Kaitlin Shanks
Bio
Lifestyle blogger and fiction writer. No AI-generated content here: everything you see comes from my own brain, including the em dashes. For more excitement, visit me on Instagram at @kaitlineshanks.
Stories (62)
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10 Essential 2000s Indie Rock Hits
In my younger years, I spent a lot of time listening to indie and alternative rock stations on Sirius XM. This was during the 2000s indie rock boom, when soft vocals and quirky production ruled the airwaves. Most of these tracks never cracked the top 40, but they were huge in their respective genres--and now, in 2025, these songs have an added layer of nostalgia that makes them ripe for revisiting.
By Kaitlin Shanks4 months ago in Beat
10 Nostalgic Rock Radio Hits From the 2000s
When I was growing up, my area had an alternative rock station that played a variety of rock hits, indie-ish tracks and songs from local bands. I loved listening to this station and looked forward to it every time I went on a long car ride. In fact, I even imagined driving around aimlessly just so I could listen to this station when I turned sixteen. Evidently, I wasn't familiar with the concept of "gas money."
By Kaitlin Shanks4 months ago in Beat
10 Obscure 90s Rock Albums That Deserve Another Listen
In the past, if you wanted to find old albums, you had to dig through CDs at the used record store and hope you'd uncover a few lost treasures. Today, Spotify hosts thousands of obscure albums that you can check out for free. This includes the 90s alternative rock genre, which has plenty of one-hit and one-album wonders who might've been forgotten without Internet archivists.
By Kaitlin Shanks4 months ago in Beat
5 Ways to Get Free and Discounted Tea Samples From Adagio
As far as hobbies go, tea drinking is one of the more affordable options. Still, sometimes you want to save a little extra, especially if you're ordering a blend that you've never tried before. Adagio Teas offers exclusive ways to get free or reduced-price samples--and, sometimes, all you have to do is check the website.
By Kaitlin Shanks4 months ago in Feast
10 Eighties Emo Albums That Defined the Genre
Eighties music has a reputation for being bright, sparkly and poppy, but in Washington, D.C., a darker genre was starting to evolve. The first "emotional hardcore" bands emerged from the 80s punk scene, setting the stage for mainstream emo to explode in the 2000s while giving listeners an outlet for their heartache, grief and rage.
By Kaitlin Shanks5 months ago in Beat
10 Nineties Emo Albums You Should Hear
I'll admit it: I've been a bad emo kid. Like a lot of millennials, I sincerely thought that emo started in the 2000s, when bands like Taking Back Sunday and Aiden appeared on the scene. However, when I did some research, I learned that emo's roots go all the way back to the mid-eighties.
By Kaitlin Shanks5 months ago in Beat
5 Meal Delivery Sites That Sell Curated Diet Programs
If you're about to start a new diet, you don't have to curate meals yourself. Some meal delivery brands offer boxes of pre-planned dishes that suit your dietary needs. The programs on this list claim to help you detox, lose weight, stay healthy while taking GLP-1 medication or adjust to your new vegetarian lifestyle.
By Kaitlin Shanks5 months ago in Feast
12 Companies That Deliver Ready-made Meals
When you don't feel like leaving the house, meal delivery services do most of the work for you. However, with so many options, it can be hard to find a service that suits your diet. Here's a rundown of the most popular meal delivery programs with prices, pros and cons, and example menu items.
By Kaitlin Shanks6 months ago in Feast
My Honest Pitaya Foods Smoothie Bowl Review
I love smoothies, but I've never been a fan of starting from scratch. I've always preferred the pre-portioned kits because they come with ingredients that I don't have lying around the house, such as dragon fruit and blue spirulina.
By Kaitlin Shanks6 months ago in Feast
30+ Coupon-free Ways to Save on Grocery Delivery
If you dread grocery shopping every week, it's easier than ever to skip the chain stores and order healthy, discounted food from online retailers. Here, I've compiled all the ongoing deals and freebies that I could find for Hungryroot, Misfits Market, Imperfect Foods, Thrive Market, Girl & Dug Farm and Martie.
By Kaitlin Shanks6 months ago in Feast
40+ Coupon-free Ways to Save Money at Online Tea Stores
For tea drinkers, the best part of online shopping is discovering blends that you can't find in stores. The second-best part is finding new ways to save money. When shipping gets expensive, wouldn't it be nice to shave off a few dollars?
By Kaitlin Shanks7 months ago in Feast
