Stephany Writes

Categories: Recurring Series

Currently in April

Loving… my fun beach day at Egmont Key! For someone who lives near so many beaches, it is very rare for me to actually visit them. I find the beach to be a bit unpleasant what with the parking and the people and the sand and the lugging of all the beach necessities. But Bri and I wanted to visit Egmont Key because we learned that it is home to the spookiest area of Florida. We took a ferry to the island where we spent an hour roaming around—Egmont Key used to be a fort used to protect Tampa Bay during the Spanish-American War. It was also a place where the Tocobaga tribe lived until it was taken over by the Spanish. Egmont Key was also used by soldiers and their families during the Spanish-American War and at one time had 300 residents! During our roaming, we saw some ruins and also toured a few of the old batteries (aka, where they would shoot off cannons) that were still standing today. Of course, the main reason people come to Egmont Key is to relax and we for sure made time for that. We had two hours to relax on the beach and enjoy the ocean before we had to get back on the ferry. All in all, it was such a lovely day! (And that post-adventure nap was amazing.) I’ll sprinkle some pictures from the day into this post!

Loathing… feeling out of shape. I know, I know. I’m working on this! Yesterday during our adventure, just walking through sand caused my heart rate to spike into the 160s. Like I was doing a super-intense HIIT workout or something! It’s a reminder that I have lost a lot of my fitness over the past few years, and I know I’m doing exactly what I need to do to get it to a better place. But it’s still hard to realize how far I have to go.

Reading… The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley. I am usually pretty good about reading our book club book early in the month, but since we had to move our April book club to the first Friday of May due to scheduling issues, I put off reading the book until I realized late last week that I still hadn’t gotten it from the library. Oops! I quickly ordered it and picked it up on Saturday, and now have just under a week to finish it. It will be a quick read so that shouldn’t be a problem, but I’m usually better than this!

Watching… Mr. and Mrs. Smith, still. Why is it taking me so long to watch this show? It only has eight episodes and every time I sit down to watch one, I’m immediately drawn in! It’s not the fault of the show. Maybe my attention span for watching anything that’s not a 30-minute sitcom or a reality TV show is just trash now. IDK.

Listening to… “Cowboy Carter” by Beyonce. This was my album for April, and I thought it was pretty good. I’ve never actually listened to Beyonce, but wanted to give this album a shot. I have a few faves from the album but the majority of it was a miss for me. (Sorry!) I liked Texas Hold ‘Em, 16 Carriages, Daughter, and Ya Ya the most.

Anticipating… all my fun summer travel plans. Next month, I’m going to New Orleans for a few days. In June, I’m going to Chicago (where I’ll get to meet Kim’s cats, squeeeee). And I’m hoping to also do a long weekend in Deerfield Beach. Let’s go, summertime!

Thinking about… getting bangs. I have been thinking about this for quite a while now. I had bangs for a long time but grew them out during the pandemic. And now I think I want to bring them back to add a little softness to my face. Then again, I do enjoy how much easier life is without bangs. Bangs are a lot of work. There’s the upkeep (I learned how to cut my own bangs when I had them, so I’m not too worried about that), and then there’s just the knowledge that it’s a separate part of my hair I’ll have to deal with every morning. But I think the bangs are happening! My hair appointment is next Friday so stay tuned.

Buying… a breakfast sandwich maker! I was talking to my dietician a few appointments ago about my penchant for sausage egg McMuffins from McDonalds and we were working through all the steps required to make a breakfast sandwich at home… and that’s when I remembered the genius of a breakfast sandwich maker! The story behind this particular one starts years and years ago when Bri and I were working at the same company, and she was gifted this breakfast sandwich maker in a White Elephant gift exchange. She loved it so much that she bought a second one for the office! It makes it so easy to make a delicious breakfast sandwich in the morning, and I have very much been enjoying my new gadget.

Grateful… to myself for pushing to have a sleep study done. I had to ask for this sleep study and, at first, my doctor seemed a little apprehensive about putting in the order. I don’t think it came from a bad place; I think she knew that most health insurances needed a stronger reason to approve a sleep study other than snoring. So she asked me a lot of questions about why I wanted it done, and it made me start to question if I even needed it. But my thought was to get the sleep study done and see what the results were. Hopefully, they would come back negative for sleep apnea. Of course, we know now that’s not what happened. I was diagnosed with a severe case of sleep apnea, and it made me even more grateful to myself for pushing for this sleep study. You really do have to be your own advocate sometimes!

What are you currently watching and anticipating? 

Categories: Recurring Series

Five for Friday (v. 102)

1) Bad news first

On Wednesday, my doctor’s office called me with the bad news: I have severe obstructive sleep apnea. This means that I’m having more than 30 apneas/hypopneas per hour while I’m sleeping. (Apneas are episodes where I stop breathing; hypopneas are episodes when I have shallow breathing due to partially blocked airways). I’ve been trying to process this news this week because while I was fairly confident I’d receive a sleep apnea diagnosis, I did not realize that my condition was this bad. It puts a lot of things into perspective, including why I’m so tired all the time. I’m not just a lazy person! It’s because I’m barely getting the good deep sleep I need and I’m not delivering enough oxygen to my cells and through my bloodstream!

The next step for me is to do a CPAP titration sleep study, which will take place in a sleep lab. (Ugh.) I need to do this study to get properly fitted for a CPAP machine and make sure it’s delivering the desired airflow I need to not have these apneas/hypopneas throughout the night. And then I’ll start my new life of sleeping with a CPAP machine. I know it will take some getting used to, but I’m also looking forward to seeing how this improves my quality of life. Will I finally understand what it means to be well-rested? Will I not need to take a nap almost every day to keep going? Stay tuned!

2) Weight loss

It is time to think about weight loss. First, there are the concerning bloodwork numbers: high cholesterol, high glucose, high A1C. Then, there’s this sleep apnea diagnosis. Now, I know that sleep apnea can be caused by a lot of factors, not solely weight, but I have a strong suspicion that my weight is causing it for me. If I can reverse the condition by losing weight, I want to at least try. If I was healthy at the weight I am at today, then I’d continue doing what I’ve been doing. But the truth is that I am not and I need to figure out what a healthy weight is for me. I am nervous about making this statement, and super nervous about figuring out how I’m going to actually lose weight, because I am still firmly anti-diet culture. I am not joining WW or Noom or any of those programs. I’ve already talked to my dietician about this diagnosis and we have an appointment next week to discuss what to do next. All I know is that I want to figure out a way to lose weight in a healthy way, in a way that doesn’t feel like deprivation, and in a way that leads me to living the healthier lifestyle I need to not have dozens of health problems down the road.

3) Eloise is 6!

Let’s move on to better subjects: Eloise’s birthday! She turned 6 years old on Wednesday, which I’ve learned means she turned the big 4-0 in human years. I didn’t do anything wild and crazy for her birthday because, well, she had no idea it wasn’t just a normal day in her world. I gave her lots of love and sang Happy Birthday to her throughout the day, and she got to have a full Meaty Stick as a special treat (I usually break them in half and give one to each cat; yes, Lila also got a full Meaty Stick, I’m not a monster). I haven’t figured out exactly what I want to buy her for her birthday, but I’m taking a trip to PetSmart this weekend so hopefully I will be inspired.

I’ve written many posts about these cats of mine, but let’s talk about Ellie for a second. Also known as Ellie-Bellie or just Bellie, she is my soul-cat. I feel connected to her on a deep, personal level. When I had to evacuate to Fort Lauderdale during a hurricane in 2022, I lost Ellie for a few hours. We had just gotten to an Airbnb with me, the cats, my mom, my stepdad, and the dogs, and I had closed the girls up in the bedroom I was staying in. When I went back into that bedroom to check on them, I was able to see Lila hiding under the bedside table, but Ellie was nowhere to be found. I searched everywhere for her in that room and throughout the house. My mom and I even went outside to look for her, calling her name. I was in panic mode and so frustrated with myself for losing her. I couldn’t eat dinner, couldn’t read, couldn’t do anything but think about Ellie being outside in the rain and scared. I felt like the worst cat mom ever! I went back to my bedroom and was just laying on the bed, contemplating life without Eloise (I’m super dramatic, yes)… and then who prances her little tuxedo self from behind Lila and meowing at me, like, “Oh, were you looking for me? My b!” Yes, this means Lila hid a full-sized cat with her body. I really thought I had looked under the bedside table, but I guess she got lost in the shadows. I was so grateful she was safe and here and warm and I could give her all the kisses I wanted. Every time I think about that night and how scared I was when I thought I had lost her, it reminds me how damn much this sassy, silly cat means to me.

4) TTPD

Should we talk about The Tortured Poet’s Department? Yes, we should. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this album, and I was very overwhelmed when I realized there were THIRTY-ONE songs to listen to. (How does she find the time?!) During my first listen, I was not sure if this was going to be the album for me. It’s very depressing at times, all about the ins and outs of heartbreak, of being a public figure, of having to put on a brave face in the midst of hard things happening. It made me feel really sad for Taylor! But during my second listen, I was suddenly hooked. This is generally how it goes for me with Taylor, though. I need at least two or three listens to get a feel for the album. I have a lot of skips on this album, but that’s to be expected with so many songs! It’s hard to name my favorites but I’ll try:

  • My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys
  • Down Bad
  • So Long, London
  • Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?
  • I Can Do It With a Broken Heart
  • So High School

5) Weekend plans

I have a really fun weekend ahead of me! I don’t have anything going on tonight, which is good because I need to build up the battery reserves for Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, I have a writing date with Mikaela in the morning, a podcast recording date with Bri in the afternoon, and then game night with the fam in the evening. I’m also going to try to slip in some shopping with my mom between podcasting and game night. And on Sunday, Bri and I have an adventure day planned! We’re going to spend the day at Egmont Key State Park, exploring the ruins and lighthouse and then relaxing on the beach. I can’t wait!

Your thoughts on TTPD? What are your weekend plans?

Categories: Recurring Series

TGIF (v. 61)

The high of my week was my weekly HIIT class! My mom and I started going to a Wednesday evening HIIT class three weeks ago. The first time we went was a shock to our system because it was so tough, but we also loved how hard it was and we really, really loved the instructor. He’s funny and helpful and helps us find ways to modify some of the exercises because we definitely need some of them scaled down a bit for our fitness level. There are 8 stations and you run through the exercises at each station three times with a break in between each round. My goal for Wednesday’s class was to get through the first round without stopping, which I was able to do! This is a massive win for me, as some of those exercises are brutal (especially anything involving cardio, oof). It’ll be fun to see our progress as our fitness levels increase and we can do more of the circuits without needing modifications!

The low of my week was my terrible night of sleep due to my sleep study. I am planning on writing a post about the at-home sleep study I did this week (if you have any questions for me about it, let me know!), but let me tell you, I’m a little worried that they won’t have enough sleep data and I’ll have to do it again because I slept terribly. (I had to wear a nasal cannula, a sensor strapped around my chest, and a pulse ox on my finger, which obviously made sleeping really awkward.) I don’t even know if I logged 6 proper hours of sleep (which is the minimum amount of sleep needed for the data).

One nagging task I marked off my to-do list was filling in the first section of the “I’m Dead, Now What?” workbook. It was an easy section – just filling out personal information like my name, where I was born, my family, etc. However, I realized two things after filling it out: 1) I have no idea where my social security card is and 2) I need to create a living will. What else will I learn I need to do to get my affairs in order as I go through this workbook? Stay tuned!

I’m currently reading two books. I’m reading The Comeback by Lily Chu and loving it. It’s so cute! And on audio, I’m listening to The Longest Race by Kara Goucher, which is also excellent. It’s been a good week of reading, for sure.

A blog post I loved was Day in the Life on Kyria’s blog. She’s currently on a massive adventure—she quit her job, sold her home, and is currently biking around the U.S. and Canada! So she took us along on one of those days in her life, and it was fascinating!

The best money I spent was $2.50 on a bottle of water at the gym after leaving my water bottle at home. I was halfway to the gym when I realized I was hydration-less. I’m really glad they have cold water (and sports drinks) available for purchase at my gym—you just grab a drink and then they scan your gym card to pay for it, which is nice! I was there to do a hot yoga class, so I really needed water!

My plans this weekend include an art festival with my mom on Saturday afternoon and dinner with some friends on Saturday night. And that’s the extent of my plans, which I am very happy about. I can have a low-key Friday night in, a busy Saturday, and then a productive Sunday at home. Perfect!

What was the high of your week?

Categories: Recurring Series

Five for Friday (v. 101)

1) Chiropractor appointment

I had two chiropractor appointments this week, on Monday and Wednesday. I am really happy with the chiro I found—I swear, I always find A+ doctors on ZocDoc. Our first appointment was just a consultation for her to learn about the pain I was experiencing and take some X-rays. On Wednesday, she went through my X-rays with me, talked about a treatment plan, and then gave me my first treatment. The X-rays were so interesting! Here’s what’s going on:

  • The bottom of my jaw is misaligned, with the left side lower than my right side
  • My neck does not have the right curvature, rather it is fully straight, which causes my head to tilt forward (probably from all the time I spend on my phone? ack)
  • My left-side clavicle is a touch higher than my right side
  • The left side of my pelvis is higher than my right side and causing the bottom half of my spine to shift out of alignment to accommodate.
  • A few of my vertebrae are showing signs of arthritis

All in all, it was not a great result but my chiro was very confident that she can help realign my spine and help stop any further arthritis degeneration from happening. The plan is to go for adjustments three times a week for two weeks, then twice a week for a month, and then once a week for a month. From there, we can do monthly or bimonthly appointments to make sure everything stays in alignment. So this will be a journey for me, but I’m excited about it and to start feeling better.

I had my first adjustment during this Wednesday appointment and she used a tool (she called it a gun) to pinpoint different spots around my neck and back (and bum!) to shoot into and adjust. As someone who asks for the lightest pressure please during massages, the pressure didn’t feel great (almost felt like someone pushing a thumb hard into my skin), but it was doable and the pain didn’t last very long. I’ll be sure to continue to update you guys on this experience and my progress!

2) Closet

After showing off my new closet organizational scheme a few weeks ago, Anne wanted to know more about where my clothes go. And so let’s talk about that! I keep my clothes in two separate locations: my dresser and my closet. (Shocking, I know.)

Here’s the dresser:

When I moved into this apartment, I wanted to find a dresser that could also function as a nightstand, and that’s what this does. I don’t need a ton of space for my clothes, although it’s getting crammed in some of the drawers so it’s probably a good idea to do a clean-out of the space soon. I’d also like to invest in some drawer organization dividers or bins to make things a bit tidier. But that’s a project for another month.

And here’s the closet:

This is the right side of my closet. The left side also has wire shelving that I could use to hang clothes, but hanging clothes from the top rod would cause me to lose some shelf space and hanging clothes from the bottom rod would put them too low to the ground for my liking. Plus, I don’t really need that much closet space! I try to keep things minimal when it comes to my clothes. It helps that I do not live in a climate where I need a totally separate winter wardrobe. I can get by just fine with a handful of long-sleeved shirts, some sweaters, and a jacket or two.

Here are my shirts/dresses (way in the back of the closet, there’s a black scarf holder for my scarfs, but I don’t have a ton of them):

And here’s the “winter” side of my closet (I also keep a few holiday-specific tees in this section):

I’m also ruthless when it comes to culling my clothing. I have a very specific system for what I wear—while the shirts are separated by category (sleeveless tops vs t-shirts vs lounge tops), I always have to use the shirt that is furthest on the right in its category. So, if I want to wear a sleeveless shirt, I’ll go to that section of my closet and pull out the first shirt on the right. (Obviously, if I’m in the mood to wear something specific, I allow myself to do that.) I try to follow this system so I understand that if I keep passing by a shirt, there’s a reason. I probably need to donate it because I don’t love how I feel in it.

3) Air conditioner

My AC broke this weekend! Ugh. Thankfully, it wasn’t super-duper hot outside so it wasn’t unbearable, but I like to keep my apartment icebox cold, so I was very unhappy when the temperature inside my apartment kept creeping higher. (And by higher, I mean 74 degrees, which I know is DOWNRIGHT FRIGID to some of you!) So I called our apartment’s emergency line, even though broken ACs only qualify as emergencies when the weather is 80 degrees. It was in the upper 70s, so I figured we were close enough. Turns out, part of my AC system had iced completely over, causing the issue. The maintenance guy defrosted my system and then did some repairs (I don’t know what they were; I just heard a lot of banging), and voila, it was fixed! I’ve never been happier to be freezing in my apartment.

4) Stitch Fix?

You guys, I am contemplating restarting Stitch Fix. I did it for a little over a year from 2021-2022 and then stopped because I felt like I had gotten what I wanted out of the service and was feeling happy with my closet. But I am once again feeling uninspired by my closet and want to refresh it with some new tops and maybe a summery dress or two. But, ugh, Stitch Fix is so expensive! And it’s so annoying that their styles seem to repeat over and over again. I’m still on the fence about it, but I do miss getting that little box of joy every few months and playing fashion show for you guys!

5) Weekend plans

It’s going to be quite the weekend around here! Today is Lucy’s birthday and we’re celebrating with doggy ice cream and a shopping spree. Yay! Tomorrow, I have my fun book club candle-making and lunch adventure. And Sunday is Easter! I’m writing with Mikaela in the morning and then going out to brunch with my mom and stepdad.

What are your weekend plans? Have you ever been to a chiropractor?

Categories: Recurring Series

Currently in March

Loving… my new gym! After many years of being without a gym home, I finally decided to join one after getting my bloodwork results back and realizing I need to kick my workout routine to another gear. These lazy 15-minute walks outside aren’t going to cut it anymore if I want to lower my cholesterol and diabetes risk. My mom has wanted me to join Crunch Fitness with her for a few months now, and so that’s what we did on Friday! Yesterday, I took my first in-person spin class in years and it was awful in the best possible way. It was hard and the seat felt uncomfortable and I just wanted it to be done… but I was also happy to be back on the bike and felt like I could do anything when I finished my workout. My plan is to go twice a week (starting small!) and increase my attendance from there.

Loathing… sciatica. I haven’t had to deal with sciatica in so long—it just went dormant for a few years, but now it’s back with a vengeance. I have tried heat therapy, stretches, and even a massage, but nothing was helping it. I went to a friend’s pediatric cancer event on Saturday and was so nervous about how my body would hold up to a one mile walk, which is just ridiculous. By the end of the walk, my back was so tight and I was in so much pain that I couldn’t do much more than stand around and try to take deep breaths. On Monday, I had my first appointment with a chiropractor and I am feeling hopeful that she will be able to help me. She did a ton of assessments and took X-rays, and this morning, I have a follow-up appointment to learn more about what’s going on and her treatment plan.

Reading… two books. I am a little more than halfway through Black Girls Must Die Exhausted by Jayne Allen on audiobook. I am very annoyed at the dating choices these women are making! And in print, I’m reading Come and Get It by Kiley Reid. I have read 250 pages and I still could not succinctly tell you what this book is about.

Watching… Mr. and Mrs. Smith! A TV show, finally! I have only watched two episodes so far (okay, full disclosure: I did set it aside to watch The Trust on Netflix, which is a reality show) but I am really enjoying it. I mean, episode two was wildly uncomfortable in spots, but I am still intrigued enough to keep going.

Listening to… the Corporate Gossip podcast. I finally got through their entire archive and now I am (im)patiently awaiting season 4. This podcast is hosted by a brother and sister team who detail all sorts of stories about corporate malfeasance. They tackle both companies (like Disney, Boeing, Peloton, etc.) that have engaged in some interesting practices to say the least, as well as CEOs and their downfall (think: Ted Turner, The Murdochs, the Koch family, etc). They have such a fun tone to their podcast, even when talking about really ridiculous topics, and I have really loved learning more about the crazy, super nefarious world of corporations and business bros.

Anticipating… book club on Saturday! This was my month to plan something, and I suggested candle making. There’s a cute spot downtown where we can make candles (maybe with some book-related scents, like old paper or coffee? Hmm) and I’m excited to have a fun Saturday out with my girls! We’ll probably get lunch afterward since we have to wait two hours for our candles to set after we make them.

Excited… to announce that I got a promotion! It was entirely unexpected, as I thought I would have to wait for the next promotion cycle in a few months but our organization is going through a reorg, which entailed restructuring the way some of our teams function. Because of that, it was crucial to give me a promotion during the Q1 cycle, which is really exciting! I have a senior management title now, which just boggles my mind. Who is this girl?!

Buying… an Apple watch! I feel like I am so late to the Apple watch game, but when I learned I could use my wellness stipend for an Apple watch, it was a no-brainer. A free Apple watch? Sign me up! I got it last week and have had such a fun time playing around with it, and finding new ways for it to enhance my life.

Grateful for… winning a raffle! I’ve never won anything like this, but I bought some raffle tickets at the pediatric cancer walk I went to on Saturday and won the raffle I entered! I’m getting a $50 gift certificate to Aveda, which is really exciting because the last time I was at my salon, I saw that they have a line of products specifically designed to help oily scalps and I am here for that. I’m interested in trying this exfoliating scalp treatment, but a 5 oz bottle is $53! (I can’t remember if they had the travel size in the salon, which is $14 for .85 oz.) But with a gift certificate, I can give the full-size bottle a try without breaking the bank. Hooray for that!

Any tips, tricks, or app ideas for my Apple watch? What is something you’re loving right now?