I LOVE the 90's

I was born in 1987 and am proud of having the opportunity to grow up in the colorful, baggy, carefree 90's. I think everyone can think back to a time in their childhood where they can remember the music, fashion, trends, entertainment, and toys of their time and cherish those fond memories. It brings a warm, fuzzy feeling being able to mentally and somewhat emotionally travel back in time when life was somewhat carefree and simplistic. Each generation feels that their childhood culture was unique and the best, which I think is normal and human! SO of course...I am a little biased in my thinking that the 90's was SOOO the best lol.

Athough a part of me feels saddened when I look to the younger generations after my "time bubble." When technology was introduced, it seemed to take away the innocence and natural communication/ delayed gratification of childhood. Technology is not all bad (obviously, I'm using it right now lol), but for children growing up and learning the ways of the world...it tends to hinder the human connection/experience. It seems several kids today grow up not understanding how to communicate with or have compassion for other human beings. It is up to the older generations to instill those values into the future because these are the people that will be taking care of us someday.

Anyways, let me get off my soap box lol...I found some interesting websites for people out there that are a part of my generation that would love to take a trip down memory lane! If you have any more just let me know!! Enjoy!

http://nineteenninetyschild.tumblr.com/
http://things90skidsrealize.com/
http://www.vh1.com/shows/i_love_the_90s/series.jhtml (I <3 the 90s VH1)
http://childrenofthenineties.blogspot.com/
http://top20090s.blogspot.com/ (Top 200 90s songs)
http://www.inthe90s.com/
http://www.kidzworld.com/article/4632-90s-fashion-trends
http://www.hulu.com/watch/205428/portlandia-i-dream-of-the-90s (Portlandia Music Video)
http://www.collegehumor.com/article/6553236/25-things-from-the-90s-we-hope-never-come-back
http://90sareallthat.teennick.com/ (Teen Nick's "The 90s Are All That")
http://www.buzzfeed.com/melismashable/25-ways-to-tell-youre-a-kid-of-the-9
http://www.90schild.com/ (T-Shirts)
http://www.90sxchange.com/ (some 90s info)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrYRH3PYYT0 (If FACEBOOK were invented in the 90s..so true)
http://8tracks.com/tootsiekelsey101/90s-music-childhood-favorites (90s music radio)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJCQ-uKyQuE (This is a good video and the videos on the right side are good resources as well)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_'90s_Are_All_That (more info on "The 90s Are All That")
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/90s-toys (90s toys)
http://www.complex.com/style/2011/09/the-90-greatest-90s-fashion-trends#1 (90 Fashion Trends of the 90s)
www.retrojunk.com
http://thoughtcatalog.com/2011/10-things-90s-kids-will-have-to-explain-to-their-children/
http://message.snopes.com/showthread.php?t=4992
http://www.collegehumor.com/article/6043763/9-things-us-90s-kids-realize-now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWoeVZNjMAI&feature=related (Shit 90s Kids Say)
http://www.20sb.net/group/90skids
http://iwasa90skid.blogspot.com/

Photos of ME in the 90s:

The Most Epic Proposal Ever!

I was checking my facebook this morning when I came across a video uploaded by my friend, Corey, that truly astounded me! He had uploaded a video of someone proposing to their girlfiend in an epic way! I showed my husband and he could not believe the amount of work this guy had gone to in order to propose and he was just astonished as I was. It really shows a lot of love and was very inspirational :) Enjoy!

Richie Tankersley Cusick

As you know, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays! "Trick or Treat" seemed like it would be a perfect book in capturing the essence of Halloween. Don't let the title fool you..the events of the book do involve Halloween, but it is more of a murder mystery type of plot. It definitely was a page turner for me!

It centers around a girl named Martha who moves from Chicago to a new town, trying to adjust to a stepmother, stepbrother, and new house. BUT she is having a hard time adjusting because she thinks the house is haunted and someone is watching her....wanting to kill her! Like I said, very good book...you will be constantly putting blame on people until you finally find out who it is!

I think Richie Tankersley Cusick is a good author and I would be interested in reading other books he has written.

Dead Connection

Just got done reading this book. It definitely was not what I expected. It was a murder mystery taken from the perspective of 6 people. The boy in the book was kind of a clairovoyant who could communicate with the deceased and considered a few as family since his mother was not involved. He befriends the caretaker, Jenochek, and his daughter, Pearl, and their friendship takes them on an adventure to find out..."What happened to Nikki Parker?" All the while a police officer, Gates, is working on the Nikki Parker case with the help of guy who has schizophrenia, Robert, who witnessed the incident before the disappearance of Nikki Parker. Another officer, Billup, has a bad drinking problem which causes him to black out and do inappropriate things.

Out of 5 stars I would probably give it 3 or 4. It was not the best book I've ever read because I felt, in some places, the plot was drawn out, but it was pretty good. It did capture my attention and make me wonder who was involved with the disappearance of Nikki Parker? You'll just have to read the book and find out....

BTW, Charlie Price wrote this book and it is his first book.

Dirty Secret

Many people watch the show, "Hoarding: Buried Alive," on TLC. They get the rare opportunity to see the secret life of people who live in filth, junk, and trash buried practically to the ceiling. I know that way of life not only from watching the show, but living it myself for 15 years.

My mother began hoarding when I was 2 1/2 years old and my brother was just recently born. I could remember the house being spotless. You could practically eat off the floors because she cleaned almost every day, but after my brother's birth and suffering some marital turmoil..it was as if my mother snapped and became this different person. As time progressed, things began to pile up and she had a hard time parting with them. The floor was filthy and the house was a wreck. We were never allowed to have friends over for fear their parents would call CPS if they found out. When we moved out of the trailer park and into a double wide in the country...it only got worse. We were trying to sort through stuff from the move to see what could be thrown away and my nana found bills from 1993 and magazines from 1993-1995 (it was 2001). Mom freaked and went through the trash bag to get them out. It was hard to understand her madness. She would break out the wooden spoon when we tried to wash dishes because she felt it was important to bleach plastic containers. The inside of her cabinets were immaculate, but outside of the cabinets (the house) was a train wreck. It was like her way of showing us how she was feeling on the inside. It was hard to handle and got pretty overwhelming sometime. My closest friends knew and had seen the mess. They were amazed! They had never seen anything like it before. I was so embarrassed because I didn't want them to think I was like that or my mom was crazy. In fact, my room was the cleanist room in the house. I always made sure to keep it spotless UNTIL I moved to college. She got into it and began piling her junk in there.

From the outside, you would never guess my mother was a hoarder. She wears clean clothes, has nice jewelry, wears makeup, has her hair done just right, and smells good, but it has always been her secret...her secret life. Only people who are close to her know or understand. Mom has been a hoarder for 22 years and counting...

She came across a book that she really wanted me to read. It is called " Dirty Secret" by Jessie Sholl. Jessie's mother is a hoarder, too, and it gives the reader a glimpse into the world of hoarding and how the consequences affect a hoarder's child. I am SO glad that she shared her story and I would recommend the book to anyone because it sheds some light on what seems like a growing epidemic.

The Wonderful World of Bradbury

Ray Bradbury is a man filled with brillance and bursting with imagination. I have often admired his writing style because he understands how to instill magic into the hearts of his  readers.                                                                                           

Holidays were close to feeling that real magic. Fall took on another meaning for me in October because I knew that Halloween was right around the corner and to this day I still look upon the holiday like a child about to open an amazing Christmas present. Halloween has always been my favorite holiday because it brings colorful changing leaves, the change in the climate from warm to cool where jackets come out from their hiding spaces, the smell of pumpkin and leaves burning, Halloween specials on the television, fun, ghoulish festivities, and one night where you get to become someone else. I enjoy the thrill of being scared at haunted houses and from a young age have been interested in the macabre. Horror stories were something I always enjoyed reading and I could not wait to have the opportunity to see All Hallow's Eve strewn through movies, advertisements, commercials, and numerous products.

Ray Bradbury understood this feeling and had a knack for incorporating this theme throughout a few of his books that I always will cherish.

My favorite book is and always will be: "The Halloween Tree." It is something I will hold near and dear to my heart for years to come. I hope to pass the same passion of reading down to my future children so they can see what a fun and inspiring world it can create for them.

Here are some of the books I enjoy of Bradbury's and I hope you will, too:

                                         

My stories run up and bite me on the leg - I respond by writing down everything that goes on during the bite. When I finish, the idea lets go and runs off. -Ray Bradbury

             

What Is Eternal Life?

I thought I would transfer a blog entry I wrote back on August 1, 2010, that I have always
found inspiratonal:

What is eternal life? It is an age old question that many human beings ask themselves and wonder every day. Many people imagine eternal life in Heaven as laying around on clouds all day, playing a beautifully constructed harp, and looking like a little cherub with wings. Eternal life in Hell is construed as a place that you fall into where you burn and are tortured for all of eternity. Eternity is never-ending so it is important to know when you leave your temporary home to face your final destination which realm you will spend your eternal life. Is it Heaven or Hell? I have been reading a book named "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper and he has definitely inspired me on this topic. In this world love is definitely distorted. Loving someone is how you can bring their self-esteem up or how you can make them feel better. Basically what someone can do for you.The love of God is definitely bigger, different, and more than that. He loved this world so much that he did not want the human nature to lead people to Hell when they died so He knew He had to do something. The only thing he could do is send His son, Jesus Christ (half mortal-half immortal), to the Earth to die for the sins of man. He took the burdens on himself when He was blameless and perfect. Poor Jesus did not do a thing wrong but he still had to endure so much punishment and pain that it was sickening. Had He not...we would die and go to Hell. God sent Jesus to die for us so that He might bring the nation to God-Himself. This is love...TRUE LOVE.
Excerpt from the book:
"But what is eternal life? Is it eternal self-esteem? Is it a Heaven full of mirrors? Or snowboards, or golf links, or black-eyed virgins? No. Jesus tells us exactly what He meant: "And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (John17:3) What is eternal life? It is to know God and his Son, Jesus Christ. No thing can satisfy the soul. The soul was made to stand in awe of a Person-the only person worthy of awe. All heroes are shadows of Christ. We love to admire their excellence. How much more will we be satisfied by the one Person who conceived all excellence and embodies all skill, all talent, all strength, and brillance and savvy and goodness. God loves us by liberating us from the bondage of self so that we can enjoy knowing and admiring Him forever." --("Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper Pg. 35-36)
So, eternal life is knowing and being with God in Heaven. That's what it is all about! He satisfies every single nook and cranny of your being/ soul. Eternal life in Hell is not knowing God and being separated from Him. Because a life without God is definitely Hell in itself. It's like dying of thrist and your so close to the drinking hole but it's always just out of your reach. Your never able to quench your thirst for all of eternity. Very sad and definitely torture!