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?

Loving… the fact that today is my last day in the office for 11 days! And that Mom and I start our vacation in two days! Both of us are craving this time away and I’m excited to do a fall cruise for the first time ever. We sail out on Saturday, make stops in Grand Cayman and Jamaica (we’ve planned excursions in both ports!), and return on Thursday. For the first time ever, I’ll be in a completely different country for my birthday, how cool is that? I think that is the perfect way to ring in the last year of my twenties.

Loathing… our president-elect. Duh, right? How any person in America thought he was a better choice for leader of our country over Hillary Clinton is beyond me. And the fact that his Cabinet nominations have all been openly racist, sexist men is just an epitome of what this presidency will be all about. Not to mention, the number of hate crimes that have happened since the election and the fact that Trump’s only response was to say “Stop it” during a nationally televised interview. I’m really worried for America, and I can’t stop thinking about what these next four years might be like.

Reading… 10% Happier by Dan Harris. I’m about halfway through it and I am loving it. I love the way he writes, in such an easy, conversational way, and I love his approach to self-help. He’s such a cynic and that’s exactly what I need. I need someone to ask the questions I’m afraid to ask. A full review to come in my November book report!

Watching… Parks and Rec, if it wasn’t already obvious from my Week in the Life posts. It’s truly the perfect comfort show and just what I need right now.

Anticipating… my fifth Holiday Council. I’m all signed up and ready to go. The first call will take place when I’m on my cruise, but I can’t wait to catch up and start diving into my favorite end-of-year tradition when I get back. I am a huge supporter of Molly’s work, and I love doing the Holiday Council with her every year. It really helps me to make sense of everything that happened over the year and make some intentions for what I want from the upcoming one. If you decide you want to sign up, would you mind using my link? In doing so, I get to put my name in the ring for some goodies from Molly!

Thinking about… how I want to end 2016. I feel like I have this tendency to look back on the year and feel upset over everything I haven’t accomplished: haven’t lost the weight or found love or written the novel. But when I really look back over 2016, I feel good about the things I have accomplished: moving into a place of my own, a substantial raise at my job, growing a freelance side hustle, lots of good adventures. Still, I want to end this year with a bang and the word guiding me through these next five weeks is progress. I want to feel as if I made some progress, even if it’s small, toward my bigger goals. December can be such a crazy month, but it doesn’t mean I can’t make progress on my goals.

Feeling… very loved after my friend, B., treated me to dinner and surprised me with presents as a pre-birthday celebration. We took our time with dinner, catching up and talking about all sorts of subjects, and then the waiter surprised me with a little birthday treat (complete with a lit candle). He also didn’t embarrass me with a happy birthday song, for which I am very grateful. I’m so lucky to have a friend like B.

What are you currently loving, reading, and anticipating?

Loving… cooler weather! It’s been in the upper 60s in the morning and evenings and low 80s during the day. I am loving it! Hello, Florida Fall. We’ve been waiting for you.

Loathing… the fact that my old apartment complex is charging me for a carpet replacement. It’s a $400 charge and I’m just rather annoyed about it. I thought that’s what my pet deposit was for, but apparently, what I paid was a pet fee, not a deposit. A fee is simply the price to keep a dog in the apartment, a deposit goes toward damages. Isn’t that absurd? I’ve never, ever had to pay for pet damages in an apartment, so I’m quite peeved and really happy to tell everyone I know to never, ever rent from this complex.

Reading… The Ramblers by Aidan Donnelley Rowley. I’m reviewing it for TLC Book Tours and I have about 50 pages left. It’s really, really good and I’m just in love with the way the author writes.

Watching… season five of Gilmore Girls! I have heard that it’s the last great season of the show, so I’m a little nervous about what seasons six and seven hold. I don’t think I’ll finish the series before the four-episode special comes out, but it’ll be better, I think, because I can finish season seven and jump right into the special! I’m also re-watching The Office, and it’s just as fantastic as I remember it.

Anticipating… two date nights with my lady friends. Tonight, I’m going to see Girl On the Train with a group of coworkers friends and then tomorrow, I’m meeting up with Former Roomie, Bri, for a night of mini-golf and dinner. I am stoked for these next two nights of good, old-fashioned girl time. My soul needs it!

Thinking about… switching back to glasses after a few years of contacts. I love wearing contacts, but I keep having eye irritation as a result of wearing them. I get the irritation right after I put in a new pair (something about the solution the contact lens comes soaked in must not react well to my eyes…), so it’s not from improper contact usage. The irritation is really quite painful, and I’m thinking about giving my eyes a break from contacts for a while.

Needing… an actual weekend with zero plans. Lately, my weekends have been jam-packed and full of things to do, people to see. It’s a little overwhelming for this introvert! I try to keep my weekend plans to a minimum because I really enjoy lazy, low-key weekends at home. Hopefully, I can carve out time for a planless weekend soon!

What are you currently loathing, reading, and anticipating?

Loving… the packing process. I don’t love a lot of parts about moving, but I do love to pack. Is that weird? I just find something soothing about packing up my life. I can carefully categorize everything and sort my things into their proper boxes. I can toss things I haven’t used since I moved in and make sure what I am bringing to my new home are things I use and love. My big plan this weekend is to pack, pack, pack and I am really looking forward to it. Now, who wants to hire me to pack up their life? I’m game!

Loathing… spending money. I knew I would have to spend a good chunk of money on necessities for my new place. When I moved in with Roomie, she brought everything and I… brought my bed, my dresser, and my TV. Oh, and a blender. So, I made a list of the things I absolutely, no-bones-about-it needed the minute I moved into my new place. Things like plates and bowls and silverware. And mixing bowls and measuring cups and pots and pans. I took trips to IKEA, T.J. Maxx, and Target this past weekend and spent a ton of money, and it hurt. Even though everything I bought was something I needed, there’s just something I hate about spending money. It just annoys me. Ah, well. It can’t be helped!

Reading… Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I’m finally on book five! Hooray! Book five is probably my least favorite in the series, mostly due to Dolores Umbridge. God, she is the worst, isn’t she?

Watching… very little TV lately. Maybe I’m preparing myself for life without cable, haha! I’m only watching Big Brother and MasterChef right now. Of course, I was all about the Olympics (mostly the gymnastics and the swimming) when it was on, so I guess I’m just being selective about what I’m watching. My nights have been spent doing work and my weekends have been jam-packed, so there hasn’t been a ton of lounging around lately!

Anticipating… my first *actual* fantasy football draft! I’ve played fantasy football for a few years, but only with my brother so it’s not real fantasy football. I’m playing with 13 other coworkers and I’m only one of three females, so I have to represent! This afternoon is our draft party, and I’ve been studying up as much as I can so I can dominate this draft. Wish me luck!

Thinking about… my upcoming social media and blogging break. I am ready for it, but also worried. Social media and blogging can be such a great distraction for me, and I may need the distraction with my transition from living with a roommate in Tampa to living alone in St. Pete. But it will also be good for me to sit with my thoughts and feelings, even when they’re uncomfortable. (But don’t fault me if I pop in once or twice with a blog post. Writing is my therapy!)

Needing… some extra hours in the day. I wish I was one of those people who could survive on very little sleep. It would help me to get more done! I guess I just need to hone my time management skills.

What are you currently loving, loathing, and anticipating?

Loving… generosity (and saving money). Last night, I picked up a TV stand and TV from a coworker who is moving. Since these were two items I will need soon for my new apartment, I was more than happy to take these items off her hands! I also came home with a bag full of clothes last weekend, after spending time with my mom. She was getting rid of some of her clothes, and since we’re the same size, she let me take a peek and see if there was anything I wanted. It’s like getting an entirely new wardrobe since everything I wore to work this week was from her closet! Thanks, Mom!

Loathing… summer. I want to love summer, I really do, but it’s so damn hot and humid. I start sweating within a few minutes of being outside, and I just want to spend as little time as possible outside. But also, the sunshine feels good on my skin and I love being outside on a beautiful day. So it’s truly a lose-lose situation.

Reading… Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire! This is my favorite book of the series, and I feel so happy rereading it. I can’t wait to watch the movie when I finish it!

Watching… Master of None. I started this show a few weeks ago and have been watching episodes here and there. It’s really, really good. The acting can be hit or miss, but I kinda like it. It feels more real and true to life. And I like that it touches on social issues in a heartwarming way.

Anticipating… my birthday cruise… which is still 19 weeks away (but who’s counting). I am so excited to get away for a week, but it’s so far away! I definitely need to plan for a little staycation between now and then because I haven’t taken any time off since my short weekend cruise in March. I am well overdue!

Thinking about… how precious life is. This past week, at the bike trail right next to my work, an early-morning biker ran into a downed live power line and died. This person was just out for a morning bike ride, getting exercise, and tragedy happens. It’s so terrifying. Life is so fragile, so precious. We only get this one life to live, this one chance here on earth. It’s scary how quickly, how tragically, a life can end. A person who had a beating heart and a family and a life and dreams and hopes and goals… just gone. Forever. The finality of death takes my breath away.

Needing… a quiet weekend. This weekend will be semi-quiet. I have a few plans, but it will mostly be a weekend for rest and catching up on life. I’m hoping next weekend will be even quieter, though. Is there anything better than a lazy, do-nothing weekend? This highly sensitive introvert says no!

What are you currently loving and loathing?