Ethique Heali Kiwi Shampoo Bar Review- Is It Worth The Price?

Photo by That Weird Girl Life

Disclaimer: The product I am reviewing was bought with my own money and my opinions are all my own! But this post includes an affiliate link so if you decide to purchase through this Very Special Link, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Just wanted to give you a head's up!

I've been on a quest now to be more eco-friendly and sustainable, thanks to people like my friend Julie, over at Dark Blue Journal, who have opened my eyes to the state of the environment and world today. I'm trying to limit my plastic use and find better, more sustainable alternatives to try to stop the pollution of our earth and its oceans, and one of the first things I decided to try was because of the very product I was using was running low: my shampoo!

After reading Julie’s blog, which prompted me to do my own research, I discovered the world of shampoo bars! Basically shampoo in soap form, they do away with the plastic bottles, usually wrapping them in either paper or sometimes even in reusable jars or canisters, plus, most tend to tout more natural ingredients in their items (no crazy chemical sulfates, which I learned aren’t a great thing!). Though I did learn another thing that came with a more natural, earth-friendly: the price tag!

Oof! I was NOT expecting that! I guess I was just used to my store brand Head and Shoulders shampoo! But after doing a good amount of research, the first shampoo bar I tried was Love Beauty and Planet’s rose shampoo bar, which I loved using (and it was pretty cheap compared to the other ones on the market!). Unfortunately, while I did enjoy the product, I kind of forgot in my excitement to finally be using a shampoo bar and not buying another plastic bottle, I need a shampoo that would help with my dandruff. And sadly, the Love Beauty and Planet one did not. (But I still use it as a soap and it’s lovely!)

So I was back to doing more research, and one brand I kept seeing on so many lists was this company called Ethique. They are a New Zealand based company that uses all natural products in their line (they have shampoos, conditioners, deodorants, and other products- all in bar form!) and are determined to help stop the pollution of the ocean from all of the plastic that’s being produced. I loved their message and the fact that their products come in compostable boxes.

I found that they sold them directly from their site (via New Zealand. Shipping = expensive!), but that they also sold them at Target stores in my state (just not in my city. And they also can’t be delivered to my zip code. What??), and that Amazon sells them (yay!). So I decided to try them via Amazon, despite the pretty pricey- well, price. It was about $16 for one shampoo bar, but it’s supposed to be the equivalent of three bottles of shampoo (at least as far as plastic usage). Compare that to the almost $5 I was spending on my either generic or name brand Head and Shoulders shampoo (times three, of course!) and the price actually isn’t too bad. If it lasts as long as three bottles of shampoo, that is!

So I’m here to unbiasedly (because I bought it with my own money, remember?) review Ethique’s Heali Kiwi shampoo bar for itchy scalps to see how it works, how the bar holds together, and how long the bar lasts, and finally, to see if the product is worth the price. I love the idea of Ethique and their other products, and they sound like a great company to support, especially if you want to start using less plastic, but will the shampoo bar be worth it and would I buy it again? Let’s find out!

Photo by That Weird Girl Life

Just a disclaimer (I know, another one): since I’m trying to wash my hair less, but am out of the habit, I am currently washing my hair every other day (my hair can get very greasy if I don't wash it often enough!). I’m hoping to increase that to every two days, and so on. Obviously in the hopes that it will help my hair and scalp health, but also to prolong the life of the shampoo bar.

(Yet) Another disclaimer: I was honestly planning on waiting to write this review until I had used up the whole bar, but as you will see later on, that might take quite a while! So I decided to post my review now, after three months, which is honestly a lot longer than most reviews I’ve seen about shampoo bars. (Most just post their review after just one wash!)

First Experience and Impressions:

The box and shampoo bar were definitely smaller than I expected! But we all know we can’t judge everything by size! (Get your minds out of the gutter, people) The instructions on the box (which is also compostable! Cool!) say to swipe the bar down on your wet hair four times, and then lather in until it’s foamy, and then rinse out. I made sure to really massage my scalp as I washed my hair (you know, to get rid of the flakage). It honestly felt pretty nice and lather-y while I was washing my hair, and after rinsing, my hair felt clean, and I had a lot less flakes! No feeling of waxiness (which I’ve heard can be a problem with shampoo bars), plus the kiwi scent (which smells great from the shampoo bar) in my hair was almost non-existent (but if I sniffed my dry hair afterwards I could smell the faintest trace of it). I then dried off the bar and it (thankfully) didn’t fall apart and was exactly the same size. I read some complaints on the reviews for this shampoo bar that it fell apart pretty easily, so I made sure after I used it to carefully tap it dry it with a washcloth, let it air dry for a few minutes, and then wrap it up with another dry washcloth, and store it under my bathroom sink to avoid the moisture from the shower. I don’t have a special case for it (though Ethique does sell biodegradable ones!), but this seems to be working so far!

Photo by That Weird Girl Life

Other Subsequent Washes aka Months 1-3:

Still some flakes after the first shampoo (I mean, I did have a month’s build up, so it’s not like the Heali Kiwi shampoo bar can knock ‘em out in one wash!), but after a few more washes, the dandruff was pretty much gone! Also, thankfully, the shape of the bar hasn’t changed at all (except to get slightly smaller, obviously and I keep to my gently-drying-the-bar-then-using-a-washcloth-to-keep-it-in routine), and my hair feels so fresh and lovely. I honestly look forward to my hair washing days! (And not just because my hair gets greasy if I don’t wash it! Well, that’s partly one of the reasons I look forward to washing my hair) I really like using this shampoo bar and now I’ve added a (non Ethique) hair conditioner to my wash routine as well (just for the lower half of my hair. My greasy roots do NOT need any more moisture!). But here come the big questions that need to be answered:

So… How Does the Ethique Heali Kiwi Shampoo Bar Hold Up And Is It Worth Buying?

Photo by That Weird Girl Life

Does the bar help with dandruff?

Yes! I also love that the bar uses natural ingredients to fight dandruff, instead of all of those chemicals doctors have given me in the forms of potions and lotions (which I have needed at times when my psoriasis was bad, but no one wants to willingly use tar shampoo! That smell...). As I mentioned above, after the first few washes, my dandruff was still there, but as I used the shampoo bar more and more, my dandruff disappeared! It seems to work on keeping it away, since I can go about two days without washing my hair (you know, until it gets super oily again) and I will rarely find a flake between those days!

Does the bar hold together?

For me, it totally did! The bar is small (about 2 ¼ inches in length on each four sides, so basically a perfect square, and is about 1 ¼ inches thick) but has kept its shape and hasn’t gotten too much smaller, and I think it’s because of me being extra diligent in keeping it as dry as possible between washes. Like I mentioned before, people online have complained about it disintegrating, but I think that’s because it has oatmeal in it, which of course, is famous for being an anti-itching remedy for chicken pox in the form of oatmeal baths. Obviously if you’ve ever had a bowl of oatmeal before, you know that oats get mushy, so that makes sense that some people might have issues with this bar and keeping it solid. But for me, my bar was fine and my air dry/small towel technique seems to have worked in keeping it from falling apart! (The corner of one part did get slightly smooshed when I put it against something under the bathroom counter when it wasn’t quite dry, but it was only a little dent!)

How long does the bar last?

So far, I’ve been using this bar for about three months, starting with using it every other day for the first month and then to every two days in months two and three. (Listen, my hair is very, very oily, and if I go without washing my hair for more than two days, I look like a 1950’s greaser guy, but gross and with much longer hair. I'd love to wash my hair less, but what can you do?) Right now the bar is only slightly smaller, measuring in at 2 inches in length on all four sides and and the bar is now just over an inch thick. So really only slightly smaller despite my frequent use! It’s still square in shape, only now it has an inverted dented dome at the top from where I swipe it down my hair when I use it! I’m hoping since it’s lasted three months and has only gone down in size just a smidge, it’ll at least last me a year! (Fingers crossed, knock on wood!)

Is the Heali Kiwi shampoo bar worth the price?

Overall, I really love this shampoo bar! I feel like it’s helped control my flakage, and I really do love the smell. It smells like real kiwis, not an artificial or strong smell, but very pleasant and fruity. You can barely smell it on your hair after you wash and dry it, but I don’t mind, honestly. My hair looks and smells clean! 

I love that Ethique is filled with natural ingredients (though there is some controversy over a natural sulfate used in their shampoo bars) and is dedicated to cutting down on plastic use and waste. So for me, it makes me feel better that I’m not buying shampoo in a plastic bottle that will probably not be recycled, even though I always try to recycle my plastic items (if the plastic can even be recycled, that is!). Plus, it makes my bathroom look less cluttered without all of the plastic bottles hanging around the shower!

Really, my only issue with Ethique is the price! I get that natural ingredients will be more expensive than chemical and artificial ones, and these are being made and shipped from New Zealand, but yeesh! Maybe I’m just used to buying cheap, generic shampoo and will have to get used to buying more expensive, but natural and eco-friendly items that last longer. If they could lower their prices a tiny bit, or have sample sizes of their products available in America (they have sample size packs of shampoos/conditioners, face washes, etc. But they are about the same price as one Ethique shampoo bar!), I think I would definitely want to recommend them more to people, as the price wouldn’t be so intimidating to people! (It certainly took me by surprise when I first saw it!) But to me, if this shampoo bar lasts a year or more, it’s worth the high price because it’s eco-friendly and sustainable and I get flake-free hair!

Photo by That Weird Girl Life

All in all, I’m really impressed with Ethique and the Heali Kiwi shampoo bar! My hair feels great, my flakes are at a minimum, and the bar is holding up! I don’t know if it will last as long as three bottles of shampoo, but I like the fact that I’m not using plastic and this is better for me and the environment. But the bar itself is certainly still big and I hope I can get a lot more washes out of it! I’d love to try more Ethique products, such as their hair conditioners (would be interesting to see how it goes with the Heali Kiwi bar!) and the deodorant (I’m still on the lookout for a good, natural deodorant that actually works in the desert heat!). 

Would I recommend this to people with itchy and flaky scalps? If you have the money, I would say go for it! I’m sure there are other, possibly cheaper shampoo bar alternatives for dandruff-prone hair, but this bar came with such good reviews, that I really wanted to try it out and so I splurged (plus I had an Amazon gift card, so that helped with the price!).

If you want to give the bar a try, you can find it over on Amazon or by clicking on this link to buy it:

Very Special Link: Buy the Ethique Heali Kiwi Shampoo Bar on Amazon

And that was my (long-winded) review of Ethique’s Heali Kiwi Shampoo bar! I have to say, I actually really like this shampoo bar! I’ll definitely buy it again (with the help of an Amazon gift card). Have you used any eco-friendly/sustainable shampoo bars or conditioners? What brands did you try (any Ethique) and did they work for you? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear some brand suggestions and stories! Also, should I do an update on the Heali Kiwi shampoo bar later in the year to see how it’s still holding up?? I kind of want to report on how long this bar lasts!

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Let's Start Getting Rid of Some Things (Movies Edition)- My Minimalism Journey, Part 1

Photo by That Weird Girl Life

We all love movies. Watching them and going to them (well, not so much now! I'm writing this deep in 2020, so you know what I'm talking about). And from streaming services to renting services to our own home collections, we've all been watching them a lot while we've been staying at home. So I decided that my first act of minimalism would be going through my own collection of DVDs and blurays and declutter my movie collection!

I hinted at this in my previous post about what I was up to in May, so if you want to read my little blurb about it, click here!

Hey, It’s a Start!

I know, I know...this may not be the right way to to start to declutter, but I decided to dip my toe into minimalism the easy way- because honestly, all I've been doing has been watching a lot of movies and TV (okay, not all I've been doing, it just seems like it!) and it made me think, "if I'm watching all of these TV shows and movies on streaming services, what am I not watching in my own movie collection? If I'm not going to watch it anytime soon or in the future, do I really need to own it?"

That's always the question that gets me when I declutter: do I need it? But in this case, it was more of the question: “Will I watch this again in the future (numerous times)? And will this be something I’d recommend to family and friends so they could borrow it?” With that, I culled through my DVD/bluray collection!

My Life in Movies (and How My Tastes Have Changed)

I will have to admit, though my DVD collection isn’t huge, I was still surprised at how many I had and hadn’t watched in so long! Some of my DVDs were OLD! (Like I have an original copy of Signs from when it was first released. That was in the early 2000’s, I think? That’s pretty impressive, you gotta give me that! Also, that scene with Joaquin Phoenix in the closet watching TV with the alien footage is still the best reaction scene ever!)

It was actually pretty fun to go through my collection. It was like a walk down memory lane. I was reminded of why I bought the movies in the first place, where I was in life, what I was going through, the memories that movie (or even that copy of the movie) holds for me. I honestly buy movies because I like them and I really do mean to rewatch them, but even though the movies are good, I tend not to rewatch certain ones, for some reason or another (I blame streaming services! And books. Books always distract me).

So I gave myself a little mission: watch some of the movies I was unsure about, and decide if I really want to keep them or not. Because, honestly, I hadn’t watched some of these movies in such a long time, that I had forgotten if they were any good or not! (I mean, I obviously thought so if I bought them in the first place, but it had been so long!) And you know what: it worked! I ended up being reminded of movies I thought I liked, but now didn’t really enjoy (no fault to the movies. Sometimes your movie taste just changes over time!). Into the pile they went!

Others were easier to decide to give away. They were the ones I had once loved, but had outgrown. Or ones I still liked, but rarely watched and were just gathering dust. And what’s the point of having a whole bunch of movies if you’re just never going to watch them?? Plus, I reminded myself that it’s not like these movies are disappearing forever or I have the only remaining copies in the world (I’m not that special!). I can always borrow them from the library, rent them, or watch them when they pop up on a streaming service! Or the old school way- borrow them from a friend! (Remember when we used to do that sort of thing? And Blockbuster and Hollywood Video?? Okay, now I’m really showing my age!)

And it gave me a fun reason to send my niece a fun package in the mail! I have a few kids movies that are nostalgic favorites, but I never really watched, so I thought maybe I could share a bit of my childhood with my niece (I had, and still have, excellent taste, even as a child). So not only was I able to let her borrow some of my personal favorites (and I gave my sister the option to keep them if my niece really liked them!), I was also getting rid of a few more movies! Bonus!

A big stack of just SOME of the movies I got rid of! Also, can you spot the random cat hair amonst the cases? Photo by That Weird Girl Life

What Movies I Decided To Get Rid Of*
*and a little reason or two on why I decided to not keep them:

Black Swan- I love me a thriller! But I rarely watch this one, despite loving ballet and all of the dark themes.

Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging- I loooved these books as a tween, and was so excited when I heard they made a movie about it in England years ago! The movie is super cute, but not one I watch on the regular. I may just be a little too old for it. (Also, Georgia is supposed to end up with Dave the Laugh! Even though the guy who played Robbie in the movie is super cute!)

Aquamarine- Another one I’m just a little too old for. But it’s adorable and it’s all about mermaids and the power of friendships. Not going to lie though, I saw this when I was legit 18 years old and loved it.

Shutter Island- Here’s another thriller while I love, but again, don’t watch that often. That twist though! Still makes me shiver!

Oculus- I remember watching this one in theaters and being so disturbed by it! In case you didn’t know, horror is my favorite genre, and while this movie is good, it’s not one of my go-to horror movies and one I’ll watch over and over again.

Whip It- Girl power and roller derby! Ellen Page and the rest of the cast is amazing in this, and I love the empowering message in it. But again, I couldn’t remember the last time I watched it (judging by the layer of dust on top of it, not for quite some time!).

The Haunting in Connecticut- This was a horror movie I initially liked when I first saw it, but after rewatching it, I didn’t really like it that much! Just shows you how your tastes can change!

Hook- Oh, Hook. A childhood favorite! A lot of people think this movie didn’t age well, but I still like it. Just not enough to keep it and watch it on repeat like I used to when I was little! Rufiooo!

Moana- Now, don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Moana! But the bluray, not the movie itself, holds some bad memories for me. Thankfully, I can give away the bluray, but always watch the movie some other way (again, streaming services!).

Mad Max: Fury Road- Man, this movie was good! But intense. And not one I watch all that much. (Though I will pretty much anything with Tom Hardy in it, let’s be honest, good or bad)

Girl, Interrupted- You know how you really relate to certain movies at certain times in your life? This was one of them and as much as I still think it’s an excellent movie, I really don’t ever watch it (it hits a little too close to home, you know?).

Mama- This was another horror movie that I really liked when I first saw it, but then on a recent watch, decided it just wasn’t as great as I remembered. Or even as scary as I remembered! As someone who likes horror, I have to admit that I like my horror movies more on the scary side than not. (Also, I thought the original short it was based on was way more creepy. Sometimes less in a horror movie is more!)

The 40 Year Old Virgin- This is one of those classic movies that makes me laugh, but I’ve just seen it one too many times. I’d probably be happy to watch it in a year or so if it ever goes back onto a streaming service, but not to own.

The Back to the Future trilogy*- For some reason my family had two of these sets on DVD? We don’t need two, we just need one. How did we get two sets of these movies??? Sorry, older edition, you’re out!

*Not pictured

Signs- As mentioned above, I have one of the first releases of this movie on DVD (humble brag). And as great as this movie is (unlike some of M. Night Shyamalayn’s latest movies...ahem), this is one I’ve seen a lot and really don’t plan on watching in the future (at least anytime soon).

Heathers- Okay, I love me some Winona Ryder and this movie truly is a cult classic, but did I watch it more than twice since I bought it years and years ago? Nope! Sorry, Veronica! Also, what's your damage, Heather?

Jennifer's Body- Another cult classic, but one that I watch frequently? No. (But you should totally check it out! It’s highly underrated!)

Shaun of the Dead- a great horror-comedy that's so funny and clever. But I haven't watched it in so long! (Also, I’m kind of over zombies at this point)

*Bonus* Loaned to my niece (and she has the option to keep them if she likes them!):

Annie*- Such a classic and one that I hope my niece will sing the songs over and over again to annoy my sister and brother-in-law (I’m such a good aunt!)

Coco*- I love this Pixar movie, but every time I watch it, it makes me sob! Damn you, Pixar, for making some stellar animated and emotional movies that hit me right in the feels! That's why I can rarely watch it! Wah!

Anastasia*- This movie was my go to as a kid and I still love it to bits! But do I watch it over and over like I did as a kid? Nope. The soundtrack is still really good though! (But again, I just listen to that via Spotify or YouTube!) 

*Also not pictured

The After Effects of Getting Rid of a Whole Bunch of Movies

Going through my movies was actually really, really satisfying! It gave me a chance to look through what I had, evaluate my taste in movies (it’s changed a lot!), what I was holding on to just for the memories, not necessarily the movies themselves. And it really reminded me that movies are for watching, just not collecting. I mentioned above that I used to watch certain movies over and over again as a kid, but obviously as adults, we don’t do that. So the movies we do keep tend to be favorites that we don’t watch that often, but watch often enough that we actually own copies of those movies. Or at least, that’s how it should be. So after going through all of my movies and deciding on the ones I want to keep, I know that the ones I’m keeping are the ones I’m definitely going to watch multiple times in the future and are going to be the ones I like enough to recommend enough to others (and enjoy watching myself!).

In fact, my mom’s friend was asking for a movie to borrow and I asked her what she was in the mood for. No musicals, nothing scary or dramatic, just something that she’ll enjoy and is an overall great movie. Thanks to my pared down movie collection, I knew exactly what she would like: the 1994 version of Little Women. And guess what! She loved it! We even had a great discussion after she watched it (the Jo, Laurie, and Amy love triangle is timeless) and then I suggested she watch the 2019 version when she could so she could compare the two movies. See! My decluttering helped!

Also, I came up with a few tips (four, exactly) that helped me when I was decluttering and they may help you get rid of a few of your DVDs, blurays, and old tv shows (or laser discs or VCRs or whatever old school devices you may watch movies on. I don't judge!):

My Tips For Going Through Your Movies/TV Shows and Getting Rid of Them 

1. If you’re unsure about it, give it a watch! See if it still makes you laugh, cry, or if you still simply enjoy it. Then think about if you’re going to watch it again multiple times. If you will, keep it. If not, let it go!
2. Give yourself time to think it over. I initially thought I wanted to keep one movie after rewatching it, but after giving myself a few days to think about it, I decided I really wasn’t going to rewatch it anytime soon. Buh-bye!
3. Think of places to donate your old DVDs/blurays to! Whether it's a thrift store, a used bookstore that also takes movies, or a charity or even a friend, think beforehand where you're going to give them away so they just don't sit there! Also, make sure your movies are not scratched and are in good working order. If not, look into how to properly dispose of them or recycle them in your area! (Or somehow reuse them if you're a super crafty DIY person!)
4. And just remember, it's not like you’re never going to watch any of these movies again! Like I mentioned previously, there are tons of ways to watch movies without owning them- renting/streaming and borrowing! So don’t be afraid to give away a movie you just “like”, not “love.” You’ll always be able to watch it again! (You just won’t own a physical copy of it!)

All my books ready to donate in my cute cat canvas bag! (I'm not donating the bag though!) Photo by That Weird Girl Life

A sneak peak inside the cat bag of all of the movies I'm giving away! There were more than I thought! Photo by That Weird Girl Life

It may not have been the most earth shattering decluttering cleanse in history, but I cut my DVD/Blu-ray collection in half! I'd definitely say that's a success for my first dip into minimalism! I definitely feel a lot more organized and I liked that I prioritized what movies I really liked and wanted to keep. Now I just have to figure out where to donate all of these movies to! (This trying to stay at home thing is really getting annoying when you want to get rid of things!)

What did you think of the start of my minimalism journey? It may have been an easy start, but it was a great way to practice on how to think through what you want to keep or give away. Any suggestions on what I should sort through next?  And I can't wait to get started on my next decluttering project! (Dresser drawers? Books? My closet? Ack!!)  And if you have any tips for me on decluttering and getting rid of things, let me know in the comments!

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My Unpopular Harry Potter Opinions

Photo by Rae Tian on Unsplash

Let me preface this by saying that I absolutely LOVE the Harry Potter series. It’s one of my favorite books series ever, one of my favorite movie series, filled with some of the most iconic and memorable characters ever, and I’m one of those Harry Potter fans that has said on multiple occasions that Harry Potter has changed my life for the better. BUT… just because I love something, doesn’t mean that it’s perfect. In fact, that’s one of the reasons why I love the series, because despite loving all of the characters, they’re all so real, and human, and flawed. J.K. Rowling has created a magical world where despite everything being fantastic and wondrous, it somehow still seems real and raw. I’m not saying that the Harry Potter series itself is flawed, but as much as I love love love the series, there were some things in both the books and movies that I never really agreed with or even kind of liked (mostly the movies, but a few things in the books!). So here, without further ado, are my unpopular Harry Potter opinions, with both the books and the movies!

*Please, no hate, these are just my own personal opinions and again, like I said, I love the books and the movies with all of my heart, and this is in no way bashing them at all. But if you can’t critique something that you love, then what can you critique?? I guess things you hate, but that’s not the point I’m trying to make!*

My Opinions on the Harry Potter Books:

1. Peeves was annoying. I totally get it. Peeves the Poltergeist added even more color and humor and mischief to the Hogwarts castle. But if I were a student at Hogwarts, I would have dreaded going there for fear that he would throw water balloons filled with God knows what at my head all the time! But I did love in Order of the Phoenix how he listened to Fred and George and kept his promise about giving Umbridge hell. It almost made me like him. Almost. But honestly, I was secretly relieved when they left him out of the movies!

2. Why did Fred, Tonks, AND Lupin have to die in the Battle of Hogwarts? (Sorry, spoilers!) Why kill them all??

3. And take away the one connection Harry has to his parents by killing Sirius in Order of the Phoenix? I get it, plot and character growth, but still! To leave another child an orphan (Lupin and Tonk’s son, Teddy)?? C’mon, J.K.!

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4. And then Hedwig??? J.K. Rowling just might as well have had Harry die and Voldemort live in honor of the prophecy, why don’t you! I know it was supposed to represent Harry’s “loss of innocence/childhood,” but that hurt SO MUCH. Too much, in fact.

5. Why was everyone so mean? From the teachers to the students (especially Snape! How did he get away with literally bullying students like Neville and literally everyone else who was not in Slytherin??), to the students to the other students, everyone was super rude to each other! And what’s up with everyone calling each other by their last name/surname? Is that a British thing? I’ve literally never ever called a person I didn’t like by their last name…

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6. Also, why did Harry get to name his kids after his family? Did Ginny get no say in the matter? I mean, c’mon, she was the only girl and youngest child in a family of seven kids! Let her name at least one of her children, dammit!

7. And why didn't we get a great epilogue detailing what all the characters were up to after the books ended??? We got some snippets from J.K. Rowling in post Deathly Hallows interviews, but I would have loved to have learned what everyone did after the Battle of Hogwarts dust and rubble had settled! (You know, and the Dark Lord defeated and all!)

8. Snape’s obsession and love for Lily wasn’t romantic- it was creepy! I get that “Always” means a lot to us Harry Potter fans, but there’s a fine line between love and obsession. And Snape was more on the obsessive side than romantic side, let's be honest. Snape himself is a great, complicated character and he loved Lily enough to protect her son, but not be at least a little civil to him? I mean, I know James Potter was a dick to him, but be a grown up, Severus! Geez!

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My Opinions On the Harry Potter Movies:

9. Ginny had no personality! Why oh why would they do my girl Ginny wrong like this? All of us books fans know that Ginny started out as shy and nervous around Harry (because she was seriously crushing on him), but then she came out her shell and was such a cool, opinionated, and strong character (and Quidditch player!). But in the movies, they really did not do her character justice. Movie Ginny was about as compelling as a dried up leaf (a red one, of course).

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10. Hermione's Yule Ball dress was not pretty- at all. I get that it was Hermione’s She’s All That walk-down-the-stairs moment, but I really did not care for the dress. I don’t know if it was the ruffled individual pieces with the light to dark pink ombre, or the bustier part, but to me, it was not at all beautiful. I know that it’s now an iconic outfit in the HP series, but to me, it just didn’t hit the mark. Also, it was supposed to be periwinkle! That’s a pretty light blue, in case you didn’t know. (I actually just watched a really interesting video about why they chose pink instead of blue for Hermione’s dress and while I don’t like the dress itself, I get why the filmmakers chose pink instead of blue. You can watch it here)

11. I actually liked Michael Gambon as Dumbledore. I know, this one is a bit controversial. I thought Richard Harris totally had the Dumbledore look and twinkle in his eye, but he lacked that dark edge that Dumbledore later is revealed to have in the books. Michael Gambon, in my opinion, was more versatile and was able to handle more of the darker history and moments of Dumbledore. I don’t know if Richard Harris, great actor as he was (RIP), could have done that as convincingly and as compellingly as Gambon did.

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12. I liked the Goblet of Fire movie, but they left so much out of it! And instead of putting more of the plot in it, they just added more of the teenage wizard and witch hormones. Which was all quite fun (especially in the books), but not expanding on Barty Crouch and Barty Crouch Jr. (and poor Winky the house-elf??)? No Ludo Bagman?? Why were all of the Beauxbaton students girls and the Drumstrang students were guys? Also, my favorite task of the Triwizard Tournament, the maze, was totally botched. I wanted to see the Sphinx, the blast-ended skrewts, and more. Also, was anyone else creeped out by Moaning Myrtle perving on a naked Harry in the prefects bathroom giant bathtub? I mean, that kind of made me uncomfortable! (I can only imagine how Harry felt!)

13. The movies gave all of Ron’s lines to Hermione, making Ron look more like the fun, foolish friend, when we know in the books, Ron has his smart and clever moments (even if they took Hermione by surprise at times). Justice for Ron!

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14. They left so much out of Half-Blood Prince! I loved learned about Voldemort's past, but leaving out Merope and Tom Riddle's "relationship?" Tragic! It would have brought Voldemort's upbringing and feelings towards his family and the fact that his father was *gasp* a Muggle to light and add more depth to his evil character. (I mean, he was conceived while his father was under the spell of a love potion, no wonder the guy is evil!)

15. I wasn’t that bothered by Dumbledore shouting “Harry, did ya put your name in da Goblet of Fiyah??” as everyone else seems to be. That seems to be a big complaint (and joke/meme) in the fan community, but for some reason it never annoyed me that much. Artistic liberties, I suppose!

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My Thoughts On Harry Potter and the Cursed Child:

16. Just everything in this...just no. Let’s not even go there. I know this is supposedly canon, but I’m pretending it was just a wild fever dream that never happened.

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And those were my unpopular Harry Potter opinions! Again, don’t get me wrong, I love the books and the movies, but nothing in life is perfect and these were just my humble opinions and thoughts about this magnificent series. Everyone is allowed to agree or disagree about it (our Harry Potter fandom is quite opinionated!) and that’s kind of what I love about the series. We all had different pictures of it in our minds when we first read the books, and then when the movies came out, we saw the story come to life, but maybe not in the exact way we had in our minds. So personally, that’s why I love seeing different artist’s interpretations of the Wizarding World, like Jim Kay and fan art. I like seeing what everyone else had in their minds, whether it be by art or just by their thoughts, because the Harry Potter movies were based on what the people working on the movies had in their minds! And honestly, for every "meh" thing I didn't like about the books or movies, there are about 100 things that I did love about them! The books just prove that nothing is perfect, even if the Harry Potter series is close to perfection.

What are your unpopular Harry Potter opinions? (It's okay, you can tell me. I don't judge!) Are yours the same as mine, or do you totally disagree and have others? Did you want to see more things in the movies (like the giant squid in the lake?) or were there some things you were glad they left out? I’d love to know in the comments below! (But please remember to keep it polite! We can all have our own thoughts and opinions about this amazing series, so be nice, everyone!)

Stay Weird!

Mental Illness and the Art of Pretending

Photo by Kyle Sudu on Unsplash

In honor of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, I have decided to share one of my mental health experiences this month. Writing about mental health can be hard, but I feel it’s worth it to spread awareness and share my story with others, who may have suffered or are suffering with something similar. It’s always good to know you’re not alone with this.

***

When you’re depressed or anxious or are just suffering with your mental health, you become skilled at the art of pretending.

Everything is “fine.” You’re “great.” Nothing "new" is up. Your life is just so boring right now. Nothing new to report. When really it’s the exact opposite. Your life is so hectic. It may all be happening inside your mind: the depression, the anxiety, the panic attacks, the manic episodes, the obsessive thoughts, but all of that still filters out into your physical life and is taking up so much of your time. It's consuming your life. That's "what's up" with you. You just don’t want to tell anyone about it or admit that it’s even happening. To you or anyone.

You’re a pro at make believe, that everything is normal and that you’re not suffering inside.

But what people don’t know is that you don’t want to bother anyone. Bog them down with your troubles. Burden them with it. Your medication and side effect woes. Your psychiatrist/psychologist/therapist/counselor/doctor appointments. The sleepless nights and sleeping all day. Or the fact that you don't have any help or anyone to talk to. That you're alone in this awfulness. Those feelings that you just can’t escape and so desperately want to. So you pretend that everything is just fine and dandy. It's really not though.

Pretending is an art that you’ve mastered and you have everyone fooled. But deep down you know you want help or someone to just ask you if you’re okay, and for you to just say simply and easily, “yes, yes I do need help,” or “yes, I do want to talk about it.”

For most of my life, I have been one of those people who have pretended. Pretended I was okay, pretended I was fine, pretended my life was so boring that there really was nothing up with me, when really everything up with me was a horrible tornado in my mind, spinning out of control, and causing deep depressions, outbursts of anxiety, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts, awful compulsions, endless crying, and more. But on the outside, I wanted everything to look as if I was just like everyone else. Someone with a “normal" life, the one I was trying so hard to imitate. I didn’t want to admit that anything was wrong with me. So I lied and pretended.

And I have to admit, I still do at times. I’m afraid to speak up, not just because I don’t want to admit that there’s something wrong with me, but because I don’t know who to talk to about it (besides a mental health professional). Who will understand, who won’t judge me? Who won’t call me crazy? (It’s happened.) It’s a scary thing to admit that you need help or want to talk, but when you finally do get the courage or are desperate enough, who can you turn to talk to or to trust them with your innermost thoughts and feelings? Thoughts and feelings not everyone will understand because they’ve never gone through something even remotely similar? The very idea is terrifying to think that you could tell someone and they wouldn’t understand or get it. (“You do know that’s crazy...right?”- something someone actually said to me once.)

But you know what I’ve learned after years of being silent and trying to be stoic and not be a bother?

People who pretend are strong. They’re trying so hard to keep things to themselves, figure it out on their own, and not burden their family and friends, that they’re suffering even more because of their silence. But that strength will only get you so far until you need help, and then it might be too late. 

But people who ask for help are also strong. Because they have that bravery, and that knowledge to know that it's time to ask for help. That they realize they need help, and they have the strength to seek it out and ask for it, even if they're at the brink of something terrible. And I applaud them for it. (That's called advocating for yourself, people!)

I hope that one day asking for help won’t be so shameful and that you don't have to pretend that you’re okay when you're not okay. (You can always keep things to yourself, of course, because it's your life and it is your choice whether or not you want to tell people what you’re going through. You don’t have to tell any old person, just someone you trust, whether it’s a friend or a mental health professional.) That it’s acceptable to tell the truth. To ask for help. To know that you’re not a burden.

Because you’re not.

And I’m not, either.

Never be ashamed to ask for help, especially professional help. We all deserve to get the help we need, to be able to ask for it, without drama, without judgement, and with compassion. If you need help, and you’ve been pretending, I hope you can find a person you trust, and ask for help if you need to. Or even just someone to talk to. (Though I really would suggest professional help if you're having serious problems. There's only so much a friend can listen to and try to help, so getting professional help is a must, sometimes. And something I definitely encourage for people!)

Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength and that you know it’s time that you speak up for the help that you need and deserve. Let's do away with pretending and start speaking up for ourselves. Because it's about damn time.

***

I know May is Mental Health Awareness Month and is a great way to remind people of everyone who suffers from mental health and obviously bring awareness to it, but just remember that it doesn’t have to be May for you to speak up and get help. Any month of the year, any day of the year, is the best time for you to ask for help. And I hope you do. To everyone else who may not suffer from any mental health conditions but is friends with someone who has them, please listen. It will mean the world to us if you do.

Have you ever hid your mental illness behind the art of pretending? Have you learned to be more open about it, or do you still keep it quiet? (After all, it's a personal choice whether you want to talk about it or not!) Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

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My Perfect Weekend, Post Quarantine: Quarantine Dreamin'

   Photo by Simon Maage on Unsplash

Now, over the past month or so, I’ve thought so much about what I want to do when all of this craziness is over. No more worrying, no more fear, finally being able to be in contact with humans again without trying to understand the muffled words from behind a face mask. Ah, that’s the world I miss. I hate gesturing with my hands so much and waving to let people know that I’m friendly behind my mask. (“Hello, I come in peace! Do you like my floral homemade face mask made from leftover fabric that was definitely not my first choice?”) Life is so unpredictable and scary right now, and I’m doing my best to keep my head above water, and keep my spirits up while I stay at home to keep others safe (it’s really the least we can all do!). So when I was tagged by the delightful Renata Leo over at Buffalo Sauce Everywhere to write about what my first post-quarantine weekend would be like (her original post and idea is brilliant and you should read it! Also, she is wonderful and so is her blog and you should subscribe to her!) this writing/wishing/dreaming experiment came at the perfect time, because I could use a little break to imagine what good things the future will hold, and all of the things I’ll be able to do again! Here’s what my perfect first weekend would be like, after quarantine.

*Please note that I probably wouldn’t do these all in one weekend because I am not Superwoman and scheduling with friends can be a nightmare (how are we all so busy now that we’re all adults??)- but if everything could just work out for once and I had a bottle of Felix Felicis to last me through the weekend, this is what it would be like! And also if I could control the weather and other things that a person physically cannot. I guess that’s what the Felix Felicis is for! But hopefully someday over the course of time, I can do all of these things!

Friday:

Morning: Guess what? It’s a freaking three day weekend! Which starts on Friday! Nice! An out of town friend is in town and we meet up for brunch. Now, I haven’t seen my friend in what is probably years now, and now that everything's back to normal, she can safely fly in for a visit and so we do a much needed catch up session over a delicious and yummy breakfast. I expect much laughing and gossiping and reminiscing about the past will be going on that morning, which is something I am sorely missing right now. Also, at the end I’ll give her the biggest hug because that’s what I missed the most during quarantine: giving my friends hugs. And I’m not usually a hugger!

Afternoon: Now, I’ve been reading all throughout quarantine, but I’m still going to read. Except instead of borrowing books from the library’s online resources, I’m actually going to go to the library! Physically go to the library! Meaning I get to step inside, wave hi and smile to the librarians (no face masks on us, baby!), see what new releases they have (including movies, because I’m all about saving that coin), and see what fresh, unread books are on hold just for me. I’d have just a lovely afternoon of looking at the books, people watching as they read, study, or use the computers (and with that one older gentleman who always naps in the armchair), and enjoy that soft, safe, comforting murmur and atmosphere that the library always holds. (I really miss my local library, you guys!)

Night: Friday night means it’s time to go out to dinner! Finally! I’ve missed going out to restaurants (like a kid, I still think places like Olive Garden are quite fancy and are a treat), so I’d love to take my family to an Italian restaurant in the outdoor mall close to us (which is such a stupid idea, because I live in the desert, who would build an outdoor mall in the desert? Sigh.). We binge on pasta and other yummy Italian food, and walk around the mall for a bit, just window shopping and seeing the stores all lit up and full of people, shopping like it’s Christmas. I, of course, will need to stop at Barnes & Noble to look at all of the books (and make mental notes of new releases I can check out from the library) and their Harry Potter section. And because this is my perfect weekend I just might buy myself a little HP souvenir to add to my collection! (It’s post-quarantine, treat yo self, right??) And after walking around, we stop for gelato (to go with the Italian theme) and because it’s the perfect weekend, my cookies and cream gelato does NOT trigger my IBS. Wuhoo!

Saturday:

Morning: Up somewhat early this morning, and I enjoy a leisurely breakfast while I check the news and social media on my phone. This morning will be spent walking around the park (in this scenario the weather is pleasant, not hot and gross like it is currently). Lots of other people are out walking, with kids playing on the playground (it’s not roped off anymore), people are walking dogs and running on the grass, and no one is worried about staying six feet apart. It’s utterly delightful and relaxing and refreshing, to be out in the open and not have a care in the world. Just the sun on my face, a nice cool breeze, and the perfect soundtrack of songs thumping through my earbuds as I walk. (Also, I’m not at all out of breath and am not sweating profusely)

Afternoon: I don’t know about you, but going to the movies for me is such an exciting time for me. I don’t go that often, but there’s nothing I love more than going to the theater during a hot afternoon to escape the heat, and cool off in the theater’s freezing cold A/C, and disappear into a film. I’ve missed going to the movies so much these past months (especially since I have a few theater gift cards burning a whole in my purse!), so that’s what Saturday’s afternoon activity will be! Hopefully there will be a new horror movie out that just has “ME” written all over it (supernatural with ghosts and/or demons, hopefully based on a true story, lots of scares, but an excellent story-line). People rarely go see scary movies with me, but during this perfect weekend, I’ve found a friend who’s game and we get popcorn, drinks, and snacks, and have the whole theater to ourselves so we can chat and scream during the movie and not bother a soul. Also, the movie is a modern horror masterpiece. This weekend is amazing!

Night: Now, tonight’s the night to party! During quarantine, my sister and I have been desperate to see friends and just have fun, so tonight we’ve invited all of our friends over for a get together. We’ll get pizza or make dinner (meaning my sister will make it, since I can just toast, well, toast. I’m really good at it), and have everyone bring over a different dessert or side. We’ll gab, laugh, watch funny clips off of YouTube, play games, and most likely there will be some drinking involved (for everyone else, not me, because I have the palate of a five year old and think booze tastes “yucky”). It’ll be fun to let loose, see good friends, and catch up on everything we missed while all of us were in our own little bubbles. The party will last late into the night, but not too late, since some of my friends are in relationships and have kids now, so responsibilities. But the night was a success and everyone goes home happy, full of good food, and tired from all of the fun times that were had. (But me doubly because I’m an introvert and human interaction drains me.) And also we all hug multiple times because we missed each other so much and can’t say goodbye so we do it all over and over again and I’ve missed human contact for so long- who am I??? Look what social distancing has done to me!

Sunday:

Morning: After last night’s ruckus, I think a morning of sleeping in is much needed! (I also need to recharge my introvert battery!) After a good night’s rest, I awaken to my cat being sweet and cuddly (which she usually is not. At least not when I wake up!). Breakfast is something simple and sweet like pain au chocolat (have you had the frozen kind that you bake from Trader Joe’s? They are the next best thing to fresh chocolate croissants! Also, I miss going to Trader Joe’s!) or a fresh bagel from that one bagel shop near us that supposedly gets their water from New York. I don’t know if they’re telling the truth, but their bagels are so good that I’ll believe anything they tell me!

Afternoon: My afternoon will be totally lazy! I’ll read a new book I got from the library yesterday, maybe doze off for a little bit (my cat at my feet, of course. Which in reality she does not do. Damn her for being an independent kitten!), and then later video chat with my sister, niece, and brother-in-law. My niece will entertain my family with chatter about her favorite cartoon characters at the moment (thank god she’s not obsessed with Frozen anymore. I’m ready for Elsa to head to the guillotine, to be honest. Do they have guillotines in Arendelle? Because they should!) and show off her coloring and writing skills to us (my niece is incredibly smart and I’m not just saying that because I’m her aunt. Okay, I may be biased, but she’s also super cute as well as smart. Just sayin’.) Then later I’ll play with Margot because we finally moved the TV stand to reveal all of the cat toys the cats have knocked under it. It’s a miracle!

Night: After a very relaxing day, I think I deserve to have a very relaxing self-care night! I’ll treat myself to some fancy at home skin care treatments (scrubs, masks, those under eye patches that are supposed to help with dark under circles but never do but you do them anyway because they’re cooling and feel nice). Feeling refreshed and my face nice and squeaky clean and shiny (in a good way), I’ll settle down to watch something on Netflix (you know, once I finally put my glasses back on). Just pure, utter relaxation, knowing that tomorrow may be Monday, but it won’t be another Monday stuck inside. I can go out if I want, do things, see people, interact and smile at them, and not be afraid that they could be harboring something dark and deadly that could hurt the people I love. Because that’s over with, and we’re back to normal. Well, whatever “normal” is now. I go to bed, my sheets all clean and nice, my pillow fluffy, my blankets warm, and fall asleep to the sound of pattering rain with a dash or two of thunder and lightning (yes, in my perfect weekend it is raining and while I can’t make that happen, it could be a lucky coincidence of weather! It. Could. HAPPEN!).

And that was my perfect weekend! Or how I imagine it could be, post-quarantine. Is it anything grand? No. I could have said I’d be taking a first class ticket to London and spending my time there, but I thought I’d be a tad bit more realistic. I think the thing I love about the imagining of this perfect weekend is how normal everything I do in it is. It’s not out of the ordinary, but I still have that freedom to do whatever I want. To go out or stay home, I have that choice! I can’t wait to have that choice again soon. (As I’m sure everyone else does too!)

But for now, I’m staying inside, washing my hands, and thanking all of the essential workers who are keeping our lives running by putting themselves on the front lines. I hope that one day we can all have our perfect weekend after all of this chaos, because I believe that we all truly deserve it after what we’ve all been through (but healthcare workers should all be treated to a tropical vacation, all expenses paid, in my opinion!).

Also, I would like to tag the following amazing bloggers to take part in this wonderful creative writing experiment (but only if they want to!):

Julie @ Dark Blue Journal

Meagan @ Quibbles & Scribbles

Deandra @ The Black Princess Diaries

Anne @ Rooting Branches

And if you'd like to do this wonderful tag of imagining the perfect weekend, post quarantine, feel free to do so, but remember to mention the very talented Renata Leo over at Buffalo Sauce Everywhere as the original creator of this great idea! 

Thanks for reading my perfect, yet mundane, weekend after quarantine! Thinking of all of these fun things to do was such a lift to my spirits and was sorely needed. What does your perfect weekend look like after all of this ends? What would you do, who would you see, where would you go? If I could have squeezed a visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I definitely would have! (I mean, it’s a shorter flight to Florida than it is to England!) Let me know in the comments!

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The Let's Stay At Home 2020 Reading Challenge!

Photo by Florencia Viadana on Unsplash

Oh, 2020. You certainly have not turned out to be exactly what we were hoping for! For a lot of you, staying at home and being in self-quarantine/isolation is now the new norm, thanks to that novel V-word I don’t even want to say (it doesn’t deserve to have its name said! It’s already being said enough already!). And while you can fill your time with work (if you can, from home), cleaning, watching every movie and TV show known to man, and Zoom-ing with your family, friends, and now doctors (isn’t it weird when you now have appointments aka video chats with your doctor?? Like, what is life??), why not take this time to just stay at home (obviously) and read all of those books that you’ve been meaning to?

I know what you’re thinking: I’m already a reader! Why do I need a reading challenge? Well, what else do you have to do??? (I saw with the utmost respect and love!) The main goal of this reading challenge is to take advantage of the time you have now that we’re staying at home (and if you’re not, please stay at home as much as you can!), and take the time to read those books you’ve been meaning to, or ones you never thought you would! Let’s get a little adventurous while we’re bored, take a break from watching endless TV, and travel to new worlds, meet new characters, and (re)discover old books sitting on our shelves that we always meant to read, but never did. Because now is the time! Because we have the time! So let’s stay at home and read! (Also, an ideal date night for myself, FYI. With or without a date!)

I have graciously and creatively (if I do say so myself) created a fun list of categories to spark some ideas and inspiration for various books for you to read! You know you have a lot of books in your to be read list, and at least five of them will fit into these categories, I bet, so if you need the motivation to start reading those books you’ve always meant to read, then this list is for you! Not only will you be getting lots of reading done, but you’ll also be accomplishing that task that you’ve always been meaning to do: read those books you always said you would but never did! (Yet!)

Looking for more book-centric posts by me? Check out this list of posts I've written about all things bookish here!

The Let's Stay At Home 2020 Reading Challenge:

*A book you’ve had on your shelf for over a year (or two or three...) that you’ve been meaning to read but never did (the dustiest one! You know the one!).

*A book with a strong female heroine who kicks butt and saves the world (because who runs the world? Girls!).

*A classic children’s book you’ve always meant to read but never did (if it entertained children in the past, it could entertain your inner child still!).

*A best selling book that everyone else has read but you never did (just to see what all the fuss was about!).

*A young adult novel where a young couple fall in love but there’s something wrong with at least one of them that’s keeping them from being together (oh, teenagers!).

*A full series or trilogy of books (I know you can do it! And think how accomplished you’ll feel afterwards! But be sure it’s a finished trilogy or series or else the waiting for the next book will be excruciating!).

*A book from your teenage years that you were obsessed with (reread it and see if it’s still life-changing! Or just plain old cringey now. You were so different then!).

*A classic romance novel with old fashioned language to get enveloped in (why don’t people talk like that anymore?? Man, online dating and texting is lame! Mr. Darcy would never send Elizabeth Darcy an eggplant emoji!).

*A historical fiction novel that will transport you to another time and place (because it’s the closest we have to time travel. For now…).

*That one thriller that no one can shut up about currently (and that has been or will most likely be made into a movie. It’s inevitable.).

*A book that was made into a movie that you saw, but never read the book (it’s time to find out if the book is always better!).

*A tell all celebrity autobiography (it’s okay to read one every now and again! And you know you want that celeb dirt!).

*A book from your childhood to remind you of more simple, happy times (and by this I mean chapter books, no picture books! Let’s not get lazy!).

*A fantasy novel that will take you to another world with other beings and creatures that you could never have even dreamed of (but some authors definitely could and then wrote about them!).

*A nonfiction book that will make you sit back and think of the world in a completely different way (even better if it opens your mind to causes and histories of people and events that you had no idea about before!).

*A spooky book that has always creeped you out and prevented you from reading it- but now is the time to read it! (It can’t be any scarier than what’s happening in the world right now!)

*A book that you could never get into, but want to give it one last chance (you never know, you may love it this time! Or not…).

*A fun, light chick lit romance book that you always wanted to read, but were too embarrassed to have people see you read it (who cares! You’re inside! No one cares about how cute the cover looks!).

*A mystery that you don’t know the ending to (this is important) and will (hopefully) make your jaw drop when the killer is revealed (“It was HIM?? Nooooo!” Or it could turn out to be terribly predictable. The fun is that you don't know!)

*And a book you were supposed to read in school but never did (pick one that sounds interesting to you and remember, you don’t have to write a report about it afterwards!)

Bonus Non-Reading But Still Bookish Activities:

*Rearrange your books on your shelves! You can arrange by color (rainbow!), or go alphabetical, or however else you’d love to arrange your books! Go for pretty or functional, or both! Add some cute decor or lights (or both!) to make it look extra bookish!

*Go through old books and see if there are any you want to pass along or donate (a book you didn’t care for that much could be someone else’s next great read!)

*Set up some of your books for an Instagram photo session! Add in cute props and theme it by color, series, or subject! (Bonus points if you get your pet in the picture!)

And these are 20 suggestions of (very specific) categories of books to read! See if you can check them all off the list or even just a few of them! You never know, you could discover a genre of book that you loved that you never would have tried if you weren’t prompted! And see if you can unclutter (and dust) your shelves (physical or digital) by checking a few of these items off of the list, and better yet, see if you were missing out on some incredible reads that were just waiting around for you to read them!

Remember to, of course, use your local library (online resources at your local libraries are amazing! If you have a library card and a tablet or a phone, you can read ebooks for free!), audiobooks, ebooks, and your own books that you have piled up on your bedside table (or wherever you’ve put them throughout the house) to help you complete the challenge. I know you can do it! (You know, only if you want to. Like, if you want to pass the time by reading. If not, that’s cool. It’s just an idea. Just a suggestion. Whatevs.)

And also, you’re welcome for all the random book prompts! I had such a great time coming up with them (and yes, I looked at my own to be read list for inspiration!). I was going to add in book suggestions, but I figured my own reading choices may be a bit too niche, but if you need any suggestions, just feel free to ask! And let me know if you end up doing the challenge or using one of my prompts to read a book! I’m not going to create a hashtag or anything, but I’d love to know if my list helped get you to cross a few books off of your to be read list! (But also, if you think of a cute hashtag, let me know and maybe we can start a trend!)

Also, remember: not only are you getting some much needed reading done, you’re also doing the world a great service by staying at home! So for that, thank you so much!

Let me know what you think of my suggestions for reading prompts and if any of them make you think of a book you’ve been meaning to read! (I know I relate to at least 10 on this list!)

Happy reading, weirdos!

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Why I'm Trying to Be A Minimalist

Photo by James Hollingworth on Unsplash

I never thought I’d be the one who’d want to try minimalism. When I first heard about Marie Kondo and her book, I thought it was all pretty silly. I didn’t need any less things! I loved all of my things! They all serve a purpose; you know, even if it’s all thrown in my dresser drawers and closet! (To be fair, I did recently read The Magic of Tidying Up in preparation for this, but it wasn’t really my cup of tea. Though I did glean some of her information that I liked from it!) But after a lot of soul searching and reading and watching a lot about tiny homes (I kind of went through a phase. Will get to that in a couple of paragraphs!), I kind of started to change my tune. I started to think: Do I really need all of these things that I have?

My whole life has been spent wanting things. I always thought things would make me happy. I would obsess over certain items, like a piece of clothing or a knick-knack, and could think of nothing else until I bought it. (I mean, sometimes waiting for something to come in the mail does give you a pretty good high from the anticipation!) And then...I’d lose interest in it when I finally got whatever it was. It was almost like the idea of the object or product really made me happy. But once I got it and reality set it… did it really make me that happy?

For some reason a while back, I started watching those reality shows about tiny homes. I just found them so cute and quaint! (Your own little tiny English cottage you can design in any way you liked! Sorry, that’s my Anglophile side coming out!) I loved the idea of tiny houses being environmentally friendly, as well. Plus, I liked that everything you needed was right in there. It amazed me that people could just have the basics, they all fit perfectly in their little house (no need for an attic, basement, or to rent a storage space!), and still live life in a totally fulfilled way. That made me start thinking about all of my things. Would they all have a purpose in a tiny house? Would I have room for all of them, even? And then the other questions started rolling in: do I really need all of these things? Are they a waste of money and space? And are these things really making me happy?

After reading Julie’s blog, Dark Blue Journal, where she blogs stupendously about minimalism and environmentalism, and also Marion’s wonderful and helpful blog, House of Kesar, where she also blogs about minimalism (she even wrote an ebook about it!), I got pretty inspired. Both blogs talk about how minimalism can help you, not just with your material goods, but with your life. And that makes so much sense to me. You can't do much with a cluttered mind (or at least I can’t!), but what if your space is cluttered or full of useless things? You can’t concentrate and find out what things really mean to you, if you’re so bogged down by all the things. And not just the physical things. The other important things, like who you are, what you want out of life, how you want your life to be. Those are the things I’m really hoping to get a grasp of through minimalism. I want to find a purpose and a way forward to the positive future in my life, and I’m hoping I can gain some insights to that through minimalism.

But I’m also hoping for a few other things I can learn through my minimalism journey:

• I want to be less cluttered, in material goods and in my own life (and in my head!).

• I want to be less materialistic and really think about my purchases before I buy them.

• I also want to be thankful for what I do have and learn about what I can live without.

• I’m hoping I can save some money by not being so obsessed with things (shiny, shiny things!), and put that money towards where I want to be in life.

• And lastly, I also want to help the environment and lower my carbon footprint. Thanks to Julie’s blog, I’ve really been taking a better look at how our planet is progressing, and how I can do my part to help keep this beautiful earth healthy for as long as we can.

I love that both Julie and Marion stress in their writings that minimalism isn’t one size fits all. Minimalism is as individual as the person who uses it. Some people swear by having a capsule wardrobe with only X amount of clothing pieces in it. Others are for capsule wardrobes that are sectioned off into all four seasons. Some people are into minimalism for the streamlined efficiency of it, and others really want to help the environment by seriously cutting down on the extra material goods. Either way, people are getting good and positive results from cutting back on material things (and cutting back on unnecessary things in their own lives!), that I really want to see if it can help me, too.

After this experiment, I may turn out to be a minimalist. But I may not. Or I could land somewhere in the middle! (Man, I’m always a “medium” no matter what situation I’m in! Clothes, height, attractiveness. Ugh) Minimalism isn't for everyone, but I want to see if it’s for me, or if at least the principles can help me figure out what things really mean in my life. I’m really hoping I can be at least a tiny bit minimalistic and make some positive changes in my life! I want to have less to live more! (That’s a cute minimalistic saying, right? I feel like I saved that to a Pinterest board one time. Okay, you got me, I totally have a Minimalism Pinterest board now. For inspiration, okay??)

So stay tuned on this blog while I update you on what things I’m going through (wardrobe/clothes, trinkets, jewelry, books and media, digital, and more)- physically and emotionally. I honestly don’t know where this journey is going to take me, or what I’m going to get started on (clothes? Books? Trinkets? Ahhh I don’t know!), but I’m excited to go on this ride and see what happens!

Let me know in the comments about what YOU think of minimalism? Are you a fan or not? Let me know why or if you’ve tried it! I’m curious to see what people think and if you have any tips for me!

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