Sophie (Chanko) Dare

LISTEN HERE:

https://open.spotify.com/album/4AYjfnqKqfi1cMhVXF9nvw?si=cnNtED09QLiyrN4W4E2j8w

The youngest member/sister of the girl group Cimorelli has a new, self-produced solo single; it's funky, it's fresh, and it's real. Lauren has a distinctive style when she ventures out on her own, creating quirky instrumentals and layering harmonies on her computer in GarageBand- bedroom pop in its truest form.

This track is another honest tale of unrequited love and overthinking:

All I do is think about you these days.

Lauren uses simple details to convey the emotions of waiting and wondering on a crush, and even references one of her other solo singles, Flames. High stacked harmonies round out the hip-hop inspired beats, and the bridge breaks down in the middle of the song to showcase an acapella-style vocal arrangement. It's got a simple chorus that sticks, and I have to say, it's probably her catchiest release yet.

Thanks for reading! Happy listening!

A few days ago, I posted about my planner as a way to stay organized and actually get my tasks done.

I still live at home for the time being, so I don't have rent or groceries or utilities to pay for. But I'm planning on moving out this August, which will be here before I know it, and I want my finances to be in strict order before I have to venture out on my own.

So, I went on a Googling adventure, and lo and behold, I found this lovely tool:

https://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/simple-budget-worksheet.html

Spreadsheets usually intimidate me- I haven't learned my way around Excel yet, and I usually just don't bother. But this one is so easy to use- you just plug in how much money you have to work with at the top, create your own categories for each bill or purchase, and it adds up all of your amounts for you!

It's incredibly helpful to me to visualize how much I'll have to grocery shop, how much I'll need for bills, and what I can keep for myself, for fun purchases like makeup, drinks out, or an impromptu Target run... yes, that does need to be its own category on my budget.

Another aspect of budgeting that I think is pure genius are sinking funds: a method of saving for periodic expenses like hair appointments, oil changes, or concert tickets. I've started taking out some cash each paycheck and keeping it in a small plastic folder/organizer labeled with my sinking fund categories, so the next time I get my hair cut and colored, it won't hurt my wallet so much since I've already been saving for it!

I hope this spreadsheet helps you as much as it's helped me! Happy budgeting!

This month has seemed to last centuries; so much has happened, in the world, in my own life, and on my blog!

In my planner, there's a couple of pages at the end of each month with reflection questions and space to journal about the previous month: what was the most memorable part of this month? What were some lessons you learned this month? How are you different between this past month and the one before it? It's a great tool to refocus and reminisce on the highlights of the last four weeks. So, here's my Coil version of my monthly reflection!

I began the month halfway across the world, on a mission trip to Ecuador. The week was packed with new experiences, new people, strengthening friendships, enduring hardships, lots of work, lots of food, and learning what it truly meant to serve and be hospitable. Photos tell the story much better than I ever could, so that's exactly what I posted:

I'm Back!: Ecuador Recap + Photos

More From Ecuador

The week following my return to the States, the Coronavirus epidemic began to ramp up, and tensions began to run high. I thought it was a good time to dig out my uplifting playlists, and the Coil staff seemed to think likewise!

Songs to Encourage: A Collection

Coil Staff Picks #17 (where my article is featured!)

Next, a bright spot in the month: my acceptance into the Boost program! It was amazing to reap a reward from the work I've been putting into my blog for the past few months, and I couldn't be more grateful.

PAYDAY: Boost Payment From Coil!

That boost really boosted my morale most of all, and I hit the ground running the next week- I had plenty of inspiration and time to create while stuck at home! I posted the article I'm probably the most proud of out of the whole month: a commentary on the state of our finances, since I spend my workdays dealing with finances!

A Banker's Perspective on Coronavirus

On a related note, I finally caved and bought the Pro subscription to Canva, the program I use to design all of my headers, and so far it's been well worth the investment! 10/10, would recommend.

The rest of the month has been fun; I've just been writing posts about whatever is interesting to me that day, whether it's my favorite breakfast recipe, new local music, my planner, and even reaching my 50th post!

I've gotten the opportunity to share about Coil to a number of my friends... posting about money going into your bank account is bound to catch peoples' attention! A few of them are planning on starting blogs of their own in the near future, so stay on the lookout for them. One of them is a local drummer and producer who's just posted his first article- check him out here!

Everything still isn't back to normal, and it looks like it'll be quite a while before the world continues on. But I will continue creating, and Coil will continue to be a rewarding place to create. Thank you, everyone reading, for helping me and supporting me along this journey!

LISTEN HERE:

https://open.spotify.com/track/5ZBlQeRIVG4vmfKnRDhKZj?si=QhJ16U9dTI29qmXpZakH5Q

It's truly incredible to look back on the history of 5SOS as a band and see how far they've come. I first became a fan of theirs almost six years ago, when I was a lonely high schooler who found her friends and her joy through the music and bands I loved.

2015 5SOS.

They were my first true obsession, back when they were pop-punk teenagers stealing the hearts of other teenagers like myself.

2020 5SOS.

Fast forward to 2020, they've grown up a lot and completely reinvented their sound.

This single comes out of left field with some seriously stacked, Queen-style vocals. To me, the song sounds like it would fit perfectly as the theme song to a 80's TV show, with its funky chord progressions, catchy melodies, and punchy chorus. It's a ton of fun and embraces that sunny 80's cheesiness with flashy synths and psychedelic guitars. Once we can all leave our houses again, I'm sure this tune will make it onto summer playlists for car rides and beach parties!

Happy listening!

There are now 50 articles with my name on them on Coil! Some are short, some are long, some took me five minutes to write, and some took me two hours. If you would have told me a mere five months ago that I'd be spending all of my spare time writing blog posts and getting paid for it, I would've told you you're crazy.

But thanks to Coil, and thanks to every one of you reading this, that is now my reality, and I couldn't be more excited.

Working for this long on writing projects makes me think of my college days where I was a journalism major. I would work for many weeks on my articles and projects, gathering information, interviewing people, and submitting many, many rough, ROUGH drafts! I enjoyed the process, and I'm very glad I got to take classes that truly taught me so much and gave me valuable skills. But now, creating for this blog,

I hold myself to a consistent posting schedule and a high standard of quality, but I also get to pick my own topics and work on my own terms. If I want to write a short blurb on one day, but then work for a whole week on a long, in-depth album review, I can! I don't have deadlines, limits, or length requirements, and my reward (in the form of Boost payments) is simply & directly correlated to the amount of work I put into my content.

I've learned so much about writing online content that will get attention and engage readers, as well as dabbling into graphic design and even cryptocurrency- two things I never would have thought I'd enjoy five months ago!

Basically, I just wanted to say how happy I am with the work I've created so far, and how happy I am that there are people out there enjoying it! So to all of you reading, thank you.

Content creators are so valuable; thank you for making me feel like a valuable creator as well.

You can follow me on my other social media here :)

Instagram

Twitter

Podcasts are wonderful ways to become more informed about things that you can't necessarily find in a textbook or look up on Google. Real-life experience and advice is so important when it comes to faith journeys, being newly married, and navigating first-time parenthood, and that's exactly what this podcast has to offer.

Milena Ciciotti and her husband, Jordan, were middle school sweethearts (not even high school... middle school!) and dated for six years before getting married in June of 2017. They currently have a 13-month old daughter and are expecting a baby boy this June.

Milena, baby Alethea, and Jordan.

They are 23 and 25 years old, respectively, so they have embarked on the journey of married life and raising children much earlier than is socially acceptable for most people these days. I, however, am an avid supporter of young parenthood and young(er) marriages, and I look forward to doing the same things in the near future!

They have very insightful and honest things to say about a wide variety of topics that impact other 20-somethings, people in serious relationships or marriages, new parents, and young people trying to live out their Christian faith. The title comes from the Bible verse Joshua 24:15: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”, and they do a great job of exemplifying that statement.

Here are some of my favorite episodes:

Personal Finance for Millennials

The Ciciotti's are big fans of financial guru Dave Ramsey, and they expound on how his methods and mindset has helped them manage their finances.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Qfv9sgA5N9ihUvjwtbMCI?si=dzA2xSzwQseKjcQT1APZew

A Look Back At 2019

This was a great listen for the new year, and you get a peek into some wonderful highs and difficult lows from this family's life.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4KYGkl28yF1nuuwxqcoYlG?si=Xy1Bl5m3QPSJJTidqvZe1A

Q & A Sesh #2

The Ciciotti's cover any and all topics in this one where they take questions from listeners.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/397rJySzlsgxC9d7iwLV6J?si=f1kD0Ru3Syul37hkGxyrEw

An Amusingly Honest Look After One Year of Parenting

Obviously, I'm not a parent yet, but I really appreciate them talking about the reality of bringing a child into your lives, and after hearing their advice, I feel a tiny bit more prepared to do it myself one day!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5PuAV4GFQkF4sA86K1lbRQ?si=54S6SsVWRV2DdA34OHTDzQ

LISTEN HERE:

https://open.spotify.com/album/4s589oPooC5sfvNfLyg2vL?si=hz9EaDgQT1WnUFElNJYAjw

A ragtag band of high schoolers is starting to make a name for themselves in the metro Detroit music scene, and I couldn't be happier about it. Tink and the Lost Boys hails from Northville, Michigan, and their gritty, pop-punk sound is infectious, with bouncy instrumentals, sweet guitar tones, and solid vocals.

Kicking things off is the track What I Need, which brings the energy with a bright riff, energetic drums, and a sort of spoken word verse in the middle. These songs were recorded and produced by Sam Lyon, a well-respected local producer here in Michigan, and I think the tracks are mixed very well throughout this LP.

Who Turned Off The Lights (featuring Sarah Poulos) has got to be my favorite song of theirs, hands down. It's got a moody, bluesy feel, and the female vocal feature adds a whole different flavor to it. Add some clever lyrics and haunting harmonies, and you've got a killer track.

Detroit Blues is a track that I've heard plenty of times at their live shows before, and it's always a hit with the crowd. It's got plenty of “hey”'s to shout along to, and basically, it's just a banger, enough said.

I don't know what pedal they're using for the guitar in Thoughts I Have When I'm Alone, but whatever it is, it sounds pretty sick. This is a more melancholy (do I dare call it emo?) song that repeats “I'm fine” in the chorus, but returns to say “but I don't know anymore”.

Sunflower Eyes is a break in the rock action for a cheerful, indie/folk leaning tune- fun fact, its lyrics are from a poem written by lead singer Jack Fulton's girlfriend Lauren.

Happy Little Neighborhood is an interlude of a series of “public safety announcements” that sound like they're straight out of the horror movie The Purge. It's edgy, but I'm not super sure where it fits in with the rest of the aesthetic of the album.

Phoebe is another standout track for me, with a killer bass riff that carries the whole song and gets stuck in my head constantly. This track in particular showcases the band's interesting and clever style of songwriting, which seems pretty mature and well-formed, considering that it's coming from high schoolers.

Hanging Tree is an intense one, with Biblical references to “the valley of the shadow of death” and the impending doom of winter. It's probably the heaviest rock song on the record, and it's done very well.

Change slows things down for the ballad of the album, with a mellow, acoustic, James Taylor kind of vibe.

Sentences closes out the record with a tune familiar to local fans of the band; it's been released since last year as a single, and even I know the words after seeing them play it a couple times live. It's fun and fast-paced, and captures the carefree energy that the band has while rocking out onstage.

All in all, this is a very solid first release from a relatively young band. I see tons of potential in them, and I can't wait to see where they go and what they do next!

...

Follow the band on Instagram here!

Tink and the Lost Boys is Jack Fulton, Tristan Presley, Johnny McCormick, Nick Fites, and Noah Mueller