Five Friday Things: Clothes, Facebook, Email, Simplicity, and Plans

One. I love Pinterest and the ability to build my virtual closet at no actual cost to myself. Too bad I spend most of my time pinning outfits that are just not practical for Bangkok. If I lived in northern Thailand, I would be able to get away with some of these outfits. But, alas, I live in the tropic megalopolis, so all cozy outfits will have to remain on Pinterest. I'm currently loving this outfit...


These riding boots in black...



This necklace...


This bag... 


This versatile top... 


Two. Earlier this week, my Facebook notifications were up to something like 50+ after just three days of not logging in and I couldn't handle it. I have a love-hate relationship with Facebook as it is, but then seeing that made me want to run from the corner and not come out until all was back to normal. I finally put on my big girl pants and dealt with it but uffda.

Three. Along with my Facebook being out of control, my emails are currently out of control. I am working on switching over from Hotmail to Gmail (I know, shun me), but even within Gmail, my inboxes are insane. Part of getting a grip on life again is getting my inboxes under control. Yesterday, I was able to get my graduate school account under control. I am going to conquer my work email next. My personal email will just have to wait and continue to haunt me for the time being.

Four. I haven't been homesick per se as of late, but I have really been missing the simplicity of North Dakota. I daydream about driving my own car, about quickly running to the grocery store after work, about leisurely strolling around outside and not breaking into a fierce sweat. Yesterday I went to Home Pro, a glorified home improvement store, and found myself wishing I could go to Menard's and shop around for a project. Like I said, I'm not really homesick, but I am missing a more simple way of life.

Five. I am off to the beach this weekend! I'm also looking at tickets to Singapore and seeing how I really don't have many more free weekends until June! I can't believe how the spring has filled up already but I'm looking forward to everything to come!

A. Liz Adventures/Carolina Charm

Hello! Happiness/The Good Life Blog

The Farmer's Wife/September Farm

A Little Bit of Everything

Grace and Love/Momfessionals

Currently...

As I work to recover from the plague that infested my head this last week, I present you the current goings-on in my life.

Reading... Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs, Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand (for March's 2CBC!), Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, and, as always, all things graduate school!
Playing... catch up on life. Thank you, double ear infection and sinus infection.
Watching... Duck Dynasty.
Trying... to be more intentional with my time and my choices.
Cooking... not much of anything. But I think this egg roll in a bowl is on the menu for next week!
Eating... trail mix. Easy peasy breakfast!
Drinking... water. Water, water, and more water. I'm trying to flush this sickness out of my system!
Calling... myself crazy for all I need to get done right now.
Texting... Kelly. My sister. Amy. The usuals.
Pinning... Anything and everything. Specifically, my hypothetical closet and all things food.
Tweeting... I check Twitter multiple times each day, but it's mainly for news. I don't tweet much myself.
Going... to the beach this weekend. I'm looking forward to getting out of town!
Loving... that I have a decent routine in my weeks right now. I know that since I have now said this, life will now turn itself upside down, but I'm liking what I have right now.
Hating... being so far behind on grad school. I am legitimately ashamed of where I am right now.
Discovering... that I really should have shaved my legs last night. I am stretching things one day too far today.
Thinking... about what I need to pack for this weekend. So far on the list are my swimsuit, some shorts, and my iPad. I can make everything else work.
Feeling... tired. Being at work all day is exhausting. I really need to figure out how to fit 10 hours' worth of sleep into about 6 hours.
Hoping (for)... a productive evening. I'm heading to one of my favorite coffee shops to (hopefully!) go like a mad woman on grad school!
Listening (to)... the Rent soundtrack. Old habits die hard!
Celebrating... the end of my 28th birthday. I was good and sick on Monday so I didn't do anything, but this weekend will make up for things for sure. And a 30/30 update coming early next week!
Smelling... not much at all. I have been so stuffy as of late. But I did smell my soap this morning so that's a win!
Ordering... workout gear and books. Yay Amazon!
Thanking... the doctor for demands to not go on the service trip this week and to stay home and rest instead. I'm definitely sad to be missing out on this time with the kids but I am so grateful to have slow days and evenings to really rest and recuperate.
Considering... what my new budget is going to look like. I finally get my pay raise with my Master's degree at the end of this month and I am going to move some things around to make the most of it.
Starting... to think about running another half marathon by the end of the year. This summer will not be conducive to training, so I don't want to start something only to put it off for six weeks.
Finishing... grading annotated bibliographies. It is such a worthwhile assignment for students but such a pain in my behind to grade!

What are YOU up to currently?

22||Get Creative

Get creative! Sketch, paint, dance, play music, whatever then give us a glimpse.

I have been working really hard to get the hang of crocheting. I picked up knitting quite easily about ten years ago but crocheting has continued to elude me, much to my frustration. However, since settling back into the routine of the school year, I have successfully crocheted six washcloths and am working on my seventh and eighth.

I really have no good reason for learning to crochet other than it really bothered me that I could knit but I could not crochet. I took up knitting because my grandma told me I have nervous hands (I fidget at all times and it annoys her) and suggested I do something to keep them busy. Our pastor's wife at the time was an outstanding knitter and, while I am 95% self-taught, she helped me figure out some of the finer details. Crocheting has been entirely more frustrating and tedious. I managed to graduate high school, finish two college degrees, maintain full-time employment for four years, and move halfway around the world before I learned to crochet. Thus, my washcloths may not look like much, but I am pretty pleased with how they turned out! Some of the washcloths have little details that I need to finish, but I need to pick up more yarn in the States, or find matching stuff in Thailand, before I can finish them.

Also, this picture is horrible, but it's the best I have right now.

The small blue and red triangles on the left will be turned into scrubbies once I get a yarn needle.

I also have grand plans to crochet a baby blanket which will be another task accomplished on the 30/30 list! Earlier last year, I told myself no more knitting until I learned to crochet. All of my knitting things are back in the States, but as soon as I'm back home next, I'm looking forward to share the spoils of my crocheting victory and then promptly busting out the knitting needles once more. I miss the click and the comfort of my first yarn art love! I also really miss my knitting basket. It's a basket from Mexico with a gorgeous pattern and I am irrationally attached to it. Clearly.

Don't worry, I still don't own any cats. I have many books and much yarn, but the cats are still postponed for the indefinite future.

The 2015 Blog-Tember Challenge. Day 1. Day 2. Day 3. Day 4. Day 5. Day 6. Day 7. Day 8. Day 9. Day 10. Day 11. Day 12. Day 13. Day 14. Day 15. Day 16. Day 17. Day 18. Day 19. Day 20. Day 21. Day 22.

12||Currently...

What are you up to currently?

Reading... Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling, I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb, Crazy Love by Francis Chan, and assorted graduate material for my upcoming class on Monday!
Playing... catch up on grades. Story of my life.
Watching... NCIS. I'm looking forward to BBT and Grey's starting back up soon!
Trying... get caught up on laundry and get packed up for my pending move!
Cooking... roasted vegetables. I am (so very slowly) making the transition to the Paleo lifestyle and I'm currently eating assorted oven roasted vegetables like the are going out of style. Oven roasted garlic makes everything so much better!
Eating... too much sugar. I wish I were kidding but I have a serious sugar addiction that I need to break ASAP.
Drinking... kombucha. I've boarded the hippie train quite a bit in the last couple of years and I started making my own fizzy tea drink just a couple of weeks ago. My current batch is blueberry flavored and I enjoy my daily tea! And I'm also drinking coffee. Just always assume I am drinking coffee. And water. Lots of water. I just like to consume liquids, I guess.
Calling... nobody? I have a strong distaste for talking to people on the phone. I called my mom earlier this week as well as the apartment rental agent and that's twice as many phone calls as I usually make in a week.
Texting... Kelly. My sister. Amy. My mom. Anybody who will talk to me! As much as I dislike talking on the phone, I love me a good text session. If Kelly or I am awake, we are pretty much texting. One of the best purchases my parents ever made was the unlimited texting option for our family phone plan. I make sure to get my money's worth!
Pinning... Anything and everything. I have been pinning quite a bit of food, clothing, and travel. I love me some Pinterest!
Tweeting... Instagram? Does that count? I check Twitter multiple times each day, but it's mainly for news. I don't tweet much myself.
Going... somewhere for October break but still need to figure it out. Current frontrunners are Indonesia, Myanmar, and northern Thailand. Thoughts?
Loving... that I finally feel a little confidence in myself in regards to my job. I still have so much to learn and have so far to go, but I am finally, in my fifth year, rocking some clarity and understanding in my daily work.
Hating... mornings. And a new one comes each day. Can't we get a break on weekends or twice a month or something?!
Discovering... the joy that is life in Thailand. Last year I was so overwhelmed with a new country and its language, a brand new job, and trying to write a thesis proposal that I was not able to enjoy my new surroundings in the fall. This year, I feel so much more at peace and wonder with everything going on in life right now!
Thinking... about grad school starting again on Monday. I am excited to get back into the routine of classes and studying.
Feeling... excited for my Saturday dinner plans with some lovely girls from school and the potential of seeing a movie with my closest friend in Thailand!
Hoping (for)... a productive and rejuvenating weekend. I have so much to accomplish and get caught up on... The correcting never ends. #Whampwhamp
Listening (to)... Adele Radio on Pandora. Yay for friends who help me get Pandora overseas!
Celebrating... the potential of moving downtown in the very near future! Bring it #36!
Smelling... the many smells of BKK. Some are so good, some are so bad. As one friend put it during his visit in March, Bangkok is definitely a full-sensory experience. 
Ordering... Christmas presents! I formally began my Christmas shopping this week and it was so fun to start!
Thanking... God for this life I get to call mine. It's broken and imperfect but so much is still so beautiful and I wouldn't trade it for another one, even if I had the chance.
Considering... what my new budget is going to look like with my move. I'm definitely still living within my means, but my monthly expenditures are shifting and until they settle into a routine, I'll be thinking and wondering how things will actually shake down.
Starting... the C25K program for what feels like the 500th time. I really would like to do the BKK Color Run at the end of October, plus I just need to get myself back into shape.
Finishing... this blog post. Even though it was a lot of fun, it was also a lot more difficult than I expected and I am glad to finally be at the end.

What are YOU up to currently?

The 2015 Blog-Tember Challenge. Day 1. Day 2. Day 3. Day 4. Day 5. Day 6. Day 7. Day 8. Day 9. Day 10. Day 11. Day 12.

6||Share Your Style

Share your style. What fashion trends do you love, frequent, or avoid?

Based on yesterday's musical selection, you may not believe that I actually consider myself a classy-ish sort of lady. I value comfort and class, and in that order, to be completely honest. If I'm at home, odds are I'm in workout clothes (hoodies and running shorts are my jam), but I do like to get dressed up when necessary. I appreciate the business casual aspect of my job. Some days, my only confidence over my students is that I'm better dressed than they are. 

In the States, I would often be mistaken for a student which always blew my mind because I have always been intentional to outdress them, especially in formal situations... Like Capitol Hill in DC. Where, you know, I saw important people like John McCain. And STILL got mistaken for a student and had to show my driver's license to get chaperone clearance with my student group.

Anyhow. 

I love a well-fitting pant. I also love a good dress. I am working to switch over my wardrobe to high quality pieces but even my higher quality is relative. My three favorite places to shop are The Loft, JC Penny's, and Gap with a side of Target and Old Navy thrown in. So, you can see, even my high quality endeavors are still on a budget. 

I also have a shoe habit that I'm working to break. Really, I am trying to embrace quality over quantity but I still have enough shoes to last me for awhile. I just wore out a pair of flats and I still can't bring myself to throw them away. They are just too cute and versatile and I can't find a replacement pair anywhere! But due to my last six-ish years of shoe buying, I'm good to go for awhile.

Since moving overseas, I've been working to establish a capsule wardrobe. I think I'm finally there, I just need to sort out my clothes and make it happen. Being a business professional in a tropical climate is not the easiest, especially when I cannot buy clothes on the general market, so I am trying to be as intentional as possible with what I have and what I wear. I like classic pieces that are versatil across seasons. I'm not much of an accessorizer past earrings (thanks, mom!) but I do indulge in earrings as well!

At the end of the day, I aim to be comfy and classy in a way that is modest but reflects my personality as well! All of the pins in this post today are ones I used to inspiration in my own dressing. Some of my Pinterest board actually exists and some of it is just dreams. Especially the purses. The purses are all dreams. Shoes before purses after all.

Follow Aubrey McNary's board Looks Aren't Everything on Pinterest.

The 2015 Blog-Tember Challenge. Day 1. Day 2. Day 3. Day 4. Day 5. Day 6.

7|| Books... Books... Books!

What's on your current reading list? Or what have you read that you recommend?

For most of my life, I have been a bookworm. I went through a slight spell as an adolescent where I quit reading, but I now consider those some of my most ignorant years. I'm only half kidding there. #Teenageangst I never really intended to major in English, but I didn't mind having an excuse kick back and read literature for homework. I definitely read some of it more closely than other literature, but I suppose that's to be expected. I am also a person who has more than one book started at any point in time. I'm actively reading four books for pleasure and then my thesis and teaching material. It's not that I don't find my thesis and teaching material pleasureable, I just don't find it as pleasureable as much as my other reading. 

So what am I currently reading? I have five books I'm working on. Let's see here...

Through my Kindle app, I am reading Beth Moore's 

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I find Beth Moore to be an easy to read, yet very wise author. I have already pulled out at least two pieces of thought that I know are going to stay with me for a long while and I'm only 32 pages into a 282 page book!

Through my library's Overdrive app, I am reading Jonathan Safran Foer's

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I started this book about a year ago and the writing style makes it a tough read for me. I'm definitely going to finish it, though, because I find Oskar's thought process and verbalizations very intriguing... Even if it does make for a tough read.

I am also reading Dorothea Benton Frank's

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This was a random read I just pulled off of the library database, but it has me pulled in very early. It's different from the steady diet of YAL I have been reading as of late, so I'm enjoying it if for no other reason than that. 

The last of my online library books is Alice Sebold's

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I haven't started this one yet but it's up on my queue so I'm hoping to get going by the end of the week! I have already seen the movie and it made me sick to my stomach for so many reasons. I'm looking forward to reading the book and revisiting the story line in that way.

Bringing up the rear of my current reading load is Tsh Oxenreider's 

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I feel like I no longer have any excuse to live like a college student, so I'm doing my best to set up a real adult household... Even if I am just faking it until I make it.

Clearly I could talk books for many an hour. The English teacher in me is never satisfied... I always think the world needs more books. I don't think I could ever declare five (or even ten!) must-read books, but if I did have to give just five titles to read, I would recommend the following:

                         1. Crazy Love. Francis Chan.
                         2. To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee.
                         3. Just Do Something. Kevin DeYoung.
                         4. The Harry Potter Series. J.K. Rowling.
                         5. Mere Christianity. C.S. Lewis.

I am just over a third done of my 100 books before 30 goal and I also have my book board on Pinterest. 

I have come to accept that I will never get everything read that I want to, but that doesn't mean I won't try!

6|| Currently, I'm...

A "currently..." post. Tell us what you're loving, hating, reading, eating, etc.

...reading A Heart Like His: Intimate Reflections on the Life of David by Beth Moore and any number of thesis-related books and materials. I'm in the market for some good fiction to just suck me in and give my brain a break from the other two, but I haven't found that yet. I'm a little mentally exhausted after finishing the train wreck that was Allegiant and am still working to recover.

...watching Private Practice albeit very inconsistently.

...trying to win an Ebay auction for a new phone or iPod. Mine is no longer in my possession as of last night which really bums me out because it has all of my pictures from my first seven weeks in Thailand. 

...eating nothing but definitely thinking that I am in need of a snack. I'm not going to make it until supper without one.

...pinning anything and everything. If it's for home, school, eating, sewing, knitting, or reading, I have probably pinned it in the last couple of weeks.

...tweeting not much of anything. I've been staying on top of my feed but haven't been doing much tweeting myself. I should really change that. You can stay on top of my lack of tweeting @bedosaygo.

...going to try a new church. I'm really looking for a way to get plugged into the city of Bangkok and it looks like tomorrow's church has some great opportunities!

...loving my Saturdays. Praise the Lord-- my last couple of Saturdays have been pretty darn productive! Today has been fairly productive as well... I just need to finish my thesis proposal before I go to work on Monday!

...discovering what living in a new city halfway around the world means! 

...enjoying the street market not too far from where I live. This morning, I bought about five pounds of various produce for 180B... A little more than $5 USD. I'm sure my vegetables would have cost at least $12 in the States!

...thinking about my thesis proposal that I need to get finished ASAP. It's going on a week late now and I need to get it finished! (Or started... I'll let you be the judge of the situation. I'm pleading the 5th.)

...feeling very grateful to be in Thailand but still missing home. Fall is my favorite season and a North Dakota fall just doesn't compare. I'm missing high school football and my choppers and thinking about pheasant hunting and the smell of the air as it loses its summer heat and moves to the fall cool.

...hoping that I focus enough to get my paper finished tonight so I can edit it and send it off tomorrow!

...listening to Christmas music. I've already listened to Barry Manilow twice and have now moved on to Mannheim Steamroller. I will be home for Christmas and I think I feel a little less homesick when I envision the December days to come.

...thanking God for the life He has given me. It's not anything like I envisioned for myself but it is so much greater than anything I envisioned for myself!

...starting to feel like I might be hitting a little bit of a groove with this school year. I say that very tentatively, but after a very difficult last two weeks, I'm feeling ever so slightly more comfortable in my new teaching role.

2|| Happiness, A Little Re-Post

Write about what makes you happy, from the little joys to the huge game-changers.

This spring I wrote 32 Things that Make me Happy. I am reposting those 32 things today, not because they are the only things that make me happy, but because they are still so true. Please enjoy!

One. Living in a part of the country with four seasons. As much as I am OVER the snow right now...
Two. Having grown up in North Dakota-- I love the rolling plains and wide open skies!
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Three. Waking up early each Thanksgiving morning for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Four. Seeing a student finally make a connection and get something.
Five. Standing in a gym on a Friday night while hearing basketballs bounce and smelling the popcorn.
Six. Hearing the first crack of a baseball bat each spring.
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Seven. Finding a new pair of shoes that fits just right.
Eight. Looking down at my gas guage and knowing that today is a day I will not have to stop and fill up.
Nine. Crawling into my bed at the end of a long day knowing that it was a day lived and spent well.
Ten. Being able to see as many different places as I have.
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Eleven. Realizing the fact I am living in God's will and purpose for my life as a teacher.
Twelve. Seeing my family together around the dinner table.
Thirteen. Sitting around a bonfire on a summer evening.
Fourteen. Getting completely lost in the stars of a night sky.
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Fifteen. Driving through the countryside in the summer and fall evenings.
Sixteen. Updating my planner for the next day... Especially when I've been productive!
Seventeen. Folding laundry that is still warm from the dryer.
Eighteen. Putting the last piece of said laundry away.
Nineteen. Holding a baby.
Twenty. Eating supper that I have had time to make myself .
Twenty-one. Spending the first, crisp fall night watching football.
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Twenty-two. Relaxing in the recliner and catching up on my Tivo-ed shows..
Twenty-three. Catching one of my favorite movies on network TV for no reason at all.
Twenty-four. Smelling the first evening spring rain.
Twenty-five. Jogging outside on a cool, still night.
Twenty-six. Submitting the last assignment for a class and knowing it's all out of my hands.
Twenty-seven. Browsing Pinterest and obnoxiously feeding my wanderlust habit.

Twenty-eight. Realizing that I have found a book I simply can't put down.

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Twenty-nine. Dreaming of all life can be but knowing it's everything it's supposed to be right now.
Thirty. Shopping online and then waiting for the packages to arrive!
Thirty-one. Knowing we have only 34 days left in this school year!
Thirty-two. Living my life with the knowledge that it is not my own. I take such security in that!

Grad School, Pinterest, Food, Greece, and Franklin

As I am hoping becomes my new usual, I am linking up with the ladies of The Good Life, A. Liz Adventures, Carolina Charm, and Hello Happiness for "5 on Friday." Please join us!

One. I finally finished my grad school class this week and submitted my initial thesis write-up. I wasn't sure this semester was ever going to end. This was the first class of my grad work that I really just didn't enjoy. I've taken other classes from this professor so I know it's not anything to do with her, but I really just didn't enjoy the course content this time around. I'm looking forward to my spring semester classes, but I am welcoming the three week break... To finish one other class and knock out my CITI certification.

Two. My Pinterest boards are out of control... Good grief. I need to separate my books from my school board and fish out my healthy recipes from my desserts. Good thing I have the Christmas break coming up to take care of such pressing issues in my life.

Three. Speaking of Pinterest, I'm excited to try this soup! I love anything buffalo flavored and I love chili, so I'm failing to understand how buffalo chicken chili coule be anything less than the-bomb-dot-com.

Here.

Four. I currently have Greece on my mind. I started researching cruises last night when I should have been writing my thesis proposal. I'm hoping to make it happen in the next couple of years? But we'll see. Something may come up... Like needing to reorganize my Pinterest boards or something.

Five. Yesterday I ordered new planner pages. I tried to switch to a more minimal planner this fall, but I just can't do it. So I'm counting this fall semester a loss and am starting fresh in January. And I'm hoping and praying my package ships early so I can get myself organized over break. Because I have nothing else to do. (Ahem, see #1 and #2.)