Have You Ever Felt Stuck? - A Personal Diary Entry

Feeling Stuck - An Emotion Review

At the moment, I feel stuck.

However, I know I'm not stuck. Plus, I live by being grateful for life no matter what's going on or what I'm feeling. 

What we feel is king, so I suppose if I'm feeling stuck, I'm living that way, whether I know it or not.

Feeling stuck is new for me; it isn't something I've felt very often. In fact, I'm a bit confused by this emotion.

After Researching, Here are a Few Reasons That Might Make Us Feel Stuck:

There's a great deal of psychoanalysis online about what triggers this particular emotion. 

1. We Aren't Living Our Own Values - For Me, Maybe?

There are certain things in my life that do not fit with my values, nothing major, subtle things. So I'm coping with this by trusting and accepting that I'm doing the right things, living the right way, and accepting that each of us has to find our way and live our truth. I'm falling back on that old quote: "There are two things you can't change, natural law and other people." So maybe this is one reason I feel stuck?

2. We're Losing Hope - For Me, No Chance

Ok, this is a bold-faced, no way! No matter what goes on in my life, I never lose hope. In fact, I live for hope. Every day is another chance; that's how I see life. I can cross this one off the list.

3. We Are Conflicted About Making Big Changes - For Me, This One is a Yes

Some changes are coming our way (I'm not sure when), and I am very conflicted about this. One thing that is saving me is prayer and the belief that when the change is made if it's made, it will be wonderful.

4. We Are Overdoing It, Feeling Burnt Out - For Me, This is a Yes

It isn't that I'm overdoing things physically (although I am sometimes guilty of this). The mental pressure of life's challenges is consuming me. I've been working on the mental strain of this quite a bit by meditating, praying, writing, watching movies, and doing the things that need to be done, so the list doesn't pile up. 

5. We're Not Surrounded by Enough Like-Minded People - Yes, This is Big For Me

Obviously, we can't be around 'yes' people all the time. That's not what I'm missing. 

I'm feeling alone in my beliefs, values, and tastes. Taking this one ridiculous step further, I miss being around people who like the music, topics, discussions, and general life chit-chat I do. Maybe the isolation of Covid is a significant contributor to this? 

Writing has become my way of expressing myself and putting my beliefs and values out there. So I suppose I deal with this primarily via writing.

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Paperback Book Day – A Holiday Review

Paperback Book Day is celebrated yearly on July 30. 

Back in the 1930s, the only paperback books were cheap pulp novels. Popular novels were in hardback. These hard cover books were attractive and more durable than the paperbacks we know today, but they were also very heavy and quite expensive.

In 1935, Allen Lane, owner of the English publishing house, Penguin, was in financial straits. Even though he published very good authors, such as Agatha Christie, his publishing business was going broke due to the Depression.

One day, while waiting for his train, he was browsing through a station stall for something to read. Finding nothing good except for magazines and low-quality paperback fiction, he suddenly realized that he could publish his authors' good novels in high-quality paperbacks. This would automatically raise profits because more people could access good fiction at lower prices. 

Thus, Paperback Book Day is observed as the anniversary of the date that the first Penguin paperbacks were published in England in 1935.  The first paperback published and released in the United States was titled “The Good Earth” by Pearl S. Buck. 

Reasons for Reading Paperbacks vs. Hardbacks

• Easy to carry them with you anywhere
• Lightweight and portable
• Inexpensive
• Many of your favorite books, including the most recent best sellers, are now available in paperback. 

Summary

Image Source: Pixabay

We are all aware that with today's E-readers and books downloaded to our cell phones, books, even paperbacks, are not as popular as they once were. 

But, there’s still just nothing quite as satisfying as holding a book in your hands. A small lightweight paperback allows you to curl up on the couch on a rainy afternoon, or laze in a backyard hammock on a soft summer day. It is still a relaxing way to spend an afternoon. So pick up a new paperback today for just such a moment of relaxation. It's a good way to spend Paperback Book Day!

Paperback Book Day

July 30

Recommended Links

If you need help choosing your next 'read' in paperback, ReviewThisBooks.com has a collection of excellent book reviews for you to peruse to help you with your selections.

Paperback Book Day Holiday Review written by Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Lego Carousel Creator Expert Set #10257 Reviewed

Everybody loves an amusement park or fairground!  We all have favorite rides or features in the park.  Lego offers a way to create a small replica of one of the most beloved amusement park rides: the carousel. Just looking at the finished creation brings joy and fond memories to mind.

The carousel is a popular ride simply because anyone, of any age, can ride. Even new mother's can take their babies on many carousels because they have the bench seat option. 

Children opt for the animals. They want to ride the horses, elephants, tiger, or other animals. The biggest question beyond which animal, is whether they want one that moves up and down. 

The Lego carousel set has moving fairy tale animals featuring an elephant, a tiger, a frog, and a flamingo. Plus, the set includes a swan, which is the Lego version of the non-moving bench seat. There is a center ring platform with a staircase to make mounting or dismounting the animals easier for Lego children. 

Sadly, the Lego Carousel Set #10257 does not include a horse. Otherwise the detailing is fabulous! There is a strong base on this set that allows you to carefully pick it up without damaging the completed Lego carousel.

The Lego Carousel Set #10257 is retired and can only be purchased from a secondary market like Amazon or Ebay.

Building The Lego Creator Expert Carousel Set 10257

The Creator Expert set is recommended for ages 16 and up. It has over 2600 pieces and will require patience and time to build. 

 As a parent of a huge Lego fan & builder, I can tell you that the recommended ages are important to consider when buying a Creator Expert set. If you consider the child and their individual Lego building aptitude, you may well know that your child is ready to jump into the Creator Expert world before they are 16, especially if they have a parent, grandparent, or older sibling who is willing to help them.  Some children are exhilarated by the challenge, while others will get frustrated and never want to build a Lego again. For a child who has been successfully building Lego sets for years, they may well be ready for the challenge of the Expert Creator sets before they are 16.

Helping your child build a complicated Lego set can provide hours of fun for both the parent and the child. There is a true sense of accomplishment when the masterpiece is finished and ready for display. Most importantly, there are cherished memories of working together that are priceless.  

In our case, we would sit at our dining room table for hours, often across a period of days. I only helped by separating pieces into organized piles for easy identification while my son built his Lego masterpiece. Sometimes, I would look at the upcoming steps, pull the needed Lego pieces and have them waiting for him so he could maintain his concentration and focus on building. Sometimes, we would talk and other times we quietly kept each other company. One constant in our Lego building days was that the gift of a Lego set was always a gift to me. 

Lego Carousel Creator Expert Set Specifications

•  LEGO Creator Expert Carousel 10257 Building Kit (2670 Pieces)Check Price2670 pieces
• Recommended age: 16+
• Finished Measurements: 14.5" wide, 12" tall
  
• 5 Buildable Animals (4 move, 1 stationary)
• 7 Mini-figures (ride operator, mother, father, grandmother & 3 children
  
• Crank to make animals move up & down while the carousel turns
• 2 level carousel deck
• Large textile canopy
• Accessory pieces include ice cream, hot dog, candy & a camera
• Can be motorized with a separate power sets - #8883 Lego Power Functions motor & #88000 Power Functions battery box
  

More Lego Sets & Shelves Reviewed 

LEGO Disney Castle Set - Cinderella's Castle Lego Set #71040 Reviewed
With its impressive details, arched doorway, stunning spires & turrets, the Lego Disney Castle Set is a fabulous replica of the real Cinderella Castle.

Scooby-Doo Mystery Mansion Lego Kit Reviewed
Lego & Scooby Doo fans will love this awesome Lego set. The Scooby-Doo Mystery Mansion is the perfect treat for Halloween or anytime for kids & adults.

Disney Winnie the Pooh #21326 Lego Set Reviewed
Those who love Winnie-the-Pooh & Legos are thrilled with the Winnie Lego set! It includes Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore, Rabbit & Poohs treehouse home.

Lego Gingerbread House Set #10267 Reviewed
The Lego Gingerbread House is the perfect set for Christmas time! Many of us enjoy decorating gingerbread houses for Christmas, but ...

Spider-Man Far From Home Lego Set #76130 Reviewed
The Spiderman Far From Home Lego set has lots of awesome features including an opening hatch in the jet for Spidermans quick exit. Specs & review here.

The Perfect Lego Display Shelves Reviewed
Completed Lego sets need a safe place for display. I recently purchased the perfect bookcase shelves for Lego display!

Check Out More Toy Reviews at
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 Lego Carousel Creator Expert Set #10257 Reviewed by:

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The Brighter the Light- Book Review

 

The Outer Banks

I always love stories that take place in locations I have seen on my travels.  When I saw Mary Ellen Taylor's latest book takes place in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, I was instantly drawn to the book.  The Outer Banks are wonderful and full of beautiful beaches and lighthouses.  I looked forward to an interesting story based on this locale and I was not disappointed.

Main Characters

There are two main characters in this story and the author takes us back and forth between both their stories.

          Ivy

We first meet Ivy when she comes to the Outer Banks to settle things after her grandmother has died.  Ivy had been raised for much of her young life by her grandmother, living in the Outer Banks.  When she graduates from high school she leaves for a new life in New York.

          Ruth

 Ruth is the grandmother, and we meet her through flashbacks to the 1950's when Ruth is running a resort on the Outer Banks.  She is a very colorful character that works hard and runs the resort.   She is an excellent cook who passes on her skills to Ivy.

Summary of Story

At the beginning of the story Ivy is returning to Nags Head, North Carolina in the Outer Banks. She has inherited a beach cottage from her grandmother and now she must return to sell the cottage and sort through all the belongings in the cottage.  Ivy dreads returning and seeing the best friend and ex-boyfriend who betrayed her.

Folk lore from the area talks about a ship that rises from the sea after strong storms and the secrets it holds.  After a storm, Ivy looks out the cottage window and sees the ship has again risen in the tides.  

The secret of the ship is not the only secrets that Ivy uncovers during her stay at the cottage.  She is conflicted about staying after a budding romance and memories from the past resurface.

My Recommendation

I really enjoyed this book.  It had a great setting, interesting characters, and a memorable story line.  I would recommend it for anyone looking for an interesting and thought-provoking summer read.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Summertime is a Great Time to Learn Something New ~ A Product Review

Many times families find that the summer months are not that easy to get through as the rest of the year!  But summertime is when the living is supposed to be easy (or so the song lyrics say!).  Oh it may be easier in that the kids are getting dressed in whatever they want to wear without worry.  Usually swim suits or shorts and a T!  There is no mad dash to get out the door for school and prepare your book bag and lunch, so that truly does make it easier.  But there are many hours in the day to fill with some kind of activity.

My youngest grandson has just turned the big 10 years old.  So toys are no longer the go to thing for him to wish for.  So what happened?  Well, he, in his 10 year old wisdom decided that this would be a good year to learn how to tell time (the old fashioned way) and to learn how to play the guitar.  His mom and dad got him an analog watch for his birthday.  So now he is learning all about the different ways to tell time.  Digital watches have made those lessons obsolete, but he wanted to know what it meant when it was quarter to ten and what that looked like.  Next thing you know he'll be wanting to learn about telling time on a 24 hours watch.  Oh well, learning is learning and when they want to do that, it is much easier.  I'm sure he'll have it worked out before too long.

So what are grandparents left to get this youngster to mark his 10th birthday?  Well let's just say that it was pretty easy for us this year.  The guitar was already in place (his uncle left one at the cottage the last time they visited), so that was taken care of already.  What he doesn't have is a good book and some guitar accessories to make playing this instrument a better experience than just plucking at the strings.

We are so thankful for Amazon Prime, where you can get just about anything you want or need.  That's where we found our little gift for him!

This kit has everything that he will need for the first little while. It's really hard to learn how to tune an instrument when you have never done it before. Having an electronic tuner will make it that much easier for him. I don't know about you, but if an instrument is out of tune, there is little joy in playing it. Even an untrained ear can hear that the guitar is not in tune.  Once he knows the sound of a properly tuned instrument, he can choose to tune by ear or by use of the tuner in this kit.

Contained in the kit are all the things he will need, a guitar strap, picks, tuner, kapo, and a cleaning cloth.  And it comes in a nice case to keep all those little parts in one safe and neat place.  It's a win-win situation for sure.  

The beauty is that he can even share this with his sisters and mom and dad.  Music is a wonderful way to enjoy the time and it's a great time to learn when the pressures of school are not pressing down on him.  And the other beauty is that he can pick it up whenever the need arises.  Oh this will be such a good time summer for my grandson Blake!

Happy Birthday and Rock On!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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