Recurring Series

Friday Questions (v. 6)

It’s been quite some time since my last Friday Questions post – five months, in fact! So I am overdue in going through some of the terrific questions that Nicole asks her guests on her Real Talk Radio podcast. Below are five more questions, some of which required a lot of thought in coming up with an answer. Enjoy!

1) What’s a habit you’d like to break? What’s a habit you’d like to build?

I’d love to break my habit of needing chocolate after lunch and dinner. It’s not a craving, but an ingrained habit that I have found so hard to give up. My body just… like… expects it, or something. I’d like to save chocolate as something special a few times a week, not something I eat multiple times a day.

As for a habit I want to build, I’d like to work on implementing a skincare regimen on a regular basis. I have all of the products I need: cleanser, toner, moisturizer. Even a Clarisonic! But I struggle to get on a regular habit of morning and nighttime face washing. I use a makeup wipe every night to take off my makeup, but that’s about the extent of my face washing. Every now and then, I’ll get on a kick where I do the morning and nighttime skincare routine for a few days in a row, and then I fall off the wagon. It’s just… a lot of work? And sometimes it doesn’t feel like it’s helping much. (I swear I feel like I break out more when I’m regularly using my Clarisonic than when I’m not.)

2) When you look ahead to the next couple of months, what do you feel most excited about?

Getting a kitten! My goal is to adopt one in either September or October, once my living room is finally all put together. (Hoping to shop some Labor Day sales for my new couch.) I’ve been having a lot of bouts of loneliness lately, the kind of loneliness that comes with being completely alone in an apartment for hours on end. I never felt that way when I had Dutch around because he was my little buddy who kept me company. So, I know it’s time for me to adopt a cat and have a little four-legged friend with me again. I cannot wait to enter the world of being a cat lady! Bring it on.

3) What’s something you do to inspire or encourage yourself when you’re feeling defeated?

It helps to step away from whatever is making me feel defeated. Is it my dating life? Delete the apps. Is it my writing? Work on something else. Is it social media? Take a break. Is it work? Find things outside of work to bring me joy and fulfillment.

I also think actually talking about it and speaking truth to my feelings of defeat helps to lessen its impact. When I’m feeling defeated because my anxiety feels unmanageable, I’ll get on Instagram Stories to say so, and the responses I get always make me feel better. Like I’m not the only person feeling overwhelmed by my own thoughts. Sometimes, talking about my lack of dating prospects or diet struggles with my friends helps me to see that I’m getting too in my head about things and that I am a lovely person whether or not I’m dating or losing weight.

4) What’s something you really love about yourself?

I love how funny I am! I’m the girl who is always making my friends laugh and keeping things light-hearted with jokes and sarcastic comments. I feel like my humor doesn’t really come across in my writing, but basically, all I do with my friends is tell jokes and make them laugh.

5) What’s a time when you quit something and it was absolutely the right decision?

When I decided to change my major from elementary education to communications. I was nearly done with my education degree (just had to do a semester of student teaching), but after failing a student teaching internship, I realized that teaching was not where I was meant to be and I changed my major. It was a hard decision at the time because it meant another 2-3 years of schooling, but it was the right move for me. I was able to graduate with a major that was much more aligned with my skill set and now I have a job that I really love. I don’t think I would have ever been happy as a teacher.

Tell me something you really love about yourself!

Categories: Recurring Series

Currently in July

Loving… my mechanic. I’ve been hearing a funny noise when I’m driving, and it’s been happening for over a month now. I finally had the time to take it to my mechanic to get it looked at, and it was diagnosed with bad wheel bearing. It was just under $300 to get it fixed, which is a hit to my budget, but not an unexpected expense. And now my car doesn’t make a funny noise! What makes this my “love” for July is just having a trustworthy mechanic who doesn’t upcharge me. When my mechanic told me it was probably a bad wheel bearing that was causing the noise, but he needed to look at it more closely to diagnose it, I did some Googling and was dismayed to find out the cost would be anywhere from $350-$500. (Double that if it was both front and rear wheel bearings that were bad.) I wasn’t sure if I wanted to put $1,000 in repairs into my car. Thankfully, it was only my rear wheel bearing that was shot and he charged me nearly $100 less than what my research told me. Having a good, honest mechanic is something I’ll never take for granted. (Also, funny story, I told my mechanic that my car had over 110,000 miles on it and he scoffed at that number. “Mine has 245,000.” I’d love for my car to last me another 100,000+ miles! Who knows!)

Loathing… buyer’s remorse. Ugh, it’s the worst. Here’s the story: I’ve had a $10 credit on ThredUp for years after sending in a bag of clothes and I finally decided to cash it in. (For those not aware, ThredUp is an online consignment shop, filled with gently used and like-new clothes, usually from top brands.) I spent $50 and got four shirts and two cardigans, which is a pretty darn good deal considering some of those shirts were from stores like Banana Republic and Loft. And yet… I’m not overly thrilled with my purchases. Not everything fits me like I want it to, which is the main reason I don’t love online shopping. I need to try things on! I could return some of the items (some of it was final sale), and I probably will, but I’m annoyed that ThredUp charges a $9 processing fee for refunds. However, I have wanted to see how the ThredUp buying/returning process worked to see if they were a viable option for finding new clothes and now I can see it’s not worth the hassle. Ya win some, ya lose some.

Watching… Friends. Can’t stop, won’t stop. I’m nearly finished with season three. I’ve put Mad Men on a complete halt while I rewatch Friends. I need the hilarity of this show in my life right now. I’m definitely planning to go back to Mad Men in the future because I do enjoy that show, but it’s a much different viewing experience and requires more of my attention. Friends is such a feel-good, comfort show and I’m leaning into that right now.

Listening to… Hysteria, which is the newest Crooked Media podcast. It’s a female-centric podcast, hosted by Erin Ryan. Every week, she and a group of women talk about stories that affect women’s lives through the lens of politics and culture. I’ve listened to the first three episodes so far and have loved every single one. It’s the kind of podcast that brings me a lot of hope, even in the midst of frustrating news.

Anticipating… my upcoming vision appointment. Am I the only one who actually looks forward to seeing the eye doctor? I love getting my eyes checked! It’s fun to play the “1 or 2” game and find out how my vision has changed from year to year. I’m planning on getting new glasses (somehow, it’s been five years since I got a new pair of glasses, oops) as well as finally purchasing prescription sunglasses. Can you believe I’ve never had prescription sunglasses? One of the main reasons I wear contacts is that I need to wear sunglasses whenever I’m outside (my eyes are super sensitive to light). While I don’t think I’ll ever give up contacts entirely, it’ll be nice to have a choice if I want to wear them or not.

Grateful for… a three-paycheck month and extra income. There are few things more exciting to me than when that three-paycheck month rolls around. And with some extra income coming in through freelance writing, it means I’ll really be able to attack my credit card in August. If I can manage to cut my balance in half, I’ll be one happy camper.

Needing… to make a decision about my gym membership. I’m basically paying my gym $35 a month and not getting anything out of it. I haven’t been in months. I want to keep my gym membership because I like having access to spin classes, but it’s been really hard to motivate myself to attend. Thankfully, they just switched instructors for the Monday and Wednesday morning classes (the instructor they had before was pretty awful and I never felt like I got a good workout when she taught), so I might try to make it to one of those classes to see how I like the new instructor. I know I feel better when I’m consistent with spin classes, but if this new instructor is no good, I might have to cancel my gym membership and figure something else out.

What are you currently loving, loathing, and watching?

Categories: Recurring Series

Currently in June

Loving… melatonin. I started having insomnia early in June, around the time I was experiencing a particularly brutal depressive episode. Sleep usually comes easily for me, so this insomnia was a very unpleasant visitor! I decided to take matters into my own hands and picked up a bottle of melatonin at the grocery store. I take a 3mg dose and it works wonders for me. I fall asleep easily, stay asleep, and wake up feeling good. God bless you, melatonin.

Loathing… the news, so I’m not paying attention to it right now. Can I do that because I’m in a privileged position? Yup. But the news has been so depressing and so heartbreaking lately that I had to protect my mental health. So, I decided to take a month off. A month off from episodes of Pod Save America, a month off from the news-y email newsletters I get, a month off from constantly reading the news and getting defeated. I had to, or I was going to go crazy. It’s too much for me right now. This administration is sickening. And I needed to step away. I am so glad I did.

Watching… Big Brother! The summer is upon us, friends, and with that comes the only show I watch in real-time. Big Brother is completely ridiculous and I recognize that, but I just can’t quit it. I love that it’s on three days a week and that I can get completely consumed by the people and the backstabbing and the competitions. Bring it on!

Listening to… Jen Gotch is OK Sometimes. I’ve been following Jen Gotch for a while, and I love how open and honest she is about her mental illness. I mean, I started following her the day she was filming herself through a panic attack at an airport! There was something refreshing about it. Not too many people are taking you on the day-to-day journey of what it’s like to struggle with mental illness. So, of course, once Jen said she was starting a podcast, I immediately subscribed. I am really, really loving it. It’s not a polished, perfect thing, but that’s the beauty in it. It’s real. It’s honest. It’s a must-listen for anyone who struggles with mental illness, or for people who want to better understand mental illness.

Anticipating… a weekend trip to Anna Maria Island. I’m taking the trip with my girlfriends, and we rented a house right by the beach. It’ll be a fun, relaxing weekend full of books, silly games, inside jokes, and plenty of naps. 🙂 We know how to travel well together.

Grateful for… a new freelancing assignment. Woo, boy, did it come at the right time. I’ve been a little stressy about money lately because I’ve had several expensive car repairs and have to come up with money for my upcoming vacation ($200 for the rental house, and who knows how much for food and activities). Argh! It feels like I can never get ahead with my finances, sometimes. Thankfully, my car will be paid off next month and that will free up over $200 in my budget. Thank the Lord.

Needing… to make another appointment to get my vehicle inspected. The service center I took it to last week told me my car was fine and no repairs or replacements were necessary. And I find that really hard to believe, especially with the way it’s been driving lately. Honestly, I think they only checked the battery, brakes, and tires – all of which have been replaced within the last six months. I wish I would have clarified with the service center but hello, social anxiety. I couldn’t get the words out. Sigh. I think I need to get a second opinion about the car, and I’m going to take her to a local mechanic to get a real inspection and make sure I clarify what parts of my car I want inspected (i.e., the belts, the fluids, spark plugs, etc.) Also, I realize what a boring paragraph this is. You’re welcome?

What are you currently watching and anticipating?

Categories: Recurring Series

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

Sometime this week, when I was scheduling a post for this blog, I came across an old feature of mine: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow. The last time I posted one of these was in 2015, so I figured today was as good as any to bring this back into the rotation!

Yesterday, I…

Woke up early to work out, which was a great way to start my day. I haven’t been to the gym in a long time. Instead, I’ve been doing a short 30-minute walk around my apartment and then some strength-training exercises. I’m definitely contemplating canceling my gym membership because I really only use it for spin classes, but only two classes work with my schedule and if I don’t remember to sign up the minute signups become available, I’m SOL. They’re at popular times (Friday morning and Saturday morning) and have only 20 bikes available, so it’s hard to get in!
Worked from home, which meant I got to have some quality time with my fur-brother, Chip. He keeps me on my toes, but man if he doesn’t put me in the best mood. He’s just so sweet and fun!
Had dinner with my mom! We went to a yummy Italian restaurant and I filled up on bread and salad, oops. Just means I have leftovers for dinner tonight!

Today, I…

Was not planning on having a bagel (my work generously gets bagels for everyone on Fridays), but alas, I don’t think I can abstain. I need those carbs!
Have an appointment at a service center to get my car looked at. I haven’t had any sort of multi-point inspection in probably 30,000 miles, which is not a good thing considering my car’s an old lady that just hit 110,000 miles. I am just crossing my fingers and toes she’s not in need of any costly repairs!
Will probably take a nap, depending on how long my car takes to be inspected. I am probably not going to schedule any repair work today, so hopefully, it won’t take up too much of my afternoon. I need my Friday afternoon nap!

Tomorrow, I…

Have a hair appointment! It won’t be anything fancy, just going to get the color touched up and a trim. So boring, when I compare it to my last two hair appointments where I chopped off all my hair and went blonde, and then went back to brown.
Am going to get a pedicure with my mom! She’s treating me to the pedicure, as part of thanking me for watching Chip while she was on vacation, so I’m thrilled about that. What a day of pampering I have ahead of me! (Man, should I schedule a massage for the morning!? Ha.)
Will get to see my brother and older nephew for game night! It’s been a fairly long time since I’ve seen either of them, and we are more than overdue for a game night. Let’s hope it doesn’t end in tears like it did the last time all four of us got together. Whew. Emotions are high when you’re nine! (Or 30. Let’s be real here. Emotions are always high for me, ha.)

Tell me something you did yesterday, did today, and are doing tomorrow!

Categories: Recurring Series

Currently in May

Loving… my fur-brother. Oh, you guys. He is so sweet and cute and funny and fun. He’s tiny – only 3 lbs – but he has so much sassiness in that little body of his. I’ve been trying to visit my mom as much as possible so that I can snuggle and play with him, and she brought him over on my last two work-from-home days so that I could puppy-sit him. Having a sleeping sausage curled next to me while I work is the best feeling ever. I missed it so much!

Loathing… sinus infections. I started feeling crummy over the weekend, waking up on Saturday to nasal congestion and lots of sneezing. I just got over being ill (I was sick the week after my cruise), so I was not too pleased with my body. This time around, though, it was obvious this wasn’t my typical cold because I was having a lot of sinus pressure and dealing with a low-grade fever. To the doctor I went, where she diagnosed me with a sinus infection and prescribed an antibiotic.

Watching… Scandal! I wasn’t able to keep up with the show after the winter finale, so I’ve been waiting for it to come available on Netflix. Scandal is seriously the perfect show to binge-watch, so I can’t help but watch multiple episodes a night (which is so unlike me – it took me three months to watch one season of Mad Men, ha). It’s amazing, though, to think about how ridiculous Scandal’s plotlines used to be… and now it feels like every new thing that happens in politics today is ripped from a Scandal script. Sigh.

Listening to… When in Romance. This is a new-ish podcast from Book Riot, featuring two of their contributors who are mega-fans of the romance genre. Every other week, they talk about news from romance-landia as well as make romance recommendations. It’s really fun but has made my romance TBR explode, ahh. Anyway, give it a listen if you love podcasts and the romance genre.

Anticipating… a three-day weekend. I’m not even planning on doing anything for Memorial Day, but I’m just excited to relax and enjoy a day off work. There’s something so indulgent about not working on a Monday, isn’t there?

Grateful for… helpful doctors. After feeling so crummy over the weekend, I scheduled an appointment at my primary care facility for Monday where I was given such amazing care. My regular doctor wasn’t able to see me, so I saw a different doctor and she was just so darn nice! She asked a ton of questions and really took her time with me – she didn’t just push an antibiotic on me immediately. When you’re feeling crummy, kindness from the medical staff feels extra nice, so I was happy to have such a positive experience with this facility.

Needing… to get back into my healthy living game. Man, it has been so hard to get back into it after my cruise because I’ve been sick for the majority of May and then the weeks when I haven’t been sick have been so busy that healthy living takes a backseat. It’s been very frustrating, but I’m also trying to not beat myself up about it too much. After all, my self-worth does not lie with the scale. And being kind to myself is always going to motivate me more than berating myself.

What are you currently loving, loathing, and grateful for?