Recurring Series

Looking Forward… the Winter 2017 Edition

I haven’t done one of these posts in nearly two years, but since Lisa and Amber have both done their own versions recently, I thought this would be a fun topic to talk about today. I have to say, 2017 is shaping up to be a fantastic year with all of the fun plans I have on the horizon.

Today, I’m looking forward to Pops coming home, finally.

After five days in the hospital and eleven days in the rehab facility, my Pops should finally come home today. He’s done an amazing job at physical therapy and seems to be back to the grandfather I know and love. I know he’s ready to be home and sleep on a bed that is not a hospital bed! My mom and I spent some time Wednesday night organizing his room so it’s easier to navigate around (he’ll most likely use a walker for the time being). I’m planning on surprising him with chocolate chip cookies to welcome him home. 🙂

This weekend, I’m looking forward to getting my taxes done.

For the first time ever, I’m going to pay someone to file my taxes, rather than doing them myself for free via TurboTax. I am still unsure of how to declare my freelance earnings, so I figure it’s better to be safe than sorry. And, hopefully, this way I can get a better refund than in other years since a professional will be looking over my stuff. Fingers crossed!

This month, I’m looking forward to going mini-golfing with my book club girls.

This year, we’re trying to do fun events for book club, rather than the same ole dinner date. We did Drag Queen Bingo in January and in February, we’re going to have brunch and play mini golf down by the beach. Hooray!

This Spring, I’m looking forward to zip-lining at a nearby adventures course, participating in SportsFest on the beach with coworkers, and taking on NYC with my mom.

It is going to be a busy but fun Spring, most definitely. First, a few girlfriends and I are going to take TreeUmph!, a nearby adventure course, to go zip-lining and do other fun, active things. (I cannot wait!) Then, at the end of April, I signed up to participate in SportsFest with my work. It’s basically a day of team building where a bunch of people participates in all sorts of events, like beach dodgeball and tug-of-war. I’ll be incredibly out of my element, but it’ll be good to shake things up a bit, yeah? Lastly, in May, my mom and I are spending a long weekend in NYC. It’ll be our first time visiting.

This year, I’m looking forward to a trip to Asheville with girlfriends and turning 30.

Later on this year, in early November, I’m going to take a trip to Asheville with some of my favorite ladies. If I can make this trip happen, that means I will have visited two different states in 2017. I haven’t managed to do that in, well, ever.

Also, I’m turning 30 this year. It is still a ways away, so it’s not something I’m even concerned about, but I do wonder how I’ll feel the closer my birthday gets. I want to try to plan some sort of party (silent reading party, anyone?) to celebrate this milestone birthday, but we’ll see what ends up happening. I’ve got plenty of time to decide. 🙂

What are you looking forward to?

Categories: Recurring Series

Five for Friday (v. 54)

1) My grandpa (Pops) had back surgery last week. The surgery went well, and now he’s in a rehab facility to regain his mobility. He’s doing amazing, though it was tough to see him in so much pain in the days following his surgery. (I’m not used to seeing my tough Pops in pain!) I’m trying to visit him as much as possible, and my mom is his main caretaker so I’m also trying to be there for her, too. I like to think I’m doing a small part to give back to him after he spent 8 years helping my grandma through cancer and being the world’s best husband to her.

2) I’ve been feeling overwhelmed lately. I can’t remember the last time I had a plan-free weekend… or spent an entire day solely at home (<- my favorite activity). In general, I’m rushing from place to place every weekend and I’m slowly but surely burning out. I’ve managed to schedule enough downtime so that my introvert battery isn’t completely depleted, but if I don’t get a weekend to myself soon, I’m going to lose it. This weekend was supposed to be my quiet, mostly plan-free weekend, but it soon filled up with time visiting Pops, a hair appointment, freelance work, and going downtown to watch a movie with some coworkers. Oh, well. I’ll get my plan-free weekend sometime soon.

3) My mom and I are planning a trip to visit NYC! We have wanted to go since 2011 when I chose a cruise over a trip to NYC as my college graduation present. (Zero regrets.) We’re going to go the first weekend in May for a few days, so the trip is still a while away, but I’m really looking forward to it. I want to do all of the touristy things, like visit the Statue of Liberty and Central Park and Times Square. We’re going to splurge on Broadway tickets to Wicked and hopefully not get lost using the subway system. I’m simultaneously over-the-moon excited that I’ll finally get to see NYC and out-of-my-mind terrified because ah! Big city! Big cities are scary!

4) Most likely, I’m going to join a gym next month. Ever since I moved, I haven’t been able to get into a good workout routine. My apartment gym is tiny (it has one bike, one elliptical, and one treadmill) and doesn’t open until 6am, so I couldn’t work out in the morning and never seem to make it over there in the evening. For a few weeks, I was doing Couch to 5k, but I don’t like being alone outside in the early morning because it’s so dark and I have to be on the lookout for raccoons raiding the dumpsters around the community. So, I think it’s time to join a gym so I can have a normal workout routine again. I toyed with the idea of OrangeTheory, but it is so expensive (over $100 for their monthly fee, which only includes 8 sessions a month). Luckily, there’s an LA Fitness three miles from my apartment, and I’ll probably join that gym soon. It’s only $30 a month and I’ll get to have group fitness classes like spin and BodyPump back in my life. Hooray!

5) Did you hear the amazing news? Goodreads finally has a rereading feature! I don’t have many complaints about Goodreads (in fact, it may be my favorite form of social media; sorry Instagram), but I continuously wished for a rereading function because I tend to reread a handful of books every year. The problem is that I either couldn’t count it toward my Reading Challenge or I would have to change the date read and just make a note of reading dates. I’m currently rereading a romance novel and my next book is a reread (the last Harry Potter book!), so I will be taking full advantage of this feature this month. YAY!

Have you ever been in NYC? Got any good tips (mostly looking for restaurant ideas – Mom and I are not foodies!)?

Categories: Recurring Series

Currently in January

Loving… my Fitbit! I am finding it easy to hit my 5,000 steps every day and one day this week, I even hit 10,000! (WUT.) My friend and I are doing one of those Workweek Hustle challenges together and it’s been so much fun to challenge each other to get up and go for walks. I’m taking the stairs instead of the elevator, forcing myself to get up and go for a quick loop around the office once an hour (if possible), and going for long walks around my neighborhood frequently. Hooray for Fitbits!

Loathing… what today means for the U.S. I shared on Instagram about my feelings last night and I think that about sums everything up. I’m just so devastated that Obama’s presidency is coming to an end and that we don’t get to witness a historic day of a woman being sworn in. Instead, it’s… him. God help us.

Reading… The Mothers by Brit Bennett. I’m about halfway through the book and I started it Wednesday evening, so that should tell you how much I am enjoying it. The voice is so distinct and the writing is so lovely and the story is so engaging. My plans this evening are to curl up on my couch and finish the novel, which sounds like a pretty fab Friday night if you ask me.

Watching… season six of Gilmore Girls and season five of The Office. I’ve managed to avoid any spoilers about the Gilmore Girls reboot, so hopefully I can keep that up. I am only a few episodes into season six of Gilmore Girls but godddd, I cannot stand Rory right now. I miss seasons 1-4 Rory. She was the best.

Anticipating… having a lot of FOMO about this weekend. A bunch of my girlfriends are leaving on a trip to New Orleans and I’m not going. The timing just didn’t work out for me, since everyone booked when the price was rock-bottom low (under $200 for a round-trip ticket) and I had just moved and didn’t want to put a big purchase on my credit card. And then the price jumped up and never went back down, and I made the hard decision to stay home. I’m bummed and I am feeling lots of FOMO already, but oh well. There will be other trips.

Thinking about… how complaining has become a way for people to bond. I’ve noticed this with some of my relationships and I’m realizing how draining it is to be around people who complain all the time. It’s okay to vent from time to time, but man, it’s wearisome to listen to complaint after complaint after complaint. Being around people like this has made me take a long, hard look at the way I communicate with people and take notice of the ways I am complaining to others.

Feeling… stressed out whenever I log onto social media nowadays. I’ve basically stopped checking Facebook and I only scroll through Twitter a few times a day because the news is never good. Instagram is my jam, mostly because I follow a lot of dog accounts, which never fail to make me smile. (DogsBeingBasic is my lifeline.) I want to stay informed and I want to keep in touch, but it’s just too much for me and I find myself going to a dark place too often when I’m on social media. Maybe I need a little detox for a while.

What are you currently reading and anticipating?

Categories: Recurring Series

Currently in December

Loving… the Christmas season. It feels like it’s been a weird Christmas season for me… maybe because I took a cruise right after Thanksgiving? I didn’t decorate my apartment until 10 days into the month and I didn’t start Christmas shopping until two weekends ago, when I’m usually finished by early December. Whew. Even still, I love this time of year, especially the anticipation of Christmas Day. And I’m also stoked that we basically get an entire weekend of Christmas this year. Yessss!

Loathing… spending money. December is such a darn expensive month, is it not? Between buying gifts and attending parties, money has been flying out of my wallet faster than I like. It makes me all sorts of anxious! Come January, I think I’ll engage in a spending freeze and allow my accounts to recover from the chaos of December.

Reading… If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins. I’m finishing out my year with a slew of romance novels, starting with a fun one by one of my favorite authors. This will be Book #91 for the year, so I guess you could say I had a successful year of reading.

Watching… Christmas movies! I’m trying to watch one Christmas movie every night this week while writing Christmas cards and preparing gift bags for my coworkers. It’s been so perfect!

Anticipating… this weekend! Oh, what a Christmassy weekend it will be. On Friday, I’m decorating Christmas cookies with my mom, my oldest nephew, and my brother. On Saturday, my aunt and uncle are hosting a small get-together at their home for the extended family. And on Sunday, my mom and I will open presents and soak in the family time with my brother and his family.

Thinking about… taking risks and following my heart. I feel like I’ve been content to lead a very small life, and I also think I’ve let my introversion, shyness, and high sensitivity hold me back from truly seeking out adventure and new experiences. I’ve been ruminating on what I want my word for 2017 to be and I think it’s going to be something along the lines of liberate or free. I want to liberate myself from the constrictions I’ve placed on myself.

Feeling… very satisfied with 2016. It was a pretty solid year for me and it’s not one of those years where I feel shame or guilt at everything I didn’t accomplish. I moved into my own apartment, dated and had romance, went on some amazing vacations, and grew in my career. I can enter 2017 with hope, excitement, and grace.

What are you currently loving and loathing?

Categories: Recurring Series

Currently in November

Loving… the fact that today is my last day in the office for 11 days! And that Mom and I start our vacation in two days! Both of us are craving this time away and I’m excited to do a fall cruise for the first time ever. We sail out on Saturday, make stops in Grand Cayman and Jamaica (we’ve planned excursions in both ports!), and return on Thursday. For the first time ever, I’ll be in a completely different country for my birthday, how cool is that? I think that is the perfect way to ring in the last year of my twenties.

Loathing… our president-elect. Duh, right? How any person in America thought he was a better choice for leader of our country over Hillary Clinton is beyond me. And the fact that his Cabinet nominations have all been openly racist, sexist men is just an epitome of what this presidency will be all about. Not to mention, the number of hate crimes that have happened since the election and the fact that Trump’s only response was to say “Stop it” during a nationally televised interview. I’m really worried for America, and I can’t stop thinking about what these next four years might be like.

Reading… 10% Happier by Dan Harris. I’m about halfway through it and I am loving it. I love the way he writes, in such an easy, conversational way, and I love his approach to self-help. He’s such a cynic and that’s exactly what I need. I need someone to ask the questions I’m afraid to ask. A full review to come in my November book report!

Watching… Parks and Rec, if it wasn’t already obvious from my Week in the Life posts. It’s truly the perfect comfort show and just what I need right now.

Anticipating… my fifth Holiday Council. I’m all signed up and ready to go. The first call will take place when I’m on my cruise, but I can’t wait to catch up and start diving into my favorite end-of-year tradition when I get back. I am a huge supporter of Molly’s work, and I love doing the Holiday Council with her every year. It really helps me to make sense of everything that happened over the year and make some intentions for what I want from the upcoming one. If you decide you want to sign up, would you mind using my link? In doing so, I get to put my name in the ring for some goodies from Molly!

Thinking about… how I want to end 2016. I feel like I have this tendency to look back on the year and feel upset over everything I haven’t accomplished: haven’t lost the weight or found love or written the novel. But when I really look back over 2016, I feel good about the things I have accomplished: moving into a place of my own, a substantial raise at my job, growing a freelance side hustle, lots of good adventures. Still, I want to end this year with a bang and the word guiding me through these next five weeks is progress. I want to feel as if I made some progress, even if it’s small, toward my bigger goals. December can be such a crazy month, but it doesn’t mean I can’t make progress on my goals.

Feeling… very loved after my friend, B., treated me to dinner and surprised me with presents as a pre-birthday celebration. We took our time with dinner, catching up and talking about all sorts of subjects, and then the waiter surprised me with a little birthday treat (complete with a lit candle). He also didn’t embarrass me with a happy birthday song, for which I am very grateful. I’m so lucky to have a friend like B.

What are you currently loving, reading, and anticipating?