Yesterday from A to Z

I feel like I haven't written a "Day in the Life" post recently and I liked this spin on it from Steph and Caitlyn (remember her?). Yesterday I worked from home, so there are a lot of things on here that normally wouldn't get done on a regular work day. I really needed the day too, because I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed by stuff needing to get done and no time to do it because I'm tired after work. I finally feel caught up ::breathes sigh of relief:: Without further ado, here's "all about yesterday using the alphabet as a crutch."


Answered emails/voicemails/group text messages
Blogged this and a few other drafts for next week
Crafted a 90's sign for our upcoming party

Dropped off dry cleaning
Enjoyed my first (and second) cups of coffee in silence
Finally got renter’s insurance!
Got out (and put up) my fall decor

Halloween prep- Put together goodie bags for the party, finished costume
Inquired about storage payments
Jimmied my fall wreath back together
Kitchen cabinet clean-out (and forgot to take "after" picture")

Laundered my bedding
Made a list of things I have to do
Noshed on leftover Chinese food
Opened my stack of mail and packages that were taking over my dining room table
Purged my junk drawer and bathroom cabinets
Questioned why some of my favorite bloggers no longer blog regularly :(
Read part of my book, The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey
Switched out my summer and fall wardrobes
Took out garbage and recycling
Updated my new planner!

Varnished my nails
Washed my hair
eXcitedly filled in my new planner that was delivered today!
Yo-yoed between using an eyebrow pencil or crayon to draw on some facial hair for my Halloween look

Zapped a microwave dinner because with all the other things I was doing, I forgot to take meat out of the fridge.

Your turn! How was your day yesterday? 

Do you feel like the season is rushing by?!

Fall Bucket List Check In

Good morning and happy Monday! Today I'm linking up with Leslie to share my Fall Bucket List check in. We're a month and a half down, and I really need to start moving on this list- so far, I've only accomplished 2 (and a half)/10 things- eep!

• Make pumpkin pie or a new dessert: I made coffee crumb cupcakes and banana bread

• Attend NY Comic-Con: Always a good time!

• Complete 5 things from my 101 list (in progress, 3/5): meet a favorite author, learn how to make arroz con gandules (Spanish rice and beans), and set up new vanity for makeup and jewelry storage/clean out jewelry box

I'm not even going to talk about my September Goals because the only one I actually completed was reading 5 books for Erin's Challenge. You can check those out here if you'd like. I was originally planning on completing the bonus round as well, but I haven't been reading much lately and it's too much unnecessary pressure to try and read 4 books in a week and a half with so much other stuff going on. Plus, I want to read and enjoy the books I have on deck, not just rush through them. 

One thing that was not on the list but I did was take time to reconnect with my peoples, celebrating birthdays, brunching with friends who came in town, talking to old friends on the phone (I know, actually using the phone to talk!). Though we're already more than  halfway through October, I'm still going to make some goals because I'm pretty sure I can accomplish them (and they need to get done).

October Goals:

• *private goal*
• Fall cleaning
• Change over clothes
• List 10 items on Poshmark
• Replace boots
• Actually use the cream I got for my eczema
• Schedule Vietnam Veterans donation pick-up

What's on your fall bucket list? 

Do you have any goals this month?

Linking up with Leslie! 

TTT: Extraordinary Book Titles

My "Top Ten Tuesday" has become "Top Ten Thursday," but I'm gonna roll with it- this month is flying by! This week's prompt was "Extraordinary Book Titles." For some, that may mean the most beautifully exquisite book titles you're read. For me, "extraordinary" means attention-grabbing, snarky, funny, and completely inappropriate. Those are the ones I want to read based solely on the title. But I went overboard (oops). I broke it up into 10 I've read and 5 on my TBR. All links lead to Goodreads. Here we go!

Barbara the Slut and Other People - Laura Holmes
This collection of short stories was hit or miss for me. Mostly I like happy endings, and many of these were not. That said, I read this in one sitting, which is quite a feat for this slow poke reader!

Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: An Introvert's Year of Living Dangerously - Jessica Pan
This had a catchy title, a fun cover, and it started out promising; Ms. Pan, though self-deprecating, came across as very relatable and engaging. Halfway through however, the experiments and feelings related to them (nausea and panic) became repetitive, there were too many character names thrown around, and I didn't find the ability to actually get in touch with the "experts" she was able to either talk to or meet realistic at all. 

We Are Never Meeting in Real Life. - Samantha Irby
I really dislike it when other authors that I like put their review on a book I'm currently reading that say things like "side splittingly funny! A must read!" because I feel like it's a challenge or dare. I'm like "Ok woman, make me laugh." Well, she did. A LOT. Highly recommend, as long as you can stand some graphic sex scenes and more than a few f-bombs. 

My Sister, The Serial Killer - Oyinkan Braithwaite
The original title of this was "Thicker than Water." Can't say I would've picked this up if it had that title, so hooray for great marketers or whoever decided to change it! Quick read that captivated me from the very first sentence. 

Never Have I Ever: My Life (So Far) Without a Date - Katie Heaney
Light and fluffy, but not very good. She says she's okay being single, but I think if you're writing an entire book about how you have never been in a successful relationship, or even on a second date, maybe you're not really okay with that. Strong premise, weak execution. 

Post- Traumatic Brazilian Wax Syndrome - Tamara Lyon
I've never had a Brazilian (tmi?!), but I've heard enough horror stories from my friends. The only thing horrific about this the main character, but the writing wasn't stellar either. The saving graces were the grandma and the love interest.

We're All Damaged - Matthew Norman
I picked this up because it was a freebie (available on Kindle Unlimited) and the description sounded pretty funny. I was literally laughing out loud at the one-liners in this book. 4 stars.

(S)Mothered - Autumn Chiklis
I requested this book because the title sounded relatable with the overbearing mom. The journal-style formatting and the addition of medical reports, texts, and articles made it a quick read, but I literally had to put this down for a bit because the MC was so whiny, self-entitled, and immature. 

Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret - Judy Blume
Had I read this when I was around the same age as Margaret, I would have given this 5 stars. That being said, I read this in one sitting and I remember thinking and feeling some of the exact same things as Margaret when I was her age- that yearning to fit in, grow physically, and feeling like an a-hole at some of my own mean girl moments, but ultimately learning from them. 

Dumped, Actually - Nick Spalding
Oliver Sweet is a journalist who gets very publicly dumped while proposing to his girlfriend. He writes about it in the paper and asks the subscribers for advice. What ensues is the laugh-out-loud adventures of him following their advice. 

Go the Fuck To Sleep - Adam Mansbach
I was about to buy this for my friend's baby shower, but then I figured maybe she wouldn't want to read the title out in front of grandma and everyone else! 

Spending the Holidays With People I Want to Punch in the Throat: Yuletide Yahoos, Ho-Ho-Humblebraggers, and Other Scourges - Jenn Mann
Nervous of this one since it says it's for fans of Lauri Notaro and Jenny Lawson, both of whom's books I greatly disliked/dnf'ed. But that title is great- I went to read all the ones in this series!

The Bromance Book Club - Lyssa Kay Adams
I always associate book clubs with women, so this secret romance book club made up of Nashville's top alpha men sounds like a fun concept.

Why Don't You Write My Eulogy Now So I Can Correct It? A Mother's Suggestions - Patricia Marx
My mom was an English major, so I could totally picture her saying this! This collection of one-line witticisms seems like a great gift as well. 

Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered: A Guide - Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstack
I probably won't be reading this because I've seen quite a few negative reviews, but I do appreciate the attention-grabbing title!

Have you read any of these? 

Linking up with Jana!

Let's Look At: Favorite Fall Recipes

Mmmm... fall! I wasn't sure it was going to make an appearance this year, but today was rainy, gloomy, and that raw cold which is typical of the season, so I guess it's here! For me, fall makes me think of heavier dishes like casseroles and chilies. And we can't forget our favorite "eating" holiday, Thanksgiving! So today I've compiled 10 of my favorite fall recipes. Those annotated with an asterisk (*) are ones I've made before. I also broke them up into categories- Breakfast (-y), Apps, Dinner, Dessert, an Drink(s). 

via

Peanut Butter Banana Quesadillas
I never made it, but it sounds similar to a crepe and I love a good crepe! It also sounds like a great breakfast snack on the go! Excuse me while I add Nutella to my Amazon cart... 

Mini Chocolate Croissants* 
I'm actually surprised at myself for not making these more often- I think I've only made them once and they were delicious! 

Slow Cooker Chicken and Stuffing*
Sorry, but anything with stuffing is going to remind me of Thanksgiving! This was really good though- the chicken was really moist ( how many of you hate that word?!) and so was the stuffing. I think I served it with a side of veggies like green beans. 

Leftover Turkey and Mashed Potatoes Empanadas
I've never made these, but I love empanadas in general, so I should probably make these soon! Hopefully I will, and I'll be able to share how they cooked in an air fryer! 

Tomato Beef (Or Amish) Casserole*
Like I said before, fall make me think of casseroles!  This ground beef- heavy dish is so easy to make and definitely fills you up on cold days!

Fried Pork Chops + Applesauce
For some reason, fall almost always remind me of crispy, stove-top fried pork chops. It was one of the few dishes my mom actually cooked, so trying to perfect it in as an adult had been quite interesting, since she never actually "taught" me how to make it! (Sidenote: I didn't even know pork chops and applesauce were a thing until I met my ex bf, but OMG WHAT A COMBO!) 

Not My Grandma's Meatloaf:* 
This was the first time I ever made my own meatloaf. Neither my grandma or mom never made me meatloaf, so I cobbled together a few different recipes I found on Pinterest to make this. Goes especially well with a healthy side of veggies. 

Fall: Smoked Apple Cocktail
From: Black Button Distillery

Ingredients:
1 part bourbon
1 part apple pie moonshine
1/2 part ginger ale
ice

To make: Pour ingredients in glass over ice.

Banana Bread*
I actually just made this over the weekend while I was procrastinating catching up on some "work" work. I'm not a huge fan of sweets, so this was just right, and so simple! I didn't have any walnuts on hand but would definitely try them in this next time. 

Oreo Pumpkin Cheesecakes*
I've been making these for coworkers for the last 5-ish years and they're always a hit! I tried making the chocolate web on top but it's hard and gets messy. They taste just as good without it! 

To see a few other favorite Fall recipes, here's a post I did on the same topic last year! 
Really into those fall cocktails?! Here are 47 others! 

What are some of your favorite fall recipes? 

Linking up with Shay!

September Reads

First of all, CONGRATS to Steph and Jana on their FIFTH year anniversary hosting this link-up! That's amazing, and I'm so happy to have been participating since the beginning and that it's still so popular- definitely my most anticipated link-up of the month! In honor of this milestone, their giving away more books! So be sure to check them out here and here if you haven't already! 

As for me, I had a pretty great reading month. Not only that, but I finished my Goodreads goal! Huzzah! 

I also finished Erin's Reading Challenge 11.0, and started the Bonus Round! Not sure I'll get through this round, but I'm happy to have finished the original challenge, and having fun attempting the bonus.

And (icymi) I met my favorite YA author, Rainbow Rowell, at the launch party for her latest book, Wayward Son, the second in her Simon Snow series (yes I said series... #3 is in the works and she recently said that she's not letting go of Simon and Baz anytime soon!)!

So yeah, I'd say I had a pretty great reading month indeed! Here's what I read...

The Tattooist of Auschwitz- Heather Morris: 5 Stars
library hardback

I don't like historical fiction, particularly not WWII stories, but I do like memoirs and books based on true stories. I've seen some mixed reviews for this one, and I get some of it- the writing was a bit "simplistic." But I think this actually improved the story, as nothing was lost in flowery language or phrases. What a rollercoaster. Within a single page our main character is getting beaten senseless, to somehow escaping his torturer and laying in the grass with his love's head in his lap, promising that they'll both get out alive. Some of the scenes were extremely graphic and absolutely atrocious, which made the reading all the more difficult because it was true. It was a powerful story of survival, strength, endurance, and love. I particularly liked the ending where the author told the reader what happened afterwards not just with the main characters, but also some of the side characters, and I look forward to Morris' follow-up, Cilka's Journey. 

Pumpkinheads- Rainbow Rowell: 5 Stars
library paperback

As you may have already guessed, I'm incredibly biased but I adored this. It was sweet as candy corn and totally predictable, but I loved the graphic novel format and really just wish it was about 3 times longer. I read it in an hour! I also like how she was able to incorporate a non-white, non-straight, ballsy female lead so seamless into an Omaha, Nebraska farm. 

The Perfect Stranger- Megan Miranda: 4 Stars
Netgalley... lol

I'm lol'ing at the Netgalley part because this literally came out 2017 and that's when I received it, but just got around to reading it now. I've only read one other Miranda book (All The Missing Girls) and I liked this a lot more, probably because it followed a normal timeline. This had me suspecting everyone, especially the unreliable narrator, more than once. Definitely worth a read! 

Nine Women, One Dress- Jane L. Rosen: 4 Stars
library e-book

I think I rated this one a little high because I really went in with no expectations. Well, almost none- I expected it to be  a"fluff" read, and it was, but I really liked all of the women and each of their stories and motives with and without the dress (except for that super creep, but then she died and I wasn't sad about it!). 

Fangirl- Rainbow Rowell: 3 Stars
library e-book

By far my biggest disappointment this month, and my least favorite Rainbow book thus far (I only have 2 left- Land Line and Wayward Son). It wasn't a bad story, but unlike the Nine Women, I had VERY HIGH expectations about this one. I've been wanting to read this for at least a year, but this came out in 2013. If you are unfamiliar with the story, it follows a "fangirl" (duh) who writes fan-fiction about the characters in a fictitious novel.  That part I'm fine with (though I didn't find her fan-fiction or the parts of the fictitious novel she was basing her fan-fic on were all that interesting- in fact, I think I skimmed most of them). 

Except it's currently 2019 and Rainbow wrote a REAL book about the SAME Simon and Baz characters and their magical school and relationship that I've already read (Carry On) and AHHHHHH that was so freaking confusing! I feel like if I had read this first, I would have enjoyed it way more.

Regardless, even though I felt that our MC Cath was a bit overwritten I liked the other characters, especially her roommate Reagan, and the relationship between Cath and her twin Wren, and the whole story behind their father. I couldn't relate to Cath's social anxiety, but I understood it and it felt very real, which made me appreciate it more. I couldn't understand how Levi was so extraordinarily patient with her, but hey, whatever floats your boat. I think my favorite moment of Cath's was standing up to Nick though, especially in front of others. It was a total "You Go, Girl!" moment. 

Bossypants- Tina Fey: 3 Stars
library e-book

This was...fine. Her early and awkward beginnings were laugh-out-loud funny.  But as she got further into her career (and much more detail-oriented), I became less interested and she became way more... soap-box-y? I know that's not a real term, but hopefully you'll understand what I mean. Also, it probably would have helped if I had actually watched a single episode of 30 Rock. The way she went on (and on) about Alec Baldwin and including actual pieces of the script did nothing except bore me because it lacked context. 

Currently reading: Never Have I Ever- Joshilyn Jackson

What are you reading lately? 

Linking up with Steph and Jana! 

TTT: Pick a Number, Any Number!

This week's Top Ten Tuesday prompt was "Books I've Read With Numbers In Their Titles." I was surprised by how many participants said they had a hard time coming up with ten books in this category... I had a harder time narrowing it down, so I didn't! I also included those that I DNF'ed, and those that are on my TBR. If nothing else, I hope you're able to find a few that you either haven't read yet, or can provide me with some insight as to which I haven't read yet and are worth reading! So without further ado, here's what I came up with.

Read: 
One of Us is Lying // Two Can Keep a Secret- Karen McManus: 4 stars each
One For the Money- Janet Evanovich: 3 Stars (couldn't get in to it as a series)
Two Across- Jeff Bartsch: 2 Stars (not what I wanted/expected)

Daisy Jones and the Six- Taylor Jenkins Reid: 4 Stars (my first novel by TJR!)
Nine Perfect Strangers- Liane Moriarty: 4 Stars (not her "usual" but great!)
Nine Women, One Dress- Jane L. Rosen: 4 Stars (breezy and sweet)
21 Truths About Love- Matthew Dicks (not a fan of the style)

TBR: 
One Day in December- Josie Silver (on deck for my Winter TBR!)
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle- Stuart Turton (own but not read yet!) 
From a Buick 8- Stephen King (first Stephen King, but a talking car?!)
November 9- Colleen Hoover (obviously one I want to read on that date!) 
One Hundred Years of Solitude- Gabriel Garcia Marquez (first on GR TBR!)
A Thousand Splendid Suns- Khaled Hosseini (loved Kite Runner, so obvi!)

DNF: 
Fourth Comings- Megan McCafferty (didn't realize it was a series, oops!)
Size 12 Is Not Fat- Meg Cabot (not for me- but will send if you're interested!)
Fahrenheit 451- Ray Bradbury (not a fan of the writing style)

Honorable Mentions (aka ones I forgot I read until I was looking for this prompt):
I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer- Michelle McNamara: 4 Stars (addictive!) 
Eleven- Sandro Cisneros: 4 Stars (this is like 3 pages, just download it for free!) 
The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily- Rachel Cohn and David Levithan: 4 Stars
Heating Cooling: 52 Micro-Memoirs- Beth Ann Fennelly: 2 Stars

If you want to read my review of any of the above (besides the TBR, obvi), you can check out my full reading list here, find me on Goodreads, or just ask me! 

The September Rewind

Alternate Title: When Dani Got Her Groove Back.

When we left off I was inundated with work and I mostly just shared some garage sale tips which I hope at least some of you found helpful, but is not really the point of this link-up, and for that, I apologize. Even my girlfriend was feeling a bit neglected since I was working late on weeknights and solidly thought the weekends. Even so, she got me my first ever designer bag, a Kate Spade beauty that I can't wait to start using once I'm done carting around much too much crap to/from work! Actually, that's not entirely true. I'm pretty nervous about using it because I love it and don't want mess it up, and I'm pretty rough with my commuter bag... but I will! 

Also, things are starting to settle down on the work front, which means I finally started to get my personal life back- HUZZAH! And I apologize in advance, as this is kinda long!

Labor Day Weekend was the first weekend since July where I didn't have to work, which would have been awesome, except I got super sick on Sunday morning, and then our furbaby Keebler got sick on Monday. But let me start at the beginning...

On Saturday Blue and I checked out this new ax-throwing spot called "Bury the Hatchet." It was our first time, but apparently if you have a group of 4 or less, they pair you up with another group so there are at least 8 people per area. We made quick friends with our new neighbors and split in to 2 groups of 4. They had been before but were super nice to us "novices." I was doing great at first, actually getting the ax to stick in the target and everything! but then I started sucking and got mad because I'm pretty competitive, so even though we had paid for 2 hours I asked Blue if we could please leave after 1.5 hrs.. It was fun, but I'd like to try it again if/when we go with people we actually know. 

The next morning I woke with a start at 5 AM. I honestly just thought it was "that time of month" and was prepared to take some Aleve, sling a 'pon and move on with my life, but nope. I started getting physically ill and couldn't even keep water down for the next 5 hours. Blue woke up 3 hours later wondering why I was whining/groaning on the couch. It wasn't my best moment, but I honestly couldn't move beyond that. (In my defense, I didn't wake her up!) I think I had Norovirus, however that' s supposed to last 24-48 hours and I had it for maybe 5 hours?! I don't know. 

So that was Sunday of Labor Day weekend. By Monday I felt completely fine (weird), but our furbaby Keebler was not. We brought him in to a nearby emergency vet because we started noticing signs of distress. Luckily it was nothing too serious, just an inflamed bladder lining, and after some blood work and few hundred dollars he got some pain killers and we were able to take him home completely doped up. He's overweight (18 lbs!) but otherwise he's all good now - phew! 

As for the rest of the month... I had a lot of fun! I'll try to keep it short and sweet:

We went to our annual baseball game,  NY Mets (Blue) vs. PA Phillies (Me) and for the first time in the 5 years we've attended a game together, my Phillies WON! YAY!

The next weekend we celebrated our youngest Mountain Mama's birthday at an Escape Room. (She just turned 14- we're just happy she still wants to hang out with her aunt and us!) We didn't get out in time but we had a lot of fun trying! Afterwards, a few of us went next door to drown our sorrows at Magnify Brewing :) 

That same weekend her aunt (and my close friend) Michele taught me how to make Spanish rice and beans, or arroz con gandules (Puerto Rican style rice and beans). It turned out really well and I've already added the pot to my B-day/Christmas Wishlist!

The following weekend we didn't have any plans so I suggested a make-up beach day from the time I was taken for work. Unfortunately there was a huge beach concert going on so we decided to head north up to Mountain Creek Oktoberfest instead. Not gonna lie, it was pretty lame. I'm surprised it's been around for so long being that they hardly had ANY German beer, let alone food, but I was happy to get out and enjoy the great weather. 

The following week brought the event I'd been waiting for all month- Rainbow Rowell's Launch Party for Wayward Son in Brooklyn, NY. I went to this event by myself, and to say this was the highlight of the month for me would be an understatement. I understand that I'm a grown adult who happens to love YA, and specifically Rainbow Rowell, and I don't care. It was awesome meeting her (again). So there! 

We signed up for a beefsteak charity dinner at the end of the month, because... beefsteak. I realized afterwards that some people may not know what this is since it's a NJ regional thing and one I didn't even know about until last year. Usually, a waiter comes around with a bowl of salad for each person, followed by a bowl of pasta in red sauce for each person, and then leaves a tray of appetizer sized beefsteak on top of toasted, buttered bread, and French fries on the side, like this: 

Some people don't eat the toast to save room for more (unlimited) beefsteak. That's the other thing... the beefsteak is unlimited like at a buffet. As soon as the tray is empty, they magically bring more. It's glorious. So some people don't eat the toast, and instead stack it up so they can keep count of how many pieces of beefsteak they ate, like a competition. (Even more like a competition, these are often referred to as "toast points.") I usually start stacking, but eventually can't resist the buttery, toasted carbs! Here's a bit more about it, according to Wikipedia:

A beefsteak is a type of banquet in which sliced beef tenderloin is served to diners as all-you-can-eat finger food. The dining style originated in 19th-century New York City as a type of working-class celebration but went into a decline in the mid-20th century. Resurrected by caterers in New Jersey, the beefsteak banquet style remained popular in that state's Bergen and Passaic counties, and is enjoying a revival in New York City,where the style originated, due to the reemergence of a biannual beefsteak in Brooklyn. Similar "beef and beer fundraisers" are common in the Philadelphia region, especially in white working class communities.

How was your month? 

Have you ever attended a beefsteak dinner?

Linking up with Kristen for What New With You and Lauren for Local Tourist!