🌼5, 10, 25 Minute Video Recommendations🌼

 

Hey y'all! 💓 Like I mentioned in my previous post, I'm currently stuck at home so to pass the time I've watched a bunch of videos. There's no shortage of bad news, bad takes, or bigotry and while I'm not against facing reality, I'd be lying if I said that being constantly exposed to that type of media didn't impact me. I'm not here to wag my finger in anyone's face on what they're consuming but I know I need to step away from it every now and then to indulge in some feel-good stories instead. For those who can relate, I wanted to share a five, ten, and fifteen-minute pick-me-up that can be viewed at any time of the day when your schedules allow for it for when you need a burst of energy 😊

Five-Minute Short: Strawberries Will Save The World

Directed by Yoko Okumura, Strawberries Will Save the World is a love letter to her mother, Yuko Okumura, and her fascination with strawberries. Mrs. Okumura opens up on why she loves the little red fruit, how they bring her joy, the passionate communities that share her enthusiasm, and how she believes that the happiness a strawberry can deliver is enough to save the world. From the sound design, animation, music, and overall presentation, Yoko's warmth and affection for her mother are always present. And the energy radiating from Mrs. Okumura is endearing and contagious. This short documentary is an absolute favorite of mine and never fails to make me smile. I hope it brings you as much delight as it's given me 🌟

Here's a screenshot of Mrs. Okumura responding to a tweet I posted wishing her well! I was thrilled by the interaction!!🍓✨ Yoko Okumura has other projects available on Vimeo as well. Please show support for her and her work! 🦋

Ten-Minute Video: Bidoof's Big Stand

This adorable short follows the little bidoof-that-could as she tries to figure out her place in the world. After seeing a trainer bond with their lucario, the bidoof is determined to embark on a journey with them. The trainer accepts but initially fails to see the bidoof's worth and relegates her as a tm-machine instead. The animation rivals Pixar in its score, dynamic gestures, and expressions, and the style was a refreshing change from the aesthetics of the anime series and its movies. I'm excited to see if the Pokemon Company will produce more shorts in this manner but if not - this was a fun little treat!

Twenty-Five Minute Episode: Gokinjo Monogatari 

ご近所物語
(Gokinjo Monogatari/Neighborhood Story)
50 episodes
PG-13

Before the Black Stones and "Lonely in Gorgeous", Ai Yazawa was already a prolific figure in the world of shoujo manga throughout the nineties - Gokinjo Monogatari (Neighborhood Story) being one of her most famous series which was later adapted into an anime due to popular demand. The series features Mikako Kouda, a sixteen-year-old fashion student, and her journey toward fulfilling her ambitions of creating a notable clothing brand. We follow Mikako as she encounters romance for the first time while going on fun adventures with friends. Negative reviews on the series comment how Neighborhood Story is not like Nana or Paradise Kiss and they're right. This series was intended to be a lite slice of life story geared towards preteens and young teenagers meaning that the drama in Yazawa's other works is absent. I love the series mentioned earlier but it really is nice to sit down and watch a cozy show where my favorite characters aren't depressed, or constantly self-harming through the poor choices they make throughout the chronology. Neighborhood Story is ideal if you want a good laugh and appreciate the fashion statements made throughout the episodes

I hope y'all enjoyed the video and/or series recommendations! I would love to hear if anyone has any suggestions of their own 😊 Thanks again for visiting, I'll see you soon 💖 Teapearls signing off ✌⭐

🌸24/01/2023 Life Update🌸

Good evening lovelies! 🌙 A recovering Teapearls reporting. I hope everyone is doing well 🌟 This week has been exhausting for me;; I had minor foot surgery and need to take some prescriptions for other conditions I'm currently experiencing so needless to say I'm out of commission for the time being and on strict bed rest. I'm very blessed that my friends and my sister have taken the time to call and message me to check on my well-being which has uplifted my spirits tremendously. Since I'm stuck at home I'll probably be posting more frequently until I'm able to resume my normal schedule.

Always wishing for everyone's abundance, health, and peace 💘 Teapearls signing out ✌ I'll see y'all soon! Sweet dreams 💕🌃

💅ICING Press-on Nails Review💅

Hey again! I hope this post finds everyone well! ✨ I will be reviewing a set of press-on nails by ICING. Around Christmas, they were having a huge blowout sale on all merchandise so I took advantage of it and ended up with a mini haul of different nail sets but today I'll be focusing on the Red and Black Plaid Vegan Faux Nail set.

Original retail price: $12.99
The set comes with twenty-four nails and nail glue. The website says it also comes with a nail applicator - which the one I bought in-store didn't, however, the only review on the page claims they didn't receive one when purchasing online either.

Off the bat, I was immediately unimpressed with the quality of the nails. They're very thin and their shape isn't pristine either. Additionally, the designs printed on the nails were of unsatisfactory quality. I was surprised to see that they're being promoted as stilettos on the website when their length isn't long enough and instead pass off as medium-length almonds. Another drawback is how there seems to be a random amount of nails for each pattern. As in, there were maybe nine nails of the plaid design, seven of the glitter ombré and the rest being either solid red or black - and they were all different sizes so if you needed a replacement for when one falls off it's unlikely that you're going to have one of that particular design. Unfortunately, I didn't document how the nails looked out of the pack or freshly pressed on. I promise this won't happen again since I really wasn't planning on even creating a blog let alone making a review about them on one.

The application process was so annoying! The glue that comes with the set is difficult to squeeze and as you can imagine it becomes more and more difficult the more nails you have glued on. It also isn't as tacky as my KISS Powerflex Glue which is another major flaw since the nails will want to slide off even as you're applying pressure for them to glue. I'm not sure if it's from the quality of the plastic or if it's because they are so thin but the top side of the nails really likes to stick to the oils on your finger more than the bottom likes the glue so you have to be really careful. This is irritating especially if you need to reglue a fallen nail or replace it on the fly.

I know press-ons are only meant to last two weeks but these only wanted to last one with a fight. I'm aware that I use my hands a lot - I bake, I'm responsible for keeping the house clean and tidy, and I participate in art projects, yet, I feel like these results are still upsetting considering how other faux nail sets have lasted me for up to three weeks without any nails falling off despite my schedule. More than five of the ten nails I originally put on fell out but as mentioned earlier, the set only brings a few replacement pieces.  

On top of that, the plaid-designed nails are starting to fade out and it hasn't even been two weeks. Very disappointing.

Packaging: ★✰✰✰✰

Nothing special to be honest. The packaging inside isn't enclosed so if the outer cardboard box is damaged or shaken, the nails inside can slide out of the display case. 

Price: ★✰✰✰✰

I don't recommend buying this set at full price. I don't mind taking the L when buying it at around three dollars. If you're looking for a cheap set, the KISS Jelly Fantasy Nail Set is fabulous. For four dollars less than ICING's original price, the KISS set comes with adhesive tabs, superior nail glue, and better-lasting results. I'm sure there are other affordable alternatives so why bother with this product IMO

Sizing: ★★✰✰✰

I can't even share what exact sizes come in the pack as there are no sizing indications on the nails. If you have extensive nail beds I don't think these will fit or that you'll have enough for both hands which is unfortunate. 

Overall Rating: ★✰✰✰✰

While the designs are cute they don't even last. The application is a hassle, and the nails don't stay on either. The only way I could endorse this product was if you needed to be presentable at a moment's notice for a date or party and the mall only had these in stock. 

I hope this review was helpful! 🌺 Let me know what you think or if there are any other press-on alternatives you recommend!! ✨

Thanks for reading! 💓 I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their day!! 🌟

🛑I'm Complaining!!🛑

Hey lovelies! I have no idea how to politely transition into this topic so I'll get right to it: I’m fed up with Twitter! In my previous post I alluded that I'm eager to find a new virtual space away from popular social media sites and a big contributor to that is how they've failed to make me feel safe. Especially Twitter!! As of recent, Twitter has been under a hot spotlight since Emerald Apartheid officially acquired it last October. From security breaches, and mass layoffs, to Elote Microplastics using the platform to silence journalists investigating him - it's such a mess. But to be honest issues on the site have been prevalent before all that. After organizing my thoughts on the matter, I'm going to highlight some of the safety concerns I’ve come across throughout the years.

Poor Blocking Mechanism

My favorite feature on the site is the block button. I’m very intolerant of nonsense, from bad and tired jokes or memes to bigotry - I don’t want to see it! Yet Twitter still exposes me to users I’ve blocked and muted. The site does implement warnings on posts to say “this tweet is from an account you blocked/contains a word you’ve muted” which is cute but I find it unsatisfactory. Even if additional details were added like who the tweet is coming from, I ultimately would prefer if the blocked user or any of their other accounts never presented themselves to me ever again.

Like I said earlier, an attempt is being made but if conversations and replies surrounding "greyed out" posts are trending or littering a user's timeline, they'll feel inclined to view it. It would be best if blocked users are completely filtered out in a similar manner to how Instagram implements restrictions.

Another major flaw with the blocking feature is how Twitter allows users to continue to view and interact with the profiles they’ve blocked. It opens another can of worms: one-sided interactions. When a person is blocked, the "blockee" no longer has access to that user's tweets. This means the blocker can continue to bully or attack the blockee without the latter being aware of it. A similar dilemma occurs when a private account quotes tweets (QTs) from a public post. While it might not seem like a big deal for someone to be unaware that a bunch of strangers are talking about them behind their back - the comments made against them can lead to a dogpile.

What’s also disappointing is that Twitter will penalize you for blocking too many accounts. When someone blocks multiple users at once, Twitter will deny the transaction and limit your notifications. I understand that Twitter is weary of bots but these measures prevent users from having the option to minimize the content and users they don't want to be exposed to.

Substandard Reporting Management

Despite Twitter claiming they’re dedicated to ensuring the safety of its users they fail to adequately enforce penalties against those who violate rules and policies. I’m unsure if there is a dedicated group of people who revise reports or if they’re handed off to an AI but the results are very poor IMO. While I'm impressed by the new report menu, it ultimately feels like a shiny feature that gives the illusion of progress. In my experience, very rarely do my reports on harassment/misleading information/graphic violence go through, and when they do, the account will only be revoked basic functions until they delete the reported posts and nothing more.

This is an update I received after reporting a user for engaging in targeted ableist harassment against others. Slurs were used and threats were made. Both of these actions directly violate Twitter's policy on hateful conduct yet this user is able to keep their account. Forcing a repeated offender to delete three tweets won't discourage them from continuing their behavior 🙄

The most egregious offense I’ve reported on Twitter was an instance where two users were signaling to their followers that they were willing to share revenge porn at anyone's request through their DMs. For this difficult situation, I went on Twitter’s abuse webpage - which provides detailed forms for users to fill out for offenses like this one. I never received an update on the matter and neither user seemingly faced any consequence over it. This feels especially frustrating as accounts that are on the receiving end of hateful conduct are the ones being suspended.

"I literally have screenshots of you sending PRIVATE pictures . . . if anyone wants, just dm me."

A screenshot of "Person B" threatening to distribute screenshots containing private photos of "Person C" without their consent at the request of "Person A" (not featured.) Revenge porn is not only a crime on its own but this exchange is also legally classified as a form of cyber sexual harassment and blackmail. All offenses are prohibited by law in the states all parties reside/d in while also violating Twitter's non-consensual nudity policy.

While I have other concerns, these issues add some of the heaviest rain on my cloud. The only reason why I haven’t deactivated yet is that Twitter can be a wonderful tool to connect with others and follow trends. I'll really miss my oomfies and the content they upload and share 💔 But I just don’t think the frustrations are worth it anymore. I refuse to be upset and distressed while on my own phone! 

I sincerely hope those who stay on the site are safe from virtual attacks or bullying and can continue enjoying the best features Twitter can offer.

I don't want to exert too much energy in creating blog entries dedicated to ranting so these definitely won't be a regular occurrence. Teapearls signing off! ✌️✨ I hope you all enjoy the rest of your day! I'll see y'all l8er 💘🌟

💕Entering My Blogger Era💕

 

Hey lovelies! ⭐ After searching for new ways to remain online outside of Twitter, I was inspired to create a Blogspot after coming across PochaBoom's blog! I have a Tumblr but I never felt like I could be personal on there and instead use it to create vision boards so I'm excited to settle into this cozy corner on this side of the internet. 

I don't have any particular aspirations for this blog, but I'm excited either way! What I do know is that I really want to use this site regularly and would love to make new friends along the way ✨ 

Thank you for taking the time to visit me!🌙💘 I hope everyone has sweet dreams!