Recurring Series

Five for Friday (v. 97)

1) I’ve been in a very low place this week. I woke up on Monday morning and just felt exhausted about the thought of going through my day. I was both sad and irritable. Sometimes, life just feels very hard, you know? There is so much we have to do on a daily basis: work out, go for our mental health walks, put in an eight-hour workday, make food for ourselves, maintain our relationships with texts and calls and Instagram messages and in-person meetups, keep our homes clean, take care of our pets. And if you have kids? Add in school drop-offs and pick-ups, extracurriculars, managing the emotions of small humans, and a whole lot of other things I’m missing. Usually, all of the stuff that comes with living doesn’t bother me much. But every now and then, it makes me want to crawl under the covers and hibernate for at least a week. Things started feeling easier as the week has gone on, and I have a therapy appointment this afternoon which will help me sort out all these feelings, but it wasn’t a fun way to start the week.

2) I received such great advice about what to do about my feeding situation with the cats. Thank you! It was really helpful to read through your own routines and figure out what might work with my girls. What I’ve decided to do is train them to eat on a schedule. I was nervous to do that because the whole point is to get Eloise to eat more and if she doesn’t have free access to food 24/7, doesn’t that defeat the purpose? But maybe it will actually have the opposite effect: She’ll eat more since she needs the structure! We’ll see. The plan is to give them a can of wet food in the morning and take it away after an hour, and then give them 1/2 cup (portioned into two bowls) of dry food in the evening.

Someone pointed out that I may be overfeeding them, but I checked with the calorie counts and it’s right in line of what they should be eating (1/2 can of wet food is 90 calories, 1/4 cup of dry food is 107 calories). They also get treats throughout the day, which I need to be better about limiting. They’re just so cute with their big green eyes and sweet meows! They probably have about 30 calories per day of treats (15% of their diet) and I want to get that down to 15-20.

So that’s the news on the cats! For now.

3) How is this for exciting news? I scheduled my LASIK surgery! I will be getting my eyeballs lasered on Friday, October 6th and I couldn’t be more thrilled about it! I will have to finance the majority of the surgery, so I opened up a Care Credit account for it. It was really scary to do that and know that I am taking on additional debt to afford this procedure, but I also plan on paying it off in full in 18 months (or less) and won’t incur any interest during that time. It makes sense to me to get it done now rather than waiting, as I’m already in my mid-thirties and want to be able to enjoy many years of glasses-free living! I will for sure tell you all about the details of the procedure and my recovery.

4) I am still struggling with my nighttime routine and getting to bed at a reasonable time. I was talking about this with Kim, and she brought up the concept of “revenge bedtime procrastination,” which I had heard about before but the more I looked into it, the more I realized this was exactly what I’ve been doing. (And, of course, the Instagram algorithm served up this Reel about the phenomenon.) I don’t really have time throughout the day to enjoy my leisure pursuits because work takes priority, and then when I’m done for the day, I need to be away from any laptops/computers, so I scroll through my phone or watch TV while eating dinner. And then, suddenly, around 8pm, I get the urge to sit down at my laptop, read blogs, respond to emails, write blog posts, etc. And 8pm is when I should be starting my nighttime routine. Argh! I think the solution is to put myself on a strict schedule and try to build in some break times throughout the day when I can get away from my desk and do something fun like read/comment on blogs for 30 minutes.

5) I’m saving the best tidbit for last: Today is my brother’s birthday! He turns 37. My brother and I have always been very close, but that closeness came with a lot of fighting when we were kids. We still tend to get into one nasty fight every few years (our last one was two years ago and we didn’t talk to each other for weeks!), but we always make up. Family can be really complicated for so many people, and it’s complicated for me at times, but one thing I know for sure is that my brother has my back and I can count on him for anything.

Today would also have been my grandparents’ 64th wedding anniversary, which I trust they are celebrating together in heaven. (And yes, my mom gave her parents a really nice anniversary present in 1986! Hard for any of her brothers to live up to that one.)

Categories: Recurring Series

Five for Friday (v. 96)

1) It was so nice to read all of your lovely comments on my blog post from Tuesday. It feels good to know that I was missed during my blogging break and that everyone was happy to see my blog posts back in their feeds again! Words of affirmation is my love language after all, and you guys most definitely affirmed my place in this blogging world. <3 I’m glad to be back and it feels so good to have this regular writing routine back in my life.

2) This past weekend, my family got terrible news. My uncle, who had been declared cancer-free earlier this year after many rounds of chemo and radiation, learned that his cancer had returned. It has spread to his brain and, while he is undergoing radiation currently, his condition is now considered terminal. It is a shocking, devastating blow to our family, and all we can do is wrap him in love and hope that he outperforms his prognosis.

3) On September 1st, I decided I had waited long enough: It was time to decorate my apartment for fall. I can’t wait to decorate until it feels like fall because I live in Florida; fall doesn’t happen. But putting out all my pumpkins and fall signs definitely made me happier. Last year was the first time I decorated for fall, and I had quite the fun time last weekend finding even more decorations to add to my collection, like ghost succulents and new signs. It’s looking festive in here, and it makes me so happy!

4) At Eloise’s annual appointment in July, I discovered that she had lost a pound over the past year, putting her at a very svelte 7.8 lbs (compared to Lila’s 13.6!). My vet voiced concerns about her weight loss, but it was difficult for me to pinpoint what could be causing it. Add to the fact that Lila gained a pound this year, and I’m at a loss. Aren’t they eating the same amount? Maybe? They’ve been free feeders since I adopted them over four years ago. I give them a full cup of food, spread out between two bowls, and those bowls are never empty at the end of the day. So it’s not like Lila is overeating but Eloise could definitely be undereating.

So, I’ve added wet food to their food rotation. I didn’t want to do this because wet food is very expensive compared to dry food (especially the wet food the girls like; I tried giving them a cheaper type and they turned their noses up to it!), but I want Eloise to be well-fed! I give them one 5.5-ounce can spread between two bowls and they eat probably half of it daily (I leave it out for 2 hours in the morning, cover it and put it in the fridge, and then leave it out for a few hours in the evening). I also give them about a half-cup of dry food in the evening and they never eat all of it.

So, cat people: Is this normal? Do your cats chow down on all of their food at once? Is there something wrong with my cats that they DON’T? Should I be more worried than I am? Should I be feeding my cats other types of food (both their wet/dry foods are Blue Buffalo brand.) Heeeeelp.

5) This weekend should be a good one! I have a hair appointment this afternoon and I think I’m going to ask my stylist to take my color one shade darker. (I’m not going to do anything drastic with the cut, just a trim.) I have a writing date Saturday morning with Mikaela. And on Sunday, it’s the start of Football Sundays! I’ll be at my mom’s all day, watching the games with my mom, my brother, and my older nephew. I’m really looking forward to a full day of snuggling the dogs and watching football with the fam.

What are your weekend plans? Tell me all about the eating habits of your cat(s)!

Categories: Recurring Series

TGIF (v. 55)

The high of my week was seeing the Barbie movie! I was so, so excited about this movie and it did not disappoint. It was funny and silly, but also heartfelt and emotional. America Ferrera is not getting nearly enough accolades as she should because she was sensational. The movie is super feminist and not for male fragility, that’s for sure, and we need more movies like it.

The low of my week was my blog being down for 36 hours! I am very grateful for two blog friends who reached out to me to let me know my blog was showing a weird “suspended” error. I contacted my hosting company and learned that my site had been infected by malware and they had taken the site down for security reasons. They informed me that I needed to remove the malware to get my site back. At first, I thought this was something I could do myself but I had to go through a third-party company. They were able to remove the malware fairly quickly, but then my hosting company needed time to scan the site and make sure it was fine before putting it back up. But she’s back and I missed her so much, and I will never take her beautiful little face for granted ever again. I have to figure out what I need to do to make sure that doesn’t happen again (other than changing my password, which I did the minute my blog was back online). I thought my blog was getting scanned frequently for stuff like this (I use SiteLock, which came with my hosting package), but maybe I need something more robust. Hackers are getting smarter and smarter!

One nagging task I marked off my to-do list was scheduling an initial consultation with a dietician. I am meeting with her in two weeks and I’m hoping it goes well. She seemed to say all the right things in her bio so I hope we can work well together. I will definitely keep everyone posted on my journey!

An article I enjoyed was ‘Sounds Like a Cult’ Podcast Host Sues Former Co-Host. The way I gasped when I saw this news! I am still listening to SLAC, even though I don’t really love it. I wish it were more research-based and factual. But they are still releasing episodes like everything is normal so I had no idea things had gotten so messy! I really hope the podcast can continue with Amanda and a new co-host because I think the weaknesses definitely lay with the other co-host, but we’ll see. Some juicy gossip for sure!

I’m currently reading three books. I am nearly finished with two of them—An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena and Something Wild & Wonderful by Anita Kelly—both of which will probably get 4 stars from me. And I just started (ironically) Cultish: The Language of Fanatacism by Amanda Montell (the same Amanda as referenced above!) on audio.

A podcast episode I enjoyed was A Look Back on Season 5 on the Currently Reading podcast. This was a fun romp through memory lane as the ladies wrapped up their most recent season. I always enjoy getting some behind-the-scenes tidbits about podcasting and how people produce their shows, and this one was really interesting to me.

The best money I spent this week was on some ergonomic accessories for my desk. My carpal tunnel pain has been terrible lately so I went and ordered a new mousepad with wrist rest, a funky-looking ergonomic mouse, and a wrist brace to wear at night. Here’s hoping it makes things feel better!

My plans this weekend include not much! It should be fairly low-key, which I am looking forward to. My mom and I may go see the Barbie movie together because a) she needs to see it and b) I need to rewatch it. Ha!

What was the highlight of your week?

Categories: Recurring Series

Currently in July

Loving… our blog book club! Engie had the fabulous idea to re-read the beloved classic, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, and invited all of us to join her! Every Monday, she publishes a discussion post and it’s been so fun interacting with other people who are reading right along with me. It’s interesting to see what is sticking out to other people that may not be sticking out to me! I also love the very slow reading pace that Engie set up – just about 50 pages a week – so it doesn’t feel too overwhelming.

Loathing… that my plantar fasciitis pain is back. It went away for a few months due to nothing I did at all, but I’ve started having that sharp heel pain on my right foot again. I’m wearing my plantar fasciitis slippers around the house again, which definitely helps! I also need to start doing strengthening exercises for my feet, but I’ve been lazy about that.

Reading… my dear friend Mikaela’s book, which is about her daughter’s cancer journey. She spent the past 8 or so months working hard on the book during our weekly writing sessions, and I was so delighted to be one of her first readers. Right now, she’s in the editing stages and figuring out the best way to format her book, and I just can’t wait to see the final product when it’s ready. She has such a beautiful way with words and I think this is a book that will touch a lot of people.

Watching… Abbott Elementary. I watched and loved season 1 and wanted to wait until the entirety of season 2 had been released on Hulu to catch up. I’m 6 episodes in and loving it so much!

Listening to… Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). I came into my Swiftie fandom around the time she released 1989 and have barely listened to her earlier albums. But since she re-released this album, I decided to give it a listen and it’s such a vibe. I’m still trying to decide which one of the new songs she added to the album is my favorite!

Anticipating… taking a blogging break in August. I’ve done these month-long blogging breaks in the past and they always rejuvenate me. I’ve been feeling a little burned out with blogging lately, so I think I need this time away for a bit to feel excited about blogging again.

Thinking about… climate change. There have been so many news stories about record-breaking heat and rising ocean temperatures and climate change panic. Are we too late to save the planet? I don’t want to think about that. But things feel more and more dire as each year passes. And it feels hopeless because the people who are in charge aren’t listening to the scientists who have been telling us for decades that things need to change. It’s scary and frustrating.

Buying… new skincare products. I needed a new nighttime moisturizer as well as a retinol serum. I have yet to find a nighttime moisturizer I love, so here’s hoping this one from Neutrogena makes me a believer. I’m also trying out CeraVe’s retinol serum to see how I like it. (I really need to get a prescription retinoid because that’s the gold standard for anti-aging treatment, but ugh, I am just too lazy to go to a dermatologist for this.)

Grateful… for the growth of Silent Book Club. We had nearly 50 people at our last meeting! We usually have 15-20 people so this was a huge increase. It was mostly due to a viral video talking about different Silent Book Club chapters around the country, which our chapter was a part of, and it caused our group to double in size. How crazy is that? It was a bit overwhelming, to be honest, but I’m happy that the group is growing, too!

What are you currently loving, watching, and anticipating?

Categories: Recurring Series

Five for Friday (v. 95)

(Sorry, friends. She wouldn’t take a photo without showing her chewed-up gum. At least it’s just gum?!)

1) I mentioned this on the post I published on Wednesday, but I am a candidate for traditional LASIK. On Tuesday, I had a very long consultation (3 hours!) where I went through a myriad of eye tests to see if I was a candidate. I think I did four or five tests using those machines you see at a traditional eye doctor’s office (where you put your chin in the little notch and your forehead against the bar). I would have to hold my eyes wide open for 5-8 seconds so the machine could gather all of the data it needed. That’s a long time to hold your eyes wide open! And then I did some traditional tests, like reading a line of letters on a wall. I also found out that my left eye is my dominant eye, during a really cool test that kinda blew my mind. (Try it!) My left eye has always been the stronger eye, so that makes sense.

After all of those tests, I met briefly with one of the eye doctors who was happy to report that I am a strong candidate for LASIK because I have really thick corneas. (I got complimented on my corneas a lot this day, lol.) I was worried that I might not be a candidate for traditional LASIK due to my strong astigmatism, but she said it wasn’t bad enough to warrant PRK. Hooray for that! I really want to schedule a surgery, but I need to figure out the finances first. Right now, until the end of the year, the surgery center is offering $1,000 off LASIK. I also get a 15% discount with my vision insurance, so that brings the cost of the surgery down by $1,500. I would probably have the finance part of the surgery, which I’m willing to do, especially since there is a no-interest option if paid off within 18 months. So I’m just noodling over my options right now, and since I’m always someone who asks “HOW DID THEY AFFORD THAT?!” when someone has an expensive (elective) procedure or goes on a really fancy vacation, I wanted to be honest about how I’m trying to figure this out myself.

2) I had a dental cleaning this week, and I would personally like to slap Past Stephany for scheduling a dentist appointment at 7 a.m. on a Wednesday. That’s a) too early in the morning and b) ruins my breakfast, since I usually get the fluoride treatment, which always makes me feel like I can’t eat for hours afterward so I don’t and then I get ravenously hungry. (It’s a me thing. I know I’m allowed to eat.) But the good news is that I didn’t have any cavities! I am one of the people who hit the genetic lottery when it comes to my teeth, and I didn’t really get cavities until I was in my late 20s. And now it seems like I’ve had a cavity during every visit! I changed some of my routines (always getting the fluoride treatment, using an antibacterial mouthwash specifically focused on improving gum health) so I’m hoping that’s the reason I was cavity-free this visit. My dentist recommended that I start using a Waterpik for flossing since I have a small mouth (ugh), so I need to just bite the bullet and buy one finally. But all in all, a smooth dental cleaning and I was finished within 40 minutes. (Much better than the experiences some of you guys have had at the dentist! I wish your appointments were as easy as mine!)

3) This week on the Currently Reading podcast, the group got together to play a round of “Would You Rather.” One of the questions posed was: Would you rather have to reread the book you hated the most once a month or never be able to reread your favorite books ever again? Of course, all of them chose the latter option, but the more interesting discussion was the book everyone said would be their most-hated book they’d have to read for this category. (It broke my heart when Kaytee said that Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng was hers. I loved that book!) I’ve been thinking about what my book would be, and I think I’d have to give it to Pride & Prejudice, which I know will make so many people gasp. I don’t enjoy the classics. I find them hard to read (which, yes, makes me feel stupid for saying). And I just really do not enjoy Jane Austen novels. If I had to reread Pride & Prejudice every month? I would stop reading.

4) I have been meaning to share this adorable routine between Eloise and my mom. As most of you know, my mom and I Facetime constantly. Like, multiple times a day is our norm. (We started during the pandemic. It’s our thing.) I started noticing that whenever I was on Facetime with my mom and I was either sitting at the dining room table or at my desk and had the phone propped up against something, Eloise would stop whatever she was doing and run over to the table to either sit near me while I was on the phone or just roam back and forth in front of me so she was on screen. A few days ago, Eloise had been sleeping on my bed for a few hours and didn’t wake up even when I went into the room to put things away, so I decided to test out my theory that Eloise loves when my mom Facetimes. I called my mom and sure enough, not even 15 seconds after she answered, there was Eloise, running out of the room and hopping on the table to greet my mom. Is that not the most precious thing ever?

5) I got to have dinner with Mikaela and her family this week, and it was so wonderful! When I arrived at the restaurant, they were already seated and when Olive saw me, she gasped and said, “Stephany!” and then demanded that I sit next to her. What a friggin joy this girl is! (If you remember, Olive was the baby who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at 13 months and has beaten every single odd set in front of her. She’s two years post-treatment and all of her scans have come back completely clean.) I enjoyed sitting down with my favorite tiny humans and chatting with Mikaela and her husband about life in general. Their daughter, Eleni, who is 17 months, did not stop eating the entire time we were there. That girl can put away food better than any kid I’ve seen! Anyway, it was a delightful evening and I’m glad I made the time for it.

What book would you choose as your most hated book? I want to know!