33

Today, I am 33. When I started this birthday-posting tradition at like, 21, I don’t think I ever expected I’d be here 12 years later still posting to this blog. Sometimes, I’m not sure why I do. But something about writing and expression keeps me returning to this space. 32 was a pretty good year, and I have high hopes for 33. My main goal is to be super creative. I really want to focus on my art in year 33, which sounds super pretentious, but when I’m making things, I’m always the best version of myself. Yay for another year!

You’re not a poet, you’re a liar,

Fall Favorites

Earlier this year, I posted my springtime mood board of little inspirations for the season. Now that it’s officially fall (my favorite season), I thought it’d be fun to share my fall-themed mood board (it’s green- and rust orange-colored, but I think it counts 👻). I’m not sure if I will continue making mood boards for every season, but so far they’ve been fun to create and they give me something fun to share with anyone who visits this blog.

None of these photos were taken by me.

Unlike other seasons, for me, fall seems to

come with a built-in soundtrack.

Certain records trigger memories from over a decade ago, memories of driving to college while listening to my favorite folk CDs. Now those albums always remind me of college and my commute, of being on campus in the fall, sipping a latte while reading issues of Nylon magazine and the college newspaper while waiting for my next class to start. Oh, to be a college freshman in a 3000-level creative writing course! *cries in 2012*

Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of the books on my fall reading list are very academia-oriented (the closest thing I can get to a time machine, LOL).

I’m currently reading “Heart the Lover,” a campus novel recommended by the book critic who writes a column in the magazine that I copy edit at work. (I recently finished reading another recommendation of hers, “Class Clown” by Dave Barry, which was very funny and resulted in many laugh-out-loud moments while reading it *in the wild* at my local Starbucks.)

Other books on my fall-specific reading list include “The Secret History” by Donna Tartt, which I started a while ago but never finished; “The Wilderness” by Angela Flournoy; “Mystery Lights” by Lena Valencia; “The Idiot” by Elif Batuman; maybe a vampire novel or two (such as my very worn copy of “Twilight”); and anything by Sally Rooney. If you have any recommendations, I’m all ears! 👂 Happy fall.

I like me,

2025 Ins & Outs

The view outside my window.

Welcome to the first blog post of the year! I’m a little bit late to the party, but as we’re only a few weeks into 2025, I want to detail my Ins & Outs for this year. Goodbye, online shopping. Hello, park walks!

In

• Frequent trips to the local library • Blogging • Healing • Therapy

• Steven Furtick sermons • Sticking to a balanced budget • Spending time with family

• Writing • Going on park walks • Rebuilding my community • Taking care of plants

• Beanies • Throw blankets • Listening to podcasts in the car • Prayer • Setting goals

• Hope • Logging off • Working out • Magazines • Comfortable clothes • Reading

Out

• Overspending • Neglecting self-care • Being afraid to try • Isolation • Impatience

• Reading books I don’t enjoy just to say I finished them • Excessive consumption

• Being too busy or stressed to write • Neglecting to spend time with God

• Not listening to others as attentively as I should • Social media • Online shopping

• Self-doubt • Anxiety • Bad self-talk • Negativity • Trends • Distraction

One of my words for this year is “heal.” I think 2025 is going to be a big year for healing myself after a difficult 2024, and prioritizing my self-care, creativity, and my walk with Christ in a myriad of ways.

What are your ins and outs for 2025?

On my way,

2024 in Favorites

Are we out of the woods yet, are we out of the woods yet, are we out of the woods?

2024 was *ahem* ... a year, but it did provide a lot of little joys in the form of books, films, music, and my own fun obsessions and discoveries. 

Without further ado, here are some of the small delights that caught my fancy this year (whether they were released in 2024 or not):

Favorite graphic novels: For me, 2024 was the year of the graphic novel. This was the first year in recent memory that I really started to get into these types of books. I have no idea what I was waiting for, as I have always loved comics and cartoonish art. My favorite graphic novel reads this year were two series I had never picked up before: the “Heartstopper” books at the start of the year, and the “Lore Olympus” series at the end of it. Both are about ✨luv.✨

More favorite reads: My favorite full-length fiction read this year was “A Court of Mist and Fury” by Sarah J. Maas (the second book in Maas’ “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series). That was a big surprise because I wasn’t a massive fan of the first book. Well, lo and behold, book two was a massive game changer. It held my attention and would not let go. Honorable mentions this year go to “Come & Get It” by Kiley Reid; “Woman, Eating” by Claire Kohda; and “My Body” by Emily Ratajkowski. I also bought several horror/thriller-type books, which is a genre I don’t often explore but am excited to get into. You can see all of the books I read this year here. Find my upcoming 2025 TBR list here.

Favorite records: If my Spotify Wrapped is to be believed, Twenty One Pilots was my favorite artist this year. I spent a good portion of 2024 listening to my favorite artists’ new releases, obsessively playing my favorite tracks again and again. I will give myself kudos for branching out and adding new-to-me artists Chappell Roan and Tory Lanez to my listening roster this year. I did, however, find myself in the habit of listening to the same tunes over and over and over. In 2025, I want to branch out and listen more to full albums and push more outside of my comfort zone to find new artists and sounds I might like.

Favorite songs: Most of my fave songs this year were on my favorite records:

“Hurts Me” and “The Color Violet” by Tory Lanez“Rich Girl” by Hall & Oates“Alesis” and “Candy” by Mk.gee“That’s Life” by Declan McKenna“We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” by Ariana Grande“Snap Back” and “Oldies Station” by Twenty One Pilots“Femininomenon” by Chappell Roan“Black Friday” by Tom Odell“Fortnight” by Taylor Swift+ a lot of old NSYNC songs lol

Favorite movies: There’s nothing I love more than seeing a good movie in theatres. I can’t remember all the ones I saw this year, but I ADORED “Wicked” and would recommend the Netflix movie “It’s What’s Inside” for a trippy thriller that has an indie/small budget-type feel. The Bob Dylan film “A Complete Unknown” with Timothee Chalamet as the lead was also amazing.

Favorite shows: Somehow, I didn’t discover the magic of “The Umbrella Academy” until this year. That show got me through some tough times. I’m obsessed with all of the characters and with Gerard Way, of course. “Black Doves” was a fun new one. I also watched several Netflix documentaries, which is a new genre for me. “Pop Star Academy” and the DCC doc were both really gripping.

Other favorites: Girrlscout clothes; the color green.

What were your favorites this year? I’d love some recommendations!

Till next year,

Way Down Yonder on the Chattahoochee

This past weekend was one of the best I've had all year.

My mom, my sister, two of my cousins and I rented out an Airbnb for the weekend to get away from it all.

The house was all windows with a huge kitchen, high cielings, and an expansive patio out back leading to a dock right on the water. It wasn't unlike the Cullens' house in the "Twilight" series, the first film of which we indulged in on Saturday night while eating enormous slices of local-made pizza, delicious mozerella sticks, and garlic-laden French fries. 

Other trip highlights: Country music jams in the car; spontaneous ice cream (I got a blueberry cheesecake flavor with cheesecake bits!!); late night talks about some of our most embarassing moments; banding together to kill a large bug that had snuck into the house; and making friends with a small yellow cat that found its way onto the front porch.

One of my goals as 2024 winds down and 2025 (how?!) begins is to spend some time reviving this blog.

I miss it. I miss how creative and joyful I feel when I pay attention to it. I haven't had a lot of great things to write about lately, but this trip was a bright spot, and I wanted to share it. I hope to get back into the swing of blogging more often, even if it's just for me. I even unearthed my Canon Rebel a few days ago. More to come - soon, hopefully!

Do you have any fun plans for the rest of the year, especially as the holidays approach?

Let's go girls,

Things That Matter

My toxic trait is trying to read several books at once (see also: thinking I am entitled to buying at least one or two new plants each weekend).

Right now I'm reading "The Secret History"; "Goth: A History"; Brian Wilson's memoir; and now Joshua Becker's "Things That Matter." It's this last book that's been my main focus as of late.

As highlighted in my November 2023 post, "MORE!," I feel like lately my life has been consumed with wanting more, more, more. "Things That Matter" has offered me a way to reset. The book walks through different types of distractions that keep us from our life's work and passions. It's so timely for me, and even though I'm less than a fourth of the way through the book, I already have a couple of key takeaways that I wanted to share with you.

Joshua Becker's former mentor, Robert Thune Sr.,

often set an intention for each day right when he woke up.

He said, "Every morning, before I start my day, I set my intention with a simple sentence: 'Today, I commit myself to _________.'"

I loved the heck out of that. As someone who works from home, sometimes it can feel like every day is much the same: Wake up, get ready, work, rinse, repeat. Setting an intention is a good way to narrow in on a tiny task or goal for the day and work with all my heart to complete it. Some examples Joshua shared were: "Today, I commit myself to being a faithful spouse" and "Today, I commit myself to selflessness." Or, "Today, I commit myself to healthy eating." "Today, I commit myself to my work goal."💜

Joshua also mentioned the manifesto of Melanie Kirk, which really resonated with me:

"A vow to live every day as if it's my one and only chance to make a mark, because IT IS. To live my life on purpose. To stop wasting time on things that don't matter. To step out of my comfort zone. To live with passion and courage of my convictions. To let go of the 'what if's.' To never, ever give up even when things get tough. Because at the end of the day life is far too precious a gift to squander."

What a great encouragement! I'm excited to keep reading this book and see what other little gems I can scribble in my journal or jot down on an index card and place around my house for instant encouragement. To me, this book has been a great reminder so far of making every moment matter, not in a stressful way, but with ultimate intention. Joshua Becker is also a minimalist, and while that's not my journey, I've also been inspired to clear out the clutter (read: piles of clothes I don't wear) and free up more space in my mind and life for, again, the "things that matter."

Happy Sunday! What have you been reading lately?

Feeling inspired,

A Very Cozy 2024

P and I on the steps of Starland Strange in Savannah, GA.

Maybe it's winter, or maybe it's just me,

but I've been wanting to be as cozy as possible lately.

I've always had an affinity for cardigans, sweaters, knitwear and all things snuggly, but as of late, it has seemingly amplified. Whether it's a new Hearth & Hand blanket from Target or a perfectly rumpled cable knit sweater found during an afternoon of thrifting, cozy has got me in its clutches. Here are some of the (conventional or otherwise) things that have felt cozy to me this month.

Possibly the coziest sweater of all time.

A new favorite show. I'm usually not too big into television, but lately when I'm looking to relax, I've been seeking solace in an absolutely addictive show that P and I discovered called The Traitors. We've finished season one and are now watching the first season of the UK version of the show. Also cozy: P had never seen The Breakfast Club (for shame!), so I made sure we watched that together this month. Side note: They did Ally Sheedy's character so wrong with that makeover.

Plants. I was obsessed with plants in 2023, but the obsession is only growing (literally). There are some nice pothos plants and other varieties on sale for fairly cheap at my local Publix, so anytime P and I pick up groceries, I am very tempted to add a new plant to the family. (My newest addition is Phil, a philodendron plant.) What makes my day is when I see a new leaf coming in on any of my plant bbs. It gives me a little shot of glee and makes me want to jump for joy.

Playing video games. I go through phases with playing video games, and then losing interest. Right now, I am replaying the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane remastered trilogy on my Playstation and having a blast. It's fun and mindless at the end of a long workday.

Reading graphic novels. Growing up, I was never a graphic novel fan, even though I was obsessed with doodling cartoons of my own. On a fluke, I picked up a graphic novel from the library (also an obsession lately) and now I am HOOKED. Graphic novels are so quick to read and the art is so inspiring. It makes me want to start drawing or painting again.

Plus:

• Taste-testing my husband's yummy new recipes

• Sipping water or tea from a fun new tumbler

• Tom Odell's newly released piano ballads

• The color green

• Cold morning runs wearing my dad's old fleece jacket

• Using Notion to journal and stay inspired

• Dark academia everything

What does cozy look like to you? Let me know in the comments.

With many snuggly days ahead,

More!

Does anybody else ever feel like they have so much stuff?

Lately I've been grappling with the sheer fact of all my things, and how much it seems I have acquired over the years. My mom shared with me this creator on YouTube who makes videos on minimalism and her 10-item wardrobe, and I've enjoyed watching some of her content. I don't think I could be a minimalist to that extreme extent, but I've enjoyed some of the principles behind her videos. 

Here's what I've discovered: The more I find myself in pursuit of stuff (namely, clothes, an obsession which could go on indefinitely as fashion is so ever-evolving), I find myself less able to hear the still, small voice of Jesus in my everyday life. It's convicting and dismaying, even as I find myself still on the hunt for more things to consume my time, money and energy.

As I've been sorting through my closet today, these thoughts came to mind. The things I think will fulfill me (a flowy tiered maxi skirt; a pair of impossibly cool boots) never truly do. And then they end up discarded or forgotten in some corner of my closet the moment the next thing comes along.

It seems our whole society has been peddled the idea of having more, more, more at the click of a button in a way that those from generations past never had to deal with. Much has been written on fast fashion and the incessant trend cycling only sped up by social media. As someone who's trying to distance myself more from the digital noise for my own mental health, I return to this space for a tiny reprieve. These days, I'm longing to unplug from the idea that I'm always one new product away from my "perfect wardrobe" and into my own creativity, and my relationship with Christ. I'm trying to focus more on what matters, rather than get caught in the never-ending pursuit of what will fade. 🌼

Be kind to yourself,