Main Events:
For me, November is historically a powerful month of life-changing events. This November was no exception, and this time the event is positive: I’m leaving my job of 16 years to take another paralegal position at another large company here in Memphis! This decision had many factors, but they all boil down to Needing A Change. I started as a temp here when I was 21 years old. Many of my co-workers are living out their entire careers here, but while that’s impressive, it’s not what I want for myself. Like the nautilus tattooed on my heel, I need to move into a new chamber with room to grow. I need to have an adventure and learn new things, and I’m excited and hopeful about this opportunity! I’m also thankful to be taking a short break before I start my new gig in mid-December. I might have more reflections about all this at a later date. Tomorrow is my last day, and I feel a little like I’m about to graduate from high school.
Taylor’s birthday fell on a Saturday. We watched the Tigers clinch the conference division in the afternoon, and got lower level seats for Grizzlies vs. Rockets in the evening, so it was a good day and I was happy to spend it with him. ♥ (The Tigers finished the season 10-1 and play for the conference championship, and probably the Peach Bowl, on Saturday! I NEVER thought Tiger football would become the lone success and stability in Memphis sports, but here we are.)
For the first time in about a decade, my whole family was together for Thanksgiving, at my brother and SIL’s beautiful home in Arkansas. We’ve added some people since our last family photos, so we took advantage of the opportunity for a portrait session!
We also took advantage of the togetherness by throwing my parents a surprise vow renewal! Their 40th anniversary was last December, and they’d talked about celebrating with a vow renewal, but never got around to it. Several weeks ago, I was telling my sister about going to Taylor’s parents’ 40th anniversary dinner (what are the odds of two sets of parents married this long?) and mentioned they’d had a vow renewal. We decided it was dumb that our parents never had one, and within 48 hours, Debra had coordinated the whole thing. We told my parents about it after Thanksgiving dinner and had the little ceremony the following afternoon. Debra had ordered a dress for our mom that fit perfectly, Kevin had gotten my dad to bring a suit, and everyone had a role in the ceremony. The weather and the river location were beautiful. It was pretty great, and they were very happy. I know how lucky I am to have such an example.
Reading:
Most of my reading took place at the beginning of the month, so the November count is better than I thought. These books were all moderately enjoyable. I’m excited that a biographical novel of L.M. Montgomery exists, but wow, did she have a harsh life (like many women of her time). And this story only goes up to her late teens.
Watching:
My favorite current show, The Mindy Project, ended this month. I wasn’t ready for it to be over, but it was a good ending with some satisfying plot bookends. I love Mindy Kaling and can’t wait to see what she does next.
Around Town:
Taylor and I attended an Indie Memphis screening of short films about the female Grizzlies fan experience. It was cool!
My mom and Ashley joined me for one of my favorite annual traditions, Nut ReMix starring Memphis native Lil Buck. PS, Ashley moved into my neighborhood this month, close enough to walk between our houses!! GOOD TIMES AHEAD.
I run the St. Jude half-marathon on Saturday! As I’ve said throughout my training, I’d love to PR this race, but I’m not pinning much on it. My current half PR is a 12:16 mile, and all my long runs so far have been around 12:45 (ugh). But I’ve been flying on my short runs. Either way, I fought hard for this one and will be proud of myself. And it’s all for the kids.
Fall has come late to Memphis, and I find a new showstopping tree every day. I had to pull over to look at this one!
(Wish I Was) Wearing:
Last Christmas I loved this holly dress from eShakti (left), but decided it was too indulgent to spend $50 on a dress I could only wear in December. I’ve had a year to regret that decision and now it’s no longer available. If anyone sees something similar, please alert me. Randomly, clockwise, some other dresses I would love to be wearing this holiday season: J. Crew // Target // Free People // Banana Republic
Your Monthly Rufus:
My friend Kelsey gave me this cat bed that her cat had lost interest in. Rufus loves it!
Quote of the Month:
Center Stage FTW. Always.
On The Blog:
I participated in Laura Tremaine’s #OneWordHH for the fifth year!
Good Reads:
♥ Bailey Steger: The Truth About Spiritual Compatibility
♥ Brianne Kohl at Catapult: Men Stop Me Running
♥ Mary Laura Philpott in the Paris Review: The Case for Seasonal Sentimentality
♥ Gabrielle Moss at Bustle: I Tried To Become A Psychic & It Was More Revealing Than Therapy
♥ Hannah Brencher: Single For the Season
♥ Heather Caliri at She Loves: I Hated My Church’s Small Groups. And Then I Returned.
♥ Kelle Hampton: Let’s Talk About Drinking: Alcohol Mindfulness
♥ Jody Casella: Dispatches From a Broken World
♥ Kelly Delp: We Said It Enough
2 Comments + Posted in: announcement, what i'm into
Every November, Laura Tremaine hosts a linkup called One Day, in which everyone posts the minutiae of their day, the stuff that normally goes undocumented. I’ve learned that these are the kinds of things you look back on and see how much in your life has changed (or not). While One Day is meant to happen on Instagram throughout the day, I prefer to post it all here as a photoessay!
Past years: 2013 // 2014 // 2015 // 2016
Thursday, November 9, 2017
6:15 am: My radio alarm goes off (for the second time) as Kesha’s “Praying” is starting. I love that song, so I let it run, then turn the light on and commence my morning phone check. After about a week of gloom, today is supposed to be sunny! Rufus leaves the laundry basket he’s been sleeping in and joins me for cuddles. I suddenly remember today is One Day and snap some pics before getting out of bed.
6:45 am: I start the coffee and am happy to see the sunlight for myself! (But not happy to keep seeing these piles of landscaping rocks that I excavated from my patio beds. I have nowhere to take them and have listed them for free in several online groups, but no one is willing to pick them up on nights or weekends. ?)
7:20 am: Hurriedly putting my face on. This is the Makeup Revolution Salted Caramel palette. I like it a lot. Oh and here are my current everyday hair products. A fellow curlyheaded friend recently asked about my routine, and after I told her (over multiple texts), her response was, “Oh wow.” LOL.
7:40 am: My breakfast on weekdays is a pack of BelVita breakfast biscuits eaten in the car. I’m NOT a morning person and am always struggling to get out the door. I think about how when I was a kid, I instinctively got up earlier than necessary to allow for a slow ease into the day. I need to figure out how to do that as an adult. Having a real breakfast would be nice.
8:05 am: In the office, plugged up and ready to go. I looooooove my widescreen monitor. Most of my co-workers have two monitors, but that confuses me. On this one I can see two pages side-by-side and that’s good enough for me.
9:35 am: Current lock screen.
10:00 am: Switch from coffee to Crystal Light. This Java Sok is one of the most useful things I’ve ever bought. I was tired of my cups “sweating” everywhere and found a cozy large enough for a standard drink cup. Also, I bring my old-man pill sorter to work when I’m running too late to take them at home. Current dailies: women’s multivitamin, fish oil, evening primrose oil, St. John’s Wort, and Allegra. Plus a probiotic that has to be refrigerated (ladies, I highly recommend it).
11:35 am: Since I can’t take pictures of my actual work, here’s the other side of my cubicle. My morning has consisted of problematic e-mail issues, transaction research, and explaining the same things to the same clients multiple times. In other words… Thursday.
12:25 pm: Outfit of the day: Uniqlo long-sleeved tee, Delia’s Morgan skinny jeans, favorite over-the-knee suede boots, Hilton Hollis silk scarf that I won in a raffle a few months ago. Pose by emoji.
12:40 pm: I’ve been doing twice-a-week lunchtime workouts at my company’s fitness room (or, as I call it, the exercise closet) for over ten years. I prefer the AMT machine (most efficient calorie burn) and I always watch How I Met Your Mother reruns, unless it’s an episode I’ve seen too often.
1:20 pm: THE SAGA (of my lunch) BEGINS. I go back to my building and eagerly heat up my Healthy Choice meal, only to drop it on the floor when the steam scalds me. The plastic seal inexplicably flies off and my lunch is ruined. Luckily for me, we’re having Food Truck Thursday today…
1:30 pm: After cleaning up the mess, I rush out to the food trucks and attempt to order tacos, but am told they don’t take cards. Just as I’m on the verge of hangry tears, she says the Merge Memphis Eats & Treats truck takes cards and still has food. I get a Turkey Bacon Ranch grilled cheese, inhale it in five minutes, and all is well again.
The sandwich was supposed to be more in the picture, but I was afraid I’d drop it too.
2:05 pm: One of our high-ranking lawyers is in town and has brought Muddy’s cupcakes! I get a Tomboy (chocolate with peanut butter frosting). I also go next door for my favorite drink from our free magical Coke machine.
2:30 pm: Another view of my cubicle. Meanwhile, my friend Ashley notifies our group text that she just closed on her first house! She’ll be living only a few blocks away. I’m very excited!! ♥
3:00 pm: Annual one-on-one meeting with our visiting attorney.
4:30 pm: News breaks that over SEVEN YEARS after his murder, police have found the gun that killed former Tiger and Grizzly Lorenzen Wright. For various reasons I have unusually strong feelings around his case, so to me this is huge. Hoping for answers and justice for his family.
5:05 pm: I’ve left work via these scary stairs for sixteen years and haven’t fallen down them yet. Knock on wood.
5:10 pm: My low tire pressure light is on AGAIN. One of the tires gets low almost weekly. I had to buy an air compressor. My dad, my boyfriend Taylor, and I have all inspected the tire and don’t see anything wrong. Yes I’m listening to Moana on the way home. This is pretty much my 2017 anthem.
5:25 pm: Taylor calls to talk about our days. I often go to trivia on Thursday nights, and sometimes he comes with me, but tonight I have to run and he has more work to do.
6:15 pm: Three weeks left until the St. Jude half-marathon. I already did my long-short run on Tuesday, so I only have to do four miles tonight. Running in the dark in Midtown without falling OR getting hit by a car requires a lot of gear. (I still trip and almost fall twice on this run.) Instead of my main running playlist that has almost 400 songs, I indulge in my Essential Running playlist with only my favorites on it, and am rewarded.
6:30 pm: I vary my routes as much as possible, but I love running past the House of Mews! Usually the cats are all in baskets in the window, but tonight they’re further inside, so I go to the door to snap a quick pic.
7:05 pm: I have run the first sub-11-minute mile of my life, and almost made it to two!!! On my last downhill I also saw that I was briefly sub-10. I FEEL AMAZING.
7:40 pm: After my shower, I hear Rufus meowing but can’t find him. I remember I put my hat away in the coat closet and check there. He flies out. Cats. Go fig.
7:45 pm: This flyer was on my front door essentially notifying me that my electric bill is going to go up. Whatever, time to cook! I decide to throw together a hash of sorts. I cook some ground venison (provided by my dad and brother), throw in some spinach and frozen roasted potatoes, and add chopped parsley and some Parmesan cheese. There, I gave you a recipe in under a thousand words, proving that I’m not meant to be a food blogger.
8:00 pm: I know it’s So Bad For You to eat dinner this late, but when I’m training, there’s not much I can do about it. As I chow down I read this week’s EW, seen on my nightstand earlier. CANNOT WAIT for I, Tonya. I was at the perfect age to be transfixed when the Tonya/Nancy feud happened. There were lots of leftover cupcakes at work, so of course I brought one home. It’s an excellent, clove-heavy carrot cake.
9:00 pm: Putting away some laundry while watching this week’s Mindy Project. This has been my favorite current show for years, supplanted only recently by This Is Us. Next week is the finale and I am NOT READY. I’m also enjoying some Honey Clementine votives. Taylor used to work for Yankee Candle and is very generous with his supply.
9:30 pm: I’ve completely redone my guest room/office since last year’s One Day, so here’s a pic of my IKEA Hemnes bookcases, and the corner of my desk. This is only a fraction of my library, mostly my childhood and teenage books.
9:45 pm: Feeling much less amazing now. Compression socks on, feet up, purr therapy applied.
10:15 pm: Channel 3 with the truly breaking and up-to-the-minute news. I’m pretty loyal to Channel 5, but they’re showing Thursday Night Football right now. Time for the evening beauty routine. I put the Mederma on acne scars and any other scars that are currently bugging me. It really works.
10:35 pm: My Jimmy Fallon love is well-documented and I still watch him sometimes, but these days I’m turning to Colbert to recap WTH happened today and help me laugh about it.
10:45 pm: I can no longer keep my eyes open. Good night!
1 Comment + Posted in: life lately, linkup
Main Events:
It’s an exciting time to be a Memphis sports fan! Tiger football is 7-1 and on track to play in (and possibly host!) the conference championship and then a good bowl. The “rebuilding year” Grizzlies are currently 5-2 and first in the Western Conference. Taylor’s family has season tickets and I’m really enjoying tagging along. Memphis Vs. Errrbody.
St. Jude training continues (if you’re not already running or supporting another runner, please consider donating!). For my other two half-marathons, I counted back from race day and added a mile per week to my long run. This time I’m trying a Runkeeper plan that jumps around in mileage and allows for shorter short runs, usually four or five miles (I used to do six-plus). Even on a good day, I’m still slower than I was last year and have more aches and pains, so I’ve given up on a PR and just want to finish well. Maybe I’ll get my fire back some other time. Anyway, I also did a 5K for Operation Broken Silence, a local organization I support that helps Sudanese refugees.
I attended our paralegal association’s annual fall seminar and got a full day of CLE hours. The presentations were really interesting, and I loved working downtown for the day.
Oh and I’m Brenda S. Pumpkins today. ANY QUESTIONS?!?
Reading:
My sister’s BFF hired me to edit her 270-page manuscript! I told myself I couldn’t read anything substantial until I finished the job, so the only book I read in October was this short collection of Ask Polly columns by Heather Havrilesky. I love her.
Watching:
After months of uncertainty about whether I could handle it, I finally started The Handmaid’s Tale and am taking it a couple of episodes at a time. It deserves all the awards it’s won, and I always turn it off with renewed gratitude to be a free woman who can take care of herself. I’m also looking forward to starting season 2 of Stranger Things ASAP!
Around Town:
I hadn’t been to a Wiseacre tasting tour in a while, but most of our old gang reconvened for a Witches’ Brew event with an exclusive candy apple beer that I went CRAZY over. Dangerous. We learned how all the accoutrements historically attributed to witches were actually used to make and sell beer, because until the 1500s, brewers were women. Currently there are only four female craft brewer CEOs in America. Let’s get on it, ladies.
We had church at Levitt Shell last week, followed by a chili cookoff and pie cookoff. I contributed black bottom oatmeal pie, chosen at random from my Pinterest desserts board. It turned out okay, but pie isn’t my area of expertise.
At Home:
It took me at least a month to figure out and execute this plant wall in my dining room, but it came together piece by piece. These are 75-cent plastic pots from IKEA, painted with metallic craft paint via sponge brush, filled with plants a woman was selling out of her yard near the Liberty Bowl, hung on hooks drilled into the wall. Originally I planned to hang the pots on a metal grid like so, but when the grid arrived, the squares were too small and I decided I didn’t like the look anyway. The plants get a couple of hours of direct sun in this spot, so fingers crossed that they do okay. Otherwise I’ll have to patch a lot of holes.
I also bought some cheap shelf units from IKEA and started working on the closets in my guest room/office, which have been a jumbled mess since I moved in over two years ago. I’m not finished but can already find things more easily.
Making:
This fall tree scene is my favorite painting I’ve ever done at one of those painting-and-wine places. We also played a game where you painted a house on a paper plate on top of your head, and I was pretty impressed with myself.
Wearing:
Before this month, I think the fanciest purse I’d ever purchased was my last one, from Kohl’s. I loved it and wore it out for a year and a half. But, realizing it and all my secondhand purses were falling apart, I splurged on a brand new Fossil Emma Satchel and Fossil wallet. I’m still excited about it!
I’m going through a weird body phase (please let it be a phase) and have been struggling to find jeans that fit. I was not expecting Levi’s Denizen jeans at Target to be my salvation, but I now have two pairs and might go back for another. Definitely worth a try if you’re a pear or hourglass.
A while back I ordered a Sseko Brave Bracelet, but couldn’t get the charms into the center where they belonged. A co-worker who makes jewelry took care of it for me in minutes and now I can wear it happily. These charms stand for Bravery, Generosity, and Perseverance.
Random Happiness:
My department at work had a really nice dinner at The Kitchen to celebrate my former boss’s 50th (not a typo, FIVE OH) anniversary at the company. She’s fighting liver cancer and is doing great, well enough to come to the party. We’re all thankful for her.
It was finally cool enough to get that First PSL! (On the same day, while working on my closet reorganization, with the cup still on my desk, I printed a label “Ribbons” with my label maker and suddenly felt like the most basic white girl ever.)
At work I’m the department representative on our “thrive committee.” I proposed a quiet area where people can meditate, pray, or collect themselves alone for a few minutes – it was something I wanted for myself! Surprisingly everyone liked the idea and we had it set up within a few days.
All of a sudden I’m very into hippos, particularly our zoo’s Winnie and the famous Baby Fiona. They just make me happy. Fiona photobombed a couple’s engagement this month. ♥
Your Monthly Rufus:
Rufus is mostly an indoor cat, but most days I supervise him roaming outside for a few minutes. There are three outdoor cats in my complex. Last week one of them saw Rufus on the patio and ran across the parking lot to my gate, where they stared at each other for ten minutes before a car startled the other cat away. Stay tuned for the next episode of Real Housecats of Central Gardens.
Pinterest Quote of the Month:
Good Reads:
Lots of heavy and long pieces here, but we’re living in heavy times.
♥ Tara Bender: OK Being the Moon
♥ Rachel Monroe in the New Yorker: How Essential Oils Became the Cure for Our Age of Anxiety
♥ Maureen Ryan in Variety: A TV Executive Sexually Assaulted Me: A Critic’s Personal Story
♥ Constance Grady at Vox: The YA dystopia boom is over. It’s been replaced by stories of teen suicide.
♥ Lindsey Coates: The Economy of Fear
♥ Jim Wright: The Myth of Judeo-Christian Values
♥ Michael Frost at Missio Alliance: A Christian Male Response to #MeToo: Smash the Patriarchy
♥ Avital Norman Nathman at Grok Nation: Is being childfree really the “selfish” choice many think?
♥ Alana Massey at Longreads: How to Replace a Ghost
6 Comments + Posted in: what i'm into
Main Events:
I waited all summer for some beach time, and finally got it over Labor Day weekend when Taylor and I went to Orange Beach! We spent several days alternately staring at the ocean and enjoying great food. I bought a straw fedora and didn’t want to take it off. It was just the break we both needed.
We also went on a dolphin cruise that exceeded my expectations. After we spotted a dolphin, the captain said we were going to pull alongside another boat to create a wake for the dolphin to play in. I gave him some side-eye because I’d never seen this before and he was talking like he and the dolphin had a business agreement. But it leaped and jumped and gave us a great show, just like he said! Later we came upon THREE dolphins and they did the same thing. I was enthralled. ♥ (Full disclosure, that run ended when some hothead from a nearby jetski group decided to try to jump the wake and almost landed on one of the dolphins. As far as I could tell, they were all okay, but it was an upsetting end to an otherwise great experience.)
Mid-month, I went to Nashville for the sold-out Hanson Middle of Everywhere tour at the Wildhorse with my sister, and Bethany, who flew in from Jacksonville. I’ve been an unashamed Hanson fan for most of my life, and this was my fifth show (at least – I feel like I’m forgetting one) and second with Bethany! Somehow Debra had never seen them live, and I assured her there is nothing like being in a packed house of women in their 30s people who love Hanson and know every word. She had a blast and is now catching up on the last 17 years of their discography.
When I saw that I would be in Nashville the same weekend as Yoga With Adriene, I bought a ticket to her morning session immediately. It was enough for me to do yoga in the same room with her, but I actually had a couple of minor breakthroughs in my practice during the class. I’m so thankful I got to go. After, Bethany and I had an excellent late brunch at Biscuit Love and did a little thrift shopping before I headed back to Memphis.
Lingering heat continues to impede my running progress, but I’m slogging along three days a week. I was excited to run one of my favorite races, the Cooper-Young 4-Miler, and felt better than I did last year. When I bought new shoes this month, I decided to switch from my usual Asics to these more supportive-feeling Sauconys. I’m glad I didn’t wait to do so, because adjusting to a new style of shoe has set me back even more. Just over two months to go. I had a goal to cut ten minutes off my St. Jude time this year, but as of now I’m like HA HA LET’S JUST MAKE IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
Reading:
I’ve eliminated “should” reading for the time being and am only picking up books that really engage and/or relax me. In September, that translated into a lot of cozy mystery, the latest Shadowhunters novel, and a unique love story (which is not, I discovered, a retelling of Beauty and the Beast).
Listening:
Demi Lovato’s latest burn and Macklemore’s “Glorious” have been my favorite running jams this month. You can listen to my 2017 playlist so far on Spotify (I’ve been adding to it all year, but keep forgetting to link to it)!
Around Town:
Tiger football is back! The Tigers played their first game in the remnants of Hurricane Harvey (we had great intentions of going and toughing it out, but ultimately did not attend), then landed in Orlando to play UCF moments before the game was canceled due to Hurricane Irma. But we’ve since beaten UCLA and SIU at home, and it’s great to be back on Tiger Lane.
My mom and I were excited about our second Central Gardens Home Tour! This year there was an interesting mix of truly historic and updated homes. (I also scored a new book about neighborhood history and talked to the author!)
The Redbirds won the Pacific Coast League Championship! Taylor, Brandi, and I went to one of the playoff games. I haven’t been to the Shell much lately, but I saw Brian Owens & The Deacons of Soul with my mom and Ashley, and they were fantastic.
At Home:
For over a decade, I’ve stored sugar in a standard round ceramic canister, consistently spilling it everywhere when I make iced tea several times a week. Well, it finally occurred to me to purchase a container designed to store and dispense sugar. GAME CHANGED for less than $15. I’m not so much with the spatial awareness.
Cooking/Eating:
We just got a new Hawaiian place, Ono Poke. I had lunch there with Dianne and it was DELICIOUS. More proof that Hawaii may be my heart’s true home.
I made some almond jam bars for our Tiger breakfast tailgate, and they were ridiculously good. The pumpkin oat bars I also brought came in a distant second.
I organized this month’s Supper Club – just a casual dinner at Mardi Gras, a Cajun place I had noticed near Crosstown. We all really enjoyed it, the staff was very hospitable, and the bread pudding is legit (though I took a picture of my shrimp and oysters instead.)
In an attempt to eat well and not gain weight this training cycle, I ordered a Runner’s World cookbook. It’s categorized by when the food is best to eat (pre-run, recovery, etc). I’m looking forward to trying more of the recipes.
Beauty:
I really went for it when placing my annual Makeup Revolution order (the prices are great, but shipping from England will kill you). I got the Salted Caramel palette I’d been eyeing forever, plus a few Freedom palettes (this is my favorite so far), a blush, and a couple of lip products. I also scored a free NYX Happy Birthday Palette from Ulta and was pleasantly surprised by the quality!
Random Happiness:
I’m thankful to go to a church that makes declarations like these. We had a seventh-birthday service at Playhouse on the Square this month (we normally meet in a school auditorium), and it was a great time. In related news, after being the coffee hospitality person at church for two and a half years, I’ve handed over the reins to the hospitality team. I’m not even trying to hide how happy I am about this. I took over the job shortly after becoming a member at Christ City, so I never got to experience much of attending as a regular person, or even NOT GOING sometimes when I needed a break. I recently joined the (very low-key) prayer team, and am looking forward to participating in that and otherwise chilling out for a while. Shoutout to my friends Stacey and Katie for being my faithful subs and pushing the issue with leadership to get me some relief.
Your Monthly Rufus:
Targeted advertising is getting a little scary.
BONUS CUTENESS:
Quote of the Month:
From an old Captain Awkward post that I found at just the right moment.
My Writing:
I wrote about running tips and resources for Hills and Harvest, and shared Memphis travel recommendations at the Hilton Suggests blog.
Good Reads:
♥ Katee Forbis: Tony Allen Forever.
♥ Abby Norman: I wasn’t anxious at the Apple Orchard: On coping with high functioning depression.
♥ Laura Jean Truman: Bonfire Night
♥ I’ve so appreciated Perfect Number’s posts leading up to her wedding, and this one gave me the most thoughts and feels: I Told Them We Already Live Like We’re Married
♥ Beth Woolsey: How I Became a Heretic (or How the Evangelical, Conservative Church Lost Me)
♥ Anastasia Basil at Think Progress: Ketchup sandwiches and other things stupid-poor people eat
4 Comments + Posted in: what i'm into
[photo credit: Taylor Clay]
Main Events:
I officially entered my late 30s this month, but lots of fun and love distracted me from that alarming fact. My parents kicked it off early by taking me to the James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt concert. I’d seen both of them before, but their long history together made for a special experience! On my actual birthday, Taylor took me to dinner at the Majestic and to our usual Wednesday-night British Bingo (I didn’t win, but we cleaned up the following week). Birthday week closed out with a party at Railgarten that included a lot of friends I hadn’t seen in a long time!
Taylor and I went to Nashville on August 21 to witness the eclipse with my sister and her family. It was my first total solar eclipse, and totally worth what we went through to be there (let’s just say I’m never doing Airbnb again). The difference between a 99% and 100% eclipse is greater than I could have imagined – Lindsay Ferrier described the experience well. I didn’t take any pictures during the eclipse because I wanted to be fully present, but we got lots of fun pics while we waited!
Reading:
I can’t resist essay memoirs by witty actresses, and Gabourey Sidibe’s is a great addition to the list. Her story is compelling, and now that she’s helpfully pointed out her name rhymes with cabaret, I will never mess it up again.
The Themis Files series (Waking Gods is #2) is like The Sparrow‘s more lighthearted, scientific cousin – aliens, adventure, existential questions, exploring the concept of family. I love these books and can’t wait for the third next year.
Watching:
On a whim I went to see Ingrid Goes West by myself this week. It was weird and often uncomfortable to watch, but that’s only because the themes are so real. Also, O’Shea Jackson Jr. is adorable.
Celebrating:
My friend Stacey married her longtime love Ben at Lichterman Nature Center, with the best weather you could ask for in Memphis in August. I’m so happy for her and happy to be a witness to their story from the beginning to the new beginning!
“Celebrating” isn’t really the right word for this, but it was a thing: I had a fairly bland tweet go viral (by my standards – over 3000 likes) and get quoted in the Washington Post!! Within about a 48-hour period, I learned a lot about the randomness of “fame” (again, compared to my usual life) and got many opportunities to think and build resilience. :P
Around Town:
Crosstown Concourse started its new life after sitting vacant for 25 years. As I walked around the grand opening, I got unexpectedly emotional about the scope of what’s been achieved because a few people believed it was possible. It did my heart good to see Memphians of all ages and races enjoying Crosstown together. For a minute I felt like if our city can bring this building back from the dead, together we can do anything. I’ve felt a pull toward this place since the revitalization was announced. My rare feelings of destiny are historically pretty accurate, so we’ll see what role it ends up playing in my life. ♥
These murals downtown are made of cut-up street signs. Recycling win.
Seen on the way to Nashville – we should have known then there was a T-Swift disturbance in the force.
At Home:
I officially started training for my second St. Jude half-marathon on December 2. I stopped running seriously after the last St. Jude, so I’m basically starting over, but am feeling more encouraged by the day. I’ve never tried an interval or speed plan before, but am interested in something to help increase my overall pace. It’s still early enough to make some progress. If you know of an easy-to-use app with good cueing, hit me up!
I got an IKEA frame for my signed Grizzlies shirt, jazzed up the mat with a little watercolor, and hung it in a place of honor. Still miss you, ZBo.
This $3 celosia makes me happy. It looks like fuzzy, fuschia coral.
I love the pattern of my bedroom curtains, but their flimsiness was disturbing my sleep. Taylor loaned me some blackout curtains he isn’t using and hung them on a second rod for me. The difference is AMAZING.
For the first time in my life, I hired a cleaning service after a friend started working for them and showed me a list of services. I haven’t had energy for deep detail cleaning in a LONG time, so occasional help with those things will be great. They came this week, and I’m enjoying my sparkly windows and non-icky microwave!
Your Monthly Rufus:
Helping me pin-hem curtains.
Bonus: In recent months Rufus has been exhibiting crazy behavior and developing a fairly serious biting problem (only with me – thankfully?). I’m not sure why and plan to bring it up at his checkup soon, but in the meantime, I had to do something. I picked up Feliway, the world’s most expensive plug-in, and 24 hours later he was blissed out. Worth it.
Pinterest LOL of the Month:
From this amazing Buzzfeed post.
Good Reads:
♥ Heidi K. Isern: The Naked Truth of Getting Older
♥ Ijeoma Oluo at The Establishment: You Must Understand Why You Believe What You Believe — And How You Got There
♥ Ruby Bastille: Hours of Hell and Hope
♥ Chris McCoy’s profile of a brave local woman and a tragic story: Alyssa Moore: Survivor
♥ Big Bang Theory actress Melissa Rauch reflects on pregnancy and miscarriage in Glamour.
♥ Heather Caliri at Relevant: What If Everything You’ve Been Taught About Being ‘Successful’ Is Wrong?
♥ John Gorman at P.S. I Love You: A Letter of Resignation
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