What I’m Into: February 2019

Main Events

Is it me, or does half the world have a February birthday? Both Taylor’s and my moms and brothers do (three of the four are within a 24-hour period), as well as my boss, my uncle, and multiple friends. It’s a lot in the shortest month. My boss turned 50; we all decorated his office and I baked a German chocolate cake. It was a milestone birthday for Taylor’s mom too, and we all went to her surprise party starring her favorite local band.

We had a quietly romantic Valentine’s Day, not wanting to do anything big since we were going out of town the next morning. Taylor made spaghetti and showered me with gifts, including this animal that we can’t identify. Some kind of bear/dog/sloth hybrid? Anyway, it was the only engaged Valentine’s Day we’ll ever have, so it’ll always be special. :)

 

Wedding Update

This month we started our wedding registries – and that’s it in terms of decisive action. My sister is coming this weekend to look at bridesmaid dresses and help me get moving on things like flowers and invitations. We also continue to sort out our wedding planner situation and hope to have that resolved soon.

 

Reading

Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brené Brown (5 stars) – I got Dare to Lead for Christmas, so it was time to start catching up on my Brené reading. This one could not be more relevant for our current moment.

Designer You by Sarahlyn Bruck (3 stars) – An interior designer finds her own way after her husband, the other half of their famous Magnolia-esque renovation business, dies suddenly. Interesting premise, but a little sad and stressful for me.

Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins (3 stars) – A decent time traveling YA romance/mystery. I was much more into it when I was 16 and it was called Both Sides of Time by Caroline B. Cooney.

Spiritual Misfit: A Memoir of Uneasy Faith by Michelle DeRusha (3 stars) – I think this was an early entry in the faith-memoir genre. I enjoyed her different perspective of coming to faith as an adult.

Girl Squads: 20 Female Friendships That Changed History by Sam Maggs (3.5 stars) – My favorite chapter was the one about the 1964 Japanese women’s volleyball team.

Save the Date by Morgan Matson (4 stars) – Morgan Matson is consistently great. I usually avoid the “important event goes catastrophically wrong” trope, but here it’s tempered by many layers of insight about family, relationships, and change. It also inspired me to take out my For Better or For Worse retrospective, since the comic strip central to the story is CLEARLY based on it.

I’ll Be There for You: The One about Friends by Kelsey Miller (4.5 stars) – LOVED IT.

All the Names They Used for God by Anjali Sachdeva (4 stars) – A compelling and diverse short story collection, one of them about women taken by Boko Haram. O_O

 

Listening

I got my musical leads from the Grammys and SNL this month: H.E.R., Gary Clark Jr., taking another look at Janelle Monae’s whole catalog and that new Brandi Carlile album. In a year that’s supposed to be about love and happiness, I’m a little troubled that most songs I’ve been drawn to so far in 2019 are sad and/or aggressive. But I guess that’s our national mood? Please send positive/love song recommendations!

Podcast-wise, I continue to work through The Dream. I also listened to the Jamie Ivey episode of The Enneagram Journey, the Jennifer Knapp episode of For the Love (Kansas is still my all-time favorite Christian album), and the “Where I Live” episode of 10 Things to Tell You – on which I was stunned to hear my friend Lexie representing the 901!!

 

Watching

I finished Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and am a couple of episodes into The Umbrella Academy, One Day at a Time, and Salt Fat Acid Heat. Taylor and I watched The Founder, which had been on my list for a while. What Ray Kroc did to the McDonald brothers was appalling. I’m kind of second-guessing joining the Kroc fitness center now because I don’t want to give that guy any support.

 

Travel

Six years after my first visit, I finally went back to NYC this month! I won’t share too much about the trip right now, because I want to give it its own post. But I will say WE SAW HAMILTON! *heart eyes emoji*

 

Around Town

After the NBA mid-season trading period, there are so many new players on the Grizzlies roster that the new intro video helpfully provides everyone’s name. Some of them are really growing on me, although nothing can end our grief over losing Marc Gasol. Big Spain forever. Anyway, we got a seat upgrade at one game for Taylor’s mom’s birthday, and it was awesome! Between that and our couple of games in my company box, I have to admit better seats make games a lot more enjoyable.

As part of my mom’s birthday outing, she and I went to a Georgia O’Keeffe Hawaii exhibit at the Brooks. Needed some Hawaii in my life in these last days of winter.

My church has been holding Evensong on the first Wednesday of the month for a while, and this month was the first time I could go! We sang, went through some liturgy, and did an imaginative prayer exercise. There were lots of candles and it was really quiet and peaceful. I loved it.

 

Eating

I was sick for a week after my New York trip and had a craving for lemon chicken soup. This recipe was easy and delicious! I’d never splurged on bone broth as opposed to standard boxed chicken broth, but the flavor was so much richer.

 

Wearing

Not to keep harping on New York, but I knew I’d need new flat black boots for the trip. My existing flat black boots have no support at all, and the cold has seeped right through them all winter. I finally ordered the All Weather Winter Boots from Land’s End. They kept my feet warm, dry, and supported while we walked seven miles a day. The nice slim cut and lack of poofy fur and embellishments makes them more versatile. I love them so much, I even went back and left a review.

 

Beauty/Wellness

I’ve mentioned before that I take a lot of vitamins and supplements (a regimen I started in 2013 after being sick for several months). I recently found two things I was already taking, evening primrose oil and fish oil, in one capsule that’s allegedly formulated for women’s issues. Meanwhile, still researching natural remedies for adult acne, I decided to try something called DIM that’s derived from broccoli. I had never heard of it before and had low expectations. Well, after a month, I can safely say IT’S WORKING! I think this is the best my face has looked since I started this whole experiment over a year ago. Who knew. We’ll see if it holds!

This Neutrogena eye cream is my new favorite. I even got multiple tubes so it can go wherever I go.

 

Random Happiness

I had a wonderful catch-up happy hour at Alchemy with my friend Stacey. She sent me a link to a daily Richard Rohr e-mail that I’m loving. From quotes in the church bulletin, I suspect some of my pastors get the e-mails too. ;) His reflections are really encouraging me at this more open and mystical place in my faith.

 

Your Monthly Rufus

 

LOL of the Month

I saw this somewhere on Twitter and still laugh every time I see it.

 

On the Blog:

After about four years with my last blog layout, I decided it was time for a new look! I don’t currently have the time/skills/disposable income to create the template of my dreams, but this template on Etsy is a nice, clean refresh. My About page also got a long-overdue update.

 

Good Reads

♥ Helen Hanison: Nostalgia: On Learning to Let Go of Who You Were

♥ Amanda Magee: The Thing Only You Can Say

♥ Kris Gage: The Dirty Little Secret About “Grit”

♥ Ian Marcus Corbin at Commonweal Magazine: Somewhere Else

♥ Design Mom: Living with Kids: Leisse Wilcox

♥ Melanie Dale at The Mudroom: Your Marriage Doesn’t Have to Look like Anyone Else’s

♥ Tara Bender: It’s Gonna Work Out. —or— Oops, I’m a Sponge.

♥ Garance Doré: The Weight of It