Monthly Archives: November 2019

Snap, Crackle, and Pop!

I’ve been sitting around, procrastinating to a point of genuine fear, watching Oddly Satisfying videos on Snapchat. I don’t know what it is, but something about a hydraulic press crushing a giant basketball really calms me down.

This current trend has been on the rise for the past few years…and I wanna know what all the hullabaloo is about!!

After meticulous research (watching “Satisfying Compilation” videos on Youtube), I found out some of the more common “satisfying” things:

  • ASMR
  • Slime squishing
  • Soap cutting??? I don’t get this one.
  • Crushing things

As I said, I really don’t get how soap cutting can cause someone to relax, but to each their own. Anyway, I kind of fell down a hole of oddly satisfying compilations, and I personally thoroughly enjoy the popping slime minis. Here’s a little video for you guys in case you’re unfamiliar with some of these things!

Another thing people seem to like is ASMR. I am not a big fan, but even some of my friends have told me how calming it is to them. An article on Vox explains that oftentimes, those triggered by ASMR get a tingly feeling in their head when they listen to it, and it only triggered by specific noises.

 

Another article even goes on to state that these videos (slime videos) bring us back to a state in our childhood. It relaxes us with its familiarity while also showing fine motor skills. Due to this, advertisers now take these satisfying sounds and add them to their commercials. We’ve all heard the iconic Kit-Kat break on TV!

On a different note, I am also interested in how so many people make money of off slime…all these famous YouTubers make and sell slime and have these videos with millions of views, and they make it look so easy!

Karina Garcia is a Youtuber that is very well known for her slime videos. She was basically an overnight sensation, making DIY slime videos for both kids and adults to enjoy.

 

That’s another thing…you’d think these videos are just for kids to enjoy – colorful slime with a bubbly personality playing with it – but many adults also enjoy watching her for the satisfying aspect of the slime.

I also have wanted to look at the origin of these videos. I dug deep into my saved Instagram videos, as well as looking online, and I think I may have found it. It all started with paint mixing videos. I remember this, they blew up! People loved to watch all these colors mix together. I think the only issue with them was that people couldn’t easily make the videos themselves, as the paint isn’t the cheapest. Soon after, slime videos came, and this time, they were so easy to make at your own home that the trend has yet to end!

I think that this trend, although a bit silly at times, is actually a great way for people to relax and unwind. If you’re having trouble sleeping, maybe ASMR is the thing for you (It works on a good portion of the population)! The only requirement to enjoy these videos is that you have to be willing to try them.

The Mac to my Cheese

When deciding what to write about this week, I was absolutely inspired by my favorite food, which I eat far more than what’s healthy. Mac n cheese is one of the most versatile, yet simple dishes on the market. 

I wanted to see which mac n cheeses really held up to their standards, so here we have 5 different locations where you can get yourself a warm bowl of mac. My ratings, although subjective, are one’s of truth, and I apologize for any controversial opinions ahead. Let me know if you agree or disagree with these ratings!

After reading a few articles rating different mac n cheeses, I found that I wanted to focus on the feeling I get from each dish, along with the closer look at the noodle and the cheese sauce.

 

Kraft

Price: N/A

Now, Kraft here is more of a control. The rest of these reviews are from restaurants, but I felt it was necessary to pay homage to the OG classic, Kraft. Although the taste of Kraft mac n cheese is not the most flavorful, it does have a nostalgic aspect to it. When taking a spoonful right from the pot, it brings me back to a simpler time. Coming home to my mom cooking up some delicious macaroni. Overall, despite the lack of cheesiness (considering the cheese is powder and milk) and the mediocre taste, this mac n cheese left me satisfied with my meal.

Rating: 6/10

 

Noodles and Co

Price: $4.49/$5.89

I have a love-hate relationship with Noodles and Co. In my sophomore year, I used to go there weekly between my choir rehearsals with my friend Julianna, as it was between the two. Every Tuesday, I eat my own weight in mac n cheese. The stretchiness of the cheese is one that every other place on here lacks, and the small elbow noodle allows it to have that classic feeling of comfort. Although this is probably my favorite cheap macaroni and cheese, after getting food poisoning from some nasty chicken at Noodles and Co, I often question if it’s worth it to go back (it is). This macaroni is a great meal for you and a friend to sit and have a nice chat over, taking your time to enjoy.

Rating: 8/10

 

Panera

Price: $4.99/$7.99

Panera mac n cheese, although delicious, is one I hold little emotion to. The cheesiness, although delicious, is often a bit heavy, drowning the noodles. Their use of a large shell noodle is one that I respect greatly, as it’s shape manages to carry cheese to your mouth like a little boat. A small Panera mac n cheese is a great little to-go food for when you only have a few minutes between events…unless you get stuck in the never-ending drive-thru line. One thing to note is the huge difference between the small and large sizes. The small looks quite tiny, but it is filling, and the large is MASSIVE!! I promise you will get your money’s worth on this one.

Rating: 7/10

 

Potbelly

Price: N/A

I ate Potbelly mac n cheese for the first time on the AP Lit field trip. With this, I realized it was the missing piece to this mac n cheese puzzle. The cheesiness of this dish was unbelievable, and the large elbow noodles were quite classic. Despite it’s delicious smell and appearance, when you begin to bite into this meal, you are greeted with an almost bitter taste. This mac n cheese was probably the biggest let down on this list, as it left me feeling disappointed in the taste, as well as a little nauseous.

Rating: 3/10

 

Studio Movie Grill

Price: $10.00

You might be wondering why I chose to include this random mac n cheese recipe. Before this, every restaurant has been fairly well known, however, I need to share the glory of this meal with you, as it is the BEST mac n cheese I have ever tasted. When you think of a fancier mac n cheese, this dish comes to mind. Even so, it still has such a comforting taste and feel. The macaroni comes with two crunchy pieces of buttery garlic bread, as well as bread crumbs sprinkled perfectly across it. The curly tubed noodles, although a bit unconventional, allow you to take your time with this one, and really enjoy what you’re eating. This fine food, along with the aspect of watching a movie while eating it, is by far the best way you can treat yourself to some fancy macaroni and cheese.

Rating: 10/10

How to Cope with Death

At 3:00 pm on Thursday, I decided I’d write this blog about something silly and happy. At 4:30 pm, my Uncle Karl passed away.

Sorry, I kind of dropped a bomb there. To be honest, I’ve spent the past hour deciding whether to write this… or turn nothing in. I feel that blogs should be happy, making people laugh, but I decided that blogs are about what’s important in my life, and our lives aren’t always happy.

Despite this, I don’t want to force you all to read a sad blog about my own grief. I want this to be something that is helpful to you, and that you can look back on when you need it. Here are a few things that you can do to help you through the grief, whatever it may be.

Talk to Someone

Now although it might seem like talking to someone about death is the last thing you want to do, it is for me too. I have yet to really discuss the passing away, even with those closest to me, like my family. When I say talk to someone, I mean just talk. Mindless conversations are one easy way for me to feel normal for at least a moment.

When you experience grief, although it’s good to give yourself time to process, conversations are a great way to take your mind off of your pain, even if for just a moment. One blogger, Rosalinda, states that giving those in grief a time to talk and feel normal, and even happy, allows them to slowly return to normalcy.

Do Something Calming

I love to draw. It is probably the most relaxing thing I can think of. Taking time to reflect all while creating an original piece of art. Despite this, I am no Picasso, so I usually stick to adult coloring books. Here’s a great website that you can draw on with your Chromebook stylus, which I found very helpful.

There are a lot of other things you can try, like intentional breathing, writing gratitude letters, or even meditation. Calm your mind from the whirlwind you’re in.

Cry

I’m having a hard time following this one myself. When grieving, we often feel guilt. When my cousin’s best friend passed away, I felt like it wasn’t justified for me to be sad. After a while, I realized that even when you don’t know someone well, their passing can still leave a mark on you.

Although my Uncle Karl lived in California, the bond that our entire family had with him was unbreakable. Even if you don’t have that special connection to the person, someone does, and sometimes that hurts even more. Hugging my dad as he cried into my shoulder is a feeling I will never forget, and sometimes the only way to get through it is to cry, and let those emotions out.

Recognize the Happy Moments

Like I said earlier, we have to face grief. We cry, we grieve, but that doesn’t mean every ounce of happiness disappears.

When I went to show choir after hearing the news, I was devastated. Despite this, I still laughed at jokes and smiled when we ran the dance. I did all of this genuinely because I realized that I need to experience all emotions in this time of change.

Whether it be sadness or joy, we cannot choose what emotions we try and numb. Instead of avoiding the darkness that comes with grief, I think it’s important that we feel everything with all of our hearts. Even though it hurts a lot sometimes, this only means that the good feelings will be as strong as ever.