Tag Archives: podcasts

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: 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: 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!

Top Ten Tuesday: All About Audio Freebie

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Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers share their own bookish top ten lists based on the topic of the week.  You can check out Ten Tuesdays here.

Blog Graphic- Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Favorite Podcasts

I’m a really big fan of podcasts, and I’m really glad this week is an audio freebie, because I knew this would be the perfect time to talk about some of my favorites.  I listen to a lot of podcasts, and picking 10 was really hard!  I know I’ve mentioned most of them before, but I think they’re definitely worth checking out.  All links will take you to the podcast website- except Dear Hank And John, that one goes to a general website for the both of them.

  1. Lore.  It’s a different story every week, and it’s based on a real life story.  I’ve never heard of a lot of the stories that he tells, but they’re all really interesting to listen to.
  2. Welcome To Night Vale.  I am a huge fan of Night Vale, and it’s weird and delightful, and I look forward to every new episode.  They also have a couple of other podcasts now, and I really like Alice Isn’t Dead, but I’m not sure about Within The Wires yet.
  3. Greetings From Nowhere.  It’s random and funny and they have some really interesting conversations.
  4. The Nerdist Podcast.  I only listen to some of the episodes released, but the interviews are always interesting and funny.
  5. The Black Tapes/Tanis.  They’re both done by the same people, so I figured I’d talk about them together. They’re done in the style of Serial (which you can check out here, it’s completely awesome and fascinating), and I love listening to both.  But not at night, because both can be really creepy, and I ended up getting a little freaked out.
  6. Dear Hank And John.  It’s John Green and his brother Hank giving out dubious advice, and it’s hilarious.
  7. The History Chicks.  It’s the only history podcast I’ve been able to get into, but I did come across a few others on iTunes that I still need to listen to.  It’s two women talking about different women in history (and they occasionally do a fictional character, which is always fun), and I love that they include movies, websites and books about the different women they talk about.  They definitely put a lot of work into it.
  8. Gilmore Guys.  I haven’t listened to this one in ages, so I have 20+ episodes I still need/want to listen to but it’s entertaining and a really good recap of Gilmore Girls.
  9. The Grapes Of Rad.  It’s fun to listen to and it’s random and weird and I’m not completely sure I love it so much, but I do.
  10. Overthinking It.  If you like pop culture, this is a really good podcast to listen to.  They talk about movies and t.v. shows and a variety of other topics.  I have to admit that I don’t listen to every single episode- it sort of depends on whether I’m interesting in the topic of the week, but it’s always an interesting listen.

Currently Obsessed With: August 2015

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Currently Obsessed With is a once-a-month (but sometimes more) feature where I talk about all of the things I’m currently into and everything that’s been going on!

Currently Obsessed With

August has been a great month!  I went to a book signing (more on that in a bit) and I went to a Harry Potter party, which was so much fun!  I dressed up as Luna, which consisted of a floral skirt over some tights, with Converse-type shoes, some brightly colored socks, and a pink top.  I also printed up a picture of the Quibbler from a DIY Luna costume tutorial thing, and taped it to a magazine I had, and I also found a print-out of Spectrespecs, that I attached to my glasses.  I also wore the Luna Lovegood scarf!  I got sorted into Slytherin, which was funny, because I was dressed up as Luna, and I identify as a Hufflepuff…and I’m the least Slytherin person I know.  There were tons of stuff to do at the party, like coloring your own patronus, wizard’s chess, quidditch (which ended up being Slytherin vs everyone else), runes and trivia.  I’m definitely looking forward to next year’s Harry Potter party!

August has been really hot, and I’m hoping it cools down, because all I want to do is sit on the couch and watch t..v. and nothing else.

Crochet:

I haven’t been crocheting a lot, just working on the same dishcloth I’ve been working on for a couple of months- and that’s only at yarn group.  Otherwise, I haven’t been working on anything.  Oddly enough, though, I really want to pick up my blanket, which makes no sense because it’s too warm to work on it.

Books:

I went to a book signing!  For Zero World, which I think everyone should pick up.  But I am biased, since I know Jason, so keep that in mind.  But still.  Read it!  Anyway, we listened to an excerpt from the audio book, and Jason talked about the book, and how it came to be, and then he answered some questions, and it was just awesome.

Books- August 2015 Zero World

I’ve read a lot this month, but for whatever reason, I haven’t really wanted to read.  Audio books seem to be working well, though, because I finished one I started in July, and listened to three others.  I’m definitely on an audio book kick, so for now, I’ll probably be listening more, and reading less, since I’m not in the mood to read…with my eyes, anyway.

Books- August 2015 Coloring Book Collage

As for other books, I bought 3 coloring books, and it’s been awesome.  So even though I haven’t been crocheting, I have been coloring.  I definitely have a post about coloring books in the works as we speak, that’s how much I’ve been enjoying it.

I got The Book Of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez from Audible, and considering the fact that I’m on an audio book kick at the moment, I’m hoping that I get to it soon!

T.V./Movies:

I finished House, which I kind of want to re-watch because there are a bunch of episodes I had going as I was falling asleep, but I think I might wait a while for that.  I’ve watched a few episodes of season 8 of the new Doctor Who (I like it, and I’ll keep watching it as long as it’s on Netflix, which is the only way I can see it at the moment), and I still don’t like Clara, and I’m not sure how I feel about the new Doctor.  I’m sure I’ll have more of an opinion once I’ve watched the entire season.  I’ve also watched some NCIS, and that’s really about it for t.v.

I’ve also been watching Fear The Walking Dead, which makes me want to re-watch Walking Dead.  And I actually find it a lot creepier/scarier than Walking Dead.  I think it’s partly because we know what’s going on and where things are headed, since they’re both set in the same world.  And partly because you’re watching everything unfold. There have only been a couple of episodes, but I really like it so far.

I haven’t seen any movies…I don’t even know what’s out right now, and there hasn’t been anything I’ve wanted to see in a theater.

Around The Internet:

I have a lot to share this month!  I have a bunch of cool blog posts and articles that aren’t on pinterest (for more cool things I’ve read this month, go here).

I really loved this post on how to get back on track.

This article about book banning was really interesting.

Speaking of book banning, this post about some students at Duke having issues with Fun Home by Alison Bechdel made me think.

A post titled When I’m Gone really got to me emotionally (in a good way, though) and it really makes you think.

This post about getting your shit together is something I can relate to.  A lot.

There’s been a lot of talk about For Such A Time by Kate Breslin.  This post is particularly good. Smart Bitches, Trashy Books also has a great review about it.

You can now judge a book by it’s cover.  It’s interesting to see how my ratings of a book matched up with the ones on goodreads.

According to this calculator, it will take me 5 years and 2 months to read all 700+ books on my TBR list on goodreads.  Assuming I don’t add any other books…which I probably will…and also assuming I don’t keep reading any of the series I know are on there…which probably won’t happen…which means that it will take me longer than that to finish.

I made homemade applesauce, and it was amazing.  And really easy.  It’s amazing what you can do in the crock-pot.

Speaking of crock-pots, I want to make this bread.  I would never in a million years think of that.

This post makes me want more coffee mugs.  You can never have too many.

Maybe it’s time to get back to the books.

Or eat mini sausage pancake muffins.

We might even have time to look at really cool book-themed sculptures.

I think my favorite story, though, is the one about the middle school teacher who decorated her classroom Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone style.

Music/Podcasts:

So, I haven’t listened to a lot of music this month- I just haven’t been in a music mood.  And while I could share some podcasts, I won’t because I don’t feel like looking through them to figure out what I have and haven’t shared yet.

But I think I will share some that I want to check out- I don’t listen to a lot of book-related podcasts, so those are what I’m sharing.  I haven’t listened to any of them, so but I can’t wait to check them out.  And I’m always looking for podcast recommendations, so feel free to share.  I’ll give anything a try, so it doesn’t have to be book-related!

The Worst Bestsellers sounds fun.

Witch, Please sounds right up my alley.

Literary Disco seems interesting.

Happy Thursday everyone!

Currently Obsessed With: July 2015 Was So Awesome!

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Currently Obsessed With is a once-a-month (but sometimes more) feature where I talk about my favorite things from the last month.

Currently Obsessed With

July was so much fun!  I went to a book signing and a knit and crochet show, and both were pretty awesome. I’ll talk more about them, but I’m definitely glad I went to both!

Crochet:

July was a good month for crochet things!  I made the Luna Lovegood scarf for a Harry Potter party I went to, and I really like the scarf.  I would definitely make it again, but I think next time, I’d use a bigger hook, because something about the scarf would work well with a bigger hook.  Really, the possible combinations of different hooks and yarns would make for an interesting scarf, and it would be interesting to see how much the scarf changed.

Crochet- July 2015 Luna Lovegood Scarf

I also went to the Knit & Crochet Show, and I am so glad I went!  I would definitely go again if I had the chance.  I took a couple of classes- one about shawls, and one about the shell stitch.  I learned so much (which is all I’m going to say, since one class specifically mentioned that we only say we took the class and I’m applying that rule to the other class just to be safe), and if you have the chance to take classes with Marty Miller or Karen Klemp, go for it, because I thought they and their classes were pretty awesome.

Crochet Show- Collage

I also got some yarn.  Pretty, pretty yarn.  Which is also very, very soft yarn, and all I want to do is hug the yarn and look at the yarn.  As much as I wanted to buy all the yarn, I knew that I couldn’t.  How I stuck to my budget, I have no idea.  I really don’t. But walking around before buying anything helped a lot.

I got Mulberry silk yarn with beads, and all of the colors they had were beautiful.  I’ve never crocheted with yarn that has beads throughout the yarn, but I couldn’t resist!  I think I even have a project in mind for it, which is sort of weird, but at least I know it won’t sit there because I don’t know what to do with it.  I also got some bulky pink yarn (because pink, and they’re also local, which will make it easy to get yarn from them again).  And I got fingering weight yarn (the bright green) and the yellow is a cotton and something (I want to say rayon, but I’m not sure) blend that will be fun to work with.  I think I might want to use the green for another Luna Lovegood scarf, because I think a really light-weight yarn would work for it.  And lotion from Squirrel Stash Yarn.  (Random side note: I know Cait, and I think everyone should check out her shop on etsy. She has awesome stuff).

And Lion Brand was one of the sponsors, and they had some goody bags for people who pre-registered.  I’m excited about the yarn, of course, but the bag is a reusable shopping bag which is nice for storing the yarn I got!

Books:

I went to a book signing for The Heart Of Betrayal by Mary Pearson, which I’m super-excited about, because I really liked the first book, The Kiss Of Deception.  I haven’t started it yet, because I have what feels like 50 million library books I need to read (and not being in a big reading mood right now isn’t helping), but I will read it soon!  It was fun to hear her talk about the book, and what inspired it.  Also: the poster is awesome, and I love the pins and the bookmark!

Books- July 2015 Collage

I also got The Secret Sky by Atia Abawi from Audible, which I’m looking forward to listening to, assuming I can find some time to actually do that.

T.V./Movies:

I haven’t been to the movies in a while, but I’ve been going back and forth between House and NCIS. I was surprised that NCIS was on Netflix, but now I get to watch it from the beginning.  I randomly came across the show a few years ago on USA, so I’ve never seen the episodes in order, from the beginning.  And so far, I’ve seen all of them, but still.  It’s nice to start from the beginning.  And it’s been fun re-watching House, but I think I may have re-watch the re-watch, because I have a tendency to watch it when I’m falling asleep, so I’ve missed a lot.  But it’s still a great show.

Around The Internet:

I have an entire pinterest board dedicated to Around The Internet, so you can see everything there.

I did want to specifically mention a Cover Snark post from Smart Bitches,  Trashy Books.  Also: there is a guest review for Emily’s Magical Bejeweled Codpiece here.  You need to read it, you really do.

I read a fascinating interview with Alton Brown here.

Who knew that translating Alice In Wonderland could be so challenging?  I didn’t.

Dear Author has a really thoughtful post about liking problematic things.  It’s something I have a hard time with.

I really need to spend some time looking at this list of the 37 best websites to learn new things.

Music/Podcasts:

I have no music picks this month, because I’ve added a bunch of new podcasts to my rotation.  I thought I’d share some of the ones I’ve added recently.  I’m having a hard time keeping it short, and at this point, I’m strongly considering doing a special post just to talk about more podcasts.  I’m always looking for recommendations, so if you have any, leave them in the comments!  Here’s just a few for you:

  • The Black Tapes Podcast.  The best description I can think of is Night Vale done in the style of Serial.  I was listening to it at work (there’s only 6, and they’re all an hour or less) and I was getting massively creeped out listening to it.  And there were points where I forgot it was fictional.  That’s how realistic it is.  You can check them out here.  (Also, you really need to listen in order, because otherwise, things won’t make as much sense).
  • Most of the ones from How Stuff Works- the history one, the conspiracy one, stuff mom never told you, stuff you should know, and stuff to blow your mind.  They’re all really interesting, and if you like learning about random things, they’re worth checking out.  Which you can do here.
  • The Nerdist Podcast.  It’s really funny, and more often than not, I find myself laughing as I’m listening.  The one with Ian McKlellan was really fascinating.  You can check out The Nerdist podcast here.
  • The Gilmore Guys.  It’s a lot of fun, and I came across it when I saw an article somewhere about Gilmore Girls.  It even got me to watch a few episodes of the show.  I don’t usually start at the beginning of podcast, especially if it’s over 10 or 15, like this one.  But after listening to one of the episodes, I knew I had to start back at the beginning, so it’ll be awhile before I’m caught up on this one.  You can check out Gilmore Guys here.
  • Sean DeTore’s Mixtape (found here) and The Air Raid Podcast with Aaron Roden (found here). Both have really awesome interviews with people, and I heard about them on the Grapes Of Rad (which is also a favorite and totally awesome podcast where the co-hosts talk about the most random stuff.  You can check it out here if you want).

Happy August!

Currently Obsessed With: September Was Just Weird

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Currently Obsessed With is a monthly feature where I talk about my favorite stuff and interesting things from the last month and also where I talk about what’s been going on in my life!

Nails & Beauty:

So far, I really like the customizable Maven box from Julep!  The September box was my first box after upgrading, and I’m actually glad that I upgraded my Maven box, because the ability to customize to my box is really great when there’s a color I’m not sure about or a color I KNOW I don’t want.  For September, I knew I didn’t want one of the polishes and that actually worked out great, because I was in desperate need of their Freedom Polymer top coat.  I was really happy that I was able to swap out the color I didn’t want for a top coat I really needed.

Maven Sept 2014

Left To Right: Ryan, Mahima, Freedom Polymer Top Coat

I really liked Ryan, which has a matte finish to it.  And I was really intrigued by Mahima, which is gold but not a sparkly, metallic or chrome gold that I’m used to!  I wasn’t sure about it as a creme nail polish, but I was reminded very much of gold leaf that’s used in paintings from hundreds of years ago.

Left To Right: Strange, Dust, Burnout, Limit, Buzz, Trick, Nooner, Liar, Factory, Mugshot, Darkside, Blackheart

Left To Right: Strange, Dust, Burnout, Limit, Buzz, Trick, Nooner, Liar, Factory, Mugshot, Darkside, Blackheart

Remember last month, when I talked about the Urban Decay Naked3 palette?  I actually like it a lot! The colors are really neutral, and they’re great for everyday use.  I’m sure someone who’s much more comfortable and confident in their make-up applying skills would be able to create some awesome looks from it, but it’s great for people (like me) who want something really simple in the morning. My only issue is that some of the colors don’t show up really on someone with really fair skin, to the point that even I had trouble telling if I had any on or not.  Granted, I’ve only tried Dust, Burnout, Buzz, and Liar, and Dust and Buzz are my favorites.  Still, I really like the colors, and it’s one of my favorite palettes that I’ve actually used.

Crochet:

I’ve been crocheting a bunch this month!  I tested out a crown pattern for a friend, I made a bunch of face scrubbies, a scarf, I finished the cowl I was working on and I started a washcloth.  I like that the scarf is really textured and wavy, which doesn’t show up very well in the picture.  As for the cowl, I like the color, but I don’t like it as one solid color- it definitely needs a stripe of color every once in a while.  And when I tried it on…it felt like I was being choked a little bit, so I don’t know if I maybe needed to add some extra stitches, or if I maybe need to block it, or if that’s how cowls are supposed to be…I’ve never worn a cowl (or made one, for that matter) so I have no clue if it’s just how cowls are or if it’s the pattern and needs to be a little bigger or what’s going on.

Crochet Sept 2014 Collage

And I abandoned that green shell hat I was working on.  It seemed like it was going to be way too big, and it seemed like each row took FOREVER to do…once I got to the shell part of. One of these days, I’m going to have to completely frog it, so I can use the yarn for something else.  I also tested a pattern for fingerless mitts…well, I got through the one, and now I just need to do the other one.  Hopefully it’ll start cooling down so I can start working on my blanket again too.  Plus, I have my eye on a few other projects, so there may be more news on that front.

Books:

Book Haul Sept 2014

I got Seriously Delish, which is a cookbook by Jessica Merchant…who also has a totally awesome food blog.  I haven’t made anything from it yet, but everything looks so good!  And I want to make almost every single recipe in the book, which is super-rare for me.  I also got Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein, and I’m really curious about this Code Name Verity companion novel, especially since I’m reading Code Name Verity right now.

I’m also starting to come out of my reading slump!  Talking about it helped a lot, and I’m starting to get back in the swing of (reading) things.  Seriously, my reading habits are starting to get back to normal, so I think the worst of it is over.

T.V.:

I have been watching so much t.v. that I’ve decided to do a completely different post about it that’s coming up in the next few days.  I will say that it’s partly because fall t.v. is back and partly because I’ve been watching a couple shows on netflix.

Around The Internet:

I’ve come across a lot of interesting things this month, and while I only pick a few to share every month, this month I’ve decided to do a separate post because there are quite a few articles I have thoughts about, and I just want to talk about them a little more.

I will say that I’ve made these crescent sausage bites before, and they go over sowell, and these Nutella brownies are completely awesome.  And I was intrigued by this crock-pot BBQ chicken.

Podcasts:

So, I actually have NO music for this month.  My listening to stuff time has been really sporadic lately, and whatever listening time I do have is trying to keep up with a small number of the podcasts I managelisten to.  I hate having to cut down on the number I listen to, but the time just isn’t there right now.  Anyway, I thought I’d share a few of the ones that I’ve been listening to.

  1. Welcome To Nightvale.  I know I’ve mentioned this one before, but it’s not going to stop me from mentioning it again! If you haven’t had a chance to listen to Night Vale, you should check it!  It’s what you’d get if you mixed Stephen King, those conspiracy theories people who are on History Channel shows and NPR were mixed together.  I’m sure other people have better descriptions than me, but it’s delightfully weird.
  2. The Book Riot podcast.  I’m a big fan of Book Riot, and their main Book Riot podcast is fun to listen to.  They talk about all kinds of book-ish things, and I’ve heard of some really cool books and news stories because of their podcast.
  3. Alohomora.  I love this Harry Potter re-read podcast.  I look forward to every episode, because the discussion is always interesting, and brings up things I never thought of before.
  4. We’re Alive.  I’m really sad that this audio drama podcast is over, but I’m looking forward to see if/what the people behind it come up with next.
  5. The History Chicks.  It’s been a while since they’ve had an episode, but I like that each episode is an overview on different women from history, with the occasional fictional woman thrown in. I also love that each post on their website talks about each woman and has books, movies and resources on each woman they talk about.

Hope everyone has a great October!

Currently Obsessed With #1: January 2014

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I’m actually really excited to be doing this post!  One of my goals this year was to get a little more personal, and talk about what’s going on and what I’m really into, and now seemed like a really good time to start!  This is actually inspired by a few different blogs where there’s a look back at their week (or month) and this is just my version of that.

First: Let It Go in 25 different languages!

It’s actually awesome to see it in so many languages!  Frozen is pretty awesome, and when this version of Let It Go came up at a friend’s birthday dinner, I knew I would have to look at it!  It even says what the different languages are, and it’s astounding that someone (I’m assuming someone from Disney, since it’s on their youtube channel) put it together.

Speaking of Frozen, I’m also obsessed with the soundtrack!  I don’t usually feel compelled to buy movie soundtracks, but I fell in love with the soundtrack while watching Frozen, and now I can’t stop listening to it!  It’s also one of the best Disney soundtracks. Seriously, it is.

I’ve also been crocheting a bit, and I’ve made some hats and headbands.

January Crochet Collage

I also want to make a blanket, so I’ve been looking at patterns.  A blanket is definitely a big project, but since I want to try new things, a blanket seemed like a good idea.  It is a little intimidating, because that’s a lot of yarn!  I think yarn sales will be my best friend for a while.  I’m not completely sure about colors yet- I like the idea of a rainbow, or something a bit more gradient.  But I am determined to do a blanket…

I’ve been re-listening to the We’re Alive podcast, and it’s definitely one of my favorite podcasts.  I’m really bummed that it’s ending this summer, but I guess it had to come to an end eventually.  I’ve been listening to it for a couple years now, and it’s weird to think that it’s coming to end.  But there’s also that part of me that wants to know how it ends, you know?

I’m also loving Welcome To Night Vale, which is another podcast I’m really into right now.  It’s a podcast I always look forward to listening to, and it’s actually hysterical to listen to.

I thought this post on BookRiot was really interesting.  To sum up, it’s about how people are judged for how much they read, and it got me thinking about reading and people being all judgy and stuff. Speaking of readers, I love this infographic thingy I’ve floating around pinterest lately.  I really need to take a closer look at it.  Maybe I’ll even talk about it one of these days!  Also: I love the idea of a book jar!  I have a mason jar, now I just need some pretty paper.  That I can get while I’m looking at the sale yarn at Michael’s or something.  I’ve also seen this floating around pinterest, and I love the idea of using it because my TBR pile is overwhelming.

You know how I was going to start exercising?  Yeah…that hasn’t happened.  I was sick for a week or so last month, and I just never got into the habit.  Now that I’m not sick, I am totally going to be doing the Blogilates workouts.  I’ve done a few, and I’m always ridiculously sore the next day, but it’s worth it, because I’ll be healthier and taking care of myself and all that jazz.

I think that’s all for my current obsessions, but I’ll be back with the usual book reviews and stuff!

And I think I shall leave everyone with the story of my life right now: