What are /r/blogsnark's favorite Products & Services?

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

Don't forget to check camelcamelcamel.com to make sure your price is actually good. I remember last year, I checked a few things they weren't marked down as much as they make it look like they are.

So far the only things I'm getting are some Rubbermaid Brilliance storage containers and a kids FitBit.

I bought a book he wrote with another guy, Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation https://www.amazon.com/Songs-America-Patriotism-Protest-Nation/dp/0593132955

I have expected it to be all rah rah america, but it's really about how so much of the music people love is from Black music, and they talk about native american history and I like to think that he was hoping ignorant conservatives would buy it hoping it would be about Toby Keith brand music, but really it would secretly educate them about the real history of america. So, I think he is a good person.

Just watched an influencer do a tutorial on how to put your hair up with a claw clip. 1. We need a tutorial for this? 2. The 90s are fully back and I’m old af.

Expecting Better by Emily Oster offers some good perspective on what “they” tell you to avoid vs. real risks to your pregnancy.

Personally, listeria is something I didn’t want to risk. Unlike run-of-the-mill food poisoning, listeria can pose a risk to the fetus. I chose to avoid raw milk products, cold smoked foods, and certain raw fruits and vegetables unless I knew they were washed.

Roger Moore wrote a book on James Bond and refers to the character as 'Jim' throughout. I don't know why but I find it so charming!

I just creeped on her Insta a little. Who on earth would buy her book about how to survive after graduation? I mean... her experiences would be pretty irrelevant to the average non-millionaire person, no?? Is this incredibly tone deaf or what?

I’m so obsessed with that book! I reread it 2 years ago when there was so much press about the traffic on Everest. I watched every documentary I could find, too. I now tell my husband that I am a renowned mountain climbing expert and tell him how he should walk up large hills, etc.

ALSO I literally put a new Everest book on my kindle list 5 min ago:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08D8JHFX5/?coliid=I61D5BK8QRGIL&colid=2NKIUCOYWD6IA&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Apparently Rachel has been saying HER quote since before 1988 (at the least)! This lady used HER quote in a BOOK TITLE! 100% ROLLING IN THE GRAVE.

Scrolling Amazon for a cute summery dress (bc unlike bloggers I’m holding on to every last bit of summer!!) and I wonder if Dani Austin (@daniaustin on ig) knows her face was cut out and is used for this product photo hahaha

I have to confess to being influenced to buy this swimsuit after seeing it on both Rach Parcell and Veronika (Veronika's Blushing). I can't resist a good one piece suit and that neckline just looked so fun.

It came today and... oof. It's going back ASAP. Now full disclosure, my body is nothing like either of theirs - I'm 5'5, size 12-14 pear shape. But that said, from the waist down this suit is fantastic - the middle mesh section hits in a flattering place for me and the suit seemed very forgiving to someone with big hips like mine.

It's the top that was a mess. The top part somehow both smashed my boobs into pancakes while also providing zero support, and while the neckline IS cute, the whole thing just felt very flimsily constructed on top in terms of the stitching - something I should've expected for $32, but Veronika kept insisting that it felt like a $200 suit and...not even close.

COMMUNITY ADVISORY: To all the "people from all over the world" buying Noelle by Noelle bodysuits, there is a thing called H&M (Insert any fast fashion brand here) that sells velvet bodysuits to which you can add things like this or this for a total of $20 dollars tops. These hoes have money to spare, but that doesn't mean they get to waste yours...

My HOA group is the one with the drama.

-Someone has decided to appoint themselves King of the Swales. Yes, you're supposed to keep them clean or else water will back up. But this guy has picked this hill to die on, and is posting a lecture weekly.

(Not that my hill is any better, it's people who park stupidly).

Then we have a woman who's trying to tell people how to mow their lawns. Neither of these people is on the board, or has any interest in being on the board, they just compain. It makes me want to go buy this, put it in my yard and watch them freak.the.fuck out. Bonus points: I live across the street from an elementary school, so I'll piss off more people.

And the board president (who no one likes, and why no one will be on the board. It's not that he's a hardass or enforces anything, he's just dumber than a box of rocks and annoying) has studiously avoided the question of "Did you move out" for months. Finally, one of his (former) neighbors outed him. But he still owns the house, and is renting it, so he can still be on the board. Yay. Personally, I think that's bullshit. I think you need to live in and own the property.

In local FB group drama:

Crazy lady who believes the town water is literally killing her is claiming to have caught Hep A for the fifth time. From the water. A) The CDC says you cannot get Hep A more than once and B) She's the only person claiming to have gotten Hep A from water. If there was sewage in the water, a LOT more people would be sick with a large variety of illnesses.

Edit: and crazy water lady is getting Hep A from the water despite not using it. She buys all bottled water, and bathes and does laundry at a friends house in another town.

Have you seen Oprah's new food line? It's not that healthy and is kind of wtf. Example:

>O,That’s Good! Broccoli Cheddar Soup takes the savory, cheesy tastiness you love and sneaks in some butternut squash. O, That’s Good! refrigerated soups and sides have no artificial flavors and dyes. Made with no artificial flavors, dyes or preservatives.

One of the ingredients listed: "NISIN PREPARATION (TO PROTECT QUALITY)". It's a freaking preservative! Also, one serving has 39% of the RDA for salt. The pizza has a lot of bad reviews:

https://www.amazon.com/Thats-Good-Cheese-Pizza-frozen/dp/B07CX28SPR

Why would she put her name on this?

Yeah this has been a downward slide for several years. I found her through ancient internet snark (like jezebel comments or something) and actually loved her early stuff. She had a blog that really fit a need in my life for indulgent and positive "girly" content. I bought her self love book! I was on her newsletter for a few years too and seriously considered taking a course so I guess I'm the person who buys it? Or did at one time!

I think the explanation is that for women especially there can be a time in your life when you feel really locked out from blessings and abundance, like late 20's early 30's when there's no good men around, all your GF's are getting married in $25k weddings and having babies, you have to watch mediocre white guys get amazing jobs and promotions and success, and it seems like you just made all the wrong choices. So why not try something "out there" and see if it makes a difference? MR. Money Mustache and Dave Ramsey are very shamey and bro-y and "just sell that second car, bro! Be minimalist!" and the advice isn't geared towards women and the things they want, like, and need from money and finances and career. So when someone comes along and says this is for women and seems to "get it", it's tempting.

She took a weird turn when she got divorced, got a breast augmentation, and started dating a personal trainer. She went on a path of doing burlesque pole dancing stuff, and then shifted her quirky pastel goth boho style to a Nikki Minaj very sexy and in your face look.

She started focusing on this really weird personal self help idea called The Vortex which appeared to at the time have been influenced by some male guru (deep sigh of disappoint).

She seems to have been very, very successful with basically entry level self help mantra/law of attraction stuff and she does have an oddly compelling personal charisma.

One of the really important things to do is to name it and ask them point blank. Often people dance around the issue and people feel uncomfortable saying, “are you thinking about suicide?” It’s very important to actually get to it and the open. Then listen, without trying to solve anything - you are not a mental health professional. Direct them to resources. A help line, a therapist, etc.

This Mayo Clinic resource is really good: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/suicide/in-depth/suicide/art-20044707

Co-worker came on as she was on her way out. IIRC someone else in the office found Jenna and her handle/story spread through HP like wildfire. She 'came out' either after she left or during her final week/s there. Basically all she said was that they didn't know Jenna well but he seemed to really like the kids.

The meetup/LNO crew is the same. They all initially met Jenna when she organized a meetup.com event for her birthday. They stuck for a few years - I believe there was a core group of 4/5 girls that Jenna met up with pretty regularly. Eventually they all slowly stopped talking to Jenna until they had their last straw when Jenna went on a rant about how she had no friends not long after they moved into the cube farm. They basically said WTF to Jenna and she claimed that they weren't friends b/c they couldn't go out with her at the drop of a hat etc. It was pretty shitty all around. They stopped being friends after that. That girl was definitely legit as she had details/photos that Jenna herself never posted.

As for others, Jenna is somewhat vindictive so I can understand why many aren't forthcoming about how they know Jenna.

I forgot a new thread would start today. idk when the GMA cover reveal is, but here’s her new book for anyone who missed it in the other thread.

https://www.amazon.com/Untitled-Lou-Silloh-ebook/dp/B087CK4G52/

My friend found it by searching around amazon for phrases Rachel has been using a bunch recently.

Wow, that's some player mind game shit. I remember being treated like that when I was hooking up with guys, but had no relationship interest. I, at least, knew the game and knew the behavior. Sounds like she didn't have a clue. I have real trouble believing that a player type guy would change his stripes overnight and be committed and want to marry. I just don't trust that, not for a second, after having experienced situations like that and got the hell out of there.

I found her wedding post. She sounds like a nightmare even then. The thing about the chairs annoyed the crap out of me. We didn't have a produced wedding with plate chargers or Chivari chairs. We're still married. She gets to that point at the end of the article. Along the way, she's a real nasty bitch about the nice looking wedding she had.

I don't mind it. But I'm also #deathpositive thanks to reading Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, so that might be coloring my opinion.

Was the photographer hired or was it a family friend? Ashlee Swenson did something similar for Paul's funeral and mentioned that she'd "cherish" the photos. I mean, I get that. We used to photograph our dead and while I'm SO thrilled that trend is 1000% over, I can understand that people would want mementos from a major life event like death.

("Daddy's Special Day," though. I don't know about all that.)

It's very ironic how often Robbie screen records and posts lengthy, unedited clips of actual celebrities and talented people taking about their haters and/or diss tracks that he mimes along to to prove a point about how talented and hated he is. Aren't you a writer, Robbie? Why can't you just say it yourself?

The "ha ha yeah, what he said, haters!" Robbie engages in is so lame and plagiaristic coming from a self-proclaimed creative genius. Is it just that he wants to be a rapper/part of the hip-hop community sooooooo bad (which he clearly does)? Or is it just that he incapable of clearly articulating his own stance on haters, so he has to piggy back on other people?

Also, figured I'd put this here:

Book by Maja Jovanovic, 2016

>Hey Ladies, Stop Apologizing! And Other Career Mistakes Women Make

>Do you constantly doubt yourself or your abilities? Do you downplay your achievements or refuse to take credit for a job well done? Do you talk yourself out of doing something just so you won't fail? If so, then you're at the right place. If you're not ALL IN, ALL THE WAY, ALL THE TIME, then you're nowhere.

https://www.amazon.com/Hey-Ladies-Stop-Apologizing-Mistakes/dp/1772440124

-Acquire three quality spray bottles. Put the following in them: Bleach + water, White Vinegar+water+some essential oil to mask the smell, Dawn + Water. You don't have to buy other cleaning solutions anymore.

-Fastest way to clean a house full of floors: Any brand of the basic dry swiffer + reuseable micro fiber swiffer pads + whatever applicable cleaner above. Spray in front of you as you speed mop. The micro fiber is crucial.

-Replace your disposable makeup wipes with these . Can you tell i love microfiber?

-Put two bins in your closet and automatically sort colors and whites when you take clothes off. It's more efficient and keeps the dumbass men in your house from ruining your clothes when they do laundry.

-Cook more than the amount you'll eat of your favorite things. Freeze the rest and enjoy later when you're feeling lazy.

-Get rid of shit. It's my favorite thing to do. Don't keep crap around your house, it'll just stress you out. Then when you get rid of all your crap, only buy new quality things that will last you a long time.

-Buy herb plants instead of packaged herbs if you have space. Generally the grocery store has herb plants by the tomatoes. They're about the same price as herb packets, cheaper in the spring. Plop them in a container with potting soil somewhere bright (mine are in metal buckets on my kitchen windowsill). When you buy green onions next, put the stems about an inch into the dirt and water. They grow back and you trim bits off as needed.

​

On Shauna's Twitter, she claims "I haven't been anywhere but the beach, the woods and the grocery store since March 12th."

So the Great Anniversary Food Tour never happened? The trip to Emergency?

She doesn't even try to keep her lies straight.

• https://tweetdeck.twitter.com/#

Laundry nerd chiming in here. Discoloration on sheets is probably from sweat, so you don't want to use chlorine bleach (which could react with the proteins and cause further yellowing, all credit for this knowledge to Jolie Kerr of Ask a Clean Person). Instead, look at oxygen bleach (e.g., OxiClean) and/or bluing.

Lena has a lot of connections in Hollywood. I remember listening to an interview with Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey about their She Said book, where they talked about how Lena got them in touch with many of their sources.

Win: I sent complimentary copies of my just-published novel to some anti-MLM YouTubers and they were excited to review and feature it! We'll see if that actually pans out, but hey, win! FYI for anyone who mentioned that they'd love to read my book when I did the A/B testing for my cover, it's here!

Whine: my immediate manager quit, meaning that my projects and visibility are now down to almost zero. Not sure what will happen now---I'm really hoping they'll bring someone in who's more experienced in learning and development and not just HR.

I know we talk about how much money Instagrammers and bloggers make sometimes, so I thought this article would be interesting to some:

https://later.com/blog/instagram-influencers-costs

There are actual figures here for what some influencers charge per post, so enjoy!

This is a strong theory, although I don't think Kate would've been quite as successful if she was taking pictures of Will nude in bed after the night on the lash for 750k people to see. Although we can only hope Caro's contribution to literature can equal Pippa's. (see https://www.amazon.co.uk/Celebrate-British-festivities-families-friends/dp/0718176782 )

It's always weird to me when people don't like the OT threads. Then I realize they probably don't know about the "hide" option under each thread that makes the OT (or whatever threads you aren't interested in) disappear! And blocking users whose posts really bother me makes Blogsnark more enjoyable, too.

Like someone else said, the OT has been wonderful at stressful times in my life when talking to strangers was what I needed.

Win: It's sunny today! And my assistant is back from vacation.

Also: Amazon sells garden house kits! https://www.amazon.com/Lillevilla-Escape-113-Allwood-Cabin/dp/B00O76AL5W/

And then they go riiiight back to protesting at clinics. I read about it in an abortion doctor's memoir. They think their reasoning is good and right, but don't trust anyone else's reasoning for the same choice.

People are not happy: https://disqus.com/home/discussion/channel-theavclubafterdark/other_they_nuked_my_happy_place/

Like many other people, I thought they were just going to fuck with the comments (which would've been bad enough; I LIVE for the comments), not turn the entire site into another McGawker clone.

Just going to make a non-influencer recommendation for an Amazon swimsuit. I recently got this one (in the yellow & orange/peach print) for an upcoming trip and I am impressed with the quality of the suit.

I'm not going to lie like an influencer and tell you that it feels like a $200 suit - it doesn't. But nor does it feel like a $28 suit either. As something of a connoisseur of cheap-ass Amazon suits, I can tell you that usually the fabric on the bottom half is rather thin - this isn't. It has a nice thick lining on the inside, which is not usually a feature I see on suits at this price point. The waistband feels solid and well constructed too.

The top does have weird boob pad placements but given the drapey overlay, it's not really noticeable and I think they're removeable, just haven't investigated yet - even if not, you really can't tell. I'm a 38C and feel pretty well supported in the top. I wouldn't go running in it, but for floating in a pool with a margarita in my hand, it's perfect.

As far as sizing, I bounce between a large and an XL, and I bought the XL. Fits perfectly.

Anyway, just thought I'd pass that along for anyone else like me who doesn't like to spend much on swimsuits because she only needs them for vacation (and unlike the influencers, doesn't take a vacation every other week...).

My Santa gave me the best gifts! I got a warm running earband/headband (which will be great for the winter), a beautiful vintage Washington DC poster and a gift card to my favorite coffee/breakfast place, Bluestone Lane! Thank you, Santa! I love everything :)

You people. You people here? Oh, I've missed this. You are enough.
Although many many snarkers have told me how powerfully I've changed their lives, even through my own pain and suffering, I had to delete my old account for various reasons. So this account? I've made this account so I can do more than lurk the funniest thread on my favourite r.

And I'm here to ask, why has nobody told me the important news that BOTH GFG AND DOOCE have essays in this book? Did I miss people talking about it?
https://www.amazon.com/Glorious-Freedom-Older-Leading-Extraordinary/dp/1452156204

Also, gfg was meant to be doing an event in conversation with the author on 14 October, but did it happen? Social media doesn't seem to think so. Was it talked about here?
https://www.facebook.com/events/lisa-congdons-seattle-book-signing-for-a-glorious-freedom/1970354233220884/

And I'm here to tell you that this book? Oh, this book. While radically healing from my account deletion I'm thinking of prostrating myself at its feet, allowing the budget to change and spend the $AUD9 for an e-copy, sitting meditation on it in the gloaming, letting its shardly prose shatter on my nubbly cortex, then sharing over a fire with You People after which we'll write our snark on pieces of paper that we throw into the fire. Then we'll do it all again when the book of essays is birthed!
(all snark aside, I quite like the author's illustrations and some of the essays that aren't from bloggers look pretty good).

I don't! I might shift into that kind of role when I eventually become a medical examiner. I always like to recommend Caitlin Doughty and her YouTube series "Ask a Mortician." She also has two really beautiful books: From Here To Eternity and Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.

Wait, she's disappointed a book was written about a tragic situation? WTF, does she think it ruins her city's rep?

ETA: I don't know why, but I needed to know more about this. The book is a thriller, set in Paris, loosely based on a murder case in NYC. I'm not sure most readers of the book would even know about that connection. The nanny's name is Louise, which immediately reminded me of a different nanny murder case. But I don't feel the need to jump to the Boston metro area's defense over the connection.

Also, I love this Amazon review: "It has been my experience that books with 300 plus pages have better developed characters. I should have applied my quirky rule to this book, a 236 page novel." Okay?

Her health book (supposedly already written) looks to be pushed out to a December 2022 release. Probably a placeholder date (was previously March 2021). I am not sure this book will ever be published.

Did I look for cheaper dupes of that bag on Amazon? You bet I did. But you bet your bottom dollar I’d style it WAY differently. I’d wear all black, a gold belt, black mule chunky heels, and the pink bag with a matching pink lip. And I’d water my 8 year old Trader Joe’s orchid on my way out the door, not butcher it.

PS I went with this knock off Shrimps bag instead and it’s GORG and I’m really impressed with the quality. Highly recommend.

AI-generated transcript of Jenna's ig stories about her daughter's new nickname for pookie, 1/31:

This is the moment that needs to be documented. My, my daughter asslicker. Oh, yeah, this is the moment that needs to be documented. My, my daughter just came in, and I said, I need to do my meditation because I'm feeling anxious and then I can come out and enter the realm with you guys. 

And she turns to her dog and she goes, come on, ass-licker. Let's go outside. 

We, we don't like, like, we taught our kids all the swear words, and we talked to them about the ones that we think they shouldn't use. And then we talked to them about context. And then otherwise, it's kind of just open for them to use language as they see fit. And they, they actually don't use swear words write often they're kind of cautious about it, they're testing it out. They know that the rule is that we don't use swear words to insult or be unkind. We use swear words to express ourselves or maybe in this instance, to be funny. 

She is a funny one.

This transcript was generated by https://otter.ai

AI-generated transcript of Jenna's IG Stories, 1/12 (part 2):

I finally got my Lexapro refill. Normally, I take those pills, about an hour before bed, today, I took that ish the moment I had it in my hands. I need that in my system. Get. In. There.

I feel this need to scream at everybody in ma family. Not really for anything they're doing. I just want to scream at people. 

Really looking forward to feeling back to myself, to my new version, of myself. That reminds me, of an old version of myself, that I forgot about. I'm really looking forward to that version of Jenna again.

This transcript was generated by https://otter.ai

I wonder if Lauren Sims is aware her image in her Amazon cardigan is being used? Does she get a cut from the company? Amazon? Or Just free products? This popped up on a social media ad and I was pretty surprised.

On principle, I refuse to pay $4000 for something that can be found for around $1000. I can see if you have points or miles for an upgrade, but otherwise I would rather have those extra thousands for accommodations, meals, experiences...or my bank account. That poster needs to read "The Millionaire Next Door" for another perspective on how wealthy people live.

>The greatest relief for me as a kid would have been if she had died. It's all I wanted. I do not and never did have a single memory of loving my mom or feeling warmth for her.

...

>I know every single song by heart, my mom would play it growing up as she cleaned the house. I would stand there and listen to Vivaldi the entire day

https://tinyurl.com/ycejwwe4

This is most likely super bitchy, but I really just want to recommend Lauren Liess' book to all of the people who commented/submitted questions on Emily Henderson's announcement post about her new book. But seriously, LL's book answers most of these questions.

If anyone misses deadspin the writers got together and launched their own website called defector. It’s pretty good. Here’s Dvora Myers writing about why gymnastics scoring is stupid

https://defector.com/womens-gymnastics-is-blasting-into-the-future-but-its-scoring-code-is-stuck-in-the-past/

Ps Dvora is great you should buy her book

https://www.amazon.com/End-Perfect-10-Breaking-Gymnastics-ebook/dp/B0176M3VM8/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=dvora+meyers&qid=1627608320&sprefix=dvora+&sr=8-3

Just snagged a flat-pack toiletry bag that I've had my eye on for a few months. I've seen it on TikTok quite a bit and it seems like the Mary Poppins bag of toiletry bags. The original price ($40) was a bit steep for YET ANOTHER TOILETRY BAG (I have many) but it's on sale for $20 + 5% off + I had $11 in Amazon credit so I couldn't say no. I struggle with packing toiletries when I travel and this looks like it could be the answer to all my problems!

Sounds like you’re having a Little Italy party! What about a pizza hat

But honestly, the kiddo doesn’t care about a theme at his age, it’s all for the parents. Do whatever you’d like! I’m sure the birthday baby will love it and their siblings will remember the memories over the theme. Make some good ones!

Some LITERAL birdsnark here: my friend gifted me the funniest book, The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America.

I’m cracking up at paragraphs like this:

“Dullard (Common Name: Mallard) If someone is feeding bread to a bunch if ducks at a park, chances are this bread-hog is in the scuffle shoving other ducks out of the way to get it. The dullard can be found throughout the Northern and Southern hemispheres probably because people feed them bread wherever they go. Slightly heavier than other members of the duck family, it has a striking bottle-green head and could be a very pretty bird if it just lost some weight. All that bread, though.”

I got my husband this book and I think it helped a lot. We also took a new parents class at the hospital. But we had so many of these dumb conversations: sleeping on their backs, no blankets, all kinds of stuff I thought was obvious at this point. If he'll trust that you know what you're doing and he's willing to learn, I think you'll be good!

Not exactly blog related, but since we love to hate on MLMs 'round these parts:

The fact that this book exists makes me want to board the next spaceship off this planet.

I asked my cousin for a water bottle with timings on it for Christmas and she CAME THROUGH. I've been using a Nalgene for about 10 years, but the spout on this thing is the best water-drinking experience I've ever had. It has a little air hole for good flow, a straw cap spout, and an ice/tea guard. It also says it's dishwasher safe, I'm obsessed.

I haven't put it in the dishwasher yet but it does say it's dishwasher safe!

• I eat a lot less meat than I did a year ago. I would probably be fine at this point cutting it out entirely but my partner isn't comfortable going completely vegetarian. We got an Indian instant pot cookbook (sorry, can't find a non-Amazon link) which has been great for easy, non-meat dinners. My partner is embracing chickpeas and lentils much more. Plus those are easy to buy in bulk.
• I know that this is a very personal choice but I switched to a menstrual cup two years ago. I like it more than pads/tampons. I found a lot of really helpful information in r/menstrualcups.
• I'm super lucky to have washer/dryer access in my NYC apartment building. Except we don't have gas at the moment, so can't use the dryer. Hang drying one load of laundry at a time on a drying rack in my apartment is more feasible than I expected. I'm considering cutting out the dryer entirely even when the gas is back on. Plus it's better for my clothes.

When trying to explain this to your children. https://www.amazon.com/Wrong-People-Have-Self-Esteem-Inappropriate/dp/1599902400

but like ~order it from your local bookstore~ we are NOT tossers, here.

Sorry if this has already been discussed, but has anyone else seen the Enough page on Amazon recently? They've pulled a bunch of quotes from the book for marketing. WTF. The stuff is just recycled platitudes that we've all heard 1000 times before for free from every blogger/instagramer out there. And if these were some of the best quotes they could find, this book is going to be a joke. What is anyone going to get out of her book?

could these possibly be the famous lettuce pants??

I'm not brave enough to go over to /r/personalfinance and write this, so I'll post it here where I feel more comfortable. (I don't feel I'd fit in at PF for a variety of reasons.)

I wrote out my credit card balances. The bad news...well it's really bad. I do have over $12,000 in CC debt.

The good news? I finally got brave enough to look at the numbers, which I've run from before and instead chose to lose sleep over it. I probably still will lose some sleep to be honest.

I have a plan though. I've been going through Dave Ramsey's book, The Total Money Makeover. I set a three-year timeline to be out of debt, so by December 2020. I'm going to work on putting my stuff on eBay and Craigslist. I'll work on trying to find a cheaper cell phone plan so I can have the extra money towards debt. I may even cancel my gym membership. (Yes it's to Planet Fitness and only $10 a month, but every little bit helps.)

And I decided that as every card is paid off over these next few years, I'm cutting it up. I may keep one card for emergencies, but otherwise, I'm tired of the way I'm living. I know I'll take so much more pride in buying things as I can afford them.

I almost hate admitting this. I'm sure some of you will judge me and think bad of me. But I know I needed to get this all out there.

Also lol. "No direct flights to Hawaii from Phoenix." Here's one for 2 weeks from now for less than 600 dollars. Do they think their followers are idiots? JUST BE HONEST AND SAYING ALASKA GAVE YOU MILES TO USE. Like holy hell. https://www.google.com/flights?q=phoenix+to+maui&source=lnms&impression_in_search=true&mode_promoted=true&tbm=flm&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjBjPGh_LLjAhUOAZ0JHQEZA24Q_AUIECgB#flt=/m/0d35y./m/0s0gz.2019-07-29*/m/0s0gz./m/0d35y.2019-08-02;c:USD;e:1;s:0*0;sd:1;t:f

Sunzel bike shorts - I was excited about these but the bottom band that sits on your lower thigh is just too tight for me. Otherwise they were comfy and I would have kept them if not for that! I hope this link is okay - this is my first time linking in Reddit I think

But they didn't have a good outside eating space, anyway. They had a coffee table and seating. Why in god's name they didn't buy an outdoor dining set that would have just needed hosing off is beyond me. Here's a good example of one that looks like it could withstand being out doors, uncovered: https://www.amazon.com/Great-Deal-Furniture-295848-Marietta/dp/B01D90SFFY

Secret Santa Update! It only took 3 days for the gifts from /u/takingthedtrain to get from the top of Manhattan to the bottom of Brooklyn. (To be fair, I think it would take the same amount of time on the subway). Thank youuuuu!!!!!! I am grateful for the additions to my non-digital media collections (On Writing, and Wall-E). And I l-o-v-e the Harry Potter mug and can't believe I don't have a HP mug yet! Now I do! Your card was super sweet, thank you so much. I'm doing my best to surround myself with friends and good things and this community has been a big part of that.

this is my first reddit comment ever and it's about my cat! just bought two of these raised cat food bowls for food and water. the amazon photos are comically photoshopped but they look really nice in person. i think you could also use them as mini planters.

J posted an excerpt from her book today and it does not make me want to read it. It is about people buying expensive purses and getting judged for it on social media.

She has as many qualifications as Tony Robbins, which is zero. Her shtick is “wonder” now, right? It used to be “bold”, back when she was friends (and briefly housemates) with fellow attention-seeker Julia Allison. She ran some kind of nonsense camp called Bold Academy back then.

I think a lot of people are trying to be the next Brené Brown. I’m not a super fan of hers, but at least she has a Ph. D in social work.

Someone mentioned below that Sarah Tondello was complaining about her engagement/followers and I think maybe I figure out what the deal is. Well, at least a part of her problem anyway. Monika Hibbs linked to an article on one her stories and it talks about shadowbans. I had no idea this was thing.

https://later.com/blog/instagram-shadowban/

Not a prime day deal but inexpensive enough to add to any Amazon purchases you're making... these cloud box cutters!! They're so sharp and cute too.

Accessibility wise-- they don't have a blade locking feature (you have to hold the button/switch in order to use)

Not snark but appreciation...@somewherelately posted a non affiliate link to this awesome sign which one of them put in their yard. Finally a swipe up I can get behind 😊

I have a lot of respect for influencers who use their platform in even small ways like this especially when it could alienate their followers. It also makes me side eye people who post some sort of aesthetically pleasing lip service to BLM and move on or don’t say anything at all.

I know as a subreddit we’ve hashed this out a thousand different ways recently but still pleases me to see things like this and want to call it out!

I got my most wished for kitty spy camera and a Hudson Bay blanket last year, and I literally can't think of anything else on earth I could want. Serious #oldpeopleofreddit vibes with my tech solely dedicated to cat spying and my warm blanket. ❤️

I wish the entire Groupthink thread and its spinoff thread dedicated entirely to encouraging wars and scary-ass behaviors between commenters on GOMI and commenters on Kinja would GOMI. Partypants is messed up as hell for so many reasons, but encouraging that--and going so far as to make a Kinja account just to egg people on--shows she has reached a new level of sad human garbageness.

Edit: Also she immediately began yelling at all of the new people to call her..

AI-generated transcript of Jenna's ig stories about no recipes for shakshuka on the in-Ter-neT, 1/30:

There's this place in Ballard, which is just north of Seattle, called the fat hen. And it has a dish based on shakshuka. But! They use a cast iron pan, and, they coat the bottom of the pan with mozzarella. And then when you're eating your shakshuka, you get all of these caramelized, crispy bits of mozzarella, which oh, with each bite, I'm going to attempt to recreate this concept. 

I looked on the internet to see if anyone else had already told me how to do something similar and I can't find it, so I just got to make it up. But I am determined to try, because I really am really missing the fat hen right now. 

This transcript was generated by https://otter.ai

i havent listened yet but if its elizabeth greenwood i highly recommend her book on faking deaths! it was soooo interesting "playing dead"

also on this topic the podcast "exit scam" just finished up and it was about someone who maybe faked their death. i love that shit

I got the Stasher bags, now that we're back in office they make a lot more sense

I picked up a mini projector--we don't have a TV but it would be cool to set up a projector for occasional movies and stuff.

I grabbed a bunch of hair care items

I picked up the Goober Candle that I've had my eye on for AGES and I'm so excited. I am in a big Candle Phase right now and moving to a new apartment in July and my body is READY.

How did you like Not a Perfume? I just read the description and I'm intrigued. I recently bought these Swedish dishcloths on a recommendation from her as well: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GX547DS/

Also, I think you meant https://www.instagram.com/things.i.bought.and.liked/ - @thingsiboughtandliked without the periods is someone else.

A sort-of sneak preview of Enough for you all: If you scroll down through this Amazon listing, you can see book cover mockups with Shauna's quotes on them. Further down are blurbs from Lena Dunham, Ashley Ford & three other authors.

For only $18.99 you too can look like a head of romaine

Pretty sure the goal of that post was to get some of that Chris Loves Julia Fake Fiddle Leaf Fig Affiliate Link Money that was discussed here a week or two ago. What was it, 20,000 people that bought one or something ridiculous like that?

​

CLJ, Bower Power, YHL - all of their most recent posts have been product lists to troll for affiliate-link income. Bower Power's is of course the least subtle lol.

​

By the way, the best real plant deal I've come across recenetly are these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JYNVT7C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

30$ for 3 legit plants?! And aloe of all things!!! Mine are amazing. I love them and I've sent two sets for gifts since buying them myself. Do the DIY bloggers get money from anything I buy on Amazon in a month where I've accessed their site and clicked on an affiliate link to something else that winds up being on Amazon? Do I just need to never click on any links in their posts if I don't want them getting a % of my transaction?

The best self-help book I've ever read was "Fuck Feelings". I randomly stumbled upon a copy in the public library, read it, and then purchased copies for 2 different friends! The most impactful section for me was the section on dealing with difficult people. I was having a really hard time at work with a very difficult coworker and the book presented some really rational advice in helping getting along, but also realizing that some people just suck and LITERALLY NOTHING will ever change that so you just have to let it go. Each section has several "letters" pre-written for people/situations in your life that are causing you distress and I found them super helpful in changing my mental framework.

Michelle McNamara's book about The Golden State Killer is finally arriving today! She was married to Patton Oswald and died unexpectedly while she was in the middle of writing it. He brought in other writers to make sure that her work would be finished. I'm obsessed with the GSK and wish she could have lived to see her book published.

Deer figurines, pricey candle, cactus sitting on a stack of books (two of which are about NY). Is there any Brooklyn blogger cliche NOT on her dresser? https://www.instagram.com/p/94ka_qzZcr/?taken-by=partypantsnyc

Were you intrigued by Dani’s headband saga and want a quality headband that doesn’t make you look bald AND also is more fun than being a basic bitch? Have I got the headband for you!

nonsponsored. I am not an influencer but I show you the deals Dani won’t show you because these companies aren’t paying her nearly enough commission. cool headbands that make you not a basic bitch

Darn Tough Socks have become the go-to brand for good merino wool socks (and they are great), but Smartwool socks have been doing me right for many years. And Thorlos, Fox River, REI brand: I personally prefer mid-to-heavyweight merino wool blend crew length hiking socks above all other socks and will take them in any brand so long as they are a size small. I've finally thrown out every sock that isn't actually sized properly to my small feet and I'll never go back!

Sweater shaver or fabric depiller This is the Gleener set - it's manual and comes with the 3 different heads for depilling different fabrics. I own a couple of electric depillers: one is Brookstone and the other is Conair. Both work ok but not great and both eat batteries like crazy. They also just take longer than using the Gleener. However, for whatever reason it is more fun to use the electric kind.

Magnetic Hematite Wraparound Necklace I bought similar ones a few years ago as stocking stuffers because I thought they seemed fun, like an alternative to cuff bracelets. What I did not consider was that they can be put on and taken off by people who have trouble with clasps or who have arthritis, and a couple of months ago some older ladies in my family asked me to get them some, too. TBH, I was a little concerned about them wrapping them too tightly and causing circulation problems, and I walked them through how to put them on carefully. They went BANANAS for these things.

A book on the Radium girls was just published in the last few years! I remember a lot of articles, etc. coming out around that time, so I'm sure you could find some more podcasts on it. from early 2017.

I wonder if she's aware of the splash Wild Game is making? I just finished reading this book today and found it to be as good as the press is making it out to be. Gorgeous writing and she manages to tell the story of her mother and the effect her long-standing extra-marital affair had on her life without completely throwing her under the bus. I thought about it in context of Enough as it is full of descriptions of Cape Cod, food, and cooking.

That gigantic brown-red-green plaid blanket scarf that everyone had from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Womens-Tartan-Scarf-Checked-Pashmina/dp/B018FFERJG

I use M. Graham most of the time. It runs about $8-12 per tube depending on the color but it's super pigmented so I don't go through it quickly. It's a pretty significant investment up front but then you only have to replace one tube at a time as they run out.

I learned using these Van Gogh brand sets that I don't like as much but are still good quality. They're about half the price per tube and I still have a set that I use when I am experimenting or planning before moving on to the M. Graham set. You get a variety of colors so I learned which ones I use all the time and which ones I never touched, which meant I knew exactly which colors to spend money on when I invested in a higher quality set.

Disclaimer - I am a hobbyist, not a professional so someone could very well tell me I'm wrong and paying way too much for paint :) I also use these because they are readily available in my local art store so I'm sure there are lots of other good brands I don't know about.

The book Why Does He Do That was really helpful for me after leaving my ex.

Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000Q9J0RO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Iq.kCbCX62B9H

I was all set on this basic, generic planner and then I got an Instagram ad for this Nasty Woman planner and I bought it instantly.

Usually I'm not such a sucker for social media advertising, but this just got me.

Sarah needs to read this thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/femalefashionadvice/comments/8r7a3n/anyone_with_a_legit_shopping_addiction/

and buy this book: https://www.amazon.com/Buy-Not-Why-Overshop-Stop/dp/159030599X/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GDRHHRP7HB28PQ730WBW

The blog is her job. Her husband writes for the New York Times about luxury goods and similar topics. She worked in magazine journalism for I think Glamour before starting the blog.

She is human Ambien to me, so I hope someone who actually reads her can say more. Her sister is the widow of Paul Kalanithi, whose memoir of having cancer, When Breath Becomes Air, was released to great acclaim last year.

according to this website, it didn’t rain in Seattle on the 2nd or 17th so 23 straight days of rain is not possible.

and it barely drizzled some of those days so 🖕🖕🖕

Poetic licenses are only issued to poets!

I saw someone mention this on a previous week thread, something about drama in the embroidery world - this came up as a suggestion about the embroidery couple and the man in the couple getting "Cyberbullied / Cyberattacks." Going to listen to it soon. Any backstory on this?

https://player.fm/series/charles-and-elin/cyberbullying-is-real-big-news-for-2019-28

A great podcast with a infectious disease specialist. He confirms that in Italy they are having to decide who to let die and who to save and they are no longer screening hospital staff as they're so desperate

[URL]https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cDovL2pvZXJvZ2FuZXhwLmpvZXJvZ2FuLmxpYnN5bnByby5jb20vcnNz&episode=NThlMzBkMzAtNDZlYS00YTIwLWI0NGItZjE5MmJkZmU5Y2Iy[/URL]

I LOVE this OXO set. I’ve even given it as a gift. Cleans the straw, the grooved rim (the part where the cap screws in) and the bottle itself. Extra long handle too.

Definitely recommend everyone's idea to also ask people to bring a book and sign it instead of a card. I love planning themed things so for my teacher friend, we did that but took it one step further and made all the decorations and food book themed. It was really cute and I'm still proud of it haha.

Something weird that we did but was a surprise hit (so I've now done it 3 times) - I bought these (terrifying) little babies and hid them around where we were holding the shower as a game to whoever could find the most won a prize (a $5 gift card). Also, the pacifier necklace that you can steal if you say "baby" also seems to be a hit and it's funny to see whoever ends up with 30 around their neck.

My aunt lives right in the heart of Seattle and asked me to house sit while she visits her parents later this month. I’m pumped for my first post vax trip and to have a week for free in one of my favorite cities.

I will be working remotely the week I’m there. I need a second monitor to be my most efficient and productive. I’m considering buying a portable monitor (like this) or checking a large suitcase to bring my own monitor.

Has anyone done either of these things? Or do you just suck it up and work with one screen? Im not sure how to balance packing light while ensuring I have a good work setup away from home.

I believe she has a BLUICER, a citrus juicer, and a lemon squeezer...which I was #influenced to buy and I have to say it's amazing (this one..worth every penny)

I'm reading Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips. Great characterizations and an oddly entrancing book. It's the kind of book I will most definitely recommend to my book club. It's set in current times in the far north east of Russia, near Alaska, a part of the world I'll admit I've never given much thought to.

I finished Recursion by Blake Crouch. This is a great mind-bending scifi book. It's fairly a page-turner, and I'll admit I was turning pages both ways, going back to read previous parts with a new understanding after I'd made it further in the book.

This thread is dangerous and also SO good! Haha

One of the best purchases of my life was Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer And Volumizer Hot Air Brush

Does anyone have any recs for hair mask? My hair is naturally wavy, I straighten it though. But there’s breakage and random coarse hair that I wanna get rid of.

EDIT TO ADD: I’ve an obsession with the smell of lemongrass (weird I know lol). Would anyone be able to recommend any lemongrassy smelling candles?

Also in the market for good body wash that smells really fresh? Ofcourse I love lemony smells but I also love “ocean” fragrances.

Thank you guys!!

This bamboo cell phone stand. I keep it in a kitchen drawer with my scales and it holds my phone when I bake. It folds down so small you could easily fit in a purse. ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RFLG92N/ref=dp_prsubs_1 )

The Pantene Nutrient Boost line, I really like it. Not overly expensive, doesn’t make my head itch, and makes my hair happy. The bamboo volumizing spray works well.

My Coral Switch Lite, it’s now all I game on. So portable and fits perfectly in my hands. It’s my favorite device I own and I would chose it over my iphone hands down. The game selection is pretty good and they’ve got a fair amount of ports. I have Skyrim so I’m pretty happy.

Cash and the ability to be removed from family drama.

:P

In reality, I had a hard time coming up with stuff to ask for because I usually just buy things for myself. Also, I am far from being a minimalist, but I'm am starting to get overwhelmed with the amount of physical crap I have...especially things given to me as gifts that I never use.

Most of the stuff I asked for was practical...new warm winter gloves, warm socks, DSW gift cards (because all my shoes have crapped out on me at once), an AT&T gift card (because I am probably upgrading my phone in the spring), and a Vivofit 3 (because the LED screen on my current one is dying a slow, painful death.)

I also asked for a few books...including a book I saw on my coworker's desk called "When Do The Good Things Start?: A Therapist Looks at Life's Ups and Downs (With a Bit of Help from Charlie Brown and His Friends)", which is right up my alley in a variety of ways.

I was going to defend this because hauling around a pile of canvas totes is annoying as fuck when you can buy some of these nylon bags that fold up into the size of a maxi pad and just keep them in your purse. Then I opened her link. Yeah, there’s no reason to buy another damn tote like that — especially one that doesn’t even have a flat bottom, unless all you eat are single-subject notebooks.