Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

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1. You know what's getting old? Taking the mature, high road in various arenas of my life. That seems to be the theme of my 2016, me opting to stay quiet and semi-classy, rather than not going off on people like I may want to. I can think of at least four BIG things I've chosen to "be good" about and it's killing me. And if I have to keep doing it, I think I should get... a prize. My tongue hurts from all the biting. 

Mini-rant over. Phew. 

2. I am reading Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg right now and am really, really enjoying it. It's very depressing, of course, since the book opens with a fire that kills a couple right before their wedding, as well as two other men, but I appreciate the multiple perspectives and thread of hope that is lurking in the background. 

3. I've wanted to take an Orange Theory class for FOREVER, but haven't been able to because the studio nearest me has a really horrible schedule and is thirty minutes to get to. I just got a flyer in the mail yesterday alerting me that they're putting one in the shopping center three minutes away from my house. I yelped with glee.

4. I think I found someone to do my next tattoo, so we're one step closer to that happening. 

5. I'm not sure how much longer I can resist the urge to buy this dress. I need another dress like I need a hole in my head, but I always buy something new for parent-teacher conferences, and they are just two or so weeks away... And this one is perfect for fall tights and boots. We all have our vices. Mine? Diet Coke and dresses.

6. I made these muffins over the weekend and they are delicious, even four days later. I'm not crazy for pumpkin like some of you hard-core PSL lovers, but I do enjoy a little here and there. The crumb topping on these was perfect (see picture above).

7. This weekend should be great. My mom is coming into town from Modesto on Friday and I think we are going to stop by the homecoming game at work for a bit. Saturday we are going to a pumpkin farm that has lots of activities for Sawyer, and then on Sunday we're meeting one of my oldest and bestest friends from elementary school to walk around Back Bay in Newport and then do brunch (or who are we kidding? We might just go to Sprinkles). I am going to get basically nothing done, though, so I really need to take advantage of the next two days. 

8. I have made an important decision. I am ditching my Mizunos and going back to Asics. I ran in a pair last night that are super, super old, but it felt like walking on a cloud. I'm sure basically no one knows what this mean. It's okay.

9. Confession: my new favorite running song is The Weeknd's Starboy. 

10. I just paid way too much money for three tickets for Day Out With Thomas. Yes, that's right, Thomas the MOTHER-EFFING Tank Engine. WHAT HAS MY LIFE COME TO? I need to plan something stat to counteract this. 

Want-Need-Have-to-Have

Let's go window shopping, guys! 

I love, love, love a good flat and I have heard from a reliable source that her Tieks are worth every darn penny (in fact, she was on the verge of shelling out the cash for a second pair). The matte black option is probably the smartest, but the cardinal red ones are whispering sweet nothings in my ear... 

I am so very tired, down to the marrow of my pinky toe. I'll spare you the redundant details of working hard at work and at home (on top of things that don't fall into either of those categories), and just say that I don't foresee myself getting the sleep I need in the near future. Plan B? More coffee, please. I need a Keurig, now. I've been buying the premade iced skinny Starbucks kind from the grocery store, but they only lasts me a few days and are pretty expensive.  [Edited to add: by the time this posts I may have given in and purchased one; Target has them on sale and I AM TIRED... in case I wasn't clear before]

I've been on the lookout for a good blazer for ages, and I finally found the Elizabeth British Tweed Blazer at Boden. The Turquoise Herringbone is so pretty. 

[source]

Once upon a time I lived for ER nights (Thursdays, if I recall). I think maybe college (?) got in the way of my viewing, so eventually I sadly stopped watching. Unfortunately, you can't stream the episodes, but I recently stumbled around the box set. It's pretty pricy, but it is fifteen seasons worth... 

I sort of flip back and forth between chunky, beaded necklaces and more dainty ones. Right now I'm preferring the latter, so I'm definitely eyeing this little sunburst necklace from Lisa Leonard Designs:

[source]

I also need a new bottle of perfume. I recently, for the first time ever, actually ran out of the stuff I usually wear, so I've been relying on some backup. 

So, that's what greedy Christine is eying right now. I tend to hem and haw about buying anything over about thirty bucks (minus dresses from Anthro, Loft or Ann Taylor... my kryptonite), so in reality by the time I get around to deciding if I want to spend the money I'll be over these things! Nonetheless, if the money fairy gave me some spare hundreds, these would be towards the top of my lift (after I saved half, of course).

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

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1. I want to see Bad Moms, but I think most of my fellow moms are too busy being good moms (kidding, kidding, good moms can see movies too) to go with me, especially since many of us our teachers and are getting ready to start the school year.

2. Today kicks off several busy days. We are going to a friend's house to swim for the afternoon, tomorrow we are going up to UCLA to walk around and have lunch with an old friend from where I worked, Friday we are going to the OC Fair, and Saturday I have a hair appointment that generally lasts for hours. But it's all good stuff, some I'm not complaining (except about the heat; I might complain about that).

3. I'm not sure if I'm happy or sad about discovering Boden. I bought a dress shirt covered in trees to wear under blazers this fall and am refusing to let myself look anymore until I get paid in a few days. 

4. Last Saturday Scott and I had plans to go to lunch and then to The Broad in Downtown LA, but as the morning drug on the traffic got worse and the weather hotter. Eventually, I pulled the plug and just knew driving out there would be more stressful than fun, so I suggested driving to Newport Beach for lunch and to hang out instead. It ended up being relaxing and fun with less time in the car.

5. Sunday we took Sawyer to see The Secret Life of Pets, since we abandoned him for awhile on Saturday. I packed a huge bag of Honey Nut Cheerios with some mini M&Ms on the bottom and the kid sat still for the entire movie. I was really surprised, but he loves dogs and he loves candy, so I guess for him it was a win-win.

6. I have done yoga every single day for eight days with the DownDog Ap and I feel so much better. I have some residual pain from an accident years and years ago, that has been flaring up lately so it's been good to loosen everything up and keep working on my flexibility. I know I won't be able to sustain this commitment to practice when school begins, and that makes me a little sad.

7. Sawyer always blows on his food when it's hot and he's started doing that outside, too, since it's been in the upper 90s for awhile now. I told him we weren't going to walk around at the shopping center we go to because it was hot out and he began walking up to everything and blowing on it, trying to cool the world down. Spoiler alert: it didn't work. But it was cute. 

8. I have decided to get a tree tattoo on my neck, so I can cover it when I need to but also so that it's visible as well, unlike my other one. I just can't decide what kind of tree. I'm in no rush and have to find someone to do it, as well, but I do sort of wish I had made this decision a few months ago so I could have had it done this summer.

9. My friend does a 50-mile walk for MS every year and I think I'm going to join her in 2017. I thought about doing it this November, but I need to fundraise and have my toe fixed first. 

10. I'm reading The Prisoners of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon and I had forgotten how much fun he is. Sixty pages in and such an enjoyable read so far. 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

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1. Who want invite me somewhere awesome so I have a reason to buy this predictably overpriced but oh-so-lovely dress from Anthro? This is why I should have signed up to chaperone prom. 

2. Last week I walked just over 102,000 mother-effing steps in five days (that's an average of about ten damn miles a day) in order to win a Fitbit challenge with a coworker new to the game. It was so bad that at eleven at night on Friday after an exhausting week I was on my treadmill reading magazines and texting kind people that were willing to entertain me while I attempted to stay awake. And did I win? NO! He beat me by about 5,000 steps. I pretend to be outraged (fine, I am a little bit), but it was actually super motivating and sort of fun. 

3. I bought a Deep Covered Baker from Pampered Chef a few months ago and have used it just a few times. I haven't used it enough to justify the expense quite yet, but now that I tried making their infamous lava cake in it I just might in the near future. Let me preface this with saying that I completely believe that the whole Lava Cake dessert fad was incredibly gimmicky, on a culinary level, but whatever. I mean, I think peanut butter on a slice of cheese is delicious, so who am I to judge? Anyway, you make the batter from a boxed (the horror!) cake and pour it in the baker. You then plop in spoonfuls of 2/3 container of canned (the horror!) frosting, cover, and bake in the microwave (the horror!) for ten minutes. Boom, you have lava cake. It's sort of magical. 

4. I just renewed my single subject teaching credential and it cost $102.50 (I have a multiple subjects one too, for elementary, but at least that one is good for a few more years). That seems like a lot for a public service job. One one level I get it- people are required to buy uniforms and things like that for their careers, so this is just something we need to make our work possible. But, on the other hand, I am spending my days educating our state's kids and have completed years and years of schooling to do so (and have the student loans to prove it). And I have to pay? To educate? I don't know. A least it's a tax deduction.

5. Why not spend some more money? I'm about to head over to Visual Editions to pre-order their stunning version of Don Quixote. My husband wants in on this one, at least, so joint account it is... We have all their books except the last one, on maps, which I'm still pretty sad about somehow missing.

6. Can we just all agree, as a human race, to not put up Christmas decorations outside until after Thanksgiving? 

7. So, the mascot at the high school where I teach is Native American-related and there is an effort right now to change it to something that is more culturally sensitive, as has been done in countless other places. While I'm not going to get into the politics and excessively discuss my personal beliefs right now, since there are spies everywhere, I can certainly say that I am so very disappointed in how disrespectful some people are, on both sides of the debate. I desperately wish that this could be a civilized conversation that was used as a teaching tool, but for the most part it is not. I'm also concerned that people are saying things they shouldn't on social media- if this debate ends up going anywhere and the press gets involved, derogatory comments publicly made could impact people's future college acceptances, careers, and reputations. It's sadly messy. 

8. Also, not to get too political yet again, I am so disappointed by the ignorance people have towards refugees. This broke my heart. 

9. I'm still listening to Do No Harm, a memoir about a neurosurgeon in the UK by Henry Marsh and really love it. It took me a little to get used to the narrator's voice, but I think that's pretty much always how I am. 

10. One of the best things about Sawyer right now is that he's starting to become intentionally affectionate. He'll just walk over to me and hug me out of nowhere or blow me kisses while I'm putting him to sleep (that's probably him learning to be manipulative, who am I kidding?). He's finally starting to give Scott kisses, too, which is pretty adorable. 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

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1. We took Sawyer to the park in his Max costume last weekend so my husband could take some photos and he did so well, even with me forgetting one of his shoes and making him go barefoot. This is just one I snapped on my phone:

2. I'm officially not buying books until my birthday and Christmas are over. It's painful, but considering there are people in my life who insist on buying me things, it's the only real item that makes it my wish list.

3. I went to the podiatrist this afternoon and he was not on board with shooting up my feet with cortisone shots. After I told him I was registered for a half marathon in three months he went into problem-solving mode (he's an incredible runner; he qualifies for Boston every year at St. George). He recommends surgery for my toe and custom-made athletic orthotics for my collapsed arches and massively inflamed accessory ankle bone (it sound so cute when you put it that way, like my ankle has a little purse or something). I'm going to put off surgery for a little while and get some more information, but he's just so darn convincing. He also wants me to sign up for a weekend running club and consider a full marathon. Crazy talk. Also crazy will be the bill I get from everything that went down today. 

4. I need/want a really nice, tailored grey flannel blazer. Or maybe black. Or maybe corduroy. And I'm willing to shell out some solid cash for it. Suggestions? Personal shopping applicants can go ahead and email me.

5. The only way I'm currently surviving Halloween candy season is by buying the kinds I hate so that I'm not tempted at home. So instead of giving out the good stuff, like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Kit Kats, and Snickers, we're going to rot the mouths of babes with Skittles, Starbursts, suckers, and other gross, chewy, fruity treats. 

6. I things I maybe miss advising yearbook a little bit. Not a lot, but just enough to make me slightly sad that I'm not worrying about selecting layouts, covering the rivalry game this week, and harassing the kids about the looming fall deadlines. There's good stress and bad stress; yearbook was always a good stressor in my life. Maybe we'll meet again.

7. Sawyer managed to break a kid's flashlight that one Amazon reviewer said "is the toy we tried to kill but won't die." One part proud, one part scared.

8. I bought this delicious, albeit a little ugly, Jack-o-Lantern Pinata ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins last Friday and I still haven't finished it. When the guy told me that it only feeds six to eight people I assumed I'd polish it off last weekend (especially considering my shitty mood), but I still have at least piece left. Who am I?

9. Conferences last Thursday went really, really well. I saw almost ninety families in three and a half hours with absolutely no break, so it was a little tiring. But it was really productive, whether I was having a serious talk about a kid's grades or telling parents how much I love their child. It's a long night but I have never left unhappy.

10. My seniors are finishing up Michael Ondaatje's Running in the Family, which means that we're on to Sylvia Plath's poetry really soon. I feel like a lot of them are pretty stressed right now (college apps and whatnot), so the timing may not be ideal. Honestly, I'm not even really in the mood to read poems by a woman that ended up sticking her head in an oven.  

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

Link up, link back, etc... 

1. If you read a blog post and instantly think "eff you, shut up" it's time to unfollow (as my number of followers dwindles...)

2. I think there may be some of my colleagues that think I'm getting a divorce (I'm not). I've had a lot of trouble wearing my rings since giving birth to Sawyer, as I have a severe allergy to whatever metal is under the white gold. I have to have them re-dipped every 6-8 weeks, which is pretty costly. People  I barely know seem to just all the sudden seem to be asking about him and are apparently just now realizing I didn't change my name. It's weird. I don't really care, I just don't love the notion that people are discussing my personal life behind my back. 

3. I finally bought a lawn gnome. Don't tell my husband (so, the like two of you that read and know him I will figure it out!)! If he finds out I put it in the yard I might end up getting a divorce after all... He's a little on the smaller side, so I'll have to find him a big brother eventually.

[Hello, new friend!]

4. This last Friday I went to urgent care to get my asthma inhaler refilled, since my doctor won't do it without an office visit. I've been using one Sawyer had for bad chest cold, but I have to admit I don't have it controlled well at all. It would almost be easier if it was just wheezing, but instead it's a sudden tightness in my chest and the inability to get a full deep breath in (no, they are not anxiety attacks... I know they sound like it). This is super hard during the day when teaching and needing to talk a lot. My students, husband, and son also make me laugh frequently, which sadly also aggravates it. I talked to the doctor for a bit and while he did give me what I needed for the short term, he said that I needed to get my allergies and stress under control. Ha! I was born with allergies and stress. I came out of the womb sneezing and over-analyzing worse case scenarios. I was tested for an ulcer in kindergarten I was such an anxious little child. Anyway, I guess I need to go to my regular doctor for a pulmonary function test (in my free time...).

5. Apparently out district must have changed their IP address or done something differently with the servers, because I can now detect traffic from our schools on my blog. It was a good reminder to mind my manners, I guess. It also spurned a middle of the night "oh my god do I need go back through and delete posts like last time?" mini-freak out, but that was interrupted by my kid, who has been getting up again because he hates me and doesn't want me to ever get a good night of sleep for the rest of my life. 

6. Anyone an Orange Theory fan? There's a new studio not too terribly far away that I'm tempted to check out. Will I die? Will I love it? Will it cry? Will you go with me and do slightly less better than I so I don't feel stupid?

7. It is impossible for me to talk about asteroids and not refer to Armageddon. 

8. This weekend will be fun; Friday I'm taking Sawyer to the homecoming carnival at our school, Saturday I have yoga and then we are going to the fall festival at the ranch where his old PT place did hippotherapy, and then Sunday possibly to Irvine Regional Park with friends. It's been so nice to be back at yoga, even if it's just once a week. The instructor is insane, though, and I feel like it's getting worse each week. It's funny as hell after the fact, but in the moment I hate her so much (I will not do "ommms" ever, nor will I say "I love myself" or "give a big dorky smile" with my eyes closed). 

9. I did a bad thing last weekend that involved Anthropologie and their 20% off dresses sale. I actually feel like a total uppity asshole when I shop there, but I just can't help it sometimes. Plus there's a tree in a glass enclosure at the one I go to, which is pretty cool. 

10. I'm about to start a book blindly. A student is doing an extended research paper regarding post- and pre- 9/11 literature and he found a book called The Man Who Wouldn't Stand Up by Jacob Appel. I honestly don't even know what it's about, so this should be interesting. Or not even close. I'm also rereading Michael Ondaatje's Running in the Family, which is a structurally complex memoir that my students seem to hate, at least right now. I love that there's very little available online for it, so they actually have to read for once and not BS their way through it with the help of the internet. But, if we're being honest, few of the works we read senior year knock me off my feet. Maybe someday we'll get to redesign the curriculum...

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

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1. I have such respect for women that can pull off cool hats. I was in Starbucks the other day and an older woman walked in wearing a fedora or something and it looked so perfect. The only hat besides a baseball cap that could wear was a cute overized one that blew off in the middle of the Caribbean Ocean.

[seriously, how many people can pull that off? source]

2. I'm reading Lena Dunham's Not That Kind of Girl and all I can say after fifty pages is that she's a huge, narcissistic, annoying pain in the ass. But I keep reading. 

3. I'm actually committing some uncharacteristic literary polygamy; earlier today I was reading Dunham's book, Ulysses, and Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye (which I just finished). I'm generally a one book kind of girl, so this is definitely not my norm (nor do I intend on it becoming so.

4. Ulysses. Wow. I need a professor and a class to go to.

5. I went to Target on Sunday morning to get the basics, as I always do, admittedly knowing that the Lilly Pulitzer line was coming out. I snatched up a dress that I had spotted online and wanted just before the crazy women who intended to hoard the merchandise to sell on eBay came in. The cashier told me that one woman planned on going to Hawaii with her profits. 

[source]

6. This is my second week running and my second week in a FitBit weekly challenge. Yesterday I hit the illustrious 20,000 steps (about ten miles) in a day mark for the first time (I'm a little embarrassed about that, actually). Next week I'm going to scale down the cardio so I can fit in a few more PiYo sessions. You know, because I'm sure everyone is DYING to know my workout regimen. 

7. Why do nacho recipes need to exist?

[nothing that I make at home beats these, though; source]

8. I'm also confused about the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge. 

9. Is there an app or program that you can get to scrub your Twitter? I went private last year when some students found it and would like to turn it back public again, but as a clean slate that I can totally confident is appropriate. Not that I have any glaring violations, but I don't have time to go back through and read thousands of tweets. Help!

10. Ready to be shocked? On multiple levels? We always get Sawyer a book for holidays and I knew that we'd include one in his birthday present. I'm a little short on time right now, so I let my husband handle it. Yup. I gave up an opportunity to pick out a book. And control. He ordered BJ Novak's The Book With No Pictures, so he passed the test.

Modcloth Loves the Literary

Are you off to book club? A book fair? An upcoming author? Feeling like swimming literary style? Unsure to wear? You've come to the right place. As promised yesterday, here are some of Modcloth's literary wardrobe solutions for you (all are from their site and can be found there for purchase):

For the record, I adore Modcloth and have given them quite a bit of, uh, support, lately. I have never had any issues with quality and their site and app are both great. Their customer service is also top-notch. And no, they're not paying me to say any of this. 

 

Five Seconds of Amusement

I love Modcloth- probably a bit too much lately. But the name of these skin-tight pink pants made me actually laugh out loud at my son's physical therapy appointment today. What about these tight, light pants scream "wear me around dusty books in a cramped place where I probably have to move around a lot?"

This of course will be leading into a larger post about Modcloth literary-esque entitled clothing asap.

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

Welcome to this week's installment of Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts. Please play along! Post your info below, and, if you can, please remember to link back! Thanks! 

1. I wonder what it would feel like to get to buy books as I read them. As in not have a TBR shelf (fine, shelves). I guess I could treat my reading as such, but I feel bad for all the books I've had that are just sitting there. They're like sad little orphans.

2. I guess there are people in this world that don't like eating breakfast for dinner (I refuse to call it "brinner"). This baffles me.

3. My husband showed me this Hostess Cupcake shake on Alton Brown's twitter feed the other day (apparently it's from Relish in Florida). I have to make it. Unfortunately, this will require buying a new blender since I dropped mine on the ground and broke the glass pitcher (it's cheaper to buy a new blender... I checked). And, hey! Let's now talk about how I fit into my shorts again. 

[source]

 
4. Today I put on a pair of shorts that I, shall we say a little too optimistically ordered last September, and they now actually fit. I'm not sure why I'm surprised, since that was like fourth months post-partum versus over nine months, but still. It was nice.

5. I think I'm going to make these today (minus the V-Day sprinkles and sub mini cups for seasonal ones).

6. My mom brought my childhood record player down when she visited. I can't believe the needle still works, considering how many hours I sat at that things when I was little. There are also twenty or so records too, that I hope Sawyer will enjoy in a few years.

7. I'm so disappointed in myself- I had a nine day streak going on my FitBit and then yesterday it all went to crap. 

8. I recently subscribed to an email service called theSkimm, which sends you brief news updates every morning so that you can go out into the world feeling slightly less dumb. 

9. Sawyer had his first bubble bath last night and it was the cutest thing. He tried to pop, eat, and grab them, and also had fun finding things hidden underneath. Not so fun? Getting him out. He's been pretty vocal about his dislike for getting out of the tub, but bubbles made it even more devastating for him. I laughed. It was just so ridiculous. Babies are so irrational.

10. Hot Valentine's Day plans? We're getting our taxes done. 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

Link up below!

1. On Easter Sunday my husband and I drove to Santa Monica and walked around for a bit (we don't generally do much for the holiday). I want a sailboat. 

2. As I was driving by John Wayne (the airport, not the cowboy) and seeing the planes come in I thought about that feeling I always get when we're about to land- disappointment. Not because I wanted to crash, but because I like the time up in the air. I like being able to read or sleep and to know that I can't do anything about anything back on land. The detachment and helplessness are welcomed breaks from reality.

3. Check out Army Amy's cool idea in this post.

4. Dear people of the world: if we have never talked about my reproductive system before, we're not now. Please don't ask about the state of my cervix. 

5. In Style says overalls are coming back in style. I really hope this is true.

6. I had a funnel cake sundae over the weekend- it was just as bit fantastic as I thought it would be. 

7. Saturday our neighborhood was swarmed with butterflies- it was beautiful. Apparently in a small canyon-type area near our house the Painted Lady variety burst forth from their cocoons and started flying north. As I walked last night I saw several caterpillars that didn't really get the message.

8. Do you ever get annoyed when there's nothing new on Instagram or Facebook? Do you ever get annoyed where there is?

9. I really love it when I get emails from my brother, who is deployed out in the Pacific somewhere. They're fairly consistent, but it's nice to hear from him.

10. Prepping for maternity leave was no joke- I finally finished today. At this point I could have the baby tonight (noooooooooo don't come!) and my sub would have everything he needed for the rest of the year. My room is trashed and I have a ton of grading left, but there would be stuff to keep everyone busy.

 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

Link up below! It's great seeing some new blogs pop up! 

1. I'm keeping track of the books I read on a Pinterest board, for some reason. To show off? To motivate myself visually?  I don't know, but for now it's fun.

2. I really love elbow patches- on myself, little kids, old crusty professors, it doesn't matter.

[source]

3. We had to buy poor Chomsky a slow-feed bowl bowl because in the last few months he's been scarfing down his food faster and faster (probably tied to the diet dog food... sorry buddy). I read Marley and Me, so you don't need to tell me twice about the dangers of bloat and labs. He's getting better at navigating it, but the first few feedings he was very frustrated and very slow. I'm thinking that the problem solving skills might do his cognitive level some good too.

[source]

4. So almost two weeks ago I had an issue with a red light camera (ie I made one of those snap decisions to turn right too late and got my picture taken). For those that don't have to deal with them in your city or state these little fuckers are expensive- $490 plus traffic school, of you choose (I may or may not have gotten one several years ago... in the same spot... that I'm never going near again). Anyway, the ticket came and the bail was blank, so I called the police department and left a message. By the time I had finished looking up the ticket online someone called me back and we started reviewing my driving record, the law, etc... At the end of the call he said he'd reduce my ticket... to zero. Thankful doesn't even begin to describe how I felt, considering I'm frantically trying to pay my car off before day care costs start up.

5. I've gotten into the habit of taking a half or so and dicking around on my computer as soon as I get home everyday, to relax. It occurred to me, miraculously, that I could instead use that time to read, so I've instituted a new "no technology" block when I get home and am so far finding it a much better way to transition from work to home.

6. I listen to this pregnancy podcast series on the way home from work (totally the same thing as going to classes, right?) and the other day I listened to an episode on hormones. The doctor mentioned that it takes men nearly a decade to experience the normal hormonal shift a non-pregnant woman experiences in a month. Insane!

7. I just got an Ulta coupon for 20% of my entire purchase that expires the day after payday. This is not good.

8. Speaking of blowing money, February is definitely the month to get back on track after recovering from the holidays in January. Prior to December I was paying my credit card off on a weekly basis and it worked wonderfully; I've still been paying it off every month, but it's so much more depressing to see that final total. I know I could just switch to cash, but I really like my points. February is also the month to get our taxes done, which always makes me incredibly nervous, despite the fact that I haven't owed anything to the IRS since I was about nineteen, we own a home, and both claim zero. But still.

9. I'm currently reading Five Star Billionaire by Tash Aw, which was long-listed for the Booker, and am really enjoying it so far. I love when authors initially follow a short story sort of format and then slowly connect the characters together. 

10. An old high school friend posted this link on my Facebook the other day (if you're reading, Suzanne, you always send me the best stuff) to an article about a secret library at Grand Central Station. Very awesome. Please, someone in NYC go and report back. 

Bookish Baby Onesies

Before I go any further let's just say my baby will have tons of the cheap-ass multi-pack onesies from Target and Old Navy. There is no way my rapidly growing kid is going to be outfitted in expensive clothes every day! That being said, there are a ton of cute bookish onesies that I've spotted recently:

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Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

1. Kings of Leon's new album came out Tuesday- love.

2. I made this: 

[so many burnt fingertips....]

3. I have to confess- I'm a (temporary) Coursera drop out. Life has been way too crazy lately for me to take on extra work. Right now my priorities are handling everything for work, getting enough sleep and exercise (or at least intending to), spending time with my husband and dogs, seeing friends, and reading for fun. When I take the Coursera classes I feel pressure to finish and stay current, something I just don't need right now.

4. First period prep (for those who aren't familiar with high school scheduling this means the free period I get every day to prepare for my classes and grade) is going to kill me this year. It's the third year I've had it and it just keeps getting harder and harder to be productive. I arrive at seven no matter what, it's a just a matter of whether or not I'm going to do more than sit at my desk and stare at the mounds of things to do or actually work on them. Morning person I am not.

[source]

5. Apparently Jennifer Lawrence is going to be in the East of Eden movie, which I have not read. I pretty much love her, so I may have to pick up a copy before the movie comes out (which will be in a long time).

6. Tomorrow is our last day on Macbeth and I couldn't be happier. It's a great play, but six weeks on any one text with a group of teenagers is enough. 

7. I'm not even going to lie: I'm pretty excited that Grey's Anatomy is back tonight. It's total shit, but I'm a sucker for medical dramas. Unfortunately, since we're ditching cable in a few days I'm going to have to watch it on my computer (or maybe Hulu on the xBox? I don't know how that whole thing works yet).

8. Speaking of cutting the cord on satellite, we've waited because of this Sunday- the very end of Breaking Bad. If Jesse dies I'm going to be so pissed. That poor guys has been through so much... last episode alone! Walt, though? I hope he buuuuuuuurns (and not from the cancer).

9. Last weekend we waited for 80 minutes to go to a restaurant called Slaters 50/50 (know for their 1/2 bacon, 1/2 beef burgers, which I did not get) and it was definitely worth it. I practically had to be rolled out of the restaurant Oompa-Loompa style since I ate so much, though. I loved the fact that they work with an app that lets you check your wait time and how many parties are ahead of you as much as the food. If you don't accept reservations it's the least you can do.

 10. I'm so mad at Banana Republic. While virtual window shopping I found a jacket that I wanted for $250 (that I loved), but wasn't sure about, since it's a little outside of my winter jacket price range. And then today I get an email promotion that offers 40% off purchases of more than $200. It's a good deal, right? Plus, it's a ton less than the Burberry one I really want... I know. When your biggest problem is whether or not to spend too much money at BR you need to shut the fuck up.

[source]

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

1. I'm on a boat right now- I wrote this (and all the posts this week) last week. It's like some weird space-time wormhole continuum thing (hey, is that what Doctor Who is about?). I'm in the past writing for the future. No! I'm in the present writing for the future! No- okay. You get the gist.

[sorry... sorry...; source]

2. After much serious consideration I have decided to cancel my Birchbox subscription and stay with the Ipsy bag. This is important stuff, folks. Beauty products are no joke.

3. I found this random quote on my phone from a book I read earlier this year that reads, "Pain is a requirement, not a curse." Obviously at that moment it resonated with me enough to take note. Today, not feeling as much in pain as I did on that day, I'm trying to figure out if the statement is true or not. Pain is undoubtedly a part of life- it's something we use to grow, cope, and process with. Whether or not it's a curse I'm not sure... Ask me again in twenty years.

4. The only books I ever buy used are cookbooks. All of my novels are brand spankin' new. Sorry environment. You're welcome publishers.

5. Will someone please make me a batch of these Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies from What's Gaby Cooking? By the way, if you're not familiar with her blog, it has some great recipes.  

[it's go time]

6. There are just so many good things happening over the next few weeks. Vacation. Time with family. Time with friends. Fun things are planned.

7. I have a built in wine rack that is empty 99% of the time. It's pathetic, but I only buy one bottle at a time... to drink. I feel like I should go to Trader Joes and buy a hole bunch of cheap stuff simply for decoration.

8. My husband and I were talking about the movie Definitely, Maybe the other day and how much we love the whole April buying up all the copies of Jane Eyre in order to find the one her dad wrote in aspect. God, I love that movie. 

9.  Can we not just live in maxi dresses and skirts for the rest of eternity? Would that be okay? Any objections?

10. I am infinitely more excited for Kate and William's baby than I am over stupid Kim and Kanye's (do you think the fact that his name started with a "K" was a selling point for her? Or was it just the status?). I'm not a big royalty buff or anything, but I think Kate's pretty great. The woman has great style and obviously knows how to miraculously look like your barely pregnant in the third trimester.