Tag: favorite things Friday

Old Is The New Young

Okay, readers, this sweater is going to be part of my look today. Anyone who knows me well, knows that this is not really my style and my daughter has made it very clear that she does not at all approve of it, but sometimes you need to break out of your shell – especially on Friday!!

“Old is the New Young” – Cloud Nine Redback Cards

Yesterday was Betty White’s 97th birthday. Apparently, she scared a gazillion of her fans by the fact that her birthday was making her “trend” on the internet. People feared the worst, as we often do. The memes that were made, showing sighs of relief, were copious and adorable! Betty White has amazing, positive, fun energy! Her loss certainly would be a heart breaker for so many. I got to thinking that if I am fortunate enough to live as long as Betty White has lived, I will get a whole other lifetime, in the amount that I have already lived, and some change. This Second Half of Adulting, truly is, a whole second half, but with the benefits of the wisdom that comes from a whole lot of experience and resilience. Live on and prosper, Readers!!!

New readers, on Fridays, I keep it light and discuss three favorite things, songs, Twitter feeds, movies, etc. that make life just a little more special. Please check out previous Friday postings for other favorite things and please, please feel free to post your favorites in my Comments section.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – This TV series made by Amazon video is quickly becoming a new favorite of mine and I just got the recommendation to watch it, from my friends, this week! It is hilarious, interesting, “real” and fun to watch! This show might make staying in on Friday night, sound very tempting!! I highly recommend it.

Meditations for Living in Balance – This is another wonderful meditation book by Anne Wilson Schaef. I have already recommended her Meditations for People Who Worry book because it is fabulous. I now read both of these meditation books aloud to my husband and myself every single morning. Ms. Schaef is a wonderful, wise, woman and a crafty wordsmith. The daily meditations are short and yet profound. She makes me think and yet relax, every day.

Slow Feeder Dog Bowls by Outward Hound – In December, we adopted a 7-month-old collie puppy (our wonderful Josie) into our family. Josie grew up on a farm with a lot of other dogs and apparently, feeding time got competitive. Josie eats faster than any other being I have ever met in my lifetime (even beating out one of my best friends, a teeny redhead, who always won the Vienna sausage eating contest for our sorority, who even beat out all of the fraternities, at our college’s annual Greek Games). She would eat so fast that she would end up throwing up and also, she was as risk for getting bloat. (I’m back to talking about our puppy, Josie.) These dog feeders are amazing. They look like elevated relief maps or puzzles and the food falls into their grooves, forcing dogs to slow their eating pace. Josie still is a dynamo when it comes to scarfing up every morsel of her food in record times, but these bowls have definitely slowed her pace down and she no longer throws up after eating.

Have a great weekend, readers!! See you tomorrow!

“It’s always difficult to keep Fridays confined within themselves . . . they tend to spill over.” – Kai Sinclair

Visions of Friday

Happy Friday!!!!! First Favorite Things Friday of 2019!!

“Make today so awesome, yesterday gets jealous.” – Mad Kitty Media

“Dear Monday, go step on a lego . . . it’s Friday!” – BonnyundKleid.com

Hi Readers!! Today I am taking the Bird Box challenge and writing my blog, blindfolded, so please excuse any typos. Ha! I’m not taking the Bird Box challenge. Netflix told me not to do it. Seriously, though, like most of America, we watched Bird Box over the holidays and it was really good. It is definitely worth a watch, especially if you feel the need to keep your muscles at their maximum tightness, for two hours straight.

New readers, on Fridays, I keep it all “on the surface.” I list around three favorite things, songs, brands, twitter feeds, etc. that I really enjoy and I encourage you to add any of your own favorites to my Comments section.

I’m going to go out on a limb today and talk about one of my favorite interests and hobbies, and that is following Astrology. (enter the groans of my very practical, science-minded sons) I realize that my more analytical, left-brained readers are now worried about my mental faculties and my more religious readers are now praying for my soul. (I have to say, I was amazed at how many astrological symbols I saw in various churches that I have toured in Europe – truly) That being said, I find reading about astrology fun and interesting and mysterious and fascinating. I’m a total amateur. If you really study it, astrology is pretty complex. I’m not sure if the position of the stars really have much to do with our personalities or what is going on in our lives, but it’s fun to read about and good to have something to blame things on, when life goes haywire. (damn, Mercury’s retrograde, that’s why my computer is on the fritz LOL) At the very least, when I read my very skeptical husband his horoscopes every morning, we both can agree that most astrologers offer good, solid, wise advice such as thinking before you speak or being careful with your money. All in fun!

I can’t just limit my favorite astrologers to just three. When I really like something, I like A LOT of it. So here are sites to check out and see what are a good fit for your fancy:

MOST ACCURATE – I did a test where I wouldn’t look at my horoscopes and I would just experience my day and then I would look back to see which ones described the day I just had, best. I found MyStarshoroscopes.com and Broadly horoscopes to be the most “spot on” and I rarely miss reading them on a daily basis.

MOST THOUGHT PROVOKING – I love Holiday Mathis horoscopes because she just makes me think and ponder. She does a great question and answer session at the bottom of her daily horoscopes, too and the analysis is fascinating. I also love to read Daniel Whelland Dowd because he just seems like a fascinating, down-to-earth guy from Buffalo with high sights for the future of us all. (honorable mention in this category – British astrologer, Oscar Cainer. His horoscopes read like riddles or metaphors.)

MOST HIP – The Astrotwins are really cool. Their write-ups have kept me socially hip and aware for years. They are thorough and have a NYC vibe to them. They write horoscopes for Elle and other publications, so they are probably among the most well-known astrologers in social scenes. I have to put the Astro Poets on Twitter, in this category as well. The memes that they make about the various signs, are hilarious!

MOST THOROUGH – Susan Miller is one of the most well-known, longest published astrologers in our day and age. Her monthly horoscopes are pages long and thoughtfully prepared. I don’t ever miss her monthly and I even make little notes on my calendar regarding her advice. (honorable mention in this category – Crystal B. Astrology)

BEST WEEKLY HOROSCOPES – Every Wednesday, these four astrologers post their weekly horoscopes and I don’t miss them. Rob Brezny (this is another guy who is well-read and makes you think- a very positive person), Lovelanyadoo (I love the way Jessica Lanyadoo writes. She seems so confident and loving), Kristin Fontana (very spiritual, thoughtful and thorough) and the Mountain Times horoscopes by Cal Garrison (a.k.a. Mother of the Skye) (this woman holds nothing back, a “say it like it is” kind of a person)

Btw, I’m a Sagittarius. What’s your sign, baby?

“Maybe if we all sit extremely still, Monday won’t be able to see us.” – ultragoodvoyeur.tumblr.com

Have a great weekend, friends!! I think that a good weekend is in the stars for all of us!!!

It’s Friday, Light a Candle

“Friday increases the happiness all around the world by 11%.” – Famous Quotes Daily

That’s just an average. I’m sure that on certain Fridays, that percentage is doubled, maybe even tripled in certain corners of the world. Happy Friday, my dear friends! This is the last Friday of the year of 2018! I hope that you have had a wonderful holiday season and an intriguing, exciting year with an even better year coming, in the future! New readers, I write about three of my favorite things or songs or books or websites, etc. every Friday, keeping Fridays what they should be – a break from all of the seriousness of life. Please look in the archives for other Friday suggestions if you are looking for ways to spend your Christmas money!

I’ve told you before about how much I like scented candles. I like them so much that I once lit our dining room table on fire (see July or August archives). I also like to float lighted coconut shell candles in our pool on special occasions. (you can order those from vendors on Etsy) Anyway, I have a closet full of candles and I love them all, but if I had to pick just three to keep, these brands and scents would have to be it:

Lollia Candles (out of Denver) – these candles come in lovely, colorful, cubed boxes that make them seem almost too pretty to burn. They make wonderful gifts for people and all of their scents are amazing, but if I had to pick one scent, it would be number 88 Velvet as Night. The scent is mysterious, sensual and exotic.

Blue Flame Candles (out of Stuart, Florida) – these candles are strongly scented in fabulous way. If you need to replace a terrible scent with a much better scent, this is your go-to candle. They have scents like I have never smelled before. My favorite of theirs is Golden Patchouli, but they are all very nice.

MVP Group Candles (out of Charleston, SC) – I have only bought this one particular candle of theirs because it has a neat, beachy look to me. The scent is fabulous. It is called Warm Beachwood. The container is a beautiful milky, light blue iridescent glass with an intricate carved, copper lid. I love it lit and unlit!

Feel free to tell me your favorite candles and scents. I can make room in my closet!

“It’s Friday! I haven’t been this excited since my phone got stuck on vibrate.” – Someecards

Friday Farkle

“Happiness is a day.  It’s called Friday.” – UpJourney

Ring the Bell!  An Angel has gotten its wings!!  Friday is the Angel of the Week, right?!?  Happy Friday!!!  One of my babies comes home from college today.  Yay!!  That makes it an extra special Friday!!  Life is good – especially on Fridays!  Readers, I keep it real surface-y on Fridays.  I call it “Favorite Things Friday” and I list three favorite things, websites, songs, beauty products etc. that I just love!  I encourage you to check out previous Fridays for other favorites and please also comment on your favorite things, that have helped make your life extra special.  Without further ado . . . . .

SNL Youtube “Turtleneck” skit with Dane Cook – This skit makes me laugh until I cry.  When we lived up north, I would always make my sons wear those adorable wool Christmas sweaters because they were, well, adorable.  And the boys were miserable!!  We would go to Christmas at my grandparents’ house and my grandparents liked to keep it real balmy, in their house.  Before you knew it, all three boys (daughter not born yet) would itch their sweaters right off and strip down to their undershirts, like they were auditioning for Chippendales.  Anyway, who couldn’t use a laugh at this point in the season??  Check it out. 

Cat Cosmetics Lip Gloss – Rich – Who doesn’t like rich?  Remember Catherine Hickland who played in Knight Rider?  Well, she still looks great and she has this fabulous make-up line!  I have bought this lip gloss for years.  I love the consistency and the fabulous sheen and color.  I’ve tried others and nothing compares.  I keep coming back to it.  It is sort of an iridescent, peachy, pinky shade, but there are all sorts of good shades to choose from.  Catherine also writes a fun blog and does great make-up tutorials.  Check it out.

Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Collection – Why doesn’t Ghirardelli offer this candy crack all year long? Actually, it’s a good thing that they don’t.  I’d weigh 500 pounds and be severely malnourished.  Eating these chocolates (by the bagful) is perhaps on my list of 5 Top Holiday experiences, every year.  I try other peppermint bark, and it’s good, but nothing compares to this San Francisco sensation.  I mean, I’ll never turn down any peppermint bark, ever, but still this stuff is still the ultimate!  Check it out, but save some for me.

Okay, readers!  Give me 5 minutes to list your favorites.  A lot of us need ideas for last-minute gifts!! (I hope I’m not alone in this.)

“Shake Your Pom Poms – It’s Friday” – SoloQuotes

Cereal Killer

“I just stepped on a corn flake.  Now I’m officially a cereal killer.” – fb.com/MinionQuote

So, the above quote doesn’t necessarily “speak Friday”, but it’s pretty funny and funny “speaks Friday” in a big way!!  It’s FRIDAY!!!  Happy FRIDAY!!!  As seen on the internet, “Friday is the Welcome Wagon to the Weekend!”  This Friday is a great big old Welcome Wagon to a lot of people who have the holiday week off next week.  Enjoy your weekend! Have safe travels to your destinations and look forward to enjoying delicious food with the people you love this week!  Life is good!

New readers, Fridays we keep it surface level.  I discuss three favorite items/songs/apps, etc. that have worked out great for me.  Every Favorite Things Friday I encourage everyone (I see the stats, people. I know that you are out there!) to share the love and make recommendations of your own.

Here are mine:

Awkward Family Photos Calendar – My husband put this calendar in my stocking last Christmas.  It is hilarious.  I hope to see the 2019 version in my stocking this Christmas (hint, hint).  People send their craziest, funniest, most “what were they thinking??” family photographs to this company and they compile it into a daily, rip-off-the-page calendar.  It’s like the paper version of America’s Funniest Videos. It brings a chuckle to me every morning and makes me realize that everyone has a little kookiness in their lives!

Lifestyle Products Amethyst Crystal Water Bottle – I’m almost embarrassed to put this one on the list, but I do LOVE it!  It is a glass water bottle with a giant amethyst crystal poking through the bottle, so when you fill the bottle with water, the crystal is right in the middle of the water.  Disclaimer, I got mine on clearance because I thought it looked incredibly neat.  I’m pretty sure that I would never have paid full price for it, but I’m so happy to have it.  Some people believe that the amethyst positively “charges” the water.  It looks incredibly intriguing and it does make it easier for me to drink all that water that we are supposed to be drinking every day.  You can get these water bottles with all different kinds of crystals and the bottom holding the crystal screws off, so the bottle part is easy to clean.

Wordscapes – This is my new game/app addiction on my phone.  This is what I do when I am sitting on the couch with my guys while they’re watching sports.  This is also what I do in waiting rooms, standing in lines at the store, at long red lights (but try not to because I know that this is dangerous.  If any of my readers are police officers: I’m so sorry, officer.  It won’t happen again.), before I fall asleep, when I want to stop my mind from racing, and when I am feeling competitive because I am surprisingly, highly ranked in Wordscapes’ regular tournaments.  In short, I play it a lot.  If you like word games and “fill in the blank” type crosswords, this is the game for you.

“I understand what’s it like to work all week and on Friday night just want to go and leave your brain at the door, buy some popcorn and be thrilled by something.“
Don Cheadle

Go be thrilled!!!  It’s Friday!!  Love you, readers!!  Thank you!!!