1000 Things You Didn't Know About Me

This book is very similar to the 3000 Questions About Me book. It allows someone to get to know you without saying much. I won't list all 1000 questions, but here are some of the questions included

1. When I have free time, I love to

-Read, do jigsaw puzzles, work on paint by number, diamond art, draw, work on my Japanese lessons

2. My biggest weakness is

-Beanie Babies, books, music

3. My favorite type of music is

-Rock, metal, country, pop, punk

4. The most exciting thing that ever happened to me was

-I went to see Judas Priest in 2018 on their Firepower tour. And two of their crew were charging people $20 to get a picture on the motorcycle Rob Halford would ride onto the stage on. They said they are donating the money to research for Parkinson's Disease. Me and my sister happily did this, knowing the money was going to a good cause

5. I am currently working towards

-Losing weight. I have lost 10 pounds of fat but gained a few pounds in muscle. I am fine with losing body fat but gaining muscle weight.  I'm still working on losing weight and trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The managing of stress is a lot harder since I have very little time to do this except for the weekends

6. The one movie I could watch over and over is

-The Living Daylights, License to Kill, Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, What a Girl Wants, The Man with the Golden Gun, too many to list

7. The weirdest thing I do with food is

-Mix corn with mashed potatoes, mix Coke and Sprite together

8. The best song for a sing along is

-Blurry-Puddle of Mudd, Baby Girl-Sugarland, No Excuses-Alice in Chains, Ain't Just the Whiskey Talkin'-Trace Adkins, Riot-Kane Brown, Bury Me in Georgia-Kane Brown, Halfway to Hell-Jelly Roll, Liar-Jelly Roll, Dead Man Walking-Jelly Roll

9. I have a collection of

-Beanie Babies, books, metal pins, CDs, Lego models, jigsaw puzzles

I actually have at least three featured in this photo. The blue jay, the green-headed mallard and the leopard

10. My favorite way to spoil myself is

-Buying a cup of coffee from Dunkin' Donuts every Friday. As a way of celebrating another week done

11. My biggest insecurity is

-My body. I was bullied as a child, by both my father and school classmates. To this day, I still think of myself as unattractive, ignorant and heavyset

12. My dream car is

-1971 Plymouth Barracuda

-1971 Ford Gran Torino

-1970s Dodge Challenger / Charger

13. The most important thing on my bucket list is

-Planning a trip to England, Australia, Japan and Hawaii

14. When life stresses me out, I always

-Work on my Japanese lessons. Paying attention to my lessons takes my mind off stress

15. My favorite sports team is

-Arsenal Gunners

-Tottenham Hotspurs

-Cincinnati Cyclones

-Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 team

-Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team

16. My most complicated relationship was

-My father. He verbally abused me and my sister, put us down, belittled us, made us feel inferior, made us feel that we would never amount to anything. He even told us we would never amount to much

17. If I were to learn another language, it would be

-Japanese. I'm actually in the process of learning

18. My favorite actor is

-Jet Li, Sylvester Stallone, Al Pacino, Hugh Jackman

19. My favorite band is

-Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, too many to list

20. I don't trust myself with

-Being in bookstores / music stores with money

21. The best costume I ever wore was

-My Steampunk costume. I wore it two years ago to work and everyone loved it

22. Sometimes I suffer from

-Anxiety, depression

23. One thing I do for hours is

-Read, do jigsaw puzzles, draw, work on paint by number / diamond art, work on Japanese lessons

24. My favorite trilogy is

-Austin Powers, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, I would say the James Bond series, but that is more than three films

25. The hardest I have ever laughed was when

-I discovered this humorous series of books by a British author named Rob Temple called Very British Problems. I am not quite sure why, but the sarcastic tone he uses in those books ensured I was in tears from laughing so hard. I even bought his Very British Christmas book and nearly laughed myself into an asthma attack. I was laughing so hard I was crying. Some of the things he lists in that series are very relatable, in fact, I've done quite a few before

26. The three words that best describe me are

-Nerd, headbanger / metalhead, bookworm

27. I'm currently saving money for

-A trip to England, Japan, Australia and Hawaii. Not at the same time, of course. Over the course of time I would like to visit all of these places

28. I think tattoos are

-Awesome! I have 9 and am torn between four different ideas for number 10

29. I love the lyrics of the song

-No Excuses: Alice in Chains, Blurry: Puddle of Mudd, Last Resort: Falling in Reverse, Cats in the Cradle: Harry Chapin, Selfish Age: As Lions, Wasted Years: Iron Maiden

30. I'm quietly battling

-Anxiety, occasional bouts of depression

31. My favorite line from a movie is

-Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you are born to stand out?- What a Girl Wants

32. One golden opportunity I missed out on was

-Seeing the band Ghost when they were here in Cincinnati. It was during the week, all of the good seats were already bought and I had no one to go with

33. I love every song on the album by

-Selfish Age: As Lions, Seventh Star: Black Sabbath

34. My favorite role model is

-Queen Elizabeth II. She was elegant, classy and beautiful. Her holiday speeches were inspirational, heartwarming and she made everyone feel that she really cares if they have a good year. And plus I love the fact that she's tough as nails despite appearing as a kindly older woman

35. The best way to get me to open up is

-Talk about music

3000 Questions About Me

This is a book me and my sister found at a local store. It's a sort of "getting to know you" type book. I won't list all 3000 questions. But here are some of the questions listed

1. Choose and defend your position: The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?

-Both. I like both bands. The Rolling Stones are good because their music is edgy and sometimes risque with the lyrics. The Beatles are good because their music has an upbeat melody sure to raise your spirits

2. What is your greatest fear?

-Spiders! I am terrified of them. What scares me even more is knowing that two of the more dangerous species of spider, black widows and brown recluse, are native to the area where I live. In fact, I've seen black widow spiders hanging down from my grandmother's house and had to go around. Whereas my stepdad saw the red hourglass and he hit it with a baseball bat, killing it

3. What type of person angers you the most?

-Narcissists. I hate this type of person. They think the world should revolve around them. That everyone should drop whatever they are doing and cater to this person's every need and desire. My relative Lexie is a narcissist. She believes that everyone needs to cater to her. She's 16 and practically pestered her own aunt Margo to work in a bar / restaurant called Ford's Garage, a place where she can't even hold a bottle of liquor, being under 21; she has to have an older coworker handle alcoholic drink orders

4. Do you have a favorite t-shirt? Is there anything written on it?

-A black V-neck t-shirt that is slim fit and has two crossed Gibson Flying V's and two bony hands forming the Metal Horns gesture and saying, in Iron Maiden-style writing "Yes I'm a Girl Yes I Speak Fluent Metal"

5. Have you ever had a health scare?

-I recently went to the eye doctor and she informed me that my eye pressure was slightly elevated. She asked me if I drink coffee, I told her yes. That's when I realized I was drinking too much coffee or tea and cut it down immediately. At my next appointment, it was still elevated, leading me to my next suspect cause-stress. I've been trying to reduce my stress, but it's hard working with the people I work with. At my job, I feel as though I am the only one who does actual work, since my coworkers feel socializing and taking long personal calls are far more important. Working where I work, an ophthalmology clinic, hearing elevated eye pressure, my mind goes immediately to glaucoma, of which one of the symptoms is elevated eye pressure. This is a progressive condition that, once you have it, you can't go back or reverse it; you can only keep it from progressing

6. What was the name of the first album you ever bought and who was the artist(s)?

-Black Sabbath Paranoid

7. Would you date anyone in a wheelchair or with a handicap?

-Yes. I would not care about the handicap. I would make adjustments. So what if someone has a handicap? Simply make adjustments. If you have something in common with that person, handicaps shouldn't stand in the way

8. Do you have a nerdy side? If so, what brings it out?

-Music, Harry Potter

9. What is your opinion on rats as pets?

-I love them! I love rats as pets. They're smart, adorable and so loving. They only ask for unconditional love from their owners. Plus, I love the little squeaking noises they make. It's too cute!!

How can someone say no to this little face?

10. What is one thing you've learned about people over the years?

-People cannot always be trusted. People will lie, cheat and steal just to serve their own selfish needs

11. Who would you want as your partner on Dancing with the Stars?

-Dave Murray, Steve Harris, Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford. I feel they would probably be good dancers

12. Where would be the scariest place to get lost?

-Hoia-Baciu Forest in Transylvania, Romania. First and foremost, it's in Transylvania, which is the home country of the legendary Dracula. Second, this forest is known as the Bermuda Triangle of Romania. People have gone missing and not returned, there are ghosts there, it's just an overall eerie place

13. What book have you read multiple times?

-Goodnight from London, Four Four Two, Memoirs of a Geisha, too many to list

14. Recall the best message you ever got in a fortune cookie

-Stop waiting! Buy the ticket that takes that special trip!

15. What was your favorite movie that was based on a book?

-Any of the James Bond films, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Green Mile, Harry Potter, Goodfellas, Casino, Donnie Brasco

16. If you were in a band, what instrument / role would you play?

-Electric guitar or bass guitar

17. What famous person's memoir would you most love to read?

-Michael Imperioli, Sylvester Stallone, Roger Glover, Dave Murray, Steve Harris, Glenn Tipton

18. What is your favorite smell / scent?

-Freshly brewed coffee, chocolate, gardenia, jasmine, citrus, eucalyptus, mint, lavender, pineapple, fresh air

19. If you were to get a tattoo tomorrow, what would it be?

-I have at least 4 ideas in my head right now. I can't decide between something related to Harry Potter, the lines "Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years" from one of my favorite Iron Maiden songs "Wasted Years", something related to the film Across the Universe, something related to Scooby Doo or something related to Japanese culture, despite already having two Japanese tattoos

20. What is your favorite breed of dog?

-German Shepherd, Irish / Russian Wolfhound, Great Dane, St. Bernard, Corgi, Pug, Golden Retriever, Chocolate Labrador, Black Labrador, Labrador Retriever, Bloodhound, Basset Hound, Doberman, Pit Bull (I am of the firm belief these dogs are good. They are simply raised to be mean by their owners. Any dog can be mean if it's raised that way), Rottweiler, Husky, English Bulldog, English Sheepdog

21. What is the longest book you've ever read?

-Louder Than H---: The Definitive Oral History of Heavy Metal by Jon Wiederhorn and Katherine Turman. This book is around 800 pages if not more

22. What is the largest amount of money you've spent at one time?

-$5,000. This was a down payment on a car. My current car in fact. The price was $12,500. I put down $5,000 to reduce the amount I needed to pay

23. What is the most radical thing you've done, appearance wise?

-Tattoos. I have 9 so far and am planning number 10

24. Pick the title of a novel to describe your love life

-Solitaire

25. What three songs will always be found at the top of your playlist?

-Rainmaker, The Living Daylights, Deaf Forever

26. What band would you love to tour with - and be a roadie for?

-The Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest

27. What singer's voice gives you chills - in a good way?

-Bruce Dickinson, David Draiman, Ivan Moody, Sully Erna, Rob Halford, Austin Dickinson, Ronnie James Dio

28. What is your favorite sport?

-Formula 1, soccer (football), hockey

29. What is your favorite love song?

-Your Song: Elton John, Have I Told You Lately: Rod Stewart, Throwing It All Away: Genesis

30. Do you still listen to local stations on the radio or only streaming / playlist music?

-Both. I do listen to local radio stations. Here in Cincinnati, we have 92.5 The Fox, which plays classic rock and metal. 96.5 known as 96 Rock which plays a combination of both new and old rock and metal. 102.7 known as WEBN which plays the same music as 96 Rock. And when I am driving to / from work, my playlist, which can go from one extreme to the next

31. Do you like Saturday Night Live, and if so, who would you love to see as a new host?

-Yes. I enjoy watching the older episodes of SNL. If there is a newer episode with a musical guest I like, I will watch it. As for hosts, it would be interesting to see Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford or even Def Leppard host it

32. If you were having lunch with the Queen of England, what would you talk to her about?

-I would love to talk to her about all the wonderful things she's done. Her unique and heartwarming Christmas speeches that are so inspirational and heartwarming. How she visited those who were in hospital after the shooting in Manchester at the Ariana Grande concert

33. If you were musically inclined, whom would you want to have a private jam session with?

-Guitar: Ritchie Blackmore, Glenn Tipton, Dave Murray, Phil Collen

-Bass: Roger Glover, Ian Hill, Steve Harris, Rick Savage

34. Which fictional married couple from TV or cartoons best fits your parent's marriage?

-Ben and Susan Harper from My Family. Thankfully, unlike Susan, my mom can actually cook and does not think of herself as a gourmet cook

35. What song or playlist gets played the most?

-Deaf Forever: Motorhead

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Based on the novel of the same name by L. Frank Baum, this film tells the story of a young girl named Dorothy Gale who gets swept up by a tornado and dropped into the wonderful world of Oz.

Summary

-Dorothy Gale is a young girl who gets swept away by a tornado and lands in the world of Oz. There, along with her dog Toto, she meets a scarecrow, a tin man and a cowardly lion. They embark on a quest to The Emerald City, to meet the Wizard, who can fulfill their wishes

Cast

-Judy Garland: Dorothy Gale

-Frank Morgan: Professor Marvel / The Gatekeeper / The Wizard of Oz / The Guard

-Ray Bolger: Hunk / The Scarecrow

-Bert Lahr: Zeke / The Cowardly Lion

-Jack Haley: Hickory / The Tin Man

-Billie Burke: Glinda the Good Witch

-Margaret Hamilton: Almira Gulch / The Wicked Witch of the West

-Charley Grapewin: Uncle Henry

-Pat Walshe: Nikko

-Clara Blandick: Auntie Em

Did You Know?

-Many scenes were either shortened or completely deleted out of the film because they were thought to be too intense. One example is a scene showing the tornado completely engulfing the house

-While searching for clothing for Frank Morgan (The Wizard/Professor Marvel), the wardrobe department went to a second hand store and found one that gave off a vibe of "shabby gentility". One day, director Victor Fleming turned out one of the pockets and a label bearing the name "L. Frank Baum" came out. Mary Mayer, a publicist for the film, reached out to both the tailor and Baum's widow. It turned out that the coat did, at one time, belong to the famed author of The Wizard of Oz. When filming concluded, the coat was given to Mrs. Baum

-Judy Garland found it hard to be fearful of Margaret Hamilton, the Wicked Witch, because she was such a kindly woman off-screen

-The iconic ruby slippers Dorothy wore are now in the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of American History. The carpet in front of the case has to be replaced frequently due to wear and tear

-The horses in Emerald City were coated with gelatin powder, to give them their bright hues. Scenes had to be shot quickly before the horses licked off the powder

-Dorothy Louise Gage was born in 1898 to the brother and sister in law of Maud Gage Baum, the sister of L. Frank Baum, the famed author of The Wizard of Oz. When Dorothy died five months later, Maud was devastated. Ironically, Baum was finishing "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" and decided to name the heroine Dorothy to comfort his wife. He changed the last name to Gale in the third book. Dorothy Gage was buried in Evergreen Memorial Cemetery in Bloomington, IL. Her grave was mostly forgotten until 1996 when it was rediscovered. Mickey Carroll, one of the last surviving actors to play the Munchkins, learned of the discovery and made it his mission to give her a new marker to replace the old, heavily weathered one from the monument company he owned. A dedication ceremony in 1997 was held to celebrate this and the children's section of the cemetery was renamed the Dorothy L. Gage Memorial Garden with the hope that parents who lost children would be comforted by the thought of their deceased children being with Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz

-Judy Garland had to wear a corset to appear younger and flat chested because, at the time of filming, she was only 16 and had to appear as a pre-pubescent girl

-The Munchkins are played by The Singer Midgets, not named after their ability to sing, but their manager Leo Singer. The group came from Europe, and many of them were Jewish. They took advantage of being in the US to escape the Nazis. Professional singers dubbed their singing voices, as many of them couldn't speak English or sing all that well. The only two heard speaking with their real voices were the Munchkins who give Dorothy flowers after she climbs into the carriage

-Ray Bolger was originally cast as the Tin Man, but instead he wanted to play the Scarecrow. His good friend Buddy Ebsen ended up playing the Tin Man. Unbeknownst to Ebsen, the silver makeup contained aluminum dust, which he had a severe allergic reaction to, resulting in him being rushed to the hospital. The role of the Tin Man was immediately recast and Jack Haley took over as The Tin Man, wearing makeup that contained not aluminum dust but aluminum paste, so as to avoid any allergic reactions

-Despite playing an enemy to Dorothy, Judy Garland and Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch, got along very well on set. Garland had shown Hamilton a dress she was planning on wearing to her high school graduation. But Louis B. Mayer had her going out on a tour with Mickey Rooney and she never got a chance to wear it onstage with her graduating class. Hamilton became angry and called up Mayer to yell at him

-During the "poppy field" scene, where Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow and Cowardly Lion fell asleep, the "snow" raining down was 100% industrial grade asbestos. Unfortunately, it had been known for years the dangerous health hazards of asbestos

-Bert Lahr, who played the Cowardly Lion, wore a lion costume that weighed 90 pounds. At the end of each day, due to the bright lights on set, the costume was soaked from Lahr sweating badly

-Margaret Hamilton was very fond of animals. Like Judy Garland, Hamilton had a bond with Terry, the dog who played Toto. Which is why Hamilton found it difficult to do the scene where Miss Gulch has to take Toto away and as the Wicked Witch, where she ordered Toto to be drowned

-Margaret Hamilton got teary eyed during the scene where Frank Morgan, who plays The Wizard, was giving Dorothy and her friends gifts from his "black bag". A diploma for the Scarecrow, a ticking heart for the Tin Man, and a medal for the Cowardly Lion. She said "Frank was just like that in real life-very generous."

-Judy Garland's feet hurt so bad from wearing the ruby slippers that she could only wear them for brief times. A quick shot of her wearing soft rehearsal shoes can be seen in the scene where the Tin Man is dancing and falls backwards

-Since Judy Garland was only 16 and in school at the time, she could only do four hours on set and spent three hours getting her education when not filming

-Nikko is the name of the lead winged monkey. This name comes from the Japanese town where the famous See No Evil/Hear No Evil/Speak No Evil monkey shrine is located

-There is a small sign outside of Professor Marvel's wagon that says "Balloon exhibitionist" as one of the services he offers

-Eerily enough, on the day that Judy Garland died, there was a tornado in Kansas

-Ray Bolger (Scarecrow), Bert Lahr (Cowardly Lion) and Jack Haley (Tin Man) had to eat their lunch in their dressing rooms because their makeup frightened other people in the MGM cafeteria

-Frank Morgan, who played Professor Marvel / The Wizard, suffered from alcoholism and would discreetly hide his liquor in his dressing room. He remained friendly and professional throughout his life. One of the times he was noticeably drunk was during the Oz guardhouse scene, where, it's been noted, he would have fallen over if not for the guardhouse. He even began attracting attention when he began singing a dirty song. This type of behavior was not considered normal for the usually friendly actor

-Multiple styles of shoes were tested for the ruby slippers. There was one known as "Arabian" slippers because of their curled up toes. There was another one known as "Bugle Bead" slippers without bows. The ones that won out were a pair of low schoolgirl-style pumps with bows

-The paint used to make bricks yellow for the Yellow Brick Road was nothing more than basic yellow industrial paint purchased from a hardware store several blocks away from the studio

-During the scene where the Wizard's guard had told Dorothy and her friends to go away, the crying Dorothy did was not acting, but real. Judy Garland found out her pet dog died and it broke her heart so much she broke down in tears, which worked for the scene and made it more realistic

-The set was said to be a major health hazard. Buddy Ebsen, who was supposed to play the Tin Man, was allergic to the aluminum-based makeup and had to spend time in an iron lung to cure him. Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch, suffered burns from a faulty trap door during her exit scene from Oz. She missed six weeks of filming while her understudy was in the hospital for eleven days after suffering permanent burns from the broom exploding. Hamilton's green makeup was also toxic because it was copper-based and allowed her only to drink liquids through a straw. Her skin was also green for months, even after filming wrapped

-Normally, poppies are not known for an appealing scent. Anyone who is familiar with narcotics, specifically opium and heroin, know that the opium poppy is where these two narcotics are derived from. The red flowers are representative of the opium poppy, which does induce sleep

-In the original book, the slippers were silver, not red. They were changed to a ruby red color to make them appear better in Technicolor 

Heart-Warming Stories That Put a Little Faith Back in Humanity Pt II

Anymore, all we hear are negative stories on the news and read them on the internet. But how often do we get to read stories where someone else thinks of others before themselves? Stories of people helping one another? It's not too often. Here are some good stories of others helping others.

26. For the people in the back

-There's a fine line between being safe and being nice. If you're a woman, that line is even finer. Women are on constant alert from being victims of violence, from both strangers and people we know

-If prioritizing your own personal safety means alienating people, who think you're a queen B, then clearly, you don't need those negative influences in your life. Safety is always more important than how someone feels if you put your safety above their feelings. Follow your intuition, instincts and gut feelings. If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. Your gut instinct will hardly ever lead you astray

27. Your friendly neighborhood Spiderman

-Photoshop from Adobe can be used for all sorts of things. It can be used by professional graphic designers to create artwork and more. It can also be used by us everyday people for various reasons. It's tricky at first to learn, but when you start getting the hang of it, the possibilities are endless

-Clearly this parent is overjoyed with the program Photoshop

28. Stress Test

-Not everyone retains memory about stuff. If you're learning a foreign language, you can't just pull out your notes every time you need to know to say something. Or if you are in some other job, you can't just pull out your notes

-In some situations, what really matters is where to look for the info, not whether you can reel it off from the top of your head

29. Beautiful diversity

-In almost every office in the world, you'll often deal with or work with someone who is different. Whether it be a different culture, different religion, different sexuality, etc. It seems like in years past, people have become far less tolerant about things. In fact, pre 9/11, you hardly had a lot of issues regarding those who were Muslim or different. In fact, there were hardly any issues at all; we all seemed to get along far better. After 9/11, it seems that almost everyone who was Muslim was seen as "the enemy", just like those of Japanese descent were seen in the 1940s, during WWII. Now that 9/11 is over, everyone seems to people into groups based on this fact or that

-It's incredibly beautiful to see that coworkers came together to buy something for this employee, who happens to be Muslim. They banded together to buy a beautiful prayer mat and a beautiful box to put it in so he can do his daily prayers. Even the box has a uniquely beautiful Middle Eastern touch to it. That's how you show diversity successfully

30. Doggone

-Some say it's silly to mourn the loss of a pet because it's just an animal. Animals are more than that. They provide companionship, someone to adore and love and love you right back. Pets are members of our family. They're goofy, have unique personalities and we grow attached to their quirkiness, whether it be a childhood pet or a pet you get later on. When they pass on to that great land above, it's hard to get over their loss. Sometimes, adults still mourn the loss of their pets

-I hope that this is true. That when we get to Heaven, our beloved animal friends are waiting there for us, waiting for one more game of fetch, one more round of meowing or playing with yarn or chirping or other stuff other pets do

31. Romantic cooking

-Movies often skew the idea of being romantic. They make it seem so easy. That all it takes is some romantic mood and cooking to woo someone. But, everyone who is in a relationship has a different take on "romantic cooking" or "romance" in a relationship

-Being married is tough, but as long as you both get through the tough times together, there's going to be everlasting love, laughs and more

32. A proud father

-Not everyone is so supportive of their kids if they come out as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. It's something that a lot of people are still getting used to-the idea of their son or daughter liking either the same sex or both sexes. But, thankfully, a lot of parents are realizing that they love their children, no matter what. That who they love is not important; as long as they are happy

-Here is a strongly supportive dad supporting his daughter, who just married a woman. Clearly he supports his daughter and her partner

33. Following the rules

-Shepherd dogs are usually used to round up sheep and other livestock. These dogs are incredibly intelligent, follow orders to the T, understand commands from the humans who care for them, they understand what their job is. They even understand where to lead the creatures they look after

-You almost can't be mad because you're too busy laughing. Clearly this dog did its job well. The only downside is that the sheep didn't belong to that farmer. They were just random sheep from local areas

34. A cute little prodigy

-Raccoons are smarter than people give them credit for. Yes, they are one of the highest carriers of rabies, but aside from that, they are cute little intelligent creatures capable of anything

-The best thing ever about this is the look of joy and happiness on that little raccoon's face. You could stare at that for hours and just be so proud of that cute little raccoon

35. Everybody everywhere

-It's funny that the things we remember as kids stick with us forever

-This little song helped people clean up and at least enjoy doing it

36. Bed buddy

-A lot of people have a strict rule about no dogs in bed. For some, that lasts all of five minutes. For some that means what it sounds like-no furry critters in the bed. For this woman, clearly her pooch keeps her company when her boyfriend is not home

-It's often comforting to know your furry friend is there

37. Happy Ending

-Something you normally only find in movies and books, this is something you rarely see in real life. It's one of those "once in a blue moon", rare type situations

-This guy was able to successfully say he had cancer and also beat it in the same screen shot

38. A snake Rocking out

-Community art projects are meant to bring communities together and brighten someone's day. Clearly the inventor of this community art project hit it out of the park with their rock snake

-This is a cute idea for a community art project

39. Boyfriend of the Year Award

-Taking criticism without getting defensive is hard. But with some people, they take criticism and turn it into positivity

-This guy is avoiding the knee jerk reaction of anger and defense and trying to do better

40. A Beautiful Helmet

-People say appearance is everything. Unfortunately, in this world we live in, appearances also encourage judgement of others. Everyone gets judged on their appearance "too fat", "too thin", "too pale", "too dark", "too" anything. When it comes to construction workers, these men and women are tough as nails and would never do something to make themselves look less than tough

-This construction worker has two daughters who felt they needed to decorate their dad's hard hat. It's almost as if he put his daughters' happiness and entertainment above what others think about that

41. A+ Shirts

-Wearing matching shirts is cheesy in some people's eyes. It can also be cute and even hilarious

-If it's older couples wearing matching shirts, it's both cute and hilarious. It's even more hilarious if it has a silly pun on it

42. Dogs in Hats

-Sometimes it's the little things in life that bring the most smiles. Animals are one thing that everyone can agree on making them smile.

-It seems that dogs in hats make people smile a lot

43. Let yourself enjoy things

-Life is too short to waste time on things. We have so little time on this planet, that we should enjoy the things we have and the time we have on this planet

-It's all about enjoying all that life has to offer while we're here

44. Couples who slay together, stay together

-There are times when you look at couples and think "You were definitely made for each other". And that gives you hope that everyone can find someone. You just have to look a little harder than others sometimes

-Clearly she knows someone who gives out giant swords upon graduating university

45. Bad dates

-It's almost a stereotype that men forget anniversaries. As for bad dates, a lot of people have had them. But in our modern world, where everyone, including young children, have smartphones, there's always a way to remember something

-This gentleman had a momentary slip of memory. He didn't know you could put an anniversary on the calendar and set it to repeat the same day each year. A woman at this person's company was on top of the situation and seen to it that it was taken care of

46. Kind words

-All it takes are some kind words to put a smile on someone's face. It's even better when you encounter a military vet and tell them something like "thank you for your service to the country" or "cool hat" if it's a veteran-related hat. And sometimes social media can be used for good. Like posting a good natured story that warms hearts and brings smiles. While the other side of that coin involves posting something that might seem a little controversial and suddenly you're in a hurricane of crazy

-Sometimes, you get kind words from people you don't know or people you don't expect. In this case, a local Orthodox priest. Sometimes, social media can bring about good things. And you get support from people when you least expect it

47. Checkmate

-It's way too easy to get caught up in our own lives. We get caught up in the hustle and bustle of going to work, coming home from work, cooking dinner, getting ready to go to bed only to repeat the process the next day. You can break that cycle. Change things up. You can do things like make connections in your community

-If you saw this guy at a mall, it wouldn't hurt to ask if it's okay to sit down to a game of chess with him. He probably makes this a habit to clear his mind or maybe he came there with someone so long and they passed away and he keeps up the tradition

48. What's in a name?

-Scientists have been naming creatures after pop culture icons for generations. It's nothing new

-Clearly the unique names scientists give creatures shows they do have a sense of fun. They just have to be a bit business when it comes to their job. But that doesn't mean they can't have fun on the job

49. Crazy Cats

-Cats are interesting creatures. They sneak up on you like little furry ninjas. They have built in weapons. And also, they're very cuddly and they know when you're not feeling well. They'll make sure they're there to soothe your pains away, and of course, get cuddles in the process

-Cats do make interesting noises as well

50. What a crochet

-True love can be defined in so many ways by so many couples. Some couples think true love is wearing matching outfits. Some couples think true love is being able to read the other's mind. Sometimes true love is even making sacrifices for yourself or your wife/husband or boyfriend/girlfriend

-The fact that this man's wife loves to crochet and he is in full support of her hobby shows true love there

Heart-Warming Stories That Put a Little Faith Back in Humanity Pt I

Anymore, all we hear are negative stories on the news and read them on the internet. But how often do we get to read stories where someone else thinks of others before themselves? Stories of people helping one another? It's not too often. Here are some good stories of others helping others.

1. A cute cat

-Let's face it. Animals are smarter than us. Crows can learn to use tools. Pigs recognize their reflections in mirrors. Dogs can be trained to medical alert dogs to detect changes in our bodies and know if a medical emergency is afoot

-Clearly this kitten is intelligent when they see humans exchanging green stuff to get fish

2. One Bus Ride Can Change A Lot of Things

-Homeless people on the street is nothing new. Some are friendly in their approach. Others are aggressively begging, almost threatening people if they don't fork over some money. There are not too many people who take the time to contemplate new ways of helping them

-This woman's idea of helping people was using her bus rides to help the homeless get jobs. Judging from the scream, she got the news she wanted-the man she was helping was able to secure employment. She got a call that proved her actions are working

3. Heroic Firefighters

-Firefighters are among the toughest around. The men and women that fight fires are some of the real heroes out there. Their job is tough; wearing heavy gear, fighting 100+ degree blazes. But it all pays off when lives are saved.

-The father died, but was brought back to life by one of these heroes. Now the firefighter gets to meet the son whose father he saved

4. Mother's memory

-We all have good and bad memories of parents. Sometimes, when they've been gone a while, the smallest things will remind us of the good times

-Here's the moral: don't second guess yourself. If you can do something kind for another, do it without a second thought. The person in this story got the memory of a lifetime-hearing her mother's voice all because of a stranger reaching out via social media

5. Wow, what a journey

-Halle Bailey is making a name for herself as not only the first black actress to play the Disney princess Ariel, who was originally a redhead, in The Little Mermaid, but also as a singer

-Her grandfather came from hard times. Watching his father pick cotton is a pretty good indicator that not only was his father a sharecropper, but his son was too

6. Overcome the past

-The old saying "you can never change your past" is true. You can't go back in time to change your past because it would alter your future. The Back to the Future films should teach you that. Coming from families that are physically or emotionally abusive will have you definitely not wanting a family of your own. And there's also the worry of passing on that same behavior to your kids. It's a vicious cycle that's nearly impossible to break

-It can be overcome. With a little hard work and dedication, every obstacle can be overcome

7. Kindness at the Beach

-Love can overcome all, whether it be skin tones, religions, languages and more. When the person who offered this story, a Muslim woman lost her hijab, the traditional head covering worn by Muslim women, leaving her feeling bare and exposed, another woman came up to her and gave it back to her

-While the woman who offered help didn't have the same cultural issues as the Muslim woman, the thought behind the action is still what counts. The kindness behind the action is important

8. Hair from the Heart

-We all have read about the battles cancer patients have to fight. Losing hair is the #1 issue. A lot of companies make wigs for patients out of real hair donated by salons and barber shops. But what some of these companies don't put out there is that these patients often have to pay a lot of $$$ for these wigs. Losing hair during a cancer battle may not seem like a big deal, but it's part of your identity

-This woman's son grew his hair out just to make a wig for his mother. And it worked out for both of them. They're both incredibly happy

9. A mother's love

-When someone loses a child, it can be traumatic. You pour your love into other sources just to get through the grief. This woman put all of her love into the canine variety

-Even though Daisy lost all of her puppies in a barn fire, she looks so joyful and content taking care of the foster puppies. She gets to be a dog mom after all

10. Fancy

-Getting expressions of love and support are always gratifying. This poster got some love and support from an unexpected source-a cleaning lady

-It's incredibly sweet that the maid wishes this man happy pride month. She calls it the month your people celebrate being fancy. How sweet of her

11. What a Steve

-There's a concept out there that people who get nicknamed "Karen" are people who insist on seeing the manager at stores for the stupidest things or insist on not following the rules. People who are actually named Karen get stereotyped for this bad behavior. And to have your named used as an insult and swear word must be worse

-There are good people named Steve. Like, for example, the bottom right corner. If it was not for Steve Irwin, a lot of kids would not have learned about the various animals that inhabit our planet

12. Joy in the little things

-It's always better to find joy in the simple things in life. Take this mouse, for example. Someone thought it was a good idea to give her an ultrasound. Afterwards, she was on cloud nine, getting warm air from a hair dryer to dry her off after getting the ultrasound goo off

-This mouse looks like she is on cloud nine. She's enjoying every second of that lovely warm air

13. Women can play sports too

-Women are fighting a big battle to have their sports accepted right alongside men's sports. Many people don't find women's sports exciting or don't want to give them a try. Clearly, one bar owner decided to give it a try and it turned out to work

-Whatever is the key to success for this bar owner, it needs to be repeated

14. Repair, Reuse, Recycle

-It seems like when something looks less new and looks old, dated, we just throw it out without a second thought. Many cultures are incredibly wasteful in their mindsets. If it's old, we throw it out. If it's broken, we just throw it out and get something new. But many people are taking the liberty of repairing, reusing and even recycling items into something new

-It's always important to learn how to repair, reuse and recycle. It was done in the eras of our grandparents, who grew up with very little money and had to make do and mend

15. A complete 360

-Some people find it frustrating to have to wait a long time to see a doctor. You'd think they would be a little more considerate given that the doctors do have other patients. But for some people, just being in a doctor's office is a different experience

-The person who donated this story has an extra reason to smile. She survived childhood cancer and grew up to work as a nurse in the very same hospital where other doctors and nurses worked hard to save her

16. What's important to you?

-An interesting thought to have: if your house was suddenly on fire, and you only had time to grab one thing, what would it be? Whatever you choose will tell a lot about you and what you choose to prioritize

-It's both sad and sweet. It's sad because his home is a smoking ruin. It's sweet because he chose his cat as the most important item in the world. He doesn't care if he's temporarily homeless, as long as he has his cat, he's content

17. When can we see each other again?

-Social media can be used for all the wrong reasons. Cyber bullying. Spreading misinformation. It's rare when people use social media for good reasons. And thankfully, when people do take to to social media for good reasons, we get to hear about them either on the news or we read them

-This woman, who went on a cruise with her family, had befriended another little girl and had lost touch over the years. She took to Twitter to see if she could find this girl. Years later, this girl reaches out and they meet up

18. A reason for joy

-Some people don't feel appreciated for various reasons. The person who donated this picture has a solution

-A rescue animal is always a good choice. Those dogs and cats want nothing more than absolute cuddles and love from people. Judging from the almost smile on that dog's face, they are in heaven with their new owner

19. A little kindness goes a long way

-A true measure of people is how they treat those who are beneath them. Many people treat people such as waiters/waitresses, cleaning staff, customer service, secretaries and more horribly because they are considered to be not worthy of respect or kindness

-Whether people realize it or not, janitors are real people. This janitor is grateful that someone became his friend, all through the simple act of having a cup of coffee with him. Unfortunately, with some janitorial staff, they're not always nice, even if you show them kindness. In those situations, simply kill them with kindness

20. A brainy pair

-How some careers pay more and some pay less, there's a disconnect somewhere. The vitally important jobs such as medicine, airline crew, etc., don't get paid well while entertainment careers pay exorbitant amounts of money for something like singing, playing instruments or throwing/kicking a ball around. There's a serious disconnect somewhere

-These two surgeons look like rugs-they're beat. I would be too if I just completed a 32 hour surgery. They just finished a high risk surgery and yet they don't get paid too well. While athletes get paid millions just for throwing/kicking a ball around, driving a racecar or musicians get paid to play instruments and sing

21. Canine compassion

-Whether people acknowledge it or not, animals understand grief and loss. They get sad too. Animals can grieve over the loss of someone they care about

-One would think that with one animal out of the way, it's more food for them. But clearly this dog misses their sibling and still carries on the tradition of saving food for them

22. Gotta Catch 'Em All

-This is a phrase usually uttered by fans of the anime program Pokemon. There are fans all over the world dedicated to this anime program

-It's the thought that counts. Even if this mom doesn't do any kind of art, she at least made an effort for her son's 21st birthday. Good for her

23. By the power vested in me

-These words are usually uttered by someone ordained and finishing a wedding service. Sometimes people do matching outfits because they have a goofy, fun loving personality

-This family seems all too happy to match. And that is just adorable

24. I Wanna Hold Your Hand

-One of the more popular songs by British pop group The Beatles, in this particular case, talking to strangers can create an interesting memory

-This person had a stranger holding their hand and now they'll have a hilarious memory to cherish

25. Be honest about something you don't know

-It's completely okay to ask for help or ask questions when you don't know. It's not good to assume you know everything when in reality you don't have a clue

-Not only does admitting that you may not know something make you more honest, it models the people around you to do the same. Be honest when you don't know something. It's completely okay to tell them that you are unsure of something and that you can do some research to get accurate information