Books: I'm Glad My Mom Died (Jeanette McCurdy) Caution: Spoiler Alert

 I'm Glad My Mom Died

Author; Jennette McCurdy

Synopsis.

In the memoir, McCurdy discusses her childhood as a successful child actress, her brief foray into a country music career and the troubled and controlling relationship she had with her mother, Debra, who died from cancer in 2013. She describes a strained relationship with a producer described pseudonymously as "The Creator", who BuzzFeed News and other sources inferred to be Dan Schneider.

The book is divided into two sections, "Before" and "After", which describe the events of her life before and after the death of her mother.

Thoughts.

My kids were obsessed with ICarly. I've watched every episode and own them all still on DVD. My favorite episode is when the take Socko's RV and go camping. That's how much I was “forced” into it by my kids.

Both Sam and Spencer were my favorites. The antics were the best and that show was funny. But you never know what is going on behind the scenes. The same goes with all those “famous” people we watch and admire. Things aren't always what they appear.

This book was so very well written and raw. You felt the emotions while reading it and I found myself not wanting to put it down.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) Caution Spoiler Alert

 Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Came out; 2023

Time; 2 hours 14 minutes

Watched: Amazon

Rating; PG-13 for fantasy action/violence and some language

IMDB Rating; 7.3/10

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Staring;

Chris Pine as Edgin

Michelle Rodriguez as Holga

Rege-Jean Page as Xenk

Justice Smith as Simon

Sophia Lillis as Doric

Hugh Grant as Forge

Chloe Coleman as Kira

Daisy Head as Sofina

Story Line;

A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people. Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure.

Thoughts:

I honestly was half and half on this movie before I watched it. The previews looked good but at the same type these types of movies aren't always my thing.

This movie was amazing, it kept my attention, had action, comedy and mischief. The acting is great, the plot is actually really good and even the fantasy parts are believable!

CAUTION; Major Spoiler Alert

Prior to imprisonment, bard Edgin Darvis served as a member of the Harpers, an order of peacekeepers, until disciples of a Red Wizard he had arrested killed his wife. Accompanied by barbarian Holga Kilgore, Edgin attempted to make a new life for himself and his daughter Kira by turning to theft, teaming with amateur sorcerer Simon Aumar, rogue Forge Fitzwilliam, and Forge's mysterious acquaintance, Sofina. While raiding a Harper stronghold, Edgin attempted to steal a "Tablet of Reawakening" to resurrect his wife, but he and Holga are captured while their accomplice's escape.

After two years in Revel's End arctic prison, the pair escape to Neverwinter and learn Forge has become Lord there, after its prior lord fell mysteriously incapacitated. Forge has been taking care of Kira, convincing her that Edgin's selfish greed led to his arrest. Sofina is revealed as a Red Wizard, and she and Forge deliberately orchestrated their capture. Sofina attempts to execute Edgin and Holga, but they escape and decide to rob Forge's vault and bring Kira home during the upcoming High Sun Games, needing the tablet to prove their innocence to Kira and resurrect Edgin's wife.

The gladiatorial games had previously been banned, but Forge re-instituted them, promising that the games would bring in tourists and money. Edgin and Holga track down Simon to help and he suggests also recruiting Doric, a Tiefling druid, whose forest community is fighting forced logging ordered by Forge. Shapeshifted into a fly, Doric infiltrates Forge's castle, finding the vault has magical defenses from Mordenkainen, which Simon lacks power to disable. Simon proposes that a magic relic, "The Helm of Disjunction," could disable them. They travel to an old graveyard to ask Holga's ancestors where to find it. Simon resurrects the dead with a talisman long enough for them to answer five questions each; the corpses reveal they gave the Helm to Xenk Yandar, a paladin who fled his country, Thay, when Red Wizards turned his people into an undead army. One corpse is left "alive", not having been asked all five questions.

Xenk, after forcing Edgin to swear to distribute any gained bounty to the people, guides the group through the Underdark to retrieve the Helm. With the help of a teleportation staff obtained from Holga's halfling ex-husband, they find the relic, but are attacked by Thayan assassins sent by Sofina. Xenk fights off the assassins and helps the group escape from Themberchaud, a pudgy red dragon, before departing. Simon has trouble mastering the Helm's power, so they decide to use the staff to enter the vault during the games. Simon and Holga infiltrate the magically sealed door but find the room empty except for a magical trap. Sofina, disguised as Kira, subdues Edgin.

The group is captured and forced to participate in the games but manages to escape the stadium. Doric discovers Forge has loaded the treasure onto a boat and is preparing to flee; the group steals the boat for themselves and rescues Kira from Forge, who threatened Kira's life. As they escape, the group realize Sofina organized the games to draw a massive crowd and turn them into an undead army using the curse that destroyed Thay. The group returns, transporting Forge's stolen riches out of the boat with the teleportation staff and spreading them across the city by hot-air balloon, drawing the people out of the stadium before Sofina's spell takes effect. Outraged at her defeat, Sofina attacks the group, but Simon can master his magic and nullify Sofina's time-stop spell, allowing Kira to use an invisibility pendant Edgin and Holga gave her as a child to place an anti-magic bracelet on Sofina. Sofina is killed when attacked by Doric in owl-bear form and then crushed by falling debris, but Holga is fatally injured.

Edgin uses the tablet to bring her back to life, accepting that he wanted to bring back his wife only for his own sake while Holga had become a true part of their family. Doric signals openness to a relationship with Simon. Restored, the old Lord of Neverwinter declares the team heroes of the realm while Doric's people are given sovereignty over their foreseted land to protect as they see fit, and Forge, who is captured by Xenk while trying to escape, is sent to Revel's End, spectacularly failing to escape as Edgin and Holga did.

Movie: Operation Fortune (2023) Caution: Spoiler Alert

 Operation Fortune

Came out; 2023.

Time; 1 hours 54 minutes

Watched: Amazon

Rating; R for language and violence

IMDB Rating; 6.2/10

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Staring;

Jason Statham as Orson

Aubrey Plaza as Sarah

Cary Elwes as Nathan

Hugh Grant as Greg

Josh Hartnett as Danny

Bugzy Malone as JJ

Eddie Marsan as Knighton

Peter Ferdinando as Mike

Story Line;

In the film, super spy Orson Fortune (Jason Statham) must track down and stop the sale of a deadly new weapons technology wielded by billionaire arms broker Greg Simmonds (Hugh Grant). Reluctantly teamed with some of the world's best operatives (Aubrey Plaza, Cary Elwes, Bugzy Malone), Fortune and his crew recruit Hollywood's biggest movie star Danny Francesco (Josh Hartnett) to help them on their globe-trotting undercover mission to save the world

Thoughts:

This movie was so slow and boring I almost wanted it shut off.

I couldn't keep track of who was playing who and what was what. It was too confusing and with the slowness it just didn't fit together

CAUTION; Major Spoiler Alert

A gang of Ukrainian mobsters manage to steal a device known as "The Handle"; its worth estimated at billions of dollars. The British government hires Nathan Jasmine to retrieve the Handle before billionaire arms dealer Greg Simmonds can sell it to the highest bidder. Nathan hires super-spy Orson Fortune to lead a team made up of Sarah Fidel, JJ Davies and others. The team travels to Madrid, seeking the courier intended to transport the hard drive containing the data from the Handle. Their search is interrupted by Mike, a rival of Nathan's, who seems to have also been hired to retrieve the Handle. Sarah, an American and skilled hacker, manages to copy the hard drive's contents first. Learning that Simmonds plans to host a charity gala in Cannes, the team decides to infiltrate it by blackmailing his favorite movie star, Danny Francesco, into helping them distract Simmonds.

Simmonds invites Danny and Michaela, Sarah's cover as his girlfriend, to spend some time in his Turkish villa in Antalya. Orson infiltrates the Ukrainian mafia house to aid Sarah in hacking their computers, disguising it as a robbery. The British government warns Nathan that the Handle is an advanced AI that can be programmed to defeat any security system in the world. Learning that the exchange for the Handle will take place in Antalya, the team travels to Turkey. While Simmonds shows Danny his memorabilia, Orson and JJ track down one of Simmonds' moles in the Turkish government. Orson, disguised as Simmonds' lawyer, attends the exchange and finalizes it, before Mike and his men interfere, kill almost everyone and steal the Handle — which makes it clear that Mike went rogue and was working independently. In spite of the problems the team has caused him, Simmonds is willing to help, because Mike stealing the Handle cost Simmonds his commission.

Simmonds tells them that the buyers were two bio-tech moguls, Trent and Arnold, who have been hoarding gold and intend to use the Handle to cause a worldwide financial collapse. While Orson and JJ clear heavy security on ground level, Simmonds and Danny go up into the tower where Mike is finalizing the deal for the Handle with the tech moguls. Simmonds very effectively shows them how he could very easily take out their loved ones if he is not paid for the weapon. He and Danny manage to leave before everyone turns on one another. As Orson arrives, the only one left is Mike, so he takes him out and retrieves the Handle. In Doha, the team is offered another job, but they decide to go on vacation. Orson tells them he has used the proceeds from the robbery at the Ukrainians' villa to finance Danny's new film, about the film's events, with Danny playing Simmonds and Simmonds acting as an on set producer.

Wax Empties; 5/1-5/31/2023

 Wax Empties: 5/1-5/31/2023

YouTube.

None

Where to find me.

www.nettesthoughts.blogspot.com

waxidentscandles.com

www.facebook.com/waxidents

Instagram @ Waxidents

waxaccidents@hotmail.com

Disclaimer/Disclose.

All wax I have purchased, or it has been sent to me in swaps that I do. I try and remember and disclose that information. I am never sent anything for free from the vendors

These are my opinions and mine only. This is not meant to influence your purchase just to share with you my experiences with vendors

I will never, won't ever and have never bashed another vendor. Sharing my experiences both good and bad is not bashing.

I do not believe in Ass wax. If the wax is going to throw it's going to throw. No wax should need more than 2 weeks from pour date to fully cure.

Yes, I am a vendor. I have been purchasing wax and candles for as long as I can remember. I do love to share my experiences. I enjoy wax and candles and will continue to make my own and purchase, but I will never review my own here

I have a tendency to yawn when I get talking. Not sure why I just do! I'm sorry in advance

Things that drive me crazy.

No vendor or scent name on labels. This is basically advertising and why wouldn't you do it? Plus, if I get or send to someone else and they or me want more, how do they know who to buy it from?

All over prices. I have been noticing vendors lately have 2 ounces of one shape for a certain price, then the same ounces of a different shape for a different price. This is a huge turn off for me

Restocks that only have certain quantities and the sell out right away. I have no tolerance for that and just won't order

Vendors who take a single scent and make it sound like a blend. I feel like this is duping your customers and shouldn't be done. People who do empty videos, who are also vendors, that review their own product.

Vendors who get involved in other people's drama.

I use the following warmers.

20-watt Happy Wax warmer in my office

20-watt glade warmer in my family room; Currently no warmer here

20-watt Happy Wax warmer in my kitchen

20-watt glade warmer in my son's room

20-watt Scentsy Stargazer warmer in my bedroom (Light Bulb)

25-watt Happy Wax warmer in my living room

15-watt Scentsy warmer in the laundry room bathroom

15-watt Scentsy warmer in the main bathroom

The opinions I put here are my opinions/experiences only. I fully urge each and every one of you to form your own opinions/experiences on vendors for yourself by placing an order and getting a DE-stash. Candles have many aspects to them and if I say I had a hard time burning one candle that doesn't mean the rest from the same vendor will be like that.

Candles.

Retail: Scent Worx

Scent: Marshmallow Woods

Scent Description: Marshmallow + Patchouli + Cedarwood + Amber

Thoughts; I love this scent, it's such a good one. The scent is strong and the candle always burns good

Hit or Miss; Hit

Retail; Bath & Body Works

Scent: Rose Vanilla

Thoughts: This candle burned very nicely but wasn't very strong

Hit or Miss; Hit

Melting;

Vendor; Sweet Sage Scents

**This vendor is no longer open

Web; https://sweetsagescents.bigcartel.com/

Facebook; sweetsagescents.bigcartel.com/

Owner; Michelle Moon

Scent: Doll Parts

Scent Description: Grapefruit + Vanilla Twist + Lavender + Pink Sugar

Thoughts: The grapefruit threw me off a bit but this was a great scent

Hit or Miss; Hit

Vendor; Rainbow Melts

Web; www.rainbowmelts.com

Facebook; www.facebook.com/groups/rainbowmelts/

Owner; Crystal Grenier

Scent: Pumpkin + Sweet Amish Bread + Vanilla Bean Marshmallow

Thoughts: This wasn't what I thought, this was actually a pretty good scent

Hit or Miss; Hit

Scent: Lemon Cookie Bars

Scent Description: Gooey Lemon Filling in a crunchy cookie bar

Thoughts: This wasn't my favorite. I'm not a huge fan of lemon

Hit or Miss; Hit

Vendor; Empire Alchemy

Web; www.empirealchemywax.com

Facebook; www.facebook.com/groups/empirealchemywax

Owner; Anna Knaus

Scent: California Sun

Scent Description: Coconut + Sugared Oranges + Fresh Bamboo

Thoughts: I don't smell orange, but the rest of it was a great clean beachy scent

Hit or Miss; Hit

Scent: Salt and Pepper

Scent Description: Black Pepper + Vanilla Ice Cream + Sea Salt + Pink Sugar

Thoughts; This was a nice blend, I was afraid of the black pepper but it wasn't bad

Hit or Miss; Hit

Scent: Jupiter

Scent Description: Shaving Cream + Orange Blossom + Bergamot

Thoughts: This just had a minty musky scent as orange doesn't come through for me

Hit or Miss; Both

Vendor; L3 Waxy Wonders

Web; https://www.l3waxywonders.com/

Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/groups/L3WaxyWonders/

Owner; Jennifer Westing

Scent: Salt Water Princess

Scent Description: Salt Water + Mermaid

Thoughts; This was such a great aquatic scent

Hit or Miss; Hit

Vendor; Arcadian Oils

*This vendor is closed

Website; https://arcadianoils.com/

Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/groups/ArcadianOils/

Owner; CariAnne Hahn

Scent: Cocoa Unicorn:

Scent Description: Milk Chocolate spiked with plum brandy and frothed with vanilla cream. Our creation is then topped with clouds of whipped cream, dotted with marshmallows

Thoughts: The vendor was terrible, however she did make a very good product. This was from 2017 yet it threw amazingly

Hit or Miss; Hit

Vendor; Sassy Girl Aroma

Web; https://sassy-girl-aroma.myshopify.com/

Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/groups/sassygirlaroma/

Owner; Julie Gebczyk

Scent: Cherries in the Kitchen

Scent Description: Marshmallow, cookies, birthday cake, twinkies & vanilla fudge butter + Cherries

Thoughts: This smelled so good, I love that the cherries weren't dominant

Hit or Miss; Hit

Vendor: Southern Sweet Tarts

Web: Unsure

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/469531127486685/

Owner: Amy Rickard

Scent: Very Vanilla

Thoughts: This was a smaller piece but it had that deep vanilla scent

Hit or Miss; Hit

Vendor; Salt Mountain

Web; https://saltmountainmelts.bigcartel.com/

Facebook; www.facebook.com/groups/2147804212210251/

Owner; Amanda Dixon

Scent: You can't melt with us

Scent Description: Orange Sherbet + Strawberry Raspberry Guava

Thoughts: Because of my nose, the orange sherbet didn't come out, it was all strawberry raspberry guava, which was fine because it smelled really good

Hit or Miss; Hit

Vendor; Super Tarts

Web; https://supertartswax.com/

Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/groups/SuperTartsSassySoaps/

Owner; Brandy Tarts

Scent: Moody

Scent Description: Black Cedarwood + Rain + Juniper Breeze

Thoughts; This smelled really nice and musky

Hit or Miss; Hit

Scent: Gambit

Scent Description: Raspberry + So White

Thoughts: This was ok, it was very berry

Hit or Miss; Hit

Scent: ELF

Scent Description: Candy Cane + Candy Corn + Bubblegum

Thoughts: This was pretty sweet, it made sense for the scent name

Hit or Miss; Miss

Scent: Graham Sugar Milk Nog

Thoughts: This had a strange undertone to it while melting, I couldn't put my finger on it

Hit or Miss; Miss

Scent: Hagrid

Scent Description: Shaving Cream + Tinsel

Thoughts: Nope, I did not like this one at all

Hit or Miss; Miss

Scent: Ginny

Scent Description: Smoky Poppy + Celebrate

Thoughts: IDK what these scents were but this smelled amazing

Hit or Miss; Hit

Scent: Nightmare Before Christmas

Thoughts: There was nothing on this label but the clam shell was the softest I've had touched and it was gross

Hit or Miss; Miss

Scent: Rue

Scent Description: Bedtime Bath + Baby Powder + Magnolia Blossoms

Thoughts: This was super nice, it was a soothing scent

Hit or Miss; Hit

Vendor: Bonjour

*This vendor is closed

Scent: The Frog Brothers

Thoughts: IDK what this was but it smelled funny

Hit or Miss; Miss

Vendor; Cottage Bay Scents

*This vendor is closed

Scent: Ginger Ale

Thoughts: I don't care for this scent, but I really liked this vendor

Hit or Miss; Both

Scent: Lemon Rose Petals

Thoughts: I didn't care for this at all. I love rose petals, but the lemon is what threw it off

Hit or Miss; Both

Vendor; Sugar Melts by Stacy

Web; www.stacyscandles.com/

Facebook; www.facebook.com/groups/704501493046488/

Owner; Stacy Jean Sullivan

Scent: Rock the House

Scent Description: Cherries, Strawberry, Raspberry, Peppermint & Rock Candy

Thoughts; This was a very light fruity scent

Hit or Miss; Both

Scent: Strawberry Pound Cake

Thoughts: This wasn't very strong but it was very sweet

Hit or Miss; Hit

Vendor; Kushner Kreations

Web; kushnerkreations.weebly.com

Facebook; www.facebook.com/groups/KushnerKreations

Owner; April Kushner

Scent: Adrenal Bomb

Thoughts: Because she doesn't put the scent description on her tags, or have them easily available on her site, IDK what this was, but it smelled really good

Hit or Miss; Hit

Scent: Coffin Dodger

Thoughts: Whatever this was, it was a smokey scent and it smelled great

Hit or Miss; Hit

Scent: Mahogany Coconut

Thoughts: This is a great scent

Hit or Miss; Hit

Scent: Atomic Fire

Thoughts: This smelled just like the atomic fireball candies

Hit or Miss; Hit

Vendor: Abby Lane

*This vendor is closed

Scent: Snow Fairy

Thoughts: This is a lush dup but it smelled fantastic

Hit or Miss; Hit

Scent: Lemonade Fizzy Pops

Thoughts: This was ok, my family loved it

Hit or Miss; Both

Vendor: Flower Finery

*This vendor is closed

Scent: Goonight Moon

Scent Description: French Lavender + Vanilla + Sandalwood + Peppermint + Marjoram Essential Oils

Thoughts: The lavender was dominant which was just fine

Hit or Miss; Hit

Scent: True Blood

Scent Description: Dragons Blood + Bite Me + Citrus Cherry + Berry + Heave Musk + Patchouli + Vanilla

Thoughts: This had to be a few scents

Hit or Miss; Both

Vendor; Savannah Blue

Web; www.savannahbluewax.com

Facebook; www.facebook.com/groups/195429970969513

Owner; Amy Christensen

Scent: Haven Scent

Thoughts: This was a very light perfume scent

Hit or Miss; Miss

Vendor; Dapper Dashunds

*This vendor is closed

Scent: Skys the limit

Thoughts: This smelled really nice and musky on cold, but warm I didn't get much

Hit or Miss; Miss

Vendor; Mad Raven

*Never heard of this vendor and they appear to be closed

Scent: Lonely Cowboy

Thoughts: IDK even what this was, it hardly had a scent to it

Hit or Miss; Miss

Vendor; The Posh Olive

*This vendor is closed

Scent: Ginger Ale

Thoughts: I dislike this scent, it smells like pee to me

Hit or Miss; Miss

Vendor Kae Scented Melts

Web; https://kaemelts.kaescentedmelts.com/

Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/groups/KaeScentedWaxMelts

Owner; Kara Meredith

Scent: Salty Sea Air

Thoughts: This is a love hate scent for me, I really don't like it by itself

Hit or Miss; Both

Scent: Barber Shop 1920

Thoughts: Not my favorite, it doesn't smell like shaving cream to me

Hit or Miss; Miss

Vendor; Hidden Holler

Web; Unsure

Facebook; www.facebook.com/groups/HiddenHollerCandlesandGifts

Owner; Lee Coleman

Scent: Lavender Apple

Thoughts: I don't care for lavender and food scents, this was no exception

Hit or Miss; Miss

Vendor; Gio & Turner

Web; https://www.gioandturner.com/

Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/groups/1914050445484995/

Owner;

Scent: Mermaid Bay

Scent Description: Sea Botanicals + Salty Sea Air + Blue Lotus

Thoughts: The floral is dominant but this was a really great scent

Hit or Miss; Hit

Vendor: Jamianne's Wax Creations

*This vendor is closed

Scent: Elm Street

Scent Description: Lavender + Pine + Vanilla Bean Noel

Thoughts; This was a nice scent, I very much enjoyed this

Hit or Miss; Hit

Vendor; The Glitterati Wax Company

Facebook; www.facebook.com/groups/GlitteratiCandleCo

Owner; Janine Jenzano

Scent: Sage & Sea Salt

Thoughts: This was a slow smell, it took forever for the scent to come through but when it did it was a nice scent

Hit or Miss; Hit

Vendor; Hayden Rowe

Web; www.haydenrowecandle.com

Facebook; www.facebook.com/groups/HaydenRoweCandle/

Owner; Christina Whelton

Scent: Coconut Cream

Thoughts: Super light as this scent normally is

Hit or Miss; Hit

Scent: Guava Fig

Thoughts: I did not care for this one at all

Hit or Miss; Miss