“I was here, I lived, I loved I was here, I did, I’ve done everything that I wanted And it was more than I thought it would be I will leave my mark so everyone will know I was here”
Beyoncé “I Was Here”
Image taken from Pixabay
I listen to the news a lot. I like to stay in the know on what’s going on in the world around me. It’s a habit I picked up from my parents. However, there are times when I’ve had my fill. There’s always a never ending amount of heartbreaking stories in the news, and there’s only so much of those stories I can take. On occasion though, there are times when I come across really funny or heartwarming stories. One that I remember in particular is a story about a pay it forward train in a restaurant. One day, after paying for his own bill, a man paid for the meals of another set of customers, a mother and daughter. The mother never got a chance to know who made the kind gesture, but the mother decided to follow the anonymous kind stranger’s example and pay it forward. The recipients of that mother’s generosity decided to do the same. This continued until the pay it forward gesture had been repeated several times by several customers.
It is part of human nature for us to feel the need to leave some footprints in the sand, something that we will be remembered by. We all want to leave a legacy, and we all have our different ways of accomplishing this. We also have different ideas of how we want to be remembered. Some decide to become world leaders, others try to become celebrities, and there are also those who choose to go the infamous route, committing crimes to gain fame.
Many monuments have always been built in honor of rulers or leaders, and you can find many of their faces on currency. Celebrities get similar treatment, with one example being the Hollywood walk of fame in the U.S. Also, many cities, towns, and streets are often named after famous people. The infamous have many books written about them, and many movies made about their lives to tell their stories.
You don’t have to be famous to make an impact, however. Everyone’s actions leave behind footprints. We all impact each other, and we have the power to choose the type of impression we leave on others. Simple actions are all it takes to leave a mark. A listening ear, a hug, or a simple kind greeting can mean the world to someone. After all, fame doesn’t always lead to happiness, and there are many famous people whose works are lost in history. Fame also doesn’t last forever. Many stars eventually fall into obscurity. Beauty and fame, along with many other things, eventually fade, but a loving heart never does. Kindness is not affected by time, and it is infectious. One kind act can lead to another until it starts a chain like the one from the restaurant. The name of the person who started the chain may never be known and may get lost with time, but their deed, and the effect it had on someone, can live on forever.
I love writing and I run a blog. I’ve gotten good grades through my time in school, especially in college. I’m also a very hard worker. All of these are important facts about me. My most important attribute though is my desire to treat everyone how I would like to be treated. I want to be a person that shows kindness and compassion and spreads them, and that is how I want to be remembered.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
I was nominated!! I’m so grateful!! This award is about celebrating blogs with unique and creative content. To know that there are those who believe my blog fits this description is such an honor! The two bloggers who nominated me for this award are Spence from The Mindberg and KayJ from Unveiling the Mind! Thankyou both so much for the nomination! It means so much to me! Both of these amazing bloggers are wonderful mental health advocates with lots of experience in the field of psychology! They use their expertise to share insight into how the mind works, and tips for dealing with mental health issues! They also share some of their own personal experiences with mental health. Definitely check them out!
About the Versatile Blogger Award
The Versatile Blogger Award is an award by bloggers for fellow bloggers to recognize blogs with unique content. Read more about the Versatile Blogger Award here.
Rules of the Versatile Blogger Award
Write a post about your nomination and display the logo on your site. Thank the person who nominated you in your post, and provide a link to their blog.
Write seven facts about yourself.
Nominate 15 other bloggers for the award.
Seven Facts About Me
I can’t dance…at all! 😂
My favorite colors are pink and blue!
I’m an extreme night a owl!
I’ve never been on any roller coasters. I’m too afraid to try them!
I’m terrible at video games, but I enjoy talking about them and watching others play!
My parents told me I tried to read a newspaper upside down when I was toddler! I was destined to become a blogger! 😂
I can not tolerate spicy food! At all!
My Nominees
And my nominees for this award are below! Give these wonderful bloggers some love guys!
Hi everyone! I’m sorry it’s been a while since I’ve published a post! Things have gotten a bit hectic lately! I haven’t even been able to to interact with my blogging friends on social media lately! I really miss them! For those who have been following my blogging journey, I won’t be away for long! I’ll be back with more inspiration to share once things settle down a little again, so don’t go anywhere! Thanks for all the support and love!
Hello everyone! As you may already know, a New Zealand based book publishing company called Odyssey Books reached out to me recently to help them celebrate their 10 year anniversary! It was such an honor! Learn more about Odyssey Books here. The publishing book company celebrated by putting a collection of books on sale for the month of July (welcome to the first day of August)! If you check their website now you might even be able to catch the end of the sale! In return for writing a blog post for the company about their anniversary sale, I was given one of their new releases of my choosing free of charge! In this post, I will be writing a review of the book I was given. Now the company did not ask for this review, and I am probably a little late with it, but I decided I wanted to do a review anyway. I am not a book blogger, so this post is a little different from my usual posts, but I thought it might be fun to share my thoughts on the book Odyssey Books gave me. This is also my way of thanking the company for collaborating with me. Without any further ado, let’s dive in to the book review!
The book I was given from Odyssey Books publishing company was The Dark Poet by Kathryn Gossow. Here is the description of the book from Odyssey Books’ website:
“Some people are so broken they can only cut us. With poetic dexterity, Aurealis Award finalist Kathryn Gossow interweaves eight short stories of longing and alienation featuring outcasts and the misunderstood. From a homeless storyteller to a gardening soothsayer, to a copy editor who owns a pair of stubborn chickens, readers will come face to face with the humanity of people easily judged by a rigid society. At the heart of these stories is the Dark Poet, a charismatic and broken man leaving a trail of debris as he drifts in and out of people’s lives.”
What I found most interesting about The Dark Poet is its focus on interconnectivity. As stated in the description, The Dark Poet is a collection of interconnected short stories, and in each story there is a common denominator: a character known as the “Dark Poet”. Each story is like a piece of a puzzle, creating a full picture of the “Dark Poet”. In fact, the title of one of the short stories in the book is “The Puzzle Ring”. The author did such a wonderful job weaving all of these independent stories together, creating a beautiful cohesive flow.
Each story in The Dark Poet is also like a piece of a chain. Whatever happens to one part of a chain affects the rest of the chain, and this is the way the events of each of the short stories are connected. There is an age old question that asks “If a tree fell in a forest and no one was there to hear it, does it make a sound?”, and this book seems to answer it. Some of the actions of the characters, particularly the “Dark Poet”, cause a chain of events to occur. All of the characters are affected, some more than others.
The Dark Poet reminded me that we all make an impact on someone else. Just like in the book, anything we do causes a chain of events to happen. Whether we choose to spread positivity or negativity is entirely up to us. All in all, I found The Dark Poet an intriguing book, and would definitely recommend it.
Hello everyone! I’m sure you’ve all heard of Vogue Magazine and Vogue 73 questions! Just in case though, Vogue Magazine is a world-renowned lifestyle magazine, and Vogue 73 questions is a special interview Vogue Magazine does with celebrities. The interview is usually done at the celebrity’s home, and they are asked 73 rapid fire questions! A blogger parody version has been going around, and I’ve been tagged to do one! The four bloggers who me tagged are Francesca from Frantasmagoria, Sunny Larue from Sunny Larue, Katie from I go by Katie, and Melissa Temple from Disabled Disney! Thankyou so much ladies! Fran’s blog focuses on sharing interesting stories and information about true crimes, the paranormal, and conspiracy theories! A very unique blog to be sure! Sunny’s Blog focuses on sharing her experiences with mental illness, more specifically bipolar disorder. Her posts are very heartfelt! Katie’s blog is a lifestyle blog that covers a variety of topics! One theme of her blog is exploration. Exploration is actually why she started blogging in the first place! Writing is not her strength, but she wanted to delve into to the world of blogging anyway! Last but not least, Melissa’s blog is a travel blog with a twist! It combines her love for travel and all things Disney with sharing her experiences as a person with a disability! Another very unique blog! Checkout all of these wonderful blogs, and get to know the bloggers behind them! And now, without further adu, on to the 73 questions!
What’s your usual Starbucks order?
I don’t usually order coffee from Starbucks. I often order food. Generally it would be an egg sandwich, or hashbrowns.
2. What does your workstation look like?
I often use my phone to blog, so my workstation is anywhere I’m comfortable!
3. Favorite food?
Chocolate and anything fruit flavored!
4. Favorite author?
J.K. Rowling, Eric Carl, Dr. Seuss, and Anne Frank. It’s ok that I name more than one right? 😂
5. What do you think of open relationships?
I think it’s not for me!
6. What is your favorite video game?
Hmmm. If I had to pick one, I would say Asura’s Wrath!
7. Guilty pleasure treat?
Chocolate for sure!
8. Favorite movie?
How to Train Your Dragon!
9. Favorite book?
The Bible and the Harry Potter Series!
10. Twitter or Instagram?
Oh definitely twitter! Instagram is starting become a little fun for me, but twitter is king!
11. Desktop or laptop?
Neither! My phone! 😂 Phones are pretty much computers now too! The more mobile the better!
12. Best advice you’ve ever received?
I’ve gotten a lot of good advice, so this is hard! One good piece of advice would be from my mother. She’s always told me to never be ashamed of who I am.
13. What project are you working on right now?
This blog post!
14. Favorite color?
Pink and blue!
15. Did you get good grades in school?
Yes. I’ve always done pretty well in school. It wasn’t easy though!
16. Dream job?
Full time blogger would be nice!
17. Play any sports?
Nope!
18. Do you have a degree?
I do! It wasn’t easy getting it, so I’m very proud!
19. Nationality?
I’m American!
20. What is your favorite kind of blog post?
The ones that tell a story!
21. What do you like to collect?
Books!
22. Describe yourself in three words?
Cheerful, kind, friendly 😃
23. If you were a rapper what would your stage name be?
Lil’ Charli! 😂
24. Who was the last person you DMed?
Mama Robbins, a fellow blogger! 🥰
25. What’s on top of your wish list right now?
Hmmm. Well, I would like to read the Game of Thrones series…so maybe to get those books.
26. Sorting house?
Ravenclaw!
27. How many tattoos do you have?
Zero!
28. What are you most grateful for this year?
I’m grateful for all the new friends I’ve made on my blogging journey!
29. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you this month?
A book publishing company reached out to me to help them celebrate their 10th anniversary! I was so honored! My blog is getting noticed, and I’m really excited about its future!
30. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you today?
Time with family!
31. What’s the best thing ever?
Supportive people around you!
32. Favorite season?
Hmmm. Winter! I can’t handle the summer heat, and spring and fall are too erratic for me!
33. Favorite holiday?
Thanksgiving! It’s a really special time of year for my family!
34. What fictional character do you relate to most?
Hmmm. I would say Hermoine Granger! I love learning about as much as she does!
35. Do you like surprises?
I love surprises!
36. What’s the biggest surprise you’ve ever had?
Hmmm. I’ve had a good few surprises! One was when I first started reading the Harry Potter series. One of my teachers saw me reading the first and second Harry Potter books, and she bought the third and fourth books just so I could read them! She told she will read them too after I finished with them.
37. Which surprise made you cry?
I didn’t cry with my surprise, but I was definitely touched!
38. What’s the best surprise you’ve given somebody else?
I wrote a little something of appreciation for one of my siblings for her birthday. She told me she was very touched, and she tried not to cry when I gave it to her.
39. Do you like muffins?
Yes, I love muffins, particularly banana bread muffins!
40. Do you cook often?
Not really, no!
41. What’s your favorite dessert?
Chocolate flavored treats for sure!
42. Is there a dessert you don’t like?
Any desserts with raisins in them!
43. Cake or pie?
Hmmm. This hard! I think I’ll go with cake!
44. What’s your least favorite food?
Raisins!
45. What’s your favorite condiment?
Ketchup!
46. It’s 4 am on a random Saturday. What are you eating?
Something really light! Maybe cereal!
47. If you could teach a college class what would it be called?
Learn a little something from Charli 101!
48. Best animated film?
I’m a bit biased! My favorite film is How to Train your Dragon, which is an animated film, so that is the best animated film! I’ve just seen Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse though, and that movie is giving How to Train your Dragon a run for its money!
49. What has a guy done or said to impress you?
Sometime ago a cashier lowered the price of an item I was buying. He didn’t do the same for others buying the same item. I didn’t think anything of it! In fact, I didn’t even notice what he did, and that he was trying to impress me, until after I left the store! 😂
50. Best thing to do on a first date?
Give my date my undivided attention!
51. Worst thing to do on a first date?
Do something embarrassing in front of my date!
52. Whats the funniest pick up line a guy/girl could use?
“Are you tired? Because you’ve been running through my mind all day!”
“Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?”
53. Best comic book character?
I have to go with the ever relatable Spider-Man!
54. Name 3 things that can always be found in your purse?
Lip gloss, a little piece of paper to write on, a pen.
55. Favorite drink?
Ginger ale!
56. If you could play a historical character in a movie who would it be?
Hmmm. Can I say Michelle Obama? 😂
57. Kittens or puppies?
Oh gosh, both are so cute!! I’ll have to go with puppies though! I’m very much a dog person!
58. Favorite Sushi roll?
I don’t have one!
59. What lipstick do you use?
I have a red one and another one that’s pink.
60. What foundation do you use?
I have one, but I hardly use it!
61. Blow dry or air dry?
Definitely air dry! I want to protect my hair from heat damage!
62. Who is your fashion icon?
Rihanna!
63. Favorite Disney Character?
Moana! I love many Disney characters though, so that was a little hard!
64. What are you doing tomorrow?
I’m going to work more on my blog!
65. Movie you laughed the hardest through?
Oh there’s a good few of those! One would be Madagascar
66. Movie that made you cry?
There are a couple of these too! One is A Silent Voice
67. If you could sing a duet with anybody who would you choose?
Beyoncé, even though I would just be embarrassing myself singing with her! 😂
68. If your life was a song what would the title be?
“Leaving Behind my Footprints”. I want to make difference in the world, no mater how small the impact might be.
69. What is your favorite animal?
The dog! That animal is called man’s best friend for a reason! They’re amazingly loyal!
Hello everyone! I am not a book blogger, however, I do enjoy reading books. Reading is one of my favorite ways to get some relaxation, as well as some excitement! Ever since I was a small child, I have been an avid reader. I enjoyed getting lost in the pages of a great book for hours on end, and still do. For this reason, I am honored to be collaborating with Odyssey Books to help them celebrate their Anniversary. Odyssey Books is a New Zealand based book publishing company that was created in 2009 by founder Michelle Lovi. This month, Odyssey Books turns 10! As a blogger, I can understand a little bit of the excitement around the success of a growing business, because running a blog is like running a business! You can read more about Odyssey Books publishing company here.
To celebrate this occasion, Odyssey Books has a collection of books that are on sale right now! For the month of July, these books will only cost $0.99! These books can be bought electronically through Apple iBooks, the Amazon Kindle reader, Barnes and Noble Nook, and Google Books, among other electronic book stores. Odyssey generally publishes fiction books, and they seem quite interesting. Here is a description from the company’s website on one their books entitled A Perfect Square by author Isobel Blackthorn:
Odyssey Books
“Across two continents, two sets of mothers and daughters are bound by a dark mystery.
On a winter’s day in the Dandenongs, Victoria, pianist Ginny returns home to stay with her eccentric mother and artist, Harriet. Consumed by disturbing dreams, speculations and remembering, she tries to prise from her mother the truth concerning her father’s disappearance and why, when she was seven, Harriet abducted her. In an effort to distract her daughter’s interrogations, Harriet proposes they collaborate on an exhibition of paintings and songs.
Meanwhile, on the edge of Dartmoor, Judith paints landscapes of the Australian Outback to soothe her troubled mind. Her wayward daughter, Madeleine, has returned home and she’s filled the house with darkness. Her father doesn’t want to know her. Judith wishes he did. When at last she forces the two to meet she breathes a sigh of relief.
Back in Australia, Ginny is poised to fly to England in search of the truth when she receives some earth-shattering news.
A novel brimming with mystery, intrigue, creativity, art and the occult.”
You can take look at other books that are on sale on the Odyssey Book publishing company’s website here.
The company’s motto is “Where Books are an Adventure”. It is true that good books really can be wonderfully fun and adventurous! If you enjoy reading as well, consider taking advantage of Odyssey Books publishing company’s sale! Happy 10th anniversary to Odyssey Books! I wish you continued success!
My thoughts and prayers are with these children and their families. I can’t imagine what the families might be going through. Hoping these children will be found and safely returned to their homes.
Hello everyone! I’m so excited to be collaborating with Faiza Zafar from The iExpress Blog! We are collaborating by writing a guest post for each other’s blog, and my post went live on Faiza’s blog only moments ago! One little piece of information about me that I’ve never mentioned on my blog is that I’m a Black American. Black women have a unique and complicated relationship with our hair. My guest post is about my relationship with my hair. The real focus of this post, however, is a celebration of diversity. The world would be quite a dull place if we all looked the same, wouldn’t you agree? The post is titled “My Hair Journey: How I Fell In Love With My Hair”. Click here to read the post! While you’re visiting Faiza’s blog, take a look at other posts on her wonderful blog too! Her blog gives excellent tips and information on various topics. These topics include, but are not limited to, parenting, business, blogging, travel, and fashion. She also shares her thoughts and information on different social issues. Be sure to check out The iExpress Blog! Thankyou so much for visiting my blog, and for your support! Until next time!
My Dad and I started watching a new show while we ate breakfast yesterday. The show is called Hanna, and it’s an Amazon original. The show takes place in Europe, and it’s about an extraordinary girl named Hanna who is being chased by the CIA. Throughout the show, she tries to figure out why the government wants her, and the truth about who she is. It is definitely an interesting show, and it reminded me of the Netflix original Stranger Things, and a little of the Bourne movie series.
My Dad and I got hooked on the show, and by the time we looked around, we had spent hours watching several episodes. My Dad felt horrible about the amount of time we “wasted”. He doesn’t usually binge on shows. He believes it’s not healthy, and that there are more constructive activities one could be doing with his or her time. After each episode we watched, my Dad kept saying “This is the last one”. I laughed as the next episode came on. Despite his worry about wasting time, my Dad and I definitely enjoyed ourselves as we laughed at some scenes of the show, and jumped and held our breath at others. My Dad said he usually doesn’t get time to enjoy himself like that. He’s always working very hard. Now that summer has rolled around again though, he can relax a little.
Summer officially began on June 21. My Dad was so excited, and talked with me about the plans he had for the family. He was definitely ready for a break! Our relaxation and tv time on Sunday was just the beginning of our Summer fun. When my Dad told me about his concerns on wasting time while we watched Hanna, I told him that it’s not bad to slow down every once in a while. Besides, he deserved it. To be honest though, I also felt a like I was wasting time a little. My talk with my Dad made me think about my blog, and I felt bad spending time way from working on it. I work hard on my blog just about every day. Writing posts is only one part of the journey. A blogger also has to work on promotion and networking, website customization, etc. Needless to say, it’s not easy work (you know what I’m talking about fellow bloggers)! My blog isn’t the only activity that gets this kind of attention from me. I’m this way with just about every task and job I am given. I think I inherited that trait from my Dad! My siblings are always reminding him that it’s ok to take a break from time to time, and they tend to do the same with me! They are right. There’s nothing wrong with dropping everything once in a while to rejuvenate yourself, and I was reminded of this while watching Hanna with my Dad. I told him my thoughts, and he agreed. We were definitely happy for the break!
I don’t have specific plans for the summer, only that I plan on enjoying myself and time with my loved ones! I also definitely plan on getting some relaxation time in too! I hope all of you enjoy your summer as well, and remember to get some rest and relaxation too!
I feel so blessed! I have been awarded a second Liebster Award nomination! This one comes from Shanzay over at Shanzay’s World! Thankyou so much Shanzay! She has an adorable and fun blog that focuses on a variety of topics such as DIY, arts and crafts, current trends, and her personal experiences. Definitely check her blog out!
About the Liebster Award
The Liebster Award is an online award given by bloggers to other bloggers to recognize new upcoming blogs.
Rules of the Liebster Award
Thank the blogger who presented this award and link back to their blog.
Post the award on your blog.
Write 11 random facts about yourself.
Nominate 11 bloggers who you feel deserve this award and who have less than 200 followers.
Answer 11 questions posted by the presenter and ask your nominees 11 questions.
11 facts about me
I enjoy singing.
I’m a horrible cook!
I don’t really do much traveling.
I’m horrible at doing makeup!
I can play a little piano.
I’m from the U.S.
I can speak a little Spanish, and I would like to become fluent.
I wish I could play the guitar.
I love to read!
I’m right handed
I would like to visit Costa Rica one day
Questions from Shanzay
Which fictional character would be the most boring to meet in real life?
Tough question! Most characters I can think of would be fun to meet! I can’t think of any!
What is the best and worst purchases you’ve ever made?
Hmmm. The best purchase would probably be some new clothes to wear in my house recently. They’re so comfortable! The worst purchase would probably be a set of jewelry I bought some time ago. I don’t really wear jewelry very often, but when I saw that set I just really wanted them! Still haven’t worn them yet though!
If you had to change your name, what would your new name be, and why would you choose that name?
If I had to change my name, I would probably change it to Evangeline. It’s such a beautiful name, and I love what means (good news).
What are some things that sound like compliments but are actually insults?
Hmmm. “She’s tough like a man” maybe?
What’s the most useless talent you have?
Another hard question! I can’t think of one! I think all talents are useful though!
What is the longest word you know?
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! 😂
What is the best praise or advice you’ve received?
Hard! I have wonderful people around me who are always lifting me up! I have also met many many wonderful people throughout my life who have been so encouraging! If I have to pick one though, I would say when one of my English teachers read something I wrote and told me he should have had me read it in-front of the class. He liked it that much! That made me so happy!
Which would you prefer — three wishes over five years or one wish right now?
Hmmm. I would probably take one wish right now.
If you could have one wish come true what would it be?
There are so many people who are unhappy and suffering, so I would wish for that to end.
Did you ever keep a New Year’s resolution?
Nope! Most people don’t!
What was the worst present you’ve received?
None! I have loved all of the presents I’ve received so far!
My Nominees
It is an honor to be given a second chance to pass this award to more amazingly by bloggers! Here are my nominees:
Life with Charli 