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?

Hello! It feels like it’s been forever since I checked in on my blog, but in reality, it’s only been 11 days. I was hoping to start recapping my trip to Puerto Rico, but my blog has decided to stop uploading photos for some reason (working with my host to resolve this issue and crossing my fingers it’s fixed soon). So, in lieu of a trip recap, I thought I’d write about what’s going on with me currently. Let’s dive in!

Loving… Crockpot meals. I firmly believe that no kitchen is complete without a Crockpot and I finally have one to use! Mainly, I’m using my Crockpot to make a big meal on Sundays that I portion out for lunches every day during the week. I’m really not a salad or sandwiches girl when it comes to lunch, so I like having a good meal to look forward to. It makes meal prepping so much easier, and nothing tastes better than chicken from a Crockpot. (Okay, okay, chicken from the grill definitely does, but that’s a purchase I won’t be making as long as I’m in an apartment, sigh.)

Loathing… the heat and humidity. And I need to get over it because it’s only May. But it’s already feeling oppressive. I guess this means I just need to make more time to spend at the pool. Because nothing feels as refreshing as a dip in the pool on a hot summer day.

Reading… With Love from the Inside by Angela Pisel. We chose this for my local book club, and boy, is it a heavy read. It follows a woman, Grace, who is on death row for allegedly murdering her infant son (she maintains her innocence). Grace has been given her execution date and she’s trying to reconnect with her daughter before it happens. (Her daughter was around 11 when her brother died.) Two of my friends who have read the book said they just sobbed through the last few pages, so I’m preparing myself for a tearjerker.

Watching… season seven of Gilmore Girls. I’m almost finished with the series! It has taken me forever because I am not a binge watcher, so I tend to only watch 1-2 episodes a week, if that. I’m really excited to finally watch the revival episodes, so I’m going to power through this last season (which I’ve only heard bad things about…) so I can get on to the real reward.

Anticipating… um, nothing? I mean, that sounds kinda lame, but I don’t really have anything super fun on the immediate horizon. My next trip isn’t until November and I’m trying to save money right now, so it’s not even like I can go to Orlando for the day or anything like that. I am planning on doing a picnic in a local park with a friend on Wednesday evening, and I’m looking forward to that! Nothing like sunshine and girl time to put me in a good mood. 🙂 

Thinking about… my 30th birthday party. After some thinking, I decided that I wanted to throw myself a party! I am actually very much looking forward to turning 30 and I want to celebrate all I have achieved in my first three decades of life! I have corralled a friend to help me plan it (and by “help me plan it,” I mean she will do the planning and I will say yea or nay, haha), we’re going to use my mom’s clubhouse, and it’ll be book-themed, of course. I’m just mostly excited to gather with a bunch of my favorite girls and celebrate this milestone birthday.

Needing… more money. Ha. I honestly think spending five days in Puerto Rico was more expensive than a five-day cruise. (Scratch that. I know it was.) It was a great time and I don’t regret anything, but my bank account looks a little sad these days. It would probably be helpful to pick up a side hustle, but finding good-paying freelance writing jobs is tough these days and it eats into the time I want to spend writing my novel. Decisions, decisions.

What are you currently loving, loathing, and reading?

Loving… Instagram stories. Guys, I’m addicted. At first, I didn’t understand the point of Stories, but then I decided use it to take videos of Dutch because who doesn’t want to see videos of him?? And now I use it all the time. I’m trying to only use it a few times a week, in a “document my day” sort of way because I think it gives people a different look inside my world, which is always fun. I also love watching everyone else’s Stories and seeing what they’re up to. It’s a less filtered look into everyone’s world.

Loathing… my social anxiety. I signed up to participate in a team-building event called Sportsfest and I’ve been dreading the event ever since. There’s only a handful of people from my work participating (maybe 20?), but I signed up because a good friend is the organizer and I wanted to show my support for her. It takes place the weekend before I leave for Puerto Rico so the timing isn’t great, and I’m nervous about getting to the event and parking and how crowded it will be. Thankfully, two of my very good friends will be there and both have offered to pick me up, which eases some of my worries. And also, I don’t want to turn down events just because I have social anxiety. I did that a lot in my late teens/early twenties and it led to a lot of loneliness. It may be awful, but that’s okay. I don’t want my social anxiety to be an excuse for not trying new things. And, truthfully, I will probably really enjoy myself! A few hours at the beach, spending time with my awesome coworkers? I think I’ll end up having a ton of fun.

Reading… The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. I’m moving through the book slowly because it’s a book that you can’t simply speed read. But it’s phenomenal so far and the writing is exquisite. I actually suggested this book for my work book club and a coworker rolled her eyes at me and made a comment about how she didn’t want to read anymore books about slavery “because it’s over. Let’s move on.” Of course, I made sure to let her know that, as a white woman, she has the privilege to say that, but this is an area of history that we do not need to move on from. We need these stories, both fictional and real, to never forget what happened and how we treated black people in our country. It’s despicable and horrific, and The Underground Railroad is such an incredible exploration of this time period and how black people were looked upon as no better than animals. It’s a hard read, yes, but it’s an important one. (And one my coworker should really, really read to better understand why “moving on” is not the answer.)

Watching… The Amazing Race. This season is unique because instead of the teams being couples or family, they are total strangers. Can you imagine trying to race around the world and do high-stress challenges with someone you’ve never even met?? Some of the teams work together perfectly and others are really struggling, but that’s what makes it so fun. I already have a favorite team and I hope they can make it to the end!

Anticipating… my trip to Puerto Rico! My mom and I have started making plans for some of the things we want to do (we definitely want to do a walking tour of Old San Juan and explore the El Yunque Rainforest), but we also plan on spending a lot of time by the pool and at the beach, sipping fruity drinks and reading. And since we’re not foodies in the least, I haven’t planned out any restaurants to visit, so if you have any recommendations, let me know! I’m all ears. Every time I try to do research about where to eat in San Juan, I get overwhelmed and close my browser, ha.

Thinking about… how to be more budget conscious. I’ve always struggled with sticking to a budget for some reason, but I’m really trying to get better at it. It’s not that I’m not paying my bills… it’s more that I tend to spend more than I save. But I started implementing a cash budget system for discretionary spending – trips to Target, meals out, coffee, etc. – which has been working out great. Once my cash is depleted, that’s it! If it means turning down plans, so be it. I must get better at how I spend my money. (But, nope, not going to feel ashamed that this is harder for me than it seems to be for others. It’s just the way it is. I know I have more on my plate, bills-wise, than other people as I live alone and am paying on my school loans, and while I make a good-enough salary, it’s definitely on the lower end of what’s comfortable. I know there can be so much shame tied to how we spend our money, but can we just stop that? You can only do the best you can do, and strive every day to get better. You don’t have to save half your income, you don’t have to be completely debt-free, you don’t have to give up coffee or trips to Target. You just have to do the best you can!)

Needing… to get back to eating healthy! I’ve been eating junk for the past two weeks and not really exercising. It started with being displaced for three-and-a-half days for fumigation and then I got sick and then I had a really busy week… and when stuff like that happens, healthy eating always falls to the wayside. I’d really like to lose weight this year, but I’m not really putting in the effort to make it happen.

What are you currently loathing, reading, and anticipating?

Loving… belonging to the gym again. It’s what my workout routine has been missing. I’m now doing much longer and tougher workouts, and lovvvvve going to spin class again. Every time a class starts, I get this silly smile on my face, hehe. I’m trying to make it to the gym four days a week, though I hope to increase that to five or six in the coming months.

Loathing… how expensive having a dog is. I love Dutch and I would do anything for him (and I do). But these past few months have been so damn pricey with multiple vet visits, lab tests, an ultrasound, specialty food, medicine, etc. Obviously, I will swallow any sort of cost as long as he’s getting the medical attention he needs, and this is honestly just life with a geriatric dog. Thankfully, he hasn’t needed any expensive surgeries or further testing. It’s just a bit of a hit to the wallet, that’s all. I think we might be on the tail end of his medical issues (God willing), so I’m hoping for a much less expensive quarter two.

Reading… This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel, and I’m already sad for the day I won’t be reading this book. It is so good. The writing is incredible and the story so important. My local book club picked this for April, but I decided not to read the March pick (the subject matter seemed too heavy for me right now), so I guess I’ll be a little ahead. 🙂

Watching… This Is Us, but I’m only on episode 13, so no spoilers, please! It’s the kind of show where I have to be in the right mood to watch it (like, when I’m ready for a big cry, haha), so I’m very, very slowly making my way through the first season.

Anticipating… seeing Beauty & the Beast this weekend with my mom. We’re going to a movie theater that has fold-out seats, so we’re going to bring blankets, gorge ourselves on popcorn, and cry our hearts out. I can’t wait!

Thinking about… switching my hours at work. I’m grateful that we have a few different work schedules and the flexibility to choose the one that works best for our lives. Right now, I work 7:30-5:00 Mondays-Thursdays (and Fridays I work a half-day) and I’m just finding it so difficult to get out the door by 7am so I can get to work on time. I am considering switching to 8:30-6:00, which would allow me more time in the morning (and then I could take advantage of some of the early-morning workout classes at my gym). Getting home at 6:30 (or later, depending on traffic) would kinda suck, though.

Needing… to reprioritize my book life. Currently, I belong to three different book clubs and I’m also reviewing books for TLC Book Tours about once a month. So, I tend to have a bunch of books that I “must read,” which gets in the way of the books I want to read. I love being a part of so many book clubs, but something has to give. I feel like I keep reading books for other people, less reading books that I picked up myself, if that makes sense.

What are you currently reading, thinking about, and needing?

Loving… friends who take my picky taste buds into account. My friends and I are planning a girl’s night out on March 8th, which is International Women’s Day. A few restaurants were suggested, but before we nailed down the one we wanted to go to, one of my friends came to me directly and told me to check out the menu of a specific restaurant mentioned to see if there was something I could order. Truly, it was such a nice gesture. Be nice to your friends who are picky. They don’t choose to be this way, I promise!

Loathing… politics. I don’t know if I’ll ever have a different answer for this part of my “Currently…” series over the next four years. Everything that “Tweeto von Cheeto” (as I saw him referenced on Twitter once) has done over the past month has been awful, unethical, or downright prejudiced. I mean, he picked a fight with Australia, one of our strongest allies! He’s just not emotionally mature enough to be president, plain and simple.

Reading… The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. I’m reading this for my work book club, and it also fulfills my goal to read four “classics” this year. The writing is heartbreakingly beautiful and the story utterly terrifying.

Watching… The Good Place. I watched the first few episodes when they aired and really loved them, and I’m now able to catch up on the rest of the first season on nbc.com. I adore Kristen Bell and find the premise of this show to be so unique and fun. Check it out if you want a light-hearted comfort watch!

Anticipating… the beginning of Daylight Saving Time in a few short weeks. It will be so nice to have longer hours of daylight. I hate it being pitch-black dark at 6pm! I don’t care about “losing” an hour of sleep when we “Spring Forward.” Gimme more hours of daylight, please and thank you!

Thinking about… people who leave snarky comments on blogs, but then use a fake email address so the blogger cannot appropriately respond to them. This has happened to me a few times recently, and once, I even composed a lengthy response to a very nasty comment, only to get the email kicked back to me as the email address was invalid. Just FYI for those who want to leave snarky comments: if you don’t use an actual email address, I’m not going to approve your comment. Stand behind your snark. Don’t be one of those people who can only post a mean comment if you do it anonymously. That’s just called being a coward.

Needing… to decorate my apartment. My walls are still bare and I need to invest in some wall hangings to liven up my apartment. I’m getting my normal tax refund this year (whew – paying self-employment taxes didn’t set me back as much as I thought they would!), the majority of which will be used to pay off my credit card, but I also might set aside some of it to buy a piece or two of art. (Um. Like, “art” from Target that’s, like, $80. Nothing crazy expensive here.)

What are you currently reading, anticipating, and needing?

Loving… my Fitbit! I am finding it easy to hit my 5,000 steps every day and one day this week, I even hit 10,000! (WUT.) My friend and I are doing one of those Workweek Hustle challenges together and it’s been so much fun to challenge each other to get up and go for walks. I’m taking the stairs instead of the elevator, forcing myself to get up and go for a quick loop around the office once an hour (if possible), and going for long walks around my neighborhood frequently. Hooray for Fitbits!

Loathing… what today means for the U.S. I shared on Instagram about my feelings last night and I think that about sums everything up. I’m just so devastated that Obama’s presidency is coming to an end and that we don’t get to witness a historic day of a woman being sworn in. Instead, it’s… him. God help us.

Reading… The Mothers by Brit Bennett. I’m about halfway through the book and I started it Wednesday evening, so that should tell you how much I am enjoying it. The voice is so distinct and the writing is so lovely and the story is so engaging. My plans this evening are to curl up on my couch and finish the novel, which sounds like a pretty fab Friday night, if you ask me.

Watching… season six of Gilmore Girls and season five of The Office. I’ve managed to avoid any spoilers about the Gilmore Girls reboot, so hopefully I can keep that up. I am only a few episodes into season six of Gilmore Girls but godddd, I cannot stand Rory right now. I miss seasons 1-4 Rory. She was the best.

Anticipating… having a lot of FOMO about this weekend. A bunch of my girlfriends are leaving on a trip to New Orleans and I’m not going. The timing just didn’t work out for me, since everyone booked when the price was rock-bottom low (under $200 for a round-trip ticket) and I had just moved and didn’t want to put a big purchase on my credit card. And then the price jumped up and never went back down, and I made the hard decision to stay home. I’m bummed and I am feeling lots of FOMO already, but oh well. There will be other trips.

Thinking about… how complaining has become a way for people to bond. I’ve noticed this with some of my relationships and I’m realizing how draining it is to be around people who complain all the time. It’s okay to vent from time to time, but man, it’s wearisome to listen to complaint after complaint after complaint. Being around people like this has made me take a long, hard look at the way I communicate with people and take notice of the ways I am complaining to others.

Feeling… stressed out whenever I log onto social media nowadays. I’ve basically stopped checking Facebook and I only scroll through Twitter a few times a day because the news is never good. Instagram is my jam, mostly because I follow a lot of dog accounts, which never fail to make me smile. (DogsBeingBasic is my lifeline.) I want to stay informed and I want to keep in touch, but it’s just too much for me and I find myself going to a dark place too often when I’m on social media. Maybe I need a little detox for a while.

What are you currently reading and anticipating?

Loving… the Christmas season. It feels like it’s been a weird Christmas season for me… maybe because I took a cruise right after Thanksgiving? I didn’t decorate my apartment until 10 days into the month and I didn’t start Christmas shopping until two weekends ago, when I’m usually finished by early December. Whew. Even still, I love this time of year, especially the anticipation of Christmas Day. And I’m also stoked that we basically get an entire weekend of Christmas this year. Yessss!

Loathing… spending money. December is such a darn expensive month, is it not? Between buying gifts and attending parties, money has been flying out of my wallet faster than I like. It makes me all sorts of anxious! Come January, I think I’ll engage in a spending freeze and allow my accounts to recover from the chaos of December.

Reading… If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins. I’m finishing out my year with a slew of romance novels, starting with a fun one by one of my favorite authors. This will be Book #91 for the year, so I guess you could say I had a successful year of reading.

Watching… Christmas movies! I’m trying to watch one Christmas movie every night this week while writing Christmas cards and preparing gift bags for my coworkers. It’s been so perfect!

Anticipating… this weekend! Oh, what a Christmassy weekend it will be. On Friday, I’m decorating Christmas cookies with my mom, my oldest nephew, and my brother. On Saturday, my aunt and uncle are hosting a small get-together at their home for the extended family. And on Sunday, my mom and I will open presents and soak in the family time with my brother and his family.

Thinking about… taking risks and following my heart. I feel like I’ve been content to lead a very small life, and I also think I’ve let my introversion, shyness, and high sensitivity hold me back from truly seeking out adventure and new experiences. I’ve been ruminating on what I want my word for 2017 to be and I think it’s going to be something along the lines of liberate or free. I want to liberate myself from the constrictions I’ve placed on myself.

Feeling… very satisfied with 2016. It was a pretty solid year for me and it’s not one of those years where I feel shame or guilt at everything I didn’t accomplish. I moved into my own apartment, dated and had romance, went on some amazing vacations, and grew in my career. I can enter 2017 with hope, excitement, and grace.

What are you currently loving and loathing?

Loving… the fact that today is my last day in the office for 11 days! And that Mom and I start our vacation in two days! Both of us are craving this time away and I’m excited to do a fall cruise for the first time ever. We sail out on Saturday, make stops in Grand Cayman and Jamaica (we’ve planned excursions in both ports!), and return on Thursday. For the first time ever, I’ll be in a completely different country for my birthday, how cool is that? I think that is the perfect way to ring in the last year of my twenties.

Loathing… our president-elect. Duh, right? How any person in America thought he was a better choice for leader of our country over Hillary Clinton is beyond me. And the fact that his Cabinet nominations have all been openly racist, sexist men is just an epitome of what this presidency will be all about. Not to mention, the number of hate crimes that have happened since the election and the fact that Trump’s only response was to say “Stop it” during a nationally televised interview. I’m really worried for America, and I can’t stop thinking about what these next four years might be like.

Reading… 10% Happier by Dan Harris. I’m about halfway through it and I am loving it. I love the way he writes, in such an easy, conversational way, and I love his approach to self-help. He’s such a cynic and that’s exactly what I need. I need someone to ask the questions I’m afraid to ask. A full review to come in my November book report!

Watching… Parks and Rec, if it wasn’t already obvious from my Week in the Life posts. It’s truly the perfect comfort show and just what I need right now.

Anticipating… my fifth Holiday Council. I’m all signed up and ready to go. The first call will take place when I’m on my cruise, but I can’t wait to catch up and start diving into my favorite end-of-year tradition when I get back. I am a huge supporter of Molly’s work, and I love doing the Holiday Council with her every year. It really helps me to make sense of everything that happened over the year and make some intentions for what I want from the upcoming one. If you decide you want to sign up, would you mind using my link? In doing so, I get to put my name in the ring for some goodies from Molly!

Thinking about… how I want to end 2016. I feel like I have this tendency to look back on the year and feel upset over everything I haven’t accomplished: haven’t lost the weight or found love or written the novel. But when I really look back over 2016, I feel good about the things I have accomplished: moving into a place of my own, a substantial raise at my job, growing a freelance side hustle, lots of good adventures. Still, I want to end this year with a bang and the word guiding me through these next five weeks is progress. I want to feel as if I made some progress, even if it’s small, towards my bigger goals. December can be such a crazy month, but it doesn’t mean I can’t make progress on my goals.

Feeling… very loved after my friend, B., treated me to dinner and surprised me with presents as a pre-birthday celebration. We took our time with dinner, catching up and talking about all sorts of subjects, and then the waiter surprised me with little birthday treat (complete with a lit candle). He also didn’t embarrass me with a happy birthday song, for which I am very grateful. I’m so lucky to have a friend like B.

What are you currently loving, reading, and anticipating?

Loving… cooler weather! It’s been in the upper 60s in the morning and evenings and low 80s during the day. I am loving it! Hello, Florida Fall. We’ve been waiting for you.

Loathing… the fact that my old apartment complex is charging me for a carpet replacement. It’s a $400 charge and I’m just rather annoyed about it. I thought that’s what my pet deposit was for, but apparently, what I paid was a pet fee, not a deposit. A fee is simply the price to keep a dog in the apartment, a deposit goes toward damages. Isn’t that absurd? I’ve never, ever had to pay for pet damages in an apartment, so I’m quite peeved and really happy to tell everyone I know to never, ever rent from this complex.

Reading… The Ramblers by Aidan Donnelley Rowley. I’m reviewing it for TLC Book Tours and I have about 50 pages left. It’s really, really good and I’m just in love with the way the author writes.

Watching… season five of Gilmore Girls! I have heard that it’s the last great season of the show, so I’m a little nervous for what seasons six and seven hold. I don’t think I’ll finish the series before the four-episode special comes out, but it’ll be better, I think, because I can finish season seven and jump right into the special! I’m also re-watching The Office, and it’s just as fantastic as I remember it.

Anticipating… two date nights with my lady friends. Tonight, I’m going to see Girl On the Train with a group of coworkers friends and then tomorrow, I’m meeting up with Former Roomie, Bri, for a night of mini-golf and dinner. I am stoked for these next two nights of good, old-fashioned girl time. My soul needs it!

Thinking about… switching back to glasses after a few years of contacts. I love wearing contacts, but I keep having eye irritation as a result of wearing them. I get the irritation right after I put in a new pair (something about the solution the contact lens comes soaked in must not react well to my eyes…), so it’s not from improper contacts usage. The irritation is really quite painful, and I’m thinking about giving my eyes a break from contacts for awhile.

Needing… an actual weekend with zero plans. Lately, my weekends have been jam-packed and full of things to do, people to see. It’s a little overwhelming for this introvert! I try to keep my weekend plans to a minimum because I really enjoy lazy, low-key weekends at home. Hopefully, I can carve out time for a planless weekend soon!

What are you currently loathing, reading, and anticipating?