One of the podcasts I’ve been listening to, “What Should I Read Next?” mentioned a reading challenge for 2017. When I went to the website, there’s a complete challenge with checklists and everything! In the podcast, Anne (the host), often asks her guests if there’s anything they want to change about their reading life. Because […]
MoreHappy New Year! Can you believe it? 2017 is finally here! I wokeup yesterday around 10, and while I was getting my morning coffee going, my smoke detectors blessed me with a glorious ring because their batteries were low! It took me a solid 16 minutes to drag out my ladder and at least get […]
MoreLast week, my mom and I ventured to the Drafthouse to see “La La Land”! We were both pretty excited to see this movie, having both been fans of musicals since forever, and well, who doesn’t love Emma Stone? Sorry, I’m not huge on Mr. Gosling (and this is when everyone stops reading). But anyway, […]
MoreHey, hey! I am back at the office today, and wow is that whole come-down after Christmas ROUGH. It’s like this month-long build up for a single day and then, it’s over. It’s honestly how I imagine me meeting John Mayer for the first time, only on a 16-year scale, with devastating disappointment (don’t tell […]
MoreIt’s the day after Christmas, meaning we’re officially in that between-holiday groove. I have the day off, hopefully you do as well, and although I’m heading back into the office tomorrow, I think it’ll be pretty quiet in there and I can coast on through to the weekend. Since yesterday was Christmas, we were not […]
MoreMy best friend Sheena has brought us the real meaning of Christmas in another review of “Fuller House”, this time for its second season. Check out her review of season one, here. And let us know what you thought of season two! Earlier this year when I sat down to watch Fuller House season one […]
MoreI mentioned a few weeks ago that my latest celebrity crush is Charlie Puth – and he still is. I borrowed his debut album, “Nine Track Mind” from the library and listened to it for a solid month before purchasing it on my own. It’s delightful, in a traditional pop music way, and there are […]
MoreIIIIItttttt’s Monday and I’m not at work, so let’s celebrate that for a good week. It has actually been freezing (literally) here in Austin, so I spent the weekend under my electric blanket, crawling out only to watch what was reported to be the worst hockey game in Texas Stars’ history. Brrr. But I still […]
MoreI’m really disappointed in myself that I can’t post a new read from Blanche’s Book Club today – I am stuck on chapter two of the book (absolutely NOT a reflection of the content) simply because this week has been NUTS. I keep bringing the book to bed with me, and then when my head […]
More“Home Alone” is my favorite movie. Ever. To me, it’s not just a classic Christmas movie – it’s a mark in time, a piece of pop culture, a portion of a legacy, and a story everyone can relate to (I swear). About a month ago, I muttered a one-liner from the movie at work (“Mom… […]
MoreHelllooooo! Today is the last Monday that I’ve got before a glorious staycation for the holidays. I just have to get through this week before I can run out of the office in complete freedom! Why does this make me so happy? Because on Friday I got into some hot water for not attending the […]
MoreOh here we are, another week down, another Friday is upon us! Is it just me, or has this week been ROUGH? I I am hoping to get in some quality rest this weekend – I’m exhausted. But in the meantime, I am happy to share the latest read from Blanche’s Book Club! It’s “One […]
MoreWhen I was a kid, my dad and I baked quite a bit when the holidays rolled around. Ok let’s be honest, he probably did most of the baking while I did the subpar decorating and taste-testing. Nonetheless, it was a tradition that I remember fondly. We made red and green m&m cookies – at […]
MoreI’ve always thought it would be so cool to be reading a book with a holiday or Christmas plot, during the ACTUAL season. But that would involve planning, and actually being on top of things, right? Well, this year! This year, I put my tree up much earlier, started watching seasonal movies much sooner, and […]
MoreHellllooo! How was your weekend? Mine was… eventful in an unexpected way. I spent a majority of my Saturday running errands – mostly for Christmas presents – which was hectic, and to top things off, it was cold and rainy. I came home around 6, got things put away, and settled into bed to watch […]
MoreI feel like every single day this week kicked my behind – it was the holiday, the chilly weather, and yeah, I just wanted to stay in bed! At least it’s Friday, because I’ve got huge plans to sleep in this weekend and make tortellini soup. How cool am I? Basically, it’s the perfect season […]
MoreI recently asked a friend to be my pen pal. She lives several states away, and in a sense, a majority of our friendship has been based on writing to each other, although mostly via email, and sometimes through text messages. But, I have been wanting to handwrite letters. A few years ago, a […]
MoreI’ve still been listening to podcasts like they’re going out of style, and I’ll have another roundup of my latest favorites for you in the next few weeks. But today I wanted to focus on one in particular, “Happier” with Gretchen Rubin. So far, I’m about 2o episodes in and I couldn’t help but take […]
MoreMonday is baaaack! Omigosh, I hope you all really had a fun and delicious holiday weekend. I was so excited for Thursday to come, and I got up early, watched the parade, made a pie, and drank my weight in champagne-based cocktails. And then by the time Friday was here, I was feeling all sorts […]
MoreOkay, I waited until AFTER Thanksgiving to mention Christmas… but it’s exactly a month away from today, so let’s get this party started! I often have trouble getting into the holiday spirit, but I feel like this year – we’re all reaching for any drop of joy we can get, as soon as possible. I’ll […]
MoreHappy Thanksgiving! I am up early this morning, as I’m about to prep my turkey, and really, I just couldn’t wait to get this day started. Is it just me or is there something glorious about still waking up early when you don’t have to work or tend to other, serious obligations? My only goals […]
MoreLast Thursday, I had the WORST day at work. It was one of those days I contemplated quitting (do other people do that, or just me?), I had to walk outside and pace the parking lot and get some deep breaths in before going back to my desk, putting in my earbuds, and just doing […]
MoreHappy Thanksgiving week! I’m hoping, for your sake, that you’re reading this from the comforts of your bed, a plane, a train, or perhaps your childhood home as you’re gearing up to celebrate the tastiest of holidays. I will be at the office this week, until the end of business on Wednesday, anyway. However, The […]
MoreIt should come as NO surprise that I haven’t watched “Orange is the New Black” yet, because 1. I am always behind on the cool stuff, and 2. I don’t have Netflix. And yes, I know it’s cheap – it’s not even about that, so spare me. I really wanted to read the book before […]
MoreWell, I told you guys I was done with HBO’s “Divorce”, and I meant it! But seriously, someone tell me if the show takes a turn for the better. But, last night I still cozied up for a brand new episode of “Insecure” – I’m going to be really sad when we get to the […]
MoreHey, hey! What a week this has been, right? I honestly wasn’t sure I was going to have a book review for you guys today because I’ve been recovering from a cold all week, and given the Tuesday night depression, I really just wanted to soak in my bathtub and cry until… well, until the […]
MoreHappy Election Day! Don’t worry, I’m not going to talk about the candidates or who you should vote for today. I know all of us have heard enough of that already, and many of us are just ready for it to be over. But no matter how annoying the campaign trail can be, nothing beats […]
MoreGood morning! I definitely stayed up writing this entire post last night, and scheduled it to publish, and when I woke up, I see that it published with no words or phots… so there’s the wonder of technology on this Monday morning! I spent most of my weekend at dance rehearsal, as I performed in […]
MoreI am so excited to share the latest read from Blanche’s Book Club with you all! I’ll preface this by saying that the month of October was SO, so busy that sometimes reading felt like a chore to me, and that is a feeling I hate. But, after this weekend, my schedule is clearing up […]
MoreNo, I did not see “Hamilton”, and no, I do not have tickets. But what I DO have is loads of inspiration after watching “Hamilton’s America” on PBS (which you can stream thru 11/18) last weekend. I’ll preface the rest of this by saying that I was not immediately sold on “Hamilton”. I thought it […]
MoreHola! Here we are, back at it again! This weekend was exactly what I needed: beautiful weather, semi-productive activities, and lots of back porch relaxin’ and couch potato sittin’ – watching loads of TV. And that includes my Sunday night faves: “Divorce” and “Insecure” on HBO. I usually talk “Divorce” first, simply because it comes […]
MoreI know I say this every Friday, but seriously, this time I mean it: I’m SO glad I’ve made it to Friday! Between my blog class, the film festival, prepping for the dance showcase next weekend, and general business at the office, it has been a CRAZY month that has not allowed much time for […]
MoreIt should come as no surprise that I’m still obsessively listening to podcasts, particularly during my 9-5 M-F gig. This last month, I’ve really been crazy about some of these – thinking about them even after the podcast is over. It’s a little insane, but I just love hearing all of these stories. Here’s what […]
MoreFact: the weekend went by way too fast. I looked around for cars, fell in love with one, but am still tying up a few loose ends on it. Making adult decisions is really exhausting. I also finished reading a book, started another one, did my laundry, hit up a sale at Ulta, and got […]
MoreOh my God… was this week the longest week for anyone else besides me? I felt like every morning I woke up I said, “Ugh, it’s only Tuesday?” or “Ugh, it’s only Wednesday?”, and so forth. But alas, Friday is here, and I’m trying to psych myself up to spend my Saturday looking for and […]
MoreToday concludes the 23rd annual Austin Film Festival – an event I honestly never pictured myself being a part of, but this year, I was! Let me explain. I know I’ve mentioned that I have had a recent interest (turned to minor obsession) in screenwriting, and back in May of this year, one of the […]
MoreA few weeks ago, “CBS News Sunday Morning” aired a feature on Wendy Williams. Yes, I know, Wendy Williams probably isn’t the person you think of when I mentioned daytime television. It is my impression that to Hollywood, and perhaps the general public, Ms. Williams is to the TV world what tabloids are to news […]
MoreI know I’ve mentioned my dabbling in essential oils over the last few years. A dear friend gave me a starter kit and a diffuser for Christmas in 2014 and I’ve been hooked ever since. Aside from smelling great, essential oils have proven to be fantastic for my health. I’ve used various oils and blends […]
MoreIs anyone watching HBO on Sunday nights? Because it’s pretty much the best way to beat the Sunday blues – aside from straight up calling in sick on Monday, of course. Honestly, I had a fantastic weekend, but more on that another day, because I want to recap last night’s episode of “Divorce” and “Insecure”. […]
MoreWhew! Another crazy week is in the books, y’all – and I’m exhausted! I’ve got a semi-busy weekend ahead at the Austin Film Festival, but am looking forward to some quality time on the couch and perhaps a movie. I have a decent stack of books I’ve been wanting to read, so maybe I can […]
MoreI’ve been searching for the perfect pair of destroyed denim for MONTHS. Let’s face facts – 90’s fashion is back in the form of loose, flannel shirts; graphic tees, and destroyed denim so ripped, it puts Abercrombie to shame. And I LOVE it. But, when I started shopping around for said denim, I found that […]
MoreI read “The Girl on the Train” a few months ago, and I just loved it (read my full review here) – and I was counting down the days until the movie adaptation made its way to theaters. But, I’ll also admit I was a little bit scared. It’s no secret that this story is […]
MoreI can’t believe it’s already the season finale of “Chesapeake Shores”! After last week’s episode (starring Abby and Trace’s hot little date), I was curious to see how things were going to wrap up. And the episode started right off with a kiss between the two of them – yeeee! Abby’s dad made his flight […]
MoreI “read” the latest book club selection, “A Girl’s Guide to Moving On“, by way of audiobook; and I’ll say that I’m pretty picky about audiobooks – I have to enjoy the voice(s) of the reader(s) and it’s got to keep my interest, and this one is a goodie! I’d never heard of author Debbie […]
MoreY’all, next week is the finale – I can’t believe it! I’ve heard rumors that this show isn’t coming back, but I hope they’re wrong, because I’ve really enjoyed watching it. But anyway, last night’s episode started off full of family drama. Everyone is stressed out and it’s obvious. Kevin seems to be recovering from […]
MoreI’m still coming off the summer reads, and at times I feel like by the time I get around to my “fall” reading, it’ll be winter! Oh well – it’s Friday, and that’s basically all that’s on my mind… My latest read is “Modern Lovers” by Emma Straub, who you may recognize from her very […]
MoreA few weeks ago, I took a 10-hour road trip (that’s 10-hours each way, which ended up being a good bit longer, but whatevs). I had to rent a car for my trip, because, well Jeep sucks (a story for another day), and about five minutes after I picked up the rental SUV, I realized […]
MoreA few weeks ago, I was telling a guy friend about a semi-talking-dating-ish thing that was happening to me, and that I just wasn’t feeling it, but I wasn’t sure why other than just sheer mental exhaustion due to the fact that it’s constantly a game of hot and cold with the guy in question. […]
MoreAt the start of the episode, it appears there’s a new guy in town and he doesn’t know what a “Lending Library” is, so there’s that. He’s chatting it up with Abby’s sister, and although doesn’t give his name, he says he cooks at Sally’s (the neighborhood spot). Back at the house, Connor throws Abby’s […]
MoreWahoooo! It’s Friiiiday! That first week back to work after a relaxing week off is sure a doozy, but I made it – my fellow vacationers made it, and I’m so ready for an awesome weekend ahead. I have still been reading a ton, and am really relishing my time spent at the library (I […]
MoreAt approximately 10:21 am today, the fall season will officially be upon us. So, you can all stop saying it’s too early for pumpkin-spice everything, and Halloween decor. Because it’s not, fall is HERE! In my house, the arrival of fall signifies a fresh start, and it also means turning off the AC and dragging […]
MoreAfter crafting, what I would consider to be, a pretty robust Fall Reading Guide, I knew I couldn’t just sit here and act like I’m sitting around the apartment reading all the time. You know I LOVE watching TV! While the summer was packed with some fantastic reality seasons, I’m proud to say that scripted […]
MoreHelllooo! I’m not sure if any of my readers are keeping up with “Chesapeake Shores”, but I’m really enjoying this series. I wasn’t able to watch last Sunday’s episode on time (I had my toes in the sand), but don’t worry, I’ve got the recap right here! Episode 5 Remember, we left off with two […]
MoreThis was my first book I put on reserve at the library! I felt like it was cheating to do that, so I refrained, but week after week, this book was checked out and it was starting to do two things: 1. Make me think the book was really good, and 2. piss me off. […]
MoreI have always wanted to read certain types of books during particular times of the year, and I’m sure to some degree, we all do it without realizing it: reading light, marshmellow books in the summer, and heaver, darker books in the winter. But I’ve never paid attention to reading guides or actually planned to […]
MoreThe previews from this week’s episode looked emotional, and within the first few minutes of it, the family gets a call from their son, Kevin, who is deployed, and he tells them it’s going to be his last deployment. His phone cuts out when he tries to explain why, although the family is relieved. Abby […]
MoreTruth be told, my interest in author Jennifer Weiner piqued when I saw her on an episode of “Rich Kids of Beverly Hills”. I’ve read one of her books before (Best Friends Forever) and absolutely loved it, and even bought another one (The Guy Not Taken) but haven’t read it yet. Why hadn’t I added […]
MoreYes, my addiction to “Nurse Jackie” is still in full swing, but I’m trying to ration myself, given all of the books I’ve been reading, and the growing list of TV series that are either on television or at the library – I recently discovered the library has all seasons of “Designing Women“, “Murder She […]
MoreA few months ago, I was invited to be a +1 at a fall wedding. I quickly said yes, as it was a guy I really liked, and I also realized that I’ve never been asked to be a serious +1. Sure, I’ve gone with girlfriends and guy friends, but never as a real date. […]
MoreLast night, there was a fresh episode of “Chesapeake Shores”, plus the VMAs – so I made tacos for the occasion (beef and bean with hatch chili cheese), and prickly pear margaritas. It was a nice little Sunday night. Episode 3 of “Chesapeake Shores” picked up right where last week left us – with Abby […]
MoreAs nerdy as it sounds, my weekly trips to the library continue to impress me. Last weekend, I was searching through the DVDs looking for season 3 of “Girls” – the only season that U-Verse On Demand refuses to show, but I successfully found it (and watched it), and then I just started wandering to […]
MoreHappy Humpday! Blanche’s Book Club chose the latest read at random, among the shelves in the library. I really did sort of stumble up on it, thought the title was cool, and then saw a quote of praise on the back from Michael Perry, author of “Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren At A […]
MoreNothing like a good little show to sit down to on a Sunday night, right? After last week’s drama-filled premier, this week has something to live up to. At the start of the episode, the kids of the family are sitting around a campfire (soooo dreamy), as they are recovering after their mom/grandma fell (last […]
MoreHappy Friday! It should come as no shock that I’m still deep in podcast land; listening to as many episodes as possible to make it through my days in a cubicle. Thanks to other podcast listeners, and just general digging, I’ve managed to find some new (new to me) shows to keep me occupied when […]
MoreI don’t think I’ve been as vocal on the blog about just how much I love the Hallmark Channel, but it’s true! I love watching their marathons of “The Golden Girls”, adore their easy-going original movies (I have actually started working on a script to pitch their way), and mark my calendar when they strike […]
MoreSo, if you haven’t heard – which, if you got The Bitter Lemon email newsletter, you would have heard already – I am having a 90’s celebration on Saturday (tomorrow!), right on SnapChat! There’s going to be many, many movies, even festive food, possibly terrible fashion and makeup, 90’s music, trivia, and general reminiscing about […]
MoreThe latest read for Blanche’s Book Club is for all the true-crime lovers out there! I saw this book on a reading blog I have liked for years, and I added it to my list. I love true crime books, but I have to be in the mood to read them, and frankly, this has […]
MoreI’ve been thinking a lot about disappointment lately. I mean, do you ever get to that point where you’re just not even feeling mad, more just let down? Disappointment can come from anywhere. Speaking from experience, I’d say recently I felt disappointment when I couldn’t make it to Indianapolis to see the Dave Matthews concert; […]
MoreI’m writing this as I watch gymnastics, and even though it hasn’t been on very long, there’s already drama with the harsh scoring. Let me back this up. Okay, so Friday night was the opening ceremony, and I have watched them before, but for some reason I always forget how long they are. As in, […]
MoreIt’s official: the 2016 Olympic games are here and the opening ceremony airs tonight! I’m really excited to see how things turn out in Rio, and am looking forward to checking out some sports I’ve never paid much attention to before. But of course, I’ll be looking out for the attractive athletes while I’m at […]
MoreI’ll say this right now, I am not a big fan of just going to the library, getting lost among the stacks, and stumbling upon books I want to read. For years, I have kept a reading list of books I want to read – and it’s only gotten more intense over the last 6 […]
MoreWhew! Last night was INSANE in terms of TV to watch: there was the 10th Anniversary of “The Hills”, celebrated by an MTV Special, “That was Then, This is Now”, followed by the season finale of “Famously Single”, and don’t even get me started on Part 1 of the reunion for “Shahs of Sunset”! But, […]
MoreYou’ve probably already heard the news: Lauren Conrad is coming back for the 10th Anniversary of “The Hills” and it airs on MTV TO-NIGHT!! If you’re just now learning this news, then I’m welcoming you to the world of the countdown for this thing to start. I really cannot freaking wait! I’m not ashamed to […]
MoreI’ve adopted a new rule: from now on, I’m only seeing movies that star Zac Efron. If that means my movie life will be dwindled to frat boy flicks and rom-coms, then so be it! So, I had “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates” on my to-see list for a while; truthfully, it was my […]
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