Read Until You Feel Better

There are many forms of self-care and for me, reading an entertaining novel is definitely one of them. I hope you are finding the time to do the things that make your soul happy. If you're like me, and enjoy romantic stories, here are some book recommendations to check out. As usual, these are for mature audiences, 18+ years old. 😊

Game of Love by Melissa Foster: My Youngest Son is an avid gamer and quite skilled, so reading about Dex Remington and his history as a gamer and then eventually an ultra successful game programmer was fun!  And I have always had a soft spot for kids in the Foster Care system and feel all kind of empathy for the struggles that they go through, so I felt all the appropriate sadness reading about Ellie’s life issues and her belief that she’s not worthy to have someone love her.  What a kind yet strong character Dex is.  I really enjoyed him overall. And Dex and Ellie’s romance is just lovely, from the first time they met to the progression of the novel. 

 

 

A Kiss for the Cameras by Olivia Jaymes:  This story centers around a “showmance” turned romance between writer Paige and actor Nate.  What I liked about this story is that neither character is portrayed as flawless people.  Paige is a widow with a son in college so she’s older and has experienced life.  Nate is an actor that continues to struggle with acquiring the right roles and maintaining his star status.  Both seemed so real and relatable.  Even the way the author describes them isn’t as remarkable as other characters in other novels.  They are good looking people but normal good looking people, with body issues and insecurities about hairline location. LOL. Read this one & root for Paige and Nate like I did. 

 

 

A Thousand Letters by Staci Hart: I think my heart broke a thousand times reading this book. Wade and Elliot seem to have every obstacle against them toward their journey to each other. Wade’s pride is one of his downfalls and is the beginning of what separates him from Elliot.  As a reader I felt so much affection for Elliot—a truly sweet soul, someone I imagine myself being friends with.  She is selfless and compassionate and exhibits these traits despite growing up with a family that is anything but.  Elliot’s family—wow!!  What a bunch of characters!  You’ll have to read this one to see what I mean, but brace yourself, they are something else!  There’s also the illness of Wade’s Dad, Rick, and the journey of everyone who has to deal with all the sadness and loss surrounding it.  The whole process is a tear-jerker.  Despite all the loss, it’s a beautiful story of true and endless love. 

 

 

Aaaah, the vibes.

 

Sustainable Gift-Giving Intentions

Great, zero to no-waste, gift giving ideas.

Over the years, I've struggled with gift-giving because I just felt the whole concept was "too much". I want to give meaningful, practical gifts while not spending unnecessary amounts of money as well as contributing to waste and clutter. And I don't want to contribute to superfluous excess. Fortunately our gift obligations only fall to one side of our family (the other side celebrates through food & company without gifts) and the list isn't too long. I'm in awe at the long lists I know others have...I empathize with those that have anxiety over it.  Lately, and probably more so in the future, I'm more inclined to give group gifts...like a food basket or a craft basket. I embrace the idea of consumable gifts like food and non-physical things like "an experience".  

My sincere intentions are still there...I want the gift receiver to like and enjoy what they're given and I still want them to feel that they are thought of fondly. That's the most important part of gift-giving that is sometimes lost in the consumerism of it all. Some years, along the way, I've felt so much pressure to give just the right "expensive" gift and feeling like whatever we're bringing might not be enough. 

Gradually through the years, I've been more intentional about my gift-giving: consumables like a pasta gift basket,a variety of teas, unique coffee (I was thrilled to receive those this year), a box of chocolates, popcorn treats, those kinds of things. Experiences like restaurant or movie gift certificates seem impersonal, but they're designed to help someone have an experience that they might not have taken on themselves. I also like giving bath, body, and beauty products. To be fair, the gifts I've been choosing to give are also gifts I would appreciate as well.  We've even gone to a restaurant this year we wouldn't have ordinarily gone to had we not received a gift card. My family also loves those chocolate and cookie tins that are readily available during the holidays.  They're festive and delicious, even if they often fall in the "guilty pleasure" category. And none of these things are big ticket items that can potentially break someone's bank, and if they are, please refrain from the whole process of gift giving altogether. I wish we could normalize just basking in the happiness of the holiday(s) being celebrated without having to spend money or time that may cause undue stress. 

Lastly, a simple greeting of well wishes goes a long way.  I love when people wish me whatever holiday greetings they prefer, just a nice text will do.  It means a lot and a positive and sincere sentiment will always be something I cherish. Nothing is better than a kind heart.  And I wish everyone light & love. 😘

   

The Illusion of Knowledge

Extended family reunions bring about all kind of feelings and emotions. For us, it's also a time to practice navigating highly possible toxic interactions with people in our lives that we can usually avoid a majority of the year. This particular holiday season was exactly that time for us. I'm sure we're not alone in dealing with that one (or a couple) of relatives that have every opinion as well as every judgement in the world to share with anyone who will listen. It's never about letting others make choices for themselves, but rather the belief that everyone is wrong and they are right. Period.  

 

But rather than dwell on those negative interactions, I wanted to reflect on how grateful I am for my immediate family--The Huz, The First-Born, and The Youngest. We have some very thought-provoking conversations about the issues that affect our lives. We don't always agree on everything, but we have productive discourse on things that matter to us. It is their opinion on societal events, religion, life choices etc that I refer to in my journey with my personal introspection. 

Something that The Youngest said resonated with me, "I never speak in the absolute.  I only know what I know until more data comes in."  Wise words from someone so young.  And words that I wish a couple of people in our lives would adhere to. These particular people are confident and sure about every opinion they hold: "facts" that can easily be disputed.  They hold judgements about how people identify, college choices, mask or no mask, vaccine no vaccine.  They see themselves as the epitome of human nature--in some self interpreted higher echelon of society.  But I say, no.  They are not.  We only know what we know.  And there's always room to learn more.

We recently had a health scare on my extended side of the family--a strange allergic reaction that involved not being able to breathe--which is a always a scary prospect. Thankfully, it was a good conclusion because that person is fine, but it also prompted a reflective conversation with my Mom about how thankful we both were.  At the time that we were speaking, we could've easily been having a sad time.  How delicate life is and as I get older, that realization is just becoming stronger and stronger which makes me double down even more on being open-minded, non-judgemental and kind to others. Clearly, that's not the route a couple people in our lives are taking, but as my quest for enlightenment continues, I realize they have to be true to themselves too. I just have to make sure my reactions, thoughts and feelings align with who I want to be--and make sure I limit my exposure to toxic people. And again, focus on being thankful for the people in my life that ground me and make me proud. 

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year, new day and new ways to have a positive outlook! 😘