Happy April Fools’ Day! No pranks from me today. (I’m so not creative enough to prank people!) Instead, I’m bringing you a review of March!

I didn’t keep track of March very well. In January and February, I spent dedicated time each night to write about my day and even write a gratitude note for each day, but I fell off the wagon in March. In doing so, I felt a little out of control and lazy this month. I didn’t achieve the goals I set for myself and I am feeling very lackluster about the way I approached life last month. That said, I find myself greeting April with renewed vigor and this excitement to get back on track and focused. My theme for this year is deliberate action, and not every month is going to go the way I planned. I can only move forward with what I have learned and keep pressing on.

March in Moments

The biggest moment of March was my four-day cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas. I went with my best friend, my mom, and my stepdad and had such a lovely time. It was truly the getaway I needed. Bri and I snorkeled in the beautiful Caribbean Sea – an experience I’ll treasure for a very long time.

I had a tiny bit of romance in March, which was unexpected but really encouraging after a string of really bad or boring first dates. While nothing came of the romance, it taught me a lot about what I want from a relationship, what I will and won’t accept. It got me excited about dating again, at a time when I was feeling very disillusioned and tired of the game.

Some other good moments: lady date nights with my roommate, shuffleboard with my book club girls, getting back to my weekly writing dates with my writing partner, quality Mom time (something I need just about weekly to feel centered), Dutch’s 14th birthday, and celebrating International Women’s Day with tapas and sangrias with coworkers-turned-friends. I have a really good life, a life I never pictured myself having, which is something I need to remind myself of when my anxiety gets the best of me.

March in Pictures

Clockwise from left: (1) cruise ship (2) about to go snorkeling in cozumel (3) sunset on my last day of the cruise (4) a special weekend visitor (5) starting a well-loved book (6) dutchy (7) sleepy dutchy (8) shuffleboard winners (9) froyo date with mom

March in Books

I read 7 books in March, which puts me at 21 books read this year. It seems as if I’m on a 7 books per month pattern so far. My favorite read was probably Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets! I am so enjoying re-reading this wonderful series. Here are my reviews:

• That Thing Called Love by Susan Andersen (2 stars) – This book was, well, a bit painful to read. I just didn’t find the characters very believable, the romance was meh, and I think the book itself could have used a couple more rounds of editing.
• Crazy Love You by Lisa Unger (4 stars) – I read this for book club, and it was a book I suggested so I was very happy that everyone loved the novel. We read a Lisa Unger novel last year and it was so darn good, so I was excited for another one. This book was super creepy and a bit dark, but I could not put it down for anything. Really want to read more from this author!
• Lead Me On by Victoria Dahl (3 stars) – Sweet contemporary romance novel that I enjoyed. Nothing in particular stands out, just a quick, easy read.
• The Total Package by Stephanie Evanovich (2 stars) – I read this for TLC Book Tours. A romance novel that seemed pretty light on the actual romance. Not my favorite of hers. A full review of this book is found here.
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (5 stars) – I really, really love the first two novels of Harry Potter. Everything is still a bit innocent and fun! I enjoyed this novel and tore my way through it during a weekend when I was sad. Perfect pick-me-up selection!
• Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari (4 stars) – I really liked this book! It could get dry at times as books based heavily on research tend to be, but Aziz’s writing style more than made up for that. I liked getting some insight into the dating world, especially dating nowadays which is so technology-based.
• Instant Temptation by Jill Shalvis (5 stars) – Such a fun romance novel and the last in a three-book series. I read this series back in 2010, and it was really fun to reread. This was probably my favorite of the three and I was immediately hooked on TJ and Harley.

March in Movies

I watched two movies this month; my reviews are below:

• Whiskey Tango Foxtrot – I wanted to see this because I love Tina Fey and everything she does, and I was also interested in the story. It was a really, really good movie! Heavy at times, but intermixed with some light-hearted moments. My favorite line: “Embrace the suck… then move the fuck on.”
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – I feel like I may have watched this movie before (Moaning Myrtle felt really familiar to me!). It was just so darn good. This series is such a comfort to me, and I have a sneaking suspicion the movies will soon be my go-to pick when I need my spirits lifted.

March in Podcasts

I didn’t end up adding any new shows to my feed in March, which is good because my podcast queue is out of control as it is! But here’s what I found fascinating or enjoyable from my regular podcasts this month:

• How the Iditarod Works by Stuff You Should Know – I’ve always had a fascination with the Iditarod, and this episode was especially good!
• Extroverted Highly Sensitive Man: An Interview with Johnny Martinez by The Highly Sensitive Person Podcast – I love that Kelly is doing longer interview shows on her podcast now, and I really enjoyed the perspective of being an extrovert with the HSP trait. Interesting stuff!
• Jolly Jane and Either/Or by Criminal – Two incredibly intriguing stories that had me saying “OMG!” more than once while listening.
• Life in Cambodia with Marla Taviano by The Simple Show – I have no desire to live in another country, but I love hearing about those who do! I was really inspired by Marla and her family.
• Lin-Manuel Miranda on Another Round – Because Hamilton, amirite?

Looking Forward to April

I have some fun things to look forward to this month. My writing partner and I are having a “writing sleepover” where we plan to make some serious progress on our novels. I’m participating in Paint Your Heart Out Tampa this year with a bunch of coworkers and friends. And I’ll be heading back to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for a day with a group of friends, which will probably be AMAZING.

This month, I want to focus a lot on writing my novel. I’m challenging myself to write 1,000 words per day for the next three months.

I also want to get serious about eating better and exercising more. I completely fell off the wagon in March and I feel a bit yucky about it. I need to be better at taking care of myself!

Lastly, I’d really love to find a home church to belong to, so I’d like to start that process in April. I’m out of the habit of going to church and the thought of walking into an unknown environment full of strangers is terrifying to me, but I also know that I need to be back in church and I need a church family.

What were some highlights for you in March?

And so it is March! And it has been March for a week now. Oops… can I blame a fantastic four-day cruise for my delay in reviewing February? I had a wonderful vacation and I plan to fully review it next week. For now, let’s rewind a bit and discuss what February looked like in my world.

February in Moments

When I look back on February, what sticks out to me the most is anxiety. For the most part, I can handle my anxiety on my own but every now and then, it becomes a little too much to handle. This month was one of those months. There was a lot of crying, a lot of fear, a lot of overwhelming sadness. When I feel this way, it’s hard for me to recognize it for what it is: a simple anxiety episode. It feels so much bigger than that and as if I’ll never feel positive about myself or my life again. Eventually, I find my way out, but being in it is always so hard.

February also felt very lonely. I’ve not been very successful with dating lately. Are my standards too high? Do I expect too much? I don’t know, but I’m not very good at this dating game and it’s tiresome. And I can’t help but feel like a failure when every time I turn around, another person is coupling up. Being single isn’t always bad, and sometimes it’s downright amazing, but it can also be a lonely life to lead.

All of February wasn’t heavy and hard, though. There was a fun Super Bowl party that my mom and I hosted – made even better by watching the Broncos win and Peyton Manning end his career on the best note possible. (Okay, okay, so the offense could have played better but whatever. A win is a win.) My mom and I found a new salon for our monthly-ish pedicures. My roommate and I spent Valentine’s evening together, eating pizza and brownies and watching the first Harry Potter movie. I eliminated dairy from my diet for a week and enjoyed the incredible benefits, which included mostly clearing up my congestion. I celebrated my nephew’s first birthday and spotted my first little free library. I had a fun afternoon with friends, drinking sangria, munching on white cheddar popcorn, and crying through a sad movie. I even tried my hand at vegan baking and the results were delicious.

All in all, February was both a difficult and a wonderful month. There was pain and heartache, but also so much goodness and beautiful memories made. That’s life in a nutshell.

February in Pictures

Clockwise from left: (1) cookie cake at our super bowl party (2) dutch hugs (3) galentine’s day (4) sunny naps (5) adventures in vegan baking (6) more dutch hugs (7) my one-year-old nephew! (8) a little free library spotted in the wild (9) sunday afternoon girl time

February in Books

I read seven books in February, three of which were diverse. Here’s what I read:

• Girl Through Glass by Sari Wilson (2 stars) – Read for a TLC Book Tours review. This book was a slow read and I can’t say I particularly enjoyed it. The plot never felt like it fully took off, and the tone of the novel made me melancholy.
• Lovestruck in London by Rachel Schurig (4 stars) – I read this in bits and pieces at the gym over the past few months. It’s a simple cute love story, and you have to suspend belief for most of it, but Lizzie and Thomas have my heart forever.
• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert (4 stars) – Multiple people recommended this book to me, and I’m so glad I gave it a read. It was honestly the perfect book for me – so perfect that I wrote a post on the five things the book taught me.
• Until There Was You by Kristan Higgins (5 stars) – This was a reread and it was so wonderful. I think I read the last half of the novel in one sitting because I just couldn’t put it down. It was cute and light-hearted and romantic and funny – everything I could want in a story!
• The Mapmaker’s Children by Sarah McCoy (4 stars) – Read this for a TLC Book Tours review. It was a slow but also engaging read, and I loved learning about abolitionist history, something I know startlingly little about. Totally recommend!
• The Distance from A to Z by Natalie Blitt (5 stars) – I read this for a blog review and I am so glad I did! It was such a fun read, an adorable YA romance. It checked off all my bookworm boxes.
• Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp (4 stars) – I read this for the Postal Book Club. It was dark and sad and heavy, but it truly opened my eyes to what alcoholism truly is and how horrible this disease is for those who struggle with it. I’m glad to have read it.

February in Movies

I watched three movies this month, and they all count toward some of the yearly goals I made. Wahoo! It’s fun to make progress with these goals because they take almost zero effort on my part. (Note to self: make more fun goals like this!)

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – I watched this movie before, a few years ago when ABC Family was running one of their Harry Potter marathons. I loved it just as much the second time around, mainly because Harry, Ron, and Hermione are so darn cute in this movie. And it’s just a phenomenal retelling of the book!
• The 40-Year-Old Virgin – I really loved the message behind this movie, even though I had to trudge through some crude humor to get there. Comedies can be so hit-or-miss for me because I don’t enjoy vulgar humor, and this one toed the line. I ended up really enjoying it, though!
• Steel Magnolias – A sad yet really heartwarming movie. And the 80s fashion delighted me to no end!

February in Podcasts

I added a few new podcasts to my feed, including:

• Gilmore Guys – New favorite podcast alert! I am in love with this podcast. If you aren’t familiar with it, it’s two guys who are watching Gilmore Girls from beginning to end and podcasting about each episode. One of the hosts watched the show when it was on TV and is a super fan; the other host is watching it for the first time. It’s hilarious. I’m listening to the episodes from the very beginning so I’ve only listened to the first 10 episodes so far, but it’s so, so great. I want to be friends with Kevin and Demi, is what I’m trying to say.
• Millenial – A blogger recommended this podcast and I’ve only listened to the first two episodes so far, but it’s a really well-done show. I feel like I’m not totally in the demographic anymore, but it’s still interesting to listen to!

For my regular podcasts, I really enjoyed:

• Lady Mechanics and Lady Truckers from Stuff Mom Never Told You
• Puttin’ On the Ritz and Italian Belly Laugh from The Nerdist (“hostful” episodes are my favorite and I laughed like a crazy person throughout both of these episodes!)
• Isabel Foxen Duke on Real Talk Radio
• That’s One Way to Do It from This American Life (stories about Trump supporters intrigue me so much because… I just don’t get it.)

What was a highlight for you in February?

So I’m trying something different this year. I want to be more intentional about documenting my life, so I really remember all of the moments that make up a month: the good ones, the bad ones, the learning experiences, the triumphs. All of it deserves my recognition. So that’s what I’ve done – I’m looking back on my month in six different ways: moments, pictures, books, movies, podcasts, and goals. This will be a lengthy post, but I hope it will give a pretty great overview of my month and everything that happened.

January in Moments

The first month of the year carries so much weight. We all want the year to get off to the best start possible! In some ways, this was a really good month and in other ways, not so much.

I went to the circus in January. It was a pretty last-minute decision, but my friend had free tickets through her work, so I went with her and another friend. And it was fun! It was a lot of fun. But I ended up feeling a little weird about the whole “animals performing for my entertainment” deal. Kinda how I feel about Sea World.

I went on a really good first date with a guy I met off Tinder, but then we had a really, really, really bad second date the following weekend. Like, easily my worst date ever. Hilariously awful.

My brother and I went on our first movie date in years and it was all kinds of wonderful. I don’t even think my oldest nephew was alive the last time we had a one-on-one movie date. We were more than due for this. I also went to Cinebistro in Hyde Park with my roommate for a movie date, and I never want to go to another kind of movie theater ever again.

My favorite coworker left my company and I was heartbroken but happy for him. It’s hard when people leave, even when we know it’s for the best.

In January, I bit the bullet and did something I’d been dying to do: I got bangs! I am so, so, so happy with the change and have gotten so many compliments. I feel like a completely new person.

I dealt with a lot of health issues this month. My chronic congestion kept me miserable, so I tried a neti pot and humidifier. Neither helped. Then, the last week of the month, I developed a head cold and had to take off work for two days, so that wasn’t fun. Lastly, I had to get a mole on my back biopsied and I’ll find out the results of that within a week or so. I’m trying not to worry about it, but I do know that nearly 10,000 people a year die from melanoma, so.

January also brought colder temperatures to Florida, a trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter where I tried hot butterbeer for the first time, and seeing my grandma’s gravestone for the first time, which was all kinds of emotional and hard. I still can’t believe that she is really gone forever.

January in Pictures

Clockwise from left: (1) a pretzel bigger than my face (2) circus! (3) Dutch (4) Cinebistro is very Instagram-worthy (5) Bangs! (6) A cold day and hot butterbeer make for a happy Steph (7) flowers for the apartment (8) my grandma’s gravestone (9) bonfire at book club

January in Books

I read seven books in January for a total of 2,301 pages read. Two of the books were diverse. Here’s what I read:

• The Bay at Midnight by Diane Chamberlain (4 stars) – Read for book club. The mystery element was weak, but it was a well-written novel overall.
• City of Thieves by David Benioff (4 stars) – Read for postal book club. Heartbreaking yet also uplifting novel set in Russia during WWII. A book that stuck with me well after finishing it.
• Start Me Up by Victoria Dahl (3 stars) – Fluffy romance novel that was a little lacking in character development.
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (5 stars) – Third time rereading this novel, and it still holds such a special place in my heart.
• Instant Gratification by Jill Shalvis (3 stars) – I didn’t love this one as much as the previous title in this series; the characters fell a little flat for me.
• Where We Belong by Emily Giffin (4 stars) – Heartwarming and engaging, a story that drew me in from the beginning. Really lovely novel.
• Changing the Game by Jaci Burton (4 stars) – Classifies as erotica because, whew, was this book steamy. But I love the way Jaci writes her characters – so strong, so tough to leave them when the book ends.

January in Movies

I ended up watching three movies in January, which may not seem like a lot to some but is for me! I’m not much of a movie buff. Here’s what I saw:

• Daddy’s Home – Typical Will Ferrell comedy, but I love his movies so I enjoyed this one. Not his best, but still funny.
• Sisters – Tina Fey and Amy Poehler can do no wrong. I loved this movie. It was hilarious!
• Forrest Gump – I loved seeing Savannah at the beginning of this movie. And I loved Tom Hanks, as per usual. The movie left me feeling very melancholy, though, so I’m not sure how I feel about it.

January in Podcasts

I added three new shows to my feed, but they are still in the “trying out” phase (I give every podcast five episodes to hook me in), but I am enjoying them so they might have the staying power to remain in my feed:

• Pop Culture Happy Hour – I kept hearing about this show, so I decided to give it a try. I really like it so far, but it is kind of dull to listen to people talk for 20-30 minutes about a movie you haven’t seen and don’t plan on seeing. So we’ll see if I keep it.
• Another Round – I heard about this podcast through Happier with Gretchen Rubin and I’m kinda enamored with the hosts and I like that it covers a lot of topics I don’t hear about from my other podcasts. Pretty sure this one is staying for good.
• What Should I Read Next? – I learned about this podcast through Kathleen. In this podcast, the host talks to a guest about three books they loved (and why), one book they hated (and why), and what they are currently reading. Based on that discussion, the host will recommend three books to read. It’s a fun premise!

For my regular podcasts, I really enjoyed the following episodes:

• Brooke Shields, Recovering Daughter by Death, Sex & Money
• Jason Alexander on The Nerdist
• A Practical Wedding and A Feminist Marriage by Stuff Mom Never Told You
• The Internet Illuminati by Book Riot – The Podcast

January in Goals

The goals I made this month are tied to my yearly intentions, but here is some of what I wanted to accomplish:

• I wanted to outline my novel, but I didn’t really make the time for this goal like I wanted to. I do have a good idea of how I want to change and re-write certain parts of my book, but I do wish I had spent more time with this goal.
• I wanted to exercise three times per week. I achieved this goal, aside from the last week because I got sick and only exercised one day.
• I wanted to drink 16 ounces of water per day, but this was a struggle for me and I think I only achieved it half of the time.
• I wanted to buy a neti pot to see if that cleared up my congestion. I did this; it did not help.
• I wanted to go on two dates (check!) and have an adventure (check! – counting going to the circus as my adventure).
• I wanted to read the first Harry Potter novel (check!) and watch Forrest Gump (check!).

What was one highlight for you from January?