Stephany Writes

Categories: Life

Monthly Recap | February 2025

Hello, friends! It’s time for my monthly recap for February. Before we get into all of that fun stuff, I want to start with two disclaimers:

  1. The “money” category – Yes, I am linking to products bought on Amazon and Target. I know! I am trying to reduce my reliance on them, but I did not work on this at all in February. I am trying to find a good alternative to Target for household supplies/toiletries (maybe Aldi?) as well as all those little items I buy from Amazon that are hard to find in regular stores. I think it’s all about being a more conscious consumer.
  2. The “journal” category – Last month, I shared tidbits from my One Line a Day journal from the month. Since I participated in Elisabeth’s F.I.G. Collective in February, you guys saw a lot of the (shareable) items from my journal. So instead, I thought it could be interesting to look back on what I wrote down in previous years in February. So that’s what you’ll get there!

Okay, let’s get on with the monthly recap!

BOOKS

Reading Stats of January

  • Books read: 9
  • Number of pages read: 3,138
  • Average star rating: 4.14
  • Average time to finish a book: 13 days
  • Format breakdown: 44% print, 44% audiobooks, 12% e-books
  • Genre breakdown: 90% fiction, 10% nonfiction
  • # of DNFs: 0
  • Audiobook reading: 38 hours, 58 minutes (actual time: 22 hours, 48 minutes)

Reading Superlatives of January

  • The best book I read in January: The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
  • The worst book I read in January: Good Material by Dolly Alderton
  • The book I was surprised to love: The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer
  • The book that taught me the most: Glucose Revolution by Jessie Inchauspe
  • Most deserving of the hype: The Favorites by Layne Fargo

Reading List (from favorite to least favorite)

  1. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery (audiobook, 1926) ★★★★★
  2. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (print, 2020) ★★★★★
  3. The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer (audiobook, 2024) ★★★★★
  4. Glucose Revolution: The Life-Changing Power of Balancing Your Blood Sugar by Jessie Inchauspe (print, 2022) ★★★★★
  5. The Favorites by Layne Fargo (print, 2025) ★★★★☆
  6. The Family Game by Catherine Steadman (audiobook, 2022) ★★★★☆
  7. Beginner’s Luck by Kate Clayborn (print, 2017) ★★★☆☆
  8. The Pairing by Casey McQuiston (e-book, 2024) ★★★☆☆
  9. Good Material by Dolly Alderton (audiobook, 2023) ★★★☆☆

MEDIA

  • Big Brother, season 2 – My mom and I watched this very old season of Big Brother together. It aired in the summer of 2001 and I didn’t realize that the last days of the season took place on and after September 11th. It was really sobering to watch the houseguests learn about the terrorist attack. One of the contestants left in the house had a cousin who worked at the World Trade Center and was missing. (Her family later learned that she had died during the attack.)
  • Hollywood Squares – This is a completely silly show and if you’re looking for something mindless and fun, please give this revamped game show a try! Nate Burleson hosts and Drew Barrymore is the center square, and it will really help you take your mind off the madness happening in the United States right now.
  • The Floor, season 3 – Another game show! Am I in my game show era? It’s hosted by Rob Lowe and it has a very simple concept: you are given one piece of the “floor,” which is your expert category. This could be anything – as basic or as niche as you want. (Sports MVPs, agriculture, directors, Fortune 500 CEOs, bathroom products, 20th century inventions, Beyonce songs, etc., are just some of the categories this season.) And then if you get picked to play, you have to challenge someone in a category, so you have to be pretty well-versed in many different topics. It’s fun because some of the categories are really easy for me and others are startling hard!

MONEY

Favorite purchase of Febuary:

A new purse ($24). It was time for a purse upgrade and this one is perfect! I wanted something bigger to hold more items, my smaller belt bags weren’t cutting it anymore. I love how roomy it is and that it has lots of compartments on the outside so I can slip my phone and keys into them and not have to dig around in my purse to find them again.

Most delightful little indulgence of February:

Double-grip hair clips ($9). My mom is my influencer for this product, as she has a set of these at home and I really loved them. They have a comb teeth design that provides a much better grip for fine hair. (Traditional hair clips are fine, but if I’m trying to pin my bangs back while my hair is down, the clip usually slips right out of my hair, which is the opposite of what I want it to do.)

Most regretful purchase of February: 

Game tokens. I love my iPhone games and most are free (or there’s a one-time premium fee, which is usually always worth it so I don’t have to sit through ads). Some of my games don’t have ads but do make things tricky by ensuring you have to buy tokens in order to move forward through the game. It’s annoying, for sure, but I derive great joy from these games and I consider it a way to show my appreciation to the app developers. So I’m okay with spending a few dollars a month on game tokens. Not THIRTY-SEVEN DOLLARS in one month. Unacceptable.

Number of books purchased in February: 12 (omg, I have a problem)

  • Penitence by Kristin Koval (Book of the Month)
  • We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes (Book of the Month)
  • Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister (Book of the Month)
  • The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer (Book of the Month)
  • The Lion Woman of Tehran by Marjan Kamali (Book of the Month – but this one was free!)
  • Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone (Book of the Month)
  • Shark Heart by Emily Habeck (Tombolo Books, my local indie)
  • Sipsworth by Simon van Booy (Tombolo Books, my local indie)
  • Lost and Lassoed by Lila Sage (Steamy Lit, a romance bookstore)
  • Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison (Steamy Lit, a romance bookstore)
  • The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles (Steamy Lit, a romance bookstore)
  • Done and Dusted by Lila Sage (Target)

Best recommendation:

Nail polish remover ($3). I’m pretty sure I’ve recommended this product before, but since I had to replenish mine this month, I thought I’d do so again. This remover comes in a little tub that’s filled with acetone and lined with a sponge. You stick your finger into the tub and rub it all around to remove your nail polish. So easy!

JOURNAL

  • February 2, 2023 – Book club! We all got permanent jewelry. It was very expensive but super fun.
  • February 3, 2024 – Such a fun day! Amber, Lynn, Mikaela, Olive, and I went to Parkesdale Market for strawberry shortcake and then strawberry picking.
  • February 7, 2022 – I’m feeling really comfortable in my new role, but the cadence of my days is so different. It feels really weird.
  • February 9, 2023 – Mark called me tonight and we talked for 30 minutes. We never talk on the phone!
  • February 10, 2022 – Podcast brainstorming session with Bri. We got so much done, including planning out 30+ episodes.
  • February 15, 2024 – Crazy day! Had a dental filling at 10 and then my lip ballooned triple in size! I think I had an allergic reaction to the topical lidocaine.
  • February 16, 2024 – Lila’s annual vet appt. She gained another pound, ugh. Also – it took 14 mins to get her in her carrier.
  • February 17, 2022 – Book club. We surprised Mikaela with a mini baby shower, which was delightful.
  • February 24, 2022 – Woke up to the news that Russia invaded Ukraine. This is really scary.
  • February 24, 2023 – We started recording episodes of season 4. Yay!
  • February 26, 2023 – Dominic’s bday party. It’s crazy to watch these kids (and their friends) grow up.
  • February 28, 2024 – I was able to get an emergency appt with my derm and have a new treatment plan for my scalp psoriasis. Thank goodness!

OVERVIEW

What went well

  • The Finding Joy in Gratitude Collective – This gratitude challenge was exactly what I needed. Not only was it a good practice for me to sit down at the end of every day and reflect on the good moments, but it was also a breath of fresh air to open Feedly on the weekends and see an explosion of posts about everyone’s FIGs. It was like a blanket of goodness in a bleak time. I am so glad Elisabeth hosted this challenge!
  • Meeting Birchie and showing her around St. Pete – I feel so grateful that Birchie made the long drive to the other coast of Florida to meet me and enjoy some good, ole IRL bloggy time. We had a wonderful time together! It was really fun to put together some ideas that are quintessentially St. Pete. In the end, we decided to do brunch at my favorite spot (The Library), peruse my favorite indie bookstore (Tombolo Books), go to the Dali Museum (which Birchie got us in for free thanks to her museum pass!), and do coffee flights at The Blend. We also chatted books, bloggers, real life things, pets, and sooo much more!
  • Being social – It was a big social month for me, and all of it made me feel good and connected to my people. I needed that! Bri and I celebrated our 10th annual Galentine’s day with dinner and seeing Paula Poundstone. I met up with friends to check out a new romance bookstore that opened up in Tampa and then we went to dinner. Bri and I had a podcast recording date (our first one in six months!). I met up with some friends and their kiddos for a library date. And of course, there was book club where we went to breakfast, made bracelets, and then sat outside to discuss the book.

What was challenging

  • Political turmoil – Do I need to say more here? Things are dark in the United States and we are swiftly moving toward authoritarianism. It’s scary and it’s hard to find peace in the present moment when all I can think about is what our country is going to look like after a few years of this nightmare. I know it’s naive of me, but I really hoped there would be some Republicans in Congress who would stand up to this administration, who would understand the threat to our democracy, but they are all spineless weasels.
  • Parking woes – Ugh, dinging up Ruby due to my own poor spatial awareness in a parking lot was not my finest hour. Thankfully, the scratches are minimal but I would like to get them fixed because she keeps telling me how “embarrassed” she is to be in public looking like a “trainwreck.” Girl cars, man!
  • Carpal tunnel pain – My carpal tunnel continued to be a pain this month. Mostly, I’ve been dealing with a tingling sensation in my thumb and forefinger and a burning sensation in the pad of my thumb. I’ve been trying everything to help it: wearing a splint every night, icing it, using heat, topical lidocaine, using a hand massager, etc. I even bought an ice pack glove that I could use to make sure my wrist, palm, and fingers were getting iced at the same time. It was miserable! But then… I started taking supplements. I swear, the day after I started taking turmeric and fish oil, the pain dissipated. It’s not 100% gone and I’m still wearing a splint to bed, but the numbness and tingling are nearly nonexistent and the burning is happening with less frequency and severity. I am fairly convinced that I’ve had chronic inflammation for a long time now, which is why I’m dealing with so many health ailments, so I’m hoping to continue to figure out ways to lower my inflammation naturally.

Goals for March

A recap of my goals for February: get a new Target card (❌), drop off a Goodwill donation (✅), and hang up my floating bookshelves (❌). (I went through the process of trying to get a new Target card, but they make it so difficult to do this that I just gave up. Ugh.)

  • Create my book nook – I need to hang up my floating bookshelves and add some prints to the walls. FINALLY.
  • Download a posture app – I want to find an app that combines stretching exercises with posture check reminders. Does such an app exist?
  • Watch Dirty Dancing – One of my goals this year is to watch four movies from the first four years I’ve been alive. I was born in 1987 and so many of you recommended that I watch Dirty Dancing, so that’s what I chose!

What’s something you watched in March? What’s something that went well for you this month?

Categories: Life

The F.I.G. Collective – Days 22 – 28

It’s the final week of The F.I.G. Collective! I am a bit sad to see this gratitude challenge come to an end because it was such a good practice of sitting down at the end of every day and reflecting on the moments of goodness and light in an otherwise dark time. A very special thanks to Elisabeth for hosting, and I hope we do it again soon!

Saturday, February 22

Today started off on a high note: I went to the gym and had a really great workout. I climbed 150 stairs on the stair climber in 5-and-a-half minutes and didn’t feel like I was dying afterward. And then I did 20 minutes on the elliptical and 20 minutes on the bike while streaming a show on my phone.

And then things got drastically worse. As I was pulling out of my parking space in the very busy parking lot, I misjudged the space and clipped the rear bumper of the car next to me. Ugh, I felt like such an idiot! Ruby got a little scratched up but I didn’t see too much damage on the other car. Still, I left a note on the driver’s windshield and now I’m dealing with that headache.

Anyway, I felt like shit for most of the day but in the evening, I got together with my mom, my brother, and my younger nephew for game night. It was a great night! We had pizza, played a few games, and enjoyed cake and ice cream to celebrate my nephew’s birthday (which was the day before – he turned 10!).

Sunday, February 23

I had a lovely day with my mom! We went to yoga class, out for brunch, and then to Trader Joe’s. I wanted to get some freezer/easy meals to have on hand for those nights when I don’t feel like cooking or didn’t meal plan correctly. This way, I won’t have to resort to UberEats! I don’t go to Trader Joe’s too often (the parking lot sucks and it’s always so busy) but I love stocking up on some fave items every now and then!

Monday, February 24

My day started in the sweetest way: I found out that one of my writers had to start paternity leave a week early! His wife had their baby over the weekend and he sent me the cutest photo of the little nugget. (My writer is a huge baseball fan and somehow got the baby’s first footprint on a baseball!)

Other good parts of today: a delicious meal (thanks, Birchie, for the inspo!), starting an audiobook that I was immediately drawn into, changing out my Valentine’s decorations for St. Patrick’s Day (I only have a few things, but it adds a fun touch to my home), and a 30-minute power nap on the couch.

Tuesday, February 25

I had a lovely evening! My plan was to go to the library to hang out with two of my friends and their kids. On my way there, one of the friends texted that her kiddo was complaining of a headache and could I stop somewhere and pick up Children’s Tylenol? Otherwise, she’d need to battle Walgreens with two kids (one of which wasn’t feeling well). I was more than happy to oblige, and this reminded me how good it is to ask for help because it makes the other person feel so good to deliver it! I felt like a superhero!

Our library date was wonderful. We hung out in the children’s section and I did a scavenger hunt with the big kiddo and then we played a few Bluey-branded games, which was fun! The kids were good sports and nobody got their feelings hurt (not even when we ended one of the games early because the children’s area was closing). Oh! And the big kiddo gave me a Valentine she made for me, which made my heart fully explode.

Wednesday, February 26

I had a really great HIIT workout tonight! My mom couldn’t make it and I’m always sad when my favorite workout buddy isn’t there, but I got through it on my own okay! I joked with my trainer a lot and felt like I was able to power through some of the circuits more than I usually can. Those warm-ups are working!

Also, tonight was the premiere of Survivor 48! I love this show so much, and I’m so glad it’s back.

Thursday, February 27

A lot of little moments of figgy happiness today: A meeting getting canceled, freshly laundered sheets, Eloise being super cuddly and barely leaving my side, lots of Lila snuggles in the morning while I was waking up, making a simple but delicious dinner, really nice weather, and a very dramatic episode of The Traitors.

Friday, February 28

The last FIG (at least for now?)! I met up with my brother to drop off my younger nephew’s birthday present and we had a nice little chit-chat. He was mostly venting about some of the stuff he’s going through with his kids, but I was happy to be a listening ear for him!

Another really great moment today was when I laid down on the couch with my books, put on an ASMR room on YouTube on my TV, and set a timer for an hour. I was able to zoom through 110 pages in that time, which made me feel very accomplished after not reading much this week.

Tell me a little moment of joy from your day today!

Categories: Life

The F.I.G. Collective – Days 15 – 21

Another week has passed, which means it’s time for another collection of FIGs. As a reminder, Elisabeth started the initiative so we could find some positivity in a hard time. The F.I.G. Collective stands for Finding Joy in Gratitude.

Saturday, February 15

Today was a great day. I had book club – we started at a bagel shop and then meandered over to the Little Words Project to make bracelets. This was so much fun! I chose the word “power.” I want to always remember that I am powerful and have the power to make changes in my life. Nobody can take that from me. Other words that my friends chose: rising, choose, breathe, and resilient. It was a very positive and uplifting morning! Afterward, we found a picnic table outside where we talked about the book we read this month (Good Material by Dolly Alderton) and then chose our book and activity for next month!

After book club, Mikaela and I did our weekly writing date at a nearby cafe and I made some good progress on my podcast outlines. Then, I went home and took a blessed two-hour nap.

Sunday, February 16

Bri and I recorded podcast episodes today and it was so nice to be back in the “studio” (aka, Bri’s home office) and chit-chatting with her. It was a great time, and afterward, her husband made us dinner! Another bright spot of today was getting my nose re-pierced – I am so happy to have my nose piercing back and I hope I can keep it in for good this time. (I had to take out my nose piercing when I started using my CPAP machine in September. The piercing pressed against the mask and made things super uncomfortable. I had a hoop piercing at that time and I’m hoping the stud piercing will fare better.)

Monday, February 17

I had President’s Day off for the first time, which was such a delight! I was able to take care of some errands (washing and vacuuming my car and doing my weekly grocery shop) and then I came home, did a little blog work, ate lunch, and took a beautiful 3-hour nap. It was so nice! I also started working on installing the floating bookshelves in my bedroom. By started, I mean that I opened up the box, pulled out all of the pieces, and put together one of the bookshelves. (I didn’t hang it up, just screwed together two pieces to make one shelf.) Progress is progress, right?!

Tuesday, February 18

Today was a hard day for many reasons, but Facetiming with my mom was a bright spot. I called her around 9 a.m. to tell her I needed to complain for a bit, which she was happy to let me do, and then we talked twice in the evening. There is nothing that fills me with more joy than seeing her name pop up on my phone!

Wednesday, February 19

I was really nervous about a meeting all day long and it wound up going really well! I had to be somewhat of an “expert” on the call and I’m always worried they’re going to throw me a question that I should be able to easily answer but can’t for whatever reason. Plus, I struggle with word retrieval at times so I just made sure to have my notes ready to reference, but I didn’t really need them!

My other FIG of the day was my HIIT class. I felt so much stronger and more limber thanks to warming up my body beforehand!

Thursday, February 20

Such a fun mail day!

I received a postcard from Julie.

I received my February box from Book of the Month.

And I received my supplements!

Friday, February 21

I got to snuggle with Lila today while we waited in an exam room for the vet. It was a standard annual appointment, but I did find out that this chonk is 16 whole pounds. !!! I must start working on a diet plan for her, ugh.

I also took a delightful nap today, enjoyed a hot bubble bath, and sat on the couch watching TV and coloring in my coloring book. A very low-key, easy Friday!

What word would you have chosen for a bracelet like the one above?

Categories: Life

Where Do You Keep That | Part IV

It’s been a while since I did a follow-up post to my Where Do You Keep That? series. I started it in August after listening to an episode of the Girl Next Door podcast and then Elisabeth took the post and ran with it, providing me with a long list of things to talk about! I may be able to squeak out yet another list after this post, so stay tuned for that! For now, let’s dive into some other categories of household items so I can tell you exactly where I keep them in my house.

Light Bulbs

The bottom section of the bookshelves in my dining room are all for organization! I have a bin that’s strictly used for backstock for cleaning supplies, kitchen supplies, etc. This bin also houses backup lightbulbs. Once I run out, I immediately add more lightbulbs to my cart on Target so I’m never without lightbulbs.

Incoming Mail

I am so bad about checking my mailbox regularly. Since I live in an apartment, I have to walk to a community mailbox area to gather my mail and sometimes I forget to do this until a few weeks have passed. Oops! When I do grab my mail, I usually take the time to go through it. If there is mail that I am not quite ready to deal with, I’ll throw it in my little organizer that’s near my door. The goal is to go through that organizer once a month and take care of lingering mail tasks, like paying a bill or making an appointment.

Laundry Baskets

I only have one laundry basket in my apartment because I use my washer as its own “laundry basket” of sorts. (More about that here!) The one laundry basket I have sits in my bathroom closet. I use it for towels, washcloths, reusable cotton rounds, etc.

Garbage Cans

I have three garbage cans in my apartment. There’s my primary garbage can that sits right outside my kitchen. There’s my bathroom trash can next to my toilet. And then there’s the valet trash can that I set outside a few nights a week to get picked up. (I transfer the bag of trash from my primary can to the valet can whenever I need the trash to be picked up.) I keep that trash can right inside my door, next to my TV stand.

Broom and Mop

My broom and my mop sit inside one of my closets. Out of sight, out of mind!

Sunglasses

I keep one pair of sunglasses always tucked into a pocket in my purse. The other pair is usually in my car but if I bring it inside for any reason, I’ll throw it in my purse when I’m tidying up around my apartment.

Items to Donate

I always keep a trash bag in my closet that I fill with items I want to donate. It’s not the prettiest thing, but I like always having that bag on hand because inevitably, I’m throwing things in it on a regular basis. (Bonus: Eloise now thinks it’s the ideal place to nap now. A million comfortable places to sleep and she chooses a trash bag, sigh.)

Batteries

I use an eight-cube bookshelf as my TV stand. The top shelf is for books and the bottom shelf is for organization! In the second bin, I keep small plastic containers for miscellaneous items, and one of those items is batteries. I only keep AAA and AA batteries on hand because I haven’t had a need for any other type at this point. Once I use up the last of the batteries, I will immediately add a new pack to my Target cart.

Paper Storage

I have a portable file folder in my closet for paper storage. Once a year, I shred anything that’s older than seven years, so the file folder keeps getting smaller and smaller because most things are digital these days!

Tupperware

How annoying is Tupperware? And yet… it is also so necessary. I feel like my situation is somewhat under control but things could get dicey at any moment. Right now, the top shelf of one of my kitchen cabinets is reserved for Tupperware, although I had to move one set of Tupperware containers to the second shelf when I got my bento snack boxes. So now the top shelf is for my big containers, bento boxes, and a plastic bin for smaller containers/tops. The second shelf is for the other set of containers (I use these frequently for leftovers!).

How many laundry baskets do you have in your house?

Categories: Life

The F.I.G. Collective – Days 1-7

The Finding Joy in Gratitude (F.I.G.) Collective is Elisabeth’s brainchild. In February, she is challenging us to find at least one thing to be grateful for every day. Times are tough right now, which is why I think engaging in a gratitude practice is even more imperative for us. This administration wants to take a lot of things away from us but one thing they cannot take from us is our joy and our gratitude. Now, let’s get onto my first seven F.I.G.s of February:

1 – I had such a lovely afternoon with my dear friend Mikaela. We had our usual writing date and then afterward, we strolled around Barnes & Noble for a bit before having lunch. It was nice to spend extra time with her!

2 – I went to a Hatha yoga class that was exceptional. I love that it focused mostly on deep stretching and it all felt so good on my lower back and hips. One of the things I love most about yoga is how it focuses on being present in your body, which is something I don’t do too often. I like that I had to spend 45 minutes silently being in my body and giving it the kindness of stretching.

3 – I’m relieved that I was able to snag an appointment with my dermatologist for Wednesday afternoon. Another cyst popped up on my body (two days after I had an appointment, of course!) and it is so, so painful. At this point, I think I need to have a standing weekly appointment with my dermatologist to keep things in check.

4 – My friend Mikaela has been such a support in my journey to reduce my sugar intake. Today, she shared with me her delicious iced coffee recipe and even checked the sugar contents for me!

5 – I went to my mom’s after my dermatology appointment. She’s working from home this week, so I filled her in on what happened at my appointment (nothing much to report, considering the cyst decided to start draining on its own this morning) and then snuggled with the dogs while we chatted for a bit. Here’s a funny story: As I was getting ready to leave, Lucy was in the backyard and Chip was inside. I was giving Chip all of the kisses and love, and then we heard Lucy barking. We turn around to see she’s right at the patio door, so my mom lets her in and she runs over to me with her whole body wriggling! I picked her up and she showered my face with kisses. It was almost like she was saying, “You were going to leave without saying goodbye to me?” Such a sweetheart. I love those babies so much!

6 – Two great things happened today. First, I was able to use GoodRx for the first time to get a prescription nearly half-off. (It rang up as $65 but with my coupon, I got it for $34.) Second, I placed an online order for a half-size Pub sub and when I got to the counter to pick it up, they had made me a whole size for the price of a half! Cha-ching.

7 – I met Birchie today! We went to a local Italian restaurant for dinner where we chatted about all of our blog friends and life off the blog. It was so nice meeting her and we have a very fun day planned tomorrow (which is today, when I publish this post).