Sunday, May 1, 2022

Self Care Sunday- Skincare Edition

Hello my lovely readers and welcome to the very first Self Care Sunday. Today I’m going to be talking about my skin care routine. Recently I’ve been wanting to take better care of my skin. I’ve been watching some YouTube videos about it and I really like Dr. Shah. Here’s a link to the channel he has with Dr. Maxfield https://youtube.com/c/Doctorly  Here’s a link a specific video. https://youtu.be/ph0tBLZcnas I modeled my skin care regimen after this information. Dr. Shah says all you really need is a cleanser, a moisturizer, and a sunscreen. Here is a picture of all my current skin care products and tools.

Now I’ll go through each product/tool one by one and tell you how much I paid for it.

Step 1. Cleanser - CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser for normal to oily skin. Target $13.49. This is a really general cleanser that dot really foam too much. Or not at all in my opinion. To be fair I’m not seeing if it foams while I wash my face in the shower. i make sure my face is damp first. Then I use it all over my face and the front of my neck. Avoiding my eyes and mouth. I rinse it off with warm water. I apply just using my fingers and wash it off in the same fashion. I should be washing my face twice a day. Once in the morning and once at night. But ya’ girl lazy.




Step 2. Moisturizer AM- Up and Up Oil Free Facial Moisturizer with Sunscreen broad spectrum SPF 15 Target $7.99. It has a little bit of a smell, but more like a sunscreen smell than anything else. It’s really lightweight and leaves my skin feeling soft. I apply it to my face and front of my neck with my fingers. I also like that it has sunscreen in it. So even if I don’t put extra sunscreen on my face is a little bit protected. PM- Up and Up Nighttime Facial Moisturizing Lotion (lightweight + oil-free) Target $9.99. This moisturizer has the same effect just without sunscreen. I apply this to my face and neck after washing my face before bed. It’s also lightweight. The only real difference from the AM moisturizer is it doesn’t have sunscreen. I don’t need sunscreen while I’m sleeping.

Step 3. Sunscreen Neutrogena Clear Face Oil-Free Sunscreen (broad spectrum SPF 55) Marshalls $6.99 I’ve only used this sunscreen a few times. But I have to admit it doesn’t have a sunscreen smell. I hate the smell of sunscreen. It is really lightweight like they say. I use it over my moisturizer in the AM. I feel better knowing I have extra protection from the sun even though my AM moisturizer already has sunscreen in it. I don’t think protection after 30 SPF is really any different. But I like that this sunscreen is lightweight and oil-free as I have oily skin. I haven’t yet, but I’m considering reapplying this sunscreen in the midday. Especially on extra sunny days or days when my skin gets really oily. After washing my face with just some soap and water. I’m sure you could use this sunscreen anywhere. But I’m going to reserve it to my face. Since the rest of my skin can handle more oily sunscreen.

Occasional products/tools:


Up and Up Maximum Strength 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Gel Target $3.49 I use this as a spot treatment for big or persistent zits. After I wash my face I apply with my finger. I only put a tiny bit on and rub it on to the zit. I wait for it to dry a bit and then apply my moisturizer. I don’t want to rub the benzoyl peroxide places it doesn’t need to be as it is very drying. 

Cake Birthday Cleansing Scrub Ross $3.99 I do not know this brand, nor is it good to do a face scrub too often. But it smelled much too good to pass up. I’ve used it once so far and it was pretty gentle. Although I made sure not to scrub too hard. I apply this with my fingers to a damp face after washing my face with my cleanser. Then I wash it off with warm water. This is something I might only use once a week or only a few times a month. You don’t to exfoliate your skin too often because it will get rid of the skins natural outer barrier.


Cala Spinning Facial Brush Ross about $4.00 (or maybe it was only $2.00) This is a simple battery powered facial spinning brush. It has two speeds slow or fast. Only one button. Press once for on (slow), twice for fast, and three times for off. It has 2 different brushes. The white whisker like one and the pink rubber one. I haven’t used the pink one, but my guess is it would be more gentle than the white one. The white one can get a little scratchy. To use I wet the brush under the faucet with cold water. Then put some of my cleanser in the center of the brush and rub it in. Be careful not to get it too wet. If you do it spins water everywhere. Then I move it around my face gently while it spins in circles. The down fall to this tool is I need to wet my face first to use it. I started using this originally because my back was hurting. I was having a hard time bending down to wash my face in the sink. I thought this would eliminate that part of the routine, but it didn’t. My back is feeling better now, but even if it wasn’t I probably would still choose to just use my fingers to wash my face instead of the spinning brush. Although I still plan to use it on occasion.

Well those are all my skin care products/tools. It’s pretty simple and short which makes me more likely to do it every day. Please take care of your skin. I used to have more acne. But just by washing my skin once a day I’ve noticed my skin is much clearer. Also a freshly cleaned face just feels nice. It’s the small things after all. I’d love to know your skincare routine or products you recommend. Comment down below. That’s all for now. Until next time catch ya’ on the flip side.

Saturday, April 30, 2022

Sayonara Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz,

For over two years I called you my home.

Now you’re likely empty and alone.

For once you had girls within your walls,

Running, crying, laughing…

Dear, dear Santa Cruz we did it all! 

There were fights, messes, many things broken, 

Restraints, yelling, and every curse word spoken.

Food eaten,

Food left untouched.

Videos and songs on repeat,

And never ever a lack of love.

There were tears,

Tears, and frustrating days.

Paperwork, upon paperwork,

All hours of every day. 

I laid on your couches,

I sat in your chairs,

I laid on your bed and thought of the people who used to be there.

Santa Cruz you were full of goodbyes,

Yet full of hellos.

Of happy screams,

And things uniquely your own. 

Not very big, but large in heart.

3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 office,

And the one and only Santa Cruz dryer.

There were days of French toast breakfasts,

That I no longer wanted to make.

Medications and mistakes.

Learning curves and drama,

Plans on the whiteboard. 

“What are we doing today?”

“Can I watch TV?”

“Why am I sidelined?”

“Leave me alone!”

Read.

“Kelsey?”

“No.”

“Bonquiqui?”

“Yes.”

Best and worsts,

Limbs in the air.

It’s Saturday.

That’s all I have to say.

Repetition,

Same shit different day.

Predictably unpredictable.

When I walked away from you for the last time,

I got to my car and I cried.

My heart ached for days.

I ache now. 

To know that I can never go back,

Even though I wasn’t going to.

Erased.

Someone, someday might live there.

And not know.

Not know you were once a place,

A place for all those who had really no where else to go,

To belong.

Staff and residents,

An unconventional family.

Family all the same. 

There is no more boat.

No more oars.

No more rowing,

Circles,

Leaks,

Or rocking.

No more trying to stay afloat,

Or working together.

No more “Be good,”

“I love you.”

“It’s never too late to have a good day.”

So long,

Sayonara,

Dear, dear Santa Cruz.

You will never be forgotten.

Friday, April 29, 2022

Movies Tag

In a post Oscars world movies have been put on the backburner. Do not, DO NOT, even bring up what happened at the Oscars this year. I'm tired of hearing about it. So instead I decided to do this movies tag, because put simply I love movies.

27 QUESTIONS MOVIE TAG


1. Favorite action film? Shang-Chi maybe (although I wouldn't really consider that action.) Catch that Kid (although more of a heist movie than an action movie). So I guess I'll have to go with The Spy Who Dumped Me (but that might not even be an action movie. Maybe a comedy-action movie? That's not a thing.)
2. Favorite comedy film? We are the Millers
3. Favorite “dark humour” or “black comedy” film? Jojo Rabbit. My dad and I were the only ones in the theater laughing. It was so funny.
4. Favorite scene from this film? Absolutely every scene with Taika Waititi who played Hitler.
5. Favorite animated film? Robin Hood
6. Favorite short film? Lava
7. Favorite romance film? 27 Dresses
8. Favorite biographical film? Rush
9. Favorite drama film? Okay imma be real I Goggled drama films, because I was like "what's considered a drama film. Things I saw and thing that came to mind are Call Me By Your Name (SOOOOOOOOO GOOOD!!!) and Room.
10. Favorite music-themed film? Music themed, does this mean a movie musical? If that is the case then it's Hairspray (2007) if it's a movie revolving around music and the making of it I say Begin Again or maybe Pitch Perfect 3. My group home girls LOVED it! To be fair it was pretty funny.
11. Favorite sci-fi film? Guardians of the Galaxy
12. Favorite indie film? The Art of Getting By
13. Favorite book adaptations? The Last Song, although I saw the movie then read the book. I want to say the Harry Potter films, but since I don't re-read books I can't remember how accurate the books are in comparison to the movies.
14. Films you want to see but never get round to watching? Fight Club and Pulp Fiction.
15. Favorite compilation soundtrack? Disney Compilation Soundtracks Volumes I-III. I listened to these on repeat growing up. I know each word to all the songs. 
16. Film you refuse to see? The rest of the Twilight films. My best friend is a huge Twilight fan so one year for her birthday I agreed to watch the first one with her. But I'm not watching the rest. There was a girl in my high school that was OBSESSED with Twilight! And I didn't like her so I just decided not to watch them. I felt like she ruined any fun they could've been for me. 
17. Films you can’t wait to come out? Nope by Jordan Peele
18. Best tearjerker? Marley and Me

19. Remake you wish had never been made? West Side Story. Good for Ariana DeBose who won the best supporting actress this year for her role of Anita, but West Side Story is overplayed and just dumb in general. But of course that's only my opinion. Like seriously how many times can you do a Romeo and Juliet story!?! Over it.
20. Best film you’ve seen in 3D? Hmmm... either one of the Spy Kids movies (I feel like I saw at least one of those in 3D; the 2nd one?) and/or Shark Boy and Lava Girl or Rugrats in Paris. I'm pretty sure Rugrats in Paris was in 4D though so that included smell. At that time that was revolutionary. Also I used to call 3D “3D Dimensional” which annoyed my dad, but in hindsight is pretty cute. 
21. Most beautiful film? (in terms of cinematography) Roma. I'm upset it didn't win best picture. 
22. Movie that didn’t meet your expectations? The Fault in Our Stars. The book was so eloquent. They changed important facts about the characters and dumbed it down to a 5 year old level. So upsetting. Also, Finding Nemo (don't hate me) and Avatar the Last Airbender (that movie was all sorts of wrong.)
23. Movie that exceeded your expectations? Well I think the movies that are the best are the ones that I go in with no expectations so I'll say Avatar.
24. Best cinema experience? When my kid sister and I went to see Aquamarine. We were so excited to see the movie and I remember just being in aw. We might've even held hands before it started because we were so excited to see it. 
25. Most surprising movie moment? The end of Us by Jordan Peele. I still can't.
26. Favorite dance sequence in a movie? "You Can't Stop the Beat" at the end of the Hairspray (2007)
27. Most disturbing movie you have ever seen? Nightmare Alley. Just ewww.

Comment with your own answers. I'd love to hear them. Until next time catch ya on the flip side.

Unfinished Draft

Below is a draft I found from 2/12/13. I didn't even know it was in here. I left it incomplete on purpose. It would not be fair to 18 year old me to finish a post for something I no longer know the end to. But here it is for what it is. That's all for now and until next time catch ya on the flip side.

I'm past tiredness, past comprehension, past caring, or daring to change the fact that I no longer care. I have school tomorrow, so what? It's just school. And what's the point? To get a degree, to get a job, make money, to support a family, and then repeat the process all over again? Maybe humans are just robots. Programed to do exactly the same thing, day in and day out, generation to generation, no matter what. With no feeling or purpose at all. Newsflash, we will all die, maybe not tomorrow, but someday. How? I don't know and I don't really care. That's not the point. The point is when you...

Where I'm From

I was substitute teaching at a local high school last week. This assignment was on the walls. And there was a prompt with blank lines, like a Mad Libs to fill in with your own words on the teacher's desk. Below is the original poem and below that is mine. I'm pretty proud of it as it's not the style of poetry I usually do. Have fun reading and until next time catch ya on the flip side.

Where I'm From

By: George Ella Lyon

I am from clothespins,
from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride.
I am from the dirt under the back porch.
(Black, glistening,
it tasted like beets.)
I am from the forsythia bush
the Dutch elm
whose long-gone limbs I remember
as if they were my own.

I'm from fudge and eyeglasses,
          from Imogene and Alafair.
I'm from the know-it-alls
          and the pass-it-ons,
from Perk up! and Pipe down!
I'm from He restoreth my soul
          with a cottonball lamb
          and ten verses I can say myself.

I'm from Artemus and Billie's Branch,
fried corn and strong coffee.
From the finger my grandfather lost
          to the auger,
the eye my father shut to keep his sight.

Under my bed was a dress box
spilling old pictures,
a sift of lost faces
to drift beneath my dreams.
I am from those moments--
snapped before I budded --
leaf-fall from the family tree.


Where I’m From

By Ky Turk

I am from mountains,

from rocks and pinecones.

I am from dirt which is the ground

(Brown, dry, and caked all over your body.)

I am from the pine,

the Jeffrey Pine

whose needles fell making it slippery

be careful.

I’m from summer vacations and tans,

From Connie Wolfe and Kris Turk.

I’m from the talkers and the eaters,

From “Clean your room.” and “If you’re full stop eating.”

I’m from we are saved by grace and Wednesday

night youth group

I’m from Ventura and the British,

See’s Candy and lobster.

From my grandpa’s speech with pictures of Pierce lining his coat,

from my grandma’s decades of ElderHostel trips.

In the hallway’s cupboard there are shoe boxes full of photo envelopes,

taken and organized by my mother,

capturing every moment.

I am from the photos,

shiny but old,

freezing who I used to be.

Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Help My Friend Out

Hello. Ky here. Calling on you my followers, and random people who stumble upon my blog, to help one of my dearest friends Lacee out. Here’s her go fund me. Share and or donate. Love to all of you. Catch you on the flip side. https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-relocate-our-family-to-a-safer-place?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer