Recurring Series

Monthly Review | January 2016

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?

Categories: Recurring Series

Five for Friday (v. 49)

1) Saturday morning, my roommate and I bundled ourselves up and headed to Orlando for some Harry Potter magic. It was a super cold morning (by Florida standards – in the 40s!), but my roommate let me borrow her Gryffindor scarf and once we arrived, we hightailed right to the Leaky Cauldron for hot butterbeer. Oh. You. Guys. Hot butterbeer > cold butterbeer all the days of my life. It was sensational. Rich and creamy and warm and filling. It was everything I ever needed.

2) I woke up on Tuesday with a sore throat, which soon morphed into body aches, plugged ears, sneezing, and congestion. I left work early on Tuesday and spent all of Wednesday in bed, which was exactly what my body needed. So many coworkers, including my roommate, have come down with this illness, so I guess my immune system wasn’t strong enough to fight back. (Definitely time to get back to my vitamin regimen.) In any event, I was back at work on Thursday and am feeling as if I’m on the mend. Slowly but surely!

3) The upside to being sick and not having the energy to do much but lounge in bed was that I was able to binge on Gilmore Girls. I finally finished season one and am six episodes into season two. This show gives me all of the happy feels, mostly because my mom and I have such a similar relationship as Lorelei and Rory do. It’s fun to have your mom as your best friend!

4) I don’t talk about it much on here, but I’m actually a pretty intense NFL football fan. Honestly, get me talking about pro football and you likely can’t shut me up. I play fantasy football and I’m not too shabby at playing a “pick ’em” football pool (wherein, you pick the winner of each game each week; the person with the most correct guesses wins). I’ve been watching as an avid fan since high school because it was just another way to connect with my dad and my brother. The team I root for the most is the Miami Dolphins, and they don’t necessarily make it easy to be their fan. My all-time favorite player, though, has been and always will be Peyton Manning. I love him. So much that I turn into a crazy person when a) he’s playing or b) someone talks smack about him. (Oh, and people love talking smack about him.)

So, you can imagine how incredibly delighted I was when the Broncos won the AFC Championship game and Peyton! Will! End! His! Career! At! The! Super! Bowl! I am so thrilled. So. Thrilled. I nearly cried. (I’m a mess when it comes to Peyton, okay?!)

I just really want Peyton to finish out his Hall of Fame career with a Super Bowl win. It’s going to be tough (Panthers look really hard to beat!), but nothing would be more epic than that.

(And yes, I do think this is it for Peyton. He’s turning 40 in March! He’s an old man playing a young man’s game. :))

5) This weekend, I don’t have much going on. I have my dermatology appointment this afternoon and then book club this evening. On Saturday, my mom and I are meeting for lunch and then going to tour a new place where I might board Dutch during our cruise in March. I’ve been unhappy with his normal boarder, and this one comes highly recommended by a coworker. It’s a bit more money, but he would get more one-on-one attention and lots of daily walks (and a sweet “villa” to lounge about!). Other than that, though, the rest of my weekend is free for me to work on my novel, read, and lay low so I can hopefully get over this head cold for good!

What are your weekend plans?

Categories: Recurring Series

Currently in January

Feeling… very frustrated by my congestion woes and trying to remember a time when I wasn’t congested. I need two working nostrils again, pleaseandthankyou.

Anticipating… a trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter tomorrow. I just reread the first book and it gave me so many happy feels, so I am really looking forward to visiting this magical place again.

Happy… that I have bangs again! I’m very much a fan of changing up my hairstyle frequently, and I’ve been thinking about getting bangs for a while now. I am very happy with my decision!

Reading… Where We Belong by Emily Giffin. I just started it last night and her books typically take me a while to get into, but it’s good so far!

Watching… Quantico. I’m only two episodes away from finishing the first half of season one, and it’s become such a guilty pleasure of mine. The show is completely ridiculous, the acting is pretty atrocious, and there’s way too much going on in terms of characters and plotlines, but still, I am hooked.

Grateful… for a full calendar. It can be overwhelming at times as someone who basically likes to be a lump as much as possible, but I am very grateful for the people in my life and the memories I’m making.

Taking a break… from Facebook right now. I placed the app on the second screen of my phone, so I’m not tempted to mindlessly scroll through the feed. Facebook sometimes makes me feel bad about myself and my life, and when that happens, I know I just need to step away for the time being.

Using… a Neti pot, but not very successfully. This could be TMI, but whatever. From everything I saw and read, the water is just supposed to flow into one nostril and out the other. Fine, good, whatever. It just doesn’t for me. At most, I can get it to flow into one and then drip oh-so-slowly out of the other. And sometimes, it won’t even do that. I think my nostrils are broken.

Planning… to “run” a race next weekend. It’s called the Color Buzz and is a type of Color Run. I did it with my mom last year and it was a lot of fun. We were a mess by the end of it, but hilariously so. I can’t wait!

Obsessed with… my new planner. I always thought I was not the paper planner kind of girl, but I suppose I just hadn’t found the right one for me. I love using my planner to write down my goals for the week and things I need to do, as well as upcoming events. I am a changed woman.

Wanting… to feel more settled. I don’t even know what I need to feel more settled; it’s not as if I am dying to be in a relationship right now (a few Tinder dates over the past few weeks have me wanting to stay single forever). I guess I’m always in this perpetual state of waiting for the next shoe to drop, waiting for my life to be upended somehow. I know it’s just my anxiety talking, but it’s a nervous place to be.

Hoping… that my dermatology appointment goes well next week. I have a few moles that my doctor advised me to get checked out. (I have a lot of moles, have had them all my life, but don’t tend to worry about them since they’ve never grown in size.) The one she found was on my back and “worried her” so I scheduled an appointment. So, no, I absolutely haven’t been worrying about that at all. Absolutely not. Don’t you know me? Worry? HA. HA. HA.

What are you currently anticipating, watching, and obsessed with?

Categories: Recurring Series

Currently in December

Loving… that Christmas is a mere four days away. I have so much anticipation right now! I do have to work Christmas Eve, but I’m hoping to get off work in time to attend a candlelight service at a nearby church with my mom. Dutch and I will be spending the night at her place on Christmas Eve and then spend the morning preparing to host Christmas dinner for our family. (We’re both a wee bit stressed out about hosting dinner, but I think we’ll get through it with our sanity intact. I hope so, at least.)

Reading… Instant Attraction by Jill Shalvis. I read this book back in 2010 and have a rave review of it on Goodreads, and decided to re-read it. I’m on a mission to read as many contemporary romance novels as I can to give me some inspiration for my novel, which is in the same genre. This is the kind of research I can totally get behind!

Anticipating… writing my “Best of 2015” posts for this year. It’s something I’ve been doing since 2009 and it’s one of my favorite yearly traditions. The first post will be published on Wednesday, so stay tuned!

Planning… my goals for 2016. I have some really specific ideas in mind for what I want to accomplish in the new year, based on how I am feeling as I wrap up 2015.

Thinking… constantly about my novel and the kind of work I want to put out into the world.

Frustrated… with car issues. My car has, thankfully, been problem-free since I got it almost three years ago, but the past two weeks have been very costly ones on the car front. I think I’ve spent more than $800 between an oil change, engine inspections, four new tires, and a necessary repair to a water pump. And there is still a $600 repair that it will need soon, but that I just cannot afford right now. I really, really wish I didn’t have to be dependent on a car.

Wondering… how I am going to focus on work this week! I am such a little kid at heart when it comes to Christmas, and I’m filled with so much joy about what this week will bring.

Feeling… up and down, I guess is the best way to describe it. Some days I am happy and carefree and feeling so blessed with my life, and other days, I am lonely and worn out and wanting to hibernate for a month straight. It’s this strange dichotomy that has me feeling like my emotions are playing Russian roulette on a daily basis.

Sad… about Grandma, about my dad, about the missing pieces in my life.

Grateful… for the beauty of my life. I have so much to be thankful for: a beautiful home, a wonderful roommate, fabulous friends, a loving mother, a supportive brother, adorable nephews, a job I love, and a dog I adore. I have a good life, and it’s easy to forget that when I constantly ponder the “what if’s” and the “should have’s.”

Wishing… that loved ones could make phone calls from Heaven. I’d just like to hear my grandma’s voice again.

What are you currently reading, anticipating, and grateful for?

Categories: Recurring Series

Five for Friday (v. 48)

1) Saturday night was my work’s Christmas party. These parties are always such a blast because I work with really awesome people. It’s fun to see everyone dressed up and to meet people’s significant others. We do a White Elephant gift exchange, raffle prizes, play games (including karaoke, which is always a delight!), and dance the night away. I am not one for parties usually, but I really enjoyed myself. The best part was that I left with a steam espresso maker from the gift exchange! The past two years I haven’t gotten stellar gifts, so I was really happy that I finally got something awesome. I can’t wait to use it!

2) Serial is back Serial is back Serial is back Serial is back Serial is back. I am so stoked! I wasn’t sure if Sarah Koenig was going to find a story as compelling as season one, but I am honestly hooked. I know embarrassingly little about the topic at hand, and though I’ve seen many people expressing disinterest and saying episode one was boring (to which I say: WUT.), I am on the edge of my seat for episode two.

3) I’m currently reading two books, which is something I used to do more often in the past. I’m reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks to fulfill the microhistory category for the Book Riot reading challenge. It is slow and heavy and much sadder than I expected, but I’m getting through it. I’m also reading My True Love Gave to Me for book club, which is a set of 12 short stories written by YA authors. I’m not a huge fan of short story collections, so it’s nice to read them this way: read a few chapters of my heavy nonfiction book and then read a delightfully light and fun YA short story.

4) I re-downloaded the Sleep Cycle app to my phone once again. I used to use it religiously, but then I stopped for some reason. But I haven’t been sleeping well since I moved (and I used to be a champion sleeper!) so I’d really like to gather some information on how well (or not well) I’m sleeping, how deeply (or not deeply) I’m sleeping, and how long I’m sleeping. I’m hoping it will give me some answers!

5) I’m very happy it is the weekend. I have a good one planned. Tonight, I am meeting up with my friend to write at Starbucks. (I just hit over 70k in my novel, wahoo!) On Saturday, my car has a doctor’s appointment (and I’m praying I won’t be given a long list of everything that needs to be fixed) and while that’s happening, my mom and I are going to do some Christmas shopping! Saturday night, I plan on watching one of the cheesy Hallmark movies I have taped and having a Christmas present-wrapping extravaganza. And Sunday will be an easy day of watching football with my family.

Happy Friday! What are your weekend plans?