It's been another long week, but it's almost Friday. Almost. I don't know about you, but the weeks have been kind of crawling by for me lately... My mind is all over the place, so instead of putting together a coherent post, I'm declaring today "Things you might not know about me Thursday." So here goes...
You might not know that...
- I am a total snob when it comes to bottled water. I will only drink Fiji or Evian. The reason for this is that my boss did a test on the level of acidity of different bottled water using litmus paper (a strange, but informative office project) so now I know which waters are not great. Fiji and Evian are.
- I work on a cramped trading floor that holds 600 people. My boss sits about 3 feet from me on one side, my boss's boss sits about 3 feet from me on the other side. There are no walls and thus, no privacy. I have gotten used to this but it was an adjustment.
- When I walk on sidewalks, I try to avoid stepping on the crack. I realize this makes me sound like Rain Man.
- I am very anal about the way my blow dryer and flat iron cords get wrapped when storing them as I think my technique prevents the cord from twisting. The sight of a twisted cord makes me twitch a bit.
- I don't like pizza, and I never have. I was the kid who requested the salad bar when my family would go to Pizza Hut.
- If a recipe calls for crushed red pepper, I will often double what it calls for because I like food with a kick. Sometimes this works out OK, sometimes it doesn't...
- I've never (to my knowledge) been legitimately camping - meaning sleeping in a tent. I would like to try this but I need to make friends with someone who has all of the camping equipment because I do not even own a sleeping bag.
- I don't like flip flops. I own a pair because they are necessary for places like the gym locker room and the lake, but I don't like how they look or the sound they make when you walk with them. For casual footwear, I prefer ballet flats.
Your turn, what are some things that people might not know about you?
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Book Review: The Cost of Love and Sanity
For Alex Carter, everything is going according to plan—she’s built a successful career and has a steady boyfriend—until life decides to throw a wrench in the mix. Suddenly, her company threatens to downsize and her boyfriend ends their relationship. It is then that she realizes that, like many women, she has neglected to pursue love and family—the goals closest to her heart—in favor of a career.
As a new year begins and Alex decides to focus on personal concerns, she runs into an old flame, Nathan Chestnut. Though she once had it bad for Nathan, she’s careful about trusting him again. Alex’s remedy is to ask him for an unexpected favor, which seems like the perfect resolution to her broken belief in happiness until she realizes that it can only grant her a piece of her dreams.
As her heart and reality get in the way of her request, Alex reaches a major crossroad. Will she gather her faith and fix the situation? Or will she suffer in silence for the rest of her life?
When I read the synopsis of this book, I was drawn to it as right now I feel like everything is taking a back seat to my career. Not exactly by choice, as I did not feel this way when I lived in Minneapolis, but since moving to Charlotte that is how I feel. I sometimes wonder if marriage and children will be part of my future, hence the reason I was interested in reading this book since the main character is wondering the same thing.
Unfortunately the book fell a bit flat for me. The main character is 35 but I felt like she acted like a naive 20-something at times (no offense to the 20-somethings out there, I was naive at one point, too). The book spans about 2-3 months and within that time span she makes some huge decisions that I don't think most people can or should make in that short of a time frame, so it felt a bit unrealistic to me.
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.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Why I Love Minneapolis
It's winter and it's uncharacteristically cold all over the place, even here in Charlotte, but especially in Minneapolis where the temps have been as cold as -25 degrees, and even colder when you factor in the windchill. Which means that I frequently get comments like "how could you possibly like living there?" But the fact of the matter is that I do love Minneapolis and I do miss living there, bitterly cold temperatures and all.
If weather was a huge priority, I probably wouldn't love Minneapolis since we have long, cold winters, lots of gray days, and a short summer season. For instance, today the high is -11... But despite all of that, I still love Minneapolis. So much so that I could probably be an ambassador for the city. So if you are like my coworkers and wonder why on earth I love Minneapolis, here are some of the reasons!
- Minneapolis is a healthy city. This was proven by the Today show last week as they did a feature on the healthiest, wealthiest and wisest cities in the U.S., and Minneapolis-St. Paul was chosen as the healthiest city in the U.S. We have the most parks per square mile out of all the major U.S. cities and we have the 2nd highest number of bicyclists per capita. I love all of the rivers and lakes and the miles upon miles of running/biking paths. I was so spoiled when I lived in Minneapolis as I could walk out my door and run on a paved running path along the Mississippi River, and that running path linked up to several other running paths that led to lakes and other parkways. Minneapolis definitely makes it easy to be active (well, when the weather doesn't make that impossible!).
- Minneapolis has lots of bodies of water. So it turns out that the cities I love most all have something in common - they all have a river running through them or are located on a large body of water. My condo was located on the Mississippi, but besides this body of water, Minneapolis also has many lakes. I prefer cities that are located on or near bodies of water because it makes it easier to be active since bodies of water tend to have running/biking paths by them. And they just make for a more picturesque place to live. Need proof? See the photos I took this fall...
- Minneapolis has a vibrant downtown. Even though Minneapolis is small compared to other large cities in the U.S., it still has a vibrant downtown. There are lots of dining and shopping options downtown, and it caters to people who both work and live downtown as we have groceries stores and a Target. Large retail stores, such as Banana Republic, Barnes & Noble, and Macy's all have a presence. When I lived in Minneapolis, I rarely went to a mall because pretty much everything I needed was walking distance from where I worked and lived (including my doctor and dentist). Lastly, there is a plethora of coffee shops - nearly one on every block in the central part of downtown, and even on the outskirts of downtown where I lived, I had access to 2 different coffee shops in a one block radius.
- Minneapolis has great happy hour specials. I am a frugal person so I love a good happy hour deal. Luckily Minneapolis has lots of affordable restaurants with great happy hour specials. From $3 glasses of wine to $5 margaritas to $3 tacos to $5 sushi rolls, there were a lot inexpensive options at places with a fun vibe. Outside of happy hour, Minneapolis has some great dining options with high quality food that comes with a reasonable price tag.
- The Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area has a lot of large, well-respected companies. From a career standpoint, the MSP metro area is home to a lot of large corporations such as Target, Medtronic, Best Buy, General Mills, and 3M. As a result, there are a lot of great career options. Minneapolis has fewer financial companies so it's not the easiest place for me to find a job, per se, but there are some large financial companies with headquarters there such as Ameriprise, US Bank, and Piper Jaffray.
- I have family and friends in the Minneapolis area. I'm saving the best for last in this list. All of the above-mentioned reasons are great reasons to love Minneapolis but this last one is what has my heart pining to live in Minneapolis. I have a brother, sister-in-law and 2 nephews, an aunt & uncle, and cousins in the metro area, my parents' lake home is 3 hours away, and some of my very best friends live in the Minneapolis area. I never have trouble filling my week nights or weekends with social plans since I have such a large network of family and friends in Minneapolis. With the exception of Chicago, I don't think I can replicate what I have in terms of a network anywhere else in the U.S.
So there you have it. 5 reasons, among many other reasons, that I truly love Minneapolis and miss it so much. What I love about Minneapolis reflects the core things I value - proximity to friends and family, career opportunities, and an urban lifestyle. And it explains why Charlotte is such a poor fit as the only thing on this list that Charlotte has is career opportunities. I recognize that what I value differs from what others value, which is why we all love living in different areas of the country and world.
Why do YOU love where you live?
If weather was a huge priority, I probably wouldn't love Minneapolis since we have long, cold winters, lots of gray days, and a short summer season. For instance, today the high is -11... But despite all of that, I still love Minneapolis. So much so that I could probably be an ambassador for the city. So if you are like my coworkers and wonder why on earth I love Minneapolis, here are some of the reasons!
- Minneapolis is a healthy city. This was proven by the Today show last week as they did a feature on the healthiest, wealthiest and wisest cities in the U.S., and Minneapolis-St. Paul was chosen as the healthiest city in the U.S. We have the most parks per square mile out of all the major U.S. cities and we have the 2nd highest number of bicyclists per capita. I love all of the rivers and lakes and the miles upon miles of running/biking paths. I was so spoiled when I lived in Minneapolis as I could walk out my door and run on a paved running path along the Mississippi River, and that running path linked up to several other running paths that led to lakes and other parkways. Minneapolis definitely makes it easy to be active (well, when the weather doesn't make that impossible!).
- Minneapolis has lots of bodies of water. So it turns out that the cities I love most all have something in common - they all have a river running through them or are located on a large body of water. My condo was located on the Mississippi, but besides this body of water, Minneapolis also has many lakes. I prefer cities that are located on or near bodies of water because it makes it easier to be active since bodies of water tend to have running/biking paths by them. And they just make for a more picturesque place to live. Need proof? See the photos I took this fall...
- Minneapolis has a vibrant downtown. Even though Minneapolis is small compared to other large cities in the U.S., it still has a vibrant downtown. There are lots of dining and shopping options downtown, and it caters to people who both work and live downtown as we have groceries stores and a Target. Large retail stores, such as Banana Republic, Barnes & Noble, and Macy's all have a presence. When I lived in Minneapolis, I rarely went to a mall because pretty much everything I needed was walking distance from where I worked and lived (including my doctor and dentist). Lastly, there is a plethora of coffee shops - nearly one on every block in the central part of downtown, and even on the outskirts of downtown where I lived, I had access to 2 different coffee shops in a one block radius.
- Minneapolis has great happy hour specials. I am a frugal person so I love a good happy hour deal. Luckily Minneapolis has lots of affordable restaurants with great happy hour specials. From $3 glasses of wine to $5 margaritas to $3 tacos to $5 sushi rolls, there were a lot inexpensive options at places with a fun vibe. Outside of happy hour, Minneapolis has some great dining options with high quality food that comes with a reasonable price tag.
- The Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area has a lot of large, well-respected companies. From a career standpoint, the MSP metro area is home to a lot of large corporations such as Target, Medtronic, Best Buy, General Mills, and 3M. As a result, there are a lot of great career options. Minneapolis has fewer financial companies so it's not the easiest place for me to find a job, per se, but there are some large financial companies with headquarters there such as Ameriprise, US Bank, and Piper Jaffray.
- I have family and friends in the Minneapolis area. I'm saving the best for last in this list. All of the above-mentioned reasons are great reasons to love Minneapolis but this last one is what has my heart pining to live in Minneapolis. I have a brother, sister-in-law and 2 nephews, an aunt & uncle, and cousins in the metro area, my parents' lake home is 3 hours away, and some of my very best friends live in the Minneapolis area. I never have trouble filling my week nights or weekends with social plans since I have such a large network of family and friends in Minneapolis. With the exception of Chicago, I don't think I can replicate what I have in terms of a network anywhere else in the U.S.
So there you have it. 5 reasons, among many other reasons, that I truly love Minneapolis and miss it so much. What I love about Minneapolis reflects the core things I value - proximity to friends and family, career opportunities, and an urban lifestyle. And it explains why Charlotte is such a poor fit as the only thing on this list that Charlotte has is career opportunities. I recognize that what I value differs from what others value, which is why we all love living in different areas of the country and world.
Why do YOU love where you live?
Friday, January 24, 2014
Currently: January Edition
I have seen this post floating around the blogging community so thought I'd close our my week by playing along as it's a good way to summarize what's going on in my life!
Reading: The Comfort of Lies by Randy Susan Meyers. It's supposed to be really good, so hopefully I like it. It's one of the many books I borrowed from the library earlier this month.
Loving: sleeping in my own bed. I love traveling but there is nothing like returning to your own bed.
Thinking: about my trip home at the end of February and how to arrange my schedule so I can see as many friends as possible.
Feeling: anxious about things at work, my job search, and the logistics of a cross-country move when it happens.
Anticipating: a quiet weekend with very little going on, which I am actually ok with. February is going to be a busy month so a couple of quiet, plan-free weekends will be good for me.
Inspired by: this post by Linda of Curious Notions where she talks about walking away from things that you know aren't right for you, whether it's a career that's not a right fit or a relationship, despite having invested a lot of time into them. I think it takes a brave person to say - this isn't right and I am going to change something to find what is right for me.
Watching: Top Chef and Parenthood and loving both shows. I'm cheering for Shirley and Nina on Top Chef!
Sad: that some of my closest friends are dealing with heartbreaking things. Life is really very cruel and unfair sometimes.
Working: on making gratitude part of each day. Nilsa gave me a one-sentence journal last year which helps as we can all come up with one sentence describing something we are grateful for each day. It may be the same thing, day after day, at times, but here is always something to be grateful for.
Grateful: for my financial stability. I stress about my grad school loans, but in the grand scheme of things, my financial situation could be much worse. I am really grateful that I have no debt besides my mortgage and student loans, money in savings, and a well-funded 401(k).
Listening: to the Cities 97 Sampler on repeat, which is a compilation album that a radio station in Minneapolis puts out each year. I got it back in November and am still loving it.
Wishing: I lived in Minneapolis, but that's been my wish for almost 10 months... so yah. Hopefully it gets granted soon.
What are you reading, wishing, and grateful for?
Reading: The Comfort of Lies by Randy Susan Meyers. It's supposed to be really good, so hopefully I like it. It's one of the many books I borrowed from the library earlier this month.
Loving: sleeping in my own bed. I love traveling but there is nothing like returning to your own bed.
Thinking: about my trip home at the end of February and how to arrange my schedule so I can see as many friends as possible.
Feeling: anxious about things at work, my job search, and the logistics of a cross-country move when it happens.
Anticipating: a quiet weekend with very little going on, which I am actually ok with. February is going to be a busy month so a couple of quiet, plan-free weekends will be good for me.
Inspired by: this post by Linda of Curious Notions where she talks about walking away from things that you know aren't right for you, whether it's a career that's not a right fit or a relationship, despite having invested a lot of time into them. I think it takes a brave person to say - this isn't right and I am going to change something to find what is right for me.
Watching: Top Chef and Parenthood and loving both shows. I'm cheering for Shirley and Nina on Top Chef!
Sad: that some of my closest friends are dealing with heartbreaking things. Life is really very cruel and unfair sometimes.
Working: on making gratitude part of each day. Nilsa gave me a one-sentence journal last year which helps as we can all come up with one sentence describing something we are grateful for each day. It may be the same thing, day after day, at times, but here is always something to be grateful for.
Grateful: for my financial stability. I stress about my grad school loans, but in the grand scheme of things, my financial situation could be much worse. I am really grateful that I have no debt besides my mortgage and student loans, money in savings, and a well-funded 401(k).
Listening: to the Cities 97 Sampler on repeat, which is a compilation album that a radio station in Minneapolis puts out each year. I got it back in November and am still loving it.
Wishing: I lived in Minneapolis, but that's been my wish for almost 10 months... so yah. Hopefully it gets granted soon.
What are you reading, wishing, and grateful for?
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
From the Land of Ma'am: Checking out Charleston
My adventures of exploring the south continued last weekend with a trip to Charleston. Last year some runners from my Minneapolis running club decided to run the Charleston marathon. Since Charleston is only 3 hours from Charlotte, I decided to meet up with them for some sight-seeing and spectating.
I had heard nothing but great things about Charleston and it did not disappoint. It is a very charming southern city with so much history and character - and good food! We lucked out and were there during restaurant week so ate at some great places at a reasonable price!
I will say that I did a horrible job of taking photos on this trip... I have no excuse, I just did not pull out my phone very often! But I did take a few photos that are worth sharing! Here is a recap of what we did!
On Thursday, I had a big client meeting in the area so headed into Charleston after the meeting and arrived mid-afternoon. We walked down to King Street which is one of the main thoroughfares of Charleston. After spending most of the day in a car/in a lunch meeting, it felt great to stretch my legs and get some fresh air.
On Friday, we headed into downtown Charleston, checked out the Battery area (which has lots of beautiful, historic homes), walked along the Ashley River, and saw the Cooper River Bridge from afar.
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There is a museum on slavery as Charleston was a huge hub for slavery, so we checked out that museum next. The museum was very interesting and is something I'd recommend to others visiting the area. After lunch, we took a 2 hour tour of Charleston. I was hoping to do a Carriage tour but no one else was interested in that and it was a bit cool so I will have to save that for another trip. Instead, we took a tour in a small tour bus, which was very informative. He drove us through the various areas of Charleston and explained the history of different areas of the city - and provided color on how much properties in the Battery sold for (as much as $6 million!!!). The tour ended with a tour of one of the historical homes in the Battery. I totally regret not taking pictures of the homes in the Battery!
Saturday was the marathon so that pretty much took up most of the day. I had 2 friends running it and had some company while spectating as the wife of one friend and the aunt of another came along for the weekend. We had a really hard time getting around with all the road closures but managed to see our runners at miles 18, 22, and the finish. The weather on race day was not great. It was pretty cool and very windy, and the course honestly looked pretty ugly so I was actually not sad that I wasn't running it... But they both ran great races and recovered well.
After the marathon, we had a late brunch at a cute Southern cafe and then relaxed until our dinner reservations at a seafood place along the water.
On Sunday, we headed out to a plantation outside of Charleston. There are several to choose from but we went to a smaller one called Drayton Hall. I would love to see Magnolia plantation some time, but would rather see it in the spring when the flowers are in bloom, so hopefully I will get back to Charleston in March or April.
We took a guided tour of the home which was really interesting. This plantation was purely for the entertainment of guests and was built around 1750. The guide did a really good job of explaining the architecture of the home and the way it was used by the Drayton family.
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I will say it's a little weird to be touring a plantation because it is just such a sad, shameful time in the history of our country since the plantations were ran by slaves. So while I can appreciate the beauty of the home and setting, I had an unsettled feeling while touring it.
After the tour, we walked around the grounds, which were beautiful. I love the old trees with spanish moss!
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After the tour, we headed back to downtown Charleston, had a light/late lunch, and did some shopping before heading back to the hotel to get ready for dinner.
On Monday I hit the road around 9 am so I could have most of the day in Charlotte to prepare for the week ahead. All in all it was a great weekend and I really hope I can fit a trip back there in March or April as I'd love to visit it during a warmer time of year. The weather was ok, but some of the days were definitely chilly!
Have you been to Charleston? It's definitely a place I would recommend visiting as it such a cute, charming southern city.
I had heard nothing but great things about Charleston and it did not disappoint. It is a very charming southern city with so much history and character - and good food! We lucked out and were there during restaurant week so ate at some great places at a reasonable price!
I will say that I did a horrible job of taking photos on this trip... I have no excuse, I just did not pull out my phone very often! But I did take a few photos that are worth sharing! Here is a recap of what we did!
On Thursday, I had a big client meeting in the area so headed into Charleston after the meeting and arrived mid-afternoon. We walked down to King Street which is one of the main thoroughfares of Charleston. After spending most of the day in a car/in a lunch meeting, it felt great to stretch my legs and get some fresh air.
On Friday, we headed into downtown Charleston, checked out the Battery area (which has lots of beautiful, historic homes), walked along the Ashley River, and saw the Cooper River Bridge from afar.
There is a museum on slavery as Charleston was a huge hub for slavery, so we checked out that museum next. The museum was very interesting and is something I'd recommend to others visiting the area. After lunch, we took a 2 hour tour of Charleston. I was hoping to do a Carriage tour but no one else was interested in that and it was a bit cool so I will have to save that for another trip. Instead, we took a tour in a small tour bus, which was very informative. He drove us through the various areas of Charleston and explained the history of different areas of the city - and provided color on how much properties in the Battery sold for (as much as $6 million!!!). The tour ended with a tour of one of the historical homes in the Battery. I totally regret not taking pictures of the homes in the Battery!
Saturday was the marathon so that pretty much took up most of the day. I had 2 friends running it and had some company while spectating as the wife of one friend and the aunt of another came along for the weekend. We had a really hard time getting around with all the road closures but managed to see our runners at miles 18, 22, and the finish. The weather on race day was not great. It was pretty cool and very windy, and the course honestly looked pretty ugly so I was actually not sad that I wasn't running it... But they both ran great races and recovered well.
After the marathon, we had a late brunch at a cute Southern cafe and then relaxed until our dinner reservations at a seafood place along the water.
On Sunday, we headed out to a plantation outside of Charleston. There are several to choose from but we went to a smaller one called Drayton Hall. I would love to see Magnolia plantation some time, but would rather see it in the spring when the flowers are in bloom, so hopefully I will get back to Charleston in March or April.
We took a guided tour of the home which was really interesting. This plantation was purely for the entertainment of guests and was built around 1750. The guide did a really good job of explaining the architecture of the home and the way it was used by the Drayton family.
I will say it's a little weird to be touring a plantation because it is just such a sad, shameful time in the history of our country since the plantations were ran by slaves. So while I can appreciate the beauty of the home and setting, I had an unsettled feeling while touring it.
After the tour, we walked around the grounds, which were beautiful. I love the old trees with spanish moss!
After the tour, we headed back to downtown Charleston, had a light/late lunch, and did some shopping before heading back to the hotel to get ready for dinner.
On Monday I hit the road around 9 am so I could have most of the day in Charlotte to prepare for the week ahead. All in all it was a great weekend and I really hope I can fit a trip back there in March or April as I'd love to visit it during a warmer time of year. The weather was ok, but some of the days were definitely chilly!
Have you been to Charleston? It's definitely a place I would recommend visiting as it such a cute, charming southern city.
Monday, January 20, 2014
France Book Tours Book Review & eBook Giveaway: Gastien, The Cost of the Dream
Synopsis: When young Gastien Beauchamp flees the farm for Paris, the late nineteenth century bohemian era is in full swing. Color has always called to him, beseeching him to capture it on canvas and show people a new way of seeing things. His father belittled his dream of being an artist and tried to beat him into giving it up. The dream wouldn’t die, but Gastien would have had he not left.
He also yearns to become a great lover. After the years of anguish he has endured at the hand of his father, it would be heaven to feel pleasure instead of pain.
However, the city of Paris has a ruthless agenda. Unless a man has money and connections, Paris unfeelingly crushes dreams and destroys souls. With neither of the required assets, Gastien faces living in alleys, digging in trash bins for food, and sleeping where a man is often killed for his threadbare blanket.
Left with only his dreams, Gastien stubbornly pushes on. He vows that absolutely nothing will stop him, not yet realizing what keeping that vow might mean. Sometimes the “impossible” is possible – but the cost can be extremely high.
This historical fiction novel is book 1 of a 5 book drama/family saga for adults (The Gastien Series). As such, it contains adult themes and graphic scenes. Each book can stand on its own, but is most compelling read in order.
My review:
I was excited to read this book as when I was in Paris, I went on a guided walking tour of the Montmartre area which is an area of Paris that was historically inhabited by artists, many of which was struggling to make ends meet in order to pursue their dream. In Gastien, The Cost of a Dream we meet Gastien, an artist whose live embodied the struggles and challenges that the guide on my walking tour spoke of. He comes to Paris to fulfill his dream of being an accomplished artists but quickly learns that the road to success is extremely difficult. He meets people along the way who are willing to help him out but some of those offers of help are not selfless and force Gastien to decide how badly he wants to pursue his dream, and whether he is willing to compromise his values to pursue that dream.
The synopsis of the book indicates that the book contains adult themes and graphic scenes, and that is certainly the case. I have never read 50 Shades of Grey, but some of the scenes in this book are probably similar to what you would read in 50 Shades of Grey... so just keep that in mind if you plan to check this out.
Lastly, this the first book in a 5 book series.
Author Bio:
Caddy Rowland grew up with a stack of books that almost reached the ceiling before she was five. Books, along with her vivid imagination, have always been some of her closest friends.
She lives with her husband, who was her high school sweetheart. They are owned by two parrots. Besides being a writer, she is an artist. One can often find her “makin’ love to the color” (painting) with loud music blaring.
Her goal as an author is to make readers laugh, cry, think, and become intimately connected with her main characters. She writes dramatic novels showcasing the sublime joy and bitter tragedy of being human.
To get her books and get in touch with her:
Author Central Page on Amazon
Sign up for New Release Newsletter by Email
Gastien Fanpage on Facebook
Author Blog
Goodreads Author Page
Author Email: caddyauthor at yahoo dot com
Twitter: @caddyorpims
I have one digital copy to give away so please leave a comment by Friday, January 24 to be included in the giveaway.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Virtual Coffee Date
It's been awhile since I've done a virtual coffee date post so I thought it'd be a good way to catch up on the thoughts and happenings in my world.
- I have been in Charlotte for the last 3 weekends which is the most consecutive weekends I have spent in Charlotte since May. So I am ready to bust out of here - and luckily I will this weekend as I have a client meeting tomorrow and will head to Charleston from there. I am so excited to check out this city! The weather should be fairly decent for January (upper 40s most likely so certainly not warm but could be worse), so as long as it doesn't rain I'll be happy! I do a lot of solo travel so it will be a nice change to have some friends to explore Charleston with!
- January has been a quiet month, but February is going to be BUSY. Which is good. I have a trip to Austin for a girls weekend, then I host Kyria for a weekend here in Charlotte, I have an unplanned weekend in Charlotte, and then I go home to Minneapolis in late February. So February is pretty much going to be awesome. Plus it's my birthday month.
- I have been trying to manage some anxiety lately that ebbs and flows with my outlook for my job search. In the past, my tool for managing anxiety was running. It's really hard to not have that outlet but I am making it work because I have no other choice.
- My cousin came up with a great idea to start a family book club. We are all scattered across the US so will be using Google hangouts for our meetings. Gosh I love technology! I am excited for our first meeting in February. I picked the first book so I hope everyone likes it.
- Speaking of books, I picked up 5 from the library last weekend. I just can't emphasize enough how much I love the library. It's weird to think back on the days when I bought books instead of using the library - now I rarely buy books. Which is good because my 6 bookcases are over-flowing as it is, so I don't really have room for more books right now.
- I am wishing my sister Abby the best of luck this weekend as she will be running her 2nd marathon on Sunday! I know she is going to do great and can't wait to hear how her race goes.
I hope everyone has a great rest of the week! I'll be back next week with a book review and a recap of my time in Charleston.
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