Currently // October 2024

I’m aware that this is being back-dated. I had this post ready to go and thought I had it scheduled for Tuesday of this week. However, when I got on today (Wednesday) to schedule a few upcoming posts I realized I had selected the wrong date. In fact, I had selected an entirely different month too. Pregnancy brain in full effect, y’all. Anyway, this post will appear today, but I'm dating it for Tuesday. Now, without further ado, here is the “Currently” post for the month.

Listening: A lot of Zach Bryan and Treaty Oak Revival. I select the “Zach Bryan Mix” playlist on Spotify and roll with it. A lot of new stuff has just been putting me in a funk. I can’t seem to find much that I like so I stick with what I do.

Reading: Nothing. I tried to push through and finish “It Starts With Us” by Colleen Hoover, but life has kept me pretty busy. Any downtime I get, I nap. That said, I enjoyed the part that I did read so I’m hopeful that soon, I’ll find a few others that I can jump into. And fingers crossed that I will eventually finish this dang book. 

Watching: "Agatha All Along". It’s October, and I couldn’t let it go by without watching something about witches, magick, and a bit of superhero powers. While we normally stick to classics like “Hocus Pocus,” “Halloween Town,” “Practical Magic,” “Casper,” or anything by Tim Burton this year, Agatha caught my attention. Though, as a Catholic, I did skip most of the Ouji Board/Possession episode (ep. 5 if you’re curious). So far, it's been pretty good. However, I'm interested in seeing where they take the storyline because it could either get better or take a nosedive. We shall see. 

‘Casting: I have my regular podcasts that I listen to but occasionally I’ll listen to an episode or two of “Climbing Gold” with Alex Honnold. One day I watched the documentary Free Solo and it gave me intense anxiety. But it wasn’t the bad kind, it was more like excitement mixed with a bit of fear. I was immediately fascinated by what Alex was setting out to accomplish. As I watched other rock-climbing documentaries it became very apparent that these athletes are some of the strongest (mentally and physically) people in the world. And I find them to be really interesting. I also enjoy listening to Alex and hearing his take on things. But it's also pretty neat to hear him talk about how his mind works. While we may not always have the same views, I still enjoy what he has to say. So, if you ever want to dip your toes into the rock-climbing world I highly recommend checking out his podcast.

And that concludes the “Currently” post for this month. If you have any suggestions, be sure to drop me a line either here or on any of my other social media pages. Links are all at the top. I'm always looking for new artists, films, podcasts, or books too. So, I'm open to recommendations if you have them. Until the next post, Happy Tuesday, y’all! ❤

Currently // July 2024

This summer has flown by quickly and the beginning of the school year is right around the corner. I’ve already had two meetings with my daughter’s principal. A lengthier post to come. I’m hoping that the new principal and new(ish) superintendent can make much-needed changes within the next year. We've considered transferring Emery to another school, but she's not a fan of that idea so we're trying to compromise. Other than that not much is going on. I have to make a final decision on my name change within the next few days, which has been rough. In two weeks we take Emery back to school shopping which I dread because of how many stops we have to make. The mall is no longer the one-stop shop it used to be. We've also been browsing houses on the market, with no real plan. That said, I've requested a meeting with a mortgage broker and lending company to go over our current options, and budget, and possibly make some goals for the future. Then starting in August we have to make a switch to our sleep schedule since the upcoming start time at Emery's school has been moved up to 7:25 AM. Yikes, right? Anyway, those are the little happenings going on for us at the moment. Now, without further ado, here is the “Currently” post for the month.

Listening: Nothing. Music is just not happening for me right now. When I do feel like listening to something I tend to stick to my oldies, but goodies playlists: 90s Hits, Youth Group Throwback, and Chaos Anthems.

Reading: Nothing. Not even going to pretend I’m trying either. NOTHING has piqued my interest. And I’ve started so many different books from different genres. I’ve even tried audiobooks. But nothing sticks. So, I’ve decided to not force it. Maybe one day I’ll get back into it, but right now, it’s just not in the cards for me.

Watching: The Tour de France on Peacock. Y’all, last year I watched the documentary series, “Tour de France: Unchained” and I was fascinated. Then last month, season 2 was released and I binged it in a day. I loved it! If you don’t know much about cycling, you should give this series a watch. If anything, just to see what it’s all about. Because, y’all, there is so much more to it than riding a bicycle over long distances. Anyway, this year’s Tour de France started on June 29 and I have been glued to it from day one.

‘Casting: A few podcasts are on rotation. More specifically, Catholic podcasts. I usually start my day with “Blessed is She Daily Devotions”. Then move on to “The God Minute.” But one of the newer podcasts that I’ve started listening to is, “The Saints” by The Merry Beggars. It brings stories of Saints to life with voice actors. It’s great for both adults and kids. I highly recommend it if learning more about Saints is something you are interested in. 

And that concludes the “Currently” post for this month. If you have any suggestions, be sure to drop me a line either here or on any of my other social media pages. Links are all at the top. I'm open to recommendations if you have them. Until the next post, Happy Tuesday, y’all! ❤

Currently // April 2024

The school year is starting to wind down, and you can tell that my kid is ready. For me, work is steadily chucking along. Corey and a friend have partnered on a new business - so he’s been working the equivalency of two jobs. I haven’t been feeling well lately and after a recent appointment, I was told to hit pause on any strenuous exercise and running. And let's just say that it’s impacted my mental health and energy levels all around. I do have an upcoming follow-up appointment with my doctor, and here’s hoping for good news. Anyway, without further ado, here is the “Currently” post for the month.

   

Listening: Right now, I prioritize other stuff, so when it comes to music selections I tend to rely on Spotify-generated playlists. Right now I’m listening to “Top Christian & Gospel”. It’s nice and light. Perfect for my commute to work, and back home.

Reading: Technically this could fit under listening because I've been listening to an audiobook. It’s called “Daughter of the Moon Goddess” by Sue Lynn Tan. I’m almost halfway through. However, I will say I have taken a bit of a pause because this is what I listened to on solo runs. And well, here’s hoping I’m able to pick it back up soon.

Watching: I watch multiple Asian dramas at a time. However, there was a brief pause due to several upcoming releases that hadn’t been put out yet. So, during that break, I started watching true crime shows again. I just finished “Homicide: New York” on Netflix and I thought it was fantastic! I really hope they continue it, even if it’s in another city.

‘Casting: Not much in this area to report. I did discover that one of the slow-living ladies I’m subscribed to on YouTube has started her own podcast: Wholehearted Podcast. I’ve listened to two episodes, and while I think she’s doing a great job, the length of each episode is a bit much for me. I tend to retain more when episodes are shorter in length. Otherwise, it’s a great podcast.

And that concludes the “Currently” post for this month. If you have any suggestions, be sure to drop me a line either here or on any of my other social media pages. Links are all at the top. I'm always looking for new artists, films, podcasts, or books too. So, I'm open to recommendations if you have them. Until the next post, Happy Tuesday, folks! ❤

Currently // January 2024

I've decided to dust this series off and give it life again. It won't be monthly, but I think it will be fun to see how my interests change throughout the year. Lately, I have been watching a lot of television. Being sick and then staying at home a lot kind of does that to you. Next month will probably look different. Emery’s extracurriculars pick back up and we’re looking into tumbling lessons. So, for now, I’ve just been enjoying getting to lounge on my couch and PJs for a few weeks. Slow days and all. Anyway, without further ado, here is the “Currently” post for the month.

Listening: I haven’t been listening to one specific artist. I’m mainly living off of the curated Spotify playlists. However, the past few weeks have mainly been a lot of ONE OK ROCK. They’re a Japanese alternative/rock band - however, a lot of their songs are in English (or the majority in English). One of my favorite songs is Renegades. Check them out if you get a chance, they’re pretty great!

Reading: Nothing. You know, I used to really love reading. It was like my escape from reality and a way to “visit” other countries/worlds. Interweave a good romance and I was sucked in. But somewhere between casual reading and forced textbook reading - my taste has changed. I’ve attempted four New Adult books by authors that I loved and not a single one has made me want to devour the pages like before. I feel like I need to find a different genre or maybe I’m just a “moody reader” and I’m not feeling it in this particular phase of my life. Let me know if you have any suggestions for getting me out of this slump.

Watching: A lot of Asian Dramas! This month I started “Till the End of the Moon”, but had to take a brief break at episode 30 because it was just so dang sad, and intense. The director overdid it a bit with the blood spitting -IYKYK - but otherwise, it was a pretty great story. I usually watch a few different dramas at a time. Since they're pretty lengthy - it's nice to have a few different stories going on. 

‘Casting: Blessed is She Daily Devotionals. I’ve been slacking on church attendance, and my prayer life has suffered. I still haven’t completed the paperwork for my annulment either. With so much going on I’ve been struggling with making all of this a priority. However, the one thing I’m doing my best to stick with is listening to the 3-minute daily devotional that Blessed is She puts out. It’s short and to the point, and I normally listen as I’m getting prepped for the workday.

And that concludes the “Currently” post for this month. If you have any suggestions, be sure to drop me a line either here or on any of my other social media pages. Links are all at the top. I'm always looking for new artists, films, podcasts, or books too. So, I'm open to recommendations if you have them. Until the next post, Happy Monday, folks! ❤

Currently // November 2020

We’ve already had a pretty packed November. This weekend will be another one filled with back to back events. And I can’ believe Thanksgiving is next week too! I mean, WHAT? I guess this is my sign to slow things down, huh? How is everyone else feeling about having six weeks left in the year? I'm a little mixed if I'm being honest. It kind of feels like we should get a redo or bonus points for something, right? Anywho, while you mull that over here let's get into the “currently” post for the month. 

Listening: Recently, Dermot Kennedy released a deluxe version of his album “Without Fear”, and it includes seven more tracks. Now, in case you couldn’t tell, I LOVE this man’s music. There’s just this feeling that I get whenever I listen to him and I can’t really describe it in one word. It’s kind of like this heady combination of wanderlust, happiness, longing, and love all rolled into one big heaping pile of emotion. And, in my opinion, his voice is just super relaxing. So, this has been my go-to when I head out for my meditative runs. You can find all of the streaming platforms that it's available to listen to, here. 

Reading: I started to read “Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light - The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta”. I actually found this book at a thrift store of sorts in Mout Pleasant back in May. However, I was distracted and unmotivated to read much of anything so it sat on my bedside nightstand for months. And well, I recently decided to commit to reading a chapter or two each week. I’m doing it this way so I can really think about her writings. She’s the Saint that I chose for myself last year because I have always been drawn to her work. Her outlook on life, kindness, and love. I felt it was about time that I dive deeper. And boy has it been eye-opening. 

Watching: I’ve been watching a lot these days. Mainly because I have more time off than I normally do. Anywho, there are two shows that I just finished and equally loved. The first is "Emily in Paris" which follows a young woman’s adventures in France. It stars Lily Collins, which I think is a great actress. And newcomer (to me), Lucas Bravo who is pretty dreamy. And the accent? It’s real ladies. The second is a cute show about young love, set in New York City, at Christmas time called "Dash & Lily". It stars Austin Abrams, who I first saw in Euphoria, and I feel like we’re going to be seeing more of him which I look forward to. Both of these shows are over on Netflix. And bonus! They're 30-minutes or less for each episode. And they're each 10 episodes or less in length. So they’re super easy to breeze through. Enjoy!  

‘Casting: Whether you’re Catholic or not, I highly recommend giving the podcast, "Crisis: Clergy Abuse in the Catholic Church", a listen. It’s a really great piece of journalism. You get a complete breakdown of events and countless interviews from bishops, reporters, lawyers, and social workers. There are even a few survivors who tell their stories. Overall, it’s very informative. And they don’t hold back. 

And that concludes the “Currently” post for this month. If you have any suggestions, be sure to drop me a line either here or on any of my other social media pages. Links are all at the top. I'm always on the lookout for new artists, films, podcasts, or books too. So, I'm totally open to recommendations if you have them. Until the next post, Happy Tuesday, folks! 

Currently // September 2020

 Well, well, well. It’s been a minute since I’ve done one of these, huh? A lot of things have changed in a year, that’s for sure. My taste in music is still the same, but I’ve added a few things. Reading hasn’t been a huge priority and my reading goals have definitely gone down. However, shows have gone up a bit on my list of enjoyable things since I tend to put something on as I’m folding laundry or doing the dishes. But not a lot holds my attention these days because it feels like we are always on the go. Or there’s more work that has to be done. Sitting still long enough to focus doesn’t seem to happen very often and at the end of the day, I’m barely putting myself through a shower just so I can face plant into bed immediately after. It’s been fun. So, why exactly am I jumping back into this particular series again? Well, I don’t know. I’m not even sure if I’ll make it a monthly thing. But I enjoyed it before, so here we go! 

Listening: I haven’t really listened to a lot of albums in full lately. I’ve definitely gone the route of mixed playlists over on Spotify. HOWEVER, Jessie Reyez dropped an album earlier this year titled “BEFORE LOVE CAME TO KILL US”, and WOW. There were a lot of different topics that she addressed through her songs but y’all this was the “break up & move on” album that I had needed two years ago! Better late than never, right? She goes in right from the very beginning and I loved it. Give it a listen if you haven’t already. 

Reading: I’ve been really bad about this. Nothing had really piqued my interest in a long time. But then, I saw the cover to Colleen Hoover’s newest book, “Heart Bones” and on a whim, I clicked on the Buy now with 1-click link. Y’all, I read that sucker in one sitting. Well, kind of. I bought it late at night and started it. Then finished the next day. Anyway, the book was really great! It's been a minute since anything New Adult has drawn me in and kept me in like this story did. It was a pretty fast read too! If you’re into Colleen’s work or enjoy authors like Rene Carlino and Penelope Douglas then you’ll enjoy "Heart Bones". 

Watching: What am I NOT watching would make this shorter but I’ll go with the most recent series that I’ve finished. “The Umbrella Academy” is one of my favorite shows on Netflix. I fell in love from the very first season and I hope it never ends! It’s adapted from a comic book series created by Gerard Way, which was reason enough for me to give it a chance. Then I found out that Rob Sheehan was cast in it and well, consider me sold! It’s packed with action, mild gore, unusual “superheroes”, and twists at every turn. If I had allowed myself, I would have binged the entire second season in one sitting. But you know, responsibilities. Anywho, this is not a show for young kids so if you do decide to watch it I recommend you do so when the kids are in bed. 

‘Casting: I’ve decided to add another section here for podcasts. Because honestly, they’re the reason why I haven’t been listening to a lot of music. I’ve officially entered that “old stage” in life. And it welcomed me with open arms. I listen to A LOT of them. Mainly Catholic ones, but there are others mixed in. For now, I’ll just mention that I listen to “The God Minute” almost daily. When quarantine happened, and the churches had to close their doors, this was also my way of “attending mass”. It’s usually ten minutes or less, and it goes over the daily readings and then the guest offers a reflection. It’s super quick and I listen to it on my way to work. For any fellow Catholics on the go, I definitely recommend you subscribe. I promise you’ll enjoy it! 

And that concludes the “Currently” post for this month. If you have any suggestions, be sure to drop me a line either here or on any of my other social media pages. Links are all at the top. I'm always on the lookout for new artists, films, podcasts, or books too. So, I'm totally open to recommendations if you have them. Until the next post, Happy Tuesday, folks! 

Currently - August 2019

I feel like August has been flying by. Emery starts school this week, and soon after we’re back to creating a pretty structured schedule. With very little wiggle room. And as much as I love having a set routine, I also love being able to toss everything out of the window and just lounge in our jammies while binge-watching Stranger Things. Now, in just a few days it’ll be back to rearranging work out days, evenings filled with homework, reading lists, and after school activities. It will be back to having early bedtimes and early mornings. And I'm just not ready. But before I go down the rabbit hole of all the bummers that come with school starting back up again how about we just get into the "currently" post for the month instead? Okay? Okay. 

Playing:  Lately, music has not been a HUGE part of my day-to-day. Instead, it’s been replaced with podcasts. Now, I’m planning on writing a podcast post every few months or so to kind of highlight some of the ones I find really interesting. I want to write a bit more in-depth on some of the subject matter that’s caught my attention, and talk about some of my favorite shows as well as why they’re my favorites. But for today’s post, I just want to throw out a podcast that has caught my interest: Certifiably Catholic. The description states: Each episode a Catholic priest, stay at home mom, and a husband/parish minister discuss how we strive for heaven in the midst of this crazy life. Lately, my need to learn more and practice my faith has been at the front of my mind. And honestly, it was actually set off after listening to one of CC’s episodes. So, if you’re Catholic and interested in listening to some of today’s topics discussed from three different points of views/vocations, then I highly recommend that you check them out. If you’re not Catholic, but curious to know a bit more about us then I also recommend that you give these guys a listen. You can start here.

Reading: Poetry has been my poison of choice lately when it comes to reading. I’ve gone through some of r.h. Sin’s work as well as some of r.m. drake’s. “Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur was finally purchased, and y’all it’s definitely a must-read if you’re going through a breakup or dealing with relationship issues due to the trauma left behind from sexual assault. I’ve actually been a fan of her work for a while now and bought “The Sun and Her Flowers” when it was released. However, that collection is focused more on the healing and moving forward. I still re-read it anyway. And last week I finally received the “In My Feelings Vol. I” bundle from r.m. drake. It’s a set of four books, limited release, and I just started on the first one this past Sunday. So far, I’ve not been disappointed in any of these authors.    

Watching: I recently had a marathon viewing session of “Peaky Blinders” in order to catch up before season five comes out stateside this October. I’ve got about four more episodes to go which I’ll probably finish up next week. Then there’s been the unexpectedly enthralling, “Euphoria” over on HBO. The description for this show states: Euphoria follows a group of high school students as they navigate love and friendships in a world of drugs, sex, trauma, and social media. Now, this one caught me way off guard, y’all. It also caused me a bit of discomfort due to it being a show about teenagers that have all kinds of sex and use a crap ton of drugs. I had to keep reminding myself that these actors were all over 20 years old. And I know that this is not a new concept for a TV show, but sometimes it gets rough. Now, none of the subject matter was new to me and some of it I had been through myself when I was a teenager. It was just really weird seeing it from a different point of view now that I’m older and a mother. I kept asking myself if drugs were really that easy to come by back in our teenage years? Was sex really viewed as something to “get over” before heading off to college or graduating high school? While watching Euphoria I really started to think about some of the situations I had allowed myself to get into during my younger years. And it also reminded me of how much we, as a society, have changed in these past fourteen years. It's a bit of a trip if you really sit back and look at it. So yea, if angsty teenagers navigating the waters of what we like to call high school during a time when social media makes being invisible nearly impossible, piques your interest then by all means...watch this show. 

And that concludes the currently for this month. If you have any other suggestions be sure to drop me a line either here, or any of my other social media pages. Links are all at the top. I'm always on the lookout for new artists, films, or books so I'm totally open to recommendations. Until the next post, Happy Tuesday night folks!