Deluded Rambling

Football Power Balls for the Big Game

These power balls are shaped like footballs just for the Big, Super Game. They’ll revive you after sitting on the couch for 8 hours and gorging on crap. Or, you can just keep sitting on the couch for the rest of your life and eating these football power balls, because they have a ton of calories that will probably sustain your sedentary corpse for quite a while. What the Big Game Means to Me…

Cinnamon Things for Valentine’s Day

Looking for a special cookie you can make for Valentine’s Day? Look no further. This cookie will do just fine. It won’t be the best cookie you ever had, but it will suffice. The History of Cinnamon Thins and My Quest for the Perfect Valentine’s Day Cookie Insert heartfelt story here about why you make these cookies for every Valentine’s Day. Continue for 1,000 more words until reader slits…

It's got swords and bees and keys... "The Starless Sea" is Erin Morgenstern's second book, but is it better than "The Night Circus?" My #TheStarlessSea book review answers that question and more. #bookreview #bookworm #reading

The Starless Sea has been on my to-read list for a while because I enjoyed The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern’s first novel. It was fantastical and magical and just… different.

Also, I really appreciate the fact that she’s a NaNo writer that’s made it big. She’s someone to aspire to!

That said, does this new tale hold up to her breakthrough tale? Let’s take a look in this The Starless Sea…

Yeah, COVID-19 sucks. But it's not all bad. Here are a few benefits of #coronavirus to keep in mind next time you're feeling down.

Let’s be real. There’s not much to like about the coronavirus. It’s killing people, causing people to lose their jobs, and deflating the economy.

That said, every situation has some positives, right?

Let’s take a look at five good things to come out of the COVID-19 – it might take your mind off of all the depressing stuff for a while.

1. You Finally Have an Excuse to Avoid Creepy People on…

You might remember I had blue hair a few months ago... here's how I changed it back to normal hair without going to a salon. May not be perfect, but it worked! I#bluehairtobrownhair #hairfail #hairdye

What my hair looked like at the start of it all.

For the past couple of years, I’ve delved into the world of funky hair colors. However, after accepting an invitation to be a bridesmaid in my friend’s wedding, that had to change. Her only request was that I have normal colored hair for the event, and I found that totally…

Looking for your next fantasy binge during #quarantine? Here's my #Shorefall book review, which is the second part of the Founders Series by Robert Jackson Bennett. Get ready for an action-packed ride! #bookreview #FoundersTrilogy #fantasybook

Oops, this Shorefall book review is a long time coming. But better late than never! And since the publication was delayed, I’m right on time, right?

Foundryside was a fun surprise of a novel – at first, I figured it would be just another low-level fantasy, but the characters really took on a life of their own throughout the epic tale. When I found out that it was just the first book of the Fo…

Sit back, draw a bath of fresh human blood, and soak in all that youth as you read my Blood Countess book review, a novel by Lana Popovic. #bloodcountess #bloodcountessbookreview @piquebeyond

When I heard Lana Popovic was writing a new book, I was immediately intrigued. I loved her Hibiscus Daughter duology for its poetic prose and magical ideas. But when I heard that new book was going to be about Hungarian serial killer Elizabeth Bathory? I was all in.

I was lucky enough to receive TWO advanced copies of this…

Looking for a good book series to read? The All Souls trilogy is probably not it, unless you're into trope-ridden, patriarchal, paranormal romance that's a carbon copy of Twilight + Outlander. #allsoulstrilogybookreview #adiscoveryofwitches #bookreview

I first came to know about the All Souls trilogy when I saw a preview for a new show, A Discovery of Witches. It seemed kind of intriguing, and after a little looking into it, I saw it was based off a book. Little did I know the journey this book would take me on.

After seeing a copy of “A Discovery of Witches” at a library book sale for $0.50, I decided to splurge and purchase a copy. As with…

Have a long layover in Dallas? There's no need to languish at the airport! Here is how you should spend your day. #dallaslayover #americanairlines #13hourlayover

Wow, thanks AA.

American Airlines is not known for its great service, which is probably why I came to be booked on a flight that had a 13-hour layover in Dallas. No, I did not book the tickets separately – this was an actual itinerary that American recommended and sold as a package. Great, right?

Needless to say, I did not want to spend 13 hours in the Dallas airport. Even the allure of…

My 2019 in Review: Here's a look at how my year went. A lot happened! #2019review #happynewyear #2020

I’ve seen a lot of people posting about their highlights of 2019, and I thought I should join in the fun. Additionally, it’s been a while since I’ve blogged, so it seemed like a good idea for a blog post.

So, without further ado… here is my 2019 in review.

January – Spent New Year’s Day in Aruba, saw Hamilton in Pittsburgh, and just generally enjoyed living in the North Side with Drew.

Me in…

Having trouble sleeping? Want to throw your current pillow out the window in the style of The Room? Check out my #GhostPillow review to see if this real-time cooling pillow could be the solution you need. #pillow #comfort

So, I’ve been having some troubles with neck pain while I sleep. I wake up every morning feeling stiff and sore – almost like I’ve been headbanging and rocking out all night. I do enough yoga and stretching to help alleviate it, but I wanted to try something to stop the pain at the source. That’s why I was super excited to try…

Should you subscribe to Ellie? Here's my review of this monthly activewear subscription box. (HINT: Yes, yes you should). #ellie #elliesubscription #workoutgear

Hate all of your workout clothes? Tired of looking like a homeless person when you go to the gym? Want to up your Instagram fitness game? Try Ellie!

Ellie: The Basics

Ellieis a monthly subscription box for activewear. For $39.95, you get three high-quality items – usually a pair of yoga pants, a shirt, and a sports bra.…

Crazy Rich Asians. I saw the movie, and I thought the book should be pretty entertaining, right? Nope. #crazyrichasians #notagoodbook #sorry #bookreview

My Crazy Rich Asians Book Review

I saw the movie, and I thought the book should be pretty entertaining, right? The premise, after all, is intriguing – an American woman finds herself enthralled in a world of crazy rich Singaporeans and has to come to terms with how much they all hate her. It’s the classic fish-out-of-water talewith a unique Asian twist. While it doesn’t sound like an epic,…

Nashville has a lot of good food. A lot. Here's our attempt to cram in as many good Nashville foods as possible during our one day in the city. #nashville #nashvillefood #nashvillebreweries #gluttony

This is the second day in a series about my cross-country road trip. To see the intro post, click here.

As soon as I woke up, I knew I had a big day ahead of me. Or rather, my stomach had a big day ahead of it. Nearly every destination on our Nashville itinerary was food related, meaning that by day’s end, I was certain to be full with the fruits of our labor.

Breakfast at Biscuit Love

Here's what went down on our first day on the road... HINT: we made it to Nashville! #roadtrip #nashville #louisville #hotbrowns #laylas #broadway #countrymusic

Our trip to Nashville took us though Columbus, Cincinnati, and Louisville.

This is the first day in a series about my cross-country road trip. To see the intro post, click here.

We began our trip to Nashville on an innocuous Monday morning. After setting our affairs in order, we hit the road, heading south on what would be the first of many interstates. The van in which we were…

Recently, Drew and I went on a road trip across the country. I'll be detailing it all in depth, but here's a short post to introduce you to our journey. #roadtrip #crosscountryroadtrip #travel #driving #pittsburgh #spokane #pittsburghtospokane #worktrip

Our cross-country road trip spanned from Pittsburgh to Spokane.

The road stretches long before us, winding eternal in some places and stalwartly straight in others. Though I am not behind the wheel, the passenger seat in which I ride is accommodating and commands an air of importance. It is up to me to keep Drew cognizant, to prevent him from falling bereft of consciousness and tumbling us…