For bullying survivors who were triggered by the Trump & Zelenskyy meeting, check out this video by therapist & childhood trauma survivor Patrick Teahan:

https://youtube.com/shorts/hRx1RdatLsE?si=_aIPOP5Mh3B5uqpa

Sharing a picture of my cat Lorelei for anyone who needs a smile.

Bailed. I could not stand the way Brighton treated Charlotte. A lot of gaslighting and blame-shifting. Those behaviors are dealbreakers for me. They're not romantic and they're not how we should treat the people we love. There are other spicy FF holiday romances I recommend instead ⬇️

Photo by Trung Toàn Thiện on Unsplash

A wonderful book about LGBTQIA+ representation in television. It was written before the 2024 election. I cried reading the last chapter, which talked about the potential backlash that could undo the progress that‘s been made in TV.

I love this pic of Cam, Mitch, and Lily from Modern Family. Image from Modern Family Wiki.

I have “Ev‘rybody Wants To Be A Cat” in my head, so I thought I‘d do a #TuesdayTunes & #CatsOfLitsy crossover post.

What are your favorite cats songs?

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=nDJockBnjYs&si=P5TOYHLmOH7uz1tH

I went to a drag show this weekend and had a blast. This is Alexis Von Vandertramp. You can see her YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/zHA9vth8CfI?si=dmS3znEMbUiECoLh

#MentalHealthMonday check in

1. I‘m tired & disappointed I didn‘t sleep well. But I‘ll be OK. I have to remind myself it‘s not a moral failing to be tired.
2. I used to think feeling sad for ANY reason meant I was mentally unwell. I now know mental health (for me) isn‘t about feeling happy vs. feeling sad. It‘s about emotional regulation. Processing & expressing my feelings in healthy ways rather than ignoring them or trying to erase them. ⬇️

I would rather read a book with terrible writing but a good story. The content is more important to me than perfect spelling or grammar. As long as I can follow the story, I‘m good!

#SundayFunday

Cleaning & listening to this audiobook. #AudioCleaning #AudioHousework #LGBTQIA 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

February wrap-up

A fun weekend read.

Thought this book by my friend Stephi would be perfect for #TuesdayTunes. I don‘t listen to Yo-Yo Ma often, but I love this Bach Cello Suite.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=-4WUHJRhvrM&si=P1D6d_g1aq5LFp3Q

“Verbal abuse is like a cloud that can descend not only upon a family but also upon a nation. Dictators and tyrants have gained power by disparaging people, while their behavior went unnoticed by whole populations. By both directly accusing and blaming or by implication, they defined and denigrated others to create fear and false beliefs and thus gain power.”

Read this book on Everand: https://www.everand.com/book/336811299

Sisterhood Haiku, II

The wise women know
nothing can heal without love,
no growth without care.

- Renée Watson

I‘m so proud of my governor. Thank you, Governor Mills.

You can read her full statement here: https://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/news/governor-mills-statement-notice-invest...

#MentalHealthMonday check in

1. I‘m ok. Having anxiety about things I must get done, but I‘m managing the anxiety well.
2. Music 100% helps my mental health.
3. Bee Gees are my go-to when life is tough. Writer Sarra Manning has a great quote about The Bee Gees that sums up why I love them. ⬇️

I read self-help books on topics relevant to my life. I avoid ones with a “this is the only way/right way to do things” or “do this and all your problems will go away” messages. We are different and what works for one person may not work for another.

I‘m still reading this book, but so far it‘s been a good tool for healing my childhood trauma.

#SundayFunday

I made these chocolates for Valentine‘s Day. I think I‘ll make more today.

Recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/236212/homemade-melt-in-your-mouth-dark-chocol...

Getting hair colored today & reading this at the salon

My dear friend @JanineHightower

Tomorrow is the three year anniversary of your passing. I miss talking to you about books, Frida Kahlo, and life in general. You were such a beautiful soul. I am honored to have been your friend. If heaven exists, I hope it‘s filled with books and that you get to enjoy each one.

In the words of Joe Kennedy III:

“Folks, when we start shutting down libraries in the name of government efficiency, we‘ve got a problem.”

Article: https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2025-02-19/jfk-library-reopens-with-free-admissi...

Joe Kennedy III interview: https://youtu.be/chbbP9tMCAs?si=f4FEEgDG8dPy-98P

I recently discovered Charles Bradley‘s music. Holy cow, so talented! I feel his song “Why Is It So Hard” in my soul. He does great covers of Neil Young‘s “Heart of Gold” and Nirvana‘s “Stay Away” too. I recommend his No Time for Dreaming album.

#TuesdayTunes

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=x-RbEDaKTSw&si=j53Fi22fDwh7voBD

#MentalHealthMonday check in

1. I‘m doing well. Sleep debt is down & I‘m spending less time online.
2. I‘m sleeping better. Sleep is hard for me due to ADHD & anxiety. I‘m glad my sleep is going well.
3. I use the Rise sleep app to keep track of my sleep debt. I also give my husband my electronics every night & ask him to hide them. That way I can‘t use them in the middle of the night.

#WeekendReads

#SundayFunday

I handle book slumps by doing something else that interests me and then returning to reading when it interests me again. I always come back to reading eventually. 📚📚📚

Type “literally my character” into your Pinterest search bar…first six are who you are…👀

Love this, especially Alice. She‘s my favorite Disney character and so relatable. Although I do like books without pictures 🤣

@TheBookHippie thanks for inspiring this!

Basic synopsis: Casey is obsessed with StreamVid content creator Della. Casey goes to Della‘s house after Della announces she‘s sick. She discovers Della isn‘t who she thinks she is.

I enjoyed the first half, but the second half felt rushed & jumbled. It was almost like two books. I didn‘t like the paranormal elements.

Lorelei‘s expression reflects my thoughts 😆

#CatsOfLitsy

Listening to this thriller on an #audiowalk. I‘m already creeped out by the main character‘s obsession with a StreamVid content creator.

#5JoysFriday

Things that brought me joy this week:

1. I finished this wonderful book.
2. I got a long-overdue haircut.
3. Snuggled with my kitties
4. Spent time with my husband.
5. Went for walks.

#TLT #ThreeListThursday @dabbe

1. Survey link: https://www.listchallenges.com/litsy-ap-literature-free-response-titles-list-4
2. My score was 15 out of 110
3. My favorites were When The Emperor Was Divine, Sense and Sensibility, and Their Eyes Were Watching God
4. I think everyone I would tag has already been tagged, lol!

Just read this sweet ebook from cloudLibrary. Highly recommend for kiddos!

Thought I‘d do a second #TuesdayTunes post in honor of my friend Tarsha. She passed away 13 years ago today. She loved the song “Walking In Memphis” by Marc Cohn.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=dUh1DSIsUOY&si=LVqWajNaapwmjS9B

I‘ve been listening to this audiobook & it made me think of the Destiny‘s Child song “Survivor”.

#TuesdayTunes

YouTube: https://shorturl.at/Obgud

Spotify: https://shorturl.at/VLiID

Loved this final book from the Old West series. #Romantsy

1. Tired but hopeful it will be a good day overall.
2. I practice self-care by going for walks, journaling, etc.
3. I would love to hear what topics you‘d like to discuss for a future #MentalHealthMonday!

Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins is a book I read that was even better the second time around. Not only is it a great historical romance, but it also addresses important issues like class and racism. The HEA = so good!

I read it the second time while vacationing in Belize. Hubby & I vacationed there the week of the 2024 election. It was a very needed poolside read after the election results! A wonderful escape!

#SundayFunday

I‘m looking forward to this read!

The author, Lisa Marie Martens, is doing a giveaway. Read more about it here: https://medium.com/are-you-okay/is-this-your-next-free-physical-book-on-family-t...

I read about this book in a Medium article about Christian books with terrible covers. The cover is so…interesting…that I am tempted to read it. Also, the main character has the same name as me, which I don‘t see often 😆

The article:

https://medium.com/inspire-believe-grow/14-truly-horrendous-christian-book-cover...

I use the Rise app to keep track of my sleep debt. I‘ve never been a good sleeper, but it‘s been really bad the last two weeks. I‘m working on getting my sleep debt down in the coming days.

On a positive note, at least I‘ve kept up with my exercise! 😆

#TuesdayTunes

A friend and I watched a Nightwish concert on YouTube yesterday. This song has been in my head since!

The song: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz0PoUDde_Y&si=SXEOhoGFoX5HDPXy

The concert: https://youtu.be/810SAASfTZM?si=PAiDLWaCFRxfdTtF

1. Last week was rough. I‘m a huge figure skating fan & the DC plane crash shook me up. Plus the other nonsense in the world. But I had good moments too.
2. I‘m tired but enjoying the day.
3. I‘m watching a Nightwish concert on YouTube with a friend today. Music always brings me joy.

#MentalHealthMonday

Happy Gotcha Day to this beautiful girl! We adopted Boots January 31, 2011. She was a year and a half. Today she‘s 15. Hard to believe that much time has passed! She has chronic kidney disease now but is doing well overall. We love her so much ♥️ #CatsOfLitsy

Didn‘t sleep well, so I read some of this book & then I stretched. Lorelei tried to steal the yoga mat again 😆😆😆

Screw nationalist executive orders. It will always be the Gulf of Mexico to me.

I‘m looking for ways to limit my time online & to have better time management. (Time management can be hard when you have ADHD!) I created a folder on my iPhone for apps I use daily. I hope having them in one place will keep me focused. We shall see!

BlueSky may come off the list! 😆

Today is the 39th anniversary of the Challenger Disaster. I was in kindergarten at the time. Thankfully, my class did not watch the launch. Folks who were alive then, do you remember where you were that day?

My friend Stephi wrote this great book about Ellison Onizuka, one of the Challenger astronauts.

I‘ve been listening to iLe & Ivy Queen‘s “Algo Bonito” a lot lately. Great song for #TuesdayTunes

Song: https://youtu.be/cglgGAMD5-g?si=z76P0VczERTzmuoZ

Article: https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/ile-ivy-queen-deliver-algo-bonito-feminis...

Listened to this audiobook during a workout. Lorelei sometimes steals my yoga mat, like she did in this old photo, but thankfully she didn‘t today 😆

#CatsOfLitsy

1. I'm a bit sleepy. Cats woke me up early. I may nap later! 😆
2. I read this book the summer of 2016. I hadn't dealt with depression in years, but that changed after the November election. I'm glad I read it when I did. It reminded me it's OK to be not OK. I wrote Jenny & shared how much her book meant to me. She wrote back to thank me & said she really needed to hear it that day.

#MentalHealthMonday

The Emma Project is one of my go-to comfort reads. It's a beautiful love story that tackles difficult topics like familial abuse, sexism, homelessness, and mental health. The chemistry between Naina and Vansh is 🔥🔥🔥.

#SundayFunday

I‘ve been watching the U.S. Figure Skating Championships this weekend & remembered Rudy Galindo‘s biography. Rudy was the surprise U.S. Men‘s Champion in 1996. His long program was one of the best in U.S. skating history in my opinion. #FigureSkating