🍭CANDY CRUSH🍭
I was first introduced to this beautiful Iphone app sent from Heaven about, I would say, 5 years ago. I remember it was Christmas, and my niece had started playing it. She showed me how to download the app, and how to play. I was immediately hooked. I remember thinking-"She's already at level 500? I'll never get there!" Well, I'm here to tell you, and happy to say, I am at level 3,164. Thank you very much.
The rules of the game are simple. You get 5 chances, or lives, to match like colors of candies by swiping your finger across the phone screen. You get a certain number of moves on each life. You swipe like candies until you clear all the jelly on the board, within the move limit. If you clear the board, within the move limit, you then move on to the next level. (And, you do the obligatory happy dance.) But, if you fail to clear the board within the 5 lives you are given, you have to wait until you get another life...25 excruciating minutes. That's the painful part. I find, when I have to wait for another life, that's usually when I go to the bathroom. You think I'm kidding?
But, wait! There's oh, so much more. You get daily boosters, like the lollipop hammer, (my favorite) which crushes any stubborn candy in your way. There are constant contests, where you can win lives, win extra boosters or gold bars. Gold bars help you win more boosters. Get the idea? It's all about the boosters, baby! During the beginning stages of the pandemic, Candy Crush even gave each registered player a FULL WEEK OF UNLIMITED LIVES!!!! I was in blissful ecstasy. Of course, I didn't talk to anyone in my household for that week. There's also a permanent indentation on my couch from where I constantly sat. But, it's all good now. (I think.)
🖍ADULT COLORING BOOKS🖍
When I was little, I loved to color in coloring books. I loved to doodle and draw. Along the way, however, when the struggles of daily existence took hold, I lost that creative interest. In fact, I never even thought about drawing until I had children of my own. I started to paint and doodle with them, and really enjoyed it. I especially loved to draw with sidewalk chalk, which I still do. In fact, nowadays when I see sidewalk chalk in the neighborhood or at work, I tend to get really excited. (I also tend to steal pieces of chalk to draw with-don't judge.) The other day, in fact, while on our walk, I noticed a box of HUGE sidewalk chalk the size of cucumbers in a driveway. I pointed it out to my husband..."Look at that!" Which reminds me, I gotta go buy me some of those. I wonder where I could get them? Maybe Walmart? I'll google that.
But I digress...
Anyways...back to coloring books. Last Christmas (is Christmas a developing theme here?) my brother-in-law and his girlfriend bought me an adult coloring book with crayons. When I say adult, I mean, it has swear words written all over it. I'm telling you, my heart leapt for joy. At first, I laughed hysterically. Then, I started to feel a little intimidated flipping through the pages because the designs were so intricate. I remember thinking, "It'll take me forever to draw one page! I'll get too frustrated and bored." Well, I'm here to say, yet again, I am almost done with the book and cannot wait to get another one. (Hint-hint, Kyle and Kellee?) My husband has invested in colored pencils for me to use for the more intricate designs. I also make it a point to take pictures of each page I finish and text them to members of my family...including my mother-in-law. She's my biggest fan, by the way. I was a little nervous that she would be offended by the swear words. NOPE. She actually is quite pleased with my work, and encourages me to keep going. The one I will post here, she says looks like a "doilie". Hilarious.
📺QVC📺
If you haven't heard about QVC, you really should look it up. QVC is the original home shopping channel which started on cable television back in 1986. I am really dating myself here...I was 19 years old. Or, as I like to say, when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth. (I had a pet T-Rex named Fluffy. Again, don't judge.)
QVC is one of those pleasures in life where you can sit back, relax with a cup of coffee, and enjoy, even if its just to shut out life momentarily. It has four channels...QVC is the main channel. QVC 2 has different programming, but sometimes replays shows. QVC 3 is all prerecorded shows. So, you can watch your favorite presenter or program three times in one day if you want! Beauty IQ is an all-beauty channel, where it showcases hair, makeup, and accessories only. I don't get Beauty IQ on my cable lineup, unfortunately. When the pandemic hit, I found myself alone in the house, no job, nothing to do but clean. I wanted to avoid the news at all costs, because I did not want the depressing news to cause any more anxiety in me. I found myself turning the TV on and watching QVC more and more to escape the harsh realities of the day. Recently, we changed our cable lineup to save some money, but I made sure I was able to still have the cheapest cable package WITH QVC! That's how much I need it in my life. Obsessed? Yup.
From Jane Treacy's bubbly, upbeat, over-the-top personality and her love of shoes, to Angel Smedley's beautiful and eloquent way of carrying on the torch of Jeanne Bice's Quacker Factory. To Kim Gravel and her way of empowering women at any age and at any size with her gorgeous, boutique-inspired clothing and exquisite beauty line. She laughs, she cries, unabashedly. She's a genuine, caring human. To Carolyn Gracie and Gary Goben for their wonderful Denim and Co. casual clothing line, helping women at any stage of life be comfortable, and yet on trend. I love Gary's hashtag #instantskinny. I wonder if you can put that hashtag on your mirror...do you think it'll help? To Jennifer Coffey-yoga instructor, single mother, motivating women to love and empower themselves without abandon. To Kerstin Lindquist, who is so amazingly inspiring about her struggles with infertility, putting it out there with her books. She's a wonderful, talented writer, who helps inspire me to keep on with my writing. She loves her God, loves her family, loves fitness! I relate to her in a lot of ways. And of course, to Isaac Mizrahi (or as my husband calls him Alex...he can never remember his name) and his amazing lace pull-on wide-leg pants. I wonder if the black ones are still available? I'll have to look on the app.
OK...well...that's just a few of my favorite things! I challenge you to find a new hobby, or fall back in love with a hobby you used to enjoy! The joy and satisfaction hobbies will bring you will trump any anxiety, any depressing thought, any sadness you might feel at that moment.
Try it! You'll Like it!
Until next week...be a butterfly!🦋
I love to color and have several books.
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