Current Book(s): I’m reading The Host by Stephenie Meyer. It’s highly mediocre: just good enough so that I want to finish and know how it ends. I’ve also been listening to an audiobook called Bleeding Kansas by Sara Paretsky. I never would have picked it out myself, but my husband brought it home for me from the library one day simply because I lived in Kansas for 4 years. It’s actually not bad.
Current Playlist: I’ve whipped up my Christmas playlist and am loving every minute of it. I hate the Christmas music on the radio, but I can’t get enough of the music I’ve acquired over the years. Here are the albums in rotation: Andrew Peterson – Behold the Lamb of God, Eleven Eleven Band – Christmastime, Sarah McLachlan – Wintersong, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Over the Rhine – Snow Angels, Your King Has Come. Of course I’m always open to new music, so let me know if I’m missing anything essential!
Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Taking a complete and total break from exercising. It’s amazing how much less guilt I feel when I don’t even plan on it. I spent a couple of weeks intending to exercise every day, and when it didn’t get done I felt terrible. Now I’m just like, “Nope, not doing it right now.” (Although my plan is to start triathlon training again after the new year, so I’m enjoying this while it lasts.)
Current Color: For Christmas I like pastel greens and jewel tone reds.
Current Drink: Haven’t had any yet, but I absolutely love wassail during the holidays. Can’t wait to try making some myself!
Current Food: Christmas cookies! Time to start baking up a storm.
Current Favorite Show: I’m not watching any current shows, but David and I are still going through The Office on Netflix.
Current Wishlist: All the items on my Christmas list, but what I’d especially like right now that doesn’t fit into our budget is more good Christmas albums, some house slippers, knitted boots, and more cold-weather clothes.
Current Needs: To regain my confidence at work. An accumulation of small mistakes and unwelcome, trivial criticism has me feeling like I’m a new nurse all over again.
Current Triumphs: Completing NaBloPoMo with very few cop-out posts. My goal was to have good content every day and refrain from whining about the task. For the most part, I think I accomplished that!
Current Bane(s) of my Existence: Cold weather. I’m not adequately prepared for it, and it came so suddenly! This morning my husband turned on the heat, and I only protested a little bit.
Current Celebrity Crush: I guess if I have to think about this one for too long, it’s probably not really a crush, right? Guess I don’t have one.
Current Indulgence: The aforementioned not exercising, Christmas cookies, and turning the heat on.
Current Blessing(s): A husband who knows exactly what to say to make me feel better about myself, doctors who don’t get upset when I bother them because of a silly mistake, warm socks and a warm home.
Current Outfit: My #3 soccer sweatpants from college, a blue Old Navy fleece, and fuzzy socks. In a few hours I’ll find the energy to change and venture out into the world, but not yet.
Current Excitement: I’m looking forward to seeing The Pioneer Woman this Saturday with Chelsea and Lauren. (My secret is that I’m more excited about seeing Chelsea and Lauren than The Pioneer Woman. Also, I need to buy her book, and quick.)
Current Mood: I am well-rested and intent on accomplishing much today. Happy, for the most part, although thinking about work puts my stomach in little knots.
Current Link: I love the blog Style Lush. It’s written by a group of women around my age, and features anything and everything that they enjoy or think is pretty. Recently they put out a pretty great holiday gift guide.
Happy December!
From Chelsea:
I’m super excited to see you too! We’re going to have a blast!
Congrats on your NaBloPoMo. Are you going to do it next year?
From kapachino:
I definitely will NOT be doing it next year! I don’t like the pressure of having to post every day, and this whole past month I have done a terrible job of responding to my commenters. I would much rather post a good three times a week and be more interactive. That’s my goal, anyway!
From Girl w/the Red Hair:
I have those boots in black and I seriously LOVE them. I wear them all. the. time!
From Cio:
The Elf soundtrack is a good Christmas CD.
: )
From Jennie:
Thanks for the really nice words about Style Lush! We’re so glad you’re reading.
I understand the work confidence feelings. Hope things get better really soon.
From Kelly:
Enjoy your exercise break. This is a great time of year to do it. I’m going to take a cue from you and stop feeling so guilty about being a work-out bum lately. :)
From Darla Baerg:
So cute that you were more excited about seeing Chelsea and Lauren than PW. :)
It was so fun to meet you. Love your blog! Think about you whenever I turn on my IPOD and hear THAT song!
From Nora:
You live near Lauren? I’m jealous. I may have to come to Texas to meet everyone!
Those boots look incredibly comfortable and now I kind of wish I had some.
As far as Christmas Albums go, I’m into compilations, many of which I’ve mixed myself but I highly recommend the “Very Special Christmas,” series, which I know is still available via Amazon. My favorite is Very Special Christmas 2. Classic songs and some originals by a bunch of fun artists.
Christmas cookies are my favorite!
From Mindy:
Don’t you love Netflix? I think we watched seasons 4 and 5 of The Office in the matter of a few days… oops… :) So much funnier that way. The hubs kept saying, “…another one?” at the end of the last one, and how could I refuse?
I too feel you on the discouraging work issues, but it will get better! We can take certain comments or situations so personally… Let the good days at work encourage you to just keep pushing on and doing the best you can. It’s all we can do. (Oh, and enjoy that cookie dough, too.)