Tag: updates

loves & latest: March 11, 2019

monday musings

loves

reads

audiobooks in general

I used to hate the thought of someone reading to me (personal weirdness involving mouth sounds), then I discovered the magic of audiobooks and the talented people who narrate them. Audiobooks are making my commute 100% better, giving me 2 hours of “passive” reading a day, and allowing me to catch up on podcast assignments without worrying about adding another book to my reading list.

I download my audiobooks for free through my library’s Libby, Hoopla, and audiobook lending programs.

beauty

establishing a beauty budget

I recently come to terms with my beauty spending and realized that I am not an all-or-nothing person. I am project panning and looking to keep my spending to a minimum, but I don’t need to fall into total austerity. This is an area that revealed how far my Upholder tendency goes, as I found myself experiencing [unnecessarily] obsessive thoughts regarding my spending in this area. Setting a budget is the middle-ground for me.

general

writer youtube and blogs

As I prepare for a new writing project, I’ve been diving into the writer community, looking for inspiration, lessons, and new ways to approach my work. One of my recent favorites is Sarah Cannon’s Heart Breathings blog and channel – a great resource for anyone who wants to start work on a writing project.

I recently purchased her HB90 planner template (because she’s also a planner addict) and can’t wait to set it up for April (it’s a 3 month, 90 day planner).

latest

podcast

bluestocking-circleListen to the latest episode of The Bluestocking Circle Podcast – Episode 19: Star Trek & Galaxy Quest… we have so many thoughts.

If you want to hear three lady nerds talk about their favorite books and movies, give us a listen on Podomatic, Apple Podcasts,Google Play, or Spotify. Also available on YouTube.

Follow us @bluesoxcircle on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Monday Musings: Loves and Latest

I’m trying something new.

monday musings

Recent Reads and Loves

Mister Miracle by Tom King et al.

Comics that make me think, can’t get enough of them.

*affiliate links support the podcast with a teensy contribution.*

Updates

Podcast:

Videos:

life: an update

I had a major life crisis two weeks ago and am only just starting to feel “normal” again. I’m not ready to talk about it (because it’s a rather loaded subject and I’m not interested in opening myself up to trolls), but I will say that I’m fine and getting better and my mental health is much more stable than it was at the time. I had planned on posting lofty July goals, but now I’m just looking forward to getting any writing done, getting back to exercising after a two week break, and focusing on improving my mental state. It’s been difficult, but such is life and I had support from the ones I love. And Harry Potter. I’ve read and watched a lot of Harry Potter.

That’s that.

In better news, my promotion file is DONE. I just printed and added the last of the letters I was waiting on, checked my contents, and made sure it looks neat and tidy. Tomorrow, I ship it off to the other campus and sit back to wait. Until February.

This shows more details than I normally share, but I’m a public entity and google-able, so… nothing you couldn’t find with a quick search. *shrug*

Wish me luck.

Video tomorrow (just an update on shoes I reviewed a few months ago), and *fingers crossed* a more regular blog and video schedule for future posts.

June goals and such

Still getting things figured out, my PCOS diagnosis is pretty much official, and I’ve started a new fitness regimen! Lots happening in June, and it’s almost my birthday: time to revisit my goals for the year.

Just checking in to say hi and catch up on what’s been happening in my slightly hectic life.

life: February updates and March goals

It’s been a month. Seriously.

So my Whole30 was an epic failure, but that’s ok. I realized half-way that it just wasn’t the right time. I wasn’t in the right mindset, and mindset is a HUGE part of that program. I will try again, but not right now. I’m just going to focus on eliminating the foods that make me feel sluggish, sick, or throw off my digestion. Focusing on health and feeling good, rather than restriction or program rules.

Yoga happened. Not every day, but it happened. Walking, not so much. There were migraines. Lots of them, and stretching and relaxing was my main priority.

On the upside, I finished my edits for the month! With time to spare! Yay!

Edit wordcount: 13531.

I call that a good run, so I decided to film an update video to pat myself on the back. Check it out 🙂

Goals for March:

  • Finish the draft! Do it!
  • Prepare for April NaNo experiment
  • Try to complete 30 Days of Yoga Camp, because I really enjoyed that series and feel ready for a repeat.

life: month in review

January felt busy… in more ways than one. It also felt strained and hectic, but that’s a post in itself. Just breathe, I tell myself. I am a pessimist at the best of times, I just need to breathe.

Anyhow, looking back, I accomplished a lot of things, and that’s something to celebrate after all the badness that threatened to bring me down.

  • I celebrated my ninth anniversary and took a mini-break to join in my friend’s wedding.
  • There were dates, and lots of them. Just time to get away from the daily grind.
  • I cut my hair.
  • Finished 25 of the 31 days of Yoga Revolution (will make up the missing days this week, and complete day 31 tonight).
  • Balanced festive eating with paleo-ish eating, which was good.
  • Read a few books:
    • Air & Light & Time & Space by Helen Sword (on academic writing, pre-pub)
    • Without a Summer by Mary Robinette Kowal (Regency fantasy goodness)
    • Polish your Poise with Madame Chic by Jennifer L. Scott (for the inspo)
    • Demon’s Curse by Alexa Egan (for the mystery, fantasy, sexiness)
  • And rewrote/revised/edited a total of 14,770 words as of this morning.

Here’s hoping for better days.

How was your January?

the view from Sunday: words, words, words.

Can it be? Yes! I’ve started writing again :). The struggle has been real (too real, really), but I’m finally in a state where I can focus and get down to it. I spent the day working on a rather messy chapter that needed a day-long, uninterrupted rewite. It’s also a rather long one, so I’m debating splitting it in two… but that decision will keep for now. What really matters is that I’m starting to feel energized about the draft again. After all, I’m the only one who really cares if I finish, and I’m nothing if not persistent.

Cats are eager…

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If not particularly energetic.
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vlog: what’s on the menu… of life

Who’s ready for fall? I know I am. I’m already “transitioning” my wardrobe away from my summer look, which means more chances to de-clutter and get rid of stuff I didn’t use. I’m going to be focusing on a “minimalism” series this month, so if you have any suggestions, do drop them in the comments. Also going to be working on my “action plan” for editing and debating whether or not to take a break to work on something new in between rounds.

Check out the video. Subscribe. Comment. And don’t miss the kitty cat action in the background.

And, in case you missed it, I just started my first bullet journal and have the month of September all laid out and ready to plan.

 

It’s going to be a busy one.

august goals

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After such an eventful weekend, I feel like I need a slow and steady sort of day… Kind of my goal for the month in general. It’s a little less than a month before the new semester starts and, with it, the first frantic week of classes, with all its questions, directions, and relentless pace.

Too many books to read. Too many words to write. I just want to find a rhythm and keep at it before things are out of my control.

Health-wise, I need to make an appointment for the dentist. Also, my GP. My diet went a little haywire over the weekend, so that needs to be sorted (and when I say diet, I mean what I eat, not some weightloss scheme). I feel great when eating Whole30-inspired foods, so that’s still the plan. Fitness-wise, I’m looking to incorporate some lifting into my walking and yoga routine. I’m getting stronger with all the yoga and it’s time I increased my weights (yay!).

As far as writing, I will post some videos on my process and projects this month (Camp NaNo update coming on Friday). It’s mostly reading and planning at this stage. Revisions to come.