Fifteen Minutes of Scrawl

Time for some surprising allegiances.  Marissa, Edward is hot...he doesn't need this coaching Also, you two don't HAVE to match outfits Marissa, sorry, I do think the dudes would be perfectly happy talking to Edward about just baseball for the first time they meet Marissa! Maybe try speaking in Spanish and see how "intellectually stimulated" you can make Edward. Like fuck off Wait, wait, Catie's family is in her life? Also, Catie, you told Josh you didn't have a favorite chicken, but there was an evil one who plucked out your favorite chicken's feathers...girl... Josh, your accent is fine Wait, Catie and Josh haven't talked about religion yet? Also, this could just be the edit, but I do not think we've seen Catie talk about religion, being Lutheran, or even God this whole season Catie, I will say that Josh traveling may take longer cause of visa stuff so I get his stress Also, like, yeah, Catie, you may have some issues with traveling because of yo...

We're gonna keep having hot days! Drink iced drinks Plop a cube of ice on your head Drop a cube of ice down your shirt Get paper towels or wash cloths wet and put them around your wrists and neck Purchase a neck fan Put your hair in an up-do Avoid higher levels of buildings (if possible) Eat only cold foods Dress as minimally and breezily as possible Sit in the shade (when able) Jump in the lake (or whatever body of water you have) Take a trip to a cooling center (for Chicagoans, this is the city's map of cooling centers ) Go see a movie in a movie theater for a play at a theatre (these places are always super cold) Take a cold shower For sleeping, get a towel wet with cold water and use it as a blanket (Prompt by Eleanor Pratt) Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash

Because of who I am as a person, I recently thought to challenge myself to write a parody of "Elizabeth Taylor" by Taylor Swift to be about our 12th president, Zachary Taylor .  Zachary Taylor Do you think you're a bygone? The view of your second tomb was on my mind when I heard the this song by Taylor Swift-y Ooh, oftentimes it doesn't feel so enduring to be thee All the right ranks Given they'd sway Voters sans bloc They bolstered away Your campaign Your second tomb was on my mind yet no one will know why Cause your presidency weakly passed by None did notice your term Zachary Taylor Tell me for real Do you think you're a bygone? You were our twelfth prez, but none could name you And you died from too many cherries... Or was it cause you were given poison You're only as known as your impact, baby You were our twelfth prez, but none could name you And you died from too many cherries...ooh Hey, what could you possibly do with the third shortest duration an...

Not too long ago, I saw Toy Story 5 with friends! Here are some thoughts.  As always, the Toy Story  team did a great job I was happy for Jessie to take center stage The legion of Buzz Lightyears was just too funny I genuinely appreciated that, in the end, technology is not the evil initially thought, but rather it's how and why kids use it that makes the difference It was moving how Jessie's first kid named her daughter after Jessie, but that said, I can't think of a toy I'd name my kid after (but perhaps that's because my toys have names like "Tiger Kitty") I was able to predict a few moments in the story, but there were some genuine surprises The non-main toys were all excellent comedic relief I feel like Bonnie and Blaze had way more creative play than I did as a kid (not that I didn't have fun, creative times, but I don't think I constructed like a royal ball where there are spies, one of whom turns out to be the bomb they're trying to fi...

Time for the finale (already)!  So, Joey, is it the most original if it's been done already? A'keria, I'm so sorry I'm sorry, I LOVED A'keria's performance A'keria is having such a rough go and I'm so sorry Jasmine, Dawn's point was that judging on A'keria having made the puppets in the Werk Room is odd...not that judging A'keria at all was odd Also, while I think it may not have been the best strategy to make the puppets in the Werk Room, I could easily see that being a better plan than shipping fully made puppets and having them break in transit--like aren't there limitations on how many pieces of luggage the queens can bring? I would say that Joey should've won some challenges I think the producers should've waited a beat more after Joey said, "Line?" to make the cue for the Ru mail Wait, why couldn't the show get Norvina in person? Um...Silky I did love your streak of lip syncs, but I wouldn't say you're ...

It's nearly here! World Cup trivia Foosball Face paint stations (if need be, assign guests randomly to the two final teams) Bingo cards for things that COULD happen during the match Soccer ball disposable plates etc. Every guest proposes a new rule for the World Cup and guests vote on which is they would add (they will, in good faith, not vote for their own suggestion) Every guest proposes a new kind of break for the World Cup players to take and guests vote on which is their favorite (they will, in good faith, not vote for their own suggestion) Every guest proposes a mascot for the two final teams and guests vote on the best fits for each team (they will, in good faith, not vote for their own suggestions) Serve popular drinks from both of the final two countries Decorate with little flags of the final two countries Teach guests fun phrases and/or slang from the final two countries Play music from the final two countries before the match and/or during hydration breaks Instead of a ...

Time for campfire therapy. Oof Russ...you didn't even try? Shekinah went to wilderness survival boarding school??? Shekinah, the fact that you didn't get hurt makes me suspicious of this story But, to her credit, she is the one who found the supplies Rebecca, yes, animals poop outside Rebecca, you work 12-16 hours a day??? Patrick, you could've said that in a less rude way Sarper, yes you could use your fingers instead of a stick, but when is the last time you all washed your hands? And Thais isn't sure if she could be pregnant I love that Shekinah, Sarper, Jenny, and Sumit are the first to find the camp site Shekinah...were you in a cult? I mean I get that it's unsettling for 2 couples to be so late, but they do have a camera crew with them who definitely have phones so I'm sure they're fine Aha! So Kara, Guillermo, Russ, and Paola have made it Wait, Jenny, I thought you were living with Sumit's money to save money... Sumit took out loans to cover his p...

Not too long ago, I saw  Stop! That! Train!  with a friend! Here are some thoughts. The funniest singular scene had to be when the president is getting an increasingly large stack of briefs and other things as she walks around the Oval Office and is being updated on the increasingly silly list of who has signed on to help But, of course, a highlight for me was also Latrice Royale popping up as Barbara in job after job I also have to give a shoutout to Rachel Bloom whom I love from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend The musical numbers were well recorded and edited, cleverly and hilariously written, and performed with the right mix of skill and silliness But, I do wish Jaida Essence Hall had been cast considering one of the original numbers was called "Look Over There!" which is 100% making use of the success of the catchphrase she started in her original season's political debate episode I think even more Ru girls could've been squeezed in since there were lots of passengers on the...

Well I forgot to take notes on this episode's preview, so we'll all just be surprised! Marissa, your tone is annoying me Marissa, why are you this exasperated all of the time? Marissa and her mom look so close in age Allison calling her dad Shea hits me in a weird way I'm concerned how unconcerned all of these young women are about Shea hitting on them Shea, I get that it may be a bit awkward that Anabelle is going to sleep early, but you don't think it's embarrassing for Anabelle with you flirting so blatantly with women your daughter's age? Also, yeah, Shea, Anabelle is tired! Allison, Anabelle isn't bossing your dad around. She said that she was going to bed...that's kind of it Allison, SEEK THERAPY! You are TOO gleeful at the idea of Anabelle leaving I think Mallorie and Rasit really get each other Brandon, you suck (and possibly only own one outfit) I do love that this team is called the Trash Pandas HA! Rasit learned baseball from Twilight Honestly...

So, if you don't know, the Wedding Shoe Game is a game where the couple sits back to back and trades one shoe so that they each have one of their shoes and one of their spouses shoes. Someone will then read questions (e.g. "Who is more likely to take the dog on a long walk") and both people in the couple will hold up the shoe of the person they think is the answer. It's meant to be silly and lighthearted so no questions should be super deep or serious. Anyways, I have been tasked with leading this game at an upcoming wedding (and I am genuinely so excited), so here I go brainstorming some (you can also read "15 possible questions for the Wedding Shoe Game, brainstorm 1" and "15 possible questions for the Wedding Shoe Game, brainstorm 2" )!  Who, overall, is a pickier eater? Who is harder to buy gifts for? Who is less likely to go to the doctor when something is up? Who is more likely to find a YouTube video to help complete a task instead of askin...

And then there were 7. A'keria is NOT having this I maintain that Joey should've won I mean, I get that Dawn is faking confidence, but I do agree that her story's content wasn't the problem, it was the execution The tension is THICC Incredible product placement This is a super fun mini challenge Jasmine did a very sexy version I did enjoy Joey's more comedic version too though lol Dawn leaned comedic, but Joey was funnier to me I actually really enjoyed Sam's performance because (to me) it felt like she combined comedic and sexy A'keria was so smart in planning her outfit for this challenge--the comedy of it was not lost on me Silky's puppet is still funny to me Hey, I'm all for Jasmine finding Crystal hot, but (IMO) Jasmine was hotter Silky throwing her wig on the camera made me laugh out loud Sam isn't the worst pick for the winner, but I enjoyed Silky's performance the most Dang, when Ru said it would be a rumble, I thought it would be mor...

So, if you don't know, the Wedding Shoe Game is a game where the couple sits back to back and trades one shoe so that they each have one of their shoes and one of their spouses shoes. Someone will then read questions (e.g. "Who is more likely to take the dog on a long walk") and both people in the couple will hold up the shoe of the person they think is the answer. It's meant to be silly and lighthearted so no questions should be super deep or serious. Anyways, I have been tasked with leading this game at an upcoming wedding (and I am genuinely so excited), so here I go brainstorming some (you can also read "15 possible questions for the Wedding Shoe Game, brainstorm 1" )!  Who is more likely to be given a silly nickname by friends that sticks? Who is more likely to get something monogrammed? Who is more easily persuaded by the other to alter their outfit? Who would win the dodgeball game if their teams came down to Dave vs. Kimi? Who would win a game of Twi...

Okay, I've finally started writing the novel that I did some stream of consciousness posts about ( "Stream of consciousness about a novel idea I have, part 1" , "Stream of consciousness about a novel idea I have, part 2" , and "Stream of consciousness about a novel idea I have, part 3" ). Now, I want to keep it unpublished, but I also want credit for working on it (lol). So, with that in mind, I'll do a post like this when I've worked on it for a bit, and you can shoot me a message if you'd like access to the Google doc. NB: While there will be multiple posts in this vein, I will not link them to each other because the text will remain the same, so linking to part 1 from part 2 (etc.) won't yield any new information.  Photo by Bernd 📷 Dittrich on Unsplash

So, if you don't know, the Wedding Shoe Game is a game where the couple sits back to back and trades one shoe so that they each have one of their shoes and one of their spouses shoes. Someone will then read questions (e.g. "Who is more likely to take the dog on a long walk") and both people in the couple will hold up the shoe of the person they think is the answer. It's meant to be silly and lighthearted so no questions should be super deep or serious. Anyways, I have been tasked with leading this game at an upcoming wedding (and I am genuinely so excited), so here I go brainstorming some!  Who is more nervous for this game? Who noticed whom first? Who said "I love you" first? Who is a more creative gift giver? Who is more likely to get a tattoo? Who is more likely to get a speeding ticket? Who would try stand up comedy first? Who will more likely have more opinions when shopping for a home? Who would more likely come up with the name of the family pet? Who ...

Time for intense hiking? Hey, Shekinah, you still did say it--so apologize So, I do appreciate that Kara is like "It sucks that you have to deal with this, Guillermo" That said, don't encourage Guillermo to fight Sarper This kiss-off is weird Thais, you do know that sexually chemistry is different than lifelong compatibility, yes? I think Kara and Guillermo not hooking up is probably for the best Oops Thais is sick (pregnant?) Ah a mysterious missions for the couples So, Patrick, a quick Google search says the UK does not have bears Hey, y'all, you do see the camping supplies, yes? Like it's pretty obvious you're gonna be camping I love how much Russ is like, "We're the dream team" Paola is right, Girl Scout cookies are WAY better than Boy Scout popcorn Shekinah is right that Jenny will probably struggle the most (even Sumit agrees) Shekinah, Thais didn't touch you and people aren't going to ask how you are until you apologize to Thais Gu...

I was lucky enough to see  LOKI-The End of the World Tour  with music and lyrics by George Howe, book by Christina Calvit, and developed with and directed by Heather Currie at Lifeline Theatre. Here are some thoughts.  I felt that, overall, this was a super fun idea that was executed well in an intimate theatre The biggest drawback of the small space was probably that it was difficult for the sound mixing to get just right, so sometimes I couldn't make out what lyrics were being sung (that said, I have also had this issue in other theatres, so perhaps it's not just a space issue) I also wonder if some of the songs could be made shorter (it's totally possible that some songs could be cut entirely, but all of the songs did overall feel justified to me in their purpose either for plot or for flow) so that they are a bit punchier and so that the play is overall shorter My favorite character was probably, predictably, Loki--who is the star of the show, has clear emotional issu...

Time for some blow ups? It is pretty funny to watch Edward and Marissa hate the industrial NJ smells Marissa, there are better ways to talk to this man Marissa, this is still a pretty nice apartment (especially for NYC) Edward, I'm less on your side now Aha Mallorie and Rasit got a bidet attachment Mallorie and Rasit need to learn how to talk about money productively Thomas, I can believe Paula may need to apologize, but you definitely need to  Living in a hotel for a week is different than moving across the world to a man who did not prepare for her Paula shouldn't have to beg for Thomas to realize she has needs Catie, you did choose to invite Ryan...like that was your choice Catie, you are crossing people's boundaries Catie...it is your crossing of boundaries that causes people to distance themselves from each other So...what do Ashia and Maxwell like about each other? Hey, Shea, why didn't you get rid of this stuff before Anabelle came? Anabelle, going home is a good...

I was lucky enough to see Untitled Vampire Play w ritten by Kevin Douglas and directed by Devon de Mayo at Lookingglass Theatre. Here are some thoughts. Overall, I really enjoyed this production! I was especially impressed with the bat sounds as it really did sound like bats flying through through the theatre in a natural, scattered way Gotta love that it was set in Chicago I got nervous about actors appearing directly behind me during the production when it was announced that actors would move throughout the audience, which did happen, but luckily I noticed without being super startled (that said, I was impressed with how silently the actor had moved) While none of the costuming was elaborate, I did think it was all thoughtful and effective I know it was just a slight of hand thing, but I was genuinely impressed each time a vampire "caught" a crossbow bolt The set, while simple in appearance overall, was well done in terms of utilizing the space and clearly took a lot of pla...

Time to find out who the final queen in the semifinals is! I think it would've been funnier if Michelle is bald and Ru is wearing a Michelle wig Dawn and A'keria look awesome! Side note, let me see more of their runway Crystal's look is great! Silky's fascinator is my favorite part of her look Kennedy looks divine Jasmine is stunning I also enjoy Sam's belt look Joey looks so great and I am genuinely excited to see her, but it is wild that there are 4 queens from bracket three Oooh this could be a fun twist Wait why can't A'keria even acknowledge Silky??? I do enjoy this scheming A'keria...you know stand up is not (usually) "Knock, Knock" jokes, yes? Lol Jasmine is just lying The queens are pretty funny Okay, to be fair to Crystal, everyone else was initially given a prompt Lol the Tina Burner wig Hrm well I'd obviously need to see the full back and forth between A'keria and Silky, but I am inclined to say that, from what Silky said, it...

As I mentioned in my post "15 things I might want to get for my new condo (if it works out)," I may decide to have the theme of one of my new bathrooms be anglerfish. If I do do that, here are 15 pieces of anglerfish décor I'd consider buying.  Angler Fish Lamp Anglerfish Cabinet Pulls Small Crochet Angler Fish Trophy on a Plaque Anglerfish Ring Dish Anglerfish Air Plant Holder Anglerfish Hanging Wall Art Angler Fish Phone Holder (Purple) Angler Fish Devil fish Suncatcher Stained Glass Angler fish Head Wall Lamp (unsure which color) Hand-Sculpted Angler Fish Sculpture (Otis) Miniature Anglerfish Oil Painting 3D Printed Articulated Fish Trophy (Purple/Black Glitter, Anglerfish & Plaque) Cute Wooden Anglerfish Decor Clip (purple) Blown Glass Angler Fish Ornament Angler Fish Signed Print (Prompt by me) "Anglerfish" by Holly . Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic .

Time for a bar brawl?  Guillermo, I get that the situation sucks, but Kara seems to be wanting to provide for your son Sumit is kinda into Pao? I'm sure Shekinah had Sarper undergo STI testing Gah Russ and Pao are so awkward And we're going after Sarper's ear size again Zied, did you sincerely ask what flirting meant? It is telling that Sarper apologizes to Zied and not Rebecca Zied is giving VIBES As is Sarper Rebecca, Sarper has flaws, but it seems like he did give Zied his moment Okay, this time, I think Sarper should've apologized to Zied for takin ghis moment But, yes, Rebecca, Sarper should've apologized for the "Boot Laugh" Seems like Sarper is trying? I am kinda amused that Sarper is dancing for Jenny with Shekinah's approval Aw are Kara and Guillermo going to kiss? That hand kiss meant so much to Kara Shekinah, is Patrick the MOST SUPERFICIAL man you've ever met? Really? So, Shekinah, you don't have to like Patrick, but I don't qui...

I am far from an expert, but here are some tips I have from my experience (which did include a total of bids on 5 places and 3 accepted bids). Work with folks you trust (for me, this meant getting personal recommendations, but for you it might mean reading reviews) Don't be afraid to ask those trusted folks for their opinions (as a newbie to this process, I made sure to ask questions, even if they were perhaps silly) Try to determine what are your musts, what you can wiggle on, and what are just bonuses (e.g. a must for me was two bedrooms, I could wiggle if there wasn't a bathtub, but I could install one, and outdoor space was a bonus) Part of this is figuring out how much home renovation excites you vs. burdens you (I find the general idea of major renovations stressful, but some people find it exciting--if this is you, you will have way more options) Additionally, there are some less checklist-y things to consider like  Before determining a rough budget, take a look at what ...