Hello everyone! This morning I was reading back through one of my favorite blogs and saw that they had done a post with questions and it got me thinking, how fun would it be to do one each year that I could look back on. I am starting with the same questions that the other blogger used, but may add in some more personal ones.
Do you have any siblings?
No, I am an only child.
How old are you?
Currently 19, but I turn 20 in 13 days
What’s your height?
5ft 11.5″. Always hoping to get to 6 ft.
Do you have any pets?
I do. I actually have 2 for the first time ever. Both are dogs. One is my dog Maddie. We have had her for 7 years and she is the brightest spot in my life. She is a Border Collie/Boxer mix and looks a lot like a Black Lab. There are tons of pictures of her on my Instagram. Earlier this year we adopted an 11 year old Havanese that belonged to a family friend that passed away. His name is Ozzie and he is so full of love. He has been a wonderful addition to our family and I can't imagine not having him. It is hard to get good pictures of Ozzie because he is very furry and black.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love anything music related. I haven't been able to just sit around and play music for hours like I used to since I was injured in the car accident, but I enjoy doing what I can. If I can't play, I like to listen to music and find new undiscovered artists. Besides that I write a lot, watch YouTube videos and I have been really into decorating my day planner. I use my planner to keep track of EVERYTHING in my life and its fun to make it a little more decorative.
Who inspires you?
There are a lot of people that inspire me for many different reasons, far too many to list here so I will just name a few. Ed Sheeran because he is such an amazing musician and overall human being. Charles Trippy because his strength and optimism help me get through my hardest days. My mom because she has never let her health problem keep her from doing anything. My dad because it's okay to still find childlike joy in everyday life. Taylor Swift because she isn't afraid to write beautiful music about her emotions even though some people tell her she shouldn't. Honestly, there are so many more but I don't want to ramble on for too long.
What do you feel is your greatest achievment?
Either opening for Little Mix or performing at VidCon.
What do you value most in life?
My friends and family.
What do you do?
A few things! I am a singer. I also do freelance web and graphic design. I am a writer and last but not least I am a blogger and YouTuber.
What is your dream job?
My dream job is being a singer at a level that allows me to comfortably support myself and my family.
Did you make good grades?
As shocking as it might be, I actually did.
What is your ethnicity?
I am 50% Irish from my mom's side and 50% mix of almost everything from my dad's/
Do you want to get married later on in life?
If I find the right person and feel like that is the right call for us? Sure! I have never been the kind of girl that dreams about growing up and finding her prince to marry, but I am not opposed to getting married. However, I am certainly more career driven than relationship driven, but I have been that way my whole life.
Do you have any phobias?
Lots, unfortunately. There are normal ones like spiders, snakes, ect. Then there are less normal ones. I am terrified of large bodies of water. I won't go in pools and anything like the ocean is certainly out of the question. Then there are the life fears which are things such as mediocrity, never accomplishing my goals, leaving the world without making any impact. Deep stuff like that. Fun fact: I also used to be deathly afraid of dogs. Right now there is an 80 pound dog asleep on my legs, on my bed. Guess I got over that.
Have you ever had a near death experience?
I have. There was one when I was really little that I have no memory of and then there is also the car accident that my dad and I were in earlier this year. We are both extremely lucky to be alive.
Do you get mad easily?
Not at all. It takes a lot to get me mad. Someone has to do something really awful or hit one of my very sensitive nerves for me to actually get mad.
Where have you been on holiday & where was the best?
I have been lucky enough to travel quite a bit for someone my age. I've been to lots of places in the US. Some of my favorites have been Nashville, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. I can't wait to go more places. I am looking forward to going back to New York City sometime soon as well!
Favourite childhood memory?
Wow, this is a hard question. There are a lot that it could be. Some of my favorite memories are going to concerts with my parents. Music is something so important to me and it is fun thinking back to the early times.
Beauty/Shopping…
Heels or flats?
I like the look of heels, but they just aren't functional for me. Flats.
Favourite moisturiser?
Clinique Moisture Surge
Where do you buy most of your clothes from?
My favorite is Torrid. I also get a lot from Forever 21
Favourite Shop?
I love Barnes and Noble. I also love TJ Maxx. I love both because they are fun to browse in.
Favourite makeup brand?
Urban Decay and Mac
Favourite drugstore makeup brand?
I'd have to say the Ulta store brand because it is priced the same as drugstore and it is AMAZING.
Favourite nail polish brand?
NCLA and OPI
What was your first makeup item?
A clear, roll on, cherry lip gloss from a flea market.
If you had your own makeup line what would you call it?
I have no idea. Probably something with a name revolving around lovefromkelsey, but I honestly don't know.
What are you into the most, if you HAD to choose one..Jewellery, Makeup, Shoes, Clothes?
Makeup, but clothes are a close second at this point.
At what age did you start wearing makeup?
I started properly wearing makeup at around 15.
Do you wear falsies? If so which brand?
I don't. I honestly can not stand having them on.
Lipgloss or mascara?
Mascara
Whats your worst shopping habit?
Being too frugal and not buying something I either need or really love.
Do you have a signature scent?
Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift or Fame by Lady Gaga
How do you take care of your hair?
I deep condition it a lot. I also always use heat protectant and like to use restoring oils.
Whats the colour of your natural hair & highlights?
Most of my hair is it's natural color and the bottom is just lightened with bleach so there is not specific color.
What are your views on plastic surgery?
It isn't for me, but I think if a person is doing it for the right reasons and it makes them happy, there is no problem with it. It isn't my job to judge others.
If makeup somehow wasn’t invented what would you replace it with?
I've always loved fashion, so I probably would have just ended up more involved with that.
Do you bite your nails?
Not much, but I do pick at my nails which leaves them looking the same as biting them. It is an anxious habit.
If you could know the date you were going to die, would you want to know?
No. I just want to live my life to the fullest and not be worrying about an "expiration date."
If you only had 24 hours to live how would you spend it?
At Walt Disney World with all of my loved ones.
Do you have a favourite book?
I love the Harry Potter series and also the Pretty Little Liars series. I have read all of them multiple times.
What is your favourite type of sandwhich?
I love a good roast beef sandwich.
What is your favourite reality tv show?
Keeping up with the Kardashians is a guilty pleasure of mine. I used to watch all of the singing shows as well but have stopped as I got older.
What wesbite do you visit the most besides youtube, blogger & facebook?
disboards.com. I am a complete Disney addict.
How do you make your blog interesting?
I honestly am not sure that I do. I just write about what is on my mind.
Do you like photography?
I love photography but I love videography even more.
Do you like stationary?
I LOVE stationary. I have far too much.
What is your favourite disney film?
Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast or Lilo and Stitch. I can't pick one.
Whats your favourite desert?
Sahara.
Do you like swimming?
No. I'm afraid of water.
Do you drink juice?
Not really, I drink mostly water, seltzer or iced tea.
What’s your favourite movie?
Mean Girls or Elf.
Do you eat fries with a fork?
Not typically
Do you like cookies?
Yes I do. Especially if I baked them.
If you could move anywhere, where would it be?
Nashville. I have loved Nashville since I was young. Or LA simply for the career opportunities because the traffic is horrible.
Savoury or sweet?
Savory
Favourite flower?
Antique Hydrangea
Favourite colour?
Turquoise
Do you drink energy drinks?
No, they terrify me. I don't want my heart to shut down from too much caffeine at once.
Do you drink coffee?
Yes, I like coffee a lot.
If you could have a dinner party with 5 celebrities, dead or alive, who would you invite?
Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Demi Lovato, Charles Trippy, Troye Sivan. And then I would probably pass out from meeting so many people I look up to.
All Time Favorite Musical Album?
Red by Taylor Swift and + by Ed Sheeran
I think that is going to be it for this About Me 2015 Tag. If you have any other questions you think I should answer so that I can look back on them each year, please let me know in the comments. Also, if you do something similar, tweet me a link! I would love to see it.
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Monday, December 7, 2015
Winter Lip Products
It is finally December and you know what that means? Winter is here! One of my favorite parts of Winter is getting to change up the colors that I use in my makeup. To me, Winter means lots of rich, deeper colors and there is no place that I think works better for those colors than lips. Today I wanted to share some of my favorite Winter lip products with you!
This is a beautiful, high pigment lip color. It is in a rich purple/red color. It isn't too sticky and it lasts well. I find it looks best layered over a similar color lip liner to create a bold lip.
I love using matte liquid lipsticks, especially during busy times like the holidays. This one is incredibly long lasting and doesn't loose any of it's color. It would be perfect for a holiday party or any occasion like that. It is a very deep red color that has plum undertones. Also at $9 it is a steal!
If you are not as bug of a fan of intense red or berry lips, a darker nude color can be perfect. It still gives you a really rich lip color while allowing you to do a more dramatic eye look because it isn't as dramatic.
Why yes, I do blame Zoe Sugg for this lipstick. I bought it ages ago because she was talking about it and it has become not just one of my favorite winter lip colors but one of my all time favorite lip colors. It is matte without being too drying and it is very long lasting. I love red lips but am not a fan of the bright red or orange red colors. I much prefer berry reds or slightly brown toned reds and this is perfect for that. It is also a huge bargain at under $5.
This one isn't matte. Bet you didn't see that coming. It's no secret that I love a good matte lip color. I typically lean towards matte colors because they are longer lasting. However, I have found a glossy color with amazing stay power. Now, I wouldn't get carried away and say it lasts 24 hours like the package says, but it lasts a lot longer than most. I also love that there is a conditioning balm built in. The color Always Blazing also is a very true bright red if you like those colors more than the deeper red colors that I love so much.
Those are 5 of my favorite Winter/Holiday lip colors. I would love to know what some of your favorites are so make sure to leave a comment or tweet me because I am always looking for new ones to try!
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Your Self Worth is Not Numbers | Social Media
There has been a lot in the news in the last week about an Instagram personality, Essena O'Neil that has started a movement that "Social Media is not real life." I read her blog and watched her video and I would like to share my thoughts on the topic. I had this conversation with a good friend of mine who is also extremely involved in social media and we had similar thoughts.
Essena talks at length in one specific post about what drove her to social media. She wanted what an older girl at her school had. She saw this girl that she idolized and she wanted attention, flattery and everything that came with that. Because of that, Essena worked hard to create a situation that wasn't reality. She talks about obsessively refreshing her page looking for the likes to go up. She talks about the money she was paid to promote products. What she doesn't talk about is a love for creating, or a drive to make content.
I spend a large portion of my time on various social media platforms. I work as a social media consultant for companies. I am a YouTuber and blogger. I connect with my friends through social media in my spare time. It is safe to say that I love social media, but let's back up to the beginning.
My parents held back social media from me for a long time. The only reason I was allowed to finally get a Facebook account is because my parents were sick of me begging to let me on their account so I could play Hedgehog Launch. Who I was friends with was approved by my parents. They saw everything I did on social media. They still do. I am 19 years old and my parents know of and can see any of my accounts at any time. I figure if it is something I wouldn't want my parents seeing, it doesn't belong on the internet for the world to see.
I started my YouTube channel 7 and a half years ago. My parents didn't know about it at the time. It wasn't that I was hiding it, they just didn't know what it was. I don't remember ever telling them about it, they just knew. I probably showed them a video and tried to explain it. Here is where I say the most cliche YouTuber thing ever, there was not even a way to make money on YouTube when I started.
I started making singing videos so I could send them to Ellen. Yes, that Ellen. I had seen Taylor Swift on her show and I wanted her to show Taylor my video. I loved Taylor then and that is something that hasn't changed to this day. One thing that has changed is the platform of YouTube.
We now have celebrities. I remember telling my friends about this "Tyler guy I've been watching online," and them thinking that was the dumbest thing ever. Okay, tell that to Tyler Oakley's Teen Choice Award.
I continued making videos for years. It wasn't until just over 2 years ago that I was even able to make money off of my videos. I made videos for 5 years 100% because I loved it.
I also never had a lot of subscribers. I have a wonderful community of caring, amazing people who support my music and videos which is all I could ever ask for. I have people that stop me at conventions because certain videos of mine have touched their life.
I started making videos because I loved it. I continue making videos because I love it. That's it.
I have had peers at social media conventions ask me why I haven't stopped making videos since my "viewership isn't high." One asked me what the point was. The point is that social media is a passion first, a job second.
I have never once equated my self worth to a number on a screen. Does it feel amazing when a lot of people watch and enjoy something I put out? Of course it does! Am I devastated when a video doesn't hit well? I can honestly say no.
There are problems with social media. I don't have blinders on. There are awful people that spread horrible hate. I delete it and hope that they are able to find happiness within themselves, because that is the real reason they are lashing out at me.
I think the biggest problem with social media are people like Essena that go into for the numbers. That is like becoming a doctor for the money. If you aren't doing it to help patients, at some point you are going to burn out. They say if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. Well, I LOVE what I do and what I do happens to be social media.
No one likes a selfie I put on Instagram? Who cares, I was still killing it that day.
No new Tumblr followers for a week? Oh well, I reblogged a bunch of dogs that made me happy.
10% of my normal views on my newest cover? Big deal. I hit a high note that I worked on for a month and a half.
I could go on and on. Social media is a hobby and an amazing way to connect with people all over the world. Some of us have been lucky to get opportunities or jobs out of it. That was a happy accident for most of us.
"'Without realising, I've spent majority of my teenage life being addicted to social media, social approval, social status and my physical appearance. Social media, especially how I used it, isn't real,'"
This right here is where the problem is. This is what Essena equated social media with. Not self expression, not the freedom to create in a public space, not community. She equated it with numbers, physical looks, approval from complete strangers and money. This is what make it a toxic, unreal environment for her.
Social media is only fake if you are. When I post a video of me singing, that is my real, unedited voice. The only part that is "fake" is the lighting, because I normally film at night and people want to see your face in a video. When I post a photo on Instagram, it isn't edited to a point where it isn't recognizable. I add a few basic effects to make a generally shaky picture I took on my phone seem like I know what I am doing, but it's still me.
You get out what you put in. I put my real genuine self into social media, so that's what I get from others. I don't equate numbers to happiness, so I stay happy when the numbers aren't good. I'm not going to lie to you and say I never check my numbers, because we all do, but I check, give it a quick "Oh this video is doing (worse/better) than normal, hmm," and then I move on.
I know lots of people have lots of thoughts on social media and I would love to hear some of your thoughts in the comments. I typically stay out of "hot" topics, but as someone who has spent most of the last 8 years on social media and has made it a job, I had a lot to say about this specific one. This was in no way said to bash Essena. I 100% believe she made the healthy choice for her, I just don't think that all of us approach social media in the way she did.
Essena talks at length in one specific post about what drove her to social media. She wanted what an older girl at her school had. She saw this girl that she idolized and she wanted attention, flattery and everything that came with that. Because of that, Essena worked hard to create a situation that wasn't reality. She talks about obsessively refreshing her page looking for the likes to go up. She talks about the money she was paid to promote products. What she doesn't talk about is a love for creating, or a drive to make content.
I spend a large portion of my time on various social media platforms. I work as a social media consultant for companies. I am a YouTuber and blogger. I connect with my friends through social media in my spare time. It is safe to say that I love social media, but let's back up to the beginning.
My parents held back social media from me for a long time. The only reason I was allowed to finally get a Facebook account is because my parents were sick of me begging to let me on their account so I could play Hedgehog Launch. Who I was friends with was approved by my parents. They saw everything I did on social media. They still do. I am 19 years old and my parents know of and can see any of my accounts at any time. I figure if it is something I wouldn't want my parents seeing, it doesn't belong on the internet for the world to see.
I started my YouTube channel 7 and a half years ago. My parents didn't know about it at the time. It wasn't that I was hiding it, they just didn't know what it was. I don't remember ever telling them about it, they just knew. I probably showed them a video and tried to explain it. Here is where I say the most cliche YouTuber thing ever, there was not even a way to make money on YouTube when I started.
I started making singing videos so I could send them to Ellen. Yes, that Ellen. I had seen Taylor Swift on her show and I wanted her to show Taylor my video. I loved Taylor then and that is something that hasn't changed to this day. One thing that has changed is the platform of YouTube.
We now have celebrities. I remember telling my friends about this "Tyler guy I've been watching online," and them thinking that was the dumbest thing ever. Okay, tell that to Tyler Oakley's Teen Choice Award.
I continued making videos for years. It wasn't until just over 2 years ago that I was even able to make money off of my videos. I made videos for 5 years 100% because I loved it.
I also never had a lot of subscribers. I have a wonderful community of caring, amazing people who support my music and videos which is all I could ever ask for. I have people that stop me at conventions because certain videos of mine have touched their life.
I started making videos because I loved it. I continue making videos because I love it. That's it.
I have had peers at social media conventions ask me why I haven't stopped making videos since my "viewership isn't high." One asked me what the point was. The point is that social media is a passion first, a job second.
I have never once equated my self worth to a number on a screen. Does it feel amazing when a lot of people watch and enjoy something I put out? Of course it does! Am I devastated when a video doesn't hit well? I can honestly say no.
There are problems with social media. I don't have blinders on. There are awful people that spread horrible hate. I delete it and hope that they are able to find happiness within themselves, because that is the real reason they are lashing out at me.
I think the biggest problem with social media are people like Essena that go into for the numbers. That is like becoming a doctor for the money. If you aren't doing it to help patients, at some point you are going to burn out. They say if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. Well, I LOVE what I do and what I do happens to be social media.
No one likes a selfie I put on Instagram? Who cares, I was still killing it that day.
No new Tumblr followers for a week? Oh well, I reblogged a bunch of dogs that made me happy.
10% of my normal views on my newest cover? Big deal. I hit a high note that I worked on for a month and a half.
I could go on and on. Social media is a hobby and an amazing way to connect with people all over the world. Some of us have been lucky to get opportunities or jobs out of it. That was a happy accident for most of us.
"'Without realising, I've spent majority of my teenage life being addicted to social media, social approval, social status and my physical appearance. Social media, especially how I used it, isn't real,'"
This right here is where the problem is. This is what Essena equated social media with. Not self expression, not the freedom to create in a public space, not community. She equated it with numbers, physical looks, approval from complete strangers and money. This is what make it a toxic, unreal environment for her.
Social media is only fake if you are. When I post a video of me singing, that is my real, unedited voice. The only part that is "fake" is the lighting, because I normally film at night and people want to see your face in a video. When I post a photo on Instagram, it isn't edited to a point where it isn't recognizable. I add a few basic effects to make a generally shaky picture I took on my phone seem like I know what I am doing, but it's still me.
You get out what you put in. I put my real genuine self into social media, so that's what I get from others. I don't equate numbers to happiness, so I stay happy when the numbers aren't good. I'm not going to lie to you and say I never check my numbers, because we all do, but I check, give it a quick "Oh this video is doing (worse/better) than normal, hmm," and then I move on.
I know lots of people have lots of thoughts on social media and I would love to hear some of your thoughts in the comments. I typically stay out of "hot" topics, but as someone who has spent most of the last 8 years on social media and has made it a job, I had a lot to say about this specific one. This was in no way said to bash Essena. I 100% believe she made the healthy choice for her, I just don't think that all of us approach social media in the way she did.
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Don't Take It For Granted | Health Updates
Hello everyone! I want to thank you all for the incredible feedback and love on my last post. If you haven't read it yet, this is it. It was a post on losing yourself and it was really important for me and a very therapeutic process to write it. Today I am back with another semi-serious post. A few months ago I talked about my long struggle with my health. I told you all about the history of what I had gone through and took you through the process of my most recent surgery. I never gave you all a final update on that surgery. Sadly, it wasn't successful.
As I talked about then, (which you can see in this post, this post and this post) they removed my left ovary, appendix and a massive amount of endometriosis. They also found a fibroid tumor that they didn't remove as it would have been a very long, very painful surgery to recover from. On top of that, I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and Hashimoto's, both of which you can look up if you want to learn more about them. There are also still unknown problems. My greatest problem is excruciating, chronic pain. It is something I deal with all day, every single day.
My doctors are at a bit of a place of not knowing exactly what to do to help. This is what landed me at a pain management doctor. I fought this for as long as I could because I didn't want to have to feel that my only hope was to manage the pain, but not fix it. The doctor suggested nerve block injections under sedation. It was the last thing in the world that I wanted to do. It involves 10 inch needles being put into my back and threaded through to the front to inject medicine that helps block the nerve that sends pain signals to the brain. I was told upfront that there was a chance it wouldn't work.
I took a month to think about it. In that month my pain got worse and worse. It is not an exaggeration to say that it was common for me not to leave my house for days. On the days I did leave it wasn't for long and almost always ended with me coming home crying in pain or coming frighteningly close to passing out from pain level. I knew I couldn't keep living this way, so I decided to agree to the injections.
It was scheduled bright and early for Friday, November 6th at a surgery center in my town. I was terrified. Unlike surgery, this wasn't something I knew what to expect for. I had done a lot of research and had found that for most people with cases and pain like mine, the injections hadn't helped at all. I strongly considered calling to cancel the day before but I knew that if by some chance this was the magic thing that would help control my pain, and I skipped it, I wouldn't be able to deal with it, so I went.
In the 24 hours before the procedure I had more anxiety attacks than I ever have. I have severe anxiety to begin with and it was so trigger by the fear of the procedure and the fear of it not working that I wasn't able to manage it. My parents helped me manage, but it was a rough day.
The next morning after less than 3 hours of sleep, I was off to the surgery center. My dad was working so it was just my mom and I. It was less than a 5 minute ride to the center. When we parked the car my anxiety hit again. "I'm not going in." I must have said that 10 times. It was always my choice if I wanted to have them done, but I felt like I didn't really have a choice. That was my doctors suggested next step and no one else had anything else to offer.
I finally went inside. I knew I had to. I checked in and then sat in the waiting room. They called my name and it was time to go back. They told me my mom couldn't come back with me. Now, I am normally a pretty chill person but I came very close to tears and told them that if she wasn't going back, I wasn't either. After a minute, they let us both come back. They did all of the preop stuff and I did my best to stay calm. The nurse was from California and was a Disney fan so that helped. She was really nice and kept talking to me about Disney to keep me calm.
There was a pretty long wait. Lots of people came in to talk to me and then it was time to go in. They brought me into the procedure room and had me switch to the table and lay face down. By this point I was crying and having an anxiety attack. I kept trying to tell someone but every time I moved my head to tell them, they told me not to move. I was supposed to be asleep for the procedure. I don't remember this part, but the doctor told my mom. They gave me the medicine to sedate me and I began thrashing around. I almost fell off of the table. They thought I was in danger so they backed off the sedation. I was then awake. I felt them put in the local anesthetic. They then kept pushing Fentanyl but I was wide awake.
No one ever bothered to tell me what was going on or to explain why I was awake and could feel everything they were doing. I kept crying. They kept telling me not to move. Then it was over and they had me roll back onto the other bed so they could wheel me out. They gave me a bottle of water and some crackers and told me that my doctor would be here soon. My abdominal pain was still as bad but I was hoping it could take a few days to kick in. After about 20 minutes my doctor came in. She asked me if the pain felt any different. I said it didn't and asked if it should feel different already. She told me yes, but that it could take up to an hour. They brought my mom in and told me I could go home. I went home and had to accept that it didn't work. Again. I gave it another hour. It still didn't work.
Fast forward 2 days and here I am writing this. Unfortunately I now know for sure that it didn't work. It made my back hurt a lot and I am still recovering from that, but it should go away soon. I'm sad, but I am not giving up. I am planning on setting up a doctors appointment to talk about more drastic steps that we could take, including a hysterectomy. I am at a point where I really want my life back, even if that means a big step like that.
Do I wish it had worked? Yes. Do I still have hope that someday, something will? Yes. In medicine it is never over, I just have to wait until we find the right thing.
As I talked about then, (which you can see in this post, this post and this post) they removed my left ovary, appendix and a massive amount of endometriosis. They also found a fibroid tumor that they didn't remove as it would have been a very long, very painful surgery to recover from. On top of that, I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and Hashimoto's, both of which you can look up if you want to learn more about them. There are also still unknown problems. My greatest problem is excruciating, chronic pain. It is something I deal with all day, every single day.
My doctors are at a bit of a place of not knowing exactly what to do to help. This is what landed me at a pain management doctor. I fought this for as long as I could because I didn't want to have to feel that my only hope was to manage the pain, but not fix it. The doctor suggested nerve block injections under sedation. It was the last thing in the world that I wanted to do. It involves 10 inch needles being put into my back and threaded through to the front to inject medicine that helps block the nerve that sends pain signals to the brain. I was told upfront that there was a chance it wouldn't work.
I took a month to think about it. In that month my pain got worse and worse. It is not an exaggeration to say that it was common for me not to leave my house for days. On the days I did leave it wasn't for long and almost always ended with me coming home crying in pain or coming frighteningly close to passing out from pain level. I knew I couldn't keep living this way, so I decided to agree to the injections.
It was scheduled bright and early for Friday, November 6th at a surgery center in my town. I was terrified. Unlike surgery, this wasn't something I knew what to expect for. I had done a lot of research and had found that for most people with cases and pain like mine, the injections hadn't helped at all. I strongly considered calling to cancel the day before but I knew that if by some chance this was the magic thing that would help control my pain, and I skipped it, I wouldn't be able to deal with it, so I went.
In the 24 hours before the procedure I had more anxiety attacks than I ever have. I have severe anxiety to begin with and it was so trigger by the fear of the procedure and the fear of it not working that I wasn't able to manage it. My parents helped me manage, but it was a rough day.
The next morning after less than 3 hours of sleep, I was off to the surgery center. My dad was working so it was just my mom and I. It was less than a 5 minute ride to the center. When we parked the car my anxiety hit again. "I'm not going in." I must have said that 10 times. It was always my choice if I wanted to have them done, but I felt like I didn't really have a choice. That was my doctors suggested next step and no one else had anything else to offer.
I finally went inside. I knew I had to. I checked in and then sat in the waiting room. They called my name and it was time to go back. They told me my mom couldn't come back with me. Now, I am normally a pretty chill person but I came very close to tears and told them that if she wasn't going back, I wasn't either. After a minute, they let us both come back. They did all of the preop stuff and I did my best to stay calm. The nurse was from California and was a Disney fan so that helped. She was really nice and kept talking to me about Disney to keep me calm.
There was a pretty long wait. Lots of people came in to talk to me and then it was time to go in. They brought me into the procedure room and had me switch to the table and lay face down. By this point I was crying and having an anxiety attack. I kept trying to tell someone but every time I moved my head to tell them, they told me not to move. I was supposed to be asleep for the procedure. I don't remember this part, but the doctor told my mom. They gave me the medicine to sedate me and I began thrashing around. I almost fell off of the table. They thought I was in danger so they backed off the sedation. I was then awake. I felt them put in the local anesthetic. They then kept pushing Fentanyl but I was wide awake.
No one ever bothered to tell me what was going on or to explain why I was awake and could feel everything they were doing. I kept crying. They kept telling me not to move. Then it was over and they had me roll back onto the other bed so they could wheel me out. They gave me a bottle of water and some crackers and told me that my doctor would be here soon. My abdominal pain was still as bad but I was hoping it could take a few days to kick in. After about 20 minutes my doctor came in. She asked me if the pain felt any different. I said it didn't and asked if it should feel different already. She told me yes, but that it could take up to an hour. They brought my mom in and told me I could go home. I went home and had to accept that it didn't work. Again. I gave it another hour. It still didn't work.
Fast forward 2 days and here I am writing this. Unfortunately I now know for sure that it didn't work. It made my back hurt a lot and I am still recovering from that, but it should go away soon. I'm sad, but I am not giving up. I am planning on setting up a doctors appointment to talk about more drastic steps that we could take, including a hysterectomy. I am at a point where I really want my life back, even if that means a big step like that.
Do I wish it had worked? Yes. Do I still have hope that someday, something will? Yes. In medicine it is never over, I just have to wait until we find the right thing.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Losing Yourself
For a few months now I have felt like I lost my inspiration. This has hit me especially hard in regards to my music. The unstoppable drive that I have always had just has seemed to be lacking. I truly am not one for self pity. I gloss over traumatic things that happen to me and pretend that everything is completely fine but the truth of it is, the last few months have been excruciatingly hard. In giving myself a moment to acknowledge this I have realized that the issue isn't that I have lost my inspiration, I have lost a piece of myself. And that's okay.
I am a firm believer that you have to let pieces of yourself go to make room for new ones. Sometimes pieces are yanked from you. It can be from anything like losing the ability to play an instrument in a car accident to losing a family member. All of these things shape you into the person that you are supposed to be. We, as humans, are never finished. We are a constantly evolving mashup of every event and influence in our lives.
So yes, I lost a piece of myself, but I also found a new one. I lost my job, I ended up writing a book that is going to really help people. I grew apart from friends, I found other that understand and support my passions. I stopped playing guitar, I found my love for production. I lost a family member, I grew closer with others.
Those things don't make the bad things go away, but they make them easier to accept. Behind every seemingly horrific event is the strength that is going to pick you up and pull you through. The last few months have been hard. The next few months will be better.
I spent some time this week turning the fact that I haven't felt well enough to get out of bed into a positive. I watched marathons of interviews of the people that inspire me. I spent sleepless nights finding new undiscovered artists that reignited a love for music that had dulled. I am reinspired in a way that I previously could have only dreamed of.
Obstacles are always going to be here. Bad times will always find away to break apart my happy reality. But I will know that as broken as I feel and as many pieces as my heart is in, that it will be put back together with a force that is to be reckoned with and the person that I will be on the other side will be a strong person with a new outlook on everything in my life.
Inspiration is like a flame. It is going to flicker. There will be things that come along that make it so big that it becomes scary. It may even go out. The thing to remember is that there are lighters everywhere. Your lighter could be someone you love. It could be a piece of art that speaks to you.
Things don't last forever, good or bad. I am not the same person that I was a year ago and that is okay. I won't be the same person I am now in a year and that is okay. If I ever look back on a year and think "wow, I am exactly the same as I was then," that is when I will start to worry.
I am sorry if this makes no sense to some people, I have just had a lot of thoughts in my head for a while and it boiled over tonight. I was inspired to write again.
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Everyday Makeup Staples
Hi guys! Today I wanted to share with you some of the items that I use to do my makeup every day. If you would like to see a tutorial of how I do my makeup, let me know in the comments!
First, I start with a primer. Right now I am using the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer. It is amazing! It makes a fantastic base for my makeup and smooths out everything. It also helps my makeup stay all day even through lots of filming or a gig.
First, I start with a primer. Right now I am using the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer. It is amazing! It makes a fantastic base for my makeup and smooths out everything. It also helps my makeup stay all day even through lots of filming or a gig.
Next I go in with concealer and cover any blemishes on my face that day. I recently started using a higher end concealer for the first time and it is worth every cent. It truly covers everything and you don't feel or see it. I use the Laura Geller Real Deal Serious Coverage Concealer in Medium. When it says serious coverage, it isn't kidding. It is fantastic and last all day without creasing.
The next thing that I do is put on my foundation. I switch between a few but most recently I have been using one more than any others. I use the Maybelline New York Dream Fresh BB Cream in Medium. It gives good coverage while still being light enough for the hot, summer weather.
In the last few months I have fallen in love with bronzer. I'm going to let you in on a secret, I don't go outside a whole lot. That means that I almost never have a tan and bronzer is a great way to give myself a healthy glow. Recently I have been loving the Model Co bronzer in Shimmer.
Next up, blush! I have been loving the Hikari blush in Tango for the last few months. Sometimes I have been skipping blush or using my Model Co blush, but most days I reach for this! It is a bright pink color and a little goes a long way.
I never used to fill in my eye brows. I have very thick eye brows naturally and I just never saw the need. I recently found a product that I have fallen completely in love with! The Bodyography Brow Trio lets me fill in my brows perfectly. I use that and the Bodyography Pro Dual ended Brow Brush and my brows come out perfectly!
I never leave the house without eyeliner. I may have no other makeup on, but I always have black eyeliner in my waterline and tight line. I have recently been loving the Mica Beauty Gel Eyeliner with a very thin eyeliner brush.
I use different Mascara all the time but the one I am using right now is something fairly new to me which is the MDM Greater Than Mascara. It is good. Not an all time favorite, but certainly good enough!
I have been using the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette for years now. Before that I used the Naked 2. I now want to try the Naked Smoky. I love Urban Decay eye products.
I love dark lip colors. The Ulta Matte Lip Cream in Stirring is what I have been wearing almost every day. It isn't expensive especially if you check for sales which always seem to be happening at Ulta.
In a normal day I may wear any combination of these products or all of them if something important is going on that day, or if I just feel like spending a while doing my makeup.
What are some products that you can't live without? Let me know, I am always looking to try something new!
Monday, July 20, 2015
Chasing Your Dreams || Motivational Monday
It's official, I leave for California tomorrow! I am so excited! Last year I had an amazing time and learned so much, I can't image how much better it will be this year. Also, my mom and one of my best friends are both coming with me which is going to make it even more fun.
For those of you who do not know, I am going to California for VidCon. I have the amazing chance to play a set and also be a part of the first Mentorship program at VidCon. I am getting to work with 3 amazing YouTubers and het their advice and feedback on a huge project I have been secretly working on.
This has had me thinking a lot about my dreams and what I have sacrificed for them over the years. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a singer. I remember telling people in kindergarten that when I grew up I was going to be a singer. It is something that has always been in my heart. When I was little it was "cute." When I was in middle school I "needed to set my eye on something realistic." When I was in high school and opening for international pop stars and being signed to contracts on YouTube suddenly everyone had "always believed in me!" It isn't easy to pick a path that is different from the norm and you will most likely get a lot of pushback from people but if it is what you love and you have a true passion for it and are willing to work hard, go for it!
I have always thought that if I worked to try to make music work until 25, that still gave me plenty of time to work everything out if things did not go as well for me as I hoped. There is this huge pressure put on us so early to have everything figured out. I remember sitting in therapy at 14 crying my eyes out because I didn't have my whole future planned out yet and that meant that I was going to fail. I'm 19 now and realize how crazy that was.
No one has everything figured out and if they say they do, they are either lying to you or themselves. As it turns out, music has gone pretty well for me and it is worth all of the sacrifices and "well meaning realistic opinions" of others that I have dealt with but even if I had fallen flat on my face with music, I wouldn't regret the time and effort that I put into it.
I am working incredibly hard for my dreams every single day and that in itself is something to be proud of for the rest of my life. I will never have to look back on my life and think "What would have happened if I had just given it a shot? Could I have made it?" I won't have that regret because I am doing it.
I encourage everyone to take a dream of theres, be it big or small, and go for it! You would be surprised what you can accomplish if you are willing to put the work in and stretch a little outside your comfort zone. It can have a truly beautiful result.
For those of you who do not know, I am going to California for VidCon. I have the amazing chance to play a set and also be a part of the first Mentorship program at VidCon. I am getting to work with 3 amazing YouTubers and het their advice and feedback on a huge project I have been secretly working on.
This has had me thinking a lot about my dreams and what I have sacrificed for them over the years. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a singer. I remember telling people in kindergarten that when I grew up I was going to be a singer. It is something that has always been in my heart. When I was little it was "cute." When I was in middle school I "needed to set my eye on something realistic." When I was in high school and opening for international pop stars and being signed to contracts on YouTube suddenly everyone had "always believed in me!" It isn't easy to pick a path that is different from the norm and you will most likely get a lot of pushback from people but if it is what you love and you have a true passion for it and are willing to work hard, go for it!
I have always thought that if I worked to try to make music work until 25, that still gave me plenty of time to work everything out if things did not go as well for me as I hoped. There is this huge pressure put on us so early to have everything figured out. I remember sitting in therapy at 14 crying my eyes out because I didn't have my whole future planned out yet and that meant that I was going to fail. I'm 19 now and realize how crazy that was.
No one has everything figured out and if they say they do, they are either lying to you or themselves. As it turns out, music has gone pretty well for me and it is worth all of the sacrifices and "well meaning realistic opinions" of others that I have dealt with but even if I had fallen flat on my face with music, I wouldn't regret the time and effort that I put into it.
I am working incredibly hard for my dreams every single day and that in itself is something to be proud of for the rest of my life. I will never have to look back on my life and think "What would have happened if I had just given it a shot? Could I have made it?" I won't have that regret because I am doing it.
I encourage everyone to take a dream of theres, be it big or small, and go for it! You would be surprised what you can accomplish if you are willing to put the work in and stretch a little outside your comfort zone. It can have a truly beautiful result.
Monday, July 13, 2015
Getting Organized || Motivational Monday
One of the hardest things for me while also being one of the things that drives me the craziest when it isn't done, is organization. In some aspects of my life I am so organized it is ridiculous. I can find anything on my computer in less than 10 seconds and there are 1,000 gigs on my hard drive. My room, on the other hand, looks like a tornado went through it and I have been looking for a dvd in here for over a week. I have been taking steps towards organization through all parts of my life recently and there has been one thing that has been helping me with that.
I am using a planner. Now, I have always used planners but this is the first time I have used a planner like this and put this much time into my planner and it is resulting in it being much more useful for me. I use it a lot to plan out my filming and upload schedule as well as my everyday tasks and work schedule.
The planner that I use is the Happy Planner. I LOVE it. It is perfect for what I need and I love that I can take pages in and out of it. This is the exact planner that I use.
I am using a planner. Now, I have always used planners but this is the first time I have used a planner like this and put this much time into my planner and it is resulting in it being much more useful for me. I use it a lot to plan out my filming and upload schedule as well as my everyday tasks and work schedule.
The planner that I use is the Happy Planner. I LOVE it. It is perfect for what I need and I love that I can take pages in and out of it. This is the exact planner that I use.
Any planners I have used in the past have a horizontal layout with a few lines for each day. While it did work, that layout was just never ideal for me. There are three boxes for each day. They are labeled for morning, afternoon and evening. I'm sure this is great for people who have schedules that are crazy and have lots of meetings or appointments. I use washi tape to make my own labels. Currently since I have a lot of filming and writing to do in advance since I leave for LA so soon my labels are YouTube, Blog and Other. Typically I only use half of my blog box so I will write any overflow things from my other box in there in a different color ink. This is what the layout looks like.
I also decorate my planner to make it a little more fun. If you would be interested in seeing a Plan With Me post, let me know! I think that could be a lot of fun to share how I am using this to truly organize my life!
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Summer Bucket List
I don't know about where you live, but where I live, it is summer. The high today was 93 and if that doesn't say Summer I don't know what does. This got me thinking about what I wanted to do this summer. I was inspired by eleventhgorgeous from their Summer Bucket List video. Some of these things are small and some are big. I know I may not do them all, but I am excited to try.
~ Get my room set up exactly how I want it
I started redoing my room a year ago this weekend. It still is not done. I want to get it finished before I go to California. That gives me about 56 days. This is going to be one of my top priorities. I spend a lot of time in my room and I deserve to have it be a good place for me.
~ Organize my closet
My closet is a wreck. It is in dire need of a reorganization. There literally isn't anything else to say, it's just a mess.
~ Go to the beach
I am not normally a beach person but I went a few weeks ago with a friend of mine and had a great time. I want to push myself to leave my comfort zone more this summer and one way is going to be by going to the beach.
~ Try the Vegan Asian restaurant I have been dying to go to
To be honest I probably will not be doing anything that involves spending any money until after my LA trip. I haven't been working as much as I would like and want to make sure I have enough set aside to not have to worry about going over my budget. When I get back, however, I have wanted to try this new restaurant in my town that is Vegan and Gluten Free. I'll let you guys know how it is!
~ Take a week and have a Staycation
I am lucky enough to live in a beautiful town. I really want to take some time and explore it in a way that I would if I was here on vacation.
~ Hang my TV
I bought a wall mount for my tv. I think I bought it 6 months ago. Oops. I want to hang it.
~ Organize and get rid of Makeup
Once upon a time I had my makeup perfectly organized. That is not the case anymore. I want to get back to this. I feel like things in my room are kind of out
~ Set up planner
If you can't sense it, there is a theme. I really just want to get my life together this summer. I love planners and they help me keep everything organized.
~ Go to Disney
I love Disney. I think most of you will know that I love Disney. I have an annual pass, but it has blackout dates. 6/5-the beginning of August. I either have to go in the next 2 weeks or wait until August. We will see if I get there.
~ Stay on top of my upload schedule
We all know this is an issue. Let's move on.
I think I am going to leave it here. There are other things but these are the most important to me. What is on your Summer Bucket List? Let me know in the comments! I will see you guys tomorrow!
~ Get my room set up exactly how I want it
I started redoing my room a year ago this weekend. It still is not done. I want to get it finished before I go to California. That gives me about 56 days. This is going to be one of my top priorities. I spend a lot of time in my room and I deserve to have it be a good place for me.
~ Organize my closet
My closet is a wreck. It is in dire need of a reorganization. There literally isn't anything else to say, it's just a mess.
~ Go to the beach
I am not normally a beach person but I went a few weeks ago with a friend of mine and had a great time. I want to push myself to leave my comfort zone more this summer and one way is going to be by going to the beach.
~ Try the Vegan Asian restaurant I have been dying to go to
To be honest I probably will not be doing anything that involves spending any money until after my LA trip. I haven't been working as much as I would like and want to make sure I have enough set aside to not have to worry about going over my budget. When I get back, however, I have wanted to try this new restaurant in my town that is Vegan and Gluten Free. I'll let you guys know how it is!
~ Take a week and have a Staycation
I am lucky enough to live in a beautiful town. I really want to take some time and explore it in a way that I would if I was here on vacation.
~ Hang my TV
I bought a wall mount for my tv. I think I bought it 6 months ago. Oops. I want to hang it.
~ Organize and get rid of Makeup
Once upon a time I had my makeup perfectly organized. That is not the case anymore. I want to get back to this. I feel like things in my room are kind of out
~ Set up planner
If you can't sense it, there is a theme. I really just want to get my life together this summer. I love planners and they help me keep everything organized.
~ Go to Disney
I love Disney. I think most of you will know that I love Disney. I have an annual pass, but it has blackout dates. 6/5-the beginning of August. I either have to go in the next 2 weeks or wait until August. We will see if I get there.
~ Stay on top of my upload schedule
We all know this is an issue. Let's move on.
I think I am going to leave it here. There are other things but these are the most important to me. What is on your Summer Bucket List? Let me know in the comments! I will see you guys tomorrow!
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Bucket List
I have been think a bit about things that I want to accomplish. I decided I wanted to put them down on paper and look at them once a month to remind myself of all that there is to work and live for. At times in this health struggle it feels hard to grasp onto things that are in the future and I think this will help. Keep in mind that these lists are obviously personal and that these are just things that are important to me. Some of these are really small goals that are easy to accomplish and some are larger more lifetime goals. I broke the list down into sections. I am also including things that have been on my bucket list for a long time and have accomplished. I am not sure if I will accomplish all of them or just a few but I put down everything I have wanted. Dream big.
Travel:
Visit Nashville
Travel by Myself
Visit Los Angeles
Visit All 50 States
Go to Europe
Shop in NYC
Visit Boston
Visit Australia
Go on a Cruise
Go on a Disney Cruise
Fly First Class
See the Eiffel Tower
Visit the Greek Islands
Stay in a Monorail Resort at Disney World
Visit London
Go on a Vacation with my Friends
Visit Ireland
Go to Bora Bora
Visit 6 Continents
Learning:
Learn to Sew
Learn to Ride a Bike
Learn to Drive
Learn Sign Language
Learn a new String Instrument
Learn to Record my Own Music
Learn to Paint
YouTube:
Go to VidCon
Sing on the Main Stage at VidCon
Sing on the Main Stage at Playlist Live
Have 10,000 Subscribers (next milestone)
Have 1,000,000 Total Views
Upload a Video Every Day for 365 Days
Go to Summer In The City
Collab with a YouTuber I Love
Music:
Put out an Album
Have a Single/CD Go Gold
Have a Single/CD Go Platinum
Go on Tour
Win an Award
Be Nominated for a Grammy
Change someone's life with my music
Have a Crowd Sing my Song Back to Me
Start a Band
Open for Someone I Look Up To
Fashion/Beauty:
Have all of my clothes fit how I want
Be able to walk well in heels
Go to a Betsey Johnson Fashion Show
Own a pair of Loubouton Shoes
Own something Chanel
Have perfectly organized makeup
Perfectly Organize my Closet
Shop on Rodeo Drive
Own a Betsey Johnson Dress
Buy a pair of Cowboy Boots
Other:
Buy a House
Hug Rachel in Person
Pay Off My Parent's House
Buy Final Cut Pro X
Buy a Car
Go to School for Music Production
Be Out of Pain
Get my Tattoo
Get another hole in my ear
Fill an Entire Mac Palette
Have my own Merch
Own a MacBook Pro
Own an iMac
Own a White Gibson SG
Go to Bonnaroo
Be a Vegan for a Year
Take myself out for a nice meal
Eat at Umami Burger
Be able to support myself as a musician
Update this list at least once a year
Travel:
Visit All 50 States
Go to Europe
Shop in NYC
Visit Boston
Visit Australia
Go on a Cruise
Go on a Disney Cruise
Fly First Class
See the Eiffel Tower
Visit the Greek Islands
Stay in a Monorail Resort at Disney World
Visit London
Go on a Vacation with my Friends
Visit Ireland
Go to Bora Bora
Visit 6 Continents
Learning:
Learn to Sew
Learn to Ride a Bike
Learn to Drive
Learn Sign Language
Learn a new String Instrument
Learn to Record my Own Music
Learn to Paint
YouTube:
Sing on the Main Stage at VidCon
Sing on the Main Stage at Playlist Live
Have 10,000 Subscribers (next milestone)
Have 1,000,000 Total Views
Upload a Video Every Day for 365 Days
Go to Summer In The City
Collab with a YouTuber I Love
Music:
Put out an Album
Have a Single/CD Go Gold
Have a Single/CD Go Platinum
Go on Tour
Win an Award
Be Nominated for a Grammy
Change someone's life with my music
Have a Crowd Sing my Song Back to Me
Start a Band
Open for Someone I Look Up To
Fashion/Beauty:
Have all of my clothes fit how I want
Be able to walk well in heels
Go to a Betsey Johnson Fashion Show
Own a pair of Loubouton Shoes
Own something Chanel
Have perfectly organized makeup
Perfectly Organize my Closet
Shop on Rodeo Drive
Own a Betsey Johnson Dress
Buy a pair of Cowboy Boots
Other:
Buy a House
Hug Rachel in Person
Pay Off My Parent's House
Buy Final Cut Pro X
Buy a Car
Go to School for Music Production
Be Out of Pain
Get my Tattoo
Get another hole in my ear
Fill an Entire Mac Palette
Have my own Merch
Own an iMac
Own a White Gibson SG
Go to Bonnaroo
Be a Vegan for a Year
Take myself out for a nice meal
Eat at Umami Burger
Be able to support myself as a musician
Update this list at least once a year
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
I'm Okay, But.... || Another Health Update
Well, today was no fun. In the spirit of being honest, today really, really sucked. A lot. If you read yesterday's post, my plan was to play video games, watch Netflix and hope I feel better hour by hour. Ha. It was a nice dream.
It started with a fully sleepless night. Too much pain to sleep. My mom called the doctor first thing to ask about the trouble breathing. I was expecting her to say it was nothing, maybe have me come into the office for a w=quick check but I wasn't expecting much. She sent me to the ER. Right away. I'm not going to lie, I cried a lot this morning. Being in a lot of pain, sleep deprived, not being able to breathe well, running a fever and being scared does not lend to a great emotional state.
My mom and I headed to the ER. The wait wasn't too long. Turns out when you are 4 days post-op with a 102 fever and trouble breathing you skip most of the line. Silver lining, I guess? Right from the start the nurse was incredible nice which I appreciated so much. Stressful situations can be made all too stressful based on who you are dealing with. He listened to my chest, then the doctor listened to my chest, then the doctor said he didn't think it was a blood clot in my lung and my mom started crying. Apparently that's what my doctor thought it was. No one told me that, probably for the best. But my blood pressure was really low, I still had the fever and the breathing problems and it was just the start of the day. They wanted to run blood tests and also get me on IV fluids. Would have rather had IV iced tea but apparently that isn't an option. Get on that, science.
Here's the fun part. I have hard veins on a normal day. I had really bad veins today. I also hate needles more than I hate neon eye liner, and I really hate neon eye liner. The first person came in. 2 tries in 2 different arms and still no IV, he went to get the nurse. 2 more sticks in my right arm, no IV. Also worse than the sticks are after the needle is in and they are fishing around trying to find the vein. Not so nice. But then they got something that made my tech geek heart really happy. It was this giant thing that reflected a green laser onto my arm and SHOWED WHERE THE VEIN WAS INSIDE MY ARM. WHAT EVEN? They finally got the IV in. I get fluids which was nice. I also got some pain meds that broke the pain for the first time in days, that was really nice. Also made me sleepy.
It was about here where they took me for chest X-rays. There is still nothing stranger to me than being transported in the hospital. I left the room, got X-rays and came back, all without ever standing, most while laying down. They did the X-rays in my hospital bed. With the iv pain meds they didn't want to risk me falling.
We are going to skip ahead because I'm tired and on top of normal pain, my arms both hurt from being under assault today. No blood clot. Yay! Partly collapsed lung. Not so yay, but also not a big deal. I have to breathe into this thing and I'll be okay. The issue here is I'm competitive and want to beat how high i blew the thingy last time and I have to be careful and make sure I don't pass out.
They put me on stronger pain meds which is good because it was really hurting a lot. I'm planning on sleeping and resting tomorrow. Hopefully I don't end up back at the hospital, that would be nice.
On a funny note, every single person at the hospital that heard how much surgery I had done did a double take and looked actually dumbfounded that I was sent home that day.
Same. lol.
I'm going to rest. I guess I'll just keep posting updates as I have them. Hopefully no more days like this will happen. At least I'm okay :)
It started with a fully sleepless night. Too much pain to sleep. My mom called the doctor first thing to ask about the trouble breathing. I was expecting her to say it was nothing, maybe have me come into the office for a w=quick check but I wasn't expecting much. She sent me to the ER. Right away. I'm not going to lie, I cried a lot this morning. Being in a lot of pain, sleep deprived, not being able to breathe well, running a fever and being scared does not lend to a great emotional state.
My mom and I headed to the ER. The wait wasn't too long. Turns out when you are 4 days post-op with a 102 fever and trouble breathing you skip most of the line. Silver lining, I guess? Right from the start the nurse was incredible nice which I appreciated so much. Stressful situations can be made all too stressful based on who you are dealing with. He listened to my chest, then the doctor listened to my chest, then the doctor said he didn't think it was a blood clot in my lung and my mom started crying. Apparently that's what my doctor thought it was. No one told me that, probably for the best. But my blood pressure was really low, I still had the fever and the breathing problems and it was just the start of the day. They wanted to run blood tests and also get me on IV fluids. Would have rather had IV iced tea but apparently that isn't an option. Get on that, science.
Here's the fun part. I have hard veins on a normal day. I had really bad veins today. I also hate needles more than I hate neon eye liner, and I really hate neon eye liner. The first person came in. 2 tries in 2 different arms and still no IV, he went to get the nurse. 2 more sticks in my right arm, no IV. Also worse than the sticks are after the needle is in and they are fishing around trying to find the vein. Not so nice. But then they got something that made my tech geek heart really happy. It was this giant thing that reflected a green laser onto my arm and SHOWED WHERE THE VEIN WAS INSIDE MY ARM. WHAT EVEN? They finally got the IV in. I get fluids which was nice. I also got some pain meds that broke the pain for the first time in days, that was really nice. Also made me sleepy.
It was about here where they took me for chest X-rays. There is still nothing stranger to me than being transported in the hospital. I left the room, got X-rays and came back, all without ever standing, most while laying down. They did the X-rays in my hospital bed. With the iv pain meds they didn't want to risk me falling.
We are going to skip ahead because I'm tired and on top of normal pain, my arms both hurt from being under assault today. No blood clot. Yay! Partly collapsed lung. Not so yay, but also not a big deal. I have to breathe into this thing and I'll be okay. The issue here is I'm competitive and want to beat how high i blew the thingy last time and I have to be careful and make sure I don't pass out.
They put me on stronger pain meds which is good because it was really hurting a lot. I'm planning on sleeping and resting tomorrow. Hopefully I don't end up back at the hospital, that would be nice.
On a funny note, every single person at the hospital that heard how much surgery I had done did a double take and looked actually dumbfounded that I was sent home that day.
Same. lol.
I'm going to rest. I guess I'll just keep posting updates as I have them. Hopefully no more days like this will happen. At least I'm okay :)
Monday, March 23, 2015
Health: An Update
Hello everyone! I would first like to start by thanking everyone for how well my last post was received. In only a week's time it has become the most read post I have ever put up on this blog. It was extremely hard for me to write and took a lot to put something that personal out there and the kind words I have received have meant a lot. If you haven't read my last post, you may want to before continuing because otherwise you may be very confused.
I had surgery bright and early Thursday morning. My biggest fear was another surgery where I woke up and they told me that they didn't know what was wrong and that they had done nothing. When I first woke up from surgery I was still pretty groggy. I couldn't see straight and everything hurt. There was a nurse next to me and I asked, in what I can only assume was barely english, if they took the ovary out? She told me that they had. I started crying. She came over concerned to calm me down and I quickly told her they were "happy tears" and then I fell back asleep. A while later I woke back up and was allowed to see my parents. When they came in I found out that they had also taken my appendix out. They also told me that they had found I have Endometriosis. I don't want to go into a ton of detail on that, you can look it up if you are interested, but it is very painful. They removed as much as possible and cauterized a ton of it. My ovary was also attached to my bowel, there were a ton of adhesions that had to be taken apart and lots and lots of scar tissue that was removed. They also did a D&C of the uterus. They did not take the fibroid tumor out. Because it is most likely not causing any problems and is small they opted not to because it would have resulted in a much longer and more painful surgery.
A lot was done so recovery is slow, but they are all good things. For the first time in years I have hope of getting my life back. It will be a slow road, and I know that, but I am willing to do anything I need to get there.
As far as an update on where I am in recovery this is a good little summary I put on Facebook for friends and family. Making progress for sure. I am still in a lot of pain, have to keep reminding myself just how much stuff they did and removed. The pain from the gas they put in seems to be gone, just back to dealing with the shoulder pain left from the accident. I'm having trouble breathing but I'm fairly sure that's just pain related. Also I've been running a low grade fever but we've talked to the doctor and they think it is just a pain response because apparently they gave me a lot of antibiotics during surgery. Not working this week because the doctor told me not to. Look at me being good and listening. I think today I am going to play video games and watch Netflix because how many times in my life am I actually going to be able to say that it's doctors orders.
I think that is everything. Oh, I guess I should share the thing I am doing for myself. As some of you may or may not know, there isn't a lot I love more in the world than Disney. I haven't been able to go to Disney World without a wheelchair since I was 13. Obviously, pending on seeing how my pain levels are after I'm healed up from surgery, I am planning a 3 day trip for my mom and I to go to Disney. Just her and I...and no wheelchair. I'm hoping to be able to do it and get there before the Epcot Garden Festival is over but we will see. I have to make sure I don't push myself too hard too fast.
My fight isn't over just because this surgery is. If this is something people are interested in following along with I may see how I feel about turning this into a weekly or monthly series. Or it may be just occasional update when I feel there is something to update on.
Thank you again for all the kindness.
I had surgery bright and early Thursday morning. My biggest fear was another surgery where I woke up and they told me that they didn't know what was wrong and that they had done nothing. When I first woke up from surgery I was still pretty groggy. I couldn't see straight and everything hurt. There was a nurse next to me and I asked, in what I can only assume was barely english, if they took the ovary out? She told me that they had. I started crying. She came over concerned to calm me down and I quickly told her they were "happy tears" and then I fell back asleep. A while later I woke back up and was allowed to see my parents. When they came in I found out that they had also taken my appendix out. They also told me that they had found I have Endometriosis. I don't want to go into a ton of detail on that, you can look it up if you are interested, but it is very painful. They removed as much as possible and cauterized a ton of it. My ovary was also attached to my bowel, there were a ton of adhesions that had to be taken apart and lots and lots of scar tissue that was removed. They also did a D&C of the uterus. They did not take the fibroid tumor out. Because it is most likely not causing any problems and is small they opted not to because it would have resulted in a much longer and more painful surgery.
A lot was done so recovery is slow, but they are all good things. For the first time in years I have hope of getting my life back. It will be a slow road, and I know that, but I am willing to do anything I need to get there.
As far as an update on where I am in recovery this is a good little summary I put on Facebook for friends and family. Making progress for sure. I am still in a lot of pain, have to keep reminding myself just how much stuff they did and removed. The pain from the gas they put in seems to be gone, just back to dealing with the shoulder pain left from the accident. I'm having trouble breathing but I'm fairly sure that's just pain related. Also I've been running a low grade fever but we've talked to the doctor and they think it is just a pain response because apparently they gave me a lot of antibiotics during surgery. Not working this week because the doctor told me not to. Look at me being good and listening. I think today I am going to play video games and watch Netflix because how many times in my life am I actually going to be able to say that it's doctors orders.
I think that is everything. Oh, I guess I should share the thing I am doing for myself. As some of you may or may not know, there isn't a lot I love more in the world than Disney. I haven't been able to go to Disney World without a wheelchair since I was 13. Obviously, pending on seeing how my pain levels are after I'm healed up from surgery, I am planning a 3 day trip for my mom and I to go to Disney. Just her and I...and no wheelchair. I'm hoping to be able to do it and get there before the Epcot Garden Festival is over but we will see. I have to make sure I don't push myself too hard too fast.
My fight isn't over just because this surgery is. If this is something people are interested in following along with I may see how I feel about turning this into a weekly or monthly series. Or it may be just occasional update when I feel there is something to update on.
Thank you again for all the kindness.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
A Few Words About Health
I know I have been away from here for a while and I am very sorry about that. There has been some craziness in my life. Later this week a post will be going up talking about something that happened and the effect it has had on me but for now I need to have a bit of a serious chat with you guys.
As some of you will know, I have some health problems and have for many years. It isn't something I talk about much because it is hard for me but I think it is time. I am also planning on putting out a video on this subject this week. The reason I am talking about this now is because I am having surgery on Thursday. This isn't my first surgery. It will actually be my 3rd in the past 4 years. Each previous surgery has offered hope of relief and answers but has failed to have that outcome. I am feeling hopeful about this time. Measures that are being taken this surgery are more drastic, but it's time and for the best.
Some of what I am going to be talking about next will most likely overlap with my video, but seeing as different people read my blog than watch my videos I thought it was important to include. This is also something very hard in my life and very personal so it would be appreciated that if you feel the urge to say anything negative you take a second to understand that.
This story starts December of my freshman year of high school. It was December 29th to be exact. I guess you never forget the day that changes everything. I woke up with a pain in my lower left side. I had previously had some blood work come back off so we knew there was a chance of there being cysts on my ovaries. The pain wasn't too severe so my parents and I decided to schedule an appointment with my doctor for about a week later. By New Years Eve the pain was so severe that I was curled up in a ball on the floor crying. We knew at this point we couldn't wait for my doctor. We spent all New Years Day in the Emergency Room. They did see some cysts but didn't feel it was the cause of the pain. They didn't know what the cause of the pain was. They sent me home with no answers. School was starting from winter break on 1/3. Over the few days since I had been at the ER the pain got worse and was unbearable. It was the worst pain I had ever had and could even imagine. Looking back now the pain level that I live with every day at this point makes that pain seem like nothing. That Monday morning I was in too much pain to go to school and my mom and I went back to the ER. The cysts had grown an incredible amount and there were 4 times as many. They told me to schedule an appointment with an Endocrinologist.
It took 3 weeks to get an appointment. I was unable to go to school in the mean time. I didn't know at the time I never would end up being able to go back to school. It came time for my appointment. They didn't know what was wrong, I was sent to another doctor. This has happened a lot. I see a doctor, they run a lot of tests, they say sorry and that they don't have any answers for me then they send me to someone else. Repeat. Again....and again....and again. I've lost count of how many doctors I have seen but I do know it is well over 10.
I had to finish high school online. I lost all of my friends because I wasn't in school. I was lonely, in severe pain every day and no one knew why. Emotionally that is very draining.
I don't mean for this whole story to come off so sad. I'm not a sad person. I am thankful for everything I have had in life, it is just that I've been through a lot.
In effort to save time and also because recalling so much of this in detail is quite upsetting to me I am going to skip forward.
It is 4 and a half years later. We still don't know what is causing all of the pain. I made it through high school on my own. I'm still fighting for my dreams. I'm always fighting to not let this overtake my entire life. I do live every day in pain. I do have limitations as much as I hate more than anything that I have to say that. I try to stay strong, I'm lucky to have a fantastic family around me to keep me strong.
On Thursday I am having surgery. They are supposed to be taking out my left ovary. We don't know if this will fix the pain. I have never hoped harder for anything in my life than for the pain to get better when they take it out. During my preop testing they also found a fibroid tumor on my uterus. They will be removing that during surgery as well. Apparently this could be causing some pain.
The reason I am talking about this all now is because I know I am not the only one going through chronic pain and health problems. Going through things like this can feel really lonely and like no one understands. If I can show one person that they aren't alone and that there are people that understand, this is worth it. Please don't think I did this for any stupid attention or sympathy. That is not ever what I want.
I am also posting this to explain why there will not be blog posts, covers or videos for a little while. I will be on social media a lot during this time since I'll be stuck home in bed so you can always reach me there.
Please never forget to be thankful for your health. You take it for granted until you don't have it anymore.
I hope you are all having a great weekend. I am. I got new makeup brushes today. Keeping a positive attitude is important and you can find good in any day. If I didn't do that, I would have nothing.
Thank you or reading. If you don't mind keeping me in your thoughts or sending healing vibes Thursday it would mean the world to me. Thanks.
Always keep smiling. Don't let anything take away your happiness.
As some of you will know, I have some health problems and have for many years. It isn't something I talk about much because it is hard for me but I think it is time. I am also planning on putting out a video on this subject this week. The reason I am talking about this now is because I am having surgery on Thursday. This isn't my first surgery. It will actually be my 3rd in the past 4 years. Each previous surgery has offered hope of relief and answers but has failed to have that outcome. I am feeling hopeful about this time. Measures that are being taken this surgery are more drastic, but it's time and for the best.
Some of what I am going to be talking about next will most likely overlap with my video, but seeing as different people read my blog than watch my videos I thought it was important to include. This is also something very hard in my life and very personal so it would be appreciated that if you feel the urge to say anything negative you take a second to understand that.
This story starts December of my freshman year of high school. It was December 29th to be exact. I guess you never forget the day that changes everything. I woke up with a pain in my lower left side. I had previously had some blood work come back off so we knew there was a chance of there being cysts on my ovaries. The pain wasn't too severe so my parents and I decided to schedule an appointment with my doctor for about a week later. By New Years Eve the pain was so severe that I was curled up in a ball on the floor crying. We knew at this point we couldn't wait for my doctor. We spent all New Years Day in the Emergency Room. They did see some cysts but didn't feel it was the cause of the pain. They didn't know what the cause of the pain was. They sent me home with no answers. School was starting from winter break on 1/3. Over the few days since I had been at the ER the pain got worse and was unbearable. It was the worst pain I had ever had and could even imagine. Looking back now the pain level that I live with every day at this point makes that pain seem like nothing. That Monday morning I was in too much pain to go to school and my mom and I went back to the ER. The cysts had grown an incredible amount and there were 4 times as many. They told me to schedule an appointment with an Endocrinologist.
It took 3 weeks to get an appointment. I was unable to go to school in the mean time. I didn't know at the time I never would end up being able to go back to school. It came time for my appointment. They didn't know what was wrong, I was sent to another doctor. This has happened a lot. I see a doctor, they run a lot of tests, they say sorry and that they don't have any answers for me then they send me to someone else. Repeat. Again....and again....and again. I've lost count of how many doctors I have seen but I do know it is well over 10.
I had to finish high school online. I lost all of my friends because I wasn't in school. I was lonely, in severe pain every day and no one knew why. Emotionally that is very draining.
I don't mean for this whole story to come off so sad. I'm not a sad person. I am thankful for everything I have had in life, it is just that I've been through a lot.
In effort to save time and also because recalling so much of this in detail is quite upsetting to me I am going to skip forward.
It is 4 and a half years later. We still don't know what is causing all of the pain. I made it through high school on my own. I'm still fighting for my dreams. I'm always fighting to not let this overtake my entire life. I do live every day in pain. I do have limitations as much as I hate more than anything that I have to say that. I try to stay strong, I'm lucky to have a fantastic family around me to keep me strong.
On Thursday I am having surgery. They are supposed to be taking out my left ovary. We don't know if this will fix the pain. I have never hoped harder for anything in my life than for the pain to get better when they take it out. During my preop testing they also found a fibroid tumor on my uterus. They will be removing that during surgery as well. Apparently this could be causing some pain.
The reason I am talking about this all now is because I know I am not the only one going through chronic pain and health problems. Going through things like this can feel really lonely and like no one understands. If I can show one person that they aren't alone and that there are people that understand, this is worth it. Please don't think I did this for any stupid attention or sympathy. That is not ever what I want.
I am also posting this to explain why there will not be blog posts, covers or videos for a little while. I will be on social media a lot during this time since I'll be stuck home in bed so you can always reach me there.
Please never forget to be thankful for your health. You take it for granted until you don't have it anymore.
I hope you are all having a great weekend. I am. I got new makeup brushes today. Keeping a positive attitude is important and you can find good in any day. If I didn't do that, I would have nothing.
Thank you or reading. If you don't mind keeping me in your thoughts or sending healing vibes Thursday it would mean the world to me. Thanks.
Always keep smiling. Don't let anything take away your happiness.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Current Favorite Songs
If you know anything about me you know that I love music. I have been listening to a ton recently and I thought I would share some of my favorites with you! My music taste can be kind of varied but I figure this will give you plenty of options of things to listen to.
10. Break Your Heart Right Back- Ariana Grande
7. Clean - Taylor Swift
10. Break Your Heart Right Back- Ariana Grande
9. All About It - Hoodie Allen feat. Ed Sheeran
8. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room - John Mayer
6. Lips are Movin' - Meghan Trainor
5. The Kids Aren't Alright - Fall Out Boy
4. Teenage Dirtbag - Patty Walters Cover
3. I Know Places - Taylor Swift
2. Misguided Ghosts - Paramore
1. Touch - Troye Sivan
Monday, January 19, 2015
Staying Motivated (Motivational Monday #2)
Today I want to talk about something that is both really hard and very easy for me. I am the kind of person that gets motivated incredibly easily. I start things and a lot of time I follow through with them if they are something that I really care about. The issue is that looking about a month in, I haven't followed through the way I want to. That's what I'm trying to work on this year.
There will always be reasons that you will find to not follow through. Work, health, schedule, and many others. I am guilty of this. I think the key is to acknowledge that these are all very real reasons to not get something done, however, if you want whatever the goal is, you have to push past them. I was once told "It works if you work it," and that is something I have lived by. I try to put my heart and soul into my projects.
I have a habit of taking on too many things at once, like right now, but I am learning how to balance and still follow through.
I have been on YouTube for 6 years and this week I hit 1,000 subscribers. There were times I wanted to give up. It always felt like people didn't care. I always would think that people weren't watching me because there are others that were better, prettier, funnier and more talented than I am. I have since realized that it doesn't matter what others are doing, it matters what I am doing. That, however, is another topic for another day.
My point is that is I hadn't kept motivated with my YouTube and hadn't stuck it out, I never would have gotten to 1,000 which means the world to me.
I challenge anyone reading this to write a list of about 5 things that you want to accomplish. Take that list and put it somewhere you will see it every day. You will be amazed at what seeing them written out every day does for your drive to achieve. If you set your mind to it, you can achieve anything. Everyone that you look up to doing what you want to do once started with just a dream.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
New Year, New Schedule
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful time ringing in the New Year! I am a person that likes to plan and that likes having start dates for my plans. For the last few months I have been working incredibly hard on things for this blog and the rest of my platforms and I am finally ready to unveil them as well as some new projects! Are you ready? We are going to go site by site.
LoveFromKelsey.com
This is the new home of this blog. I finally took the leap and bought my domain name! I will be uploading 5 days a week on this blog. Every Monday through Friday you will have a post from me. Each day will also have a designated topic and I am going to share that schedule below.
Monday is going to be motivational post and things a little more personal. I think it will be good for both you and I to start our weeks with these posts.
Tuesdays are going to be my "free day." This is where any posts that do not fit into my other topics will go such as posts about music, DIY or other similar things.
Wednesday will be the day I do reviews. It can be a review of anything, but each Wednesday will be a new review.
Thursdays will be either a look or some sort of tutorial. It may be a full makeup and hair look or it may be a tutorial on how I do my red lipstick or anything in between.
Fridays are a day I am very excited about because I am doing something I have wanted to do for a very long time. I am finally adding fashion to my blog. Anything from an OOTD or how to style a certain item could be on Fridays and I am extremely excited.
YouTube.com/lovefromkelsey
I am so excited about the future of this channel. I have experienced such amazing growth and feedback on this channel in the last few months and I am looking forward to getting back into producing the highest quality content as I possibly can. I am also so happy to announce that I will be uploading every day on this channel and everything uploaded there will be music.
Monday's cover will be whatever song is #1 on Billboard charts. If the song that is #1 has already been covered, the highest climbing song of the week that I haven't covered yet will be the choice!
Tuesday's will be a cover by a YouTube musician. So many of these people have inspired me in many ways and I look forward to being able to cover music by people who have helped shape my career so much.
Wednesday is a day that is really for me, but I hope others will enjoy. As some of you may know I like a lot of punk pop and other alternative music. I have never really covered much of these genres on my channel because I was worried people would not like it. I figure now that six of the other days are going to be more mainstream music, I can do some of the music that I love so dearly.
Thursday will be throwback Thursdays. It can be anything such as a throwback to something like the Beatles or something that is a throwback for me, like Aly & AJ.
Fridays are going to be request Fridays. In the past I have gotten so many requests that I haven't done because they are a little out of my comfort zone or maybe not as popular songs. When I was posting weekly, I didn't feel like I could give my weekly upload to those. Now I can try and cover all requests that I get and that makes me very happy.
Saturday is my free day. I can cover anything at all that I want on Saturdays which should be fun.
Sunday is a day I am very excited about. This is something that actually changed in my plan about a week ago. I had planned on having both Saturday and Sunday as free days. While I still do in some respects, there is one thing that will be different. Sunday is going to be ukulele covers! I just got one for Christmas and have been working hard and enjoying it a lot and can not wait to bring it to my channel.
YouTube.com/kelstalks
In this year I am excited about really starting to use this channel. Since my main channel will be completely focused on music, this is where everything else will be. There will be uploads 3 days a week.
Tuesday will be any fashion or beauty related videos. I have always had a passion for this kind of content and can not wait to start posting it regularly.
Thursday will be videos on a topic or event or something of the sort. This day is a sort of catch all for videos that are not beauty related or daily vlogs.
Saturdays I am starting something new that I am looking forward to. I have always wanted to daily vlog but to put it simply, I am not exciting enough to have enough good content for daily vlogs, so I am going to be doing weekly vlogs! These will have the previous Saturday to Friday in them and I am looking forward to having something to look back on and recap at the end of the year.
Now I am so excited to introduce two new projects that I am going to be working on. One is a YouTube channel and one is a blog.
MousekeTours.blogspot.com
Some of you may know that my true love in life is Disney. I have been blessed enough this year to have an annual pass and I only live 2 hours from Disney World. I have always loved Disney blogs and videos and I am so excited to be joining the world of Disney bloggers! I am starting with 2 posts a week on this blog.
Wednesday I am going to be posting about a specific ride, restaurant or event.
Friday I am going to be doing Top 5 lists such as "Top 5 Quick Service Dining Choices at Magic Kingdom."
KelsHealth YouTube
Due to changes with YouTube and their policy with custom urls, I do not yet have one for this channel so for now it is long and crazy and you will have to follow the link. This channel is something very personal to me. Many may not know and many might, but I have had some severe health problems over the years. I don't really want to get into that much because it is very personal to me and very upsetting. I am at a stand still with what doctors can do. I did a lot of my own research and found some dietary and similar things that I can do that some have had success with. I also plan on using this channel to work for and document weight loss since I am on thyroid medicine now and it should be easier. I am using this as a tool to myself to keep me accountable and also to try and find people going through similar things and build a community. I am going to be posting every day. Things on this channel will not be as formal and schedules may change but this is how it stands for the moment. Some days the videos may be just tiny short updates and some days they may be pre-planned well made videos. This channel is a health journal for myself and anyone else that wants to follow along and I am thrilled to be starting this.
Monday- Update
Tuesday- Workout Related
Wednesday- Walk Talk, I vlog while on my walk and talk about things relating to health
Thursday- Recipe
Friday- Swap Out, something small we can change to make a difference
Saturday- Free Day, whatever I feel like uploading
Sunday- Weekly Wrap Up.
I hope you all are as excited as I am about the new things coming. I know that this is a lot and I don't expect everyone to have interest in everything I am doing but I hope you will at least check out some of it. I will see you tomorrow with a fashion post. I hope you are having a wonderful New Years!
LoveFromKelsey.com
This is the new home of this blog. I finally took the leap and bought my domain name! I will be uploading 5 days a week on this blog. Every Monday through Friday you will have a post from me. Each day will also have a designated topic and I am going to share that schedule below.
Monday is going to be motivational post and things a little more personal. I think it will be good for both you and I to start our weeks with these posts.
Tuesdays are going to be my "free day." This is where any posts that do not fit into my other topics will go such as posts about music, DIY or other similar things.
Wednesday will be the day I do reviews. It can be a review of anything, but each Wednesday will be a new review.
Thursdays will be either a look or some sort of tutorial. It may be a full makeup and hair look or it may be a tutorial on how I do my red lipstick or anything in between.
Fridays are a day I am very excited about because I am doing something I have wanted to do for a very long time. I am finally adding fashion to my blog. Anything from an OOTD or how to style a certain item could be on Fridays and I am extremely excited.
YouTube.com/lovefromkelsey
I am so excited about the future of this channel. I have experienced such amazing growth and feedback on this channel in the last few months and I am looking forward to getting back into producing the highest quality content as I possibly can. I am also so happy to announce that I will be uploading every day on this channel and everything uploaded there will be music.
Monday's cover will be whatever song is #1 on Billboard charts. If the song that is #1 has already been covered, the highest climbing song of the week that I haven't covered yet will be the choice!
Tuesday's will be a cover by a YouTube musician. So many of these people have inspired me in many ways and I look forward to being able to cover music by people who have helped shape my career so much.
Wednesday is a day that is really for me, but I hope others will enjoy. As some of you may know I like a lot of punk pop and other alternative music. I have never really covered much of these genres on my channel because I was worried people would not like it. I figure now that six of the other days are going to be more mainstream music, I can do some of the music that I love so dearly.
Thursday will be throwback Thursdays. It can be anything such as a throwback to something like the Beatles or something that is a throwback for me, like Aly & AJ.
Fridays are going to be request Fridays. In the past I have gotten so many requests that I haven't done because they are a little out of my comfort zone or maybe not as popular songs. When I was posting weekly, I didn't feel like I could give my weekly upload to those. Now I can try and cover all requests that I get and that makes me very happy.
Saturday is my free day. I can cover anything at all that I want on Saturdays which should be fun.
Sunday is a day I am very excited about. This is something that actually changed in my plan about a week ago. I had planned on having both Saturday and Sunday as free days. While I still do in some respects, there is one thing that will be different. Sunday is going to be ukulele covers! I just got one for Christmas and have been working hard and enjoying it a lot and can not wait to bring it to my channel.
YouTube.com/kelstalks
In this year I am excited about really starting to use this channel. Since my main channel will be completely focused on music, this is where everything else will be. There will be uploads 3 days a week.
Tuesday will be any fashion or beauty related videos. I have always had a passion for this kind of content and can not wait to start posting it regularly.
Thursday will be videos on a topic or event or something of the sort. This day is a sort of catch all for videos that are not beauty related or daily vlogs.
Saturdays I am starting something new that I am looking forward to. I have always wanted to daily vlog but to put it simply, I am not exciting enough to have enough good content for daily vlogs, so I am going to be doing weekly vlogs! These will have the previous Saturday to Friday in them and I am looking forward to having something to look back on and recap at the end of the year.
Now I am so excited to introduce two new projects that I am going to be working on. One is a YouTube channel and one is a blog.
MousekeTours.blogspot.com
Some of you may know that my true love in life is Disney. I have been blessed enough this year to have an annual pass and I only live 2 hours from Disney World. I have always loved Disney blogs and videos and I am so excited to be joining the world of Disney bloggers! I am starting with 2 posts a week on this blog.
Wednesday I am going to be posting about a specific ride, restaurant or event.
Friday I am going to be doing Top 5 lists such as "Top 5 Quick Service Dining Choices at Magic Kingdom."
KelsHealth YouTube
Due to changes with YouTube and their policy with custom urls, I do not yet have one for this channel so for now it is long and crazy and you will have to follow the link. This channel is something very personal to me. Many may not know and many might, but I have had some severe health problems over the years. I don't really want to get into that much because it is very personal to me and very upsetting. I am at a stand still with what doctors can do. I did a lot of my own research and found some dietary and similar things that I can do that some have had success with. I also plan on using this channel to work for and document weight loss since I am on thyroid medicine now and it should be easier. I am using this as a tool to myself to keep me accountable and also to try and find people going through similar things and build a community. I am going to be posting every day. Things on this channel will not be as formal and schedules may change but this is how it stands for the moment. Some days the videos may be just tiny short updates and some days they may be pre-planned well made videos. This channel is a health journal for myself and anyone else that wants to follow along and I am thrilled to be starting this.
Monday- Update
Tuesday- Workout Related
Wednesday- Walk Talk, I vlog while on my walk and talk about things relating to health
Thursday- Recipe
Friday- Swap Out, something small we can change to make a difference
Saturday- Free Day, whatever I feel like uploading
Sunday- Weekly Wrap Up.
I hope you all are as excited as I am about the new things coming. I know that this is a lot and I don't expect everyone to have interest in everything I am doing but I hope you will at least check out some of it. I will see you tomorrow with a fashion post. I hope you are having a wonderful New Years!
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