Recurring Series

Currently in October

Loving… cooler weather! It’s been in the upper 60s in the morning and evenings and low 80s during the day. I am loving it! Hello, Florida Fall. We’ve been waiting for you.

Loathing… the fact that my old apartment complex is charging me for a carpet replacement. It’s a $400 charge and I’m just rather annoyed about it. I thought that’s what my pet deposit was for, but apparently, what I paid was a pet fee, not a deposit. A fee is simply the price to keep a dog in the apartment, a deposit goes toward damages. Isn’t that absurd? I’ve never, ever had to pay for pet damages in an apartment, so I’m quite peeved and really happy to tell everyone I know to never, ever rent from this complex.

Reading… The Ramblers by Aidan Donnelley Rowley. I’m reviewing it for TLC Book Tours and I have about 50 pages left. It’s really, really good and I’m just in love with the way the author writes.

Watching… season five of Gilmore Girls! I have heard that it’s the last great season of the show, so I’m a little nervous about what seasons six and seven hold. I don’t think I’ll finish the series before the four-episode special comes out, but it’ll be better, I think, because I can finish season seven and jump right into the special! I’m also re-watching The Office, and it’s just as fantastic as I remember it.

Anticipating… two date nights with my lady friends. Tonight, I’m going to see Girl On the Train with a group of ~~coworkers~~ friends and then tomorrow, I’m meeting up with Former Roomie, Bri, for a night of mini-golf and dinner. I am stoked for these next two nights of good, old-fashioned girl time. My soul needs it!

Thinking about… switching back to glasses after a few years of contacts. I love wearing contacts, but I keep having eye irritation as a result of wearing them. I get the irritation right after I put in a new pair (something about the solution the contact lens comes soaked in must not react well to my eyes…), so it’s not from improper contact usage. The irritation is really quite painful, and I’m thinking about giving my eyes a break from contacts for a while.

Needing… an actual weekend with zero plans. Lately, my weekends have been jam-packed and full of things to do, people to see. It’s a little overwhelming for this introvert! I try to keep my weekend plans to a minimum because I really enjoy lazy, low-key weekends at home. Hopefully, I can carve out time for a planless weekend soon!

What are you currently loathing, reading, and anticipating?

Categories: Recurring Series

Currently in August

Loving… the packing process. I don’t love a lot of parts about moving, but I do love to pack. Is that weird? I just find something soothing about packing up my life. I can carefully categorize everything and sort my things into their proper boxes. I can toss things I haven’t used since I moved in and make sure what I am bringing to my new home are things I use and love. My big plan this weekend is to pack, pack, pack and I am really looking forward to it. Now, who wants to hire me to pack up their life? I’m game!

Loathing… spending money. I knew I would have to spend a good chunk of money on necessities for my new place. When I moved in with Roomie, she brought everything and I… brought my bed, my dresser, and my TV. Oh, and a blender. So, I made a list of the things I absolutely, no-bones-about-it needed the minute I moved into my new place. Things like plates and bowls and silverware. And mixing bowls and measuring cups and pots and pans. I took trips to IKEA, T.J. Maxx, and Target this past weekend and spent a ton of money, and it hurt. Even though everything I bought was something I needed, there’s just something I hate about spending money. It just annoys me. Ah, well. It can’t be helped!

Reading… Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I’m finally on book five! Hooray! Book five is probably my least favorite in the series, mostly due to Dolores Umbridge. God, she is the worst, isn’t she?

Watching… very little TV lately. Maybe I’m preparing myself for life without cable, haha! I’m only watching Big Brother and MasterChef right now. Of course, I was all about the Olympics (mostly the gymnastics and the swimming) when it was on, so I guess I’m just being selective about what I’m watching. My nights have been spent doing work and my weekends have been jam-packed, so there hasn’t been a ton of lounging around lately!

Anticipating… my first *actual* fantasy football draft! I’ve played fantasy football for a few years, but only with my brother so it’s not real fantasy football. I’m playing with 13 other coworkers and I’m only one of three females, so I have to represent! This afternoon is our draft party, and I’ve been studying up as much as I can so I can dominate this draft. Wish me luck!

Thinking about… my upcoming social media and blogging break. I am ready for it, but also worried. Social media and blogging can be such a great distraction for me, and I may need the distraction with my transition from living with a roommate in Tampa to living alone in St. Pete. But it will also be good for me to sit with my thoughts and feelings, even when they’re uncomfortable. (But don’t fault me if I pop in once or twice with a blog post. Writing is my therapy!)

Needing… some extra hours in the day. I wish I was one of those people who could survive on very little sleep. It would help me to get more done! I guess I just need to hone my time management skills.

What are you currently loving, loathing, and anticipating?

Categories: Recurring Series

Never Have I Ever…

This week, Kara wrote a post on her “Never Have I Ever”‘s and I loved reading it, so I thought I’d write my own post. (I actually found an old “Never Have I Ever” post I completed way back in November of 2011. It was fun to look back and see what’s changed!) Let’s get this started, shall we?

Never have I ever… flown internationally. And I really haven’t flown a lot domestically. I don’t do a lot of flying, honestly. If I’m going to travel, my favorite way to do that is by cruise ship. And flying internationally terrifies me, so I’m not sure if I’ll ever get around to it. I hope I will. I hope I won’t let my anxiety keep me from seeing other parts of the world. Who knows what the future holds, right?

Never have I ever… gone to a bachelorette party. This is just one of those rites of passage that I’ve never gotten to do! From what I see, I don’t feel like I’m missing out because I think I’d be really uncomfortable in that kind of setting. And don’t even get me started on bachelorette weekends. That sounds so exhausting! God, all of this makes me sound so lame. Let’s move on.

Never have I ever… watched Game of Thrones. My friends tell me it’s an outstanding show, but I just haven’t been inclined to give it a try. I’m really not one for heavy dramas, anyway. Give me a stupid reality TV show or silly sitcom any day!

Never have I ever… gotten a facial. But, man, do I want one! It’s just one of those splurges I’ve never allowed myself, even though my face could use a good scrubbing.

Never have I ever… gotten a spray tan. I don’t understand the purpose, other than aesthetics. But just… why? Why do we think tanned skin is more beautiful than pale skin? Then again, I do spend a ton of money to get my hair colored and I paint my toenails, so who am I to talk? Beauty standards are crazy.

Never have I ever… traveled solo. It’s on my bucket list, though. One day!

Never have I ever… gone to a professional basketball game. I’ve gone to pro football, baseball, and hockey games, but never a basketball game. I like to watch basketball from time to time and I ever cheered for the sport in high school (how’s that for a random fact?!), but since we don’t have a pro team in Tampa, I don’t follow basketball too closely.

Never have I ever… used a moving company. I have moved a lot in my lifetime. I think this upcoming move will be my 16th? Somewhere around there. But in all those moves, I’ve never used a moving company because I’ve always relied on family (and I’ve always moved locally). I’m really glad I can count on my brother to help with my moves because, even though hiring movers would make a move less physically demanding, it’s an expense I don’t have to worry about!

What’s something on your “Never Have I Ever…” list?

Categories: Recurring Series

Currently in July

Loving… generosity (and saving money). Last night, I picked up a TV stand and TV from a coworker who is moving. Since these were two items I will need soon for my new apartment, I was more than happy to take these items off her hands! I also came home with a bag full of clothes last weekend, after spending time with my mom. She was getting rid of some of her clothes, and since we’re the same size, she let me take a peek and see if there was anything I wanted. It’s like getting an entirely new wardrobe since everything I wore to work this week was from her closet! Thanks, Mom!

Loathing… summer. I want to love summer, I really do, but it’s so damn hot and humid. I start sweating within a few minutes of being outside, and I just want to spend as little time as possible outside. But also, the sunshine feels good on my skin and I love being outside on a beautiful day. So it’s truly a lose-lose situation.

Reading… Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire! This is my favorite book of the series, and I feel so happy rereading it. I can’t wait to watch the movie when I finish it!

Watching… Master of None. I started this show a few weeks ago and have been watching episodes here and there. It’s really, really good. The acting can be hit or miss, but I kinda like it. It feels more real and true to life. And I like that it touches on social issues in a heartwarming way.

Anticipating… my birthday cruise… which is still 19 weeks away (but who’s counting). I am so excited to get away for a week, but it’s so far away! I definitely need to plan for a little staycation between now and then because I haven’t taken any time off since my short weekend cruise in March. I am well overdue!

Thinking about… how precious life is. This past week, at the bike trail right next to my work, an early-morning biker ran into a downed live power line and died. This person was just out for a morning bike ride, getting exercise, and tragedy happens. It’s so terrifying. Life is so fragile, so precious. We only get this one life to live, this one chance here on earth. It’s scary how quickly, how tragically, a life can end. A person who had a beating heart and a family and a life and dreams and hopes and goals… just gone. Forever. The finality of death takes my breath away.

Needing… a quiet weekend. This weekend will be semi-quiet. I have a few plans, but it will mostly be a weekend for rest and catching up on life. I’m hoping next weekend will be even quieter, though. Is there anything better than a lazy, do-nothing weekend? This highly sensitive introvert says no!

What are you currently loving and loathing?

Categories: Recurring Series

Five For Friday | Around the Web

Happy Friday, friends! For many of us, this is a long weekend and I couldn’t be more excited about that. I don’t have too many plans, so I’m going to take the time to rest, read, and write. I’m very much looking forward to a slow, quiet holiday weekend!

For today’s Five For Friday post, I wanted to share some links I’ve been collecting over the past few weeks. I don’t really do link round-up posts, but sometimes, I read something that really speaks to me and I want to share it with everyone I know. Enjoy!

1) Where the Five-Day Workweek Came From by The Atlantic

What I loved most about this article was that it began by talking about how we began to separate our time into weeks and weekends. (The earliest recorded mention of weekend was in 1879!) It delves into the formation of workweeks (because it wasn’t always five days long) and even some predictions about future workweeks, like when a Senate subcommittee anticipated that we’d be working 14-hour workweeks by the year 2000. It finishes up by talking about our workweeks presently and how far we have to go to change our workweek structure. It was truly an interesting read!

There’s reason to believe that a seven-day week with a two-day weekend is an inefficient technology: A growing body of research and corporate case studies suggests that a transition to a shorter workweek would lead to increased productivity, improved health, and higher employee-retention rates.

2) When You Feel Worthy of Being Seen, It Shows by The Middle Finger Project

I have a massive crush on Ash Ambirge. She’s freaking badass and the way she writes draws me in immediately, even if the topic isn’t something that applies to my life at that moment. So, I adore her and I adore this recent blog post a lot. Mostly because I sometimes have trouble believing that I deserve to take up space as much as, say, someone like Ash. But I do. And you do. Read this post if you need the reminder.

They don’t withdraw—they own the space they’re in. They believe they deserve that space. They believe that they’re worth the gaze of another person’s eyes; worth being heard by another person’s ear; worth being admired by another person’s ego. They believe they’re worth being seen.

3) 102 Ways to Not Let Irrational Fears Ruin Your F**king Life by Brianna Wiest for Thought Catalog

I’ll admit I’m still not through all of the lessons in this article because I’m taking my time to slowly read through them. I shared the post after reading the first 15 lessons because they spoke to me so much and I found so much truth in Brianna Wiest’s words. If you struggle with anxiety, worry, and fear, this article will help ease some of that.

Practice radical acceptance. Learn to tell the parts of your story you’d rather shove under the rug. You’re allowed to say: “I don’t love my body. I feel a little stuck right now. I am not happy in my relationship. I am in debt” without it being a condemning statement.

4) Should I Marry Him? by Allison Fallon

Allison Fallon is a new addition to my feed and I can’t even remember how I found out about her blog. Maybe a share on Twitter? Well, however I ended up finding her, I am so glad I did because her blog is a gem. Her writing style soothes me and I always come away with some new perspective after reading a post from her. This post is about dating and more than once, I found myself stopping on a sentence or a phrase to reflect on her words. Read this if you’re single, or pass it on if you know someone who is single. Her words speak so much truth.

If I could give you one piece of advice, it would be this: spend less time trying to figure out how to dress, how to act, how not to act, when to text, when not to text, who should pay, etc. and more time asking one question: How do I feel about myself when I am in this person’s presence?

5) The “Other Side” is Not Dumb by Sean Blanda on Medium

This was a super interesting article that made the rounds on Facebook yesterday. In it, Blanda makes the case for how social media can seriously warp our idea of “sides.” There’s the sane side (you know, the side that is in favor of stricter gun control laws, that thinks Donald Trump as president would be terrifying, etc.) and then there’s the… other side. The side that is clearly less intelligent than us, less sane. I’m not sure if I agree with all of the points he made, but after reading this article, I want to take more time to listen to everyone’s thoughts and opinions, even when it makes me uncomfortable.

Over time, this morphs into a subconscious belief that we and our friends are the sane ones and that there’s a crazy “Other Side” that must be laughed at — an Other Side that just doesn’t “get it,” and is clearly not as intelligent as “us.” But this holier-than-thou social media behavior is counterproductive, it’s self-aggrandizement at the cost of actual nuanced discourse and if we want to consider online discourse productive, we need to move past this.