I've Had It!

I'm in a very bad mood right now. Not due to depression or bipolar or anything like that. I'm just totally frustrated and irritable and I think it's best if I don't even write a post today. 

The quick explanation: I feel like I have completely lost my ability to make any sort of creative project! 

I am dying to make something, anything, and each time I try, I just can't get it right. Either I can't figure out how to use the serger correctly for what I have in mind, or I don't have the materials I need to build something with wood, or I just plain don't know what to make.

I know this is such a stupid problem and there are many more important things to think about, which is why I'm just going to leave it at this. I just spent hours in the garage trying to make something and I ended up staring at my materials most of the time trying to think about how to do it.

So, this is a downer, irritable, and bitchy post, and for that I apologize. But I'm just not in the mood to write.

To end on a lighter note, here are some Friends pajamas that I'd ordered a LONG time ago, hoping they would get here for Thanksgiving. The arrived yesterday. But I love them! I got Jerry a matching pair ;)

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My Answers to the Never Have I Ever Game From Yesterday

I hope this was fun to think about/guess! (If you missed yesterday's post, I said that there were five items on the list that I've never done and I asked you to guess what they were--with an Amazon gift card up for grabs to those who get it right!) It's interesting to see the responses, and I think everyone got at least one or two correct. So here goes... I'll go through each item and explain the yes or no.

Skipped school
Yes, I have done this. There was an auto shop class I took in high school and my friend Jake and I used to go get fast food during class! Sadly, auto shop was probably one of the most useful classes I could have taken. Wish I had paid attention.

Broken a bone

YES! I've written several times on my blog about how I severely broke my jaw in 2010. You can read the whole sordid story here.

Fired a gun

Other than shooting BB guns when I was a kid, I got to try out shooting my brother's rifle when we were up north a few years ago. I felt so badass--it took forever to line up a shot (at a target--I could never go hunting!). But I liked to imagine I looked like a sniper ;) This is a cool slow motion video--I love how the shell casing flies at the camera.

Done drugs

So many of you guessed this one! I actually can say that I have done this--but only marijuana! I had hoped it would help with my back pain, and my doctor even suggested trying it (medicinal). However, it triggers depressive episodes for me. I also smoked it a couple of times for recreational use but it never really did anything for me.

Been in a limo

I was a bridesmaid in my siblings' weddings, and I can't remember whose (maybe both?) wedding transported us by limo to the reception.

Gotten a tattoo

Yes, I have a tattoo. And I hate it! I've written about it here because people always used to ask me if it was a mole. And I got emails telling me I should get it checked for melanoma. Haha! It's *supposed* to be a ladybug on my toe. When I used to do Wednesday Weigh-Ins, it was obviously visible in the photo. I got it when I was 18. I'll never get another!

Ridden a horse

I've ridden a horse a few times in my life (I have a photo on one when I was very young, but I don't remember it. I rode one at 5th and 6th grade camp. The last time I rode one was in 2002 when I was at a girls' weekend at a ranch.

I didn't know it at the time, but I was just barely pregnant with Noah. I remember thinking that I was supposed to start my period that weekend, and it was late. When I was on the horse, I told my friend Sarah, "Man, if this doesn't make me start my period, nothing will!" because it was so bumpy. I took a pregnancy test when I got home and it was positive :)

Here is a picture of my mom and me--I was probably three years old. 

Sung karaoke

Nope! I've never done it. I am way too shy and self-conscious (not to mention I can't carry a tune!). I've always wished I was outgoing enough to do it and not care what other people think, but I would feel super awkward. Even after several drinks.

Gotten a ticket

Yes, I've gotten probably about four tickets in my lifetime for speeding. The most recent was a few years ago. I was super upset, because I hadn't gotten a ticket before that since college! I actually wrote about my most recent speeding ticket on this post. 

Now, I am actually really good at following the speed limit (I might go a few mph over, and even then, people pass me). I'm not in such a hurry, and even if I am, I know that speeding will only get me there a minute or so faster--it's just not worth the risk of a ticket or causing an accident.

Been arrested

Nope! I've never been arrested. I've never even done anything that I could probably get arrested for, actually. I am pretty law-abiding!

Gone zip-lining

Yes! It was one of the first posts I wrote about on my blog. I went to Tennessee with my family, where we rented a cabin in the mountains for a week. We all went zip-lining and it was a blast! (Interestingly, I'm not scared of it.) Left to right: Jerry, Shawn, Jeanie, Brian, me, my dad. Here is the post I wrote about it.

Doing a fancy awkward trick of flipping upside down, haha...

Been on TV

Well. I'm not sure whether to be humble, to brag, to toot my own horn just a little, or to be embarrassed! Hahaha. I've been on TV a few times. I was a guest on The Dr. Oz Show for his 400th episode--it featured weight loss success stories. I was on The Today Show to talk about the From Fat to Finish Line documentary, and when I got home from Florida, I had to go to the news station to appear on the very early 6:00 Channel 4 news in Detroit.

And then, of course, there was the feature length documentary, From Fat to Finish Line--I still can't believe that you could find me on Netflix! Now it's no longer on Netflix, but you can find it on Amazon Prime. You can read about the individual 15 minutes of fame--including magazine, newspaper, and podcast interviews--on this page.

Been on a cruise

Nope! I've never been on a cruise, and honestly, I don't have any desire to go on one. I'm not a fan of the water. I am not entirely scared of it, but I think I'd actually be more comfortable flying on an airplane than I would be on a cruise! (And that is saying a lot, because I had the biggest phobia of flying for a VERY long time--to the point that I wouldn't go on any trips.)

This is a dinner cruise (I don't think this counts as a cruise!) in the Detroit River in 2017. You can see the ambassador bridge in the background (the bridge to Canada). I love this picture of my mom and me. We were there for a family reunion on my dad's side.

Gotten a piercing

Of course! I've had several, but I really love ear piercings. When I was 18, I got my eyebrow pierced. I probably only left it in for a year or so. Jerry and I wanted my parents to take our relationship more seriously, so we thought we'd be more "mature" and take the eyebrow piercings out (he had one too). Looking back, I regret it! I liked the piercing.

When I was probably 20, I actually got my nipple pierced--kind of on a dare! It was awful and I didn't leave it in long. (No picture of that, haha!)

I got my nose pierced when I was 25, and I still have it--I love it.

I had my lobes pierced since I was very young--second grade, maybe? I got a second piercing in my lobes in high school. I pierced my own cartilage (helix) at about 16 years old--stupid of me. It's at an awkward angle. Pierced it a second time just above the other shortly after, but removed that one and it closed. A few years ago, I had my rook, conch, and tragus pierced (all cartilage piercings). This picture was just after getting my rook and conch piercings (notice how red my ear is!)

My favorite to get done was my tragus. Eli wanted to get his ears pierced, so I took him to a tattoo/piercing shop (rather than get them done at the mall!) and to do something special with him, I got my tragus pierced as well. It was a fun mother/son bonding time! ;)

Smoked (I'm assuming this means cigarettes)

I've never been "a smoker", but I did try smoking once or twice when I was a teenager. Thankfully, I thought it was totally gross. The first boy I ever kissed was a smoker and I knew right then I could never be with a smoker.

Met a celebrity

I just wrote a post about celebrities recently! The most famous of the people I've met was probably Dr. Oz. I met him in 2009 at a small seminar about women's health. Then I met him again when I was a guest on the show.

Been skydiving

Nope, nope, nope, nope. You couldn't pay me enough money to jump out of an airplane! I did, however, do something WAY out of my comfort zone that is about as close to skydiving as I will ever get. My brother's college roommate has a tiny one-engine airplane called the Breezy--it had no top, sides, and barely a bottom.

Even though I nearly threw up at the thought of it (I literally dry-heaved over the toilet before I went up) I wanted to do something totally unlike me. And I LOVED it. I cried--ugly cried--while we taxied and then as soon as we lifted off the ground, I felt so calm and peaceful. It was amazing!!

Had a one-night stand

Nope, never done this. And almost all of you guessed this one correctly! Jerry and I have been together (very happily) since we were 17 and 18.

Skinny dipped

Yes! I was on a girls weekend with a few friends, and we had SO much fun drinking wine on the beach and taking goofy pictures. (One of the girls' in-laws owns a house on a lake with a very secluded/private beach.) There was a gorgeous "moon rise" over the water and the night was so quiet and still. Someone suggested skinny dipping, and we all shrugged and agreed to it. Not in a "girls gone wild" kind of way! Just in a holy-cow-this-night-is-beautiful-and-I'm-swimming-naked kind of way.

Been drunk

Hey, I went to a university and lived in the dorms--I had my share of alcohol, which certainly contributed to the 20 pounds I gained in the first semester! I didn't drink before college, so I was inexperienced. Once I tried Mike's Hard Lemonade, that became my drink of choice--blech! I don't regret being stupid in college--I had so much fun with my roommates and thankfully, no harm was done. I'm just glad that social media wasn't around back then ;)

These are my college roommates. On the far left is my friend Sarah who now lives in Arizona (I mention her now and then on my blog). The other two girls I didn't know ahead of time--they were just assigned to our dorm. We got really lucky! They were great roommates. I found out several years later that Kelly, in front, actually had a baby boy the same day that I had Noah. Interesting!

Well, there you have it... five things from the list that I've never done:

Sung karaoke

Been arrested

Gone on a cruise

Been skydiving

Had a one-night stand

Out of all the responses, there were seven people who got them all correct. I will only count six of those, because Jerry was one of them ;)  And FOUR of them were anonymous people, so I can't give you credit--but nice job!

The two people who got them all correct were Kate and Cheryl. Since there were only two of you, I'm going to send each of you an Amazon gift card, so check your email!

I hope it was fun trying to guess and possible learn a few things you didn't already know about me. I'd *love* to hear that I'm not the only one who got 15 points on this thing...? Haha! Please share if you are up for it!

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How Well Do You Know Me? (A fun post!)

I love light-hearted posts. Yes, there are times where I write about the reality that isn't so light-hearted, but these posts take a break from that. And today, I'm going to give someone a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card! (Purchased by yours truly.)

For some reason, I like the dumb little "about me" things that pass around Facebook because I learn things about people that I wouldn't have otherwise! The things that may not come up in conversation. When a friend of mine shared this one, I thought it might be fun to see how well people know me :)

Here is a list of 20 items--and the point is to tell people how many things you HAVEN'T done on the list. I was kind of surprised when I was able to check off all but 5 items that I've completed! Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, considering some of the items may be taboo and I was always kind of a goody two-shoes.

So, let's have some fun with it! I'll post the list of items and you try to guess which five I have NOT done (using the Google form below). You can play anonymously just for fun, or if you want to include your name and email address, I'll give you a chance to win an Amazon gift card.

If anyone gets all five right, then you win the card! If more than one person gets them all right, I'll just do a drawing from those people. Tomorrow night, I'll reveal the five items as well as the winner of the game.

In case the photo isn't visible for whatever reason, here is the list:

1. Skipped school

2. Broken a bone

3. Fired a gun

4. Done drugs

5. Been in a limo

6. Gotten a tattoo

7. Ridden a horse

8. Sung karaoke

9. Gotten a ticket

10. Been arrested

11. Gone zip-lining

12. Been on TV

13. Been on a cruise

14. Gotten a piercing

15. Smoked

16. Met a celeb

17. Been sky-diving

18. Had a one-night stand

19. Skinny dipped

20. Been drunk

So, here is the Google form if you'd like to try and take a guess of which five I've not done! Good luck :)

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Friday Night Photos

I have no idea what to write about today! I figured I'd just go through my camera roll and find some pictures that I could post. I can't remember what I've already shared, so hopefully these aren't duplicates! Anyway, here are some Friday night photos...

I was in the mood to play Grandma's Game recently--it's been a long time! We had a lot of rainy days in a row and it felt like a good time to break out the cards. I lost, as always. (Here is a video tutorial I made of how to play the game.)

I came across this in my Instagram feed and I was totally confused for a minute until I realized... Waaaaait a secoooond... (I wish I could spell out how Jerry and I say that "Wait a second" phrase... but it sounds like how I wrote it, kind of...? Anyway.)

I walked into the bedroom while Jerry was sleeping and saw Estelle sleeping on top of him. I thought it was super cute, so I took a photo. (And judging by the window sill, you can see that I really need to either make or buy nightstands soon!)

I know that Euchre is a midwest thing, so many of you probably don't understand why this is worthy of a picture. But this is legit the first hand I was dealt in Euchre when we played last week! Serious question: Would you call trump if you had this hand? (I didn't--I tend to play conservatively. And as awesome as it looks, it's a losing hand!)

I wanted to find a meme of Frank Gallagher to text someone a couple of days ago and I found this picture of him with the caption "If 2016 was a person..." and I just had to redo it for 2020. I'm so sad that the final season of Shameless is starting soon. It's been my very favorite show of all time since it started!

I'm pretty excited to read this book! As you know, I LOVED The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End. This book takes place prior to The Pillars. I very rarely buy books, but I didn't want to wait on this one to become available at the library! Besides, I had Amazon credits to use :)

I finished two more scrub caps for Jeanie. I figured out what I was doing wrong with the pattern, and corrected that. (I'm going to try to turn the pattern into a PDF for a couple of you that volunteered to make some caps! Hopefully I do that in the next couple of days.)

I was FREEZING in the garage, so I made a little sewing station near the heater that's on the ceiling. I had to rearrange some things, but I love that I managed to make a little nook for me to sew. I used to have to drag everything out in the house and take up the table space while I worked on things. Working in the garage is nice! The heater still doesn't heat the garage enough for me, so I bought a mini space heater to set on the table for my hands. It should be here tomorrow, I think.

My friend Jessica posted this on Facebook, and I laughed because it's totally true :)

As you know, I love memes--and this one seemed so appropriate. I feel so bad for the teachers trying to work things out while everything else just goes to shit right now!

Finally, we can play "find Duck" in this photo. The kittens are hilarious with the tree! They've broken God-only-knows how many bulbs and the tree is pretty much bare at this point. Bahaha! Thankfully, we've accepted that this is why don't have nice things ;)

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Winter Walking and Meeting People

Today is Day 137 of my walking streak. Not bad! I've walked five miles day since July 20th. 

Monday and Tuesday were brutal for outdoor walking. On Sunday night, it snowed during the night and by Monday morning, the roads were covered in snow and slush. It was also snowing/raining at the same time. And it was COLD. The picture below looks peaceful. But under the snow was frozen slush, and it started rain/snowing shortly after.

My feet were totally soaked by the time I got home from walking in snow/slush. It also wasn't fun when cars would pass by and throw slush up at me.

On Monday night, all of the slush and rain froze--so it was extremely icy outside yesterday morning. In retrospect, I really shouldn't have even attempted to walk it--I almost fell more than a few times.

After my walk yesterday morning, my calves were super sore from having to change the way I walk. I was basically tip-toeing around the ice the entire time. I just now looked at my Garmin stats, and you can see all the ups and downs in my pace.

So, I looked for some "walking boots" on Amazon--I wasn't even sure if such a thing existed! (By "walking boots" I meant something like "running shoes"--something comfortable to walk longer distances in.)

Since I'd been a runner, I never gave boots a second thought. But if I'm going to walk through the winter conditions, I'm going to need something to keep my feet dry and warm, not to mention comfortable, for a five-mile walk.

I ordered some boots that are supposed to arrive this weekend, so I'll let you know how they work out. I also ordered a pair of pants that are sherpa-lined. They were $30+, which is insane for me! I usually shop at thrift stores, but they have NO STOCK right now. If I like the ones I ordered, I'll probably order another pair (or two) to get me through the winter.

I really didn't want to walk yesterday in the ice, but I don't want to break my walking streak! I could always opt for the treadmill--I just feel bad for Joey, because he looks forward to our walks every day. This is one section of pure ice--I had to tread VERY carefully on the parts that had snow, which gave it a little traction.

I realized recently that walking has taken on a new meaning for me. It's not about the numbers anymore. I used to love looking at my data--my distance, time, pace, heart rate, etc. Now, I don't even look at it anymore. I don't even wear my heart rate monitor! I just save my walk on my Garmin when I'm done and forget about it. 

I have met a lot of people on my walks, and I love that! Because of the lockdown, I don't get much social interaction; seeing the "regulars" on my walks has become fun for me. This morning, there were several stops. First, I ran into my parents as they were driving out of their neighborhood. It turned out they were going to Kohl's to return something to Amazon. I had something that needed returning, too, so I told my mom it was in my car and they stopped to grab it and returned it for me. Awesome!

Shortly after that, I met a woman from Texas who arrived yesterday to visit a friend and she had her dog with her (a pit bull mix, I think). Joey and her dog checked each other out (which means a full three minutes of smelling each others butts and genitals) and the two of us chatted for a few minutes. I didn't pause my Garmin or anything--it's hard to dig through the layers of clothes and I honestly just didn't care what the numbers said.

We kept going, and when we got to Roomba's house (the black German Shepherd), Joey got super excited to see that Roomba was outside. The two have been friends for a couple of months now, so I asked Roomba's "mom" if she could play for a minute. I let Joey off leash and he and Roomba were running all over the place in her yard, having a blast.

I don't remember if I mentioned this, but Roomba's "mom" actually graduated in my high school class! I knew she looked familiar when I first met her and it drove me crazy until I asked her about it the next time I saw her. We were friends with different people, but our class was small, and I definitely remember her. I think she was one of the "popular" kids, and I, well, wasn't ;)  (I loved--and still love!--my small group of friends from high school.)

Anyway, I've talked to her a few times while the dogs played together and it's been so nice getting to talk to another adult! And I love that Joey has a friend to play with. Today, he ran down to the lake and into the water--I don't know how he could stand it, because it's freezing outside.

Then he found one of Roomba's tennis balls and pretty much tore it to shreds. The two dogs were tired out after chasing each other. (Well, Roomba chased Joey--she's so much faster that she literally lapped him while running around the house!)

They played for a good 45 minutes while I talked to Melissa. Then Joey and I headed off to finish our walk.

When I got home, I took off my gloves and pulled up my coat sleeve to stop my Garmin, and I saw that the distance only read 2.77--I'd walked our usual five miles! I have no idea what happened. I must have stopped it at Melissa's (although I don't remember doing so). But somehow, the Garmin still recorded the map of my entire walk? It's so weird. I corrected the time and distance, not that it matters, but I'm very curious how that happened.

I've really loved meeting people when I walk. I'm super shy and I'm terrible at small talk when I'm out and about. But on my walks, it's kind of easy to make conversation--especially if someone has a dog.

Whenever I took my kids to the bus stop in elementary school, we would see a couple of miniature Schnauzers in the yard next to the bus stop. Eventually, we adopted Joey and started bringing him to the bus stop, and he went nuts to see them. Whenever I'd go for a walk with Joey, he'd get excited to walk past their yard.

A few weeks ago, the man who lived there (I'd only ever waved to him when he was in his backyard) was in his driveway and we exchanged greetings as I walked by. Then, I went to Kroger after my walk and a man at Kroger asked me if I had a couple of boys--yes--who used to have a bus stop at such and such street--yes. Then I recognized that he was the owner of the Schnauzers! (Well, I'd only seen one Schnauzer for the past three years or so.) 

I learned his name is CJ and he and his wife live there. One of the Schnauzers had passed away a few years ago (so sad!) but he remembers my boys when they were so young and we waited for the bus. He couldn't believe it when I said that Noah is driving now.

Yesterday, I chatted with a woman who has a few dogs and one of them was outside--a Pekingese. I forget the dog's name, but she was very curious about Joey and I told her "mom" it was fine that they check each other out. Joey usually doesn't even look at the small breed dogs, but he seemed to like her. I chatted with her "mom" while the dogs said hello to each other. 

Anyway, all of this is to say that walking Joey every day has been great for both of us! I have come out of my introverted shell a little to chat with strangers and Joey has gotten to meet and greet several other dogs. I'm so glad that I started walking daily--it's been really good for me, mentally and physically.

Speaking of physically, I need to do an update on all that--intermittent fasting, weight loss/gain, etc. I will try to do that this week. I know it's cliché, but gearing up for the new year always motivates me!

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My December "To Do" List

Even though I didn't exactly follow my list last month, writing down some things I wanted to get done actually did help me. For this list, I'm going to print it and hang it on the fridge where I will see it frequently. And hopefully I'll get the full list done!

***Prep my goal planner for the new year. For the particular goal planner that I recently bought (Amazon affiliate link), there are a lot of pages to fill out about goals in all areas of my life and then mapping out how to reach them. I want to take time working on that and really thinking about what I'd like to accomplish.

***Empty my inbox! I am so so so bad at keeping up with emails. It would feel great to start the new year without feeling bad about taking so long to reply to people. 

***Buy some winter clothes for walking. Walking in the cold is so different from running in the cold! When I was running, I'd warm up fast and I didn't need to bundle up. It's not even winter yet, but I have felt miserably cold sometimes while walking. And I never know how to dress! It's odd that it's completely different from running. I just have to learn as I go.

***Touch up the paint in the kitchen in the spots that have gotten dinged here and there. This was on last month's list, too, but I didn't do it. I also need to replace the caulk. 

***Make a list of projects for 2021. I'd like to have things lined up so I always have something to work on. I love to work on projects, but after finishing the garage, I haven't been able to think of something that really excites me (other than building nightstands, but I've already written my problems with that).

***Deep clean each room of the house. From top to bottom, I want to make it feel like it did just after I was done remodeling. It's not filthy now, but I want to clean all the spots that usually get ignored for too long (like the ceiling fans, baseboards, nooks and crannies in the windows, etc.

***Read one book. I was reading a lot the past few months (the 10 pages a day goal helped me go through books quickly--usually because I'd get caught up in them and keep reading) but I haven't been reading at all the past few weeks. So if I can finish just one book this month, I'll be happy with that!

Okay, I think that's enough for now--the cleaning and the inbox alone will take up 90% of my time, hahaha. I'm going to plan out a schedule specifically for these tasks so that I don't forget about them or put them off until the last minute. I can chip away at them a little at a time!

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What I've Been Reading, Watching, & Listening To

I've really enjoyed writing my "Reading, Watching, & Listening To" posts and this one is far overdue. I feel like I've probably forgotten most of it, but I'm going to do my best.

I haven't been reading much at all lately (I just can't find a book that pulls me in!) but I've been listening to audiobooks and I've watched some interesting shows/movies. So here goes--what I've been reading, watching, and listening to... (I don't include spoilers unless I specify beforehand)

The Amazon links are affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase through the links, I may get a small commission. But I encourage you to check your library, because that's where I get all of these!

Also, you can find me on Goodreads here. I *try* to keep up with what I've been reading and/or listening to.

Reading

'Open Book' by Jessica Simpson

This book was mentioned by several readers when I asked for recommendations. I love memoirs, so I decided to give it a go. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into it! The problem with celebrity memoirs (for me) is that I really don't like the name-dropping. When Jessica Simpson wrote about Ryan Gosling and how he thought she was the hottest girl at the Mickey Mouse Club auditions, she just lost me. 

I may try reading this one again because it got a lot of praise from some of my readers. When I was reading it, however, my library loan expired and I just moved on.

'The Boy in the Photo' by Nicole Trope

This was a book that I had downloaded on my Kindle Paperwhite and I don't know why--maybe it was a Kindle First Reads book? (When you have Amazon Prime, you get a free e-book each month from a  short list.) 

I really enjoyed this! It's about a mother whose son was abducted by her ex-husband when her son was only six years old. As much as she tries to find him over the years, she is eventually forced to move on. She never gives up hope of seeing him again, though. 

At the beginning of the book, she gets a phone call that her son has been found and is at a police station waiting for her to pick him up. Her world changes, as you might imagine. As a mother myself, I kept trying to imagine myself if this situation and how I would handle it. There are lots of questions which she tries to find the answers to throughout the book.

Watching

'Good Sam' movie on Netflix

This is a nice family movie. A reporter takes on a story of someone who leaves bags of cash for people in NYC. It's a "feel good" movie--a far cry from my typical slasher films or documentaries! haha. 

'Many Sides of Jane' on A&E

My friend Sarah from Arizona sent me a text recommending that I watch this. It's about a woman with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), formerly called Multiple Personality Disorder. I wasn't really interested in watching this because I've always found DID to be... well, kind of unbelievable? Before you hate on me for saying that, this docuseries was very eye-opening! 

I never had interest in DID because it seemed so far-fetched and I just couldn't even wrap my mind around it. I almost didn't watch this show! But Sarah never recommends that I watch particular shows, so I gave it a try and I'm glad I did. It gave me an idea of how DID comes to be (usually from extremely traumatic childhoods).

While I'm still not sure what to truly believe about DID, it was very obvious to me that Jane was NOT faking her symptoms. As someone who loves psychology and is passionate about mental health, this was eye-opening and very interesting to learn about.

'Bully' Netflix documentary

This was absolutely heartbreaking. The documentary follows five children who are being bullied and their families. I desperately want EVERY child to be loved, to feel happy, to have friends, to "fit in" and to just generally enjoy their life!

I don't even know why I watched this, really. I hate to see any child feel left out or bullied and it kills me to to see them feeling upset. There is one boy who takes his own life after being bullied and just watching his parents, the funeral, makes my heart ache so badly. I won't get into much detail about the documentary except that I think school-aged KIDS should watch it. So that they can see that every child matters and that words can really do more damage than they might imagine.

'I Am Jazz' on TLC

This series on TLC has really educated me on the transgender community and helped me understand it so much better! Jazz (the transgender teen that the show focuses on) is SO likable and informative. I can't even describe how much I learned about what it means to be transgender from watching this reality show (documenting a family who has a transgender child). I adore the entire family featured in the show.

'Borderline' on kanopy

I know a LOT about various mental illnesses, and I thought I knew Borderline Personality Disorder pretty well... until I saw this film. It follows a woman with BPD who lives in NYC. Watching her day-to-day life, I was just stunned. Granted, her psychiatrist told her that her BPD was an 8.5/10 (in terms of how bad it is), seeing the effects of her disorder was mind-blowing to me. I'm very glad that I watched this--I feel like I learned a lot about BPD!

(By the way, "kanopy" is an app that is connected to libraries that allows you to borrow digital films--five per month. I only just learned about it when I watched this film! But I'm going to take advantage of it now. They have a TON of documentaries that I'm interested in (I haven't even looked at the other films yet). 

Listenting to... (audiobooks)

'Three Days Missing' by Kimberly Belle

I wish I could write about this, but I don't remember it! I did like it, though. A woman's son goes missing while on a school camping trip and she (like any mom) does whatever she can to figure out what happened to him and how to find him. I only gave it two stars on Goodreads, so I guess I don't recommend it! Haha.

'Stranger in the Lake' by Kimberly Belle

This is another murder mystery (basically the only thing I've been listening to!). I felt like it was very predictable, but I still enjoyed listening to it. Basically, a woman and her fiancé live in a house on the lake and the woman discovers a body in the lake behind their house. She recognizes the woman but wants to protect her fiancé, so things become complicated.

I felt like this was very predictable, but it was a good listen. There were some surprises at the end. I always looked forward to it on my walks!

'Dear Wife' by Kimberly Belle

This book kind of blew me away. I can't really write anything at all without spoiling it. It reminded me a lot of 'Gone Girl' for a while, but about halfway through, it takes off on its own. I will say that the narration on this audiobook was AMAZING.

This was one of those books that you think you figure out from the very beginning, but then you start questioning yourself, and you just can't make up your mind about whodunit. I gave this four stars.

'The Marriage Lie' by Kimberly Belle

This book literally had me crying for the first two hours or so of listening! I listened to it on my morning walks, so it was pretty embarrassing, but I couldn't help it. I just kept putting myself in the main character's shoes and it was rough.

Basically, a woman learns her husband was in a plane crash on a plane that he wasn't supposed to be on. She goes investigating to figure out why he was on the plane and what happened, which leads to all sorts of further questions. The more I listened, the more I realized that there could not possibly be a good outcome. But I kept listening, because I wanted to know what the story was! I gave this four stars.

'The Perfect Wife' and 'The Perfect Block' by Blake Pierce (part of a psychological suspense series)

I was VERY into 'The Perfect Wife'. The series focuses on a woman, Jesse Hunt, who is a criminal profiler (in training). This series reminds me very much of The Silence of the Lambs, with Jesse being Clarice Starling. I can't say anything more without spoilers. If you liked The Silence of the Lambs, you'll like this series! I started listening to the third book, but the narrator just wasn't meshing with me. I'll have to read the book.

'The Stranger Inside' by Lisa Unger

I REALLY like this book! The male narrator was fantastic and I loved the psychological aspects of the book. I couldn't really see where this was going until about halfway through, and I wish I could write more, but I don't want to spoil it. The general plot is that three kids were playing on their bikes and two were abducted. One was murdered and the other escaped. The one who was not abducted moved on with her life (sort of) and the one who escaped did not leave without mental issues. Meanwhile, there are some vigilante killings that may or may not tie into the abduction.

While this may sound like any other psychological suspense book, it was actually quite unique because of the in-depth psychological components. And did I mention the male narrator? I really love his voice!

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I actually didn't even mention a few things I watched, so I'll write them next time if I look back and find them worth mentioning. I need to make these posts at least monthly, if not bi-weekly. Since I've been walking for 90-ish minutes per day, I listen to a lot of audiobooks! (I always listen with the speed on 1.25x, which means I finish them faster.)

Are you reading/watching/listening to anything awesome? Please mention!

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