Loving… Instagram stories. Guys, I’m addicted. At first, I didn’t understand the point of Stories, but then I decided to use it to take videos of Dutch because who doesn’t want to see videos of him?? And now I use it all the time. I’m trying to only use it a few times a week, in a “document my day” sort of way because I think it gives people a different look inside my world, which is always fun. I also love watching everyone else’s Stories and seeing what they’re up to. It’s a less filtered look into everyone’s world.

Loathing… my social anxiety. I signed up to participate in a team-building event called Sportsfest and I’ve been dreading the event ever since. There’s only a handful of people from my work participating (maybe 20?), but I signed up because a good friend is the organizer and I wanted to show my support for her. It takes place the weekend before I leave for Puerto Rico so the timing isn’t great, and I’m nervous about getting to the event and parking and how crowded it will be. Thankfully, two of my very good friends will be there and both have offered to pick me up, which eases some of my worries. And also, I don’t want to turn down events just because I have social anxiety. I did that a lot in my late teens/early twenties and it led to a lot of loneliness. It may be awful, but that’s okay. I don’t want my social anxiety to be an excuse for not trying new things. And, truthfully, I will probably really enjoy myself! A few hours at the beach, spending time with my awesome coworkers? I think I’ll end up having a ton of fun.

Reading… The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. I’m moving through the book slowly because it’s a book that you can’t simply speed-read. But it’s phenomenal so far and the writing is exquisite. I actually suggested this book for my work book club and a coworker rolled her eyes at me and made a comment about how she didn’t want to read any more books about slavery “because it’s over. Let’s move on.” Of course, I made sure to let her know that, as a white woman, she has the privilege to say that, but this is an area of history that we do not need to move on from. We need these stories, both fictional and real, to never forget what happened and how we treated black people in our country. It’s despicable and horrific, and The Underground Railroad is such an incredible exploration of this time period and how black people were looked upon as no better than animals. It’s a hard read, yes, but it’s an important one. (And one my coworker should really, really read to better understand why “moving on” is not the answer.)

Watching… The Amazing Race. This season is unique because instead of the teams being couples or families, they are total strangers. Can you imagine trying to race around the world and do high-stress challenges with someone you’ve never even met?? Some of the teams work together perfectly and others are really struggling, but that’s what makes it so fun. I already have a favorite team and I hope they can make it to the end!

Anticipating… my trip to Puerto Rico! My mom and I have started making plans for some of the things we want to do (we definitely want to do a walking tour of Old San Juan and explore the El Yunque Rainforest), but we also plan on spending a lot of time by the pool and at the beach, sipping fruity drinks and reading. And since we’re not foodies in the least, I haven’t planned out any restaurants to visit, so if you have any recommendations, let me know! I’m all ears. Every time I try to do research about where to eat in San Juan, I get overwhelmed and close my browser, ha.

Thinking about… how to be more budget conscious. I’ve always struggled with sticking to a budget for some reason, but I’m really trying to get better at it. It’s not that I’m not paying my bills… it’s more that I tend to spend more than I save. But I started implementing a cash budget system for discretionary spending – trips to Target, meals out, coffee, etc. – which has been working out great. Once my cash is depleted, that’s it! If it means turning down plans, so be it. I must get better at how I spend my money. (But, nope, not going to feel ashamed that this is harder for me than it seems to be for others. It’s just the way it is. I know I have more on my plate, bills-wise, than other people as I live alone and am paying on my school loans, and while I make a good-enough salary, it’s definitely on the lower end of what’s comfortable. I know there can be so much shame tied to how we spend our money, but can we just stop that? You can only do the best you can do, and strive every day to get better. You don’t have to save half your income, you don’t have to be completely debt-free, you don’t have to give up coffee or trips to Target. You just have to do the best you can!)

Needing… to get back to eating healthy! I’ve been eating junk for the past two weeks and not really exercising. It started with being displaced for three-and-a-half days for fumigation and then I got sick and then I had a really busy week… and when stuff like that happens, healthy eating always falls to the wayside. I’d really like to lose weight this year, but I’m not really putting in the effort to make it happen.

What are you currently loathing, reading, and anticipating?

Loving… belonging to the gym again. It’s what my workout routine has been missing. I’m now doing much longer and tougher workouts and lovvvvve going to spin class again. Every time a class starts, I get this silly smile on my face, hehe. I’m trying to make it to the gym four days a week, though I hope to increase that to five or six in the coming months.

Loathing… how expensive having a dog is. I love Dutch and I would do anything for him (and I do). But these past few months have been so damn pricey with multiple vet visits, lab tests, an ultrasound, specialty food, medicine, etc. Obviously, I will swallow any sort of cost as long as he’s getting the medical attention he needs, and this is honestly just life with a geriatric dog. Thankfully, he hasn’t needed any expensive surgeries or further testing. It’s just a bit of a hit to the wallet, that’s all. I think we might be on the tail end of his medical issues (God willing), so I’m hoping for a much less expensive quarter two.

Reading… This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel, and I’m already sad for the day I won’t be reading this book. It is so good. The writing is incredible and the story so important. My local book club picked this for April, but I decided not to read the March pick (the subject matter seemed too heavy for me right now), so I guess I’ll be a little ahead. 🙂

Watching… This Is Us, but I’m only on episode 13, so no spoilers, please! It’s the kind of show where I have to be in the right mood to watch it (like, when I’m ready for a big cry, haha), so I’m very, very slowly making my way through the first season.

Anticipating… seeing Beauty & the Beast this weekend with my mom. We’re going to a movie theater that has fold-out seats, so we’re going to bring blankets, gorge ourselves on popcorn, and cry our hearts out. I can’t wait!

Thinking about… switching my hours at work. I’m grateful that we have a few different work schedules and the flexibility to choose the one that works best for our lives. Right now, I work 7:30-5:00 Mondays-Thursdays (and Fridays I work a half-day) and I’m just finding it so difficult to get out the door by 7am so I can get to work on time. I am considering switching to 8:30-6:00, which would allow me more time in the morning (and then I could take advantage of some of the early-morning workout classes at my gym). Getting home at 6:30 (or later, depending on traffic) would kinda suck, though.

Needing… to reprioritize my book life. Currently, I belong to three different book clubs and I’m also reviewing books for TLC Book Tours about once a month. So, I tend to have a bunch of books that I “must read,” which gets in the way of the books I want to read. I love being a part of so many book clubs, but something has to give. I feel like I keep reading books for other people, less reading books that I picked up myself, if that makes sense.

What are you currently reading, thinking about, and needing?

Loving… friends who take my picky taste buds into account. My friends and I are planning a girls’ night out on March 8th, which is International Women’s Day. A few restaurants were suggested, but before we nailed down the one we wanted to go to, one of my friends came to me directly and told me to check out the menu of a specific restaurant mentioned to see if there was something I could order. Truly, it was such a nice gesture. Be nice to your friends who are picky. They don’t choose to be this way, I promise!

Loathing… politics. I don’t know if I’ll ever have a different answer for this part of my “Currently…” series over the next four years. Everything that “Tweeto von Cheeto” (as I saw him referenced on Twitter once) has done over the past month has been awful, unethical, or downright prejudiced. I mean, he picked a fight with Australia, one of our strongest allies! He’s just not emotionally mature enough to be president, plain and simple.

Reading… The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. I’m reading this for my work book club, and it also fulfills my goal to read four “classics” this year. The writing is heartbreakingly beautiful and the story utterly terrifying.

Watching… The Good Place. I watched the first few episodes when they aired and really loved them, and I’m now able to catch up on the rest of the first season on nbc.com. I adore Kristen Bell and find the premise of this show to be so unique and fun. Check it out if you want a light-hearted comfort watch!

Anticipating… the beginning of Daylight Saving Time in a few short weeks. It will be so nice to have longer hours of daylight. I hate it being pitch-black dark at 6pm! I don’t care about “losing” an hour of sleep when we “Spring Forward.” Gimme more hours of daylight, please and thank you!

Thinking about… people who leave snarky comments on blogs, but then use a fake email address so the blogger cannot appropriately respond to them. This has happened to me a few times recently, and once, I even composed a lengthy response to a very nasty comment, only to get the email kicked back to me as the email address was invalid. Just FYI for those who want to leave snarky comments: if you don’t use an actual email address, I’m not going to approve your comment. Stand behind your snark. Don’t be one of those people who can only post a mean comment if you do it anonymously. That’s just called being a coward.

Needing… to decorate my apartment. My walls are still bare and I need to invest in some wall hangings to liven up my apartment. I’m getting my normal tax refund this year (whew – paying self-employment taxes didn’t set me back as much as I thought they would!), the majority of which will be used to pay off my credit card, but I also might set aside some of it to buy a piece or two of art. (Um. Like, “art” from Target that’s, like, $80. Nothing crazy expensive here.)

What are you currently reading, anticipating, and needing?

Loving… my Fitbit! I am finding it easy to hit my 5,000 steps every day and one day this week, I even hit 10,000! (WUT.) My friend and I are doing one of those Workweek Hustle challenges together and it’s been so much fun to challenge each other to get up and go for walks. I’m taking the stairs instead of the elevator, forcing myself to get up and go for a quick loop around the office once an hour (if possible), and going for long walks around my neighborhood frequently. Hooray for Fitbits!

Loathing… what today means for the U.S. I shared on Instagram about my feelings last night and I think that about sums everything up. I’m just so devastated that Obama’s presidency is coming to an end and that we don’t get to witness a historic day of a woman being sworn in. Instead, it’s… him. God help us.

Reading… The Mothers by Brit Bennett. I’m about halfway through the book and I started it Wednesday evening, so that should tell you how much I am enjoying it. The voice is so distinct and the writing is so lovely and the story is so engaging. My plans this evening are to curl up on my couch and finish the novel, which sounds like a pretty fab Friday night if you ask me.

Watching… season six of Gilmore Girls and season five of The Office. I’ve managed to avoid any spoilers about the Gilmore Girls reboot, so hopefully I can keep that up. I am only a few episodes into season six of Gilmore Girls but godddd, I cannot stand Rory right now. I miss seasons 1-4 Rory. She was the best.

Anticipating… having a lot of FOMO about this weekend. A bunch of my girlfriends are leaving on a trip to New Orleans and I’m not going. The timing just didn’t work out for me, since everyone booked when the price was rock-bottom low (under $200 for a round-trip ticket) and I had just moved and didn’t want to put a big purchase on my credit card. And then the price jumped up and never went back down, and I made the hard decision to stay home. I’m bummed and I am feeling lots of FOMO already, but oh well. There will be other trips.

Thinking about… how complaining has become a way for people to bond. I’ve noticed this with some of my relationships and I’m realizing how draining it is to be around people who complain all the time. It’s okay to vent from time to time, but man, it’s wearisome to listen to complaint after complaint after complaint. Being around people like this has made me take a long, hard look at the way I communicate with people and take notice of the ways I am complaining to others.

Feeling… stressed out whenever I log onto social media nowadays. I’ve basically stopped checking Facebook and I only scroll through Twitter a few times a day because the news is never good. Instagram is my jam, mostly because I follow a lot of dog accounts, which never fail to make me smile. (DogsBeingBasic is my lifeline.) I want to stay informed and I want to keep in touch, but it’s just too much for me and I find myself going to a dark place too often when I’m on social media. Maybe I need a little detox for a while.

What are you currently reading and anticipating?

Loving… the Christmas season. It feels like it’s been a weird Christmas season for me… maybe because I took a cruise right after Thanksgiving? I didn’t decorate my apartment until 10 days into the month and I didn’t start Christmas shopping until two weekends ago, when I’m usually finished by early December. Whew. Even still, I love this time of year, especially the anticipation of Christmas Day. And I’m also stoked that we basically get an entire weekend of Christmas this year. Yessss!

Loathing… spending money. December is such a darn expensive month, is it not? Between buying gifts and attending parties, money has been flying out of my wallet faster than I like. It makes me all sorts of anxious! Come January, I think I’ll engage in a spending freeze and allow my accounts to recover from the chaos of December.

Reading… If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins. I’m finishing out my year with a slew of romance novels, starting with a fun one by one of my favorite authors. This will be Book #91 for the year, so I guess you could say I had a successful year of reading.

Watching… Christmas movies! I’m trying to watch one Christmas movie every night this week while writing Christmas cards and preparing gift bags for my coworkers. It’s been so perfect!

Anticipating… this weekend! Oh, what a Christmassy weekend it will be. On Friday, I’m decorating Christmas cookies with my mom, my oldest nephew, and my brother. On Saturday, my aunt and uncle are hosting a small get-together at their home for the extended family. And on Sunday, my mom and I will open presents and soak in the family time with my brother and his family.

Thinking about… taking risks and following my heart. I feel like I’ve been content to lead a very small life, and I also think I’ve let my introversion, shyness, and high sensitivity hold me back from truly seeking out adventure and new experiences. I’ve been ruminating on what I want my word for 2017 to be and I think it’s going to be something along the lines of liberate or free. I want to liberate myself from the constrictions I’ve placed on myself.

Feeling… very satisfied with 2016. It was a pretty solid year for me and it’s not one of those years where I feel shame or guilt at everything I didn’t accomplish. I moved into my own apartment, dated and had romance, went on some amazing vacations, and grew in my career. I can enter 2017 with hope, excitement, and grace.

What are you currently loving and loathing?