Captivations is a monthly feature with links, stories, and news that captivated me. Take a look at all the things captivating me lately.
Natural Products
I’ve been trying to use more natural beauty products because of the possible effects of chemicals. I used Nature’s Gate Shampoo and Conditioner but after many normal months my scalp started rejecting it and I got bad dandruff. I would love to find a great alternative. Have any recommendations? I’m trying Sam’s Natural Deodorant this month.
Less Plastic
One of my goals this year is less plastic! From straws to bags, plastic is everywhere, and it’s ruining the environment and killing wildlife. Here are a few related links.
- 10 Ways to Reduce Plastic
- Tote Bags vs. Plastic Bags – was not expecting this!
- This movie trailer was sad and eye-opening. (The movie came out in 2014 but I haven’t seen it yet.) This article is about the movie.
Lola
Combining natural products AND less plastic, I got my first shipment of Lola tampons. These tampons are made from 100% organic cotton, which means no toxins or synthetic fibers. You can get them with a BPA-free plastic applicator, with a cardboard applicator, or what I did, applicator-less. I was considering the Diva cup but not sure I want to make that jump yet because it sounds…messy.
Write Better
Want to write better? I definitely do! Here are some tips to make it happen. (Psst: reading more is one of the ways to do it!)
The Reckoning of the Restaurant Industry
The restaurant industry has its fair share of sexual harassment issues and top chefs have made the news in the last year because of them. We even saw this happen in Austin where one bar owner removed himself from ownership and another chef distanced himself from the restaurants he started. This New York Times article has some good points about the topic.
#MeToo
After the accusations about actor Aziz Ansari came out, the internet was confused about who they should be supporting. Some said what the accuser experienced wasn’t really assault while others called the #MeToo movement a witch hunt. This NSFW response by Samantha Bee is great, especially this quote: “If we go public with a story, we’re petty crybabies hell-bent on destroying men’s careers. If we write a secret list to protect each other, we’re gossipy shrews telling lies in the shadows. What men literally can’t understand is this isn’t about them.”
Women ultimately want to change the culture that has made any form of harassment ok, which is no easy, quick-fix task. This means going wherever we want and not being scared of harassment. It’s going to involve a lot of discussions and it’ll take time, but we’ll be closer to what needs to happen.
Have you read this NSFW article about Mario Batali and the cinnamon roll recipe yet?
The Reckoning of the Church
While we’re cleaning out the closet, let’s talk about church too. Did you hear about the Memphis pastor who admitted a sexual incident with a teen and his congregation gave him a standing ovation? Or how about Rachael Denhollander’s story? She was one of the gymnasts that accused Larry Nassar of abuse. She revealed that her church pushed her out when she became an advocate for sexual assault victims. I’m sure you’ve heard stories about Catholic priests sweeping molestation of altar boys under the rug. I’m not sure church has a responsibility to be pro-active educators and police but they definitely shouldn’t be afraid to stand up for others and they should certainly be a place where people can get guidance and comfort. They shouldn’t put abusers in power. Thankfully, I know not all churches are like this, and stories like these help further the discussion in churches today.
The Power is Back
How did Puerto Rican teachers and students react when the electricity came back on in their school after 112 days? THIS IS HOW. This is how you know Puerto Rico, while a U.S. territory, is not treated with any importance.
When Breath Becomes Air Meets The Bright Hour
When Breath Becomes Air was one of my favorite books last year. I’m delighted to read that the spouse of the author (who happens to be the twin sister of popular blogger Jo of A Cup of Jo) has found love again with the spouse of The Bright Hour‘s author. Basically, two memoirists died of cancer and their surviving spouses met and fell in love. *hearteyes*
Now Listening
–Tell Me You Love Me by Demi Lovato
–Jealous (Gospel Version) by Nick Jonas
–El Patito by Sesame Street (the Despacito parody haha)
3D Printing with Clay
Watching these videos of the printing process are fascinating, and the finished vases are beautiful!
Now Watching
We flew through the eight episodes of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – a very clever show with cute 1950s outfits and another strong female lead by the creators of Gilmore Girls! We also (finally) jumped on the Stranger Things train and watched both seasons. I love the 80s! I’m also caught up on The Good Place, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and This Is Us. (I’m NOT ready for the next episode of This is Us!) What are you watching?
Do you like sentences?
We are obsessed with finding our calling and passion. It seems to be the solution to all our unhappiness. I can’t say that it isn’t but I like that this post makes figuring out what we would like to do a simpler process than we think. When you break it down to the core, does your passion still remain?
Scrapbooking in 2018
As I’ve gotten rid of all my old scrapbooking stuff, I wonder if scrapbooking ever truly goes out of style? Is doodling and watercoloring the new scrapbooking? I can’t stop watching this Facebook video of the process.
Moving On
So, you voted for Trump. You had your reasons and we’re past the confusion about what you saw in him. Now that he’s president, is he delivering on everything you wanted him to? This list speaks for itself.
7 Food Trends
Have you noticed these food trends? No joke, I had a turmeric cupcake the other day. And YES to root to stem eating! Boyfriend is currently trying intermittent fasting to sleep better.
The Power of Journaling
I had plenty of emotional days in high school. I struggled with being a mediocre student, the pressure from my parents to get better grades, the desire to be truly known by my friends, and feeling lonely. I journaled like crazy. I found those journals recently and they were so full of despair and sadness. Studies show that journaling actually helps get you out of a bad mood. I’ve never been consistent at journaling but I know when I get emotionally charged, writing is a great way to soothe me.
Goals Progress
One month down! How are you progressing on your goals? I made strong progress on my 2018 Goals, especially when it came to cooking, reading, and working out. The things I didn’t do well on are things I need to specifically make time for. I’m reading Essentialism right now and it talks about how you can do anything but not everything, which is very different from what I’ve learned. This next month, I want to honestly look at what habits I want to create and if I actually have enough hours in the day/week or if I’m giving excuses to why I can’t make time for it. It’s also smart to think about whether it’s something I truly want to do or if it’s something I feel like I have to do. This all echoes back to my belief that life isn’t set in stone.
What’s captivating you lately?
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