 Wow... the last one.
So I kept getting emails to renew my domain and premium access. Between moving back to Alabama, work week, rush week, and the start of school- I never got around to it. I logged back into it for shits and gigs, and mudgesbutter.com was met with 404 not found. My heart broke a little, but I thought I was ready to let go. Despite being in the south, I don't have as much butter as I thought I would have to rate, and my life got too busy to ever write about it. It was really expensive to renew it, and I didn't think it was worth it. I realized however, that I can't not say goodbye. I think I'm gonna keep the blog, but it will just look different. I have been sending my family and friends little updates of my life, but this way I don't have to actually send out an email- they can just check here. I would like to give a big thank you to all of you. I have absolutely loved every second of your support and all the forms it took. I loved being called Mudge, I loved hearing/seeing your own butter reviews, and I've loved all your comments when I post a new update. I love my bread, I love my butter, but most of all I love my mudgesbutter.com. Xoxo, MJ Salty- 4/5 - picked up all the other flavors really well Creaminess- 5/5 Dense,but not sticking to the roof of my mouth Softness- 3/5 - soft and airy like most whipped butter, but the salt beads were throwing off the texture. Spread- 4/5 16/20
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Hello friends and family! For a while now, I have wanted to send semi-regular updates about my life and everything I was doing! Second semester was incredibly busy between work, school, the sorority and socials. Now that I am in South Africa I found myself with a little more free time and with much more exciting updates to share! I am mid way through my third week here in Cape Town, and I think it is going to be quite the feat to leave. I live with three girls: Bri from Texas but a senior at Ole Miss, Anna from Alabama and a recent graduate of Auburn University, and Lindsay from Illinois but a Junior at Mizzou. The roommate match makers did their job well as we all get along and have a great time hanging out together. We share an apartment on the second floor (technically the first floor, but South African culture says otherwise) with an amazing view of the beach. I love waking up to this view every morning. I cook for us frequently, but we all take turns burning things in the kitchen. In the first week, we toured the city, started our Global Leadership class, and adrenaline-junkied our way through the Western Cape. I ziplined with a bunch of people on my program I wasn’t able to meet before and I loved it. A girl named Hayden is from San Luis Obispo and goes to Ole Miss and rushed ADPi. Hmm, a California girl goes to the south and rushes adpi. Sound familiar? The next day, I jumped out of a plane. I thought it would be more of an adrenaline rush or at least exciting, but it was peaceful. I took a mini nap on the plane ride up there and then the door opened and I jumped out. 10/10 would do it again. And here’s my video: Preview YouTube video Tandem skydive of Madison MillerTandem skydive of Madison Miller On our second week, we ventured to The Garden Route- the southeastern side of the country with every adventure. We stayed in a cabin with our house mom, Leisl- she was the coolest. Our tour guide, Lourens, was super fun, even if he had to shake me awake on our long bus drives. Day 1 was a game drive and saw nature in action. Cheetahs hunting and eating, lions sleeping, elephants socializing, and rhinos trotting. The next day we went to an elephant sanctuary and I got to walk with an elephant with her trunk in my hand and then hug her later. This was the highlight of my trip and I cried tears of happiness basically all day. On Thursday, I jumped off the world's highest bungee bridge (216m or 709 feet) and I had to jump first. My name was randomly picked out of the hat and alas I was tied to a rope and pushed off. I was so scared but everyone cheered me on, and after the first 3 seconds of complete panic; it was so freeing. I didn’t want to take my harness off so I could go again (this time backwards) but they told me there wasn’t enough time. Here’s the link to my photos and video! Finally that Friday, I cage dived with a 15 foot shark named Betty and 9 foot shark, Mindy. She was a little shy to come out but once my version of “Benny and the Jets” was sung, she made an appearance. I repeatedly yelled “Betty” but with a snorkel mask on. We were only 10 minutes from shore by boat, which makes me scared to swim in Newport again. This week, we visited Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. We talked to a former inmate who showed us around the compound and shared stories of his time with Mandela. Today, we hiked Table Mountain which was basically a stair stepper for 2 hours. It was so cloudy and foggy but on the top there was pizza and coffee which made it all worth it. All my love, MJ  When I wrote and celebrated my 18th birthday, I had no idea what the world would come to! I celebrated my birthday at school giving out donuts. I got a nose piercing (now covered by my mask) and then went to a Laker Game at a sold out Staples Center. Could you imagine that now?
I can’t wait to celebrate my 19th with all my college friends and back in my second favorite city (LA you still have my heart, and good weather) Now, here are 19 more things I am excited for and some goals I have!
The butter itself Creaminess- 2/5 Very thick and stuck to my mouth Saltiness- 2/5 distinct butter taste Spread- 5/5 Softness- 4/5 13/20  Hi everyone! I have missed you so much! I hope you are all enjoying college, your last year of high school, or just life in general! I thought I would fill you in on everything I’ve done these past few weeks!
I hope I can keep y’all updated more, and let you know about all the great butter I eat down here. I want to hear about your lives too, so please reach out! I had my first experience at Waffle House at 3:30am, and let me tell you, it hits diff. Saltiness- salty but with a kick of sweetness: 4/5 Softness- like pillows: 5/5 Creaminess- it didn’t really stick in my mouth: 2/5 Spreadability- Since it is a waffle, it's not very smooth, but I could tell that it would be okay: 3/5 Total: 14/20 +2 for the vibes 16/20  Hello Friends! I have certainly missed writing about butter, and receiving your reviews from various places! It’s been hard for me to write, because I don’t have anything to write about. I almost thought about writing about all the things I did during my coronacation, but I don’t know how interesting running up and down the block with my obese dog and then taking a 5 hour nap is to my readers. I made shrinky dinks, I had a socially distanced lunch with my friends. I tried a couple workouts and hated them, and apparently learning new Tik Tok dances does not count as a workout according to my Apple Watch.I ate a lot of home cooked food, which if you know anything about me, is quite a rarity. I got tested for coronavirus twice (both times horrible!) The start of quarantine would’ve been the perfect time to post as people were starving for new content, but God bless Netflix for giving us John B.
Sidenote: WHY is he John B? There is no other John. Why does Sarah Cameron say it obsessively? See: “Relax John B, It's not like I haven’t seen a boy in underwear before. I have a brother, get your head out of the gutter, John B.” Why are her siblings named Rafe and Wheezy? Why does no one care about Pope’s scholarship? Why is he named Pope? It is too close to Pogue, and was confusing to me for the first three episodes. Did they really think they would be able to get the gold off of that scary old lady/axe murder’s property? It’s theft and trespassing! I have more questions and comments that I am willing to discuss with anyone! Just when I thought I was ready to write, George Floyd was murdered over $20- sparking protests and calls to reform and action. Then I didn’t know what to say. I support the Black Lives Matter movement, and think that everyday is a good day (okay actually three months ago was the perfect day) to arrest the cops that killed Breonna Taylor, but it’s been hard to find out who doesn’t align with my same opinions. In high school, I kept my mouth shut about politics, I found myself uneducated enough on the topic, too shy to ever speak up, too worried about being “nice” to want to step on anyone’s opinions, and too sensitive if the argument ever got too heated. Now that I’m entering college (IN 42 DAYS), I realize that won’t fly anymore. I’m actually super liberal, and I am worried about going to such a red state. I defended my decision to go to such a conservative state because I wanted a winning football team, southern charm, and a good fried chicken- not because I aligned with the politics. I realize now I cannot just sit back and let the water run off my feathers. I have to be vocally anti-racist and anti-homophobic because even though racism and homophobia don’t affect me directly, they affect my friends, my teachers, my classmates, the other people I share this beautiful Earth with, and I cannot sit idly by. To quote every white girl's Instagram in the past few weeks, “I understand that I will never understand, but I stand.” I am confident that I can weather the storm. Since everyone has been posting petitions (sign some down below), and support for the movement, I can see that maybe I was wrong about those who go to Alabama. I have seen more posts in support of BLM and Pride Month from my future sorority sisters, classmates, peers, running partners, than I have from the people I went to elementary school with in blue California. I knew this about my little suburb because when my mom was trying to get me to go to another school, I defended Alabama by saying “I already go to school with rich white republicans and Trump supporters- I’m fine. Bring it on and Roll Tide.” I am pretty positive that I will find my people, help someone else understand my perspective, and see more clearly to others who are different than me. Something I will never understand? People who do not wear masks in public! Aside from protecting yourself and others and slowing the spread of Coronavirus- masks are the BEST disguise for when you run into someone you know from your small town! Add some sunglasses and a hat? No one will even know who you are. IN CONCLUSION: Wear a mask Sign some petitions Buy some Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Be Kind to one another- we could use more kindness in the world Enjoy your final days before the wild ride that is college! Butter Review from Dish- the last restaurant I went to before the world shut down Creamines- 2/5- it stuck to the roof of my mouth, and it just wasn’t it sis Saltiness-0/5 it tasted like straight up fat Softness- 3/5 Spread- 3/5 JUSTICE FOR BREONNA TAYLOR REMOVE CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS ON ALABAMA’S CAMPUS MAKE JUNETEENTH A NATIONAL HOLIDAY DISALLOW TRUMP’S NEW RULE TO DENY CARE BASED ON LGBT STATUS ANTI-RACIST EDUCATION IN LA CANADA SCHOOLS  18 things I learned in 18 years
Thanks for all the birthday wishes! Rating Creaminess- 4/5 dense but also airy Softness- 4/5 soft and melts in your mouth Saltiness- 3/5 it was caramelized maple butter, but kinda tasted like bacon?? Spread- 5/5, it was partially melted tho 
In a couple of days, the decade in which I lived most of my conscious life will come to an end. As much as I have thoroughly enjoyed saying “see you next decade” to the teachers of whose final I just failed, I never really let it sink in that another 10 years of my life is about to start. A decade where I’ll be 2,025 miles away from home living with three girls who are not my two sisters and mom. A decade in which I may meet my husband (lol cute) or have my children (still debating between having 4 or 6, let me know). A decade where maybe I’ll become a little easier on myself and more forgiving with my past, my mistakes, the person I have become. A decade in which I will become an adult (in 16 days!) and figure out how to live my life without calling my mom from my bed to bring me water.
I hope in 2020 colleges will be fighting over who gets the privilege to have you as a student (and then subsequently the search for roommates as amazing as mine), lots of good butter, and happiness. In the next decade, let’s learn to be nicer, more patient, and more forgiving to ourselves and others. Happy New Year and Roll Tide! Love, Mudge This review comes from the Waysider in Tuscaloosa, AL. A cute little breakfast stop filled with families of every generation, former students coming home to see the Tide crush its opponents, and current students making memories that they will then tell their children about in the same restaurant when they come home. Also, I would be lying if I didn’t think it was a sign from God Nick Saban that The Waysider gave me a large bowl of butter without even asking, and one of the reasons Bama passed the vibe check. Creaminess- 4/5: Very Dense Saltiness- 3/5: At first, it had that very distinct butter taste and was not salty until the end Softness- 5/5: Super soft and did not disrupt the softness of the biscuit Spreadability- 4/5  I have a confession: I still play.
Not like with dolls, and dress up costumes, but with writing stories on my computer. I create little worlds, alter egos, characters, lives, deaths, and everything in between. I write stories about my life through an alter ego named Sloane Taylor. She is outgoing, confident, formidable, and tender. She charms everyone she meets with her quick wit or funny one liners. She is not afraid to call out those who deserve it. Sloane Taylor is quite the opposite of MJ Miller. I created Sloane Taylor after “WWBD? Or What Would Beyonce Do?” started trending my Freshman year. I do not know what Beyonce would do under the stress of 3 AP classes or the worry of a class presentation. Beyonce is probably not worried about impressing 35 teenagers with a slideshow about motifs in To Kill a Mockingbird, but MJ Miller is. Beyonce didn’t seem relatable to me, but Sloane Taylor did. Sloane Taylor was able to be molded to my life, my situations, to what I wanted to be in life. I think my mom is suspicious about my playing, and still thinks I play. She isn’t wrong, but the reasons I do it are not the ones she’s thinking of, most likely. I play as a coping mechanism. So when I do my complicated math homework, I do it as Sloane Taylor, because Sloane Taylor doesn’t struggle through basic trigonometry. I walk around school as Sloane because Sloane Taylor rules the halls. MJ Miller’s anxiety makes her want to crawl into a hole when she arrives on campus, for fear of one person not liking her. Sloane Taylor would tell someone to shove it if they said something mean about her. MJ Miller would internalize it. MJ Miller ran to the bathroom Sophomore year in tears when she was called to the board to do a math problem- that was to her- undoable. Sloane Taylor tried her best, laughed it off, and sat back down- perfectly fine. Senior year MJ Miller admits to not knowing the answer, and being perfectly fine with it. When MJ Miller bakes cookies for herself and friends, they somehow seem to disappear with each person who asks. People who probably don’t even know my name, or know me as anything but cookie girl. Sloane Taylor bakes cookies, and will tell people that they can not have a cookie. She uses her influence and power to be The Sloane Taylor not cookie girl. Eventually Sloane Taylor slipped into me, and now there’s more cookies for me and my friends, not for the kid in my chemistry class that will probably not remember my kindness. Sloane spends her time at hospitals brightening children’s days and is the president of her debutante program. I also spend time at children's hospitals and was a few votes short of becoming the president, but Sloane just does it better. Sloane is just better. The world is run by Sloane, and she knows it. I said I used Sloane Taylor as a coping mechanism to get through the mundane, scary parts of high school. I used Sloane as the person I wanted to be and become over the course of four years. Sometimes I took her on to get a little confidence boost with teachers, class presentations, or even meeting new people. I used Sloane’s no care attitude to brush off hurtful comments, positions I lost in student government, or just not to care so much about the opinions of people who don’t know me or care about me. Maybe MJ Miller was Sloane Taylor all along, and she just didn’t know it yet. Creaminess: 4/5 - very airy Saltiness: 2/5 - it was nutmeg flavored but complimented the bread well - okay it was just like a lot of nutmeg Softness: 4/5 - Very Soft Spreadability: 4/5 - The hot bread made it easy to spread, but I think it would be spreadable anyway 14/20- I would say one of the most accurate scores I have given.  Do you remember in elementary school, you would lean back in a chair on one leg, waiting to see if you would fall backwards? That is what it feels like to get out of bed every day for me. Just on the edge, ready to tip, my heart and soul in my stomach.
I am really really sad. I feel like for the past month, I’m just an empty human being. The only thing I could do was lay in bed feeling completely hollow. I don’t think I'm naturally a sad person, I think I’m the polar opposite. I think my smile is my only redeeming quality, and I feel like if I were a Pantone color it would be a sunny yellow color (maybe a buttery yellow color). The worst part is that I have no reason as to why I’m so sad. I have no reason to be sad. My dad’s cancer is gone, my mom and I aren’t fighting, my friends have never felt more in my life, my classes are interesting and fun, Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey released killer albums, and my life is going really well! But I’m just really really sad. I think I'm so broken all the King's horses and all the King's men couldn't put me together again. I used to only cry from laughing too hard, and now I have cried everyday over nothing, I just can’t stop crying. I love to go running, but I’ve been so blue that I can’t find the will to go to the Rosebowl. I don’t know if I’m sad over the fact that this is my last year in little LC, my SAT scores (that somehow went down?), my life teeming with minor inconveniences, I don’t know what it is! I normally try and find an ending to the blurbs before the review that leaves the reader with a sense of completeness.I want to earn the privilege of their time because there never seems to be enough hours in the day, and who would want to spend some of their limited time reading a butter blog? I think the fact that I can’t find an ending to this post, is because I don’t really know what to say, because I don’t know what I’m feeling. Butter Review: This “salted European butter” from Gerard’s in Maui really did not live up to its name. Creaminess- 2/5
Saltiness- 0/5
Bonus point for butter dish +1 8/20  Almost every day I run 5 miles. This past week, I've been lucky enough to run along the Hawaiian coastline and see turtles float in the ocean, occasionally coming up for air. It certainly has been a better view than the La Canada horse trails or the Rose Bowl track. It got me thinking about why I run. When I was younger, I used to think that I could run away from all my problems, if I just ran fast enough. If I just turn up Jay Z's The Black Album loud enough I can run from the mean girls, the harsh teachers, the homework I don't understand, the monsters under my bed, and the painful thoughts roaming in my head. If I just go one more mile, another lap, I will have fully cleared my mind from all the things that made me want to run away in the first place. Or so I'd like to think. The thing is, is that running away from your problems does nothing make them follow you, and grow larger. Maybe I should take a note from the sea turtles, if the ocean gets to be too much, pop your head out and breathe. Butter Review Softness- 4/5: Soft like the waves lapping on shore Creaminess- 4/5: Light and airy like the ocean breeze Saltiness-5/5: Perfectly salty like the seawater Spreadability-5/5: Spreads out like sails in the wind Total: 18/20 |
Photo Above: Getty Images
Quote of the Month"We love our bread, we love our butter, but most of all we love each other"- Madeline Archives
August 2021
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