Here’s what happened last month.
Where I’ve Been:
I got to go on two really exciting trips this month. The first was to Charleston, South Carolina.
The second was to San Diego, California.
It was really nice getting to see new places this month.
On the Blog:
The main thing is that I got a new website! It’s been a big project this month to move all the posts over, design everything, etc., but I’m really happy I finally got around to it. I’ve been wanting my own domain name for three years or so. When I started my blog, I didn’t think I would actually keep it up for over four years.
I’ve also written posts about my trips this month, so check out those blog posts!
What I’ve been reading:
I finished the Financial Diet this month. It was a really good book for young people looking to learn more about personal finance. It has made me interested in starting a 401k, which is not something I thought I would be thinking about at this point in my life.
The F-Word by Lily Pebbles. I was really excited about this book because I read Lily’s blog and I’ve had a lot of good and bad experiences with female friendships in the past few years. I totally lost momentum in the first 90 pages and stopped reading it and I felt disappointed. I picked it up a couple days ago and tore through the rest – it was exactly what I had been expecting and hoping for. LOVED this one. It’s a really interesting resource for thinking about your friendships.
Feminists Don’t Wear Pink edited by Scarlett Curtis. Such an amazing collection of prose and poetry discussing all different aspects of intersectional feminism – across race, religion, ability, sexual orientation, etc. I would recommend this to every human being, especially those newly diving into feminist literature. Can’t wait to dive into their recommended further reading list.
As far as non-book things I was reading, I was really touched by this piece about the Chinese author Yan Lianke in the New Yorker by Fan Jiayang. The piece is really emotional and personal and goes beyond a normal book review or interview. I feel compelled to read some of his writing.
What I’ve Been Listening To:
In the Dark podcast by APM Reports. This podcast is super interesting. I would recommend it if you like Making a Murderer. It’s suspenseful but also raises interesting questions about our justice system and problems with the way police do their jobs.
What I’ve Been Watching:
Speaking of Making a Murderer, I devoured the newest season of the show. I started watching it because I downloaded some episodes to watch on the plane back from San Diego. I got home and didn’t stop watching until it was over. It took me just over 24 hours. I do feel like they stretched it out longer than it needed to be, but I just had to know what happened. I hope there continues to be progress with the cases and that at some point there is a resolution.
Highlights
Getting out of my hometown was a huge highlight. I really enjoyed seeing family in Charleston and getting to do some touristy stuff around there. I loved San Diego – the food was so good, the weather was good, and it was really nice getting to see my boyfriend.
Challenges:
We got another hurricane last month. This one took out our power for three days and took down a huge tree in our backyard, which luckily fell away from our house. Things were pretty hectic for three or four days until the traffic lights started working and everything. We were still very lucky compared to the people in Florida and Georgia.
I was really struggling to find balance last month. Working two part-time jobs, applying to grad school, trying to do fun stuff, and also doing stuff I wanted to do was impossible. I’m going to work more on my applications, take fewer hours at work, and spend more time reading and exercising, which I’m really enjoying.
Up Next
At the end of November, I’m going back to California! I’m presenting at the Western Conference on Linguistics in Fresno, and then I’ll hopefully be visiting the Bay Area and Los Angeles before heading back to San Diego to see my boyfriend again. I’ve got a lot of stuff to do before then, but it’s something to look forward to!
