main gift… the original Paper Mario for the Nintendo 64!

For our one year anniversary, Johnny got me Paper Mario: The Origami King for the Nintendo Switch and this past Valentine’s Day, he gifted me with Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door for the GameCube. Can you tell what one of my favorite video games is? To complete my collection, I needed the Paper Mario for the N64 and I also need the one for the Nintendo 3DS. With my early birthday prezzie, I am one step closer to having all of the Paper Mario games and I am eager to give my new (old) one a try as I have never played it.

Time and time again, I am blown away by Johnny’s thoughtfulness more than anything on gift giving occasions. Whenever we give each other presents, it always seems to be exactly what we both wanted. This shows me that we are actually listening to each other when we talk and that is the best gift of all. Johnny is such fun to shop for and he received some Legend Of Zelda Amiibos as well as a blazer from his favorite website, Phix, for his birthday. Nothing was better than seeing the look on his face when he opened them and I can’t wait for a lifetime of birthdays and holidays with him. ❤

What is your favorite video game? Who is your favorite person to shop for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Loud & Clear!

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Loud & Clear!

Hello all!! A few days ago, I posted about how the radio in my car has not been working for the past several months. I drive a lot for work, so it has been a huge drag not being able to have my singalongs when I hit the road. Before, my radio would always turn back on after a day or two of not working but after months had gone by, I had all but given up hope of hearing anything in my car until I got it fixed. So, you could imagine my surprise when the radio began playing music out of nowhere!

I was about to leave work for the day, turned my car on, and was immediately greeted by The University of Akron’s radio station blasting. Needless to say, it completely shocked me and I dropped my iPod as I was selecting music to play at full volume for the ride home! It’s a little thing, but listening to the radio while I drive makes my work day better and, despite being stuck in rush hour traffic, it was the best drive I have had in months.

I wouldn’t say that I had a bad day at work that day, but I definitely have felt like I could use a pick me up and my radio working was just the surprise I needed. I was eager to hear what the hits have been after two months of radio silence and I walked into my apartment with an ear to ear grin because the last song I heard was one of my jams by Machine Gun Kelly. Small thing. World of difference.

While I love my job so much, we all have those days where we just don’t feel like going to work. However, as I write this, I am itching to get in my car and start my day so I can listen to the radio and enjoy the eighty degree weather in Ohio with my windows down. Let’s have a great day today!

What is your favorite radio station? Who is your favorite Top 40 artist? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Buyer Beware!

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Buyer Beware!

Hi! Whether it’s a good or bad review, I like to be completely honest about my opinions or experiences with my readers. You might remember a previous post of mine gabbing about Wildly Untamed Boutique and how pleased I was with their customer service as I ordered heels from there for my wedding. While I still stand by that, I have to retract a statement I made saying that I would order from there again because that has been proven false since my last post.

Unfortunately, the heels I ordered were too big so I contacted Wildly Untamed Boutique’s customer service and asked to exchange them for a smaller pair. Knowing that it takes about three or so days to hear back from them, I ordered the size down so that the heels would arrive in ample time for my wedding. Customer service acknowledged that and I waited patiently for an update after the distributor was contacted.

I was instructed to ship the too large pair back and a shipping label to China was sent to me. I live in Ohio in the USA and my naive self thought “it can’t cost that much to ship back”. So, you could imagine my surprise when an employee from the UPS Store told me that it would cost several hundred dollars to ship the one hundred fifteen dollar pair of shoes back. Either way in this scenario, I would be losing money.

As soon as I returned home, I emailed customer service again and asked if there was any other location that I could ship to because of exorbitant shipping fees. I also recalled that the shoes arrived with a printed shipping address in the USA, not in China (which I have saved). I was told that they had no other locations in the email back, so now I am essentially out two hundred thirty dollars.

Two hundred thirty? Yes. Because not only did I not have the option to return the too big pair of shoes, they did not have my size in the color that I wanted. I ordered a lesser loved color because I needed something that fit. However, that didn’t stop me from searching for the heels in the color that I wanted elsewhere online a few days later. And guess what? I found them on the actual brand’s website for FORTY BUCKS. That’s a marked up price on Wildly Untamed Boutique of seventy-five dollars!!!!!!

If this review doesn’t turn you off completely from shopping with Wildly Untamed Boutique, then I would recommend using caution when purchasing with them. If your order needs returned, chances are, the shipping fees will be more expensive than what you originally spent. They also, obviously, mark up their selection A LOT so you could almost certainly find what you want for cheaper elsewhere. Very disappointing.

Have you ever had a similar situation with online shopping? What did you do to remedy it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Groovy Movies: Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train Edition

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Groovy Movies: Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train Edition

Hello!!!! This past weekend was an awesome one because I went to my first movie in theaters since 2019! I went to see Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train with my brother, Andrew, and brother in law, Ramon, for part of Andrew’s birthday celebrations and it was absolutely amazing! Andrew introduced me to the anime, Demon Slayer, during the pandemic and I have been dying for more ever since finishing season one. So, you can only imagine my excitement when Mugen Train was set to come out in theaters, showing the in between of seasons one and two.

After much planning around busy schedules, we were finally able to see the Demon Slayer movie at a local Cinemark and it was so wonderful being back in a movie theater after so long. I was able to order our tickets online and once your purchase is made, it blocks anyone from buying seats next to you and it made me feel really comfortable and I appreciated all of their excellent COVID precautions. I also really appreciated the nachos from the snack bar! 😀

Now, without giving any spoilers away, let’s talk about this flick:

^^^ And, as always, I have no rights to this video!

Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train begins where season one left off with Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke boarding the Mugen Train. Along with Tanjiro’s demon sister, Nezuko, safely in tow in her travel box, of course. Many passengers have disappeared on the train, which can only point to demon activity. So, the boys are instructed to meet up with the Fire Hashira, MISTER RENGOKU, and defeat the demon that is causing so much catastrophe. They are in for a long, hard fight because while incredibly badass, Enmu who is Lower Rank One of the Twelve Kizuki, uses some pretty insane Blood Demon Art that puts her opponents to sleep.

Not only do you get to explore the train and its surroundings outside with our heroes but you also get a glimpse into their dreams as well, thanks to the sleep induced by Enmu. The dreams of Mister Rengoku, Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke gives you a better understanding of their past and shows you their deepest desires. The only catch is that once you are asleep, you can’t wake up!

Once Tanjiro figures out how to get himself out of the dreaming world, it is ON and the action that follows is nonstop until the movie is over because another member of the Twelve Kizuki shows up for good measure. Will the Demon Slayers be able to stop Enmu in her tracks on the train? Are they getting closer to finally defeating Kibutsuji? And just how many people are going to die in this process? See Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train to find out!

The Demon Slayer movie was an incredible ride and I didn’t want it to end, even though it was just about two hours long. It was so jam packed with action and information that it could have gone on for another two hours and I would have been happy. The movie gave you such a sense of claustrophobic urgency because they were limited to the interior of the train full of passengers for a while and fatalities seemed eminent. Once the fighting started on the train top, all of my tension was released and all I could feel was adrenaline as I rooted for the Demon Slayers. Like I said, it was quite a ride.

The story line of Mugen Train was excellent but the beautiful animation is what really drove it home for me. The colors, scenery, and sometimes hilarious facial expressions are so visually appealing and it was nothing short of a delight to watch. In fact, my favorite part of the movie was Enmu of the Twelve Kizuki because she was amazing to look at and I felt disappointed every time a scene with her in it ended. I loved her menswear inspired outfit, facial markings, hair, and her walking hand with a mouth and eye of its own. Her Blood Demon Art of gifting people with sweet dreams or endless nightmares was also very cool.

Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train is a must see for anime fans and I am sure it will blow you away, as it did for me. I am awarding this movie with the prestigious ten out of ten star rating and I cannot wait for season two to be released!

What is your favorite anime? What is the last movie that you saw in theaters? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: 13th Floor

How To Discourage Rodent Pests In Your Home

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How To Discourage Rodent Pests In Your Home

Prevention is always better than the cure. Once rodents like mice or rats have moved into your home, it can be very difficult to get rid of them. Instead, if you can, try to discourage them from moving in in the first place. Preventing rodents from coming in is a better option for many reasons, especially if you’re worried about finding humane traps or want to avoid using poisons. Learn more about why rat poison shouldn’t be used here. And learn more about preventative tips here:

Use Caulk And Steel Wool To Seal Up The House:

The best way to prevent mice or rats from moving in is to make sure that there is nowhere for them to get in. Mice can get into very small gaps. In fact, they can squeeze through a hole about the size of a dime. Even if a hole doesn’t start out large enough for them to get in, rodents will just gnaw at the opening to make it bigger until they get through it. Rats in particular can chew through just about anything.

Luckily, they can’t chew through caulk and steel wool. Pay particularly close attention to where any pipes enter the building and along your basement foundations, as this is often where gaps form. Make sure you replace any weather stripping and screen any vents and the openings of the chimney.

Prune Shrubbery Away From The House:

Shrubbery and any branches that reach the house are an open invitation to mice and other pests to come on in. Cut off their route inside by cutting back any shrubbery that gets too close to the house. Make sure that things like stacks of firewood are kept at least twenty feet from the house. Mice love to nest in these piles and could be encouraged inside if the logs are against the house.

Take Away Their Food Supply:

When the weather turns cold, mice will look for warmth and something to eat. A kitchen that is messy and full of crumbs and open packets is a mouse’s dream. Keep your kitchen shelves, cabinets, and countertops clean. Store any unsealed food in airtight containers to limit access. If you have a pet, make sure you don’t leave out food in a bowl all day long, as this will potentially attract rodents looking for something to eat. Mice also eat paper and cardboard, so keep on top of getting the recycling out of the kitchen.

Seal The Bin:

Mice are attracted to trash cans. To make your bin mouse-proof, choose a bin with an airtight lid and keep it closed. You can use rubber cords to secure a loose lid.

Try Essential Oils:

Homemade remedies are not usually very effective for getting rid of rodents, but you can try them to discourage them. Some people think that the smell of peppermint and clove oil repels mice. Soak some cotton balls in these essential oils and shove them into areas that commonly attract mice, like cabinets, drawers, and entry points. It can’t hurt to try.

Better protect your family and home from pests with these preventative tips!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Target Run

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Target Run

Hello! I have not been in a store just to browse since the beginning of the pandemic and you guys have no idea how much I have missed it. For a while, I was only going grocery shopping and I stopped doing that a few months ago, opting for curbside delivery instead. Now that I am fully vaccinated, I feel much more comfortable running errands so when my sister texted me last Saturday morning asking if I wanted to go on a Target Run, I couldn’t say no!

Kristen picked me up with my niece, Valerie, and I was so excited because Target is Val’s favorite store and I have never been there with her. Such good taste at just two years old! It seems so simple but that small outing that lasted a little over an hour was enough to make me insanely happy. It was, finally, a warm spring day in Ohio and driving in the car with Kristen and Val with the sun shining and music playing on the way to Target felt like the first semblance of normal I’ve had in a long time.

I am just as surprised as all of you that my first window shopping trip in over a year wasn’t to TJMaxx but Target is a close second and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. We even ran into Jared’s really quickly after our Target trip so I could check on the progress of my wedding band and it is looking amazing. Kristen and I are planning on doing another shopping excursion soon because we are both in need of new summer clothes and I can’t wait. Here’s to many more safe outings all summer! ❤

What have you missed the most during the pandemic? Which store is your happy place? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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

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

3 Tips For Buying Gifts In A New Relationship

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3 Tips For Buying Gifts In A New Relationship

You’re in a new relationship and things are going well even though you haven’t been together for long. But then, disaster strikes. Their birthday or a holiday is coming up and you have no idea what to get them. You don’t know them that well yet and it’s tough to work out how much you spend or how romantic you should be with your gifts. Buying gifts in a new relationship is difficult and it can lead to some awkward situations if you miss the mark. But if you follow these rules, you should be able to find the perfect gift:

Talk About Gifts:

Communication is key in relationships, especially when things are new and you are still learning about each other. Before buying gifts for the first time, ask them about it so you can both set expectations. Do they like big gifts or are they happy with something small? Should you set a price limit on gifts? What kind of things do they normally like? Asking these questions means that everybody is on the same page and there are no awkward situations where one person spends way more than the other or you make a big fuss when they don’t like gifts.

Speaking of communication, really pay attention to your partner’s hobbies or when they mention something they would love. For example, if your significant other is an avid golfer, new gloves and golf balls would be very well received. Or maybe there is a movie coming out that they are dying to see? Gift a date night!

Don’t Go Too Romantic:

Some people have a tendency to go for over the top romantic gifts early on in relationships. They want to demonstrate to the person that they really like them and they are invested in the relationship. However, this isn’t always the best way to go because it can put a lot of pressure on that person. It might make them worry that things are moving too fast or that they are less invested than you. So, it’s best to avoid anything too romantic and over the top in the early stages. Look for funny t-shirts for sale rather than a big stuffed bear with a heart. Picking something like a funny t-shirt shows them that you understand their sense of humor and their interests, which demonstrates that you care without putting too much pressure on. Or, you can give a gift that taps into their favorite fandom, which shows that you really are listening to their likes and dislikes. A Game of Thrones fan would love a dark sister sword while a Harry Potter fan would be over the moon with their own wand – no over the top romance required!

Of course, you should never discount flowers as “too romantic” of a gift because everyone loves receiving them! These options for gift hamper delivery Melbourne (or something similar in your local area) are a great place to start for inspiration. Your significant other will receive gorgeous blooms as well as a candle, wine, or candies depending on what you choose. Gift baskets are an excellent gifting idea as they offer a little bit of everything for your partner to enjoy!

Don’t Leave It To The Last Minute:

When buying gifts in a new relationship, it’s important to show that you care and you put thought into your gift. If you come up with something at the last minute, that suggests that you are not invested in the relationship and are not putting effort in. If you do find yourself in a bind, this list of last minute gifts can help you find something good. However, you should try to avoid this situation and start thinking of gift ideas early. Pay attention to your partner and start listing things they are interested in or things that they talked about buying. Other than hobbies, it’s also a good idea to remember certain scents or flavors that your partner loves. A gift like bath and body care or fragrance gift sets could be very well received if you know just what they like! The whole process will be far less stressful if you start early and have plenty of ideas.

Buying gifts in a new relationship can be difficult and you might worry that you gifted the wrong thing. But if you follow these rules, you will be able to make the best choice!

Featured Image By: Pixabay