Sunday Post and Sunday Salon are blog news memes hosted at Caffeinated Reviewer and Reader Buzz, respectively. It’s a chance to share news, recap the past week on your blog, andshowcase books and other things.
What Happened this Week
I’ve decided to change up my Sunday News posts. I’ve realized how much I disliked trying to think of something to share in each category every week.
Anyway, this week has been kind of quiet. I spent some time with my BFF. Her birthday was Thursday. Corey and I went to dinner with her and her family, we ate cake and cookies, played some Mario Kart and Boomerang FU on the Switch, and watched CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE with Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart.
We also went to my BFF’s oldest daughter’s jazz band concert on Friday morning. She plays both the clarinet and tenor sax like her mom. It’s been really fun to watch her grow and gain confidence in her playing skills.
I finished rereading SUNRUNNER’S FIRE this week. I’m really glad I decided to reread the Dragon Prince trilogy. It was fun to revisit some of my favorite stories and characters. You can click the link above if you’re interested in my thoughts about the trilogy.
I couldn’t sleep Tuesday night so I listened to the HELLO, TRANSCRIBER audiobook and finished it before Corey woke up. I’ll be posting my review tomorrow.
I finally started reading FOURTH WING this week. I haven’t gotten very far because I’ve been really tired this week. I’m really excited to see what all the hype’s about.
I also started listening to the WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING audiobook. I started reading the Kindle book a couple of years ago but got sidetracked and never finished it. I went through my library’s available audiobooks and it was one of them. I really like the audiobook so far.
Sunday Post and Sunday Salon are blog news memes hosted at Caffeinated Reviewer and Reader Buzz, respectively. It’s a chance to share news, recap the past week on your blog, andshowcase books and other things.
Feeling
I’ve been feeling a little bit sad this week. I had to say goodbye to my amazing therapist, Doug. Due to unforeseen circumstances, he’s moving his skills to the state mental hospital and will no longer be doing private practice.
When I say Doug changed my life, I really mean I’m still alive because of him. If you’ve been following my blog for long, then you know I’ve been in therapy off and on since I was 16 to treat a myriad of problems–depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, PTSD from sexual trauma, etc. However, it wasn’t until I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) in 2020 and spent a week in the hospital in March 2021 for overdosing on lithium that my psychiatrist and therapist at the time recommended I find a DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) program.
Thanks to Doug and the skills I learned in DBT, I’m no longer diagnosable with BPD or PTSD. I still deal with depression and anxiety, but not to the same extent I did before DBT. I also don’t need therapy as much as I did.
I’m going back to my previous therapist, Parker. I actually really adore Parker. I just needed Doug more at the time.
I listened to Neil Patrick Harris’ memoir CHOOSE YOUR OWN AUTOBIOGRAPHY this week. You can click the link above to read my review if you’re interested.
I’ve made a lot of progress on rereading SUNRUNNER’S FIRE by Melanie Rawn. I’m pretty sure I’ll finish it today or tomorrow. I’m also listening to HELLO, TRANSCRIBER by Hannah Morrissey.
Listening
Corey and I saw INSIDE OUT 2 this week and the theme song has been on my mind for most of the week.
Watching
Like I said above, Corey and I saw INSIDE OUT 2 this week. I loved it! Both movies are a subtle nod to what I learned in DBT. Sometimes our emotions can take over and cause us to act irrationally. As we get older, our emotions become more complex and harder to manage. We can learn to use our core sense of self (or our Wise Mind in DBT vernacular) to challenge our emotions and act more rationally. Emotions aren’t bad; we just need to learn to not let them take over.
Loving, Wanting, Needing
I have some really cute planters. I’ve been wanting to get plants for them. However, I know I’ll forget to water them because I keep them out of reach from my cats. Out of sight, out of mind. I’ve also tried succulents and killed them too. I decided the best option for me would be to crochet amigurumi plants. I’m in love with the cute little succulent I made for my 1.5-inch pot. Isn’t it cute?
Sunday Post and Sunday Salon are blog news memes hosted at Caffeinated Reviewer and Reader Buzz, respectively. It’s a chance to share news, recap the past week on your blog, andshowcase books and other things.
Feeling
The last few months have been a bit rough. I’ve been dealing with some health issues again. At the end of March, I had a really bad bout of the stomach flu.
In April and May, I started having bladder pain. I tested positive for a bladder infection and got put on antibiotics for the third time in the last four to five months. Unfortunately, my bladder pain didn’t stop and after some tests, my doctor diagnosed me with interstitial cystitis. This means my body’s changing the pH of my urine, making it more acidic than it should be and inflaming the lining. I now have to avoid eating and drinking more acidic things–no more coffee, citrus, tomatoes, chocolate, etc.–at least until the lining in my bladder has become less inflamed.
By June, I was feeling better. I decided not to start blogging until now, though, because I just need to chill and not worry about my health or blogging.
Blogging
Here’s what I posted during the first week of March before I stopped blogging:
Because of my health, my reading suffered a lot in March, April, and the first part of May. When I started feeling like I wanted to read again, I didn’t feel like starting anything new so I decided to listen to some comfort read audiobooks. I made my way through the entire Harry Potter series during the last half of May and most of June. I also started rereading SUNRUNNER’S FIRE, the third book in the Dragon Prince trilogy, this past week.
I know this will make a lot of people sad… For now, I’ve decided not to keep reading THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO. I still have around 35.5 hours left of the audiobook and it seems like a lot of time to invest in a story I’m not loving as much as I’d like to. I may, however, pick it up again in the future.
Listening
I’ve been introducing my BFF to the Mission: Impossible movie franchise over the last couple of weeks so I’ve been listening to a lot of versions of theme. This one’s my favorite, from the fourth movie MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL.
Watching
As I said above, I’ve been watching the Mission: Impossible movies with my BFF. I’ve also been watching the Harry Potter movies with Corey since I just reread the series.
Corey and I finished watching DARK MATTER on AppleTV+ this week. It’s based on the book by Blake Crouch. I really enjoyed the book so I was looking forward to watching the show. I wasn’t disappointed. It was phenomenal. I’m curious if they’re going to do a second season even though season 1 covered the whole book? Here’s the trailer.
Loving
I love getting the opportunity to meet authors and have my books signed. On Tuesday, my friend and I went to an author event for the duo Christina Lauren. It was a lot of fun. Here’s my Instagram post if you’re interested:
I want to watch the new MY LADY JANE show on Amazon even though I hate the Prime streaming app. It’s so cumbersome and hard to find what you want or can watch. Anyway, I adored the book the show is based on so I might have to endure my frustration. LOL. Here’s the trailer if you’re curious.
Needing Wanting, Part 2
My IRL book club voted on our next 12 months’ worth of books in April. Every year for the past eight years, I’ve made a bookmark showcasing the books we vote in. I wanted to share it with y’all.
Sunday Post and Sunday Salon are blog news memes hosted at Caffeinated Reviewer and Reader Buzz, respectively. It’s a chance to share news, recap the past week on your blog, andshowcase books and other things.
Feeling
I’m feeling less meh this week. I went to lunch with Corey during the week and we went to the movies a couple of times. I also hung out with my friend on Monday and attended book club on Friday.
I finished reading THIS SPELLS LOVE by Kate Robb and I also read DATING DR. DIL by Nisha Sharma. My reviews will be posting soon.
I listened to about 30 minutes of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO audiobook while I was driving this week. At this rate, I won’t finish it until the end of next year, lol.
Listening
Since I’ve been watching PRETTY LITTLE LIARS and I’ve listened to the opening song a lot lately, I thought I’d share it with you this week. It’s very short, but I still like the song.
Watching
Corey and I saw the new Dune movie in the theater twice this week. The first time was on Thursday and the second time was with some friends on Saturday. I loved the first Dune movie. I thought it was a really good adaptation. I think the new one is a fantastic movie by itself AND it pissed me off, lol. For those of you who don’t know, DUNE is my all-time favorite book. It has been since I was 17 so the movies had a lot to live up to. I really disliked how much they changed Chani’s character and I disliked what they did to the ending. I’m pretty sure Denis Villeneuve did it the way he did because he wants to make a third movie that follows part or all of DUNE MESSIAH. I’m okay if he makes another one. I just wish he would’ve finished the first book first before going into the next story.
Loving
I love Starbucks’ venti decaf iced lattes with vanilla syrup. I discovered these about six months ago. Before then, I didn’t drink coffee. Now, I’m obsessed. Whenever I need a pick-me-up emotionally, I can count on my coffee order to lift my spirits.
Wanting
I want to grow my hair out. I’ve had it in a pixie cut for most of my adult life. I’ve decided I want to grow it out to my shoulders at least. Right now, however, my hair is in that unmanageable phase when you grow it out. I’m trying to resist the urge to chop it off so I don’t look like a shagged dog anymore.
Needing
I need to remind you that my friend Suey’s hosting a FAIRY TALE read-along this month. Check out her post on TheStoryGraph.
Sunday Post and Sunday Salon are blog news memes hosted at Caffeinated Reviewer and Reader Buzz, respectively. It’s a chance to share news, recap the past week on your blog, andshowcase books and other things.
Feeling
I’m finally over my sinus infections. However, I’m feeling kind of meh. It’s probably because I’ve been isolating while I’ve been sick.
Blogging
Here’s what I posted on the blog for the past two weeks:
I read THE INVOCATIONS by Krystal Sutherland this week. I really enjoyed the dark, mysterious atmosphere. I’m nearly finished with THIS SPELLS LOVE by Kate Robb.
I finished listening to the CATCHING FIRE audiobook and also listened to the MOCKINGJAY audiobook. They got me through my dizziness and nausea.
I’m slowly making my way through THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO audiobook. I can only listen to an hour at a time because the narrator’s driving me insane. He’s British, which is great, but he’s reading the book with a very thick, nearly perfect French accent. Don’t get me wrong. I love French. I took it for five years in school. I’m just the type of person that if you’re going to read a translated work in English, then read it in English. If I wanted to read it in French, then I’d be reading the French edition.
Listening
I actually listened to one of my favorite movie soundtracks this week, ST. ELMO’S FIRE. I haven’t listened to it for a long time, but I started watching THE FLOOR, hosted by Rob Lowe, and seeing him made me want to listen to it. Here’s my favorite song from the soundtrack. It’s the instrumental version.
Watching
As I said above, I started watching THE FLOOR on Hulu. It’s a gameshow hosted by Rob Lowe. It has sucked me right in.
I also started watching PRETTY LITTLE LIARS on Max. I’m already in season 2. The show’s really addicting and I’m curious who A is and what’s going on. I’m also curious if the books are as good as or better than the tv show?
Corey and I are still watching THE TUDORS, but since I started PLL, we haven’t made much progress.
Loving
I love my kitties, Izzy and Luci. They kept me company as I recovered from my sinus infections, by cuddling up with me while I watched TV or sat in my recliner or bed listening to my audiobooks.
Wanting
I want to start working on my mood afghan again. I started it on my last birthday (April 19, 2023) and will go to April 18 of this year. I was really gung-ho about working on it in the beginning, but as SAD settled on me around November, I stopped working on it. I’ve been keeping track of my moods each day so I can still finish it. I’ve figured out that if I crochet 3 hexagons a day, then I should be caught up very soon and finish it on time.
Needing
I need to get out and be with my friends. As I said above, I can tell isolating has been taking its toll on me emotionally.
