Stephany Writes

Categories: About Me

My Favorite Podcasts (Round 6)

It’s time for my yearly podcast roundup! Can you believe this is the sixth year for this series? Crazy! I started listening to podcasts in early 2014 and haven’t stopped since! It’s now my favorite way to occupy my time (aside from reading, of course). One of these days, I want to tabulate how I listen to podcasts during a typical week for a blog post. I typically listen to podcasts while driving, while on long walks, while showering, while doing chores, while getting ready for the day, while playing games on my phone, and while coloring. Since I live alone, I can get in a lot of extra podcast listening!

For this year’s podcast roundup, I decided to only talk about the podcasts that I love. I listen to a lot of podcasts I like (some I tolerate, lol), but there are just a few of those podcasts that are standouts, in that I get legit excited when they’re next in my queue to listen to. And while I’m subscribed to 40ish podcasts, only EIGHT made the cut for this list. I was very, very picky in choosing these eight podcasts, so please give them a try if you haven’t yet:

The Baby-Sitter’s Club Club

Jack and Tanner are two men in their thirties who are reading through The Baby-Sitter’s Club series. They’ve read through all 100+ books in the regular series, tackled the Super Specials, and are now reading the mysteries. I had no idea there were so many BSC mysteries! This podcast makes me laugh and always puts me in a better mood. It’s my #1 favorite podcast and I will defend it to my dying day. I love it so much that I support their podcast on Patreon and it delights me to no end that that means I get an extra dose of Jack and Tanner each week. (In their Patreon episodes, they’re reading The Baby-Sitter’s Little Sister series, and man, if it doesn’t bring back so many memories. Karen Brewer FTW.) It’s not for everyone (they can get a bit silly at times!), but it makes me so, so happy. If you do plan on listening to this podcast, you have to start at the beginning and binge the whole thing. There are so many inside jokes and segments that just won’t make sense unless you do.

Episode length: ~1 hour | New episodes every Monday

Good Christian Fun

For anyone who followed Christian pop culture of the 90s and early aughts, this is the podcast for you. Kevin and Caroline are two Christians who talk about Christian movies, music, and events that have had an impact on our culture. Each episode involves a discussion of a different piece of pop culture. Sometimes, it can be a person (like Kirk Franklin), an album (like Unguarded by Amy Grant), a movie (like Saved!), a Christian TV series (like Young Once), or just a weird thing that happens in Christian circles (like Hell House). Every week, they bring on a guest who talks about their journey with faith and then they discuss the topic at hand. Most of their guests are former Christians who don’t go to church or follow the faith anymore, but they also have guests who still attend church regularly. Everyone’s faith journey is just so varied, though, and it’s incredible how different our experiences can be.

What I love most about this podcast (aside from how it makes me feel a bit better about my evangelical upbringing) is how funny it is. Kevin and Caroline are hilarious and have such a fun rapport, and their guests are equally funny. They bring such great energy and I find myself laughing out loud throughout every episode. It’s never a bad time when I put on GCF!

Episode length: ~1.5-2 hours | New episodes every Wednesday

The Girl Next Door Podcast

This is the type of podcast that, when I turn it on, I know it’s going to put me in a good mood and make me chuckle. It’s not a podcast that’s really catering to me – single and childless – but for some reason, I still love it. Even the episodes that center around parenting! Kelsey and Erica used to live next door to one another and they decided to start a podcast in 2014. They no longer live next door (Erica and her family moved to a new home a neighborhood away), but they still podcast regularly and their episodes are really fun to listen to! There’s just something about their easy rapport with one another and general good humor that makes it a great listen.  Each episode covers a specific topic (kid behavior, self-care during the holidays, organizational systems, money, etc.) that they dive deep into. I really love how organized and on-topic each episode is because it makes the episodes easily digestible. (Also, their yearly Fall Extravaganza episodes are one of my favorite things in the world!)

Episode length: ~45 minutes | New episodes every other Wednesday

Keep It!

I don’t listen to any pop culture podcasts because I’m just not that into pop culture. (Most times, when people name a celebrity couple, I don’t even know who either of them are.) But I love Keep It! for some reason. It’s co-hosted by Ira Madison III and Louis Virtel, two supremely funny pop culture fanatics. They are currently looking for their third co-host since Kara Brown, who used to co-host the show, left a few episodes ago. In every episode, they dive into the pop culture news of the week and give their commentary, then they bring on someone in the entertainment business (like a showrunner, an actor, a comedian, etc.) to talk more in-depth about something going on in pop culture right now. They end every show with their “keep it,” which is something they find annoying happening in pop culture. It’s a fun show and I really love the different perspectives they give.

Episode length: ~1.5 hours | New episodes every Wednesday

Pod Save America

Everyone knows about Pod Save America by now, right? It’s where I get the majority of my news these days! Four political junkies and former Obama staffers sit down to talk about what’s going on in politics right now, how it affects us, and what we can do to affect change. I listen to each episode the moment it downloads in my feed (mostly because news changes fast nowadays, and some of the info they talk about could be outdated if I waited even a day or two to listen!) It helps me to feel more informed and also to have actionable steps for things to do if I’m feeling hopeless about the state of our government right now. Every episode starts with a 45-minute discussion about the news and then transitions to an interview with a journalist, political pundit, senator, or representative about a timely political issue. I don’t often listen to the interviews, honestly, unless it’s about a topic I’m interested in or with an interesting guest.

Pro-tip for PSA: don’t fast-forward through the ads. Their ad breaks are truly my favorite. They’re hilarious and I love how they mock the ad copy from time to time (because, truly, ad copy can be ridiculous).

Episode length: ~1.5 hours | New episodes every Monday and Thursday

Stuff You Should Know

SYSK was one of the earliest podcasts I listened to, and it’s the only one that has stuck around for five years. At this point, Josh and Chuck (the hosts) feel like family to me and sometimes I’ll play their episodes in the background of what I’m doing because their voices and banter are just so comforting to me. Every episode dives deep into a specific topic and they can run the gauntlet from weird conspiracies to science concepts to animals. Some of their recent topics: sand dunes, the moon landing, sloths, Cleopatra, photographic memory, Neanderthals, Area 51, the gig economy, perfect pitch, the Tylenol Murders… you get the picture. Basically, if you want to listen to an educational podcast that will teach you about all sorts of subjects (I had no idea what the Tylenol Murders were!), start listening to SYSK.

(Also! They are now releasing “Short Stuff” podcasts once a week where they have a quick discussion about a topic. Every episode is less than 15 minutes so you can get through it quickly!)

Episode length: ~1 hour | New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday (“Short Stuff” releases every Wednesday)

Lovett or Leave It

Oh, I could sing the praises for Lovett or Leave It for dayyyys. It’s a weekly podcast that breaks down the news headlines in a fun, interactive way. Lovett is joined by a panel of guests (comedians, actors, politicians, journalists, political pundits, etc.) to discuss the top headlines, comment on a recent video clip (often of Fox News shows since they have the most egregious segments), and play one to two games with the audience. Every episode ends with the Rant Wheel, which is exactly what it sounds like: a wheel with a bunch of topics for Lovett and the guests to rant about. What I love most about this show is that it makes me laugh and feel less alone in my utter despair about politics today. I think Lovett does a great job balancing the need to keep things light-hearted while also remembering that this presidency has been complete chaos and downright scary for many individuals in the US today.

Episode length: ~1 hour | New episodes every Saturday

No Thanks We’re Booked

This is another podcast that just makes me feel good when I listen to it. It’s co-hosted by two #bookstagrammers and every episode is so lovely to listen to. In each episode, they discuss a bookish topic (like book-to-move adaptations, book tracking, reading goals, etc.) and also discuss what they’re currently reading and/or what’s next on their reading list. Katie and Mollie have such soothing voices, and they’re also incredibly funny, which makes every episode a joy to listen to.

Episode length: ~30 minutes | New episodes every other Wednesday

Honorable mentions (podcasts I love but didn’t quite make my ‘favorites’ cut): Sarah’s Book Shelves Live, Unladylike, Criminal, Imagined Life, This American Life, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, and Throughline.

What’s your favorite podcast?

Categories: About Me

My Reverse Bucket List

A reverse bucket list is just what it sounds like – the opposite of a bucket list. Instead of a list of things I want to do, it’s a list of things I never want to do. Never say never, of course, but here are some things I have no interest in accomplishing:

> Run a marathon. Or a half marathon. Or even a 10k.

> Give up coffee. Not willingly, at least.

> Watch Game of Thrones. Good for you. Not for me.

> Climb a mountain. I’ve broken my ankle twice while hiking. Hell if I’ll ever climb a mountain.

> Have a wedding. I’ll be eloping if I ever do decide to get married. Weddings are not my thing.

> Go skydiving. I would never be able to handle the anxiety leading up to it, even though I think I’d enjoy the dive itself.

> Go on a cruise longer than a week. As much as I love cruising, there’s no way I can spend two weeks on a ship.

> Learn how to surf. I’m too scared of the ocean to ever attempt this.

> Live abroad. I like my creature comforts of home too much!

> Learn how to knit or crochet or sew. I get frustrated too easily when I’m not good at crafty things.

> Go on a sugar detox. I could cut down on my sugar intake, but a complete detox is not my cuppa tea.

> Get any kind of piercing. Nah. I think I’m past that stage of life. 😉

> Visit Las Vegas. Oy vey, that place would be wayyy too overstimulating for me.

> Eat less chocolate. What is even the point of that?!

> Ski on a black diamond slope. Oh, my heavens above. No, thank you.

> Quit blogging. Come on, now. I’d never do that to you guys!

What would be on your reverse bucket list?

Categories: About Me

The Newsletters I Subscribe To & Patreons I Support

I’ll admit it: the social tab on my email is often out of control, mostly because it’s filled with newsletters and Goodreads update emails that I treat like a blogging feed. I read through each newsletter at my own pace, not too concerned about reading them the minute they hit my inbox. They’re a good distraction when I need a brain break at work, or when I’m procrastinating on my to-do list at home.

So, I thought it might be fun to talk about those newsletters I subscribe to and what I get out of them. I also wanted to discuss the three Patreons I support because this has been a relatively new thing I’m doing, trying to put my money where my interests are.

Newsletters I Subscribe To

Friday Letters from Jamie Varon

I’ve been following Jamie Varon for many years at this point, and it’s been fun to see her evolution as a writer and a person. When she announced she was starting a weekly email series, I couldn’t subscribe fast enough. (Actually, I tried to subscribe to it, only to find out that I already was. Ha.) Every week, Jamie writes a personal essay about something that’s on her mind. It could be self-love vs self-indulgence. Or breaking through the fear that holds us back. Or the ways in which a worrywart mindset isn’t doing any of us favors. It’s a radically honest email newsletter that will have you contemplating your life, goals, fears, and motivations every time you finish it.

Delivers every Friday afternoon • Subscribe here

What a Day from Crooked Media

Crooked Media is probably the only thing that’s getting me through this fucked-up administration with my sanity somewhat intact. Their daily newsletter breaks down the news in a digestible way, starting with the major headlines and moving into stories about all the other crazy shit that’s going on. (The stuff that would be the major headlines in any normal administration, sigh.) They also link to under-the-radar news and end every newsletter with a funny meme because we all need to remember to laugh even when the US is a dumpster fire.

Delivers every weeknight • Subscribe here

Notes from the Universe

I’ve been subscribed to Notes from the Universe for years. I looked, and I have an email saved from 2010 from NFTU, which means I’ve been getting these emails for almost a decade. And I still love them! Every weekday morning, it sends me a little pep talk to inspire me to continue striving toward my goals and keep persevering even when times are tough. They can be hokey at times, but mostly, they make me feel warm and fuzzy.

Delivers every weekday morning • Subscribe here

Girls’ Night In

I only recently started subscribing to Girls’ Night In, even though every newsletter listicle I’ve ever seen has mentioned it. What can I say? I’m late to the game sometimes! This newsletter is one of my favorites, and it reminds me of a more simplified version of Shape magazine. (It’s a weird comparison, I know.) Each newsletter contains a note from the editor, a selection of products to try that have been vetted by their team, and articles to enjoy (I find myself clicking on at least two articles in every newsletter). It’s a more light-hearted newsletter, focused on self-care and finding joy in the little things.

Delivers every Friday morning • Subscribe here

Notes of Grit and Grace

Notes of Grit and Grace is Nicole Antoinette’s email series for members of her Patreon community (meaning, you can’t subscribe to it for free). And there’s a reason why she doesn’t send out these notes to just anybody – they are deeply personal insights into her day-to-day life. She doesn’t hold back in these notes, talking about everything from her recent divorce to her sex life to her challenging relationship with her mom. She talks about mental health and fear and therapy and that age-old worry of being “too much” for people. It’s honestly probably my favorite email series on this list because, with each email, I feel seen and understood. I recognize that I am not alone, even if Nicole’s lived experiences are vastly different from mine.

Delivers every Friday • Subscribe here

Patreons I Support

Currently, I support three Patreons, all for podcasts I deeply admire. It’s one of my favorite ways to support creators doing work I love because I tend to feel a bit guilty about how much free content I get from podcasts. A podcast is a lot of work to produce, and while I know certain big-name podcasts can fully support themselves on their ads, most cannot. And it’s those podcasts that I want to support in any way I can. So that’s why I support these three Patreons:

The Baby-Sitters Club Club

The Baby-Sitters Club Club is one of my all-time favorite podcasts. It’s about two men in their thirties reading and discussing the books in The Baby-Sitters Club (one of my all-time favorite series), and it’s phenomenal. It’s silly and stupid at times, so the humor isn’t for everyone, but it’s exactly what I want. So, when I found out they started a Patreon, I couldn’t subscribe fast enough! I was so happy to have a way to support two people I greatly admire and adore.

Price per month: $5
What you get: A weekly episode called “The Baby-Sitters Baby Elite, Elite Baby, Little Sister, Big Episodes.” (Yes, that’s really the name. Yes, I laugh every time they say it. Yes, I’m very easy to make laugh.) These episodes run through the books of The Baby-Sitter’s Club Little Sister series (another series I loved as a kid because I closely identified with Karen Brewer).
Click here to support the show!

Good Christian Fun

Another much-loved podcast where two Christians talk about the weird, the silly, and the interesting in Christian pop culture, both today and in the past. Every week, they talk about a specific movie, musical artist, or TV show with a guest. As someone who grew up listening to only Christian music until I was in my late teens, this podcast speaks directly to me. It also helps that it’s hosted by one of my favorites, Kevin T. Porter, and that his co-host, Caroline Ely, is a perfect companion. So, I joined their Patreon the minute they announced it because anything I can do to support them, I’ll do. It also means I get a second episode from them every week, and there’s nothing better for my podcast feed than that!

Price per month: $5
What you get: Access to “Second Service,” which is a weekly podcast that doesn’t really have a specific format! One week, they might have Honest Bible Study, the next an interview with a writer, and the following is hunting for the best Christian song of all time. And sometimes, the episodes are just Kevin and Caroline chatting about life (those tend to be my fave). They’ve also introduced a new segment where Patreon subscribers can vote on the topic of upcoming episodes in the main feed.
Click here to support the show!

Real Talk Radio

Real Talk Radio was the first Patreon I subscribed to, which I did a few years ago when Nicole was trying to raise enough money to have a fully listener-funded podcast so she could pay herself and her sound engineer without resorting to ads. Now, Nicole is not only able to pay herself and her sound engineer but also the guests who come on the show, which I think is such a neat thing. I love being a part of her Patreon and gladly give my money to a show I enjoy so much.

Price per season (every other month): Various levels, $8, $16, and $25
What you get: Depends on the level. For the $8 level (which I’m subscribed to), I get bonus episodes, access to Notes of Grit and Grace, access to the monthly book club, advanced pre-sale tickets to her events, and more.
Click here to support the show!

Do you support any Patreons? What’s your favorite email newsletter?

Categories: About Me

Operation Write My Novel | January Recap

I’ve written about this before, but this year, my focus is on writing my novel. I want to fully commit to the process, too. I don’t just want to squeeze in a few thousand words during my once-weekly writing dates, but actually make space in my life to get the writing done. Lately, that has meant giving myself a deadline of writing one chapter before my writing dates (we usually meet on Sunday mornings) so I can spend that time editing the chapter and not frantically writing to meet an arbitrary word count goal.

Since writing my novel is such a big part of my year, and because I really want to be open about the process and what it entails (and also so I can be kept accountable, ha), at the end of each month, I’m going to write a recap post that details my writing process week-by-week. I’ll include how many words I wrote and how many chapters I wrote, and I’m also going to include a section for the things I Googled while writing (as long as it doesn’t spoil anything in my book!) because I think that can be hysterical at times.

So, with all that said, here’s a recap of my January writing:

Week One (January 1-6, 2019)

  • Words written: 1,939
  • Chapters written: 1
  • What I researched this week: “sample letter from an attorney regarding inheritance,” “library science programs,” “fall semester deadline for graduate school”

This was it! The week I had been waiting for! I spent weeks and weeks planning out my novel and preparing myself to really make this thing happen. And… I very nearly failed. I was thisclose to giving myself an “off” week, telling myself that it wasn’t a full week (lol, six days instead of seven… what a short week!) and I had built my schedule so that I would be finished with the book by late summer, so what was missing one week of work?! Man, I can excuse myself out of anything.

And then, on Friday of that week, I listened to a podcast episode where the author Georgia Hunter was a guest. She was talking about how she was in the process of starting her second novel and just getting started was the hardest part. It reminded me that everything I was experiencing was normal. It is hard to get started, no matter if you’re starting your first book or you’re a successfully published author starting a new manuscript. Writing is hard and getting started is even harder.

So, I opened up a blank Word document, labeled it 2019 WIP, and typed the first two words: “Chapter One.” From there, I started writing. I wrote in short increments of a page at a time and once I had finished my first chapter, I stopped. Between Friday evening and Sunday morning, my first chapter was written.

My plan was to use my weekly writing date with M. to read over the chapter I had written and make small edits (nothing major – just make sure it flowed well; I’ll worry about big changes once I finish my novel) before reading it aloud to M., but I ended up canceling our date because I was so tired in the morning (Eloise kept me up nearly all night long) and had a scratchy throat. I chose sleep over our writing date, which isn’t my usual MO but I just needed it that weekend.

Week 2 (January 7-13, 2019)

  • Words written: 1,977
  • Chapters written: .5
  • Things researched: “what does it meant to be partner in a law firm,” “what is discovery in a criminal case”

Oy vey, this week was a toughie! I had such a busy week and weekend that I didn’t really have enough time to devote to my novel. That said, I wrote more words in week two than in week one, so I think chapter two is just much longer! So, I’m trying to give myself a bit of a break here. Life happens and I still managed to bang out nearly 2,000 words.

During one of my writing sessions, I accidentally scrolled to the beginning of my novel and quickly read through the first few paragraphs. It all sounded so terrible! And so, I started to downward spiral about my writing ability and if I was just fooling myself with this dream of publishing a novel. These downward spirals are just par for the course, and I know it’s not the last time I’ll have them. But man, they suck. And I hated that I was having my first downward spiral only two weeks into this writing process.

Writing this week felt TOUGH. There were times this weekend when I stared at my Word doc for 10 minutes, having no idea how to move the chapter forward. It was not fun.

During my writing date this week, I wanted to finish writing chapter two but it just didn’t happen. The writing just felt so hard this week, every sentence a struggle. I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come.

Week 3 (January 14-20)

  • Words written: 4,047
  • Chapters written: 1.5
  • Things researched: “sign for leaving Massachusetts,” “Boston to Atlanta,” “Nipmunk State Forest to Boston,” “Boston to Floyd County GA,” “Boston, MA to Roanoke, VA,” “actresses who had babies in their 50s,” “treatment options for stage 4 breast cancer,” “how do doctors know if chemo is working for breast cancer,” “odds of surviving stage 4 breast cancer,” “how do people die from breast cancer,” “end of life symptoms for cancer patients”

Feeling so much better about writing this week. I may be able to finish this thing after all! I had a pretty plan-free weekend, which allowed me to get a lot of writing done. I finished the chapter I was supposed to write last week AND wrote chapter three as well. Woop! I’m back on track! It feels good and I’m enjoying where this story is going. (And, also, as evidenced by my research log above, there was a lot of research to be done this week, so I’m feeling good that I got so much writing done that involved a lot of research.)

I was able to use my writing date this week to review chapter one and make some slight edits. It took me nearly the entire writing date to read through it, though. I’m still hoping I can somehow read through chapters two and three at next week’s writing date and be nearly caught up. I also outlined what the next chapter will look like. I have a full summary of the book already planned out, but want to take each chapter one step at a time so I can let the flow of the story take me to where it needs to go.

Week 4 (January 21-27)

  • Words written: 2,364
  • Chapters written: 1
  • Things researched: “funny names for a yoga studio,” “chambray shirt”

I was nervous about writing this weekend because I planned to do the #24in48 readathon and while I was committed to that challenge, writing came first. M. and I had also planned to meet on Friday night to write, but then her plans changed and we met on Sunday morning instead, so that was good because it meant I wouldn’t have to spend the writing date writing. (That sounds weird, ha, but you know what I mean.)

I wrote chapter three fairly easily and it’s the chapter where my hero and heroine finally meet so that was super fun to write. I definitely want to rework that scene a bit so it’s a little more dramatic, but it’s a pretty solid start for them, I think.

During this week’s writing date, I edited chapter two, which is the longest chapter I’ve written so far, and that took me the entire two hours. I decided to change the type of character the heroine’s boss was because after reading over the way I wrote him originally, it really wasn’t working for me.

After working on chapter two, I read it aloud to M. and she had some really great feedback for me, mainly about the way I had written one of my secondary characters. Her feedback was so helpful, and it made me do some brainstorming about this character and the purpose for putting him in the story.

Tell me I’m not the only one who’s basically a pro at downward spiraling! What do you do to combat the anxious thoughts?

Categories: About Me

All About Sleep (Part II)

I was rather surprised by the response to my post where I talked all about sleep. Y’all, we have a lot of thoughts and feelings about sleep, top sheets, and pillows. (Way too many of you sleep with one flat pillow, and I don’t even understand that life.) It was fun to read all the comments and all your strong feelings about sleep. As my friend Steph put it, “Who knew sleeping was a topic that people could talk about so much?!” Apparently, it’s a hot topic!

So, I’m happy to continue this topic with Part II and this one is even longer than Part I. Oops! I have a lot to say about sleep!

My Ideal Sleep Schedule

I’ve thought about this a lot. If I could have my ideal sleep schedule, what would it look like? And here’s what I’ve discovered:

  • I’d like to wake up early – ideally around 5AM. I’d get a bunch of work done in these early morning hours. These are when I am productive and creative and focused.
  • Then, I’d take a nap around 9AM. There is nothing in the world I love more than a mid-morning nap. There’s something about them. I fall into a deep sleep and when I wake up, I still have the majority of my day left.
  • I’d wake up from this mid-morning nap around noon and get on with my day.
  • I’d go to bed around 10:30PM. It’s always such a struggle for me to get to bed early and a 10:30 bedtime is my norm lately and that feels good (and it would feel better if I could take my mid-morning nap every day, haha).

However, I do not have a life conducive to this schedule. I guess that’s one of the perks of working for yourself but, alas, I am not cut out for that. Instead, I work a regular 9-to-5. For this schedule, I wake up at 5AM on the days I work out and between 6-6:30AM on the days I do not. Ideally, I would go to bed by 9PM if I’m waking up early the next day for a workout, and 10PM if I know I’ll get an extra hour-ish of sleep. That doesn’t seem like a pie-in-the-sky dream – it’s very doable! I just need to manage my time better when I get home from work so that I’m ready to start winding down in the 8:00 hour.

How I Deal with Lack of Sleep

There have been two times in my life where I have had to deal with lack of sleep – the year I had insomnia and the last year of Dutch’s life.

I don’t really know how I functioned the year I had insomnia. I was in sixth grade and I think I managed to get Principal’s List one semester that year, Honor Roll all of the other semesters. So, apparently, it didn’t affect my education. I also rode my bike to and from school (it was about a mile) and I don’t remember that being a big deal. Hmm.

During the last year of Dutch’s life, I never knew how well or not well he was going to sleep. There were nights when he would spend an hour or two rearranging himself in bed over and over again. There were nights when he woke me up at 1am, needing to go out, and then he would be restless for an hour before he finally fell back asleep. It was never consistent and eventually, I put him on medication to help him sleep.

So, how did I deal with that? Honestly, I just put on my big girl pants and handled it. There’s nothing you can really do when you’re not getting proper sleep, especially if it’s due to an outside force like a baby or an elderly dog. It’s also way different when you’re not getting sleep due to an old dog because I knew the only way I would get a good night’s sleep again was when Dutch died, and I didn’t want that. So I just dealt with it. I took naps when I could. Sometimes, I used sick time to go home and take a nap in the afternoon because I was barely functioning. And I gave myself lots of grace, telling myself that my job was to take care of this sweet, sweet pup in the last months of his life and there was nothing in the world more important than that. My job was to make sure he was comfortable, felt safe, and knew I was always there. (And now I’ll move on before we’re all crying! Ack!)

How I Sleep on Vacation

This is one of my strengths! I have never struggled with sleeping on vacation, thankfully. I typically wake up early (I’m always one of the early risers during girls’ trips), but that’s pretty normal for me anyway. I will say that I am always, always happy to come home and sleep in my own bed when vacation is over. (There is truly nothing better than that first post-vacation rest in my own bed.) And I always feel a little out-of-sorts when I’m falling asleep on vacation. It’s just that weird feeling of being in an unfamiliar environment and on an unfamiliar bed (and there are never enough pillows to satisfy me).

However, sleeping on vacation is totally different if I’m traveling with someone I’m dating. It definitely takes me longer to fall asleep and I feel like I wake up more frequently throughout the night. I think it’s just because I’m not used to sharing my bed and I’m trying to be mindful of how I look, and if I’m snoring, and if I’m hogging the blanket. There’s just a lot of awkwardness to sleep, ha, and it’s made even worse when you’re trying to sleep next to someone you’re attracted to. 😉

Snoring and Drooling

I can’t remember if the hosts of The Girl Next Door talked about snoring and drooling when they sleep, but I’m going to talk about it because I do both. Oh yes, I can’t tell you how sexy I feel when I wake up next to a pile of drool on my pillow. It’s an unfortunate reality of my life. I think it’s mostly due to my sleep position (side sleepers tend to be more drooly than stomach or back sleepers), and I have lots of girlfriends who assure me they are droolers at night too.

And, yes, I am a snorer. I am super self-conscious about my snoring because a romantic partner once joked about it to me constantly (meanwhile, homeboy was a snorer as well but I was nice enough not to say anything about it) and it just hit my sensitivity button. So now, when I’m on a trip with my girlfriends, I always volunteer for the couch because I’m so worried about keeping my friends up all night with my snoring (even though almost all of them have snoring husbands/partners and tell me frequently that it wouldn’t bother them).

How I Dream

I would like for people to stop insisting that they don’t dream. Everyone dreams and if you really don’t, then you’re not reaching REM sleep ever and that’s a real big problem. We have multiple dreams every night, but odds are, we just forget them. We typically only remember the dreams that are super wacky or super scary. (Case in point: I recently dreamed about going to a NYE party where everyone had to be killed off one by one, and the people at the party were the ones who had to do the killing. Do you see why I don’t watch scary movies?! My subconscious is a scary enough place to be!)

I actually love talking about dreams, how we dream, and the meaning behind what we dream. I truly think they are often related to the things we’re going through in our lives. For example, at the end of 2018, I had numerous dreams about death, and they were so explicit and tragic that I had to look up what it all meant. Dreaming about death often symbolizes transformation, new beginnings, and positive inner changes. It felt so symbolic when I looked at these dreams this way. I was emerging from a miserable year full of loss and heartache and depression… and my subconscious was telling me that I would be transformed in this new year. It would be a year of rebirth for me. So yeah, I’m very resolute in my opinion that everyone dreams and our dreams matter in the grand scheme of things.

What I Set My Thermostat at for Sleep

I can only get a good night’s rest when my apartment is seriously cold. My thermostat is set at 73 degrees, and if it’s even one degree higher, I will notice the difference and not be able to sleep well. I realize how ridiculous I probably sound, but I am not willing to budge on this point (thankfully, the one time I lived with a roommate, she was happy to keep the apartment set at a temperature that was most comfortable for me. See also: she ruined me for all other roommates.) For me, this means higher energy bills than is typical for an apartment my size but I am so willing to pay for that comfort. (EDIT: I got a few comments about my thermostat setting. I live in Florida, my friends. When I say my thermostat is set at 73 degrees, I’m talking about AC. I use my heater RARELY – like I can count on one hand how many times I’ve turned it on and usually only for a few hours until the apartment has warmed up a bit. I realize that I wrote this post in the middle of winter, so everyone else is thinking about heaters. Ha. Nope. That 73 degrees is for AC!)

Are you a snorer or drooler? What’s your thermostat set at for nighttime?