Covid19 Archives - Cherry and the Hoot

As we all are aware, the entire world is experiencing a surge in coronavirus cases. There have been many talks of shutdowns, reactivated restrictions, curfews, and more. Once again, we have people panicking and emptying grocery and wholesale store shelves. No water, toilet paper, nor disinfectant wipes… All of your favorite foods people usually don’t eat- gone. All of the pushing and shoving- it’s just a mess all over again.

Amid this tragic pandemic, the holiday season is quickly approaching. Christmas trees and decorations are already set up and lit before Thanksgiving can even get by. The fall scents are smelling amazing while the beautiful fallen leaves cover the roads (somewhere, but for sure not here in SoCal). Mouths are getting watery for the delicious Thanksgiving feasts. But one thing that will definitely change this year, our usual big and loving family gatherings and dinners. The part I miss so much about being home back on the East Coast!

For most of the world, this is probably the first time we’ve had significant differences within our holidays or other celebrated dates. Sadly, this holiday season will be more depressing for us here in the United States than ever due to the current circumstances of Covid-19. In some places of the nation, there are bans on large gatherings causing some to be left alone. Even if there aren’t any bans in certain areas, some would rather stay safe at home and not risk the chance of infecting themselves or loved ones. Very much so a high consideration, in my opinion.

Luckily, with technology being greatly improved over the years, we don’t “really” have to be alone. These days most of the nation has smartphones, tablets, laptops, computers with webcams, gaming consoles with cameras, etc. Now is the time when these devices should be used to their full abilities. Now is the time to use servers such as Zoom, Teams, Skype, Facebook, Facetime, Google Dou, etc., to communicate with loved ones from a safe distance. Some may not be able to cook their favorite dish or meal from their favorite family member. Still, something as simple as a video chat or live social media broadcast could be the answer. Ask them how to make that particular dish or meal, ask them to provide you with the recipes, and have them virtually show you how to master them.

We don’t have to be alone! If someone doesn’t have an updated device to communicate, talk to them on the phone through the process, or purchase them one and overnight it. If there’s a way, there’s a will. Yes, I understand mental health rates have increased drastically due to isolation or not being around our loved ones physically. Still, we have to try, at least. Even if you need to look back at previous holidays- cherish the beautiful memories, and know that this pandemic will eventually end.

Other things you could do via the servers I mentioned would include getting creative. Start watching holiday movies together, pop some popcorn, grab your snacks, make a few drinks, and enjoy a virtual movie night or date. Play or make up a few virtual games to let the time pass quicker. Think outside of the box and make crafts or bake some new goodies together. Use the web to search for any of these ideas because I know they have to exist. We can be away from our loved ones and still make the best of it. Determination is key!

Tragically, some of us have even lost a few loved ones due to the deadly virus, causing this holiday season to be the first time without them. It may be challenging to face, but we all have to be as wholesome as possible. All of our loved ones may not be physically near, but they are right with us in spirit. Cherish life while you can, cherish your favorite memories with those you care about dearly, and cherish being healthy enough to experience such a worldwide historical journey. My heart goes out to all of those individuals during these intricate moments. In the words of my best friend, my grandfather, “Everything has a way of working itself out.”

Happy Holidays Hooters. We WILL get through this!

*If you’d like to know my opinion on something or would like me to write about a particular topic, please feel free to submit a form via the Contact tab.

Mental Health

July Mental Health Check-In

July 26, 2020 Cherry and the Hoot

21 motivational quotes about mental health • The Anxious Empath

Although the world is suffering from a pandemic, do not allow that to hinder you from enjoying your life as adequately as possible. Yes, times are difficult for most due to losing their employment, not being able to pay bills, struggling to feed families and the homeless, losing loved ones, stressing about children going back to school, worldwide protests, and much more. Lifting yourself either for you or your family is what matters right now. Positivity is key during these tough times. It isn’t just you experiencing this pandemic, it is everyone. Some may have it easier than others but we’re all impacted as a whole.

Rather waiting for a miracle to emerge, do as much as you can to see some sort of change. If you need help, ask your family, close friends, community, church, or the state for assistance. Let your pride go for a while. Right now a lot of states are providing extra resources under the circumstances, you just have to put in the work to find all available options and offerings. If you need to talk to someone because you feel alone or on the verge of depression, research your options for therapists if your family and friends aren’t available. Go outside for daily walks or yoga sessions to keep a clear mind. Write your thoughts, concerns, or plans in a notebook- it’s relieving. Read inspiring books to help you get motivated or have some kind of hope. If you’re able to, start filling out job applications because more places than you think are hiring. Stay active at all times to keep your sanity!

The resources are there and available, you just have to go for it. Although everyone’s situation isn’t the same, we are all in this together; you are not alone!

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Quarantine String Art

June 28, 2020August 3, 2022 Cherry and the Hoot

String art has always been on my “Crafting Bucket List“. The craft has seemed complicating since I first discovered it- probably the reason I did not attempt sooner. Of course, during “quarantine” I had nothing else to do and plenty of time to build my patience. When choosing my crafts, I can either be inspired by tutorials on the web, home decor, television, or crafting stores. Home Depot inspired me to execute this project!

When we went in to grab supplies for my sister’s new sewing table, seeing all of the wood immediately sparked my “crafty” fuel. Strolling down the wood aisles made me think of all things I could possibly create. Since I currently have no desires of using super tools, I needed something easy, simple, and cute. String art popped in my head and I knew it was a done deal! I started to search all over Pinterest and Google images for inspiration and then the games begin.

Hammering all of the nails into the wood was time consuming and extremely annoying due to the noise. BUT… the outcome was a success once I did get the hang of it! I’m very happy I was able to accomplish the project but even more excited one made a great gift for a very special someone.

Take a look at the process below (please keep in mind I do not go in depth with details):

*Supplies needed for the base of the project- minus the sanding block.*

*Print or draw a design of your choice*; *hammer the nails along the perimeter.*

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The Coronavirus Shutdown and My Mental Health

June 21, 2020January 24, 2022 Cherry and the Hoot

Treating mental health seriously should be a given even if it doesn’t affect you directly. Often, individuals tend to brush it to the side or under the rug. In my opinion, that is by far unacceptable. No matter your occupation, salary, marital status, age, ethnicity, etc., everyone’s mental health matters! Everyone deserves some peace of mind with stress-free worries or concerns. We don’t always get that, but we still deserve it.

Mental health can be affected by one’s work-life: complicating bosses and coworkers, change or increase in duties, excessive shift hours, the stress of goals and quotas, and much more. Mental health can also be affected by one’s personal life: various relationship scenarios, self-esteem, health, hygiene, sleep, abuse or trauma, etc. Those are just to name a few; there are so many more factors within mental health.

During the beginning of the pandemic, I’m sure those who suffer from mental health issues or illnesses panicked—especially with the “Stay-at-Home” orders continuously extending. I’ll be one of the first to say, I worried about losing my job in the process but was also relieved about not having to work. Being furloughed mid-March is probably one of the best things that happened to me. Yes, I know it was a struggle for many, but I was more fortunate within this worldwide pandemic, and I’m beyond grateful for it.

I’m grateful because I was able to take a break from my hour and a half (sometimes more than two hours) commute. With that, I was able to save a drastic fortune on gas alone. Before the trails, parks, and beaches closed, I was able to enjoy a few fantastic hiking expeditions. People definitely weren’t walking or hiking before because they packed the trails, which is something that wasn’t usual. They had nothing else better to do, but it was good to see people actually out being active with their families and not being lazy. Hiking is excellent for my mental health because although it can be challenging, it is also refreshing. Plus, I love the views and taking billions of pictures with my lovely iPhone.

Once everything was officially closed, I had to get creative with how I spent my time. Sitting around and being lazy all day was not an option for me. More so because I would have been in pain, ridiculously depressed, and would have lost my damn mind. Sleeping in late happened a few days- long overdue and well needed. More sleep was so satisfying; I enjoyed that so much!

Besides sleeping in, I crafted and stayed active at all times. I worked on improving my body and health the most because that is a factor within my personal life that I often stress. I believed that if my eating habits were cleaner, I would lose more weight and boost my depression decline. I’m pleased to announce that helped out tremendously, the weight loss plus having a break from work.

Work played a significant role in my depression. I’ve been under the impression my boss has been acting discriminatory towards me pretty much since I relocated to California. The discrimination was either due to my mental health illnesses or sadly, the color of my skin. The crazy part, I addressed my concerns with our Human Resources department, and they brushed it under the rug. Complete bullshit if you ask me but hey, that’s just the way the ”cookie crumbles” with corporate businesses. It was just a coincidence all of the “Black Lives Matter” movements happened during the midst of the pandemic. And now the company is just recently addressing diversity and inclusion (black employees) like black people “just came out.” Miss me with the BS honestly. They didn’t care before and still don’t now.

Why do I stay with my employer?

It’s an easy and straightforward job most of the time. The pay is pretty decent, and there’s no cap on our commissions. Although I feel like I pay too much on health insurance per month- we’re offered all benefits. We receive amazing deals on hotels, amusement parks, concerts, etc. Plus, we’re nationwide so I can pretty much transfer to any state I please whenever I’m ready to relocate. Those perks alone are enough to stay somewhere and hope things will eventually improve.

Since I’ve been back to work for about three weeks, my spirits have lifted. I don’t feel as much pressure as before, and my anxiety has been low (for now). I hope to keep it that way, but we shall see. A reset button is the best way to describe my positive return to work; I’m thankful for that. Of course, if anything changes, you all will be the first to know! Haha. In the meantime, I’m doing everything in my power to keep the good vibes.

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Healthier Lifestyle

June 21, 2020January 24, 2022 Cherry and the Hoot

*My favorite meal prep consists of jerk salmon with broccoli and shrimp.*

Sup Hooters? Let’s get into this new lifestyle I’ve officially decided to join– the “Healthy World”! It was time for an extreme change within my weight and appearance. When you’ve been 115-126lbs just about your entire life, seeing yourself with extra weight takes a toll on you- at least that’s what it did to me. My weight gain had nothing to do with food but medications so I never tried too hard to fix it. I felt it was pointless to try to lose weight when the medications were just going to cause me to gain it back (that’s exactly what happened). Eventually, after trying various medications my doctor was finally able to prescribe me something that didn’t cause weight gain! I now had assurance the main factor to my problem would somewhat be resolved. The real solution was to officially get healthy and execute change!

Honestly, I was never big on eating completely healthy until recently. Seriously, who really wants to eat healthy when there’s so many amazingly delicious desserts, snacks, and entrees to choose from? During the Coronavirus shutdown, I had plenty of time to reevaluate my life. Self-improvement was my top priority so I chose to work on myself. For starters, getting more fit and healthier was the main goal. Although I had already been somewhat active, I wasn’t active enough. My gym and hiking routine before work was really helping me with losing my unwanted weight and getting back into shape.

When the pandemic began, the gyms and trails closed- I almost panicked because I felt like my workout regiment was ruined. I was walking 1-2 miles each morning before work for a great start to my day. The consistency gave me a sense of hope (even when I didn’t feel like it) and it kept me motivated to continue each day. We all need that extra little “push” and my early morning walks served as that purpose. All of my walks were refreshing, I enjoyed the peace of mind and the beautiful nature when I was able to hike.

Yes, all of the walking really paid off for me but my biggest struggle was my horrible eating habit. I was eating spicy Thai fried rice, pizza, or Buffalo Wild Wings just about every single week. Plus, I was drinking a crap ton of Dr. Peppers (for the sizzle in my throat- *insider) more often than usual. At work, I would order Subway or have tuna with crackers most days for lunch but that was tiring. Eating the same thing repeatedly gets so annoying! It’s like I get bored with food and then I’ll stop eating it for a while. Whomp. Whomp. Whomp!

Luckily, overeating has never been a struggle for me so I knew that wasn’t a contributing factor towards my weight gain prior. Knowing I could lose weight without eating completely healthy was quite interesting. My desire for wanting to lose the “more to love” pounds quicker was even more interesting so I decided to act on it! I bought a bike because I now had nothing but time on my hands and I was able to actually enjoy it for a while. I also invested in a dance pole to have other options when I didn’t feel like riding my bike or walking around the local park. Now that my options for working out increased, it was time to crack down on the eating.

I had slacked on my water intake during “quarantine” and I noticed that made a major difference by slowing down my weight loss process. I begin drinking more water again and I unintentionally stopped drinking Dr. Peppers. Assuming it was a natural instinct due to my determination, I didn’t realize I hadn’t drink a soda in weeks until literally a few days ago. No complaints though! A tough milestone had been defeated but I didn’t stop there.

Researching ways to eat cleaner in the wee hours of the night became obsessive for me. I was going to lose more weight before my next birthday and before I returned to work- I claimed it and I did! Even though Buffalo Wild Wings is one of my favorite places to eat and enjoy beers, I had to cut back. Pizza Hut is one of my favorite pizza chains, I had to cut back. That amazing spicy Thai fried rice, goodness gracious- I had to cut back! Those were extremely tough decisions to make but great for my health and my pocket$.

Eating cleaner started as a challenge because healthy foods tend to waste quicker and I had no desires of running back and forth to the grocery stores during a pandemic- I did though. Haha! I tried to buy as many green foods, salmon (absolutely love), and shrimp as possible for my new journey. I will say, immediately I noticed a difference and I was happy about that. I also purchased a nice yoga app, Yoga Go, that offered meal plans. Unfortunately, none of the meals were appealing enough for me so I had to “86” that tab of the app!

I don’t know what it is with me but I’m not too fond of a lot of healthy foods (avocado, lentils, nuts, quinoa, oatmeal, yogurt, etc.) that most healthy people eat. Some of it just doesn’t look tasteful. I could be wrong with the assumptions but I’m honestly not ready to find out and not sure when I will be ready. I will say, I have been trying to keep an open mind when it comes to new healthy foods but it will definitely take some time! I feel like once I’m able to try these new foods, I’ll be able to perfect the healthy and clean eating lifestyle.

I highly encourage those looking to improve their lifestyle to start by getting healthier and more fit. It may be challenging at first and you may want to give up but you have to keep pushing! Even if you need to find that one person to give you motivation each day- do it! My biggest workout inspiration comes from my Mum. Just about everyday she gets up at 2-3am and heads straight to the gym before work. Even when she doesn’t feel like it, she still goes because she is beyond determined to have a healthier lifestyle. I promise you will feel so much more cleaner and lighter once you decide to make that drastic change in your life!

Thank you so much for visiting my blog. Good or bad, I will be keeping you all updated on my progress with my new lifestyle. Wish me luck and best of luck to you because I know you’re choosing to join the Healthy World!