Mandy Raquel
Bio
I’m a concert junkie who loves to go on spontaneous trips,eat life changing food,and enjoy life with family and friends who have become family. Living under an Arizona sky, I’m a dreamer and believer.
Instagram: @mandiee822
Twitter: @mandiee
Stories (24/0)
- Top Story - April 2021
How to Do ‘Adulting’ the Right WayTop Story - April 2021
Adulting is hard! That is a complaint I’ve heard far and wide across the vast majority of my peers. Nobody wants to deal with adult responsibilities like having a job to only make a living, paying bills, obtaining a mortgage, and then having to make payments on that mortgage, yikes! It’s all extremely stressful, but nothing a glass of wine at the end of the day can’t solve, right? Am I right? In all seriousness, I have been in the stressful bubble of everyday life, but I’ve come to discover that as I get older I look more forward to the little perks that come with age and wisdom. These highlights have caused me to say plenty of times ‘yes, these are the best years so far of my life.’ It wasn’t easy to get to this point though.
By Mandy Raquel3 years ago in Lifehack
- Top Story - April 2021
Wine-MateTop Story - April 2021
November 28,2035 Curfew was fast approaching in the streets of New York. Times Square began to lull as I made my way down 44th street. The number of people on the streets was sparse. Too many businesses are closed permanently than ever before. So much loss for a city that was once filled with so much life. I remember the lights of Times Square before the virus. They were so bright that it felt like daylight even at 10 pm. Now they are dimmed and will soon be turned off completely by 8 pm when curfew begins. A new normal that I've grown used to.
By Mandy Raquel3 years ago in Humans
Millennials Grew Up on Boybands, Rap Gods, and Rock Stars
Every decade is known for its sound and style. The '80s gave us synthetic percussion, followed by an introduction to hip-hop and turntables. In the early '90s grunge took over, making Kurt Cobain a household name. By the mid-'90s rap stormed the airwaves, replacing the dedicated electric guitar sounds of Nirvana and the Red Hot Chili Peppers with MC-ing and lyrical rhyming from Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G.
By Mandy Raquel3 years ago in Beat
Custom Made With Love
At the start of the pandemic there was a lot of confusion and uncertainty. We were forced to social distance and stay inside, away from everything and everyone we loved. Most of us looked to better ourselves and finally dive into that hobby that we had been itching to get started. While others decided to finally cave in and join the dangerous realm known as TikTok. You started out by saying you’re only going to watch a few videos to kill time, only to end up awake still at 3am down a rabbit hole you never intended to go down. The content is entertaining; dance videos, cooking videos, tips, tricks, and skits. Anything you can imagine is thrown at you with a flick of your thumb as you scroll through these videos. While a lot of people fell into the everyday obsession with the app, others took that opportunity to launch their own businesses and gain an income by being creative geniuses. The phrase ‘custom content’ took on a whole new meaning, and isn’t looking to slow down anytime soon.
By Mandy Raquel3 years ago in Journal
Family is Everything Even on TV
Growing up in a Mexican American family I had a lot of cousins to bond with, and considered them unofficial siblings. Our aunts and uncles showed us unconditional love, as well as the true meaning of family. We learned to be there for one another no matter what, no questions asked. That type of family connection has always been important to me. When I set out to watch something, whether it be a movie, or a TV show I always get heavily invested in the ones that are deeply rooted into the family, and their culture.
By Mandy Raquel3 years ago in Families
How Christian Grey is Edward Cullen in Disguise
The Twilight Saga Books were a HUGE part of my early 20’s. I recall discovering Twilight and practically speed reading it in almost one sitting. Stephenie Meyer, the genius author of this series managed to create the plot line from a dream she’d had. It’s every young writer’s fairytale come true. The perfect book idea just gift wrapped to you while you’re sleeping! Sadly, we do not all have that kind of luck, but fortunately Stephenie did and through that dream she managed to create the captivating romantic tale of Bella Swan, a girl from Arizona who moves to Washington state, meets, and falls in love with a vampire named Edward Cullen.
By Mandy Raquel3 years ago in FYI
- Top Story - March 2021
DoorDash, I Wish I Knew How to Quit YouTop Story - March 2021
During the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, both my husband and I, like the rest of the world stopped going to the office for work. I ended my job all together and he set up his home office to work from home. In the beginning it was a fun and new adventure for us both. I was determined to get fit, make meals every day, and reap the benefits of being a stay-at-home mom again for the second time in my life. The reality of it though, was that none of that actually happened.
By Mandy Raquel3 years ago in Feast
You’re Gonna Hear Me Roar…But Only Sometimes
What’s your sign? I bet I can guess your sign! Oh, it makes so much sense now on why you are this way! The endless array of speculation and judgement when it comes to learning each other’s zodiac sign is more dominate than ever. As someone who grew up reading the daily horoscope in the back pages of a magazine or newspaper, I can honestly say that the intense importance in what sign you were born under has grown over the years. Whether you’re a compatible match with someone comes down to the day and month you were born.
By Mandy Raquel3 years ago in Futurism
My Home Bar
In August of 2019 we bought our first home. It was a stressful and long process that took us pretty much the whole summer to accomplish. After viewing so many houses we surprisingly ended up settling on a cozy 5-bedroom home on the outskirts of town. The price was right, and a benefit of this particular home was that it was next door to my husband’s friend from work, so we already knew we were going to like at least one of our neighbors.
By Mandy Raquel3 years ago in Proof
An Unexpected Gift
It has been 3 years since I’d last seen my father, alive and well in person. It’s been 7 days since I’d received the phone call that he was dead, 2 days since I’d watch them lay him to rest in the ground, and an hour sitting in his hardly used office sorting through the mess of his life.
By Mandy Raquel3 years ago in Families
Despite All the Hate This Is Why Justin Timberlake Is Still Great
The spotlight has once again been on Britney Spears lately thanks to the New York Times documentary that’s showcased the shady side of things going on in her circle, and it’s also brought a lot of negative attention to her long-time ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake. In his earlier years he was a little ruthless when it came to airing out some of their dirty laundry, however if you really look back at it you realize he was only 21 and definitely feeling some kind of way from his first big break up with his teenage sweetheart.
By Mandy Raquel3 years ago in Beat
Concert Withdrawal, And The Need For Live Music
As someone who has religiously been attending concerts since I was 11, I can tell you firsthand that the pandemic has caused some chronic concert withdrawal. The feeling of being in the crowd amongst others who are all there for the same reason you are, is a special and intimate feeling.
By Mandy Raquel3 years ago in Beat