Recurring Series

Week in the Life: Monday, November 6th

MORNING | My alarm goes off at 7 a.m. and I lounge in bed for another 30 minutes. I have really been enjoying lazy, relaxing mornings on the weekdays. Eventually, I get up and feed the girls. I take a shower and then sit on the couch for 20 minutes reading my book. Bliss. Then, I do my morning skincare routine, blow-dry and straighten my hair, make my bed, take my meds, and make breakfast. My current holy grail is raw batana oil. I also try to do some tidying around my apartment in between all of my morning tasks. (I left it a bit messy last night, oops.) I finally sit down in front of my work computer to start my workday at 9:30. I spend the first hour of my workday embroiled in answering emails. I try to keep a very clean email inbox throughout the day because one filled with emails I need to answer just stresses me out. Once my inbox is in order, I tackle one of my to-do’s for the day: putting together a few content strategy plans for some of our clients. Typically, this isn’t part of my job but we’re understaffed and I offered to jump in and help out our strategy team. It’s a pretty easy task for me, so I don’t mind it!

AFTERNOON | I thought I had a meeting at 11:30, but it’s actually at 12:30, and I know I’ll need to eat lunch beforehand so I’m not starving during the meeting. So I stop working around noon and make lunch. I eat while scrolling through a Reddit forum and then it’s time to log into my meeting! Our organization is currently moving away from our current project management system (Monday) and into Salesforce, which will be wonderful when it’s all done, but right now, there are a lot of moving parts and process questions. Since I handle all of the content assignments, it’s going to be a major shift in the way I do things. This meeting is with the team managing this transition to talk through some of the questions we have about process issues that may arise. It’s a productive meeting and afterward, my boss calls me to debrief. Then, I decide it’s time for some sunshine so I lace up my shoes and take a walk. The rest of my day was rather uneventful! I manage our contractor program, so I spend the afternoon working through tasks associated with them: editing content, doing QA of posted content, answering emails, etc. I finish up my last task of the day a little after 5pm. I’m not usually finishing up that early (since I get started later in the morning), but I have plans tonight!

NIGHT | My goal was to be out the door by 5:15 but that is not going to happen. I feed the girls, get dressed in real people clothes, and grab my book. And then I make the drive over to Tampa to attend this month’s Silent Book Club event. I order a drink (guava cider – so good!) and dinner (a flatbread pepperoni pizza) and then chat with the women who are seated at my table. Small talk is not my favorite, but thankfully, I can always bring the convo back to books and that’s an easy subject for me to chat about. Eventually, it’s time for an hour of silent reading. I read 75 pages of my book. Yay! Afterward, there is more chatting before I head out. I get home a little after 8:30 and I Facetime with my mom for a bit. And then I do my nighttime routine, work on this post, and realize that I haven’t put together the Instagram graphic for our podcast episode that’s releasing tomorrow. Chaos! Eventually, I get it all done and it’s so very late when I’m finally ready for bed. (11:30, ugh) It’s going to be one of those nights where I cue up an ASMR video on YouTube and go right to sleep!

monday in the life: 2022, 2020, 2017, 2016, 2015. and 2014

Categories: Recurring Series

Five for Friday (v. 99)

1) I’m getting LASIK today! My appointment time is 1:00. I expected the procedure to happen in the morning, but apparently today is a busy day for LASIK procedures. (Probably because they had to cancel a few weeks of procedures due to the ophthalmologist being out on medical leave.) But this means I can have a low-key morning at least! My mom and I are planning to have lunch beforehand and then we’ll go to the surgery center together. I’m going to spend the night at her place since I have to have my post-op eye check early Saturday morning. Hopefully, I’ll get the all-clear to drive then! I’m both super excited to finally get this done and nervous that I’ll be one of those few people who have post-op complications. It will all be okay! I know that.

2) I did something this week that I’m a little apprehensive about owning up to, but I will: I marked all of my unread blog posts as “read” on Feedly. I was getting so behind on my feed and the unread number kept creeping higher and higher every day, and it was really stressing me out. Which is silly because blogging is meant to be fun. It’s a hobby, not a job. So I decided to start over with a fresh feed and the goal to try to “clear out” my Feedly daily. Will that be possible? I don’t know, especially once NaBloPoMo hits, but I’m going to try out this new system and see if it helps me feel less overwhelmed by Feedly.

3) I’m currently enjoying a six-day staycation. I knew I wanted to take some time off for my LASIK procedure and I haven’t taken any time off since July, so my soul was ready for a long(ish) break from work. Yesterday was a really lovely, slow day for me. I went to a coffee shop and read 100 pages of my book, was able to help out my cousin who needed me to pick up my uncle from an appointment at the hospital (he’s getting weekly fluids/medication), and ran a few errands before coming home and taking a nice, long afternoon nap. The nap involved a VERY disturbing dream where I was on a cruise ship and we had to stop the ship because a dolphin had gotten trapped in the… rudders? IDK. It was a horrifying dream!

4) One of my errands yesterday was a quick stop at Bath & Body Works. I needed a new scent for my Wallflower air freshener and a new scent for my car. I thought this would be a quick visit—just grab a yummy fall scent for both purposes and that’s it. Alas, Bath & Body Works already has their holiday scents out and their three-wick candles were $10 off. I was SUNK. I wanted to smell all of the candles! And I definitely did. And then it took me forever to find the perfect scents to go home with. I ended up leaving with two Wallflower scents, three car scents, and a candle. I almost bought two candles, but I decided to temper myself. It’s not even November. I don’t need to stock up on all of the holiday scents just yet! I was a little disappointed that Bath & Body Works didn’t have many fall scents, though. I guess it’s time for my apartment to start smelling like a Christmas tree already. There are worse problems.

5) I weighed Ellie the other day and was pleased to discover that she’s gained half a pound since her vet appointment! Yay! I had a feeling her weight loss wasn’t from anything serious, but rather just not eating enough. She’s not a cat that’s very food-motivated (she’ll turn down treats if she’s not interested) so I figured if I gave her food that was a little more exciting, she’d be all about it. And she has been!

I also feel like Lila has lost some weight since she doesn’t have access to food 24/7. Her waistline looks more defined. She will not let me pick her up to weigh her, of course. But she looks like she has lost weight, so that works for me.

Categories: Recurring Series

Currently in October

Loving… the beautiful weather. We have really lucked out when it comes to the weather this month. We’re seeing mornings in the low 70s with low humidity. This week, we even get a short but much appreciated “cold” front with lows in the (upper) 50s. October can be a fickle month, so I’m just going to appreciate not feeling like I’m walking straight inside a sauna every time I go outside.

Loathing… my lack of motivation when it comes to my workout routine. Based on some really helpful comments from you guys, I have decided that I’m not going to force myself to go for a walk every day. Obviously, that’s just not working for me. Instead, I want to try to get in a nice 30-minute walk three times a week. It’s a very small, very doable goal. The weather (see above) is finally cooling down a bit, which means I can fit in a walk in the morning or afternoon or evening, and not turn into a sweaty, red-faced mess. So that’s the new goal. Three walks a week. That’s all! I can do that.

Reading… the same books I mentioned on Friday, ha. I’m seven hours into my audiobook, The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow, and it gets more and more interesting the further I get into the book. I’m about halfway through my other books, Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon and Drowning by T.J. Newman.

Watching… Love Is Blind, season 5. Why do I keep watching this trainwreck of a show? It’s awful and unrealistic, and they really do cast some terrible people. But alas, I’m here for the drama and, in that case, this show delivers.

Listening to… Nobody Panic, on Nicole’s recommendation. I’m currently making my way through the archives, but I am loving it so far. Between their funny banter and really helpful advice, I’m just enjoying myself immensely. I get excited every time I listen to a new (well, old, but new to me) episode.

Anticipating… my LASIK procedure! God willing, this will happen on Friday and I should get a call today or tomorrow with my surgery time. I am so excited. Am I a little apprehensive that I’ll somehow wind up completely blind? Sure. But I don’t think that will happen. Mostly, I cannot wait to finally be able to see out of my own eyeballs very soon.

Thinking about… NaBloPoMo! I am planning on participating for my third year in a row, even though I’m already feeling stressed out about keeping up with all of the writing and commenting and blog posts. We’re all just going to do the best we can, right? One thing I want to focus on this time around is writing more stream-of-consciousness posts. I don’t want to adhere to a super-strict editorial calendar and write all of these long-form blog posts. I just want to write from the heart and enjoy the experience!

Buying… new products for my office nook. I bought a pair of monitor arms that I need to install as well as a new whiteboard to hang up. I also bought this fun daily to-do list pad that I can’t wait to start using. I have tried so many different pads and planners to organize my days/weeks, so this is just another product in a very long line. Hopefully, I love it!

Grateful… to have found a dietician that so closely aligns with my own morals and values when it comes to eating. During our last appointment, we were talking about strategies to help me drink more water. I talked about how it’s so much easier to just grab a Dr. Pepper from the fridge than it is to grab my water bottle and fill it up with ice and water. So she said how maybe I could combine these activities. Whenever I go to get a Dr. Pepper, I also have to fill up my water bottle at that time. My eyes brightened. “I love that! And so it’s like a reward for filling up my water bottle. I fill it up, I get a Dr. Pepper.” And she was very quick to tell me that food/drinks are not rewards. “You do not need any reason to have a Dr. Pepper. You can have a Dr. Pepper whenever you want.” It was a reminder that a) I still have a lot of unlearning to do when it comes to diet culture and b) she will never shame me for my soda habit. It’s so refreshing!

What are you currently loving and anticipating?

Categories: Recurring Series

TGIF (v. 56)

Here’s my new tattoo! You can find the meaning behind it here.

The high of my week was meeting up with Mikaela and her girls for dinner on Wednesday. This was a spur-of-the-moment dinner date and I’m glad I said yes when I would normally say no. It was nice to get out on a weeknight and hang out with those adorable girls.

The low of my week was the news. The situation in Israel and Gaza is sickening and I feel so helpless. I am trying to stay informed and I hope this nightmare ends soon.

An Internet find I loved was this hilarious Reel. Please do not miss the comments. I was crying! So good.

I’m currently reading three books. On audio, I’m listening to The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow, which is a fun YA mystery. I’m enjoying it so far! My current romance is Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon, and I’m also really enjoying it. And, finally, I’m reading Drowning by T.J. Newman. I inhaled her debut, Falling, and this one has the potential to be just as good.

A podcast episode I enjoyed was the Fall Extravaganza episode from The Girl Next Door Podcast. This is my favorite episode they put out every year (they’ve been doing them for a decade!) and this year was no different. It brought me so much joy!

The best money I spent this week was um… nothing? I bought some groceries, cat litter, and cat food and that was about it.

My plans this weekend include not a lot! I am recording two podcast episodes with Bri on Saturday morning and meeting up with Mikaela afterward for a writing date. And Sunday is, of course, football with the fam. I am planning on making these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies—yum!

What was the high of your week?

Categories: Recurring Series

A Weekend in Pictures

I started my weekend off with a couple of jabs. I got my Covid + flu vaccines! I am never excited to get these vaccines because I’m always scared about the side effects, but I know I must do what I can to protect myself and others, so I got ’em. I also started dosing myself with Tylenol after the vaccines, as that seems to help prevent any side effects. (I don’t know if it actually prevents them, but ever since I started doing that, I haven’t had side effects other than a sore arm.)

My ladder bookshelf arrived this week and I spent Friday evening putting it together. Thankfully, it was SUPER easy and took me under 30 minutes to get it all done. Woohoo! I love it so much and I think it is going to be such a perfect addition to my room.

After putting together my bookshelf, I made a pizza and then watched last Wednesday’s episode of The Amazing Race. An ice cream bar happened, too. 🙂

I was very happy to wake up on Saturday morning feeling like a million bucks. My Tylenol hack worked again! (Maybe.) I read a chapter of the book I’m reading and then started to get ready for a busy Saturday.

A Lucy sighting! My mom and stepdad are going through training with the dogs and they’re working on getting them acclimated to behaving in public. They brought Lucy to Starbucks to work on not barking every time someone walks by. Of course, she had to get a Puppucino for her hard work!

My mom and I took a trip to Target to buy some fun birthday gifts for my cousin’s daughter’s birthday. She’s turning 11 and omg, it was so much fun to shop for a girl! I feel like I’m constantly shopping for boys and it’s just not as fun as finding cute, fun accessories for a girl who is very much a girly-girl. (YES, this is incredibly heteronormative, I know.)

Saturday afternoon was spent at a nearby park to celebrate my cousin’s daughter’s birthday. Thankfully, she had reserved a large shelter because about 10 minutes before the party was about to start, it started pouring down rain and didn’t stop for a good, long while. In Florida, it’s common to have these super-short rainstorms. Just last week, we had one that was literally 3 minutes long! So I was hopeful this would be similar since the forecast wasn’t showing rain at all. Alas, the rain kept coming down and it meant the big bounce house that my cousin ordered became a huge water slide for the kids, which they loved! The party was a good one and my uncle was even able to stop by, which was wonderful. He’s starting to feel a tiny bit better every day, now that he’s a few weeks out from his radiation treatment. Hopefully, he’ll continue to feel good!

I got home around 3:45 and promptly parked myself on the couch. I read a little bit of my book and then took a siesta. I woke up after about an hour to Lila lying near me. She’s not the type of cat that will cuddle next to me when I take a nap on the couch, but she will lie near me and that’s good enough for me.

I was up early Sunday morning because Bri and I had a 9 a.m. recording session for the podcast! This month, we’re recording our final episodes of the year, which is exciting! Today, we recorded our new intro, the trailer for season 7, and the first episode of the season. Bri is also pet-sitting for a friend who has the most snuggly, sweetest greyhound you could ever meet, and I had a nice time snuggling on the couch with him after our recording session.

As always, I spent most of Sunday at my mom’s watching football. I also made a batch of cookies and holding a cookie in my hand was how I got the dogs to pose like this. I’m not always a nice sister. 😉

This picture is solely for Jenny and me. We needed this win. The team had a slow start and Tua made a lot of silly errors, but they got it together and came out with a W. Whew.

I couldn’t leave you guys hanging with how I styled my bookshelf. I’m really happy with the way this turned out. I still need to figure out how to fit in my collection of Anne of Green Gables novels, but this bookshelf is bringing me such great joy every time I look at it. Favorite nonfiction on the second shelf, favorite romance (and my Christina Lauren collection) on the third shelf, and favorite fiction on the fourth shelf.

How was your weekend?