Mackenzie Carose

My Word For 2020

By Mackenzie 2 Comments

As you may know if you have been reading my blog posts long enough, I don’t really do resolutions per se. I am more about changing a behavior or something along that vein. Last year’s word for 2019 was Simplify.

My word for 2020 is Change.

Last year was a hard year for me mentally. I feel like with the new decade right in front of us, I feel the need for a change. Old patterns need to go. The ruts need to beclimbed out of. The  mindset needs to alter.

A shift is happening within me and I am welcoming it.What all of this encompasses, is still part of the road map that I am experimenting with and attempting to figure out. But friends,  I feel lighter somehow. Already. Iconversion from old ways of looking at things to new and improved ways of figuring things out.

I have dreams that are taking shape in my mind, outlines at best, but the picutures are attempting to form. It will require me to get out of my comfort zone, and for once I am okay with that.

I don’t feel any trepidation, just hopefulness.

And that I feel, encompasses change. Don’t you think?

2020 brings the promise of something new, my friends.

Are you more of a goal-setting sort of person, or did you too choose a word to encompass this year?

As The Page Turns: November Edition

By Mackenzie 14 Comments

Let’s get to those book reviews, shall we? 🙂

The Nanny by Gilly MacMillan

So, so good! This mystery about a nanny that disappears one night (or does she?) and is believed to be murdered (or was she?) was just so good, y’all. I could not put it down and it had so many elements of surprise and things turning in ways that you don’t expect. A great read!

Cozy White Cottage by Liz Marie Galvan

I heart Liz Marie. Seriously. I have been following her on Instagram for awhile now and when she announced that she had written a home décor book, I jumped on that and headed to my nearest brick and mortar store and purchased that bad boy. Her style and home are swoon worthy and she is really the sweetest blogger.

The Comforts of Home by Susan Hill

I mentioned on Instagram the other day how much I love this book. Seriously, guys. This is the latest book in the Chief Superintendent Simon Serrailler series and I didn’t feel like I was missing out by not reading any of the proceeding books in this series. You know I love me some British mysteries, and this contemporary novel checked all the appropriate boxes 🙂

A Mind of Your Own by Kelly Brogan

Y’all, I saved the worst for last. I saw this book had been recommended in the “natural healing” communities, and I decided to give it a read. Her being a doctor, I though hey, let’s hear what she has to say about healing your body when you have anxiety and/or depression.

Some points she made were solid such as doctors as a whole aren’t looking at the person they are treating, they are just throwing medication at one’s symptoms and moving on. I also agree that the foods one puts in their body can make a difference in how they feel. And yes, there are other ailments that can mimic depressive symptoms and a person may not have depression per se, but some other illness going on with their body that is causing similar symptoms.

Yessssss, honey. I was like okay, she is getting somewhere with me, but then…

She went on a rant about vaccinations. *sigh*

Are you freaking kidding me? You are a doctor who is ANTI-VAX???

Don’t tell people who are already depressed and are turning to your book for help, THAT MAYBE THAT POLIO VACCINE YOU GOT 30 YEARS AGO IS CONTRIBUTING TO YOU FEELING LIKE CRAP AND FEELING WORTHLESS. No. Just no. I am tired of people likening vaccinations with all that is wrong with the world. People who have never had a vaccination in their entire lives, still get depression. AND THEY DO. It is absolutely irresponsible to say the nonsense that she must’ve thoughtlessly scribbled out on a steno pad to her editor somewhere. For Pete’s sake…

Also, she is anti-antibiotics. *another heavy sigh* I cannot. I seriously cannot. Look, are antibiotics over prescribed in our society? I don’t know, probably. But, ANTIBIOTICS ARE NOT THE DEVIL. Antibiotics and Depression are not off holding hands somewhere, wondering how they can f@#k up your life any more than it already is. I mean, really?? Antibiotics save lives. Let me say it louder for those in the back. ANTIBIOTICS SAVE LIVES. Period. Don’t tell anxious and depressive people that they probably feel the way they do because that bacterial infection that they had that one time, that a doctor prescribed antibiotics for, is probably causing them to currently feel like shit.

And don’t even get me started on the coffee enemas she prescribes to help you get off whatever current anti-depressant you are on. Yes, that’s right. Coffee. Enemas.

This book would be better used as kindling for your fireplace.

That’s all from me. Any great books y’all can recommend?

Doing My Part: Sustainability

By Mackenzie 2 Comments

As I have mentioned previously, the environment and its permeability is something that I do not take lightly. Although it can seem overwhelming to do all the things when it comes to being more environmentally aware, little things can and do really add up! Starting with tiny things you can do and just working on changing your mindset when it comes to products, can have a bigger impact than you think.

Wooden cleaning brushes are so much better for the environment than plastic and polyurethane made dish sponges. This particular one is made from bamboo as is the one in a photo listed below.

Cloth bags to bring to the store should seem second-nature and it can be super frustrating when you realize that you left your bags at home while checking out at the grocery store. I try to remember to bring them back to the car after unloading groceries.

Wood butter is a great way to keep your wooden utensils lasting as long as possible! It is also great for your cutting boards as well 🙂 No one wants cracked wooden utensils that you have to toss because let’s face it, wooden splinters are no bueno 😉 Seriously, my utensils have never looked better!

I don’t know why it took so long for me to say buh-bye to paper towels, but I finally just dove in the deep end and stopped purchasing them. I then picked up what they call “un-paper towels”. They look like wash cloths but they are much thinner, like paper towel thin, and they are 100% cotton. Mine came in a pack of 12 with grey striping around the edges and they are such a great investment! They do the job of regular paper towels but instead of going in the trash, they go right in the washing machine! No more spending money on paper towels 🙂

As an aside, we have a cat. As you may or may not know, cats tend to barf. It is gross and smelly. We have separate heavy duty white cloth towels that we use for cleaning up the cat barf. They are 100% cotton as well and they do the job perfectly.

Any tips for sustainability or living a more green lifestyle that you can share? Let me know! 🙂