Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

It's almost Thanksgiving! I really wish I had saved my maternity jeans for this yearly meal... Man. Maternity jeans are the best.

I just finished The Affairs of the Falcons by Melissa Rivero and I thought the message was great, the plot line interesting, but the overall execution and pacing just a little off. There are better books out there that tell the immigrant story, but I still always value the perspective in books of this genre. 

I have to leave in a bit to take my car to Costco to get the tires balanced and rotated and I am TERRIFIED. What was I thinking, making an appointment right before Thanksgiving? I don't even want to be within five miles of Costco, let alone trying to make my way back to the tire center. Luckily, once I manage to park my car and hand over the keys, there's a Starbucks close by I can hide out at with my book.

I haven't started it yet, but Karen Russell's Swamplandia! is next. It's one of those books I've had for a really long time but just haven't gotten to. 

So, my birthday was last Friday and my students caught wind up the occasion, so they had a surprise cereal buffet party for me, complete with gifts, decorations, and the singing of "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen. It was absolutely delightful and they recruited some of my teacher friends to get me out of my room and unlock my door. It was super sweet. My husband and Sawyer took my to dinner and nothing horrible happened, so it was totally better than last year. 

I know money is a sensitive topic that people don't love discussing, but I actually kind of love talking about finances (not how much things cost; more like budgeting). I have made a plan to hopefully get all of my student loans paid off in 2020 and I am beyond thrilled. My payments are less than $200 a month, but I hate having any sort of obligation, financial or otherwise, hanging over me. After that's eliminated I'll tackle the solar panel loan that got tacked onto our HELOC, and after that's gone we will be non-mortgage debt free! Obviously things come up; but that's exactly the point. If I have no student loans payments and a totally open HELOC I won't lose my shit if I have to *gulp* replace an air conditioner or whatever else that costs to much to think about.