Wednesday’s turning out to be a good new blog day, despite the fact that I work out on Wednesday evenings, same as I do after work on Tuesdays. Here’s my theory: Wednesday is easier because I do my Wednesday workout “with” Jessica, my friend/workout partner, on the phone. The set time for our Monday/Wednesday workouts is 5pm, but even if we push it to 5:30pm some days, I’m still more than likely going to be finished with the workout by 6:30pm. Wednesdays are structured.

Tuesdays and Thursdays, however, I’m on my own. What happens when I don’t have anyone expecting me, waiting for me, counting on my being there? I get sucked into doing other things, and next thing I know, I’m starting my workout at 7pm or later. I don’t manage my time well here at home, evidently.

Wednesday and Saturday nights, then. After so many years of Tuesday/Thursday posts, that’s how it’s shaking out here in TALC in the wake of going back to work and switching all of my workouts to evenings. I’m fine with it. I like it. I hope that you do, too.

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We’ve arrived at the end of September, and my next post will land on the 3rd of October. OCTOBER, guys, as in SHORT HORROR OCTOBER. (!!!) It’s finally here! I’ve got a lot in the way of short horror to share in the weeks to come.

For this list of little things that I enjoyed in September, I only have one shareworthy film, and there were no new streaming series (as I continued watching Shameless throughout the month).

As for food, now that I’m looking at the list, I see that many of these items were products I’ve included in past “favorites” lists. I’m posting them anyway, though, since it’s been a while, and I enjoyed them quite a bit this last month.

[Side-note: My friend Caroline has been texting in efforts to convince me to rest my hand and to NOT post tonight! She’s straight-up trying to sabotage this post by making me laugh, blowing up my phone to keep me from writing, and letting me know that I’m a terrible mother because Nenette is being neglected as I sit here writing this. I told her I’d try to keep it short.]

Let’s get into it, then!

 

1). Host (Shudder Original film)

 

 

You might remember that I was impressed by the effectiveness of this low-budget horror flick… I mean, it actually scared me. In case you missed it, you can click here to read what I had to say about it. Highly recommend!

 

2). Kashi Whole Wheat Biscuits, Autumn Wheat (cereal). (Vegan)

 

 

(Repeated item.) Since I enjoyed this cereal throughout September, it’s worth listing it again. I love this simple cereal… it’s organic, vegan, and just barely sweet.

 

3). Frozen mango chunks. (Vegan)

 

 

(Repeated item.) I still enjoy eating frozen mango chunks straight out of the bag for a healthy and refreshing dessert.

 

4). Taylor Farms Sweet Kale Chopped (salad) Kit. (Vegan – without the included dressing)

 

 

(Repeated item.) I’ve been eating a lot of this salad as of late. It’s still my favorite pre-prepared chopped salad! I use olive oil and balsamic vinegar instead of the dressing provided in the kit, so it’s vegan and I can really taste the fresh ingredients: broccoli, green cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, radicchio, pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries. Delicious!

 

5). American Flatbread Vegan Harvest frozen pizza. (Vegan)

 

 

This frozen pizza is hands-down my favorite vegan cheese pizza. My most-favorite vegan pizza is Amy’s No Cheese, but if I’m going to get a vegan cheese pizza? THIS ONE.

 

6). Siete Grain-Free Nacho Tortilla Chips. (Vegan and Paleo)

 

 

I expected to see a list of chemicals when I picked up these chips to inspect the ingredients panel. Instead, I saw:

Cassava Flour, Avocado Oil, Coconut Flour, Nutritional Yeast, Tomato Powder, Chia Seed, Sea Salt, Citric Acid, Garlic Powder, Jalapeño Powder, Onion Powder, Serrano Powder

My friends, I will have you know that I bought these chips and ate the entire bag myself in one weekend. I’m not sure how I feel about that. They’re not terrible for you, but they’re not exactly nutrient-dense, either. They’re a not-terrible junk food, I guess I’d say… and they’re super tasty.

 

7). Urban Decay Stay Naked Correcting Concealer. (Vegan and cruelty-free)

 

 

I was going to re-purchase my NARS concealer when I finally ran out, but in the time it took for me to use it up, NARS started selling their products in China. Consequently, NARS products are no longer cruelty-free. China requires that products are tested on animals!!

One of the things I appreciated about the concealer was how perfectly the shade matched my skin tone. I found a shade in this Urban Decay line of concealers that matches well, too, and I like the formula as much as I liked NARS’… plus, it’s vegan! If you’re looking for a good vegan and cruelty-free concealer with a wide shade range – and if you’re okay with a pricier concealer – I recommend this Urban Decay line.

 

8). VEBE shock-absorbing fingerless gloves. (Ordered on Amazon)

 

 

I ordered these gloves in the interest of protecting my troubled left hand at work, and I liked them so much, I bought two more pairs. One, I use for lifting weights, and the other, I keep as a clean pair for doing things in the house should I need hand protection. That extra pair also serves as a back-up. The great thing about these gloves is their shock-absorbing gel pads. They do help! They’re easy to clean, too… I throw them in the washing machine once a week, and they come out like new. I don’t know about cycling/mountain-biking (for which the gloves are marketed), but they make for great everyday work gloves and weight-lifting gloves.

That’s all I’ve got for the month, my friends. Happy OCTOBER Eve!