My husband and I came to the jarring realization a few months ago that despite being together for 13 years, we have not once gone to the theatre to see a movie together. I’m not proud of this observation, nor am I asking for anyone’s judgment on the matter. Rather, when Blaine and I acknowledged … More If you own a dog, you need to see ‘Heart of the Beast’
I have been with my husband for roughly 13 years – we have been married for four, and together for 13. When my husband informed me a few months ago that he couldn’t recall the last time he had his eyes checked out, I deemed it more than necessary that he make an appointment sooner … More Here’s your reminder to go get your eyes checked
Each and every time I hear the word “Guinness,” a large component of my rugby team comes to mind. Beer tends to be a common association with the sport, especially since after games, both teams come together for what is often called a “beer-up,” during which players socialize, chat and drink, despite beating the ever-loving … More How about some Guinness Beef Stew for supper tonight?
As useless as doomscrolling Instagram reels can be, every now and then, the practice does seem to pay off by unveiling some genuinely useful information you arguably would not have been familiar with otherwise. I recently had such an experience, and I would like to share my findings with all of you, because they’re rather … More Have you heard of ‘Be My Eyes’?
YouTube has become quite a close friend of mine as of late. I use Spotify mainly for music purposes, but the platform does offer, depending on what plan you opt for, an allotted amount of audiobook hours every month. I’m quite pleased with the audiobook options that are available to listen to via Spotify, but … More Read or rid: ‘Agnes Grey’ by Anne Brontë
Anyone who knows me on a personal level is more than aware of my opinion towards adult acne. For context, I’ve had acne since I was a teenager, and to be honest, there are many days during my current adult years when I find my skin is worse now than it was when I was … More Read this if you have acne-prone skin
One goal that has been present in my life for quite a long while now is to, one day, write a book. Plenty of people have this same goal, and while I’m sure there are people out there who claim they desire to do so but don’t actually plan to commit to the idea, I … More Trying to write a book? Read this first
I’ll begin this post by stating that I had high hopes for Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck after reading The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden, and was left feeling rather disappointed upon the completion of Of Mice and Men because of how thoroughly I enjoyed the other two. Out of all … More Read or rid: ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck
While I am not a tremendous fan of pumpkin in any sense of the word, I do acknowledge that Fall is here, and with it comes an uptick in cooking and baking with this particular type of squash. I suppose I should assert that I absolutely appreciate pumpkins in a carving sense, but that’s about … More Pumpkin … penne?
I know, I know. Five days of one consecutive topic is a wee bit redundant, but after today, we will chat about something else. I figure at least the material I am sharing is educational, even if it is repetitive, and, honestly, there are far worse subjects to beat senselessly. I’ve genuinely gained some interesting … More Let’s read some random facts from history (part five)
I can’t exactly provide a solid explanation or the reasoning behind it, but now that I am in my 30s, my appreciation and interest in history have positively skyrocketed when I consider how I felt about the topic in high school. I can recall complaining to my parents that history was the dullest subject I … More Let’s read some random facts from history (part four)
As much as I would enjoy extending the topic of random facts from history across as many as ten different posts, I will digress. I don’t want to confuse anyone or give the impression that my blog is becoming one that solely discusses history, although that really wouldn’t be such a terrible thing. While I … More Let’s read some random facts from history (part three)
I stated that my having ADHD is likely the reason behind my questionably odd fascination with random facts of any sort in yesterday’s post, and I stand by that assertion. Upon further thought about what inspired me to share some random facts from history, specifically, I do think some of the credit is owed to … More Let’s read some random facts from history (part two)
I’m not entirely sure whether or not having ADHD is the culprit behind my bizarre fascination with random facts, but here we are, and I’m not upset about it. I figure it’s at least beneficial to read about educational facts, regardless of the subject matter, and my random-ass thought process has paid off in this … More Let’s read some random facts from history
I’ve mentioned a few times now here on my blog that I’m in the process of trying to read more literary classics as opposed to strictly fiction, and thus far, I’m quite enjoying the experience. I figure it’s only appropriate to read classics, seeing as I majored in English Language and Literature, and actively choosing … More Read or rid: ‘Little Women’ by Louisa May Alcott
I really don’t mind cleaning, but there are certainly times when I can’t help but contemplate that the time required to maintain a clean home could be put to better use. That is not to suggest that cleaning isn’t important, because it certainly is, and seeing as I was raised by a Dutch mother, my … More Read this to make cleaning easier
If the title of today’s post seems a bit harsh, you’re probably not going to enjoy reading more about my own thoughts on the concept of self-pity, and that is okay. Feel free to spot the ‘x’ in the top corner of your chosen browser and continue on with your day. There is a reasonable … More Self-pity: a suck’s crutch
Casseroles, as a topic of conversation, seem to be a rather controversial one. People either love or despise casseroles, and there is absolutely no middle ground to be found, based on my own observations and interactions. Weirdly, I’ve learned to love casseroles in my adult years. As a child, the concept of them abhorred me, … More Chicken noodle … casserole?
If you consider yourself to be crafty to any extent, or, actually, even if you don’t, there is a strong probability that you have at least heard the term ‘diamond art.’ If you haven’t, don’t stress – in my own words, diamond art is a method of crafting that is similar to a paint-by-number activity; … More Diamond art: yay or nay?
As my close friend Jheri pointed out to me, I’m jumping the gun a wee bit by reading Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. I mentioned in my previous Read or Rid post that the chosen book for our book club is Whistler by Ann Patchett, and at our last Book Club meeting, we agreed that the book … More Read or rid: ‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley
When Ann Patchett’s Whistler was selected for our book club’s next read, I did not have any inclination about what to expect. My dear friend, Jheri, chose Whistler, and seeing as she has impeccable taste when it comes to reading, I began reading with assurance and trust that this book would be great. I am … More Read or rid: ‘Whistler’ by Ann Patchett
While I do not wish to intentionally write the post with the intention of it being perceived as controversial, parenting, as a general topic, is often met with controversy, let alone the idea of how to properly go about disciplining your child or children. I do not have children of my own, but I do … More What are your thoughts on gentle parenting?
If you happen to reside in Southern Ontario, you may have noticed that the weather has taken a colder turn as of late, allowing many of us to anticipate the arrival of Fall. I love and enjoy Summer as much as the next person, but Fall has always been my favourite season, and I’m not … More Let’s make Lasagna Soup
It is possible that upon reading the title of today’s post, you internally questioned whether or not Olga of Kiev is interesting enough to read about that her antics required three separate posts. I wouldn’t blame you or judge you for thinking this, but allow me to assert that if you have been following along … More Are you familiar with Olga of Kiev? (part three)
In the context of the most epic badasses in history, I have to say that Olga of Kiev absolutely meets all of the criteria, and then some. I suppose, in a moral sense, I shouldn’t promote or approve of her actions, but at the same time, women throughout Medieval history were deeply oppressed, and I … More Are you familiar with Olga of Kiev? (part two)
On the way home from seeing The Uprising with my mom, she and I were conversing about how positively awful the Dark Ages were. I said to her that I would argue, if ever given the academic opportunity, that the Dark Ages were, no pun intended, one of the darkest points in human history, and … More Are you familiar with Olga of Kiev? (part one)
A few months ago, I came across a trailer for a movie via my Instagram feed. The trailer was for a movie titled The Uprising, and because Andrew Garfield is the lead and I love him, I watched it and immediately told my mom about it because I knew she would be interested in seeing … More ‘The Uprising’ is good, but it could have been better
While the sensation of being stuck in a rut is one that tends to be rather miserable and bleak, I would suggest trying to find comfort in knowing that you are certainly not alone in your feelings. I could argue that there are phases of life during which avoiding the idea of being stuck in … More Stuck in a rut? Read this
While chocolate is primarily my preferred choice of dessert, I will make a few exceptions to my own rule from time to time. There are a handful of desserts that I love and enjoy that, shockingly, do not contain chocolate, but the list is minimal, if I am being honest. I don’t love pumpkin, but … More Let’s make Pecan Praline Pumpkin Pie
I feel as though my reading preferences have become notoriously predictable here on my blog thanks to my Read or Rid series. If you haven’t figured it out yet, my reading genre preferences tend to be fantasy, historical fiction and, as of late, classics. I’ve always stated that I would like to read more literary … More Read or rid: ‘Brave New World’ by Aldous Huxley
