Show Us Your Books- November

Hello, hello lovely bookworms! Today is a great day because not only is it my birthday and I took off from work, but it's also Show Us Your Books day! Woot! I was going to post about 33 Things I Learned in 33 Years, but then I realized that I'm actually 34 this year and my list isn't complete so I'm really glad it's the second Tuesday of the month! Keeping it short and sweet this round...

If You Only Knew- Kristan Higgins: 3 Stars
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book was fine for what is was- chic lit. Fluff. It kept my interest but the ending fell flat for me. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and for some things to get resolved and they did, but not the way I wanted them to.

Carry On- Rainbow Rowell: 4 Stars
own, paperback

Different from her other works. Definitely more YA, and started off VERY Harry Potter which kind of pissed me off because hello? J.K. already did that. I was also annoyed that it took nearly 300 pages to figure out who one of the characters was. But as I got further into the story it turned... I really enjoyed the alternating POVs.

The Marriage Pact- Michelle Richmond: 3.5 Stars
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

It started out strong but faded quickly. I understand why it took us back to the beginning, and there was strong character development (at least on the part of Alice), but the ending fell a bit flat.

What are you reading lately? 

Linking up with Steph and Jana!

Hostess Gift Guide and Stocking Stuffers

Last week I shared my personal wish list. This week, I'm back with some gift ideas for the hosts and hostesses of those lovely Christmas parties, as well as some smaller stocking stuffers! (This post does NOT contain affiliate links- I just like sharing!)

For the Host/Hostess

Throw Blankets- I purchased this fox one last year, and it's soooo soft and cozy! (similar) 

Dish/Tea Towel Sets- I always think these sound like a silly gift, and yet I put mine out every year! 

Wine Accessories- stemless glasses and cute stoppers are always appreciated. This set is only $15!

Fancy Coffee/Tea/Hot Chocolate- William Sonoma has a delicious hot chocolate set, and I've never tried merlot-infused coffee, but it sure sounds intriguing! 

Candles- I like these Rewined ones because they re-purpose old wine bottles and smell really great!

Coasters- Another one that seems small, but are practical and can be personalized. 

A Coffee Table Book- "The Year of Cozy" has 125 crafts, recipes, and other homemade adventures.

Reed Diffusers- I never really got into these, but they look nice and smell amazing. 

Gourmet Snacks- Panettone and Italian butter cookies are always popular choices, but what about something a little different like Irish Whiskey Caramels or a farmstead fruit spread set? 

Stocking Stuffers

Pens/Stationary Sets- Perfect for bloggers planners, office drones and list makers- extra props for anything sparkly! Kate Spade- $16.

Gift Cards- An easy one for anyone!

(Small) Make Up Sets- This Benefit "Work It Girl" set has a bunch of their best sellers. (AndI may have gotten the Better Than Sex ornament for myself!)

Candy- Not a basket like this, but I always throw in a few favorites!

Water Bottles- I like these ones because they can fold up when you're done. This canvas one also comes with a carabiner to hook on when you're hiking or outdoors!

Phone Accessories- I like this useful USB keychain, but portable chargers or a new case work too!

Scratch Off Lottery Tickets- Is this just an NJ thing? I always give and get scratch offs!

Fun Socks- Personally these Blue Q ones are my fave, but fuzzy ones are a win too! Blue's family has a tradition for putting $2 in a pair of socks... not sure how or when it started but I like it! Taco socks, Banned Book socks, $10/ea.

Mugs- I don't know anyone who would turn down a funny, sarcastic, or cute mug! (Similar- $11.)

What's are you gifting host(esse)s or stuffing stocking with this year? 

linking up with Owen, Brittany, Erica, and Emily

What's New With Me/Currently: December

November was a quiet month for me, and for good reason. Call it the calm before the storm, if you will. I was storing all my energy (and money, tbh) for the whirlwind that is December. There were a lot of quiet nights with cooking or ordering in and movies, and it was perfect. 

Dueling pianos with my girls

pizza and beers with Blue's brother and wife

And then there was Thanksgiving. I was fortunate enough to have off from work Wednesday-Friday, which was awesome. But historically speaking, I almost never actually enjoy Thanksgiving. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE the food, but I rarely get to eat it, and my mother (my only living relative) and I have a rocky relationship, which makes this holiday and Christmas more stress-inducing than anything else. Usually I try to do whatever she wants on both holidays just to keep from fighting. This year, she wanted to go on a retreat in east bumblefuck Connecticut. It took 5 trains and nearly 5 hours each way, and there was nothing to do when we got there. No planned activities, no TVs, no radio, and forget about internet. You know what there was a lot of? Praying. Now I have nothing against praying, in fact I was raised Catholic and did the whole sacraments and alter serving thing, but I'm not a practicing Catholic anymore, and I don't like "forced prayer." (I also did not appreciate being woken up by screaming children running up and down the halls and ringing a damn bell directly outside my door at 7:45AM for breakfast when I don't even eat breakfast, but that's a whole other issue.)

It wasn't all bad. Luckily my mom had warned me about the no TV/radio/wifi, so I came armed with my laptop, movies for the Fall Film Challenge from the library, chocolate, and wine. We also went on a nature hike and learned about how the land had previously been used as a summer camp for underprivileged youth, and even went inside some of the old cabins that were still standing. They also had rescued donkeys (I have no idea why), so we hung out and fed them. I was worried about not actually getting to eat Thanksgiving, so Blue made me a pre-Thanksgiving the weekend before. But the food they served was fantastic! (I mean, Blue's mashed potatoes were better, but overall it was pretty good.)

Blue's Pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving dinner

I made pumpkin pie

hanging with these jackasses donkeys on Thanksgiving

Watching: I just started The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon after Christina recommended it and while I'm only on episode 3, I'm loving it so far! Also really looking forward to Star Wars: the Last Jedi and Pitch Perfect 3.
Listening to: Getting reacquainted with Britney Spears and Lady Gaga in prep for their concerts in 2 weeks! Also, the latest P!nk album- Beautiful Trauma.

Reading: A Perfect Stranger- Megan Miranda

Loving: That including today, I only have 8 days of work left for the year! 

Wanting: Not much. I posted a wishlist here. I just added a Sephora gift card because Steph just informed me that my new favorite perfume comes in a spray (I have a rollerball). And Blue confessed that she got me a charging case for my iPhone since lately my battery likes to drop from 80% down to 24% within 45 minutes even when I'm not using it and every background app is closed. Fun times. 

Drinking: I found this awesome service called Hopsy that delivers cold mini-kegs of local craft beer to your front door! You can choose from pre-curated 4 packs of light, dark, customer favorites, or create your own mix. I got the customer favorites one and was definitely impressed! If you're interested, use my referral link here for a $30 discount and free shipping (and I get $20 too!). Also would make a great last minute gift for any beer-lovers in your life! 

mini-kegs delivered to my door!

Lighting: Candles. I may have gone a little cray on BBW's 3-wick candle day last Saturday. But they were $9- how could I resist?! 

Spending: See above! Other than that I've been pretty good about not spending until vacation! 

Choosing: To ignore Mercury in Retrograde, though it will probably be difficult since I'm doing one of the main things you are not supposed to do during this time, which is traveling. Yikes. I also found this handy guide about what to expect this time around based on your sign (ya know, if you're into that sorta thing, which I am). 

Sending: Nothing. I haven't sent holiday cards in years, and even though I've been saying that would change, it hasn't. Oh well, one less thing to stress about!

Singing: I've mentioned that I don't really like Christmas music, but two I will always sing this time of year are Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas" and Lou Monte's "Dominick the Donkey" (hee haw, hee haw!). 

What's new with you lately?

Linking up with Anne, Catherine, Kristen, and Gretch

December Goals

November Goals

• Vote- check!
• Fix screen door- BLERGH. 
• Get rid of 50 Items- check!
• Schedule Veteran pickup- check!
• Schedule dentist, optometrist, and gyno appointments before co-pay increases- check! 
• Weatherize windows- going to Home Depot tonight. 
• Participate in Jenn's Film Challenge- Bonus Round (ends 11/30)- check! Finished it! 
• Participate in Alexandra's Live Your Best Life for Less (Holiday Edition) Challenge- check! 17/30

3- welcome Thanksgiving season

5- shop your closet for a new outfit

7- schedule 30 min of reading

8- get your hygge on

9- let go of an obligation

10- treat yourself to a yummy candle

11- clean your fridge

12- give an unexpected gift (big or small)

13- start holiday gift list

14- clear "un-fun" item from to-do list

18- take donations to thrift store

19- go for a fall walk 

20- allow yourself a small indulgence 

21- give yourself a mani or pedi 

23- put your phone away

26- check in with a far away loved one

28- discuss December holiday traditions with family

December Goals

• Deck the halls
• Enjoy bday in Vegas
• Prett-ify: mani/facial/brows
• Re-evaluate finances
• Sell on Poshmark
• Donate presents
• Make a holiday/Christmas wreath
• Participate in Alexandra's  Live Your Best Life for Less (Holiday Edition) Challenge
• Weatherize windows
• That screen door though...

What's on deck for you in December? 

Add It To My (Wish) List

Anyone else have this problem? Anyone? Bueller?

To be fair, I don't really "need" anything and my TBR is out of control (with a lot of books and e-books I own and haven't read), but I wanted to play along so here we are. I tried to curate my list really carefully this year because some of the things I really had to have last year (like that color printer) have barely been used. Also, I should mention that I've already purchased some of these things for myself. The only reason I have a list is for when Blue and her fam ask me what I want- it's so much easier than getting me stuff I really don't want. And it's easier still to just send along my Amazon wish list (which is currently not updated,... I should do that). Anyway, here are a few things I wouldn't mind finding under the tree if they are not already hanging in my closet or perched on my couch. 


Need

Portable Steamer- I don't iron because I hate it, but I used to love the industrial steamers I found in the laundromat when I didn't have a washer/dryer, and while I do hang clothes up while I'm in the shower to get any wrinkles out, this would be useful. Portable so I can put it away when I'm not using it. 

Boots- I've needed boots since last year. I loved the riding style that I used to have but I rode them into the ground and I still haven't found any that don't look ridiculous on my little chicken legs. I may have to go into an actual brick and mortar store *gasp*

Duvet Cover- I've had a down comforter for about 5 years that I never use for fear of getting it dirty. Then while it was in my basement, the ceiling fell in and almost ruined it. How ridiculous is that?! So I spent a small fortune getting it dry cleaned, and now that it's getting colder, I'm thinking I should probably use it (as soon as I get a cover for it) like this one. P.S. Target is currently having a 40% off bath and bedding sale that ends today! 

Want

Aquis Hair Wrap- My hair is longer now, and I've wanted this for awhile because wearing regular towels makes my hair frizzier. This one claims to dry it faster too which would be quite a feat because my hair is really thick.

Cocktail Set- I have a beautiful wooden bar at home, and one of the goals on my 101 in 1001 list is to have it be fully stocked/functional. The cocktail set I have is missing a few pieces and is old af- I've had it since college. 

Elizabeth and James Nirvana Rollerball- Steph originally recommended this and since I love pretty much everything bourbon, I had to get it. I absolutely love the heavier, spicier scent for the holidays. Actually, I loved all the scents and if they came in a spray, I'd definitely get this gift set from Sephora!

Heated Snuggle Wrap Blanket- Found this one in an email from Brad's Deals and purchased 4 of them at $20 each- everyone's getting a heated snuggle blanket! Including me! 

Bass Headphones (with mic)- "Because I'm all about that bass, 'bout that bass,  no treble..." Just kidding! It's because my headphones are ALWAYS breaking, these look cool, and they were only $10 (now $20). Huzzah! 

Wear

Fleece (or Uniqlo Heattech Extra Warm) Leggings- I wear these every single day under my pants and by themselves at home. 

Black Warm Hat (with visor)- I had one of these a few years ago but lost it. I've been looking for a replacement for some time now. 

Sparkly and/or Chunky Sweaters- I like just a touch of sparkle for the holidays, and I always love chunky sweaters in the winter, even though right now my office is so hot that I'm sweating. Ugh. 

(similar)

Flannel PJ Bottoms- I got my first pair last year and love them, so I want another pair to keep at Blue's house. Also, Old Navy extended their Cyber Monday sale to today, so everything is 50% off! 

Read

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Voice Acting for Dummies
Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella (which I just won on Goodreads- finally after 8 years of trying! Yay!) 
Little Women- Louisa May Alcott (never read it, but I own it and it seems appropriate for the holiday season)

What's on your wish list this year? 

Linking up with Lauren, Bre, Andrea, and Emily

101 in 1001: An Update

Back in December 2015 I decided to start a new 101 in 1001 challenge, and actually try to accomplish more than the 33 items I had done on my previous one. One of my goals was to write about my progress monthly, which I've since edited to blogging about it quarterly after finding this awesome link-up on Macy's blog. The thing is, with less than a year left, I realized that a lot of my travel goals are completely unattainable. And some of my "goals" are no longer relevant or I just dodn't care for anymore. So I changed some, but left them on as strikethroughs so I wouldn't forget, and didn't count them in the 101. To check out the full list, click here!

Start Date: December 12, 2015

End Date: September 8, 2018
Completed: 40/101 (as of 11/16/17)

In Progress 17/101

Things completed since my last check-in:

Host a dinner party 1/17/17
Create and maintain a "staples" closet/wardrobe 11/1/17
Attend an Oktoberfest event 9/30/17

Attend an NFL game 8/31/17

Get a credit card 10/4/17
Open a savings account 8/11/17
Try 101 different bars and restaurants 11/10/17

Complete the Fall Film Challenge 11/11/17
Complete one of Erin's Reading Challenges 10/31/17
Walk on the Brooklyn Bridge 5/20/17

Take a hobby class (Intro to Voice Overs 6/20/17)
Get a major haircut/style change 5/15/17

See 3 Broadway shows (musicals or plays): Paramour 5/3/16, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical 1/21/17, Bruce Springsteen 10/21/17

In Progress: 16/101:

Blog about progress quarterly

Try at least one new recipe a month for a year: 6/12

Finish/post or discard all blog drafts

Get to my goal weight

Read all the books I currently own but haven’t yet read 31/70 

Read 101 books (38/101): You can see what I've read so far here! 

Watch a new-to-me movie starting with every letter of the alphabet 23/26
Missing O, N, and Q, but already have movies picked out for these letters!

Figure out a skincare routine
I've actually figured this one out, but I'm not marking it as completed because I haven't been consistent in following through with the routine daily/weekly. 

Find holy grail skin and hair care products
Thanks to a few blogger recommendations and a recent trip to Ulta, I'm well on my way to figuring out what works best for my face and hair. Of course this takes time, as using a product once won't give the best results, and but I'm working on it.

Pay off 2 student loans 
I'm happy to report that one loan has been PAID. Woot! However I did a huge consolidation for a bunch of other ones, and that's going to take quite some time to pay off. Baby steps. 

Get my apartment and possessions 100% organized
I'm about halfway done with this one. I need to go through some closets, and all the crap I have stored in the basement that no longer serves any purpose other than taking up space. 

Organize all of my music files, delete/update as necessary
I've uploaded all of these onto my laptop, and then left them there. I need to sort, delete old songs I'm tired of and broken links, edit song titles, etc. 

Gamble in Las Vegas: planned for December 2017!

Clean out my closets and purge
I did this in my main clothing closet; I need to continue with the hall and linen closets. I think this will be easier after Christmas, since I've been squirreling away presents for people in there!

Update resume

Another work in progress. I've done several drafts and enlisted the help of some friends though, so hopefully this one will be completed soon! 

Completely use up or otherwise get rid of all excess makeup
I've accrued quite a bit of makeup while I've been trying to find out what works, but I still want to use it up or toss it. 

Have you ever done a 101 in 1001 challenge? 

Show Us Your Books- October

First thing's first- for the third(?) year in a row I participated in Erin's Reading Challenge and for the first time ever, I actually finished it! I started off strong, fell into a reading rut, but then pushed through until the end and I'm so glad I did! That being said, I do not believe I'll be participating in the next one. I felt a lot of pressure to read books that I wasn't really feeling just to check a category box and even though I love making lists and we were able to change our book picks throughout the challenge without losing points, the desire to finish gave me anxiety, particularly when I was in my rut. But the next one doesn't start until January, so maybe I'll change my mind by then. Either way, thank you Erin for being a great host! 

Second, I have this awesome list of books being released in 2018 (like you needed more recommendations to add to your list!). Without further ado, here's what I read last month!


East, West- Salman Rushdie: 3 Stars
Read if you like short stories that cross cultures
library hardback

Read this for cardinal direction in the title. I realized that I still don't like short stories, but I preferred the ones that took place East (India) far more than the ones set in the West (America). It was...fine.

The Hate U Give- Angie Thompson: 5 Stars
Read if you like relevant YA and strong characters
library paperback

Lauren had said to keep in mind that this was written for teenagers, and to manage your expectations accordingly. I completely agree and for what it was, it was amazing and so relevant, especially in today's world. I loved how realistic the characters were and the way the story was told. An important read, and one I highly recommend!


The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe- C.S. Lewis: 4 Stars
Read if you like YA Fantasy
library paperback

Read for animal on the cover. I remember my middle school music teacher recommending this book to me for years. I'm not sure why it took me so long to finally read it, but it was just wonderful. Definitely meant for a younger crowd, but I loved the fantasy and magic of it all. 



Currently trying to decide between The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond and Do This For Me by Eliza Kennedy.

What have you been reading lately?

November Goals

October Goals

• Fix screen door- Uh, I got as far as measuring it... *smh*
• Get rid of 50 Items- Check!
• Continue Erin's 7.0 Book Challenge- HELL YEAH! So happy about this one- only took me 3 years to actually complete it! 
• Finish Jenn's Film Challenge- 1 left
• Grocery Challenge (inspired by Steph): 

I'm calling this one a pass. I did clean out the fridge/freezer and pantry by consciously eating from those instead of buying more stuff. I probably spent about $35 on groceries total, but I think it would have been more beneficial to track how much I spent on eating out as well. 

As far as tracking what I ate, I didn't track weekends because I eat at Blue's and/or out every weekend. Monday lunches are always leftovers from Sunday dinner, and Friday dinners are always pizza. Also, I forgot about the last 2 days of October. Here's how the rest of the meals went. Week of...

10/2: Brought in sandwiches from home for lunch, ate out every night due to events

10/9: lunches- (microwave) bean burritos, (salad in a bag) Caesar chicken on a wrap 2x, Popeye's. Dinners- chili over egg noodles, buffalo chicken pasta bake, Wendy's, lighter fettuccine alfredo.

10/16: lunches- leftover broccoli mac n cheese, lunch w/ mom, Compleats, Mexican leftovers. Dinners- leftovers from lunch w/mom, Mexican out 2x, chicken nuggets, stuffing, and corn (yes, that counts as a meal). 

10/23: 2 free lunch @ work, Barilla microwave meal, Cheese-steak n fries (out), Dinners- Chinese and leftovers for 3 days, chicken parm sandwich.

November Goals

• Vote (Check!)
• Fix screen door
• Get rid of 50 Items
• Schedule Veteran pickup
• Schedule dentist, optometrist, and gyno appointments before co-pay increases
• Weatherize windows
• Participate in Alexandra's Live Your Best Life for Less (Holiday Edition) Challenge
• Participate in Jenn's Film Challenge- Bonus Round (ends 11/30)

Bonus Round: Fall Film Challenge
choose films starring actors who have appeared in the following television programs:

one. above suspicion. Ciaran Hinds- Calendar Girls
two. the big bang theory. Kelly Cuoco - The Wedding Ringer
three. the crown. Victoria Hamilton- Scoop
four. downton abbey. Maria Doyle Kennedy- Sing Street
five. elementary. Tom Everett Scott- The Last Word
six. firefly. Summer Glau- Knights of Badassdom
seven. game of thrones. Richard E Grant- Jackie
eight. how i met your mother. Jason Segel- Sex Tape
nine. it's always sunny in philadelphia. Charlie Day- The Hollars
ten. judging amy. Tyne Daly- Spiderman: Homecoming
eleven. knight rider. David Hasselhoff- Baywatch
twelve. lethal weapon. Hilarie Burton- The Secret Life of Bees
thirteen. ally mcbeal. Jane Krakowski- Big Stone Gap
fourteen. ncis. Billy Dee Williams- Lego Batman Movie
fifteen. outlander. Caitriona Balfe- Money Monster
sixteen. parenthood. Dax Shephard - This is Where I Leave You
seventeen. dr. quinn, medicine woman. Jane Seymour- Austenland
eighteen. rizzoli and isles. Matthew Del Negro- Hot Pursuit
nineteen. sex and the city. Kim Catrall- Police Academy
twenty. true detective. Rachel McAdams- Doctor Strange
twenty-one. the unusuals. Adam Goldberg- Once Upon a Time in Venice
twenty-two. veep. Tony Hale- American Ultra
twenty-three. the west wing. Nick Offerman- The Founder
twenty-four. the x-files. Kumail Nanjani- The Big Sick
twenty-five. the young pope. Jude Law- Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

What are some of your goals this month? 

Linking up with Nicole and The Peaceful Posse

What's New With Me/Currently

What a crazy month it's been, but so much fun too! I must say I'm looking forward to a much quieter November before the craziness of December (vacation AND birthday AND Christmas) starts up! This is my time to embrace hygge and recharge for a bit. Here's what I've been up to since last time:

I went to NYC Comic Con for the first time! It was... overwhelming. And SO crowded. It was hard to even get to the booths to see what they were selling! I didn't dress up, but I enjoyed all the people who did, and the highlight for me was hearing Rainbow Rowell speak and get a signed copy of her latest novel, Carry On! We also sat in on a Star Trek panel so that we could already have seats for the Walking Dead panel, but we didn't make it that far lol. We got to NYC at 9am and that panel started at 9pm- not happening! 

It may not be much, but I decorated my door for Fall. I made the wreath pictured, and the "bouquet," and just purchased the mat from And That! Coming home to that just makes me so happy!

I also did a major closet clean-out- 3 huge TJ Maxx bags filled to the brim for Plato's Closet, and they only accepted like 7 items! The nerve! But my closet is more organized and I'll attempt to sell on Poshmark before donating. 

We saw Bruce Springsteen on Broadway! It was amazing. It wasn't a concert (no screaming fans and drunk people singing- this is Broadway, after all), and it wasn't a play- it was more like him telling stories about his life as if we were in his living room, and he played a few songs in between. His wife even came out for some of them. I especially loved the theater- it was so small and intimate, and just the perfect venue. We could hear him even when he wasn't at the mic. 

We also hosted our annual Halloween party! This year our theme was Game of Thrones/Medieval. Blue and I were Daenerys and one of her dragons. (I hope) everyone had a great time. I wrote more about it here.

Realizing: I need a new job. Just writing that out freaks me out, but I just don't fit in this department. It became crystal clear during my (first negative) annual review when asked "What do you want to do?" and I couldn't think of anything. I made something up obviously, but this is not where I want to be. 

Stirring: Just my (second) morning coffee! Iced today, because for some reason it's 75 degrees out. In November. But there's no such thing as global warming right? 

Appreciating: Alllll the pumpkin beers! 

Investigating: Why in the world I've been banned from Ebay and Etsy. I didn't even realized I was banned until I went online to buy an Iron Throne decal for Halloween. It's been over a month and I still haven't received an update, or been granted access, to either site. #rage

Reading: I finished Erin's Reading Challenge for the first time in the 3 years I've participated! WOOT! I'll be sharing my reviews on Show Us Your Books 11/14.  Currently reading The Invoice by Jonas Karlsson. 

Watching: finished Stranger Things over the weekend! Did you guys watch? What did you think? My regulars, TWD, Grey's Anatomy, Blindspot, This is Us, BBT, and a new favorite The Good Doctor. Also still watching movies for Jenn's challenge. 21/25

Listening To: Just the radio lately. 

Eating: Halloween candy. Crunch/Krackle, Snickers, and Twix are my faves.

Making: Last month I made pumpkin Oreo cheesecakes, lighter spinach pasta alfredo, tie-died a skirt  and restyled a wig (that I've worn for the past 3 years) for my Halloween costume.

What's new with you lately?

Linking up with Anne, Kristen and Gretch