Updates on the Last Day of May

I can't believe we are already at the end of May. We recently had a few things come up that were out of my control. When we are at the point where I feel we can share, I will. So, please excuse my absence. Again. Then after a day or two of things settling down, I got sick this week. Again. And I swear I have spent more time sick this year than combined in the past three years. It has been a real bummer. However, I'm on the mend, and things are looking up. Now, while I dive into the latest - here's a picture from April, but it's also been our view for the past few days. Yay for rain! 

 

Work has been, well, work. We are about to have our performance evaluations at the end of June. And I'm not entirely sure if I like them. Now, I get wanting/needing feedback. My supervisor and I started these "check-in" meetings every four months that allow us to go over what's working and what's not. They're informative and productive. But these performance evaluations are another beast. And this year the criteria to qualify for a pay raise has narrowed. Significantly. This is why people are on edge right now. Some are nervous about their rating. And there's also a bit of fear in the air. And that just seems like such a crazy thing to me. You shouldn't be afraid to give your opinion/comments/feedback either. But I know some staff are prepared to accept a low rating just so they can keep their jobs. So, overall, I don't think these evaluations are productive.

School is officially out for summer! Both for public schools in our area and the university. It has turned our town back into a slow, calm, peaceful one. Well, for the most part. Traffic has eased. Parties have dwindled. The jail log isn't as long. And there are no major university events taking place for the locals to complain about. This and winter break are my favorite times of the year because everything gets quiet. That said, our plans for this summer have been squashed. No trip to California, like I wanted. And unless something changes, no staycations either. I'm a little bummed about it, but it is what it is. We plan on taking a trip next Spring break or the beginning of Summer. And that trip is non-negotiable. So, at least we have that to look forward to.

And that's about all I have for today. In a few minutes, we'll head out for the afternoon to look at a side job that needs to be bid. Then tomorrow we have some errands to run and a few things around the house to take care of. As I mentioned above we've had several days of rain, which I love. But now as that all clears up and the forecast calls for sunshine, we have to spray the yard and around the house. And we also have to pick up any debris leftover from the storms. Then on Sunday, we're off to a neighboring town to bid on another job. Fingers crossed we get both! So, that covers the past two weeks I've been gone. I hope to get back to my regular posting schedule starting next week. Here's to the weekend! 🎉

All About the Drama // Lovely Runner

📸: Credit

Name: Lovely Runner
Length: 16 episodes
Region: Korea
My Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: “Right after Ryu Seon-jae, a top star ends his life, Im Sol, his top fan somehow ends up at a time when they were in high school and tries to protect him. A fantasy romance unfolds where people who missed each other in time finally meet...” 

So after watching 20th Century Girl, Byeon Woo-seok has not left my radar. And when I heard he was filming a new show, I bookmarked it to follow up later. And well, that day finally came! Now, this show is still running, and only 12 of the 16 episodes have been released. That said, this one is soo good, that I’m already rating it a 5/5.

The previews were all pretty lighthearted, and then I read a bit more on the plot, and I kept thinking “Noooo. Not again!!” Because, as you read above, he dies. However, there is a bit of time travel involved, so we don’t know what the final outcome will be just yet. Still, it has been such a fun watch!

This show also touched on what I think is an important topic. In the first episode, we get a glimpse of how Korean celebrities are treated in Korea - which isn’t always good. Just last month there was a dating controversy with two actors, who faced a huge backlash that caused them to split. And they are not the first. Then there have been several K-pop star suicides over the years. Mainly due to their over-the-top workloads, heavy criticism by fans, and consistent social media attacks if fans find something to take issue with. It’s as if they feel that these stars should live only for their fans and not have personal lives or be able to make mistakes. It’s kind of heartbreaking.

Anyway, this show has done a great job of shedding light on these issues while also making sure not to take away from the relationship between the two main characters. It has quite a bit of comedy, just enough romance, and a lot of fun moments. And there is a bit of a “love triangle,” but it’s such a funny, non-toxic one if you can believe it. Byeon Woo-seok and Kim Hye-yoon have such a natural chemistry that the episodes play out so well, and nothing about them feels fake or too cheesy. Several side characters bring a lot of fun and humor to the show too. 

And that wraps up my review. While some episodes contain heavy subject matter, the majority of it is very light-hearted, funny, and cute. And even though the outcome of this show could be sad (I have not read the webtoon), I still recommend you give this one a watch. You can find it over on Viki with a VikiPass - linked in the name below the picture up top. Until the next one, 🤞.

Wordless Wednesday

 

Gratitude Journal // Five - Three - Twenty Four

Sometimes, the bad days get the better of me. Other times, I get so caught up in my little world that I forget to give thanks for all of the blessings in my life. And sometimes you just need to write down the things you're grateful for to see all of your blessings. Though I admit that sometimes I take things for granted, I'm doing my best to be thankful for all of the good in my life. So, today, I’m choosing to give thanks for all of the things.

Cloudy Skies: While I enjoy the sunshine, I’m more of a stormy weather kind of girl. I enjoy cloudy days and a cool breeze. I enjoy thunderstorms and the smell of rain. Our area gets a handful of rainstorms and cloudy weather each year, but we’re getting a lot more this Spring than we normally do. You know, April showers and all. It has been so pleasant and even more enjoyable.

 

Consistent Sleep: Lately I’ve been averaging about 7 hours and 21 minutes of sleep each night. At least, that’s according to my Apple watch. This is down from the six-month average, but it’s to be expected with this season of life. Still, there was a time when I only slept about 6 hours and those were rough times. So, I’m grateful for anything over 7 hours. The goal is to hit 8 hours again this summer. School is about to be out for summer meaning my schedule won't be so packed. But we'll see. 

 

My vehicle: Two years ago, I purchased a used Ford Edge. We needed some extra room that my Equinox was no longer providing, and it was just time. Unfortunately, the Edge was not the vehicle I wanted, but it’s the one I could afford. It was brown, instead of black as it had been advertised too. However, I was tired of looking and going back and forth so I just made the decision and got it. The price was decent and it had 3 out of the 4 features I was looking for. Since then, I have spent a lot of time talking down on it. It’s ugly. It had a good amount of miles on it already. And one of the doors started making this rattling sound right after the warranty went out. Because that’s how it works right? Still, I’m grateful for it. It’s a safe vehicle. Everything works on it. And it gets us where we need to go. So, I’m doing my best to look at the bright side of it all.

 

Answered Prayers: I have this long list of things I pray for. And then there are people I pray for too. And while I know that unanswered prayers are answers of their own, it’s pretty exciting when something you’ve taken to the Lord comes to fruition. Today, as I’m counting my blessings I want to give thanks for all of the prayers that have been answered. Those from the past, present, and future. I truly am grateful for all I’ve been given and all that I have not.

 

Good Health (for now): Recently, I was told I needed to press pause on running. And while there was a good reason for it, I felt so overwhelmed with anxiety because of it. A week and a half later I was given the green light to resume running and instantly felt much better. Had it not been for my good health, the outcome could have been very different. So, today, I’m giving thanks for my health. While I know things can drastically change from one day to the next, I’m doing well at the moment. I’m able to run. And my little scare turned out to be something minor.

And that wraps up my gratitude post for this month. What are you grateful for today? This week? This month? What do you do to help bring some positivity back into your day if it's been a bad one? How do you make sure to stay grounded? Are you ready for summer? Are your kids? Do you have any vacation or staycation plans? Let me know below. Until the next post, I hope everyone has a great weekend! Adios!

“Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” // Mother Teresa 

❤

Wordless Wednesday