Jana Says

Living life from cover to cover

Weekly six-pack, 2017, v27

by Jana 13 Comments

I think this feature needs a new name. I don’t always have 6 things to talk about. But I am lazy and I like routine so who knows when a change will happen. If ever.

Reading. Caroline. It’s very tedious but not terrible enough to quit. Nothing new from anywhere but anxiously waiting to get to my NetGalley books.

Watching. Mindhunter. This show is incredibly well done and interesting but they really play up the serial killers hate women angle. It’s kind of annoying.

Feeling. Accomplished. The husband and I finished our couch to 5k training and I ran for 35 minutes. IN A ROW. My life is weird now.

Wondering. Why the fuck a kid who I have seen hit her dog with a newspaper would think I would ever EVER pay her to walk my dog. Also I have a child her age who can do it for free and I enjoy walking my dog myself. I commend her desire to make money but COME ON.

Loving. That Michael’s had Hanukkah decorations. It is incredibly hard to find anything for Hanukkah where I live, including menorah candles, so you can bet I spent money I shouldn’t have on some stuff.

Laughing.

So I probably won’t be around next week as I’ll be in Dallas but before that, we’ll be celebrating my husband’s 40th (it was on Tuesday) this weekend with food and drinks and beach time. Hope you all enjoy your weekend and week and I’ll see you when I get back!

Weekly six-pack, 2017, v26

by Jana 10 Comments

Thank you all so much for your thoughts and comments on Dobie. I miss him so hard and am slowly easing back into normal life or whatever normal looks like now. We do plan to get another dog but it’s off the table until I return from Dallas which is actually better for all of us, Barkley included. And as far as rejoining the blogging world. I’m getting there.

In the meantime, here’s what my life looked like this week when I wasn’t crying.

Reading.American Fire by Monica Hesse. I planned to start Caroline but this one called me instead. Haven’t bothered to look at NetGalley or get anything from the library. Three year anniversary for Show Us Your Books is Tuesday and that means giveaway and prizes!

Watching. American Vandal. It’s a Netflix parody of true crime docs but it’s incredibly hilarious and well done and definitely stands on its own merit. I also started The Disappearance of Maura Murray. Fascinating shit, that case.

Listening. I’m trying to get into some new serial (not Serial) type podcasts and I found Small Town Horror which is okay but not my favorite. I have a couple of others that I’m looking forward to but if you know of any in the vein of Homecoming or Alice Isn’t Dead, send them my way, please.

Eating. Um, well, really nothing beyond basic sustenance. I don’t eat when I’m grieving (although I binge when I’m stressed) so I’ve been on a steady diet of coffee, cheese, and tortilla chips. If you have any recipes that might help bring back my appetite, please also send them my way. If they can be adapted into gluten free, all the better.

Raging. Watching the events in Las Vegas and the horror show of 45’s trip to Puerto Rico and the new abortion ban that passed the House and the lack of vote to reauthorize CHIP and now 9 million kids are uninsured unfold when you’re in a fog makes it hard to really process all that you’re seeing. Where I want to see red, and believe me I do, I just feel helpless instead. I CANNOT handle what the orange menace is doing to this country and to see people like Pitbull and Bethenny Frankel and Mark Cuban and Ricky Martin and others step in overwhelms me to the point of crying even more. And then there’s the Second Amendment. I’ve never really expressed my opinion on this in any forum but here goes. I have absolutely ZERO problem with the amendment itself. I have no problem with people owning guns for their own safety, protection, or simple amusement. You feel that you need a conceal and carry permit, have the fuck at it. There are thousands and thousands of responsible, normal gun owners in this country and it is their right to do so. HOWEVER. We have a serious fucking problem with mass shootings. We have a serious fucking problem with access to assault rifles and unhinged lunatics who procure them and the accessories needed to turn them into even bigger weapons of mass destruction. We have a serious fucking problems with gun control laws and regulations and an even more serious problem with the gun lobby. People are too afraid to lose a donor than to stand up and protect the rights of concert goers, movie goers, club goers, church goers, women attending exercise classes, people going to work, and KIDS WHO DID NOTHING ELSE BUT GO TO SCHOOL. Freedom of assembly is in the First Amendment and we have a raging problem of the power of the Second usurping the freedom guaranteed in the First.  Gun control and regulation is not taking away the right to own guns. It is limiting access to people who shouldn’t have them in the first place and adapting our laws to match the evolution of the weapons and accessories. Assault rifles in their current form weren’t a thing in the 1780s when the Constitution was written and I’m confident the Founding Fathers would be just fine with some modifications. We should all be. THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT WAS IN 1999 BUT NOW WILL DO, TOO. JUST HAVE THE FUCKING DISCUSSION.

Deciding. To run a bunch of 5Ks next year. I hate running but Dobie loved it and because of his heart, he never could do it as much as he wanted so for the next year, my husband and I are going to honor him by running when we can and in races that support causes we believe in.

I try to end these with something funny so

Have a great weekend! Wish me luck as I’m going shopping. I hate shopping.

Do NOT add it to your list

by Jana 18 Comments

The last Tuesday of the month means all the recommendations coming in courtesy of Lauren and Bre. You should go read all of those lists because they’re incredibly helpful. But you know what comes in handy for me sometimes? Knowing what NOT to add to my list. You know, those products that suck and are a waste of time and money and energy. So this month, I’m sharing what I think you should skip right over. 

NYX eyeshadow. Their lip products are THE BEST and the eyeliner is pretty fabulous, too. But the eyeshadow leaves a lot to be desired. The color payoff and pigmentation is shit, it almost never looks like what you think it will, and I have never had luck blending it in any sort of decent capacity. If you’re on a budget and don’t want to use products tested on animals, you’re better off with with e.l.f or Wet N Wild. 

Reese’s coffee creamer. Seeing as how Reese’s peanut butter cups are my favorite candy in the history of time, I was (way too) excited to try this. Then I did. And I cried a little. It’s AWFUL. Not even remotely close to good. Do not waste money or a cup of coffee or taste buds on this crap. 

Books by Ruth Ware. She’s a terrible writer who writes terrible books about terribly annoying characters. If you want to read thrillers written by women, I can recommend at least 5 who are better and none of them are Gillian Flynn, either. 

China Glaze nail polish. I am not a nail polish snob. I have all brands from drug store to salon quality and by far the worst one I have ever used is China Glaze. While the colors look phenomenal, they last maybe a day. MAYBE. I have never experienced nail polish that chips so much and so quickly even with using the amazing Orly bonder and a solid top coat. It is almost not worth the effort to do your nails using this shit. (However, if you have a suggestion for how to make it not chip, I’m all for it because some of the colors I have really are outstanding)

ios11. This is mainly for my iPhone users. If you’ve already updated, then you’ll know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, please wait until they fix the battery drain issue. I’m not a heavy phone user, not even when I’m in the car, and my battery drains faster than a keg at a fraternity party. There are some good features added but you can honestly do without those. It’s incredibly frustrating needing to charge my phone 3 times a day. 

I know there’s a few TV shows and movies I want to suggest avoiding but I think I’ve blocked them from my brain since the titles aren’t coming to me right now. 

Okay, now that you know what I think you should avoid, what do you recommend that I not add to my list?

Weekly six-pack, 2017, v25

by Jana 10 Comments

Not much to report this week. Which I like.

Reading. ARC of Grist Mill Road (why not actually read one before it releases?) and The Locals. Two because one is an ebook and sometimes I need a screen break. Nothing from the library or NetGalley.

Watching. Random shows all over the place and nothing consistently. I think I went 3 days without turning on the TV for me (I watched the American Ninja Warrior finale under duress). I did watch the Emmys. Mixed feelings on the Sean Spicer thing but hooray for all the history making!

Eating. Cookie butter Oreos. You must eat them, too. It’s a moral imperative.

Raging. Just when it seemed like fucking 45 was going to act like a human, he goes and acts just like himself again. From the golf ball gif to failing to recognize or show any sympathy for Mexico and Puerto Rico (and we all know exactly why, too) to the Rocket Man nonsense (so it’s okay to quote a gay man but not okay to make sure they have rights? Got it) and everything else he continues to do, I don’t even know what to do with myself some days. I can’t even rationally address the health care situation. I have never in my life had less respect for a person or been more afraid for my and my country’s safety.

Loving. Bagels. Not like I can eat them but I wanted to profess my love anyway.

Laughing.

Have a great weekend guys! See you on Tuesday!

Weekly six-pack, 2017, v24

by Jana 15 Comments

My to-do list looks like this: 1. Get my shit together. That’s actually the only item on there. I am a mess lately and the harder I try to fix it, the worse it gets. Not sure why. I think I need a weekend to just get ahead and that’s not happening any time soon. So I’ll just settle for being a shitty, messy adult. It’s pretty much my only option. 

That being said, here’s some snippets from the past few weeks so you know what I have and haven’t been up to:

Reading. Finishing up Miss Kopp’s Midnight Confessions. Picked up 3 new ones from the library (The Locals, Janesville: An American Story, and Bird Box), got a couple from NetGalley that I probably won’t read until a year passed the pub date like all the other ones I have, and have a couple I need to buy. I think I need a readcation or readathon is in order. 

Watching. After bingeing the shit out of Rectify, I don’t have the emotional bandwith for another show right now but am looking forward to a few new ones, including two on Netflix, one of which stars Regina King who is one of my all-time favorites (it’s called Seven Seconds for those who are curious).

Planning. All the things I’m going to buy. Losing weight is an expensive thing. Not so much in the methods for losing it (calorie tracking and running are mostly free) but the end result means new clothes and bras and ring guards and I hate to shop because there’s a whole bunch of mental problems that going along with it. And I still have more I want to lose so everything right now is interim and I get to do this again in a few months. Awesome. I also have fun things like a Paperwhite and books and makeup I plan to buy, too. Those do not cause me stress or affect my mental health.

Needing. A change of scenery. I admit that the view from my backyard isn’t terrible and I’m not that far from the beach but I’m getting itchy feet and need to see somewhere new and different. I’ll be in Dallas in a few weeks and I hope that satisfies my need but I’m not convinced it will. When you need a change of scenery or your wanderlust kicks in and you don’t have the time or tons of funds available to actually go on a real trip or adventure, what’s your favorite way to scratch the itch?

Drinking. Obsessively consuming the maple pecan cold brew from Dunkin Donuts. You can have your PSLs. I take these any days over that shit.

Winning. Mother of the year. I told my child she is garbage chicken. 

 

This weekend I’ll be heading up to my parents’ house for the final visit to my childhood home. My parents are moving shortly and I need to say goodbye to the place they’ve lived for 32 years. It’s bittersweet but I know it’s necessary for them. Hope your weekend is less emotional than mine and I’ll see you guys back on Tuesday!  

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