Christina Epperly
Bio
Hello There ! I'm a blogger, writer and bucket lister! My bucket list has over 300 items on it. I am big believer in enjoying the little things in life. I also love collecting toys.
John 3:16
Stories (59/0)
Warning controversy ahead!
One of my favorite quotes from the world of professional wrestling is " Controversy creates cash. " - Eric Bischoff. If you think about it, it's very true. Nothing draws people quite like a controversy. Everyone jumps in to pick a side and defend their point of view. However, I thought that it would be interesting to put this quote to the test. Below, I have listed just three of my controversial opinions. I'm curious to see if this article will become popular with battles going on in the comments or if it will be just another internet article lost in the sea of other articles. Are you ready for some controversy?
By Christina Epperly5 months ago in Confessions
Underrated life mile stones
When you think of life milestones, a few things, such as graduation, getting a high paying job, buying a house, getting married, having kids, and getting your driver's license, may come to mind. These milestones are no doubt big accomplishments that should be celebrated. However, there are many other important life milestones that are often overlooked. In our world today it is very easy to compare yourself to others, and oftentimes, these well-known milestones are used to compare yourself and your accomplishments to other people and the things that they have accomplished. It is important to remember that everyone is different and we all have different resources and challenges in out lives, It is also important for everyone to remember that there are many different kinds of milestones outside of the well-known ones that I mentioned above. I have written a list below of life accomplishments that I consider to be underrated milestones. I know that there are many more milestones outside other than the ones below. Please feel free to share your own life milestones in the comments section.
By Christina Epperly11 months ago in Motivation
70 Ways to add some joy to your day
In today's world, it is so easy to get caught up in our normal work or school schedule that all we can focus on surviving the day. We often save all our excitement for the days that we have off. However, we never know how many days we have left, and it is important to try and find joy in our everyday routines. I have come up with a list of simple ways that you can add a little joy to your normal everyday routines. Of course, everyone has different resources and responsibilities, so not all of these ideas will work for everyone, but I hope that this list will inspire you to smile more and to enjoy life more. Please feel free to leave your own ideas in the comments. I'm excited to see what you come up with. Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy your day today!
By Christina Epperly12 months ago in Lifehack
Write down your bucket list!
In the year of 2012, I started my bucket list. I liked the idea of writing down my goals and crossing them off one by one. After writing down the ideas that were in my head, I turned to the internet for more inspiration. Since then, I have crossed off many items from my bucket list. I have also added many items to my bucket list. Currently, my list has 315 items, including the items that I have already crossed off. My bucket list is filled with a wide variety of items. It includes simple items like drawing on a pair of shoes, swimming in a pool with glow sticks, and sleeping on a trampoline it also has more difficult items like reading the Bible cover to cover ,being able to run a mile easily and flying in a private jet. Every time I cross an item off my bucket list, I feel a strong sense of accomplishment. Having a bucket list and crossing off the items on it has become one of my main hobbies. My blog that I started about my bucket in 2015 has also become one of my main hobbies. Even though I write about a lot of different things on my blog other than my bucket list, I do not think that my blog would be what it is today without my bucket list. I often hear people talk about something being a bucket list experience or being on their bucket list however from what I have been able to discover most of these people do not have a bucket list that is written down. They have goals and ideas in their head ,but trust me, it is easy to forget bucket list items when they are only in your head. The purpose of this article is to encourage everyone to write down their bucket list. It makes it much easier to remember what your life goals are when you have them written down. It is also a lot more fun! I know I said it already, but I will say to it again. There is something so satisficing about crossing items off your bucket list. The sense of accomplishment that you get when you cross out a number on your list is a truly beautiful feeling. There is no way that simply doing something that you have wanted to do could give you the same feeling as actually marking off a number. Having a bucket list is also something that can help people get to know you more. You can tell a lot about a person just by looking at their bucket list. Also, if you ever play an ice breaker game where you have to say an interesting fact about yourself, saying that you have a bucket list that is written down is a great thing to say. You can also tell people how many items are on your list as a second interesting thing about yourself . Having an actual bucket list is a great conversation starter. Another great thing about having a bucket list is that it is a great topic for a blog, vlog, or podcast. I honestly do not know why more people do not write their lists down. Having a bucket list can be a great form of self care. In my experience, having a bucket list helps to build self-confidence, and it can be a source of positive memories when you are feeling sad. There are many positive points to having a bucket list, and it is a hobby that anyone can start. I have two main pieces of advice for people who are building their bucket list. Number one, try to think of things that you really wanted to do years ago. Adding your childhood wishes to your bucket list can be a lot of fun. Number two do not make it too hard. Be sure to add items that are easy to cross off so that you do not become frustrated. I hope this article has given you some inspiration to start a bucket list or to make your current bucket list even longer. Happy bucket listing!
By Christina Epperlyabout a year ago in Motivation
Ruby the famous cat
Ruby stretched out her legs and paws as the early morning sun came in through the bedroom window. She knew that her favorite human that was called Olive would be waking up soon. She was excited for the day ahead. They were going to be traveling to a large event on the other side of the country where they both would be performing for a large crowd of people. Ruby loved Olive more than any human she had ever met, and she had met a lot of them, especially since she and Olive had become famous. Olive was the one who had rescued her from the laboratory where she and many other cats had been used for experiments. Olive was the one who had discovered that the people at the lab had figured out how to make cats talk. It all began when Olive was walking on a trail that was located across the road from the lab where Ruby and her friends were. A brave kitten named Cypress had managed to escape the lab,and he had found Olive. He was young, and he had no idea that most people did not know that cats could be made to speak in the same way that humans could. When Cypress spoke to Olive, she almost passed out from the shock. However, Olive turned out to be just the person that all the lab cats needed. Olive had posted a video of the Cypress online. In the video, Cypress told the world about the lab. However that was not all Olive had done she was worried that the people at the lab would try to get rid of the cats to cover up their work so she had made sure that the police could get into the lab before she posted the video. All the people involved were arrested for the illegal experiments that they had done on the cats. After the rescue the cats were all adopted to good homes. Olive had wanted a friend for Cypress, so she adopted Ruby. Cypress was not a huge fan of all the fame and attention, but Ruby was. Olive was a struggling actor and writer when she had found Cypress. After posting the video that led to the awareness of the situation at the lab. She began to get offers to be on many different TV shows, movies, and pod casts. Cypress had enjoyed all the excitement at first, but since he had gotten older, he was not as outgoing as he used to be. Ruby was happy to step in and take Cypress's place in the spotlight while Cypress stayed home and relaxed. Ruby was very excited about the event that they were going to. She had been in movies and TV shows, but live events and meet and greets were new to her. She loves meeting her fans, and she had been day dreaming about all the fans she would be meeting and talking to. Her fans loved to hear her talk, and she was more than happy to talk to them. Just a few minutes after Ruby had woken up, Olive's alarm began to make loud noise that Ruby hated. Fortunately, Olive heard the alarm just seconds after it started making noise, so she was able to quickly turn it off before it bothered Ruby's sensitive ears too much. Olive greeted Ruby by telling her good morning and petting her on the head. Ruby asked Olive if she had slept well, and Olive responded that it was not long enough. There was not much time before they had to leave, but luckily, everything they needed had been packed up the night before. About an hour later, Olive's friend Aaron arrived to take them to the airport. Ruby loved flying because she got to see a lot of people she loved to see the people, and the people loved to see her. However, she did not like being in such a small space for so long. But she was good at sleeping during the flight and making the time pass quickly. Before she knew it, the. The plane had arrived at the destination. There was a car waiting for them when they got off the plane and it took them to a big fancy hotel in the city that they would be performing in the next day. The next morning was not as relaxing as the one before Ruby and Olive had to rush out the door to make it to the stage to practice before their performance. luckily, there was time for a quick breakfast Ruby could not perform without breakfast. After practice, it was time for their first meet and greet of the day. Ruby and Olive had a great time meeting their fans. Ruby loved the way her fluffy white hair looked against the blue background as she took photos with fans. After a short break, it was time to go back to the stage to perform. As Ruby looked out on the audience, she realized just how happy she was. Her life had not gotten off to a great start, but now it was so perfect that she wouldn't change a thing. After Olive and Ruby were introduced, they walked out on the Ruby, opened her mouth, spoke into the microphone, and said hello to all her new friends
By Christina Epperlyabout a year ago in Fiction
Sixty amazing ideas for your next scavenger hunt
I love scavenger hunts! I don't know why exactly why. I've only been on three scavenger hunts that I can remember, and it has been many years since the last one that I participated in. When I was in my teen years, I loved looking at YouTube videos of scavenger hunts. I have recently started looking at scavenger hunt videos again. There are many different types of scavenger hunts. Some of them involve taking pictures of certain objects, others have questions you have to answer, and then there are ones with tasks that have to be completed and then photographed or recorded for proof. Some scavenger hunts determine a winner by the number of items completed, and other scavenger hunts use a point system to determine a winner. It does not matter what system you are using it can be difficult to come up with ideas to put on your scavenger hunt list. I decided to do my part to help solve that problem by making a list of items that you could include in your next scavenge hunt. I have put the list in categories based on different types of scavenger hunts. I hope your next scavenger hunt is super fun!
By Christina Epperlyabout a year ago in Motivation
Valentine's Day is for everyone!
Hello, there before I go any further. Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I'm 32 years old, and I have never officially been in a relationship. The reason why is complicated, but I will try to make it as simple as possible. I have been on a date before, but I have come to the realization that I only liked the idea of being in a relationship. We are told through many different forms of media that when you grow up , you fall in love, and then you get married. It's just what you do. Naturally, I thought that I would eventually find someone. However, I have figured out that being single is what's right for me. That being said, it does get difficult to be single at my age. Sometimes, I'm proud of being single. Other times, it can be really challenging. I know that I can't be the only one in this situation so I decided to write about it. When it comes to Valentine's Day, I have a love-hate relationship with it. I have good memories of this holiday when I was a kid, but as I got older, it got less fun. Sometimes, it was hard in my teens and early adult years watching everyone who was in a relationship celebrate their love. It was easy to feel left out even if you knew that more than half the relationships being celebrated wouldn't stand the test of time. Sometimes, it feels like Valentine's Day presents itself as a holiday that only certain people can celebrate. That the holiday is only for children to celebrate with their classmates or for adults who are lucky enough to have a romantic relationship. Sometimes, you can ignore the fact that Valentine's Day is approaching, but when the day comes and everyone is posting about the person they are in love with, it can make you feel inferior. I know that I am loved by family, friends, and my cat. However ,since I don't have romantic love in my life, it is easy to feel like I have a lower status than other people around me. Sometimes, this makes me sad or even angry. With all that being said recently, I have found that the best way to fight back is to think positively and to be thankful for all the blessings you do have in your life. This year I'm going to celebrate Valentine's Day and I'm excited about it. I have learned that a lot of times, it is best to ignore the media's expectations for you and to set your own expectations and goals for yourself, and Valentine's Day is no different. Love comes in many different forms, and no matter what the media say, the love of family and friends is just as valuable as the love that comes from a romantic partner. I used to think that the best was to fight back against my feelings of being left out was to be against Valentine's Day and to be negative towards it but now I have discovered that it is much better and healthier to celebrate Valentines Day anyway no matter what you are told. You have the power to make Valentinus's Day a great day no matter your relationship status. You can make or order dinner for your family, buy your friend a heart shaped box full of chocolate, decorate your home or workplace with hearts, and you can buy yourself a gift or even get yourself a card. Instead of being upset this year, I'm going to celebrate all the love and blessings I have in my life, and I recommend that anyone who is feeling left out do the same thing. I guess the only thing left to say is I hope whoever is reading this has a truly beautiful and wonderful February 14th! Happy Valentine's Day!
By Christina Epperlyabout a year ago in Motivation
Netflix needs to remember that everyone is different
Do you ever feel like media companies are telling you what you should enjoy and should be watching? Now, I'm not just talking about just advertising a new show or movie, I'm talking about forcefully shoving it in your face. Over advertising it to the point where you could probably recognize the characters without even watching five minutes of the movie or show that is being advertised. This happened to me on a recent vacation to Los Angeles. There were advertisements all over the place for a new Netflix movie. In addition to billboards and buses, there were advertisements for this show printed on the trays that you put your items in as you go through security at the airport. It was beyond excessive. All of this got me inspired to write about how much I despise Netflix's top ten lists. Before I get into my reasons why I wish these lists didn't exist, let me explain exactly what it is in case you don't know. When you go to your homepage on Netflix, you are greeted with larger advertisements pushing the latest Netflix original shows. All you have to do to find the list is to scroll down a little bit. Sometimes, the little is near the top of the page. Other times, it is near the bottom. Apparently, the list changes position based on how Netflix thinks your personal taste reflects the items that are on the list. However, sooner or later, you will reach one list and then the other. There are two separate top ten lists, one for movies and TV shows. The lists are made from the watch times from the previous day. The more people that watch a certain show or movie, the higher it will rank. The lists are not based on user feedback. It should be universal knowledge by now that just because something is popular does not mean that it is good or worth giving your time to. However, I guess Netflix didn’t get the memo. Instead, they throw these lists in your face that seam to scream at you to watch these shows because everyone else is. Netflix does not seem to think that its users can think for themselves. These lists seem to only exist to persuade you to fallow along with the crowd. With all that being said, there is a more serious issue with the top ten lists than the simple pressure to conform. In my experience, when I look at the shows in the top ten lists more often than not, there is at least one title that contains graphic sexual or violent content, and it is not always fiction. I could write a whole another article on the unhealthy obsession with true crime. However, it is worth noting that some movies and shows in those top ten lists may contain a photo of a real violent criminal. Every title in the top ten lists is accompanied by a photo. Sometimes, the photos alone are enough to make you feel uneasy. When I go to watch, I want to escape and maybe even be inspired. I don’t want to be forced to see images that make me feel uncomfortable. Most, if not all, streaming services are guilty of shoving violent and sexual advertisements in your face. However, I have only seen the top ten lists on Netflix even though all the other streaming services that I have seen have a trending list. Netflix also has a popular list in addition to its top ten lists. Netflix seems to want to heavily persuade its audience to watch what they recommend. Unfortunately, there is no way to hide the top ten lists from your Netflix homepage. If you use Netflix, you are pretty much forced to see what other people are watching unless you scroll past the lists really fast. My hope is that one day, Netflix and other streaming services become more customizable in the way that social media platforms have done so that streaming can be relaxing and not uncomfortable.
By Christina Epperlyabout a year ago in Geeks
Unicorn slippers to the rescue
The heads on my unicorn slippers bobbed up and down as I quickly made my way to the elevator. I needed to get to the 5th floor as soon as possible. My best friend Ian was not answering his phone and I needed to talk to him NOW! When I made it to the elevator, I pushed the up arrow and waited for the elevator to come. I jumped up and down slightly, starting to panic. It was morning, and I knew many people would be taking the elevator down to the lobby for the free breakfast. I was about to give up and take the stairs when the elevator finally showed up. I pressed the button for the 5th floor as quickly as I could. As the elevator made its way from the 2nd floor to the 5th, I prayed that it would not stop until it got there. Since most people were going down and my elevator was going up it was not needed by anyone else. I checked my phone again. Ian had not messaged or called me back. My panic grew. Then, in a quick turn of emotions, I quietly thanked God as the elevator stopped at the 5th floor. Then the heads on my unicorn slippers resumed bobbing up and down again as I ran as fast as I could down the hotel hallway. After what seemed like five years, I was finally standing in front of room 508. I pounded on the door. I was relieved when the door opened quickly and my friend Paul was standing in front of me. I pushed past him and looked around. I didn't see Ian at first, so I asked where he was. Paul pointed towards one of the beds in the hotel suite. Ian is not known for being an early riser, and I wondered if whoever got into his account knew this. I quickly woke him up and yelled, "Reset your password!" He quickly popped his head up from the pillow and stared at me with a confused look on his face. “Reset your password." I said again, but this time I said it in a normal speaking voice. He asked me what I was talking about. I explained to him that there had been several posts on his Instagram account that I knew did not come from him. He quickly grabbed his phone off of the nightstand. I watched his eyes widen, and his jaw drop as he looked at his phone. We sat there in silent for a moment as he kept his eyes locked onto his phone. Then, after about 10 minutes or so, he told me that he had deleted everything the hacker had posted, and he had reset his password. I asked him if he thought there would be any fallout from the post. He told me he didn't think so. Ian is a track star. At the time, he was ranked as one of the fastest high school runners in the county. Part of being in sports, especially in high school, included taking a lot of drug tests. Whoever had hacked Ian's account had posted a bunch of pictures of marijuana and memes about smoking pot. This may not seem like that big of a deal especially for a high school student but because of Ian's involvement in the track team and his plan to get a college scholarship these posts could do damage to his future. Since I've gotten this far into the story, it's probably time to give you more context. During the time of this story, Ian and I were on a church trip with our high-school youth group. Every summer, our church's youth group goes on a five day long trip. Sometimes, it's a camping trip or beach trip. This year, we went on a two hour drive to Los Angeles/ Hollywood. This event that I’m currently telling you about happened on the morning of the third day during this trip. Our hotel was in Hollywood so a lot of the activities that we had done in the past two days had been on our around Hollywood Boulevard. We had been happy Los Angeles tourists, but now we were in the middle of a bunch of drama. It didn't take Ian very long to figure out that sense he had not gotten any security alerts from Instagram sent to his email. His account had been accessed with his phone since it was the only place he had already logged in. It had to have been done by somebody on the trip. This first post that the hacker posted to his account was posted at 12:43 AM. The room that Ian was staying in had gone lights out at 11:00 Pm. The youth leader who was staying in the suit with Ian's group was Kyle. Everyone thought highly of Kyle he was a lot of fun and was always making corny jokes, but he was known to stick to the rules and since the schedule said lights were to be out at 11pm, Kyle had turned the lights out as soon as the number 11 appeared on the clock.
By Christina Epperlyabout a year ago in Fiction
My Childhood without Santa Claus
Hello, Vocal media readers! I originally published this article on my blog (Justabucketlistdream) in December 2018. However, I thought it would be a good idea to post it here. Most people that I have met grew up participating in the tradition of Santa Claus. I think that it is good for people to see both sides of topics like this one so I decided to share it with a wider audience. I hope you enjoy reading it.
By Christina Epperlyabout a year ago in Confessions