I’m a Zebra!

When you hear hoofbeats, think horses not zebras.

Once upon time there lived a happy, healthy young filly. She grew up prancing around, jumping fences, and running around open fields with her friends. She wasn’t the fastest runner so she didn’t aspire to be a race horse, but she could run faster than about half of her friends and excelled in other activities. She tried all sorts of things from polo to show jumping to rodeos. But the one activity that she never grew bored of was dressage. The first time she tried it, she knew she had found her calling. She spent every day working with dressage instructors from the time she was a tiny foal until she was a full grown horse. She loved the freedom and exhilaration she found when she practiced and performed. She loved letting the music touch her soul and prancing to the beat.

But alas, she wasn’t going to make a career out of being a professional dressage horse, she just wasn’t as talented as the professional horses. She became a work horse instead, she loved her work. She worked with children, teaching them how to ride and found great fulfillment in that. Occasionally after work, she and her fellow work horses would hit the local barn and get their dressage on. She still found joy when she let the music take over and boogied on the dance floor.

One day she woke up with a terrible headache. It was odd because she never really suffered from headaches before. She didn’t think too much of it, but then the same thing happened the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that. After two weeks of waking up with headaches she finally went to see her veterinarian. 

The vet ran all sorts of tests to rule out things like brain tumors and allergies, but the tests showed that she was as healthy as any horse. They tested her stable and work place for contaminated hay or other poisons, but found nothing. They kept giving her pills to ease the pain and help her sleep, but all that just seemed to make the headaches worse. 

They kept testing and medicating her. One day, the vet noticed that she was taking a little longer to rise from the floor. Upon closer examination he determined that she had some muscle weakness and so he started concentrating his testing on that symptom.

After several more tests and a painful muscle biopsy, the vet diagnosed her with Inflammatory Myopathy. It wasn’t uncommon, and could be managed he promised. He gave her new pills and sent her on her way. 

The new pills didn’t do what was promised. In fact, they made things worse. She couldn’t sleep and was ravenously hungry. She was miserable on the pills and asked the vet if there was anything else. He told her there wasn’t, so she asked if she could just stop taking them. He told her she could, but that there was nothing else he could give her for her condition. 

That was fine with her, the side effects were worse than not taking the pills at all. So she went on with her life, finding new ways to live her best life all while her muscles continued to slowly weaken. She lived a decade like this, slowly getting weaker over the years but still fighting to live a full and exciting life. 

One day her weak muscles really let her down, she fell and hit her head on the ground. She trotted herself over to the local emergency room where she was diagnosed with a concussion. She was sent home with pain killers and was told to follow up with a vet who specialized in neurology. 

As directed, she saw the neurologist who confirmed her concussion. He took a special interest in her muscle weakness too. She told him she already had a diagnosis and that the pills for it didn’t work for her. He convinced her to give the pills another try because a lot had changed since she was first diagnosed. She agreed and while the pills did not have the side effects she experienced the first time around, they still did nothing to improve her strength. 

The neurologist said it was odd that she hadn’t responded better to the pills and wanted to do more testing. She agreed and after a lot more tests including another painful muscle biopsy, the vet told her something that left her scared and confused. He said the second biopsy and the lack of improvement from the pills confirmed that she did not have Inflammatory Myopathy. He told her that he didn’t know what she had. She had been misdiagnosed, all that time. The vet didn’t know what to do, he didn’t have the resources at his clinic to move further along with her diagnosis. He wanted her to be seen by a specialist at a world-renowned clinic in another pasture, which was far away. 

She went to the specialist that her insurance allowed, which was not the specialist her neurologist wanted her to see. She went to see this specialist in the next pasture over. She saw this specialist month after month, and endured test after test. During this time her health declined rapidly. She was in pain, the headaches were worse, and she was having trouble breathing. She stayed in her stable most days, because leaving was just too painful and miserable. She asked the specialist if there was anything he could do to help her with the headaches. He said the headaches were not related to her muscle weakness, that there wasn’t a muscle condition that caused headaches, and therefore she needed to see a headache specialist about them.  

Month after month passed and there was still no diagnosis in sight. Finally she began to understand the reality of her situation. She left her stable to be with her own kind. She made her way to the Forest of Imaginary Illnesses to be with the other unicorns. To be with the horses whose symptoms could not be explained and so they must not be real. Everything they complained about was a made up fantasy, which is how unicorns came to exist. She lived in the forest, resigned to a life where she suffered from symptoms that were all in her head. 

One day a zebra wandered into the forest and he came across the sad and scared unicorn. He asked why she was so sad and she told him her story. Then he asked her why she was living with the unicorns when clearly she was a zebra. She told him of her diagnostic journey and how they couldn’t find anything wrong with her. He told her that he really thought she was a zebra, that she had something called Pompe Disease. He encouraged her to ask the vet to test her for that. She didn’t see what she had to lose, and went back the vet and asked for the Pompe test. 

The vet laughed at her request. He told her that Pompe Disease does not occur in full grown adult horses, nor does any other form of Muscular Dystrophy. With her last bit of hope squashed, she returned to the Forest of Imaginary Illnesses where she ran into her zebra friend again. She told him what happened and he replied that it was horse shit. That she needed a second opinion. He told her that the vet was very misinformed about Pompe Disease and Muscular Dystrophy. 

She decided to give it one more shot and was finally able to see the special vet that her neurologist wanted her to see in the first place. After more tests and exams the vet from the far off land confirmed what her zebra friend had suspected. She had Pompe Disease, she wasn’t a unicorn after all – she was indeed a zebra. 

Tears ran down her face, she was so happy to finally know what was wrong with her. That is was real, and not just in her head. The vet informed her that there was even a treatment available for Pompe Disease and that her headaches were indeed a symptom, a very, very common symptom of Pompe Disease. She thanked the vet over and over again, her life made sense again. She started treatment as soon as she returned home. 

She thanked her zebra friend for pushing her to find the answers. He led her to a nearby pond, and told her to take a look at her reflection. When she did, she saw that he was right along, she was a zebra. She stood there and admired her stripes, which she felt were very slimming and stylish. He introduced her to all sorts of other zebras, some with Pompe Disease and some with other rare diseases. Most of them had spent time in the Forest of Imaginary Illnesses on their quest to find a proper diagnosis. Her zebra friend said he had spent a great deal of time in there himself thinking he was unicorn, which is why he always went back to help others see their stripes. 

The newly diagnosed zebra swore she would help others too, that she would pay it forward and advocate for others as he had done for her. 

She was proud of her rare stripes, they were better than the imaginary horn of shame she was previously condemned to wear. She wore her stripes with pride and embraced being rare. 

Happy Rare Disease Day! February 28, 2019

Show your rare!

Subscription Box Therapy: My Aunt’s Stitch Fix #2

My aunt’s second Stitch Fix arrived. I was hopeful, she was apprehensive. This time around, her Stylist did appear to have read some of her previous feedback. Some. There were no sleeveless tops in this Fix. The colors were better. The cuts and sizing were not. 

First out of the box was the navy blue embroidered knit top. In her last box, my aunt received a top that would have been great for nursing mothers. This top would have been good as a maternity top – for someone pregnant with twins. The sleeves were a hot mess, they were too long, but had elastic so they didn’t cover her hands – but, when she pushed them up to her elbows for about 10 minutes the elastic left a lovely red ring around her arm. She was just swimming in this top. It was not cute. Sorry Auntie, but it wasn’t. 

 

Lise Embroidery Detail Knit Top by Honey Punch

Then she tried on the pink textured blouse. It was a nice color and it had sleeves…. but, the sleeves were too long to be 3/4 lengths, but not quite long enough to reach her wrists. They had annoying ties at the ends that did nothing to tighten the sleeves, so she couldn’t even push them up. Plus it was a thick material with a liner. Nope. Too hot. 

Malaya Textured Blouse by Skies are Blue

 

Then there were the girlfriend jeans. They sent her a smaller size than she normally wears, but  they were still too big. The woman just bought a couple of pairs of jeans in her proper size that fit beautifully. Sigh. These just looked silly on her, like she was ready to make an appearance in a hip hop video with her baggy jeans. 

Destiny Girlfriend Jeans by Liberation by People’s Liberation

Next up was the soft orange cardigan. This was a great color for her, it was nice and light, perfect for spring. Except the sleeves were freakishly long. I began to wonder if her arms were just freakishly short so I tried it on. Nope the sleeves really were freakishly long and don’t have any elastic around the wrists so they hung down past her hands. My cardigans from Stitch Fix are the same size and they all fit both of us nicely. Weird.

Adrianna Long Sleeve Knit Cardigan by Mix By 41 Hawthorn

 

And finally, there was a grey v-neck top. This actually fit her, and the v-neck was not too plunging. However, it is too close to the color of her hair and it just washed her out. Plus it is a little too high maintenance for her. You have to line dry it. 

Acelyn V-Neck Linen Blend Knit Top by Market & Spruce

Once again Stitch Fix failed her. She sent everything back. She is not enjoying “window shopping” as she calls it with these boxes. They have waived her styling fee once again and she has another box arriving in a few weeks. Once again, we have requested that my Stylist curate her Fix. The clothes in my boxes fit her better than the ones she is sent which is one of the reasons she wants my Stylist. 

We both really hope Stitch Fix will work out for her. She loves the idea of not having to shop and the items I’ve received have been wonderful. She would really like to have a similar experience. Maybe third time will be the charm! 

If you are interested in trying Stitch Fix risk free – as in no styling fee for your first box: You can use my link here and your first $20 styling fee will be waived. Full disclosure: I will receive a $25 credit if you sign up using my link. Once you sign up and order a box from Stitch Fix you will receive a referral link of your very own!

Subscription Box Therapy: Stitch Fix #4

Since I was only able to keep two items from my last Stitch Fix, I ordered another box straight away. Note: I did receive the red top from Fix #2 in a size that fits me on the third try. Yay! 

I opened the box and the first thing I spotted was the shoe bag. Yay shoes! I then peeked at my fashion burrito and spied some fun spring colors. Hooray! Spring has arrived… well, to my closet at least. Here in Colorado it can’t really decide – we had snow again this past week. Snow! But over the weekend it supposed to be in the 70s. Insert dramatic sigh. Colorado. Shake head. 

Moving on. I opened my shoe bag first, because shoes. I found these red sandals that I had pinned on Pinterest and they fit perfectly. I only wish they were a little less orange-red and little more red-red. But they will go nicely with what I have in my closet – and hopefully what is yet to be added to my wardrobe. 

 

Laina Braided Sandal by Report Footwear

The next item was the grey knit top. There is nothing special about this top, it is nice neutral basic, the only downside is that it is a bit itchy. I hope that once it is washed, some fabric softener will release this shirt’s inner softness goddess.  

Acelyn V-Neck Linen Blend Knit Top by Market & Spruce

The next item was the navy blue and white stripped top. The cuffs are bright, neon orange. I love the pop of color and this shirt is so super soft. My Stylist saw that I had pinned some stripped tops on Pinterest and decided to send me this one. I love it. 

Lucas Cuff Sleeve Knit Top by Papermoon

The next thing I pulled out was the orchid cardigan. Yes, it is a beautiful shade of orchid, like a dusty orchid the photo does not do it justice. The invoice calls the color light purple, but it really isn’t – my aunt and I pulled out my crayon box and, according to Crayola, it is orchid. The fit and cut are perfect. Unfortunately, I just discovered it needs to be dry cleaned. Boo! 

Claudine Cardigan by Pink Clover

The last item was the pair of white jeans. This is an item I had requested from my Stylist. She couldn’t find anything in my size for my last Fix, but this time around she managed to snag this pair for me. My heart sank when I saw that they were skinny jeans. Ahhhh, scary! I’ve seen many people try on white skinny jeans on their Stitch Fix unboxing videos and most are in agreement that white skinny jeans are pretty unforgiving – as in they show everything, every bump and imperfection. As well as about half of them seem to be more than a tad see through. But again, being the good little Stitch Fixer that I am I needed to try them on. I needed to get a workout in anyway, why not burn some calories trying to pull on some skinny jeans right? Once again, Stitch Fix proves they are the masters of finding the perfect fitting jeans. My stylist sent a larger size than I needed, so they are not skin tight, nor are they too baggy. They do not fit me like skinny jeans = yay! They are also not see through = yay! They are the right length for my short little legs = yay! They are mine = yay! I cannot believe I own and am happy to wear white skinny jeans.  

Kay Skinny Jean by Liverpool

I kept every single item in this box and therefore I received the 25% discount. I wasn’t all that keen on the grey top, but it was cheaper for me to keep all 5 items with the discount rather than paying for just the other 4 at full price. 

Once again, Stitch Fix has saved me the time, energy, and frustration of having to go out shopping for clothes. In the world of Pompe Disease, energy saving items and services are gold. 

If you are interested in trying Stitch Fix risk free – as in no styling fee for your first box: You can use my link here and your first $20 styling fee will be waived. Full disclosure: I will receive a $25 credit if you sign up using my link. Once you sign up and order a box from Stitch Fix you will receive a referral link of your very own!

Subscription Box Therapy: My Aunt’s Stitch Fix #1

Based on the success of my Stitch Fix experience, my aunt decided to give the service a try. She also hates to shop and has a difficult time finding items that fit properly. We are similar in size, so if they can fit me, they should be able to fit her as well. 

She filled out her Style Profile and, like me was very specific about her likes and dislikes as well as her sizes and price range. Her box arrived and we were all excited to see what was inside. My cousin and her husband even came over for the fashion show. 

She opened her box and pulled out her fashion burrito. I was tad envious that she received what looked like brighter spring colors than I had in my last Fix. 

 

My envy was short lived. Two of the items she pulled out were tank tops. She specifically said she didn’t want tank tops, she wanted her arms and shoulders covered. So right out the box we knew those two items were going back. But just like me, she knew she needed to try everything on in order to give accurate feedback. 

First up was the grey lace up sleeve knit top. She really liked the lace up detail on the sleeves. However, we are going into spring (or at least trying to) and this is a sweater. She doesn’t really wear pull over sweaters either. The sleeves were way too long, and the v-neck was way too low. Plus the color washed her out a bit.

Next was the printed navy blue straight leg pant. And I use the word pant lightly. These “pants” suffer from some sort of identity crisis. They can’t decide if they want to be leggings or pants. They are thick, way too thick for spring and summer – yet her stylist suggested they would be perfect for a warm evening out. They had this zig zag design in the fabric they made them feel almost quilted. She tried them on, and they technically almost fit her. The material was very odd, and not practical at all. She sat down, then stood up, and the legs of the “pants” were bunched up around her thighs and knees. Not attractive, not practical.  

Next up was the burgundy knit pullover. Another pull over sweater that she won’t wear. She did like the color of this, but again – we are heading into spring and summer and she doesn’t need a sweater. This was ginormous on her. It went down to her knees and the sleeves fell about 4 inches below her hands. She looked like a little girl wearing daddy’s sweater. 

And now we get to the tank top portion of our review and first up was the white crochet detailed top. This was also super huge on her. She put in her correct sizes and these were labeled correctly (we assume), but nothing was fitting right. This tank came with camisole since it was so see through, but the cami was super tight fitting and didn’t breathe. It was like the two pieces that were supposed to go together we two entirely different sizes. 

And finally, I have left the best (or worst) piece for last. The green keyhole blouse. Unless my aunt is leading a double life as a nursing mother who goes out clubbing, I don’t know why she was sent this item. She did like the color. The end. But seriously, it is a tank top and it was also too big, but not as big as some of the other items she received. There hem hung funny on the front. And the pièce de résistance…. the entire front section is an overlap with nothing holding it together in the middle! She could flash everyone without even trying. 

My aunt’s first Stitch Fix experience was pretty much the opposite of mine. Plus, she was charged the $20 styling fee which was supposed to be waived because she used my link. Customer Service took care of that and waived her next two styling fees for the inconvenience. 

If you are interested in trying Stitch Fix risk free – as in no styling fee for your first box: You can use my link here and your first $20 styling fee will be waived. Full disclosure: I will receive a $25 credit if you sign up using my link. Once you sign up and order a box from Stitch Fix you will receive a referral link of your very own!

Subscription Box Therapy: Stitch Fix #3

My third Stitch Fix arrived and once again I was on the hunt for spring colors. When I saw the bright colors folded up in my fashion burrito I was super excited. Sadly, not all of the items fit and they didn’t have smaller sizes available for me to exchange all of them. I was able to keep two of the items and I am working with Customer Service to get one of the items in a size that fits. Since I had to send items back (for the first time) I forgot to take photos. So you’ll have to settle for the images from my style card. 

The first item I pulled out was the white and raspberry striped cardigan. I loved it! It was soft and I loved the colors. Unfortunately this was one of the items that did not fit me. It was just way too big and looked rather silly on me. 

The next item I pulled out was the floral print blouse. I just about gagged. I do not care for floral prints. However, as I’ve learned from past boxes and viewing several try on videos I tried on the hideous floral print blouse so I could give proper feedback on why I hated it. Guess what? I loved it on! I loved the cut and the color – the background is a beautiful mint green. And that dreaded floral pattern? Well, it is more of a friendly daisy print. And it fit. Keeper! This is why you really must try everything on. Something you hate (as I did) out of the box you may love once you put it on. This one of the reasons I like using Stitch Fix, someone else is picking things out for me. Things I would never have looked twice at in the store or online. I wore this blouse out a few days later to a family dinner. 

The next thing I pulled out was the red cold shoulder top. Red is supposed to be one of the hot spring colors this season, and it is a color I can wear. I had pinned a couple of red tops on Pinterest and my Stylist sent me this one. It is much cuter than the ones I had pinned. Unfortunately, it was also too big. This was the item I worked with Customer Service on. They sent me a smaller size, but that one was still too big. So back it went and a smaller size was sent to me. Third time’s the charm for for a proper fit. I just love the cute neckline detail of this top. 

The next item I pulled out was the grey and white stripped tank top. I am not all that fond of tank tops and had asked my Stylist to hold off on sending them. I just don’t like having to make sure I have a cardigan or wrap with me whenever I wear something like this. However, this was a more casual tank top made from a nice soft stretch material. The stripes have a neat, but subtle zig zag design to them where the colors meet. And there is a cute little keyhole detail with silver button on the back. This again, was way too big for me and they didn’t have available in a smaller size. 

The last item I pulled out was the girlfriend jeans. I had asked my stylists for another pair of jeans and she picked these. They are so comfortable, more comfortable than the jean from my 1st Fix – and those were (and still are) very comfortable. I like that these are a more casual style of jeans. And once again, they fit perfectly. 

I have already received and tried on my 4th Stitch Fix and will be posting about that as soon as I can. My aunt also received her 1st and 2nd Fixes and has granted me permission to write about her experience. 

If you are interested in trying Stitch Fix risk free – as in no styling free for your first box: You can use my link here and your first $20 styling fee will be waived. Full disclosure, I will receive a $25 credit if you sign up using my link. Once you sign up and order a box from Stitch Fix you will receive a referral link of your very own! 

Subscription Box Therapy: The Wallflower Box #2

My second Wallflower Box was as delightful as my first. You can read my previous review here. 

Once again the box started with an “Introvert Insights” card written by Professional Counselor and The Wallflower Box Co-Founder Chelsey Brooke. Although they don’t really theme their boxes from month to month, most of the items tend to complement each other. Other items are just lovely additions intended to make your alone time more pleasant. Several of the items in this month’s box seemed to be aimed at boosting your self-confidence.

*Spoilers*

Three beauty items were included in this month’s box. Vegan Face & Body Mud Masque by Dia Naturals. You mix this with with either water or milk depending on your skin type. Vegan Cafe Creme Eye Shadow by The Great Mother’s. A nice neutral color that should look nice on anyone.  Orglamix Natural Coconut Melt. This smells so yummy, and is excellent for hydration. My dry Coloradan skin loves to drink this stuff up. 

Rose Flower Ankle Socks, these are not really my style (floral prints are not really my friend), but they are a nice quality pair of socks. Chocolate Covered Pretzels. You had me at chocolate – ok, well it’s only milk chocolate. If you want to really win me over, then dark chocolate is the way to my introverted heart. 

Black Lantern and Tea Candles. I love this! I absolutely love this! I like to place it on my window sill in my book nook while I’m reading. Speaking of reading… this month’s book was The Irresistible Introvert by Michaela Chung.

For me, The Wallflower Box is a perfect fit. I have enjoyed almost all of the items and especially appreciate the books. However, if books about being an introvert aren’t your thing, The Wallflower Box now offers two types of boxes, one with a book or journal and one without. 

You can sign up for The Wallflower Box over at Cratejoy.

Subscription Box Therapy: Stitch Fix #2

I was thrilled with my first Stitch Fix and immediately scheduled another Fix. I eagerly awaited my delivery and couldn’t wait to unbox all the beautiful spring colors I had requested. 

Here is what my burrito bundle looked like:

Those are some pretty awesome spring colors and patterns peeking out right? Sigh. Is black the new spring color and I just didn’t get the memo? 

Three black items, one grey, and one blue. 

Other than the color palette, my stylist did read my comments and sent me items that fit well and addressed some of my concerns from the last Fix. For example the last sleeveless top she sent me was made from a material that did not stretch, making it a little bit of a challenge to remove with my Pompe arms. So, the tank she sent me in this Fix was made from a material that had much more stretch and was so much easier to work with. However it is black, with some sparkly stuff around the neck. As soon as I pulled it out, I knew I wouldn’t like it. I was wrong. 

Reeny Embellished Split Neck Knit Top by 41 Hawthorn

I don’t absolutely love it, but paired with the cardigan it makes for a very nice look. Not the bright spring look I was hoping for, but this will look nice for an evening out. 

You really have to try everything on. Items you may not like out of the box or in a photo, you may end up loving when you try them on. On the flip side, you may adore an item, but then when you put it on you’re not so thrilled with it. 

I did ask for another cardigan, but I was hoping for a more spring like color. However, I do love this cardigan and it is a different style than the one from my last Fix. This one has pockets!

Martina Slub Knit Open Cardigan by Mix by 41 Hawthorn

I also asked for a pair of grey or tan trousers and my stylist sent a very nice pair that are comfortable and that I can use year round. 

Garth Straight Leg Trouser Pant by Liverpool

This top is the only semi-spring item that was included – and I do love it. It is so soft and the buttons down the back are a nice touch. 

Taranto Button Back Knit Top by Laila Jayde (Front)

Taranto Button Back Knit Top by Laila Jayde (Back)

And the final piece was a bit odd. It is a black hooded top. Again, hello spring?? It is super lightweight and you do have to wear something under it, otherwise it is fairly transparent. It reminds me of the hoodies my friends and I would take to the beach in California. You’d throw one of these on once the sun went down and you were sitting around a bonfire. I wish it had been almost any color other than black. It also has to be dry cleaned. That is my fault, I should have put a note in my style profile about not wanting anything that needed to be dry cleaned. 

Raza Hooded Knit Top by Honey Punch

While I did, for the most part, like everything in this Fix – it was not as good as my first one. There is nothing I really hated and I will use everything in it and often – but can a girl get some pinks, greens, red, blues, white, tans – anything but more black? Ok – yes, it did snow here a few days ago because – Colorado. But it is April, I am told they get sun and their version of “warmth” here. I’d like some fun spring colors to wear under my parka please. 

I’ve ordered my next Fix and asked once again for some spring colored items. I will let you know how that one goes. 

If you are interested in trying Stitch Fix, there is more information on how it works on my previous post . 

Also, if you’re ready to take the leap and would like to try Stitch Fix without the styling fee, you can use my link here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Subscription Box Therapy: Scribbler

The Scribbler subscription box was created for writers, by writers – specifically two published novelists. Scribbler is new to the subscription box scene and they made a grand entrance with their Emotional Touchpoints themed box. 

From their website: “Scribbler is committed to helping writers improve their craft and reach their publishing goals, month after month.” 

Think of this subscription box as a tool box for writers, it is filled with helpful tips, in-depth guidance, and encouragement. And oh yes, one of my favorite things to find in a subscription box – a book!

Their spoiler card only lists 4 of the items included in the box, but there is so much more. Their website states that each box will contain: A monthly writing theme, a new release fiction novel, a collectible ‘writing passport’ from the featured author, curated writerly gifts, and in invitation to communicate with a publishing professional. 

I just love this box! I usually attend a couple of ComicCons a year, but this past year has been anything but normal so I haven’t been to a Con in over a year. Whenever I attend, I try to attend all the writing and publishing panels to learn as much as I can about the industry. Well, this box delivers a lot of the same wisdom – right to my door! 

Let’s get into the good stuff, as in what was included in their debut box…..

*Spoilers*

A note from curators Victoria Scott and Lindsey Cummings.

 

Highlighters. I adore these cute little highlighters, and for every purchase an item will be donated to a classroom in need. I just love that. 

Typewriter Stickers. These are a great motivational tool to set and reach your word count goals with.

Writer Decal. What a fun decal. Will it end up on my computer, notebook, or my scooter battery? Clearly I need more of these. 

Motivational Print. Can you read this without singing?

Writing Passport: Emotional Touchpoints. This little booklet is jam packed with advice and lessons from author Brigid Kemmerer.

Invitation to Chat with a Literary Agent. They call this Writer Gold for a reason! As part of your subscription you will gain access to a publishing professional. This month’s guest is a Literary Agent who will be chatting with us via a private Skype session. What an amazing opportunity! 

A Pencil Case. Complete with a quote from Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Mass. 

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A Hardback Copy of More Than We Can Tell  by Brigid Kemmerer.

Plus – a signed book plate and bookmark from Brigid Kemmerer as well as a More Than We Can Tell temporary tattoo. So many bookish goodies from Brigid Kemmerer! 

This book sounds most intriguing. It is going to the very top of my to be read pile. 

Here is the synopsis from the inside cover:

Rev has managed to keep the demons of his past at bay… until he gets a letter from the abusive father he hasn’t seen in years, and the trauma of his childhood comes hurtling back.

Emma has only one escape from her parents’ fighting: the computer game she built from scratch… until an online troll’s harassment causes her to fear for her safety.

When Rev and Emma cross paths one night, they’re both longing to confide in someone – to share the weight of their worries. They connect instantly and deeply, vowing to help each other no matter what. But soon Rev’s and Emma’s secrets threaten to crush them, and they’ll need more than a promise to find their way out. 

Visit Cratejoy to sign up for Scribbler. April’s theme will be POV. 

Subscription Box Therapy: J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World

J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World from Loot Crate is delivered every other month. This month’s theme was Enchanting Essentials.

This box arrived packed with six magical items and 5 of them were exclusive. For a moment I thought the box was really Hermione’s beaded bag complete with an undetectable extension charm.

*Spoilers*

Hogwarts Crest T-Shirt. This shirt is 60% cotton and 40% polyester. It is not all that soft, but perhaps after it has been washed it will soften up. I really like the subtle colors of this shirt because I have a number of Harry Potter shirts that are pretty colorful. 

New Scamander Scrapbook. This is an amazing book and it really is a scrapbook! Newt Scamander, a Movie Scrapbook was written by Rick Barba. It is filled with photos from the film, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, as well as replica paper props. It is presented in a fun and interactive way. This is not something I would purchase for myself, but I am sure glad it was included in my subscription box. 

4-Pack of Wizarding Journals. These are the perfect sized notebooks to take with you anywhere – even if you don’t have Hermione’s bag. They are all lined and contain 50 pages each. 

Double-Sided Wizardy Sign. This might be my favorite item in the box, or quite possibly my favorite item I’ve ever received from Loot Crate. 

Hogwarts House Magnet. Each person receives the crest that corresponds to their house. As always, I am a Slytherin. 

Patronus Lapel Pin. This month they’ve taken a break from the Horcrux pins and included this doe Patronus pin, the same Patronus as Lily Potter and Severus Snape  – and yours truly! Yes, according to Pottermore my Patronus is also a doe. 

May’s theme will be Hogwarts House Pride 2018. Head over to Loot Crate’s site to check it out and sign up.

Subscription Box Therapy: Game of Thrones from CultureFly

The theme of this box was The Noble Houses of Westeros. As it turns out, this was the winter 2017 box – that yes, arrived in March 2018. I did receive 50% off the box, but I didn’t realize I was ordering the older box. I had already watched a few unboxing videos of this box and CultureFly has photos of all the items on their website – so there was no surprise element to this for me when I opened it. This is a quarterly subscription box.

According to CultureFly’s website The Game of Thrones Box contains over $100 worth of officially licensed and exclusive items. Officially licensed I can get behind, but over $100 worth? I am skeptical seeing as everything was made in China. I used to work in China, I know just how little these things cost to make. 

Here is what was in the box:

 

Allover Printed House Sigils T-Shirt. This shirt is incredibly soft, it is 60% cotton and 40% polyester. I really like it. I used it for the backdrop in most of the photos. 

Sigil Stamp Set with Inkpad. This product is of pretty decent quality. I might be one of the few people who get some use out of this since I do use stamps and wax seals on occasion. 

 

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House Stark: Jon Snow’s Direwolf Ghost Vinyl Figure and The North Remembers Notepad. The Ghost figure is nicely done and is pretty good likeness, I think I will keep it in the box because without the box he is pretty bland. The notepad is fairly low quality. It looks nice, but the pieces of paper are super thin so when you try to tear off the top sheet it basically rips that one and the one beneath it. It may be trying to be a sticky pad, but it doesn’t stick too well. 

House Targaryen: Reusable Dragon Sigil Hand Warmer. This is reusable, but high maintenance. You have to place it in boiling water to dissolve the crystals each time you want to reuse it. 

House Baratheon: Drinking Horn with Stag Sigil Stand. This might be ok for cosplay, or even on display. It is almost entirely made of plastic except for the rim and the hooks used to attach the clips. 

House Lannister: Jaime’s Golden Hand Silicone Glove. This is very detailed and seems pretty sturdy, although it is most certainly yellow and not gold. It is right handed (as it should be), and I am left handed so I won’t really get much use out of it. Maybe my right handed GOTs loving cousin will adopt it. House Greyjoy: Oversized Enamel Pin. Yes, this is most definitely an oversized pin. There are actually three pins on the back of it. For its size it is surprisingly not too heavy. The box says it is a subscriber exclusive, 1 of 4. 

House Tyrell: Ceramic Planter. This can obviously be used for more than a planter, holding pens and pencils for example. If my plant from my Wallflower Box survives and thrives I may transfer it to this. 

All in all, I wasn’t thrilled with my Game of Thrones box and am very happy I didn’t pay full price for it.  I believe this was their first box, so I can allow a little forgiveness for the learning curve. It was a nice attempt, everything in the box looked nice, but the quality of some of the items should have been better. 

CultureFly offers several different fandom boxes. In addition to Game of Thrones they offer Supernatural, World’s Finest Collection (DC Comics), Jay and Silent Bob, The Nick Box (Nickelodeon), Pusheen Box, Animal Jam, Shopkins Direct, and Despicable Box.