4 (Free) Games You Need on Your Phone STAT

I've always loved playing video games.  In fact, I've been obsessed pretty much all my life...like it was actually kind of a problem, ha.  When I was younger, I was hooked on Warcraft and seriously couldn't stop playing, which pissed my mom off to no end.  She was a tiger parent so she was extra strict when it came to school and piano.  So, I made a deal with her.  I'd get to play an hour IF I had finished ALL of my homework and practiced x amount of hours.  

It all would've worked out if I had honored our agreement, but I just couldn't stay away from my precious orc army.  I ended up running back and forth between my piano and PC - I'd hit a note on the keyboard from time to time so it sounded like I was working, but she saw right through my BS.  She stormed down and went straight to my computer.  I thought, "worst case scenario, she'll turn my PC off and I'll have to re-do levels."  Well, she ejected my game and straight up broke it in half.  

...saddest day of my life, ha! I may be exaggerating a slight bit, but suffice it to say, I was still pretty upset.  Fast forward 15 years, and I'm still hooked.  I've wanted to get a Playstation for years now, but I know I'll get absolutely nothing done if I do so I'm being good.  However, I reward myself with i-phone game breaks as a consolation, and it's also actually one of the ways me and my bf stay connected in our LD relationship.  Here are 4 of my current favorites:

1.  Fun Run 2:  The funnest run I've ever done, HA.  Oh my god, I can't even handle how nerdy I am!  I've been obsessed with this game for YEARS now - don't judge me - and I have no doubt you guys will love it, too.  It's like Mario Kart meets Happy Tree Friends.  You can challenge your buddies or get randomly matched online.  There are a handful of courses and you race peeps while attacking them with weapons you collect along the way.  You're rewarded with $$$ when you win games or hit goals that are listed in your daily challenges, and you can use that moolah to buy fun accessories for the character of your choice.  I have a penguin with a fancy hat, bahaha!

2.  Very Dice:  I'm not sure if you guys are familiar with this game, but think of it as a virtual Dave & Buster's with wayyyy more prizes (featuring items you actually want, ha).  The game itself isn't super complex - you're just rolling dice - but you can win ACTUAL prizes which is cool AF.  They give you 50 rolls to start, and then you earn or buy more.  I recommend participating in surveys or completing offers because they get you the most rolls.  TIP: check back every 24 hours to get your free spin for extra rolls on the house.  If you want to give the app a shot (and trust me, you definitely do), please use my friend code so I can earn bonus rolls, ha:  196313.  

3.  Plants vs. Zombies 2:  This game is soooo much fun!  You time-travel to different worlds and fight zombies with your ferocious yet adorable plant army.  Levels can get surprisingly hard, but I've never spent a dime on this app - if you want, you can purchase power-ups + new plants to defeat your enemies.  

4.  Tiny Wings:  My bf introduced me to this game when I visited him in SF.  I wasn't crazy about it at first, but my competitive spirit kicked in pretty quickly because I was determined to beat his high score (which I did BTW)!  Basically, you have a little birdie and you have to try and fly her as smoothly as possible.  There are hills throughout so  you have to land her at just the right angle to gain max momentum, which in turn increases your score.  It's all about timing so you just gotta lock that down!  Make you complete as many missions as possible to get a higher score multiplier. 

Andddd that's it for today, everyone.  Do you guys play any games on your phone? If yes, which ones? 

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10 Movies That'll Scare the Sh*t Out of You

I haven't done a movie round-up in a while so I thought I'd share a few of my favorite horror films with you guys! Andddd it also helps that my bf was recently visiting and we spent a big chunk of our time binge-watching scary movies.  Most of these are Asian so I hope subtitles don't annoy you.

1.  Audition
This movie left me seriously disturbed for days on end.  It's originally based on a novel, and it's about a widower who sets up a fake audition with a producer friend to meet his "future wife." With his son's blessing + encouragement, he finds the woman of his dreams and pursues her even though she's shady AF.  Asami, the love interest, takes crazy to a whole 'nother level in this film, and her performance will leave you feeling physically ill.

2.  A Tale of Two Sisters
This movie was so popular that it was remade in the US as "The Uninvited."  It was an ok adaptation, but as I'm sure you've guessed, the original's way wayyyy better, like there's no comparison. Basically, a disturbed teen gets released from a mental hospital and rejoins her family at their secluded estate in the countryside.  She's happily reunited with her younger sister whom she adores but has to deal with her POS stepmother who abuses them both physically and verbally.  This film masterfully incorporates supernatural elements throughout as well.  I can pretty much guarantee that you'll be on the edge of your seat from start and finish, and the crazyyyyy @$$ twist at the end will leave you stunned.

3.  I Saw the Devil
Another Korean gem!  This movie's the ultimate revenge film, and it features one of my favorite actors:  Lee Byung-hun.  The dynamic between him and Kyung-chul (the antagonist) is gold.  Byung plays a badass secret service agent named Soo-hyun whose fiance was murdered by the aforementioned serial killer.   After he confirms that his girl was indeed brutally killed by Kyung-chul, he hunts him down and tortures him time after time.  The vengeance gives him great pleasure...until it backfires.  

4.  Train to Busan
I was skeptical when I stumbled upon this movie on Netflix, but it turned out to be exciting as hell! I'm not usually a fan of zombie movies, but this one's money - it's super entertaining, and I love that it doubles as a social commentary, addressing problematic issues in Korean culture regarding status and greed.  

The movie focuses on Seok-woo (a divorced workaholic) and his daughter, Soo-an.  Soo-an lives with her dad but wishes she could be with her mom in Busan.  All she wants for her bday is to visit her mother, but Seok-woo tells her he's too busy to take her!  However, after seeing a video of his daughter crash and burn at a school performance, he changes his mind and heads to the train station with her.  While they're there, an infected passenger manages to sneak on, infecting the entire train within minutes leaving only a handful of survivors.  

5.  It Follows  
I already talked about this film on SS, but I couldn't resist listing it in this roundup because it was that good.  The description sounds dumb, but don't be fooled, this movie is scary as hell.  It's honestly the best American horror film I've seen in the last decade or so.  The movie follows a beautiful college student named Jay who's being chased by a supernatural entity after sleeping with her new boyfriend, Hugh.  He drugs her afterwards and takes her to an abandoned lot to explain the sitch - she will only be able to see "it," and it will follow her relentlessly at a walking pace until she's dead at which point it'll pursue the previous person (aka Hugh).  I know, I know - it sounds lame, but I swear to god it's good.

6.  Arang 
A supernatural film based on a real South Korean myth!  In this movie, two detectives (So-young and her partner, Hyun-ki) look into the mysterious death of a young girl ten years back. During the investigation, SY's plagued with visions & nightmares while gruesome murders continue to happen on her watch. 

7.  Dark Water 
I don't know what it is about Japanese films, but they're all so damn scary.  Based on Koji Suzuki's novel, this plot follows a devoted single mother who moves into a shoddy apartment with her daughter.  Their rundown place has a lot of problems, but the water leak from the unit above causes them the most drama, hence the name.

8.  Sinister  
This movie follows a successful (and fictional BTW) crime writer named Ellison Oswalt (aka Ethan Hawke).  He moves his fam into a home...where murders occured on site...to work on his next novel. His wife + kids obviously have no idea, but when they find out later? NOT pretty, ha.  Anywho, while rummaging through his attic, Oswalt finds an old box with home movies that seem innocent but turn out to be something entirelllly different.

9.  Ju-On:  The Grudge 
If you haven't seen the Japanese version yet, you seriously need to.  It's WAY scarier than the American version - there's just something about asian ghosts that are terrifying, don't you think?  I'm sure you guys are familiar with the premise, but basically, when a person dies with a deep and powerful rage, a curse is born, and anyone who encounters it ends up on a spiritual sh*tlist.

10.  Shutter
Quite possibly the scariest Thai movie I've ever seen!  The film follows Tun, a well known photographer, and Jane, his beautiful girlfriend.  After he gets wasted at a party, Jane drives him home - she's not drunk at all, but she ends up running over a young woman who seems to appear out of nowhere.  Her boy freaks the eff out and forces her to drive off out of fear, only to discover white shadows that look like faces in his photographs later on in the movie. His gf suspects that they're pics of the girl they hit on the road, but he shuts her down, refusing to believe in ghosts. Anddd there may or may not be other secrets that emerge, hint hint.  Shutter was remade in the US in 2008, and I actually really enjoyed the adaptation.  I didn't think Joshua Jackson could pull off the role, but he did a solid job with it all.

Alright guys, that's it for today!  Are any of you horror buffs? If yes, what are some of your favorites? Have you seen any of these movies? If so, what did you think?

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Family Traditions with Gran Reserva

When I was a little kid, I spent most of my time practicing piano with my mom - she was my first teacher and cracked the whip pretty intensely when it came to my musical studies.  I was putting in a good 4-6 hours a day in addition to school, so suffice it to say, my life revolved around tickling the ivories.

I didn't have much free time, but I still took tae-kwon-do with my father, a bajillionth-time world champion.  He's a 9th degree black belt in TKD and has several schools around the US.  He was the first ITF middleweight champion and was proclaimed the "fastest kicker alive."

....sooo yeah, I definitely listened to him when I was being disciplined as a child, ha.  Anywho, I earned a 2nd degree black belt, but father-daughter time didn't stop there!  He was and still is an avid golfer so he'd take me out to his country club to teach me everything he knew about the game.  To be completely honest, I wasn't a huge fan of it growing up - I thought golf was boring and it was always so dang hot outside - but I grew to love our hangs, and now that I'm older, I cherish every moment we spend together even more.

I'm all about hustling and working hard to achieve my dreams, but family will always come first in my book.  End of story.  I feel like it's easy to take your family for granted because they love you unconditionally, but like all relationships, you must treat them with the utmost care, and that means making sacrifices on the daily.

Now, do I think golf's the best thing since sliced bread? No, but I love our age-old tradition, and I honestly look forward to it every time I come home.  I'm not the best golfer in the world, but I can definitely hold my own.  We also enjoy watching championship games together while sipping Gran Reserva!  Mom doesn't usually go out with us, but she'll often join us for a glass of red when we're hanging out in the basement watching tournaments on the big screen.

Before I leave you today, I have a surprise for you guys.  Enjoy a $25 credit on a round of golf at major golf courses nationwide courtesy of Concha y Toro Bran Reserva.  Find a specially marked bottle necker where you buy wine. And you can also enter a great sweepstakes to win one year of free golf - click here to enter!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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My First Mukbang with LaBelleMel: Crazy Nuclear Noodle Challenge

Oh man, today's blast is a doozy because I'll be sharing my first official mukbang (...attempt) with you guys.  My blogger bestie (aka La Belle Mel) convinced me to tackle the spicy noodle nuclear fire challenge, anddddd it was intense.  Now, I can handle heat but damn, Mel takes it to a whole 'nother level.  I don't know ANYONE that can outspice me so big ups to her for schooling me in this challenge - see her tackle the first spicy noodle challenge HERE.  Oh, and make sure you guys say hi to the adorable Dexter here on instagram.

Anywho, I eat Korean bul myun on the regular on splurge days for funsies because they make me sweat and are hella delish, but the nuclear version I'm eating below = pretty ridic.  They're TWICE as spicy as the originals so I suffered, and that's putting it nicely.  I'm not even going to try and deny it - I was totally sweating during this entire video. Mel kept asking me questions throughout, and I remember thinking, "oh my god, how are you even talking right now?" I was busy trying not to die, ha!  Well, I hope you guys enjoy this, and I recently bought a new camera, a Canon EOS M10, so I'll be sharing lots more video stuffs from here on out!  Let me know if you have any requests.

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4 Mantras Girl Bosses Live and Breathe

For those of y'all who know me well, you know firsthand that my work means the world to me. I'm passionate about all the different hats I wear, and I'm proud to say that I give everything in my life 200% all day, every day. However, that wasn't always the case.  It was definitely difficult getting here mentally and emotionally, but I wouldn't trade it for anything because it's shaped me into the woman I am today.  So, I'm extra excited for my latest because I'll be tackling topics I'm SUPER passionate about.  We'll be addressing 4 quotes that every BAMF girl boss lives by today on SS.

1.  "Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire."

When I was growing up, I had a lot of big opportunities come my way, but I would often self-sabotage.  I'd try, but I wouldn't try my hardest so if I had failed, it'd be because I didn't give it my all. It was a way for me to protect myself and my pride - I mean, looking back at it now, I honestly can't think of anything stupider, but it made sense to me back then.

We're human so it's natural to fear failure.  No one wants to eff up or be rejected, but you won't move forward unless you put yourself out there.  Take advantage of whatever opportunity comes your way, but don't sit back and wait for them to come knocking at your door because you'll be asking for failure. I hear so many people bitch and moan about others and their successes.  "That guy totally didn't deserve that position" or "how did SHE book that concert" or "how is that blogger working with that company, she's not even that pretty."  Girl bosses don't think that way.

If you don't like where your career's at, do something about it.  Get out of your comfort zone.  Go meet people and make genuine connections.  Ask for help!  Pitch collaborative ideas to brands, artists, or whoever/whatever's applicable.  The worst you'll ever hear is "no," and trust me, it won't kill you.  You have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain.

2.  "We can do anything we want to if we stick to it long enough."

Grit is everything.  We all know the story about the tortoise and the hare, and although I didn't know it back then, that shit was deep.  Slow and steady really does win the race.  When I was in college, I used to work in spurts.  I'd feel super motivated one day and pull an all-nighter working on a project, only to wake up late the next, feeling too groggy to function.  It's better to do small amounts daily rather than binge-work, especially if you're working towards a long term goal.  For example, if you want to run a mile in 8 minutes or less, you'll need to schedule jogs several times a week for an extended period of time to build your endurance. Consistency. Is. Key.

Now, on top of that, expect to hit a wall at some point.  Actually, scratch that! Expect to slam into SEVERAL walls that seem unbreakable - the key word being "seem."  If you give up when the going gets tough, you're never going to succeed.  Regardless of how talented or how smart you are, you're going to plateau or straight up fail at some point.  I've hit rock bottom MANY times in my life, and I'm not afraid to admit it.  I've played concerts where I've forgotten lines of music, or worse, competed and totally bombed after months and months of excruciating preparation.

There's nothing more disappointing than investing your blood, sweat, and tears into something only to have it explode in your face, BUT it's all a learning experience and you need to embrace it as such. When things get hard, girl bosses push themselves harder.  They fall seven times and get up eight because behind that wall is a revelation that'll help them get THAT much better.  Always think long term, and stick with whatever it is you're doing because things will get easier at some point.

3.  "A lion doesn't concern himself (or herself in this matter) with the opinions of sheep."

When I first started Sensible Stylista, people talked so much shit!  Fashion blogging wasn't as common back then, and I had just started my doctorate at school so I felt pretty self-conscious about it all.  Friends would come up and tell me that so and so was saying this and that about my style or my writing, and it sucked.  It hurt my feelings to hear bitchy things, BUT it helped me develop a much thicker skin so at the end of the day, I'm grateful for it all.

If you're putting yourself out there, people are going to talk.  Be prepared for it and stay strong.  Keep your eye on the prize and focus on your goals because at the end of the day, negative words mean absolutely nothing.  Like Eleanor Roosevelt eloquently said, "no one can make you feel inferior without your consent."  Fast forward 5 years, with 500k+ followers and 100k+ monthly views, I'm so beyond glad that I ignored all the haters and powered through.  Don't let anyone discourage you from pursuing your dreams!  You're a girl boss, therefore you shouldn't give a damn what anyone thinks. 

4.  "Comparison is the thief of joy."

Social media's great on so many different levels, but it can be discouraging and even depressing at times. Everyone's putting their best foot forward without acknowledging their hardships out in the open so the grass almost always seems greener on the other side.  Girl bosses don't deal with that bullshit though! They stay focused and only concern themselves with their own progress.  They also respect other people and their successes and realize that their accomplishments (however impressive they might be) don't detract from their own.  

Alright everyone, that's it for today!  Do any of these mantras resonate with you?  If yes, which one /s and why? I hope you enjoyed this post.  It took me a while to write up so hopefully it was helpful.  If you enjoyed it, please take a second to share it with friends!  

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Online Dating Pet Peeves

Alright guys, I know I don't usually blog about my personal life, but I thought it'd be fun to share for a change. As y'all know, I'm a pretty busy person.  I spend most of my time practicing piano, teaching, studying, blah blah blah so I don't have a chance to meet a ton of new people.  Therefore I decided to give online dating a try.

I joined a bunch of different sites (e-harmony, tinder, etc.) but they all kind of sucked.  Now I don't mean to bash 'em because I have friends who've had mad success with them, I'm talkin' marriage-success, but they just weren't for me and that's ok.  OKCupid seemed to suck the least so I stuck with that.

Now don't get me wrong.  There are definitely catches online, but dang, you realllllly gotta sift through to find that diamond in the rough.  And if you're a girl on OKC, you'll get bombarded with messages, which leads me to...

...things guys should NOT be doing on online dating sites. I think I speak on behalf of most girls when I say...

1.  Don't use a shirtless/headless profile pic.  Seriously, even if you have a body of a greek god, you'll look like a douche.  And why are you cropping out your face? Makes us all wonder.

2.  Do NOT send ethnic girls/WoC messages in Korean/Japanese/Chinese/etc. unless you can't speak english.  I know freetranslator.com is tempting but no.  Just don't.  It's actually pretty offensive, and by "pretty" I mean REALLY.

3.  Do not get pissy if we don't write back.  Don't be THAT guy.  If you're gonna badger a girl about visiting - OKC lets you know when someone checks out your profile - and not responding, you're just gonna look like a whiny b*tch.  Move on and let it go - plenty of fish in the sea!

4.  When OKC asks you to list "Six Things I Could Never Do Without", do not list "water" and "air".  WTF...Seriously? Do you think you're being cute? Don't list those as answers because we'll most likely think you're boring, corny and lame.

5.  When you first message us on OKC, use correct spelling so we know you are literate.  Do not write "where r u from" - not hot!  And also while you're at it, learn the difference between your/you're and their/there/they're.  SMH.  If you're not sure, I suggest googling all that STAT... or going back to high school, shieeeet.

I hope you guys got a kick out of today's post!  I'm not normally this betchy, but I thought I'd do something extra fun for you guys today on SS.  Let me know if you enjoyed this, ha!  I'll make sure to share more rants in the future if you did.

Lots of love,

Kim (I promise I'm a nice person, ha)

Have any of you guys tried online dating?  If so, please feel free to share your experiences below!

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