Tag Archives: entertainment

Sep5

Groovy Movies: Walmart Haul Edition

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Groovy Movies: Walmart Haul Edition

Hello! As soon as I get home from work and blogging needs and paperwork are complete, all I want to do is relax. Usually, my routine once I return home and complete the rest of my busy work is eat, practice my languages on Duolingo, pop in a movie, and read before bed. I am an avid movie fan and, because I don’t have any streaming services, I’ll purchase DVDs in store if I can find them on the cheap. The last time I was at Walmart with a client, they had a three dollar movie bin so I took home the following:

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Lol, no surprises here that one from my selection is a scary movie! But, now I have both of The Conjuring films which I’m happy about. And, I just watched the second one this past week after a busy day. Despite my love of all things horror, I still need a laugh and my beloved Melissa McCarthy and Will Ferrell are just what the doctor ordered for that. Old School is one of my favorite comedies, other than Step Brothers, so it was exciting to have found it. And, although Tammy is the dumbest movie ever, it reminds me of when my sister and I saw it in theaters and we still quote it to this day – so I couldn’t not get it!

Discount movie buying is a nice little pick me up for when I need a treat and it provides me with entertainment for many evenings to come. For three bucks a pop, I’d say that these were all totally worth it. Movie night, anyone?

How do you treat yourself? What kind of entertainment do you enjoy after a day at work? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Pinterest

Aug22

Groovy Movies: Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark Edition

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Groovy Movies: Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark Edition

Hello hello! One movie that I was really looking forward to this summer was Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark and, let me tell you, it did not disappoint. Now, before we get started: No, I have not read the books, so I was going into it with no preconceived notions of what it should be like. Honestly, I was just excited that Guillermo Del Toro was working on it, because he is my favorite ANYTHING when it comes to movies. So, take a look at the trailer and let’s discuss without giving the flick away:

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

My understanding of the original books of Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark is that it’s just that – a collection of scary stories. And, I know there were a good amount of people who were disappointed that not as many of these ghost stories were included as they would have liked. But, be that as it may, the movie needed a story line and I thought a really innovative and interesting one was created.

On Halloween night, Stella and a group of friends sneak into a supposed “haunted house” in their town – the Bellows mansion. The story goes that the family owned a paper mill that put the town on the map but had a dark secret – a horribly disfigured daughter named Sarah that they would never let leave the house. According to the legend, children would visit Sarah by sitting outside of the walls of her room and she would tell them scary stories. Oh, and did I mention that children were disappearing constantly?

While Stella, Ramon, Augie, and Chuck are exploring the mansion, they stumble upon Sarah’s room, where Stella finds her book of stories and decides to borrow it. BIG MISTAKE, because the nightmare that was laying dormant starts all over again, as the book begins to write itself every night, featuring a story based around one of the characters. The story usually has something to do with a nightmare or something that has traumatized the character that it’s happening to. So, it is up to Stella to solve the mystery of how to stop the curse from continuing before there is no one left.

I absolutely LOVED Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark. I enjoyed the characters whose back and forth high school quips were hilarious, the plot was great, and the creatures that come to life in the stories were so creepy and visually interesting. Normally, scary movies don’t freak me out but this one definitely did. To have a source of evil that taps into what frightens you is terrifying and having a book that “reads you” to create it was such a brilliant idea.

And, in true Del Toro fashion, the visuals were spectacular which is the driving force behind my rave review. The monsters coming to life from the stories were scary as hell and they made me genuinely uncomfortable to look at. Don’t even get me started on the Pale Woman – YIKES!

I highly recommend this movie and am giving it a perfect ten, which rarely happens. I enjoyed every minute of it, was scared senseless, and want to see it again and read the books so badly. Don’t let your preconceived notions of what the movie “should” be cloud your vision if you’ve read the books, because you’ll be ruining a wonderful film for yourself.

Who has seen or read Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark? What are your thoughts on it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: The Playlist

Aug20

How To Further Enjoy Following Sports Culture

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How To Further Enjoy Following Sports Culture

Not everyone is a fan of sports. Some might shrug when the Superbowl is on or when a particular country wins the World Cup. Some might groan when a pool game is being shown on television or they might avoid sports bars like the plague. But sports are so varied, vast, and community-driven that, often, to dismiss them outright is akin to saying you ‘just don’t like music.’ There’s something out there for you, even if you have yet to find it.

This means that, sometimes, going out of your way to find the sporting interest you enjoy can help improve your life. You don’t need to force it of course, but what’s the issue with potentially finding one more thing that can add value to your life? To us, that sounds wise. Who knows, this might even go further, such as deciding to run a PPH 247 operation or perhaps even getting involved in the sporting interest yourself.

Further following sporting culture can be a worthwhile and important adventure for you, and who knows? It might help you make new friends, too:

Consider A Wider Prospectus:

You might hate watching American football. You don’t like how the game starts and stops continually, the statistics that are continually read out, and how the players smash into each other and cause real injury. That’s fine. It might not be for you. Then again, football can be a lucrative sport to watch when you bet along with Online Football Betting with UFABET. There’s nothing wrong with earning a little extra money even if you don’t love the sport! Perhaps you’d be into something with more finesse like soccer (football), or perhaps even racing, such as formula one or drift rally competitions.

Maybe you prefer following one athlete rather than a team, such as watching golf, or even getting involved in the life histories and techniques of martial artists, such as through boxing or MMA. There’s a sport out there you haven’t considered, and sometimes attending a few events, even if they’re just local ones, can help you start to become invested in the sport. Don’t force it, but we would be surprised if your natural inclinations didn’t become just a little excited at this prospect.

Make Money From Sports:

One of the most effective ways to improve your relationship with sports is to make it a financially productive activity. You can do this in several ways. While visiting an online bookies list is the fastest, there are additional options like content creation and affiliate marketing. You can also do your research to boost your earnings, and this will be particularly important if you have chosen to begin betting. After all, you can’t just use guesswork if you want to make money! So, start by entering a search for the latest premier league betting odds or for whatever league you like can help get the ball rolling. Either way, you’ll find that you naturally absorb more of the sport while the financial boost will create an emotional link between sports and positive emotions. Plus, having some extra change could allow you to visit more games or even purchase some merch for your favorite team. Several platforms including Cryptorush offers online sports betting so do your research to find the best fit for you. Be sure to check out if there are extra perks for opening a new account too so you can get the most bang for your buck.

Finding a platform that aligns with your specific betting style is crucial for long-term success and enjoyment. While many people stick to the most well-known names, exploring reputable alternatives like 토토마왕 can provide a fresh perspective and potentially better incentives. These sites often prioritize user security and offer a streamlined experience for those looking to capitalize on their sports knowledge. By integrating these specialized platforms into your routine, you can develop a more comprehensive approach to sports wagering. This strategic variety not only keeps the experience exciting but also helps you stay informed about different market trends.

It’s unlikely that you’ll be quitting your job anytime soon, but even a little extra cash will boost your enjoyment of the sport. Not least because you can do it on your terms.

Watch With Friends:

While there are some who enjoy watching sports any chance they can get, there are others who simply enjoy the social aspect of it all. Inviting a few friends over for game day, heading to a stadium and having your face painted, or even placing a friendly wager between friends can be a fun idea to help you enjoy and get invested in the sport. You may never watch a game outside of these large events such as derbies or even the Olympics, but what matters is the fun you have.

Enjoying sports with friends is fun from a social perspective and it could also be a lucrative side hustle. Fantasy leagues, New York Sports Betting, and friendly wagers can help earn you money to splurge for pizza for your crew during the next big game.

Watch A Few Sporting Films:

There are many incredible films about sports out there. For example, Moneyball is a great movie starring Brad Pitt about the wonderful history of baseball and a particularly well-known story within it. Warrior, starring Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton is a story about two brothers who, through familial breakdown and hardship, end up fighting in the same MMA events. And we needn’t mentioned the Mighty Ducks, or perhaps even hilarious movies such as Space Jam. Sometimes, all that matters is your entertainment to develop a love for the game.

With this advice, we hope you are better equipped to follow sporting culture and gain a new hobby and friends along the way.

Featured Image By: Pexels-CC0 License

Aug19

Apartment Must Haves: Entertainment Edition

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Apartment Must Haves: Entertainment Edition

Hi! Being in my own apartment is, for the most part, a lot of fun. But, there’s a lot more that goes in to running a mini household than people might think. From your necessities to keeping a sanitary environment like trash bags, detergent, and cleaning projects to things to keep you occupied like a gaming system, books, or movies – we are going to discuss it all in this Apartment Must Haves series.

Today, we are going to chat about one of the big ones, for me at least, when it comes to an apartment and that is entertainment. Whether that be when you’re with your friends or just hanging out alone, it’s important to have things on hand that you enjoy to fight the boredom blues. I, myself, have a few shelves dedicated to preventing idle hands during my free time. Check it out:

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And, let’s not forget the new air hockey table! 😀

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Having my own little setup of easily accessible books and movies is an absolute must for me because I am an avid fan of both. Cracking open a good book or putting a movie on during a rainy afternoon is one of my favorite things to do. It’s relaxing and there’s nothing like being transported to another world for a few hours.

I also have a GameCube and am hoping to get a Wii or a Switch so that there are more options for my friends and I to do when they come over – other than getting wine drunk, of course. 😉 And, I would really like to invest in some classic board and table top games, as well, so I can start hosting game nights once a month or so. Good, clean fun is important and being a hostess with the mostess when company is over will make your place the ultimate hangout when you want it to be!

This is why I had to snag my air hockey table when I found it at the Goodwill. Seriously, what’s more fun than that?! There is nothing wrong with having drinks with friends at your place, but I don’t want that to be just what my apartment is about. And, having good entertainment, whether that be hosting a movie night or a game night is a great way to add some variety into your apartment hangs.

What are your favorite board games? What type of games or gaming systems are worth investing in? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug9

Types Of Shows In New York City

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Types Of Shows In New York City

If you’re in New York and hoping to see a show, the choices are always numerous and diverse. Rather than purchase tickets for something you might be disappointed in, consider the different genres available. This will allow you to narrow down the options and spend a wonderful evening watching something that will suit your tastes and mood:

Musicals:

Broadway musicals have more depth than ever before. Featuring memorable music, choreography, costumes, and acting, the subject matter runs the gamut from hilarious comedy to stirring dramas. Consult NYC theater reviews to check out which ones audiences and critics are raving about and why. In addition to currently popular titles, you can also choose from revivals of classic shows and newer and sometimes less-well-known productions in off-off-Broadway venues.

Plays:

Although they don’t have the show-stopping numbers of their musical counterparts, Broadway plays are every bit as captivating and memorable. From comedies and tragedies to biographical and historical works, you’re bound to find something of interest. If you’re still having trouble deciding, consult a list of Tony Award nominees and winners that are currently in theaters to uncover the critics favorites for writing, acting, and direction.

Interactive:

If you’re in the mood to be a part of the action rather than just observing it, consider a more immersive event. Interactive productions are typically experiences that enable the audience to participate as actual characters in the play, answer the actors questions throughout the show, or even solve a scripted mystery. Ranging from elaborate narratives to stripped-down one-man solo acts, this often experimental theater is presented in venues ranging from smaller stages or warehouses to parks or even moving trains.

Whether you’re in the mood to laugh, cry, think, or tap your toes, the New York City theater scene has something for you. A little research before purchasing your tickets will go a long way to ensuring you have a great time.

Aug6

Groovy Movies: Dollar Tree Haul Edition

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Groovy Movies: Dollar Tree Haul Edition

Helloooo! One of my favorite stores that I frequent with a client of mine is the Dollar Tree. And, considering everything there is only a dollar, I can definitely afford it! If her and I end up at the Dollar Tree, I usually will end up indulging if there is anything good there, because I’d much rather pay a dollar for food, paper products, decor, etc. than the marked up price at the grocery store.

This time around, aside from food, I ended up purchasing five movies for a dollar each, which is such an amazing deal considering one movie from Target costs five bucks! So, I got five brand new movies for the price of one. Check it out:

movies

I am a huge fan of having movies to watch at home as well as books to read to keep me entertained instead of paying for a streaming service. Getting Netflix or the like will happen eventually, but holding it off by paying five dollars for some new flicks to enjoy definitely saves me money. Not that Netflix isn’t fairly cheap, but you all know that your girl likes to ball on a budget.

Frankly, the only movie that I super like out of the five that I bought is Masterminds. That is one of my favorite comedies and I could watch it one hundred times and still laugh hysterically, so that was a great find. And, as far as the other four go, they will provide me with something to do during a free evening and that’s good enough for me, even if I don’t end up loving them.

Lil Red will never be above bargain shopping and if there is a Dollar Tree in your area, I highly recommend hitting one up. You never know what goodies you’re going to find!

Where do you do the best bargain shopping at? Which streaming service do you recommend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug3

New Air Hockey Table!!

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New Air Hockey Table!!

Greetings! Quite a few of my clients love shopping at second hand stores like the Goodwill and Abbey Ann’s. So, within the past year and a half, I have ended up in these treasure troves countless times during our outings. I have to admit, I used to not be very keen on second hand shopping because I am quite the germophobe. But, I would say that I have kicked the fear of thrift shopping in the bud, considering ninety percent of my apartment was furnished from second hand shops.

We’ll call it ninety-two percent, because I just purchased an air hockey table at the Goodwill a week or so ago! 😀 Check it out:

airair1

When I saw this beaut at the Goodwill for a staggeringly cheap thirty bucks, I just had to purchase it. Honestly, there’s not much to do at my place other than drink when I have friends over and I don’t like that that has become such a frequent thing. I am hoping to get my gaming systems set up as well as purchase board games for good, clean fun when I have company. But, for now, my favorite table top game stationed in my back room will do.

The only issue I’m having, is that there is no lighting in that room, as you can tell from the grainy photos above! So, if anyone has any suggestions to fixing that issue, do let me know, because I don’t think tiki torches are going to fly in there, lolol. 😅

Other than that minor problem, I am seriously SO excited about this Goodwill purchase. And, I am very appreciative to my client’s mom and dad for helping me transfer the table to my apartment because my dumbass honestly thought that it was going to fit in my tiny hatchback, smh. They are like my second family, though, and were happy to help so now they have the honor of having the air hockey table be named after them. It’s truly a win/win for everyone! Any challengers?

What are your favorite board, video, or table top games? Which ones do you think I should invest in? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul13

Let’s Be Friends!

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Let’s Be Friends!

Hello!! Now, I know a lot of my fellow blogging friends have multiple social media pages but that is just not for Lil Red. I have a slide up LG phone and I like to keep things pretty old school. This means no Twitter, Instagram, or SnapChat because when I’m on the go, I don’t have internet access unless I can connect to it with my iPod touch (Which is primarily used for my music and picture taking purposes).

HOWEVER, I do have a Facebook that I am pretty active on and I encourage all of you to friend me on there at: Sarah Mushenheim. You guys will get sneak previews of photo shoots and pics before it becomes an OOTD post on here and memes… lots and lots of memes! Shoot me a friend request and make sure you send me a message so I know that you are one of my blog readers and enjoy the ridiculousness that is my FB profile!

What is your favorite form of social media? How do you stay relevant on the social media sphere? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun29

Dear Evan Hansen Review

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Dear Evan Hansen Review

Howdy! This past weekend, I enjoyed an outing with an old theater friend, Sabrina, to see Dear Evan Hansen at Playhouse Square in Cleveland. Despite both of us not loving the musical, it was still a fun day filled with good food, drinks, and wonderful company. I was so happy when Sabrina invited me to see the show because our schedules never work well with each other so it was really nice to make up for lost time. As we are both theater nerds, we were able to have a great discussion about the show afterwards so here is what we thought as well as a brief synopsis (Without giving too much away!)

So, what you need to know about Dear Evan Hansen is the following: A troubled teen who is an outsider at school has homework from his therapist where he has to write letters to himself explaining why it’s going to be a great day. As Evan is printing his “homework” out in the library, an even more troubled teen named Conner snatches the letter and confiscates it after seeing his sister’s name in it. She just so happens to be the object of Evan’s affection but doesn’t know he exists.

A few days later, Conner commits suicide and the letter that Evan wrote is found in his pocket. A web of lies then begins because Conner’s parents obviously want to know who Evan is and he begins to spin a tale of how him and Conner were best friends. This quickly raises his popularity at school with the offset of The Conner Project and, suddenly, Evan exists because of his fake friendship with the kid who just died.

Okay, so the story line isn’t bad, but the writing and staging left a lot to be desired as well as lackluster performances from the cast as a whole. It was interesting to see the phenomenon of everyone instantly becoming “best friends” with someone who just passed. However, the main culprit of this was a girl named Alana and she was SO. FUCKING. ANNOYING. Omg, the scenes with her were just unbearable and I couldn’t stand it.

Another character who really didn’t do it for me was Evan’s mom. It was very tough to invoke sympathy for the mother of a struggling teen when she was so unlikable and all of her slow ballad songs felt lame and drawn out. Honestly, I didn’t feel any type of way about any of the characters because it just felt like they were there saying their lines and singing their songs and then the applause happened and it was on to the next scene. The play felt very disjointed and the flow was off.

A lot of this disconnect felt due to a poor choice in staging. It went from social media news feeds plastered all over moving walls and banners to a tiny room on a rotating circle in a matter of minutes. This felt very high school theater for a Broadway level show and didn’t create any visual interest on stage.

The quality of the script and songs just weren’t that good, either. A powerful message of looking out for the mental health of our teens was overshadowed by plot points that weren’t fully realized and writing that was subpar, at best. I understand that this show got a lot of hype but, frankly, I don’t understand why because I left the theater feeling very unsatisfied with the finale and the plot holes that never got filled.

I never say no to a night at the theater but, I think I could have passed on this one. I would rate Dear Evan Hansen with a five out of ten stars and I can’t say that I would recommend going to see it. If you’re into sappy teen musicals, though, I say go for it!

What were your thoughts on Dear Evan Hansen? What is your favorite musical? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: TrustArts

Jun25

Vicious Vengeance: Examining Vindictive Exes In Pop Culture

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Vicious Vengeance: Examining Vindictive Exes In Pop Culture

The narrative of the crazy ex-girlfriend is so prevalent that the CW actually made a TV show about it. Other portrayals aren’t as nuanced as Rachel Bloom’s sitcom, which actually attempts to bring a feminist twist to a mostly misogynistic plot device. But a good “crazy ex” narrative can almost be as entertaining as romantic buzz kill movies. So let’s examine examples of crazy ex-girlfriends in popular culture and find what makes them tick. Be careful, hell’s got nothing on these women!

The Woman in “Bust Your Windows”

Jazmine Sullivan released a hit song “Bust Your Windows” in 2008; a cover by Glee a few years later increased its popularity. In the song, an unnamed woman dishes out vengeance when she sees her lover in bed with another woman. But she doesn’t punish him directly. As the title says, she busts the windows of his car. Oof, better find a shop that fixes car windows. As an added bonus, she carves her initials on it with a crowbar. Double oof. Maybe it’s time for an upgrade, unnamed philanderer?

But as lyrics and Sullivan’s crooning voice reveal, she knows that doing so is futile. She’s only committing vandalism to make the man suffer, and that his pain will only be a small echo of the pain he caused her. The lyrics go on to explain that the woman wants this to be a lesson to the man that he can’t treat women that way. As far as “crazy ex” activities go, not unreasonable but also inadvisable to do in the real world, only, whoops, Jazmine admitted in 2016 that she did bust an ex’s windows. *Happens to the best of us!*

Alex Forrest from “Fatal Attraction”

Glenn Close’s performance as Alex was nominated by the Academy Awards. Glenn Close deserves praise for the amount of research and preparation she did to perform that well, but the actress disagrees how the writers treated Alex. Close explains she portrayed Alex as clearly mentally disturbed, a woman who needed help to break free from her obsessive devotion to her married lover. She wanted to play a tragic character whose dark past is the cause of her disturbance.

But the studio and the test audiences both wanted Alex to meet a grisly end and to ensure it, they turned her into THE crazy ex, attacking her lover’s family with a knife and boiling their pet rabbit. Instead of the cheating man getting punished, the mentally ill woman he took advantage of bites it, instead. Before you ask, yes, “Fatal Attraction” was written by a man.

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Amy Elliot Dunne from “Gone Girl”

Gillian Flynn’s thriller novel “Gone Girl” and the film adaptation that stars Rosamund Pike in the titular role caused a lot of debate as to whether or not it’s a feminist narrative. In the story, Amy Dunne is a brilliant woman who is scorned by her underachieving but charming husband. To exact her revenge, Amy frames her husband for her murder. She also expounds on what she calls “Cool Girls.” According to Amy, and by extension Flynn, women change themselves to be the “cool girl” that pleases their man in every way.

Amy changed a lot about her and maintained her body to keep her husband interested. But he doesn’t live up to his end, neglecting her needs and cheating on her. But the way she enacts her vengeance is way too brutal. Not only does she lie about assault and fake a pregnancy, she also murders someone to further her plans.

What makes Amy a feminist character is that she is absolutely right about the “Cool Girl” dynamic. She’s also a strong, intellectual woman who knows her worth and fights for what she believes is hers. But she is a terrible, manipulative, murderous person. You can’t get a more complex portrayal of female vengeance than Amy Elliot Dunne.

Inspiring or a warning? The only person who can decide whether these women should be looked up to or locked up is yourself, but before you make your judgment, remember that there is a story behind everything. And hopefully, you’ll speak up the next time you hear someone use the phrase “crazy ex.” Who knows, you might be saving the windows of their car!