Oldies But Goodies

Greetings earthlings!  Okay wait, been watching too much of Marvel’s Phil Coulson and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  {shaking my head from side to side} Awake now. 

It’s Queen She known as me and I’m journaling something extra this week.   I’ve been using my planner jotting everything down imaginable, (and some unimaginable) that I might want to share with you all.  This post I’m a little nostalgic about because some of the items I’ll chat about I have loving memories of from my childhood.  Oldies but goodies; you know the things that have been around for a really long time, really old but still usable, or likable.  Some of these you can use for most anything so I won’t list the many, many uses, but let’s see if you go “oh yeah, I remember that” or “yeah, I use that for this, or I used to use that for this, OR grandma used to use that when I was a child”  Ready?  Here we go. Oh and please add to the list if you think of something else!

Baking Soda

Vaseline

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails

Queen Helene cholesterol cream hair conditioner

Alum (the stories I’ve heard surrounding this one)

White dirt

Luster’s Pink Oil Moisturizer

Coffee percolator

Johnson & Johnson baby lotion & baby oil

Safety pins

This was just to name a few however the list could go on and on.  If you see one on this list you’d like me to share a memory of, let me know down below in the comments, I’d be happy to share!

Becoming Pescatarian…Again

As you all know I’m always preaching about, writing about, thinking about lifestyle changes.  I mentioned a while back that I would be implementing some new ideas into my world to shake up my stagnant eating habits.  One thing I changed is I became a pescatarian…again.  Yep that’s right, four years ago Queen She known as me lived a pescatarian lifestyle and enjoyed it thoroughly.  Why’d I go back you ask?  Well let me be a little transparent and share.  I went thought a breakup and I considered it a major emotional setback in my life, and I allowed myself to partake in some very unhealthy habits; the one I considered most catastrophic was my eating habits.  

So it has taken me four years to come back to self, and come back to center.  This is my new window into my new journey with pescatarianism.  Walk with me.

What is pescatarianism?  It’s basically a vegetarian diet that also includes fish and seafood.  Some eat dairy, some do not (I do, however it’s limited to eggs; my cheese and milk is dairy free).  The main opinion of some of my carnivore friends is “Tina that’s is too extreme and it’s a setup for failure”,  but I’m telling you as a person who has walked this walk before it’s not extreme at all, and way less intimidating that booting meat altogether.  To me it’s like a reset button on, and at the same time, a kill switch to the unhealthy version of myself.

There are some great health benefits to being a pescatarian  like  the omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins in fish, but there are also some cautions to be aware of as well like consuming too much mercury.  So what’s key to making sure you’re on the right track?  Balance and being informed . Make sure you’re eating a great amount of vegetables, grains, fruit, and know where your favorite fish is coming from; is it coming from a farm in China or is it wild caught? Does it have too much mercury, or too much antibiotics? So you have to do your research and be in the know so you can make informative purchases and meals.  I try and eat wild caught versus farm raised; it works better for me and my genetic makeup, but we all know that can be way more expensive than farm raised, so there are times when I find myself settling for small portions of farm raised to keep my pocket book (lol) from busting at the seams.  I hate how expensive it is to eat good and healthy, but how inexpensive and pocket friendly it is to eat what’s bad for you….another blog post….another time.  [Sighs softly]  [Walks away slowly]

I’m having fun with pescatarianism now; I’m experimenting with new recipes, and I’m bringing back some of my old ones.  This is the 5th week, and it’s okay, I’m okay.  I feel good.  I’m hoping this is a change that will stay with me for years to come, so you all pray for my strength, and that I succeed with becoming a better me. 

Oh SN:  Look at my garlic shrimp I've mastered with the help of YouTuber Chef Buck.  YUM!

If you have any great recipes please share!  

Freestyle Friday

Hey peeps!  It's Queen She known as Me here, it's Friday and I feel like dropping a freestyle.  Sit back, put your seat belt and sunglasses on, put your arm out the window and take this ride with me.

The name of this piece is Hott

You, yeah, you over there, you make me
giggle, smile, smirk, chuckle
laugh, grin, cackle, snicker, howl
You make me joyful

You, yeah you over there, you make me
wonder, think, fantasize, stare
ponder reflect, deliberate, consider, comtenplate
You make me imagine

You, yeah, you over there, you make me
scorch, sear, blister, burn, roast
scald, aroused, stimulated, sizzle
You make me wanna f

You, yeah you over there, you  make me
new, fresh, up-to-date. recent
real time, current, right now, right here
You make me significant....to you

You, yeah you over there, you make me
keen, fierce, cut throat
bold, ruthless, agressive
you make me bad assed

You, yeah you over there, you make me
eager, enthusiastic, excited
avid, intense, zealous
you make me involved

You, yeah you over there, you  make me
difficult, to much to deal with, stolen
illegal, in demand, inflamed

You, yeah you over there, you make me
hott

Random Acts of Kindness

Hey there loves!  It’s Queen She known as me here again, hoping everything has been and is well with you. Lately I’ve become a bit of a people watcher.  Sitting in the lobby of an office of which I had an appointment, I noticed a lot of people. Some seemed to be confident, some seemed preoccupied with what was at hand, I witnessed people having outburst of anger, I witnessed people being b ** holes, then I’ve noticed people who just seem to be sad, and I wondered; would a kind gesture change that person’s demeanor.  

Today I want to talk about kindness.  I read a quote from author Steve Maraboli that says “a kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.”   I’ve shown kindness before; I’ve smiled, used words of encouragement to try and lift a heavy heart, let the person in the grocery store line behind me that has 2 items jump ahead, small things; but the one thing that’s better than being kind is being on the receiving end when it’s needed but unexpected.  It reassures me that God is always near, as He promised, and that He has deposited affection, warmth, gentleness, concern and care in the hearts of many who are ready and willing to be obedient.  It also provokes selflessness in me, and prompts me to look for opportunities to be kind, and it be unexpected to someone as it was to me.  It’s a great feeling.  

I thought I would put together a small list of random acts of kindness.  Try one, try some, and see if you don’t feel good about yourself. And remember, what you release into the atmosphere, ALWAYS comes back.  It’s up to you how it comes back.  Make the decision to be expectant of something good to come back your way because that’s what you put out there….good.

1. Share overheard compliments
2. Walk in a restaurant, and search for a person who’s meal you’ll pay for
3. Give compliments
4. Smile
5. Offer assistance
6. Donate
7. Volunteer
8. Say thank you
9. Show compassion
10. Show concern

Five New Favs

Hey guys, Queen She known as me here, and The Diva is journaling!  How’s everybody doing this second week of the new year?  I’m cold as heck, as I’m sure most people around, across and about the country are as well; but, I’ve come across a couple of shiny new five-star toys that warm my demeanor very quickly.  Walk with me, and I’ll share.

1. Coconut Activated Charcoal Powder.  I found this on Amazon.  I was looking for something to jumpstart a cleanse prior to me becoming a pescatarian this year (yup I am, but another blog post I promise…soon).  Any who, not only does this product absorbs toxins and toxic residues in the body, but it whitens teeth,  makes a superb addition to facial cleansers and masks, and absorbs odor. Bomb.com

2. Blanket Scarf.  Ooh baby! My secret Santa hooked me up with the most beautiful blanket scarf by Ann Taylor.  I absolutely love scarves; in my closet they have their own space, and every winter you will find me connected ever so close with one.  With this one, I’ve already mastered 5 ways to style it and keep warm.  [Spoiler Alert!!!!! another future blog post!]

3. Hempz Herbal Body Moisturizer. I guess I can chalk it up to old age, but my skin needs more moisturizing these days.  Hempz is enriched with 100% pure natural hemp seed oil, it’s paraben free, gluten free, 100% vegan, yada yada, yada you get the picture; now don’t get me wrong, all of these are great benefits to a good moisturizer, but  I simply love it because it goes on light, but it moisturizes like a heavy lotion. That’s it. Marshalls, and  Ulta have it for $10.99-$12.99, and sometimes at Ulta, it’s buy 1 get 1 50% off.  Now Walgreens, my favorite store, has it for $22.00…..BOOOO Walgreens, you know better...do better! LOL.  It’s good but not that damn good.  Amazon has a great collection too with reasonable prices.

4. Uni-ball Signo. This smooth writing gel pen  is all that.  In order for my writing to be legible… I have to use a fine point pen… I know special kind of person.  The ink is in Prussian Blue, and my pages look like I have the best penmanship ever…LOL.  I don’t, but you can’t tell it.

5. Flairosol 10 oz White Sprayer. Yawl, I done changed the game in twist outs and wash & go’s! LOL.  I saw this on YouTube; the youtuber, Lexis Hair was doing her hair and I noticed the spray bottle had a continuous flow.  Off to Amazon I went, and found it for less than $5.  Now whatever I spray on the strands, like conditioner, or water goes on with an even coverage.  New level of hair styling!  

What’s your driving force for 2018?

Happy New Year! I hope it found you doing well, and like me, amped about becoming better.  Every year around this time I get uber excited about climbing to another year viewing different horizons; sometimes I get there, sometimes I get close, and sometimes I miss the mark completely.  Change can be hard, especially when we jump in with both feet, and the momentum dries up quicker that acetone nail polish remover when the air hits it. I understand; this is one of the worst feeling ever.   I’ve compiled a personal list of items that I deem detrimental to my success in 2018.  Sometime this year, maybe six months from now, I’ll share my list and we’ll see how I’m doing making the mark on eliminating them for my life.  I intend to go hard this year to tear down systems in my mind that have hindered me in the past, therefore creating a lifestyle change, and one I can definitely notice.

The thing is we can’t give up.  Nope we can’t.  We have to realize just like it took time to get where we are, it’ll take time to build momentum and its hard work to keep it going.  But again it’s doable.  Be realistic and start with small obtainable goals at first.  Challenge yourself but don’t overdo it.  Once you begin to set small realistic obtainable goals, and you accomplish what you’ve set out to do, you start experiencing success, and that helps build confidence and momentum.  Change one behavior at a time, don’t overwhelm yourself.

Aim for lifestyle changes instead of resolutions.  I hate those. New Year resolutions are almost always guaranteed to fail.  According to Medical Daily  it’s been estimated that only eight percent (8%!) of people who make a New Years’ Resolution actually succeed.  The article reads:[1]  “The annual tradition of breaking a New Year’s resolution is observed perhaps just as strictly, if regretfully, as that of making one. Research into motivation, for instance, knows that for a task to be accomplished, the actor must genuinely want to complete it — wanting it to be completed isn’t enough.”  Hmm, sounds like me after my 1st week of exercise. 

A lifestyle change on the other hand is a process.  It comes from strong motivation, getting inspired, getting, being, and staying prepared, and getting excited to get there.  You have to make it a process, and you have to do it daily.  You have to work towards what you’re wanting to change.  If you’re making small strides toward change; you’d be surprised how quickly they can add up to major lifestyle changes.  For example, if you want to become vegetarian, eat 3 vegetarian meals for one week, see how that goes.  If you’re still motivated, add a day every week for the next 4 weeks.  Then look back at your success; that’s four weeks, all 7 days totaling 28 days, you’ve eaten vegetarian.  It takes only 21 days to form a new habit!

Read, study and look for free resources to help you achieve your goals and to maintain them.  The internet is a beast, but it also is a wonderful cyber world where you can find information on anything.  Use it, wisely.  Stay prepared.  Unpreparedness is like being a soldier in war and having no equipment or weapons to fight the battle.  Whether it’s through prayer, research, meditation, using a planner, or  whatever you fancy, just get prepared and stay prepared.

Lastly, have fun with yourself, wherever you are in your walk.  Just have fun and enjoy yourself.

[1] http://www.medicaldaily.com/weight-loss-your-new-years-resolution-why-your-age-may-have-final-say-266269