Book Club Kick-Off

Let's get this party started! I am very excited to share this month's book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, with you. It is a book I started reading at a friend's apartment about five years ago and have been meaning to finish since, but never took the time. I always love a good excuse to kick back with a book and not feel guilty, so I chose to start reading The Immortal Life at the end of last semester. When Kelly and I discussed our 2CBC listing for the upcoming year, I was super excited when she was willing to make this one of the selections and was even more excited she was willing to make it January's selection! Anyhow, I can wax poetic more next week when we come together to discuss the book. This week, I leave you our discussion questions. I tried to include a mix of questions that were both casual and "literary", if you will, so we had a little bit of everything for everyone.

(via)

1. Did you like the book? Was it what you were expecting or hoping for? Why or why not?
2. What did you think of the style of the book? Skloot wrote a nonfiction piece that read

as a piece of narrative fiction. Did you enjoy that? Why or why not?

3. Of the two concurrent storylines in the book, did you find yourself favoring one over the other?

4. Who was your favorite character and/or to whom did you find yourself most attached?

5. What are your final reactions after reading the book? So many issues were raised and so many ideas were presented. How do you feel as you walk away from the book?

Please come back on Saturday, January 30, to share your take on the book and be part of our first book club meeting of 2016!

Oh, Dontcha Know

My foray into recovering from life is taking much longer than I expected. I took an almost two week break from all technology over Christmas vacation and I am ever so slowly easing myself back into the routine of things. I have spent the last two weeks trying to establish productive habits both at work (aka working to maximize my minutes so I have less to bring home at night) and at home (aka learning to clear my mind so I can actually relax and sleep at night). I have pretty much been a permanent fixture on the Hot Mess Express since October and I'm trying really hard to make sure I steer clear of that train again.

All that to say, I have a lot of catching up to do. But I would like to remind you, if you haven't seen on Kelly's blog, that we are giving the Second Chance Book Club yet another chance this year (a second chance on the second chance?) and I will be hosting this month's read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. 

Much to do, much to get caught up on, but much to be made of the time at hand.

May your day be blessed.

Reflections Thus Far

I find myself daydreaming of 2016. What a fresh start the new year will bring. I know the new year will have its hurts and challenges and struggles all the same, but it also brings with it newness, beginning, and potential. I am choosing to focus on the latter right now.

I think this will be the first summer since 2010-ish that I will not have a wedding of a close friend or sibling. But I know of three babies due in the new year. Crazy how babies tend to follow weddings, no? Instead of getting married myself, I will keep scouring Pinterest for pictures of dogs and overly expensive handbags, thankyouverymuch, while also looking forward to snuggling those little babes and thinking of ways to spoil them without upsetting their parents too much.

But all this looking ahead to the future has me thinking about the past. I think part of what has made this last year so difficult is, for the first time, I finally feel like I am in "real life." In 2011, I was going through a transition every couple of months and had yet to settle in to anything. In 2015, I am in my fifth year of teaching, I have my own apartment with accompanying bills, and I eat sweet potato chips and hummus for supper if I want to. I am not in a honeymoon phase in life-- this is my life.

Life is broken and beautiful and messy and simple, but rarely is it ever one thing at a time. I have truly relished trying to make the most of this December and I have enjoyed it so much. I'm looking forward to seeing family at the end of the week although I can hardly wrap my mind around such. Contrary to my initial plans, I have not been back to the airport since I landed in July. But, like many things, I am really hoping to fix my lack of travel in this upcoming year. I'm currently investigating the likes of Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and maybe a touch of Europe as well.

I am also finding some life in my work again. Granted, I am at an easier point of the semester, but I am looking forward to beginning work again in January. This first semester simply flew by and I know I missed so many opportunities. I am hoping the spring semester will be much different and I will make the most of what I have left with my students before their exams and graduation.

Babies, traveling, and students-- all things that will make a wonderful 2016-- even when life is real!

December Goals

I've honestly had these goals ready since the first of the month, but I've been busy living December and it's been a pretty sweet feeling. I set a couple of small goals this month to help me finish the year strong but without too much stress and worry about a list.

May your week be blessed!