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Spring is in the Air!

After a long winter, the sun is finally sticking around longer. I’m looking at you 6pm sunset. SO happy about this, good grief, the winter blows. So, how are you doing today? How’s the weather where you’re at? Hope that you’re doing well and enjoying your favorite type of weather. (Fingers crossed!)

Let’s get this blog post started, shall we? This post is a two-parter. The first part is the audio version I recorded about a week ago. Please CLICK HERE to listen or press play on the AnchorFM player below.

I just re-read the transcript, which you’ll find at the end of this post, and I am trying to figure out how to sum it up. It was my seventh attempt at either writing or recording this post. So very “off script”. 🤣🤣 Consider it a chat between me and you re: books I’m reading and have pre-ordered, what I’m working on now, why you might consider learning a new-to-you skill bit by bit and more! Heads up, I say sh*t once towards the end. So if you have any Littles around or abhor cussing, beware.

The second part is what you’re reading now which includes links and updates to the audio recording. Plus a few other things that I’d like to share with you. Please, read on.

Audio – Edits/Additions/Correction:

Feedmeimei x ecou Glass Boba Straw Collaboration 

What’s not to love about supporting two women-owned businesses?! I’ve been a fan of Alyssa of FeedMeiMei for years. I don’t even drink boba but I’ll find some recipes now. I bought two of their eco-friendly glass boba straws and can’t wait for them to arrive! At the time of the recording I hadn’t purchased them yet. 

Now you can buy me a snack!

If you like 😍. So, I was so excited about the FeedMeiMei boba straws it got me thinking. I wondered how else I could support her? (Besides watching her videos and sharing her content). Lo and behold, it turns out she has a “buy me boba” page. I had no idea.

And it made me think, “hey maybe someone out there thinks that I am cool and would love to show their support of my content creation. Like how I think Alyssa of FeedMeiMei is cool! So if you’re keen, please consider buying me a snack. Thank you☕️❤️

Introducing my Annual Memberships & Subscriptions Tracker!

Now you can track your recurring annual payments with this “year-at-a-glance” one-pager. Use it to plan ahead and also decide if you’d like to cancel certain services or apps. You can also use it to budget for your subscriptions like streaming services, software, and apps like Canva Pro, etc.

My workout plan for March! *drumroll please*

Millionaire Hoy (HoyPro app) STRONGER – 28 Day 45 Minute Strength Challenge (there’s also a 30 min version). You can check out Day 1 on YouTube. Also Millionaire is currently having a 33% off sale.  I’m 5 days in and LOVING it. I will always choose strength over cardio. LOL.

Jackie Unfiltered (fitness enthusiast & philanthropist) At Home Fitness Daily Challenge. Oh Man! I’m on my second month and it’s really been my saving grace. I usually do it as an add on to Mill Hoy or Sarah Beth Yoga. If I don’t do any other workout though, I do this cause it takes about 10-15 minutes including stretching. CLICK HERE for this month’s workout – swipe right for month 1. Workout includes 13 moves: 40 jumping jacks, 13 push ups, 30 second planks, 40 high knees, 30 squats, etc. Month 1 had about 10 moves I think and no planks. Also less moves per set, for example: 30 jumping jacks, 30 bicycle crunches (Jackie recommended this video to me via DM), etc. Scroll through her Instagram reels/IGTV for tips on the moves. My high knees have greatly improved with her tips. There is no comparison. I used to modify high knees but no longer!

Here’s my “Jackie Unfiltered” workout playlist. Huh, I see now that a lot of these songs are the explicit versions. Please keep in mind if Littles around. You know Jo Jo loves the kids. 💕(I’ve also been experimenting with listening to audiobooks whilst working out (personally, I feel the word “whilst” isn’t used nearly enough) but so far I’m not loving it.)

Last but not least, new-to-me warm up and cool down videos on YouTube:

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Studio Jibby – 5 minute Cool Down
               2. Chloe Ting – Quick Warm Up Routine
               3. HasFit – 5 minute Cardio Warm Up. I usually do their Dynamic Stretch Warmups
               4. MadFit – 5 Minute  Full Body Stretch & Cool Down

In the recording I made a reference to Cinderella and I meant Goldilocks. Sidenote: she had no business eating those bears’ porridge. None. 🤣 but for realz.

Mentioned in the audio recording:

My Printables & Physical Planner

1. My latest printable: Annual Memberships & Subscriptions Tracker

2.  The Skin in the Game: 100 Day Challenge Physical Planner & Printable Bundle

BOOKS (currently reading or pre-ordered)

1. Show Your Work by Austin Kleon
2. Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury
3. Love in Color by Bolu Babalola

FITNESS APPS & MEMBERSHIPS I ❤️

1. Millionaire Hoy –  My favorite, I always gotta mention Mill Hoy. Check out the couple workouts featuring the gorgeous Tiffany Hoy. They are the cutest, most genuine couple eveeer!
2. KaisaFit -Just launched her new fitness membership featuring diverse instructors! I am most excited about Kisha Vaughan’s Hip Hop Dance classes. When the world opens up, I’ma be ready for the club!
3. Sarah Beth Yoga – Another staple, I love her voice and her way of teaching yoga. 

Something Sweet!

Baked by Melissa – yummy bite-sized cupcakes that I received as a Galentine’s Day Gift from my cousin! ☀️

Cool Follows

@Feedmeimei YouTube and Instagram – foodie, traveler and boba lover. I used her videos to help me find yummy food in Taipei, Taiwan. 

Side note: You simply must follow Joan @hungryintaipei on Instagram for Taiwan/Asia foodie recommendations. I visited several of the restaurants that she writes about. She was also very sweet in her response to my DM re: restaurant recommendations.

A-Hong on YouTube – my favorite YouTuber right now.  Love her “plan with me” videos. 

Learn Korean

Spongemind – I studied with Jonson & Jeremy of Spongemind years ago and had a great experience. 

Learn Korean! Start Speaking Now! This is Jeremy’s class that I took on Udemy. Highly recommend!

Surface Pattern Design

UPDATE: Since first sharing this blog post, I’ve become a big fan of Surface Pattern Designer, Kristina Yu!

Bonnie Christine – If you’re interested in surface pattern design, definitely check her out! I’ve also come across Gia Graham, Maja Farber ,and Jenny Lezan. Most of the aforementioned designers have courses on SkillShare. 

 

What follows is the transcript to my audio blog post recorded on 2/28/21. It’s edited for clarity and also because apparently I say, “um”, “you know”  and “like” a lot. You’ll also find links to things that I mentioned (where to buy, YouTube or Instagram links, etc.) ABOVE. As a reminder, I say sh*t a couple of times towards the end. So if you have any Littles around or abhor cussing, beware.

Hey it’s Joddie Taylor of snackysays.com (giggling)! It’s funny. I don’t know what I was thinking. I decided to take a sip of coffee like I had enough time (before hitting record). LOL. This is my, I don’t know, my seventh time trying to get this post together seventh times a charm, maybe?

 It’s weird, right? Have you ever just been off? Like every time I’ve recorded this post…I’ve written it before but it never felt quite right. Kind of like that Cinderella (on my gosh, I meant Goldilocks!) “that’s too cold”, “that’s too hot.” I’m looking for juuuuust right. 

 Alright, I think I’m gonna make this short and sweet. Let’s start with what I’m currently reading. I’m currently reading, “Show Your Work” by Austin Kleon. And it’s got me doing a doodle a day. The book is exactly what it sounds like. It encourages you to show your work, like not just post what you’re eating or where you’re going or you know, but like your “work work” like what you’re working on. I’m currently working on a printable. 

 I can’t show it to you because you’re listening to me (not watching me) and I literally started working on it yesterday, but I will have something for your eyes and ears. By or before… Hmm should I put a deadline or a date to it? Stay tuned it should be out soon. UPDATE: It’s done! – get it HERE or HERE.

 I’m also working on the digital planner version of my Skin in the Game physical planner and printable. That has been very slow going but maybe it would go faster if I actually showed it and posted about it. Showed it… is that a word? Yeah showed it and posted about it. What else? My March workout plan.

 I actually don’t have one and it’s already the end of February (as of the recording). This is very unlike me but as usual it will involve Millionaire Hoy. I think it’s gonna also involve KaisaFit.  This month (March 1st) she’s launching an annual fitness membership. And I am a sucker for annual payments because I don’t like to pay for things monthly. 

 I just like to know that it’s paid for and I’m gonna have this thing for the rest of the year. And so as you know, if you’ve listened to any of my audio blog posts before I have memberships with Millionaire Hoy and with Sarah Beth Yoga and I love them. And I like getting in on memberships when they’re first announced because I learned my lesson with Sarah Beth. I didn’t join when she first launched her app. I waited about six months and I ended up paying, I think, about 50 bucks more. 

 And then it’s like, that’s it, once memberships launch, the price never goes any lower. And I love KaisaFit. She is a true ally and she’s really committed to diversity in the fitness world. You’ll see if you go to her page. You’ll see that she has made a real effort, well more than that, she has a truly diverse mix of trainers. And she’s even expanding on that with the membership so check it out if you’re interested. I’ll drop a link.

 Moving on… Oh! I want to talk about what I’m reading or planning on reading. My pre-orders recent or upcoming pre-orders: Blood Like Magic, I just pre-ordered the audiobook and that’s coming out June 15th, it’s about witches in Canada. I’ll just read the synopsis here: “…a rich dark urban fantasy debut following a teen witch who’s given a horrifying task. Sacrificing her first love to save her family’s magic. The problem is, she’s never been in love, she’ll have to find the perfect guy before she can kill him. Wow sold! I’m excited about that and the author is Liselle Sambury.

 Next is actually a book that I pre-ordered back in October 2020 and it’s coming out April 13th, at least coming out in the States April 13th, it has over 300 reviews on okay well I guess I’ll just say the name: Amaz*n. I don’t have anything against Amaz*n. I’m trying to steer away from Amaz*n for books at least and support Indie bookshops.  Love in Color: mythical tales from around the world. The author is Bolu Babalola and it is a series of short stories based on just what it sounds like: mythical tales from around the world. So I’ll just read a couple of them: a young businesswoman attempts a great leap in her company and  an even greater one in her love life. A highborn Nigerian goddess who has been beaten down and unappreciated by her gregarious lover longs to be truly seen. I’m really excited about this. I’m ready for this book.

 Someone to follow! I have someone for you to follow if you’re not following her already @feedmeimei

 I first found her in “the before times” when I was going to Taiwan and I was looking for yummy things to eat and I pretty much followed her YouTube videos to the letter and found amazing, amazing food to eat in Taipei. That led me to follow her on Instagram, she has an amazing Instagram and YouTube. 

 Plenty of yummy food and drinks even now during the pandemic she’s found a way to still post delightful content. She just just announced a collaboration with ecou, they make glass straws. FeedMeiMei is known for loving boba (the drink). And it’s a boba straw. I’m actually gonna buy it. I haven’t bought it yet. I’m gonna probably buy it when I’m done with this recording. So I’m not recommending this straw (only) because I haven’t used it (yet). 

 I just love her. I’m a true fan and so I’ma buy it. But if you like boba drinks, if you like yummy food check out her YouTube, her Instagram (and I’ll also put the link) to this glass straw which I really like it’s environmentally friendly and you get to support a woman owned company. She’s a content creator and a woman and the company that she’s collaborating with, ecou, is also woman-owned. So in case you’re interested.

 I think I’m going to end here. This is a short and sweet one. I’ve just had so many different thoughts on my mind and kind of bounced all over the place. And I want to get this out to you, oh you know what? 

 I’m gonna say one more thing, two more things before I end. Something sweet. I got the sweetest Galentine gift from my cousin. They were mini cupcakes from Baked by Melissa if you’re in New York get you some cupcakes. If you’re not in New York, get you some cupcakes they do deliver. That’s how I got them and they stay fresh in the freezer for up to two weeks. 

Insider tip, pro tip you can eat those bad boys straight out the freezer. They don’t get like super frozen, it’s not like eating ice. I found it to be a refreshing treat.

Next, A-Hong on YouTube. I love her. She is a Korean YouTuber. I just love how she’s internet famous and she’s still anonymous. She does digital planning and she even designs digital planners and gives them away for free. And she does that I feel like every month or every few months. 

 I’ll put the link to her YouTube you can check her out and if you want to see like a slice of life in Korea, I believe she lives in Seoul. I really love watching it. The videos are in Korean but she does write in English and there are always English subtitles. So when she’s doing her writing in her planner, sometimes it’s in hangul (in Korean).

 Actually yeah, well it’s both but I think mostly in Korean.

One more thing that I thought of, speaking of Korean, this has to do with taking things bit by bit. So when I first went to Korea my first year there I used to be on tumblr a lot. Remember tumblr? Anyway, do people still go on Tumblr? 

I used to be on Tumblr a lot and I used to follow a lot of study bloggers. I would follow a lot of these Korean language study bloggers on Tumblr. One of the bloggers I followed said, if you want to learn Korean learn one word a day. 

 And I was like she’s bugging! One word a day like what are you gonna do with that? She wrote that, at the end of the year you’ll have 365 words and I was like that’s ridiculous. I need to sign up for a class so I can learn and I can be fluent. 

 In my first year, in Korea, I did sign up for two different classes that didn’t pan out. And then going into my second year, I started another class. Spoiler alert: I never did become fluent in Korean and I think about that post often. Because what happened in time is that my comprehension skyrocketed. Because I literally didn’t hear English much. 

 I was literally surrounded by Korean all the time just like a baby or a toddler, right? They don’t study a language, they just hear it all the time. I got that concept from two gentlemen that I used to study Korean with I will also put their link. 

 I believe they’re still teaching their company is called Sponge Mind. But like that philosophy is so true so now I can look back and say God well, you know had I studied a word a day and I was in Korea almost seven years like that’s a lot of words. And the bottom line is no matter what language you speak you say the same shit over and over and over again. We just do! “Where’s the bathroom? How ya doing?  What’s the weather like? I love you!  You know, it’s like they really aren’t that many words (phrases that we use) which is why after a few years (in Korea) my comprehension skyrocketed. Because I was hearing the same thing over and over again: “I understand.” “You’re late.”  “Let’s go.” 

 Right?  and so if there’s something that you’re thinking of starting or that you want to do. But you think it’s going to take a long time or you want to go hard. I have been really guilty of that. Nah, I don’t want to learn a word a day. I want to learn how to have a full conversation over dinner or talk about politics or the news. 

Consider, not scaling it back…keep your dream. Consider, bit by bit, doing something, which is if you’re into personal development, like myself, what I’m basically saying is probably something you’ve heard before. Do one thing a day to move towards your goal and sometimes that one thing… I recently heard Bonnie Christine talk about this (because I have fallen down the rabbit hole of surface pattern design, you heard it here first, I am going to be a surface pattern designer!) She said do one thing a day and if you commit to that might mean that you’ve spent five minutes today, you could then spend several hours the next day.

But at least commit to doing it. So going back to my Korean language example, one word a day. Had I committed to memorizing one word a day. I would have had a stronger, bigger vocabulary but more than that there would have certainly been days where I spent way more than a few minutes memorizing one word. Instead of what I did, which was to take intense Korean classes on Saturdays and Sundays. Keeping in mind that I was working Monday through Friday all day and then I was in class Saturday and Sunday from like 9am to 2pm. 

 What was I thinking? I don’t know. Okay, so now I’m done. Thank you for listening, thank you for coming to my corner of the internet. I appreciate you again, my name is Joddie Taylor of snackysays com. I hope you’re doing well, thank you again and again.