1999 was an interesting year to say the least. It was the last year of the 20th century and we were uncertain whether or not the Y2K computer bug was going to shut our world down. It was my last year of high school before I started college.

It was the year the St. Louis Rams took us by surprise with the Greatest Show on Turf. It wasn’t supposed to be that way, however. The Rams had Trent Green penciled in as their starting quarterback.

Green went down with a devastating injury in the preseason which ended his 1999 season. All hope was now on an untested Arena League quarterback out of Northern Iowa whose last job was stocking shelves for minimum wage at a local grocery store. Enter Kurt Warner.

The Rams weren’t expected to do much that season, coming off of a four win campaign in 1998. The Atlanta Falcons were the favorite to win the division and possibly the conference after their Super Bowl appearance the year before. The 49ers put a hex on the Rams, not having lost to them since 1990. Coach Dick Vermeil was wondering why he came back two years prior.

That September was crazy. Vinny Testaverde and Jamal Anderson went down with early season-ending injuries. Minnesota struggled to regain the form of their magic season from a year ago, and Denver looked like they were experiencing their worst Super Bowl hangover with John Elway officially retired. The teams in last year’s conference championship games looked like nothing like what they did just eight months prior.

October wasn’t much better. 2,000 yard rusher Terrell Davis went down for the season in a loss to the New York Jets. Minnesota’s offense was not scoring like last year when they broke the record for most points in a season. Michael Irvin was slammed to the turf in Philadelphia and his career was over. Kurt Warner was setting the league on fire with superb style of play and the Greatest Show on Turf was just getting started.

When the season ended, the Rams were the biggest surprise and Falcons the biggest disappointment. The Rams ended their long losing streak against the 49ers (who fell mightily). The Mike Ditka era in New Orleans failed miserably and he was gone after three seasons.

The Rams finished first in scoring offense and the reason was their stellar offense led by Kurt Warner, newly acquired Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, and Az-Zahir Hakim. Warner tossed 41 touchdown passes and let the world know he was for real. Marshall Faulk put up a thousand yards on the ground and in the air.

The Rams prevailed in the playoffs with wins over the Vikings, Bucs, and AFC champion Titans. The Bucs’ stellar defense held the Greatest Show on Turf to 11 points and the Titans had a chance to tie the Super Bowl if not for the tackle. Dick Vermail retired following the 1999 season and offensive coordinator Mike Martz was promoted to head coach for the 2000 season.

2000 was another great year for the GSOT but the Rams finished dead last in points allowed as the defense gave up nearly 30 points a game. Kurt Warner missed five games due to injury but Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt put up massive numbers in their air regardless. The porous 🧽 defense held the Rams back though and they lost to the upstart New Orleans Saints in the Wild Card.

2001 saw the Rams draft well on defense and they were elite once again finishing 14-2 with the top seed in the NFC and the NFL’s best record. The results paid off and they finished top ten in points and yards allowed per drive. However, they were average to below average in third and fourth down percentage, as well as red zone percentage.

The Rams picked off Brett Favre six times in the divisional playoff game and knocked off the Eagles in the NFC championship game thanks to a great performance by Marshall Faulk. They were heavily favored in the Super Bowl against the surprising New England Patriots who led by their wunderkind quarterback, Tom Brady.

It wasn’t meant to be as New England held the Greatest Show on Turf scoreless for three quarters before the Rams tied the game in the fourth. Adam Vinatieri kicked the game winning field goal as New England pulled off the upset in Super Bowl 36 🇺🇸.

2002 saw the wheels fall off completely for the Rams and Kurt Warner. Warner missed a significant amount of playing time as the Rams regressed mightily to finish 7-9 and miss the postseason. Mark Bulger took over the starting role and impressed as he went 6-1 in place of the NFL MVP. It was likely curtains for Warner after a poor performance coming off two great seasons prior.

2003 was the last true great season for the Rams and the GSOT. Bulger took the starting role immediately after Warner’s lackluster performance against the Giants in Week 1 and never looked back. Despite the 12-4 finish and undefeated home record, the Rams were done in by the upstart Carolina Panthers in double overtime.

2004 and 2005 saw the Rams play mediocre. Yes they made the playoffs in 2004 but they got crushed by Atlanta in the divisional round. The end came in 2005 when the offense and defense struggled mightily and Seattle took control of the West, finishing 13-3 and going to Super Bowl 40.

Mike Martz missed most of the season and was let go at the end of the year. Scott Linehan 🤮 would be named head coach in 2006 and the team that impressed us with the Greatest Show on Turf was now officially dead. The end of the Martz era coincided with the end of my college years and the beginning of my own mediocrity and misery.

Like my college years, the Greatest Show on Turf era was temporary, but it was a great run and it was heartfelt. When it ended, the Rams fell and they fell hard. When my college years ended and my real world era began, I fell very hard too (at least I did early on). Like the Rams after their move to Los Angeles in 2016, I picked myself back up as well.

After the 2018 season ended, the Cincinnati Bengals fired longtime coach Marvin Lewis after 16 seasons (which included zero playoff wins and the longest playoff win drought in the NFL). A 4-1 start to the 2018 campaign ended with nine losses in their last eleven games. Enough was enough and it was time for a change in Cincinnati.

On February 4, 2019, the team hired Zac Taylor as its new head coach. Taylor was picked off of the Sean McVay coaching tree and had coached in Super Bowl LIII the day before. He was the Rams’ wide receivers coach in 2017 and quarterbacks coach in 2018, helping coach Jared Goff to the NFC Championship and the Super Bowl.

Taylor’s first season didn’t go off without a hitch. The Bengals lost their first game in Seattle, 21-20, and proceeded to lose their first eleven games, the worst start in franchise history. The 2-14 finish helped them clinch the worst record in the league (tied with the worst in franchise history) and the first pick in the 2020 draft.

The Bengals used the first pick to draft quarterback Joe Burrow out of Louisiana State University. Burrow led the Tigers to the national championship in January, beating the Clemson Tigers with their superstar quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Burrow won the Heisman Trophy in December of 2019 after his storybook season as the Tigers would go on to finish 15-0.

Cincinnati didn’t fare much better in Joe Burrow’s rookie season, going 4-11-1. He went down in the middle of the season with both an ACL and MCL tear and that had fans worried. Would Burrow’s devastating knee injury hamper his career and make him a draft bust? Cincinnati’s history shows that they have plenty of those from failed drafts in the 90s.

Zac Taylor was given the option to come back for a third season after some thought he should be let go. It was the best thing for the team as he helped lead the Bengals to a 10-7 record and their first division title since 2015. Burrow recovered well from his injury to throw 34 TD passes and over 4600 yards. Leading the team that year were Pro Bowlers Joe Mixon and JaMarr Chase. Tee Higgins and Pitt and Clairton star Tyler Boyd also helped contribute to the offensive production.

Cincinnati would host the Las Vegas Raiders in the Wild Card matchup on January 15.

The Bengals put an end to 31 years of playoff frustration by knocking off the Las Vegas Raiders, 26-19. For the long suffering fans, they were able to celebrate after watching Marvin Lewis go 0-7 in the postseason even with the talent he had on both sides of the ball. Their next opponent would be the top seeded Tennessee Titans who were welcoming Derrick Henry back after being sidelined with a foot injury that ended his regular season midway through.

In what was a successful divisional round of playoff games, Cincinnati pulled off the big upset by defeating the top seeded Titans, 19-16. Despite an offensive line that gave up nine sacks, Joe Burrow was able to get it done in a gritty performance. The Bengals were able to contain King Henry in his return to the Titans. Their next opponent would be either the Buffalo Bills or Kansas City Chiefs in next Sunday’s AFC Championship game.

The Chiefs would be that next opponent as they knocked off the Bills in a game that was over before Buffalo got a chance to touch the ball in overtime. They thought they had the championship game in the bag with a 21-3 lead before halftime. The Bengals fought back and forced overtime with Evan MacPherson kicking the game winning field goals, continuing Cincinnati’s Cinderella season and sending them to Los Angeles. They would face the NFC Champion Los Angeles Rams in a home Super Bowl for them.

I talked about the outcome of the Super Bowl in yesterday’s blog so let’s talk about the what ifs for this team. I think there’s missed opportunities during the Marvin Lewis era where the team could have advanced far into the postseason. What if Carson Palmer didn’t get hurt in the 2005 Wild Card game against Pittsburgh? What if the team had a bye in the 2013 postseason? What if they completed the comeback against Pittsburgh in the 2015 Wild Card matchup?

I think Cincinnati plays Denver tough in the divisional round but comes up short, setting the stage for an amazing 2006 season. I think they get really far in 2013 and give Seattle a much better performance in Super Bowl XLVIII but come up short. AJ McCarron can’t get it done against Tom Brady in the 2015 divisional round, giving New England a home AFC title game matchup versus the Kansas City Chiefs who come in on a 12 game winning streak after beating Brock Osweiler and sending Peyton Manning into retirement.

Cincinnati will need to shore up their offensive line in 2022 if they want to come back to the Super Bowl. This was a fun team to watch during the regular season and I think Burrow is going to rank up there with Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes as the AFC’s elite. If Henry is back to 100%, look out for the Titans as well.

Look for my blog on the Greatest Show on Turf coming later this week.

I don’t do many sports blogs but, today’s an exception. Imagine how different my life would be if I did though. I love talking about style and fashion on here and this journey has been a great one for me. Anyway, onto today’s blog post.

Congratulations goes out to the Los Angeles Rams for their win in Super Bowl LVI. To Penn Hills and Pitt defensive lineman Aaron Donald who did us proud with his performance. To quarterback Matthew Stafford who finally got a ring after so many frustrating seasons and many losses in Detroit. To Sean McVay, the youngest coach next to Mike Tomlin to win a Super Bowl and, the right man for the job in Los Angeles.

Sean McVay took over the head coaching role in 2017 after the Rams went through years of coaching ineptitude since the Greatest Show on Turf. Mike Martz eventually flamed out after leading the Rams to Super Bowl XXXVI, Scott Linehan and Steve Spagnuolo coached the Rams through one of the darkest stretches in NFL history, and Jeff Fisher didn’t really capitalize on his Tennessee success before getting fired in 2016.

McVay’s first Rams team went 11-5 and had fans noticing. Jared Goff, Todd Gurley, and Cooper Kupp (who was the NFL leader in receiving yards in 2021 and Super Bowl LVI MVP). The Rams won their first division title since 2003 and Sean McVay won Coach of the Year honors for the Rams turnaround. Unfortunately, the Rams came up short and fell to the Atlanta Falcons in the Wild Card round.

2018 was much better as the Rams raced to an 8-0 start and won 11 of their first 12 games cementing themselves as a Super Bowl favorite. The Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs played one of the highest scoring Monday night games just before Thanksgiving with the Rams winning 54-51. The Rams finished 13-3 and tied the New Orleans Saints for best record in the NFC and in the NFL. New Orleans won the top seed due to their week 9 victory, 45-35.

Both Robert Woods and Brandin Cooks had thousand yard receiving seasons, and Aaron Donald led the team and league with 20.5 sacks. The Rams defeated the Cowboys 30-22 in the divisional playoff round thanks to a great running game. They also pulled off a 26-23 overtime win in the NFC championship game that will forever be known for the no-call that to this day devastated Saints fans. It’s still a mystery how this team only put up three points in the worst Super Bowl ever played.

Matthew Stafford was the right man for the job when the Rams traded him for Jared Goff in the 2021 offseason. The 2009 top pick put up great numbers in Detroit but didn’t have much success (or playoff wins). I imagine his career would have been wasted if not for the trade or if Matt Millen would have been involved.

Stafford threw 41 touchdown passes and for almost 4,900 yards (his career best was over 5,000 in Detroit in 2011). I was worried after the Rams lost three straight following the 7-1 start that they would have fallen apart but they won five straight before falling to the 49ers in Week 18. They kept it together and clinched the division over sputtering Arizona.

Stafford beat Tom Brady twice, both in the regular season and in the postseason. The divisional playoff matchup was epic as Tampa Bay nearly came back from a 27-3 deficit but the Rams held on for a 30-27 win. You can’t be comfortable like that against the NFL’s GOAT.

After coming back to beat the 49ers the next week, Sean McVay’s Rams clinched their second Super Bowl berth in four years. They were favored to win over the Cincinnati Bengals. I’ll cover Cincy tomorrow.

The Super Bowl would feature two top picks at quarterback in Stafford and Joe Burrow, two of the youngest head coaches in the league in Sean McVay and Zac Taylor, and two local football stars in Aaron Donald and Tyler Boyd.

After three lackluster Super Bowls in a row, and the worst one ever played in Super Bowl LVIII, this one was one of the best I’ve ever seen. The halftime performance brought me back to my college and high school years with Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Mary J. Blige. The best performance I’ve seen in a Super Bowl in some time. Next year, get a country music artist for the halftime show.

The Rams struck first but the Bengals took the lead in the third quarter and it looked like Cincy had this game in the bag until the end. Stafford to Cooper Kupp with 1:25 left sealed it. Kupp’s eight catches for 92 yards and 2 TD’s sealed his Super Bowl MVP. Aaron Donald brings a Super Bowl ring home to Penn Hills, and Von Miller wins his second ring (he won in Denver back in Super Bowl L and was their MVP when the Broncos’ defense led the way to victory).

If last year’s Super Bowl win taught me anything, it’s that line play is important. It’s the reason why Tampa Bay was the champion and not Kansas City. The Rams’ seven sacks (four from veterans Aaron Donald and Von Miller) led the way. If Cincy is to be successful in getting back to the Super Bowl in 2022, then the offensive line needs to be shored up.

Congrats Los Angeles on your first super bowl win since Marcus Allen ran over Washington in the 1983 Super Bowl in Tampa. Congratulations Cincinnati on getting back to the big game for the first time since 1988 when the Ickey Shuffle was popular. Best of luck doing it again next year. Also congratulations on winning a playoff game for the first time since 1990. The Rams can bask in their championship and celebrate like the Lakers and the Dodgers in sports’ second biggest market.

Over the last two weeks I got my order from Old Navy as I saw some pieces that caught my eye. Since I’m getting established at my new job, my gender nonconformity has come back. My crew has no problem seeing me express myself, even if others might not understand and that’s ok. I’ve received compliments on my nails 💅 as well as my bags and some of my attire (which I’ve shown through pictures on my phone).

No mean comments needed on this post. Just ❤️.

I love these tops from Old Navy, so much so that I ordered them twice. That was a mistake on my part and I returned them for store credit. Perfect to wear on a night out (for dinner or a movie). The red is a real knockout and I wore this one last Saturday for my sister’s birthday. It looks good with a cardigan or sweater coat as well. I wore a cardi to keep warm on Saturday.

Last Thursday I got this red turtleneck from Old Navy that you see in the thumbnail. I wasn’t sure that I was going to find one in my size but I did. I showed these pieces to Rae, Sara, and Rob a few weeks ago when we met in Ligonier for lunch and our gift exchange. I also showed them a couple more pieces which I’ll get to momentarily.

I think this is paired well with something black and can be worn anywhere. Very casual. I’d wear a leather jacket or denim jacket or vest with this piece. A scarf and some jewelry would help accessorize this as well.

Next up, it’s time to talk about some of the dresses I purchased in addition to these cute tops. It’s 2022 so let’s be open to new things, all right?

2021 was my year of turning 40 and practicing gender nonconformity. It’s gone over well for the most part. My coworkers are on board (both at Giant Eagle and from WIS). I definitely have allies on both sides. Even my cousins have been supportive of me as well as my friends on Instagram.

But my mother is concerned that I’m setting myself up to be ridiculed. I understand her and my dad are old school and don’t get what I’m doing. It’s 2022 and things for the most part are different.

But some people still live in the past and that’s where their concern lies. I wish my folks could take a page from GreensburgLive or Sara (Newsom) and tell me that I could inspire a lot of people. Some people need to get over their fear or prejudice and realize it’s 2022.

I’m continuing to find that inspiration and encouragement to be me through Instagram and photographers like Michael Cannon and Taylor Raine and of course, Harry Styles.

Here’s the dresses I bought from Old Navy. One of them I got for 50% and the other for 30% off. I’m not done yet as I’ll use my Super Cash at the end of the month to buy more amazing fashionwear.

That’ll include some more cute dresses and some other things as well. I saw a few T Shirts and some blouses I had my eye on. I hope to have another successful haul.

As Sara and I say, Harry’s got some competition.

I was introduced to 512 Coffee and Ice Cream on a sunny October day. I was going there to try out their Pumpkin Spice latte while doing my coffeehouse tour for the best PSL and fall treats. I was quite impressed with the service and the cafe itself.

Today was my second visit to 512 and it did not disappoint.

My inspo for going there today was to try their Valentine’s Day coffee. I also wanted to take advantage of a mild February day (those are hard to come by in the Laurel Highlands; still cold enough for winter but not quite warm enough for Spring). I went this afternoon around 3pm just as the kids were coming home from school.

I had my coffee indoors this time because it’s winter despite the mild weather this afternoon. All I had to say was that it was a fun, relaxing experience. It feels like home with all the books on the shelf and a spot to play chess. Lots of classics as well as local authors. They had my Mister Rogers book that I bought at Masterspieces during its grand opening as well as other books that my Gram owned.

I hope to be back for another Valentine’s Day special soon.

My Amazon haul came this morning too and I look forward to taking on a new craft. I found this book advertised on the back of one of my Harry Styles magazines and just had to have it. I also bought a sketchbook. I used my Amazon gift card for the purchases. I also have a calligraphy book coming tomorrow. Please encourage me in my journey.

I’ll be doing a Target or craft store run soon so I can pick supplies for my sketches. Maybe Friday or over the weekend. My Old Navy Super Cash Wish List is coming together too. Can’t wait until the end of the month.

To answer the question that is the title of today’s blog, I’ll make that very simple. I’m celebrating Valentine’s Day with the person I’m spending the rest of my life with— ME. Inspired by an Instagram influencer and beauty/fashion blogger, I’m celebrating self-love this year.

I will buy some chocolates later this week; however, I don’t what I’m getting yet. Godiva sounds like a fun idea but I might spring for something cheaper. Macy’s sells Godiva chocolate and it looks oh so tempting. If and when asked am I a white chocolate, dark chocolate, or milk chocolate person, I will go the way of my beauty blogger friend and inspiration and answer that by saying milk chocolate.

I’m looking for the perfect movie to watch on Saturday night, which is my next night off and the the best night to celebrate Valentine’s Day. I might go with a fairy tale like Shrek or a romcom like Love, Actually (it’s technically a Christmas movie but has some qualities that make it a Valentine’s Day movie).

I might even buy an inexpensive bottle of wine and have some as I watch my movie. I’ll make a Target run this week to purchase my box of chocolate and a wine tumbler to drink my wine in. For dinner, I’ll put together something Chinese (or order it from one of the local Chinese restaurants in town… hello Yummy Palace).

With warmer weather in the forecast for tomorrow, there’s a chance I might take a trip out to Latrobe and have some Valentine’s Day coffee from 512 Coffee and Ice Cream (located near the train station in town). It’ll be nice to get out after being in most of the winter. We might just get close to 50 degrees tomorrow.

Closing off the blog, what are four ways to show self-love to yourself? Credit to healthyplace.com for these tips.

Practice proper hygiene. Practicing proper hygiene is one important aspect of self-love that is often difficult for those who struggle with depression.

Eat for nutrition. Preparing food is one of the most energy-draining activities for me as someone with depression, but eating is one way in which we practice self-love. Proper nutrition is a necessary act of self-love that our bodies need.

Spend time doing things that make you happy. When you’re struggling the most with depression, that’s when you need to do something that brings you pleasure. Just keep it simple. Listen to a favorite song or artist. Watch a favorite movie or TV show. Read a book. Find something that has made you laugh in the past. Just relax. Don’t put pressure on yourself to instantly feel better. Just love yourself wherever you are.

Finally, spend some time outdoors. Hard to do in February unless your idea of spending time outdoors involves winter sports. You don’t have to take a walk unless that’s what you want to do. You could just sit outside and soak up the sun. Finding time to get outdoors is just one way to practice and promote self-love.

It’s been a while but I’m ready to put some new content on Stylish and Trendy. The groundhog saw his shadow Wednesday morning, so that means six more weeks of winter 🥶. However, it’s going to be a quiet week ahead and, except for a few days, not as cold. It’ll be nice to see the sun and let it melt some of the snow outside.

Daylight savings time is just five weeks away, so that’s a sign that Spring isn’t far off either. That means a 7:30pm sunset and hopefully sun and warmer temperatures.

I have been on a shopping spree during the month of January. I bought some nice threads with my Target gift card. My leather leggings and my Vneck look sweet. I also bought a fewmore bags (one with my JCP gift card and two from Kohl’s). I still love my Coach bags but you can never have too many regardless. I did a blog on my Juicy bag a few weeks ago and now it’s time to talk about my cute Lauren Conrad purses.

My twin and fashion buddy loves Lauren Conrad and has one of her books in her house. I showed her the bags I was interested in buying and she and her sister and husband agreed with me. She also loved the colors I came up with as well.

I purchased a crossbody in Dusty Pink (light pink) and a tote in Saddle (brown). I could have gotten a better deal had I purchased them before New Year’s but I still got them Buy One Get One 50% off. The crossbody was half off so that’s better than nothing. I’m pretty satisfied with bags for now so that’ll be it (or will it). My mom might pass me down an rainbow IKEA tote for Galentine’s. Maybe she’s catching on 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️ ⚧.

Since I’m good on bags I am stocking up on dresses including a green one which I want to wear to go as Louise 🐰 🔪 to a convention. Maybe just maybe we’ll find a cute dress 👗 in light pink perfect for summer 🍒.

My bags arrived last week and I showed them off though I will need a smaller wallet for my pink crossbody. I have some money left over on that Target gift card (I had $50 which I spent on the leggings and my teal v-neck) so maybe I’ll use it toward that. I took my Lauren tote on my first visit to the Kentlee and might do it again if I make a trip to 512 for their Valentine’s Day specials (you’ll see a blog on that if I go this week).

Sorry about the lack of content lately. It’s just the season and I’m still trying to navigate around my twilight hours at Giant Eagle. Once warmer weather arrives I’ll get out more. This week’s forecast might just be enough for me to get out’n about.

I think the pink Lauren crossbody purse would be perfect for a trip to the zoo or a day trip to Pittsburgh or Ligonier. Pair it with a button down shirt or T-shirt and jeans and sandals 👡 (or comfy shoes if you’re doing a lot of walking). The brown tote is what I take on Target runs or trips to the grocery store. I wish I did order these bags before New Year’s Day, so I could show them off to Sara and Rob and Rae on our Ice Fest Adventure a few weeks ago.

I love the picture of my sisters and me posing with our bags in the Ligonier Diamond in front of the gazebo. One of the best moments from a great day with my sisters, along with watching Stepbrothers and exchanging gifts at the Wicked Googly. Don’t forget, when they told me how proud of me they were for being myself.

The first month of 2022 has come and gone. It was a cold and snowy month weatherwise and, it was a return to what made my 2021 so successful. That says a lot in these trying times of seasonal depression and sad things happening in the world.

The beginning of the month was rainy and, like Christmas a week before, was uneventful. All the hype leading up to the rocket launch just to have it be a dud. I drove out to Washington to the Coach Outlet to pick up a few Coach charms and then up to South Hills Village for some shopping.

I checked out ULTA and snagged some great deals. Then I went up to Barnes and Noble but couldn’t find what I was looking for. Eventually I made my way home in the rain. It looked nothing like a White Christmas or New Year’s Day to write home about.

Eventually January became more like it should be. We got our first big storm the evening of January 6. I was clearing off my car early the next morning leaving Giant Eagle around 2am. But it was nothing like the storm which brought us nine inches on Martin Luther King Day. A few days later we were greeted with frigid temperatures and bone chilling cold. It would be perfect weather for the upcoming IceFest in Ligonier.

January 3 was the final regular season home game for Big Ben as it was confirmed he would retire at the end of the season. Steeler Nation was hoping for one final playoff push before Ben called it a career. Everything went right for the Steelers to advance to the postseason. Unfortunately they’d come up short against the #2 seeded Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card playoff game. Roethlisberger would announce his retirement the week after. Steeler Nation shed a tear when it was official.

We had our long awaited gift exchange a few weekends ago in Ligonier during the Ice Festival. I met Rob and Sara, as well as Rae, for lunch at the Wicked Googly. We caught up and we exchanged our gifts. I even showed the girls and Rob some outfit ideas and they all agreed. I loved the Beauty Box I got from Rob and Sara as well as the travel case.

I spent the rest of the day with the girls and had some sweet vegetarian tacos for dinner at Rob and Sara’s house. The girls and I watched Stepbrothers and swooned over Harry Styles. Sara and I even watched a few episodes of Jane the Virgin. She recommended it to me last year and I really enjoyed it. I know, straight out of a telenovela right? It’s always hard to part ways with her and Rob because Sara always gets me and knows what I’m going through. Until next time, when we can have a belated Galentine’s Day celebration.

I had a pretty good clothing and accessories haul this month as I used my Target and JCPenney gift cards. I got the most out of those. I plan on using my Amazon to buy a sketchbook (I saw this book on Modern Fashion Illustration at the back of my Harry Styles magazine and want to buy it). I snagged some amazing fashionwear from Old Navy and plan on getting more at the end of the month with my Super Cash.

I’ll close off the blog by being real and not act like I’m living my life on social media. Not everything is what it’s “post” to be sometimes.

The last part of this month saw me struggling with anxiety. Maybe it was the weather or what’s going on in our world. Part of it was looking back on past work experiences (going back to my Kings days). In the past I’ve had some bad experiences with my superiors. Their anger wasn’t directed at me but I had to hear a lot of the yelling and frustration and I took it personally (more at WIS). I wish I would have had a better attitude and looked at things long term (more at Kings, less at WIS). Maybe things would be different but then again, I would not have the experiences I had a few years that made me who I am today.

For the first time in 22 years (pre-college), I’m not regularly attending church. I’m not chalking that up to the fact that I have a new job that requires me to work weekends. I realized that I need a break right now and I do plan to return to services down the road. I give myself props because I started attending in college when most kids get away from their faith and live the campus life.

I had some regrets over the holiday season by not attending but in the end I think I made the right decision.

It was a week late but, today was my first visit to the Kentlee, the newest coffee shop in town. After my experience this morning, it won’t my last visit either.

The Kentlee opened in November of 2011. It’s located along Route 30 where Stickley Audi & Company was located. The building also houses a tech company as well. The Kentlee held a tasting event in September prior to its opening.

I was greeted by Katie, who took great care of me and filled my order well. I had her make me a custom order macchiato and I also ordered a pepperoni wrap. The wrap had mozzarella and provolone cheese, spinach, pepperoni, and vodka sauce.

I asked about the inspiration for the business name. The owner, Kendra, used her dad’s first name and her mother’s maiden name. Katie, who took care of my order this morning, is a Hempfield Area graduate and has had Mr. Clougherty as a teacher. She also belonged to the Hempfield Aqua Club in middle school.

It was very quiet this morning while I was there. I was the only customer and there was one who came in and placed an order to go. The weekends are usually busier as well as the few evenings they are open. I’ll be making a return trip next week so I can meet Kendra.

There’s an indoor seating area but, they have an outdoor patio as well. That’ll get used more as the weather warms up in the Spring and Summer months. I can’t to have an iced coffee on a day and introduce some of my friends and family to this place.

Saturday is College Apparel Day at the Kentlee. I won’t be able to attend since my job requires me to work late and I would be sleeping during their hours of operation. For my first trip to the Kentlee this morning, I wore my green and white (Kendra attended Slippery Rock University for a year before transferring to IUP). Katie attended IUP as well and has a degree in Communications Media. If I could go back in time and pick another major, that would have been my field of study (with a minor in Photography).

I want try the reverse iced coffee next time, as well as their dirt. Those pop tart flavors are tempting. Sara would love those vegetarian options for sure.

On January 9, the world lost another great TV icon. Losing Betty White was bad enough. Now it was Bob Saget. I’m losing these links to my childhood left and right. I spent the night cleaning the house (not really).

As a kid, I never knew that Bob Saget was a vulgar comedian. Just like I never knew that George Carlin said “Seven Words You Can’t Say on Television”. Bob Saget to me played a loving father and also narrated humorous home videos, and George Carlin was a storyteller who enlightened me with trains.

This blog post is not just about Bob Saget but a few great TV dads. Saget shot to fame as widowed father Danny Tanner on Full House and Fuller House as well as the original host of America’s Funniest Home Video. He was also the voice of adult Ted Mosby on How I Met Your Mother for nine seasons on CBS. I think that’s one role of his that slid under the radar.

When you think of great TV Dads in history, you think of the originals like Andy Taylor, Ward Cleaver, Mike Brady, or Howard Cunningham. Archie Bunker and George Jefferson, while being famous TV characters who were controversial, don’t count because their children were grown during the show’s run. My top TV Dads came from my time. I’m a child of the 80s and came of age in the best decade that was the 90s. I’m also going to include some cartoon dads as well.

Phillip Banks (James Avery) is one of my favorite TV Dads because he took in his nephew and treated him like a son. He was strict but fair and wasn’t afraid to drop the hammer on Will (Will Smith) when needed. One of my favorite Fresh Prince episodes was the one where Will’s dad comes to visit and wants to get his son back in his life. Uncle Phil sees right through this and knows Lou (Ben Vereen) was up to no good and he was right. Lou walks out of Will’s life once again, leaving his son devastated. The hug that James and Will shared and the credits focused on that father and son sculpture had me crying.

Homer Simpson is one of the best cartoon dads to most people but he is buffoonish in my opinion. Peter Griffin? Don’t get me started please. I think of Hank Hill as a great animated TV dad. He’s a family man with a great job and he’s the voice of reason among his beer drinking friends. He’s flawed because he doesn’t have a great relationship with his grizzled WWII vet father, and he feels like he’s failed his son. That boy ain’t right. Despite all his imperfections, he tries hard. He and Bob Belcher try at least unlike the other cartoon dads.

Bob Belcher is also up there as one of my favorite TV dads. Yes it’s a cartoon I know, get over it. People have made videos on YouTube speculating how he and wife Linda can afford everything on the very little income he makes running his burger restaurant. I’d love to live in that sweet little apartment and get to know the man behind the grill, or even drink a little wine with Linda. Bob’s favorite is definitely Louise for sure but he tries to cater to all three of his kids. Bob/Louise and Bob/Gene episodes are the best in my opinion.

There’s many more TV dads who are great but talking about them would keep me up all night plus it’d be a very long winded blog.