Captain's Log: January Wrap-Up

It's my first wrap-up post of the year and I  am so stoked to talk about all the awesome stuff I did this month.

I'm super happy actually, because I did so much awesomeness this month and got so much done that I wanted to. I think it really set the tone for the type of person I want to be and I am LOVING my life.

Yes, Please by Amy Poehler | Geekerella by Ashley Poston | They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera | None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio | Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo | The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas | Warcross by Marie Lu | Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn | 99 Days by Katie Cotugno |

I had a pretty awesome start to the year in terms of reading. I read 9 books total and started American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Most of these books with an exception of two, were books that I really enjoyed. I also read a whole bunch of new authors like Marie Lu, Adam Silvera, and Leigh Bardugo. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more new authors this year!

 Feel the Snow (Steam) | Fortnite (Xbox One) | Cuphead (Xbox One) | Hearthstone (Tablet) | Heroes of the Storm (PC) |

This month I didn't spend a whole lot of time gaming. Jonathan got me a ton of games over the winter break so I have a pretty full library but I haven't been able to lose myself in a game lately. Hopefully, this will change pretty soon. Especially with the new Overwatch skins!

American Housewife (Hulu) | Supernatural (Netflix) | Black Mirror (Netflix) | The Good Place (Hulu) | South Park (Hulu) |

Murder on the Orient Express | Harry Potter (rewatch) | Ingrid Goes West | 

This month, I started watching shows I had been putting off instead of rewatching old shows (except for South Park, to wind down). I'm trying to finally catch up on Supernatural, since I dropped off after season 5. The rest of the shows are current so I have stuff to look forward to watching every week, which is really awesome and allows me to do something with my time other than sleep.

Movie-wise, I started a Harry Potter rewatch since Jonathan hasn't seen all of them (I know...I was shocked). I'm super excited to have him experience this with me.


 Other Cool Things This Month

I started my last semester of college!

Jonathan and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary!

We spent more weekends out and about instead of at home with Netflix!




All in all, I feel this month was an excellent start to an excellent year!


Always, Raineedayze

Yearly Goals Check-In: January

Hiya guys!

This year, I made monthly mini-goals and 4 big yearly goals. I'll be posting about my mini goals later this week, but here is my progress for my 4 long-term goals!

1. Play More Games - FAIL

I cover this more in my wrap-up post, but I really didn't play too many games this month. I have a pretty large library of shame, or games that I need to get to but I haven't found myself heavily immersed in any game lately. Though, I hope that changes soon with the new games coming out.

2. Get Out More - SUCCESS

This month I wanted to start getting out of the house, whether it was going to the park, for a drive, or just grabbing some lunch. I can definitely say I did get out of the house a bit more. Jonathan and I spent more time at the park, and I tried to make it a priority to leave the house.

3. Create - SUCCESS

Out of all my goals this month, this was the one I was most excited about. I wanted to get back into creating more art and crafting more and I can definitely say this was a success. I got multiple comics done, including a special anniversary comic. I also made it a point to draw every day and filled up my sketchbook with some really awesome stuff. I also made some bookmarks, themed towards fandoms like Geekerella and Harry Potter. I'm pretty happy with how much I created this month and definitely hope to create more.

4. Treat Yo' Self (Better) - SUCCESS

This month, I really wanted to treat myself a lot better. Whether it was healthwise or self-care, I wanted to make my life a life worth living. I think I actually did pretty good! I drank more water, took a lot more time to myself, and indulged myself in things that made me happy. 


I can't wait to see how I progress in February! Check out that post next month and be sure to check out the monthly goals post coming later this week!

Always, Raineedayze

Happy Anniversary!

This week, Jonathan and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary! 

It's hard to imagine my life before Jonathan, and it was such an amazing day. I had to go to class in the morning and Jonathan had to work in the afternoon, so we knew our time was going to be limited. Luckily, he managed to find some really awesome coworkers that covered for him and he was able to get the day off! I plan to bake some treats for them as a thank you, soon!

We started our day off with some lunch at a seafood restaurant because we have an unintended tradition of eating seafood at every big event in our lives. It was delicious and nice to be able to go out during the day, since we rarely get to go out due to our schedules.

After lunch, we headed to the movies to watch Murder on the Orient Express and it was FANTASTIC. The casting was phenomenal and the storyline was super immersive. We both loved it and it was really nice to go earlier in the day where there were less people. 
 

Sneaking lunch time photos

We came back home for a bit and played a few rounds of chess and Hearthstone in which I totally lost both games, but enjoyed the trash talking. We ordered some Subway and headed to the park to have a late picnic.  It got pretty cold so we ended up cruising around, talking and listening to a special anniversary mix I made for Jonathan. 

We came home to drink some champagne and watch some South Park, since I had an 8 a.m. the next day. All in all, I think it really summed up our relationship. We are both pretty low-key and we wanted the day to be about us being together. I'm really happy that we were able to celebrate the day together.


Always, Raineedayze

 

The Me in Book Characters Tag

Woohoo! Tagged post today!

This time, I'm doing the "Me in Book Characters" tag! I love anything where I can relate to characters. Some may say that it's because I like to talk about myself. That's probably true, but anyway......let's get to the tag!

The Rules

1. Thank the creators!
       This tag was created by Ash and Lo over at Windowsill Book Blog! Thanks for such a cool tag! Definitely check them out!

2. Thank whoever tagged you!
        I was tagged by Becca from My Life As A Sports Fangirl. You guys know Becca is one of my best friends, so obviously, go check her blog out. 

3. List 5 Book Characters That Are Most Like You

4. Tag Some Friends 

1. Hermione Granger - Harry Potter

Growing up, I really identified with Hermione. She preferred books to anything and was kind of a know it all. All of these were traits that I had and I adored seeing a character in Harry Potter that reminded me of me.


2.  Elle - Geekerella

This is a new read for me this year, but I adored it! Elle is obsessed with Starfield and a huge fangirl. I am obsessed with Star Trek, and also a huge fangirl. I feel like Elle captured the feeling it is to be in a fandom. It was such a good book and she was an awesome character.

 
3. Claudia Kishi - The Babysitter's Club Series

Okay, Claudia is my absolute favorite character in this series and was admittedly way cooler than me. But as an artist and a person with a million junk food stashes everywhere, I think we are pretty much the same.


4. Maguire - Girl Against the Universe

As a person with a HUGE driving phobia, this book spoke to me on so many levels. I really enjoyed this book and I felt such a strong connection to Maguire.


5. Spencer Hastings - Pretty Little Liars

I loved PLL for a while and I really identified with Spencer. I am a huge perfectionist and have an issue with trying to be the best at everything. I am a person who can be a bit vindictive if things don't go my way, but hopefully that will never lead to murder. But y'know how life goes...

(kidding)


Thank you so much for tagging me in this Becca! I tag anyone who hasn't done this! Leave a link below so I can check out your posts as well!

Always, Raineedayze

Teenage Me

This is going to be a very interesting post.

This year, I've been trying to connect more with myself and I found Positivity Prompts on Instagram. Positivity Prompts is an account run by Amela and Alyssa, two really cool book bloggers that you should totally check out. Each month, they post prompts to get you to be more in the moment and just do a little something positive in your life.

Today, the prompt is "What would Teenage You Love". So, we will take a little trip down memory lane.

Teenage me was rebellious, angsty, and wore way too much eyeliner. It wasn't a pretty time for me and I am so glad it's over. But I think there are a few things teenage me would adore.

Teenage me would be so stoked to be dating a fellow nerd who didn't try to "prove" his nerd cred. Actually, teenage me would be so stoked to be with someone who was just generally as awesome as Jonathan. Adult me totally scored the jackpot!

Teenage me would love that I built my own gaming computer. I'm a klutz and I tend to give up on things halfway through them. I think teen me would think it's pretty rad that I built something from the ground up. 

Teenage me would be super happy to hear that we are now off anti-depressants and anxiety meds. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH TAKING MEDICATION. In the words of Amy Poehler "Good for her, not for me". However, it was not the way I wanted to treat my anxiety and depression and now that I am able to function without them, I am super proud of myself. 

Teenage me would be so happy to know that I have made friends from all over the world who are as fun and as nerdy as me! I was a pretty big loner in high school and to have so many friends who come over, text me, and fangirl with me...it's a treasure.

Teenage me would also be super stoked to know that I finally figured out myself a little bit. I have passions that I love, people that I love, and hobbies that I find interesting. I do things that make me an overall interesting person to be around but I also have enough independence to be alone and okay. 


What would your teenage self love?

Always, Raineedayze

Raineedayze Reads: Geekerella by Ashley Poston

It is only the beginning of January and I think I have found one of my favorite reads of the year.

Seriously.

Geekerella by Ashley Poston is a Cinderella-meets-Star Trek novel, published in 2017. When the book came out, so many people were in love with it and made a ton of positive reviews for it. I put it on my TBR and forgot about it. 

It luckily had no wait list this year and I managed to borrow a copy from my library, and boy that was the best thing to happen to me.

Geekerella follows a girl named Danielle, or Elle for short, who lives with her evil stepmother and two bratty stepsisters. She works in a food truck called the Magic Pumpkin (get it?) and is OBSESSED with a Star Trek-like show called Starfield. Elle runs a pretty small blog dedicated to the show and when she hears they will finally announce the man playing Carmindor (the main captain-like character), Elle is insanely excited. Only to find out teen hearthrob Darien Freeman is playing the lead role. 

Elle is NOT happy (imagine if Justin Bieber was playing Kirk?) but decides to enter the cosplay contest at ExelsiCon because of her love of the show and what it means to her.

Darien, on the other hand, is a secret Starfield nerd who is playing the role of a lifetime. However, when he is ambushed by fans who accuse him of being a "fake geek" and is roped into doing the convention, he needs to figure out how to deal with feeling like a fraud and come to terms with his life.

This book was fantastic! I am a huge Star Trek nerd myself and I saw myself in these pages so much. The author captured the feelings of being a fangirl so perfectly. This book deals with using these fandoms and other worlds as your home, your sanctuary to feel like there is something bigger than you in this universe, and it does it so wonderfully.

I loved the characters, loved the familiar feelings of excitement and passion from being a fangirl, and I also totally need Starfield to be a real show. The descriptions of the episodes were fantastic and I would bingewatch the crap out of that.

There is one thing I want to mention but it is a pretty big spoiler so, if you have not read this book, avert your eyes for the paragraph between the lines!

_____________________________________________

Can we just talk about how when the cosplayers all helped Elle and mentioned how much the convention meant to them? That entire section of cosplayers helping a fellow fan out, while talking about how the show and the convention gave them a home and a community and a place to be themselves?? I sobbed so hard. That feeling of community hit so close to home for me. I love being a fan of things and to see the community come together, it was amazing.
_____________________________________________

I gave Geekerella 5/5 stars because it was just that fantastic. I plan on picking up a physical copy soon enough because I definitely will be re-reading this when I need that fandom hug.


Always, Raineedayze 

New Year's Book Tag

Morning, my dudes!

I totally was not tagged in this but I thought it was super cool. I haven't done a book tag (or any tags) in a while, so I thought this would be a good place to start!

1. How many books are you planning on reading in 2018?

I set my Goodreads Goal this year at 100 books. Last year, I read 62 books but only really started reading a ton starting in June. I know I can hit 100 and if I can go over, that would be awesome!


2. Name 5 Books You Didn't Get to in 2017 but Want To in 2018

Warcross by Marie Lu, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, Replica by Lauren Oliver, and The Summer I Turned Pretty series by Jenny Han


3. What Genre Do You Want to Read More Of?

Sci-fi! I love sci-fi movies and shows and I want to read more good sci-fi books!


4. Name 3 Non-Book Related Goals for 2018

To create more things, to catch up on more TV shows, and to graduate college!


5. What's a Book You've Had Forever That You Still Need To Read?

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott. This is Jonathan's favorite book and I feel so bad because I haven't read it all the way through, even though it is actually super interesting! I definitely want to read it this year. 


6. One Word You're Hoping 2018 Will Be?

Productive. I want to create more and stop procrastinating!


7. Tag a friend!

I tag Becca over at My Life As A Sports Fangirl!



I really enjoyed this tag and definitely hope to do this more in the future!

Always, Raineedayze
 
 

My Word for 2018

This trend has been around the blogosphere for quite a while at this point. At the beginning of every year, you are to choose a word that will be the theme for your year, my word last year was Do, because I felt stagnant and wanted to do more things that fulfilled my life.

This year, there was only one word that came to mind and it felt like the most obvious choice.

My word for 2018 is...

I want to create so much more content this year whether it be in blogging, Youtube, art, food...I want to be able to put all this pent up self-expression out into the universe. I realized this past year that I truly enjoy my life most when I am creating it. I want to actually finish what I've been putting off for years and produce more content not only for myself, but for the internet. I'm still lucky enough to have the time at this point in my life, and I want to be able to use it to my advantage.

I want this to be the year I can finally create something I'm proud of and love doing. Last year, I accomplished so much I wanted to do by having Do be my word of the year. Let's rock this.

 Always, Raineedayze

2018 Yearly Goals

Fun fact about me.

I love setting goals. 

I love vision boards, planners, goal lists, lists in general, personal spreadsheets....I'm like an organization nerd goddess.

However, this can tend to get me a little overwhelmed and I will set 500 goals that have to be done RIGHT THIS SECOND. I then fail miserably, and drown my failure in a gallon of Rocky Road ice cream.

So this year, I decided to keep it pretty simple. I set monthly small goals, goals I can accomplish and that will keep me motivated to continue. I also modified my yearly goals to be a little less stressful but also something that would require work.

Each month I have a section in my planner titled "How Did You Work Towards?" with my list of yearly goals and space for me to write down how I worked towards achieving them. I hope to see some progress and be able to look at the little actions that helped me overall become a better me. 

So without any further ado, here are my goals for 2018.

1. Play More Games

In 2017, I was asked to help co-admin a female-based gaming community. I was so honored to be asked because it let me connect with so many gamers on a personal level and helping foster an awesome community. Plus, being an admin of anything is just so much fun. This year, I really want to amp up that and play more games that I've left in my Steam Library of Shame or in my Xbox Cabinet of the Forgotten (great names, right?). I really want to be more well-versed in a variety of games than my typical walking sims. 

2. Get Out More

It's no secret that I am a homebody. I have my special DragonWarm blanket (it's Skrim themed...get it?) and my sweatpants and I'm more than happy to spend a day in front of my computer or in bed with a book. However, I've been thinking about how much of the outside world I've been missing. I'm 22 and I would like to see it while I'm still healthy and not blind. Jonathan and I went for a walk in the park the other day and just talking outside while sitting by the lake was so calming and just felt so much more personal than sitting in front of one of our screens, talking over our headsets. 

3. Create

Obviously, this would be on here as Create is my word of the year (post coming soon). I want to create more content whether it be videos, art, blog posts, or personal journaling. I love creating new things and I have the time. I really want this to be the year I create more content not just for the internet, but for myself and my own happiness.

4. Treat Yo' Self (Better)

I am REALLY bad at treating myself too good *gestures wildly to the zillion books and makeup products cluttering my life* . So I modified this one a little bit (Sorry, Tom and Donna). In 2018, I want to do things that make me happy, stop doing things that don't, enjoy myself, and overall make myself a better version of me. Health, spiritually, general fulfillment. I want to just feel better about myself and about where my life is at this time. 

These are my yearly goals. What are some of yours?

Always, Raineedayze

Espionage Cosmetics: Compact Cartridges

When I found out Espionage Cosmetics was making these compacts in the shape of GameBoy cartridges, I needed them in my life.

If you've been here since the beginning, one of my very first reviews was for Espionage Cosmetics nail wraps. I adored them so much because I love combining my two favorite loves, geekery and makeup. You can actually check that out here!

 Espionage Cosmetics

As of right now, the eyeshadows are available for pre-order only, although they will start shipping May 15th of this year. So, there is still plenty of time to check them out and pick them up! One of the cool things is that their are collections to go with the compacts, so you can rock some PacMan eyeshadow to go with your PacMan nail wraps and basically be a retro game goddess. 
 

Photo Courtesy of Espionage Cosmetics

More shadows and products are being released as more people pre-order, so if you are on the fence, BE A HERO for the rest of us!
 

Photo Courtesy of Espionage Cosmetics

Be sure to check out their Pre-Order page to learn more about these Cartridge Compacts here!

Will you be ordering?

Always, Raineedayze

January Mini-Goals

I love the new year. With it comes new goals, aspirations, and ideas for the future.I know that the old "new year, new me" cliche is a trope often times made fun of, but it's the perfect time to start small habits that can set up the rest of your year!

This month I have 4 mini-goals that I would like to accomplish. I set them slightly lower than usual because I hope to surpass them. I noticed this year that I tend to overestimate my goals, get overwhelmed, and do none of them. This year, my mini-goals are all about the basics.

1. Read My 4 TBR Books

My Goodreads Challenge for 2018 is set at 100 books, so I know I will have to read more than 4 a month to reach it. But, because I have so many books that I bought that are unread and I feel super guilty about it, since I typically get them from the library, I plan to prioritize these four books before I read anything else this month.

2. Draw 4 Things

Last year, I struggled with creating art. I would be on a good run for a bit and kind of die out near the middle. This month I am hoping to draw at least 4 things, just to get that sense of accomplishment that will hopefully carry me on to creating more things.

3. Write 4 Blog Posts

I know I slacked off a ton near the end of the year in 2017, so this year, I am aiming for 1 blog post a week. I will try to post more than that, because I'd eventually love to build to 3 times a week, but to get back in the swing of things, once a week should set up a manageable path.

4. Walk 4 miles

I know this sounds so bad because apparently we are supposed to work out 30 minute/3 times a week (oops), but I know myself. If I can actually commit and walk 4 miles in a month, it will be way better than making a super high goal I will never accomplish. Plus, baby steps right?

These all somehow revolved around the number 4, but I'm pretty excited to see if I can accomplish these and if I can exceed them. 

What are your goals for January?


Always, Raineedayze

January TBR

Happy New Year you guys!

I actually have a TBR this month, which if you've been following this blog for a while, you guys know I never do. 

There are just so many books that I have unread around the house and one of my most anticipated releases comes out in the first week of January. Obviously, I hope to read more than just these four, but these are definitely top-priority!



1. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

I love Holly Black so much. I have heard so many good things about this book from people who have read ARCs and honestly, anything with fairies gets my blood pumping! This book comes out January 2nd, so it will probably be my first bookish purchase of the year. I can't wait!

2. Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

I actually bought this book in November and read the first few pages. I had also borrowed the audiobook even earlier, but audiobooks are so hard for me to get into. I hope this month to actually finish this because the small section I did read was fantastic. Plus, anything Wonder Woman is my jam! Batman: Nightwalker comes out in January and this will be a good related read as well for it

3. Warcross by Marie Lu

I have been so stoked to read this book as soon as it came out and I bought it immediately. However, I still haven't opened the book, which is such a shame because it sounds amazing! It has been taunting me from my nightstand and I hope to dig in pretty soon.

4. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Becca actually got me this book for Christmas (I love her!) and I can't wait to read it because I have heard so many amazing things about it. I feel so bad for not being able to read it yet so it might be one of the first books I read in 2018. 

I have high hopes for all these books and definitely hope to read more than just these four, but these are the ones I will try to get to first! 

What's on your TBR? Let's chat about it!


Always, Raineedayze