Did I Accomplish My 2014 New Years Goals?

As 2014 winds down, with The Twilight Zone marathon on SyFy Channel playing in the background, I thought I would check back on my 2014 Goals. Here is what I have done, what I have not done, and if not done will be placed on the 2015 Goals list.

Dani’s 2014 (Two Thousand and Clean!) Goals

Starting: January 1, 2014
Ending: December 31, 2014

(If in bold it means that it has started and in progress. If it had a line through it it is complete or something happened and I did not complete it.)

Read 100 books (57/100)
--Black Hole by Charles Burns
--Divergent by Veronica Roth
--Fairest Volume 2: The Hidden Kingdom by Bill Willingham
--The Walking Dead Volume 15: We Find Ourselves by Robert Kirkman
--Locke and Key Volume 2: Head Games by Joe Hill
--Harley Quinn: Preludes and Knock Knock Jokes by Karl Kesel
--Morning Glories Volume 6: Demerits by Nick Spencer
--Blue is the Warmest Color by Julie Maroh
--To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
--Mind Mgmt Volume 1: The Manager by Matt Kindt
--Stripping and Other Stories by Pagan Kennedy
--All Star Superman by Grant Morrison
--Robyn Hood: Wanted by Pat Shand
--Dominique Leveau Voodoo Child: Requiem by Selwyn Seyfu Hinds
--Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
--Daytripper by Gabriel Ba and Fabios Moon
--The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
--Black Orchid by Neil Gaiman
—X Men: Days of Future Past by Chris Claremont
—Sorcery and Cecilia by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
—The Kingdom of Wrenly: The Lost Stone by Jordan Quinn
—The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
—Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
—The Walking Dead Volume 16: A Larger World by Robert Kirkman
—I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly
—Catwoman: Her Sisters Keeper by Mindy Newell
—Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Vampires/Werewolves/Zombies/Demons by Pat Shand
—Harley Quinn: Night and Day by Karl Kesel
—Fun with Kirk and Spock (A Parody) by Robb Pearlman
—Catwoman: Death of the Family by Ann Nocenti
—Suicide Squad Volume 2: Basilisk Rising by Adam Glass
—Wonder Woman: Odyssey by J. Michael Straczynski
—Where’s My Happily Ever After? by Elle Kay
—The Walking Dead Volume 17: Something to Fear by Robert Churchman
—Ame-Comi Girls Vol. 1 by Jimmy Palmiotti
—I, Vampire Volume 1: Tainted Love by Joshua Hale Fialkov
—Sin City: A Dame to Kill For by Frank Miller
—I, Vampire Volume 2: Rise of the Vampires by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Andrea
Sorption
—Sex Criminals Volume 1: One Weird Trick by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky
—The Walking Dead Volume 18: What Comes After by Robert Kirkman
—Over Easy by Mimi Pond
—Huntress/Power Girl Worlds Finest Volume 1: The Lost Daughters of Earth 2 by
Paul Levitz and George Perez
— Manga Classics Presents Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
— Catwoman: No Easy Way Down Volume 2 by Ed Brubaker
— The Walking Dead Volume 19: March to War by Robert Kirkman
— Night Passage by Robert B. Parker
— On My Knees by Periel Aschenbrand
— Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
— The Walking Dead Volume 20: All Out War by Robert Kirkman
— Level 26: Dark Origins by Anthony E. Zuiker
— The Godwulf Manuscript by Robert B. Parker
— Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
— Marie Antoinette Serial Killer by Katie Alender
— The Walking Dead Volume 20: All Out War by Robert Kirkman
— Level 26: Dark Prophecy by Anthony E. Zuiker
— A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Watch 50 movies (26/50)
--Her starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johannson
--Ride Along starring Kevin Hart and Ice Cube
--Violet and Daisy starring Saorise Riordan and Alexis Bledel
--I, Frankenstein starring Aaron Eckhart
--The Lego Movie starring Will Arnett and Elizabeth Banks
--Mr Peabody and Sherman starring Ty Burrell and Max Charles
--Tiger Eyes starring Willa Holland and Amy Jo Johnson
--Heathers starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater
--Muppets Most Wanted starring Ricky Gervais
—A Haunted House starring Marlon Wayons and Jamie King
—The To Do List starring Aubrey Plaza
—American Mary starring Katherine Isabelle
—Maleficent starring Angelina Jolie
—Thanks for Sharing starring Mark Ruffalo
—That Awkward Moment starring Zac Efron
—About Last Night starring Kevin Hart
—Guardians of the Galaxy starring Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana
—Grudge Match starring Sylvester Stallone and Robert DeNiro
—Sin City: A Dame to Kill For starring Mickey Rourke and Jessica Alba
—Under the Skin starring Scarlett Johannson
—Dead Still starring Ben Browder
—Austenland starring Keri Russell
—The Shining starring Jack Nicholson
—Kill The Irishman starring Ray Stevenson and Christopher Walken
—The Other Woman starring Cameron Diaz
—National Lampoons Christmas Vacation starring Chevy Chase

Attempt to go to bed every night at 11pm and wake up at 6am every day. (Yeah...this sort of happened...not every day though)
Laugh at myself more often. Stop taking everything so seriously. (Another thing I need to work on.)
Save up enough money for either an iPad or a Alexander McQueen scarf for my birthday. Birthday passed. Didn’t get either. Its all good.
Participate in a Photo 365 Project on Facebook. (Granted I would forget and not post on the particular day but I did it.)
Write more in a journal. (Did this too. Not as much as I should have, but again something to work on.)
Try a yoga class. If I like it, will continue. If not, that is okay. (Nope. Didn't even attempt. Will not add to 2015 goals list)
Take a class at Havens Kitchen (Something else I did not attempt as their classes are expensive and I did not want to go by myself.)
Experience one of the Side Tours in NYC. (Same reason as the Havens Kitchen reason)
Ask everyday on Facebook before I go to bed “So what was the best part of your day?” Keep a log of the best responses for a new blog feature. (I did this for a while but it did not catch on. Oh well.)
At end of my workday, write down three positive events/what I am grateful for. (For whatever particular reason, I stopped doing this. I do not know why. I will start this up again.)
Walk across and back over the Brooklyn Bridge. (Again, I always write this and NEVER DO IT because of the fear of doing it alone.)
Read a fact a day from Love, Sex, Death, and Words by John Sutherland (The facts got somewhat boring but I think I will start this up again.)
Continue to study French, even if I am not taking classes at FIAF.


EVENTS IN 2014
--Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl X Experience at Discovery Times Square (2/1/14)
--Jersey Championship Wrestling in Edison, NJ (3/14/14)
--Heathers The Musical in NYC (3/22/14)
--WWE Wrestlemania 30 in New Orleans, LA at Mercedes Benz Superdome (4/6/2014)
— Pro Wrestling Syndicate in Rahway, NJ at Center Circle (4/26/2014)
—Jersey Championship Wrestling in Middletown, NJ (5/10/2014)
—Screaming Females at Brooklyn Night Bazaar in Brooklyn, NY (5/16/2014)
—NYC Zombie Crawl in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (5/25/2014)
—Pro Wrestling Syndicate in Rahway, NJ at Rahway Rec Center (6/7/2014)
—Lindsey Stirling in Sayreville, NJ at Starland Ballroom (6/20/2014)
—TNA Impact Wrestling in NYC at Grand Ballroom (6/26/2014)
—Dita Von Teese Strip Strip Hooray at Gramercy Theatre (9/20/2014)
—Robert Kelly at Gotham Comedy Club (10/17/2014)

So, how was your 2014?

2014 Best Pop Culture Favorites As According to Moi

With some inspiration from Stephen King, I asked myself this question -- Did I have a great year pop culturally speaking? I would have to say yes; and this years list includes only things I enjoyed in 2014 and that is fine. Here is a list of 15 things that made me squee with fandom. Please remember -- I am more interested in entertaining myself than in a OMG this is a great moment/statement. So let us get this ride started.

15: The book Red Rising by Pierce Brown. This was the little book that could if you are a dystopian reader. This book was highly underrated. It is a trilogy and this is the first book. Please look beyond the unfortunately inevitable comparison to The Hunger Games. Here is the book description: On desolate Mars, the protagonist, Darrow, is caught in a class system that thrives on oppression and secrecy. He is a Red, the lowest member of society, born to toil in the bowels of the planet in service to the sovereign Golds. When Darrow suffers a devastating loss and betrayal he becomes a revolutionary, taking on a dangerous role in an attempt to bring about social justice. Questions of fate, duality, and loyalty, evolve in a cruel test of war between the sons and daughters of the ruling elite. By turns brutal and heartfelt, Red Rising is nonstop action with surprising twists and unforgettable characters

14: Scarlett Johansson being a bad ass in the movies Lucy and Captain American: The Winter Solider.

13: Guardians of the Galaxy. Do I need to say anything else?

12: The episode "The Sign of Three" of Sherlock.

11: The music service app Spotify. I started using it more instead of Pandora as it has more of a selection and it has helped me find music that I haven't heard in a long time to creating mix CD's for my love and friends. If you haven't used it, give it a shot.

10: The book The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell. David Mitchell weaves a story like no other writer today. Bouncing around through time, making the early 80's come to life just as easily as making the not-so-distant future terrifyingly real. The characters are what keep you reading through the endless pages. Lucky us--the ending promises to revisit many of them in the next go-around. Highly recommended to David Mitchell fans, but newbies should start with his earlier work.

9: Getting really into the Funko Pop figures to the point that I actually pre-ordered the Dancing Groot one.

8: Pausing to "look at the flowers". It happened on The Walking Dead and Sons of Anarchy that just speaks of the allusion from the John Steinbeck novel Of Mice and Men and that made my inner bookworm squee.

7: The Southern Reach trilogy by Jeff VanderMeer. This trilogy is considered to be nontraditional science fiction and how could you not enjoy these plots: The first book trails a team of women chosen (sacrificed?) for an exploration of Area X. The second investigates the aftermath of the expedition from the halls of a broken, festering government. And the third? It ties everything together, forming the crux of VanderMeer's deeply unsettling philosophical argument. If you have not read this trilogy yet, get your hands on it in 2015.

6: The complete shock that Jax Teller kills Wayne Unser on Sons of Anarchy in the second to last episode of the series. Now of course I expected Jax (Charlie Hunnam) to kill Gemma (Katey Sagal) due to the fact her lie and deceit about the murder of Tara was perpetuated by her but Jax putting a bullet in Unser (Dayton Callie), who refused to leave the two alone, turned some fans against Jax and made a bunch of us question WTF? It wasn't just the most shocking moment of the final ride, it was the most shocking moment of the entire series, at least for me.

5: I fell into the hype of the book Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and will say that the movie was better than the book. Maybe I should update that blog piece? I certainly get why some fans of the novel, which I am not, walked out of the theater disappointed. Movie adaptations never mesh with the way we envision characters on the page. But I will admit -- I enjoyed the adaptation put forth by David Fincher better. I loved it as a bleak account of modern love after it's curdled, as a wicked satire of cable-news scandal-mongering, and as just a good old-fashioned dark-as-hell thriller. Fincher's film managed to tease us, play with our loyalties, and sucker punch us with surprise twists most of us already knew that they were coming.

4: Something else from Sons of Anarchy -- the song "Come Join the Murder" by The White Buffalo and Forest Rangers. It was perfect as Jax found peace in death; the same way Hamlet did.

3: This isn't something that I would consider to be the best pop culture favorite but it brought to light that even though you make others laugh and smile and appear to be happy does not necessarily mean that you are and that everyone needs help -- the suicide of Robin Williams. This news came to a complete shock to everyone, including myself. I remember stepping out of my room and telling my family and the look of WHAT across their faces was the look the entire world had. If you know anyone who is suffering from mental illness, please make sure to reach out to them to make sure they are okay.

2: This was the year that staying dry was a challenge. Yes I am talking about the damn ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. I did not participate as my body would have hated it due to my disorder but it was nice to see a cause go wildfire. I just hope the money raised for ALS actually got there.

And the best pop culture favorite for 2014 goes to...

1: THE BUTT. Sir Mix-a-Lot should really consider a career as a trend forecaster. The rapper was way ahead of his time when he proclaimed his love for a juicy booty in his one hit wonder "Baby Got Back,'' because 2014 will undoubtedly go down as the Year of the Backside. Jason Derulo's ''Wiggle'' encouraged big butts to shake. Meghan Trainor defied those body-image expectations with ''All About That Bass.', even though you should consider yourself beautiful regardless of your size. Nicki Minaj even sampled ''Baby Got Back'' on ''Anaconda.'', much to my smirk and smacking my head. Then there was Jennifer Lopez and Iggy Azalea's duet, ''Booty,'' in which the video was basically the U.N. Summit of Ladies With Well-Endowed Cheeks. Plus, how can we forget Charlie Hunnam revealing his rump on Sons of Anarchy a lot this year and had the Parents Television Council crying and most of the Internet cheering. But why all of this focus on the rear? It's not rocket science — we have been working our way down the body. In the '90s, boobs were huge, both literally and figuratively. We moved on to abs in the 2000s, with Britney Spears displaying her midriff whenever she had the chance. Enjoy your time in the sun, butts. Hollywood can be fickle. Maybe in 2015, legs will get a shot!

Holiday Haul 2014

As I have some Food Network playing on my television in the background, I figured it would be a perfect opportunity to write up my 2014 Christmas Haul. It has been a crazy festive time. Donated clothes to The Bowery Mission, wore a reindeer sweater to work, drank copious amounts of peppermint hot chocolate, visited various holiday windows, and wore mistletoe. I think because I work in Kindergarten as well as finding my true love is the reason why this holiday season for me has been magical. I want to wish you all a festive day! For myself, today is all about my wonderful family, the food that my mom has prepared for us, and enjoying each others' company. I also cannot wait to share the joy! My wish for all of you that read my blog is that you are surrounded by loved ones and have a wonderful, relaxing day. Happiest holiday to you. With all of this being said, here is what I received this year. Please do not think I am rubbing it in -- I do know the true meaning of the season.

From Myself (Yes I bought gifts for myself. Do not judge.)
--Anchor knee high socks from Sourpuss Clothing
--Stars and skulls knee high socks from Kreepyville Clothing
--Ouija board knee high socks from Too Fast Clothing
--Black athletic striped tube socks from Amazon.
--Clinique Almost Powder Makeup in Fair
--Maybelline Master Smoky eye pencil in Smoldering Violet
--Farscape IASA t-shirt from Think Geek
--Doctor Who Tardis over the knee argyle socks from Think Geek
--The UK Edition of My True Love Gave To Me book edited by Stephanie Perkins
--A skull open cardigan
--A Weeping Angel Statue of Liberty
--A Doctor Who TARDIS cardigan


From My Family
--A classic peacoat in black
--The Official Dictionary of Sarcasm (that I must share with my brother)
--The Book of Excuses and Lies

From George
--Flowers in a stocking boot.
--His horseshoe ring that fits perfectly on my left hand....hmmm....
--A heart locket necklace
--A Hershey's Kiss pendant (the kiss that last forever)
--A Sons of Anarchy thermal
--Revival by Stephen King
--A black and gold charm bracelet that I can add to if I wish
--A Woodland Walk, Sundried Linen and Mountain View candle
--Four handmade wooden pins
--A teddy bear Christmas ornament
--A skull and crossbones bandana

From Fran in work
--A Hot Apple Cider candle
--A pair of heart earrings
--Nourishing hand cream from Avon

From my students
--A lot of chocolate
--An Alex and Ani four leaf clover bracelet
--A The Body Shop Clementine gift set
--A Pumpkin Spice candle
--Homemade cookies
--A scarf
--A LeSportSac makeup bag

"The Book is Better" Holiday Gift Guide

Today I decided to put together a mini-gift guide of books I have read and loved, because as always the book is better, divided by who in your life who might like them. Most, not all, of the books are fairly recent and have published in the past two years or so.

Enjoy and happy reading!

________________________________________________________________
For your advice loving friend: Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed

For your comedy fan friend: Yes Please by Amy Poehler Nine times out of ten, he or she has probably read everything written by George Carlin, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling and Bossypants by Tina Fey.

For your crime/thriller friend: Level 26: Dark Origins by Anthony E Zuiker

For your writing obsessed friend who just finished NaNoWriMo and wants to continue writing: On Writing by Stephen King

For your healthy tips loving friend: Eat, Move, Sleep by Tom Rath

For your paranormal romance/vaginal fantasy fan friend: Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead

For your zombie fan friend: The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor by Robert Kirkman

For your romance fan friend: Written in My Own Hearts Blood by Diana Gabaldon

For your graphic novel fan friend: Saga by Brian K. Vaughan

For your comic book fan friend: The Joker: Death of the Family (The New 52) by Scott Snyder

For your dystopia fan friend: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

For your horror fan friend: Prince Lestat by Anne Rice

For your post apocalyptic fan friend: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

For your sci-fi/fantasy fan friend: The Silence of Six by E.C. Myers

For your historical fiction fan friend: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

For your non-fiction fan friend: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty

December Advent Calendar 2014

Besides Halloween, I will admit I still get excited for Christmas time. Things just seem to be more magical in the month of December. Maybe it is because of finally finding the love of my life or maybe it is due to still working in Kindergarten; I do not know. For the fourth year in a row, I am doing an activities Advent Calendar to count down to Christmas after reading some great articles online about it. I am big on traditions so here is an outline. Most of the things will be done either by myself, with George, or with my family. Also, just because there is a date attached does not mean it will happen on that date -- it is more of a checklist.

December 1st: Gather clothes and bring to The Bowery Mission.
December 2nd: Make Christmas mix CD for George and mail it. (Done!)
December 3rd: Get holiday cards.(Done!)
December 4th: Wear mistletoe headband. (Done!)
December 5th: Watch the movie Scrooged.(Done!)
December 6th: Get some chocolate coins and give them to people who make me smile. (Done!)
December 7th: Wear Christmas ornament earrings (Done!) get some hot chocolate at Hu Kitchen (Done!) & walk around Union Square holiday market. (Could not do this due to all of the protests going on because of the Eric Garner grand jury decision. Did not feel safe.)
December 8th: Watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
December 9th: Start writing out holiday cards. (Done!)
December 10th: Get a holiday inspired manicure. Make sure one nail is sparkly! (Done!)
December 11th: Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas. (Done!)
December 12th: Mail holiday cards. (Done!)
December 13th: Spend some time with some old friends and laugh at some Christmas mischief. (Done!)
December 14th: Watch He-Man & She-Ra A Christmas Special (Done!)
December 15th: Get a holiday inspired candle from Bath and Body Works.
December 16th: Make Star Wars themed glitter snowflakes.(Done!)
December 17th: Go watch some ice skaters in Bryant Park. (Done!)
December 18th: Watch one of my favorite movies Untamed Heart and have a good cry.
December 19th: Cozy up in some pajamas and watch the Pee Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special. (Done!)
December 20th: George visits. Visit the Rockefeller Center tree (Did not do as everyone does this and we are not ordinary) and walk along 5th Avenue and look at the holidays windows (Same reason. Everyone does this. We are not ordinary and never will be. I did see the Macy's windows as I have to walk past it to get to the Port Authority.) and take a picture with Santa. (Done!)
December 21st: Watch all of the Christmas episodes I have on DVD.
December 22nd: Make sure all of my gifts are wrapped. (Done!)
December 23rd: Wear ugly Christmas sweater to work. (Done!)
December 24th: Go Christmas caroling in Washington Square Park. (Could not do this due to the rain. Oh well.)
December 25th: CHRISTMAS!!! Open presents and watch The Muppets Christmas Carol.

I hope all of my readers are enjoying this holiday season! What did you do for the season? Leave a comment below to let me know!

Things I Love -- November 2014 Edition

Oh my gosh...is it the end of November already? Before I know it, I will have to do my 2014 Pop Culture Favorites blog and Best of 2014 blog! But with that being said....lets do this months THINGS I LOVE.

Here is what I love for the month of November:

--This video from Nerdist:

--Enjoying some vintage pinball games with the one I love.

--Using lines from Spaceballs in comments for pictures on my Facebook.

--Cinnamon bun candles that make my room smell like fall as finally arrived.

--This video:

Post by Psychostick.

--Knowing that karma will strike at any moment and that I can not wait for it.

--After work gossip with co-workers I do not get to see all that often.

--Trying to instill that THANKSGIVING must come so that we can have Christmas to my students. I love the holidays as much as the next person but I really do not like this whole "Black Thursday" thing or Summer than Christmas. Its Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas!

--Listening to my love snore.

--Heated blankets that keep me snuggly and warm.

--Knowing that my love has my back period. I got into a huge fight with my family and he listened, tried to console, tried to cheer me up, and was just overall awesome.

--Allenberry Murder Mystery weekends. It was my third time going and I won again this year! I am a detective...I know this.

--Being thankful for what I have and not participating in any Black Thursday/Black Friday/Cyber Monday stuff. There is nothing I need that badly.

What are you in love with this month?

Things I Love -- October 2014 Edition

Do you smell that? That lovely pumpkin and cinnamon aroma in the air? The crunchy leaves under your feet? Yes...you know what this means...

IT IS TIME FOR ANOTHER THINGS I LOVE!

It is for my favorite time of the year....OCTOBER. I love October. It feels me with so much joy. With that said, here is what I love in the month of October.

-- The return of the internet cartoon series HOMESTAR RUNNER. If you do not know what I am talking about -- stop what you are doing and go to this link, right now: Homestar Runner

-- When someone calls you at 725am on a Sunday to make sure you took your methotrexate so you do not have a relapse of RA, that speaks volumes. Thank you my VenomX. You do not know how much I appreciate you.

-- This video of a Japanese family doing a cover of "Reigning Blood" by Slayer.

-- This video which explains a lot of our generation and why we are so out of touch with humanity

-- This video of If Disney Princesses went to college: I am definitely Belle!

-- Listening to metal covers of non-metal songs and enjoying them better than the originals.

-- Full on belly laughter that makes you cry.

-- Kellogg's Cinnamon Flakes cereal. So good without almond milk as a snack!

-- Proving to myself that I can do things on my own and not be holding to a car ride.

-- Creating traditions with my love.

-- Spending the entire weekend on Skype with my love and having it feel like we are living together and it not bothering me one bit. It actually felt good and I have never felt like that before.

-- Going to see Motley Crue/Alice Cooper with my big brother, who turned me onto heavy metal in the first place.

-- This info graphic explaining all of the superhero movies coming out in the next 6 years. Supermovies

What are your favorite things for the month of October?

Countdown to Halloween -- 2014 Edition!

My favorite holiday, besides my birthday, is Halloween. I am drawn to all things Halloween/Autumn -- vampires, zombies, werewolves, cheesy 80s horror movies, dressing up, anything pumpkin flavored or scented, sweater weather... Just love it! With that said I thought it would be cool to do a COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN activities list. Most of this stuff will be done by myself or with friends/George. Yes I know there are dates attached but I am using it more as a check off list.

October 1st: Watch the movie Frankenweenie. (Done!)
October 2nd: Watch the movie Paranorman. (Done!)
October 3rd? Watch the movie Hotel Transylvania. (Done!)
October 4th: Watch the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas. (Done!)
October 5th: Watch the German expressionist horror film Nosferatu. (Done!)
October 6th: Watch the movie Dead Still with George. (Done!)
October 7th: Wear skull hand hair clip to work. (Done!)
October 8th: Watch the movie Hocus Pocus.
October 9th: Attend New York Comic Con at the Jacob Javitz Center. (Done!)
October 10th: Make a Halloween playlist and burn it to a disc and send it to George.(Done!)
October 11th: Participate in the 8th Annual NYC Zombie Crawl. (Done!)
October 12th: Watch the Universal classic horror movies Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein.
October 13th: Watch the movie Nightmare on Elm Street (original with Robert Englund)
October 14th: Get candles with a cinnamon or pumpkin smell from Bath and Body Works for my room. (Had one saved over from last year so I did not need to get more. Score!)
October 15th: Watch the movie Beetlejuice.
October 16th: Watch the movie Psycho (original Alfred Hitchcock version).
October 17th: Watch the cartoon Its the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (Done!)
October 18th: Try the pumpkin spice chai tea at Argo (Done!) and Sweetest Day with George. (Done!)
October 19th: Visit a haunted house.
October 20th: Watch the movie The Evil Dead (original with Bruce Campbell)
October 21st: Watch the movie The Craft (Done!)
October 22nd: Get a beauty treatment that is pumpkin/fall inspired.
October 23rd: Get some Halloween inspired stickers for my students. (Done!)
October 24th: Watch the movie Hellraiser
October 25th: Watch the movie Friday the 13th Part One
October 26th: Wear cat ears to work.
October 27th: Watch the original John Carpenter's Halloween on AMC. (Done!)
October 28th: Watch the movie Teen Witch (Done!)
October 29th: Get a fall inspired color manicure. (Done!)
October 30th: Watch the movie The Lost Boys. (Done!)
October 31st: HALLOWEEN!!!

What are you doing for October/Halloween?

Things I Love -- September 2014 Edition

Okay.

Is it seriously the end of September?

WHERE DID SUMMER GO? Didn't I just pack up my stuff in my classroom? Well..I guess time goes by when you are having fun. With that said, here is what I am in love with for the month of September.

--Not wearing a watch. I know, this is weird but my battery in my fleur de lis watch from New Orleans died and I just haven't gone to replace it. I wanted to see how it would feel to not wear a watch; considering my cell phone has a clock and I wanted to live like Carrie Bradshaw when she told her Russian lover why she doesn't wear a watch -- if she asks someone, they will tell her.

--The official start of football season which means Fall is upon us, even though the official date of Fall is September 23rd.

--Planning birthdays in my fair city. I tend to go overboard about birthdays. Hope it is appreciated.

--A far fetched plan of mine actually followed through. Lets just say I hold my title of #QueenOfSmallTalk very proudly.

--Birthdays in NYC with the man I love. I have never been this much in love before...it is a great feeling.

--Actually finding out who is loyal and loves me through the power of getting injured at work. I slipped in some water in the cafeteria of my school building and had my bell rung/bashed the back of my head. Of course I took pictures of myself in the ambulance and in the hospital and sent them out/posted on Facebook. It goes to show that the cliche' is true -- in times of trouble/struggle, you will learn who loves you. I sure did.

--Having someone in my life who is just as much of a bookworm as I am.

--Receiving texts and messages from people who I haven't heard from in a while.

--Planning out Octoberween!

--That I can read 5 books at a time and not get all of the plots mixed up.

--Gluten Free Rice Krispies cereal. So good!

What are you in love with for the month of September? What are your favorites?

Things I Love -- July 2014 Edition

HOW IN THE BLOODY BLUE HELL IS IT THE END OF JULY ALREADY??? TIME! CALENDAR! SLOW DOWN PLEASE.

Okay...enough of my demands. Here is what I love for the month of July

--Getting a reply tweet from Felicia Day that then became a favorite tweet from Joe Eisma, artist and co-creator of one of my favorite graphic novel series Morning Glories.

--Bridges. Yes, bridges. Not explaining. Just take it for what it is worth. This particular bridge, I am going to try my best not to burn.

--Good morning texts from 7 DIFFERENT PEOPLE. Feeling the love.

--That Weird Al, without knowing me, wrote me a theme song using the beat from Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke: Word Crimes by Weird Al Yankovic

--The pre-made playlists on Spotify. I enjoy "Beat Up Your Morning" "Have a Great Day!" and "Mood Booster".

--This cartoon featuring my two current favorites in WWE, Dean Ambrose and Wade Barrett

--Knowing that the feeling in my gut is usually always right.

--Volunteering for the Learning Ally which is a non-for-profit organization thats produces digital books/audiobooks for the blind and dyslexic.

--Losing weight even though I am not trying.

--Constantly being called gorgeous. I, hardly, hear that word and to hear it on a constant basis has me swooning.

--Stacks of magazines, a cup of tea, and solitude.

--Having a smile on my face ALL THE TIME.

--Believing the urban legend that if you have trouble sleeping, it is because you are awake in someone else's dream.

--Trivia nights with my brother in Hoboken. Lots of fun.

--This 10 year old girl playing War Ensemble by Slayer on ROCKSMITH2014 and simply killing it! Her little sister with the screams was an added addition of badassery.

--This is downright adorable.

--This article about how a different password for 30 days changed things in life. How a Password Changed My Life

--This parody video of CM Punk never ever getting back with WWE:

What are you in love with for the month of July?

Things I Love -- June 2014 Edition

How can it be June already? It has hit the half way mark of 2014 and it is the end of the month...so you know what that means??

IT IS TIME FOR THINGS I LOVE!

Here is what I love for the month of June.

--Sir Mix A Lot performing "Baby Got Back" with the Seattle Symphony. If you have not seen it, well watch it now:

--The Paris Daydream candle from Bath and Body Works. It has this fresh moss/mandarin orange scent that makes me daydream about living in the City of Light. Retourne visite a Paris en mon future? DEFINITE!

--That I am officially on summer vacation.

--Sudden bursts of creativity at weird hours of the day and night.

--Spreading radical self love to some new friends I met through the fandom known as professional wrestling.

--Seeing Lindsey Stirling in concert. She is amazing and inspiring.

--Taking Dan to his first ever TNA Wrestling event. He was beyond happy. It was nice seeing that.

--Rediscovering and learning more about myself each and every day.

--Strong arms that hold you to make sure you do not fall while standing on a train.

--Being told that I am a lucky charm.

What have you loved in the month of June?

Things I Love -- May 2014 Edition

The sun is finally shining...the air is such a cool breeze. Flowers are finally blooming and coats/jackets/tights are finally packed away. Spring has FINALLY sprung in the month of May and since it is also the end of the month it is now time for a...

THINGS I LOVE!

Here are the things that I love for the month of May.

--Being part of the 8th Annual NYC Zombie Crawl. This is my 8th one and it is a glorious time. Apparently I was featured on Channel 5 Fox News here in New York City as well as on their website. 8th Annual NYC Zombie Bar Crawl

--That the flower that my student gave me for Teacher Appreciation Week bloomed another flower.

--That there is a convention FINALLY just for bookworms! Book Expo America, an industry only event for book publishers, opened to the public for the first time this year with a one day event called The Book Con. Originally it was called Power Reader Day but I do not think it got as much press as it did until the name was changed. Mind you, I have stacks upon stacks of books to read but who can say no to BOOKS???

--Walking through a sun shower on a nice Friday night with lots of smiles.

--Walking to the Javits Center.

--Having an official countdown to the end of work. 19 More Days!

--Impromptu fireworks shows that you did not know was happening while out with your dark angel.

--Proving a theory wrong.

--My class having one of the highest reading averages in the entire school. Lets go Kindergarten!

--Sex and the City marathons. They always bring a smile to my face.

--Finding inspiration in the weirdest of places.

--Air popped popcorn with cinnamon sugar on it. Want to try it with cayenne powder for a little metabolism boost!



What are you in love with this month?

Who Was I In A Past Life?

Upon talking to one of my closest friends/current partner in crime about writing a love letter to myself in which I had asked him to help me -- he said that one of the things he loved about me was when he stares into my eyes he can read my soul and that it is beautiful. That got me to thinking and asked him exactly what he meant since doesn't everyone have a beautiful soul. He in turn replied that no; some are tortured and black and that every soul is different. Since it is my nature to do so, I asked him to explain and he asked if I believed in past lives. He was always taught that we all have past lives and that sometimes we re-live what our soul was in our past. So, if someone has a dark soul, it usually means they were not a nice person in a past life; take Charles Manson for instance, his soul is probably black and twisted. He then mentioned that I have a beautiful soul because I like to help people and interact with people and that my soul helped me pick the career I have which is a teacher.

So....what is the whole point of this? This led to an investigation. We were both curious about my past lives and he asked a friend of his to look into it. I was asked what my middle name was (I do not have one) and my birth year, which is 1978. Here is what was concluded.

According to her reading, my past life is during the Renaissance Era and I lived in either Germany or Belgium. I somehow had to leave or pushed to leave where I am from and relocate. The reading did not conclude if I originated in Germany and left due to the Protestant Reformation or if it is some other reason; for all that is known it might tied to the early witch hunts. But also my relocation is also connected to marriage -- either one that I was pushed into or one that someone else is involved in that caused my need to leave my home.

Apparently in both of my lives I am constantly getting warnings as to not let myself be cut off from something or someone by outside influences or people or because I feel this need to let go of something and start fresh. The number 2 kept on coming up, and that means that I work best in pairs and I am meant to have strong partnerships in life but I also have the number 11 floating around which gives me a great risk of karmic influences in my life who create issues. These issues could be mostly jealousy or false sense of righteousness.

Now while it is true that I do work best with partners/partnerships, I am able to tap into other influences and for this reason I am sure I do not run the risk of letting others make decisions for me. I always think things through -- nothing rash. Back in my past life, I needed to learn to trust myself more and to be fussy about who I listen to/whose advice I follow. Apparently, I need to do this in this life too. Also in this life I need to guard what I say, use caution, or I might lose my temper (hello Joisey Mode) and say something in careless anger that I will regret and it will be too late for me to take it back. It could code my friends or trouble in a relationship. Karma is playing heavy in my life right now, as it did in my past life. There is an important truth in my life that I need to face as well.

Have you ever wondered who you were in a past life?

Things I Love -- April 2014 Edition

Well...end of April....this year is just going too fast again. SLOW DOWN TIME! Before I know it, I will be getting ready for the holidays again!

Besides all of that, here is what I have enjoyed and loved in the month of April.

--The fun little quizzes on Buzzfeed.com or Zimbio. It is amazing how the descriptions of various characters mimic my personality.

--The new design on Gala Darling's website. So pretty and bright and shiny!

--Cultivating and bringing to life 4 butterflies in my classroom. Yay Science!

--Ghost stories and walking tours in New Orleans. It reignited my love of all things paranormal.

--The way my students say goodbye when they leave for the day. Love their sparkle in their eyes and warm smiles.

--Getting wanderlust feelings and feeling inspiration at every turn.

--Noticing signs concerning a certain man in my life that make me smile.

--Inspirational quotes that make you go A-HA! and smile.

--Learning and investigating my past life.

--This is pretty cool. Do you need a hug but no one is around? GO HERE -- Need a Hug?

--Rekindling my love affair with my boyfriend that is NYC by watching this video --

What were in love with in the month of April?

Things I Love -- March 2014 Edition

Wow is it the end of March already? 2014 has been going fairly well for me, even though right now I am in the middle of a retrograde but dealing with it well. Well enough of that negativity, lets get on with the louvre at hand!

Here is what I love for the month of March --

--The song "Work B*tch" by Britney Spears. Yes I know it was out in 2013 but I am always late to the party. Listen to the song here:

--Finally realizing the reason of my dating/single slump and that is being afraid of falling in love again. I do not want a repeat of 2005-2013 so I have put up this massive wall around my heart. It is time to start tearing that wall down brick by brick and open my heart back up to receiving and giving love.

--The teaser trailer for Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. Oh my goodness is it filled with loads of sexy -- check it out here:

--Having movie dates with my father. We went to see Mr Peabody and Sherman and it was great!

--Getting addicted to the show Sons of Anarchy. Did not think I would but damn is it a great show. I know most women lust after Jax Teller, and do not get me wrong he is fine but my cleanup on Sons of Anarchy would have to be Juice.

--Watching a very lovey dovey couple sitting in Argo Tea Cafe and smiling over it.

--Eavesdropping on a French conversation and understanding all of it.

--That one of my favorite cartoons, Peanuts, will have a movie coming soon! Watch the teaser trailer here:

--Having one of my students ask me if I was allergic to boys. It was cute…especially at that age.

--Starting a new morning and night routine with The Five Minute Journal. It makes a difference.

--My friend Daniel telling me about this great violinist named Lindsey Stirling. This is my favorite by her:

--Having great discussions over books at Argo Tea Cafe with my Geek Girl Adventure Group. It is inspiring to actually talk to women with similar interests and ideas and that it is not all about shopping and the latest material items.

--This article. Yes What To Do If You Are Falling Out of Love with NYC
What are you in love with for the month of March?

--Spending the birthday with my mom at The Sands in PA!

--Receiving surprise birthday flowers from Daniel when I returned home from The Sands in PA with my mom.

~~Chocolate almond cookies…soooo yummy!

What are you in love with this month?

Things I Love -- February 2014 Edition

Well hello there my lovely readers! It is that time of the month again….wait…that does not sound right. No I do not mean it is time for a ladies gimmick, I mean it is time for….


THINGS I LOVE!!!

So here you go ladies and gents, here is what I louvre for the month of February.

--This link: 13 Dogs That Are Having The Best Day Ever!

--A daily love tarot card on February 10th that rang so true I have to post it:

The Four of Chalices card suggests that a gift of love and support may be offered to you by a compassionate, committed or reliable source willing to go out on a limb just when you feel like no one cares. If you are too wrapped up in your perceived problems, you might not recognize the attempt at outreach and miss the opportunity that could lead to romantic renewal. Don't focus too much on what you don't have, or you could become resentful or condescending of the happiness and passion of others.

--Having two book clubs with some lively conversation.

--Grateful to Revolver Magazine foe exposing me to bands I have never heard of.

--Thankful for random surprise gifts from my Funshine Buddy at work that make me smile.

--Having lazy days due to Snomaggedon 2014.

--Being selected as a 2014 Book Giver for World Book Night! Go here to find out more info -- www.worldbooknight.org

--Having marking out/fangirling moments over the Westminster Dog Show.

--Reconnecting with former college friends via Facebook.

--My infected zombie mug from my friend Joe.

--Warm cozy socks when it is below zero with the wind chill.

--The ice skating genius that is Evgeni Plushenko. It is a shame he had to retire due to medical reasons but this man on the ice is flawless. Watch this fan montage :

What are you in love with for February?

How to Survive Mars Retrograde

I have grown tired of Mercury getting all of the fame and fortune for when it goes into retrograde. Other ruling planets do go into retrograde as well and I am here to discuss my ruling planet -- MARS.

The planets are swinging around at all times, and their movements affect us all in a myriad of different ways. All planets do go into retrograde, but it seems that Mercury’s journey impacts people much more than any other. Well here I am to dispel that myth! Now while I do admit that Mercury Retrograde does happen to me, it is not my ruling planet and the things that happen during Mercury Retrograde do not really affect me.

Let me go through this line item by line item. Mercury is the ruling planet of communication, clear thinking, truth and travel, so when it goes retrograde — which basically means it looks like it’s going backwards — all those things Mercury rules go backward. They start to get ugly and tangle up.

Now we all have read, or at least I have read, what happens when Mercury goes into retrograde and how to handle it, but I have not seen one blog post or article concerning Mars or I do not see a lot of articles about it because it is a rare event.(Well people ruled by Mars are rare and unique so…) Luckily enough, Mars retrograde only happens once every two years and for two months. Mars is set to go into retrograde on March 1st through May 19, 2014. .

So I mentioned above what Mercury guides and looks over. But again as I said -- this post is not about Mercury. So what exactly does Mars effect?

In general, Mars, the god of warriors, rules physical energy and efforts. His placement in your chart expresses the strength and direction of the physical force that drives your ego, your will to achieve. Mars fires your emotions and energizes your passions, but also powers your mental endeavours and communicative skills.

Mars describes male relationships and associations, risk-taking inclinations, and the physical challenges you are likely to encounter. Well-placed, Mars endows powerful energy and an indomitable will to succeed, but when poorly placed can mean accidents, injuries, fits of anger, rage, warfare or other forms of violence, according to the inclinations of the sign and house concerned.

Mars loves to rush forward. The grass is always greener on the other side of that hill, so Mars does not react well to being held back, or... (gasp!) going backwards! Mars retrograde therefore gives rise to irrational action; introspection; depression and self-assessment; sexual issues and relationship conflicts. Major rethinks and reorientation of current projects are also often required.

So what should you do during this time? Here is what I suggest.

When Mars is in retrograde, it depletes the vitality so that it is never a time to initiate. *Whoever initiates loses*— if you have a new project, a great love, an argument, a lawsuit, or an international war -- DO NOT START IT BETWEEN MARCH 1ST THROUGH MAY 19TH if you can. With a new project, it will fizzle out and never really go anywhere. With a hot romance, it can too fizzle out and it rarely gets to the alter; that is of course you want it to. With an argument, the hostility will come back to haunt you later. In legal matters, stoke your opponent into initiating the lawsuit first. It will be etched in granite that they will lose. Matters commenced while Mars is retrograde will be frustrated and plagued with disruptions until they finally fizzle out. At this time, people become irritated when activities do not run smoothly. The anger may disrupt indirectly and inappropriately – like getting a traffic ticket when you feel annoyed with your job. So drive with caution!

During this cycle, never buy anything mechanical unless it is heavily insured! Office machinery and computers easily break down for some strange reason. I often notice that the world needs a brake job when Mars is in retrograde. Maybe that is why Spring break is so late this year….

Now for those who have Aries or Scorpio strong in their horoscopes are dramatically affected by this shift in direction of their natural ruler. For myself, remember my sign is Aries, I have found myself being less aggressive, less pushy and less impatient to have my own way in a situation. For the past couple of weeks, I have been inclined to sit back and review matters in a more detached or impersonal way. I have become more patient to wait on circumstances to unfold before I take action. This is not normal for me. I am also less angry. I might express an unusual passiveness while under fire because I take some time to process the situation before I can make a decision Only when Mars turns direct can they move the Mars energy forward.

Now for those who are NOT ruled by Mars, it may feel quite differently. You may feel more impatient to force matters to a conclusion, to get a project going or to take immediate action. This would be an unwise course of action! Remember, initiating or impulsively taking action will not work to your favor, especially if it is with a person who is ruled by Mars.

I have my fingers crossed for the next two months. Do not worry my friends -- you will get through this. Good luck!

Things I Love -- January 2014 Edition

Why hello there faithful reader! In case you do not know what this series is about -- this blog is where I tell you all of the things have made me swoon with love for the month. I still keep a daily gratitude/love list but instead of writing that every day, or every week, I decided to keep it to once a month. It helps me keep the positive and the smile on my face that I love. It is a great habit to get into when you are feeling blue. Something about writing down the positives in your life is just so uplifting! Try it sometime and tell me if I am wrong that your mood does not change.

With that said, here is what I love for the month of January!

--That this is my first blog post for the year 2014.

--That I do not let little things get to me/stress me out.

--That most of my students grasped the concept of counting by 2s with a trick I shown.

--Nice conversations throughout my workday that make me smile.

--For people willing to watch me inject myself with Humira so the pain is not as bad.

--Heated blankets during this polar vortex.

--Air popped popcorn with a mixture of cinnamon sugar and sea salt. Nom and yum!

--Getting used to methotrexate (one of the drugs I have to take for RA) not wiping me out/making me tired.

--Comfy warm sweaters with hearts on them.

--My unicorn slippers when my feet are worn and tired.

--Warm chocolate almond milk on a snowy night.

--Receiving "good morning beautiful" messages before I go to work.

--Egg white sandwiches on panini bread.

--Watching Jeopardy! and getting an entire category correct.

--Blueberries on anything.

--Using Nair for the first time on my nether regions and having it worked and not being sensitive afterward.

--Finally getting my foster cat, Domino, adopted!

--Chicken wings, fresh herb crackers, and Argo Tea on Fridays after work for relaxation.

--Comfy trapeze style dresses that do not make me look pregnant.

--Losing a whole person without the aid of gastric bypass or some other kind of stomach stapling surgery.

--Being part of a wrestling podcast again.

--Sending my friends surprises just because.

--The return of Sherlock!

--Having a "lets turn my phone off for the night and see if anyone will text/voicemail me without me doing it first" experiment fail as I received a phone call from a long lost friend from ISCA BBS.

--Smelling like a marshmallow gingerbread cupcake.

--Walking in the snow with a huge smile on my face.

--Having songs by Frank Sinatra dedicated to me.

--Getting a crystal clear stream of WWE Royal Rumble on my computer. Thanks Joe!

--The talk show Bethenny. Did not think I would like it as much as I do.

So my faithful, what are you in love with for the month of January?