Tag Archives: enjoy

Mar14

Making Your Life That Little Bit Better

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Making Your Life That Little Bit Better

There’s always room for improvement in life. So, if you’ve decided that you want to be that little bit happier each time you wake up in the morning, now is a better time to start than ever! Leading a better quality life is more fulfilling and will leave you feeling more content. You will be able to enjoy your life to the utmost and minor problems won’t seem all that bad. So, what can you do to improve your quality of life? Here are a few ideas to get the ball rolling:

Wave Goodbye to Unhealthy Habits:

We tend to get entangled with unhealthy habits, as we find engaging with them enjoyable or pleasurable in the first place. We get some sort of immediate benefit from unhealthy substances and continue to engage with them as a result. But over time, they can prove significantly detrimental to our overall health and well being. The good news, is that there are ways to kick unhealthy habits. You can:

  • Quit smoking with nicotine replacement products.
  • Combat excessive alcohol consumption with men’s sober living.
  • Tackle obesity with a balanced diet and exercise regime.

These are just a few examples derived from common bad habits that people have. But, whatever your unhealthy habit may be, it’s time to wave goodbye to it!

Assume the Best in Others:

Many of us spend time ruminating on others’ wrongdoings and negative experiences that we have had with other people in the past. Betrayal, deception, and other harsh acts can make us skeptical of others and their intentions. This, in a way, can help us. We are less likely to be caught off guard or hurt. But, at the same time, we can find ourselves cutting off potentially positive relationships because we assume the worst in someone who has given us no reason to doubt them. So, start assuming the best of others. It will open you up to better and more rewarding relationships and provide you with a more positive mindset.

Pick Up a New Hobby:

So many of us waste hours on end scrolling through social media feeds and yearning for the fun filled lifestyles that others seem to be leading. But, this is counterproductive. Instead, why not get out there and actively engage with something that you genuinely enjoy? You could put your spare time to much better use. Pick up a hobby. Choose something that appeals to you. Common hobbies include:

Not only can having a hobby provide you with something stimulating and rewarding to do, but it can expand your social circles, putting you in touch with others who have similar interests to you.

These steps may seem relatively basic. But, it’s definitely worth putting a reminder out there. Following the above advice could help you to live your life to the utmost and wake up with a smile on your face!

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Mar10

Lil Red’s Book Club: YOU Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: YOU Edition

Hi! A handful of months ago, the Lifetime series, YOU, turned into a phenomenon once the premiere season was added on to Netflix. I absolutely jumped on the bandwagon and enjoyed the smart, sexy, and oh so creepy episodes staring a Mister Penn Badgley as the super stalker Joe Goldberg. I admit that I was caught up in all of the excitement of chit chatting about it with friends in person and on Facebook that I didn’t even know the show was derived from a book! Shame on me.

you

Book Depository Image

Usually, I always prefer to read the book before watching the show or movie that it’s based on. But, when it came to YOU, I did things backwards. I finished the book a week or so ago and I enjoyed it even more than the TV series, which is pretty common. However, I will say that the show did an excellent job of keeping close to the book, minus a few liberties and I definitely appreciated that.

YOU tells the sickening saga between obsessive Joe and oblivious Beck, a customer who he met one time at his book store. The book is told completely from Joe’s point of view, which was really interesting. If you watched the show, you know he was a total creepazoid. But, reading all of his perverted and violent thoughts as he narrates his story created a bone chilling sense of disturbia.

Desperate to get close to Beck, Joe plants himself in just the right places to run into her or just watch her from a distance. As he discovers more about his dream girl and falls deeper into his obsession, he is willing to eliminate or do anything that stands in his way of the relationship he so desperately wants.

Set in bustling New York City, such a highly populated location, you can literally feel the spine tingling sense that somebody is watching you through the massive crowd. Joe locked his sights in on Beck and through master manipulation and deception hones in on the girl of his dreams, which becomes a nightmare for her.

YOU was a book that I could not put down, which surprised me, because none of the characters are particularly likeable. Joe was a psychopath, Beck was a downright horrible person despite Joe’s fantasizing about her, and all of Beck’s friends were nightmares in their own right. But, the story line and the expert writing of Caroline Kepnes was so intense that none of this mattered. Because the story was told by Joe, you got an intimate peak into his twisted brain and it felt impossible to not keep turning the page to find out what he was going to do next.

I rate YOU with a ten out of ten. It was delightfully reminiscent of one of my favorite books, The Collector, but it still felt original and fresh. It was horror and suspense and it really tuned into the modern world of cyberstalking gone horribly wrong. I have the sequel on hold at the library and cannot wait to get it so I can see how Joe works himself out of the dilemmas that he created in YOU as well as all of the creepiness to come!

Did you watch or read YOU? What were your thoughts about the book or series? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar6

Mini Zen Garden

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Mini Zen Garden

Howdy! This past Christmas, one of the things that I gifted for my dad was a mini zen garden that I found at Five Below – of all places! My dad loves zen inspired decor and I truly think that he is in his happy place when he tends to his beautiful garden. So, I figured a little zen garden to cultivate would be a perfect add on gift for him. And, because I try to find my inner peace through meditation, I have enjoyed caring for our tiny garden, too. Check it out:

zenzen1

The zen garden from Five Below came with all of the tokens seen above to create your own scene of peace and I thought that it was an amazing find. I don’t change the layout of the garden too often – maybe once a week. But, I always love when I see the location of the figurines moved because that means my dad has been enjoying it, too. He keeps the zen garden by his Laughing Buddha statue that he got in Thailand and all of it ties in with his super chill personality.

I was so happy with how much my dad liked his gift when he opened it on Christmas and I am even more thrilled that we can both use it and make a little peace together. ❤

What is your favorite discount store find? How do you try and get into a zen state of mind? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar5

Bubble Bar Blitz: Lush’s Yog Nog Yule Log Edition

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Bubble Bar Blitz: Lush’s Yog Nog Yule Log Edition

Hiii! A few days ago I finally finished up the Lush products I got for Christmas by using the tongue twister Yog Nog Yule Log bubble bar. I have never used a bubble bar from Lush before so it probably would have helped to read the instructions of how to use it online. Long story short, my bar didn’t bubble. But, I don’t think it would have even if I used it properly and crumbled it under the running water, because this bar was so compact with what I’m assuming was Shea or cocoa butter. At the very least, it might have foamed.

But, the beauty of the bubble bars is that they are reusable so I can try again next time! High five! Take a look at some pics of my first experience and let’s discuss:

yule1yule2

First things first, let’s address the color of my bath water lol. After giving my body a pre-shave rub down with the bubble bar, it straight up turned the water yellow. This is, admittedly, pretty gross. But, the bubble bar was so soothing and moisturizing that I don’t even care. My skin has been so dry lately because it’s been really windy and damp in the 330. It’s the type of weather that just eats right through you and my skin has suffered big time.

The Yog Nog Yule Log bar felt so good on my chapped skin and it gave me an even smoother shave than when I use my go to exfoliaters from The Body Shop. Yes, it would have been nice to have a genuine bubble bath. But, the on the skin contact was just what I needed to get some hydration back so no harm no foul. Here’s to luscious bubbles or foam next time!

What are your thoughts on the Lush bubble bars? What is your favorite Lush product? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar2

March 2019 Funky Time Jams

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March 2019 Funky Time Jams

Hiii everyone and welcome to March! My recent drive to Pittsburgh provided me with the most rando playlist, because I definitely listened to Broadway musicals for most of it. Lol, to some this is lame and to others it is totally brilliant! For me, it made the drive so much quicker and it provided me with a lot of entertainment considering I had to be both the male and female lead, supporting characters, AND the chorus! So, trust and believe the Funky Time Jams this month will be peppered with a little Broadway flare. Check it out:

(And, as always, I do not own any of the rights to these songs or videos!)

Okay, so I often get asked why Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat are on my iPod because I’m not religious at all. And, I honestly have no idea. But, what I do know, is that the music in those musicals are catchy AF and we also watched them basically every year at my Catholic grade school. So, I guess I got a permanent ear worm from that. I could listen to the soundtrack or watch any filmed version of those shows and enjoy myself, so they were a must on my drive to Pittsburgh. And, how can you not love Sweeney Todd?!

I have also been listening to a buttload of The Cure since they announced an upcoming tour, which I would LOVE to go see. Breathing the same air as Robert Smith would probably make my chronic depression go away, so it needs to happen!

And, finally, I watched Burlesque with one of my clients a few weeks ago for the first time and I thought it was so good! Christina Aguilera is definitely one of my favorite female singers, so it was easy to get down with a movie revolving around her. I also saw the second Lego movie with another one of my clients and anyone who says that Everything Is Awesome isn’t a banger is a stone cold liar.

And, finally finally, Black & Yellow needs no further explanation after a Pittsburgh Partayyyy! Turn up, turn up, turn up!!!!!

What is your favorite Broadway musical? Who do you have on your road trip playlist? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar1

Pittsburgh Partayyy

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Pittsburgh Partayyy

Hiii! This past weekend, I spent time in Pittsburgh with my cousin Laura and her boyfriend Victor. You might remember Laura from the amazing job that she did microblading my eyebrows in October! During my mini vaca, I got my eyebrows touched up AND I finally got some bling on my teeth, because Laura was able to put some tooth gems on me. They are SO cute! Laura is finishing up the final touches on the pictures that she took but, keep your eyes peeled, because once she’s done I will post them along with the microblading touch up process.

I won’t leave you guys with the details of the rest of my trip, because Laura and I suffered from the most debilitating hangovers ever and it was a really gross time for all parties involved. Despite this, we still had a lot of fun and I wouldn’t want to spend an entire day feeling like ass and binge watching Broad City with anyone but her!

Where is your favorite place to take a weekend trip? What are your go to hangover cures? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb21

All Time Favorite Enchilada Recipe

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All Time Favorite Enchilada Recipe

Hiii! It is no secret that your girl loves to eat and I enjoy a variety of different ethnic cuisine as long as it’s vegetarian. But, perhaps, my most favorite is Mexican food. The spice, the flavor, and heat – I just love it and I wouldn’t complain if that was the only type of food I could ever eat for the rest of my life. Recently, I had one of my favorite Mexican dishes that is quite simple but insanely delicious and I had to share it with all of my fellow foodies!

This recipe for Avocado & Cashew Enchiladas is from The New Moosewood Cookbook. Enjoy!

Avocado & Cashew Enchiladas

  • 2 medium sized avocados
  • Juice from one lemon
  • 4 finely minced scallions
  • 1/2 cup finely minced parsley
  • 1 cup finely chopped cashews
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or firm yogurt
  • 1 medium clove of garlic, crushed
  1. Mash the avocados until they are smooth and add the lemon juice immediately.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
  3. Fill your tortillas and place on a pan sprayed with Pam.
  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.
  5. Top with your favorite salsa or enchilada sauce and dig in!

This recipe takes a whole ten minutes to make and the avocados and cashews provide a satisfying and relatively healthy filling. I feel so full after this enchilada meal and always can’t wait to eat it again the following day. 😀

What is your favorite type of food to eat? What are some of your favorite recipes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb3

February 2019 Funky Time Jams

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February 2019 Funky Time Jams

Howdy! After the month of January dragging ass like it does every year, we are finally into February, which is sure to fly by. And, I’m glad for it, because it was starting to feel like January 47th! Now that the pace has been picked up with our short little month of love among us, some hard hitting jams are definitely called for. Take a listen:

^^^ And, as always, I have no rights to these songs or videos.

As some of you know, I enjoy going to a vinyl record club at one of the local libraries in my area. At one of our last meetings, the album Let It Be by The Replacements was brought in and I was a huge fan. There is nothing better than gathering with your friends to play some early punk rock, and it’s always a hoot to pick out the bands that you can tell drew inspiration from The Replacements. For example, did anyone notice that Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day sounds exactly like the lead singer?!

I have also been hooked on Marilyn Manson’s Golden Age Of Grotesque, which features many of his more popular crowd pleasers, which I like playing to get me hyped on my way to work. And, finally, you may have noticed that a little rap was thrown into the mix, as well. But, I just couldn’t help myself. My sister was playing Nicki Minaj’s new album, Queen, while we ran errands and anyone who says that Majesty isn’t a banger is a liar. That song gets stuck in my head so badly and the only cure is playing it on repeat, of course!

Which album would you bring into a record club? Which album do you think that I should bring in on my next turn? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan17

January 2019 Funky Time Jams

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January 2019 Funky Time Jams

Hello everyone and welcome to the first Funky Time Jams post of 2019. One of the music related things that I’ve enjoyed the most for the past year is going to a vinyl record club at one of my local libraries. We play a record chosen by one of our members each meeting, talk music, and soak up each other’s company. Then, we often hit up a nearby bar after for the festivities to continue. It’s so much fun and I adore all of the new friends that I’ve made through the program. Seen below are some of the bands that I’ve had on repeat for the month and, who knows, maybe one of their albums will be featured at an upcoming record club!

^^^ And, as always, I have no rights to these songs or videos!

This past month at record club, we had two very opposite artists featured during our biweekly meetings. I brought in AFI’s decemberunderground, as it was the band’s most commercially popular album and another member brought in a best of compilation of Aretha Franklin. And, that is the beauty of our little merry band of wanderers, because we get to hear such vastly different talent every time we have a get together. It’s fun to bring in an album that you enjoy so much and want to share with everyone and I was happy that decemberunderground was well received by my friends. I can’t wait to figure out an album for my next turn providing the entertainment for the evening!

What album would you bring in to a vinyl record club? Which songs have you had on repeat this month? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan14

Guide To Chinese Massage Therapy

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Guide To Chinese Massage Therapy

There are many different types of massages available nowadays. However, one that has been popular for many years is Chinese massage therapy, also known as tui na. It is believed that this therapy originated in 2700 BC to balance the energies in our bodies. The theory states that the body is an imbalance of energies that can lead to stress, illness, and disease. Chinese massage therapy balances the energies to ensure a natural flow occurs and the body is relieved of stress. Today, Chinese massage is practiced regularly. This article reveals the benefits of this therapy in detail:

What are the benefits of Chinese massage therapy?

  • Treatment of soft tissue injuries – From sciatica and lower back pain to a frozen shoulder; Chinese massage therapy helps with a wealth of different soft tissue injuries. You can combine this with physical therapy for a complete approach. The masseuse will use techniques to help eradicate pain and ease any stiffness you may be experiencing.
  • Increased energy – Do you get those moments where you feel completely drained? Energy is something we all wish we had more of. Chinese massage therapy can provide you with more energy as it realigns the flow of Qi in the body. You will leave the spa feeling revitalized.
  • Decrease stress levels – When you couple decreased stress levels with the former part regarding increased energy; it is not hard to see why everyone should have regular Chinese massages. This treatment can do wonders for your psychological well being. It is extremely relaxing and will relieve you of any tension or stress you are experiencing. Practitioners of this treatment believe that the imbalanced energies in the body and the blockages of the flow of Qi disrupt an individual’s mental state. This is why Chinese massages are advised for those who suffer from depression or anxiety.
  • Helps with circulatory problems – In addition to the points that have already been mentioned, Chinese massage therapy is ideal for those suffering from problems with their circulation. The masseuse will focus on various pressure points and use an array of hand techniques to stimulate your circulatory systems. This is something that is beneficial for all.
  • Physical and mental well being – On a final note, it is vital to recognize that Chinese massage therapy focuses on the physical and mental health of an individual. This is undoubtedly the main benefit of all. Most treatments tend to focus on one or the other. There is no way you won’t feel the benefits of this type of massage.

When you take all of these points into account, it is not hard to see why Chinese massage therapy has been extremely popular for many years now. If you have never experienced this treatment before, do make sure you give it a try!

Featured Image By: Pixabay