Leena Althekair's Blog

Hello! If you follow me on Instagram, you'll remember the poll I posted asking you guys which movie you'd rather me review, and Cruella won by a large margin! At long last, after tackling with my first few weeks of uni, I am here and excited to share my thoughts with you.

Although you know me as an author, and my major is in Computer Science, I am also incredibly fashion-obsessed. I love clothes, I love sewing, I love synchronizing outfits - and this movie was the nail in the coffin. I decided I was going to be Cruella - fashion-wise, not personality wise. That woman is a madwoman (more about that in a bit.)

Enough said about me! Let's talk about the reason we're all here - Cruella. Skip down to the movie poster for an overall judgement of the movie, or go through for a play-by-play observation of all the foreshadowing and brilliant details in the movie.

(Spoilers ahead! Obviously.)

The movie begins with a little girl born with an unusual hair color - half black, half white. Estella had spent her whole life trying as much as possible to "blend in" and not be "weird".

This behavior alone is an ingenious nod to Estella's real mom's identity, the Baroness. I also love the obvious foreshadowing to that fact via Estella's love for fashion, as well as the subtler nod via her sewing the "wrong" patterns together. Catherine (Estella's mum) is so desperate of not having her daughter turn out like that monster, she quits her job and dedicates all her time in adjusting her attitude.

Estella's mother encourages her to be Estella, "not Cruella!" But of course, via her genes, Estella can't help but be a little crazy. Before her mum withdraws her from the school, Estella has one friend that she's left behind - Anita Darling, who later re-enters Estella's life as the journalist who skyrockets Cruella's popularity.

On their way to London, Catherine stops at a high-class party at Hellman Hall to ask for money "from a friend". At this point, nobody knows Estella's real mom's identity except Catherine and John, the Baroness's valet. The Baroness - of course - does not care that a former maid of hers needs money, and sends her Dalmatians to kill her, so she can get rid of her for good.

At first look, this seems like a far-fetched and terrifying approach to deal with a problem, but as the movie goes on, we understand the Baroness's personality a little more, and how her shoving someone off a cliff to their death is perfectly in-character of her. Her only concern is that this person is ruining my reputation and needs to be gotten rid of, period.

Here, Estella runs away and ends up in London, falls asleep on the fountain-side, meets Jasper and Horace, then moves in with them so they can form a ragtag team of thieves who steal to live. Oh, and Estella blames herself for her mum's death and dyed her hair red in an effort to be normal, like her mother always wanted her to be.

Because of the simple life (and for the sake of her mother,) Estella is humbled. She has shifted away from her bio-mom's habits, and is obviously less "crazy". I loved Estella's personality here. She isn't a renowned fashion designer, but she gets to design clothes for her friends and herself on her heist.

Estella isn't crazy yet. She's still her sweet, outgoing self. Even when she lands a job with the Baroness, she's still humble. I love the footage of her working as a janitor; it demonstrates further how lovable Estella is. Even though she's misfortunate, she's kind and hardowrking. I also adore the scene where she redesigned the shop window, and grabs the business card with her teeth. She timidly shows up at the Baroness's HQ, and reluctantly works.

The scene where the Baroness slices Estella's arm with the knife demonstrates a brilliant contrast to their two personalities: the Baroness does not care that she's hurt someone else, she just wants to get to a result. Estella isn't afraid to speak up, both by exploring the premises to get the fabric, and by complaining to the Baroness that she injured her.

Estella remains herself when the Baroness takes on her as her personal assistant, similar to how Anne Hathaway was in "The Devil Wears Prada". We get to see more of Estella's lovable personality and her resilience in keeping up with the Baroness while also getting what she wants.

The moment of Estella's downfall is when she notices the Baroness wearing her mom's red necklace - the one her mum left for her, the one she lost the night of her mom's murder.

Enraged, Estella plans a heist to steal it during the black and white ball. Chaos ensues, we've all seen it, but this scene has so much more in it than a Ocean's 8-style heist.

Even dressed as "Cruella", we can still see Estella. Her mannerisms, her countenance, the way she thinks and forms her words - all of it scream Estella. She still isn't full on Cruella yet, and has no reason to. In her subconscious, it's just another theft she's performing with her friends. She fumbles on her words as she speaks. She stands tall to fake confidence, but she doesn't feel like she belongs.

(Oh, and the epic entrance. Pure art. A few scenes earlier, in case you didn't notice, we see Horace playing with a lighter and some fabric. She incorporates that idea into her big entrance.)

When she discovers that the Baroness killed her mom, however, the guilt that kept her sane is gone - emphasis on sane and guilt. Looking deeper, we understand that Estella wasn't kind out of the goodness of her heart. She was nice because A) she's guilty that her natural recklessness is what killed her mom, and B) she grew up to become the person her mom wanted her to be. Discovering that the Baroness is the reason her mother is dead, however, erases all of that guilt, and the mental Cruella makes her first appearance - unlike the black-and-white ball, which was merely a physical appearance. She's enraged, she's hurt, and most of all, she's grieving all over again.

At this point I was surprised Estella - yes, still partially Estella - didn't plan to kill the Baroness in revenge, until we remember that some part of Catherine still lives inside her.

But the crazy has been unlocked. She throws her years of friendship with Horace and Jasper out the window by being "Cruella" even to them, ordering them to kidnap the Baroness's Dalmatians. Cruella consults Anita and asks her to write in her favor, in order to overshadow the Baroness. Lastly, she asks the help of Artie - the fashion store keeper - to be her pre-mature production line. All while still working for the Baroness, serving as a double-agent for herself.

Anita is taken aback at Cruella's appearance in her office, and comments on the trouble they got into as kids. Cruella tells her that Estella is "of the past", and laughs manically; she's decided to destroy the Baroness.

Now, Estella's still there. Not when the red wig is on; no. Estella is still inside, somewhere. But now, it isn't Estella putting on a black-and-white hat like in the beginning, it's Cruella running the show. She even challenges Jasper when he stands up to her - in the comfort of her own home, where she previously was okay with being Estella. Revenge has eaten her up and now she's gone mad. There is a way of going back, yes. There's still hope. But Cruella doesn't take it.

This is where the ingenuity begins; where Cruella shows us what she's truly capable of.

Looking at Cruella's character development, she's definitely gone bad. I'm not saying that it's a good thing! She's still the villain, even if she's the protagonist. And even though she's bad, you still root for her, because the movie wants you to. Because the Baroness is much worse. There's casualties, of course - like her friendship with Jasper and Horace - but it's all in the name of revenge.

Every scene that follows is more breathtaking than the last. The motorcycle with the museum projector is first. Here, there isn't anything "stunning" about it - just Cruella announcing her entrance into the fashion world. She declared herself "the Future" of fashion, and begins overtaking the Baroness's spotlight.

With each event, Cruella's ego grows exponentially. Her trapping the Baroness in her car had no reason but to gloat. That's it. She did it because she could, because she wanted to. She unrolls a banner that says "past", because the Baroness is gone, and she's here to take her throne.

And then comes the trash scene ... oh goodness, that scene was just amazing. I loved it, I loved it, I loved it. It left me open-mouthed. Indirectly, she's calling the Baroness trash since she was "dumped" at the floor of her red carpet. In another way, however, she is also gloating her brilliance by making a dress out of scraps.

Her manic laugh punctuating that scene demonstrates very well her mental state at that point, and how she's going deeper down the hole.

Parallel to these events, Cruella has been hiding her designs from the Baroness. She still catches her though, and orders her to make one of the hidden designs. Instead of using beads, she uses moth eggs. Jasper and Horace "break in", making the Baroness hide her designs in a vault.

This is just ... genius. Cruella might be a bad person but she's thought out her plan well. The Baroness has her dresses eaten, making people go to Cruella's show instead. She wears a Dalmatian coat, leading everyone to believe including the Baroness, and the viewers for a moment, that she has murdered her dogs for fashion.

Murder here isn't far-fetched at all. We've seen Estella's downfall, and we've seen Cruella slowly go manic. We watched her be brute and mean to her closest friends, we've seen her go crazy over upstaging the Baroness.

She goes home alone; symbolically, she looks exactly the way she has become. Alone, without her friends, stuck up in her own world of narcissism. She goes home and sees how it has affected her - the Baroness frames her friends for her murder, and leaves Cruella to burn to death - again, not crazy.

For us viewers, it's easy for us to think of how insane of a conclusion that is. Which is a good thing! We have humanity, we have feeling for others, so in our head burning someone to death is too brutal.

The Baroness, however ... we're talking about the woman who ordered her own child's death so she can focus on her career and keep her husband's inheritance all to herself.

This begs another question - did the Baroness think she was never going to die? I mean she's already old in the movie ... I'd give her 10-20 more years max. After her death, her wealth was either going to be redistributed or stolen by her employees. Or did she want a reputation that surpasses her death? I'm not sure.

Back to the story - John rescues Cruella from the flames. He tells her the truth about the necklace, and her birth mom. She goes out in rage to the fountain for one last time, and sees clearly why her mom had an issue with Cruella. Here, we see Estella truly die. The old her is gone, and there's no way of coming back. She does apologize to Jasper and Horace after breaking them out of jail, and they reluctantly accept. That apology, though, didn't come from Estella. It came from Cruella realizing her need for others. She cannot be who she wants to be - she cannot be the Baroness without a little help.

Even though Cruella assures John and her mom that she's "nothing like that psycho", she is. She has become the Baroness, except that she has a little more empathy for others. She isn't down for murder (yet) but she's definitely mad.

The final event of the movie takes place. I'm not gonna go into a play-by-play detail, but let's go over the noteworthy details:

- When she approaches the Baroness with the needle, we all think she's going to kill her. Jasper thinks he's going to kill her. The viewers think she's going to kill her. Like I said, since she finds out that the Baroness killed her mom, she's been gradually going down the path to becoming the Baroness, whose ultimate flaw is indifference to death. She ends up teasing her with a prick, intimidating her and foreshadowing her downfall. Estella was but an employee, and now she was going to be her end.

- The symbolic "death" she gives Estella. She goes the same way her mother did; down a cliff. At that point we also discover that Cruella's narration was her giving "a speech" at her dear friend Estella's funeral. "She's now with her mum," Cruella sadly states. This reveals she still loved Catherine, even though she was never her real mom. Estella was gone, and her values and emotions too, so Cruella can now comfortably sit in the front seat and drive. Estella is now permanently gone, and Cruella - even if she loved her mom - can live freely without any expectation of her being nice.

- The renaming of Hellman Hall to Hell Hall. She is, at least, self-aware of the semi-psychopath she is. Her mansion, her existence is hell, and she's willing to make everybody else's life hellish as well.

The movie ends with her sending off the newborn puppies to the Baroness's ex-lawyer and Anita. Although it bears resemblance to the original "101 Dalmatians" movie, it isn't directly related to it. We could argue that over the years, with the decline of Cruella's age and mental state, the madness devoured her and she did end up wanting the puppies to kill them for fur coats. After all, the Baroness would have done it, right?

The movie overall was incredible. Unlike Maleficent, I don't think they gave us Cruella's backstory to make her a justifiable villain. We sympathize with her, but ultimately, she chose the evil path. She's still a villain. But her story is still amazingly thought out and was a great watch.

The cast alone was so well-chosen it added to the magic of the movie. It's been a while since I've walked out of a movie dizzy with wonder. The writing was so good. I hope someday my writing has that kind of power and intricacy.

Generally, I think it earned a 10/10. There's nothing it didn't miss, especially in the plot twists and climaxes. When Cruella almost burns then discovers the truth about her birth, one expects her to repent and go back to being Estella. Instead, she doesn't change at all. She's still Cruella, although she has a bit more self-awareness. There's also no last-minute love story between her and Jasper like I'd initially feared. They still see each other as siblings, and I love it.

What did you think of the movie? Did you notice something I didn't? Do let me know in the comments! And subscribe to always stay up to date with my blog!

I am back!

How are you? Late Eid Mubarak!

I hope Ramadan has been fruitful and beneficial for you! Even if the Holy Month is over, let's try to continue reading Quran, making duas, giving charity, helping our parents, and filling our time with good deeds!

Summer has officially begun and I couldn't be more excited.

(Aesthetic wallpaper for your device ... I already made it mine lol.)

Anyway, as the greatest inventors of our generation said, "the annual problem of our generation is finding a good way to spend [summer vacation]."

So if you aren't like Phineas and Ferb and don't enjoy building a rocket, fighting a mummy, or climbing up the Eiffel Tower, discovering something that doesn't exist, or giving a monkey a shower, then this blog post should help you figure out how to spend summer in the best way possible!

- Practice a Hobby

I know it might sound pretty basic, but hear me out.

I haven't had time to draw all of March/April because I was packed between last-minute projects and finals' preparations. And it took me until now to realize how much I've missed holding a pencil and doodling an ugly sketch I'm proud of.

What is it that you love? Drawing? Or is it splashing colors on a pale canvas to bring it to life? Giving meaning to an empty page with words and stories? Dancing? Baking? Crafting? Photography? Pick the one thing you love and crave to do the most that you weren't able to all year, and do just that.

Also, let us try and incorporate exercising into our daily routine slash hobby list. Working out is very important to living a healthy, happy, long life inshAllah.

- Read Your Books

If you're a bookworm like me, it's time to catch up on your TBR pile and nail that Goodreads challenge!

In all honesty, though, I've missed reading. Being lost in a world entirely different, the turn of events, the intricate telling of a universe wholly different from mine ...

Fantastic.

Go read my book recommendations on Goodreads, or scroll through your favorite genre to find a new book, or stick with the classics. (If you're truly desperate, BookTok also works.) Whatever you love to read.

- Watch a Movie

Yeah, I'm not one of those "no-screen in summer" advocates. Sure, limit your screen time. Don't burn your poor retinas and give your sobbing brain an ache from staring at a flaming, electrical surface for long.

But whatch two or three episodes of your favorite show. Watch a movie with tons of homemade popcorn (tastes better than the bagged deal - trust me.)

From rom-coms to sci-fi action (ahem, Endgame *sob*), whatever you crave to watch is yours without any interruptions from sudden homeworks or essays to turn in. Ideal, isn't it?

- Purge the Closet

Everybody needs to do a little spring, or in this case, summer cleaning.

What I like to do is completely emptying my closet before wiping it clean. (Oh and #LifeHack, use the same hanger for all your clothes to save closet space!) After that, I decide which clothes I'd like to keep, the ones I haven't worn in a while, and those I don't want or are worn out. Then the unwanted clothes are donated!

You could also do that to any part of your living space. Your study desk (donating last year's books is a great feeling - especially seeing them out the door to never return!) or kitchen closet, maybe even change the living room arrangement.

Trust me, there's nothing more fun than a simple renovation done all by yourself.

- Try a DIY

You know those 1-minute Instagram videos with weird but oddly useful DIYs and all? Or those short recipes that look heavenly?

It's about time you do something with all those saved posts!

Go into the kitchen and try a new recipe - even better if you aren't a cook, you'll have way more fun! I once tried mashing a waffle with a pancake recipe and somehow ended with CrepeCakes - a recipe I shared on this blog the moment I discovered it.

(I wonder why it isn't a trend, huh.)

Recently my sister and I made a dollhouse out of cardboard for our baby sister. It turned out as the ugliest, most colorful house ever and it couldn't have been more fun.

- Take a Course

Two of my friends have been wanting to learn Korean for as long as I've known them. Another friend of mine wants to design clothes. My advice to them was always "Do it during summer." No school interruptions at all to cut between you and the language or skill or subject you've been wanting to learn. My sister and I started learning a new language, and I also started self-teaching myself programming!

Besides self-learning, there are many online courses or YT videos to help you as well.

You can also look for local summer camps - my friend told me of an art camp she once went to, and now? Heck, she wins awards for her paintings. (And I couldn't be more proud *wipes tear*)

Invest in yourself with something you love!

- Invite Your Friends

Get off that phone and see your friends in real life!

Maybe you prefer to meet outside, at a restaurant or park. Personally, my friends and I like gathering in a house in which one of us has invited the rest of us. Way more comfortable.

Oh, another idea! Take turns inviting each other over every few weeks! And every person could bring a food item with her to make it easier for the host.

Friends are always fun to be around, and school ending shouldn't stop you guys seeing each other, should it? >:)

- Help Out Mom!

All year long our moms have been carrying most of the weight to give us time to study, and if not, well, they're still working their butts off.

Take a few minutes of your time to take a couple of chores off her shoulders. A small act a day could mean so much to her - even if she doesn't verbally say it, in her heart you might not know how huge your good deeds pile has become.

(Plus, it gives room for a mother-child talk. We could always use one, right? Whether it's to rant about a minor inconvenience that's been bothering you or tea between your cousins, moms are always great to talk to.)

Also are #BestAdviceGivers, amirite?

These are just a few ideas that I have on my list this summer and plan (and hope!) to go over.

What do you have in mind? Share them in the comments below so others can benefit as well! (And by others it also means me ehehehe.)

Leave a like, as a birthday gift for me. Yes, it's my birthday today. Yes, I'm 18 now. Yes, it's a huge deal. Yes, I'll be posting about it soon. Subscribe to know when!

If you live in Jeddah, you know the blessing of the cold weather. Windows are always open, waterfront visits are aplenty, and the mood is generally so much ... lighter! However, I had a bucket of disappointment dumped on me when I opened my windows and was blasted with a wave of hot air.

Yep - summer's crawling back.

At night, the weather's still chilly, so it's not fully summer yet. But I do have to start saying my goodbyes to this weather. Sigh, until next October, my dearest ...

But this also means summer's coming! After the chaotic COVID-19 summer we've had last year, I have InshAllah high hopes for this year. For me, summer means school's out, writing to my heart's content, reading four books in a week, more time for my hobbies, and of course, the beach. The beach

[What a cool photo, right? If only all world beaches were as spotless ... stop littering, and #SaveEarth!]

I'm not a fan of tanning, but the soothing waves and warm, granular sand is the perfect recipe for me to relax and have fun. Before the fun, though, I need to pack, and the amount of times I finally get to the beach and think Dammit, I forgot my ---! are one too many.

The simple remedy to my never-ending forgetfulness was me writing (over the years) a master beach list, complete with board games, swimming necessities, and all things in-between. Mind you, this list is when you plan to stay at a beach house or something for a day or two. If it's just a day out on the beach, adjust accordingly!

I've used this list for three years now and it's never failed me! Therefore, I liked to share it and lend a helping hand through the screen, in what little way I could.

Pajama

Underwear (i.e everything you wear beneath your clothes)

Socks

Shoes

Swimsuit

Flip-Flops

Hijab Outfit (unless walking on the beach in an abaya is your thing)

Indoor outfit (sweatpants and t-shirts, probably)

Jacket/hoodie

Floaties (floaters? floatation devices?)

Swimming Glasses

Plastic Bag (for wet clothes)

Sunblock/sunscreen

Hats

Sunglasses

Beach Bag

Towel(s)

Board Games

iPad + charger

Phone + charger

Laptop + charger

Book (Or Kindle + charger. Or both.)

Sketch Book and pencil case

Beach Toys

Hot Dogs + buns

Burgers + buns

Chips

Chocolate

Chocolates (oops)

Fruits (yay!)

Laban (quick hunger-quencher)

Water

Cheese

Toast

Eggs

Pancake/Waffle Mix

Snacks (all shapes and sizes)

Hairbrush

Hair Ties

*ladies* pads

Toothbrush + toothpaste

Lip Balm

Shampoo/conditioner

Deodorant

Body Lotion

Q-Tips

Eye Drops (if you wear glasses like me)

Eye mask (if you hate light like I do)

Perfume

Medicines (Panadol, nasal spray, etc.)

Soap

Nail Clippers

Camera/polaroid

Vaseline

Olive Oil (for staying warm after swimming)

Shea Butter (for warm feets)

Air Pump

That wraps it up! Of course, you can save this list and add your own items, or just visit my blog and look at it when you need it. Either way, I hope it has been of help! Comment your own custom or weird items you take to the beach with you.

Be sure to subscribe to stay up-to-date with ridiculously great writing tips and miscellaneous advice that will do wonders. Or not. Who knows?

Read the first word again.

(I gave you a blast from 2015, right? Lol, these posts were everywhere.)

Have you ever felt bad? Not because you did something, but about yourself? Not pretty? Too skinny? Too chubby? Too smart? Not smart enough? Too awkward? Too inferior? Have you ever felt ... like you were just not meant to exist at all?

Same.

Before I continue, here's a cheesy uplifting image to make you smile.

You may deny it, but it's true. YOU is the best thing you can be.

In today's society, it feels like we're supposed to change ourselves to meet some unspoken "standards". You're supposed to have perfect hair, a perfect body, say the right things, like the right things. There's literally an unspoken rule for everything.

You might feel like there's so much wrong with you that if you could just change it you'd be "perfect".

Change is good. Change is better if it's for the better. I'm not saying don't change. I'm saying that if you want to change, do it for YOURSELF, and for nobody else.

We worry about appearances too much.

No thigh gap? You're beautiful.

Thigh gap? Still beautiful.

Curly hair? Talk about a volume queen.

Straight hair? You can do anything with it - GORGEOUS.

Acne? It's normal, we've all been there.

Weird face? Well, your mother finds it beautiful!

Flat stomach? Queen.

Not-flat stomach? Still a queen.

Dark complexion? Your vibes are unmatched.

Light completion? You're so pretty!

Short? Adorable.

Tall? Adorable.

Average height? You get the best of both worlds!

Whatever it is, your long fingers, chubby face, awkward legs, abnormally small ears, big nose - you're PERFECT. Allah created you this way and this way is perfect for you. There's only one person like you and that alone is amazing.

There's no such thing as underweight or overweight when it comes to appearances. Yes, you might need to get healthier, but you're getting healthier for YOU! So YOU can feel better and happier and live longer. Do you want to gain a few kilos? Do it, but for yourself. Do you want to shed a few kilos? Do it, but only for YOU. Because you WANT to. Don't change your looks or hair or anything because "people" say it looks "better".

You want to change, be healthier, whatever; do it. But only because you want to. If you don't wanna change, then forget about everyone!

All bodies are "perfect", and yours is too.

Sometimes, we unconsciously change our personalities to fit in. Pretend to know something, get into a certain trend, etc ...

I went through it. I completely changed myself back in sixth grade. My beliefs, my ideas, my independent thought; I let all of that go just because I wanted to fit in so badly.

I wasn't me.

All through sixth and seventh grade, I didn't know the Leena my friends saw. But when eight grade came along, I found myself surrounded with people who actually loved me for me. With my quirks and flaws and idiotic attitude and everything. They loved the Leena they met, not the Leena they wanted. It was the most liberating feeling ever, and I found that being me was much more comfortable.

I realized that it felt weird, to have to change myself to be loved. But seeing my new friends there, and they liked me because I was simply me, I felt like for the first time in a long time I was having fun again.

The moral of this story is to not change yourself to please someone.

If they don't like your personality the way it is then they're not worth your time! Friendship is about support and trust - how can you trust someone who doesn't like all your flaws, your bad moments, your ups and downs and your laughs and jokes?

Your laugh is cute. Your smile lights up the room. Your jokes are terrible but they still make others' day. The way you talk is just great. Your walk, your comments, your interests, your style - it's all amazing. Some people are just not right for you and can't see that beautiful side of you.

In conclusion, you are great because you are you. Don't let anyone take that away from you.

If you love yourself, the whole world will too. Self love is important.

Nobody is worth you burying yourself to become what they want, alright?

In the end, I want you to promise yourself you'll at least try to learn to love yourself if you can't immediately accept yourself. I'm still there too! I try to love myself but sometimes I can't help but cry at night and wish I was somebody else. That's okay, as long as you get back up again and grow stronger.

I don't want this to be a classic, self love post. I want you to reread it as many times as you want, and as much as you can, until you realize that you are worth everything.

Send this to every person you know, or someone you know who is struggling with their self-image. Maybe along with a comment of your favorite trait of theirs! Making them smile will probably change their day completely, not to mention make them smile!

See if you could help others feel empowered; we are all there, regardless of what you see. Everyone has felt insecure at some point, and that's normal. Try to be a better, self-loving you, and help others get there too!

Having curly hair has been a major struggle for me while growing up.

Ages 4 until 14, I always convinced myself I had awkward, half-straight, half "wavy" hair. I was so in denial that my hair was curly I completely ruled it out as a possibility.

For some reason, curly hair has always been seen as a "defect", or something that needed fixing in my society. "Brush her hair!" guests and relatives would say. "Use oils and hair masks; it'll straighten it out! Try keratin treatments! Use, apply, do ..."

Curly hair was bad and needed to be gotten rid of.

It was only in 10th grade when I dyed my hair purple and blue that I realized the gorgeous, magnificent, fantastic nature of my hair: it's curliness! I stopped brushing my hair regularly because the dyed ends were a pain (oops) and leaving it to air-dry helped me see my locks in all their (tangled) glory.

After that, I accepted it. I took care of it, and now I feel POWERFUL. People thought it was odd and were always telling me what to do to get it to straighten out, and were taken aback (sometimes in surprise, sometimes in shock) when I said that's how my hair is, and I love it.

It's been hard finding the right products and routines for my hair, and now I'm here to share. Whether you're a curly hair veteran or a newbie (like I was three years ago), here I bring you the best post-shower hair products I know.

OF COURSE, every person is different, and no two people are the same, so what works for me might not work for you. Feel free to discover and explore - hey, I encourage it! And not all curly hair is restricted to the picture above. Beautiful, luscious curly hair comes in all shapes.

PSA: the link to the product will be in the title!

PSA2: I apply all of these products on damp, lightly towel-dried hair (so it's not dripping wet.) I like to rotate between these products to get the benefit from them all. When applying, pass your fingers through your hair instead of rubbing to avoid breaking the hair. Other than that, let's go!

The one word to describe this hair smoothie is gorgeous. Its thick consistency and rich scent both make it a personal favorite. Shea Moisture is an organic-ingredient based company, which focuses on using shea butter and other natural components, which also is an important feature for me.

EFFECT: I usually use it when I want my hair to have shiny, long-lasting curls. It definitely delivers the "curl enhance" it promises, and smells amazing. I rely on it whenever I have somewhere to go, but it's not my default because it does leave its mark - you can feel it on your hair. Be careful not to apply too much, because last week I accidentally did and my head was suffocating. With every turn, I'd get an insane whiff and my hair was almost stiff. My bad!

Yeah, another Shea Moisture product. This one IS in fact my default whenever I leave the shower. Its scent is also nice but not that strong, and its texture is buttery and smooth. Too much can make your hair look greasy, so for mine (medium length), I use the amount equal to a teaspoon or two.

EFFECT: Although the curls I get from it aren't as defined and shiny as the ones from the smoothie before, this conditioner does hydrate my hair and give me 90% neat curls. The shea butter feels more prominent in this one, and even if I brush my hair the curls separate but stay curly until I shower again.

This one - like the title says - is good for styling your hair. I use it periodically; less than the conditioner but more than the smoothie. its bottle is also easy to use and organize so that's a plus. It has a different set of ingredients than the other two, having the valuable apple cider vinegar and castor oil in its formula.

EFFECT: almost the same as the leave-in conditioner, but this one leaves more defined curls. A little of it goes a long way. Does wear off in a couple of days, though.

The glittery metallic pink of this cream drives me crazy. It's smooth and smells gorgeous and I absolutely love it. I'm not entirely sure of its ingredients (or if it's organic or not) so I use it sparingly. Special thanks to my aunt for getting it for me!

EFFECT: This cream softens my hair and gives it more volume. Although my curls end up not as thick and defined as when I use the smoothie, they're still curly and neat. Its scent also sticks, regardless of the shampoo I use.

This product's packaging is small, probably half as large as the others on this list, but it's the definition of tiny but mighty. The Ultra Doux line generally has pretty solid products (ahem ahem, I use their shampoos too) and this honey-based serum is no different. Although it says "for hair ends", I use it on most of my hair.

EFFECTS: This one doesn't particularly do anything to my curls; they look as though I let them air-dry without any product. However, it does leave it moisturized and ultra-soft. I like using it at least once a week to make sure my hair stays smooth.

Yep, Ultra Doux once again. Unlike its predecessor, this milk is almond-based and focuses more on hydrating the hair. I can definitely say that over time, my hair has been feeling better and moister than before - but then again, it could be the product combo that I use.

EFFECT: absolutely soft. Extremely voluminous. My hair feels alive after this. My curls - not so much. I like to use it when I know I'm staying home, or that I will braid/tie my hair.

This serum isn't a part of my routine, although some people I know do use it regularly. Mainly, I use this serum (on damp hair) before I am about to use heat on my hair - whether it's a straightener, curling iron, or blow-dry styling. Using it before applying heat helps preserve my hair from too much damage while also giving it a natural, glowing look. I also apply a teeny bit after the styling is done, to help retain the shape and volume.

And that's all I have! These are all the hair products I use on my curly hair. I hope you too can feel their magic! What about you, though? What hair products are your best friend? What other routines do you have?

Share them in the comments below - we can all help each other!

I get up, I get down,

And I'm jumping around

And the rumpus and ruckus are comfortable now

Been a hell of a ride, but I'm thinking it's time to go

Bang! Bang! Bang!

- AJR, "Bang!"

Ah yes, 2020. None of us had 20/20 vision after all, did we?

Some people missed their senior year of high school (siiigh ...), some people graduated online, some people got married, some people had children, and some people lost loved ones ... although we know it's for the best we can't help but feel a twinge (or a lot) of sadness, and that's ok.

Regardless of whatever you think, the fact still remains that 2020 was one heck of a year. From a worldwide pandemic to protests, fires, and memes (so many memes) a lot has happened. And it's all come to an end! Obviously when the clock strikes 12 nothing will change with a snap of a finger, but it feels good.

What feels good? That we made it. We survived, we made out alive, and we're here. You're here. And that's awesome!

With the new year on the horizon, it's around the time people start drafting up their "New Year's Resolutions." Regardless of whether or not you set resolutions for yourself, there are a few things we should all put in mind.

It's not even necessary to have these things down by the new year. Start today. If you forget, start when you do remember, whether it be February, April, or July. Changing yourself for the better you has no set time, so start when you can!

1. Take Care of Your Health
Sleep, exercise, and food - just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to defining "healthy".

An important aspect of daily life is working out, whether you want to knock off a few layers of fat, build muscle, or none of the above. Exercise not only improves circulation and oxygen intake, but it also improves your sleep quality and improves your mental health.

Sleep - it's extremely important. It simply is charging you for the next day. The richest hours of the night are from 11 pm-3 am, so try to program your day around these hours. Teenagers need 8-10 hours of sleep per night, while adults can run on 6-8 hours.

Concerning food, try and eliminate unhealthy foods from your diet gradually. You can try by allowing yourself an unhealthy meal or snack once a day, then every other day, then twice or once a week. Again - food isn't about losing weight; it's about building the body that will carry you for the rest of your life.

You can find out more about and adjust the lifestyle that suits you most, but being healthy is a way of life rather than a limited-time diet.

2. Kill Them With Kindness

Being kind is really important. Try to spread joy and kindness; God knows how much we need it! Not only can you earn rewards from Allah, but you also make people's day.

Get used to helping someone if they need it, in the mall or on your way home. Keep in mind to give compliments to people. If you like the scarf that the girl is wearing on your way to class, tell her. If you like the bag that little boy is carrying, tell him. You never know the massive effect it might have, and all it takes from you is a "Hey! I love your shoes, by the way! Have a good day!"

Another aspect of being kind is being "the bigger person". No, if you've been wronged badly, I'm not saying you should always walk away from an argument. Alternatively, you can reply with composure and logic - even if they scream at you, when you eventually walk away, you'll be satisfied with your stability - and peeve the other person by being so collected. Not only is it so much mentally healthier for you, but it also shows you won.

This manifests in endless forms and examples, but the general rule is the same: be kind.

3. Stay in Touch With Your Family

There's a reason the Prophet [PBUH] said keeping in touch with your family has such a humungous award - because it's so, so hard. However, in the end, nobody's got your back like your family. Try visiting them every month or two - hey, you can even FaceTime or Zoom call them! Whether it's a small-talk or an actual conversation, keeping in touch is very important.

Staying connected to the family you live with is just as important. Sure, your sister lives in the room literally down the hall, but how many times do you guys sit together and just ... talk? Ideas to connect with your family are movie and game nights, picnics or Saturday brunches, or finding a common hobby you and one or more family members can do together. Hanging out with the members of your family gets you closer, and in turn, makes you happier as a person living in the same house as them.

4. Set goals.

What do you want to achieve this month? This week? Today? Setting short- and long-term goals is important to getting things done. Write them down on a bulletin board, in a notebook, or in a reminder/to-do app; whichever way that suits your style more. The more specified they are, the easier it is to finish them.

Divided by days, weeks, or months, your goals should be accurate and achievable. Instead of saying you want to read 4 books by the end of the week to get yourself into books, try going with finishing one book in four days instead. Don't pressure yourself! After all, the person setting the deadlines is you. Work at your own pace.

5. Be an optimist.

A thing so many people around me do is complain. About what? Everything. The economy, the weather, homework, our city, their clothes, lunch ... dare I continue?

My issue here is not with improvement - of course not, improvement is good! But we can try and learn to see the good side of things. Under pressure? Take a deep breath and arrange your time. Got a problem? Sit down and think it through. Things get bad, and sometimes you screw up, but that doesn't mean it's all bad. Having a breakdown is ok, so long as you get back up and show those deadlines who's in charge. (Hint: it's you, not them.) Staying optimistic helps reduce the stress and anxiety you impose on yourself!

My general rule is this: if I'm put in a situation I don't like, I'll try my best to get out of it. If I can't get out of it, then I'll get it done with the best attitude I can. I'm forced to go through this anyway and time will pass either way - would I rather finish it with less stress and more optimism? Or would I rather complain and frown and make the whole thing worse for myself?

Face life with a smile, even if it's fake. As the saying goes, fake it 'till you make it!

6. Spend Time on Yourself

Take some time off to relax. My therapist once told me that I should have at least 10 minutes of time for myself every day.

The definition of "self-time" here is important. "Me-time" is the time you spend to do something you want to do. It can be drawing, reading a book or Quran, praying two rak'aas, going for a walk, taking a nap, or even just staring at the wall.

We all need a little downtime every once in a while, and taking time off every day - even if for a moment - makes sure you don't over-exhaust yourself and eventually burnout. As an adult or a teenager, we all face some source of stress; work, school, family ... taking time for yourself makes you feel better, and in turn, you are able to perform better and give others what they need and get things done.

7. Make Your Resolutions Your Own

What I listed in this blog post are things most of us can relate to and can do, but do make your resolutions your own! Bad habit? Procrastinating? Toxic people? Whatever it is, customize it to your liking - taking the first step is already you on your way to good change.

The pointers above are general because I didn't want to make the post too long, but do take them as a takeoff point. Looking up the points you feel that could improve in you or you want elaboration on is easy on any platform - there are many people out there who'd love to help and give amazing advice and tips on how to get where you want to, how you want to.

Good luck!

Change begins when you decide to, so get out there and make 2021 your year, and every year after that. Why? Because you can!

What are the resolutions (or goals) you want to set for yourself this year? Share them in the comments below - and find out if anybody else is too! We can build each other up and motivate each other to be the best we can be.

From sweet to savory, I've learned something from my many, many days of messing up in the kitchen: follow the stupid recipe. No, my tricks won't work. Yes, I need to preheat the oven.

To all the foodies out there, I see you! It's time to share my (mostly) fool-proof and delicious recipes that stuck with me since middle school. For reference, I'm now almost-graduating high school, so that's a pretty long while!

(I also believe you can see the effect COVID has had on people ... and food. Why am I suddenly in the kitchen so much? Ah, well, looks like this will have to stay shrouded in mystery ...)

"Pictured above is a pristine, tidy kitchen - quite the opposite of what happens when I decide to walk into the kitchen and cook or bake something."

There's definetly that one (two, three, six ...) time you went to flip a pancake and it just ... became a mushy lump of batter instead, right? Well, I've tried exactly 16 pancake recipes in the past three months, and I found one that's just perfect.

I found the recipe on TheStayAtHomeChef.com, which has TONS of other delicious and easy recipes. Check out the pancake one here.

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If you're opting for a healthier choice, greek yoghurt is perfect. I personally hate the taste of it, but with the right ingredients, it's actually not that bad!

So there's a honey recipe here, but if you're more into fruits, a berry mix that I loved here. Just scroll through Pinterest and Google Images and trust me, you'll find mixtures you'll adore.

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There's an entire blog post dedicated to quick and easy breakfast ideas here! Check it out if you're on a tight schedule, hate the kitchen, or generally are lazy ... and love a good breakfast!

I remember back in middle school/early high school that I was addicted to watching Tastemade videos on Snapchat. I also remember how much I loved watching Julie Nolke (@feelingpeckish, I'll never forget the way she said it.)

I made this comfort food combo twice before, and every time that I did my family loved it. (bearing in mind that I am a kitchen disaster when it comes to savory foods.) Check it out here, if you're in the mood for a carb-overload.

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My favorite Italian dish (after ravioli) is this creamy pasta. And the fact that I can do it with minimal dish-washing and ingredients made me love it even more.

Like most of the recipes I follow, I got this one from AllRecipes.com - you'll find the Fettuccine Alfredo recipe here. I recommend you check them out from YouTube instead since it's easier to watch and follow than reading instructions, but it's up to you, really.

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If you've met my mom, you know how much she cares about being healthy and including vegetables in most, if not all recipes she makes. (Love you, Mumzy!) Setting aside the fact that it's rubbed off on me as well, this veggie-infused lasagna will change your mind on any vegetable you used to hate.

The first time she made this recipe was in my grandma's house a couple of years ago, and we still talk about it! If you're a vegetarian (or a mom) this recipe is definitely a great one to go for.

You've most likely seen this dish a ton of times online. If you haven't, let me sum it up: someone decided to combine the top three comfort desserts into one and made an omega sugar- and calorie-exploded dish.

Begin by lining a cupcake tin with cupcake wrappers. Fill 1/3 of the wrapper with a thin layer of chocolate chip cookie dough. Then, add one Oreo on top of the cookie dough, followed by a brownie mixture (I prefer Betty Crocker box mix), and fill the liners about 3/4 full. Bake in the oven according to the instructions on the brownie package and bon appetite!

For the cookie and brownie mix, you can use a box-ready or make your own recipe. If you'd like more detailed instructions, a simple "Cookie Oreo Brownie" search on YouTube will do the trick.

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One of the easiest and quickest dessert recipes ever known to mankind. All you need is 315g of tea biscuits, 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 3 tbsp vegetable oil, and 1 can of sweetened condensed milk.

First, break up the biscuits with your hands; don't grind them too finely but ensure the pieces aren't too big, about pea- or corn-sized. Next, mix the oil and cocoa powder in a bowl, then add the milk. After that, add the biscuits to the cocoa mixture and mix it well (I recommend greasing your hands before mixing.) Lastly, set it on aluminum foil and shape it into a log before covering it completely with the foil. Let it sit overnight in the fridge, then cut it into discs and serve!

My go-to websites for recipes and last-minute ideas are usually Tasty and AllRecipes on YouTube. What's your favorite recipe? Share it in the comments below!

And until next time! Good luck with your finals - make sure to stay hydrated and well-fed! Check out my previous post for studying tips!

Hey Guys! It's your very own resident author here again with a new post.

I have been more stressed than usual lately, and all the honor goes to oh-so glorious finals that are coming up -which is exactly what this post is about! In honor of finals, I've rounded up my favorite tips and tricks to help you pass - no, ace that test!

1. Take Your Time

Starting early is extremely important. Give yourself a minimum of a week to tackle the harder subjects before the actual exams begin. In simpler and more straight forward words, make a schedule.

Let's say your exams start on the 18th and end on the 27th of whatever month. You can set your schedule that you study the last subjects first (around the 10th), and move backward until you collide with the actual exam date. The easier subjects you can keep for the night of as-is, whatever you feel your ability is:

Making a schedule similar to the one above doesn't just give you more time to study, it also helps you feel more organized and in control of the tests, AND ensures you don't spend 100% of your waking hours buried under your study material!

I need more time for physics and chemistry, so I pay attention to those well beforehand. Biology needs a lot of memorizing, so I also place it higher up my study schedule too.

Even if you don't study completely all of the material beforehand, when you come to study the night of the exam it'll be easier for you to understand and study than if you hadn't.

2. (Re)Explain For Yourself

Don't be shy to lock your bedroom door and pace around or sit at your desk, reexplaining to yourself every detail. Whether you're a visual or auditory learner, this tip could help you.

- If you prefer listening, don't be shy to close the door and explain it aloud to yourself. Hearing my own voice explain and repeat the information helps me remember it more easily come exam day. I used to explain the material to myself in a standard classroom teacher lecture and ... well, it didn't exactly work that well because it bored me out. After some fine-tuning and confidence-boosting (despite that I'd be alone in my room) my explanations looked a bit more like this:

"So now we have photosynthesis: the synthesis that uses "photo" which is light to make glucose. So the green bois, my trusty chloroplasts, take the sunlight - I still don't understand how, but they do - and they use that with carbon dioxide and water to make their food, glucose, which is ... *steals a glance at the book* ... C6H12O6 and oxygen, which we breathe! And boom we have plant food, delicious and nutritious ... though I tasted a flower stem as a kid once and it was gross."

Use anything and any way that you know will help you remember; sometimes I'll have my sister say it aloud for me or I'd tie it with an incident so that during the exam, I'll remember my sister's voice or the incident and know the answer. I swear, it actually works!

- If you prefer seeing, go on YouTube, dodge your suggestions like flame-hot bullets, and search up educational videos about that topic. For general topics, I like CrashCourse, CrashCourse Kids (hey - don't judge the name) and In A Nutshell. For chemistry, I watch Professor Dave Explains and Tyler DeWitt; for biology, Amoeba Sisters almost always have my back; for French (when I used to take it) I highly benefitted from Learn French with Alexa; for literature, Overly Sarcastic Productions and Course Hero are gems that guarantee edutainment.

A lot of creators have pretty cool and simple videos, so discover your favorite as you go!

I also encourage you to draw diagrams or scribble margin notes - I do that as I study instead of at the end. On a separate sheet of paper, I just jot down scribbles, arrows, tables, diagrams - visuals that help me remember what I need to know. Flow charts and graphs are useful, too! It could also double as a quick revision sheet before you walk into the exam - an awesome added bonus!

3. Go Offline

Yeah, you can use educational YouTube videos and try solving a couple of Quizlet quizzes, but do that after you're done with studying the material from your actual textbook and notes. Lock your phone (and laptop, and tablet, and favorite novel, and everything else that might distract you) in another room until you finish, so you don't give yourself a chance to procrastinate. If you trust yourself, keep them at a distance from you in the same room.

If you need to study material from your devices - and this is now more likely thanks to online school and COVID-19 - collect all of your material onto one device. Email or send all documents, PDFs, images, and links to your laptop or tablet and focus on it. Avoid using multiple devices to a) decrease the chance of you getting distracted by a notification from your phone, and b) you have everything efficiently in one place, helping you get things done faster.

The main point here is to avoid procrastinating! Instead of spending three hours studying, you'd waste an entire day sitting on your desk with distracted studying and a chopped information flow. If you're studying and stop every twenty minutes, your train of thought is interrupted and it's hard for you to retain the information you read.

So stay focused and take a break after no less than 40 minutes! I highly recommend you take your break outside your study area, so your brain associates the location with productivity. It's also a good chance for you to not sit in one room for 14 hours a day, and have a change of scenery and a healthy walk break, too.

4. Pay Attention!

More than half of the actual studying is done in-class while the teacher is explaining.

As both a visual and auditory learner, hearing the teacher's voice and seeing the presentation and whiteboard notes, not to mention your own notes that you take down or screenshot, all contribute to you understanding the subject from the start.

I've read it somewhere that a study actually proved that if you paid attention in class it increases your chance of remembering that information when you come to study. And on that note, remember to ask - any questions that may pop up in your head, just raise your hand and ask! Forget the class and forget your "awkward voice" (which it totally isn't, by the way,) the teacher is here to teach and it's their job to clarify things for you. Even during revision time, if you need clarity on a certain point, don't hesitate to ask.

5. Get Proper Sleep

Teens need 8-10 hours of nighttime sleep per day. No, naps in the morning don't count because they're just power naps to get you through the day.

If you're sleep-deprived, whatever amount of studying you do will take much, much longer than if you slept well and were at your maximum performance capacity. Try and schedule yourself so that you finished everything before or around 9-10 pm so you can go to bed early and win better sleeping hours. The rich night hours are from 10 pm - 3 am, so try and make sure you're asleep at those times.

Please make sure you sleep. Try the hardest you can to do so. Science has gone to so many extents to prove it and so has Islam! In the Quran and in the Prophet's Hadeeth, night sleep is mentioned more than once.

Sleep. No excuses.

6. Find Your Way

Everyone has a different way of studying. I like talking aloud while my sister prefers to speak quietly to herself. I like walking around while I memorize while you may prefer to sit down.

It all differs. The tips and tricks I gave you here are a general outline. Over time you involuntarily start to customize it to fit your style, because after all, every person is unique. After not too long, you'll have your own study process that you like and are comfortable with.

Anyway, I hope this has helped you - and good luck with your exams.

Now go write that study schedule and get ready to ace those finals!

One thing I always like to take my time with is the title. If you've read Foreshadow (if you didn't go buy it on Amazon or Kindle now!), you know the amount of detail that's in every chapter name.

And the same thing goes for books. (Or essays, if you're not a writer and just a student who wants to pass. We all are though, aren't we?)

And same thing goes for books. (Or essays, if you're not a writer and just a student who wants to pass. We all are though, aren't we?)

The title of your book can either make it or break it. The reader could ignore your book as another novel or flip it over and read the synopsis because the title was so intriguing it had them hooked.

There are, of course, hundreds of ways to come up with a title, but these methods were common among so many resources as well as the most effective for me personally.

This one should be basic. Your choice of words can affect your book in general, and most importantly your title.

Now, think of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Sounds interesting, right? Just imagine how much Harry Potter would have sold if JK Rowling had named it Harry Potter and the Teacher's Rock. Not many.

Use big words - or as I like to call them, fancy words. Instead of "happy", use "enthusiastic" or "abominable", and instead of "sad" use "disheartened" or "mournful". WordHippo is a great source for words! Alternatively, you could also search up "synonyms for ___" and dive into whatever comes up.

What will your title be about? The main conflict of the story? A significant event at one point? An attribute of the protagonist? The setting of the story?

Think of the different elements making up your story. Foreshadow referred to the ability that Meghan had obtained throughout the novel. Philosopher's Stone, for example, refers to the significant event where Harry meets Volde- sorry, he-who-must-not-be-named for the first time.

Think of the plot of your story and mentally highlight what you feel is of importance. An event on which the plot relies heavily. Shrink the list until you're left with two or three, and brainstorm title ideas from there.

Think of various adjectives that describe the person, place, event or any other name you are thinking of making the title. Think up every imaginable adjective and look at it. Which words would make a good, interesting title?

Think of it as a riddle. You want to hint at what's gonna happen, but at the same time remain ominous. Combine different sentences, words, and phrases to come up with the perfect title!

A great example is Little Fires Everywhere, which refers to the fire Izzy sets her house on as well as the various conflicts among the residents of Shaker Heights.

Sometimes going over-the-top or thinking too much will just uselessly overcomplicate things. Foreshadow is simple yet enough to make you understand what the book is mostly about.

Another example is War Horse - a book about a horse amidst Word War I. Maybe the title you need is as simple as Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

If worse comes to worst, you could always u I found, which could double as writing prompts generator too. (The titles are great; go check them out!) The internet is literally endless!

There's also this cool I found, which could double as a writing prompt generator too. (The titles are great; go check them out!)

And these are the main methods I use when trying to come up with a title for basically anything. I hope it helped!

If you did use a method, let me know! Which one did you like most? Alternatively, if you did settle for your next novel's name via this post, send me the link so I can support you!

Share this with a writer you know or a student who likes to title their essays with a little flair.

Alright, buckle up because I was making eggs for myself when I thought, “Hey, Wall-E is a cinematic and literary masterpiece that nobody talks about quite enough - I should rant about that and explain why.”

[I say literary because the story is SO well-written and as an author I have to appreciate that. I say cinematic because the animation??? Scenes??? Lighting??? Sounds??? oh my god it’s all so perfect and-]

Anyway, guess what I’ll do?

Yep. I’ll rant about that and explain why.

(It’s probably been done before but whatever! Listen!!!)

So, most of gen-z is familiar with the very adorable Pixar movie, where a trash robot falls in love with a fancy robot and an evil robot tries to prevent humans from going back to earth because it’s now a literal dumpster.

[Pretty cool poster for the 10′s. Released June 21, 2008.]

AND GUESS WHAT, IT’S MORE RELEVANT NOW THAN IT WAS THEN - HERE WE GO.

*cracks knuckles* *pulls a nerve*
(ow. shouldn’t have done that.)

Well, it’s obvious - earth is dead. It’s been evacuated because we humans have trashed it so much it became uninhabitable, and us being the very good species we are, left it all - including the other species that never asked for any of this - and escaped into space.

(Running away from problems at its finest.)

[It’s not a city - it’s trash.]

Now, the reason this is relevant nowadays is because, well, Earth is dying. Not necessarily by the piling of trash in cities mainly, but rather by the result of that mindless trash removal - and consequently, with many other factors, global warming.

Ocean levels are rising. Coral reefs are dying. The ozone layer is depleting and all kinds of cancers are happening everywhere. (Cancer is a result of cell mutation. Mutations’ main causes are radiation!!! Also an unhealthy diet, and we’ll get to that in a bit.)

I don’t want to dive into politics too much but the United Nations’ Secretary General stated in Dec 2019 that we have to act within the next 12 months or that’s going to be it for us.

Plastics in the ocean, oil spills, trees being recklessly cut down - they all take part in this.

Sigh.

The way the movie shows that; the scenes, ideas, concept - besides foreshadowing, it’s just gut-wrenching. The long shot where earth as we know it is gone.

That’s right - us. The lumps of lazy crap that are taking the world by storm and coming up with inventions to work for us and lessen using our own bodies.

Shame, shame.

Humans have then descended into being transporting meats that look at screens all day. I mean, we are already - we’re just in the noob stage.

[According to The Film Theorists, I do NOT want to know what’s in these cups.]

And back to my point about an unhealthy diet being another cause for cancer - the exponential growth in cancer patients recently only proves an already known fact - we’re VERY unhealthy.

And no, I’m not talking about eating a salad and having gluten-free organic tofu burgers.

I’m talking about fast food that’s 80% trans fat, fruits and vegetables genetically enhanced and processed to look better, chickens and cows living in a very unhealthy close proximity increasing chances of diseases in us.

I’ll say it - business ruined our health.

For the sake of making a product cheaper or better-looking, businesses think “Hey! We should totally do this and even though the results may be lethal for the people who consume this, at least we’ll make money!”

Also, we walk less. We move less. We have online shopping for everything, we barely leave the house - heck, even jobs are now remote. Our heart needs the movement, our brain needs the oxygen. But do we provide it?

This post is not about leading a healthy lifestyle (although writing one is probably a good idea) but THIS is what Wall-E portrays quite incredibly as well. Humans are now drinking things just to keep them alive for a while - you never see old people in the movie.

(Obesity rates are up by 70% in adults and 80% in children! CHILDREN are now overweight!)

[This is just here for cute purposes.]

So what Wall-E does is show us where we will be - shake us awake before we follow the (hopefully not) inevitable hole we’re digging ourselves.

And it does it so magnificently I cannot help but just!!!!!

(The Lorax was also awesome at doing this but maybe save it for another post!)

[Tiny teeny plant.]

And I think it’s just not hyped enough. It needs to be talked about like the Bee Movie or The Avengers or something.

Because it reminds us of where we’re headed.

And reminds us of why it’s bad.

And reminds us that we need to take a new, better direction.

And all that we need to do to begin is just that - begin. Be the change and the rest of the world will follow.