Category Archives: Currently Obsessed With

Currently Obsessed With: March 2021

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I can’t believe we’re in April already!  I also can’t believe we’ve been dealing with COVID for a year now.  Where has the time gone?  It’s been the longest but fastest year.

Here’s what March 2021 looked like.  I have to say, it was a pretty good month.  Busy, but good!

Inspired by:

  • Discussion posts.  It’s random, but I’ve learned a lot from some of the discussion posts in my classes.  Particularly my communications class, because we were encouraged to do interactive posters, slide shows and portfolios.  I particularly liked Canva, and I’ve been playing around with it for random Instagram posts and blog graphics.

Watching:

  • The Unlisted.  This show was creepy but in a good way.  The government is trying to control all of the kids, some of whom are hiding, trying to stop different governments from controlling all of them.
  • Invisible City.  This was different!  A murder investigation turns into a discovery that there’s this whole mythical world that we don’t notice.  It
  • Ginny & Georgia.  If you like Gilmore Girls, this is the show for you!  It has an interesting mother-daughter relationship, and I’d like to see what’s in store for both of them.  I don’t know if there’s going to be a 2nd season, but I hope so!
  • Zero Chill.  There’s a lot of drama, but I really liked this one!  I actually felt for Kayla, because her brother’s hockey career was way more important to the family, and it seemed like her ice-skating wasn’t as important.
  • iZombie.  I haven’t watched the final season, and decided to re-watch the show from the beginning as a refresher.  It’s a fun show and it’s pretty entertaining.

Reading: 

  • Audio books.  I’ve been re-listening to some audio books.  It’s nice, because I don’t have the energy to engage with something new, but I still want someone talking at me.  It’s nice that I can have them on in the background and come into the story at random times.

Thinking About:

  • Quotes/Quote Notebook.  Months and months ago, I started writing down quotes that I really liked in some of the books I was reading.  I haven’t done it ages, mostly because I haven’t been reading a lot, but also because I haven’t really come across anything that I really wanted to write down.  But I have pulled out this notebook for the first time in a while, and it’s nice to do it again!
  • Organizing my desk at work.  I moved to a different office at work a couple months ago, and then switched to the other desk when that opened up.  I really need to get it organized because of the papers and forms I have.  I know where stuff is, but I’d like it to be a little more organized.

Dream Life:

  • Making tea.  That’s all I remember from this particular dream.
  • Going to Disneyland.  I’m really glad I went to Disneyland before it closed last year.  Maybe I’ll make it back up there one day!

Listening To:

  • In Defense Of Plants.  I’ve heard the host on This Podcast Will Kill You a few times, but never listened to his podcast until recently.  I’m glad I did.  I’m not a gardener, but plants are cool, and I get to learn about them through this podcast!
  • Periodic Talks.  This is a new podcast, and I’m glad I listen!  The hosts talk about different topics in the science world, like space and virtual reality.
  • Conspirituality.  It’s when right-wing conspiracy theories collide with the wellness world.  The episodes are pretty long, usually about an hour and a half to two hours, so I tend to listen to a segment or two at a time.  It’s different from what I usually listen to, but another one I’m glad I’m listening to.

Researching:

  • Gelada Monkeys.  Admittedly, this is for a report I have to do for biological anthropology.  But it was fun to research them, and I even made a trip to the zoo to see them.

Eating + Drinking:

  • Tea.  I love having a Sips By box, because of all of the teas I get to try!
  • Coffee.  Would you expect anything else from a blog called Reading Books With Coffee?  I’ve been drinking a lot of coffee that I got from Bones Coffee Company.  I don’t normally go for flavored coffee, but that’s a good portion of their selection.  It is really good coffee, and I’m glad I gave them a try!
  • Red beans and rice.  It’s always a good choice, and I haven’t had it in a while.
  • Oatmeal.  I’ve been trying to be better about eating breakfast, and oatmeal was something I ate quite a bit last month.

Grateful For:

  • Getting through the time change.  It was really hard this year, and I was exhausted for a week, no matter when I went to bed.
  • Podcasts!  I was in my office by myself for a couple of weeks and podcasts kept me company.

Good things:

  • I finished my communications class!  It was an 8 week class, so it was short and fast-paced but also a lot of work.  I did really well, though, and ended up with an A!
  • I went to the zoo!  Mostly to look at the gelada monkeys, since I wanted to see them in person.  And I have a membership, so I thought I’d use it, especially because the zoo has been closed for a while.  I was sore for two days, because of the hills, but I was glad I went.  I felt pretty safe, since everyone was wearing masks, social distanced, and got screened before coming in.  And I’m vaccinated, so that helped a lot.
  • I did yoga!  Not as much as I did in January and February, but it averaged out to a couple of times a week, so I’m at least sticking with my goal of doing yoga once a week.
  • I received the Botanica Tarot!  This was a Tarot deck I kick-started sometime last year, and it finally came.  It’s really pretty, and all of the other things that came with it are really pretty as well.  I would have been happy with just the deck, but it’s nice they were able to add in some nice extras!

That wraps up my monthly recap for March.

Stay safe,

Currently Obsessed With: February 2020

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Hello friends!

I can’t believe we’re in March.  A year ago, we had no idea how much our world was going to change.  It’s been the longest and slowest year, I swear.  But here’s the highlights from last month.  Enjoy!

Inspired By:

  • Nature.  I’ve been taking walks during my lunch, just to get outside, and it’s been nice to get outside.  Especially because I work in a somewhat rural area.
  • School.  I’m just over a month into spring semester, and I feel like I’m learning so much!  One of these days, I’m going to have to do another school update, but I just really want to keep learning.  Learn is my word for the year, and that’s another thing I’m to have to talk about.  Hopefully, soon!

Watching:

  • Greenhouse Academy.  I liked it!  There’s a lot of cool technology and something about it almost felt really sci-fi/fantasy but I’m not sure why.
  • To All The Boys: Always And Forever.  I cried so much watching this movie.  I love Lara Jean and seeing how much she’s changed!  I absolutely loved this movie!
  • Dare Me.  This was dramatic but entertaining.  The relationship between the Coach and Addie really creeped me out-  I got total inappropriate student-teacher relationship vibes from it, but not in a romantic way.  I still liked watching it, though, and I’m disappointed there’s not another season.  Or at least more episodes, because I wanted more!
  • Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina.  I know I said this in my January recap but I got distracted by other things, and finally made my way to the 4th season.

Reading:

  • I listened to a few audio books!  I don’t know why but I just wanted to sit and listen to something.  Which is how I ended up listening to three audiobooks last month.
  • Also: Textbooks.  I feel like that’s been most of my reading last month, but it’s just a part of school.

Thinking About:

  • School.  I have school on the brain!  Not surprising, considering spring semester started last month.  It was a busy month while I got settled into school.
  • How I communicate.  I’m taking an intercultural communications class right now, and it’s been really helpful!  I’m glad I’m taking it, because I’m not only learning a lot about how I communicate, but how I communicate with people from other cultures.

Listening To:

  • You’re Wrong About.  I’ve known about this one for a while, but I finally started listening to it.  I loving hearing about things I’ve heard about, but aren’t familiar with, and how differently I see things after each episode.
  • One Strange Thing. I love this podcast!  The episodes are short and sporadic but really interesting.  You get really old news stories that have been forgotten about.
  • Crimes Of The Centuries: This is a good one!  It’s historical true crime, and each episode is about a different crime that was a big thing when it happened, but isn’t talked about anymore.

Dream Life:

  • I couldn’t remember any of my dreams!

Researching:

  • Honestly, nothing for this month.

Eating & Drinking:

Grateful For:

  • I got my 2nd COVID vaccine!  I’m glad that’s done, and I was able to get it.  I know a lot of people are having a rough time to get it for themselves and for family.  It’s bananas how differently people react to it, but thankfully, I only had a sore arm, and it wasn’t as bad as the first time.
  • Keeping up with yoga!  I did a 30 Day Yoga journey in January, and I kept it going last month.  Not every day but I did it a lot of days, which is more than I thought I’d do.
  • Getting into a school routine.  It was a little overwhelming the first week or two and then I got into a routine.  It’s good to have a routine, especially since there’s a lot to keep track of.

Good Things:

I’ve mentioned some of the good things in other sections, but here’s a few more:

  • I finished a baby blanket for one of my coworkers.  I have another one I need to get started on, so I’m going to have to make a Michael’s trip to get some yarn.  Not sure if I should go with different colors, or the same ones I did for the last blanket- she really liked the colors for the one I just did, so I’m leaning towards that, but I’m not sure.  We’ll see once I actually get to Michael’s.
  • I filed my taxes.  I’m glad that’s done and over with, and now I don’t have to worry about it until next year.
  • I meditated, and it was almost every single day!
  • I also did some meal prep!  I have some hamburgers and chicken strips in the freezer, and it’s really nice to be able to pull it out and heat it up.

And that wraps up February!  School was a big thing, so I wasn’t reading as much.  Not that I’ve reading a lot over the last year-ish, but school took over my life for a few weeks there.  Now that I’ve settled into a routine, hopefully I can get some reading and crocheting in there.

Have a great day,

Currently Obsessed With: January 2021

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I haven’t done one of these in a while!  But after an unexpected months long break from blogging, it’s time I dusted the cobwebs off of this tiny little corner of the internet I carved out for myself.  School kept me busy, and with the craziness that was last year, I just lost interest in the things I really enjoy doing.  But with a new year, I was ready to come back!

Here’s what happened last month.

Inspired By:

  • Yoga With Adriene: I love her videos, and last month, I did her 30 day yoga journey.  I felt calm, relaxed and peaceful, and even though I struggled with some of the poses, I stuck with it.  I don’t know that I’ll necessarily be doing yoga everyday, but I’ll definitely be doing it a few days a week.  It’s amazing how much I hold my breath, and I’m glad I took the time to do something for myself.  It was a great way to start off the year!
  • My pantry/freezer: Honestly, I have so many random ingredients in my kitchen that I decided I needed to use what I could.  It’s good to be back in the kitchen!

Watching:

  • Soul:  I’ve been excited to watch this movie, and it was the perfect movie to start off my year!
  • WandaVision: Okay, I wasn’t sure about this show, but it’s Marvel, and I was intrigued.  The first couple of episodes were…different, but episodes 3 and 4 were really good.  Like, really, really good.  I think it just needed to a few episodes to get things going, but now that they are, I have lots of questions about what’s going on.
  • Fate: The Jinx Saga: This was good!  Listen, if there’s something I love, it’s fairies.  And I love the idea of a magical boarding school for fairies, who have their own specialties and dramas that they’re dealing with.
  • The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina: I decided to re-watch this from the beginning after watching a few minutes of the latest season.  I’ll get there eventually, but I think I just needed to catch up before watching the new episodes.

Reading:

  • Cookbooks:  And some other things, but I wanted to highlight cookbooks because I’ve been cooking up a storm.

Thinking About:

  • A new year.  The weirdness of 2020 has continued into 2021 but that hasn’t stopped me from being glad 2020 is over.  It’s like the new year was a reset button because I’m slowly making my way back to things I like doing.
  • #FindThatLizard.  This is one of my favorite things on Twitter, and most of the time, I cannot, for the life of me, find the lizard.  But it’s still fun to try to find it, and see if I got it right!

Listening To:

  • Classical covers of songs: I’ve always liked this genre, but after watching Bridgerton last year, and all of the classical covers they had, I’ve been listening to it a lot.
  • Sea Shanties: Listening, it was an interesting month music wise.  Who isn’t listening to sea shanties after seeing that TikTok video?

Dreamlife:

I’ve had some weird ones- my notes are short and vague, but I’ll make do with what I have.

  • I had one where I was stuck in a place for a year and people were trying to leave and go to a different time period but they weren’t able to.  People could go to different locations but not jump around in time.  And there were rules to what people could do.
  • I was also trying to hide something from everyone- magic, possibly.  And the house I was in was really messy and there was a talking pet.

Researching:

  • Paint palettes.  I’ve been taking a look to see what’s out there.  For now, I have some palette paper that I got from Michael’s but I still have my eye on a few different palettes.
  • Puzzle tables: I haven’t done a puzzle since I was a kid, but I have a puzzle that I want to make but no way to keep it from getting messed up.  I got a puzzle mat so we’ll see how it goes.

Eating + Drinking:

  • Chinese Food: I got some on New Year’s Eve, but ordered a bit more so I could have leftovers.  It was really good!
  • Tea: I’ve been drinking a lot of tea.  It’s good, though coffee will always be favorite.
  • Water: Because it’s good for you, and I get thirsty.
  • Muffins: I’m not a big breakfast person, but lately, I’ve wanted something to eat in the mornings, and muffins are great because I can take some to work eat when I am hungry.  I made these Chocolate Breakfast Muffins and some Basic Muffins, both from King Arthur.
  • Overnight oats: I am a huge fan of oatmeal, but I love the idea of something I can just take with me and eat when I’m hungry.  I’ve only made this recipe, from Cookie And Kate, but it’s really good, so I’ve stuck with it for the last couple of weeks.

Grateful For:

  • Yoga/Taking Time To Walk: I’ve already talked about yoga, at least a little, but I’m glad I started moving around a little bit more.  I sit way too much and hopefully, I can keep the momentum going.  During lunch, I usually take a 10 minute walk around my building, because I need to get outside.  Being in a small windowless office means I get a little bit of cabin fever, and so I try to get outside for a few minutes every day.
  • Meditating: Sometimes, I need to move around, but sometimes, I need to sit still.  I’m not good at it, but I’m trying.
  • I got my first COVID vaccine!  This is a big one, but I’m very lucky that I was able to get it but also angry that other people are having the worst time getting it.  My arm was hurting for a couple of days, but thankfully, that was the only side effect I had.

Good Things:

Most of my good things from last month are things I already talked about, but there are a couple of things I wanted to talk about here.

  • I had a good break from school!  I didn’t take any winter intersession classes, so I had about 6 weeks between fall and spring.  The spring semester is going to be busy but I think I can manage it, and having a longer break gave my mind a much needed break.
  • Reading again!  I have random reading slumps, but none like this most recent one.  It was well over a month without me reading something that wasn’t for school, and even longer between for blog posts.  It was weird but I’m glad that I’m reading and blogging again because I’ve missed it.

That’s all for today, and I’ll be back later this week with another review!

Currently Obsessed With: August 2020

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Hi everyone!

I can’t believe we’re in September already!  I feel like this has been the longest year ever, but it’s also going by really fast which is very strange.  It really has been a weird year.  I can’t believe it’s time to do a wrap-up post for August, but here we are.  August was pretty busy, mostly because of school but some non-school stuff happened too, as you’ll see below.

Inspired By:

  • My freezer.  I’m in a period of using what I have, and so I’ve been trying to cook with what I have.  When I have the energy to cook, that is.  It’s been really hot- in the 80’s/90’s, and when it gets that hot, I have the energy to do absolutely nothing.  I’m really hoping it’ll be over soon, and I can get back to cooking up a storm.

  • Procreate.  I’ve had it on my iPad for ages, but I haven’t used it a lot.  But lately, I’ve been doing using the liquify option, and I really like it!  I found a marbling class on skillshare that I really like, and it gave me some really good techniques and options to try out.

Watching:

  • Locke & Key.  Honestly, I don’t remember a lot about this show at this point, but I do remember enjoying it, and getting a Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe feel from it.
  • Get Even.  I was pretty excited about this adaptation, even though I’ve never read the series it’s based on.  I’ve read a couple of other Gretchen McNeil books, though, and knew it would be entertaining to watch.  I wasn’t wrong, and it was a fun series to watch.
  • Warrior Nuns.  I really liked Warrior Nuns!  It’s an interesting idea, and I thought it worked pretty well.  I have no idea if there are going to be more seasons, but I hope so.  I really want to know what happens next.
  • My Neighbor Totoro: I finally watched it!  I’ve seen a lot of Studio Ghibli movies, but had never seen this one, for some reason.  I absolutely loved it, and think it’s a must watch!

Reading:

  • The Illuminae Files.  I really like this series so far, and even though I haven’t finished the last book yet, I’m really glad I picked this series up.

Thinking About:

  • Finals/Homework: August was the month where summer session came to an end, so I was busy with 3 finals and finishing everything up.  It was also the start of a new semester, and I only had a week off in between the two, so school has been on my mind a lot!
  • How hot it’s been.  I already talked about the weather, and as much as I love warm weather, I don’t particularly enjoy heat waves.  I have zero motivation and energy, and getting my homework done has been a struggle.

Listening To:

  • Lost Kids.  This podcast was really interesting to listen to.  It’s about the troubled kids industry, but focuses on one student who goes missing and what happened to him.
  • It Was Simple.  This is a relatively short podcast series about Betty Broderick.  There are only four episodes, but they are worth listening to, especially if you like true crime.
  • Uncover.  Another true crime podcast that’s an interesting listen.  It focuses on Canadian true crime and I’m currently on their satanic panic season.  The one about Sharmini was heartbreaking, the seasons about NXIVM and a plane bombing were interesting, and while I wasn’t a fan of the Cat Lady season, it was still sad to listen to.
  • Once Upon A Time…In The Valley.  I really like this one.  It’s about Traci Lords, an underage porn star from the 80’s.  I heard about it on another podcast, and I wasn’t sure about it at first, but now I’m invested.

Dreamlife:

  • Going to Disneyland.  I’ve been watching a lot of Disney movies, and I think that’s why I had dreamed about going to Disneyland.
  • Jumping down waterfalls into pools of multi-colored water.  I have no idea where this dream came from but it was on a night that I took melatonin to help me sleep, and I always have really weird, vivid dream when I take it.

Researching:

  • Honestly, I didn’t look into anything in particular for August.

Eating + Drinking:

  • Enchiladas and Dan Dan Noodles.  I had some ground beef and ground pork I didn’t know what to do with, and found a couple of recipes to try.
  • The enchiladas were great, even though they fell apart and didn’t stay rolled up like they were supposed to.
  • I didn’t enjoy the dan dan noodles.  Well, I didn’t enjoy the particular recipe I used, so maybe it’s just me, and not the food.

Grateful For:

  • Good grades for summer school: A’s in medical terminology and English, and a B in math!
  • Having a job.
  • Meditation.  I’ve been using the Calm app before bed every night, and I’m just glad it helps me calm down.
  • Movie marathons.  I’ve been working my way through all of the Disney animated movies every weekend, and it’s quite the list for August.  Plus some non-Disney movies just to mix it up a little.

Good Things From August:

  • Honestly, it’s not a long list, because I didn’t really keep up with writing these things down for August.  And it’s all stuff I talked about already: summer school ended with good grades, fall semester started, and I watched a ton of movies.

That’s all for today!

Have a great weekend, and stay safe out there,

Currently Obsessed With: July 2020

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Hi everyone!

It feels like I’m doing this post later than normal for some reason, but maybe that’s because I’ve been staying busy.  As I’m writing this, summer school is over, and I only have a week off before the fall semester starts.  With COVID, I’m taking advantage of the fact that a lot of classes are online, which is great for me because the more I can do from home, the better.  I feel like this post is going to be a little bit shorter than normal, just because I wasn’t great at keeping track of what was going on besides work and school.  I still got some stuff down, though, so let’s get started!

Inspired By:

  • Tarot Cards.  I’ve always liked the artwork on tarot cards, and I’ve been using the Mystic Monday app.  The artwork is really cool, and it gives me something to think about for the day.

Watching:

  • The Babysitter’s Club.  I love this show so much!  It’s really cute and if you haven’t seen it, you really need to!
  • Unsolved Mysteries.  I don’t know why it took me so long to watch it, but I’m glad I did!  The mysteries are really interesting, and the theme song totally gave me chills.
  • Cursed.  I love this take on King Arthur!
  • Person Of Interest.  I remember watching this show years ago, and I don’t know why, but I just really wanted to watch it.  I don’t think I ever got past the first or second season of it.

Reading:

  • I’ve been flipping through Dorie Greenspan’s cookbooks a lot.  Baking: From My Home To Yours and Dorie’s Cookies are amazing, and I’m excited to make things from her other cookbooks.

Thinking About:

  • Reorganizing my apartment.  It’s really easy to keep clean, but I just really feel like reorganizing everything.
  • Continuing past the health information technology program.  It’s going to be awhile before I’m finished with that program, and I don’t want to get ahead of myself.  But it is something that’s crossed my mind.

Listening To:

  • Unfinished: Deep South.  I love this podcast, which is about the lynching of Isadore Banks.
  • Missing In Alaska.  This is another podcast, and it’s about two Congressman who went missing in Alaska back in 1972.  I’m still working my way through all of the available episodes, but it’s really interesting so far.
  • Folklore.  I LOVE this album!  I’ve listened to it all the way through I don’t know how many times, and I know I’m not the only one.

Dreamlife:

  • There’s one dream I remember and it’s pretty wacky but also horrible.  I had a dream I tested positive for COVID, went to work anyway, and didn’t tell anyone I had it.  I don’t know what was going on that I had that dream but at least it was just a dream.

Researching:

  • Public health programs.  This kind of relates to staying in school, and if I do, it would be public health.  I’m still not sure if it’s something I want to do, but there are a couple of programs that seem promising.

Eating+Drinking:

  • Water.  I don’t drink as much water as I should be drinking but I’m at least trying to drink some everyday.
  • Veggie straws.  I’ve really wanted these, for some reason, and while the 3 huge bags I had were a bit too much, at least I had plenty of them to eat.

Grateful For:

  • Nail polish thinner.  I feel like I might have mentioned this at some point, but I’m really glad I have some!  It means I can use my old Julep nail polish instead of tossing them in the trash.
  • Printable planners.  This has gotten me through summer school, and was a great way to keep track of assignments I needed to do for the week.
  • Keeping up with homework.  Mostly because of the planners mentioned above, but I’m just glad I was able to keep up with everything.
  • Taking time for myself.  It wasn’t easy, between taking 3 classes and working full-time, but I managed to take some time for myself.  It kept me sane.

Good Things:

  • I registered for fall classes!  I’m taking astronomy, history, and human anatomy and physiology.  Since it’s the fall semester, and it won’t be as condensed as summer classes, I’m hoping it won’t be as stressful.
  • Getting settled into a study routine.  It took a few weeks, but I eventually got settled in.
  • Reading!  I finally got back into reading.  I haven’t been in a huge reading mood but it seems like that’s over, and I hope it stays that way.
  • A new Taylor Swift album!  I was surprised by this surprise album but I was also really excited, and Folklore is so good!

That’s all for today.

Stay safe, and enjoy your day,

Currently Obsessed With: June 2020

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Good morning!

I can’t believe it’s July already!  June was really busy for me- I started school, and it’s weird to be back in school but also really nice.  My goal is to have a nice and shiny registered health information technology certification, so I’ll probably be talking about school for the next couple of years while I go through all of the classes I need to get my A.A. in the program.  Even though it’s a lot of work now, there is a goal I’m working towards.

I really need to make more bread!  I made the English Muffin bread from Midwest Made, which you can see above.  It was so good, and I can’t wait to make it again!  I’m on a baking spree so I’ll have to find my next project.

Inspired By:

  • The Calm app.  I’ve been using it a lot this month, and it’s been helpful!  I do feel more calm, and I feel like I’m sleeping a lot better.  Maybe using it right before bed is a good idea.
  • Intentions For The Week.  I love this printable from The Handwriting Club.  A lot.  It’s nice to have a weekly idea of what I need to get done, and I love the different sections.
  • My pantry.  I don’t know why, but I’ve decided to need to clear out my pantry by using the things in it.  Reorganizing helped a lot, but I definitely need to use what I have.

Watching:

  • Fuller House.  This was a nostalgia watch for me, and I got around to watching the last season of it.  I loved the show as a kid, and I actually enjoyed the reboot.
  • Virgin River.  I really liked Virgin River!  It’s on Netflix but I feel like it’s something you’d see on Hallmark or Lifetime.  That didn’t stop me from watching it.  It’s about this nurse practitioner who moves to a small town searching for a fresh start.  It’s cute.
  • Yoga With Adriene.  I feel like I’ve talked about this youtube channel before, but I’ve been doing a lot of her videos before going to bed.  It helps me stretch a little, and her videos are really soothing and relaxing.  I also like that she gives you options for some of the poses depending on your skill level.
  • jessicasmithtv.  I don’t do these before bed, but I like that there’s a variety of workouts.  They are really doable, which is great, because I am completely and utterly out of shape.
  • Jumanji.  This is the newer one, and even though I wanted to see it, it took me a long time to actually watch.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun and entertaining, but I will always love the original with Robin Williams more.
  • The Good Witch: I’m not caught up yet, but this show about a witch in a small town is really cute!

Reading:

  • Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet.  This book was required reading (yay school!), but I actually really enjoyed it.
  • Speaking of school…textbooks.  Trigonometry and medical terminology, specifically.  At least I’m getting math out of the way, but the roller coaster ride of math could honestly be a blog post all on it’s own.  I haven’t been in a huge reading mood lately anyway, as far as fiction goes, but at least I’m reading textbooks?

Thinking About:

  • Homework: This is what I get for taking 3 summer classes while working full-time.  If I’m not working, I’m probably doing math or some other assignment.
  • How I’m going to do in math.  Math has never been my strong suit, and I’ve never particularly liked it.  With classes being online, I’m a little nervous about how it’s going to go, but hopefully, it won’t be completely horrible.

Listening To:

  • The Calm App.  The meditations are nice, but I’ve been listening to one of their sleep stories or nature sounds as I drift off to sleep.
  • The Shifter Series by Rachel Vincent.  I haven’t been reading a lot, and I’m struggling with getting through print books but audio books seem to work pretty well right now.  This is my currently audio book listen, and it’s a pretty enjoyable series.

Dreamlife:

Weird.  The two dreams I remember having were really weird:

  • I dreamed I almost got to talk to my father, but I missed my chance.  In real life, I grew up not knowing my dad, so it’s so weird that I would about dream it.
  • The other weird dream was trying to go to a community pool but couldn’t.  There was this woman who got a text every time someone showed up, and in order to get into the pool, we had to meet someone new.  There was this group of people and we all had to put temporary tattoos on each other.  The ones I remember were all really big and went on our backs, and of course, everyone was fully dressed with no bathing suits in sight.

I don’t know what was going on with the weird dreams, but honestly?  They could have been weirder.

Researching:

  • Planners/Calendars.  I need to keep track of when assignments are due.  And have some sort of way of figuring out what I’m going to study and when would be a great idea.  Time management is going to be the only way I get through the next couple of months.

Eating + Drinking:

  • Smoothies.  I’m still on my smoothie kick, and I’ve made my way through quite a few smoothies.  It makes me feel so healthy!
  • Water. I’ve been determined to drink water every day.  I don’t drink anywhere near the amount I should, but at least I’m drinking some water.
  • Bread.  I made my first loaf of bread last month!  Of course, I spend the next week eating it, and it made me so happy eating it.
  • Cup Of Noodles. This is the complete opposite of healthy but I really wanted some for some bizarre reason.

Grateful For:

  • Keeping up with homework.  It took me a couple of weeks, but I finally got into a good routine.  Writing down what’s due for the week helped a lot, and made it easier to do a couple of things everyday.  It also made it easier to get ahead with a couple of my classes.

Good Things:

  • I’ve talked about most of these already: starting school, baking a loaf of bread, teaching myself math, drinking water, and keeping up with homework
  • But I have tried some new vegetables!  Joining a CSA has been really great, and I’ve actually tried some new fruits and vegetables.  I’ve never heard of kohlrabi or gooseberries before but they are both really good!  And fava beans are pretty good too.  Everything just tastes so good…and better than the produce in the store.  I’m glad I did it.  Anything not included, I still get at the store, of course, but it’s hard to get non-CSA vegetables now.  It’s definitely more seasonal.
  • I’m trying to get into a better bedtime routine instead of falling asleep with the t.v. on in the background.  I’ve been doing yoga and then a meditation on the Calm app right before bed.  It’s a pretty good routine so far, and I feel like I am sleeping a lot better.

That’s all for today!  I’ll be back soon.

Have a great week,

Currently Obsessed With: May 2020

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Good morning!

I can’t believe it’s June already.  This has felt like the longest and shortest year ever.  It’s been quite a year and we’re not even halfway through the year.  I have ventured out a little- grocery shopping and laundry, usually, but it’s nice to be somewhere that’s not home or work.  I got fish tacos and they were really good.  Like, they were better than normal.  Maybe it’s because I haven’t had any for a while.

Anyway, here is how May went for me.

Inspired By:

  • Subscription boxes.  I have a few I’m getting.  A couple are still pretty new, so I’ll hold off on talking about those for now.  But I’ve been getting the Feeling Fab box (May’s box is pictured below) for just over a year, and I’m really glad to have it!  I’ve been terrible about using the sheet masks and other beauty products included, but since my skin has been feeling dry and really irritated, I figured it was time to actually use of the things included.  I have been taking time to just settle down and it’s been nice, even if it’s for 10 or 15 minutes at a time.

  • CSA Box.  This was something I was thinking about in April, and I settled on the box from the W.D. Dickinson farm.  I’m getting a box every couple of weeks, and it’s been an adventure figuring out how to make things I don’t usually eat!

Watching:

  • October Faction.  I really liked this show.  I’m not sure if there’s going to be a second season, but if there is, I want to know what happens next.
  • The Order.  You can’t go wrong with secret societies, especially when family secrets are involved.
  • Outer Banks.  I don’t know why but the finding treasure aspect made me think of the Goonies.  It’s a pretty cool show though, and I really liked everyone trying to figure out what was going on.
  • Divergent.  I’ve been going through my movies, wondering if I donate some of the movies I haven’t watched to the library when it opens up.  I decided to watch Divergent because I couldn’t remember the last time I watched it.  I actually forgot how much I enjoyed the movie.  And the books, which I really want to re-read now.
  • Pride And Prejudice.  Like Divergent, I decided to watch the Keira Knightley version of Pride And Prejudice because I couldn’t remember the last time I watched it.  I enjoyed it, but I don’t know that I’ll watch it again.
  • Studio Ghibli movie marathon.  I watched Princess Mononoke, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle and Castle In The Sky.  I didn’t get to watch My Neighbor Totoro, but I’m definitely planning on watching that soon.  I forgot how much I love Studio Ghibli movies.

Reading:

Not a lot actually.  I’m just not in a reading mood right now, which is why reviews have been few and far between in May.  Hopefully, I’ll be back to reading soon.

Thinking About:

Disney.  I’ve had Disney on the brain lately.  I think I may need to have a Disney movie marathon.

Listening To:

  • The Bananas Podcast.  Sometimes, I just need some weird, random news, and this podcast definitely has it!
  • Audiomachine.  I came across them on a twitter thread of music recommendations.  I am glad I gave them a listen, because their music sounds like something from a movie.
  • Lady Antebellum.  I’m not sure why, but I have been in a Lady Antebellum mood lately.
  • Disney.  I’ve been in such a Disney mood lately, and I’ve been listening to the Disney playlist I made last year.

Dream Life:

  • Crochet.  I haven’t been crocheting, but I have been dreaming about it.
  • My grandpa.  It’s weird, because when I dream about my family, it’s my grandma who usually pops up.  But it was around the time my grandpa died, so that might be it.

Researching:

  • Sewing patterns/fabric.  For the sewing machine I got.  I’ve been looking at skirts, because I, for the life of me, can never find a skirt when I actually shop for clothes.  And I will need fabric for said skirts.  I feel like buying fabric would be a lot easier in person, but that is something I don’t want to do right now, so online it is.
  • Moisturizer.  My skin has been dry and irritated for the last few weeks, and I really want to find something that is both moisturizing and soothing.  My usual moisturizer is okay but not working the way I want it to, so it’s time to see what else is out there.

Eating+Drinking:

  • Smoothies.  I’ve been drinking a lot of smoothies lately.
  • Zucchini.  I don’t know why, but I’ve been eating a lot of zucchini.  I’m just going with it, honestly.
  • Starbucks!  I haven’t gone the last couple of months, but I have made the occasional stop now that some of the stores near me are opening up.

Grateful For:

  • Having a job.  I feel like this has come up a lot but I am still grateful to have a job to go to.
  • Taking time to relax.  I’ve taken quite a few baths, and a couple of times a week, I’ll just be in bed with a sheet mask on.  It’s nice to just sit and do nothing for a few minutes.

Good Things:

  • Registering for summer school.  I decided to go back to school, and I’m actually excited about it.  I’m taking math, English and medical terminology.  Hopefully, it’ll go well.  I’m not worried about English or medical terminology but math is not my strong suit, so I’m hoping I’ll do okay.
  • Sheet masks have been a godsend.  They’ve been really soothing for my face right now, and I found a few that I liked enough to order more.
  • My birthday!  I turned 34!  I didn’t do much but the Studio Ghibli movie marathon was what I did on my birthday.  I also made myself a chocolate cake, and it was really good.  Other than that, I didn’t do much.

That’s all for today, and I’ll be back with a couple of reviews soon.

See you soon and stay safe,

Currently Obsessed With: April 2020

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Hi everyone!

So, I can’t believe it’s May already!  Time is so weird, and I can’t believe I’m recapping April already.  2020 has been the longest year ever, and even though April didn’t feel as long as March, April still felt pretty long.  April was full of familiar things, and I’ve found that I’ve wanted to revisit things I haven’t listened to or read in a while.

I barely took any pictures last month, and with being at work or at home, there hasn’t been a lot of picture-taking.  But I did get a picture of some of the tea I plan on drinking.  I got it from the Literary Tea Company, and everything I have tried has been really good, so I know they will be too!

Let’s get to the highlights from April!

Inspired By:

  • The Smoothie Project.  I’ve been drinking a lot of smoothies lately, and it’s been a really easy way for me to get some extra fruit and vegetables in.  I’ve only made the Bright Green smoothie so far, and it’s really good!  Everything looks really good, and I’m pretty excited to try some new smoothies.
  • YallStayHome.  I was really sad when YallWest got cancelled, because I was really looking forward to it.  I had a great time last year, but I watched a few of the panels that they did virtually, and it was really cool/inspiring to hear a lot of authors talk about writing and life.

Watching:

  • How To Get Away With Murder.  This was more of a rewatch of the first 5 seasons, but I was in the mood for a lot of drama…and murder.
  • October Faction.  I started watching this at the end of April so I’m not that far into it.  But I really like the couple of episodes I’ve seen, so I’m sure I’ll have more to talk about once I’ve seen more.

Reading:

  • Shatter Me.  After finishing Imagine Me, I decided I needed to read the whole series again.  It’s nice to read something familiar but also awesome.
  • Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.  I’ve been meaning to read this for ages, and I’m taking my time with this one.  But I love the tips I’ve seen so far, and it seems like it is a great resource.
  • Jubilee.  I love the history in it!  I’ve only made the chicken and dumplings (which were amazing) but it’s equal parts cookbook and cooking history, which is cool and different.

Thinking About:

  • Joining a CSA.  Most of my grocery shopping lately has been for produce but it would be cool to support a local farm.  I’ve actually thought about it off and on for quite a while, but I’ve been thinking about it a lot more lately.

Listening To:

  • The Black Tapes.  I don’t know why but I just really wanted to listen to this podcast again.  I really like story and how it went in a completely different direction than I thought it would.
  • Welcome To Night Vale.  After listening to The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home, I immediately starting listening to Night Vale from the beginning.  I forgot how many of the really early episodes are really cool (and quote worthy).

Dreamlife:

  • The San Diego Zoo!  I’ve dreaming about going to the Zoo a lot lately, and I don’t know if it’s because I’m following a few aquariums and zoos on Twitter, or if I just really need to get out of the house.  Once things settle, and the Zoo opens up, I’m definitely going!

Researching:

  • Label Makers.  I have some things I need to label, and I just want it to look pretty and organized.
  • Body Pillows.  I’ve been sleeping good but in really weird positions, and I just need something to help out with that.
  • Weighted blankets.  I’ve had a hard time falling asleep, and I’ve heard weighted blankets can help with that.  I feel overwhelmed by the options, and I don’t know if I should go with both a body pillow and a weight blanket, or one of them.  Does anyone have a recommendation of one they really like?

Eating And Drinking:

  • Smoothies.  I’ve talked about being on a smoothie kick already, and though I love this Basic Blueberry Smoothie, it’s also time to try something different.
  • Chili.  Mostly because I’m using up stuff from my pantry that I wanted to get rid of, but chili is always good.
  • Chocolate.  I’ve been on a chocolate kick this month.  Normally, I’m not big on sweets, which is weird, because I love to bake.  But if I want chocolate, I’m going to eat it!
  • Breakfast.  I’m not usually hungry in the morning, but lately, I’ve been pretty hungry by the time I get to work.  I started keeping stuff in the freezer that I can heat up.
  • Tea!  I have quite a bit of tea, and I’m excited about some of the tea I shared above.

Grateful For:

  • Having a job.  I still feel lucky that I have a job to go to, and I’m glad I can keep a routine going.
  • Virtual YALLWEST.  Even though the in-person YALLWEST was cancelled, I’m glad a virtual one was put together.
  • Just being okay.  Oddly enough, I’ve been a lot happier than I have been in a while, and I’m glad I’m doing okay.

Good Things:

  • Getting the stimulus check.  It actually came at the perfect time, because I had to get a new car.  The reason for the new car was not great- there were a few days where it was raining pretty bad, and I hydroplaned, spun around, and proceeded to total my car.  It was terrifying, because I was driving, and the next thing I knew, I was spinning around.  I’m okay, though, and as long as I’m okay, that’s all that matters.
  • I had some time off which was great- I had a four-day weekend followed by a three-day weekend.  I had originally requested the time off for the LA Times Festival Of Books (postponed) and YALLWEST, which was cancelled, but done virtually.  It worked out really well, though, because I ended up using some of the time off to go car shopping and do other car-related stuff.
  • I’ve been cooking up a storm, and I can’t remember the last time I cooked so much!  Months, for sure.  I’ve cooked, of course, but I’ve cooked stuff to keep in the freezer.  And I’m enjoying being in the kitchen again.  For a while, I wasn’t super into cooking, and it’s nice to be interested in it again.  A lot of it has gone into the freezer to use later, but it’s nice knowing that I can pull something out of the freezer if I don’t want to make anything.

And that wraps up April!

Stay safe out there,

Currently Obsessed With: March 2020

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March has been such a crazy month!  I feel like I’ve lost all sense of time, which is weird because I’m mostly sticking to my usual routine.  I’m eternally grateful I still have a job- healthcare is pretty essential right now- but there have been a lot of changes, and I’m sure there will continue to be a lot of changes in the weeks to come.

You definitely can’t go wrong with animal pictures, and when I saw this duck on a walk I took, I knew I had to get a picture.

Surprisingly, I haven’t been as anxious as I thought I would be.  I’ve been journaling, crocheting, and doing yoga, which has helped keep me calm and relaxed.  Reading has helped, and so has being on medication for depression and anxiety.  It’s helped a lot, and I’m just grateful that I haven’t been too anxious.  I am, of course, because things are so different now than they were a few weeks ago.  But it really hasn’t been as bad I thought it would be.

Reading quotes from some of the books I’ve read has also helped.  I don’t know why, but it makes me feel better.  These are a few of my favorites, plus they’re some of the shorter ones I’ve written down, and I just wanted to have them as quotes that are really helping me out right now.

Inspired By:

  • House of Rage And Sorrow.  There’s one line in particular I loved that gave me a spark of a story that I have yet to figure out.  If I can muster up the motivation, I’ll have plenty of time to work on it.
  • Our Plague Year: This is a new podcast from one of the creators of the Welcome To Night Vale podcast, and even though there’s only a couple of episodes, I feel inspired to journal about how I’m feeling during the Covid pandemic.

Watching:

  • Designated Survivor.  I’m bummed there’s only 3 seasons of this show, because I really like it.  At least I can re-watch it!
  • Yoga With Adriene.  I’ve been doing yoga a lot more lately.  I love that she has videos for pretty much anything you need.  I’ve been doing a lot of her lower back pain videos lately, and it really helps!

Reading:

So many things!  A House Of Rage And Sorrow stands out.  Also, the Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home, which was awesome!  And Renegades by Marissa Meyer.  I still need to finish the last book, but I’m in a mood to re-read the whole series, so once I finish Renegades and Archenemies, I plan on reading Supernova.

Thinking About:

  • Baking Bread.  I have a couple of books, now I just need to hope I can find some yeast at the store.  Failing that, something without yeast.
  • Learning to sew.  I have a sewing machine that used to belong to my grandma.  I have no idea if it works, but I’ve thinking about sewing for a couple of years now.
  • Grief and rage.  This has been on my mind ever since I finished House Of Rage And Sorrow.

Listening To:

  • Blood Ties.  This podcast was interesting to listen to!  It’s this 6 episode podcast about two siblings who learn family secrets after their parents die in a plane crash.  You can find it here, if you’re interested.
  • Audio books.  Granted, I only listened to one in March but I have been in an audio book mood.
  • I Said No Gifts!  This is a new podcast but there are some really interesting conversations revolving around gifts.  It’s pretty funny as well, and it’s fun to listen to.

Dream Life:

As usual, I can only remember bits and pieces.  I know I had a dream about the San Diego Zoo, I’ve dreamed about about being in a bookstore (several times), and I know my grandma has shown up in a dream or two.  I can’t remember any other dreams, or anything more specific about what I do remember, but at least I remembered something!

Researching:

Tea Kettles.  I’ve been drinking a lot of tea, and an actual tea kettle might be nice to have.

Eating And Drinking:

  • Tea.  I’ve talked about all the tea I’m drinking, so it’s worth a mention here.
  • Trader Joe’s Bacon Ranch Cheddar Dip.  This dip did not last long the couple of times I got, because it is that good!  If you can find it, it’s worth picking up!
  • Sun Chips.  I haven’t been eating Sun Chips with the Bacon Ranch Cheddar dip, but for some reason, I’ve really wanted Sun Chips.

Grateful For:

  • Having a job!  These are crazy times we’re living in, and I’m glad I have a job.  I know other people aren’t as lucky but I’m grateful to have a job.
  • I’m also grateful that I had a pretty stocked pantry when the shelves were pretty empty.  And the couple of times I did need to get some things I didn’t have, I was able to get it pretty easily.

Good Things:

Honestly, I wasn’t really keeping track of good things, but I did get new glasses!  I really can see a lot better now.

Work was really stressful for a while (and it still is, but in a very different way) but I am no longer doing two different jobs, which is a big relief.

I’ve done some spring cleaning, and I have a couple of drawers I need to tackle before I feel like I’m done.  It’s nice knowing things are more organized.

I’ve been doing some yoga, and taking some walks around my neighborhood.  Of course, I’m keeping my distance from everyone else taking a walk.  I’ve seen a lot more people taking walks, so I’m obviously not the only one needing some fresh air.

I even saw some ducks on one of my walks!  I definitely don’t get outside enough, but I’m definitely trying to only leave the house if I absolutely need to.

That’s all for today, and make sure you take care of yourself!

Currently Obsessed With: January 2020

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Good morning everyone!

I can’t believe its time for another one of these posts already!  It feels like I just did a wrap-up for January, and now I’m recapping February.  I feel like this one is going to be a lot shorter, but we’ll see.

You can’t go wrong with hearts, especially for February.  I’m not big on Valentine’s Day, but it felt right to draw hearts.

And the quote you see in one of the pages above was the quote I didn’t know I needed until I was working on this particular page.  February ended up being a little rough especially after Valentine’s day, and that quote just really stood out to me.  I know the size of this picture is big but I just really wanted to make sure the quote was easy to see.

Inspired By:

The 52 Lists journals.  I talked about it a few weeks ago in this post, and while I wanted to talk about it, I don’t know that it warrants a full-blown post.  But I’ve really liked doing them, especially the last couple of weeks.  We’ve moved past the introductory-type lists- favorite things and goals for the year, and that sort of thing.  The lists are starting to get more thought-provoking.  I really am trying to be honest with these lists- it’s a little hard sometimes, because it would be so much easier to just put something on paper and not think about it again.  But I just really want to put a lot of thought and effort into it.

Watching:

This is going to be a short section, because I only wrote down the things I was really excited about: To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and P.S. I Still Love You.  I just love both movies so much, and while there was crying involved, both movies were also really fun and cute and what I needed when I watched them.

Reading:

Hand Lettering: Creative Alphabets.  I’ve been writing things a lot more this year, and I thought it would be fun to try out different alphabets and ways to write.  So far, I’ve just been looking at this one, but at some point, I may took a look at other books to see what they have to offer.

Thinking About:

Going back to school for RHIT.  I’m also going to talk about this in a different section, but it’s a registered health information technician program that ends with a certification.  I’ve been on the fence for a while, but with some changes at work that are coming, having that certification would be really nice, and open up more opportunities for me.

Scrapbooking.  I honestly can’t remember if I’ve talked about this, and I don’t feel like going back to check, but I have a bunch of photos I want to go through and organize.  I’ve been looking at the scrapbooking section at Michael’s and it’s hard to not get excited about the stickers and washi tape and different kinds of card stock.  It is another way for me to get things organized.  I’ve definitely been on an organization streak this year, and I don’t know why but I’m going to go with it.

Listening To:

Lindsey Stirling.  I don’t listen to her enough, but I highly recommend her.  Her new album, Artemis, is great, but I think Brave Enough is my favorite of hers.

Lovers by Anna Of The North.  I’ve been listening to this song on repeat ever since I watched the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before movies.

Your Mental Breakdown, which you can find here.  It’s a relatively new podcast that I heard about on My Favorite Murder.  There’s only around 5 or 6 episodes, but I really like listening to it so far.  You’re listening in on a therapy session between the host and one of his clients, and there’s also a breakdown of the session afterwards between the host and one of his friends.  I think it’s really interesting to not only hear the session but to hear a breakdown of it as well.  I really do recommend listening to it from the beginning, which shouldn’t be too hard, because there are only a handful of episodes.

Dream Life:

There’s not much to report here, but the one dream I do remember is the FBI investigating my work.  I don’t know why they were…I just know they were.  It was really weird.

Researching:

RHIT programs.  I work in medical records, when I don’t have to cover as a receptionist, and having that certification would be really nice to have.  It would open a lot of doors, especially if I wanted to move into billing and coding, or something else related to medical records.  Online would definitely be easier, and thankfully, it seems like there are plenty of online programs I could do.

Flower pens.  I know this is random, but somehow, at work, ALL of our flower pens disappeared.  I know there are tons of tutorials, and if I can remember to make sure I have pens at home, I’ll be good to go, since I have everything else I need.

Eating + Drinking:

I’ve been eating chili, comfort food (like pot pies), cookie butter (right out of the jar) and hot chocolate.  Work is really stressing me out right now, so I’ve been eating a lot of fast food to (momentarily) make myself feel better.  That’s not working out for me in the long-run because my stomach always seems to hate me a few hours later.

I made this instant pot chili, if your looking for the recipe.  I brought it to a potluck at work, and there was still some leftover, so I saved it for the rest of the week.

Grateful For:

Awesome and supportive co-workers!  I’ve had a really hard time at work the last couple of weeks, and I ended up talking to my boss about it.  I’m just glad I was able to get some relief until we can get fully staffed again.  I’ve been having a hard remembering that I do have things to be grateful for, and even though I’ve been keeping a gratitude journal this year, it’s fallen to the wayside the last week or so.  It’s definitely time to get back on bandwagon, and it’s something I can use to remind myself of the little things when I need it.  Hopefully, I’ll have more to share next time.

The Good Things:

It’s a really short list this month, but the book signing for All The Stars And Teeth was really fun!  I also stopped by the grand re-opening party for Mysterious Galaxy, which was pretty cool.  Any event that has Storm Troopers outside is a must.  Book club was fun, as usual, and I always look forward to it, so that’s probably going to be the thing that comes up every month.  Basically, everything was fun.

I also started doing yoga!  My hips have felt particularly stiff and sore, and my back has been hurting a little bit more than normal, so it’s been really nice and helpful.  I really, really like Yoga With Adriene, and as someone who doesn’t exercise (even though I know I should), her videos feel very accessible.  Compared to a couple of other channels that I really like but struggle with doing, I feel like I don’t need to be really flexible or in shape to do her videos.  I feel so calm and relaxed afterwards.  I also love that she has so many different types of videos.

Plus, it means I get to use this pretty yoga mat.

That’s all for February’s recap, and I’ll talk with everyone soon!