Stephany Writes

Categories: Recurring Series

A Weekend in Pictures: A Reading Date, Running of the Wieners & a Relaxing Sunday

My weekend kicked off with a great reading date with Amber. We met at my pool, which was wonderfully empty, and after chit-chatting and catching up on life for about 20 minutes (mostly talking about the hopelessness of dating these days, haha. It’s so nice to have someone going through the rigamarole of dating in our thirties together.), we read for about an hour in silence. I made great progress on Disability Visibility!

My evening was a good one! I ordered in for dinner and watched this week’s episode of The Bachelorette, which was just very, very emotional. Afterward, I listened to The Popcast’s recap and I’m always grateful to them for reminding me of all the ways production manipulates the narrative.

There’s really not much to say here. This is just a cute photo I took of Lila on Friday night as she snuggled in bed with me. Isn’t she just PRECIOUS?

And here’s Ellie. This was the view that greeted me when I woke up on Saturday morning. She’s a doll.

I am very proud of myself for getting in a spin workout this morning! I nearly skipped it, telling myself I would just do it on Sunday, but I was already up and had the time to do a quick 30-minute workout so I might as well, right? And it meant I could sleep in on Sunday! So I got it done and was very happy with myself.

For Saturday’s writing date, Mikaela and I returned to our favorite Starbucks!!!!!!! This is a major return to normalcy for us. All of the Starbucks around us have been drive-thru/pick-up only for a while, so we’ve been going to Panera for our writing dates but I am not a fan of Panera breakfast. Plus, Starbucks has their holiday drinks now and I had YET to have my first peppermint mocha of the season (blasphemy!). We recently learned that Starbucks opened up their dining rooms again, so we’re back in action. I greatly enjoyed my peppermint mocha and breakfast sandwich. During the writing date, I finished up an article for work and then spent some time working on this post.

You guys, I was really bad about taking pictures during the Running of the Wieners event! Argh! I did capture video of their races, which you can view here. But the only pictures I got were of us on the way to the event. Anyway, it was a really fun time and the dogs did so well! Lucy seemed a little shell-shocked to be surrounded by so many other dogs but I was more worried that Chip would be barking at all of the dogs, and he was just happy to walk around and sniff their butts. 🙂

The race takes place in this cordoned-off area of a park where “Wiener Handlers” stand on one side and the owners stand on the other. I don’t know how long the area between the start and finish is, but it’s far enough that I don’t think the dogs can see the owners (maybe 30 feet?).

Lucy ran in the “Baby Brats” division and she tried her best! It took her a bit of time to get going, but gradually she figured out that she needed to run down the field. She made it almost to the finish line but then got confused and started running back the way she came, haha. Eventually, my mom had to rescue her.

Chip ran in the “Feisty Franks” division and he came close to winning! He was running his little heart out to us, but then he got a bit distracted right at the end and didn’t cross the finish line in time. He did so well, though! Next year is his year, I think. 🙂

My evening was fairly low-key! I ordered in for dinner (mmm, pasta!) and watched a bunch of episodes of Brooklyn 99. I spent a little time working on blog posts for next week so I feel a little ahead of the game!

I also pampered myself a bit with my nightly skincare routine and gave myself a face mask. My skin always feels so hydrated after a face mask. I love it.

I had a supremely relaxing Sunday morning. I woke up around 8, ate breakfast, and wrote my Sunday post. Then I spent the rest of the morning reading, coloring while listening to a podcast, and reading blog posts. It was so nice!

I don’t really have any photos for the rest of Sunday, aside from this adorable one I took of Chip and Lucy so I could put up a post on their Instagram page. (The trick to getting them both looking at the camera: I gave them a new toy to play with and had it in my hands while I took this photo.) The rest of Sunday was spent at my mom’s, watching football with my mom, my brother, and my older nephew. It was a good day, for sure.

I needed this extremely relaxing day because next week is going to be a busy one at work. I have some intense articles to write, a few long meetings scheduled, and a lot of “to-do’s” to get through before I’m off for Thanksgiving week!

How was your weekend? 

Categories: Life

Stream of Consciousness Sunday

I’m writing this post while snuggled under a blanket on the couch, a glass of iced coffee nearby. It’s chilly today (by Florida standards), especially as we’ve had a string of warmer days and I had to turn my AC on again. I love when the temperature inside my apartment is cold enough to warrant turning off my AC! This morning, the temperature inside is 68. I just found Eloise under the quilt on my bed, so maybe it’s a little too chilly for her right now, hehe.

I think I’m becoming someone who doesn’t hate the fall time change any more. This is giving me a bit of an identity crisis because I’ve always hated “falling back.” Sure, that extra hour of sleep is amazing, but I hate it when it’s completely dark at 6 p.m. And I never really got to enjoy the lighter mornings because I was always waking up before the sun, no matter if we were in DST or standard time. But I’m starting to come around to being in standard time. I feel so much more well-rested these days because my body’s internal clock still hasn’t quite adjusted to the new time so while I’m waking up at my normal time, it feels an hour later. And I get to enjoy the lighter mornings, too! It’s actually really nice. All this to say, I understand people who enjoy falling back! I get it!

But I still prefer being in Daylight Saving Time—give me back my 8 p.m. sunsets, please!

I’ve been going back and forth on getting a Covid booster shot. Since I’m overweight, I’m considered high risk so I could get the booster if I wanted it. But I don’t really consider myself high risk for Covid, honestly. And I had such a bad reaction to the second Pfizer shot that I am really worried about going through all of that again for the booster. (And apparently, it’s common to have the same side effects, ugh.) Of course, I’d rather be protected against Covid (and protect anyone around me!) and deal with really bad side effects for a day or two than to get Covid, but it makes me nervous.

This stream-of-consciousness stuff is harder than it looks! I just spent the past 15 minutes flipping back and forth between this tab and other tabs, letting myself get distracted by looking at my savings accounts, Christmas presents to buy, and my email rather than finishing this post. So I guess that’s all I have in my head today. Not very exciting, eh?

What are your thoughts on falling back? Have you or are you getting the Covid booster?

Categories: About Me

Q&A Saturday: All About Books

Hi friends! Happy Saturday. 🙂 I’ve been loving all of the questions you guys have been sending me for this series, and since I got a handful of questions centered around books, I thought I would answer those today! As a reminder, you can fill out my form with your question (or questions!) or just comment on this post.

Jen asks:

Hi! I love this idea (and your blog!). Here’s my question: what are some of your favorite comfort re-reads? I definitely choose books based on my emotions and I love re-reading old favorites when I’m feeling low. Thanks for a fabulous blog that I absolutely think of as a comfort read! <3

First of all, thank you for such a sweet, lovely comment! It does my heart so good knowing my blog is a source of comfort for people!

I am not a mood reader, which I know is crazy to some people. It definitely feels like most people read based on their moods, and I stick to a very rigid TBR list. There’s just something about that rigid list that brings me comfort, more than just picking books willy-nilly based on how I’m feeling. I mean, of course, I try to make sure I’m not reading too many heavy books in a row and I give myself the flexibility to change up what I want to read, but for the most part, I follow that list to a tee.

But that wasn’t the question, haha. Do you see how easily I can go off on a tangent? Let’s discuss some of my favorite comfort rereads:

  • The Harry Potter series – Problems with JK Rowling aside, the Harry Potter series brings me such comfort and happiness. I reread the series a few years ago, starting the first book after a particularly awful heartbreak and it was truly the only thing that broke me out of my sadness. There’s just something about Harry and Hermione and Ron and Hogwarts and all of the magical elements that just bring me to the best, most cozy place.
  • Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery – I recently reread Anne of Green Gables and I can picture me coming back to this story again and again when I need something super comforting to read. Anne is such a beloved fictional character!
  • The Hating Game by Sally Thorne – I’ve reread this contemporary romance multiple times because it is still, by far, the best romance I have ever read. The characters are fantastic and the plot is so engaging. I reread this book at the beginning of the pandemic when I was feeling really low and it was everything I needed. (And the movie depiction releases in December! I am so excited!!)
  • Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooters series – I found this military suspense series during my first semester of college. I was living on campus, depressed and lonely, and spending all of my time in the campus bookstore. During a perusal of the books, I found one of the books in this series, bought it, and fell completely in love with Suzanne Brockmann’s writing style and these characters. I’ve reread the entire series once and I may be due for another reread soon!

Christa asks…

Do you have an absolute favorite book?

There is not one book that I can definitively claim as my absolute favorite book. I have a lot of books that I consider part of my all-time faves, however, like:

Do you have an all-time favorite book? 

Categories: Recurring Series

TGIF (v. 38)

The high of my week was having dinner with Mikaela and Olive on Wednesday night (aka, Olive’s birthday!) We went to a Mexican restaurant and they sang happy birthday to her with maracas. It was really cute! And just special to have this time with Olive on her birthday. I haven’t gotten to spend much time with Olive, since she was quarantined pretty heavily during her cancer treatment, and I’m glad I can finally actually get to know this special girl!

The low of my week was finding out the antibiotic cream my doctor wants me to use for the rash under my nose will cost me $107! Ack. Thankfully, I have an HSA, so I won’t feel the hit to my wallet, but dang. I hate being on a high-deductible plan for my health insurance, but I really love having an HSA. Except I’m not really saving much since I’m spending so much on copays at the doctor’s office. Meh.

A funny Tik-Tok I saw this week was this hilarious “if libraries were like delis” skit. Ahh, Internet people can be the greatest sometimes.

A podcast episode I enjoyed was Strange Bedfellows’ episode on “A Scot in the Dark” by Sarah MacLean, mostly because they had Tanner’s wife, Jaime, on and I always love the way the dynamic changes when she joins the podcast! It was such a fun listen.

I’m currently reading four different books, again. I’m still slowly making my way through Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Kristin Kobes du Mez. It’s good but hasn’t been life-changing for me so far. I’m also reading Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century, which I am finding so valuable. There is so much about disability rights that I don’t even think about, like deaf people in prison not having an interpreter. (That seems like such a human rights violation!) I just started A Gentleman Never Keeps Score, a queer romance by Cat Sebastian. And, finally, I’m still making my way through A Better Man by Louise Penny (just two hours left to listen to!)

The best money I spent was $100 on Christmas presents! Woohoo—finally got my Christmas shopping started. I don’t buy Christmas presents for a ton of people (my extended family doesn’t exchange gifts, and that is such a blessing, lol), just my mom, my brother, my sister-in-law, my nephews, my stepdad, and some friends. It feels good to get it started, though!

My plans this weekend include dinner and/or a reading date with a friend tonight. Tomorrow, I have a writing date with Mikaela and then in the late afternoon, it’s time for one of my most-anticipated events of the year: RUNNING OF THE WIENERS! AHHHHH! They didn’t have this event last year for obvious reasons, and I can’t wait to see how Chip and Lucy do in their races. Mostly, though, I’m excited to be surrounded by dachshunds for a few hours tomorrow. MY FAVE. And Sunday will be a low-key day of watching football with the fam!

What was the high of your week?

Categories: Recurring Series

Three Things Thursday (v. 6)

Three Things Thursday is one of my semi-regular posts where I choose 10 different categories and write down three things that apply to each of them. Feel free to steal the prompts to do them on your own blog—or choose your own categories to write about! 🙂

Three confessions

1) I feel very guilty about the lack of time I spend playing with the cats, especially because they get so excited when I bring out a teaser wand. They get lots of pets and snuggles and attention, but I really need to devote time every day to playtime.

2) If I’m going to rate M&M flavors, here they are: 1) Peanut, 2) Crispy, 3) Plain, 4) Pretzel, 5) Dark Chocolate, 6) Peanut Butter. (And I know there are more flavors, but those are just the ones I’ve tried.) I know people are fanatic about peanut butter M&M’s but I just don’t like them. I bought one of those “classic mix” bags of M&M’s that has plain, peanut, and peanut butter M&M’s and I threw out all of the peanut butter ones. BLASPHEMY, I KNOW.

3) My all-time favorite movie is Tommy Boy. I haven’t watched it in a while, but my brother and I quote it to each other constantly, even to this day. It’s such a classic comedy!

Three cars on my wishlist

1) Kia Soul – The car is just so cute! And it gets good reviews. I want it!

2) Hyundai Tucson – This car just gives me so many heart eyes when I see it on the road.

3) Mazda CX-5 – As you all know, I test-drove this car last weekend and I fell completely in love with it. It was a fun car to drive.

Three podcasts on my to-be-listened-to list

1) Maintenance Phase – For a while, I was listening to You’re Wrong About but I stopped listening because one of the hosts drove me crazy. However, the other host (whom I loved!) also hosts this podcast, which is all about the wellness industry, so I have it on my list to give it a listen soon.

2) Mall Talk – A podcast that reminisces about malls and all the different stores in the mall? I’m here for it!

3) 9/12 – It’s hard for me to consume media about 9/11 because it’s too emotionally devastating for me. But this podcast takes a spin on the traditional 9/11 media, discussing some of the ways regular people adjusted to our newly altered reality. I think I can handle this podcast!

Three things I’m looking forward to

1) My birthday and “Day of Stephany” – I turn 34 at the end of the month, which is MIND-BOGGLING to me. How am I in my mid-thirties already? Ahh! Since my birthday falls on a Sunday, I’ve decided to do my “Day of Stephany” the following day. For those who are new here, “Day of Stephany” is how I celebrate my birthday each year! I spend a full day pampering myself. I get a massage and a pedicure. I get my birthday Starbucks drink (usually a peppermint mocha!) and spend an hour reading at Starbucks. I take a nap. And I finish off with dinner with my family! It’s my favorite tradition.

2) Decorating my apartment for Christmas – I’m waiting for Thanksgiving week to decorate for Christmas, but I truly cannot wait to transform my apartment into “Stephany’s Christmas Wonderland” again. I go all out for Christmas and it makes me so happy to see my apartment all dressed up for the holiday season.

3) Two weeks off in November and December – I am seriously looking forward to some time off over the next two months. While I’m not traveling anywhere, I’m looking forward to sleeping in, reading lots of books, and watching lots of holiday movies. Yay!

Three favorite Christmas movies

1) Elf – I try to watch this movie every Christmas Eve!

2) The Santa Clause – We watched this movie every year when I was growing up and I have such a sentimental love for it!

3) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – Is there a more quotable Christmas movie? I just adore this one!

Three TV shows I’m watching now:

1) Survivor – I’ve never watched a single season of Survivor, but I decided to start this year just to see what all the fuss is about. Well, I am loving it! I may need to go back and watch some of the other seasons!

2) The Bachelorette – I only watch The Bachelorette so I can listen to recaps from The Popcast. I’m enjoying Michelle’s season!

3) Brooklyn 99 – I’m halfway through season 4 of my rewatch and this show makes me oh so very happy.

Three books I just added to my Goodreads TBR:

1) The Journey Toward Wholeness: Enneagram Wisdom for Stress, Balance, and Transformation by Suzanne Stabile – I couldn’t add this book to my Goodreads TBR list fast enough when Jamie from The Popcast recommended it. She loved it and I have a feeling I will, too.

2) Tokyo Dreaming by Emiko Jean – After finishing Tokyo Ever After, I was so excited to learn there was a second book in the series releasing in 2022. Added to my list!

3) All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle – On a recent episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee raved about this book (it even put her in a book slump!) and compared it to A Man Called Ove.

Three of my most-used apps yesterday

1) Overcast (1 hour, 15 minutes)

2) Happy Color (1 hour, 3 minutes)

3) Instagram (36 minutes)

Three things I say to my cats all the time:

1) “Do you need some mama love?” – “Mama love” is when I sit on the floor of my bedroom and let Eloise rub herself all over my legs. She also uses this time to practice her tumbling, hehe. (Her previous owner called her “Flip-Flop” for a time because she loves doing flips!) Whenever Ellie sees me walking around, she will meow loudly at me and then run over to the bedroom, as if to say, “Mama love time!” It’s so cute.

2) “Lila! You’re back! We missed you!” – Lila usually sleeps under the couch for hours at a time, so whenever she emerges, I usually get so excited and say this because I missed that little floof.

3) “Oh, you guys think it’s time for yum-yums, don’t you?” – “Yum-yums” are what we call treats. Usually, I’ll find them staring at me pretty hard while I’m working and the minute I stand up from my desk, they run over to the dining room table, which is where I give them their treats. Silly ladies!

Three things that are not on my bucket list:

1) Skydiving – Nope, not for me. There are some risks I am willing to take for the thrill of it, but jumping out of an airplane is not one of them.

2) Running a marathon – Listen, I tried for many years to like running and it’s just not for me. Running a marathon is definitely not on my bucket list!

3) Ringing in the new year at Times Square – While it looks magical on TV, I know the reality is anything but. I’ll enjoy my New Year’s Eve at home where I can go to bed soon after the ball drops (if I even make it to midnight!)

What’s one thing you’re looking forward to? And tell me your favorite Christmas movie!