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by: Gianna Mangiarelli  Like most people, I often procrastinate. Big ideas and major goals get put off because “there’s always tomorrow” or “I just don’t have time today.” We keep telling ourselves this, but how is it that some of the most successful people in the world found the time to go after their dreams? They managed their time. And I know that time management is much easier said than done-- just look at how much time I spend scrolling through Instagram! Luckily, in this digital age, you can use your devices for things other than killing time, and actually find more time in your day through calendar blocking.
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 Hey Pixie Chicks, I’m not sure if you’re as excited about this sequel as me and my friends are! In case you didn’t already know, MAMMA MIA 2: HERE WE GO AGAIN opens this week...will I be there to see it this weekend? You bet your Dancing Queen Bottom!  That’s all the fans joining in the line for tickets! Brief summary: Sophia, lives in Greece and is getting married...but she doesn’t know who her dad is. She found her mom’s diary and determined it could be one of three men.  She invited all the men to her wedding…   For so long, I have kept this under wraps. It was something I just didn’t like talking about. I was all set with the “Aww, I’m sorry” reaction that was almost inevitable. Then I realized…I may actually be able to help others. So, here it goes… I have MS. I…HAVE…MS. It actually feels pretty good to say out loud. LOL. When I was 25, after an entire day/night at OzFest, I came home to my apartment surrounded by firetrucks and emergency vehicles. In my altered state of mind I was asking “Wheres the fire?” LOL! Of course, you probably figured out that it was MY apartment that was totally gutted by flames. UGGH!! About a week later, from waist down I was all tingly and numby. Yup! You guessed it…the doctors told me I officially have Multiple Sclerosis and the stress from losing everything I owned was the trigger. At first, I wasn’t sure what this disease was and I wasn’t sure why my mom was so upset. I just kept doing everything I always did…karate, hiking, working out whenever and however I wanted. One day, less than a year later, when I went to my karate class, my instructor introduced me to a new student, Jess. She was cool…I helped her out during her first class…then, while we were getting changed, she asked me how I found out I had MS. Wha-what?! How’d she know?! Well, I guess the look on my face said exactly that and she began to tell me how she was diagnosed about 3months ago when she lost strength in her hands. She actually laughed a little when she was explaining how she couldn’t even hold a pencil. HOLY MOLY!! That’s what MS is?!?! I could lose abilities?! Oh my gosh…soo many questions started rushing through my head. Why did I just feel numby and she couldn’t snap her fingers? And we have the same thing? How could she be so positive when I, all of a sudden, was so scared? Could that happen to me? What about walking? Jumping? OMG! This is bad. As I was having this little meltdown in my head, she was still talking about how she runs, hikes, goes to the gym and is just as active as I am with no problems. We became BEST friends immediately! Jess and I biked together, hiked, took classes at the gym, partied, everything. Never too focused on that one common monkey, rather spider monkey(small and unassuming, but could cause havoc) on our backs. We weren’t in denial….we just both decided, together, we would concentrate on what we want to do and what made us happy instead of the dizziness and exhaustion we felt on a really humid day or any of the other negative aspects of MS we could have a total bitch fest about. Of course, we would talk about how we felt, but then just kinda joke about it and move on. Our motto was…acknowledge, accept and keep moving. Now 16 years later and the only lingering effect is heavy numbness in my legs…heightened by activity. For instance, when I start to exercise, my legs feel heavy and uncomfortable, but I fight through it and it goes away. Positivity has healing powers. MS comes in all shapes and sizes…ALL are difficult to get through and keep a positive attitude about. But think about this…
Jess has since moved to Colorado and is doing GREAT! We are still there for each other, as much as we can be. But nothing is better than having someone to talk with who understands what you’re going through. REALLY understands. We always push each other through and keep moving forward. We gave and still give each other strength and positivity when, individually, positive thoughts are hard to muster up. I would like to be that positive voice for you. Let me help motivate you, think positively and get… you… moving, whatever your limitations. I have learned that staying active helps maintain mobility and staying positive helps the body heal. Lets do this together!!
 Last week I attended my cousin’s high school graduation. He’s like my little brother so I was super proud of him. I’m glad that I was there for that important life moment…even though he invited me half an hour before it started!
As I sat in the audience with family and friends of these young graduates, I noticed a few things. These types of events can be somewhat boring and the real entertaining bits come from the people around you…sorry but, kinda true. Like, did we need to hear 3 songs by the choir? Probably not, but I couldn’t help but try to recall my feelings from when I was up there waiting to graduate or perform at a choir concert or a school play. It was awesome. It felt like that moment was the most important moment of my life up to that point it time. I’m sure we all had that feeling numerous times. But when you’re just 18, those moments are huge because all we know is school, our family and friends and we’re trying to get validation from those around us. So any additional “spectacle” is...a spectacle. These kids who finished kindergarten through senior year ARE just kids. They are glorified first graders who know more facts. For the most part they have little outside of school and family experience. They’re so cute. And young, and impressionable, and excited. They have their entire future ahead of them because they DO! A high school diploma is like the one inch that separates you from being able to ride the rollercoaster or having to watch your tall friends freaking freak out on the ride…of life…  We’ve put together Summer Bucket List. Below are 20 items that we will check off this summer. Share with us what’s on your bucket list and keep us updated using the #PixieChickBucketList
 Spring has sprung, flowers are blooming, our red wines are going back onto the bottom shelf of the wine rack to save for winter and we are making room for our summer favorite: rosé. When you think of a rosé, maybe your immediate reaction is “That’s going to be too sweet for me!” or “Why is this wine pink?”, but jumping to conclusions could have you missing out on some of the best wines you’ve ever had.
Some self-proclaimed “wine experts” scoff at the idea of drinking a rosé, but this light and pink wine has been around as early as the 600 BC. The ancient Greeks began diluting their red wines by mixing it with their white wines, establishing this technique as a sign of prestige and class. This method, along with pressing red and white grapes together during the harvest, remained popular and sustained the demand until the 1940s. Starting in the 1940s, and even through the 80s and 90s, a select few producers opted to substitute quality for sales and began making the sweet, slightly pink rosés and in the long run tainted the name. With the release of Sutter Home’s White Zinfandel, the notoriously sweet pink wine, the perception of the name “rosé” had been changed.  You have to be a ME before you’re a WE. A phrase I grew up hearing time and time again by my mother. “Kelly, you have to be a Me before you’re a We.” How is a teenager supposed to take that? Who are you? How could anyone possibly know! You have years of awkward adolescence, growth spurts, mistakes, break ups and obstacles ahead of you that you don’t know exist yet. Teens, well I guess even adults, think whatever is happening to them at that moment is the end all be all. We get consumed in the moment while fantasizing the future. I look back on that simple phrase and realize I always thought my mom was referring to relationships and past boyfriends I had broken up with, “It may not be the right time,” “If it is meant to be it’ll happen.” Now as a 27 year old, I realize that I interpreted that phrase completely wrong. I was focused on the second half of it, when the first part was what mattered, “You have to be a me…
 Social Media Intern:
Pixie Chick Productions is looking for a social media intern! We’re looking for an enthusiastic and ambitious team member that will help us grow. We’re a female owned company that creates entertaining, honest, and positive content. We’re currently expanding our brand and team. We currently create blog content and digital shorts, and have a number of projects in the works. The primary responsibilities/ qualifications include: - Manage and support all forms of social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) -Create Graphics and Content for: Social Media and weekly content - A detail-oriented, multi-tasker, that works well with others and can manage projects and deadlines - Able to thrive in a constantly evolving environment and possess a strong entrepreneurial spirit -College student who is interested in marketing/advertising/PR or film/tv/writing. Please send us your resume and an email about you to: pixiechickproductions@gmail.com  Hey all! In September, I was cast in an original play called “School for Manners” at Hole in the Wall Theatre in New Britain, Connecticut. It was such an awesome opportunity. It was the first time I acted on stage in nearly 10 years. I loved the comradery of the cast. I made some really cool new life- long friends, I pushed myself as an actor, and I went from being bored out of my mind to being busy nonstop for 10 solid weeks! The show wrapped recently and we ended it well. I’m so pleased with the work that we did. As the holidays approached and the snow arrived, I was glad that I took the winter off. The 3rd weekend of show (of a 4 weekend run) I was sick with a cold. I felt wiped out and I know that at one of the shows I wasn’t giving the same high-energy performance I had the weeks before. This was a bummer but it was a sign that I needed to listen to my body: Body: Oh hey Holly! Me: Oh hey Body. Body: How you feeling? Because you look like a hot mess. Me: I’m super stuffy. You know that awful feeling when the throat and nose feels like it’s on fire...that me for like a week! Body: Yikes that’s not good girrrrrrrlllll….Take in some lunch-naps, go to bed early, do some yoga to relax me and stay hydrated! Holly: Great advice! Thanks Body! Body: You’re welcome. We need to take care of each other! Cheesy grin and thumbs up here! Freeze-Frame High Five!!   So I might have celebrated a wee bit too much this Saint Paddy’s Day...(week)! Please pardon the delay. In 2010 while studying abroad I traveled to Ireland for a long weekend with some very dear friends. It was October, right before Halloween. We had a smashing time. My way to honor Saint Paddy’s is to share some of my favorites moments from the green isle. Take a look at the photos and videos below!  The Cliffs of Moher were breathtaking. I tried scones and actually loved them! They were baked by nuns so holy water must have been a secret ingredient. We met a bunch of people on our travels, many from Australia who are super kind and fun! We enjoyed a few nights out and got to experience a real Irish pub with traditional fiddle music.
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