What's Up Wednesday : August 2022

I've seen a few other bloggers participating in the What's Up Wednesday monthly linkup, and it looks fun, so I'm joining in this month!   

1. What We're Eating This Week: Pizza tonight for spirit night at Charli's school. Beyond that...who knows? I'm so bad about meal planning!

2. What I'm Reminiscing About: Taking Charli to the fair with my parents when she was little - maybe around 1.5 years old? Since Mom and I took her to the fair a couple of weeks ago, we were talking about it and how we had to change her diaper in a historical building while she was screaming. Fun times! This was also the first time any of us have been to the fair since we lost dad, and since he loved it, we talked about him too. 

3. What I'm Loving: Charli's independence! Although sometimes it's tough when she gets frustrated doing certain things, I'm seeing this independence more and more each day, and it's so cool to see her work through things on her own!

4. What We've Been Up To: Decluttering and cleaning thanks to help from my aunt and grandma, going to the fair, first grade math homework (ugh), gymnastics and Girl Scouts for Charli - August has been busy!!

5. What I'm Dreading: I can't think of anything I'm dreading right now!

6. What I'm Working On: Finishing tagging items for an upcoming consignment sale (I always procrastinate!!), the never-ending process of decluttering and cleaning, finding and sticking to side hustles

7. What I'm Excited About: Life changes! =)

8. What I'm Watching/Reading: I need to catch up on all of the episodes of America's Got Talent that I have recorded. I'm sure the season has probably ended or is about to at this point, so at least I can get through all of it at once! I also need to start on my Marvel list too! I'm reading books on my Erin 17.0 book challenge list, plus children's books for a potential side project I've been mulling over. 

9. What I'm Listening To: "Top Hits" on Spotify in an attempt to know at least a little bit of music from this decade. 

10. What I'm Wearing: Lounge clothes or old comfy dresses whenever I can!!

11. What I'm Doing This Weekend: Going to Charli's Girl Scouts event, swimming, working to implement some routines, decluttering, making a few things on the ol' Cricut, cleaning, and enjoying an extra day thanks to Labor Day

12. What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month: Football and (maybe) cooler weather! Although in Tennessee, fall usually takes its sweet time to get here and stick around! 

13. Favorite Amazon Product Of The Month: Since I've been in consignment tagging mode, it's gotta be the 100 pack of hangers that I'm quickly using up! FYI - that is an affiliate link, so if you click on it and purchase hangers or something way more fun on Amazon, I'll make a few pennies from your purchase, which I will then use to save towards more hangers for the next consignment sale...    

What's up with you? How has your August been? It's felt like it's only been about 15 minutes long here...

Linking up with Sheaffer and Shea

40 by 40 : Month 1 Update

I'm nearly one month into being 39, so it's time for my first 40 by 40 update!

1. Get another tattoo - Not yet, but I did find out that a tattoo artist who I follow on TikTok for her amazing glittery looking tattoos will be at a convention in Chattanooga in March. I want to see if it'll be possible for me to go because I would love one of her pieces!

2. Visit the beach - Definitely not yet!

3. Do a cartwheel - No, but I've been debating asking Charli's gymnastics coach for pointers. We'll see if I'm brave enough to do that, or if I'll just keep Googling it...

4. Purple hair - Not yet

5. Ride a bike - Not yet

6. Get a curl cut - Not yet

7. Find a skin care routine - Not yet 

8. Get my nose pierced...again - Not yet

9. Buy a new phone - Not yet

10. Create a will - Not yet

11. Have family pictures made - Not yet. One of our friends who is a photographer does amazing Christmas picture sessions with snow, usually in the fall, so that's the tentative plan for our family pictures!

12. Go to the eye doctor/get new glasses - Not yet

13. Make our family notebook - Not yet

14. Go to Cheekwood during the fall or spring - Not yet since it isn't fall or spring yet!

15. Try five new restaurants/coffee shops in the area - We tried two last month! One was a food truck that was at the farmer's market event I mentioned in my July Sentence A Day post and the other was where we had my belated birthday dinner with my in-laws. They were both really good...or at least I think so since I didn't have all of my sense of smell and taste back yet... (2/5)

16. Go to the dentist - Not yet

17. Take a picture in front of a Nashville mural - Not yet. Charli has a dentist appointment downtown (that I need to...ugh...call and reschedule), so whenever we're in Nashville for that, I'm going to go mural hunting!

18. Stick with our budget every month, starting in August - This one was a little bumpy for us! I recently had a change at work that switched my pay days from weekly to every two weeks, so we had to relearn how to budget our money when we didn't have money coming in weekly. We also both received pay raises, so we had to account for our new incomes, which unfortunately also made us spend a little more since "we had extra money" (theoretically). Half credit here. (0.5/12)

19. Set up a craft area - Not yet. I have a couple of ideas of how I want the space to look, but I haven't done anything yet because my plans involve moving a lot of furniture around, and some of it from upstairs to the basement, which I know Will is going to be thrilled about!

20. Go to a UT football game - Not yet since the first game isn't until September 1!

21. Do a 5K - Not yet. I think I'm going to aim for doing one on Thanksgiving. That gives me a little over three months to get back into the walking habit, plus it's so nice to feel like you accomplished something before stuffing your face!!

22. Take a weekend trip with Will - Not yet. If I can make the tattoo appointment in Chattanooga work, then that might be our trip!

23. Go kayaking - Not yet

24. Pay off most of our debt - Not yet. I'm working on some side hustles/ways to bring in extra income, so hopefully those will pan out and we can start paying extra on these things!

25. Go on six fun/different dates with Will - Not yet (0/6)

26. Go on six fun/different mom/daughter dates with Charli - I'm counting the splash pad and exploring the state park for our first one since it was somewhere she and I had never been to together. Plus, mom kept us supplied with snacks, so that made it even better! (1/6)

27. Try a new workout class - Not yet

28. Watch all of the Marvel movies/shows - I found a list of all of the movies and shows in chronological order of when the events happened in the MCU, and wow, let's just say I underestimated how many titles there were! I haven't started any yet, but I think this will be an item that I make a lot of progress on during the colder months!

29. Try two new recipes a month - We did two pretty simple recipes this month - one, a ham, cheese, and honey sandwich on waffles (Will didn't try it, but I enjoyed it!), and the other was the infamous red bag chicken from Aldi, which was really good! We've eaten that chicken several times in the last few weeks!

30. Read 100 books - So far I've read 6 books, so I'm a little short of my goal of 2 per week, but I'm making progress! (6/100)

31. Get a new tablet or e-reader - Not yet

32. Replace my broken Pandora bracelet - Not yet

33. Make a house projects list and complete one a month - I started lists for all of the rooms, and with the help of my aunt and grandma, we completed one task - clearing off the dining room table (along with the area on the floor around the dining room, Charli's room, and Charli's playroom! Woo hoo!). (1/12)

34. Buy new makeup and start a makeup routine - Not yet

35. Use the Instant Pot - Not yet

36. Play bingo in Kentucky - Not yet

37. Complete a 30 day challenge [TBD] - Nope but I'll look into picking a challenge before my Month 2 update so I'll at least have an idea of when I should do this. 

38. Monthly social media free days - Completed on August 4! (1/12)

39. Make $500 from freelance writing - $0 so far, but I have a few ideas of where to find some fast jobs, so we'll see if month 2 is better!

40. Get Koopa's DNA done - Not yet

The first month flew by, but I made some decent progress! Let's see how month 2 goes!

Sentence A Day : July 2022

Time to recap July, one sentence at a time!

1 - We finally got a little bit of much-needed rain but not nearly enough!

2 - Charli's second gymnastics class, and she had a great time again, but she suckered us into going to a coffee shop afterwards!

3 - Sunday at home with Charli and Koopa while Will worked, and we got more rain!!

4 - We don't love fireworks, but we love watching Charli enjoy them!

5 - Tuesday that felt like a Monday...nothing bad, just confusing to my brain! [Sentence a Day : June 2022]

6 - Trying to squeeze a week's worth of work into fewer than a week's worth of days is exhausting!! [Currently : July 2022]

7 - Went with Charli and Mom to see a play tonight, and Charli did really well, even though it was a little advanced for her at times!

8 - Chattanooga weekend trip with Charli, my mom, and my brother (Will stayed home to take care of the animals in both households), and our campground/camp cabin is really nice, but we couldn't swim tonight because of the weather.

9 - Spent most of the day at the Creative Discovery Museum since the Aquarium was almost sold out, and then when we got to the campground, there was lightning, and they closed the pool, which made Charli pretty mad!

10 - Finally got to swim at the campground, went to the Aquarium, had a late lunch, and headed home...phew!

11 - Went into the office for a little bit and feel like I've been in the car enough for a month or two!

12 - Unfortunately I finally got hit with the dreaded 'rona and feel awful!

13 - Lots of resting and whining today; poor Will and Charli!

14 - More resting today and so much coughing...over it!!

15 - Felt a little more human today and worked for a couple of hours, but it got Will, so he's down for the count now.

16 - Happy birthday to me!!! 🎂Gonna have to celebrate next weekend thanks to the ol' c-virus...

17 - Rode with Mom and Charli to pick up some toys Mom got on Facebook Marketplace, got some coffee that I can almost taste, then spent some time at Mom's playing with Charli, who promises she'll come home tomorrow night!

18 - Spoiler alert - she did not come home tonight...sigh... [40 by 40 : The List]

19 - Ran errands at lunch and took my brother to get him some lunch and while sitting at a red light, a container of Tide Pods fell off a car and in front of mine; I posted on our local community Facebook group to see if someone would claim it, but no one has so far...so odd!!

20 - I forgot to write my sentence today, but I think it was a pretty regular day.

21 - Ditto yesterday!

22 - Will and I met Mom, Charli, one of Charli's friends, and his mom at an orchard for a farmer's market night, which was hot but fun!

23 - Gymnastics, school shopping (including Mom getting some new glasses for Charli), and dinner with the in-laws for a belated birthday celebration!

24 - Went to a splash pad at a local state park with Mom and Charli, then explored it a little bit, which makes me want to get a camper and hit the road!!

25 - Monday, Monday, Monday...

26 - Charli has a stomach bug, which is ironic since she was just asking last night about throwing up...

27 - It was a short-lived bug, and she is feeling like herself again!

28 - Open house night at Charli's school to get her yearbook from last year and meet her teacher!

29 - Finally finished a freelance project that I took way too long on...phew!!

30 - Errands day with Will, Charli, and Mom, and Charli begged to go to the car wash!

31 - Last day of Charli's summer break, and I'm not ready for early alarms again!!

This year is flying by!

40 by 40 : The List

I love goal-setting and making lists. Unfortunately, I don't always stick with those goals and lists (a trip through this very blog can show you that...). However, I recently turned 39, and I feel like I'm at a turning point where I want to make some HUGE changes in my life. While I was thinking about these changes, there were some things that popped up that I want to accomplish, which lead to the start of this list. Some of these things are just for fun and are things that I've always wanted to do. Others are things that are going to get me closer to the changes I want to make. Either way, I'm putting these items out in the world and am planning to update monthly so that people can see my progress and harass me about them. Here we go!

1. Get another tattoo - I'm thinking peas in a pod with my mom!

2. Visit the beach - I haven't been to the beach in at least 15 years, plus Charli has been begging to go, so we need to make a family beach trip happen somehow!

3. Do a cartwheel - Charli has been taking gymnastics, and while I know that I'll never be a gymnast, it has made me want to try to do a cartwheel - something I've never done! 

4. Purple hair - I don't know if I want to do a few streaks or a whole head, but I've always wanted purple in my hair and have shied away because of the bleaching process. No more waiting!

5. Ride a bike - I haven't ridden a bike in ages, but I've been wanting to. I bought a new seat for my comfort, so I just need to help my mom get the bike out and cleaned up!

6. Get a curl cut - My hair has been wavy/curly since I had Charli, and I've never really known how to deal with it. I want to go to a curl cut specialist and see if they can shape this mop into something that I can work with! 

7. Find a skin care routine - I've never been great about taking care of my skin, so I'd like to find a good morning and evening skin care routine to help with breakouts, sun damage, wrinkles, etc. 

8. Get my nose pierced...again - I had it pierced when I was 29, and I didn't love the placement of it. I want to get it done again and maybe try a hoop this time instead of a stud to see if I like it better.

9. Buy a new phone - If you've seen my phone in real life, you'll understand this one. I want to hold on to it until it won't work anymore, but I'm afraid that day will be here sooner than I think

10. Create a will - This is something that we've needed to do for a while, so I'm putting it on here to pressure myself to get on it!

11. Have family pictures made - We haven't had pictures made since Charli's newborn pictures, so we're way overdue!

12. Go to the eye doctor/get new glasses - I went at the end of February 2020, so it's time for an updated prescription and some new glasses. I'm thinking pink and sparkly this time!

13. Make our family notebook - This is a project I've been putting off, but it feels like something that will make me feel like a more responsible adult. Basically, it's our family's information in one place and a way to keep track of things in case of emergencies. 

14. Go to Cheekwood during the fall or spring - I want to see either the pumpkin displays or the tulips. The Nashville Library has free day passes, so maybe we can go both times!

15. Try five new restaurants/coffee shops in the area - Local places that aren't chains!

16. Go to the dentist - I haven't been since having a wisdom tooth pulled in early 2020, so this is yet another thing I'm overdue in doing!

17. Take a picture in front of a Nashville mural - I know this is a silly, touristy thing to do, but I want to do it!

18. Stick with our budget every month, starting in August - Self-explanatory, but this is another thing that would make me feel more like a responsible adult, plus it will help us achieve some other goals (including some on this list...).

19. Set up a craft area - I've been using my Cricut fairly regularly, but I've got everything scattered around the basement and piled up on my work desk. I need to set up a nice, dedicated area for my Cricut and all of my other artsy things that I've got everywhere else around the house!

20. Go to a UT football game - Will and I have talked about doing this every year, and we haven't managed to do it yet, so this is our year!

21. Do a 5K - I used to do them fairly often, and I found out that work will reimburse us for a registration fee for one, so I need to find one that's a few months out so I can get my sedentary, work-from-home self in the habit of walking regularly!

22. Take a weekend trip with Will - We took a weekend trip a few years ago, and it was really nice to have a couple of days to explore a different place. Our 10th anniversary is in the spring, so maybe we can take a weekend trip to celebrate that!

23. Go kayaking - Mom and I have talked a little about kayaking, so I'd love for us to get to do it!

24. Pay off most of our debt - We've been dragging some of this crap around for years, and I'd love to start my 40s fresh and mostly debt-free! I know we can't get the house paid off in a year, and I've got student loans hanging out still, but I believe with a lot of focus, concentration, and effort, we can get rid of everything else this year! 

25. Go on six fun/different dates with Will - We haven't really been going on dates lately, even though Charli has basically moved in with my mom this summer, and we've had more opportunities than ever! Oops! I figure we can aim for six new date ideas over the next year since that's just one every couple of months. I know there's an arcade place we've talked about, so there's one right there!

26. Go on six fun/different mom/daughter dates with Charli - I'd love to have some more mom/daughter dates with Charli too! Even if it's just six different playgrounds, I know she'd love it...if I can get her to come home and see me...ha!!

27. Try a new workout class - One of Charli's classmates had a birthday party, and his mom told me about the workout place she works at part-time. I've been meaning to try it one Saturday when she's there because it sounds like a cool place!

28. Watch all of the Marvel movies/shows - I've seen some of them, but I want to watch all of them in the order they fall in the overall timeline. I think Will would be on board with this one too, even though he's seen most of them already. 

29. Try two new recipes a month - I originally thought one per week, but I don't cook a lot, so I need to ease into this! We need to cook at home more often to help our finances and our health, so this is something I've been talking about even before it made it on the list!

30. Read 100 books - I've talked about my reading slump on here, but I still haven't gotten back in the habit of reading again (I've been spending waaaay too much time on TikTok...). 100 books is approximately 2 books a week between now and my 40th birthday, which is more than doable for me if I put down my phone and start reading again!

31. Get a new tablet or e-reader - I can use the library app on my phone, but I usually get distracted if I start reading on my phone. I've been wanting a new tablet for a few other things, so I'm either going to save towards one or an e-reader. 

32. Replace my broken Pandora bracelet - I had a leather Pandora bracelet that broke back in January. Will fixed it with some strong glue he has, but then it broke again when I was in the office one day. I want to get another metal bracelet to replace it since the leather ones don't seem to hold up as well. 

33. Make a house projects list and complete one a month - This is one that's been nagging at me for a while. We don't have huge projects, but there are a lot of things that we've needed to do since we moved in here...five years ago...for example, a retaining wall underneath our back deck, painting our front porch, fixing a dripping sink in Charli's bathroom, etc. I need to create a room-by-room list and pick a project for each month!

34. Buy new makeup and start a makeup routine - I don't really have a makeup routine now since I only sometimes wear it if I leave the house. I don't want to have a 25 step routine with highlighting and bronzing and whatever baking and setting is, but I would like to find makeup that gives me good coverage and makes me look a little fresher. I know I might have to spend a little more than the $5 I typically spend per product, but I think it'll be worth it!

35. Use the Instant Pot - Will has used it before, but it scares me, so I haven't tried it yet. If I want to try new recipes and save money, then I'm going to have to woman up and just try it!!

36. Play bingo in Kentucky - I love bingo, and I've always wanted to go to a bingo hall and play a few games, and since we don't have them in Tennessee, I've got to go north for this one! 

37. Complete a 30 day challenge - This one is a little vague because I haven't decided what it will be yet, but I think it will be health/fitness related - maybe related to drinking water daily since I've really been slacking in that area. Stay tuned for more details when I figure this one out!

38. Monthly social media free days - I don't post a ton on social media, but I'm on the sites way too often (TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram are my worst offenders). I want to choose a day each month where I don't access any of them. I think that'll show me how much time I actually waste on them, plus it would be a good way to work on some of these other goals!

39. Make $500 from freelance writing - I have said for years that I want to be a freelance writer, but I haven't taken it seriously. Over this next year, I want to make (at least) $500 from writing projects to show myself that I can do it and motivate myself to work harder on that ultimate goal!

40. Get Koopa's DNA done - Let's end this on a silly goal! I want to know what kind of dog he is, and since he'll be 10 in March, I think we need to celebrate his birthday by finding out what breed he is. Or at least that's the justification I'll use to do it!

Whew! This was a lot harder than I expected it to be! Come back and visit on August 15 to see what kind of progress I made during my first month!

Currently : July 2022

It's my birthday month! This one will be a semi-big one too since I'll be turning 39! I can't believe it because mentally I feel like I'm about 12! Stay tuned for my before 40 goals that I've been brainstorming...

Enjoying : Charli's summer sleep schedule! She seems to take after me with her night owl ways, which I love right now, but in a few weeks, I will not enjoy at all!!

Having : Trouble keeping up with everything happening in this country and in life. Between the big events and news stories and just life stuff, I'm worn out. It's a lot. We are not made to live in this chronic state of stress and fear and shock, and I'm worried about what's going to happen when we all hit our collective wall. Okay, onto something lighter...

Hoping : Our flowers and pumpkins bloom! I don't really have a green thumb, so my track record with flowers/plants isn't the best. So far they look good, but we'll see! 

Picking : Books for the Erin 17.0 book challenge that started on July 1. I'm just fashionably late to this one.

Using : Things in our house. That's a little vague, so let me clarify. I had a thought a few months ago that I constantly buy things and then wait for the "perfect" opportunity to use them, and I don't know why. If it's something I really like, I can buy another one if I use it up, wear it out, etc. If it's something I don't like, then I can give it away or throw it out, and I'll know not to buy it anymore. I have a tendency to act like things are precious or made of gold, when in reality, 99.9% of what I own can be easily replaced/repurchased by doing a couple of Internet searches (or close duplicates of those items, at the very least). So, I'm not saving craft supplies like I'm waiting for some craft apocalypse where nothing is sold anywhere ever again. I'm coloring in the coloring book that Will bought me in March 2020 when he ventured into a store at the beginning of the pandemic. And, if it's something that I'm on the fence about, I'm putting it in a consignment sale, on marketplace, or in a donation bag. If it sells, then it's off to a better home. If I don't miss it when it's in the donation bag, then it's off to a better home. I have a long way to go, but this is helping my decluttering process also. Obviously, I have stronger feelings about this than I realized since I wrote a novella about it...

What are you currently up to? Use these prompts or tell me what's going on in your life right now!

Linking up with Anne

Sentence A Day : June 2022

Time for my monthly recap in one sentence per day. I like capturing the big and small moments each month and being able to look back on these posts. Also, I've linked the posts I published on each day, just in case you missed them this month. 😉

1 - Mom took Charli to her best friend's birthday party, and Charli had so much fun! [Currently : June 2022]

2 - Charli decided she was going to have a sleepover at Gran's, which seems to be her favorite thing to do this summer!

3 - Took the remote working thing literally when Will and I took Charli to Chick Fil A this afternoon so she could play while I finished my Friday.

4 - Mom, Charli, and I went to my cousin's wedding; he is one of Charli's favorite people ever, and it was so sweet to see him talking to her after his wedding!

5 - Charli's first pool party, and I got to swim too; can't wait for Mom's pool liner to get replaced so we can have some water time!

6 - Charli had an appointment with a dental specialist today (nothing bad - just related to her cleft lip at birth), and she, Mom, and I explored Nashville a little bit, including having some fantastic doughnuts!

7 - Mom took Charli to see a magician at the library, and she got to go on stage for one of the tricks! [Sentence a Day : May 2022]

8 - Why does America's Got Talent make me cry every time I watch it??

9 - Charli has been at Mom's house since Monday and said she doesn't think she misses us - harsh!!

10 - Will and I went grocery shopping tonight while Charli was at Mom's house for yet another night, and we agreed that we don't like going inside the store anymore - online ordering for the win!

11 - Charli, Mom, and I went to see a free Nashville Symphony concert; the music was wonderful, even if Charli was more interested in the chalk art station and the snow cone truck!

12 - Charli, Mom, and I went bowling today, and Charli kicked our butts; Mom and I want gutter guards next time!

13 - Tennessee decided it was officially summertime, and it's going to be close to 100 degrees every day this week...yuck! [10 on the 10th : June 2022]

14 - We had three deer in our front yard tonight, and they looked so peaceful...until Koopa decided to whine and bark at them and scared them off! [Amber Can Read : May 2022 edition]

15 - Went into the office today and got great job-related news!

16 - Home today after being out in the world yesterday.

17 - Another day at home and hooray for Friday!

18 - Charli took a trial gymnastics class today and absolutely loved it!

19 - Celebrated Father's Day by taking Will to get Dutch Bros before he had to go to work!

20 - We are going to have a rough time getting back on a school year sleep schedule...

21 - Charli suckered us into getting her some pizza and ice cream tonight to "celebrate" the likes she got on a TikTok video I posted of her dancing...that child! 

22 - Charli and I were in a photo/video shoot for my work, which was fun, but it was an hour away! 

23 - It was nice to be home today after driving so much yesterday!

24 - Didn't feel well today, so I was glad to be off work!

25 - Felt so blah again today - took lots of naps but still exhausted!

26 - Another day at home but feeling a lot better today!

27 - Whenever Will's work schedule is different, I get so confused!

28 - Ordering ahead on an app and then waiting extra time for your items can be annoying! 

29 - On-camera meetings at work always zap my energy; how did we ever work in-person 5 days a week?!?

30 - Stayed up way too late tonight prepping for July! 

Linking up with Leslie!

Amber Can Read : May 2022 Edition

Once upon a time (pun totally intended), I used to read...a lot. Instead of spending hours scrolling through social media or attempting to organize the thousands of tabs I have open on my phone and computers, I would read. I stayed up late reading. I read during lunch breaks. I read during other meals. I enjoyed making to-read lists and reading about upcoming books. 

But, somewhere along the way over the last couple of years, I've lost that joy of reading. I love reading with Charli on the nights we don't stay up too late, and when I start a fiction book, I usually devour it, but overall I've just lost my spark for reading. 

(If I stop and think about it, I've kind of lost my spark for a lot of things, but that's an entirely different post for an entirely different day...). 

I want to get back into reading, and I noticed that when I posted about reading, I was much more likely to read more. Funny how that works. So, I'm restarting my monthly reading recaps in hopes of starting to reclaim a part of myself that I miss. Here we go!

Disclaimer: If you click on the picture of the book, then it will take you to an Amazon purchase link. If you choose to buy the book from that link, I will earn a few pennies from it. It won't cost you anything extra, so it's a win-win situation! 😉 If you click on the title of the book, it will take you to a Goodreads link for the book. Last thing - if you want to be friends on Goodreads, add me! 

Books read in May - 3

Books read in 2022 - 17 (wow, I've read even less this year than I realized!)

1. Women and Power by Mary Beard

I don't remember where I initially saw or heard about this book, but it's one of several that has been off and on my library holds shelf for a few months now. I have a tendency to reserve the limit of electronic books, and then, surprise, surprise, they all become available at the same time, and I have to use the "Deliver Later" feature to delay some of them. When I finally decided to read this one, I saw that it was pretty short - I guess my old English major brain didn't connect the word "manifesto" in the title to it being a short essay. 

This wasn't my favorite, but I kind of skated through it just to finish it and finally get it out of the deliver later cycle. I believe this was initially a speech she gave, and I think it would've been more enjoyable in that format. It was a little dry to read, and I found myself doing a lot of skimming in order to finish it quickly. 

Recommended for : academically-minded readers who want a brief overview of feminism

2. One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

Bea is a plus-sized fashion blogger who writes a ranting post about how Main Squeeze, a reality show that totally isn't based on The Bachelorette/Bachelor franchise, never has any plus-sized representation, and the post goes so viral that she is chosen to be on the next season of the show. But, she has a lot of trouble believing that the men on the show are actually interested in her...a fat woman. 

Between this book, one I finished yesterday (that will be in next month's post), and If the Shoe Fits, which I read in April and found several similarities to this one (but it was better because it's a modern-day retelling of Cinderella and is written by Julie Murphy, who has yet to steer me wrong!), I've seen a trend in books of fat women not believing that they are worthy of love or happiness in life. As a fat woman who is happily married and enjoys most parts of her life (I could use a new hairstyle, a pay raise, and a lot of organizing in our house), I don't understand these books. Maybe it's because the main characters are younger than me or because I try to follow a lot of body positive or body neutral creators. Maybe it's because I married a wonderful man who supports and loves me no matter which weight loss scheme I'm trying or if I'm saying the heck with it and asking for ice cream after work.  Maybe it's one of a million reasons, but the point is, I'm over this trope. Yes, I want to lose some weight to feel more like I used to, but I don't believe that my life has to be on hold or that I'm not worthy of love or happiness until that happens, and no one reading this should feel that way either! 

Okay, I'm finished ranting about this one. Luckily the book I mentioned above that I'll talk about next month has more depth than this one, so it hopefully won't cause another wall of words!

Recommended for : fans of cheesy reality shows and rom-com novels that are predictable even when they're trying to have a big twist, also for people who can overlook the "poor, pitiful, fat me" stereotype

3. Organizing Solutions for People With ADHD by Susan Pinsky

I knew this book probably wasn't going to be super helpful when she mentioned that people buy too many things, and if you run out of toilet paper before you go to the store again, that means you purchased what you needed and you could just use a napkin or paper towel. Listen, I know that I can sometimes be guilty of stocking up on too many things, but I don't mess around with toilet paper! In my opinion, you can't overbuy toilet paper (sorry to everyone who may be having 2020 flashbacks to the empty toilet paper aisles). I found this book preachy and long-winded, two things that are really helpful to neurodiverse people who want to organize their spaces...

Recommended for : people who don't have issues with cleaning and organizing since the tips in this book kind of sucked

This month's favorite book : None of them were great, but I guess I would go with One to Watch since it was the least worst out of the three!

This month's least favorite book : Definitely the Organizing Solutions book. It just didn't resonate with me!

Read anything good lately? Let me know in the comments!

Linking up with Steph and Jana for the last time! Hopefully I can find another reading link up to participate in because I love seeing suggestions for new books to read!