About Me

Categories: About Me

Admin Sundays

I am someone who really struggles with being productive. If given the choice between getting shit done and laying on the couch, I am always going to choose the couch.

I am also an adult who needs to get things done, from big tasks like meal planning and grocery shopping for the week to smaller things like filling out my planner. So that’s why I decided to institute “Admin Sundays.”

Typically, I hold my Sundays sacred. Sometimes, I might meet up with Mikaela for a writing date or I might try to get in a workout at the gym, but that’s about the extent of my plans. (This all changes from September – early February with football season. I’m not sure what I’m going to do then, but that’s a problem for Future Stephany.) The rest of my Sunday is for me. It’s for naps and reading and writing blog posts and catching up on blog reading. It’s also for administrative tasks.

I came up with a list of tasks that I need to do every week to set myself up for success so I can tackle the week ahead. This list lives in my Notes app on my phone and when I finish a task, I can mark it off and get that little rush of dopamine.

Here is what is on my “Admin Sundays” list right now:

Meal plan and grocery shop for the week
Itemize spending and set my weekly budget
Fill out my planner for the week and list out my weekly goals
Inbox zero for my personal Gmail account
Clean my CPAP parts
Clean out fridge/freezer
Make snack packs for the week
Schedule the podcast’s Instagram posts for Tuesday and Thursday

From beginning to end, all of these tasks shouldn’t take more than an hour or two, which is totally doable on a Sunday. And I always feel super accomplished when I can get all of these tasks done. For example, I used to be really bad about checking my budget regularly and itemizing all of my purchases. But now that it’s on my task list for Admin Sundays, I have yet to miss a week of itemizing! This means I am way more on top of my spending habits than I used to be.

The idea for “Admin Sundays” originally came from the Girl Next Door podcast when Kelsey talked about having a monthly admin day to take care of those nagging monthly tasks we all have to do. I loved this idea so much that I created a monthly admin task list and played around with setting aside one day per month to accomplish these tasks. I quickly realized a monthly admin day wasn’t going to be sustainable for me (it’s really hard to set aside a full day to myself every month!). But I didn’t want to abandon these tasks because they are important.

What I do now is choose two tasks from this monthly admin list to accomplish every week. This way, I can mark off those important monthly tasks but at a slower pace that works much better for my personality.

Here are my monthly admin tasks:

Update my wall calendar
Create a new monthly spread in my planner with my goals
Organize the previous month’s photos in Google Photos, delete duplicates/photos I don’t need to keep on my native Photos app
Change my apartment’s air filter, check on Wallflower scents, and change my CPAP’s filter
Review birthdays – buy gifts, sign cards
Do some blog work – download a backup, run a security scan, update one thing on Site Health list, etc.
Clear out the shelf on my walk-in closet + empty bin
Take my car for a wash and vacuum

Some call-outs here:

Organizing photos – I get very overwhelmed by having too many photos in my native Photos app so a few years ago, I downloaded Google Photos and started organizing all of my photos into specific folders. It took a while, but now I just have to make sure I maintain this practice monthly.
Reviewing birthdays – I love this idea from Kelsey! My friend group loves giving thoughtful gifts for birthdays, and sometimes I’m forgetful about researching gift ideas beforehand. With this task, I take a look at the upcoming month to see what holidays/birthdays are coming up and make sure I have what I need: the gift, the card, the gift bag, etc.
Blog work – Every month, I download a backup of my blog (my blog does automatic backups, but I like to have a tangible copy of the backup), check in on any security issues/updates, and then go through the Site Health list that greets me every time I log into WordPress. Many of these issues are way above my capacity to handle (I should really hire a WordPress developer to take care of those, but alas), but there are some that I can take care of myself.
Clearing out the closet – I tend to use the left-side shelf of my walk-in closet as a catch-all space. Often, this is where I put clothes that have been worn but aren’t yet ready to be washed, as well as books I want to donate and other odds and ends. I also have a bin on this shelf where I throw all sorts of papers into. These papers need to be appropriately filed away, which I do once a month when I tackle this task on my list.

And somehow I’ve written almost 1,000 words on “Admin Sundays”. (LOL – I really thought this was going to be a short-and-sweet post.) Having this routine has helped my productivity so much. It doesn’t feel too overwhelming for my limited energy, but still makes me feel super accomplished and ready to handle the week ahead.

What side do you fall on: productivity princess or couch potato?

Categories: About Me

My Mundane Bathroom Details

A few months ago, Diane had an excellent post about her mundane bathroom details. Well, I find these mundane life details to be fascinating! I just love getting a glimpse into how other people live: what is their routine like? what products do they use? how often are they doing their hair and makeup?

I bookmarked that post, promising to write my own post about my own mundane bathroom details and here we are. Somehow, I have 1,500 words to say about this topic. (I AM SO SORRY.) Please enjoy!

SHOWER

In the shower, I am loyal to Tresemme products. I use their “Silky & Smooth” line because it makes my hair so soft! I use the shampoo on my whole head and then conditioner on the ends. Once a week, I’ll apply my special psoriasis shampoo (clobetasol), which has to sit for 15 minutes before I can wash it out. So I’ll apply it pre-shower (only on the two spots on each side of my scalp where I have flares) and then sit on the couch, playing a game on my phone, until it’s time to get in the shower to wash it out. Then I’ll also use Tresemme shampoo for my whole head.

To wash my body, I use a loofah (which I don’t replace nearly as often as I should) and body wash. I’m not brand loyal to body wash, but it’s typically Caress, Suave, or Softsoap in a delicious scent. And I never use exfoliating body washes, since I also use them in my bubble baths that I take multiple times a week. All those exfoliating beads feel terrible in a bath, lol.

For shaving, I don’t use shaving cream. Instead, I do a wet shave. I will typically shave my legs when I’m taking a bath (so they’re also nice and soft from the bath water!). But I also shave my arms (a weird thing I started doing as a teen when I felt very self-conscious about my hairy arms and all the girls in my youth group were shaving their arms), which I do in the shower.

Once I am out of the shower, I wrap up in a bath sheet, which I highly recommend over a regular-size bath towel. They are bigger and cozier. I wrap my hair up in a microfiber hair towel. And then I do the thing I am not supposed to do: I use a Q-tip to remove the excess water from my ears. Is this the best part of my day? Maybe. Nothing feels as good as rubbing a Q-tip around my ear canal, I swear.

Lastly, I will put on some deodorant! Honestly, I only do this if I will be in public. If I’m going to be at home all day and not seeing anyone, I don’t apply deodorant. Right now, I’m using Secret’s Whole Body Deodorant Spray, which I like.

TEETH

I am not brand loyal to any toothbrush. I just grab whatever catches my eye when it’s time for a new toothbrush. Right now, I’m using Colgate 360 Charcoal Sonic Powered Vibrating Toothbrush. I basically bought it because I thought it looked cool. My toothpaste is Crest 3D White Advanced Teeth Whitening Toothpaste. It’s not making my teeth any whiter, and yet, I keep buying it. And, of course, mouthwash. I use Crest Pro-Health Advanced mouthwash, and I haven’t had a cavity since I’ve been using it! Coincidence, maybe, but maybe not.

For Christmas, I got a water flosser (Waterpik,) and I loved using that thing to floss my teeth every night. And then it lost its charge and I realized I put the charger in a very secret place. So secret that I don’t even know where it is! I have looked everywhere. I need to just suck it up and buy a new charger, but I’m still convinced I will find it somewhere in my apartment.

SKIN

I’ve already gone through my skincare routine on the blog a few times, so I’ll list off my morning and nighttime routines quickly:

Morning: Cleanser (La Roche Posay), toner (La Roche Posay), niacinamide serum (The Ordinary), vitamin C serum (L’Oreal), and moisturizer (Cerave)
Nighttime: Cleanser (La Roche Posay), exfoliant (Paula’s Choice), toner (La Roche Posay), niacinamide serum (The Ordinary), hyaluronic acid serum (The Ordinary), moisturizer (Cerave)

I don’t do this routine every day because sometimes I get lazy and sometimes my face feels like it needs a break. When I’m washing my face with cleanser, I use a washcloth to wet my face before applying cleanser, and then again to remove the cleanser. The towels get thrown into my laundry basket after every use. (The washcloths are nothing special; I’ll usually just pick up a pack on a random Homegoods run.) I use reusable cotton rounds to apply my liquid exfoliant and toner. I bought two packs of these pads from Amazon and then another pack from a local zero-waste store.

The only other skin product I use is my pimple patches because I’m in my late 30s now and am still dealing with breakouts. WHEN WILL IT END?! Argh. I like the Mighty Patch pimple patches for simple breakouts, but I also get these pustules (such a gross word) from time to time. For those, I’ve had great luck with ZitSticka Killa Acne Extra Strength patches.

Oh, and I also wear sunscreen! I don’t wear it every day since there are so many days when I’m not out in the sun at all, but if I know I’m going to be outside for more than a few minutes, I’ll apply it. I am not brand loyal here, anything will do (currently: Hawaiian Tropic Weightless Hydration Face Sunscreen).

HAIR

My hair routine is quite simple these days as I usually just brush it out after my shower (which is always in the morning) and then let it air dry. Sometimes, I’ll use the straightener after my hair has dried if I want to look a little more pulled together, but generally, I don’t bother with it. Right now, I’m using The Knot Dr. hairbrush, which I love so much. It is so easy to get out any knots! I don’t use any product in my hair when I let it air dry—it usually dries fairly straight and smooth. (I know I’m lucky!)

If I’m going to actually do my hair, I have a hair dryer (Conair InfinitiPRO), a dryer brush (Conair InfinitiPRO, as well), a straightener (also Conair InfinitiPRO), and a curling wand (Bed Head Rock N Roller Curling Wand). Apparently, I am brand loyal to Conair InfinitiPRO. (Who knew?!) So when I’m doing my hair, I will do one of three things:

Use the blowdryer to get my hair 50% dry, and then use my dryer brush for the rest of it. This gives my hair the best volume, but it takes longer.
Use the blow dryer, and then straighten. This will take 15-20 minutes, from wet hair to straightened hair.
Use the blow dryer, and then curl. This takes about the same time as the dryer brush.

Other hair products are hair elastics (Goody Ouchless, in black), which I use on a daily basis because I hate having my hair down and will obsessively play with it. I use these hairclips to pin back my bangs since I’m going through the arduous process of growing out my bangs. And I have a whole slew of headbands that I use! I can only wear headbands when my hair is down, though, because they’ll slide right off my head if I have my hair pulled back. (My hair is very fine and smooth, so most headbands just can’t grab hold of anything.)

MAKEUP

I used to wear a full face of makeup every day when I worked in a office, but thank God for video call filters now. If I want to look a little more put together, I’ll fill in my eyebrows and do a few swoops of mascara. Maybe some lipstick to finish things off.

If I really want to get dolled up, though, here’s what I use:

Foundation (Milani Conceal + Perfect)
Finishing powder (e.l.f. Perfect Finish HD Powder)
Eyeshadow (I have a bunch of different palettes that I rotate through depending on my mood)
Eyebrow pencil (NYX Micro Brow Pencil)
Mascara (Maybelline the Falsies Surreal)
Bronzer (Revlon Skin Lights)
Lipstick (my fave for staying power is Maybelline SuperStay, either Matte Ink or Vinyl Ink)

I also keep a package of makeup wipes (Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes) on hand for those days that I do a full face of makeup. Since I do it so rarely, it takes me forever to go through a package so I don’t feel like I’m killing the environment.

OTHER

Okay, we’re finally onto the last category! These are all miscellaneous items that are bathroom products:

Tampons – I’m brand loyal to Tampax Pearl. I have all of my tampons organized in bins by size and stacked in my bathroom closet.
Hand soap – I’m partial to Mrs. Meyers and I always try to find a new scent to enjoy.
Perfume – My mom gave me her bottle of Kate Spade perfume, which is quite full, so I’ll be enjoying that bottle for a very long time. I also keep any perfume samples I get (I love when Sephora gives them as freebies!) because it’s fun to wear something new every now and then.
Toilet paper – I’m a Charmin girl! Give me the softest toilet paper, please and thank you.
Flushable wipes – Listen, sometimes you just need something soothing on your bum-bum, you know?

Well, that’s a weird note to end on, but I’ll leave it there. Tell me some of your mundane bathroom details! Do you do your hair and makeup every day? What’s a go-to makeup product for you? Do you also have strong feelings about toilet paper?

Categories: About Me

Life With a CPAP Machine: Six Months Later

I’ve been using my CPAP machine for six months now, and I thought it was time to provide an update on how things are going. The short answer: Amazing! I love my CPAP machine so much. It has changed my life and while I hope that I don’t need to be on it long-term (weight loss could solve my sleep apnea, although that’s not a given), I am so glad it has brought so many positive changes. In fact, I now prefer to sleep with my mask because I know it’s going to ensure I get a good night’s rest and that I won’t wake up with a headache. (I almost always wake up with a headache when I don’t use my CPAP machine.)

Let’s dive into what’s been going well and what’s been a challenge over these last six months.

What’s been going well

Getting used to the mask

I was struggling with the mask in the post I wrote after one week on CPAP. I mentioned how it was pressing weirdly against my nose, causing skin irritation, and was genuinely awkward to sleep with. I’m happy to report that I have gotten used to the mask! I bought moisturizer that’s specific for CPAP patients, and I use it whenever I wake up with dry skin around my nose. It works like a charm! I don’t have to use it often, though, because my skin has gotten used to the mask and it doesn’t feel anywhere near as uncomfortable as it used to.

Improved energy levels

I started seeing improvements in my energy levels quickly. Even after just a week on the CPAP machine, I felt the difference. And those energy levels continue to improve! I no longer feel like I need to take a nap to get through the day. Now, I just take a nap because I genuinely love naps! Ha. What’s been amazing is that sometimes all I need is a quick, 30-minute power nap, which never used to do anything for me! I used to get really anxious if I was going to have a busy day where I knew I couldn’t take a nap, which is an awful feeling. I shouldn’t need a nap to make it through the day! But now a nap is just something I take if I feel like it, but it’s not a requirement to make it through the day.

Normal blood oxygen levels

The reason I did a sleep study in the first place is because I noticed that my blood oxygen levels (as measured by my Apple watch) were very low. Sometimes below 90%! I asked my mom to wear her Apple watch to bed one night because I wanted to see what her blood oxygen level was, and hers was 100%! So that’s when I knew there was a problem. It took a while for my blood oxygen levels to improve; I only started seeing normal numbers in the past few months, but I’m finally measuring with a normal level and that feels really good!

Sleeping like a baby*

*one of those magical babies who goes to sleep quickly and sleeps through the night

I sleep so well when I’m wearing my mask. I fall asleep quickly (usually within 10 minutes) and sleep deeply. My deep sleep measurement continues to improve, although I’m still not getting the recommended 90 minutes – 2 hours of deep sleep. I sleep so much better when I’m wearing my mask than when I’m not. I’ve gotten used to sleeping on my back (I used to be a stomach sleeper and I definitely miss those days!) and I think it helps that I can’t toss and turn into different positions throughout the night.

No more morning headaches

I used to wake up on a regular basis with a headache. I always thought it was because I grinded my teeth at night, but it was more likely due to the lack of oxygen my brain was getting when I was asleep. I’ve never woke up with a headache when I use my CPAP mask at night. It’s a pretty amazing improvement! It’s very nice to wake up refreshed and without my head pounding.

What’s still a challenge

My headgear

I’m supposed to replace my headgear (which is what connects the hose that delivers air to my mask) every four months or so, and the new headgear they gave me in January was different from what I was wearing originally. This new headgear is a little more awkward to use and I still wake up a few times a night to readjust it. It’s not annoying enough to do anything about, and I’m hoping I can get something different the next time it’s time for new headgear.

Being lazy about wearing the mask

I only need to wear the mask 21 days out of the month for insurance purposes, and most months I just barely reach that threshold. Even though I know I sleep better when I use my machine, there are so many nights when I decide I’ll go CPAP-free for the night. I just want to be able to sleep on my stomach and put my arms under my pillows and be less restricted! Ideally, the only day of the week I wouldn’t wear my mask would be the night after cleaning the equipment (since it needs time to dry), but this is a work in progress.

The price of using the machine

It is expensive to be a CPAP patient. Right now, I am still paying off the price of my machine. My insurance company paid a portion and I have to pay about $128 a month out of pocket until the machine is fully paid off. I also have to pay whenever I get new parts; those are not free! Again, insurance will pay a portion but I’m responsible for the difference. Having any sort of medical condition is very costly.

More apneas than I’d like

I was really happy with my apnea score at the beginning of CPAP therapy but lately, I’ve felt a little frustrated by the number. A normal apnea score is fewer than 5 events an hour and while my average for March is 4.6, there are some nights where I’m at 6 or 7 apneas an hour, which feels like a lot to have if I’m using the machine! It’s possible something may need to be adjusted, so it’s something I’m keeping my eye on to talk to my doctor about at some point.

Maintaining the equipment

It’s a bit of a pain to maintain the equipment. Once a week, I need to soak all of the parts (hose, headgear, mask, and humidifier tank) in warm, soapy water for at least 30 minutes, and then let it all air dry. Every morning, I need to dump out the humidifier tank with any remaining water and fill up the tank every evening. I also have to keep a jug of distilled water on hand at all times because I can’t use anything else in the humidifier. It’s not a lot of work, but it’s just an additional task in my life.

All in all, things are going really well with my CPAP therapy. I am more energized, sleeping better, and feeling more like a human. It was really hard to feel so tired all the time and think it was just a flaw with me: I wasn’t doing enough to get good sleep. I was lazy. Everyone is tired! Why should I feel like I’m special? Turns out, it was something more and now that my brain is getting the oxygen it needs throughout the night, surprise! I no longer feel exhausted every single day. It’s a really good feeling.

How is your sleep lately? Do you feel like you get enough sleep on a regular basis?

Categories: About Me

Marches of Years Past

Let’s continue our walk down memory lane with today’s post where I’m showing you all of the photos I have (either on Facebook, the blog, or my phone) during the different Marches of my life (March being the month, not the activity). So far, I’ve shown you July, February, and May.

March 2011

My graduation photoshoot! I graduated college in May 2011 and a school friend who was trying to start a photography business offered to take professional photos of me. I loved this photoshoot and it’s so sweet to have these photos to look back on.

March 2012

My heart! This is one of my all-time favorite photos of my mom and my older nephew. He was only three-and-a-half years old here and helping my mom make chocolate chip cookies. Isn’t his smile the cutest? It gets me every time!

March 2013

I have no photos!

March 2014

This collage makes me smile so big because look who makes an appearance! Lisa and I met for the first time in March 2014 when she was in town. We met at Starbucks and had the best time chatting away. This month, I also did Run or Dye, which was a 5K where people threw different-colored dye on you as you ran through the course. It was really fun, even though I remember that it took a while to get all of the dye out of my hair, ha. And here’s a cute photo of my Dutchy-Boy. I miss you, buddy.

March 2015

My mom and I traveled to Savannah in March 2015 so we could participate in a 5K. Mostly, I just wanted an excuse to go back to Savannah. I hated the 5K because I hate running. I kept thinking to myself, “Two more miles and you never have to run again!” “Half a mile and you never have to run again!” Muahaha. It wasn’t my last race (I’ve done walking 5Ks since then) but I did finally give myself permission to stop trying to become a runner!

March 2016

In March 2016, I went on a really fun four-day cruise with Bri, my mom, and my stepdad. Bri and I really had the best time together and I loved our excursion in Mexico where we got to snorkel and sail on a catamaran. I also love the video I got of Bri doing the macarena in front of the whole group, ha!

March 2017

How about some cute photos of Dutch? This month, he turned 15 years old and while he would steadily decline over the year (he died the next February), it was such an honor to be his person and his safe space when he was feeling crummy. <3

March 2018

A month after my soul-dog passed away and it was a hard one. I dog-sat for two adorable beagles, which soothed my soul. I also got a cute haircut and Dutch’s pawprint in the mail.

March 2019

March 2019 was a great one! My friend Lynn threw a pool party at her house, I was on my first full month of being a cat mom of two, and I met Taylor Jenkins Reid at a book signing in Tampa!

March 2020

There were so many photos I could choose to represent March 2020 and I went with this one. My mom and I went to a pet portrait event at this art studio (that sadly did not survive the pandemic and it breaks my heart!) right before the world shut down and I am so glad we were able to fit in one last social outing. Also, can we talk about my hair in this photo? BANGIN’.

March 2021

What a mix of photographs! I got a spin bike, had a book club picnic (we got close for this photo but otherwise stayed on our own blankets!), and met a two-day-old puppy who would become my little Lucy. Look at how SMOL!

March 2022

I got a new desk chair and the girls were all about it! Sometimes they let me use it. 😉 And I took this photo of my mom and me at The Library for brunch. We were celebrating because the lump she found on her chest a week ago turned out to be a cyst that wasn’t anything to worry about. Whew!

March 2023

My friend Amber and I did a fun knife skills class together at Sur La Table. I learned a lot but I definitely freaked out the instructor when I used the hand holding the chef’s knife to scratch an itch on my forehead. Whoopsie!

March 2024

Look at these cuties! My mom made her podcast debut this time last year and it was so much fun to have her on the podcast to talk about motherhood, her personality, and what a delight it has been to parent an angel like me. (Her words, definitely not mine.)

March 2025

And then there’s this month. A girls’ weekend in Orlando where I got to love on some really cute pets, visit two bookstores, and leave the trip with five more books than I started with.

What’s a photo you would have chosen to represent March 2020?

Categories: About Me

Ask Stephany Anything | Part III

It’s time for another round of Ask Stephany Anything! You can still fill out my form if you have any burning questions you want me to answer. I am pretty much an open book (with some exceptions, of course!). Today, I’m answering questions from Kyria, Cait, and Nicole, all about cruising and books (my two favorite topics!).

Kyria and Cait both had the same question for me, which is: Do you have any cruises planned for 2025?

Yes! My mom and I plan on taking some sort of cruise this summer. We will either do another Caribbean cruise or we may try to do a European one. It all depends on how things shake out financially the way I hope it will (sorry to be vague!). If it does, we’re looking at a cruise that starts in either Rome or Barcelona. We would spend a few days in the city before leaving on the cruise. We haven’t been to Europe since our first time there in 2019 so we are overdue for another visit!

Kyria had some additional cruising questions.

What is your favorite cruise so far?

My second cruise, which I took in May 2012 with my mom. It was a six-day cruise where we went to Key West, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica. I loved Jamaica. It was the first time I went zip-lining (I’ve been four more times!) and I still think Mystic Mountain in Ochos Rios has the best zip-lining course. Not only do you get to take an air tram through the rainforest to get to the mountain, but there are so many fun lines and the tour guides are exceptional.

We also did a bike ride through Key West where neither of us got injured (truly a feat!) and had a fun dolphin encounter in Grand Cayman. We really lived it up with the excursions! The ship was also pretty nice, and we had a really fun dinner group.

If I were going to do a cruise, which company would you recommend and why?

While I have yet to do a cruise on this cruise line, I would recommend Virgin Voyages. First of all, these cruises are for adults only. If you don’t want to be surrounded by screaming kids and babies, then this is the cruise line for you. Second, the food is supposed to be way better. On a typical cruise ship (like Carnival or Royal Caribbean), you go to a dining room for dinner where you select food from a limited menu (or you can go to the buffet). On Virgin, it’s all restaurants, baby! You can choose from a handful of different cuisines depending on your mood (they also offer room service for those nights you just want to take it easy). I believe they also offer helpful discounts for solo travelers, too!

I’ve had multiple friends cruise on Virgin and they are total converts that it’s the only way to cruise. My mom and I plan to book a Virgin cruise this year so I can give firsthand knowledge of what I think very soon!

And Nicole had some bookish questions for me.

What are your top five favourite books of all time, as an adult? What about as a child?

Nicole, this is such a cruel question but I am going to try my best to answer it. These are not in any particular order and I am certain I’m going to be mad at myself for not including so-and-so book as I look back on this post, but here we go:

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi – I want everyone I know to read this book.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini – Ditto. Such a powerful story.
Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed – I’ve reread this one a few times because the advice means so much to me.
This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel – Ughhh, I just couldn’t get enough of this book!
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne – I have to include at least one romance novel on this list, and this one is my all-time fave.

Now, as a child, I was not reading great fiction. I read a lot of series with my favorites being The Baby-Sitter’s Club and Sweet Valley, of course. (I tried reading a Sweet Valley book a couple of years ago and hoo boy, it did not stand the test of time.) Other favorites included the American Girl series and the Dear America series, which probably fueled my love for historical fiction. I read a bit of Nancy Drew and Goosebumps. Oh, and my foray into romance novels definitely started with the Love Stories series. Does anyone remember those? Gah, I was obsessed with them and I remember the teen room at my library having one of those plastic spinning book displays with all of their trade paperbacks shoved into every nook and cranny. I loved those books and would reread them over and over again. I also read a lot of Christian series books like Christy Miller and the Mandie books.

My mom tried to get me to read at least one biography every month or so, and I remember tearing through biographies about the Magnificent Seven (the 1996 women’s gymnastics team) and Tara Lipinski/Michelle Kwan. I was also enthralled with Clara Barton for some reason.

What is the least appropriate book you ever read when you were young? (thinking about this as I am going to reread Flowers in the Attic, which I read at about age 11 or 12)

I remember there was an afternoon where I was at my great-grandma’s house and I must have been feeling unwell because I was cooped up in her bedroom. Somehow, I found a very raunchy romance novel that involved a woman giving birth on the side of the road and a very nice hunky man being there to help her. It was my first-ever romance novel and I don’t even remember how old I was when I read it (probably no more than 12). There were definitely some explicit sex scenes in that book that I was not supposed to be reading (and it also shocked me that my prim and proper great-grandma had these kinds of books on hand!), but wowwww, did I want to read more of these books!

If you’ve been on a Virgin Voyages cruise, do you have any further insight for Kyria? Did you read any inappropriate-for-your-age books when you were young?