So, just to tell you a little bit about myself.. I have lived in and out of the Tupelo area my whole life. I love it. I cherish it. I don’t think I’ll ever leave the place permanently. Currently, I take online courses with ICC, I help run Tupelo Con (insert plug here), I have a sweet 12 year old daughter, a bomb diggity fiancé, I also work full time, and now I’ll be writing for you! I have a freakish obsession with Microsoft Excel, which aids in my love of organization and lists. This is why I give you the very self-indulgent Love it AND List it!
Like most people of the Internet, I love click-bait lists and countdowns. So, I figure I’m definitely important enough for other people to enjoy my lists of beloved goodies, right? Well, maybe not, but I’ll put them out there anyway. I like telling people to try things and how much they will like it. Doesn’t everyone love being hounded into trying something new? Well then, I’m your new best friend that thinks their taste and opinions matter most!
To start you off, I will give you a sampling of some random things that have made 2018 slightly better than 2017 for me.
TOP 10 THINGS THAT HAVE MADE 2018 NOT SUCK AS MUCH AS 2017
THE DARK KNIGHT AT STRANGE BREW
StrangeBrew, and particularly The Dark Knight mocha-esque drink, has made many a morning more manageable this year. The Dark Knight not only has a sweet name, but it’s flavored with white chocolate, dark chocolate and butterscotch. Yass! It also helps that the Tupelo location is neatly situated next to my daughter’s school and on my way to work. I buy coffee for my employees to bribe them into thinking I am the best boss ever. When really, I just use them as an excuse to buy myself coffee. Strange Brew is my jim jam.
https://www.facebook.com/Brewpelo/
PLATED
It’s taken me a while, but I have finally ventured into trying out an online meal delivery service. After reading several lists (ha) of reviews and rankings of the services, I decided to try Plated. Man, where has this been all my life? It can be pricey in any of the variations and websites you go to, but Plated has desserts, so I had to try it first. I have loved every recipe. The recipe cards are beautiful and promote making the recipes again. The packaging is labelled clearly and organized into individual bags for each recipe. I love food and this brings more variety into my life. I find myself craving less take out or dining out and look forward to coming home to cook. It’s worth the price for the laziness and hatred of grocery shopping and making dietary improvements in my life.
https://www.plated.com/
CRAVE’S S’MORES PIE
Crave is a magical place where I can get desserts during the hours that normal healthy people stop eating. Why not hit up Crave on a Saturday at 10 p.m. just because? My thoughts exactly. I have tried many things on the menu, but I have to say, the S’mores pie has a hold on me like no other dessert. It has a melty brownie consistency with melted marshmallow on top with a graham cracker crust. I can’t even finish telling you about it before going to get a piece. BRB.
https://www.facebook.com/cravetupelo/
SING STREET SOUNDTRACK – DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT
So, my sister and my daughter have been urging me to watch Sing Street for like a bajillion years. Okay, maybe more like a year. (Sorry, guys!) For my birthday this year, my daughter and I actually had a small window of downtime in our lives and she requested that I finally give in and watch this movie. I caved this time primarily because she pulled the whole “mommy-daughter time” maneuver on me. You know the one. Well, I watched it expecting cheesy 80’s fakery, which is what I got, but in the best way possible. What I also got was a feel-good, motivational glory fest with an excellent soundtrack. I listen to Drive It Like You Stole It daily at this point for over two weeks now and most days I listen to it at least ten times. It’s on Netflix, so you have no excuse not to try it. Add it to that queue.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3544112/
FUTURE MAN ON HULU
First off, I will watch or read almost anything that has to do with time travel. (I’ll have to list all my time travel love in a separate list!) Secondly, I’ll watch anything that stars or involves Peeta, I mean, Josh Hutcherson. I did not expect the whacked out entertainment that Hulu’s Original show gave me. I went into the show ready to love Josh Hutcherson’s character, Josh Futterman, but fell hardest in love with the character of Wolf played by Derek Wilson. Unless you just enjoy throwbacks to 1999 with a grown-up Sixth Sense’s Haley Joel Osment as Dr. Stu Camillio, Wolf will surely win you over with entirely too quotable lines such as, “I need 16 straws and a bump of coke”. Start watching for nekkid Josh Hutcherson (Aww yeyah), but stay for Wolf.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4975856/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_4
THIS IS US
Who knew that America loved weekly ritualistic self-inflicted pain? And how! I don’t think there’s been a single episode that hasn’t made me ugly cry. Actually, probably the Kevin’s backstory in season two, episode eight didn’t make me cry, but that’s because that character is the least lovable of them all. There’s not much I can say about this show that everyone on your FB feed probably isn’t already saying. Even if you’re not watching it, you probably still know how good it is in your very soul. Milo Ventimiglia has been in my faves for a very long time (Peter Petrelli and Team Jesse, of course!), but as Jack Pearson, he wins. At what does he win, you say? Just, all of it. Watch it. Enjoy that weekly cry. Release that stress.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5555260/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
KILL DOCTOR LUCKY
I had the opportunity to check out the board game, Kill Doctor Lucky, at an event hosted by Tupelo Game Days, where they let you try out any of the board and card games in their expansive library. While we speed read the instructions that day and essentially butchered the way it is supposed to play, we were intrigued enough to purchase it ourselves. The game is akin to Clue, but reverse in that you are trying to kill Doctor Lucky instead of solving his murder. It has alternate play in the game which involves a cat or dog. I kicked major tail with the cat play rules and my friends are still butt hurt about it. I am absolutely not just biased because I won this game; it’s just plain fun.
https://www.facebook.com/tupelogamedays/
http://a.co/fR2wuZL
TUPELO2GO
I only live 1.9 miles from Ichiban, and honestly, most places on Tupelo2Go’s website, but that doesn’t stop me from needing, wanting, and utilizing their service constantly. It has menus for me to gawk at and total up costs all in my own sweet time in my jammies. More than anything, just in 2018, it has kept me from having to leave the house while dealing with a flu ridden child and from leaving my desk while catching up from snow days. It’s worth the $3.99 delivery fee. Trust me.
https://www.tupelo2go.com/
TUL CUSTOM NOTE-TAKING SYSTEM
This is probably the most mundane and adult thing on my list, but hey, I love me some office supplies. A few weeks ago, I went frivolously to Office Max in search of a nice notebook and ring binder combo for organizing that looked fancier and more professional than my pink bubble trapper keeper from high school. It was there I found the TUL Custom Note-Taking System, which is basically a choose your own adventure of professional looking notepads. I advise anyone with a need (or love) for organization and/or office supplies to check them out online or in our Tupelo store.
https://www.officedepot.com/cm/brand/tul?cm_sp=collections-_-tulgeneralpagebanner-_-%20true
EL VERACRUZ
When I have pants on and feel like eating, but don’t feel like being disciplined and eating my Plated meals, I will always choose to eat at El Vera Cruz. (Sorry, family!) They have the best table side guacamole I have ever eaten and the best traditional carnitas tacos ever. I know Mexican restaurants are a dime a dozen around here, but this one is hands down my favorite. It’s worth the little extra time to go to the outskirts of Tupelo, since it is located in Skyline.
https://www.facebook.com/ElVeracruzMexicanRestaurant/
Depending on her mood, she’d answer Michigan, New Jersey, or Massachusetts. All were true, to a point. Born in Michigan, formative years in Jersey, and graduated high school in New England. She definitely did not have a childhood anything like many of the people she knew. She found many people, especially in rural America, lived relatively sheltered lives, even in this age of global connectivity. They have lived in the same relative area their entire lives, and often their parents and grandparents grew up there, as well. They went to school with the same group of kids from kindergarten through high school. They have had the same neighbors for years on end. And they hear the same ideas, political, religious, and social, in every direction. 
Why did she resist claiming the state so desperately? Maybe it was time to open her eyes and her arms and embrace fully the fact that, though she was from elsewhere, Mississippi was home. Home to a liberal, secular, freethinking Yankee. 
My name is James, at the time of writing this introduction I’m 26 years old. I’ve lived in North Mississippi my entire life. I was born to a nurse and a farmer; the most stereo-typically Southern married couple in the world, except for the fact that they’re anything but. My parents are in my opinion, some of the most understanding and chill people in the world.
Now, even though the turtles in other forms of media have had their ups and downs, the comics have usually been consistent and the new things they have tried have usually been well-received. I am a huge fan of what IDW has done with them. My personal advice to any TMNT fans out there that aren’t too thrilled by the new cartoon or movies go and pick up IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Ok, here is my first article (Me selling myself to you the reader). You started reading even though I said you didn’t have to. Thanks! Now for starters I am Chris because my mom told me I was. I am 33 yrs young and am glad being a geek is cool. I am a comic book reader and collector. I’ve owned a comic Book store in the Tupelo area for 4 years. I love music, not just one genre and all sorts of movies. That does include some B horror films nobody has heard of. I will make a list of some good ones.
If you have any suggestions on future content you can reach me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/poe.poz , on Twitter @Poepoz , or on Reddit r/poepoz so I can respond with my next article. Until next time.
