Healthy Gaming Habits

Recently, while running errands, I noticed that I was breathing harder than usual from short walks up stairs or down the street. I would also get super exhausted as soon as I got home from class and felt sluggish, if not downright dead, all day.

I decided to take a look at what I was doing differently and boy, was it not good.

As you know, I'm a pretty big gamer and I spend the majority of my free time on the couch with my Xbox or at my computer. With the stress of school, I've been logging more hours online to de-stress. Which is great for my progress in-game, but not so great for my health. 

I decided to fit in a few healthier habits that don't make me hate myself and still allow me to get some game time in. 

Snacks

Let's talk about the essentials first. I love snacking and crave some fuel for a marathon gaming session. However, some of my staples tend to not be the healthiest options....

Here are a few better options!

Pretzels

  Pretzels have an awesome crunchy texture, perfect if you are like me and crave potato chips during those long nights. Also, these don't leave your fingers greasy and will not make your keyboard gross! For some sweetness, get a mini bowl of peanut butter to dip them in.

Raisins/Dried Cranberries

   I found these cute boxes of mixed raisins and cranberries and I have been loving them during games. I like to pack a few of them in my bag with my DS so I can have a snack while gaming on the go. 

Sesame Sticks

    These are Jonathan's favorite snacks and he's gotten me hooked as well. Feels like a pretzel and tastes like a sesame seed. Plus you can buy these in bulk!

Pumpkin seeds/Nuts/Sunflower seeds

    These are delicious but beware. They can leave your fingers a little salty. I usually put some in a cup so I don't have to reach and grab them, but they keep you satisfied by giving the illusion of eating a ton. 

Cucumber and Tomato salad

   I love dicing up some tomatoes and cucumbers, dousing them in lemon juice and sprinkling Tajin on them. I make this in bulk so we can have quick lunch sides and snacks, but these are great for games with long cinematics ( looking at you, Destiny).

Carbonated Water

    I have a habit of only indulging in soda, beer, or scotch during gaming sessions. This doesn't mean that I am going to completely cut out my drinks (especially my scotch), but I have fallen in love with flavored carbonated water. HEB sells an excellent brand of non-sweetened flavored sparkling water in flavors like grapefruit and lime, and I am a huge fan. I've never been a huge sparkling water person, but these are delicious. 

Make Time for FOOD

   I am super guilty of this. I often snack throughout the day and then forget to eat a real meal, so before I know it, I've eaten chips, ramen, spaghettios, and more but have yet to actually eat a real, adult meal. Our parents were right about us spoiling our dinner, so make sure to make them proud by eating something real.

In Game

Stand up and Stretch

   I can spend hours slouched in front of my screen in the most awkward position and won't notice until I'm in pain the next day. Make some time to stretch it out while you play. This isn't too hard for console gamers, as you can just stand up and do basic stretches. For PC gamers, loading screens are your friend. Getting up, if even for a couple of minutes or stretching your legs while you grind can make a huge difference.

Work it while you game

     If you have a handheld or a treadmill, this can be the best tip. I actually found this tip from Brittney over at BlondeNerd.  Walking while you play, whether around your house, outside, or on a treadmill can make all the difference. Just make sure to watch where you are going if you plan to take it outside. 

 Aspire and Perspire

    There are so many great gaming workouts online, whether geared towards gaming marathons (try The Sofa-Bound or Gamer Workout) or inspired by different characters (Minecraft, Skyrim, and Assassins Creed inspired workouts here) that can get you burning a few calories while still geared towards what you love. 

Gaming will always be a huge part of my life and I definitely want to keep playing without sacrificing my health.

What are your best healthy gamer tips? Let's chat or tweet me @raineedayze

Always, Raineedayze

Sorry!

Hey guys!

I know I didn't do a Wrap-Up/Captain's Log/Goals post this month (or our Online Tea Party posts for September) and I am super sorry about the long silence!

Around the end of last month, I got caught up in exams every week and then Jonathan caught pneumonia and I got really sick as well. So it took so much out of me that by the time I had the time to write, I was so overwhelmed from being so far behind, I kept putting it off. 

But I am back! And I have so many things to share with you guys! 


Thanks for sticking with me.




Always, Raineedayze

Sunshine Blogger Award

I've been tagged for this by the lovely Becca from My Life As A Sports Fangirl. If you're a regular reader of the blog, you know she is one of my favorite people ever and the co-creator for Online Tea Party, so obviously you must check out her blog because I love her so much!

🌞 The Sunshine Blogger Award is presented to those who are creative, positive, and inspiring in the blogging community, so it is such an honor to be tagged in this!  🌞

Rules
- Thank the person who tagged you in a blog post with a link down to their blog
- Answer the 11 questions presented to you by the person who nominated you
- Nominate 11 people and write them 11 questions to answer
- List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award Logo on your blog/post 



     🌞                         🌞                           🌞


1. What's Your Favorite Book of 2017 So Far?

Always and Forever, Lara Jean has to take this. I read the entire series as soon as this book came out and I was so glad I did. This series was fantastic but I think this was probably my favorite book in the entire series. I love Lara Jean, I loved the family dynamic, and I just adored everything about this book.


2. Have You Read Any Debut Authors This Year?

I did! I read How to Hang a Witch which is Adriana Mather's debut novel. I adored it so much and cannot wait to read the second book in the series. I loved her writing and the fact that she used her own family ties to the Salem Witch trials for her main character in the book.


3. What Made You Want to Start Blogging?

I've always been a fan of writing, especially about myself. I had made (and deleted) many blogs, especially during my teen years and I fell in love with geeky blogs in college. 2 of my biggest blog inspirations were SuperSpaceChick and TheNerdyGirlie because they were blogs that were run by geeky ladies about all of my favorite things, but I also loved how they wrote more personal posts about their own lives so I could relate to them and feel like we were already BFFs. So, one day I couldn't sleep, and just decided to finally write about what I loved. And I've been here ever since!


4. Are You A Sports Fan? Why or Why Not?

Much to the disappointment of my family, I am not a sports fan. I grew up in Texas, which as many of you know, is the place for football. My entire family bonded over sports (huge Cowboys fans) and I grew up playing every sport that was offered to us. 

I hated it. I was very uncoordinated, chubby, and just awkward. Plus, I never really cared about winning or losing as long as we got brownies afterwards. So, I grew to resent sports and now that I don't live near my family, I don't watch them. 


5. What is One Author You Want to Read But Have Yet to Check Out?

Stephanie Perkins. I am super excited for "There Is Someone Inside Your House" and I have heard so many great things about her writing that I can't wait to read some of her books.


6. If You Could Rewrite Any Book Ending, Which Would It Be?

As much as I loved Always and Forever, Lara Jean, I do not ship her with the person she ended up with. I would totally put her and the other love interest together. HE WAS SO PERFECT. That's my spoiler-free version of this answer. 


7. Do You Watch Booktube? If so, Who Is Your Favorite Booktuber?

Definitely Kristin from SuperSpaceChick. She is so positive and fun and like I said before, her blog got me into blogging, so I adore watching her videos. Another favorite is Zoe from readbyzoe. I love how funny she is and she is super relatable. 

8. What is Your Favorite Time of Day to Read?

                                

Mornings! I am a huge morning person and I love spending my mornings (especially Saturdays) reading with a cup of tea and a blanket. I also take morning classes so I tend to get to class early and read while I wait for class to start.

9. If You Could Take Your Favorite Book Character to Restaurant, Where Would You Take Them? 

I would choose Fred Weasley and I would take him to a burger joint here called Fatboys. All the food at this restaurant comes in ridiculously large portions and it's a greasy little diner but I think he would thoroughly enjoy it.


10. Do You Have Any Plans For Fall?

Um YES! Fall is my favorite time of year and I am planning an Autumn Bucket list post soon, but I will say I plan on hosting my annual Halloween Party for sure! I love Halloween and I love baking so I can't wait to decorate the house and make some yummy treats for the party!


11. Who is Your Favorite Disney Princess/Character?

This is tough, My favorite princess is definitely Mulan. She's amazing. But my favorite character might have to be Flynn Rider. I love his sarcasm and just adore everything about him. 


Thank you so much Becca for tagging me in this. I really enjoyed this tag and I'm glad that I can bring sunshine into ya'll's lives!



I tag SuperSpaceChick | LeloLovesBooks | DreamingOfHappyEndings | LiveLifeReading | WishfulEndings | Lilly's Book Heaven | A Fangirl's Opinion | Tara's Book Addiction | Roxie Writes |  EllieCeeJay | Little Voids | 


My 11 Questions are

1. What is your favorite book you read as a child?
2. What do you think your favorite character's favorite ice cream flavor would be?
3. Describe your favorite book badly.
4. What 3 characters (from any media) describe you best?
5. Where is your favorite place to read?
6. What book character do you think you would NOT get along with?
7. Your bookish OTP and NOTP
8. What does your blog name mean?
9. What makes you smile?
10. Favorite book of this year?
11. Your Goodreads goal for the year and your current progress. If you don't use Goodreads, what are your bookish goals?


Always, Raineedayze

Geeking with Mental Illness: How I Fight the Blues

Time to get a little more personal today.

Here's David Tennant with a kitten to start off a depressing topic

I've been wanting to write a post talking about my mental illness, but the only time I think of posts to write, I'm in a bad state mentally and have no motivation/strength/ability to put my thoughts into words, much less coherent enough to share.

So, I decided to talk about it while I'm in a good state and hopefully, I can encompass a little bit about how being mentally ill and a geek coincide.

One thing about mental illness that I think is often overlooked is how it varies from person to person. Some people show anxiety and depression differently, and the severity can definitely fluctuate between person and even time.

For me, I struggle with anxiety and depression. I've hit a few lows in my life but I'm pretty stable now (thanks to amazing therapists and years of work). That's not to say I don't have my low days/weeks, but it's gone from low years to smaller, more manageable time frames. 

One thing that happens is that I slowly go from normal, productive college student to barely gets off the couch/showers/brushes my hair in a matter of weeks if I get in a bad state. I call it my "depression mode" and it is almost like dealing with two different people. Jonathan lives with me so he sees me drift in and out of these modes all the time, which can be really hard on a person, so he's awesome for being able to help support me during these times. 

 How does this relate to being a geek?

My favorite things to do when I'm not dealing with this stuff, or not in full-blown depression/anxiety mode, is to play video games, watch movies, craft, and otherwise let my geek flag fly. 

When I do get into this funk though, I spend so much of my time laying on the couch and talking about what I want to do but nothing sounds appealing. I'm so indecisive that I spend all day turning down games/books/movies and before I know it, the day is over and I'm even more depressed because I wasted my day and the cycle continues until I'm a mess of tears, anxiety, and tangled hair.

All this does is take away what I enjoy doing and make me even more depressed because I see myself negatively because I "can't even function" normally. This is so not cool and it just makes everything harder to get out of.

This is then piled onto by TV shows/books/movies and the general FOMO that comes with being a nerd in this modern time because there is SO MUCH STUFF TO DO. All this together just stresses me out even more and I'm too overwhelmed to even try.

How to Heal and Deal

Obviously, this isn't a list of one size fits all and I'm not a doctor so this shouldn't be anyone's sole guidebook, but this is what works for me.


1. Shower and brush your hair

This is huge for me because I literally fail at taking care of myself in these states. By forcing myself to get in the shower and brush my hair, I literally wash off a layer off illness. Ever hear of fake it til you make it? 


2. Take it one step at a time

When I'm in this mode, it's daunting to look at even the basic needs without feeling that laying in bed would be so much easier. So I make a mental list that takes each step at a time. First, get out from the blanket, then get up from bed, then go to shower, stand in hot water, etc. There's a reason AA and similar programs use the one day at a time rule. By focusing on smaller tasks, you're more likely to accomplish them because they aren't overwhelming you with a huge pile of to-do's.


3. Don't Think, DO

This is probably the hardest one for me to do. Instead of spending so much time looking for the perfect book/game/movie, just grab the first one you see and start it. Don't tell yourself "I'm not in the mood", just do it. Since a lot of my depression/anxiety manifests itself as indecision, when I force myself to play a game (wow, never thought I'd write that sentence), I am telling my mental illness to screw off because I'm gonna live my life in control today.


4. Surround Yourself With What Makes You Smile

For me, this is Dorkly's Pwn Up column (long discontinued, sadly), Booktube, Tea, and Pinterest. I don't know why this stuff makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside but I know it does and if I can feel good about something, it spreads to other areas of my life.


5. Remember, Netflix Exists

That FOMO I was talking about earlier? That feel that you'll never catch up to GOT/Supergirl/Rick and Morty? Screw that. Netflix, Youtube, Hulu, Amazon......they exist for a reason. We aren't able to do every single thing the moment it comes out and that doesn't diminish your value in the community. Doing something, even if it's one thing, will inspire you to do more things but take it at your own pace.


I hope I was able to shed a little light on my personal struggles and maybe provide some useful information, or at least convey that I'm here rooting for all of you. Thanks for being awesome and remember that you aren't alone!

                                          


Always, Raineedayze

Top 5 Tuesday: Top 5 Dream Reading Spaces

Oh, reading spaces. 

We all have our own little nooks where we prefer to read. My preference is a little corner next to my bedroom window that I have piled huge teddy bears into as makeshift pillows. 

Regardless of your current reading spaces, I'm pretty sure we all have a few dream spaces that we would LOVE to curl up in with nice cup of tea. Here are mine!

 *Top 5 Tuesday was created by Shanah from Bionic Book Worm! Make sure to check out her blog for more bookish awesomeness!*



5. The Gryffindor Common Room 

As a huge Harry Potter fan, I would love the chance to sit in front of the crackling fire and read a book. The trio spent so much time here planning, doing homework (or copying Hermione's), and it was my favorite setting in the books. As for now, there is this website   that allows you to listen to the sounds of the common room.



4.Asuna and Kirito's cabin (Sword Art Online)

I know this is kind of a weird place, but I loved how serene this area was. It looked so peaceful and I would love to just  relax here on the lake and read a book. Although, I would like to eventually leave the game!


3. Belle's Library

ALL THE BOOKS! I feel like there are so many reading nooks in her library and I would love to sit there and pore over every title.  


2. Christian Grey's Apartment

Hear me out. I thought the movies were awful and the books were problematic BUT I loved his apartment. I'm a sucker for huge windows and I can only imagine how amazing they would look on a rainy day while I curl up with a book. Plus, his kitchen is huge and I could have so many reading snacks! I could do without the guy though.


1.  Arcadia Bay (Life is Strange)

Specifically, this area where Max runs into the deer. Obviously could do without the storm, but look at how gorgeous this view is!! 


Those are my dream reading spaces! What are some of yours? Leave a link to your #T5T posts below so I can check them out! 


Always, Raineedayze

The TV Tag

I saw this post floating around the blogosphere and then Michelle over at A Geek Girls Guide tagged anyone who hadn't done it sooo......here we are!

Make sure you check out her blog as well because it is awesomely adorable and a new favorite of mine!

Let's go!


Favorite TV Shows

How I Met Your Mother, Bob's Burgers, Daria, Superjail, Sealab 2021, Parks and Rec, Rick and Morty, Family Guy, As Told by Ginger, Riverdale, Wayward Pines, Roswell, The Big Bang Theory, Star Trek.




 Favorite Genre

Adult animation. Fun fact: Jonathan knows a ton about the behind-the-scenes of many adult animated shows (Superjail, Sealab 2021, etc) and I love learning about them from him.





 

Least Favorite Show

Probably anything crime-related or about home makeovers. 




Most Rewatched Show 

Probably How I Met Your Mother. I tried getting Jonathan into it but it's a long process.



Do You Prefer Watching Things Week by Week or Binge-Watching?

I don't have cable so I have to watch everything all at once. But usually, I can't focus long enough to watch more than 1-2 episodes at a time.

 

Favorite Characters

Marshall from HIMYM, Leslie Knope, April Ludgate, Andy Dwyer, and Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec, Tina from Bob's Burgers, Daria, Amy Farrah Fowler (TBBT), The Warden and the Mistress from Superjail.



 

Favorite TV Ships

April and Andy (P&R), Marshall and Lily (HIMYM) , Max and Liz, Michael and Maria (both from Roswell), The Warden and The Mistress (Superjail)



 Show You Could Never Get Into

Grey's Anatomy and Gossip Girl. I just couldn't enjoy them.



 

Show You Fell Out Of Love With

30 Rock. After a few seasons, I just couldn't get back into it. 


 

Cancelled Too Soon

Black Box. I've mentioned it a few times on here but man that show was awesome and ended on such a cliffhanger. Also, Sealab 2021!


 

Guilty Pleasure Show

Bridezillas!! When Jonathan and I first started dating, we spent one weekend binge-watching this show and he got super into it.

 


What Are You Currently Watching?

Right now, I'm waiting for Rick and Morty to get on Hulu. I'm also finally watching Game of Thrones!

I tag my favorite TV watcher Becca (seriously, she watches a lot of TV. IDK how she does it!) and anyone else who has yet to do this tag!


Always, Raineedayze

Anything But Books Tag

Tags are so much fun. I love doing them and because Becca from My Life As A Sports Fangirl is so fabulous, she tagged me in the Anything But Books tag. Make sure to show her blog some love and also read her answers because she is so cool and you will want to be her BFF.



1. Name a Cartoon You Love

I am a lover of all cartoons because I wanted to (and still dream about) being an animator. One of my absolute favorites is probably As Told By Ginger because it tackled a lot of issues without being an after school special. Other notable contenders are Drawn Together, Daria, Rick and Morty, and Bob's Burgers.

 
2. What is Your Favorite Song Right Now? 

                  

I absolutely love this song. It's been on steady rotation on my drive to work and while I work on posts. 

 
3. What Could You Do For Hours That Isn't Reading?

Definitely play video games. I love gaming and can spend hours traversing Skyrim or on Overwatch. It's pretty hard though since I get motion sickness so easily.



4. What's Something You Love To Do That Your Followers Would Be Surprised By?

I love to cook and bake, especially for other people. Growing up, my family members were all great cooks and I was constantly made fun of. Now, they constantly ask me to make food. So, I guess I have a talent. Plus I love people enjoying my food and that old-fashioned I Love Lucy vibe I get from baking pies and casseroles.



5.  What is Your Favorite Unnecessarily Specific Thing to Learn About?


                                        


Fan theories and music conspiracy theories. I love music and ever since I was younger, was obsessed with conspiracy theories, urban legends, and myths surrounding the music industry. For example, backmasking, hidden tracks, rumors about songs, and theories about concept albums. I don't know why but I love the idea that there are hidden secrets on things that I love.

 
6. What is Something Unusual You Know How To Do?

Not really something I CAN do, but something unusual I can't do is cross my eyes. I am far-sighted in one eye, near-sighted in the other, and have an astigmatism in both so my eyes are pretty screwed up. For some reason, when I try to cross my eyes, my right eye slowly slides to the opposite end of my nose, so I end up looking half cross-eyed. I went to eye therapy for it but it never corrected itself.Also, if you put on my glasses and cross your eyes, anyone can see perfectly, just doubled. It's pretty weird.

 
7. Name Something You Made in the Last Year and Show Us if You Can

I built my gaming set up which I think qualifies for this and you can see it in my Gaming Set Up post. Other than that, I made the Online Tea Party Graphic as well, which I feature in my OTP posts. I also baked some yummy egg concoctions which can also be viewed in the PC post. 

 
8. What is Your Most Recent Personal Project?

Building my computer is up there since it has always been my dream to build my computer myself. Also, I try to set small goals for myself each month which are pretty personal ways of bettering myself and making me more productive!


9. Tell Us Something You Think About Often

                                          


How to enjoy my time before I graduate. Obviously I'd like to be done with school, but I am kind of nervous to finish because I will be officially thrust into the real world. Right now, I'm lucky enough to not have to work and only focus on school so all my free time is mine to use on whatever I choose. But after I graduate, I'll have to get a full-time job and lose the ease of vacations, easy work, and freedom. 

 
10. Give Us Something That Is Your Favorite But Make it Oddly Specific

Okay, I know I'm gonna get so much shade for this but...

-Maruchan Cup Ramen - Lime Shrimp flavor (not the bag, not the plain shrimp, not the Lime Chili Shrimp)  
-1 minute in the microwave. Yes I know it is still crunchy, shut up.  
-15 shakes of Tabasco sauce, aka God's gift to us all.  
-Few shakes of lime juice.

There you have it, Lysette's favorite meal. 

 
11. Say the First Thing That Pops In Your Head

Boom Fallout. (I was listening to the Fallout soundtrack while writing this).


 

This was such a cool tag. I love talking about myself (so modest, I know) and I;m glad I got to share some things I normally wouldn't talk about in posts. I hope my ramen recipe didn't scare you away and if you are reading this, YOU ARE TAGGED! Sorry, I don't make the rules. You gotta do it.

Thanks again Becca for tagging me!


Always, Raineedayze

Top 5 Tuesday: Top 5 Book Recommendations For Non-Readers

Happy Tuesday!

This week we are talking about 5 books we would recommend to non-readers. 

*Top 5 Tuesday was created by Shanah from Bionic Book Worm! Make sure to check out her blog for more bookish awesomeness!*

This topic was kind of hard for me because I grew up surrounded by readers and so when I heard that there were people who didn't enjoy reading, I was kind of taken aback.

"What do you mean you don't really read? What do you do with your time???"

I love reading and since it has been such a huge part of my life, I had to think about what would I recommend to someone who wasn't the biggest reader. In no particular order...


5.  The Babysitter's Club series by Ann M. Martin

Starting it off ambitious with a series sounds crazy, but one thing I liked about these books is that they are great standalone books by themselves. Not only are the stories fun, and dealt with real topics, the characters were likeable and make you want to connect with them. Plus, it's middle-grade that doesn't feel like middle-grade.


4. All- American Girl by Meg Cabot

This is one of my favorite books of all time. I think the premise is interesting, the characters are well-written and the writing style is phenomenal. I also think that because this book is written like a chick flick comedy. this would definitely appeal to  people who may prefer movies to books. The premise isn't too far out there and the book is easy to follow along.


3.  Daphne's Book by Mary Downing Hahn

While writing this list, I went back to my favorite books that I read growing up and remembered why I liked them. I loved these books because they were easy to follow but weren't ridiculously simple. This is another one of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors growing up. The storyline is a little darker than the other choices on here, but I think this book would appeal to someone who wanted depth but in a format that wasn't too hard to follow.


2. Wolf Boy by Evan Kuhlman

I loved this book. I bought this book at a convention where the seller was probably just getting rid of extra things he had lying around. But when I read it, I fell in love with the plot and I really liked the way the story tied in a comic element to it. I think this book is great because it's fun, sad, and provides a deep plot.


1. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

I am a huge Sarah Dessen fan and throughout middle school and high school, I wasn't reading as many books as I used to. One of the only authors that I did read a lot from was Sarah Dessen because her books were contemporary, and emotional and basically super mega teen girl lit. I love her books, I adore her writing style, and I think her books make you want to continue reading her work.


What 5 books would you recommend? Have you read any of my choices? Leave a link to your #T5T posts below and I will definitely check them out!



Always, Raineedayze