Loving… my new gym! After many years of being without a gym home, I finally decided to join one after getting my bloodwork results back and realizing I need to kick my workout routine to another gear. These lazy 15-minute walks outside aren’t going to cut it anymore if I want to lower my cholesterol and diabetes risk. My mom has wanted me to join Crunch Fitness with her for a few months now, and so that’s what we did on Friday! Yesterday, I took my first in-person spin class in years and it was awful in the best possible way. It was hard and the seat felt uncomfortable and I just wanted it to be done… but I was also happy to be back on the bike and felt like I could do anything when I finished my workout. My plan is to go twice a week (starting small!) and increase my attendance from there.

Loathing… sciatica. I haven’t had to deal with sciatica in so long—it just went dormant for a few years, but now it’s back with a vengeance. I have tried heat therapy, stretches, and even a massage, but nothing was helping it. I went to a friend’s pediatric cancer event on Saturday and was so nervous about how my body would hold up to a one mile walk, which is just ridiculous. By the end of the walk, my back was so tight and I was in so much pain that I couldn’t do much more than stand around and try to take deep breaths. On Monday, I had my first appointment with a chiropractor and I am feeling hopeful that she will be able to help me. She did a ton of assessments and took X-rays, and this morning, I have a follow-up appointment to learn more about what’s going on and her treatment plan.

Reading… two books. I am a little more than halfway through Black Girls Must Die Exhausted by Jayne Allen on audiobook. I am very annoyed at the dating choices these women are making! And in print, I’m reading Come and Get It by Kiley Reid. I have read 250 pages and I still could not succinctly tell you what this book is about.

Watching… Mr. and Mrs. Smith! A TV show, finally! I have only watched two episodes so far (okay, full disclosure: I did set it aside to watch The Trust on Netflix, which is a reality show) but I am really enjoying it. I mean, episode two was wildly uncomfortable in spots, but I am still intrigued enough to keep going.

Listening to… the Corporate Gossip podcast. I finally got through their entire archive and now I am (im)patiently awaiting season 4. This podcast is hosted by a brother and sister team who detail all sorts of stories about corporate malfeasance. They tackle both companies (like Disney, Boeing, Peloton, etc.) that have engaged in some interesting practices to say the least, as well as CEOs and their downfall (think: Ted Turner, The Murdochs, the Koch family, etc). They have such a fun tone to their podcast, even when talking about really ridiculous topics, and I have really loved learning more about the crazy, super nefarious world of corporations and business bros.

Anticipating… book club on Saturday! This was my month to plan something, and I suggested candle making. There’s a cute spot downtown where we can make candles (maybe with some book-related scents, like old paper or coffee? Hmm) and I’m excited to have a fun Saturday out with my girls! We’ll probably get lunch afterward since we have to wait two hours for our candles to set after we make them.

Excited… to announce that I got a promotion! It was entirely unexpected, as I thought I would have to wait for the next promotion cycle in a few months but our organization is going through a reorg, which entailed restructuring the way some of our teams function. Because of that, it was crucial to give me a promotion during the Q1 cycle, which is really exciting! I have a senior management title now, which just boggles my mind. Who is this girl?!

Buying… an Apple watch! I feel like I am so late to the Apple watch game, but when I learned I could use my wellness stipend for an Apple watch, it was a no-brainer. A free Apple watch? Sign me up! I got it last week and have had such a fun time playing around with it, and finding new ways for it to enhance my life.

Grateful for… winning a raffle! I’ve never won anything like this, but I bought some raffle tickets at the pediatric cancer walk I went to on Saturday and won the raffle I entered! I’m getting a $50 gift certificate to Aveda, which is really exciting because the last time I was at my salon, I saw that they have a line of products specifically designed to help oily scalps and I am here for that. I’m interested in trying this exfoliating scalp treatment, but a 5 oz bottle is $53! (I can’t remember if they had the travel size in the salon, which is $14 for .85 oz.) But with a gift certificate, I can give the full-size bottle a try without breaking the bank. Hooray for that!

Any tips, tricks, or app ideas for my Apple watch? What is something you’re loving right now?

Loving… our Instagram Reels for the podcast. Bri’s husband, Sean, had the amazing idea that we should be doing Reels to go along with our podcast episodes, and he even offered to make the Reels for us. (It’s something he does for his job, so he’s familiar with the technology.) So on our latest episode (about attachment styles!) we filmed ourselves on our phones while we recorded the podcast and then sent the recordings to Sean and he was able to create two very fun Reels from them. We posted our first Reel last week and it’s so good! Sean did such a great job. Our next Reel will be posted this week. 🙂

Loathing… scalp psoriasis. I finally scheduled an appointment with my dermatologist to talk about a new treatment regime because what I’m currently on is no longer working. What’s been happening is that my scalp gets these dry skin patches in two separate areas (the back of my head, right above my ears) so I use my steroid treatment, which is seeming to over-correct the problem. It takes away the dry skin but leaves me with inflamed spots that are so, so itchy. I’ve been slathering my hair with a specific psoriasis cream and it helps a little, but not as much as I’d like. Hopefully, my derm can help! My appointment isn’t until early next month but I was put on their cancellation list so I’m crossing fingers and toes I can get in with her this week.

Reading… three books. How to Be Yourself: Quiet Your Inner Critic and Rise Above Social Anxiety by Ellen Hendrickson, which has been chock-full of helpful tips. Alongside that, I’m reading Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks, which has been a fun contemporary romance so far. And on audio, I’m listening to The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston. What am I not reading? My Brilliant Friend. I tried, you guys, but it was just a slog for me and I finally gave up.

Watching… The Circle. When we did our PowerPoint night for book club, my topic was “Book Club’s Reality TV Futures,” and I paired each book club member with a specific reality TV show to go on. For my own reality TV future, I gave myself The Circle. The premise of this show is that all of the contestants live in a beautiful apartment (ALONE!) and communicate with other members using a voice-activated app. You can choose to play as yourself or as a catfish. And every few days, everyone rates each other from their favorite to least favorite. The top two players are the “influencers” of the group and can choose who of the remaining players to “block.” It’s a game of social skills and strategy, but you get to do it all while living by yourself and not having to be around people 24/7, which sounds like the perfect fit for me. (And you are allowed to read during your downtime, so just think of how many books I could get through!) Anyway, I blew through the first two seasons this month and I’m hooked.

Listening to… “Stick Season” by Noah Kahan. He has really blown up recently and I started hearing about him all over my Instagram feed so I decided his newest album (released in 2022) would be my February album to listen to. I really, really enjoyed it! He has such a great voice and I love the soulful nature of his songs.

Anticipating… The Popcast Live! The Popcast is my favorite podcast and I have been dying to go to one of their live shows. This year, when they announced they would be in Chicago in June, I immediately texted Kim to find out if she had the weekend open. She did and we made plans to go to the show together. I AM SO EXCITED, YOU GUYS! Not only will I get to see my favorite podcasters in person, but I’ll also get to spend time with one of my all-time favorite humans, so it’s a win-win for me.

Thinking about… eliminating Ubereats (and other food delivery) from my life. I love the convenience of food delivery, but it’s rare for me to actually enjoy the food (it’s always better straight from the kitchen to your table at the restaurant!) and it’s gotten so expensive lately. It’s easy to spend $35+ on one order for one person, and that’s just ridiculous. I would like to use it very sparingly and just for special occasions—like ordering lunch on a day filled with meetings. I’ve finally come around to the reason so many of you don’t use these food delivery services. It took me a while to get here, but I made it!

Buying… new skincare products. I’ve been using Paula’s Choice products for a long time now (a few years, at least) but I really haven’t noticed a big difference in my skin. My main problems are oiliness, redness, and uneven skin tone. I also deal with hormonal acne, but there’s not really a skincare product that can help with that unfortunately. After doing some light Internet research, I settled on giving La Roche Posay a try. Their products are seemingly very helpful for people with skin tones similar to mine, so we’ll see! It can’t hurt to try, right? I’m going to replace my cleanser, toner, serums, retinol, and moisturizer with LRP products. I’ll keep using The Ordinary’s niacinamide product (since it doesn’t appear LRP offers this treatment on its own, womp). I’m hoping to do a follow-up post in a few months about my skincare routine—a lot has changed since that original post.

Grateful for… a doctor who listens to my concerns. I went to see my primary care doctor last week, and one of the reasons for that visit was to see about getting a referral for a colonoscopy. I’m not having any symptoms that make me nervous, but my grandma had colon cancer and I read an article about how people in their 30s are getting diagnosed with colon cancer more often, so it scared me. Unfortunately, my doctor can’t just give me a referral due to “anxiety,” lol, but she did walk me through the protocol she would need to go through to get me that referral. And I learned that I am not at increased risk of colon cancer! I always thought I was, but guidelines have changed recently. Now, you have to have a first-degree family member who was diagnosed (my grandma is second degree, so she doesn’t count) or a second-degree family member who was diagnosed under the age of 45 (grandma was in her mid-60s) or multiple family members diagnosed with colon cancer (so far, it’s only been grandma). So not only did my doctor walk me through the guidelines and protocol for colonoscopies, but she also really assuaged my fears! Now I can confidently wait until I’m 45 to get my first one, and I’m not too upset about that.

What are you currently loving and loathing?

Loving… my nose piercing! I finally did it, friends. I got my nose pierced. I went with Bri on Friday night and now I have a delicate little stud in my nose. I love it so much! I am hoping to get a hoop in a few months, once the piercing has healed fully. I’m going to be completely honest and tell you that this piercing hurt like hell. I mean, duh. They’re stabbing a needle through my nose cartilage, of course that’s going to hurt! But whew… it was painful! I teared up a little from the pain but managed to hold myself together. Is it more painful than a tattoo? I mean, I’m willing to get more tattoos but not sure I’m willing to get more piercings so take from that what you will.

Loathing… this upcoming political year. I’m not excited, friends, and I know that’s a sentiment shared by so many of us. It’s obvious that Trump is going to be the Republican candidate and it’s terrifying to think he could be back in office in 2025. I am not looking forward to all of the political ads and texts and mailers. Or the debates and fights and spats. Recently, I started listening to Pantsuit Politics, which I heard about for years but I was committed to my Pod Save America bros and didn’t want to listen to two different political podcasts. But I needed something that was a bit more hopeful than PSA can be, and PP has definitely delivered in that regard. You can feel their anger at times, but they also deliver the news in a much more straightforward way that I need right now.

Reading… Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, which is the second Christie novel I’ve read (I read And Then There Were None a few years ago). I think I’m going to watch the movie after I’ve finished this mystery. I don’t know if it’s a great adaptation, but I think it will be fun to see it captured in film. (I’m also still listening to Cover Story by Susan Rigetti, which is riveting.)

Watching… The Traitors! I am so glad this series got renewed for a second season. If you haven’t watched the show, I highly recommend it. The premise is that a group of people are brought to a castle in Scotland to participate in a reality TV show. A handful of those people are chosen to be “Traitors,” which means they “murder” one contestant every night. The rest of the group are known as “Faithfuls,” and they must work together to figure out who the traitors are. But if any traitor makes it to the end… the $250,000 is all theirs. It is a game of intense strategy and social skills, and it’s so fascinating to see how the game affects people differently.

Listening to… Guts by Olivia Rodridgo. I have a 2024 goal to listen to one new album every month, and I started with a great one! During my first listen, I was kinda “meh” on it and wondered if I just couldn’t vibe with a Gen Z singer, but I gave it another few listens and I’m loving it actually. Her songs are just fun to sing along to, even if I can’t totally relate to the words anymore. Heh.

Anticipating… some really fun plans in February! I’m going to a strawberry farm market with friends this weekend, have my annual Galentine’s date with Bri, and I’m doing a game night with friends later in the month. Plus, there’s the Super Bowl and restarting family game night once football is over. And Bri and I are finally going to get our moms behind the mics for the podcast, and I’m looking forward to that. It should be a really good month!

Thinking about… routines. Developing a regular daily routine has been a constant struggle for me, as is well-documented on this blog. I really want 2024 to be the year where I finally figure out a daily routine that works for me. Is it starting my day with a long walk (even if it’s dark outside)? Is it starting my day on the couch with coffee and games on my phone to slowly wake up? Is it hopping onto my computer early to clear out emails and set my to-do list before starting my morning routine? Honestly, all of those sound nice, ha! It’s a work in progress.

Buying… not much these days! I have a few things in my Amazon cart (a new computer bag, a sling purse, a kitchen organizing rack) but I haven’t pushed purchase on anything yet. And that’s because I am only allowed to buy things from Amazon if I earn an A or B average with my weekly habits. Sometimes, you have to treat yourself like a 5-year-old with a sticker chore chart in order to get things done. On this habit list is taking five walks a week, taking my meds regularly, doing my skincare routine morning and night, doing one 15-minute standing session per day, and get to bed by 10:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday. I have yet to earn an A or B, so I’m a work in progress but it just means it’s going to be really exciting when I finally do get to buy something special from Amazon!

Grateful… to have graduated from therapy! I have felt ready to end this round of therapy for a few months now, but kept scheduling appointments because a) I’m an Enneagram 9 and didn’t want her to be mad at me for ending our sessions and b) I wanted to feel really, really sure it was time. I am not someone who needs continuous therapy. I like going when things start feeling unmanageable and my usual coping skills aren’t working anymore. I have been seeing this particular therapist for almost two years now, and I finally feel in a good spot to handle life without these regular check-ins. I know my anxiety—and especially anxiety about my mom—will always be a part of my life, but I have better insight around why I have this type of anxiety and how to challenge it when it occurs. I will still see my psychiatrist regularly (I have those appointments once a quarter) but it feels good to be in a stable place after feeling so unstable in 2021 and 2022.

What’s something you’re grateful for today?

Loving… the sweet package I received from Kim this weekend! She gave me the best cat-themed package with a cozy blanket, a rock she painted, an ornament, and a tote bag. Kim is such an excellent gift-giver and the package made my day. (Funny moment, the gift arrived in an Amazon package and when I got home on Saturday, I was like, “Wait, what did I order from Amazon?” and was racking my brain trying to remember… and then I saw the package slip!)

Loathing… cancer. While I saw my grandma go through cancer treatments for 8 years (she had colon cancer), there has been something different about seeing the way lung cancer has leveled my uncle. He is not the person he was even a few months ago, and I know it’s been so hard on my cousin and her family. Cancer is so brutal and unfair.

Reading… three books. On audio, I’m finishing up The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger, which has been quite the adventure. (A category 6 hurricane blows through Florida and wipes Miami completely off the map, eeeks.) In print, I’m reading Recursion by Blake Crouch and The Stand-In by Lily Chu.

Watching… Quarterback on Netflix. It’s a documentary following three quarterbacks during the 2022 season: Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins, and Marcus Mariota. I love it! I am a football fan, so I find the whole documentary to be fascinating, from how the players prepare each week to being in the huddle with them throughout each game. And it’s fun to get a glimpse into their home lives. I’ll admit that I never thought I would relate to an NFL quarterback but Marcus Mariota talking about how Sausage McMuffins are his favorite breakfast—kindred spirit.

Listening to… Christmas music. Is anyone surprised? I started listening to it sometime this month here and there, but now that we’re past Thanksgiving, it will be all Christmas music all the time!

Anticipating… the holiday season. My December has filled up with so many fun plans! There’s our annual book club Christmas party, a gingerbread house decorating event, Christmas cookie decorating with the fam, going to look at holiday lights with my mom, and even a casual Christmas hangout with work (our first since 2019!). Bri also gifted me a day at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas for my birthday, and I cannot wait for that! And I won’t even hit the after-Christmas lull because my mom, stepdad, the dogs, and I leave for Tennessee the day after Christmas!

Thinking about… my 2024 goals. I already have a few goals in mind to tackle next year and I’m not sure how I’ll organize them. Maybe 24 goals in ’24? That feels like a lot of goals, but I think I can sneak some fun one-off goals into this list. Right now, I have 4 goals for next year: Read 6 novels by Agatha Christie, go on a solo vacation, watch 5 movies that Knox and Jamie (of The Popcast) have green-lit, and launch a new blog theme with reorganized categories/tags. More to come, of course!

Buying… Christmas gifts! I am nearly done Christmas shopping, but still have a few more gifts to buy. And I have to go shopping for my Secret SANta Swap partner! I am excited to buy an assortment of fun gifts for my person. Yay!

Grateful… for a really fun birthday week ahead. I have a day date with my mom today and then dinner with Bri tonight, a full Day of Stephany planned tomorrow with dinner with my whole family in the evening, and book club on Thursday! It will be a great week filled with lots of love.

What are you currently watching and anticipating?

Loving… the beautiful weather. We have really lucked out when it comes to the weather this month. We’re seeing mornings in the low 70s with low humidity. This week, we even get a short but much appreciated “cold” front with lows in the (upper) 50s. October can be a fickle month, so I’m just going to appreciate not feeling like I’m walking straight inside a sauna every time I go outside.

Loathing… my lack of motivation when it comes to my workout routine. Based on some really helpful comments from you guys, I have decided that I’m not going to force myself to go for a walk every day. Obviously, that’s just not working for me. Instead, I want to try to get in a nice 30-minute walk three times a week. It’s a very small, very doable goal. The weather (see above) is finally cooling down a bit, which means I can fit in a walk in the morning or afternoon or evening, and not turn into a sweaty, red-faced mess. So that’s the new goal. Three walks a week. That’s all! I can do that.

Reading… the same books I mentioned on Friday, ha. I’m seven hours into my audiobook, The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow, and it gets more and more interesting the further I get into the book. I’m about halfway through my other books, Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon and Drowning by T.J. Newman.

Watching… Love Is Blind, season 5. Why do I keep watching this trainwreck of a show? It’s awful and unrealistic, and they really do cast some terrible people. But alas, I’m here for the drama and, in that case, this show delivers.

Listening to… Nobody Panic, on Nicole’s recommendation. I’m currently making my way through the archives, but I am loving it so far. Between their funny banter and really helpful advice, I’m just enjoying myself immensely. I get excited every time I listen to a new (well, old, but new to me) episode.

Anticipating… my LASIK procedure! God willing, this will happen on Friday and I should get a call today or tomorrow with my surgery time. I am so excited. Am I a little apprehensive that I’ll somehow wind up completely blind? Sure. But I don’t think that will happen. Mostly, I cannot wait to finally be able to see out of my own eyeballs very soon.

Thinking about… NaBloPoMo! I am planning on participating for my third year in a row, even though I’m already feeling stressed out about keeping up with all of the writing and commenting and blog posts. We’re all just going to do the best we can, right? One thing I want to focus on this time around is writing more stream-of-consciousness posts. I don’t want to adhere to a super-strict editorial calendar and write all of these long-form blog posts. I just want to write from the heart and enjoy the experience!

Buying… new products for my office nook. I bought a pair of monitor arms that I need to install as well as a new whiteboard to hang up. I also bought this fun daily to-do list pad that I can’t wait to start using. I have tried so many different pads and planners to organize my days/weeks, so this is just another product in a very long line. Hopefully, I love it!

Grateful… to have found a dietician that so closely aligns with my own morals and values when it comes to eating. During our last appointment, we were talking about strategies to help me drink more water. I talked about how it’s so much easier to just grab a Dr. Pepper from the fridge than it is to grab my water bottle and fill it up with ice and water. So she said how maybe I could combine these activities. Whenever I go to get a Dr. Pepper, I also have to fill up my water bottle at that time. My eyes brightened. “I love that! And so it’s like a reward for filling up my water bottle. I fill it up, I get a Dr. Pepper.” And she was very quick to tell me that food/drinks are not rewards. “You do not need any reason to have a Dr. Pepper. You can have a Dr. Pepper whenever you want.” It was a reminder that a) I still have a lot of unlearning to do when it comes to diet culture and b) she will never shame me for my soda habit. It’s so refreshing!

What are you currently loving and anticipating?