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Cleveland’s weather has chosen to go against the people and has gone downhill fast. Somehow, this year, they forgot about Fall. The downside about this stitch we are in is that winter is coming. We have already started to see more bitter cold bodies covered in hats, leggings, big sweaters and sweatshirts, and tall boots. Winter also means being cooped up inside the house a lot (but hopefully we make that better with a warm roaring fire in the fireplace). I don’t know about you, but the amount of reading, listening to music, and watching Netflix or tv starts to increase and take up more of my daily schedule. So, ‘tis the season to chat about our favorites when it comes to shows, books, and music to make sure this brrrazy (brrr + crazy) winter, that is coming down the pipe, fun-filled. Before you go, please make sure to share your favorites, too!
Winter Reading Guide
Love and Gelato (fiction)
Love and Gelato is an adventure featuring a teenage girl that is forced to move in with her estranged father in Italy. This book will make you laugh and sometimes worried about the main character, Lina, about how she’s going to adapt to a new town. In the end, it is an all around heartwarming and a fun read and is sometimes the pick-me-up you need during a cold winter day.
Lucy and Linh (teen girl fiction)
Lucy and Lihn is a terrific story about a ninth grade girl entering a new prep school and how she learns the ropes of social life, school, home life, and just being herself. Lucy and Lihn is a the perfect story for any girl entering a new chapter in her life and figuring out how to adapt and succeed. You might even see a little of your life reflected here.
The Sun is Also A Star (romantic fiction)
The Sun is Also A Star is an inspiring, highschool romance story that mimics current life issues. Natasha, one of the main characters, has a unique personality. She believes science is the main cause of every problem and that love at first sight is fake. Daniel, on the other hand, believes love is love. When he meets Natasha, he knows she is the one. Trouble starts when there is something that they cannot control that forces them apart. Luckily, by the end, they realize what really matters.
Gutsy Girl (non-fiction)
The Gutsy Girl is the guide to success for young, ambitious girls who want to succeed in today’s workforce. This book presents the findings of , Kate White’s research about how we, girls, can move up in today’s workforce. We have to have guts. Having guts is having confidence and we need to have the confidence to propel forward and make sure our voices and ideas are heard. This book is really inspiring and is a great read for girls of any age (even if you aren’t quite ready to enter the working world just yet)!
Tell Me 3 Things (teen girl fiction)
Tell Me Three Things is a mystery about a girl who is heading to a new school and as the year goes on, she is constantly emailing questions and asking for advice from a mysterious email account that admires her. The girl starts to rely on this relationship and she tells pretty much everything about herself to whoever sits on the other side of the screen. Each day, the person behind the email account gives her three clues about themselves and she responds with three clues about her. This book will warm your heart and will make you smile, while keeping you in suspense about who is behind the other screen.
#GirlBoss (autobiography)
#GirlBoss is the true story of the CEO and Founder of Nasty Girl clothing. This book explains the life story of Sophia Amoruso and how she went from owning an irrelevant ebay business to being a hugely successful, internet business sensation, with a net worth of $280 million. Her gritty life story will give the inspiration and tips to success for any girls with an entrepreneurial ambitions. It explains how hard work really pays off and how you can change your whole life around.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime (mystery)
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime is a quick but powerful read. Christopher is a boy with behavioral issues and a messed up home life. His therapist tells him to write a novel about his favorite dog in the neighborhood, which just so happens to die. This book is his diary and reflects the assignment given to him by his therapist. The story will make you laugh, cry, and everything in between. If you’re up for a heartwarming mystery, check this one out.
Me inc. (autobiography)
Me Inc is a true story about the adventures of the Gene Simmons, the man behind the makeup of KISS. The story is an autobiography that explains how he went from dirt poor living in Israel, getting an education, moving to the United States, being apart of KISS, and developing his personal brand. Simmons talks about how he adapted to the punches life thrown at him and how he became the worldwide famous artist and businessman. Make sure to check Me Inc. out if you like inspiring, real-life success stories.
Winter Music Playlist:
Mellow Days playlist is one of my go to playlists if I need to really concentrate on homework or any outside work. There’s always that time where you are so ready to do your homework and you sit down, all ready to go, about to start, and then something comes up and you have to shift your focus to the new task. Ends up two hours have passed and you think, “shoot I never finished” whatever it is you set out to do first. We’ve all been there! I try to avoid that situation as much as I can by listening to this album and really forcing myself to stay on task. It really helps to focus you!
Another really well known situation that many people get into is, you finished your work early, and your going to try to get a good night of sleep. So you put away your computer, take a nice warm shower/bath, get into bed, close your eyes. 30 minutes later, you realize you’ve been awake this whole time, and you feel like you can run a 5k. To get out of this feeling, to concentrate the mind on “sleeping time” and tranquility before bed, play this playlist of songs from the time you start to get ready for bed to the time you’re in your bed. These songs will help your mind ease up and get ready for the healthy sleep mode you’ve been needing all day. I play this every single night when I am in the shower before bed and it really helps the transition from going at constantly moving pace to getting some rest.
This playlist is the one for all those dreadful, cold, mornings where you have to go to school or work but you’re tired and all you see is the snow that comes up to your knees. Everything feels cold, dreary, and somewhat stressful. When you listen to this playlist, it will be like your pick-me-up coffee to help you during these short, dark, winter mornings. This playlist will provide you with the songs you need to play on your drive to school and work to get you motivated and inspired before heading to the office or the classroom.
Winter Shows and Movies Playlist
The Office
I think the Office is my favorite show of all times. I recently just finished it this past week and I’ve never respected and loved a tv show more than it. The whole journey of Dunder Mifflin is a big mood! When I grow up, and I am a famous writer for Vogue magazine, I hope my office would be just like Dunder Mifflin, without the paper selling. I am constantly trying to figure out who is the Michael Scott, Pam, Jim, Dwight, and Phyllis of my life. Such a bop. If you don’t know, The Office is a documentary spoof onan office that sells paper and it tells the story of everyone that works there. Every episode is filled with office drama, cute relationships, bad life choices (that are funny as heck), and many relatable moments that office co-workers can identify with. Even though I’m only a student and I don’t work in an office, I find these shenanigans to be very entertaining. I think you will, too!
Set It Up
Cute, perfect, happy ending, modern love story. Set It Up is about two assistants, a girl and a guy, who try to match up their bosses, so that they could (1) get a break and (2) make their bosses ease up on them. Both of their bosses play a stereotypical ‘mean’ boss, very nasty, tough love, nothing is good enough, cold stoned hearted sort of people. Not going to spoil the ending, but one thing leads to another with not only the bosses but the assistants too. Watch it to find out what happens before I spoil it for you. This is one of my favorite kinds of movies to watch on a stay at home Saturday night with a good friend and some great take-out!.
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls is one of my favorite mother-daughter TV shows of all time. This show is the crazy life of a young mom and her high school daughter spending all of their time together in the cutest city of all time. Their mother-daughter relationship makes my heart feel SO cozy inside. If you ever need a great show to watch with mom, definitely pick this one. Gilmore Girls makes you laugh and even cry with an intriguing storyline and many plot twist along the way.
As you might be able to tell, I am kind of a big fan of the modern romance books and movies, especially if there are many plot twists and it ends with a “fairytale ending”. I just find them fun to watch and read because usually they are super unrealistic which makes me laugh. It is a similar feeling with movies that are so badly filmed that they are funny. My feelings towards all of this entertainment is that I read books that are both very sophisticated for my age and then when I want a break from everything I watch a shallow girly movie just for fun. One last perk of winter, is that I can finally catch up on all the latest “in theater” movies that I missed this summer while I was away at camp. I.e. Crazy Rich Asians, A Star is Born, and The Incredibles 2.
On that note, I wish you and your family a merry, memorable, and SAFE holiday season! Until next time!
