Time and Place // 10:50 a.m. at my desk
Eating // Shredded wheat (I have a strange fondness for this cereal) with strawberries
Drinking // Peach black tea, as part of an effort to drink up my existing tea collection before I buy new flavors.
Reading // After an initial reading binge to start out the year, my reading pace has slowed down quite a bit. Since I last checked in earlier this month I finished Trapped Under the Sea by Neil Swidey (February 18 from Crown) and The Secret Rooms by Catherine Bailey. The Secret Rooms, which I’m hoping to review this week, started out awesome, but faltered a bit near the end — probably a 4 out of 5 star read in the end.
This week I started reading The Emperor’s Children by Claire Messud, which I’d been toting around, intending to read, since Christmas. I’m also hoping to start a couple of nonfiction read this week — Marketplace of the Marvelous by Erika Janik for a paid review and Cairo by Ahdaf Soueif, which I received for review last month. But I’m traveling (again) this week, so who knows how much reading I’ll actually get done.
Watching // The boyfriend and I are just getting to the end of season two of Deadwood, which I think we’re both still enjoying a lot. The dialogue is a little hard to follow sometimes, but it’s an oddly funny show in a lot of moments. I also watched the first two episodes of Enlisted, a new comedy on FOX, that I thought was charming. It’s a family/workplace comedy about three brothers in the Army, a bit like of Brooklyn Nine Nine merged with Modern Family.
Listening // Paying for Spotify premium was, perhaps, the best music-related decision I’ve made in awhile. In addition to the curated playlists, I am head over heels in love with Home Free’s first album, Crazy Life. Home Free is a country a cappella group that won season four of The Sing-Off. I’m totally charmed by them.
Cooking // In an effort to eat more healthy foods, I chopped up all my fresh produce when I got home from the grocery store on Friday night. I also made some awesome minestrone to help get me through the week.
Making // One of my intentions for the year is to deal with my yarn stash, either by completing half-finished projects or getting rid of the yarn I’m not going to use. To that end, I picked up a couple of almost completed scarves and started working on them last night. I might be able to finish one during the football games this afternoon.
Blogging // This week I shared a post about personal reading analytics and a review of Empty Mansions by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell Jr. I haven’t decided on plans for the blog this week. At the very least, I’m hoping to have a review of The Secret Rooms up soon.
Promoting // I really loved Andi’s (Estella’s Revenge) post on how to keep a sustainable blog. It’s full of smart advice from someone who has kept a blog going for nine years (nine years!).
Hating // It’d be predictable for me to say the weather, so let’s just move on from this prompt assuming that I hate winter in Minnesota. On the plus side, cold weather gives me excuses to bust out the super warm scarves in my collection, including a beautiful blue and gray one that the boyfriend’s mom got me for Christmas. New for this week, I hate self-absorbed people. I had a string of frustrating back-and-forths at work this week that I’m hoping to not repeat for awhile.
Loving // I put in some work last night on the prompts and journaling for One Little Word, and I’m feeling really good about it. Just keeping my word — curate — in mind has helped me make some good choices this month and I’m excited to keep that momentum going.
Avoiding // I watched the first episode of the new season of Downton Abbey and… I’m just not that into it? The characters feel really static to me — they’re so boring I can’t get past it to just revel in the costumes and Maggie Smith of it all. Anyone care to convince me to keep watching?
Anticipating // I haven’t gotten to watch nearly as much playoff football this month as I usually do. I got most of my chores done for the weekend, so I’m excited for an afternoon being lazy in front of the television.
Happy Sunday, everyone! What are you reading today?
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I haven’t read” Emperor’s Children”, but I’m listening to Claire Messud’s “The Woman Upstairs” on my daily commute–I think I have about two more hours to go. I haven’t read such an ANGRY character is a long time–really an interesting book!
I just got a notification that I have The Woman Upstairs waiting at the library, so much Messud!
I don’t think I’d ever read Messud again after The Woman Upstairs. I had such a violently negative reaction to that book! You can hate on the Minnesota winters all you want, because I would if I lived up there. My sister, on the other hand, seems to not be affected by it which is bizarre to me. I’ve got my whole group of ladies at the gym doing the one word thing. We all wrote our words on the wall in hand chalk…our trainer absolutely loves the idea.
That’s such a fun one word story, what word did you choose?
I don’t know what I’m reading yet this afternoon…beyond Sunday blog posts like yours.
Just new this week that you hate self-absorbed people? I’ve hated them for a long time ;). Join the club.
I’d like to get back to Deadwood some day, but my wife just didn’t like it. She thought the language was too anachronistic for the time. Myself, I didn’t mind and found the story well-written. I can see how Downton Abbey wouldn’t interest you after watching that, though. Quite a jump there.
I always hate self-absorbed people, I just got a good reminder about how much this week!
I haven’t cared to start Downton Abbey either! It just seems like no one really enjoyed it this season (for the folks in the UK who got to watch it earlier) and I don’t feel as invested in it.
I’m currently making a scrap blanket – very simple, just single crochet – to try and get rid of all my yarn. So far so good! Fortunately all the colors I have really seem to go together. My friend saw it and she said it’s because I always buy jewel tones, which is probably true.
I’m reading The Reconstructionist today. It’s good, but forgettable? I’m also listening to The Golem & the Jinni on audio.
I loved the photo of your scrap blanket. I’m thinking about doing that after I finish a couple scarves in progress.
Nice little check in here.
I have to admit, I also watched the first episode of the new season of Downton Abbey and I wasn’t getting as hyped as I usually am for the show. I didn’t feel like there was enough CHANGE going on. I actually got grading done while watching it instead of neglecting the grading and engulfing myself in the drama unfolding on screen. I felt more annoyed with the characters than anything else. I think I’ll probably give the next episode a shot on my day off but I’m not feeling that normal fizzle of excitement about it.
I’m off to go work on starting my own One Little Word project. Thanks again for posting about this; I’m super excited about it.
That is exactly how I felt about the first episode. I was just annoyed by almost all of the characters, which is not my usual response to the show.
I think you have to give the characters a break – they’re all reeling from the shock of the way the last season ended (notice how I avoided a spoiler there!) It’s only natural that things are a bit static on the show. But I’m right about where you are, Kim, the second episode. I’ll let you know if my opinion changes!
I guess so… But it’s been six months? And the stuff that’s annoying proceeds The Event, I’d argue. I’ll probably finish the season, or just rewatch season one 🙂
The Secret Rooms looks interesting! I’m afraid I can’t talk you into Downton Abbey – I’m still in the middle of season 2. I found the cliffhanger episode endings just too much to take.
Downton does love a cliffhanger 🙂
Thanks for the Enlisted recommendation – I have been looking for new things to watch – going to check it out! I also really liked Andi’s post – much of it resonated with me.
It’s so charming, I hope you love it. I want a second season.
Kim, your scarf is awfully pretty. I love scarves and have many many many purchased as well as several made by my talented daughter.
Have a great week.
I’ve been banned from buying scarves, so I’m glad I got this one as a present!
I’m with you on finishing up half done projects. More of them hanging around than I want to admit to.
I have a ton, it lots of areas. I’m working through them slowly.
I need to work through a lot of stashes I have, including my tea stash. Good luck!
So much tea! It’s just so tempting to buy!
Thanks for shouting out the post from this week!
And I put Secret Rooms on my Goodreads wishlist, but I’m thinking I need a Post-It stuck to my forehead so it doesn’t get lost in the ether.
Scarves! I wish I could do that!
Woohoo! We’re totally on the same wavelength about yarn and tea, that’s for sure. I finally gave up on many of the half-finished projects and tangled skeins of yarn I had lingering around the house forever . . . before I moved, I actually worked with my mom to bundle up the yarn we don’t see ourselves using and had two trash bags full. Two! Craziness. I made a few calls and found a local senior center with folks who were delighted to take it off our hands, and I felt great about giving it to ladies who would really appreciate it. I’m sure there were many stylish grandchildren running around in new hand-knitted items this Christmas. 🙂
That’s a great use of the yarn! I’m thinking about donating mine to a local thrift store, once I spend some time sorting it out. I think there are a few projects in there, I just need to decide what I’m actually going to do and give up on the rest.
I really want to read The Secret Rooms. I should have bought it when I had gift cards. I can see I will regret that. haha. I love the scarf. 🙂
I have nothing to persuade you about Downton Abbey. I enjoyed the first season quite a bit, but I haven’t been nuts about it since then.
Yay for you and your produce! My mission for this week is to attempt to cook collard greens for the first time. I’ve never cooked with them before, but it doesn’t sound too hard. My mission to achieve a healthier lifestyle includes learning how to cook new vegetables.
I need to learn how to cook more vegetables too. I don’t eat enough, but I think that’s because I don’t know how to prepare them in a way that is delicious.
I agree with you on the Spotify Premium. It’s such a good app. I’ve been meaning to start watching Deadwood but instead I’m watching everything else! 🙂 Have a good week.
The weather! Ack! As a Wisconsin girl I totally feel your pain. My mom has just about had it, she’s talking about moving to Texas next winter.
I’m also enjoying Andi’s sustainable blog ideas!
I got into Downton Abbey for awhile but after the first season I was over it. I always wonder how long I’ll keep up the blog but I thought Andi’s post was helpful too.