toasting in 2018

• Got my second tattoo that matched with a couple of my friends! Not the brightest idea to get it on my first day there especially as we went to the beach the following week, impeding me from submerging fully in the water. FYI, since you can hardly see it, it's an ampersand & 
• Actually relaxed at a 5 day vacay at the beach with my family

• Visited an awe-inspiring georeserve park on Christmas Eve. A looooong day but completely worth it. 🌄
• Had McDonald's for the first time in forever for a a pre-hike  (^^^) morning meal at 3am. Yay for challenging the ED!! 
• Had breakfast with one of my besties. Wish I could do this more often rather than our virtual dates but I will take what I can get. Super grateful for our friendship throughout these years, making our goodbye almost easy because it felt like we would seee each other again soon albeit over a video call.

• Visited the Pinto Art Museum, a private art collection turned outdoors museum.
• Watched an award winning Filipino film called Ang Larawan during the Metro Manila Film Festival
• Escaped an escape room with friends with 6 minutes to spare! I should have known though that with a title like Abduction I, one of the biggest scaredy cats I know, would be terrified. Do not let those post-escape room winner smiles fool you. 

•  Starting the year off on the right foot on New Year's Eve, my sister and I went through a bunch of our old clutter. So much reminiscing but also questioning why past me kept a lot of this junk. Slowly learning to let go of things that no longer mean what they once meant to me. 
• Had my friend group's annual Chrisgiviween celebration, where we exchange Santa Baby gifts, play games, catch up, laugh until we cry and smile for self-timer group photos.

• Managed to take decent casual family pictures without killing each other. Want to point out that we did not pack or plan in advance to be this matchy; we all just like a lot of blue and just happened to bring clothes that worked together.

• Since my last Week in Review, posted 4 times times on the blog--a couple of must-reads, my 2018 plans and most recently a December eats recap post here
• Said my goodbyes to my friends and family. 😢
• Powered through jetlag yesterday and was able to stay up past 11:00pm without a nap by preparing dinner, putting away my stuff, watching the Golden Globes, sorting my notes for our review classes, working on this blog post, showering, making my bed and enjoying the finale of the Big Family Cooking Showdown. 

Current Book:

Last week I finished Mitch Albom's The Timekeeper. Also attended November's book club meeting where we read and discussed Poe's poems and short stories. We'll be meeting again in mid-December before the holidays hit for our last book of the year.

One of the many quotes from The Timekeeper that spoke to me:

“When you are measuring life, you are not living it.” 

As the end of the year looms ahead, my book goal is too. Already planning out the rest of my reads including holiday novels: Dickens' A Christmas Carol (the book clue read) and the newer The Deal of a Lifetime. 


Current TV Show/Movie:

My friend and I are now making our way through the Netflix show, Black Mirror. Super creepy and incredibly interesting at the same time. What's even neater about it is that it's an anthology series so you can watch them in any order you please. We finished first season last week and are now moving on with the rest!

The current movie that I wish I had seen is Coco! Have heard only good things about it. Crossing my fingers for a 2-hour-long study break/movie in my future....


If you had asked me this a few days ago, I would have said Christmas gift shopping. Mostly because of said confession. So now, it's this waiting game. Waiting for all the presents to arrive so I can wrap, label and actually give them out.
Current Procrastination:

Studying for tests, writing papers, preparing for presentations. What's new.

Current Success:

Parallel parked the other day! 👏   Of course there's no proof of it though. Typically I'll avoid this at all costs--seriously, even if there's an open spot that's closer, I'd typically go out of my way to find a non-parallel spot--but I was in a neighborhood on the outskirts of downtown. Just finding a parking spot in the area was lucky enough.

Then went to a little cafe and a got this chickpea filled empanada. Wandered around for a bit perusing the local stores and streets (Re: the adorable-ness in that first picture), and even knocked out one Christmas gift off the list.

Current Gratitude:

Even with the stress that the end of the semester brings, I am attempting to stay grateful as this is technically my last semester of actual classes; I'll be taking study prep courses and sitting for the accountancy exams in the Spring rather than normal classes.

With every day, there were lasts conquered. For example, my last in-class quizzes or last shifts of work on specific days/times/hours. And there are even more to come this week. Call me crazy but it's kinda bittersweet.

Houston

• First of all, for Meghan, this amazing link-up, and the rest of the blogging community 
• That my school gives us an entire week off for Thanksgiving break so I could visit a friend in Houston and explore the city
• For my car, which took me on my first solo road trip ✔️
• For my friend who let me into her life for the weekend
• For my eyes to take in breathtaking skies & sights like these

• For the time to give back and volunteer at the food bank in order for others to have a Thanksgiving meal too 
• That I share my love for food with my family. My contributions to this year's feast were a cranberry relish and pumpkin creme brulee
• For the ability to eat beyond fullness, sit with the uncomfortable, move on with life, and digest said foods 
• For Black Friday shopping that wasn't too crazy but where I was still able to get some holiday gifts crossed off the list
• For the ability to move my body during yoga classes 
• That Nickelodeon made a Hey Arnold movie (....even if it was almost 15 years later) 

• For having a mom that is willing to and does make cinnamon rolls for breakfast ☺️  Oh so satisfying
• In a weird way, that I have the stresses I do in life--school, recovery, etc. A reminder to put things in perspective as life can be so much worse. 
• And finally for Harry Potter movies that accompanied me while I finished up the first draft of a paper for class. With only three weeks left for the semester, it's downhill from here! 

Got my teeth cleaned at the dentist. That's one thing I hate more than doctor's visits.

Attended Smitten Kitchen's Dallas book tour stop. Deb Perelman is just as charming and funny and clever and witty in person as she is online. Making me want to consider becoming a full-time blogger of sorts..

Posted another round of must-reads.

Made & ate these tempeh breakfast sausages from Oh Ladycakes.

Survived the first actually chilly week of fall/winter season.

The usual chores: did, folded and put away my laundry (not all in the same sitting but all done nonetheless), ran and emptied the dishwasher, took the trash out.

Finally caught up on my book goals for the year, which serves as just another reminder that there are only 7 weeks left til 2018. Semi-side note: Follow me on Goodreads where I update more than on any other social media platform.

Squeezed in a quick visit to art gallery on campus before this exhibition ended. My school's art barn was demolished recently, which caused quite the controversy and uproar amongst students. Luckily, a new space to replace it recently opened a brief walk away from my apartment complex. Definitely gonna be keeping an eye out for the next exhibits.

Enjoyed a lovely road trip with my sister to Austin to visit family. Sang along to old pop punk music in between some deep, real talk. Seriously, the best conversations are the ones that go from topic to topic without any hesitation.

And lastly, an accomplishment that isn't really an accomplishment for most people, but leaving some things on my to-do unchecked. Got much less done than I had planned, which means the next few days will be crazy stressful. As a minor freak out last night depicted, I am still learning to be okay with this, to not take it against myself.

It's been a few weeks since I've popped in and said hello. Today I'll be sharing tidbits from over the past two weeks and linking up with Meghan for our Monday favorite, Week in Review! Last week I finished off my summer classes and worked my last shifts at the bakery, my summer job. I have to admit that during this transition period I have been feeling anxious, not knowing what to expect with the upcoming semesters, second-guessing my life decisions. Siiiigh. 

I had a 10ish day break before the next round of grad classes resumed (aka they start today!). During that time, my friend who is moving from the Philippines over to the Massachusetts for college visited. So I have been awfully quiet here on the blog as most of my time has been spent with her, making the most of her visit.

Anyway, in Meghan's words, let's get listing!

• Celebrated the end of summer classes with ube (purple yam) ice cream with friends. Dusted with shredded coconut 😍

• Tested out two new therapists as I will likely no longer be able to see the on-campus one that I've seen for the past two years due to changes in the counseling center's policies. Still don't know which one to choose but what's new...
• Went out to Dallas' Restaurant Week with my family. An annual treat for us. For my courses, I got the escargot with award-winning marinara sauce, the buttered salmon and shrimp over cauliflower puree and the vanilla ice cream with passionfruit liquor, pistachios and peaches. 

• Stocked up on even more books to add to my list at another library book sale 
• Speaking of, finished the Divine Secrets of the Ya-ya Sisterhood, A Wrinkle in Time, Everything, Everything, and Sharp Objects. Yay for getting back into reading!
• Went to the first bakery book club at one of the owner's houses! She has 5 dogs and 2 cats so playing with all of them was a plus. The discussion of the book was followed by rounds of Balderdash and Secret Hitler. 

• Got my hair cut and body massaged and did my own nails. Oh self-care-ish things. 
• Picked up that friend from airport last Monday 
• Bleached her hair twice and toned it once. Note to self to never go into hair styling. Stick to accounting, Kaylee.
• Watched a (free!) baseball game. Or at least 5/9 innings of one.

• Went to Fort Worth's science museum and watched a quick dolphin documentary in a giant, omni IMAX theater. 
• Had a long Saturday adventure starting with a productive morning spent grocery shopping, doing returns, spending some time with greyhounds. 
• Then in the afternoon, we headed to Houston, a 4-hour drive away, to pick up my friend's mom. Thankfully, my own mom was driving. The flight didn't get in til past 11:00pm so we explored the city while waiting. Visited a private collection museum, which was located in a regular ol' neighborhood and built in former houses, ate at an outdoor food festival that coincidentally occurred on that day, then chilled at a local bakery surprisingly open late at night. 

• Battled the sun as we stand-up paddle boarded yesterday afternoon. 
• Been on a terrible losing streak lately as we, my family and I, play a bajilion different games with my friend and her mom.

source

This quote reflected my week. I am feeling good at the moment. Calm, thankful, present for once. There were definitely times though when I felt completely frustrated, overwhelmed, on the brink of tears. So I cried. I let myself cry. But I no longer am crying. The storm has passed by. This is a reminder for all (including myself) that thoughts are fleeting. Feelings are fleeting. There may be more storms to come but for now I am appreciating the weather as is whatever it may be.

Considering the amount of stress I felt this week, I definitely made time for me. In fact, there was a lot of things I did to take care of myself, which honestly is probably what I need to do most when I am freaking out. So I'm feeling accomplished already. Here's another Week in Review (Thanks Meghan!) for ya. Please forgive the randomness of this title. I guess that's pretty much how my moods have felt--random. Have a happy week, friends!

• Took not one but TWO selfies last week, something I rarely ever do. Why do we equate selfies with being vain? Sometimes, a good picture & a smile is just what you need to cheer up. That's not necessarily egotistic; it can be simply self-care.
• Made falafel & couscous tabouleh for our cooking club meeting one evening. As sad as it is that it was our last cooking event of the semester, I am glad the stress from that is over for now.

• Harvested a buttload of basil from the community garden. Time for all the pesto ever!
• Attended an Excel workshop and improved my VLOOKUP skills
• Finished reading my for fun book--Empire of Storms. This was a good, long read. (AND SARAH MAAS IS AMAZING)

• Went out on a date with my sister last Friday. Indian food & Avenue Q made for a much-needed relaxed evening. I tried something new & ordered this veggie bread mash thing called kothu parotta. 
• Also, she, her boyfriend & I won taboo against my parents & aunt! Millennials FTW. 

• Made persimmon jam out of hachiya persimmons. FYI, these taste disgusting plain... Fuyu all the way! 
• Subsequently cut myself while chopping the frozen fruit.... twice.... Sad looking, I know, but at least I was able to make do with what I had (i.e. cotton & tape)
• Left my weekend's to-do list unfinished, which isn't something most people are proud of, but it's something I need to learn to be okay with, without feeling like I've somehow failed.