Happy Friday, and greetings from Myrtle Beach! I am in the midst of my getaway with my mom, sisters, and sisters-in-law, but am already a week behind on my gratitude posts, so didn't want to get even further behind.
I have to say, participating in this challenge has been really good for me. I feel like I have felt much more upbeat this month. Granted, I have done a lot of fun traveling and seen a lot of family and friends, which obviously helps, but I also think practicing an attitude of gratitude has helped as well.
The best song I heard today was Your Man by Five For Fighting. This is my new favorite song and I listen to it a lot.
When I look inside my closet, I'm grateful for the fact that I have figured out how to dress my body and feel good in what I wear. I'm also grateful that Banana Republic sends me so many 40% off coupons as it's helped me stock my closet with high quality clothes that I love.
I'm lucky that I'm smart enough to figure out how to study for and pass the CFA exams. I don't like to put lucky and the CFA in the same sentence, but I guess I am lucky that I built the way I am (i.e. very disciplined).
In this moment, the things I love most about my friends are that they are so supportive, always there for me, give me their honest opinion on things, and make me smile and laugh, among countless other things.
I'm grateful that my hands can hold the small hands of my nephews and friends children. I am so thankful for all the kids in my life.
The prettiest thing I saw today was the view of the Chicago River when I walked along West Wacker Drive on the way to my hotel.
When I look in the mirror, I'm grateful for the fact that I have reached a point where for the most part, I like what I see.
Three of my most prized possessions are a teacup/saucer my grandma gave me, a wishbone necklace my cousin gave me (which was my CFA good luck charm), and the journal my mom kept of my senior year of high school with her thoughts, reflections, and advice. It's the most special gift I have ever received, and was a total surprise.
I'm grateful that my eyes let me see all the good things about marathon day. It was a hard day for me as I was signed up to run it, and I struggled initially, but once I got out on the course, my eyes were opened to the excitement of the day and I still had a blast - even if I participated in a different way than I had imagined when I planned the marathon trip.
The things I would never change about myself include my strong sense of faith, my love of numbers and reading, my trait of being a type-A planner, and my love for traveling.
The best thing I tasted today was the grilled salmon that I had the business meeting lunch I attended.
I love going online to connect with others who I would not have had the opportunity to meet if not for blogging. I have formed so many friendships with people scattered across the globe - I can't imagine my life without them.
I'm grateful for the way these things feel:a warm mug of coffee in my hands, a hug from a family member or friend, the comfort of crawling into my comfy bed at the end of the day, and the feeling at the end of a long run (hopefully I'll get to experience that feeling again in 2014).
I hope everyone has a great weekend! I am having the best time with my mom, sisters, and sisters-in-law. I feel so blessed that we get to spend an entire weekend together! Life is good.
Friday, October 18, 2013
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
10 Days Away: Minneapolis
Happy Wednesday, everyone! Even though I just got back from my 10 day trip to Minneapolis/Chicago on Monday afternoon, I am packing my bags again and will be heading to the coast with my family tomorrow morning. Phew! October is going to be a whirlwind!! No complaints here as it's all fun stuff.
But before time escapes from me, I wanted to start to recap my 10 days away. Even though 10 days seemed like a long time to be gone, it actually went by remarkably fast! I started off my trip by flying into Minneapolis 2 Fridays ago. I had been looking forward to this weekend for quite awhile as the purpose of my trip was my cousin's wedding! This is the daughter of my "Julia Child aunt & uncle" aka my St. Paul parents. I've always been close to my all my aunts and uncles, but since moving to Minneapolis 10 years ago, I became very close to this family because I had the opportunity to spend more time with them. I've spent holidays with them, we've of course done Julia Child night, and they participated in my ritualistic pre- and post-CFA dinners. So I was VERY excited for my cousin's wedding as the closer you are to the couple getting married, the more special and fun it is to attend!
I flew in Friday night and met my parents at their hotel downtown. I had non-stop family fun from Friday night through Sunday morning, and it was wonderful.
It was nice to have some time in downtown Minneapolis as I got to show my parents more of the city center, which is an area they hadn't spent much time in. We walked to brunch, did some shopping (well my mom and I did, we let my dad skip out on that) and of course hit up my favorite macaron shop!!
After an afternoon of family time, it was time for the big event! The wedding was held at a beautiful mansion close to downtown Minneapolis. It was such a beautiful event and venue. I've never seen my cousin so happy; she definitely found her soul mate. I had a great time chatting with family and dancing with my nephews! Well, Andrew & James (pictured top left) would dance with me, Matthew (pictured bottom right) was a solo show on the dance floor!
The evening came and went incredibly fast. It was a late night, followed by an early morning as I spectated the Twin Cities marathon the following morning. I got to the start early enough to snap a shot of the runners from my running club. I did have a tough moment when I walked into the metrodome where the runners all congregate as being around a marathon is hard for me as it's pretty unlikely that I will ever be able to run one again. But the sadness went away quickly when I saw the people from my running club who were racing that day.
After wishing them all luck, my coach and I headed out to mile 17 to spectate. I knew quite a few people running it so it was especially fun to cheer the runners on. The Twin Cities course is so beautiful, I snapped this shot from the area where we were spectating.
After the marathon, I met some friends for coffee and had dinner with Phil, so Sunday was a full day.
I worked in the Minneapolis office on Monday and ended up having an unexpected free night that evening (which is a rare occasion on these trips home... they tend to be incredibly over-planned) and it was a beautiful night, so I laced up my tennis shoes and went for a walk through my old neighborhood. It was a beautiful night and was a little bittersweet for me to walk through an area that I used to, but no longer, call home.
I worked in the office on Tuesday and then flew out to Chicago on Tuesday evening.
As usual, my time at home was wonderful. I am thankful for the opportunities I have had to come home, but it is also a bittersweet experience because there is such a feeling of impermanence on these trips home. While I am home, I try not to think about the fact that each trip will come to an end but it is easier said than done. I also struggle with feelings of guilt over not seeing as many people as I would like. I know I need to accept that I can't do everything and see everyone, but it's still hard as I need to balance time with family, friend, and time spent networking, and on this trip I had to fit in time at work as well.
But all that aside, I had a fabulous 4 days in Minneapolis. And luckily I had 5 full days in Chicago ahead of me, so flying away from Minneapolis wasn't as difficult as it usually is... But my Chicago recap will have to wait until next week when I am back from Myrtle Beach!
If you have moved away from home, do you struggle to fit it all in when you return for a visit? I know I put entirely too much pressure on myself and end up over-scheduling but I also think/hope this is a temporary phase and I will be back home, or closer to home, by next fall.
But before time escapes from me, I wanted to start to recap my 10 days away. Even though 10 days seemed like a long time to be gone, it actually went by remarkably fast! I started off my trip by flying into Minneapolis 2 Fridays ago. I had been looking forward to this weekend for quite awhile as the purpose of my trip was my cousin's wedding! This is the daughter of my "Julia Child aunt & uncle" aka my St. Paul parents. I've always been close to my all my aunts and uncles, but since moving to Minneapolis 10 years ago, I became very close to this family because I had the opportunity to spend more time with them. I've spent holidays with them, we've of course done Julia Child night, and they participated in my ritualistic pre- and post-CFA dinners. So I was VERY excited for my cousin's wedding as the closer you are to the couple getting married, the more special and fun it is to attend!
I flew in Friday night and met my parents at their hotel downtown. I had non-stop family fun from Friday night through Sunday morning, and it was wonderful.
 |
| My Saturday morning looked like this - a latte and time with 2 of my nephews! |
It was nice to have some time in downtown Minneapolis as I got to show my parents more of the city center, which is an area they hadn't spent much time in. We walked to brunch, did some shopping (well my mom and I did, we let my dad skip out on that) and of course hit up my favorite macaron shop!!
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| Yum! A trip home isn't complete without some macarons. We also tried a homemade GF oreo which was really yummy! |
After an afternoon of family time, it was time for the big event! The wedding was held at a beautiful mansion close to downtown Minneapolis. It was such a beautiful event and venue. I've never seen my cousin so happy; she definitely found her soul mate. I had a great time chatting with family and dancing with my nephews! Well, Andrew & James (pictured top left) would dance with me, Matthew (pictured bottom right) was a solo show on the dance floor!
 |
After wishing them all luck, my coach and I headed out to mile 17 to spectate. I knew quite a few people running it so it was especially fun to cheer the runners on. The Twin Cities course is so beautiful, I snapped this shot from the area where we were spectating.
After the marathon, I met some friends for coffee and had dinner with Phil, so Sunday was a full day.
I worked in the Minneapolis office on Monday and ended up having an unexpected free night that evening (which is a rare occasion on these trips home... they tend to be incredibly over-planned) and it was a beautiful night, so I laced up my tennis shoes and went for a walk through my old neighborhood. It was a beautiful night and was a little bittersweet for me to walk through an area that I used to, but no longer, call home.
I worked in the office on Tuesday and then flew out to Chicago on Tuesday evening.
As usual, my time at home was wonderful. I am thankful for the opportunities I have had to come home, but it is also a bittersweet experience because there is such a feeling of impermanence on these trips home. While I am home, I try not to think about the fact that each trip will come to an end but it is easier said than done. I also struggle with feelings of guilt over not seeing as many people as I would like. I know I need to accept that I can't do everything and see everyone, but it's still hard as I need to balance time with family, friend, and time spent networking, and on this trip I had to fit in time at work as well.
But all that aside, I had a fabulous 4 days in Minneapolis. And luckily I had 5 full days in Chicago ahead of me, so flying away from Minneapolis wasn't as difficult as it usually is... But my Chicago recap will have to wait until next week when I am back from Myrtle Beach!
If you have moved away from home, do you struggle to fit it all in when you return for a visit? I know I put entirely too much pressure on myself and end up over-scheduling but I also think/hope this is a temporary phase and I will be back home, or closer to home, by next fall.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Tiny Beautiful Things: Letter to Her Younger Self
Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend. Mine was awesome - but more on that later this week. I wanted to do one last post on some of the wisdom gleaned from Cheryl Strayed book, "Tiny Beautiful Things." If you haven't checked it out yet, I highly recommend it!
In the final column in Strayed's book, at the prompting of a reader, she shares a letter she would have written to her 20-something self. Here are a couple of exerpts that really hit home with me:
Most things will be okay eventually, but not everything will be. Sometimes you’ll put up a good fight and lose. Sometimes you’ll hold on really hard and realize there is no choice but to let go. Acceptance is a small, quiet room.
There she goes, talking about acceptance again, which is clearly something I really need to continue to ruminate upon. I struggle the most with the concept of letting go, meaning letting go of the fact that my life right now is so not what I have ever pictured. I never pictured that running wouldn't be part of my life. I never pictured that I'd be taking a chemotherapy drug to treat a chronic illness. I never pictured I'd live in Charlotte, NC. As Strayed says, most things will be okay eventually, but not everything will be - and that is ok.
Don’t lament so much about how your career is going to turn out. You don’t have a career. You have a life. Do the work. Keep the faith. Be true blue.
Yes to all of this. I love my job. I worked VERY hard to earn the CFA designation, but my career is not my life. This is something I had to learn in my 20s. My career is great, but it is not the main source of fulfillment in my life, nor will it ever be.
Your assumptions about the lives of others are in direct relation to your naïve pomposity. Many people you believe to be rich are not rich. Many people you think have it easy worked hard for what they got. Many people who seem to be gliding right along have suffered and are suffering. Many people who appear to you to be old and stupidly saddled down with kids and cars and houses were once every bit as hip and pompous as you.
This last section is one of my favorites from the entire book. I think we are all guilty of drawing assumptions about other's lives based on what we see or on how we perceive what we see. But we really don't know what people's lives are really like. I try not to assume that I know how easy others' lives are, and I ask the same of them, because what we show or say or write is only the tip of the iceberg of life. When I am tempted to think someone else has it easy or lives an effortless life, I remind myself of this quote: "Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
What would you tell your 20-something self? I would tell her to embrace her nerdy, number-loving nature. I'd tell her that she would find the right field of work. I'd tell her that she is entirely too hard on herself but that will probably take a lifetime to work on that tendency. I'd tell her how much she is going to fall in love with Paris.
In the final column in Strayed's book, at the prompting of a reader, she shares a letter she would have written to her 20-something self. Here are a couple of exerpts that really hit home with me:
Most things will be okay eventually, but not everything will be. Sometimes you’ll put up a good fight and lose. Sometimes you’ll hold on really hard and realize there is no choice but to let go. Acceptance is a small, quiet room.
There she goes, talking about acceptance again, which is clearly something I really need to continue to ruminate upon. I struggle the most with the concept of letting go, meaning letting go of the fact that my life right now is so not what I have ever pictured. I never pictured that running wouldn't be part of my life. I never pictured that I'd be taking a chemotherapy drug to treat a chronic illness. I never pictured I'd live in Charlotte, NC. As Strayed says, most things will be okay eventually, but not everything will be - and that is ok.
Don’t lament so much about how your career is going to turn out. You don’t have a career. You have a life. Do the work. Keep the faith. Be true blue.
Yes to all of this. I love my job. I worked VERY hard to earn the CFA designation, but my career is not my life. This is something I had to learn in my 20s. My career is great, but it is not the main source of fulfillment in my life, nor will it ever be.
Your assumptions about the lives of others are in direct relation to your naïve pomposity. Many people you believe to be rich are not rich. Many people you think have it easy worked hard for what they got. Many people who seem to be gliding right along have suffered and are suffering. Many people who appear to you to be old and stupidly saddled down with kids and cars and houses were once every bit as hip and pompous as you.
This last section is one of my favorites from the entire book. I think we are all guilty of drawing assumptions about other's lives based on what we see or on how we perceive what we see. But we really don't know what people's lives are really like. I try not to assume that I know how easy others' lives are, and I ask the same of them, because what we show or say or write is only the tip of the iceberg of life. When I am tempted to think someone else has it easy or lives an effortless life, I remind myself of this quote: "Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
What would you tell your 20-something self? I would tell her to embrace her nerdy, number-loving nature. I'd tell her that she would find the right field of work. I'd tell her that she is entirely too hard on herself but that will probably take a lifetime to work on that tendency. I'd tell her how much she is going to fall in love with Paris.
Monday, October 7, 2013
6 months
It is hard to believe it, but today marks 6 months since I moved to Charlotte. In some ways, the move feels so long ago, but in other ways it feels like not much time has passed. When I think back to that day when I landed in Charlotte, I want to reach back through time and give myself a good, long hug. I still vividly remember the emotions of that day, from waking up in tears, the horrible goodbye to Phil at the airport (I cried so hard, the TSA agent brought me a box of kleenex when I went through security), and the silent tears that wouldn't seem to stop on my flights.
I am really proud of how far I have come in the last 6 months. I would say the last 6 months have probably been the toughest 6 months of my life. From the stress fractures to the CFA stress to the break-up to my aunt passing away to my RA diagnosis, a lot of things have happened that would have been difficult to deal with on my home turf. But I faced it all in a place that is foreign to me and came out on the other side of it all. My progress here has certainly not been linear. It's one step forward, two steps back, but I've made progress.
Over the past 6 months, I have had some people tell me that I am so brave and I am handling this so well. Sometimes when people say this, I want to convince them otherwise. I want to tell they can't possibly be seeing me for what I am because I would have never used the word brave to describe myself; I would never say I have handled this move well. But I guess one of the gifts of friendship is that friends see things in us that we don't allow ourselves to see or maybe they have more realistic expectations. I can see now that I have been brave. I have been scared and sad and mad and wrought with anxiety at different points, but I can see now that I can feel all of those things and still be brave.
These days, I am trying to shift my perspective and think of my time in Charlotte as a study abroad experience. I can observe the culture and notice things I like and don't like, but I don't have to embrace the culture and make it my own because I will not make my permanent home here. I am hoping this perspective will help me get a little less upset about the things that bother me.
My coping mechanism has certainly been traveling. Between work travel and traveling for pleasure, I am gone at least 2 weekends a month and several work days. This schedule works for me and will help me get through my time here. I have had people tell me they are envious or jealous of my travels - I bite my tongue when I hear this, but what I want to say is - yes, I am fortunate to be able to travel so much, but please don't be jealous. I would trade lives and live in a place I don't dislike and had ample friends/family to see in exchange for all the travel I am doing. That is truly the case. I'd so much rather be living in Minneapolis or Chicago and not racking up airline miles. But until that is the case, I will hop on a plane every other weekend to escape this city.
So here's to the next 6 months. I hope and believe they will be easier and less issue-free than the first 6 were.
I am really proud of how far I have come in the last 6 months. I would say the last 6 months have probably been the toughest 6 months of my life. From the stress fractures to the CFA stress to the break-up to my aunt passing away to my RA diagnosis, a lot of things have happened that would have been difficult to deal with on my home turf. But I faced it all in a place that is foreign to me and came out on the other side of it all. My progress here has certainly not been linear. It's one step forward, two steps back, but I've made progress.
Over the past 6 months, I have had some people tell me that I am so brave and I am handling this so well. Sometimes when people say this, I want to convince them otherwise. I want to tell they can't possibly be seeing me for what I am because I would have never used the word brave to describe myself; I would never say I have handled this move well. But I guess one of the gifts of friendship is that friends see things in us that we don't allow ourselves to see or maybe they have more realistic expectations. I can see now that I have been brave. I have been scared and sad and mad and wrought with anxiety at different points, but I can see now that I can feel all of those things and still be brave.
These days, I am trying to shift my perspective and think of my time in Charlotte as a study abroad experience. I can observe the culture and notice things I like and don't like, but I don't have to embrace the culture and make it my own because I will not make my permanent home here. I am hoping this perspective will help me get a little less upset about the things that bother me.
My coping mechanism has certainly been traveling. Between work travel and traveling for pleasure, I am gone at least 2 weekends a month and several work days. This schedule works for me and will help me get through my time here. I have had people tell me they are envious or jealous of my travels - I bite my tongue when I hear this, but what I want to say is - yes, I am fortunate to be able to travel so much, but please don't be jealous. I would trade lives and live in a place I don't dislike and had ample friends/family to see in exchange for all the travel I am doing. That is truly the case. I'd so much rather be living in Minneapolis or Chicago and not racking up airline miles. But until that is the case, I will hop on a plane every other weekend to escape this city.
So here's to the next 6 months. I hope and believe they will be easier and less issue-free than the first 6 were.
Friday, October 4, 2013
30 Days of Gratitude: Week 2
Happy Friday! I am back with my 2nd installment of my answers to the 30 Days of Gratitude prompts! I'm joining Nilsa this month in answering these prompts. You can see her answers here!
The best thing I smelled today was the fresh mountain air!
One of the memories I'm most grateful for is the time I spent with my grandpa at his shop that was next door to my house when I was growing up. My grandpa and his brothers would go there daily to rebuild engines and I got to traipse over there daily and keep them company. I'd talk their ears off, marvel them with my ability to count to 10 in spanish (thanks to Sesame Street) and eat all their lemon drops. Most days they would take me with them when they went uptown for their coffee break. My grandpa was such as special person in my life, I feel so lucky that I got to spend all this quality time with him at such a young age.
Thank goodness someone taught me how to balance my checkbook and manage my finance. I have my parents to thank for this. They definitely emphasized the importance of being financially responsible and ensuring that my credit score remained high. I got my first checkbook when I was 16 and that first month my mom taught me how to reconcile my bank statement. 16 years later, I have not missed a month and balance it to the penny. I am just a tad bit anal when it comes to finances. ;)
The strongest part of my body in this moment is probably my brain. Since I am still recovering from my stress fracture/RA pain, I am not as active as I once was so I feel weak muscularly. But my brain? My brain is quite strong and has been really 'worked over' this past year between CFA studying and being challenged at work.
Even after a rough day, the things I'm most grateful for at work are the fact that I actually do really love what I do, have one good friend on my team, and feel challenged every single day.
I'm grateful that my legs carry me all the places I need to go. This was not the case this summer when I was stuck in the boot so I REALLY appreciate being able to walk to lunch or the library/post office/etc now that I'm healthier.
I felt a little burst of energy today when I woke up knowing that I FLY HOME TODAY. Eeks, so excited to see family/friends!
I will be (mostly) absent from this space for the next week as I fly to Minneapolis today, stay there until Tuesday, then fly to Chicago and am there for almost a week as I will be working in that office and meeting up with some of my most favorite people for the Chicago marathon weekend!!!!! So I will be gone for 9 days straight! Woo hoo!
The best thing I smelled today was the fresh mountain air!
One of the memories I'm most grateful for is the time I spent with my grandpa at his shop that was next door to my house when I was growing up. My grandpa and his brothers would go there daily to rebuild engines and I got to traipse over there daily and keep them company. I'd talk their ears off, marvel them with my ability to count to 10 in spanish (thanks to Sesame Street) and eat all their lemon drops. Most days they would take me with them when they went uptown for their coffee break. My grandpa was such as special person in my life, I feel so lucky that I got to spend all this quality time with him at such a young age.
Thank goodness someone taught me how to balance my checkbook and manage my finance. I have my parents to thank for this. They definitely emphasized the importance of being financially responsible and ensuring that my credit score remained high. I got my first checkbook when I was 16 and that first month my mom taught me how to reconcile my bank statement. 16 years later, I have not missed a month and balance it to the penny. I am just a tad bit anal when it comes to finances. ;)
The strongest part of my body in this moment is probably my brain. Since I am still recovering from my stress fracture/RA pain, I am not as active as I once was so I feel weak muscularly. But my brain? My brain is quite strong and has been really 'worked over' this past year between CFA studying and being challenged at work.
Even after a rough day, the things I'm most grateful for at work are the fact that I actually do really love what I do, have one good friend on my team, and feel challenged every single day.
I'm grateful that my legs carry me all the places I need to go. This was not the case this summer when I was stuck in the boot so I REALLY appreciate being able to walk to lunch or the library/post office/etc now that I'm healthier.
I felt a little burst of energy today when I woke up knowing that I FLY HOME TODAY. Eeks, so excited to see family/friends!
I will be (mostly) absent from this space for the next week as I fly to Minneapolis today, stay there until Tuesday, then fly to Chicago and am there for almost a week as I will be working in that office and meeting up with some of my most favorite people for the Chicago marathon weekend!!!!! So I will be gone for 9 days straight! Woo hoo!
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Music, Books, Miles and Looks of September
I am going to go ahead and say September was my best month of the year so far. It certainly wasn't without its challenges as I started my RA drug and still have RA pain, but it included trips to Pittsburgh and back home, and a fun day of hiking!
Music:
What If by Five for Fighting - I love this band so am so happy they have a new album out. This song was a pre-release that wasn't on the album. I love the message of the song which is - what would happen if we put ourselves in our people's shoes? I love this band because their songs tend to be piano-heavy.
Wake Me Up by Avicii - I love the beat of this song. I think it's virtually impossible not to tap your foot along to it. It's another song I relate to, which shouldn't be surprising given the chorus: "So wake me up when it's all over, when I'm wiser and I'm older. All this time I was finding myself and I didn't know I was lost."
Books:
This was the month where I read ALL the books - 10 in fact. That is a crazy amount of books for me to read, but I had 2 mostly unplanned weekends in Charlotte and lots of flights, 2 of which had layovers. I am going to skip the book recap and will instead tell you how many stars I gave each book on Goodreads. If you want to read my thoughts on these books, check out my Goodreads page!
Looking for me by Beth Hoffman - 4 stars
Together Tea by Marjan Kamali - 5 stars
The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen - 2 stars
The Wednesday Daughters by Meg Waite Clayton - 2 stars
And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini - 5 stars
Carly's Gift by Georgia Bockoven - 3 stars
The Last Camelia by Sarah Jio - 3 stars
The History of Us by Leah Stewart - 4 stars
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown - 5 stars
Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen - 3 stars
Miles:
Well I am not running, but I am able to bike, use the elliptical for short work outs, and I did some hiking. I don't track my mileage because unless I am running, the miles just don't mean anything to me, honestly. I doubt running will be part of my month in October but maybe by November I'll be back at it! I just need my RA pain to really go away before this happens.
Looks:
I had actually had quite a few looks I liked this month - which is probably because it was the first month that I spent out of the boot and the tennis shoes only restriction was lifted mid-month! It's a lot easier to feel good about how I look now that I'm not schlepping around a boot or limited to tennis shoes only!
First look - an oldie, but a goodie. I love that mustard color!
2nd look - my new favorite dress, which I got at White House Black Market. I am going to commit a fashion faux pas and wear this dress again this coming weekend at my cousin's wedding because I love it and it's one of the few dresses I own that isn't "businessy."
3rd look - I usually stayed away from skirts, but I am starting to like them again. I like the cleaness of this look, both of which are Banana Republic pieces I've owned for 3+ years. That is case and point for why I shop there. Their clothes last for SO LONG.
4th look - Another dress from White House Black Market which is super comfy! I love that is has sleeves as I get so cold in my office which feels like an ice box. Also, Lori and I managed to get a photo together when we had dinner last week! Yea! It was SO good to catch up with her!!
I've gotten a couple of questions about whether or how or why I've lost weight lately. I have lost weight, partially due to joining weight watchers this summer and honestly, due to stress. I'm not a big fan of the scale so I only weigh myself when I attend WW meetings, but I am happy to say I'm back at a weight where I feel comfortable in my body and good about myself. Being active again is really helping, too.
Music:
What If by Five for Fighting - I love this band so am so happy they have a new album out. This song was a pre-release that wasn't on the album. I love the message of the song which is - what would happen if we put ourselves in our people's shoes? I love this band because their songs tend to be piano-heavy.
Wake Me Up by Avicii - I love the beat of this song. I think it's virtually impossible not to tap your foot along to it. It's another song I relate to, which shouldn't be surprising given the chorus: "So wake me up when it's all over, when I'm wiser and I'm older. All this time I was finding myself and I didn't know I was lost."
Books:
This was the month where I read ALL the books - 10 in fact. That is a crazy amount of books for me to read, but I had 2 mostly unplanned weekends in Charlotte and lots of flights, 2 of which had layovers. I am going to skip the book recap and will instead tell you how many stars I gave each book on Goodreads. If you want to read my thoughts on these books, check out my Goodreads page!
Looking for me by Beth Hoffman - 4 stars
Together Tea by Marjan Kamali - 5 stars
The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen - 2 stars
The Wednesday Daughters by Meg Waite Clayton - 2 stars
And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini - 5 stars
Carly's Gift by Georgia Bockoven - 3 stars
The Last Camelia by Sarah Jio - 3 stars
The History of Us by Leah Stewart - 4 stars
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown - 5 stars
Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen - 3 stars
Miles:
Well I am not running, but I am able to bike, use the elliptical for short work outs, and I did some hiking. I don't track my mileage because unless I am running, the miles just don't mean anything to me, honestly. I doubt running will be part of my month in October but maybe by November I'll be back at it! I just need my RA pain to really go away before this happens.
Looks:
I had actually had quite a few looks I liked this month - which is probably because it was the first month that I spent out of the boot and the tennis shoes only restriction was lifted mid-month! It's a lot easier to feel good about how I look now that I'm not schlepping around a boot or limited to tennis shoes only!
First look - an oldie, but a goodie. I love that mustard color!
2nd look - my new favorite dress, which I got at White House Black Market. I am going to commit a fashion faux pas and wear this dress again this coming weekend at my cousin's wedding because I love it and it's one of the few dresses I own that isn't "businessy."
3rd look - I usually stayed away from skirts, but I am starting to like them again. I like the cleaness of this look, both of which are Banana Republic pieces I've owned for 3+ years. That is case and point for why I shop there. Their clothes last for SO LONG.
4th look - Another dress from White House Black Market which is super comfy! I love that is has sleeves as I get so cold in my office which feels like an ice box. Also, Lori and I managed to get a photo together when we had dinner last week! Yea! It was SO good to catch up with her!!
I've gotten a couple of questions about whether or how or why I've lost weight lately. I have lost weight, partially due to joining weight watchers this summer and honestly, due to stress. I'm not a big fan of the scale so I only weigh myself when I attend WW meetings, but I am happy to say I'm back at a weight where I feel comfortable in my body and good about myself. Being active again is really helping, too.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Book Review: Carly's Gift
From Goodreads:What's in the past is over and done with . . . or is it?
Sixteen years ago Carly Hargrove made a decision that would irrevocably alter her life. With little comprehension of the life-long consequences of her actions, she trades her own future happiness to protect the man she's loved since kindergarten, David Montgomery.
With an ocean separating them, Carly builds a life for herself without David. She's the mother of three, lives in a beautiful house, and is married to a man who comes home every night—even if most of those nights he drinks too much. What more could she want?
Her answer arrives on a cold fall day when David shows up at her door. In town for his father's funeral, he has come to see Carly one last time, hoping to rid himself of the anger that still consumes him.
Instead, he is drawn into a web of secrets that rekindles the fierce need he once felt to protect Carly. He becomes caught up in her life in a way he never could have imagined—a way that will bind him to her forever.
My thoughts on the book:
I really enjoyed this book. I wouldn't classify it as chick lit because the characters had more depth and the situations addressed in the book were more complex, but it tended towards that sort of genre. I was engaged in the book early on as I was curious about the choice Carly had made all those years ago as it is not revealed until you are quite a ways into the book.
In summary, it was a fast and engaging book. I gave it 3 stars on Goodreads.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review, and the opinions are my own.
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