Holiday Season: Breaking the Mold

Hello loyal readers, all two of you! I am so thankful for you both and your continued support of my blog, and my books. Thank you for taking the time to read, and comment, and share. I really thank you if you bought something, because let's face it, I am a creative person so I am poor and every sale of my book means that I can eat, and so can my dogs. Well, at least my dogs can eat! So for this holiday season, I am going to write about something we all dread, drama during the holidays.


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Many of us have grew up with the Norman Rockwell and Coke images of what a happy family should be during the holidays. You see parents, grandparents, children, cousins, and friends gathered around a big feast with smiles plastered on their faces.They have a big Christmas tree full of decorations, lights and lots of presents under the tree for all.  Television and advertisements also ushered in this ideal of unobtainable happiness and joy during the holiday season by seeing everyone get along even when there were big differences happening in the background. It has truly set up people for failure and heartache because life just doesn't work that way. Those moments were structured and fictional. While they are a nice image to have, and a few people are lucky enough to have some of those moments overall, it just isn't going to happen. This can lead to depression and feelings of failure and wondering why your family isn't "normal."

People are dreading the holiday season now more than ever before. I have seen such an increase lately on social media addressing how horrible it is to spend a holiday with the family. People make comments about that one, or several family members that are sexist, racist, homophobic, and all around judgmental. They make observations on your life style and sit in a place of judgment as if the one time they see you a year is enough to make a blanket statement about how your life your life, good or bad. I know people are blaming this on the election this year, but I beg to differ. I think people are too hung up on an out dated notion of the family unit, and they are trying to live up to impossible standards and really suffer when they can't. It's time for us to take the holidays back and make them simple instead of trying to live up to an ideal that is exhausting and damaging.


Remember that there is no such thing as normal. People are widely different and they bring those differences with them. They don't check them at the door when they come inside the home. I think this is why so many dread spending the holidays with their family, because they feel like they must put on an act. They want to keep the peace and not upset certain family members because of a choice in career, relationship, or political views. Or, the exact opposite happens and all of that stuff they are trying to hold is spills over into a big fight. Either way, it is an uncomfortable situation and people leave with feeling hurt,and are let down instead of being able to just enjoy one another's company.

So, how do you enjoy the holiday season with people you are concerned about? One thing you can do is forget that the holidays are "supposed" to be peaceful and perfect. Any time you get more than one person in a room at a time, conflict can arise. This isn't something to blame yourself or them about because it is just human nature. If you are going for that perfect holiday facade, then maybe set up some ground rules. Try to keep certain hot button topics out of the conversation and all agree to just enjoy each other's company while you are together. This can be difficult but if you all work together, it can be achieved. If you are worried about limiting your conversations, play a game, help with the dishes or the cooking. Better yet, make yourselves tired and give back in your community by helping serve food to the homeless. If you don't have shelters in your area, spend time making sack lunches and handing them out to those in need. Do you have family members that knit or sew? Make scarves, or hats to donate to the cancer centers, hospitals, or shelters.Go visit a nursing home and visit residents.  When you are so tired after spending your day doing good deeds, you won't have the energy to fight. Make this a new tradition instead of going home and crying into a bottle of wine.

If you don't feel like giving back to your community or you can't, try a different approach. Make your own traditions that keep everyone busy. Why not do a scavenger hunt that is good for all ages? Do a silly photo shoot that involves everyone. Have a cooking contest for the best side dish that you vote on when you are celebrating the holiday. If it is a nice day outside, go for a walk or do something outside. Help the kids write their Christmas letter to Santa, or thank you notes for the gifts they were given. If you do them all hand made, then it becomes a craft activity and that can last for awhile. So can the cleanup! Play Bingo, have a dance contest, look for holiday deals together. The more planned activities that you have, the less likely the drama will happen. It still can, but it will be less likely. In fact, the more traditions that you create that keep people busy, the less you will focus on the things that don't matter like the huge meal, and presents. Learn to replace those with things that really matter!

If those ideas still don't work then just remember to appreciate what you have, and this won't last forever. The perfect holiday with the family isn't real, but your attitude is. You can go into the day already sullen and angry, or go into it knowing that these few hours aren't really going to make a difference in your life. You have people who are going to try to tell you how you should live and lead your life, but remember, they don't walk in your shoes. You don't walk in their shoes either. You may be related, but neither one of you are going down the same exact path. That is okay. You can choose to learn from one another, or fight. If it gets to the point where people are getting hurt, then walk way right after you agree to disagree. You live your life every single day, as they live their life every day. A few hours spent with people that don't agree with each other really won't make a differences in the long run unless you allow it to.

Holiday season is so stressful because people are constantly trying to live up to something. We are made to feel that we aren't good enough. If we don't spend money that we don't have to buy presents that are only going to be temporary, we aren't good enough. If we can't spend a holiday with family without getting into a fight, then there is something wrong with us. If we don't feel like celebrating when things are going bad in our lives, and it's too hard to pretend, then there is something wrong with us. The holiday season is unrealistic because people feel they must obtain this ideal of what a holiday should be like.

 If we got over the fact that a holiday doesn't magically make the rest of life disappear, then maybe we could get through them. Instead of scrambling to spend lots of money on lots of food, and spend hours cooking a meal, make the day simple. Instead of going into debt to buy presents, teach people to be thankful for what they have, show them how to give to others, and if you want to buy gifts, don't break the bank. Your bills aren't going to go away, and presents don't show a person how much they are loved, your everyday actions do. It's time to truly make the holidays your own by not having expectations that are too high. Enjoy the company that you have around you. Give each other memories,not overly expensive presents.Give to others because no matter how bad you have, someone has it worse. Are you having a bad day? That's okay, you are human and just because it is a holiday isn't going to magically cure that. You have no one to live up to but yourself so why not make the holiday season your own by breaking the mold!

And it's time to learn more ways to get free stuff and save!

            Hello faithful readers. I'm so happy that all 2 of you are still here and supporting my blog by reading it, sharing it, and posting your thoughts and feelings on Facebook. Thank you for the 3 of you that bought my eBook about this blog as well. As a thank you, I want to bring you some more tips on how to earn some free stuff and some ways to save some money! It has been several years since I have done a post like this, but this time I am going to feature some pros and cons of what is good and what isn't so good about these ways to earn and save! Check out these sites for yourself to find ways to save, earn free items, and maybe get some samples!

1. Bing Rewards:

Bing rewards is one of the easiest ways to earn free gift cards. All you have to do is go to Bing and sign up for the free reward program. After that, all you do is search and earn! Most of the time every 2 searches earns you 1 point. Some are 1 point per search but those are pretty limited. You can also earn points by doing their daily quiz and weekly quiz. Points can add up fast and you can exchange you points for things like gift cards from Starbucks, Amazon, and more. You can also use your points do donate to certain causes like Boys and Girls Club and Teach for America.

Pros: It is super easy to use. I use my laptop and just go down the line of recommend stories that they have and earn points quickly. I like the quizzes because they are fun and you learn something about many different subjects. You can use your computer and your mobile phones to earn. This is literally the easiest way to get gift cards. It really helps to do this around the holiday's if you are needing extra money for gifts. If you are like me, and you are broke, this is a great way to still get coffee or items on Amazon. Gift cards come in $5.00 increments, and you can let your reward points add up because they don't expire. (As of right now)

Cons: They limit how many searches that you can do per day so it can take time to get your rewards. They also took away their referral program and that was a big point earner for many. The gift card selection has become very limited. When I first started, you could get cards from Burger King, Applebee's, and more. Now the selection is down to Amazon, Starbucks, and Gamestop and a few others. They have points that you can use in the Microsoft store but unless you are really needing the items offered it really isn't a great reward. Another con is that they are going to change the format again. This form of Bing Rewards is going away and I am not sure what the future will hold. However, I am going to do all I can go get my points and cash them in before they switch over to something new I would advise you to do the same thing, quickly because I have a feeling the new system won't be as agreeable as Bing rewards.

2. Ebates

If you buy anything online then this is your place to start shopping! There are many stores and sites that participate in Ebates which earns you cash back when you use their site to buy the things that you want They also have some great coupon codes from time to time that you can combine with your cash back for some huge savings. For example, you want to buy some gifts on Bath and Body works and want to earn cash back. Go to Ebates and type in your search. If the store is part of Ebates, a link will appear and you click on that link which takes you the site and shop. That's it! They will tell you prior to getting to that site how much you should expect to get back on your shopping experience.  You can also earn money with their referral program. This is great for two reasons. One, you get money for the referral. Two, the person signing up will get a bonus $10.00 gift card after making there first qualifying purchase.

Here is the link to my referral code. Start shopping!!! Copy and paste this into your search engine and it will take you to Ebates to sign up and get your gift card offer.

http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=8pO4ASt4DY%2FdVNu3S7ALDA%3D%3D&eeid=28187

Pro: Very easy to use. Most of the time I am going to be shopping at a certain site anyway so why not earn some cash back?

Con: They pay you by a percentage of cash back of your total purchase. Sometimes you can get really good deals like 14% back. Sometimes, they have double the amount back around certain times of years. However, a lot of them I use only give 1% back which isn't much at all. Also, it takes a long time to get your check in the mail. I believe they send out your payment every 3 to 4 months. Plus, you might end up spending more money to try to get more back in savings and end up not saving a thing!

3. Qmee: 

 Qmee is something that you download on your computer and will run while you are doing normal searches. It will pop up on the side offers to click on the site for to earn money. You don't have to do anything but click on the site and the offers pay a few cents. They will also give you coupon codes on some items. This is all paid out through Paypal so you will need an account.

Pros: This is very easy to use and you can cash out at any point. You don't have to wait to have a certain dollar amount. You can choose to do as little as one cent. You can also do surveys  and you can donate your earnings to charities. Click and go on your way! That's all it takes!

Con: There is no predicting what will get you a Qmee hit to earn money. You also have to download this on the computer. While I didn't have any problems with viruses, it doesn't mean that there won't be for anyone else. That is a risk you must decide if you want to take. The payout isn't great but it is something. I have been working with Qmee for a few months now and have less than $5.00 in my account.It is frustrating not knowing what will get a hit and what won't, and there are no suggestions or aides to help you get more. You get what you get. They have a referral program but they tell you when you have been part of the community long enough before giving you access to a link. I guess I haven't been with them long enough.

4: Elite Deal Club:

This site will give you chances for several deals on Amazon which are either deeply discounted or they are free. The catch is that you must write a review the product that you get. Make sure that you include the line in your review, "I am doing this fair review in exchange for this free or deeply discounted product." That is mandatory because it could effect people's view on the product. Everyday, this club offers many items that you may want to try out, or gifts you would like to give. Many of these are free! The good part is that if you are a member of Amazon Prime, and choose the no rush shipping you may get some sort of credit. It's like you are getting a free product, and getting a bonus on top of that! It is great!

Pros: Many free and deeply discounted items are available each day. I have gotten the following things for free: Dog potty bags, Shampoo, Eye Cream, Skin Care System, Dog Order Spray, Essential Oils, Vitamins, and more. All of these free items would add up to hundreds of dollars if I had paid for them and had to pay shipping on top of that.

Cons: The deals go fast so make sure you are on top of them. I suggest that you follow them on Facebook and Twitter. The free items can be kind of boring because they can be the same items over and over again. The deeply discounted items are geared towards children so unless you have them in your life, it won't be a great score for you. They ask you to do reviews, but they are terrible at keeping track. I have submitted the same reviews and over and over because they say I haven't done them. I follow their directions but for some reason it says that I haven't done the review. That is annoying! There is no referral program either which I personally like to have.

5: The Penny Hoarder: 

This is a blog/website that gives you many ways to earn and save money. Sometimes, they will give you tips on how to earn free items. This is written by people who check out these items and give their honest opinion of these leads. You may find some work at home leads, or ways to earn money through websites.

Pro: Very easy to use and a great way to learn about some options to get money or free items that you never have thought of before. If you are looking for a job, this is a good way to start finding some options.

Cons: Many of the offers start with some sort of initial investment like setting up a new bank account, or prepaid card.  It can be a lot of work to find some real good offers, but they are there. You just need to be willing to put in the effort to find them.

6: InboxDollars.com:

This is another very easy way to earn money and great offers by signing up for Inboxdollars.com. You will get $5.00 by signing up and will get daily emails that you just read and earn money. It is super easy. You also get more chances for money through surveys, and offers. A lot of offers they have may be something you may need anyway, so you might as well get paid for it! I recommend if you are going to sign up for Inboxdollars.com, that you get a separate and free email account because you may get a lot cluttering your inbox.

Pro: Very easy to use. All you do is click on the spot in the email that says Confirm. It will take you to the site on a separate tab, and you can click out of it quickly. They have offers for many different things, games and ways to earn money. It is very simple to use and you get money for doing little to no work. There are also referral programs that will get you more money.

Here is my link to click and start your account off with $5.00!: http://www.inboxdollars.com/?r=ref18815135


Con: Even though they have lots of surveys, it can be difficult to qualify for one. Sometimes the qualifying process seems like it should be the survey and you find that you have spent 20 minutes only to not be able to take the survey because you aren't needed. That is a risk for any sight with a survey.  IBD can stop sending you emails because they feel that you aren't doing enough. I have been working with them for almost a year and doing everything that they have asked, but  for some reason they have limited my emails. It takes A LONG TIME to cash out. You must earn $30.00 before requesting to cash out and unless you are willing to pay to do some of these offers, you will not see that money quickly at all. It's "easy money" but it takes a lot of time.

7: Recite Hog:

This is an app that you download on your phone. You snap a photo of your recites using the in app camera icon and it will upload it for you. Points are collected based of where you went shopping and how much you spent. You can also earn in addition to your points, spins to get more points, and entries into contests that can earn you money or points. You can earn points to redeem through Paypal or Amazon. You need enough to cash out at $5.00 and nothing less. These points don't expire so you can save them up and cash them in for a bigger amount.

Pros: Very easy to use and this gives me a place to keep track of my recites in one place. This has been helpful when I needed information and had them archived. I like spinning for more points. It's fun and you can earn lots of points. I like that you have the choice for money through Paypal or a gift card through Amazon. It's pretty nice. They also have surveys but they don't have lots of them.

Con: It takes a long time to collect a lot of points. Sometimes, they won't accept your recite for one reason or another. Every single recite doesn't work so it can be frustrating. I have also never won any sweeps or anything like that. I also don't like that they will tell you that your recite is old or the quality is bad and they can't read it even though you can check and see that it is fine. There are glitches but it is still a very good program.






****Another way to make money is to write an eBook like I did with Kindle. You can write on almost any subject and put your voice out there for people to find! Here are the links to my eBooks that you can purchase now!

51 Supernatural and Mysterious Writing Prompts: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K1D5H2Q#navbar

And The Underdog Wins: 5th Anniversary Edition: http://amzn.to/2bDYvVq

Lisa's New Ebook: Exclusive Interview

Well hello there my two blogger fans! I know you both have been waiting for my new book to come out, and I hate to disappoint one of you, so the link will be included in this post for you to go purchase the book!


I thought to myself today, why not take advantage of this opportunity and do an interview with the author. I know what you are thinking, that  Lisa is off her meds again. True, but I hear interviews sometimes help sales of books so why not do an interview with myself because a little self-promotion never hurt anyone!



So here you go, the exclusive interview with author Lisa Tebrinke from And the Underdog Wins!


ATUDW: Lisa, you have been published a few times before including in magazines, anthologies or poetry, and a few ebooks. What took you so dang long to write. You have only been out of college for, like, 25 years now? What's going on? What have you been doing with your time? Not writing, that;s for sure!

LT: Wow, well, first of all, thank you so much for doing this interview and prompting my new Ebook available on Kindle, "51 Supernatural and Mysterious Writing Prompts."  It is truly an honor to get my book out there and share it with the world! Like many of you know, I suffer from low self-esteem and untreated depression. While it is great fuel for my stories, it does very little to help me get going and get my stories done and published. I also have this thing called responsibility where I have to pay bills and take care of other humans. That's what took so long. For the record, it has not been 25 years since I've been out of college. But this whole process has taken longer than I had hoped for.

ATUDW: This book isn't really a book. It's just a collection like your first one, but this one is writing prompts.

LT: Yes, this book is a collection, but it is a tool for writers which I have found extremely helpful. There are many writing prompts out there but sometimes you just want to write about a certain genre and the Supernatural and Mysterious things have always been a favorite of mine. That's how, "51 Supernatural and Mysterious Writing Prompts," came to light!

ATUDW: It's that just kind of lazy. You aren't even writing full stories.

LT: Not from my perspective. It was a lot of hard work to create each of these. There was a lot of time and effort to make sure that these prompts could go in several different directions. The key was to make these focused on a certain topic or area, but have them universal enough to be able to write from any perspective. I had a lot of fun with these, and found inspiration in writing these prompts to help me with other projects.

ATUDW: Why did you stop at 51? Why not go to 52, or 100?

LT: That was kind of a joke due to area 51. It all goes along with the theme of the book, "51 Supernatural and Mysterious Writing Prompts."

ATUDW: Why do you keep repeating the name?

LT: You will remember it, won't you. Thanks, RuPaul for the advice via" RuPaul's Drag Race!"

ATUDW: Okay, I may be have been a bit harsh. This was a lot of work and I can see that you truly want to help inspire people to write. Is this only for professional writers?

LT: Not at all, "51 Supernatural and Mysterious Writing Prompts" is for anyone! This is good for the beginner or a professional. However, this book isn't just limited to writers. This is a great tool for stress relief, a hobby, or a laugh. I have used writing prompts while doing papers for college that had nothing to do with anything I was working on. I found that by taking a few moments to write on a prompt, my mind became freed up and I could find inspiration to work on my project. It was like doing a cross-word puzzle to keep your mind sharp. Anyone can use this book, it's not just for writers!

ATUDW: What's different about your Prompt book compared to others?

LT: I have included something a bit different called "Fun Alternatives." This is a prompt for the writing prompt. It gives you yet another direction to go towards. It's not on every single of the 51 prompts, but it's on several!

ATUDW:  What advice would you give people who want to become writers?

LT: Keep trying. Keep writing. Don't beat yourself up too much. Rejection is just the first step towards getting to your goal.

ATUDW: Do you recommend publishing through Kindle?

LT: Publishing through Kindle is a very painless process. You are self-publishing, but you have acess to a wider audience. It is a learning process and I recommend trying it out. There will be trail and error but it is worth it.

ATUDW: What can we expect from you next?

LT: I hope to do okay with this book. I may publish another collection of writing prompts. I have one Ebook that I have been rolling around in my mind for some time. I hope to keep up writing and keep publishing. Maybe someday, I will be lucky enough to earn some money too!

ATUDW: Do you think you can make money for writing?

LT: I will never stop trying!!!

ATUDW: And we hope that you never do! Thank you so much, Lisa, for taking time out of your busy day to do an interview with us. We are new at this so sorry if it was bumpy.

LT: No problem. I enjoyed myself! Thanks for talking with me!





Lisa Tebrinke's Ebook is available for purchase on Amazon. Follow the link to buy the book!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K1D5H2Q#navbar



You can also buy other published works from Lisa Tebrinke here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BESNA1W#navbar

Support Amy's Cancer Battle

Please follow this link, share, and donate! This is my best friend, cousin, sister from another mister!! She needs help and you can support her battle!

https://www.gofundme.com/2pfdvgw4

Strange Day July 30th

However, other people call this the Mandela effect. 

Okay, stay with me here because this has been a strange day. Apparently for the last two years I have found a glich in the matrix on the same day. Let me explain....
First, this isn't supposed to be shameless self promotion, but it works out so I am not going to argue here. I am writing another E book that is about writing prompts. Today, I wrote a new one that goes very similar to this. It isn't done yet but keep in mind that I wrote this today while watching Bob's Burgers....


Writing Prompt:

You are a sub teacher and you got called in to teach 7th grade history. You glance at the lesson plan and are excited because you see it has to do with JFK. However, you read the suggested essay and become extremely confused. The question says, "discuss who was the better President, John or Robert Kennedy?"
You are obviously confused and ask to see one of the students books, then another, and another. According to this history book and lesson plan, JFK never was killed and lived until the age of 52 where he passed away from a heart attack. Robert served 2 terms as president. When you ask about him being assassinated, no one has any clue what you are talking about. What is going on?



The strange thing is this.... About two hous ago, I put on Youtube to watch Good Mythical Morning and had a video recommend to me about Jackie Kennedy killing JFK. What? I had to look into that! So, this video shows for some strange reason this video shows a new angle of Jackie killing JFK. Now, could this video be fake? Of course it could. It is very easy to change things to make people think that it is real. The big thing that people are questioning besides this video is how many people were actually in the car? Records say at one time, there was  4 people in the car. Now, it is being shown that there were 6 people in the car. Back in the day, the car was shown as a four seat car with no bullet proof glass. Today, this car is a 6 seat car with JFK and Jackie in the very back, the Governor and his wife in the seat in front, a bullet proof glass barrier and a driver and another secret service agent in the front. People today are swearing that there were 6 people, and not 4 in the car.




I asked my Mom what she remembered. Mom has an interesting link with JFK. The week before, he was in a parade in Minnesota. At the time my Mom was working as a nurse in a Catholic Hospital. They gave all the ladies time to go and watch the parade. Mom remarked to her fellow nurses that he shouldn't be in this parade without any protection around him because someone will shoot him. He was in a car without any protection, and even walked in some parts. A week later, he was shot and killed in Texas. Mom clearly remembers 5 people being in the car and it only seated 4 people. In back was JFK and Jackie. In front was the Governor, his wife, and the driver. There were secret service people walking and driving behind them. So....who is correct or is history changing.

Official Replica Car 

If you have ever read 1984, you know that book is become more and more real every single day. They talk about manipulation of memory and distorting history to match what Big Brother wants you to believe. Others call this situation memory issues. People hear lots of stories and don't realize that a memory isn't instant recall and a exact recording of what happened. You are removed from what happened to so your memory will not ever be exact. You may even be mixing up an event that happened with another event, or something that you have read or seen. Fair enough. I know that I have mixed up things before and it won't be the last time that my memory has failed me. I am human and I understand that I am not a computer.

However, other people call this the Mandela effect. 

The Mandela effect is how some people recall that Nelson Mandela died while in prison in the 1980's. While others knew he lived and he died much more recently in 2013. I personally recall hearing that Nelson Mandela passed away in prison and I was actually confused when I heard he was released from prison. Now, could myself and many other people be confusing one story with another. Sure. I do remember having a conversation about this with my Grandparents, however, and we all believed that he passed away while in jail. The people who believe in the Mandela effect think that being mixed up or misunderstanding this story is more than poor memory. They think that it is a glich in the matrix. They think it is history rewriting itself because of either timelines being crossed or an alternative reality.

While you may or may not believe in this effect,it ties into my very strange day. Not only did this strange JFK thing happen with me writing this prompt and seeing this Youtube Video, but Facebook also showed me that today was a strange day a year ago. Timehop showed me this status posted one year ago today:



"Random Disney movie question. Does anyone remember watching snow white and seeing the dwarfs making her a coffin? I saw this question asked in a book and the lady asking swears it was in the movie. I do too but Disney films says no. What do you remember. Disney is famous for trying to change their own past."


I remember researching this for a day or so trying to find out the answer. Now, I do understand that Disney has changed things from their original releases and when they bring them back out of the vault. I have seen "Song of the South" when I was a kid and I was so offended even though I was still pretty young. Disney had to change it to get it released again because it was so horrid. My Grandpa who watched it with me when I was a kid said he say it before and it was even worse. So, I know this could be just due to being a change Disney made. Here are some of the comments made after I posted this because I still swear I saw the coffin being made by the 7 Dwarfs.  




Person A:   I remember that. Saw it in the movie.theater when Disney re-released the movies in the 80's
Me:  I thought that too but according to the Disney spokes person everybody was mixing up the story and the movie. He said in the movie it was a bed not a coffin. But I swear it was a coffin!!!
Person B: I think theres a coffin in the book, but not one in the movie. I just you tubed it.
Me: Im so confused because I swear I remember seeing the coffin back in the 80's theatrical release. Maybe its something that was once there but has been "remastered?"
Person C: My mom has the 80's VHS, it's in there.





See, no one can agree on this. All of this recall is very strange but what is very weird to me is that I recall the time and space and the glich in the matrix the same day in the last two years. What is happening here? I am very, very confused!!!  I'm also confused as why this is highlighted while I am typing and I can't get it to stop. Anywho, I have no idea what is going on here but something strange is going on! I think the world is a big  place, and we have no clue what is the truth verses the perception of truth.  The internet is something we don't fully understand but we use it all of the time. You can use these little machines to do everything from making cat videos, to banking, to putting  information out there that you have made up. People will believe what is put in front of them if they are told over and over again that it is the truth. We don't even understand the human mind let alone how memories work. If this Mandela effect something that has some merit to it or is it something that is another false memory. I'm not sure what is correct but I can tell you that July 30th is a strange day for me. 

My Top 10 Musicals

              Just in case you didn't know, I love Broadway Musicals. I love them so much! I secretly wish that I had enough talent to write and maybe even star in my own musical. Ever since I was a small child, I was amazed and moved by any musical performance that I ever was lucky enough to see. There is nothing quite like it and I highly recommend that you go out and see whatever live musical theater that you can. Support your local theaters because trust me, it will be well worth it. Since I have not written about my deep love of musicals before, here is my top 10 personal favorite lists if you are not sure what to go to first.      
 

1. Hair:

 Hair is my all time favorite musical. I knew the music from the show before I had ever saw it or realized that the songs were from this play. I have a deep love of the "hippie counter culture" that took place in the 1960's. I'm pretty sure that I lived a past life during that time and have been told that by a multitude of different people my entire life. Hair is a snapshot of people living their lives during the height of the Vietnam war and the reality of the draft and young men dying by the thousands. There is nothing more heartbreaking than Claude singing "Flesh Failures" and hearing the words of Shakespeare being combined with sorrow and loss of life. ("Eyes look your last, Arms take you last embrace" from Romeo and Juliet.)  Even through the horrible pain and loss of their friend, the group still tries to "Let the Sunshine In" and live their lives as full as they could for the one that they lost. I was also highly impressed with the actors participation with the audience which is encouraged during this show. This is also a highly controversial and historic show with full nudity, transgender, and strong language. There is a reason this show has been banned over and over again, but there is a reason to keep coming back to this show over and over again. As my Mom likes to say, don't forget to bring your flashlight! 

2. Wicked:

I have never been so impressed with a more beautiful set in my entire life. I had no idea so much could be done with sets, lights, and how they can move actors around by defying gravity. Not only that, but this story is one of the only ones centered around how strong the female friendship could be. It also ties nicely into the world of the Wizard of Oz with lots of nods and winks to the famous show and books. The lyrics to the songs are well thought out and like the main characters, are two sides which are both beautiful and tragic at the same time. For example, there is a lyric where Glenda is singing that she couldn't be happier because she got everything she wanted, but in that moment she realizes what it costs her. There is a love story, a underdog, a popular girl, a struggle with a family, school, politics, and the complex/simplicity of the strong bonds of friendship. There is nothing more complex, and beautiful than the music that matches the very strong tone of love and friendship in this musical. 

3. Rent:

The exact opposite can be said about Rent and their sets. I have never been so impressed with what you could do with little to no sets and still maintain a very strong story. Rent takes place in the  80's during the height of the AIDS epidemic. Each one of the characters are effected by the diseases either themselves, or know someone who is struggling. The show follows a group of poor, artists who struggle with poverty and art. The most important part of this story is learning how to live with an illness that is killing them, which could be transcended to any illness. One song asks over and over if they are going to lose their dignity, and if anyone cares? Simple lines with some much behind them makes this one of the best musicals out there, reminding you that there is no day but today and to measure the moments of your life in love. 

4. Rocky Horror Show:

I'm not talking about the movie, I am talking about the musical the movie was based on. If you have seen the movie then you are familiar with the story of Janet, Brad and their crazy night at Frankenstein's place. However, there is nothing like seeing this show live because most of the time there is encouraged audience participation and interaction. The sets range from expensive to the back of  a movie theater. Every single time I go see this live, I not only meet some amazing people, but I am surprised and impressed with how different each performances are. If you are looking for a fun time, go to this show. Keep in mind this is not family friendly by any means.

4. Cabaret: 

 Sally Bowles.., once you realize that this character has been around since 1932 you tend to have more respect and awe for her. The most free spirited, clueless, and tortured artist that has ever been portrayed on stage with the style of  Bob Fosse.  The show centers around Sally, her lovers, and her life in the Cabaret. It's an ominous situation as Sally goes though her life as carefree as possible while World War 2 is going on around her. Sally is almost immune to the horror around her quite possibly not understanding the real danger which is just like what she is going through in her personal life. She creates havoc but she keeps going because she's an artist. Sally is an innocent and very likable which is wonderful because if you didn't root for her, you may despise her. That is the beauty of the parallel going on throughout this show.

5. Bye Bye Birdie:
If you aren't an Elvis fan then you probably should skip this song and dance number about singer Conrad Birdie going off to war which of course is the basis of this comedy. There are many classic moments in this classic sing a long story of teenage girls and their idol, and his manger fighting to find his own true love. If you have ever been a teenage girl, you will love this play and look back with nostalgia! This is truly a lot of fun, especially the phone scene!

6. Hairspray:
The story of Baltimore's big hair, big heart, big dancer Tracy Turnblad is based off of the great John Water's movie of the same name. For once, a big girl is at the center of the musical full of fun, dance, and purpose. This show tackles sexism, racism, and of course body issues. This show takes place in the 60's where Tracy wants to be a dancer on her favorite TV show. However, they aren't ready for a big girl, and they aren't ready to expand beyond an all white cast.. Tracy becomes an unlikely hero and helpful voice to those who are being oppressed. What a fun, and beautiful, upbeat story with many good life lessons!

7. Chicago:
Another Fosse inspired dance number following a young woman, Roxie Hart going from  wanna be famous to infamous. In Chicago, you can be anything, including a person who becomes a celebrity by killing and that's exactly what lands Roxie in the hot seat. She kills her lover and hires a lawyer to help her get off. The song and dance shows how easy guilt and innocence is bought and sold, as long as you have the charm and the look. Roxie just doesn't just have to worry about her trial, but keeping her name in the news to make sure people don't forget who she is. Her fellow jail mate is the famous singer and dancer Velma who also is playing the same spotlight game. They are surrounded by women who are accused of murder and mayhem, which is just another day in Chicago.

8. Spam A Lot
Seriously, if you don't like Monty Python or are familiar with their work, then you better prepare yourself by watching their movies! Then go see this wonderful satire!  You know the humor. You know you are going to love it! Go see this show because no one expects the Spanish Inquisition.

9. The Song of Music:
The tale of the former nun turned nanny to a family of singing Von Traps. Everyone knows these songs and they hold a very special place in my heart. Both my parents sang these songs to me when I was little. You know the story. You have most likely seen the movie, but do yourself a favor and see the stage version. It brings more to life than the screen ever will!

10. Rock of Ages:
If you ever had to choose between going to a rock show, and seeing a musical you can do both with Rock of Ages. This is literally like going to a concert! Please, do not watch that POS movie!!!!! They butchered the story and casts a whole bunch of dumb asses who can't act or sing! It is a story as old as time. Girl follows dreams of being a singer, ends up in LA as a waitress, falls in love, cheats on boy with big time singer, leaves waitress job to become a stripper, and eventually finds her way back to boy. While boy who dreams of being a rock star works at same bar, gets girl job, falls in love and puts himself in the friend zone, leaves girl behind to peruse music career, music career becomes less than he hoped, finds himself and his girl. The bar: meets people, people protect the bar, and there is lots of talk about Arby's. Seriously, this show is a lot of fun with power ballads from the 80's. This is worth seeing. Just never, ever watch that god damn movie!! 

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