Category: Friendship

Anything related but not limited to friendships and relationships.

Laundry, Loneliness, and Cosmic Teasing

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Medical Disclaimer: This post discusses personal experiences and emotional states for narrative purposes only. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression or mental health distress, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

•☽────✧˖°˖☆˖°˖✧────☾•

I was sitting by my window at 9:30 PM, and the view was doing absolutely nothing for my soul. Usually, this is the time of night when I can find a bit of peace in the stillness, but tonight, the quiet feels restrictive. It feels like the universe is dangling a massive carrot right in front of my face—showing me exactly the kind of freedom I’m missing while keeping me tethered firmly to the ground.

Across the street, there’s a glow I recognize. I saw a delivery guy arrive earlier, and I knew exactly what was happening over there. They’re entering that “other” space—that expansive, unhinged playground of the mind. I can practically feel the shift in the air from my house. And yet, here I am, relegated to the sidelines, a spectator to a journey I wasn’t invited to join.

Photo by Sofia Alejandra from Pexels

It’s a jagged realization when you finally see that your neighborly efforts have been a one-way street. I’ve been the one to reach out, to give, and to play the part of the “good neighbor.” But when the real connection happens, the kind that goes beneath the surface level of suburban small talk, I realized that I’m not even an afterthought. That so called “nice neighbor” didn’t mean a damn thing, and that hurts deeply.

Since my close friend moved away last October, that void hasn’t been filled. She was the one who met the “unhinged” side of me, the one I didn’t have a filter for. Now, I’m surrounded by people who only see the “mom” version of me. The utility version. The boring version. I’m craving a companion who can sit in the mess of the universe with me without judgment. Because going about it alone is well, boring too.

“I am a restless traveler of the mind… I am restless. I am at home nowhere.” —Anaïs Nin

Tonight, that restlessness is screaming. My husband suggested I just do my own thing tonight, but it reminds me of that Arthur episode where his mom tries to deflect what was on everyone’s minds by trying to distract the family: they weren’t invited, yet they too had severe FOMO! 😭

•☽────✧˖°˖☆˖°˖✧────☾•

Arthur walks Pal past the Molinas’ yard. Mr. Molina is barbecuing while Alberto plays with two boys of his age. He goes into his house.

Arthur: Hey, everyone. There’s a party at the Molinas! I’ll just change my clothes!

Mrs. Read: Arthur, I think it’s a private party.

Arthur: What do you mean?

D.W.: It means we’re not invited! Probably because you’re always bugging Alberto!

Arthur: I don’t bug Alberto… Do I?

Mrs. Read: Maybe they just wanted to see some other friends for a change.

D.W.: I don’t care if I ever see that Vicita again! Some people are so bossy! No, Kate, like this!

She takes Kate’s rattle and shows her how to shake it.

Arthur and his dad look out of the window.

Arthur: Alberto’s showing off some kendo moves. I bet they look really cool!

Mr. Read: Smells like chicken. I wonder what Ramon’s seasoning it with.

Mrs. Read: Why don’t we go to the movies?

She closes the window.

•☽────✧˖°˖☆˖°˖✧────☾•

More Spiritual Static…. Hello?!

My spiritual journey has been nothing but white noise lately. I’m searching for a signal, but tonight the universe is just trolling me. It’s like being shown the door to something deeper only to find it deadbolted, leaving me shouting into the void. How are you supposed to feel “at peace” when you’re the only person tuned into your own frequency?

And then, as if the universe wanted to drive the point home, my husband just casually asked if I could get a head start on the laundry….

Image created using AI: How AI envisions me doing laundry on a Saturday night.

Nothing kills a spiritual existential crisis faster than a basket of dirty socks. While the psychonauts across the street are likely having a great time, I’m navigating the rinse cycle in the laundry room. Honestly, the contrast is so sharp it’s almost laughable. It’s a physical reminder that while my soul is screaming for an escape, my reality is tied to household chores that have me in a chokehold. I’m expected to be the anchor while everyone else across the street gets to ride the waves. 🌊 ✨

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS

There is no polished blog post tonight. No mantra that makes the laundry feel like meditation. I just have the raw reality of being a boring Millennial mom with a big spirit, currently restricted by the mundane. I wish I had a trip buddy tonight instead of being stuck in my own head. I wish I had a safe space to just be, without being needed. But instead, I’m matching up socks and waiting for this heavy energy to lift. 🍄🌿✌️💕

ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴍʏ ꜱᴘɪʀɪᴛᴜᴀʟ ᴡɪᴇʀᴅᴏꜱ ᴀᴛ?

Image source: A meme from the internet, original source unknown.

♡ What about you? How do you handle it when your reality feels constricted? Let’s vent in the comments below ↓ I’ll do my best to reply to your comments within the next 24 hours.

♡ Enjoyed this post? Please consider supporting my writing to help me keep this blog alive. Your support means the world to me! 🌸☕💕

Thanks for stopping by! ♥

great-vibes.regular (1)

“Spot the Gnome” Game

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Who might enjoy this game, you ask? Well, it’s perfect for anyone who frequents stores that stock those quirky little gnomes. And let me tell you, Dollarama is just brimming with gnomes! Personally, I’ve been having an absolute blast with it. Oh, and just a heads up – Dollarama stores are exclusive to Canada 🍁But it’s not just limited to Dollarama. I have found the cutest gnomes at other stores in Canada like The Real Canadian Superstore, for example. #OhCanada

I started this whole thing to network with people on Twitter/𝕏 and it has evolved into something bigger. My goal is to keep the momentum going on social media, whether it’s Twitter/𝕏 or another platform. If you’re not on Twitter, that’s okay. Why should you play this game? Well, apart from me telling you to (just kidding!), it’s fun! Also, there’s no obligation to make any purchases. As someone who is uninterested in buying more stuff to clutter up my home with, I take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but tweets/posts. Eventually, I would like to get a gnome for my garden. 🍄🌱

Aren’t these gnomes adorable? 🩷

⭐ Rules of the Gnome Game ⭐

Just like the title suggests, it’s basically a fun scavenger hunt for gnomes. Your mission is to spot as many gnomes as possible, especially the unique ones, snap a pic of them, and make sure to tag me and your friends in your post. Feel free to tag all your fellow gnome lovers too!

At the end of the day, I chose gnomes because there are plenty of quirky types out there. Allow me to introduce you to the gnomes I’ve come across so far:

↓ 𝕊𝕔𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕝 𝕕𝕠𝕨𝕟 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕘𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕤 ↓

I’m interested in finding out about the types of gnomes that you’ve come across in your country. Let me know if you’ve spotted any quirky or unique ones. Happy gnoming!

P.S. You can find all of my links and socials here!👉 https://linktr.ee/sereneluna

Thanks for stopping by! ♥

She Was Never One of Us

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Oh, Canada! 🇨🇦 I have lived in Canada my entire life; I was born and raised here. Canadians are often recognized for their friendly and apologetic nature. On a personal level, I have come to realize that I possess these traits, often giving people numerous opportunities and extending my trust to them. As you may have noticed from the title, I am throwing some maple leaf shade here. I won’t give you much context for privacy reasons, but publishing this poem on January 4th was intentional. If you like this poem, feel free to check out my other poetry musings here. ✨

Thanks for reading! ♡

Thanks for reading! ♡

7th Blogiversary Giveaway Winner! ✨💫  

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𝔸𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕟𝕖𝕣 𝕚𝕤….

….….….

….….….

….….….

ℝ𝕠𝕤𝕖!

https://media.giphy.com/media/CNUb51EbTxuRG/giphy.gif

Congratulations, Rose! I am absolutely delighted to let you know that an email will be coming your way soon.

If you haven’t heard of the incredible blogger, Rose, then you are truly missing out. She blogs about topics such as cosplay, anime, anime reviews as well as all things kawaii. Her blog posts are both informational and entertaining; full of interesting facts and insightful analysis which makes it one of my absolute favorite blogs to read.

♡ Link to Rose’s Blog: https://wretchedanddivine.wordpress.com/

✿ A Quick Note for My Readers ✿

I would like to extend my most sincerest appreciation and gratitude to everyone who participated. Despite the fact that it was somewhat anticipated that the overall turnout of Canadian readers would be low, I am still deeply humbled and pleased by those who took the time to enter the giveaway.

This is my first time organizing a giveaway, and admittedly, I’m still feeling anxious about making sure that the package arrives safely to its destination. I want to ensure everything goes according to plan. Nevertheless, I remain hopeful that everything will work out in the end.

Thanks for reading! ♥

Last Chance to Enter the Giveaway!

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Hey everyone! This is your final and last-minute reminder that the giveaway is closing tomorrow at midnight ET, so don’t forget to enter for a chance to win! I’ll be randomly drawing the name of the lucky winner later this week, so be sure to watch this space. If you need a reminder of the rules, they are listed in detail below ↓ Just click on the link to enter the giveaway and you’re all set!

•✧ GIVEAWAY RULES!! ✧•

1️⃣ This contest is limited to WordPress bloggers only. To qualify, you must have a blog on WordPress and be following this blog. Following me on Twitter (@serene_hilz) is optional.

2️⃣ This contest is limited to Canadians only. If I don’t get enough entries, I’ll include the United States too.

3️⃣ No purchase is necessary to enter or win. I will pay the shipping fee.

4️⃣ You’ll have to be comfortable sharing your email and address with me if you win.

5️⃣ Entries close at midnight ET on May 22. I will announce the winner during the week unless the winner chooses to remain antonymous.

6️⃣ The winner must provide their address via email or text message to claim their prize by June 1. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.

➤ Click here to enter the giveaway

✰ MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOUR ✰

Forever Stuck Leveling Up: A #PikminBloom Review

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Before I begin, I am reposting my original Medium article on the blog. However, this blog post is the most comprehensive and up-to-date version of the article, as I have edited it to reflect some updates. I am not being endorsed or paid to write this review. However, if you are already a Medium subscriber, I might earn a small commission for my Medium article. It might only be a few pennies, but it’s better than earning nothing at all. Here is the link to the original Medium article:

♡ Medium Article: Forever Stuck on Level 42

Since fall of 2021, I have been playing this cute little step-tracking game called Pikmin Bloom. It is very similar to its older cousin, Pokémon GO since both mobile games were developed by Niantic.

I’m not going to explain how this game works, so if you’re interested in learning more, I’ll leave a resourceful link for you here:

👉 https://pikminbloom.com/en/

At one point, there were 60 levels but the game has since been updated to reflect the need for additional levels. In the beginning, the levels are simple and easy to complete, but as you progress in the game, it becomes more difficult with each level. The game is very simplistic and adorable in my opinion, and it has a lot of decent side quests to occupy your time with.

Personally, I am absolutely obsessed with this adorable little game that is available as an app on my phone. My followers on #Twitter are probably annoyed by my tweets and rants about it! This game has become such a big part of me that I have even included it in my Twitter bio 😅 I am indeed a #PikminBloom enthusiast and I am not ashamed.

What Makes This Game so Great?

The Pikmin Bloom mobile app is a spinoff from the Pikmin Bloom video game(s) which I have never played. Sure, leveling up can become a grind, but I think that’s what makes the game exciting to play. Those things that we have to work hardest for are often the most rewarding.

At first sight, this game may appear to be just like any other fitness game but there are hidden depths to it. There are side quests and other challenges which you can complete, helping you stay motivated and engaged with the game for longer. Despite my best efforts, I found myself stuck at level 42 for 8 freaking months!

When I wrote this article, I was struggling to advance to Level 43 because of the number of flowers needed. However, I managed to move on to Level 44, which I am currently stuck on. Unfortunately, I am still having difficulty advancing any further as there is a necessary flower requirement that has proven to be an obstacle in my journey. Ironically, the flower requirement for Level 44 is the same as the one I had for Level 42 😑 This is an ongoing struggle of mine and it is almost laughable at this point.

As you can see, I have let my steps accumulate but I am disengaged with the game itself. I tried doing additional side quests, collecting cool postcards from around the world, and leveling up with team players who I found on #Twitter, but that’s where the fun stops.

I stopped caring about the steps. I stopped putting in the hard work and I have become complacent. At one point, I resorted to my treadmill back when I still cared about steps. Then I quickly learned that there was an additional challenge to this game: You need to plant flowers!! 🌼

𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬?

I’m having a hard time leveling up because it takes too much time and effort to plant more flowers, and the inconveniences outweigh the benefits. I know this is a lame excuse, but please hear me out. Living in Canada is already quite challenging as it is, and here’s why:

🌸 My grass is not that green

I live in Canada, and the grass here is not nearly as green as it is where you are. Rather than being sunny and warm, it’s snowy (and cold!). So why would I want to go out when I could stay inside? It might sound a bit ridiculous, but when it’s below freezing and there’s snow on the ground, the chore of planting virtual flowers in a game is humorous because it doesn’t represent real life.

I would like to see the game’s design reflect the real-time weather conditions in more immersive and realistic ways like it’s done with Flight Simulator. My husband is excited about the future of the Flight Simulator update, so he’s been telling me a lot about it.

🌸 Treadmills are only good for steps

I used to use my treadmill when I first started this game. But then I found out that there was an additional challenge of planting flowers. You can’t plant flowers on a treadmill because the game does not count walking in one spot as square footage for planting. Treadmills are only good for adding to your daily step count.

(っ◔V◔)っ Game Update: After I posted this article, I like to think that the developers listened to me, as now I can plant flowers while on the treadmill. As you can see, I still suck at planting virtual flowers.

🌸 I have limited phone data

I live in Canada where phone plans are expensive for what they are. I have limited data on my phone, and have used up my data trying to plant flowers outdoors. I seem to have a 50% success rate planting flowers at locations with free WiFi but the game eats up my phone battery like it’s a snack.

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥

I am very curious to know if you have played the Pikmin Bloom mobile game. What level are you currently stuck on? Please leave your comment below ↓ and join the conversation!

P.S. You can also connect with me on Twitter (@hellokitty8404), and I encourage you to subscribe to my blog so that you can receive the latest updates from me. Additionally, I am hosting a giveaway for my Canadian readers to celebrate my 7th blogiversary!

➤ Click here to enter the giveaway

You Cannot Pour from an Empty Cup

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Regularly taking the time to look after yourself is absolutely essential for your physical and mental health and well-being. This has been a hot topic of discussion online, however, this does not make it any less important; in fact, it only further demonstrates the critical role self-care now plays in our lives. Don’t ignore the importance of taking a moment out of your day to focus on yourself and prioritize your own health and happiness.

That is why I felt that it was important to re-share my Medium article on the blog. If you use the following link to read this article and you are already a Medium subscriber, I will earn a small commission. It might be only a few pennies but it’s better than earning nothing at all. This article is behind a paywall on Medium but I want to make it available for everyone to read.

♡ Medium Article: You Cannot Pour from an Empty Cup

Photo by David Mao on Unsplash

Taking care of yourself with self-care 🧘🌱

I recently saw this topic appear in my newsfeed and it made me contemplate the meaning, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” This phrase can be used when considering your relationship with yourself and the importance of self-care. As much as I think the word “self-care” is grossly overused, I don’t have a better word for what I am describing here.

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ Taking care of yourself is essential before you can pour your energy into anything else ♥

In order to be there for others, you need to make sure you first take care of yourself. Moreover, when we are not taking care of ourselves, it can be extremely difficult to show up at our best in all areas of our lives, whether it is for ourselves or for others. This is why the expression “you can’t pour from an empty cup” also applies to you as an individual, and not just when discussing how it is important to show up for the people around us. Sometimes you need space to do your own things and focus on yourself, which doesn’t make you selfish.

The importance of self-care

One of the most effective ways to do this is by engaging in self-care on a regular basis. Self-care is defined as any activity that someone does deliberately in order to take care of their mental, emotional, physical health, and overall well-being.

Photo by Ivan Samkov: https://www.pexels.com/photo/

By taking the time to prioritize your well-being and spend time with yourself, you will have the energy and motivation that you need to be present in each of the different areas of your life. Thus, it is important to show up for yourself in every area of your life that is important to you. The following quote resonates with me:

“Self-care is not about self-indulgence, it’s about self-preservation.” — Audrey Lorde

I will tell you one thing many people get wrong about self-care. Self-care should not involve self-indulgence, which entails lavish massages, expensive hair appointments, and other things that require spending a lot of money to temporarily make oneself feel better. On the other hand, self-care is about doing things naturally that will help you to feel good. Spending more time outdoors, exercising, etc. are great ways to look after yourself.

Remember, self-care can be done without having to break the bank. There are a number of ways to make self-care a priority and you don’t need to spend money in order for it to be effective. If you’re in need of some affordable self-care ideas, you might want to check out my hobby blog, www.sereneluna.net, for a few ideas. You can check out my list of affordable self-care ideas here:

♡ Related Blog Post: Affordable Self-Care Ideas

Take It or Leave It

It’s natural to want to be there for your loved ones and friends at all times of the day. However, it often leaves us feeling a lack of balance in our lives which can lead to neglecting our own needs and health. It’s important to take some time for yourself from time to time, so that you can be a better person for the people around you. Moreover, as we all come to rely more and more on ourselves in a world that encourages self-sufficiency, the importance of self-care becomes even more important. We need to have our cups full before we can start achieving the things that we want. Thus, self-care is a fundamental part of our lives.

If you found this article interesting, or even if it just changed your perspective on things, please let me know in the comments below ↓ Your feedback really matters to me.

P.S. You can also connect with me on Twitter (@hellokitty8404) and I encourage you to subscribe to my website at http://www.sereneluna.net so that you can receive the latest updates from me.

Thanks for stopping by! ❤️

Friends No More

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Disclaimer: Friends No More is based on my personal experience with unhealthy friendships that I have had in the past. This poem isn’t directed towards any one person in particular. It’s a reminder of the pain I went through when someone I cared deeply about betrayed me and lied to my face, ultimately leading to our friendship to come to an ugly end. This poem is 100% original, written by me, and it is bullshit-free. If you like this poem, feel free to check out my other poetry musings here. ✨

Thanks for reading! ♡

great-vibes.regular (1)

December Recap | Winter 2022

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I know I said that I wasn’t going to make these diary-style blog posts but I am even less inclined to write anything if I am going to stick with the original plan. So out with the old plan and in with the new plan! And right on time for the New Year.

You can read my blog post about the 6 Most Annoying Types of Blogs, right here.

♡ Related Blog Post: The 6 Most Annoying Types of Blogs

Do I care if this makes me a hypocrite? Maybe. But honestly, who is keeping tabs on me and who cares?! 🤷‍♀️

░J░u░d░g░e░ ░m░e░ ░w░h░e░n░ ░y░o░u░ ░a░r░e░ ░p░e░r░f░e░c░t░.░

(っ◔◡◔)っ Serious Question: Are you familiar with the game, Never Have I ever?

1. Never have I ever written a monthly recap blog post.

I’ve never written a monthly recap before but I think now’s a good time to start. I want to write this post in order to encourage myself and hold myself accountable, but also so others can take something away from what I’m writing.

I am still a little confused about what I am doing with my Medium profile. Traffic has declined a lot but I am still gaining followers. I have currently reached 1,100 followers and it is crazy to me. Whoever is reading my articles, thank you for your support!

In case you haven’t been following me on #Twitter or #Medium, I forgive you. Seriously though, you haven’t been getting updates from me if that’s been the case.

2. Never have I ever had COVID-19 😷

December sure didn’t start out that well for me. I got sick the first week of the month and had to call in for 5 shifts. That’s a lot of work! I ended up getting laryngitis and bronchitis, which resulted in this awful cough that wouldn’t go away. I’m glad I’m finally feeling better, though, and haven’t had a coughing fit in three days now.

One would think that I had been diagnosed with the COVID-19 plague, but I still haven’t been diagnosed with COVUD-19! It annoys me when people incorrectly claim to have had COVID-19 and refuse to get tested by a medical professional. You don’t actually know IF you have it unless you take the test. Honestly, I don’t know how I haven’t gotten it yet but I have a theory that I may have caught it in the earlier days before we had to get tested. Who knows!

Now that I feel better, I will be returning to work this weekend and need to make some money to cover the expenses this month. It’s a relief that I live debt-free and don’t have to live paycheck-to-paycheck, but now I’m trying not to feel overwhelmed by the bills this month.

Other Life Updates

✿ My daughter got her ears pierced. My husband was hesitant about it, but he quickly got over it. I took my six-year old to get her ears pierced on December 26, 2022, which is what we call Boxing Day here in Canada. My daughter’s earrings are the color of her birthstone which happens to be October.

✿ My kids had a lot of appointments this month. With so much to do on a day-to-day basis it can be a struggle to keep track of it all. My calendar is pretty crappy and I am ready for a new one! Looking forward to some new stationary in January 2023.

✿ I had a massage last week, for the first time in years. The last time I had a massage was 2019 before the pandemic happened. Although the massage was quite painful, I felt so much better afterwards. This weekend, I am less achy than usual. I plan on going back for another massage in the new year.

✿ I started using the treadmill again. I was using it religiously during the summer, but then I stopped for some reason, and noticed that I have been maintaining my weight. This does not make me happy because I have 20 pounds to lose and most of it is belly fat. All I want to do is wear cute clothes and feel good about myself. And being skinny fat does not feel good. There is no denying that, and I do want to mention that “every size is beautiful” is an empty statement which does not change my reality. It’s not enough for me to tell myself that I look great when I don’t feel the same way about myself. The most important thing for me right now is getting in shape.

✿ We did not see family this Christmas, and nobody visited us either. My mom is afraid of flying in an airplane, my dad doesn’t like to fly by himself, and my parents fear COVID-19. There is no convincing them to visit us this year as they are worried about their safety. My husband didn’t want to use his vacation days to visit family in Ontario this year because they would all be gone anyways since most of his extended family weren’t going to be there. Our Christmas was very scattered and uncoordinated. We didn’t do much at all.

✿ My ASUS laptop is dying a slow, painful death. I need a new laptop and am at the point where I won’t even turn my laptop on. I have been having issues with my laptop for a while and know that I need a new one but am having a hard time choosing which brand. I currently have an ASUS and I am not interested in getting a MacBook. In case you missed my blog post about my experience with owning a MacBook, you can read about it here:

♡ Related Blog Post: RIP Old Friend 💀❌

My ASUS laptop got me through nursing school.

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥

I have a feeling that this will probably be the last blog post for December. I don’t typically reply to blog posts on days that I am working, and I happen to be working this weekend.

I really appreciate it when readers take the time to read my posts, and I hope that you found them interesting. I know they were pretty straightforward and uneventful, which is why I want to hear from you. What was your December like? Are you enjoying the holidays so far? Feel free to join the conversation below ↓ And if you don’t hear from me, I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year! 🎉🥂

Thanks for stopping by! ❤️

A Tribute to Zoë

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˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ 𝕾𝖊𝖊 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖔𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖔𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗 𝖘𝖎𝖉𝖊 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖗𝖆𝖎𝖓𝖇𝖔𝖜 𝖇𝖗𝖎𝖉𝖌𝖊, 𝖕𝖚𝖕𝖕𝖞 𝖌𝖎𝖗𝖑. 09.25.09 – 09.26.22 ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

♡ Photo taken Summer 2021

I am crying as I write this. My beautiful little pug girl crossed the rainbow bridge last Monday and I’m finding it hard to put into words how I’m feeling. She was not just a dog. She was a friend and a member of the family. My parents grew to like her so much that they kept her after I moved across the country.

Sadly, I didn’t spend that much time living with my dog under the same roof. I went off to university the year after we got her and I lived on campus for the next four years. I would occasionally visit my parents on weekends. Fast forward to the year 2014 when I moved out of the house and moved across the country to a new province. Since then, I saw my dog very little – a couple times a year at most. Every time that I visited her, she had aged even more with grey hairs on her chin. But she was exactly the same, sweet and loving as I always knew.

Then I blinked, and it was her 13th birthday last month. By then her health had greatly deteriorated and I was lucky to spend one final summer with her last year, even though it was only a few days. By Spring 2022, she became completely deaf and was diagnosed with diabetes. Since April of that year, her diabetes had not been well managed since she was severely hyperglycemic and insulin resistant. She seemed old, but it was probably diabetes and not old age that made her decline faster than we had thought. It was just two weeks ago when she was not only deaf, but she was also blind, disoriented, and anxious. My last request to my parents was that they let her live until her 13th birthday, which they honored on September 25, 2022. On September 26th, 2022, she crossed the rainbow bridge. 🌈

It’s a Beautiful Life

Zoë (spelled Zoey according to my dad) had a great life living with my parents and she often spent weekends with my dad on his sailboat. But I knew something was very wrong when she slipped off the dock and fell head-first into the water two days before her 13th birthday. My dad rescued her in time, but she was disoriented and scared. Prior to the incident, my parents tried a new trial medication to preserve her vision, but it was ineffective. When they told me she was having a hard time due to her old age, and that her time was coming to an end, I accepted it because I knew she had lived such a good and fulfilling life. But when the vet put her down last Monday, it was so difficult for me.

Last week, I was going through an intense period of grief and sadness after the sudden loss of my dog. While it is normal to feel this way and many people will identify with what I went through, I am still feeling very sad. However, the only thing that I can do is take things day by day. These are lyrics from a Korean song called Beautiful Day by Crush. It was playing on Spotify during my morning walk, which reminded me of Zoë.

Her Memory Lives On 🐾

My parents want to plant a tree in their yard and I want to put a memorial rock by the red oak tree where Zoë’s spot will be. The painted rock that I have would be great for that. I’ve had this rock for a while now. I got it from one of my friends in the U.S. before the pandemic happened. The plan was for me to hide in Canada, but I couldn’t do it. The game “Hide or Keep” is a lot like Geocaching because it incorporates the thrill of hunting for hidden rocks in various outdoor areas.

I intended to hide this painted rock somewhere on campus, but before I could, the pandemic happened. Also, there was major construction going on, so I was unable to find the time. That being said, I have kept the rock with me all this time, but it’s time for me to pass it on. I think I will place the rock next to the red oak tree in my parents’ front yard. This will become Zoë’s spot.

♡ Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/green-tree-268533/

“If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.” —James Herriot

P.S. This blog post was inspired by Jenny from Jenny in Neverland. To read her beautiful tribute to her dog, Rory, you can check out her heartwarming post here.

Thanks for stopping by! ❤

Don’t Feed The Bears

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(っ◔◡◔)っ Question: Are you familiar with the saying, “Don’t feed the trolls?”

The saying is essentially telling you that the best way to deal with trolls or people who are deliberately trying to provoke or anger you is to ignore them rather than give them a mature response. This means that any time a troll pops up online making inflammatory remarks, you are supposed to ignore them because responding would derail the thread and give them the attention they want. Or so they say.

Image source: https://pixabay.com/

I use a similar saying, “Don’t feed the bears,” which is essentially the same thing as “Don’t feed [or provoke] the trolls.” Seemingly innocent people online can be trolls. Thus, if you let them live rent-free in your head, then you are letting them win. I recently wrote an article where I talked about the concept of letting someone live rent-free in your head you can read more about it here:

♡ Related article: Living Rent-Free

Beware of the Bears

I recently encountered a blogger who took to her personal blog to wish me bad karma. She also left some inflammatory remarks that she later deleted. I, of course, saved screenshots to my phone which I can share if needed but I am not going to do that. I am not going to be the one who ruins the chance for peace in this person’s life. I have never met her personally, but I know that she has left a deep and lasting impression on my heart that is unlikely to heal any time soon. I am probably being overly dramatic, but my feelings are valid and her words cut deep.

♡ Related blog post: Lingering Hope

Your Energy Is Sacred

Learning how to protect your energy, whether it is online or offline, is important for your mental health. Sometimes, the best way to help combat internet drama is to take a step back and find something that will distract you from it. Sometimes, this is as simple as taking a bath or going for a walk, but other times it may be necessary to find new activities that are calming. The last thing you want to do (as tempting as it is) is to interact with those who aren’t respecting your energy.

“You can’t protect your energy, but you can protect your peace.”— Unknown

Should You Have the Last Say?

I advise you to do your best to avoid interactions with negative or argumentative people either online or in the real world as much as possible. Doing so will help you maintain your sanity and keep your energy levels up without becoming too drained and frustrated. Trust me, I know that it is very tempting to try and seek revenge on the person who has wronged you and wants to make your life difficult, but believe me when I say that it isn’t worth your time or energy. Though we cannot go back and change the past, we can always protect our energy now by walking away from people who no longer serve us.

👉 So you might be wondering what to do if you cannot let them go. Well, you could try blocking them.

It might sound harsh, but you could try blocking them on all of your social media accounts. Try to think of it as ripping off a band-aid — it’s going to hurt for a little bit, but you’ll want to get it over and done with as soon as possible. Sometimes, blocking is simply not enough. If you have been as fortunate as I have (sarcasm), then you may have encountered a leader bear and her follower cubs. I bet you didn’t see that coming! The best way to make the mother bear and her cub followers back off is to block them, as they will eventually lose interest and stop trying to contact you.

Hopefully, you realized by now that Mama bear is the troll and her cubs are the loyal followers who will always stand up for her, no matter what.

“We’ll never turn on Mama bear, she’s our best friend!”

Image source: https://pixabay.com/

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥

With the rise of social media, people now have the ability to comment on anything they want. This means that people are able to express their thoughts and feelings publicly and openly. Comments can be hurtful, offensive, or just plain rude. There will always be people who you like more than other people and some of those feelings may not be mutual.

Whether it’s because you are too good or maybe you just rub that person the wrong way, it doesn’t matter. I am giving you the permission to do everything in your power to stop whoever is making your life miserable online. At the end of the day, you are responsible for what kind of space you want to create on the internet. You also have the ability to block anyone who is not respecting your boundaries, even if they refuse to listen to your request for them to stop. Remember, YOU are in control!

On WordPress, I have encountered a few trolls and rude bloggers, but my overall experience on this platform has been mostly positive. Have you ever had to block someone on WordPress? I am curious to know what your experiences were on this platform. Feel free to let me know by joining the conversation and leaving a comment below. I know I haven’t been great at replying lately but I plan on catching up with comments later this week. Thank you for continuing to read my blog posts.

Thanks for stopping by!

🌞Sunshine Blogger Award 10.0🌞

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I want to continue where I left off since uploading the 🌞Sunshine Blogger Award 9.0🌞. Sure, there are several topics that I could be writing about right now, but I want to finish this before I move on to something else. You see, I tend to get hyperfocused and/or fixated on one thing which I feel inclined to finish before I am able to move on. I have always been like this and I don’t really see it as a shortcoming or problem. I checked my drafts yesterday to see if there were any more outstanding Sunshine Blogger Awards (SBAs) but it appears that I am all caught up! That being said, I really wanted to wrap up and retire the SBAs on my blog for good so the 🌞Sunshine Blogger Award 10.0🌞 will be my last one in this series.

Btw, feel free to leave comments in the comment section below ↓ BUT if you say something generic like, “Congratulations” then I’m not going to reply to you. To clarify, this was an open nomination for anyone who wanted to participate, so I basically nominated myself LOL

The Sunshine Blogger Award is per recognition award for bloggers who inspire readers by promoting positivity and bringing joy. Since nobody nominated me for any recent Sunshine Blogger Awards, I did some digging on WP and found an open nomination from a blogger named Beverly who runs a blog called https://becomingtheoilandwine.com. Honestly, this is the first time that I have read her blog so I don’t really know what her blog is about yet. When I have more time, I plan to catch up on her blog posts.

🌞SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD RULES🌞

The Sunshine Blogger Award has rules (surprise, surprise!). These rules ensure the success of this award, providing exposure to all the award winners. The rules are quite simple and straightforward.

RULES FOR AWARD:

  • Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog so others can find them.
  • Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you.
  • Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions 👈 optional
  • Notify the nominees about it by commenting on one of their blog posts 👈 optional
  • List the rules and display a Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post and/or your blog site.

QUESTIONS I WAS ASKED:

1. What is one of your funniest funnest time of the summer? I’m not sure if this is a typo, and even then, this question is confusing. Funnest time of the summer? 🤔 I think the person asking this question meant to say “most fun.” I deal with high functioning depression so I cannot recall the last time I had fun during the summer. If I had to choose something, it would be enjoying refreshing bubble tea on a hot, sunny day! 😎 The husband would agree – this is his drink, not mine!

2. How do you like your ice cream? Plain or Toppings? I think D.W. can answer this question! 🍨

D.W.: Does Muffy have an ice cream machine? If she does, I’m gonna have vanilla with vanilla sprinkles and hot vanilla sauce. Does she have a petting zoo? I wanna pet a whale. I think I’ll pet the whale first, and then I’ll have the vanilla with vanilla sprinkles and vanilla sauce. But if I pet the whale first, my hands might smell fishy, so first, I’ll have the vanilla with the vanilla sprinkles and vanilla sauce, and then… Oh, wait. Whales are mammals, right? I wonder if my hands will smell mammaly.

3. What are your favorite gospel songs? I’ll recognize the songs when I hear them, but otherwise, I don’t know the names of the songs that I like. I don’t keep a playlist of gospel music.

4. Do you like ice skating or riding a bike? I used to be able to do both, but I haven’t ice skated or ridden a bike in over 15 years. I would like to go bike riding again since we live close to a 30-kilometer bike path, but we need nicer weather before I can turn that dream into a reality.

5. What is your favorite food to eat during summertime? How I dream of sunshine and summertime! I look forward to eating watermelon 🍉 and other yummy fruits that are in season during the summer months. Since it is wintertime, you’ll find me eating boring apples, bananas, and oranges. 🍎🍌🍊

6. What is your favorite book to read? I gave up buying (and reading) books in 2020 to save money and I haven’t looked back 😶 If I were to read a book, you would probably find me reading a self-help book or a recipe book from my bookshelf. One of my favorite books is, “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life” by Mark Manson.  

7. What dream place would you enjoy visiting? Lately, I have been daydreaming of visiting the Maldives ever since I watched YouTubers vlog about this dreamy place! 🏝

Photo by Asad Photo Maldives from Pexels

8. Do you have any pets? If so, What kind? I have a Pug named Zoë and she lives in Ontario with my parents. My dad spells her name differently: Zoey. Since I live approx. 2,200 miles away, it is rare if I get to visit my dog. I miss my dog terribly. I blinked and she is now an old lady.

In Spring 2019, my husband and I adopted a rescue cat and I named him Timon, after the Lion King. He is a free-spirited cat who is untrainable, but I love him dearly 🐈‍⬛💕 In Spring 2021, my husband decided to get a bunch of fish so we have not one but three fish aquariums. Two fish aquariums are freshwater and the third fish aquarium is saltwater. I told him that cats and fish do not mix but he wouldn’t listen to me. 🤷‍♀️

9. What does Christ mean to you? This is a tricky question for me to answer because I consider myself to be a very spiritual person and only a little religious. What does “a little religious” mean, exactly? 🤔 It means that I lean towards Christianity and share the same morals and values as a Christian, but I do not actively read the Bible and I go to church because my husband makes me is Catholic. That being said, I find that going to church gives me a sense of calm and peace of mind, in similar ways as guided meditation. In the past, I was more agnostic but have started embracing religion a lot more since I became a mother. I am open to change, but I cannot see myself ever becoming a super religious person.

10. What encourages you to keep writing? I enjoy writing for an audience. Knowing that there are readers who give me the time of day and genuinely care about what I have to say means the world to me. Unlike other forms of social media, blogging gives me a voice. Also, I prefer to share my thoughts with like-minded people instead of keeping these thoughts to myself. I am an open book by nature, so this is a great platform for me to be my true, authentic self! 💖

11. Where is your favorite place to go to for vacation? I cannot remember the last time we took a real vacation, except to visit our families in Ontario last summer. However, I hardly call this a vacation; it is more of an obligation. We took a plane there so I guess this still counts? ✈ Ontario is my home province.

This is a photo of my childhood room. As a teenager and young adult, I had this limiting belief that I would be imprisoned between these four walls for most of my adult life. At the time, I was too scared to venture out on my own. Since moving out, my room has been repainted and my parents’ house is currently being renovated. I wish I could have told my younger self what I know now: The real prison is your mind and your limiting beliefs are keeping you stuck in life.

🌞SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD NOMINEES🌞

Again, I have decided to leave it open to anyone who wants to join in on the fun and I am keeping the same questions as last time. Tag, you’re it!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU:

1. Why did you start blogging?
2. What is the theme of your blog?
3. Is your blog a hobby blog or do you monetize your blog?
4. Are you a vegetarian?
5. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected you?
6. Have you ever tried online dating?
7. Do you have a Nintendo Switch? If yes, what is your favorite game? 🍎🍒🍊🍑🍐
8. Do you play Animal Crossing? If yes, what is your Island’s fruit? 
9. Do you believe in magic?
11. What is your favorite cereal?

And….GO!! I know you have very busy lives outside of the blogging world and I appreciate that you took the time to read this blog post! I look forward to reading your answers if you decide to participate in the Sunshine Blogger Award.

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