Another week in 2018 is finished. I’m absolutely keeping track because every week we finish is a week closer to midterms. This is something I’m very much looking forward to.

In the meantime, I live my life doing these things.

Reading. Finished The Road Out of Hell and finally started We Were Eight Years in Power. I’m going to need some strong fiction when this one is done. Picked up nothing from the library, NetGalley, and I bought no books.

Watching. I haven’t really watched TV this week but I have Bellevue and the Waco miniseries with Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch but I always refer to him as Tim Riggins) as David Koresh in my DVR. Finally got around to watching Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. I have mixed feelings.

Listening. No new podcasts or music this week but I did learn that Shinedown finally finished their 6th album. And now I wait.

Shopping. For a new laptop. I don’t need anything fancy but I really, really hate mine. It still works well when it feels like it but it’s slow and craps out on me a lot. I had originally planned to buy a tablet and a keyboard but for editing, I need something a little more…traditional, I guess is the word I’m looking for. If you have any recommendations or suggestions, send them my way, please.

Planning. My sister’s bridal shower. Correction: the maid of honor is planning it and I’m just doing what she tells me. But if I’m being honest, I’m out of my depths here. There’s so much crafting and planning and hashtagging and I’m too old and uncreative for this. I maintain if I get married again, I’m eloping, I’m doing it at the beach, and there will be no hashtag.

Loving. Despite the fact that I have to deal with Eagles hype (hey, Delaware. WE ARE NOT PHILLY. STOP ACTING LIKE WE ARE), I am over the moon excited that our local humane association is running a deal on adoptable animals 7 months and older, with the dog adoption fee set at $38 and cat adoption fee set at $7 (this was the final score for the playoff game that put them in the Super Bowl. They beat Minnesota 38-7). I think this is so creative, a great way to take something positive (not for me but for many others) and make it even more positive, and encourage shelter animal adoption. I have some reservations but we’re going to focus on the good today.

That’s it for this week. I had contemplated participating in the 24in48 readathon but life got in the way so instead I’ll be getting a haircut and hanging out with my other sister (did you guys know I have 2 sisters and no brothers? And I’m the oldest!) on Saturday and reading all the words on Sunday and celebrating my dad’s birthday from afar. Hope you guys have a great weekend, too!

Still working on a new name for this. One day I’ll get there. Just like one day I’ll be able to organize my thoughts into posts that are worth being read. And written. I hope I get there sooner than later because I really miss writing.

Reading. Bluebird, Bluebird and We Were Eight Years in Power. Bought The Year of Yes on a Kindle daily deal and picked up Dear Martin and The Road Out of Hell from the library. Stalking NetGalley for Julie Murphy, Caroline Kepnes, and Laura Vanderkam. Next Show Us Your Books is February 13.

Listening. Limetown. It’s like LOST meets Alice Isn’t Dead meets Serial. It’s addictive AF and it only has one season but a second one is being released this year. Yay!

Watching. Undercover High. It’s a docu-series on A&E about adults going back to high school AS STUDENTS (read: my worst fucking nightmare) and while it’s reality and I generally stay away from any form of reality TV, this one is pretty fascinating. Main takeaway so far: kids are assholes and I am terrified for when my daughter gets to high school.

Raging. Of course I am. If you’re paying attention, you have a be a little outraged. Or a lot outraged, depending on what you’ve been unfortunate enough to come across. From the asshole in the White House not knowing the words to the national anthem after he railed and raged against the taking of a knee and his rampant, ceaseless misogyny to Michelle Williams getting paid substantially less than Marky fucking Mark for reshoots on a movie to Harper’s magazine trying to doxx the woman who established the Shitty Men in Media list to offshore drilling to kids still not having health insurance to that motherfucker Joe Arpaio running for Senate, there is not at least a portion of every single day I want to scream loudly. I continue to question how this is real life because we’re literally living in a dystopian novel. Vigilance is exhausting but the only way we’re going to defeat this bullshit is to stay informed, speak up, speak out, vote, and support those who have the bandwidth to do more than we can. It takes a village and every single villager is important. All of us together, our collective disgust and outrage, have a louder voice than the #stablegenius in the White House and it will make a difference. Also, he doesn’t like dogs. What kind of psycho doesn’t like dogs?

Loving. It’s been a long time since I’ve shared a post I’ve read but this one, It’s Not Always About You, White Dudes, shared on Twitter by my friend Abby and written by Tenacious Feminist, is worth a read. Seriously. It’s awesome and eloquent and is why I sometimes don’t say all that I have to. Other people do it better.

Learning. Some new skills, like handlettering. I’m not very good at it but it’s quite relaxing and a really nice way to keep my hands busy while watching TV and gives me new IG accounts to stalk.

I’ll be in Atlantic City for a cheer competition this weekend and I’m so excited because who doesn’t love a trashy beach town in the middle of January?  Wish my sanity luck!