I am a twenty year-old college student based in the Boston area. As a Digital Media + Social Justice major, spreading inspiration and positivity is extremely important to me. When I'm not reading, writing, or blogging, I enjoy cooking delicious vegan meals and binge-watching crime shows on Netflix. Thanks for stopping by!

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Sunday, November 15

Hi, everyone! How are you all doing? Is it starting to feel like winter wherever you live? We have plenty of chilly days here in Boston, but for the most part, it’s actually been sticking in the forties these past few weeks. Although it’s a bit concerning, environmental-wise, it is nice on my 7am walk to work. 

This past weekend I took the commuter rail up to Northern Massachusetts to visit my dad, my brother, and my good friend from high school, Eli. I don’t get to see them very often, especially with COVID and working all the time, so it was nice to take a break from city life for a few days and focus on family. One of the strangest things for me coming back to my hometown was noticing how quiet everything was. There was no rumble of the train, no shouting people or police cards- just pure silence. It was a nice change.

I took a bubble bath on Friday for the first time in six months, and even though it was just a little thing, it was so nice to sit in steaming hot water for an hour with bubbles everywhere. I sometimes find it hard to ultimately relax, especially when I’m caught up in my work cycle, so having that little bit of time to myself was extra special. I also watched Elf with my family, because once it’s November, that means it’s officially Christmas.

It was a treat to see Eli as well! We walked around downtown Newburyport (with masks, of course,) and we stopped into Starbucks as well, which is so funny for me to do when I’m not working. We also went to Marshalls, where I picked up a couple of things for the girls.

Speaking of the girls, they’re doing great! Jenna is really starting to flourish and she’s very inquisitive and energized, although she does love a good snooze on her daddy’s shoulder, too. Susie is also good, and enjoying trying all kinds of new snacks, such as kale and cheerios and blueberries. I can hear them running around in their cage right now, having an absolute blast. When they snuggle up and fall asleep together, it’s the cutest darn thing. 

So things are going really well right now, and I’m so glad I had that little break away from the city to spend some time focusing on other things. I’m looking forward to going back to work tomorrow, but even sooner than that, I’m looking forward to a good night’s sleep. Goodnight everyone!

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I’m lowkey obsessed with this.

It’s been a hot minute since we’ve prepared any food together on the blog, and tonight, I decided to take it upon myself to try a recipe I’ve been meaning to make for a while: vegan tuna fish!

How does one make “vegan” tuna fish, you may ask? Turns out, it’s surprisingly easy, and it doesn’t require too many ingredients. I’ll link the original recipe I used here in case you want to take a look for yourself. According to the nutritional information on this recipe, it appears to have quite a bit of fiber, and nine grams of protein! On top of that, it’s absolutely delicious and I enjoyed every bite of it.

The base ingredient for vegan tuna fish is chickpeas, aka garbanzo beans. I used one drained can and mashed the contents up with a fork until they were mushy and close to the consistency of tuna fish. I noticed while I was doing so that chickpeas actually sort of have a “fishy” smell- has anyone else noticed this?

After I mashed up the chickpeas, I threw in ¼ of chopped celery, ¼ cup of red onion, ¼ cup of vegan mayo, and the juice of half a lemon. You could use regular mayonnaise if you’d like, but I personally just think that egg-free mayo tastes a lot better. The last ingredient I used was a bit of crush nori- a seaweed that is commonly used in the preparation of sushi. Because the seaweed had a classic “ocean” taste, it really added to the overall illusion of the vegan tuna.

I was a little apprehensive to try it at first, because I’m not exactly what you’d call an “adventurous” eater, but I surprisingly LOVED this recipe. It obviously did not have the exact consistency of tuna fish, but the taste was fairly spot-on, and the nori in particular was not as stinky as I expected it to be. Another thing I really enjoyed about this recipe was how cheap all of the ingredients were; like I said, all you really need is a can of chickpeas, a couple of vegetables, mayonnaise, and some seaweed if you’re feeling fancy. The recipe also included lots of other suggestions for additions you could throw in, such as pickles or leafy greens.

The recipe yielded enough for me to make three servings, so I’m definitely going to be bringing it to work tomorrow for lunch on some white bread. What do you guys think about this recipe? Would you try it for yourself? Let me know in the comments below!

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Saturday, November 13

Wow, what a week it has been! I hate to be away from my blog for long, but I think we can all agree the past couple of weeks in the United States have been crazy for everyone. The entire election week was physically and emotionally draining for me- on election day in particular, I had worked 9:30-6 and then walked to the polls from my apartment, crying on my way home. I don’t really know why I was crying- I think it was just the combination of fear, exhaustion, confusion, and general tiredness of the day. I was so happy when I learned that Trump had been defeated, but with that being said, we do have a lot of work left to do in this country!

So working, surviving, and trying to understand everything politics to COVID has been exhausting for me, but I also have some good news. I have two new friends to keep me upbeat and happy through everything! 🙂

My two sweethearts

I’m reluctant to say more, because they’re technically *not* allowed to be here, but I did just want to show you guys a little bit of what’s been keeping SO busy this past week. The second I get home from work and finish all of my chores, these two girls take up my whole heart until it’s time for me to go to bed. Nathaniel has been amazing too, hanging around my apartment and keeping an eye on them. It’s been one of the happiest weeks of my life. You can tune into my instagram for more updates, too!

This weekend I’m spending some time in my hometown, visiting my dad and my older brother. I obviously don’t get to see them very much, and it’s not safe right now for them to travel to Boston, so I’m going to be spending the next couple of days here catching up with them. Don’t worry, the friends at home are being cared for by Nathaniel!

Because my dad is working today, I’m using this opportunity to catch up on blogging and making appointments that I’ve been putting off. I’m also thinking about taking a bubble bath, because I don’t have a tub in my apartment and I haven’t been able to take one in months. It’s in times like these that you realize the little things you miss in life, and right now, I miss warm baths and sleeping in until 10am. 

Anyway, I hope you guys have a great week ahead. Like I said, I’m mostly just going to be catching up in work and trying to relax and spend time with my family today. What do you guys have planned for the next week? Let me know in the comments! And I promise I will try to be back to a semi-normal posting schedule soon, hopefully after I transfer to a closer Starbucks and have more time on my hands.

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I may not be a huge movie buff, but there are a solid handful of movies and directors that I absolutely love. Today I want to share with you guys some of my favorite directors of all time, and which movies they’ve created that I’m currently loving. Let me know if we share any favorites!

Jordan Peele | Us

My first experiences with Jordan Peele’s work was through watching Key & Peele as a teenager, and although those comedy sketches are quite different from the movies he writes and directs now, I’d say I have a pretty equal love for both. Even back in his comedy days, I loved Jordan Peele for his awareness of pop culture and stereotypes (particularly racial ones,) and I definitely feel like those themes have carried out into Get Out and Us. While I found Us to (obviously) be so extremely creepy and mind-boggling, I loved it like so many others and I’ve loved going down rabbit holes and reading theories about the film. If you’re a fan of anything scary, then this movie is a must!

Rob Reiner | The Princess Bride

Obviously, The Princess Bride and many of Rob Reiner’s other feel-good movies are classics and had to be included on this list. When I was in middle school, The Princess Bride was one of my absolute favorite movies and I just remember watching it constantly; pretty much until I had memorized every last line! One of the things I love most about Rob Reiner is the diversity of his films- he has created everything from horror movies from romantic comedies. The next film by Rob Reiner I’d like to watch is his famous mockumentary, This is Spinal Tap. Nathaniel has also expressed interest in watching This is Spinal Tap, so I think that may become a movie night in our near future. 

Tim Burton | Edward Scissorhands, Corpse Bride, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure

My love for Tim Burton is a deep-rooted and extremely special one. So many of the movies I loved as a child, such as Edward Scissorhands and Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, created such fond memories for me and expanded my imagination into completely new worlds and emotions. To me, his movies transcend beyond entertainment and into the realm of pure art. Although I haven’t seen all of his famed films, I have seen a fair amount of them, and I’m looking forward to watching even more of them in the future. I’ve never seen The Nightmare Before Christmas, shockingly, so I may choose to watch that one next. 

Henry Selick | Coraline 

Coraline is one of my all-time favorite films, and just like The Princess Bride, I’ve seen it so many times, I probably know the entire script by memory. There’s something about the combination of Selick’s overall aesthetic, the nostalgic animation style and the music selection of the film that has kept me captivated for most of my child and ongoing adult life. Coraline is a “comfort film” for me, and whenever I feel like I need to return to my roots and feel safe and go “inward,” it’s one of the first movies I turn to. Henry Selick has also done quite a bit of work with Tim Burton, and funnily enough, it looks like he’s going to be doing some work with Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key. 

Wes Anderson | Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums 

I actually didn’t start getting into Wes Anderson films until earlier this year, as Nathaniel is a big fan of his work and has showed me a couple of his movies. The first Wes Andeson film I watched with him was Rushmore, and I thought it was so sweet and perfect, I couldn’t help but cry when it ended. A couple of days ago, we watched The Royal Tenenbaums together and I loved that film just as dearly (albeit I managed to not cry.) I absolutely love the aesthetics of the movies he produces, and I enjoy how each one is so different yet so similar in regards to overall mood and themes.

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Sunday, November 1

Hello! It’s November 1, and you know what that means. It’s CHRISTMAS!

Haha, just kidding. Maybe.

Speaking of Christmas, I have already completed a little bit of Christmas shopping. I bought Nathaniel a pair of Doc Martens and Dave’s Picks 20 (only Grateful Dead fans will know.) Next weekend I’m planning on going to TJ Maxx to pick out some candles, for both myself and some of my family. I’ve never met a person who didn’t like a candle for Christmas. A few days ago I bought a White Cedar candle from the brand Sand + Fog, and holy moly, I’m obsessed with it. It smells just like a Christmas Tree and I’ve already burned half of it.

Anyway, enough Christmas talk: let’s talk about Halloween! Obviously there were no giant crowds or crazy parties going on this year, but honestly, I’ve always been a homebody anyway. For Halloween this year, Nathaniel and I decided to be baristas, which is already our normal attire. All in all, a very easy and functional costume.

We also had a couple of our friends over (who get tested for COVID twice a week, might I add) and we basically just had a very low-key, good-vibes night. We ordered a pizza, ate tons of candy, and then, we played cards against humanity until I had the hiccups from laughing so hard. It was so nice to spend time with my favorite people, and I’m so glad we decided to link up. I think I really needed it after the exhausting week I had.

In terms of other eventful things this weekend, Nathaniel and I, per usual, spent a lot of time together. He slept over for three nights in a row, and while we mostly stayed in to do work and play video games, we did meander into the city once for some fancy ramen and a bookstore excursion. I wasn’t sure if he would like Wagamama or not, so I was really happy to hear him pronounce his love for it. We’ll definitely be back someday.

So I had a really lovely weekend, filled with lots of rest and good memories. I’ve already printed out so many of the pictures and pasted them into my junk journal, so mayhaps I’ll post a flip-through of my journal in the future. I’m back to work tomorrow, and then I think I’m going to go visit my dad back home next weekend (depending on if I can afford the train ticket.) I would like to visit my family more often, but right now, I’m not really making enough money to warrant constant trips back and forth on the commuter rail. Hopefully I’ll be able to pick up a better job in the near future, so that can change. 🙂

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Sunday, October 25

I can’t believe Halloween is less than a week away- especially since the weather is still pretty decent here in Boston, it surprisingly hasn’t been too chilly lately! If fall is flying by this quickly, I can imagine it’s going to be Christmas in no time. I already bought a few Christmas presents for my friends and Nathaniel, even though I obviously don’t have to worry about that for another month or so. I truly love buying Christmas presents for others, so it’s never too early for me. Just you wait, the second Halloween is over I’m going to be putting up my Christmas decorations and playing holiday music.

I love Newbury Street on a beautiful fall day.

If you keep up with my blog every week, you’ve probably noticed that I haven’t been putting out as much content as usual lately. The short answer is that I’ve been so busy and I’m actually planning on rearranging my blog schedule in November so that I am only publishing two articles a week, rather than three. I definitely don’t want to stop blogging, but I know if I keep setting my expectations too high I will start to feel burnt out and discouraged. I definitely don’t want writing to feel like a chore, and right now, I’m just at a place in my life where work is so stressful and I don’t have as much free time as I would like to. As y’all know, I’ve been trying to rearrange my work load for a while now and find a better dynamic that works for me, because as of right now I’m commuting about 3 hours round trip per day and it is completely unsustainable (particularly for the wintertime as well.) Actually, right after I get my newsletter up on the site, I’m probably going to try to look for a few more jobs on Hire Culture or LinkedIn. Anything that pays a bit more and isn’t a four mile walk sounds like a good alternative to me!

I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t feeling too hot last Thursday, but I think having an opportunity to sleep in and relax this weekend really gave me the boost I needed. Nathaniel and I went out on a little date this weekend and had dinner + a lovely walk in Boston, and then, we tried to make a Jenna Marbles-style soap hand, which sadly did not work because we used the incorrect type of soap. However, it was a good laugh altogether, and I have the positive takeaway of now owning four little soap boxes that will be perfect for making journals with!

I’m looking forward to seeing my friends at work tomorrow but I won’t lie, I’m hoping my time at this particular location is coming to an end soon. My managers are aware that I’m trying to transfer out, and even though they’re sad, they have said that they’re here to support me and help me. I’m looking forward to using this week to finish up projects, have some good fun with my friends, and maybe even catch up on a few books that I haven’t cracked open in a while. And of course, I am SO excited for Halloween! What do you guys want to be for Halloween? Let me know below.

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Sunday, October 18

I’m happy to say I’ve had a super productive weekend, and lots of time to unwind and de-stress after working forty hours last week! I normally only work 32 hours per week, but my boss asked me to cover a Friday shift and I can always use the extra money. On Friday, Buck came over and spent the night (as he usually does on a weekend night) and we ordered delivery and watched cartoons (as we also usually do.) My back was so sore after spending so much time running around at Starbucks, I had no problem falling asleep in the blink of an eye on Friday. The last thing I remember is Buck watching tik toks and turning his phone to show me them as I fell asleep, lol.

Check out the fabulous lighting in my room! This mirror is magical.

Yesterday was catch-up-on-things-around-the-house day, so I did tons of laundry, cleaned up my room, and went grocery shopping at Target. The Target I went to was definitely not the closest grocery store to me, but I like to go there because it’s the single ONLY location I know that carries the Gardein Chick’n Florentino. I also bought a bigger reusable water bottle, because I definitely don’t drink enough water throughout the day and I’d like to make a bit more of an effort. I also started watching Coven last night, the third season of American Horror Story, despite Buck’s warnings that it’s going to be too spooky for me. I will admit, I’m four episodes in and it is quite disturbing, but I’m definitely too deep into it now and I HAVE to see how it ends. I actually don’t watch a lot of Netflix nowadays, but hey, it’s spooky season, and what better way to spend October than binging spooky television?

To be honest, it’s been really nice to focus all my attention on something besides work. I have definitely felt like Starbucks is consuming my life lately, particularly since it’s so intensive and there’s even some internal store drama going on. I’m trying to transfer pretty badly, both for my own well being and to cut my commute in half, but I’m also not opposed to finding a new job altogether. Even if I just cut back on my hours and spend more time doing freelance/remote work, that would be a step in the right direction.

On that note, today has been all about applying for jobs and getting some writing done. I’m going to start publishing two articles a week instead of three for the foreseeable future, because with my current busy schedule it’s just too easy for me to get behind. I’m looking forward to the week ahead, including weekly dinner with my friends and taking Nathaniel on a surprise date some day next weekend, and *maybe* even a response from a new job? Stay tuned!

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Had a lovely little picnic in Brighton yesterday. I love these overalls.

Wednesday, October 7

I’ve had pretty much exclusively early shifts this week, which is difficult when I’m scrambling out of bed at 5:30am but totally worth it when I’m clocking out at 3:30 in the afternoon. I think having four straight days of waking up madly early has been taking a toll on me, as I usually have one 8 or 9am start time thrown in somewhere in the middle to help me recharge. I think feeling consumed by work this week has made me a bit more irritable and sensitive than usual, which isn’t really surprising.

I’ve also been stressed because the expenses of living completely independently are more present than ever. Because I have to switch subways four times a day just to get to and from work, my train fare bills are so expensive. I did the math and it looks like I spend $115 a month just taking the subway! On top of that, I essentially ran out of food yesterday and my SNAP benefits don’t land until Saturday, so that was really stressing me out. I decided to get my dinner from Starbucks because I get free food for working there, and then I went to another Starbucks that was closer to Buck’s school so I could eat with him and spend some time getting work done with him. He bought me dinner on the spot when he learned that I’m broke, which made me cry like a baby in the cafe. And then, afterwards, he paid my train fare to get home! I also received a few venmo donations from my other friends who learned about the situation I’m in currently. It is so sweet and generous of them, and I don’t think I can accurately put into words how much it truly helped me this week. I have an amazing support system.

I think my takeaway from this week has been that I (eventually) need a better paying job. I have enough to barely scrape by every month, but not much more than that. At the rate I’m going, I’ll never be able to put away savings, get off welfare, or even dream about getting a car. And particularly since I have a college degree and I could easily cut my commute in half (cost and time wise) by finding a new job, there’s no reason for me not to. And I mean, for what? To brew coffee? I love my job and the people I work with, but now that I’m settled into my new life in Boston, I think it’s time to aim higher.

So that’s what I’ve been doing these past few days: thinking about what sort of jobs I’d like to have. There is a really great website for hiring in Boston called HireCulture, and because it specializes in creative jobs for artistic folk like me, I’ve been really excited about checking that out. I’m also trying to be easy on myself and remind myself that I’m doing the best I can with my current circumstances. I know I’m a hard worker, and I will continue to work hard to build a better life for myself. 

Sunday, October 11

It’s about eleven in the morning right now, and for the second time ever, Nathaniel and I are actually successfully sitting side-by-side and getting work done in silence! We always say that we want to hang out and do work together, but we usually end up getting distracted and putting on a movie instead or something. Today, however, we both have our headphones in, we’re fully caffeinated, and we’re both click-clacking away at our keyboards together.

It’s so nice to have reached the weekend after such a taxing week. It wasn’t a bad week or anything like that, but it was certainly overwhelming at times and I’m glad to have a chance to catch my breath now and focus on other things. For one thing, I’d really like to do some more poking around for jobs that are both closer and higher in salary. I’m also going to get some articles done today, of course, and then I want to make some plant terrariums for my friends who very kindly sent me money, as a thank-you gift. And then, after that, it’s just going to be video games until bedtime! Playing The Sims is hands-down my favorite way to unwind and forget about the world for a while in my free time. What do you guys use as escapism? Do you have a favorite video game too?

Anyway, I’m hopefully going to get today’s newsletter up in a few minutes, then I’m going to finish my fall lookbook, which was supposed to come out last Thursday. And then, I suppose I’ll move onto the job hunt. If I could find a closer Starbucks to my house that gave me more hours, that would probably be the most optimal outcome. I’ll keep you guys updated on how my ongoing job hunt is going.

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It’s officially fall, which means it’s now my favorite season! This particular fall already feels so much different than past ones, as this is essentially the first October I’m spending not being in school. It’s very surreal to see the leaves changing and feeling the weather getting colder, but knowing that I’m not going back to school because…there’s no school left to go back to.

Anyhow, this fall also feels a bit different because I’m focused more on buying clothes that are comfortable and appropriate for work, rather than outfits that I think are cute for class. I’ve certainly been buying a lot of cozy sweaters, and I noticed they all fall into a similar color story, so you’ll probably notice a similar theme in this lookbook. 

Let’s start off with the color palette I’ve been loving so far. I’ve always been really drawn to pastels, particularly pinks and yellows, no matter what the season. I can also pretty much only wear neutral tones to work, so that’s why several of the tops I pick out are either white or gray. I like colors that can pair easily with denim or yoga pants, so shades of white, cream, and beige are usually a pretty safe bet. I also tend to stick mostly with cottons rather than wools, as I find wearing wool to be extremely repulsive and uncomfortable.

As you can tell, I’ve been OBSESSED with my overalls and I try to wear them at least three times a week. For one thing, they’re extremely comfortable and perfect for working in a coffee shop. I love that I don’t have to constantly hike up my pants while wearing these! I also love that they serve as a perfect transitional piece for a fall in New England- you can wear them with a short-sleeved top in the summer, and then, as the weather starts to cool down, you can transition to overalls and sweaters (as I’ve been doing frequently.) I truly believe everyone, regardless of gender, needs a pair of overalls in their closet.

Like I said, I’ve been really loving sweet, feminine pastels, such as with my color gradient sweater I picked up a couple of years ago, and the super-soft tie dye hoodie I found for 40% off at Aerie last month. I’ve been wearing both of those items constantly this fall, particularly the hoodie down at the cape last weekend. As you can probably guess, I like to purchase things that are versatile and have a multi-purposeful use. This hoodie doubles as both my pajamas and my lazy-day slip-on, and additionally, as something for my boyfriend to occasionally sneak from my closet. If you don’t have a good, everyday hoodie yet, fall 2020 is the time to invest in one. I think we could all use a big, cozy hug from a soft hoodie right now. 

Going back to neutrals and clothing items that can be easily mixed and matched, I’ve been enjoying layering my outfits this month. New England especially is known for its rapidly-changing weather; it could be 30 degrees in the morning and up to 75 by the time I’m leaving work at 3pm. With that being said, I’ve been wearing a lot of neutral cardigans that can easily dress up or dress down an outfit, depending on how the weather evolves throughout the day. 

I’ve never been huge on prints, but horizontal stripes have always vibed really well with me. If you peep some of my older lookbooks you’ll notice horizontal stripes make quite a few appearances! I think it’s just a classy, universally flattering pattern for everyone, and particularly in the fall, I’ve noticed that stripes in general seem to be very trendy.

That’s pretty much where my style has been going these past couple of months! It honestly hasn’t been a very far departure from my summer style- perhaps just a bit more bundled up and cozy. The spark notes of this lookbook are basically bulky, cotton knits in a variety of pastel and neutral colors, and lots of denim to match. What have you guys been loving so far this fall? Do you keep up with popular trends, or do you travel to the beat of your own drum? Let me know down below!

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While I have definitely used a lot of awesome makeup in my life, there are also a few products scattered here and there that I was not impressed by. Today I’d like to share with you some of the most disappointing makeup products I’ve ever used, from skincare to eyeshadow. It is important to note, however, that just because something didn’t work for me doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. Everybody has different needs and preferences when it comes to makeup!

Acure | 100% Plant Squalane | $9.99

This product is a perfect example of something that doesn’t work for me, but may very well work for someone else. I’m not exactly sure what squalane is, but I can tell you this- it made my skin VERY shiny and oily. As someone who already has oily skin, this product truly just didn’t mesh well with me and left my skin feeling like I’d just rubbed olive oil all over it (not an exaggeration.) However, if you deal with exceptionally dry skin, this could be the perfect product for you! I have to say, I’m not giving up on Acure yet because I’ve heard great things about the brand, so I’ll let you guys know what I think of their other products.

Yuni | Yunicorn Celestial Jelly Daily Mask Cleanser | $9.99

This was another product I picked up on the same trip as the Acure serum, so in retrospect, not a great shopping day for me. I genuinely like the idea of this product, but I found the application to be somewhat nonsensical. You’re supposed to apply this product onto dry skin with dry fingertips, and then wet your fingers and spread the product around, but I always found that doing so wouldn’t allow the product to get bubbly or wet enough. It was a miss for me, but hey, maybe someone else out there will love this. 

Urban Decay | Eyeshadow Primer Potion | $13

You know, I genuinely wish this product worked out for me. It has great reviews, it’s loved by many, and by now it’s essentially considered a staple in the makeup community. However, I have to be allergic to something in this product because the last few times I used it in the past, my eyes developed a puffy, itchy rash. Obviously not everyone is going to have the same experience as me, but until I know exactly what ingredient in this product was harmful to my eyes, I definitely won’t be picking this one up again. I prefer to use a concealer as an eyeshadow base anyhow, as I personally feel like that is a better method for keeping your shadow looking pigmented and long-lasting.

POPBeauty |  Lightshow Eyeshadow Fire Fit | $14

I know I previously mentioned in another post that I was looking forward to using this product, but now that I’ve been looking at the swatches and thinking about it harder, I actually think this product was a miss for me. It would be one thing if this was a $5 eyeshadow palette, but for $14, I would have expected a little bit better color payoff and overall performance. I’m definitely going to try to keep using it, but in general, I really feel like the mattes in this palette were so chalky and underwhelming. 

That’s going to be it for today! I know this was a bit of a shorter article, but I suppose that’s a good thing, because it means the majority of the products I’ve tried have been a success. Have you guys tried any of these products yourself and had similar results? Let me know down below!