Loving… my mechanic. I’ve been hearing a funny noise when I’m driving, and it’s been happening for over a month now. I finally had the time to take it in to my mechanic to get it looked at, and it was diagnosed with bad wheel bearing. It was just under $300 to get it fixed, which is a hit to my budget, but not an unexpected expense. And now my car doesn’t make a funny noise! What makes this my “love” for July is just having a trustworthy mechanic who doesn’t upcharge me. When my mechanic told me it was probably a bad wheel bearing that was causing the noise, but he needed to look at it more closely to diagnose it, I did some Googling and was dismayed to find out the cost would be anywhere from $350-$500. (Double that if it was both front and rear wheel bearings that were bad.) I wasn’t sure if I wanted to put $1,000 of repairs into my car. Thankfully, it was only my rear wheel bearing that was shot and he charged me nearly $100 less than what my research told me. Having a good, honest mechanic is something I’ll never take for granted. (Also, funny story, I told my mechanic that my car had over 110,000 miles on it and he scoffed at that number. “Mine has 245,000.” I’d love for my car to last me another 100,000+ miles! Who knows!)

Loathing… buyer’s remorse. Ugh, it’s the worst. Here’s the story: I’ve had a $10 credit on ThredUp for years after sending in a bag of clothes and I finally decided to cash it in. (For those not aware, ThredUp is an online consignment shop, filled with gently used and like-new clothes, usually from top brands.) I spent $50 and got four shirts and two cardigans, which is a pretty darn good deal considering some of those shirts were from stores like Banana Republic and Loft. And yet… I’m not overly thrilled with my purchases. Not everything fits me like I want it to, which is the main reason I don’t love online shopping. I need to try things on! I could return some of the items (some of it was final sale), and I probably will, but I’m annoyed that ThredUp charges a $9 processing fee for refunds. However, I have wanted to see how the ThredUp buying/returning process worked to see if they were a viable option for finding new clothes and now I can see it’s not worth the hassle. Ya win some, ya lose some.

Watching… Friends. Can’t stop, won’t stop. I’m nearly finished with season three. I’ve put Mad Men on a complete halt while I rewatch Friends. I need the hilarity of this show in my life right now. I’m definitely planning to go back to Mad Men in the future because I do enjoy that show, but it’s a much different viewing experience and requires more of my attention. Friends is such a feel-good, comfort show and I’m leaning into that right now.

Listening to… Hysteria, which is the newest Crooked Media podcast. It’s a female-centric podcast, hosted by Erin Ryan. Every week, she and a group of women talk about stories that affect women’s lives through the lens of politics and culture. I’ve listened to the first three episodes so far and have loved every single one. It’s the kind of podcast that brings me a lot of hope, even in the midst of frustrating news.

Anticipating… my upcoming vision appointment. Am I the only one who actually looks forward to seeing the eye doctor? I love getting my eyes checked! It’s fun to play the “1 or 2” game and find out how my vision has changed from year to year. I’m planning on getting new glasses (somehow, it’s been five years since I got a new pair of glasses, oops) as well as finally purchasing prescription sunglasses. Can you believe I’ve never had prescription sunglasses? One of the main reasons I wear contacts is because I need to wear sunglasses whenever I’m outside (my eyes are super sensitive to light). While I don’t think I’ll ever give up contacts entirely, it’ll be nice to have a choice if I want to wear them or not.

Grateful for… a three paycheck month and extra income. There are few things more exciting to me than when that three paycheck month rolls around. And with some extra income coming in through freelance writing, it means I’ll really be able to attack my credit card in August. If I can manage to cut my balance in half, I’ll be one happy camper.

Needing… to make a decision about my gym membership. I’m basically paying my gym $35 a month and not getting anything out of it. I haven’t been in months. I want to keep my gym membership because I like having access to spin classes, but it’s been really hard to motivate myself to attend. Thankfully, they just switched instructors for the Monday and Wednesday morning class (the instructor they had before was pretty awful and I never felt like I got a good workout when she taught), so I might try to make it to one of those classes to see how I like the new instructor. I know I feel better when I’m consistent with spin classes, but if this new instructor is no good, I might have to cancel my gym membership and figure something else out.

What are you currently loving, loathing, and watching?

Loving… melatonin. I started having insomnia early in June, around the time I was experiencing a particularly brutal depressive episode. Sleep usually comes easily for me, so this insomnia was a very unpleasant visitor! I decided to take matters into my own hands and picked up a bottle of melatonin at the grocery store. I take a 3mg dose and it works wonders for me. I fall asleep easily, stay asleep, and wake up feeling good. God bless you, melatonin.

Loathing… the news, so I’m not paying attention to it right now. Can I do that because I’m in a privileged position? Yup. But the news has been so depressing and so heartbreaking lately that I had to protect my mental health. So, I decided to take a month off. A month off from episodes of Pod Save America, a month off from the news-y email newsletters I get, a month off from constantly reading the news and getting defeated. I had to, or I was going to go crazy. It’s too much for me right now. This administration is sickening. And I needed to step away. I am so glad I did.

Watching… Big Brother! The summer is upon us, friends, and with that comes the only show I watch in real-time. Big Brother is completely ridiculous and I recognize that, but I just can’t quit it. I love that it’s on three days a week and that I can get completely consumed by the people and the backstabbing and the competitions. Bring it on!

Listening to… Jen Gotch is OK Sometimes. I’ve been following Jen Gotch for a while, and I love how open and honest she is about her mental illness. I mean, I started following her the day she was filming herself through a panic attack at an airport! There was something refreshing about it. Not too many people are taking you on the day-to-day journey of what it’s like to struggle with mental illness. So, of course, once Jen said she was starting a podcast, I immediately subscribed. I am really, really loving it. It’s not a polished, perfect thing, but that’s the beauty in it. It’s real. It’s honest. It’s a must-listen for anyone who struggles with mental illness, or for people who want to better understand mental illness.

Anticipating… a weekend trip to Anna Maria Island. I’m taking the trip with my girlfriends, and we rented a house right by the beach. It’ll be a fun, relaxing weekend full of books, silly games, inside jokes, and plenty of naps. 🙂 We know how to travel well together.

Grateful for… a new freelancing assignment. Woo, boy, did it come at the right time. I’ve been a little stressy about money lately because I’ve had several expensive car repairs and have to come up with money for my upcoming vacation ($200 for the rental house, and who knows how much for food and activities). Argh! It feels like I can never get ahead with my finances, sometimes. Thankfully, my car will be paid off next month and that will free up over $200 in my budget. Thank the Lord.

Needing… to make another appointment to get my vehicle inspected. The service center I took it to last week told me my car was fine and no repairs or replacements were necessary. And I find that really hard to believe, especially with the way it’s been driving lately. Honestly, I think they only checked the battery, brakes, and tires – all of which have been replaced within the last six months. I wish I would have clarified with the service center but hello, social anxiety. I couldn’t get the words out. Sigh. I think I need to get a second opinion about the car, and I’m going to take her to a local mechanic to get a real inspection and make sure I clarify what parts of my car I want inspected (i.e., the belts, the fluids, spark plugs, etc.) Also, I realize what a boring paragraph this is. You’re welcome?

What are you currently watching and anticipating? 

Loving… the plans I’m making for my living room redo. I am really, really looking forward to changing up the look and feel of my living room because, right now, it kinda drives me crazy. My sectional is so big that I’m never able to go outside on my patio… unless I want to crawl over the sectional to do so. Even opening the blinds is a hassle because I have to climb onto the sectional to open them. My plan is to get a smaller couch (something like this), a nice area rug to fill up most of the room, a floor lamp, and a new TV stand. I’d also love to get a plant to put in the corner of my living room (something like this, perhaps). Ahhh… it’s going to be so nice when it’s finally all put together. (Plus, I’m forcing myself to stay off animal rescue websites until my living room is complete, so once that’s done, I can start the search for a new dog or cat full force!)

Loathing… unexpected car expenses. I had to replace my car battery on Sunday. I could have probably driven it a little longer on the current battery, but car issues give me massive anxiety, so I decided to take care of it right away. Honestly, I cannot remember the last time I had to change my car battery, so it had a good run! Still, this is the third time something crazy has happened to my car around the time I’m taking a vacation (I got a flat tire on the highway the day I came back from Asheville, and my check engine light came on a few days before I left for Puerto Rico), so I guess it’s just my thing now.

Watching… Friends! I never really watched Friends when the show was running (I think I watched the last two seasons, but I definitely wasn’t allowed to watch it in the earlier seasons), and I’ve only seen episodes here and there. I know all of the big plot points and can recognize all of the most memorable quotes, but I’ve never actually sat down and watched the series from beginning to end. So I decided to do that now, and y’all, it’s so damn good. I think I forgot how funny this show was and how it really set the stage for sitcoms to come.

Listening to… Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard. This podcast is a must listen in my opinion, but it’s not for the faint of heart. Each episode is around two hours in length, but I’m not someone who cares much about the length of a podcast episode, especially if it involves a super intriguing conversation. In this podcast, Dax interviews some really great celebrities to talk about… basically everything under the sun. They definitely get into the nitty-gritty of Hollywood and how they got their start, but the conversation always evolves from there. And, man, he has some incredible guests on, like Jimmy Kimmel, Ellen DeGeneres, Adam Scott, etc. Every week, I have so much anticipation for who he’s going to have on next!

Anticipating… my cruise, of course! Today is actually my last full day in the office before I leave. Tomorrow, I’m working from home and Friday is a half-day. AHHHH. I can’t believe it’s almost time! It’s been 18 months since I was last on a cruise ship and that’s way too long for me. I am so excited to spend seven days with my favorite human and have a full week to relax and enjoy that #cruiselife.

Grateful for… friends. The past week or so has been such a lovely time of friend dates and get-togethers. Last week, I had three one-on-one friend dates, either to meet up for lunch or dinner. I attended my friend’s 30th birthday party, which was a BLAST. Everyone totally loved my outfit and raved about my overalls. (If only I felt confident enough in them to wear them in regular life!) And Monday night was book club at our favorite pizza place! All in all, my heart is so damn full and I am so happy that these girls are in my life.

Needing… to make my packing list for my cruise! I need to figure out what things I need to pick up at Target before we leave on Saturday morning, but life has been crazy busy lately and I just haven’t found the time. I’ll probably do this tonight.

What are you currently anticipating? 

Loving… the Bookly app. Have you heard about this app? It tracks your reading time and provides a cool little infographic when you’ve finished a book that details the time it took you to read the book, the most pages/minutes you read in a day, etc. When you sit down to read, you just open up the app and start the timer. Then, when your reading time is up, you just tell the app what page (or percentage) you’re on in the book now. Easy as that! It’s really cool and fun and my new favorite thing.

Loathing… those weeks when I feel like I’m terrible at my job. Do you ever have those feelings? It happens to me every once in a while, and I think it’s because I take everything super personally and if I don’t do my job perfectly, suddenly I think I’m the worst at it. I know it’s not true, but the negative self-talk has me a little down this week.

Watching… season two of Mad Men and season 8 of The Office. I have a coworker who is fanatical about Mad Men, so it’s fun to discuss the show with her and I even got her hooked on rewatching the series, haha. It’s such a well-written show and can I get an amen for Don Draper? He’s delicious.

Listening to… The Daily Show with Trevor Noah: Ears Edition. Shout out to Nora who clued me in about this podcast, which is really just a short snippet of highlights from The Daily Show. It gives me the news I need in a hilarious manner, and who can resist Trevor Noah? Not me! The episodes are around 20 minutes in length (and half of that is taken up by an interview with that night’s guest, which I rarely listen to), so they’re nice and short.

Anticipating… my cruise! We’re less than 40 day away and my mom and I couldn’t be more excited if we tried. We’re planning on booking our excursions this weekend and we found a really fun zip-lining adventure in Isla Roatan, so we’ll be able to mark another country off our list for zip-lining (four for me, five for my mom). Hoping the next month flies by so we’ll be boarding the ship in no time at all.

Grateful for… spin classes. I’m so glad that I’ve been able to add spin classes back to my exercise schedule because they are honestly my favorite. Only two of the classes work with my schedule (Friday morning and Saturday morning), so I don’t get to go as much as I’d like, but as long as I get in one class a week, I’m a happy girl.

Needing… a pet. I house-sat for two lovable beagles over the weekend and it reminded me how much I love being around dogs. I love walking them, snuggling them, watching them run around. One of the beagles laid on the bed in the guest room I stayed in, watching me as I got ready for the day and ugh, I miss that. Dutch used to be the same way (he even had a bed in my bathroom for most of his life because he always wanted to be right next to me as I got ready). And I really, really hate coming home to an empty apartment every day. It’s just not as fun as a dog greeting you like you made his whole day simply by existing. I’m not planning on making any decisions until after my cruise, so no pets for me for a little while longer, but at least I know for sure that I can’t live without a pet.

What are you currently anticipating and loathing?

Loving… trying new recipes. I’ve added two new recipes to my arsenal, both from the Budget Bytes blog. I need to get better about cooking more at home because it’s healthier for me and cheaper in the long run, but most of my recipes are tried-and-true favorites that I’m getting a little tired of. So, it was time to look for some new recipes and I came across Budget Bytes. I’ve heard of her before, but haven’t tried her recipes until this month and I am a fan. I made Greek Marinated Chicken and Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli, and they were both delicious and made four meals, which is the perfect amount for me (three days of leftovers is just about my limit).

Loathing… my anxiety disorder. Last week was just one of those bad weeks for me, where everything felt overwhelming and I just wanted to stay in bed all week and throw the covers over my head. I couldn’t do that, of course. I have a job to go to and a dog to take care of, but boy, did I want to. I hate when I get into those moods because everything feels so pointless and I feel like I’ll never be happy again. Logically, I know it will pass, but man, it is so hard when you’re in the thick of it to understand that. Thankfully, I feel the gray cloud dissipating and I felt more like myself this weekend.

Reading… Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah. This one has been a slow read for me, and I feel like I should have given up on it because I’m not really enjoying it all that much. But I kept hoping it would get better and Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite authors, so I hate abandoning her books, but I will be very glad when I finish it.

Watching… season five of Parks and Rec. I always need a light-hearted comedy in my TV rotation and Parks and Rec fits the bill. (Although, it did cut me deep in my soul during an episode where Leslie and Ben are looking at the White House and she says to him, “What do you think? Our home in 2020?” YES PLEASE.) I also just finished the first season of Mad Men over the weekend and I’m excited to dive into season two very soon.

Listening to… the Girl Next Door podcast. I heard about this podcast from Amber and I’ve been wanting to give it a listen. Truthfully, 2017 was the year I added too many heavy podcasts to my feed. This podcast is light-hearted and fun and silly. I started at the beginning, and since they started their podcast back in 2014, I have quite a bit of catching up to do. Give it a listen if you love that podcast subgenre of “girlfriends chatting.”

Anticipating… my haircut on Saturday. I’ve finally decided that I am going to chop my hair. I have been questioning myself about it because I really love my long hair and lessened humidity means my hair has been on its best behavior lately. But I’m also interested in donating my hair to a good cause and enjoying a sassy new ‘do. Here’s what I’m thinking about for the cut – mostly a long bob that’ll hit around my collarbone with bangs. (Although there’s a small part of me that’s dying for this cut.)

Grateful for… my primary care doctor. It took me forever to find a primary care doc, but she is a godsend. I had an appointment with her a few weeks ago to discuss a particularly embarrassing medical condition that I thought I had, and I was not looking forward to the appointment at all. But I’d been having symptoms for months now, and it was at the point where it was affecting my quality of life and I needed to get the advice of a doctor. And what do you know, it went fine. I did not die of embarrassment and my doctor made me feel completely comfortable discussing my symptoms without any awkwardness. I really love this doctor and I am so glad I found her.

Needing… motivation to work out. I haven’t been to the gym in over a week and I don’t really have a good reason for it. Well, aside from having serious anxiety last week and not having the motivation to do much more than drag myself to work every day. Late last year, I contemplated canceling my gym membership because I wasn’t using it as much as I hoped. My apartment complex has a small gym and there are always workouts I can access online. I talked myself out of canceling because I really enjoy being able to take spin classes. But I haven’t taken a spin class since I fractured my ankle because I’m worried it’s a little too high impact (the standing segments especially). I guess the motivation is harder since I’m limited in what I can do while I wait for my ankle to heal, and what I can do feels so minimal in the grand scheme of things. I’m barely breaking a sweat with my workouts. But movement in any form is good for me, and I have to keep remembering that.

What are you currently anticipating and reading?

Also! I wanted to remind you to take my reader survey, if you haven’t already. I’ve gotten some great responses so far and I’m excited to share them soon.

Loving… my sweet pup. My mom and I took him to this fun little place in downtown St. Pete this weekend, so he could have a picture with Santa. It’s called “The Dog Bar” and you can bring your dog there, even inside the bar area! It has an outside dog park for the dogs to run around and plenty of open seating where you can drink a beer with your dog by your side. Santa held Dutch in his lap and all Dutch wanted to do was bite his beard, ha, but we managed to get a good photo of him (albeit, not the highest quality. Ya win some, ya lose some). He did so good hanging out at the bar! (Although he was totally falling asleep on me as we were getting ready to leave.) Dutch has been having so many good days lately and that gives me hope that I still have lots of time left with my favorite little dude.

Loathing… that I fractured my right ankle again. It happened two weekends ago, when I was helping a friend move. I was carrying two boxes stacked on top of one another, and I couldn’t exactly see where I was going, so I stepped off a curb when I wasn’t expecting to and my ankle twisted and I fell hard on my left knee. I went to urgent care after it happened to get the ankle x-ray and the road rash on my left leg taken care of. I ended up with a tetanus shot due to the abrasion, nearly crying in the exam room when the nurse cleaned up and bandaged my wound, and an X-ray showing that my ankle had fractured. Last week, I saw an orthopedic about the fracture and it appears I fractured it in exactly the same place I did previously (a fracture that never fully healed). Since the place I fractured it is a non-weight-bearing bone, I can walk on my ankle without needing a cast or walking boot. I was in an air cast for a few days after the injury, but now I can walk without pain, so I’m just wearing an ankle wrap. The real problem, though, wasn’t the ankle fracture; it was the road rash. Holy hell, it hurt. For the first two days, it stung constantly and there was nothing I could do to get it to stop. I couldn’t even expose it to air for the first few days because the wound was so raw. I had to keep it tightly wrapped in bandages and change them twice a day. Just putting on the prescription ointment brought tears to my eyes. It wasn’t until Friday night (nearly a week after the accident) that I was able to sleep without the wound being bandaged. It was so damn painful and hard to even walk on my left leg because the wound made it so sore. So crazy! Lesson learned: don’t help friends move. 😉

Reading… Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. I have to admit: I’m not loving it. But I’m just going to power through because I’m reading it for my challenge to read four “classic” novels this year, and this will allow me to mark that goal complete. So, in order to power through, I’m reading a romance novel alongside it. Their Eyes Were Watching God is short – less than 200 pages – but I swear it’s going to take me all of December to finish it.

Watching… Mad Men! I’m halfway through season one and I adore it. I never understood why women were all gaga over Jon Hamm until I started watching him as Don Draper and guys, I get it now. Even though he’s kind of a shit. But he’s a handsome shit.

Anticipating… our annual book club Christmas party at The Melting Pot this weekend! This is our third year doing this and it’s probably one of the things I most look forward to during the holiday season. We enjoy some ridiculously good food (The Melting Pot is a fondue restaurant) and have our Secret Santa gift exchange. I caaaaan’t wait. I’m just hoping this week passes quickly so I can enjoy some good food and good laughs and good gift-giving with my girls!

Thinking about… my goals for 2018. I’ve already started plotting some of the bigger goals I want to achieve next year and they are the typical goals you’d expect: losing weight, paying down my debt, finishing my novel. I’m nothing if not consistent, right? I just hope to have better action steps to actually make my goals a reality in 2018. I want it to be an amazing, life-changing year.

Needing… another bookshelf. I currently have a three-shelf bookshelf that I also use as a pseudo-nightstand that sits on the right side of my bed, and I think I’m going to get the same bookshelf for the other side of my bed. I need more space for my books, as it appears that I’m now a collector of books. Between my Book of the Month selections and things I decide to buy on a whim and ARCs from publishers… I need the space. I’ll have to wait until after Christmas, though, because my Christmas tree currently has the spot next to my bed.

What are you currently reading and anticipating?

Loving… how fast my new iPhone got to me! I ordered it on the 15th and it was delivered this Wednesday. It doesn’t feel different from my 6s at all, except that the camera is much better. And it’s nice to not be in danger of running out of space! Wheeeee. I’m still waiting for my Otterbox case to be delivered, so I’m treating the phone like it’s worth a million dollars, but I’m happy that it’s here and it’s fun to play with. 🙂

Loathing… Dutch’s nighttime cry-barks. It’s this weird thing he’s started doing where he walks around my apartment and whines and then, from time to time, lets out this high-pitched part-cry, part-bark. He rarely barks anymore as it is, so it’s really weird to hear it come out of him. I keep wondering if my neighbors think I beat him at night! I think it might be a way for him to say, “I’m ready for bed!” because usually when I pick him up and put him on my bed, he settles down quickly. Ugh, it’s so hard seeing him get old. I feel like I’m forgetting what he used to be like – when he was super active and able to jump up and down off furniture and went to sleep easily and wasn’t bumping into walls or getting stuck in corners. We’re in this weird, new normal now and I’m not sure I like it, but there’s nothing I can do about it. The sad reality is that our dogs get old and all we can do is have compassion for them and help them be as comfortable during this stage.

Reading… Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan, still. I’m almost finished! I’m enjoying the book a lot, but it’s not a page turner (more character-based than plot-based), so it’s easy to set it aside or only read a chapter or two a day. And it’s 416 pages, so it’s not a quick read at all. But I’m positive I’ll finish it either today or tomorrow. Woohoo!

Watching… season four of Parks and Rec. This show is so wonderful and well-written, and I just watched the episode where Leslie’s campaign managers quit and the rest of the Parks department steps up to help her with her campaign and ugh, my heart. I’m thoroughly enjoying my rewatch of this series.

Anticipating… Asheville in six weeks! We started planning this trip in the spring, so it always felt so far away. But it’s starting to get real and I cannot wait to spend a long weekend with my best girls, exploring this gorgeous city. I’m also looking forward to experiencing cooler weather! Florida doesn’t get any semblance of fall (we’re still in the nineties here), so I’m ready to feel a chill in the air and warm myself by a fire. Yes, please!

Thinking about… my next cruise, which will be #10 for me. Last weekend, my mom and I ended up booking a seven-day cruise for the end of April. We even sprung for a balcony room because, hell, it’s my 10th cruise and I am going all of 2016 without a cruise and I want to live it up. This cruise leaves out of Port Canaveral and sails to the Bahamas, Belize, Honduras, and Mexico. It’s going to be the best week ever and I’m already counting down the days!

Needing… to make a decision about my 30th birthday party. I’m going back-and-forth on whether I want to have a full-blown traditional 30th birthday party where I invite a ton of friends and reserve a clubhouse and have food brought in… or if I want to just invite a small group of my closest gal pals and either have dinner at a fancy restaurant or meet up at a friend’s for a low-key game night. Honestly, the second option is so much more my speed and will be much cheaper than the traditional route. I guess I have to dig into why I felt the need to have a traditional 30th birthday party in the first place.

What are you currently reading and anticipating?

Loving… that I was able to renew my lease at my apartment and my rent is only increasing by $25 a month! Hooray! I definitely have no plans to move apartments for a good while—I’d like to stay here for another few years and perhaps look for a place to buy after that. (Though I’m not sure how I’d ever come up with the money for a down payment, so who knows if that will ever be a reality for me!) But I am happy with where I live and happy the rent didn’t increase astronomically. And I know my brother will be super excited when I tell him he doesn’t have to help me move this year!

Loathing… how old Dutch has been acting lately. Everything just seems harder for him now and it breaks my heart. Thankfully, he’s on a medication to help with his arthritis pain and nighttime restlessness and that really seems to be helping him settle down and sleep through the night. (I’ve only had one late night with him since he started the meds and that was because we were at my mom’s for the night and I think he was just disoriented.) One of his newest mannerisms that he’s been doing for the last few months is just sitting in my room and staring at the wall (usually shaking). He bumps into walls and such. He’s just old and there’s not much I can do about that because he’s healthy in every other respect. He has energy to go on walks (not long walks, mind you) and he eats and drinks normally and he’ll play with me from time to time. This is just the time in a dog’s life that’s the hardest, to see them slowing down and aging. All I can do is keep loving him and making sure these last few years of his life are comfortable and happy. And, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I think I’m doing that very well.

Reading… Evicted by Matthew Desmond. It’s a book about poverty and the housing crisis, and just how hard it is for people who live at or below the poverty line to find affordable housing. This is a subject that has particular personal resonance with me because I grew up poor (not poverty poor, but poor nonetheless) and I grew up well familiar with what an eviction notice means. I’ve heard rave reviews of this book and even just 100 pages in, I can see why. Desmond writes in such an engaging way and I got sucked into this book immediately.

Watching… Big Brother! It’s my favorite summertime show. Big Brother is a huge time commitment because it’s on three times a week, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. (I’d watch it seven days a week!) This season is really good and I’m really enjoying all of the houseguests and all of the accompanying drama.

Anticipating… my upcoming social media and blogging break. Honestly, up until last weekend, I wasn’t even planning on taking a break, but something flipped in me and I realized how much I’m desiring to get away. Even so, I keep going back and forth on whether or not I want to really take a break because I do really enjoy social media and writing for this blog. But it’s also good for me to just get away and stop checking Twitter every time I’m in line at the grocery store or scrolling through Instagram when I’m laying in bed at night. And it’s good for my blog overall to step back and reevaluate what I’m writing about and how I’m conveying my message. It’s good for me, even if I do start craving the blog and my social media feeds about halfway through the month.

Thinking about… using my upcoming blogging break to do some sort of NaNoWriMo exercise. I’m way behind on my novel and I just can’t find the time to write aside from the two hours I spend with my writing partner each week. Scratch that. I’m not making the time. I’m only writing around 1,000-2,000 words a week and I’m over 10,000 words behind where I should be at this point in the year. So maybe August will be a good time to charge myself with writing around 1,500 words a day. I’m still rolling the idea around in my head, so we’ll see what happens!

Needing… to start making plans for my 30th birthday party. I have a friend who is helping me and we just keep pinning ideas to our secret board on Pinterest, but we need to sit down to discuss who I’ll be inviting, what kinds of decorations and games to play, what to serve for food and drinks, etc. I’ve never actually planned a party like this, so I have no idea what to do, but luckily, my friend is more than adept at this kind of stuff hence why I recruited her. (And also, she won’t let me call the whole thing off just because I’m feeling insecure that nobody will actually come to my party, ha!)

What are you currently loving, loathing, and reading?

Loving… my new tattoo (pictured above). I love it so much! It honestly feels like it was always meant to be there. It already feels like a part of me. I’ve had this particular tattoo idea pinned to my Pinterest board for at least three years, and I’m so grateful for my friend M. who basically just said, “We’re making this happen finally!” as we’ve been talking about getting book tattoos for a really long time. And maybe, just maybe, I’ve been thinking about what tattoo I’m getting next (uh-oh).

Loathing… oppressive humidity. I know that I live in Florida and it’s what I have to deal with, but it is rough. We’re usually sitting pretty in the low-to-mid 90s around here, but the humidity is usually above 60% (often higher), so it always feels much, much hotter than that. All I can say is that I am grateful for AC in my apartment and in my car. I couldn’t survive this time of year without it!

Reading… When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon. The writing feels a little juvenile, if I’m being honest, but it’s a good palate cleanser after finishing The Nightingale, which just broke my heart in two. I love a good YA love story, and this one has such a unique premise (involving arranged marriage!) and a delightfully fun cover that I couldn’t help but give it a try!

Watching… the last half of season seven of Gilmore Girls. Woohoo – I’m almost done! I’m super excited to finish the series, so I can finally watch the revival episodes. (And, um, actually move on to other shows I’ve never seen, like Mad Men, Friday Night Lights, and The West Wing.)

Anticipating… an upcoming four-day weekend. My company was generous enough to give us July 3rd and July 4th off for the holiday and it’s basically all I can think about. I don’t have any plans for the holiday, so I’m going to treat it like a little staycation. Four days of no alarms, naps, time by the pool, some Netflix binges, and plenty of reading? Sounds A-OK to me!

Thinking about… Dutch’s upcoming comprehensive exam and dental cleaning. I’ve basically got an entire page full of notes about his recent health issues (ah, the joys of a senior dog!) I want to talk to the vet about Dutch’s dementia symptoms. I also want to find out if the vet can give me any insight into Dutch’s vision because he seems to be bumping into things more than usual. I also believe he’s developed hip dysplasia, due to the way he walks in the morning and his “bunny hops” in the grass during his walks. Ah, buddy. He’s hanging in there for such an old man, and is still a happy little doggo, but getting old is a painful process.

Needing… a break from the news. I’ve stopped checking Twitter as much as usual because I follow too many people who tweet about politics. Which is good when I want to be informed, not so good when I just want to go to Twitter for some funny tweets. I’ve felt a little overwhelmed by the news, so every now and then, I need a break and I’ve been taking time away. I’m still listening to political podcasts, so I’m keeping informed, just not on a daily basis right now.

What are you currently anticipating and loving?