Tag Archives: experience

Mar6

Date Night!!!!

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Date Night!!!!

Hello!! This past Friday was simply wonderful! It has been a fat minute since Johnny and I went on a date night and that is exactly what we did. My sweet Johnny suggested a dinner out on Friday and we had both been looking forward to it all week. Rather than go to one of our usual haunts, Johnny had his heart set on Mike’s Place in Kent. This was perfectly fine by me because we haven’t been there since we got married! For our wedding, we spent the weekend in Kent and had breakfast at Mike’s before heading home. It was just as delicious, kitschy, and completely fun as I remember it being almost three years ago! 

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Mike’s Place is a beloved eatery in our neck of the woods and for good reason. The menu (as you can see) is expansive and offers options for any dietary restriction. This is something that is greatly appreciated by my vegetarian self and despite having access to the entire menu with substitutions, I was relieved that they had a “veggie” portion in their menu. There were just too many options! Mike’s Place has literally any dish or drink you can imagine and the roadmap menu is peppered with hilarious names and jokes for each item. You could seriously go there every day for months and not order the same thing twice!

While the food is enough to make you want to keep returning to Mike’s again and again, the restaurant is so much more than that. The atmosphere is so welcoming and accommodating and the service is excellent. And, don’t even get me started on the decor because Mike’s is like a museum! Johnny and I sat in a literal bus for our meal and it was awesome. The walls and ceilings are covered with crazy art and fixtures and each room has a specific theme. It really adds to the excitement of going to Mike’s Place because you never know where you’re going to end up.

For our drinks, Johnny went with the Dragon Slayer and I had a Margarita. I wasn’t overly impressed with my marg, but Johnny definitely loved slaying the dragon! We also shared a Peach Sangria that was simply delightful. I ordered cheese tortellini with white sauce, salad, and garlic bread and enjoyed every bite. Johnny got his classic bacon cheeseburger and French fries and he slayed that too lol. The French fries were SO good – super crispy on the outside and soft as can be inside. We were stuffed by the end of our dinner, both with food and feelings lol. ❤

Johnny and I ended our date night as we normally do… Playing Diablo IV. We had the best time going out and plan on making a night out a more regular occurrence. I think we will both be happy if we go to Mike’s Place again next time!

What is your perfect date night like? What is one of your favorite restaurants in your neck of the woods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan26

Urgently Awesome

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Urgently Awesome

Hello!! A few weekends ago, I took a tumble that resulted in some pretty gnarly cuts on two of my fingers. The boo boos were in the most inconvenient spot – right on the crease beneath the pad of the finger. My right hand ring finger was healing pretty well, but the one on my middle finger was a different story. I felt like the wound was barely closing and what’s worse, it felt infected too. By the time I was nearing the end of a course of antibiotics, I was worried that it wasn’t enough so Johnny and I decided to go to the Well Now urgent care clinic down the street from us. This place actually used to be a Family Video lol.

We went to Well Now this past Monday and we were both most impressed with it. We were in and out in less than an hour, which was great. The care was phenomenal and there were also TONS of goodies there too! Check it out:

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Before going to the Well Now clinic, I looked up some reviews online to see other people’s opinions. For the most part, it came highly recommended. This was nice, but what stuck out the most to me was that this place had a Slushie machine in the waiting room! Obviously, I just had to see this for myself and by god there was. Lol, I have never seen anything like it before and it was so fantastic to sip on a blue raspberry Slush Puppie as we waited to get called back. It reminded me of when my dad would take me to skating practice because he would always get us a Slushie to share afterwards. Such a lovely burst of nostalgia. 🙂

We were called back to a room less than five minutes after sitting down and the PA who took care of us was the best. He was so nice and funny, which really helped put both me and Johnny at ease. He dressed my finger to help get it to close and wrapped it up in some crazy contraption that made it look like a banana. Trust and believe I couldn’t wait to flip people off with it! The process was quick and pain free and before we knew it, we were ready to walk out the door. Of course, we had to grab some snacks to go on our way out. Another very nice touch, indeed!

Going to the Well Now clinic was a great experience and I would definitely recommend it. Not just for the Slushie machine, but for the excellent level of care too!

What was the best waiting room you have ever been in? Have you ever been to an urgent care before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec13

Give Me A Boost

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Give Me A Boost

Hello!!!! Johnny and I had the misfortune of getting Covid late this September and it was about a bitch lol. The last time we had Covid was in 2020 and we were both completely asymptomatic. If I didn’t know I was exposed, we never would have known we even had it. This past time around, we had ALL of the symptoms and it sucked. The general rule of thumb is to wait three or so months to get a vaccine or booster shot post Covid and I finally was able to get my updated booster this past Friday and… it SUCKED!!!!!

I have gotten every Covid vaccine and booster available and I have never reacted well to them. I’m not sure why I expected this time to be any different and, bully for me, because this was probably my worst experience yet. Pretty much immediately after my shot, my arm was extremely sore but I was still feeling okay physically. Fast forward to that night after a delightful hang out with my bestie and I spent my slumber sweating to the oldies. My pillowcase is now a shocking combo of red and blue hair dye because of it SMH.

On Saturday, I woke up with a pounding headache, nausea, and a fever that flip flopped back and forth with chills. I spent all day watching Criminal Minds and My 600 Lb Life and despite them being two of my favorite comfort shows, I was not comforted one bit! I had no appetite, felt so run down, and couldn’t wait to go to bed with the hopes that I would feel better on Sunday. I slept and sweat for a solid twelve or so hours and somehow managed to wake up feeling worse.

Sunday was a doozy of a day and my nausea was at an all time high. I ralphed four times and only started feeling slightly better when I was able to keep some food down for dinner later that evening. Thankfully, after another super sweaty night, I am feeling much better as I write this Monday morning. I can only compare this booster experience to my day three or four of having actual Covid and it was a pretty miserable way to spend the weekend.

Having said all of that, I am SO happy to be boosted up just in time for the holidays. I consider these booster shots to be a necessary evil because of how poorly I react to them. However, I know that if Johnny and I were to get Covid again, it would be so much worse without the added protection. Even though it was a major bummer to spend the weekend feeling like ass, I knew that I would feel better soon and that was good enough for me. I’m just glad to be over and done with it and now I have the pleasure of taking care of Johnny when he gets boosted this upcoming weekend! 😀

Unfortunately, Covid is something we’re always going to have to deal with. The vaccines and boosters make me feel much more comfortable with that fact and I am proud to do my part to keep myself and those around me safe. ❤

How did you react to your Covid vaccines and boosters? So so or oh NO? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec11

How You Can Harmonize Your Concert Experience

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How You Can Harmonize Your Concert Experience

Who doesn’t love going to a good concert? Getting to see your favorite performer live just feels unreal, doesn’t it? There’s so much anticipation, so much hype, and all of it is thrilling! Even though it’s exciting, concerts aren’t really what they used to be; even concerts today aren’t the same as they were a decade ago. Nowadays, there are phones recording everything everywhere, high ticket prices thanks to a certain company, and sometimes you have to drive really far just to see your favorite performers, like Weird Al. In general, it all feels a bit different. With that said, it’s important to make the most of concerts as the prices and etiquette change. Here’s everything you need to know:

Plan Everything Far in Advance:

Seriously, who wants to feel stressed out before, during, and after a concert? You’ll want to go ahead and choose your tickets wisely based on your preferences for seating, proximity to the stage, and overall concert atmosphere. Basically, as soon as you find out about the concert, buy the tickets ASAP. It is also helpful to keep tabs on who is playing by entering a search for “Uncasville concerts” (or your local area). The last thing you want is to find out your favorite band is playing and the tickets are sold out!!

Transportation is another big part of concert prep. You’ll need to research your options, whether it’s public transit, ride share services, or parking facilities near the venue. No matter what, you’ll need to always plan for potential traffic and make sure you have a reliable way to get there and back.

Another thing you’ll need to do in advance is to have an idea about the policies at the venue; they all vary no matter which MSG bag policy is common for that venue, but more and more venues are getting strict about this; there are even some that won’t allow for phone or camera usage either.

Comfortable Attire:

While it’s totally understandable that you want to look as cute as possible, being comfortable matters way more. This especially goes for shoes; you’ll want to opt for comfortable shoes, especially if there’s standing involved (for some reason, standing concerts seem to be getting more common). You’ll likely be on your feet for an extended period and comfortable footwear can make a significant difference. Of course, sometimes it’s just fun to wear whatever you like! Sassy cowboy boots seems like the only way to go if you are seeing Shania Twain in Guilford (or your local area).

You Need Ear Protection:

No matter how far away you are from the stage or speakers, you’ll still need ear protection. People will be screaming all around you, seriously everywhere, there will be screams (unless this is a classical concert, of course). So it’s best to just consider bringing ear protection to safeguard your hearing without compromising the music experience.

Contribute to a Positive Atmosphere:

This seems to be a problem nowadays, not just the etiquette but this questionable toxicity that’s been growing. You need to embrace the collective excitement, and you definitely need to respect the performers and fellow concertgoers to create an enjoyable environment for everyone.

Concerts are an amazing experience and they can be even better with the tips above!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Dec5

Gifts Of Experience Ideas

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Gifts Of Experience Ideas

Hello!!! It is definitely crunch time for finishing holiday shopping and that can be a difficult place to be. Stores are probably picked over, perhaps some gifts won’t arrive on time for a celebration, or you have no idea what to get someone. But, fear not because there is a solution! We’re talking about the gift of experience. Gifts of experience are an amazing way to go if you are in a bind or are shopping for someone who has everything. Let’s take a look at some ideas to get you started:

Art Classes:

Whether you’re young or old, it’s always fun to try something new and that can be done with art classes. It could be pottery, watercolor, sketching, even glass blowing! No matter what form of art you choose, it will provide a brand new experience for your giftee and that is the whole point. You could even take the class with your giftee for some extra quality time. This is a great option for adults and kids alike and you might just be introducing them to their new favorite hobby.

Gym Membership:

If your giftee has a passion for fitness, why not pay for a month or two of a gym membership? It could be to their own gym or a new one if they don’t have a set place. Most gym memberships include being able to take the classes being offered so you could join in as a guest too! While this is a gift that is more geared for adults, it can be tweaked for kids too. Maybe they want to take swim lessons or a little movers class? The gym can help with that! This is a perfect gift with New Year’s Resolutions being right around the corner!

Scent-sational:

How about some pampering for your giftee? There are lots of specialty boutiques that can help you create your own signature scent for a candle or bath and body care. This is an ideal option for someone on your list who appreciates the finer things in life or who lives for a trip to Bath & Body Works. Bath and body care is always a popular choice for presents and making your own puts a unique twist on a classic gift. I would love something like this!

Date Night:

Do you have any couples on your holiday shopping list? Treating them to a date night will be a huge hit! This could be anything from a nice dinner out to a ballroom dancing class or tickets to a play. You can also make a date night in kit if you can’t find anything out and about that would strike the fancy of your giftees. This could include a bottle of wine and some new board games, a grocery store gift card to cook a meal together, or a few months of a streaming service to watch all of their favorite shows. Whichever way you go, this is a thoughtful gift for the couples in your life.

Body Mods:

There is nothing quite like the experience of a new piercing or tattoo! If there is someone on your list who has an affinity for body mods, then I cannot stress enough how well a gift card to their favorite tattoo or piercing shop will go over. You will have won the holiday celebration, period. Lol, this is coming from my personal opinion as a gal with more tattoos than she can count. Nay, I am a personal expert because I know for a fact your body modded giftee will be psyched!

Gifts Of Experience are a fun take on traditional holiday presents and are a surefire way to go if you are experiencing shopping stress. These gifts are also a lovely way to show that you are actively listening when your giftee talks to you about their hobbies and interests!

What is a gift of experience you have received? Are you all done with your holiday shopping? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov28

How To Explore Your Career Options In The Medical Field

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How To Explore Your Career Options In The Medical Field

Statistics show that about 44% of people are planning to make a career switch. If you are in this group, career exploration can help you figure out your next steps, whether you are a recent graduate looking for a job or a seasoned professional considering a change. The purpose of this process is to understand more about your alternatives and limit your selections to one path that best suits you. Career exploration can also help you gain confidence that will impress a hiring manager and connect you with people in various sectors. This post will highlight how to explore your career options in the medical field:

Start with yourself:

Consider what piques your interest, what you like doing, and what inspires you. If you are a recent graduate from medical school, consider the roles you played in school projects, groups, or part-time work that you excelled at or enjoyed. If you are thinking about changing careers, evaluate what you have always wanted to accomplish or what you liked and disliked about your past jobs. Make a list of what is essential to you in a profession, as well as specializations or issues that can inspire you.

Look at possible careers:

After you have developed a list of places and roles that interest you the most, begin studying occupations that meet most of, if not all, of your requirements. Learn about job descriptions, typical earnings, job outlook, education and training requirements, and everyday tasks. Now, make a list of your top alternatives. This stage allows you to make an informed decision, so keep this in mind. As a tip, consider completing a free online assessment as part of your study to determine what occupations would suit your interests, experience, and skills. For instance, if you wish to work as an emergency medical technician, you can schedule a paramedic ride along to get hands-on experience.

Get rid of any jobs that do not interest you:

Some job paths may not be in your best interest as you continue to research them. Some may demand more knowledge and hard skills than you presently have or wish to obtain, others may pay less than you want to make, and still, others may not have a good employment outlook, which might lead to job instability later on. Be as picky as you need to be during this phase so that you end up with feasible prospects. Not only does this set you up for success, but you can avoid wasting your time.

Get interactive with people in the field:

You may conduct a lot of study on your final job alternatives, but the finest insights into your selection will likely come from individuals who are currently working in the field. Contact people in your professional network or instructors if you are in college and ask if they know anyone you can contact who would be willing to chat with you about their experience. Ask questions, get information, and build future connections.

Doing your research and the good old fashioned process of elimination will help you better explore careers in the medical field!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Nov11

Akron Comicon Haul

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Akron Comicon Haul

Hello!! Akron Comicon this past weekend was a blast and I spent the best afternoon with Johnny and my brother. We came, we saw, we shopped and each walked away with a bagful of goodies featuring all of our favorite things. I wasn’t able to attend the Con last year and Johnny surprised me with all kinds of gifts to decorate our apartment with. It felt so good to be able to participate this time around and I am loving all of our new swag! Check it out:

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^^^ The last three posters were made by Vile Consumption and the Wolfman was painted and autographed by Drac of Transylvania Tonight!

It was SO hard to exercise self restraint at the Comicon because there was a ton of merchandise from my favorite fandoms to buy! We’re talking Demon Slayer, Assassination Classroom, horror flicks, Lego, and much more. The first thing I selected was my Funko Pop of The Little Prince. I had no idea that this Funko existed and my brother got it for me in exchange for paying for our tickets. I have countless tattoos from the book and it is a piece of literature (and film) that is very dear to my heart. Best believe it is proudly displayed on our knick knack shelf! ❤

Johnny also treated me to a few little prezzies including the V mini fig from V For Vendetta and the crocheted Plague Doctor. Like The Little Prince, V For Vendetta is another book/movie that is one of my all time favorites. And, also like The Little Prince, I have a buttload of tattoos from V For Vendetta too! The mini fig is perfect and I love that Johnny always knows exactly what I would like without consulting with me. We both fell in love with our tiny Plague Doctor friend and as soon as Johnny saw me give it a cuddle, it was as good as ours lol.

Finally, the Akron Comicon was an amazing place to gather more art for our expansive collection. While visiting with Drac and Countess Carita of Transylvania Tonight, we noticed that Drac had a new piece of his artwork on display: The Wolfman. This was a must buy because we already have all of his other movie monster prints from last year’s Con. Now, we have the Mummy, Dracula, Frankenstein, the Creature From The Black Lagoon, Doctor Jekyll, and the Wolfman all painted and signed by Drac! We also couldn’t say no to the posters by Vile Consumption because they are hilarious lol. I was geeking out over the Sister Act one from The Nun, it wasn’t even a question about the David Pumpkins print, and Trick R’ Treat was an obvious choice because it’s one of our fave Halloween flicks. SAM!!! 😀

The Akron Comicon was a GREAT SUCCESS and I am so happy with all of our fun purchases. I can’t wait to get our new artwork hung up around the apartment! 🙂

What is your favorite fandom? What is your favorite horror movie? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Nov9

Akron Comicon

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Akron Comicon

Howdy!!! This past Saturday was super fun because my brother, Johnny, and I went to the Akron Comicon. I have been looking forward to this event since last year as I wasn’t able to attend, but Johnny and Andrew had a blast and I couldn’t wait to join in the fun too. We all walked away with SO many goodies and although my wallet was protesting, my heart was very full lol. You can see my purchases later this week so keep it posted for that! Now, let’s take a look at some pics and have a chat:

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The Akron Comicon was full of vendors, fans of fandoms, and minor celebrities both local and from afar. Other than being in TJMaxx, I had never seen so many things that I wanted to buy from my favorite shows, movies, and animes. Also, huge shout out to my big bro for letting me borrow his Black Clover T-shirt because I had no anime gear to wear. Although I like to think my boots with the flames on them more than made up for the fact! During our afternoon, we schmoozed, we shopped, and we enjoyed being in the presence of so many people who shared our interests.

As far as celebrities went at the Con, it was a bit of a mixed bag. There were a few ladies who were in literally one scene from Scream, the guy who played Timmy from Lassie? haha and the voice actors from a few seasons of Charlie Brown who played Lucy and Charlie B. The most exciting people we met was our hometown hero from Akron, the Son of Ghoul who hosted a public access horror show. It was also very exciting to get a peck on the cheek from him! We also got to meet Drac and Countess Carita who host Transylvania Tonight, another horror show. Johnny and I have Drac’s artwork hanging up in our living room so it was SO nice to hang out with them for a bit and buy a new addition to our movie monster portraits. They were all nice as can be and I am thrilled to have spent some time with them!

The Akron Comicon was such a hoot and it was wonderful to finally be able to experience it with Johnny and Andrew. I can’t wait for next year’s Comicon and maybe get another smooch from the Son of Ghoul! ❤

Have you ever met anyone famous before? Have you ever attended a Comicon? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct8

Therapy Success!

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Therapy Success!

Hello!! After a very unsuccessful first shot of therapy, I finally had an appointment with someone new this past Wednesday. And, I am pleased to report that it went awesome!! After canceling with the person who I was seeing, I had no plans of giving therapy another try. I felt really disappointed by how the session went because I didn’t feel heard whatsoever and it was hard for me to even set up an appointment in the first place. Thankfully, the receptionist encouraged me to give it another go with someone who she thought would be a better fit and she was completely right. It was a match made in therapy heaven!

During my introductory session with my new therapist, I felt really comfortable talking to her. She was pierced and tatted and I instantly liked that right away! I was also shocked to find that my last therapist wasn’t hearing me for real. My new therapist warned me that our session would be repetitive to questions already asked with the prior therapist and that was fine. I understood that she needed to confirm what was in the notes. However, MAJOR experiences in my life that are very important to my healing weren’t taken note of at all. This seemed so inappropriate to me because those appointments were not only a waste of my time, but it was went about in a way that I didn’t appreciate and it was confirmed.

Thankfully, not feeling heard wasn’t an issue at all with my new therapist. In fact, I felt better than I have in weeks after our session because I could tell she was truly interested in what I had to say. Like my first appointment with my old therapist, I made it clear that while I would like to learn new coping skills and get advice, I really needed my feelings validated and to talk about my trauma. My new one agreed 150% and my old one spent our appointments shoving halfhearted solutions down my throat. I am SO happy to know that I am going to get what I need during my next appointments and I feel great about the next steps going forward!

It’s true that you need to shop around for a therapist that works for you and this last session was a testament to that. I am proud of myself for trying again and so relieved to have found someone that I can do that with. 🙂

Have you ever had a bad therapy experience? What did you do about it? I honestly have half a mind to complain to the office about mine. I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep28

COVID Chronicles

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COVID Chronicles

Hello!! This past week has been a real doozy for Lil Red and Johnny because, unfortunately, we got COVID. We both tested positive and we can only assume that it came from Johnny’s place of work where everyone has been lax on pandemic safety from the jump. It has been AWFUL, especially because we were both very symptomatic and the last time we had the virus over two years ago, we experienced no symptoms at all. All I have to say is, thank god we are vaccinated and boosted because I truly couldn’t imagine our experience being any worse than it already was.

Johnny started out our COVID journey with aches all over – headache, body aches, and was very stuffy and fatigued. Naturally, all of this transferred to me and a day later, I was prepped to have all of the same. My Day One wasn’t so bad, but it was weird. I was really tired and I could just feel like I was about to be sick as a dog. I still rallied enough to make a big pot of spaghetti which was a saving grace during our sickness staycation so #blessup for that lol. By Day Two, the struggle bus hit and it hit like a Mack Truck.

My Day Two was the sickest I have felt in I don’t know how long. I had a fever and chills, I was stuffed up beyond belief, my head pounded, and the body aches were unmatched. I kid you not, I felt better after a car accident that left me hospitalized than I did that day. No exaggeration. It hurt to do anything but lay in my misery and reminisce on all of the good times I had before catching the Vid. On the bright side, I did have a Saw movie marathon to get hyped for the latest installment, but that did little to boost my mood. All it did was provide a slight distraction to being sick AF.

While sleep would have been a welcome reprieve after long days of being a bio hazard, it wasn’t. I was waking up constantly either too hot or too cold and would finally emerge from my slumber with my clothes completely soaked to my skin. It was gross lol and my Day Three was only slightly better than Day Two. After another seemingly endless day of ouch, ugh, and blegh, things took a somewhat turn the following day.

On Day Four, I was still feeling sick, but it was a different kind of sick. What felt like the worst flu ever shifted into a cold from hell. I felt pressure beyond belief in my head and mouth breathed my day away like Napoleon Dynamite. My body still ached and I was feverish throughout the day and night. I was so weak because I was running on a diet of Gatorade, crackers, and the occasional plate of spaghetti. I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t cry multiple times during my COVID tenure. I just couldn’t help it – it was that bad.

As I write this, I am feeling crappy but it’s the least crappy I have felt in days. Johnny also seems to be doing much better so I like to think we are on the upswing. I urge all of you if you are feeling sick to test yourself. After dealing with the pandemic for so long, it’s easy to want to dismiss COVID now, but you can’t. It is still a very real thing and Johnny and I know firsthand because we have been a complete and utter mess. My running joke has been that I wish this happened during the summer because my bikini body would have been off the charts. Ba dum chhhhhhh.

With gatherings moving indoors as the weather shifts, please be sure you monitor your symptoms and stay home if you are feeling unwell. You never know who you are infecting and it’s a dangerous game to play. Stay safe, everyone!

Have you had COVID before? What was it like for you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah