Valentina_Love

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Valentina_Love reacted 2 years ago

Music Review: Ed Sheeran's "=" Album

A while back ago I wrote about Ed Sheeran’s single “Bad Habits” and how it debuts his new music era. So now that his = album has been out for some time, I want to come back to him and review his work. I had suggested his new album will be electronic music since “Bad Habits” resembles techno. This was basically a guess, but I didn’t expect to get it right. Yet despite this new change in genre, there are echoes of his past self, which is symbolized in the equal sign for his music and life. “An equals symbol is the end of a question and start of an answer, it’s in the middle of the two. I definitely feel like being 30 I’m on either side.”

Music Review: Ed Sheeran's "=" Album by Esmeralda Gomez
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Valentina_Love reacted 3 years ago

The Best Version Of The Legend Of La Llorona

Growing up, I knew La Llorona as a wailing woman who drowned her children. My dad would dismiss the stories saying the cries heard in Mexico were simply cats. He told me this the first time I was exposed to her story, seeing no need to scare me into behaving since Catholicism did that too much- which he tried limiting my exposure from. But as much as I want to credit him for my logical and realistic mind, I’m here to tell you which version of La Llorona is best to tell. Throughout South America, Mexico, and the Southwest of the United States there are regional variations of La Llorona. Yet despite them, the most famous tale from them is that La Llorona was a beautiful peasant woman who married a rich ranchero. They’re said to have lived happily with children until her husband brought home another woman and condemned her and his children back into poverty.

The Best Version Of The Legend Of La Llorona by Esmeralda Gomez
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Valentina_Love reacted 3 years ago

Standing Up For Feminism And Burning Bras In The New Revolution

Remember the days when women were fired for being pregnant? Girls refused admission to colleges because they were female? Separate employment sections in the paper for males and females? Neither do I. History tends to whitewash or misrepresent the plight of females throughout history. Bra burning is a myth that emerged during a protest at the Miss America contest in the fall of 1968. Women were rebelling against the idea of being put on a pedestal to please men based on their beauty. The “Freedom Trash Can” set in front of the contest encouraged women to burn items that were deemed “instruments of torture,” including high heels, girdles, and yes, bras- among other things.

Standing Up For Feminism And Burning Bras In The New Revolution by Sheila D.
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Valentina_Love reacted 3 years ago

The Symbolism And Influence Of The Netflix Series "Money Heist"

There are movies and shows like Ocean’s Eleven, or Now You See Me about heists for personal gain by stealing banks and casinos. Some add a Robin Hood element, making them political action films, but they still steal from businesses. Money Heist doesn’t do this; instead, they directly take money from the government by breaking into and create one billion euros in the mint of Spain to escape the country and gain financial freedom. It’s stated in season two by The Professor to Raquel that the government has repeatedly poofed money into the hands of the rich during economic crises while the working class suffered. The government wasn’t called thieves nor punished for their corruption, so he’s doing the same. In particular, he says, and I quote:

The Symbolism And Influence Of The Netflix Series "Money Heist" by Esmeralda Gomez
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Valentina_Love reacted 3 years ago

14 Self-empowering Beliefs That Will Strengthen Your Self-identity

As children, we are each taught stories that are unique to us; we are told who we are, what we are, where we’re going, what we’re going to measure up to, who we will be. As children, we are young, malleable, thirsty sponges that soak up the things we’re told. Many of the details that make up these stories are determined by our parents, guardians, culture, demographic, or life circumstances. Our environments and the people in our environments impress their beliefs of who and what we are upon us. Everyone begins life as an infant with an infant brain that develops with time and experience. We start with absolutely zero knowledge of ourselves and the world around us; we absorb the information fed to us and we trust that those older and wiser truly are wiser.

14 Self-empowering Beliefs That Will Strengthen Your Self-identity by Emily Zane
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Valentina_Love reacted 3 years ago

6 Native American Books To Read In Order To Support BIPOC Artists And Anthologies

When it comes to supporting BIPOC artists, it can be difficult to know where to start. I personally had a hard time searching for contemporary Native authors that wrote science fiction or fantasy. However, I eventually came across a group of books that I read and loved. Sadly, they’re not as widely known as they should be. So if you’re having a hard time finding a good read, here’s my personal and recommended list of Native stories, but note that most of them are anthologies. Love Beyond Body Space and Time is a science fiction and fantasy anthology with LGBTQ+ characters in interactional stories written by Indigenous authors. In “Imposter Syndrome” by Mari Kurisato, Aanji is an AI in the process of transitioning as a human, which parallels the trans journey of hormone therapy and plastic surgery.

6 Native American Books To Read In Order To Support BIPOC Artists And Anthologies by Esmeralda Gomez
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Valentina_Love reacted 3 years ago

Put Ping-Pong On The Prescription Pad: A Surprising Drug-free Alternative For Help In Managing Depression, Dementia, And Parkinson's Symptoms

It was heartbreaking to watch. A relative's mental health and overall wellbeing began to deteriorate rapidly following her husband's death from cancer. It was hard enough to see her struggle during her spouse's prolonged illness. But losing him, as well as dealing with other physical ailments of her own, was enough to catapult her into a severe depression. Despite repeated attempts to alleviate her symptoms (including several antidepressants, ECT treatments, and hospitalizations), she continued to wrestle with depression for years on end. I visited her on different occasions. Each time after my visit, when the heaviness in my chest became tolerable, my mind kicked into high gear. What else would help? What other options were there? Was there something the doctors had missed? Was there some answer located outside of the box that we hadn't yet discovered?

Put Ping-Pong On The Prescription Pad:  A Surprising Drug-free Alternative For Help In Managing Depression, Dementia, And Parkinson's Symptoms by Leslie M. Levy
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Valentina_Love reacted 3 years ago

Job-hopping For Mental Health, Be Free From Ties And Explore Different Lives

Have you ever felt stuck in your daily routine, felt a massive weight on your shoulders, and experienced huge swing moods (usually between extremely bored and overwhelmed by your tasks)? Have you ever wished to experience another way of living? Then, welcome to the club. Just ask around you or look at the faces of the people on the metro: what do you think they’ll tell you? I hate my job. Boss. Workmates. Whatever: the point is that they have had enough. I have got two words for you: job-hopping. That is to say, the art of changing the workplace every so often. Let’s answer a few questions that I have been asked throughout the years about my job-hopping.

Job-hopping For Mental Health, Be Free From Ties And Explore Different Lives by Sara Piselli Giunchi
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Valentina_Love reacted 3 years ago

Why Judas And The Black Messiah Makes You Feel Uneasy

Judas and the Black Messiahis one of the most beloved and successful movies of 2021. It shows us the history of the Black Panther Party, and also explores the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. It is a powerfully dark movie and describes the relationship between Fred Hampton and undercover FBI informant William O'Neal. O'Neal tries to set Fred Hampton up and is eventually responsible for his death at the hands of the FBI. The score, composed by Mark Isham and Craig Harris is a stressful and dark creation. It allows us to follow Stanfield's character on his treacherous road to betraying Chairman Fred Hampton. The film currently holds a 96% rating on Rottentomatoes.

Why Judas And The Black Messiah Makes You Feel Uneasy by Joseph Poulos
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Valentina_Love reacted 3 years ago

15 Ways To Feel Beautiful In A World That Tells You You're Not

Society tells us we’re not enough. They tell us we’re too fat, too thin, not pretty enough, too loud, too quiet, too dark-skinned, too light-skinned, too wrinkly, too scarred. Society creates an ever-changing, unattainable ideal image that so many of us fight to become, but we always fall short. Society tells us that in order to encompass beauty, we must follow its guidelines and rules. We must appear happy and exude confidence and a “go with the flow” attitude in our social media photos. We must exemplify perfection through our skincare routines, makeup regimes, outfit selections, and self-care practices.

15 Ways To Feel Beautiful In A World That Tells You You're Not by Emily Zane
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Valentina_Love reacted 3 years ago

8 Reasons Why We Need To Change Our Inner Dialogues Right Now

How often do you catch yourself saying something negative about how you look, something you’ve done, or something you’ve said? Chances are it’s pretty frequent. Self-criticism is the umbrella over all the mean, harsh things you say to yourself about who and what you are. To be self-critical means that you talk to yourself in a way that is negative and cruel, and while your intention may be good, the outcome rarely ever is. This talk track manifests toxicity and is a breeding ground for self-hatred. We are often critical of ourselves in order to force growth and development. We aren’t content with how we are, and we take charge of the discontent by mercilessly criticizing ourselves and our actions, attempting to create the change we desire.

8 Reasons Why We Need To Change Our Inner Dialogues Right Now by Emily Zane
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Valentina_Love reacted 3 years ago

11 Warning Signs Of Exercise Addiction

You pull on your leggings, tie up your laces, tighten your ponytail, and secure your EarPods. The weather is beautiful, perfect for a run. You head out down your normal route and run a couple of miles with the music pumping in your ears. With a glistening sheen of sweat, you circle back home and head inside to cool down. As you wipe your face with a towel and lie under the fan, you feel strong and energized. The endorphins are racing through your body and you feel empowered, ready to take on the world. You’re tired but you feel proud and content. Maybe you’ve just finished a yoga, barre, or Pilates class. You may have just wrapped up a CrossFit WOD, a weightlifting session, a dance, or a kickboxing class. Maybe you’ve just knocked out a quick HIIT workout or spent 30 minutes on the Stairmaster.

11 Warning Signs Of Exercise Addiction by Emily Zane
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Valentina_Love reacted 3 years ago

10 Simple Things You Can Do To Set Yourself Up For A Good Day

Days typically fall into three different categories: the good, the bad, and those that land in between, those ho-hum days that just aren’t memorable. Experiencing all three types at one point or another is simply part of being human. We all live through our fair share of good, bad, and in-the-middle days, and we have become comfortable with that. We’ve come to terms with the fact that not all days are good; some are bad, and some are just so-so. We’ve accepted this as just how it is, and we’ve become complacent about changing the outcome of our days. Everyone has bad days. They are challenging, but they are a part of life. To be cliché, one could say that experiencing bad days allows us to truly value and cherish the good days.

10 Simple Things You Can Do To Set Yourself Up For A Good Day by Emily Zane
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Valentina_Love reacted 3 years ago

How To Most Effectively Avoid Heartbreak Without Numbing Yourself In The Process

If you’re a living, breathing human being, chances are you’ve experienced heartbreak at some point in your life. To some degree, you’ve had your heart broken by someone or something and you’ve felt the deep pain that coincides with heartbreak. Heartbreak is, well, heartbreaking. Heartbreak is an experience that cuts extremely deeply and you feel the emotions to your core. You feel as though the pain will never end; you’ll always feel a strong sadness and deep anguish you’re experiencing, and those feelings will never go away. Heartbreak is something that we all carry with us. Whether it be from our childhood years with a crush who didn’t return the feeling, our teenage years where we were cheated on by our boyfriend or girlfriend, or our adult years where a marriage ends in divorce or a relationship takes a turn for the worst, heartbreak can come in many different shapes and sizes.

How To Most Effectively Avoid Heartbreak Without Numbing Yourself In The Process by Emily Zane
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Valentina_Love reacted 3 years ago

Top 5 Tips On Avoiding Unnecessary Fights With Your Partner

We’ve all been there. You come home from a long day at work or your partner comes home to you; you’ve had a tough day dealing with kids or school or work or family or one of the millions of everyday issues we face on a daily basis. You are looking forward to seeing your partner because you love them, but you are not in the mood for a fight and even the smallest thing can set you off. You’re tired and irritable from the day you’ve had, you are on edge, and you feel as though you could snap at any moment. You see your partner, they make a comment without thinking, you take it the wrong way and a fight is on the horizon.

Top 5 Tips On Avoiding Unnecessary Fights With Your Partner by Emily Zane
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Valentina_Love reacted 3 years ago

Existence: The Evident And The Self-evident

The investigation of the truth is in one way hard, in another easy. An indication of this is found in the fact that no one is able to attain the truth adequately, while, on the other hand, no one fails entirely, but everyone says something true about the nature of all things, and while individually they contribute little or nothing to the truth, by the union of all a considerable amount is amassed. Aristotle It is impossible that there should be a demonstration of absolutely everything; [for then] there would be an infinite regress so that there would still be no demonstration.

Existence: The Evident And The Self-evident by ScottDouglasJacob
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Valentina_Love reacted 4 years ago

Why Anime Lovers Just Cannot Miss These Anime Releases

As an avid anime watcher, I am very excited for this upcoming fall season, as many anime shows are set to be released. While the pandemic has postponed the release dates of numerous shows, directors and animators have worked hard to successfully release content. I hope that even if you aren’t infatuated with the genre, you can try watching these shows for the first time! Below, are the five soon to be released anime shows that are sure to captivate the hearts of watchers: After a long-awaited six years since its first release date, the last season of Haikyuu is finally out. Starting from October 2nd, new episodes are being released every week. Haikyuu!! is a volleyball anime famous for its intense plot and compelling backgrounds of each character as they compete in a high school volleyball tournament?

Why Anime Lovers Just Cannot Miss These Anime Releases by Kcschooluse
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Valentina_Love reacted 4 years ago

How Has The Horror Genre Changed For The Years To Come?

In March of 2020, everything stopped. As COVID-19 descended on the world, we all descended into our houses, and many of us descended into isolation. We asked ourselves millions of questions about how to cling to normalcy, and how to adapt to this newness, and some of those questions have gone unanswered. Theatres were hit particularly hard, and film projects ground to a halt; even Hollywood shut down. From the ashes, however, rose “quar-horror” movies like Host, which exploded into everyone's newly screen-bound lives during our first quarantined summer. Host, and other horror films made during the COVID-19 pandemic, seek to explore the questions that this global disaster has left us asking.

How Has The Horror Genre Changed For The Years To Come? by Jay Fare
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Valentina_Love reacted 4 years ago

Mumbai!

Everyone has a dream city they aspire to be a part of, to settle in, a city that they can call home out of a sene of belongingness they associate with it. Mine happens to be Mumbai. It felt visceral, to have stepped into this city on 29th July, 2019, for the first time not as a visitor but as a fellow resident. A girl with a suitcase full of big dreams and aspirations (yes, that’s exactly how filmy the moment felt, courtesy to all those cheesy Bollywood movies I have grown binge watching on)...
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