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Thanksgiving is known for a number of things. The turkey, the parades, Black Friday. But Thanksgiving is also known for its ability to bring family members together. Many family member differ on their opinions on politics, relationships, and priorities. This can lead to awkward and sometimes heated discussions at the dinner table. If you have relatives who you know will cause an issue with their dinnertime discussions, try one of these four games during dinner to make everyone happy! GUESS THE THANKFUL COMMENT I don't know about you, but it is tradition in my family to go around the dinner table and announce what you are thankful for. Instead of doing this the traditional way, have your family members write down what they are thankful for (NO POLITICAL COMMENTS ALLOWED). Once they are done, but all of the notes into a hat and pass it around the dinner table. The drawer will then have to guess who said what! A THANKSGIVING TRIVIA GAME Trivia is always fun, especially if you have prizes for the winners. There is an easy-to-use website called Kahoot where you can make your own custom trivia games or even choose from some that others have made. You can sign up and make trivia games for free! You can make your trivia questions about the history of Thanksgiving, about your family members, or a combination of both! Your family, if you use Kahoot, can use their smart phone's web browser to play. A TABLE SCAVENGER HUNT
"WHO KILLED THE TURKEY?" MURDER MYSTERY Halloween may be over, but you can always turn your Thanksgiving Dinner table into a murder scene. The victim: the turkey! Give out cards that say "innocent" and one or more that say "guilty" and give everyone their own persona. Your guests must spend the evening questioning one another about who they are and what their relation to the turkey is. Who would have a reason to kill the turkey? Have fun with it! CONCLUSIONI hope that one or more of these games will help keep your family dinner fun and care-free this year. Do you have any game ideas? Drop them below!
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It's almost Halloween, which means you have to "creep it real" this weekend and have some great Halloween fun. Please be advised that all of the images in this blogs are screenshots I have taken for the blog! So, for today's Blogtober post, I will be listing a few of my favorite "scary" Netflix shows that I strongly recommend you check out: MANIAC I wanted to put this at the top of the list because 1) it is a newer show than the others and 2) it is only on Netflix for a limited time. This show features actress Emma Stone and actor Jonah Hill, but in a way you've never seen them. This Netflix original show features the two comedic actors playing serious roles. Hill's character Owen suffers from psychosis and Stone's character Annie is addicted to a drug that isn't even available the streets. They both meet at a trail for the drug Annie is addicted to. She claims she only feels happiness when she is on the drug. There is only one season of this show on Netflix "for a limited time." SUPERNATURALIf you're into creepy creatures and forces beyond your control, you should check out Supernatural. This long-running TV series follows brothers Sam and Dean as they travel around the country searching for their father, who is after the demon who killed their mother and Sam's girlfriend.  There are 13 seasons packed with tons of episodes for you to watch, so you'll likely need a few weeks to get through them all! However, you'll be happy you took the time to watch this show! DROP DEAD DIVAThis one isn't scary, but is rather kind of creepy when you get to the bottom of it. This show follows Deb, a beautiful and rather ditsy model who wrecks and dies on her way to a tryout. Jane, a successful lawyer, is killed after an angry client finds out the the firm's partner slept with his wife.  Deb also dies and goes to heaven, but she hits the return button and comes back in Jane's body. She then has to live in Jane's body and try not to give away who she is to the people around her. There are six seasons of Drop Dead Diva on Netflix, and they are so good! Check them out for a funny yet somewhat creepy show this season. THE WALKING DEAD What kind of Halloween-themed TV show list wouldn't include The Walking Dead? This TV series follows Rick, a police officer who finds himself recuperating in a hospital after a gun shot wound. He wakes up to find his town is now infested with zombies. He spends the series trying to find his family and trying to survive the harsh zombie land he and the rest of the world has found itself in. There are currently eight seasons of The Walking Dead available on Netflix. ONCE UPON A TIMEFairytales, evil witches, dark magic. What else would make for a better show to binge this Halloween? Once follows the story of Emma Swan, a woman who finds herself in Storybrooke, Maine.  She quickly finds that she is actually living in a town full of storybook characters like Snow White, Prince Charming, Belle, and even Little Red Riding Hood. But the townspeople are cursed by the Evil Queen and must fight against her dark magic and the dark magic of others that are coming after them. There are currently seven seasons of Once Upon a Time on Netflix! PRETTY LITTLE LIARSTheir frenemy Allison has disappeared, and they are being haunted by a menacing evil-doer who signs their messages "A."  Four girls quickly find it difficult to cover up their secretive pasts, deal with blackmail from A, and navigate their stressful and eventful lives. For a tale that is full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing who A could possibly be and what you will learn about the girls next, check out Pretty Little Liars. There are currently seven seasons of Pretty Little Liars on Netflix. IZOMBIEIf you're a fan of crime shows and zombies, this is -- for lack of better words -- the love child of those two genres.  In iZombie, Liv is a young woman who finds herself at a boat party. Things quickly turn ugly and many people are killed, but Liv is somehow alive. She later finds that she is a zombie. She uses her zombie powers, which allow her to harness pieces of a case when she eats...urrr...pieces of the victim. This helps her solve several cases while also looking into what exactly happened to her that night on the boat. There are currently four seasons of iZombie on Netflix! CONCLUSIONThose are the seven Netflix shows I really hope you check out this weekend when you're furthering yourself into your spooky settings before Halloween arrives. I hope you enjoyed this list. If you have any other ideas about what I or any other reader should check out this weekend on Netflix, leave them below. Thanks for reading! LEGAL: Reproduction for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship or research is not copyright infringement. Other photos are from Pixabay.com, a creative commons website that requires no attribution for photos.
Halloween is rapidly approaching. As I was brainstorming ideas for Blog-tober, I thought that it would be a unique idea to take some Halloween personality and trivia quizzes and share with you my results. If you want to take these quizzes for yourself, just click the heading and they will open in a separate tab or page. If you'd like, I'd love to hear your results, so leave a comment with your results, or Tweet me! Without further ado, let's get into these quizzes and results! TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF SCARY POP CULTURE
I'm sad that I did so poorly on this one. Turns out, I don't know as much about scary pop culture as I thought I did. How did you do? WHAT SHOULD YOU BE FOR HALLOWEEN?
According to this quiz, I should dress up as an "Adult Beef Taco." The revelation of this result was followed by "You believe a well balanced-diet involves having a taco in each hand, so just go ahead and dress up like one!" I can't argue with it there! WHICH HALLOWEEN CREATURE ARE YOU?
It says "for you, nothing beats hanging around..." OK... "You're also loud, strong, and have an excellent sense of hearing. You come off as annoying from time to time, but that's only because you don't like being alone." Awww, I'm annoying? WHICH CLASSIC HORROR MOVIE VILLAIN ARE YOU?
who was burned alive by vengeful parents after he murdered children. Death doesn't let Freddy stop him from exacting his revenge on the people of the town and he uses sleep to get into children's heads to kill them. On top of being determined, you're pretty creative and always find the most interesting ways to solve your problems." I knew I was creative, but I never imagined it would link me to a murderer! WHICH HALLOWEEN PARTY STEREOTYPE ARE YOU?
WHICH DISNEY VILLAIN ARE YOU?
LEGAL: All photos are my own or taken from Pixabay, a creative commons website that requires no attribution for photo use.
I haven't had the pleasure of having my own children just yet, but I know that many parents struggle around Halloween to find activities to do with their children that aren't inappropriate for their age. After all, Halloween is all about the scares, gore, and spooky creatures. I could totally understand why this would scare a child. So, as a huge fan of movies, I always think a movie night is the perfect way to get into the Halloween spirit. However, watching kid cartoons can be rather boring for you. To make it easier for my readers who are parents, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite Halloween movies that are kid- and adult-friendly as well as provide a list of movies that I think could work. You can find that list at the bottom of the page! Let's get started!  GOOSEBUMPS (2015)I'm a bit biased, but I love Jack Black! When Goosebumps came out in 2015, I had to get to the theater to see it. As an adult, I really enjoyed the movie. I also think that children will also enjoy this movie. It isn't too spooky and has a great twist waiting for you at the end!  PLOT: Zach Cooper has just moved from his big city lifestyle to a small town where his mother will be the principal at his new school. He meets Hannah, his neighbor. Zach becomes fearful for Hannah's safety as he notices that her father is very strict about her leaving the home. After hearing a ton of scary sounds, Zach breaks into Hannah's house and finds original copies of R.L. Stine's "Goosebumps" series. But when they open the book to check it out, they unleash Stine's imaginative monsters. Will they return the masters to their books? Watch to find out! THE HAUNTED MANSION (2003)Eddie Murphy provides so much comic relief in The Haunted Mansion that you'll forget that its even supposed to be spooky!  PLOT: Jim Evers is a real estate agent looking to make the big bucks. He decides to take his wife Sara and kids out for a vacation. But, because of his workaholic nature, he stops by a creepy mansion he had gotten a call about earlier. Sara goes missing and Jim quickly learns that the creaks in the floor boards aren't the house settling, but are rather the hundreds of ghosts haunting the mansion. He and his kids go on a quest to find his wife and save the ghosts of Gracey Manor! COCO (2017)If you're looking for a cute animated film, Coco is one of my favorite. It really captures Latin culture and Dia de Los Muertos, which I don't believe was actually highlighted in a film like this before.
CASPER (1995)This one is certainly a throwback, but Casper is such a great kid-friendly Halloween movie. I mean, he is Casper the FRIENDLY ghost after all!
HOCUS POCUS (1993)This Disney film has become near synonymous with Halloween, which many people cuddling up in their beds throughout the season to enjoy the movie, starring Bette Middler and Sarah Jessica Parker.  PLOT: Max and his family move to Salem, Mass. and decide to check out the Sanderson Sister's home. Max lights a candle and it awakens the sisters, who are dedicated to sucking the lives out of the children of Salem to preserve their youth. Max, his sister Dani, and Max's friend Allison spend Halloween night trying to stop the witches with the help of Bynx, a magical cat who was once a boy! Will they triumph over the witches? Watch to find out! OTHER MOVIE IDEAS- The Halloweentown Series - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - The Scooby Doo Movie - Hotel Transylvania (one and two) - Monsters vs. Aliens - It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown - The Shrek Series - Ghostbusters - The Addams Family - Corpse Bride - Monsters, Inc. and Monsters University - The Nightmare Before Christmas - The Harry Potter Series - Gremlins CONCLUSIONI hope you enjoyed this list of kid-friendly movies that you will also enjoy as a parent. I hope you have a great weekend and spend some of the time watching these flicks!
I've always been a lover of jokes, and I try not to take myself too seriously. My husband LOVES to watch those Dad Joke videos on YouTube. I just sit there, roll my eyes at all of the corniness...and continue listening. There's just something about a good joke, corny or otherwise, that can lighten the mood and make everyone feel just a bit better. So, if you need some jokes to tell your friends this season, or you need something to talk about around the water cooler at work, keep reading to check out some funny halloween jokes! 1. WHAT KIND OF MUSIC DOES A MUMMY LISTEN TO? WRAP MUSIC!2. WHAT WAS THE WITCH'S FAVORITE SUBJECT IN SCHOOL? SPELLING!3. WHAT IS IT LIKE BEING IN LOVE WITH DRACULA? IT'S A PAIN IN THE NECK!4. WHAT IS A GHOST'S FAVORITE RIDE AT THE FAIR? THE SCARY-GO-ROUND & THE ROLLERGHOSTER!5. WHAT DO YOU CALL TWO SPIDERS WHO JUST GOT MARRIED? NEWLYWEBBS6. WHERE DO ALL THE ZOMBIES LIVE? THE DEAD END OF TOWN7. WHAT'S DRACULA'S FAVORITE FRUIT? A NECKTARINE8. WHAT DO GHOSTS PUT ON THEIR BAGELS? SCREAM CHEESE!9. WHAT DO YOU CALL A FAT JACK-O-LANTERN? A PLUMPKIN10. WHY DID THE SKELETON GET KICKED OUT OF THE BAR? HE COULDN'T HOLD HIS LIQUOR!I hope you enjoyed today's blogtober post. I know it isn't much, but I thought it would be cute to throw some of these into the mix this spooky season! I know many of them were horror-able but I hope some of them tickled your funny bone! LEGAL: All photos are my own or taken from Pixabay, a creative commons website that requires no attribution for photo use.
Is it really fall if you don't watch the leaves change or drink something with pumpkin spice in it? You've likely heard something similar to this around various holidays. But, have you actually planned to do any fall activities yet? In this blog post, I will give you a few ideas on some stereotypical fall activities you can do this weekend. I'll also try to give you a price range as well (from free, to $, to $$$), so you will be able to get a feel for the activities you can currently afford to do! Keep reading for more:  1. GO ON A HIKE | $
2. DO SOME BAKING | $
3. BINGE WATCH CREEPY THINGS ON NETFLIX | FREE
4. VISIT A CORN MAZE | $$
5. GO PUMPKIN PICKING | $$ A lot of people suggest apple picking for this time of year, but I've heard that apples are generally very wormy and kind of gross when they are picked from the farm. WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED? If you don't want to put in a ton of work for apples you don't want to clean, find a pumpkin patch and let everyone pick out a pumpkin. You can have a family pumpkin carving contest, or you can use the guts for some of that baking we were talking about earlier! 6. GO ON A HAYRIDE | $$
7. GO TO A HAUNTED THEME PARK OR HOUSE | $$$
8. BUILD A BONFIRE | $
9. GO TO A LOCAL FOOTBALL GAME | $
10. DECORATE YOUR HOME | FREE
11. PLAN A PARTY | FREE
If you need some suggestions, check out my fall party food ideas on the "food and drink" page! CONCLUSIONI hope you enjoyed this list of 11 things you can do this weekend that will help you and your loved ones celebrate fall! I hope you have a great weekend and will join me tomorrow to read some silly Halloween jokes you can tell this fall to get everyone into the Spooky Spirit!
Obviously, I love BTS. The all-male South Korean group has been a favorite of mine for the past several years. But, every time I listen to some of their songs, I can't help but hear similarities to other songs from the American music industry. I'm not doing this to cause any hate, but I do think it is interesting that I find many of these sound the same. So, here are side-by-sides of the songs I feel are very similar:
Not only are the saxophone riffs similar in this, you can also almost sing the lyrics to Mr. Saxobeat while listening to Idol without many problems. Of course, I think they are in different keys, so you have to change that, but it mostly works.
To me, I can't hear "Not Today" without hearing "Shots" by LMFAO and Lil Jon. Just listen to the main melody! Even the timing of the lyrics of what RM sings vs. the members of LMFAO are eerily similar.
The drops in this song sound very familiar to that of Lil Jon's "Turn Down For What."
J. Cole, a popular rapper around who is actually from the same state as I am, is actually a heavy influence in "Born Singer" by BTS.
Legendary rapper group RUN-DMC were clearly an inspiration for the beat in War of Hormone! Legal: Video sharing is completely copyright friendly, as the rightful owner will receive the money from clicks and views, not myself.
I’ve always been a huge movie buff and, in recent years, I’ve gotten into watching several TV series on Netflix. It’s really interesting how media can infiltrate your mind and help you to better understand different situations and different perspectives. A lot of the times, I end up thinking to myself about how often certain things happen in the real world and go completely unnoticed. So, in case you too are also a movie or TV series fan, I wanted to compile a list of 5 shows or movies you need to watch that will change your perspective or further enlighten you to think harder about the world around you. THE BREAKFAST CLUB  Seriously, if you haven’t seen The Breakfast Club, you’ve got to watch it as soon as possible. This movie, from 1985, follows the story of a group of five high school students who are sentenced to Saturday detention for various wrongdoings. The five students include a jock, a “princess,” a criminal, a “brain,” and a basket case. Throughout the day, they reveal more and more about themselves and end up seeing that, although they are really different, they have a lot more in common than they thought. SCANDAL  I have to admit that I binge-watched Scandal on Netflix. The show follows a powerful woman, Olivia Pope, who helps clients get out of sticky situations. Some of her methods aren’t exactly legal, which is what really changed my perspective and enlightened me. I began to wonder if there was a real type of Olivia Pope out there who cleaned up messes for people of power. I’m sure there is. In the series, Pope has an affair with the president of the United States (which I of course don’t like) and also finds out that her mother is a terrorist and her father is the head of a secret spy agency that helps “defend the republic at all costs.” Crazy things happen, and it really makes you wonder if this goes on in our own government and how people manage to cover it up so easily without millions of people finding out. 13 REASONS WHYI actually read this book when I was a library assistant in high school. We were required to do a book report every few weeks on a book we picked out from our favorite section. Actually, the book isn’t far from the TV series if I remember correctly. Basically, the series follows Hannah, a girl who has committed suicide. She sends out tapes to everyone who “played a role” in her death. Personally, I didn’t agree with Hannah’s decision, but it makes you really understand how your words and actions have impacts on people. Hannah was bullied and even assaulted, but no one finds out until after she is dead. The second season is even more revealing, as it follows the lawsuit Hannah’s mother and father filed against the school for not protecting her. You learn so much and there is a twist ending that may leave you kind of queasy. DEAR WHITE PEOPLE This show is a Netflix original. I really like the plot of the show because I kind of relate to it in a way. It follows Sam who is the host of a radio show called “Dear White People” at a prestigious college. Because it is prestigious, a lot of privileged white students (and some who aren’t) are on campus and say and do things that make life uncomfortable for students of color. The thing I relate to is that Sam is actually in a relationship with a white TA, at least for the better half of the first season. A lot of her friends give her trouble for being in a relationship with a white man. I’ve been the white person in this type of relationship. I’ve seen negativity from both sides, so I really related to it. Of course, I can't fully relate to the experience of a person of color because I'm not one, but this series really helps. It eloquently explains Sam’s position and the opinions of her friends. I did still come away from the show with disagreements, but they were really minor. DEAD POETS SOCIETY  This is another movie that tackles deep themes in a very charming and beautiful way. The movie centers on a boy’s school and their class with Professor John Keating, played by the beloved late Robin Williams, who teaches them all about poetry. The thing is, Keating is no ordinary professor. He teaches the boys to think and look at life from different perspectives, even making them tear a page out of their textbooks. The boys find out about the Dead Poet Society, which was a group of boys who met up to read poetry in a secret location. Keating introduces himself in class by telling the boys they can call him Professor Keating or “Oh Captain! My Captain!” which was based off of a poem by Walt Whitman. The end is touching. When Keating is leaving the school (you’ll have to watch the movie to find out why he is leaving), the boys get up on the desk and call out to him “Oh Captain! My Captain!” The story explores themes associated with growing up, hormones, learning, death, life, and love to name a few. Check it out on Netflix. CONCLUSIONWhat is one of your favorite movies that changed your perspective or opinion on something? Let me know in the comments! LEGAL: Reproduction of screen-grabs for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship or research is not copyright infringement. Video sharing is completely copyright friendly, as the rightful owner will receive the money from clicks and views, not myself.
 Right now, there is a tag going around on Facebook and other social media sites where people are given a list of topics that they must choose a song to go with. I started doing mine on Facebook, but I quickly lost track of time and fell several days behind. So, I figured my blog would be a great place to put my 30-day Song Challenge playlist. So, here it is (with YouTube videos): DAY 1 | A SONG YOU LIKE WITH A COLOR IN THE TITLE I like this song because we played it in marching band and I just enjoyed the melody! DAY 2 | A SONG YOU LIKE WITH A NUMBER IN THE TITLE I like this song because I think Ariana is very talented and I just love the music in the background with her vocals. DAY 3 | A SONG THAT REMINDS YOU OF SUMMERTIME I love this particular version of "Somewhere Beyond the Sea." Don't be mad, but I don't know who this singer is. They have an amazing voice and it reminds me of "Finding Nemo." DAY 4 | A SONG THAT REMINDS YOU OF SOMEONE YOU’D RATHER |
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I would have loved to play this song at my wedding because it is special to me. When I was in college, I entered the Miss Methodist pageant and my talent was singing along to a video that I made to the song "Thinking Out Loud." It features two of my friends and their boyfriends (one couple is now broken up), as well as my grandparents and myself and my now-husband. I think it would have been a special addition for both of us!
DAY 15 | A SONG YOU LIKE THAT’S A COVER BY ANOTHER ARTIST
Don't get me wrong, I love me some Stevie Wonder, but I absolutely love this cover of "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" from Tori Kelly. The song was in the hit animated movie, "Sing," and I loved it so much!
DAY 16 | A SONG THAT’S A CLASSIC FAVORITE
Just a great song!
DAY 17 | A SONG YOU’D SING A DUET WITH SOMEONE ON
KARAOKE NIGHT
I've already done this song as a duet on karaoke night several times!
DAY 18 | A SONG FROM THE YEAR YOU WERE BORN (1993)
DAY 19 | A SONG THAT MAKES YOU THINK ABOUT LIFE
This song is about a little of everything!
DAY 20 | A SONG THAT HAS MANY MEANINGS TO YOU
So, this song is obviously about love, but it has extra meaning to me because my mom and I loved this group when I was growing up. We sang all of their songs together, so it brings me happy memories in addition to just being a great song!
DAY 21 | A SONG YOU LIKE WITH A PERSON’S NAME IN THE TITLE
This song tackles a really serious subject: school shootings. I like the sound of it and it talks about a lot of things in one. I wanted to choose a song that wasn't typical, so I thought this one would be interesting.
DAY 22 | A SONG THAT MOVES YOU FORWARD
This song is really inspiring, especially if you're having a tough time with something. It helps move you forward with the hope that things will get easier.
DAY 23 | A SONG YOU THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD LISTEN TO
ELVIS IS AMAZING! Listen to any song that he's performed. That's my answer!
DAY 24 | A SONG BY A BAND YOU WISH WAS STILL TOGETHER
My Chemical Romance was one of my favorite bands when I was younger. If Fall Out Boy hadn't reunited, they would be the one in this spot!
DAY 25 | A SONG YOU LIKE BY AN ARTIST NO LONGER LIVING
As someone in an interracial relationship, I LOVE this song and its message. I also love the part at the end where everyone kind of morphs into one another. It shows that we are all God's creatures and all deserve to fall in love with anyone, regardless of their race.
DAY 26 | A SONG THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO FALL IN LOVE
Early Bruno Mars is the best! I love this song because it is so pure. He loves everything about her and makes sure that he tells her so!
DAY 27 | A SONG THAT BREAKS YOUR HEART
This. Song. Is. So. Sad. It is apparently about the lead singer's father who died of cancer in September, but it has also been linked to Hurricane Katrina and 9/11.
DAY 28 | A SONG BY AN ARTIST WHOSE VOICE YOU LOVE
Brendon Urie has one of the best voices I know of. He is truly talented and can morph his voice to fit the genre he is singing. I love it!
DAY 29 | A SONG YOU REMEMBER FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD
I remember this song because someone did a dance routine to it during our elementary school talent show. I don't know why it sticks out to me, or why they let someone do a dance to this in elementary school (haha).
DAY 30 | A SONG THAT REMINDS YOU OF YOURSELF
This is a song from my childhood and it reminds me of what I've always aspired to be. I never feel content being normal, even though I probably am the epitome of normal. But, I love the song and I feel like an "All Star!"
NOW IT'S YOUR TURN!
LEGAL: All photos are my own or taken from Pixabay, a creative commons website that requires no attribution for photo use. Sharing a video is completely copyright friendly, as all clicks and views from the video will be given to the rightful owners.
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