Popsugar 2019 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book revolving around a puzzle or game


TW: Fat-shaming, sexual ideology (with teens), breaking & entering, theft



I chose The Impossible Fortress as a Book of the Month selection over two years ago and finally picked it up for the #unreadbotmchallenge I've been referencing since the start of the year. I was excited to delve in. A book about the 80s and video games - it seemed right up my alley. I was hoping I'd have a similar vibe to Ready Player One, which I loved so much. Unfortunately, that wasn't totally the case.


The novel focuses on 14-year old Billy and his group of misfit friends (Alf and Clark), who are attempting any and everything they can in order to get their hands on a copy of the newest edition of Playboy - the one with Vanna White on the cover. In their attempt to get the magazine, Billy meets Mary, a 14-year old computer programming girl who he immediately likes but is too embarrassed to tell his friends, so instead becomes involved in a plan to use her to get what they want. 


So I kind of got it, right? This was historically 80s themed, and really like all of the best high school rom-coms from the 80s and 90s. A groups of guys makes some kind of deal that includes lying to an "unpopular girl" so they can get something out of her or win some bet with their friends, right? Yes, those are problematic - but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy those types of movies. But here's the deal with this book - it's fairly current, released in 2017. It was very obviously problematic when it was written. And it just goes too far. There are almost two whole pages in a row of fat jokes. It's too harsh and too excessive.

Not to mention the way the book wraps up - I can't even complain about it fully without giving major spoilers. But I was so bothered.






The kicker is - the plot is fine. I would've been okay with them picking on the girl because it's the 80s and she's a programmer - computers were for nerds then. I was fine with the fight for the Playboy. And the writing? It was so good. It was enthralling. But I finished the book full of disappointment. I wouldn't recommend.


Goodreads rating: ★★☆☆☆

Popsugar 2019 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book with an item of clothing or accessory on the cover


TW: Gangs, murder, Alzheimer's/dementia, violence



I wasn't totally sure what to expect when I first picked up The Birds That Stay. It sounds a lot like many other crime thriller type novels, but once I dived in, I was really excited for the unique setting - Canada. I don't think I've ever read any other novels with a Canadian setting, so it was a wonderful little change of "scenery" for me, and I really enjoyed getting out of my comfort-zone a little. I will say my biggest takeaway was probably that Canadians really enjoy scotch - just kidding, but really, that's all anyone is drinking in the entire book.


After an old woman is found dead in her garden, suspected homicide, Chief Inspector Roméo Leduc takes on the case. Meanwhile, Marie Russell, a fairly close neighbor, is dealing with the sell of her childhood home and her mother's worsening dementia. Yet her mother's failing memory sparks something that may be a clue in the old women's death. Through a series of intermingled stories, secrets are unburied, and the old women's death may just be the tip of the iceberg.


I enjoyed this book overall, but there were a bit too many characters to try to keep up with. There were chapters from the point-of-view of at least five characters, which was quite the headache trying to keep up with them all. I was often unsure which characters were which and had to flip back to figure it out. Not to mention, the storyline was really broad and the plot was almost overwhelming to try to remember all the little pieces, because it got really deep and stemmed off into bigger and bigger mysteries. There were many characters we only got one or two chapters from and I was left wanting to know more of their specific stories. Granted, this is supposed to be novel number one in a series of "Russell and Leduc" mystery novels, so maybe there's more to come, but more than likely the stories and characters would change with each story in the series. As the area of Quebec they're in is supposedly small, maybe we'd learn more about the same characters or see them again, but that's all speculation.






I will say the writing was strong, the story was appealing, and I was definitely intrigued. I was invested in a couple of the characters, but others fell a little flat for me (because I didn't have enough information for them, I guess). There was one big mystery that was solved, but didn't feel like it quite wrapped up; I don't know if there'll be more on that in the next book, but I felt unfulfilled by that character's "ending" in the novel.


I would recommend this book, but I think the next novel in the series could make or break it.


Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆

















*I received this book free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% my own. 

Dental care seems to always get thrown to the wayside, right? But it's so critical, and over the past couple of years I've been doing more to up the ante. I had a pretty traumatic bike wreck at nine which chipped several teeth and broke one in half. Between nine and 17, I had some temporary work done - a temporary filling, a pulpotomy (basically half a root canal), etc. But it wasn't until a couple of years ago, once I had my own, good insurance did I start really working on my teeth.



I went in for the full root canal on the pulpotomied tooth a couple of years ago, and ended up getting it extracted because it had a few too many issues (from a bike I had almost 20 years ago!). I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed last year (one of which was in my sinus cavity, yikes!). And recently had an implant installed where the extracted pulpotomy tooth had been. I'll have to go back for the crown in several months. And though those big dental procedures were a huge step for me, it's also important to remember day-to-day tooth care, like flossing and brushing.








So I was incredibly excited when SmileBrilliant reached out to partner on this post to talk about their new cariPRO Ultrasonic electronic toothbrush. About a year and a half ago, I partnered with SmileBrilliant to talk about their fantastic whitening kits and my experience with them. So, I basically jumped at the chance to work with them again.









I've been using the toothbrush for about a month, and it's honest to goodness the most effective at-home toothbrush I've ever used. There are five modes: clean, white, massage, gum care, and sensitive. I gave all five a try and clean is my favorite, for sure - it leaves my teeth feeling like I just left the dentist's office. Color me impressed, however, for the past couple of weeks, I've been working on the sensitive setting after getting the implant put in, and that's been working nicely. It's been super gentle on my teeth while still giving me a good clean. My teeth feel so clean! The cariPRO electronic toothbrush whitens teeth, removes plaque and increases gum health, and if you don't love it after 60 days (why wouldn't you?), you can return it for free. Check out more FAQs about SmileBrilliant and the cariPRO electronic toothbrush here.









This is my first experience with an electric toothbrush, as far as I can remember. I've been using pretty standard toothbrushes since I've been an adult. I think I tried one of the type you can just buy at the store with the little round brush head, maybe as a teenager, but I don't feel any kind of remembrance of how well it worked - nothing to write home about, I'd say. But I've really enjoyed this experience with the SmileBrilliant cariPRO Ultrasonic electronic toothbrush so far. My favorite thing is that every 30 seconds, the toothbrush will pause momentarily to have me move between the four quadrants in my mouth - after two minutes, it automatically shuts off. I've always hated brushing my teeth, seriously, but this makes it much easier. I swear, I know this sounds like I'm just talking this toothbrush up, but it's really cool. (Even hubby thinks it's awesome and he hasn't even used it, because obviously we don't share a toothbrush.) Your starter pack includes the toothbrush handle, the charging base, and two premium brush heads.








My nighttime routine has become infinitely easier (granted, it could always be easier - I really need a better skincare routine). I'm a shower-at-night kind of girl, but I only wash my hair twice a week, using a customized Formulate haircare set, so I don't have to worry about styling or drying my hair before bed (I am so low maintenance, I swear). Lately, I've been using coconut oil to remove any eye makeup (I swear my lashes are healthier and longer), then using skincare wipes to cleanse my face, then brushing my teeth. I may use a face mask at that point, and dab some petroleum jelly on my lips before hopping into bed. But the two-minute power mode is fantastic and makes sure I get a full clean in just the right amount of time.











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electric toothbrush reviews


I'm incredibly excited to feel more confident in my smile and my oral hygiene. I don't want to end up with periodontal disease or too many issues with my teeth, because then a whole slew of problems would follow. SmileBrilliant makes me feel good and safe when it comes to my dental health, and I absolutely encourage you to try it, too!













*This post is in partnership with SmileBrilliant. I did not receive monetary compensation for this post, however, I did receive a complimentary cariPRO Ultrasonic electronic toothbrush kit. 

March was a hell of a month for me honestly. I started out the month incredibly sick. I had a presentation for class (while I was sick - I literally did my presentation at the start of class then left). I drove five hours to attend a conference in Mobile. I presented at said conference. Had an interview for a promotion that I didn't get. Not to mention, it was the busiest time of the semester in my office. So yeah - hell of a month. And then, I spent all of April trying to recover.

I say all of that for a reason. One which sparked from a month that was overwhelming, stressful, and non-stop. I'd say a bit of it also sparked from repeatedly watching the trailer for Rocketman, which gave me all the feels and made me love myself more.



I am worthy.



Through a bout of presentations and interviews, I found my confidence. I'm super quirky and a really weird person. I also have pretty bad anxiety. But those things form into the human that is me. We have to remember that we all have worth in this world, and we have to take care to appreciate ourselves and cultivate growth in our beings. Should we change and grow as individuals? Yes, absolutely. We all have things we can improve upon, but that doesn't mean that we change ourselves at the very core of who we are. It's important that we discover our deep passion and love for ourselves, so we can use that passion and love to discover our personal feelings about others, and hopefully work to improve the world as a whole. We have to fight for ourselves and for those who differ from us, and try to do that while staying true to who we are and who we want to be. It's a lot, but it's kind of sparked this idea in me to love myself a little more - and here are seven ways I'm trying to do just that.







1. Realize the ways I am strong in daily/weekly/monthly tasks. I feel weak a lot, mostly because I'm emotional and physical unfit. But I do so many things that take different forms of strength, so I need to remind myself regularly what those things are.



2. Take note of the things I have access to and not take those things for granted. This world we live in makes it so easy to forget our privileges. I want to continue to remember the things I have that make me lucky in life and take time to be grateful for those things.



3. Use my resources to continuously pursue growth as an individual. This growth can be physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, professional, personal, or whatever. But as humans, I believe we should try to be the best versions of ourselves, and sometimes that can be really challenging - that's where growth can play in.







4. Find things I enjoy and do the hell out of those things. Maybe it's reading (hello, me) or kayaking, maybe travelling, or jamming out to music that makes you feel good (haaaave you heard Lizzo?). What that thing (or things) is/are, do the hell out of them, and don't let anyone make you feel bad or guilty about it (unless, you know it's incredibly unethical or just plain wrong...).



5. Don't let society's standards dictate how I feel about myself. I'm overweight/fat/plus-size - whichever term makes you feel most comfortable. But I struggle so much with how I feel about my size because society tells me to, and it brings me down. Take up space and own it. Maybe it's your size society makes you feel bad about, maybe it's the clothes you wear, the color of your hair, or your lack of makeup. Whatever it is, don't let society tell you it's not okay.



6. Wear my heart (and tattoos) on my sleeve unabashedly. I am emotional. I'm a crier. I could be happy, sad, angry, frustrated, what-have-you. I'm going to cry about it. And forever reason, that seems to be a bad thing. But it's not. We're human and we have emotions. Many of us handle them in different ways, and I think that's okay. Maybe I'm not going to go hysterical and pitch a fit, but I may silently cry to let my emotions out in the moment - and seriously, there's nothing wrong with that. I'm not weak. I'm letting my feelings out in the moment so I can move forward.



7. As for the tattoos remark (see point 6) - I love my tattoos and I chose each of them for a reason important to me, so I'm not going to hide them to make others feel more comfortable (also see point 5). I may cover them up because it's cold or on my own terms, but not because a flower on my arm is "offensive" to someone.




These are things I can do to celebrate who I am as a human, and I will try to do these things regularly by staying true to myself and pursuing my growth potential. I will fail sometimes. I will get down on myself. I will lack self-confidence. But I will celebrate me as often as I can.

I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was nine years old. My mom had gestational when she was pregnant with me and the doctor told her it was likely she or I would receive a permanent diagnosis some time down the line. When I was diagnosed, insulin pumps were an option, but not the norm and were too expensive (even with insurance). So for the past almost 20 years, I took at least four insulin injections every day and sometimes more than that. I had to take a shot/injection every time I ate something, if my blood sugar was high (even if I wasn't eating something), and a longer-acting insulin every evening before bed.



Truth be told, after many years I got tired of checking my blood sugar and rarely did so. And carb-counting became a pretty basic skill for me. My diabetes was never fully under-control. In fact, I was in intensive care more times than I remember because I went into DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis). When I went to see my diabetic doctor last summer, he told me that if my diabetes didn't get under better control soon, I'd be on dialysis in the next 10 years. Diabetes is real, y'all. And it's a damn struggle.







My doctor had been urging me to switch to the pump for years, but I was scared. I'd gone so long taking injections and the mere thought of something being lodged into my body 24/7 was absolutely terrified. When he gave me the bad news last summer, I sat in my car and cried. Really sobbed. Then I decided I would have to make the switch to the insulin pump.



The switch was almost anticlimactic in retrospect, but was really scary at the time.



I had to speak with a local representative for the insulin pump company to discuss my insurance options and some personal items (like how often I check my blood sugar and how out of control my blood sugars often were). That part was absolutely nerve-wracking to me. I later received a call (about a week later - insurance had to process first) about how much my insurance would cover and how much I would owe out of pocket. We discussed setting up a payment plan, and I said "okay." A few days later, I had a giant box arrive. I did have to take the day off work to wait for it, because it had to be signed for.



The box included a tote bag, my Medtronic 670G insulin pump, a new glucose meter (for Bluetooth connectivity to the pump), a Guardian CGM (transmitter) and several sets of all the items I needed - infusion sets, reservoirs, sensors. I had no clue what any of it was or what to do with any of it. I called my doctor to figure out what to do, and I had to set up an appointment with the local pump company representative - the trainer (different person than who I discussed insurance options with). We sat up an appointment to meet at my doctor's office, and that day was set up with one other person who was also moving to the pump (but was new to the diabetes world, in general).






The process of learning how to use my pump was terrifying, overwhelming, and not super helpful. That isn't to say I didn't have a great trainer. She was really kind and knowledgeable, however, I was truly just so overwhelmed. I felt like I would never understand how to use the pump and it would be an utter failure and all my time and money would have been wasted. There was a whole slew of terrible thoughts going through my head about the switch.



During the training session, which was about four hours, we set up the pump and began using it immediately. I left the session with the cannula/infusion set and CGM/sensor in place. 



With the pump and sensors I use, I have to change out my infusion site (where the insulin is being delivered) every three days; and I change out the sensor every six to seven days (sometimes it expires a little earlier, which I don't totally know why - it just does). Those first few changes were difficult and exhausting. The sensor wouldn't take and I had to keep changing it out. I was running out of places to insert, and I was wasting sensors. I was devastated.






When I first insert the sensor, it takes two hours to "warm up." After that, it has me check my blood sugar every three to four hours to calibrate for the first 12 hours or so. This has been super frustrating, because I tend to change my site in the evening, which means I don't sleep well those nights because my pump keeps going off. The first night changing my sensor site, I didn't sleep at all and I had to actually call out of work.



Luckily, the 24 hour hotline is typically really helpful and they'll send you replacements if something like that happens. AND there's a new online portal, so I can change out my replacements without having to call in. This does wonders for my introverted soul. The "damaged" sensors must be sent back (they send containers to ship back for free), so money isn't wasted. So, that's always a relief.



I will say, I still have issues with my sensors about once a month or so with them not taking at first. It is frustrating, but my A1C has went from being between 9.0-12.0 for the past five or more years to being a 6.8 for the past nine months or so, so it's been totally worth it for me. 



The switch was really terrifying and it wasn't the smoothest ride. Sometimes the pump can be really annoying, and I tote it around in my bra, so pulling it out at work sometimes can be awkward, but my health has improved and that makes it worthwhile. It can be really overwhelming, but have a good support system in place.


If you have questions - please reach out. I'm more than happy to chat about my experience more and answer any questions I can about how this process was for me. It can be scary, but you can get through it.



I walk every fall with the American Diabetes Association to support the search for a cure, and I've even bought pancreas shaped paraphernalia since my pancreas isn't quite active.


Please consider donating to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation through my team's page for this fall's JDRF One Walk. My goal is to reach $1000 through my team, but any little bit helps. Though the pump has made my life much easier to manage, it's still a really crappy condition to live with, and I'd love your support.