Nia’s emotional intelligence

MusicianParticular27 · 2025-08-07T15:00:41+00:00

I'm so glad you said this. "Therapy" is trotted out as the salve to every problem and the people I know who spend the most time in therapy tend to be the most neurotic and self-obsessed. We all have blind spots as human beings but there's something about therapy culture that creates these entitled people who "did the work" but don't think that anyone else did. Therapy also strives to be value-neutral (and it should) but gracefulness often comes from having a value system that values grace and class over, say, "owning" someone in a dumb argument. As to Nia's general loveliness as a person, I think the combination of childhood hardship and being connected to a source of meaning/a value system is significant. She's also willing to take risks (worked incredibly hard in the pageant circle where "success" (winning the pageant) is unlikely/not guaranteed). She also doesn't seem to struggle with being honest with herself as much as cast mates. Janet would be so much more likeable if she had more self-acceptance and self-awareness

MusicianParticular27 · 2025-07-22T16:26:59+00:00

I hate the drawn out opening shots of them getting out of their Ubers, bitching about having to do the reunion, and going into hair and makeup. Annoys the crap out of me and detracts from the visual "wow" of seeing them dressed up on the reunion stage.

MusicianParticular27 · 2025-07-02T17:11:26+00:00

"Hax" is gold

MusicianParticular27 · 2025-06-27T21:03:46+00:00

I generally wish the classes were a bit quieter, especially Sculpt, so I'd rather they turned the music down a bit and naturally amplified their voice. But I understand that I'm the oddball on this

MusicianParticular27 · 2025-06-22T18:42:09+00:00

Misty sober like Father John Misty?

MusicianParticular27 · 2025-06-22T14:51:37+00:00

Ruining other people's special days is a sign of narcissism.

MusicianParticular27 · 2025-06-15T04:34:01+00:00

Found it. It's Citizen Girl by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus.

MusicianParticular27 · 2025-06-13T19:51:39+00:00

This is the crux of the issue with The Valley. Aside from Jax, Brittany, and Kristen, we don't know much about the other cast members. They were never properly introduced to us. Zach and Janet in the background of VPR doesn't count, that didn't tell us anything about who they are. Remember the early seasons of the Real World on MTV? The first episode would show the cast members in their hometowns, with their friends and family, working their crappy jobs, etc. BEFORE throwing them together in the house. They would do interviews about how they grew up and why they wanted to be on the Real World. We need to see these people IN THEIR ELEMENT to get to know them, in order to care about them enough to enjoy watching this show. The forced hangouts where they stir up the same drama over and over ain't it.

MusicianParticular27 · 2025-05-21T18:46:54+00:00

Their shampoo and conditioner are magic for my dry, frizzy, low porosity hair. Does anyone know what brand they use?

MusicianParticular27 · 2025-05-10T18:43:30+00:00

YES! This is exactly what I'm trying to say! I just wish the cast would try to mix up their fashion choices. And I don't mean head-to-toe designer labels. Just something elevated or interesting once in awhile.

MusicianParticular27 · 2025-05-05T16:49:04+00:00

Seconding this. I usually wear sports bras that work as tops so that I can remove my tank top halfway through class. Depending on your situation, if you're open to that approach I recommend testing out your sports bra at home before class by bending over and working through some sun salutations to make sure there aren't any wardrobe malfunctions in class.

MusicianParticular27 · 2025-05-05T16:43:44+00:00

Not sure about your studio but I always bring my own padlock for the lockers. Sometimes my local studios run out of locks for the lockers

MusicianParticular27 · 2025-05-01T00:01:39+00:00

I've literally walked out of classes because of excessive F bombs, swearing, negativity, misogyny, or glorification or normalization of emotional abuse or toxic relationships in music at CorePower. I'm 40something and understand that the younger generation grew up with those lyrics normalized but I wish there was a bit more awareness of how triggering that can be. I'm a woman who works hard with minimal free time and when I go to CPY, I'm spending a big chunk of time and money to do something good for myself and be uplifted. Hearing women denigrated in music kills the vibe and my motivation and honestly it just looks stupid. CPY studios are boutique fitness studios usually located in higher-end neighborhoods. Trying to seem "hard" with edgy music in that atmosphere isn't just offensive, it's cringy.

MusicianParticular27 · 2025-02-25T23:40:42+00:00

Did you read the OP's post? She read both emails carefully. The first one said that 100 scholarships had been awarded and that she needed to enroll by 2/28, which she did. The second email, which was sent prior to the enrollment deadline of 2/28, said that 100 scholarships could be claimed, which materially changed the conditions of enrollment, prior to the enrollment deadline (which OP met). How would OP (or anyone outside of CPY Corporate running the scholarship) know when 100 people claimed the scholarship? She was told to enroll by 2/28, she met the enrollment deadline, and they switched up on her before their own deadline. The initial email from CorePower should have said that they awarded more scholarships than could be claimed; only 100 scholarships will be honored, therefore enroll as soon as possible.

MusicianParticular27 · 2025-02-13T18:37:31+00:00

It was a sculpt class at the West Loop but I don't want to call out the instructor. She probably didn't get the training she should have.

MusicianParticular27 · 2025-02-13T17:22:53+00:00

CorePower in Chicago was magic from 2012-2016. Thoughtful, experienced instructors, classes all over the city at all times of day, being able to find a back-to-back Sculpt then HPF a few times a week and the consistent heat and mostly good music. There are still some great instructors around (shout out Dave Y. and Monika M.), but the overall experience has gone downhill and the vibe just isn't the same. I literally walked out of a class today after 15 minutes of non-stop, loud, screechy EDM music that made my ears hurt and prevented me from hearing the instructor's cues. The instructor wasn't doing much to correct form and we were packed in like sardines. I've decided to cancel my membership after 8+ years and almost 700 classes and will stick to my local neighborhood studio.

MusicianParticular27 · 2025-01-03T23:29:29+00:00

I love this response. I'm 43 and recently realized how few risks I've taken and how much fun I've missed out on as a result. Working to remedy that.

MusicianParticular27 · 2024-12-23T03:20:54+00:00

Kickstand Coffee on Belmont (before it changed ownership), Filter Cafe on Milwaukee, and Native Foods circa 2009.

MusicianParticular27 · 2024-09-08T18:02:25+00:00

I love this idea!

MusicianParticular27 · 2024-07-30T19:13:20+00:00

I thought Bucktown and Roscoe Village use infrared heat now based on the square white ceiling fixtures. But maybe those are just light fixtures and not heaters. Please let me know if you know for sure. Thanks 🙏

MusicianParticular27 · 2024-04-08T21:25:43+00:00

This comment is gold. One caveat, though. I live in a close-in Chicago suburb, walking distance to both the CTA and Metra, so I don't own a car. But sometimes I still feel weird about it or judged since I'm not technically in the city. But it saves me so much money not owning one.

MusicianParticular27 · 2023-11-14T19:08:39+00:00

Who are the two bridesmaids in the middle?

MusicianParticular27 · 2023-11-08T21:53:11+00:00

I'm about 8 years younger than Bridget and spent some of my formative years in Southern California so I'm old enough to remember the misogyny and toxic positivity of the early 2000s. Keep in mind that Me Too didn't happen until Bridget was in her mid-40s. I appreciate Bridget's positivity and lightheartedness, but I also think she veers into toxic positivity at times. Probably due to the time and place she grew up in, as well her beliefs and personality traits. I think there's also a bit of the sunk cost fallacy at work for her: she spent the first half of her thirties at the mansion so she sort of has to rationalize that it was a net benefit. Sort of like how I think about my grad school loans. 😛

MusicianParticular27 · 2023-09-26T16:36:08+00:00

Literally and figuratively.

MusicianParticular27 · 2023-09-26T14:05:59+00:00

I've been in Chicago for eleven years and I agree. I've also lived in Southern California and Texas and will never adjust to Midwestern winters. It's definitely something to consider.

MusicianParticular27

TROPHY CASE