Category / About Me

by Lexine

40 Of My Favorite Things: #27

The works of Jackie Collins!

Dangerous Kiss started it all. The book led me to Lucky, and I’ve been hooked on her books ever since. Even if JC was still alive, she would never know I exist, but I still want to thank her for her creativity, her drive to write smart and fierce female protagonists, not romanticizing abuse/DV, all the wild people/celebs she knew in real life (which she would write about in her stories, albeit with many things changed), and for Lucky Santangelo, my literary heroine! 

Happy posthumous birthday to Jackie. Still miss her. ❤️

 

by Lexine

40 Of My Favorite Things: #28

Hockey!

I’ve enjoyed the sport for 15 years and counting, and if you’d like to know why I got into it, blame the Pittsburgh Penguins.

During the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs, I made an unserious $10 bet with my then-friends that the Penguins would win the Cup that year. The bet was made during the Eastern Finals, and I had been impressed with them after seeing them play for the first time against the Capitals in the Semifinals. (I had no clue how legendary that series would become over time. What an intro to hockey for me!)  After Game 5 of the Finals, I thought I would lose my $10 for good. All my other friends placed bets on the Red Wings to win, so during that Game 7, I was feeling both good and nervous. After that Game 7, I became $50 richer. 😊(And to think I was close on betting on the Sharks that year. They had the best record in the league but got bounced in the first round, proving the Presidents Trophy winner curse real again.)

I’ve stuck with the Pens since 2009; they’d become quite the winning team since then, with the exception of the last few years. Although the Sharks are second–you best believe I got FED during the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals. I’ve also enjoyed non-NHL games, such as the IIHF World Juniors and Winter Olympic hockey. Tomorrow marks the start of the NHL season and yours truly will be seated for it!

by Lexine

40 Of My Favorite Things: #30

The month of October! 

Out of all the months in the year, October is the best-ever month. Bay Area weather is near-perfect, Halloween at the end, holiday gifts and decorations hitting the shelves, the start of the NHL and NBA seasons, playoff baseball and the WNBA Playoffs, pumpkin spice everything, and the national holiday that is my birthday!!!! 

(PS: I’m very aware that song has nothing to do with the month of October but I still like to play it at the start of the best-ever month!) 

by Lexine

40 Of My Favorite Things: #31

Having a place all to myself!

(Pictured: NOT my apartment. My unit doesn’t have a dishwasher.)

This may be embarrassing to admit, but to put this fave in perspective: the time I’ve spent living with either family members or roommates has been longer than the time I’ve lived on my own. It’s tough to get an affordable place on your own, let alone in the area where I live (East Bay Area), so I REJOICED when I found out I got an apartment five years ago. (Praise affordable housing!) My space may be a small studio apartment, but I have it all to myself and the rent is decent, given where I live and that I’m also on the top floor where I get some lovely views of Mt. Diablo. Best of all, no more having to put up with other people’s crap, whether it’s them playing the TV so loud in their room or taking their sweet-ass time in the shared bathroom.

by Lexine

40 Of My Favorite Things: #32

Lounge/”Naked” Music!

After a Saturday night party, we chill on Sunday. These are the tunes I listen to when I want to unwind or sleep. For those wondering what “Naked” Music is, it’s basically chill-out music from the late 90s/early-mid 2000s. And it’s free of things like autotune, anger, and artificial lyrics. 

by Lexine

40 Of My Favorite Things: #33

90s Dance/House Megamixes! It’s Saturday night, so let’s party.

I touched on this in an old entry, and if you’re wondering why I’d rather rave at home instead of a club these days, it’s because of these hours-long mixes of 90s dance/house/rave music. There’s something to that era of dance music (mid-late 90s) that always hooks me in. It’s probably because when that music was happening, life seemed to be more socio-politically sane. The Gen Xers that were partying to all that were partying–no cell phones, no social media, and no taking selfies of yourself every other minute (because cameras were bulky back then). There was also no pandemic and the fashions from that time were lit. I was born a decade late to experience all that in real time (I was a preteen/teen when those mixes played in the clubs), so if you see rave lights coming from my studio apartment on a Saturday night, that’s just me clumsily raving like an X-er to one of those fun megamixes.

by Lexine

40 Of My Favorite Things: #34

Megan Thee Stallion!

No question: Megan is the current Queen of Rap and if you want to argue, argue with the wall. Us Hotties have been FED this year, from the chart-topping “Hiss” and the, ahem, drama that surrounded it (that kept my winter warm 😆) and the fire visuals of her music videos, to her first arena tour that also sold out (I attended two of those dates, TYVM) and Pepsi commercials and hosting the VMAs… and possibly a sequel album to Megan?! It’s truly the Year of Thee Stallion.

by Lexine

40 Of My Favorite Things: #36

Christina Aguilera!

Out of all the modern pop music icons, I feel like Christina is one of the most underappreciated pop icons out there. She gives you voice but can’t crack the Top 100 of a supposed list of Greatest Singers of All-Time. She gives you fashion yet the press labels her “Worst Dressed”. She gives you iconic performance but is snubbed for an act far lesser than hers. She gives you music videos but gets overlooked in favor of others with a videography that is also far lesser than hers. She kissed Madonna but some of you still forget that part. But don’t forget this: Christina remains relevant 25+ years after her start, selling out shows, scoring magazine covers, starting a successful sexual wellness line, doing political PSAs, influencing a new generation of pop girls, and, of course, giving you voice and fashion. (And face!)

Now go listen to her live album on Spotify! The vocals, the emotions…everything is served!