Author: Jen Rios

Random Tune #71 in my YouTube Feed

This just shows the extreme backlog I am in in posting tunes on my blog. I came across this song and shared it on Facebook almost a couple weeks sho because I had never heard the acoustic version. I used to JAM to this song constantly when I still could drive! This was back when Sean was young so I got to listen to my kind of music and nine seconds with music he started listening to. I miss that time in my life today…:

Random Tune #70 in my YouTube Feed

This particular tune showed up in my YouTube feed a couple weeks ago but I was bombarded for a while of GREAT random songs so I just posted them on Facebook and figured I would get back to them and post them on my blog.

it seems that this one is fitting today because my body is adjusting to the weather change of the seasons and I cannot warm up! Thank God that my brother, Jimmy, brought a rebozo for me yesterday. I have been wearing this since he brought it and I texted him today saying that I feel like our Abuela. She was always called with afghans around her constantly.

So today, I am, “Grabbing my guts” and just trying to warm up. I am finding to warm up. This song seems especially appropriate:

“Sexy Trash”

I finished my, “Slow Walk” of The Umbrella Academy yesterday, or rather, this morning. I know that I am late to the party but I thoroughly enjoyed it! I can’t wait for the third season to come out but since I am finished, I will just have to. It was pretty consistent throughout the two seasons that Klaus is my favorite!

I will say that I am more of an *NSYNC girl rather than The Backstreet Boys but I did laugh when this song played:

Made me laugh both times that he referenced this song as well:

I don’t know that I fully appreciated him until he described himself as, “Sexy Trash” though!!! 😂😂😂 The show has the BEST soundtrack!

NEVER Thought

So, my hair has been getting pretty long in these past six months! Not too long ago, I remembered that I would French braid everyone’s hair on my basketball team before our game. If it was an away game, I would do it in the bus. If it was a home game, I would braid their hair on the bleachers or in the locker room. It took probably five or six games for me to realize that I was the ONLY person without braids because no one else knew how to French braid!

That’s when I asked my Mom to braid my hair in the morning before school when I had a game. She did that for the rest of my games my senior year. I vaguely remembered taking this picture and seeing it when I found a photo album from my school. I can’t remember the kid on the left’s name. I think it was Zack? But I am Facebook friends with the boy on the right’s sister because we went to school together and were on the same basketball team:

So today, because my hair has grown so long, my Mom French braided it. It was definitely difficult because I’m sitting in my wheelchair and it was a strange angle but it got done!

It has been 21 years since my Mom has braided my hair and I felt like a child as she did. I HAD to have her take a picture of it because I never thought I would have my hair braided again as my disease has progressed and since I chopped all of my hair off 12 years ago to make things easier for me. Now, I can say that she did it again even as I am a grown woman!

“Long and Flowing”

I STILL have not gotten my haircut on since the beginning of the pandemic because of my immuno compromised self. I have taken pictures of my hairs growth since the quarantine began. I don’t know the dates of these pictures but this is the world that’s far:


Before I share the picture I took today, I want to explain that I always have a long hair and I remember one time in kindergarten, my Mom was not there to get me ready for school so my Dad did it. He asked me how my Mom normally fixes my hair for school and I lied and told him that she just lets me keep it, “Long and Flowing.” Let me go to school with my hair down.

My hair in grade school was extremely long and even though I was short, my hair was pretty much in my butt the whole time I was there. Well, that was a mistake to leave my hair down and I learned that that day!

My hair today reminded me of seeing System of a Down perform BYOB on Letterman (I think) in 2005. This music really isn’t my bag but I thought of the singer who yells at the beginning before the lead singer begins singing one so I looked at how my hair looks now:

My hair is starting to get long and it is super annoying and I hate having told Jesse so many years ago that I missed having a ponytail. After I took this picture, and put my hair in a ponytail and put my hoodie on:

So, now that my hair is, “Long and Flowing” now because I have not been to the salon to get it cut, my eyebrow is completely overgrown now too! But I am too proud to take a picture of that!

Random Tune #69 in my YouTube Feed

I seem to be on a one-week delay for songs that and only show up in my YouTube feed. I share them on Facebook so I don’t forget to post them. This gem was a deep dive, about 20 years. Probably even longer because this was freshman and sophomore year. It reminds me of my friend Erica:

It made me smile and I didn’t know why it showed up except for the fact that Big Brother knew that I needed to smile then and I smile now as I post this.

#MyGirlL: “High Standards”

The specialist who performed Leia’s ultrasound a week ago, called this afternoon. He told us the results of her fecal sample were normal and he did not see a mass on her ultrasound but he was concerned with some of the results of her bloodwork.

Some levels were elevated and he said that what he would recommend would be prescription food… for life. He is calling her normal vet to make a plan and then we will be called. We just started introducing normal dog food back into your diet few days ago and one day after doing that, the diarrhea started again.

Awhile ago, we noticed that she was not drinking her water. We keep her water bowl filled all day and she just wasn’t drinking it. We asked the vet about that and she suggested that we use bottled water. Once she saw my Mom pour water into her bowl, she started drinking it again.

Leia is still on the bland diet of rice and boiled hamburger. My Mom will just add the water to the rice and hamburger mixture. Every time she has gone to the vet (which is kind of a lot in her young life) she has been properly hydrated. I texted Sean while he was at work to explain her need to have prescription dog food. He texted back, “Prescription dog food and bottled water smh.”

I laughed and responded that of course any dog who lives with ME will definitely be, “High Standards!” But, I’m thinking because she is just a dog that she would just be considered, “High Maintenance.” I have no problem clarifying to people that I am, “High Standards” and NOT, “High Maintenance!” But she is a dog. But she isOUR dog so I guess she can be, “High Standards” too because I love her so much!!!

STILL Crazy!

I have a very vivid memory of being at a stoplight in Ford Road and Shaffer and on my way to my Parents’ house. I must have already had Sean but I guess I was going to pick him up. I was stopped and watched as a worker was drilling on the median I think.

My windows are rolled down and I looked over as I was opening my bottle of water. The man stopped for a moment and I almost gave him my water before I took a drink. Then, the light turned green and I drove away. I still feel bad about not giving that man my water! This song was playing on the radio as I contemplated giving that man my water:

So, last night, I started season 2 of, The Umbrella Academy and low and behold, this song made an appearance but it was it cover. And I think this is my FAVORITE cover so far! If it because ultimately, I, myself, I am STILL crazy!!!:

Mind Blown

I just saw episode 8 of season 1 of The Umbrella Academy late last night and I’m pretty mind blown! I’ve asked Sean about it but he will not tell me any information. I’ve written before that I am, “Slow Walking” this show so it will take some time and tonight I will watch episode 9 of season 1. I looked up this song on YouTube because I wanted to hear the guys who specifically saying this song in episode 7?:

After episode 8, I have SO many questions but I just have to watch the show…