You Do You

Below is my first Youtube video. I go off on a tangent, so I wanted to fully explain what I wanted to say here.

You do you. It doesn't matter if you are not "good enough", if you feel you don't have everything you need, or even if you feel like you will fail. If you have a passion, DO IT. I have so much fun doing my makeup, and painting my nails. But I look at the beauty gurus and influencers and think that I will never be on their level. That's okay. I don't have the fancy storage, or the best lighting. As a matter of fact, my polish is overflowing the shelving we got to hold it, and my method of sorting my makeup is... labeled ziplocs. For now, that works for me, and saves space that is limited.

It is okay to start small, and build up as you go. No matter what your passion is, there is only one thing not okay (unless it is illegal). The only thing that is not okay is NEVER FOLLOWING YOUR PASSION. Start. It will be hard, but it will be worth it. You only fail if you give up. And sometimes your way won't be clear, or you realize you need to go a different path. That is okay. Just keep pushing, and you will do great things.

I hope you enjoy my video, and look forward to posting more soon. (One day I will have a schedule lol)

My Unpopular Opinion: Game of Thrones Book Series

I may get a lot of hate for this post...


I love to read, and I love fantasy books. BUT...

I could not force myself to read more than five chapters, if that. I felt that I was being tortured by every line of description and dialogue.

(We will never be friends.)

I was super excited to read this, as I had at that point watched the first two seasons of the HBO series. Plus, it came highly recommended to me by numerous people. However, I was BORED. Truth be told, I cannot remember anything of what I read, just the thought, "I will never pick up this book again". I have two bookshelves, and this series will never live there. 

I did not like the layout of the book, even as I understood why it rotated through everyone's stories. It was slow to build, and hard to follow. It's easy to be caught in the flow of description, trying to flesh out backstory and settings. This book did it to the extent that it hurt my head. 

I am sorry if this offends anyone. Also, just in case you were wondering, I did not get though the show either. I stopped watching after the Red Wedding, it was too gruesome and upsetting for me to continue. It also ruined David Bradley (the actor who played Walder Frey) for me.

Fitbit Alta HR Review

Hello, everyone!

Today, I will be doing a (very late) review of the Fitbit Alta HR.

If you have read some of my earlier posts, I did a review on the Fitbit Flex a few years back. I loved the device, however, it lacked one thing: a heart rate monitor. So I waited, and saved, and finally Fitbit came out with a new device that I thought would suit my needs.

Just like my old model, this one came with one band, and a charger. This model is slimmer, and tracks more than just steps.  It works with the same app as before, and I did have issues at first getting this one to be the main device. The bands are interchangeable, but I have had them break away from the clasp. 

The monitor is on the underside of the device, and you have to make sure to not have it too tight, or it will not read your heart rate. I have sensitive skin, so the band does sometimes irritate my wrist. I do not get it wet, as I feel that unlike the first one, this may not be water resistant. 

Overall, I do like this model. It is light, fits well, and does what it is supposed to.

My "Best Friend" Book

Already, I can feel the sneers, the confused looks, and a few smiles.

"What the heck is a best friend book??"

Simply put, this is a book that you keep coming back to, a comfort object.... a familiar face. It's the book that you reach for if you have a bad day, and need to retreat to a safe space. Mine has been and always will be Anne.

I didn't use the whole title, because Anne is a series. She's a movie. She's a Netflix show. She is my saving grace. I love every version of her, and every moment spent with her is magical. 

I love Anne's story because she is so whimsical, but also because the "side" characters are so amazing. (I put side in quotations because, honestly, I view them all as main characters). The setting is defined so clearly you can see it. It feels like you are right there with them, laughing, crying, and dealing with life. When my problems are too much, I go to her, and she helps me find peace.

Not gonna lie, but my first crush was Gilbert Blythe, who is a pivotal character in Anne's story. I am actually sorta upset about how his life is going in the Netflix series; I feel he deserves more. However, he is endearing, and slightly impish when you are first introduced to him, and I still love him to this day. (I cried when the actor that played him, Jonathan Crombie, died.)

I usually have at least two copies of the first book on my bookshelf, in case one mysteriously disappears. That way, if I have need of Anne, she will always be there.

What is your best friend book? Let me know in the comments.

3

You are in my mind 

I can look there and see you

Any time I want

But no

I want you outside

I need to feel

Your arms around me

See the joy in your smile

You are a piece of my soul

In another person's body

And I feel you

Wherever you are

My best friend

My sidekick

My protector

I will always need you

But I shouldn't need you

...But I do.

Feel What You Do

Life is too short to live with regrets.

Every so often, I forget that. Sometime I lose sight of the fact that life should be filled with your joy, not just your sorrows.

I have felt a lot of sorrow lately. Some is explainable (anniversaries of loved ones deaths are within the first 4 months of the year), but some just hits fast, hard, and out of nowhere. I can't stop it, I can't explain it. But, I also know that it needs to stop.

More often than not, I find myself too busy to take care of my mind. I shower, brush my teeth, go to work, eat, sleep.... but what do I do for my SOUL? Usually, nothing. I stretch my nerves to the breaking point and then crash in a heap of stress. And I know a lot of people do the same.

STOP IT.

Take care of your spirit. Nurture yourself, like you did as a kid. Play, read, write, love.

I love with my whole being. It is who I am, who I've always been. I bring joy to people by being me. But sometimes, there's a voice (either in my head or outside my body) that says "No, you are too friendly. You are doing something wrong." But... what is wrong with spreading love in a world full of hate? What is wrong with loving someone and wanting them to know that someone cares about them? NOTHING.

Do what you feel, and feel what you do.

Spread joy and love, and feel it in you. But as the same idea, if you spread hatred, maybe try to feel that too. Feel how it affects others. And make a change.

If you love something, do it. Nurture that desire to change, to dream. Don't be afraid to make waves. Climb trees, read books, listen to music.

BE YOU. Because in the end, you are the only one that can make you happy.

Instagramming it up

Recently, I have rediscovered my love of nail polish, as well as started diving into the makeup world. Lemme tell ya, there is a LOT of info, techniques, and different products out there. I like playing with makeup, but my real joy comes from nails.

I have watched so many nail videos, and collected a decent collection of polishes. (It started as 5, and just keeps expanding) They were in a bag, but quickly had to be moved to a bin. Shortly after, there were so many that they destroyed that, and now they are in a cart. Whoops!

I will not be posting any photos of my nail work here. However, If you are interested, my instagram handle is @trishcrusebeauty and you can follow me. I post a new design at least once a week, and plan to start tutorials on Youtube ASAP.

Into The Unknown

I decided to quit.

I have been at my company for over a year, and before that, I was at a competitor for 4 years. I know my job by heart. But, lately, I have been unhappy. I looked into leaving a few months ago, but I was promised a few things that kept me here. I'm just worn out, and I need a change.


I got a new job, in technically the same industry, but a completely different aspect. I'm excited, but terrified! OMG, I have a desk job. I haven't had one of those in forever. I'm in a Monday through Friday gig. Like, what do I do about this?!?!


This is a great thing for myself and my family. I no longer have to worry about scheduling trips for the weekends and requesting off and praying I get approved. I will have a set schedule, and I can actually enjoy weekends with my children! I'll still have my overnight job (I love it there, and the benefits are phenomenal, I'm never leaving LOL). But, I feel free. I'll still be working the same amount of time, but I feel like I have so much more now. I feel peaceful for the first time in I don't even know how long.


You know what I did last week? I made a list of events happening in my area that I would like to go to, all of which are on Saturdays. And guess what? I CAN GO TO THEM!!!!!!


Next week starts the rest of my life, in a new career, with a new path. I am thrilled to go into the unknown, even when it's scary for me. My question is, CAN YOU SAY THE SAME? Are you on the path you should be on, or are you stuck standing still because you are scared?

Don't stop moving when it's scary, because the other side could be the greatest thing to ever happen to you.

Outside Is Life

I work all day. That's not so bad... ok that's a lie.

First, let me start by saying, I like my job. I love the people I work with. We are a family, and I see them more than my real family on some days. However. I work in a giant dusty warehouse with no windows. Half the time I get surprised by the weather when I open the door. This is what kills me.

I crave the outdoors. I have always been a wild child. When I was little, you couldn't keep shoes on me, and I was outside pretty much all day. My neighborhood was full of wonder and I explored every inch of it. I even go back there when I feel lost and can't find my way back to myself.

The wild child is still inside me, screaming for sunlight and fresh air. I stand at the bay doors and drink it in, only for the doors to be shut with me inside. It's like a prison for my soul. 😔

Yesterday, I was gifted something that made the wild child in me sing with joy.... which says a lot considering I disliked this when I was younger. I was given two houseplants!!! I know, how lame is it that I am soooo excited. But, having these plants is like having nature right there with me, even when I'm inside. Obviously I took them home, because they would either die or get thrown away. I managed to marry a vampire (he hates letting the sun into the house, lol) so my place is always dark and dreary. Luckily, these little green things need low light. Yay!

I can't even describe how much joy I felt this morning coming into the kitchen to see LIFE. Especially in this era where we destroy wildlife to make vacant houses, we need plants more than ever. Hopefully the little guys thrive and grow and give joy to my whole household for years to come.

I love Harley.

Oops. I logged on only to notice it's been over 5 months since I posted! Geez. Time flies.

So today I decided that once a week, even if I have nothing to say, I will post something. ANYTHING.

Today's post is about my favorite comic book character, and my cosplay that eventually will be complete: Harley Quinn. I must say, as much as I loved the Suicide Squad version (probably because she spoke to my inner psycho), I love the video game version the best.

(I know, terrible image quality)

 

 

 



This is what I am basing my cosplay on, with a few changes. Black and red split jeans, a corset with red and black skulls, and black motorcycle boots. Also My hair will be half black, half red, no blonde. I doubt I'll do a painted face, maybe heavy eyeliner and smeared lips.

The plan this year was to be Batman villians as a family costume, but we are just doing the kids since we want to save money. However, NO JOKER. Don't get me wrong, he is in my mind the greatest Batman villain, but I don't like the idea of having that turn into a couples costume. They are a horrible couple. If you think they are great, you need to do your research, and I am refraining from badmouthing you right now, LOL. So, Lance decided to be Bane. Honestly, it fits his body type better anyway. Maybe next year we will actually be able to do it.

We went to Spirit Halloween to find stuff for Emily's costume (Poison Ivy, which is harder than I thought for a teen, unless you don't mind sexualizing... I do.) As we were walking out, we scored something awesome! My best friend introduced us to silicone ice molds (I had the sphere ones before, but these are so cool, pun somewhat intended.)

 

 

I also want to state that I didn't jump on the bandwagon after Suicide Squad. I wanted to be Harley a long time ago, but was really unhappy with the outfit choices (the full comic outfit shown in the above picture, or a harlequin outfit, which my friend wore and told me she was Harley and I wanted to smack her.) Now I have the opportunity to build my own the way I want, and I'm really excited. I saw my friend evolve into Wonder Woman, and then Catwoman, and it's amazing.

 

Ok, that's it for now! If you are friends with me on Facebook, keep an eye out for the girls' finished costumes. Also, when I finally get mine done I will definitely post an update on here! Have a wonderful week!