Countdown to Halloween -- 2017 Edition

First of all -- let me apologize for not writing a blog since July. This seems to be a trend I have noticed. I had a lot of things go down in my life lately so I have been in a reading and writing slump. I am making my way out of my hole though. With that being said...lets get this annual feature of my blog started!

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. Yes I know there are dates attached but I am using it more as a check off list.

October 1st: Watch the movie The Lost Boys
October 2nd: Watch the movie Nightmare on Elm Street (original with Robert Englund)
October 3rd? Watch the movie Hotel Transylvania.
October 4th: Attend In This Moment concert with Robert Payes and friends. (Done! Had a blast!)
October 5th: Attend New York Comic Con. (Done! Not a big haul like in years past but overall a good time.)
October 6th: Relax and catch up on the movies I missed above.
October 7th: Attend UWA Elite in South River, NJ or SWF in Jackson, NJ (yes....not a Halloween themed event but I do like my wrasslin'!) (Done! Went to SWF Wrestling in Jackson, NJ.)
October 8th: Go see Blade Runner 2049
October 9th: Watch the movie Hellraiser
October 10th: Watch the movie House of 1000 Corpses.
October 11th: Watch the movie Psycho (original Alfred Hitchcock version).
October 12th: Watch the Universal classic horror movies Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. (Done!)
October 13th: Attend Ultimate Greenwich Village Ghost Tour with a half Jason/Half Dani painted face. (Done!)
October 14th: Get candles with a cinnamon or pumpkin smell from Bath and Body Works for my room. (Done!)
October 15th: Attend the 11th Annual NYC Zombie Crawl (Done! Was on Channel 7 ABC Eyewitness News!)
October 16th: Watch the movie Paranorman
October 17th: Watch the cartoon Its the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (Done!)
October 18th: Watch the movie Hocus Pocus.
October 19th: Watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
October 20th: Go visit the Nerd Herders for early birthday shenanigans! (Done! So much fun as always!)
October 21st: Attend Jersey All Pro Wrestling in Rahway, NJ or Pro Wrestling Magic in Ridgefield Park, NJ (more wrasslin'....)(Done! Went to Jersey All Pro Wrestling and had a lot of fun.)
October 22nd: Watch the movie The Craft and the season premiere of The Walking Dead
October 23rd: Howl at the moon....lol....maybe not but instead maybe get a beauty treatment that is pumpkin scented or fall inspired. (Done!) Got the Too Cool for School Pumpkin Sleeping Pack)
October 24th: Watch the movie Carrie (the original version with Sissy Spasek)
October 25th: HAPPY BIRTHDAY VERONICA!!!
October 26th: Wear cat ears to work.
October 27th: Visit a farm and pick a pumpkin. (Didn't visit a farm. Instead went to the Union Square Farmers Market and got a pumpkin there.)
October 28th: Watch the movie Teen Witch
October 29th: Get a fall inspired color manicure.
October 30th: Wear skull hand hair clip. (Done!)
October 31st: HALLOWEEN!! Give an acorn to loved ones for good luck and fortune in the new year and get a tarot card reading for guidance for the year to come.

What are you doing for October/Halloween?

Things I Love -- September Edition

This month has had its ups and downs. Returning back to work, dealing with the anniversaries of the death of my dog Sweetums and my first cousin Sweetums, and still trying to get my RA into remission. But there were some happy moments this month and with that lets get this party started!

Here is what I loved for the month of September:

--A random stranger on 14th Street shouting at me "Work that strut girl!" Made me feel powerful and in charge.

--Someone took sidewalk chalk and drew an arrow and underneath it wrote TO HAPPINESS. Nice to see some P.M.A. in the hard knocked life city known as New York.

--The return of football! I am not the biggest fan but it is a fun sport to watch.

--This video has a great message. LIVE IN THE MOMENT people!

--This video is ME to a big ole capital T:

--Seeing a young cute couple holding hands when exiting the turnstiles and going up the stairs at the PATH station. I remember those young love kind of days. Brought a big smile to my face.

--Declaring my school year NO STRESS NO BULLSHIT. My health is much more important than stress and bullshit. I want to be healthy. End of story.

--This cover of Empire State of Mind by Halestorm. Thanks to Rich Concannon for sharing it:

--Going to The Sands hotel and casino in Bethelehem, PA and getting carded as I entered the casino. I must look that young or when in doubt...

--Taking care of the outdoor cats around my house by leaving out food and water in my backyard. Unfornuately due to allergies and my little old man dog Hudson the cats can not come inside but it is nice to take care of them.

--Having a friend of mine call out an African money scammer and posting it on YouTube. Watch it:

--That the chicken wings at Hu Kitchen have returned to the menu!

--The new song "Going to Hell" by The Pretty Reckless. Check it out:

--The cider doughnut scented candle from Bath and Body Works. Smells so good and is putting me in an Autumn state of mind...

--My nerdy bff Veronica and her husband/my fellow Nerd Herder Damian are in the midst of making a full length feature zombie film and I could not be any prouder that they are achieving their dreams. They released a short teaser. Go check it out:

--SWEATER WEATHER RETURNING! Love the brisk Autumn air and cozying it up under a soft cable knit sweater. So glad Summer is over.

--Getting excited for all things October! I have not been this excited in a long long time. I think it is due to my health/RA finally getting under control and I can start to be Dani again with some new twists.

--Changing bad habits when I had a rough week/hard week at work or in life. The old me would sit on her bed and gorge herself full of sweets and bad food. Now when I had a rough week I go swimming, do some laundry, light some candles, read, watch some television with a big mug of green tea. I felt so much better too.

What made you swoon and double over in love this month?

Things I Love Thursday -- 11/1 Edition

Happy Dia De Los Muertos everyone! Yes I have survived the Frankenstorm with copious shouting of IT'S RAINY......RAINY.....RAINY!!!! in my house as well as in text messages. Thanks to all who have checked in to see that I was okay. With that said, here is what I am in love with this week.

~~This great parody of Bohemian Rhapsody. Granted I am not a gamer but Nintendo was my gaming system of choice growing up so a lot of this I did identify with. Enjoy!

Sorry for My Absence

The last post I wrote on here was on September 6th when I discussed the death of my beloved best friend Sweetums. Ever since then I have not had the feeling to really write much. I have also noticed that I have not posted a Things I Love Thursday since July 19th! That is unacceptable. I need to start that feature again as I always felt good after writing it. You must be grateful; even for the tiny things in life. So this Thursday while I am in my Advanced Beginner French class at the French Institute Alliance Francaise (www.fiaf.org) a new TiLT will be posted. I also found a bunch of my old creative writing pieces that I did while in college and I am thinking of posting those too for your amusement/reading pleasure. Furthermore, I purchased a book called One Good Deed a Day. I will chronicle those too. Writing seems to be what keeps me grounded and happy so I must get back into it!

Things I Amour Jeudi -- July 19th Edition

This week has definitely been an interesting and fun one if you live in the New York City area. With that said, here is what I am in amour with this week. Oh and just in case you do not know, Jeudi is Thursday in French.

~~Studying French! I have changed my cell phone and computer to French and it helps. Trying to immerse myself as much as I can in the language.

~~Game night with the NYC Geek Girl Adventure Club. Even though there was a horrendous and disaster filled storm yesterday, 9 of us (myself included) braved it to Argo Tea Cafe and played some Apples to Apples and had the biggest laughs and fun ever. I want to play again!

~~My new water shoes for when I go swimming.

~~Side pony twists in my hair.

~~This video, especially at 2:52 and 3:21


What are you in amour with this week?

Things I Love Thursday -- June 28th Edition

Second round of Euflexxa shot in my left knee and an second M.R.I. done....you would think I am some sort of athlete but I am just a Jersey/NYC Girl living the dream. This week has gone by in a big whirlwind but nonetheless a happy and grateful one. With this said, here is what I am in love with this week.

~~Thunderstorms that make references to The Mighty Thor
~~My dog Hudson being back to his usual goofy self.
~~When my joints pop and it relieves pressure and does not cause pain.
~~Reading three books at a time and not confusing/mixing plots together.
~~Going to a book event in a fashionable Lower East Side boutique.
~~Watching reality television with my mom, especially Swamp People and Hardcore Pawn.
~~Second half of French classes start today! Wondering if I should make a weekend/what I did blog post all in French?
~~That Sugar Slam 3: Batter Royal is in full swing!
~~The way my other dog Sweetums comes into my room and head butts me in the leg so I can scratch her.
~~In This Moments new song "Blood" Take a listen!
~~This graffiti I found on the way home from the book event

~~Having the author from the book event retweet and reply to my tweet. The book launch I went to was for Semi-Charmed Life by Nora Zelevansky. Blog about the event as well as the book comes out tomorrow!
~~Receiving a Chad Ochocinco Cincinnati Bengals jersey simply because he changed his name back to Chad Johnson and he is no longer on the Bengals.
~~Seeing some inappropriately dressed 8th graders during their awards ceremony. It is a lot of fun going "oh...you have a lot to learn" as well as "WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU WEARING? WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" Yes I am being judgmental but it is also a way of being nostalgic.




What are you in love with this week?

Things I Love Thursday--January 27th Edition

Another week....another dose of love! This week has been kind of a slow week. It started off poorly due to the New York Jets losing but did get better as the week went on. With that said, here is what is made me squishy with love this week:

~~The mix CD's my friend Veronica made me. I swear, she was a radio disc jockey in another life. The songs she put together just flow...love it.

~~Tacos at Chipotle Mexican Grill. Oh my goodness so yummy and filled with FRESH INGREDIENTS. After I read the Taco Bell story about the filling...um yeah never going there again.

~~A stranger at the Journal Square PATH train station sticking their hand out to help me get onto the curb where there was a mound of snow. Much appreciated!

~~Clear sidewalks. I hate walking in ice so this makes me happy!

--Cinnamon cherry tea. Warms my soul

~~Building my nest egg since I do not go out as much during the winter

~~90210 and Gossip Girl are back! Yes!

~~When snow is falling and fresh on the ground.

~~Having a snow day to catch up on cleaning and adding music to my iPod.

~~Planning outfits for Atlanta and springtime.

~~Wishing for the Groundhog to predict an early spring.

~~Thinking of different blog posts for the week. Right now I am toying with the idea of Inspiration Tuesday where I post a inspirational quote. Other bloggers do this too such as Charade and I figured I would try to lead in her example.

~~My funky colored mohawk hat. It looks silly yes but I feel so confident and warm while wearing it!

~~Randomly liking a Facebook page because it has a giveaway of a Chuck Palahniuk book & a Hello Kitty coin purse.

~~Being #31 on Gala Darling's Things I Love Thursday link list!

What has made you squishy with love this week?