If you could go back in time, what would you do?

 A while ago, I watched two different k dramas. Both had this premise, A woman wronged in marriage and life get a chance to return to the past before her life fell to pieces. Will she make the same mistakes or will she right the wrongs before they happen? They were very addictive.

Perfect Marriage Revenge 

Han Yi-Joo is a painter. She was adopted by Han Jin-Woong and Lee Jung-Hye. Her father runs Hanwool Financial Group. Yet, Han Yi-Joo was not loved by her parents or her younger sister Han Yoo-Ra. She was always isolated from her family. Now, Han Yi-Joo is married to Jung Se-Hyeok. She learns that her husband Jung Se-Hyeok loves her sister Han Yoo-Ra and not her. On that same day, Han Yi-Joo gets into a car accident and dies.

When Han Yi-Joo wakes up, she finds herself back in time when she was engaged to Jung Se-Hyeok. To change her fate and take revenge on her family, she breaks off her engagement to Jung Se-Hyeok. She then approaches Seo Do-Guk, whom her younger sister Han Yoo-Ra wants to marry. Seo Do-Guk is the grandson of the Taeja Group’s founder. He is a smart and handsome young man. Han Yi-Joo wants to enter into a contract marriage with Seo Do-Guk and he willingly accepts, but he wants the contract marriage to become a real marriage.

The OST for this show is phenomenal. The acting on point. The story line was solid. No plot holes come to mind.

I actually remember reading a little bit of the webtoon it was based off of. It was a long time ago but I remembered stopping because they didn't update it often. Finding out what happened in this twisty tale was a relief. Oh yes, this show has a ton of twists and turns you will not expect. Consider yourself warned.

Marry My Husband

Kang Ji-Won is married to Park Min-Hwan. Her marriage life is not going well due to her selfish husband and his demanding mother. Kang Ji-Won is the breadwinner of the family, while her husband Park Min-Hwan is unemployed and in debt. Kang Ji-Won also does all of the housework herself. One day, Kang Ji-Won learns she has cancer and she doesn't have much time left to live. Making things worse, she witnesses her husband and her close friend Jeong Su-Min having an affair. She gets into a physical struggle with the two of them and she is killed by her husband Park Min-Hwan. The next moment, Kang Ji-Won opens her eyes and finds herself in the past, 10 years earlier when she was dating Park Min-Hwan. She decides to change her life by making Jeong Su-Min marry Park Min-Hwan. Meanwhile, Yoo Ji-Hyeok works as a chief in the same department as Kang Ji-Won. He has a crush on her and he slowly reveals his feelings to her. He also has a secret.

This show is one I watched as it aired. I couldn't wait for it to finish so I could binge. The cliffhangers made me regret it. Make sure you have time to binge this show because the need to know what happens next will be strong. 

Ji-Won's glow-up scene is a piece of literal art. The face-slapping is so satisfying. Ji-Hyeok is the perfect Male Lead. Honestly, his character may make you singles daydream a little. 

Hope you all get a chance to see these incredible shows. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Dye jobs

 Lb2 and I are going to try our hands at dyeing fabric in the coming weeks. Whether we succeed or fail, I will be sure to let you know. As we have quite a few lung sensitive people in our house, we are going to try natural dyes we can find around our home  so we don't mess with any one. Also, we are cheap. If we don't need to send money, we won't. Look up the price of dyes and you will see what I mean.

We are still in prep mode. You know, finding the fabric we want to dye, finding and/or prepping said dyes, ect. By June I want to give this a solid go so trial runs are planned as well. 

Pictures and details will be coming in the future so stay tuned. This is either going to be my epic success or fail of the year! I am a swirling pit of anxiety now so feel free to leave me a message below.

Happiness (2021) : a partial review

 I started this show on Sunday evening and am already 2/3 of the way through. I'll be honest, I went into it expecting to be underwhelmed. But I was pleasantly surprised by the story lines and pace. Trailer and synopsis below.

Set in the near future, a high-rise apartment building has been newly constructed in the big city. The apartment building has residents from diverse backgrounds, but a new infectious disease breaks out. Because of the outbreak, the high-rise apartment is sealed off. The residents struggle to survive, while stricken with fear and distrust of others.

Yoon Sae-Bom (Han Hyo-Joo) is a member of a special police squad. She is decisive, determined, and does not easily get rattled. She is excited to move into her new apartment, but, as soon as moves there, she faces a criss.

Jung Yi-Hyun (Park Hyung-Sik) is a detective. He is smart and honest. For a long time, he has held romantic feelings for Yoon Sae-Bom. They graduated from the same high school. Jung Yi-Hyun struggles to protect Yoon Sae-Bom and other people.

Han Tae-Seok (Jo Woo-Jin) is a lieutenant colonel and belongs to the health service command. He holds a key on the infectious disease outbreak.

Han Tae-Seok is a character that is beautifully mysterious and complex. I have a lot of love and hate for him. Like, I get why he does the things he does but I don't approve of his methods. But I get it. 

Yoon Sae-Bom and Jung Yi-Hyun are #relationshipgoals. They have each others backs unconditionally. He knows she's strong but where he can, he will protect her. And She lets him be him. Yoon Sae-Bom rarely ever questions what he's doing because she knows he's only got the well-being of everyone at the forefront of his mind. Their communication lines are always open so we don't waste time on stupid miscommunication issues.

Anyway, I got 4 more episodes to go out of this 12 episode series. Give it a try if blood zombies and open communication are what you feel a sudden craving for. Sidenote: you might get a mild complex if you get thirsty while watching the show. Just thought I would warn you.

I need to get a refund....

 Last week, I caved and bought a new Micro SD card. I waited and was still sleeping when the sibs brought me the package. Picture a sleep-dazed person opening a package. That was me. Thankfully, I drive my parents nuts with how neat I open gifts and packages. So I was only a little messy.

But once I had the little box out, I stared at it for three whole minutes before I realized they sent me the wrong item. By then I was fully awake and frustrated. I hate going through the whole refund process. I would have much rather had my card.

I don't know if I will try to order another one immediately or not. I might wait a few weeks then try again. This is one of the downsides of online shopping I guess. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Beatpella House

 Yesterday I discovered this Korean Beat boxing group, Beatpella House. I always had a soft spot for beatboxing as I was introduced to it at a young age by one of my cousins. I'm not any good but I can do it a little. Finding Beatpella House made me want to tell my cousin about it.

Beatpella House is a South Korean beatbox-acapella group. The group consists of 4 beatboxers Wing, Hiss, Hellcat, Huckle and one singer Yella.E.  They are so incredibly skilled. Videos below.

I hope you enjoyed that. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Villainesss Redemption by Vanessa Rhoswen: A Review

 First things first, here is the cover and blurb.

A sword through her heart changed everything...

Lady Ilyana D'Arcane watched helplessly as her family was executed for treason. In her final moments, she made a desperate wish — and woke up two years in the past, on her wedding day to a man she no longer loved.

Armed with knowledge of the future, Ilyana must navigate the treacherous waters of court politics, plots, and assassinations, if she is to save her family. Before long, she is drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse with Prince Anderic Voltaire, the kingdom's most dangerous predator — and the very man who sealed her family's fate in her past life.

In a court where every smile hides a dagger and every whisper is a poison, can Ilyana change her destiny without losing herself — or her heart — in the process?

Villainess's Redemption by Vanessa Rhoswen is the first installment in a captivating time travel romance duology, where the lines between good and evil are blurred, and the past and present collide.

Tropes :

• Time travel / Reincarnation
• Slow burn
• Enemies to lover

The blurb really doesn't do this book enough justice. If you have ever read a Korean manhwa/novel or watched a k-drama, you will love this book. Vanessa Rhoswen did an excellent job of writing a novel that felt artist-ready. I can totally see Webtoon picking this up if it ever got turned into a manhwa.

 This is what I read Saturday evening. Do you know I have spent every day since then kicking myself? I never read unfinished series as a rule and this is why. It ended on a epic cliffhanger and I have no idea when book 2 will be published. That is my only problem here. 

Ilyana is sassy, beautiful hot mess and I'm here for it. I love how she included her family in her "Let's not get killed this time" list. Her interactions and dialogue with Prince Anderic are *chefs' kiss*. Ilyana as a main character is perfect as you see so much growth and development. I'm hoping book 2 lives up to the pacing, humor, and drama of book 1.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Brrrrrr!

 It is so cold right now. There is snow on the ground outside and peanut butter cookies inside. I'm going to hunker down in a corner with half a dozen cookies, a book, and a blanket. I'll let the sibs tell me when the snow is gone.

Feel free to leave me a message below.

The Kidnapping Day: partial review

 The other night I started a new K drama sans siblings. The Kidnapping Day is equal parts thriller, comedic, and wholesome. Honestly, I don't think I ever thought I'd see a kidnapper who is so wholesome I'd consider him for a babysitting gig. I will let the show synopsis and trailer speak for itself as I don't want to spoil this show too much.

Kim Myeong-Jun is a poor man with a warm-heart. He desperately needs money to pay for his sick daughter's operation. At this time, his ex-wife appears and offers to kidnap 11-year-old Choi Ro-Hee, who has rich parents. Kim Myeong-Jun is desperate enough that he accepts her offer. For the kidnapping, Kim Myeong-Jun drives near Choi Ro-Hee's home, but he accidentally hits someone with his car. The person he hit is Choi Ro-Hee. She has lost her memory due to the car accident.

Kim Myeong-Jun takes Choi Ro-Hee to his house and he begins to live with her. Choi Ro-Hee believes Kim Myeong-Jun is her father. She is an extremely smart girl. Meanwhile, Kim Myeong-Jun wants to return Choi Ro-Hee to her parents, but they don't answer the phone. He decides to go their house and find out why. There, Kim Myeong-Jun witnesses her parents' dead bodies being carried out of their home. Making things worse, Choi Ro-Hee realizes that Kim Myeong-Jun is not her father and he is lying about their relation.

I only watched the first four episodes so I got eight more left. I can't wait to find what on earth is happening. There are so many layers. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

P.S. I finished it! I adore this show. Plot twists all the way!

Here's a little music to chill out to.......

 A bunch of my family members have headaches today so I thought I'd keep it super simple. Here are some classical/instrumental music you can unwind. Also my brain feels like a cluttered mess and I thought taking this moment to de-stress would help.

This piece is a journey. If you close your eyes and follow the music, you will find the story hidden within. There so many emotions on here.

Ludovico Einaudi's Experience sounds like someone in their twilight years telling you their life story, sharing their experience, giving you something you need that they never had. It is beautiful in a way that almost defies words.

I can't tell you how many times I laid on my bedroom floor, looked out my window and watched the clouds pass as I listened to this song. It is soothing in a visceral way I can't explain. 

I just heard it today and knew it needed to be here on this list. It's sad that it so short. It should've been at least six minutes.

This one has a little bit of rock influence in it. Yet it's still soothing and therapeutic. 

Epic piano at its finest. Still waiting for this to be used in some movie. 

So beautiful! I always find myself smiling when this song comes up on my playlist. Sidenote: the movie is pretty cool too so check that out if you haven't seen it already.

I recommend headphones for this one to experience properly. Don't worry about how it begins as it will all come together in the end. Both figuratively and literally. Trust the process.

Well, I hope that helped you all relax a bit. These were all modern pieces and my mom says I should do one filled with older pieces that are actually considered "Classical". I may do that later. Anyway, feel free to leave me a message below.

P.S. On looking at my older posts, I realized I forgot to post a picture of LB2's beret. I would post it now only LS2 somehow lost LB2's beret. He hasn't been happy since that happened. When we find it, I will post a picture pronto. Until then, sorry.

Sometimes the thing you don't want is the thing you need

 Once upon a long time ago, when I was a child, my mom took me and LB1 to buy brand new backpacks. The first one I saw was a red bag with a ton of pockets. So I chose that one. LB1 however set his heart on that bag because it was red. That was all that mattered to him. Mom "convinced" me to "settle" for a purple duffle style backpack. I hated it.

I honestly tried to focus on everything else but the bag that had seemingly nothing to offer. Five years passed, LB1's red backpack had a hole and my purple bag was still in pretty good condition. A couple more years pass and I am gifted the backpack of my dreams. It last two years and my purple bag is still in great condition. I graduated, bag still fine. In the years I've had this bag, it has held everything from school work to clothes to groceries to tools to car parts. Only in the past year has it started to look like retirement is in its imminent future.

The point I am trying to make is don't hate everything that comes unwanted in your life as the very thing you hate might be the very thing that you end up reaching for. I never imagined back then that I would still have, much less appreciate, my purple bag. I am now happy I was forced to settle for my bag. 

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Anne Brontë: English Writer

 If you don't know who she is, I'll tell you. She was Charlotte and Emily Brontë's baby sister and a writer. She wrote two novels, Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, and poetry. I personally like her work as much as Charlotte's and way more than I like Emily's one novel. 

Don't get me wrong, I love Jane Eyre but there is only so much gothic romance I can take. Anne's novels are beautiful examples of Victorian Contemporary Fiction. I enjoy reading such novels as I feel they are a great way to get an idea of some of the mindsets of the time. It honestly irks me that she gets so little attention compared to her older sisters. She definitely deserves it.

TTWH is considered a feminist novel as it advocates a woman's right to independence and the right to make decisions for the good of her child. It was a controversial topic for 1848 since women had no say in such things. According to Wikipedia, until the Married Women's Property Act 1870 was passed, a married woman had no legal existence independent from her husband and could not own property nor sue for divorce nor control the custody of her children. With that context, TTWH is told in the form of letters from Gilbert Markham to his friend about how he met a mysterious widow, Helen Graham, who had moved into his neighborhood with her young son. I recommend checking out the 1996 BBC television miniseries. It has Tara Fitzgerald and Toby Stephens. It will not disappoint.

Agnes Grey is largely based on the own experience as a governess, enough for me to it is semi-autobiograghical. Both she and Charlotte "went into service". The novel's main character, Agnes, is the daughter of a minister who becomes a governess after her family suffers a reversal of fortune. She soon discovers that life in service is very different from expectations. She realistically portrayed some of the realities faced by women and governesses. 

I hope you can check out her work. Anne Brontë gets little acknowledgement by many. She reminds me of Elizabeth Gaskell in that way (side note:Charlotte Brontë and Elizabeth Gaskell were friends). As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

When your face changes on you.......

 After the New Year I noticed something different.  My face now has freckles that weren't there before. Everytime I look in the mirror now, I feel like I am relearning what my face looks like.

I don't mind the freckles. I think they are nice. I'm just unused to the subtle changes that have occurred. I guess I'm upset I didn't notice it happening. I know I can be oblivious sometimes but....to not notice your face gaining freckles?

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Epic: The Musical

 I like musicals. There, I said it. Whether it's The Greatest Showman or Oklahoma!, if a musical is playing I will pay attention. Sometime last year, while I was brainlessly scrolling on YouTube, I came across a singer doing a cover of this song called "Hold Them Down". It was a incredible villain’s song and I was building my " Villain" playlist at the time. Of course, I looked into it and found the world's sweetest fandom. Note: Epic fans are the sweetest, most encouraging bunch out there to each as we all therapy thanks to Jay. The Epic Fandom is so wholesome.

Jorge "Jay" Rivera-Herrans is the composer and sings the lead role of Odysseus. Epic is based of the ancient Greek epic poem, Odyssey written by Homer. The music is an addictive blend of genres and incredible storytelling. Each song is ,quite honestly, epic. The Vocals are very much #vocalgoals. I want my voice to do the things they do. 

Jay and the other vocalists are so endearing. The content they produce is just *chef's kiss". I never saw a group of people have this much fun doing the things they do. And I honestly hope they find a way to include some of the inprov that both the vocalists and the fandom made. I will put some videos below so can see what I mean.

This here is a fan made trailer. Look at the Quality!

This is an example of the improv Jay and Vocalist Troy did.

And the Animatics! They made the music come to life even more. Note: the Female vocalist here is Jay's Girlfriend. They met while making this musical and they are the absolute cutest couple ever!

So, there you have it. Epic: The Musical is an incredible adventure I hope you enjoy. I have actually been really tame with this musical. I remember how gungho I was over Hamilton, so much so that my siblings have an almost PTSD reaction whenever they here the music. I didn't want to traumatized them again so I kept it to myself. Thankfully, a cousin of mine is a fan as well. We were able to do our little fan squee together.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.