Let me start by saying: I am not a skincare expert. 

Not by a long shot. 

But what I do know is this: 

If a company refuses to disclose the percentage of retinol in their retinol products, you should not buy that brand's products. 

As I already joked on my Instagram, one thing I absolutely loved about the 1998 remake of The Parent Trap... was Meredith Blake's amazing little workout outfit. Now, ten years later (because the 90s were totally 10 years ago, right?), I have finally fulfilled my childhood dream of owning my very own amazing little workout outfit! 

It is everything I dreamed, and more. 

When I did my master's research on playfulness and leisure skill development in adulthood, I found that "sense of humor" and "willingness to be silly" are two very important traits for a playful adult.

I've never had an issue with silliness. Which might be part of the reason I own so many pairs of ridiculous holiday leggings. 

Never had I ever produced a TV show... until last December, when I filmed my first-ever episode of Never Had I Ever: A Songwriter Showcase of Epic (and Everyday) Firsts.

Since then, I've continued to perform at open mics and songwriter showcases regularly.

And one regular part of my routine -- even when I'm not performing -- is licorice root tea.

**Collaborative post**

A beautiful blending of ancient tradition, modern charm and magnificent natural vistas, Japan is an immensely fascinating destination that captivates the wandering soul. ​

According to Vanity Fair, there is no good reason to watch Netflix's controversial LGBT foreign film, Girl​. I agree -- though probably for different reasons.

I seldom read fiction... which is why I was surprised to find Defending Jacob, a legal thriller by William Landy, on my Favorites list. I mean, I must have added there at some point for some reason, right? So I decided to give it a try. 

I'll start with the bad news: Theo and the Trees have only released one EP to Spotify (if you prefer downloads, the EP is also available on Amazon), so you can only listen to seven of their songs. 

The good news: you will love rocking out to the music and contemplating Theo's lyrics, which range from witty despair to gut-punching, universally-relatable insights, to adorable metaphors that are sure to make you smile. I had so much listening to the EP -- several times, on repeat -- that I asked Theo if I could write a bit about them here, because the world must know. 

I know it's early -- but I already have a Biggest Disappointment of 2019, and it is Those Girls, by Chevy Stevens. This rape novel is almost offensively sexist and bad -- but I finished it, anyway, as a form of public service. 

Now I can spoil the plot for you, so you can save yourself time and frustrated sighs. After all, as I wrote in To Save Myself From Watching Sharp Objects, I Read a Summary of the Novel, the best way to stop yourself from getting sucked into books or TV shows you hate, just because you want to know how they end, you've got to just read the spoilers. 

So here's the plot of Those Girls: