YouTube Picks!

    Hey guys, I apologize for not posting yesterday.  I actually had to got to work!  I know, I have at least a temporary job agreement with the local comic book store, but how cool is that?!  My employment situation has been a bit up-in-the-air as of late and I'm really hoping to change that within the next week or so.  For now I'm looking forward to getting out of the house and making some much-needed cash.  I had an interview today for a big girl job that I'm really hoping I get, so fingers crossed.  This job is more in line with my educational background and I thought it went alright, but I tend to psych myself out a lot with important things like this and get really down on myself, so I'm hoping this weekend will give me a chance to relax and take it all in before I find out for sure.  That being said, I was at work pretty much all day Thursday and then when I got home I totally forgot about the blog, so whoops!  And here we are.  On to it then.

    Today we're going to discuss my favorite YouTubers that I've been loving as of late.  I've been really engaged with YouTube for a few years now and it's been a great resource for me.  It's a place where normal people can upload their own content and a select few have moved on to bigger things already.  I will say that this is only a list of channels I've been watching lately and frequently, not an entire list of my subscribers, which would be about 50 at the moment, so I obviously can't include everyone here.  I've sort of fallen out of watching most of the videos I'm subscribed to and I'm trying to make some time for a little YouTube every day.  These are some of the channels I've been loving, which include some BookTubers as well as some channels I watch regularly.  I'll provide a link to each channel in their descriptions, (the title of the channel should be highlighted, meaning it should be a different text color).

(youtube.com)

    This is Regan and she is the vlogger behind "Peruse Project."  This is probably my favorite BookTube channel at the moment.  She is an incredible person, extremely entertaining, a little quirky, and she reminds me a lot of myself actually.  I've gotten most of my book recommendations from her as well because she's very fantasy-oriented.  Just because she bleeds high fantasy doesn't mean she doesn't like other genres.  Her book reviews and hauls are very helpful and I've enjoyed every book I've gotten based on her recommendation so far.  Definitely a good channel to check out if you're new to BookTube and want crisp and witty content.

(youtube.com)

    I was originally drawn to this next BookTuber by her incredible channel name "Padfoot and Prongs07."  Clearly, she is a fellow Harry Potter fan and a huge nerd.  Raeleen is from Canada but the books she features on her channel can also be found in the US.  Her reviews have also been very helpful when deciding what book I will read next.  I love her energy and her enthusiasm for the books she reads or wants to read.  She is very similar to Regan in the fact that they are both a little awkward, but they make it work and they are always themselves.  I admire her so much and I think she's adorable!  We also look a lot alike I think, (especially when my hair was longer).  As my unofficial twin, I recommend her channel for all your bookish needs.

(youtube.com)

    Jesse is a different kind of character all together.  "Jessethereader" has some incredible book hauls and I'm surprised that one person can read that many books in any given month or so.  Jesse is so funny and animated when he's talking about the books he loves and he also does really great in-depth book reviews.  He's also recently started reading graphic novels and comic books, which other BookTubers have already started doing.  I think he's a great resource if you're just starting out with comics, like he is.  His recommendations mirror others found in the BookTuber community.  Overall, if you find Booktube, you not only find a great resource for book recommendations, but also a great group of friends who help each other and recommend books to each other.  I really love this YouTube community, so I hope you check it out!

(feminspire.com)

    I couldn't make a list of YouTubers I watch on a regular basis without including Grace Helbig.  Her channel has been a favorite of mine for the better part of 3 years or so.  She has done very well for herself as of late and is currently doing commercials for Marriott as well as hosting her own show on E! called the Grace Helbig Show.  She's one of the funniest people I've ever seen and I hope her success continues.  Her good friends Hannah and Mamrie Hart, (no relation), are also on my subscription list, but I definitely watch Grace the most.  She typically posts her videos every other day, so if you seem interested, I would definitely recommend her channel!

(youtube.com)

    The last YouTube channel on my list of most frequently watched is Nerdist News.  I watch this channel every day just to get my nerdy fix.  Hosted by Jessica Chobot, this channel brings you the most nerdiest news out there, including updates from your most anticipated movie sets, changes in popular TV show theories, gaming reviews and much more.  The schedule goes as follows: Nerdist News airs an episode Monday through Friday, Nerdist Play airs Tuesdays and covers gaming-related news, The Dan Cave, (my personal favorite), airs Wednesdays and has a plethora of random topics, and Because Science, which covers science-related and experimental things.  There's literally something for everyone and they are usually pretty in-depth.  Not to mention everyone is hilarious!  I go to them as my first source for news coverage because that's all I really care about.  You can also check them out on their website Nerdist.com for more Nerdist News.

    That's all I have for you guys today!  Check out those YouTube channels and if you enjoy what you find, make sure you give them a thumbs up or subscribe.  All the links should be posted above.  If you want to follow any of those YouTubers on other social media platforms, those links should be somewhere on their main channel pages.  If you have a favorite YouTube channel or like any of the ones I've posted here, let me know in the comments!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

Fit Spoonie

    Hello friends!  For today's post, I'm going to chat a little bit about my fitness and health journey so far, including what I've been doing and the motivations behind my decision to do this.  It's been fairly easy to adjust to this, especially for a newer lifestyle change.  This post is especially designed for my fellow Spoonies and anyone else who is struggling with weight, self confidence, eating habits, etc.

    I began my healthy eating towards the end of July, right before I went on my week-long vacation.  I jumped on board with my friend Katie, of Cookies N' Kale fame, to jump-start my healthy eating lifestyle with a little "accountabilabuddy."  This just means that we check in with each other and log our food to make sure each of us is staying on track.  So far I've been doing really well at logging and keeping in touch, so I hope that continues once we both start grad school again.  We keep each other accountable for the choices we make and we also help each other stick to our goals and share recipes.  The collaboration has been really great so far and I've found that I've been able to stick with it a lot better since I'm doing this with someone else.  Here's to the buddy system!

(grilled chicken thighs with local mixed greens, tomatoes and an Italian hemp dressing)

    The main reason I wanted to jump on the clean/healthy eating bandwagon was because of my health issues.  As most of you already know, I have Lupus, among other things, including Lupus nephritis, which has been wreaking havoc on my kidneys for about a year now, (has it really already been a year?!)  Needless to say it's been a whirlwind romance with my latest ailment and it definitely hasn't been easy adjusting to my new normal.  At this point in my life, I've been struggling and living with my Lupus for about 14 years now, so I'm pretty used to my body and how it works.  Unfortunately, this disease comes with a few nasty side effects.  Just the medication alone has been difficult to deal with, let alone my kidneys not functioning properly.  Unfortunately, I do need medication to combat this thing, otherwise I would totally be into the holistic method, but I'd rather not die sooner than I have to.  In order to help myself and keep myself healthy for as long as possible, changing my eating habits will be the first step on a long road to recovery.

    The one thing I can control is my eating habits, which have been abysmal for most of my adult life.  I'm Irish and Italian, which is a dangerous combination when it comes to consuming food at family gatherings.  My entire diet has been based on the potato and pasta as a base, so that needed to change before I could make any significant progress.  I totally still miss pasta sometimes, but I've found that I don't crave it as much any more.  It's fine in small amounts and in whole grain form, but not every week or every meal.  Same with potatoes.  We just had baked potatoes the other night for dinner, but before that I couldn't tell you the last time I ate one.  It's sad giving up some of my favorite foods, but that just means I have to find ways to eat them that are similar, but healthier.  Subbing sweet potatoes or root veggies instead of the standard white potato and whole-grain rice instead of pasta has proven to be just as tasty and effective.  This way, I don't have to relinquish my heritage by way of food.

(homemade white pizza with local kale, caramelized local onions and sunflower sprouts)

    So far it's been about a month since I started this thing and I think it's going well.  There are still some things I need to work on, (like my willpower and weaning off my cheat days/meals), but overall I think I've made some progress.  The more I eat clean and healthy, the less I'll want to eat the crappy foods I loved before.  Finding snack alternatives has been the trickiest part of this situation, but I've found that snacking on raw veggies and fruit and cheese has been just as satisfying, if not more so, than grabbing a box of Cheezits.  I've also been eager and willing to try new and interesting healthy recipes I've found on Pinterest, so you can follow me there to see what recipes I've pinned.  I've also started posting pictures of some of my meals on Instagram, so follow me there as well, (links to all my social media are on the right!)  I still have a long way to go before this lifestyle is embedded in my system, but it's a good start and I'm up for the challenge.  I'm hoping to at least lose some weight by this time next year.

    If you're curious and confused about where to start, check out some fitness and foodie blogs and YouTube channels.  I like the Muffin Topless blog because she has some great recipes as well as some great fitness tips and plans.  I really also like the Anti Beauty Queen on YouTube because she's funny and a real person you can relate to.  She usually posts food related stuff, but everything she makes looks really good!  Those are just my personal faves, but honestly I get most of my recipe ideas from Pinterest, so if you don't have an account already WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!  It's literally the best resource for finding recipes, so I'd give that a shot first!  You're actually likely to find a blogger whose recipes you really like through Pinterest as well.  If you have a chronic illness or you just want to adapt a healthier lifestyle, I definitely recommend eating clean and local foods and adding more produce to your diet, as a general guideline.

(marinated salmon over local mixed greens)

    If you have a chronic illness and have questions about clean eating, let me know in the comments!  Also, make sure to follow me on social media to follow me on my clean-eating journey and keep up with my health improvements.  If you have an awesome healthy recipe you want me to try, leave that in the comments as well!  I might try to post more about my healthy eating, including pictures and a detailed entry of what I ate during the week, but we'll see.  If you'd enjoy that, let me know!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

Nerd Alert!

    Since I neglected to post Tuesday and posted Wednesday instead, I thought we would just post a day off this week and get back on the wagon for next week.  This post will be a new segment I'll be trying called "Nerd Alert" in which I will do a comparison, a rant or something along those lines about something really nerdy that I find interesting.  Topics may include book-related things, such as  Harry Potter, or could be completely random, like the Power Rangers or Pokemon, etc.  I think you'll find that I enjoy a wide variety of things not meant for adults.  Unlike my husband, who is a comic book nerd, I can be nerdy about a bunch of different things and I fully embrace that!  Sometimes you just don't feel like adulting, and that's ok.
    Today's post was inspired by a cartoon I started watching again on the weekends through YouTube.  I used to watch it EVERY weekend, for about 5 years or so, (well into my high school years, no shame).  It has become a huge part of my life and my nerd fandom, so I thought it deserved a spot in here.  Since Nickelodeon has since picked up this rebooted series as of 2012, I thought it would be fun to compare the two versions.  Obviously I'll be a bit biased, but each version has it's own strong points and set backs.  I give you, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!

(comicsalliance.com)

    Unfortunately, we won't be reviewing the original cartoon because, let's be honest, you really can't compare the original to anything.  The version that I was, (and still am), mildly obsessed with in high school is the 2003 version that aired on 4Kids TV.  This version was a little darker than the original with more hard lines, shadows and a comic book style look.  We'll also be looking at the newest version of the cartoon, which airs on Nickelodeon as of 2012 and is currently doing extremely well.  The current cartoon is CGI with some subtle anime-esq animation throughout.  This one's a bit more "campy" than the 2003 version and is more along the lines of the original with nods to both the comics and the original live-action movies from the 80s.

(playmatestoys.com)

    The newest version of the cartoon, (shown above), has been doing very well on it's new network.  I'm personally glad that the TMNT have benefited from this resurgence of 80s nostalgia and it seems to be flourishing.  This series has the voice talents of Sean Astin, (Raphael), Greg Cipes, (Michaelangelo), Seth Green, (Leonardo), and Rob Paulsen, (Donatello).  You may recognize Paulsen from his earlier voice acting gigs, such as The Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, Carl Wheezer from Jimmy Neutron, Spike from The Land Before Time movies, plus too many more to list here.  Not to mention Paulsen was the voice of the original Raphael from the 1980s cartoon series!  What a legend to have on the TMNT squad!  There was some backlash when Seth Green replaced Jason Biggs as the voice of Leonardo in 2014, but the series hasn't seemed to suffer since the change.

    I haven't watched this series as much as others, however, I will say that they have done a great job keeping true to both the comics and the other franchises.  They have made numerous references to the comic book story lines as well as the movies.  They have also brought in characters from the original series, like Rocksteady and BeBop.  The series is still meant for children, mainly kids within the elementary school to middle school range, so it's not dark and leans more towards the campy original version of the cartoon.  I enjoy the back-and-forth banter between the brothers, (say THAT five times fast), and the occasional wit from Raphael or Mikey, as per usual.  This series is actually pretty funny and adults will laugh if you give it a try with your kids.

    What I DON'T like about this series is it's lack of seriousness.  Last week's episode was the first one where I actually saw some emotion and some grit in the series.  Donatello is supposed to be a genius and an inventor, but he uses garbage cans and other trash to make weapons, robots and vehicles, (that they shouldn't be driving because they are teenagers, but I digress...).  I think Donny's talents are being wasted, quite frankly, compared to what other Donnys have done in the other series.  This also makes me think that they modeled this cartoon off of the original because the original Donny's inventions usually didn't work correctly or at all.  I think there's also a lack of character development for the brothers.  They all have their own unique personalities, but I think Mikey is the only one who really shines through in this series.  The others haven't been allowed to stand on their own once or twice, so we really only see them when their working as a team.  I miss the banter between Raph and Leo and the tension that put on the team.  Again, another reason I think this series mirrors the original the most.  

    I also don't really care for the Casey Jones in this series.  Casey and April are way too young and Casey is basically a high school drop out.  He's supposed to have motivation in order to fight the Foot Ninja as a vigilante, but I don't see that in this series, or it was never brought up.  April is also a little conflicting for me because she brings her dad into this and she also has a psychic ability for some reason, (I think she's originally a clone experiment from the Krang, but still...too much).  Overall, there are some key features missing from this series, which is why it hasn't grabbed me yet.  I give it a 3 out of 5 stars.

(comicvine.com)

    This is the series to which I compare all others.  I LOVE this series, although there are some things I didn't like about it, it was and still is superior to the others.  This series, created in 2003 and aired until 2007, was gritty, dark and driven solely by the story.  It stayed true to the comic books, almost entirely, especially with the origin story.  No weird mutant bats or other animals here, except for Leatherhead, (who looks SO BAD ASS in this series by the way!).  This series hearkened to the comic book style like you wouldn't believe.  The animation is a bit dated by our standards now, but it was so inventive back then, (I'm saying that about the early 2000s...I'm so old).  LOOK at their muscles!  They are supposed to be teenagers!  Who cares?  I don't.  This is the only time I will publicly admit to having an unwarranted crush on an animated character.  I love you Raph <3

    What I love about this series is the obvious character development.  Everyone has their own personality and it shows throughout the series.  Michaelangelo is the funny guy, so he's usually the one cracking jokes and pushing everybody's buttons, (mainly Raph).  Raphael is the angry, brooding one who often goes out on his own just to get above ground, away from the confinement of the lair.  Donatello is the genius and the mechanic and builds some seriously awesome gadgets and vehicles to propel the turtles through hard times.  Leonardo is the definite leader, which sometimes pisses Raph off, but ultimately makes sense to the group.  Leo actually goes through trials for this position, which you don't see really play out in the newer series.  Each turtle has it's own voice and is differentiated from the others by variations in their green colors, which I find completely amazing, considering they already have masks, right?  These guys bring teamwork to a whole new level.

    Did I mention this series was hilarious?  I usually find myself laughing to myself every time I watch an episode.  Much like the newer series, this series makes constant nods to the comic books, movies and other nerdy fandoms, (at one point they reference Star Wars).  The wit in this series is unparalleled and the wise-cracking is insane.  You really feel like you're there with them, going through what they're going through, which is a lot actually.  They start the series with one of the comic arcs which includes Dr. Stockman's famous Mouser robots, (in the comics) and goes through their relocation process and the beginning of their adventures with The Shredder.  The story lines are so good!  They cover everything about their origins, meeting April and Casey, going galactic and everything in between.  I actually watched every weekend just to see where the story went.  I was addicted.

(turtlepedia.wikia.com)

    I love the classic comic book style animation, I love the grit and the wit, but I especially like this April/Casey combo.  They are ADULTS, first of all, and second, they both have a true purpose.  April worked for Baxter Stockman before bumping into the turtles and becoming their first human ally.  Casey shows up a few episodes after that, running into Raph after he almost bludgeons Mikey with a metal pipe, (See?  It's really heavy guys).  Casey and Raph butt heads until it's time to team up and they become BFFs.  This Casey is great and very goal-oriented.  His father's store was attacked by the Purple Dragon Gang when he was a kid, so he becomes the masked vigilante to make them pay.  No one ever kills anyone though.  Heck, they even make a note to practice restraint on more than one occasion, but this series has real emotion behind it.  They have complicated lives and it shows in the story.  Watching the romance bud between Casey and April is both hilarious and awkward at the same time, but watching them get married at the end of it all makes it worth while.

    This series takes you on adventures.  First you're in NYC battling Oroku Saki, then you're transported to another dimension, back in time, alternate universes, outer space, and beyond.  Renett, the Time Lord's assistant, makes her appearance in both this series and the newer series, as well as in the comic books.  I loved meeting new characters along the way, like Usagi, the rabbit ninja the turtles meet during the Tribunal in the alternate dimension.  Seriously guys, go watch this series.

    There were things I didn't like in this series, although not as much as the other one.  First there's something I liked AND didn't like at the same time.  It was one episode that's titled, "Same as it Never Was" and it focused on Donny as he traveled to an alternate timeline, (due to interference from an evil sorcerer).  Donny lands in the future, having disappeared for many years, and bumps into future Michaelangelo, missing an arm and fighting off an attack from the Foot Clan, who have taken over the world thanks to The Shredder.  Mikey explains that, after Donny disappeared, the team fell apart and split up, so Mikey stayed behind.  Through careful manipulation, Donny is able to get Raph and Leo to meet up and make amends.  They had cut ties over a disagreement about how they handled the passing of Splinter, who was killed protecting them.  Donny gets everyone to team up again, minus Casey, who was also killed in a previous attempt to overthrow The Shredder.  In the ensuing battle, Donny prevails, but at the cost of his brothers.  April promises to keep Donny's memory alive as he disappears and returns to his own timeline, happily reuniting with the other turtles who are not dead.  This episode is ALL the feels, especially if you've been watching this series for years like I had.  It was awful to watch and at the same time I'm glad the producers took this chance at a gritty and terrible alternate timeline.  This episode was not for the faint of heart, but I appreciated the effort to make this series really great.

(youtube.com)

    Another thing I didn't particularly like about this series was seasons 6 and 7, the last two they made.  This would be TMNT "Fast Forward," where they get transported in time to the future and meet Casey and April's grandson, and also "Back to the Sewer," where they return from the future.  These two seasons I didn't watch as much because it was terrible.  The animation changed drastically and the story became too extreme for my tastes.  A lot was happening and it all seemed too far-fetched for the series as a whole, so I abandoned ship.  I did watch the TV movie special they did toward the end where they brought back every type of turtle, (animated original comic book black and white turtles, original 80s turtles, and the 2003 turtles.  This was a great special and showed just how much the turtles have changed in the last couple decades.  It was still weird and the animation was terrible, but it was worth watching for nostalgia purposes.

    That's all I have for the turtles, then and now.  I don't necessarily want people to become swayed by my opinion alone, so make it for yourself.  I know way too much about the TMNT for my own good, so if you are a proclaimed turtle lover, such as myself, then do yourself a favor and relive your childhood!  Re-watch both series, (they are both available online and I've been watching the 2003 version on YouTube), and see what you think.  You will enjoy yourself either way.  Which version do you like the best?  Are you still aching for 80s turtle nostalgia?  What about the live-action movies or the newer ones?  Let me know what you think in the comments!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

Carpe Diem

    Hey everyone.  Sorry I didn't post yesterday, but we ended up having a family emergency, so I really didn't have time.  One of my childhood dogs passed away yesterday.  He was 14 years old and it was devastating for our family.  We've had him since I was eleven, so I grew up with him.  I'm glad I was there with him during his final moments, but it was still difficult to accept.  It still is.  It's going to take some time for me to cope with his loss, but eventually I think I'll be alright.  I gave some extra love to all my other animals just because.  I'll miss you bud <3

    Despite the fact that I'm still grieving, I'd like to perk up my spirits a bit by giving you my list of five movies that you should watch to get in the mood for the fall season.  Fall is by far my favorite season.  There's almost nothing I hate about it, (except Halloween, but I don't "hate" Halloween as much as it just makes me uncomfortable...I HATE being scared).  So as August slowly comes to a close, (seriously, could this month move ANY slower?!!? I've been dying here on the East Coast with all this heat and humidity!), I'd like to review and recommend some movies I will be watching, not only to help me feel better, but also to help me prepare for this wonderful Fall season.

(amazon.com)

    Who doesn't love a good Disney movie?!  Pocahontas is one of my favorites and it was one of the first to portray a strong, independent female leading character, (which seems to be very "in" right now).  If you live under a rock or refused to pay attention in history class, Pocahontas is about a group of English settlers coming over to the New World to colonize, where one of them meets a native woman who teaches him about the land and about humanity.  This Disney version tweaks the historical facts a bit, (as in John Smith and Pocahontas had no relationship and she ended up marrying Kocuom and then got captured by the English and sent to live among them where she fell in love again with John Rolfe, who was in the second Disney adaptation, among other inconsistencies).  Regardless of the historical inaccuracies, the movie screams Fall with all the colored Virginia foliage and the harvesting of food.  This Native American and English settler interaction is also reminiscent of the Thanksgiving feast between the two peoples, that may or may not have actually happened.  It's just a really great Disney movie, ok?  Go watch it, it's on Netflix.

(nickelodeon.wikia.com)

    This is definitely not the horrible remake "Blog Wars" that I had the unfortunate opportunity to witness.  This, my friends, is the original 1996 Nickelodeon movie Harriet the Spy, featuring Michelle Trachtenberg, in her film debut, and Rosie O'Donnell as the admirable Golly.  As an owner of the original VHS, I can say that possessing this orange tape was one of the crowning achievements of my childhood.  This is my favorite movie of all time, no question.  I've been watching this movie since I was five years old and have been more than influenced by the main character Harriet as she described the world from her perspective inside her "Private" composition notebook.  I have about 20 notebooks myself, having adopted her knack for discovery and her investigative tendencies.  I was obsessed with this movie, to put it lightly, so it's no wonder why it's on my list of fall favorites.  This movie takes place during the beginning of the school year in New York City I believe, (they never actually say, but you can make inferences from the setting), and follows a young spy named Harriet M. Welsch along with her friends Janie and Sport as they enter 6th grade.  Harriet writes about all of her classmates and everyone else she meets in her notebook, including those lucky few on her "spy route" throughout her neighborhood.  Eventually the notebook catches up to Harriet and gets exposed, forcing her to deal with the consequences.  This movie tackles a lot of heavy issues, including poverty, neglect, mental instability, friendship, acceptance, and coming of age, just to name a few.  I can quote this movie verbatim and I would highly recommend it if you're into quirky, coming-of-age movies dealing with a young writer and her quest for the truth.  Not to mention the gorgeous setting of NYC in the fall with the parks and inner-city gardens, etc.  I can't say enough about this movie!

(imdb.com)

    Any excuse to watch Robin Williams is a good one.  Good Will Hunting is one of my favorite Robin Williams films, not to mention Matt Damon isn't bad to look at either!  This movie, written by some of my favorite Bostonians, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, (who is also the lead in the film), follows a young South Boston man, Will Hunting, as he deals with his unknown future after he assaults a police officer.  He becomes a janitor at MIT and begins seeing a therapist, (Williams), who helps him reevaluate his relationships.  He also begins taking courses with a professor of advanced mathematics, learning that he has a rare gift.  This movie has all sorts of feels, even by just watching the scenes with Robin Williams.  This is easily one of Matt Damon's best performances to date.  Obviously the setting of this movie, collegiate Boston, screams fall.  Just look at the poster!  This movie is a bit heavy on the emotional side, so be prepared to cry during some or all of this film.  This movie is also on Netflix I believe, so if you're in the mood for some foliage, some authentic Boston accents and a good cry, you're in!

(en.wikipedia.org)

    Another Robin Williams flick!  This one has to be my favorite Robin Williams film, obviously because of his incredible performance, but also because of the literary references throughout.  This movie is perfect, not only for those of you who love fall, but also those of you, like me, who are literary junkies.  This movie has poetry, intrigue, romance, rebellion, and a lot more.  I watched this movie with my freshman last fall at the end of their poetry unit and it received great reception, (as it should).  There are also some pretty big names in this movie, besides Robin Williams, including Ethan Hawke as Todd Anderson and Kurtwood Smith of That 70s Show fame playing Mr. Perry, Neil's father.  Dead Poets Society follows a group of prep school boys on track to become lawyers, doctors and such when they meet an extraordinary English teacher named John Keating, who teaches them to leave the boundaries of their education and follow their passions.  This film takes place at a conservative prep school somewhere in the Northeast during the first semester of school, (fall and winter).  The setting alone will increase your need for colored foliage and crisp New England air.  This movie is also on the heavy side toward the end, which scarred my freshman for life I bet, but this movie's message is worth it.  It's also ridiculously quotable and you'll find yourself speaking like Dr. Keating in no time after watching this movie.  "O Captain, My Captain" still makes me tear up a bit...  Easily my second favorite movie to watch to get pumped for the fall season.

(imdb.com)

    This movie is everything!  Another one on my top favorite movies of all time list.  Remember the Titans is literally the perfect movie to watch to get ready for fall!  I know a lot of people like Friday Night Lights, and that's all well and good, but this movie is SO MUCH BETTER because this is based on a true story.  If you enjoy football, the civil rights movement, Denzel Washington, and the late 1960s, you will LOVE this movie!  Remember the Titans follows a high school football team in Virginia during the integration of black and white schools.  T.C. Williams High School head coach Bill Yoast is introduced to Coach Herman Boone, who ends up taking his job solely because he is an African American.  As Coaches Yoast and Boone deal with their new rankings on the football staff, the players have to deal with each other as the integrate during a time of turmoil in the south.  Coach Boone changes the game, (literally), and leads the Titans into a battle for race and the championship.  You can tell this is a Disney film because there are so many good messages in this movie about acceptance, brotherhood and hope.  Denzel Washington has a truly stellar performance as Coach Boone and Ryan Gosling actually makes his film debut as Alan Bosley.  He's hilarious!  I can't say anything bad about this movie and it is completely quotable.  The soundtrack is to die for!  So many great 70s rock hits and soul music to propel the story forward and get you pumped for football season like you've never been before.  I even tried to use one of the lines in the movie during a soccer game, which didn't help, but it got me excited, which was all I needed.  Seriously, it's better than Friday Night Lights.  Go watch it!

    So that's my list of my top five favorite fall movies.  I wanted to do a list that wasn't full of your typical fall movies, but movies I really enjoy watching and hope you do to.  Perhaps there's at least one of these movies you've never seen or heard of before that you'd be willing to try out?  Let me know in the comments what you think!  "Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent..."(Which one of those movies is this quote from?)

Why I'm A Recluse

    Hello there everyone.  I've decided that, for the time being, I'll be posting primarily on Tuesdays and Thursdays, unless something comes up and I have to plan accordingly.  I haven't figured out a set schedule for posts yet, but there may not be one.  That being said, this is only tentative as I'm not sure how my commitment will waver once I finally get a job.  If I forgot to mention it, I've been unemployed since early June and I'm working on it.  I will also be starting online coursework in January for my new Master's in Library and Information Studies degree, (yes, this is a long way away and no, I'm not crazy, just tethered to the higher educational system, clearly).  Again, this may impede my scheduling commitment, but for now, let's see how this goes.

    Today, I'm going to talk a little bit more about myself.  As some of you already know, I have Systemic Lupus Erythematosis, or Lupus for short.  This is an autoimmune disease that affects most of my body, including my internal organs, which has been the bane of my existence for the last 15 years or so.  Currently, I'm fighting off kidney disease and possible failure, but it's gotten a lot better since last summer when I was severely close to needing dialysis.  I've been on a multitude of medications, including drugs intended for patients going through chemotherapy and steroids to help with everything from swelling joints to an inflamed heart.  I've been feeling much better as of late, but I still have a long road to possible recovery, which is still not guaranteed.

    Why am I telling you all this?  Well, it has everything to do with why I enjoy spending as much time inside as humanly possible.  I would trade an afternoon at the beach on a nice day like today for a quiet afternoon in my bedroom reading a book or four.  Technically I've been a self-proclaimed introvert for as long as I can remember.  I know I wasn't always this way because I used to be spunky and outgoing when I was younger.  I have no idea when my personality flipped or when I decided that being quiet and out of the way was easier, but by high school, I was the girl walking head-down through the hallways, trying to get to her next class without getting pushed or stepped on.

    It was a different story when I was with my friends.  Once you get to know me, I'm a bit of a weirdo.  I love making people laugh and many of my friends come to me for advice on the rare occasion that they need any.  I tend to keep a close group of about a dozen good friends nowadays because it's a lot easier and they satisfy my need for happiness.  I enjoy the time I spend with my friends, when I do spend time with them, which has become a rarity as of late.  This isn't because I dislike my friends, but because I hate interacting with people in general.  It takes a lot of my willpower to force myself to hang out with my friends and it took me a long time to figure out why this was a problem.  I love all my friends and family dearly, but there's something else at work here that I felt like explaining.

    It's difficult having an invisible illness like Lupus.  You never know if you're going to wake up exhausted or sore or any other combination of things.  There are variables you have to consider, like making sure you have sunscreen on before you go outside so your kidneys don't suffer or taking a bottle of Advil with you in your purse, just in case.  No amount of coffee could ever correct the chronic fatigue I experience on a daily basis, so it just becomes another mundane routine.  Not a lot of people realize that it's difficult to just get out of bed in the morning, let alone leave the house and get things done.  I've discussed "Spoon Theory" briefly before I think, but I'll leave the link here for those of you who are interested.  Basically, this theory discusses the idea that "Spoonies," or people with chronic illnesses, have a specific number of "spoons" they can use throughout a typical day.  Once those "spoons" are gone, so is their motivation and energy.  A normal human being has an unlimited amount of "spoons" to use in a day and they don't understand what it's like to make decisions based on how many spoons you have.  We need to pick and choose how we use ourselves each day for fear of crashing too early.

    This is why I plan out most of my days in advance.  I'm also mildly OCD, (Onychophagia), but that's besides the point.  The drugs I'm on don't help my mood either.  They've had affected everything in my life, including my appearance and my relationships with people I care about, like my husband and my friends.  The steroids were the worst part and they're one of the main reasons I spent a good portion of time indoors.  While the steroids helped with inflammation and pain, the side effects were less than satisfactory.  I gained a considerable amount of weight, so much so that I felt embarrassed to go out in public because I didn't look like myself.  I tried everything to get the swelling in my face to go down, but to no avail.  I looked like someone who just had their wisdom teeth out on both sides, only it stayed like that for months.  On top of that, because of the severity of my kidney failure, my hair had begun to fall out again, so I had to cut most of it off.  Although I got used to my new hair cut, the hair loss was still relatively noticeable.  I didn't want anyone to see me like that, so I stayed hidden, only leaving to go to work or school, if I had to.  It was a tough time for me and my self esteem.  No one really prepares you for that when they prescribe you medication.

    Due to the strenuous nature of my disease, coupled with the effects of the steroids and other drugs I've pumped into my body, my desire for human interaction has plummeted.  After spending so much time in the house, it's been difficult for me to find my way back outside again.  I've gotten much better and, since being off the steroids, my face has gone back to normal and I've even lost weight.  I have really no reason to stay inside other than the mental repercussions of what I've gone through over the last year.  I wanted to tell this side of my story because it's one that gets little to no attention in the world of chronic disease.  I'm not the only one who's suffered at the hands of steroids and other drugs with physically altering side effects.  I also wanted my friends and family to be aware that even though I may not attend every party or get-together that may come along, I am not avoiding you.  I am actively working on getting out more and experiencing things that I used to enjoy.  I still have to be careful and it definitely won't be easy, but I will try to make a conscious effort to include myself in things.  I'm hoping that next year will be my year to get back to whatever "normal" means for me now.  Thanks for reading and understanding.  I promise that the next post won't be as deep, but I had to get this off my chest.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

TBR for August

   Hello there friends!  I'm going to be trying something new here that I haven't before and that's a TBR.  For those of you who don't know, a "TBR" is a list of books "To Be Read" for a specific month or other period of time.  I've been diving into the YouTube community of BookTube, (which I think I've mentioned here before), which is a vlogging community dedicated to the written word.  They do many types of videos, including TBRs, book hauls, wrap-ups, etc.  This intrigued me and I thought that maybe I could do something like that, but without the video portion.  I've thought about vlogging for a few years now, but have discovered that I'm not quite comfortable being on camera yet.  With my fluctuating health issues and hectic schedule, I think it best to start slow and work my way up to a point where maybe I could incorporate a video portion of this.  For now, let's stick with what I know best and get on with the list!
    Usually, with a TBR list, a reader sets a tentative goal for his or herself of how many books they would be willing and able to read during a given time period.  I have already done my book reviews for the month of July, which you can find in the Book Reviews tab at the top of the page, or by clicking here if you're lazy, like me.  For the month of August, I will be reading a combination of graphic novels, comic books and novels, totaling about 6 titles.  I'm trying to become more well versed in comic books, considering my husband is a writer and has a vast collection to which I am exposed.  I've already started some of these books, so I will include them here because they are still in progress.

    I mentioned this series in my book reviews section, so check out my review of The Bone Season first!  The Mime Order is the second book in The Bone Season series by Samantha Shannon.  This series follows a clairvoyant named Paige Mahoney, an Irish transplant refugee in an alternative Dystopian Scion London who is hiding from others who are interested in her immense power.  The first book, The Bone Season, introduces us to Paige and how she became the person she is now as well as her struggles with her clairvoyance during an impending war with a different race of beings unknown to the rest of the mundane world.  

    The Mime Order continues Paige's story from the previous novel, which ends with her exodus from a prison called Sheol I, located in the outskirts of Scion London.  She is currently the most wanted person in London and is on the run from everyone because she can trust no one.  While Paige tries to outwit her adversary, the leaders of her clairvoyant underground community called "Mime-Lords" and "Mime-Queens" respectively, hold a rare meeting to decide the fate of their community while war brews overhead in the human world.  Little do they know an invasion is on the horizon and Paige will have to run in order to stay alive.

    I've already started reading this book and I'm only about 130 pages in, but I really like where it's going so far!  I fell in love with this series from the time I read The Bone Season last Christmas, so I couldn't wait to pick this one up.  So far I'm really enjoying the mystery of the events unfolding at Paige's expense.  I can tell that there will be some backstabbing in her future but from who, I'm not sure.  I'll save the rest of my thoughts for the review, but so far, I like what I'm reading!

(https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17878931-red-queen)

    The second book on my TBR for August is one that I've been wanting to read for awhile.  Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard follows a young 17-year-old girl named Mare Barrow, who lives in a world divided by blood, split between commoners and the elite class.  Mare is a Red girl, a commoner, who finds herself working in the Silver Palace under direct supervision of the warrior class.  Despite her Red commoner blood, there is a power lurking deep inside Mare, which could threaten to destroy the Silver elite control of her world.

    This book just sounded really interesting to me.  I've come to love the fantasy world building that these books tend to have, so I'm curious to see how well they set up the world in this book.  I've also been reading a lot of books with a female protagonist, which seems to be very prevalent these days.  I've seen numerous recommendations for this book within the BookTube community, so I had to grab it.  At the present, I get most of my book recommendations from BookTubers, who are a great source for material I wouldn't have otherwise come across on my own.  Can't wait to read this one!

(https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23399192-rook)

    This book just recently caught my eye and it sounded really interesting, so I thought I would give it a try!  This is another alternate-city Dystopian world book, which I apparently love because this is at least the fifth book of this kind that I've read.  Rook takes place in an alternate Paris called the Sunken City, in which a new revolution has transpired.  There is a mysterious vigilante called the "Red Rook" who fights for the safety and well-being of the innocent people in this world.  Think not-your-average Robin Hood character.  Then there's our main protagonists, Sophia Bellamy and Rene Hasard, who are in an arranged marriage but are not who they seem to be.  This unfortunate and unwilling couple get caught up in the machinations of the Red Rook and chaos ensues.

    I love the premise of this book!  This book also seems to deal with another strong female lead, which I like, coupled with a brash male co-conspirator.  Overall, I'm just curious to see where this book leads and I've heard a lot of great things so far about it, so I'm really excited to read it!

    This is a graphic novel series from Vertigo comics which I have already started reading because I am currently ADDICTED to it and can't stop/won't stop.  Fables, written by Bill Willingham and illustrated by Lan Medina, Steve Leialoha, Craig Hamilton and James Jean follows popular story book and fairy tale characters as they are exiled out of their homeland by the mysterious "Adversary" and into New York City to live amongst the humans they call "The Mundane" or "Mundies" for short.  This is definitely not a series fit for young children, as there is a lot of sexual and violent content, but it's SO GOOD!  There are relationships among the Fables that you would never expect and the story just keeps getting more crazy and interesting as I read on.  The illustrations are amazing and full of detail and the cover art is breathtaking.  I'm currently on Volume 5, which includes issues 28-33.  There are currently 22 volumes in this series, so I will be getting more of them once I catch up to what my husband already has on hand.  I'm loving this series, so if you like Once Upon a Time or the Grimm tales or anything along those lines, you should check out this series.

(https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18188160-mara?ac=1)

    This series was recommended to me by my husband actually.  We've met the artist, Ming Doyle, several times at different comic book conventions and she's amazingly talented, not to mention super nice!  My husband is mildly obsessed with her and this is one of his favorite comics of all time, so I figured I'd check it out.  Look at that bad ass female protagonist again!  Mara by Brian Wood and illustrated by Ming Doyle follows a popular celebrity athlete named Mara Prince as she struggles to maintain her normal persona while dealing with the manifestation of superhuman abilities.  As she is slowly disowned by most of the world she's known for years, she has to fight back against those who appose her as she figures out who she is.

    I've honestly never looked into this series until now.  I knew Ming Doyle did great work and that was one of the main reasons I wanted to pick this short series up.  It seems to be set in a futuristic/alternate world as well, so we'll see.  I'm intrigued by this comic and I hope I like it!

(https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22078240-saga-deluxe-edition-volume-1?ac=1)

    This is another series recommended to me not only by my husband, but through BookTube as well.  This is an award-winning series written by Brian K. Vaughn and illustrated by Fiona Staples.  Saga follows new parents Marko and Alana through their struggles during a galactic war in this sci-fi/fantasy world.  This series is very reminiscent of Star Wars.  It is not for the faint of heart and should only be read by mature readers, but overall I've heard enough hype about this series to warrant picking it up.  I've literally heard nothing bad about this series.  My husband owns the Special Deluxe edition, volume 1, (which is pictured and linked to above), and contains issues 1-18.  I'm excited to read this, especially after hearing the premise.

    That's it for my August TBR!  If you have any recommendations or thoughts on the comics or books I listed above, let me know what you think in the comments.  I'm hoping to get to all these this month, but being reliant on the library's selection really puts a damper on my reading goals.  If you have any ideas for what I should pick up for September, let me know in the comments as well.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

Starting Over

    As some of you may have noticed, I haven't been seen around here since February.  Since then I've begun to heal health-wise, (slowly but surely), started to improve my eating habits, become happily unemployed for the summer, I almost failed my internship, and I've gone on a much-needed vacation.  Needless to say there's too much to catch up on, so I'll keep this brief.
    I want to start this thing over.  I want to be better at posting here and I want to document as much as I can.  I'm not sure what this will be about yet, but I know I'm going to play to my strengths.  I'm going to be making up a schedule for the end of this week and hopefully start off on the right foot.  Instead of one large post a week, I'd prefer to do smaller ones twice a week, if I can manage.  I'll most likely be posting TV highlights, book reviews and daily life occurrences, like how I'm doing with my clean-eating plan or what's on deck for my future job.
    As I've said before, I won't promise anything, but I'm going to try to do better, at least for whoever reads this blog.  I'm hoping to open up more time in my life for my passions and writing is one of them.  So here's to turning over a new leaf and hoping that leaf gets carried away by the winds of change.  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.