Monthly Recap | October 2019

READING

I read 9 books in September, putting me at 110 books for the year. Woop! My top three favorites were:

• A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny, which is the first book in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series that I’ve given 5 stars.
• The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant because it was just the loveliest read and definitely perfect if you’re looking for something that’s light-hearted yet has a lot of substance.
• Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center because I loved getting a look into the firefighting world and the romance was just so, so sweet.

WATCHING

• Queer Eye, season 2 – I forgot how much I love Queer Eye! I watched season one but never went back to it. (And season 5 is coming next year, eeps!) I loved this whole season and cried at the end of every episode. It’s such a feel-good show.
• The Office, season 1 – I’m rewatching The Office! And there’s a reason for that, which I’ll discuss in the next section. I’ve watched the first few episodes and, ugh, this show is just so good. One of my faves for sure.

LISTENING TO

• America Dissected – This is one of the newer podcast series by Crooked Media and it is fascinating. It covers all different topics in the healthcare industry, from why prescription drug prices are so high to antibiotic-resistant superbugs to anti-vaxxers. The information is very accessible and the host, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is so engaging and fun to listen to.
• To Live and Die in LA – This true crime miniseries follows the strange disappearance of Adea Shebani, a struggling actress in LA. Adea’s family felt like the police weren’t doing much to find her, so they enlisted the help of a private investigator. The series is fantastic, with each episode ending on a cliffhanger that could feel contrived, but is totally working for me. I also love the host – he’s compassionate but still tenacious.
• Office Ladies – Pam and Angela have a podcast! I was super excited when I heard Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey were going to host a podcast about The Office. I’ve listened to the first three episodes (covering episodes 1-3 of season one of The Office) and it’s fantastic so far. I love hearing the behind-the-scenes tidbits and learning more about the production of the show. While both ladies feel a bit awkward on the mic, I am hoping they will loosen up over time and it won’t feel as scripted as it does.

BUYING

• Bed Head Rock N’ Roller Curling Wand ($25) – While in Boston, one of my friends curled her hair using this funny-looking bubble curling wand and I was so amazed at how it gave her perfect curls that I asked to use it… and then promptly ordered one for myself. It is an idiot-proof way to curl your hair and gives me the best curls that stay all day. I highly recommend it.
• Fintie Slimshell Case for Kindle ($15) – I’ve had my Kindle Paperwhite for a few years now and… haven’t ever had a cover on it. (Bad Kindle user!) I just like the feel of my Kindle without a cover and it hasn’t even gotten that scratched up, surprisingly. But I’ve been feeling the need for a cover and a quick Amazon search brought me to the Fintie Slimshell cases, which have all sorts of fun colors and patterns. I opted for the “Z-Moroccan Love” pattern and I am SO very happy with my purchase!
• Mad Love Keava Footbed sandals ($23) – I need to overhaul my entire shoe collection, replacing everything with shoes that are more supportive for my feet because I’ve apparently entered that stage of my life. I constantly deal with foot pain, from my heels to my arches to the balls of my feet, and I think it’s time to invest in supportive inserts as well as overhaul many of the shoes I wear regularly (you know, the ones I got because they were cheap, not because they were supportive). I’m starting with sandals and I bought these fake Birkenstocks. I’d like to invest in real Birks in the future, but wanted to try out the style first at a more affordable price point. I like them so far.

THE GOOD

• BOSTON – Our annual girls’ trip is in the books, and it was a fantastic four days! I enjoyed traipsing around Boston, especially going to an apple orchard and walking the Freedom Trail.
• A fun night out – A friend wanted to celebrate her birthday with dinner and drinks downtown, and I had a blast! It was the weekend before Halloween so downtown was a little nuts and filled with people in costume, but hey, get a few drinks in this girl and I’m A-OK with crowds. 😉
• Chip duty – My mom went on a work trip in October and asked me to watch Chip for her, which I was delighted to do. He is just the best boy, even if he is way more rambunctious than Dutch ever was (even when he was a young pup!), and makes me so happy!

THE BAD

• Anniversaries – October is forever going to be a hard month for my family, as it is the month Grandma and Pops died. It was hard to see these days pass and remember what they were like for us, especially Pops’ death, as it was so unexpected. I remember thinking when I got to the hospital that Sunday that I’d only stay for a few hours (rather than all day, as I had been doing) since I had some freelance work to do. I had no idea that within a few hours of arriving at the hospital, Pops would no longer be with us. So tragic.
• Feeling my weight – There’s no other way to put it, but I could definitely feel how much my weight slowed me down on the trip to Boston. I could barely keep up with my friends and felt like such a slowpoke! I have a short stride as it is, but it was more than that. It was just a general feeling of slowness. Not to mention, my feet, ankles, and calves ached so much each day. It’s just a reminder that I need to work on my fitness and try to lose some of this extra weight I’ve gained over the past few years.

ANTICIPATING

• Turning 32 – It’s my birthday month and I’ll be 32 this year! I keep forgetting I’m not already 32, so that’s weird.
• Thanksgiving! – I looooove Thanksgiving. Mostly because all of the food is my favorite: turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing? YES, PLEASE! We’ll have a small family celebration this year with my mom, me, my brother, and his family, which will be nice. (My stepdad will likely be on the road, womp!)
• Cruise #10 – Oh, surprise? My mom and I booked a cruise that leaves at the end of November. It was rather spur of the moment for us, but I mentioned offhand one evening how much I enjoyed the birthday cruise we took a few years ago and she followed up the next day with two options for me. HA. It’s a four-day cruise out of Fort Lauderdale and I’m very much looking forward to it!

How was your October? What’s something you’re anticipating this month?