Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

[mom, what is happening?!?!?!]

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1. Dear God, I feel like I have been to hell and back. I'll spare everyone the details (and whining), but I had the worst stomach virus of my life over the weekend- I was just able to go back to work today. I lost seven pounds over the course of about thirty hours, let's just say, and eventually we all came down with it. An only semi-sick toddler when both parents are down for the count is HARD. But we are all basically alive now, although I'm still trying to get the guts to have a cup of coffee. I'm so very tired and need it, but am also so scared. 

2. Speaking of coffee, I finally did break and get a Keurig and it has made me so happy. We are best friends.

3. And because I was sick I was disqualified from the writing contest I had been taking part in, which is a bummer. I had planned on writing Saturday night or Sunday morning, since the deadline was that evening, but that certainly did not happen. I placed 10 of 32 in the first round in my group, with some really great feedback from the judges that I completely agreed with. I had written that short story in about an hour before it was due, so I had high hopes for actually putting in effort during the second round and scoring even higher. THE WORLD WILL NEVER KNOW.

4. It rained the other day. Here. In Southern California, during the drought, in September. I'd like to think it's foreshadowing a wet winter, but I'm more realistic than that. It was still nice, though.

5. Last Wednesday I went to the podiatrist to have my deformed toe looked at yet again and he said that he could fix it with surgery, no problem ("it's no big deal, we'll open you up here, put in a little screw here..."). But then he stopped himself and said we had one more hail-mary kind of option- a gel lined sleeve to straighten it out. He sent me home with a few with strict instructions to run and walk on concrete. I did both. My toe hurt very much still. I was sad, I as upset, I was disappointed. But then, the next day, I had a stroke of genius (for once). I also put a sleeve on the toe next to it and BOOM. It worked. I've run a few times with both on and picked up more of the expensive little guys today.

6. I then promptly signed up for the We Run this City 5k at UCLA in November, which is a charity competition where runners sign up to run for either UCLA or USC as part of rivalry week (go Bruins!). I did this a few years ago with my sister and it was a lot of fun. Hopefully my brother remembers to sign up so I have some company.

7. Kristen Bell's Emmy dress was so beautiful. I didn't watch the Emmy's and didn't really even look at the winners, but I follow her on Instagram and she posted a funny story about taping up her nipples to her shoulders so I had to investigate what was worth that sort of torture. The verdict? For that dress? You tape anything wherever they tell you to.

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8. Do you follow Joy the Baker on Instagram? If you don't you should, mostly for her stories. She's been in London and I just love the stuff she posts. She so quirky and cute. 

9. On the way to work there's this little girl and her brother who walk to the elementary school who I see ever day. She's maybe in third grade and I notice that she's been reading as she's walking- it's something I would have done (and yes, a tad dangerous, too). Our district is in a low socioeconomic area, so people love to act like our kids don't want to learn or that they're not passionate readers. This little girl is just the exact opposite and I love her. 

10. I am so excited about Public School's collaboration with Fitbit. I didn't fall in love with Tory Burch's line, but this one is lookin' good.