I wanted to start the new year off on the right foot with a clean slate. Part of my cleaning up includes decluttering my web browser. Before 2018 comes (uhhh, what?!!), here is a dump of all the posts I had been saving up to share but had yet to do so. Consequently, some of these are from months and months ago. Yet, all of which are still completely relevant or even more so with the supposed fresh start that new years beget. 

With hygge (hue-gah) being such a buzzword nowadays, how to host a holiday party full of all the coziness feels

Christmas may be over but but the season of self-giving can be celebrated throughout the year

Thinking already of my reading challenge for 2018, here's an interactive way to navigate this past year's top books. As usual, so many books and so little time.

You might've seen this article floating around the web on what self-care really is. Self-care is not just the mainstream 'treating yourself'--the candles, nail painting or shopping spree. Rather, it's learning to accept, to embrace who you are, and simultaneously not beat yourself up.

True self-care is not salt baths and chocolate cake, it is making the choice to build a life you don't need to regularly escape from. 

Similar to a link I shared earlier this year, perhaps balance isn't all it's cut out to be. I plan to bring this idea with me into this new year, reprioritizing what matters to me and reexamining my concept of balance.

Why can't we let go of our old things? This Buzzfeed post reminds me much like when Cora thought out loud. Despite the positive emotions we harbor holding onto our junk whether they be old notebooks or old clothes, there is for negative emotions to linger and clutter our lives too. I'm hoping 2018 will be the year I finally clean up my life.

Learning to abolish the 'chill girl persona,'--the one of feigned disinterest and complacency with whatever

Look like I'll have to postpone making this cheesecake from Broma Bakery until the next fig season 

A brief history of romantic love (and why it kinda sucks)

Finally, how to do a hard reset on all aspects of your life in the new year

Questions:
How are you bringing in the new year?
What are you letting go of and taking with you to 2018?

Christmas is my absolute favorite time of the year. This fun comparison of the various holiday meals around the world satisfies both that Christmas lover and foodie soul.

On a related note, a peek into what a modern Christmas in the US looks like even though I'm on the other side of the world for the holidays.

An article on the relationship between nutrition and pleasure

"When your meal comes with a side helping of guilt, it erodes whatever pleasure you would otherwise feel, because you don’t allow yourself to feel it."

Being around a a diet/weight/appearance-centered mindset when with family and friends right now has definitely been challenging. These two different posts on how weight gain and HAES fit together and altering the conversation away from diet talk this season from Robyn and Rachel respectively provide strategies on how to cope

Finally, how to be a little more alright in the new year c/o Buzzfeed

With that I bid you, a happy Christmas (or Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, winter, December, etc) to all and to all a good night (or morning or afternoon depending on where you are in the world right now)🎄🎁🎅

Questions:
What are your family's holiday traditions?
What is your favorite Christmas meal? 
How are you planning to take better care of yourself in the new year? 

campus views like this make me forget how stressed i actually am

• Since I knew I wouldn't be able to do much yoga over the break, I attended an evening session last Monday also to help ease my test nerves 
• Posted twice on the blog: a WIR and a recent reads post
• Passed around the cookies I made for my professors 
• Had a lunch appointment with my dietician for the last time this year. Going to be really strange not getting to see her or my therapist for the next three weeks

how my brain functions during finals

• Took 3 final exams during my FINAL finals week ever
• Not the healthiest of achievements but ran on much less sleep than usual (5-6 hours a night) throughout the week as a result of said exams 
• Cleaned up my apartment on Thursday and Friday like there was no tomorrow....because there wasn't one; my flight took off Saturday morning 😓

• Closed off the semester with a celebratory bowl of veggie ramen with friends
• Watched another friend graduate with her Masters. Very hard to believe that my own graduation was over 6 months ago....and my next one is less than 6 months away... 😣
• Attended yet another friend's Christmas party held at her apartment, which was a lot more fun than I had anticipated 

• Got a chance to sit down for breakfast in the airport featuring my sister's hand and fork. Got a fried mushroom burger and a latte. 
• Finished reading Eat, Pray, Love whilst in the air
• Watched 3 movies on plane too--The Holiday, Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates (because Zefron) and The Glass Castle
• Probably the biggest accomplishment of all was making all of the flights. Was extremely worried we'd miss one because of delays and already short layover times. Seriously, it was to the point we had to be escorted from one gate to the next, power-walking the whole way and bypassing security lines. So much anxiety. Luckily though our names weren't being called yet. 😂  

Hard to believe it's been a solid month since my last round of links. And that we are smack in the middle of December. I am headed out of the country in less than twelve hours and had a busy day behind me filled with cleaning, packing, attending a friend's graduation and a Christmas party. So without further delay because I'm exhausted and still have to finish packing up, here are some of my most-enjoyed links as of late:

To start, a couple of posts from Cupcakes & Cashmere. One on easy ways to give back and share the love during the holidays. And the other on cultivating an intentional morning routine, which I have been struggling to find in my life right now. Emily's experiment to incorporate things like reading in bed, walking to a coffee shop or staying in a bed a little longer seems like an awesome idea.

source

Another thing to ponder especially during this time of year. Me being my sentimental self has an extremely difficult time letting go of old journals, magazines, cards, clothes, among other things. Like Cora described last month, maybe I would be better at cleaning up my life if I approached it more from a mindset of gratitude as opposed to regret.

The Most Important 'Life-Hack' I Learned -- in short, ask yourself what's fuelling and what's draining your energy

Vangie has put my thoughts into her own lovely words in her post on letting go of fitness. Been struggling with this one a lot lately but I know the benefits outweigh the costs in the big picture for where I am at right now physically.

A better way to be there for others: Shift responses vs support responses 

Confused by coconut milk vs coconut cream too? Check this post out from Oh Ladycakes. Apparently helpful for making coconut whipped cream, something to tackle in the new year for sure!

Found this one about letting go of control c/o Naomi's Random Roots

As future employee for corporate America, this post on loneliness in the workplace, a place where it is often overlooked, got me thinking
In the age of smartphones, gifting presence means the most

Similarly, these simple tips for minimizing phone time. Particularly #3--keeping your phone across the room or out of sight--is something I've found that works for me!

If you're like me and have never had a real boyfriend, this one's for you. Hit me right in the heart. Also, shoutout to my friend sends me articles like this to read ❤️

Was intrigued by the title of this post on Free People called What Is... , which was just beautiful. This is my reminder to you that you are important and you are enough. Embrace your aliveness.

"Being alive is the only achievement that really matters."

Questions:
Do you have a morning ritual/routine? 
How do you practice the gift of presence? 
Do you connect with any of these posts too? 

The face of a someone who finished her last presentation in college

• Biked over to and sat at a coffee shop for a couple of hours to put in some study time. Looking ahead at the new year, I plan to make doing things like this--for and by myself--more of a priority 
• Like I said, those 'lasts': gave my final presentation, took my last non-final test and attended my last actual lecture. Now only to make it through my final finals week with 3 upcoming exams 😩 
• Had brunch with my friend who happens to be my former roommate (from freshman and sophomore year). She's graduating this semester so we went to the dining hall for old time's sake and relive our first year of college. I hadn't been there in forever since it's a) incredibly overpriced, b) meh food, and c) out of the way. Weird to think that it may very well be the last time I go there... 

Breakfast with a side of tax notes

• Made this lentil and egg dish for a nutrient packed dinner one evening. Definitely enjoying spending time in the kitchen while I can since I'll be gone for almost a month and likely won't be able to cook much. 
• Finished packing a majority of my stuff for my trip ✔️
• Also officially done shopping for Christmas gifts! 

• Attended the holiday party for my accounting program that our directress hosts at her house every year. For future accountants, it is much wilder than it sounds. Sadly, this was the last one for me since my cohort is graduating in the spring, another reason I am feeling sentimental. It's hitting me that in just a few months, these people I see on a regular if not daily basis--even those I'm not close to--I may never see again. Siiiigh
• Even more in the spirit of the holidays, a couple of friends and I went to see these 'magical winter lights' (yup, that's what they're called) a 45-minute drive away. Definitely magical but also definitely very cold for me. 
• Baked a buttload of cookies yesterday morning for my professors. Hoping to play Santa and pass them around today! 🎅

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.

Repurposing leftovers:

As we all know, Thanksgiving is the king of leftovers. I threw this (^^^) sandwich together that included turkey and the cranberry dish I made for Thanksgiving/the holiday meal. Added smoked cheddar, collards and carrot chips and called it lunch. Oh, and Harry Potter (DH pt 2!) on the side too to make it even better. 

Also, since I absolutely hate wasting food, I try to repurpose the things I take home after eating out too.  Had dinner out with family earlier in the month at a seafood place. I got the fried catfish plate with cornbread and collards, shared the fish with my sister but ate some shared apps beforehand. Then took home our leftovers and some leftovers of my parents too. Later I reheated the fish and turned into a sandwich with pickles from the local farmer's market (see below). Then I ate the remaining conbread with a baked egg breakfast skillet. 

Sunshine = better pictures AND happier me

Eating out: 

...or should I say eating outside. On the left are a couple of tacos I had for lunch with a friend at Tacos A Go Go when I was in Houston. Got a create-your-own breakfast taco with spinach, cheese and eggs plus a veggie filled tacos with black beans. On the right, a colorful plate of food from the Ethiopian buffet we ate in Austin. Went back for a little more. 

Farmer's market produce:

There's magic in wandering around farmer's markets, in picking out fruits and veggies, in talking to the local vendors. Here are some of the creations I made with what I picked up: 

A tempeh, sweet potato and radish greens hash...
A persimmon, eggs, cheese and spinach sandwich thing that I felt inspired to make after seeing something (not-so) similar from Joy the Baker...
A savory personal-sized galette with pesto and chard topped with feta...
A repeat of enfrijoladas I had shared in the past using this recipe minus the walnuts plus a generous sprinkle of cheese and side of roasted zucchini...Please also excuse the mess that is my kitchen. 




What's your favorite way to use up leftover turkey?
How do you feel about farmer's markets? 
Are you a Harry Potter fan (the only acceptable answer here is yes)? 

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.

Happy Friday friends! 

Headed out this afternoon for a quick trip to Austin with family (though instead I really should be holding off since Thanksgiving break is a week away). Before I go, here are some things I have enjoyed on the Interwebs lately: 

Things to Think About

On practicing gratitude

Lovely advice from Megan on handling the burnout of life's daily grind 

"Even the things that are fun can become a little too much sometimes."

25 Tiny Changes That'll Make You Feel Really Good About Life 

Intuitive Eating/HAES/Anti-Diet Mentality/Recovery
Questions:
How do you practice gratitude?
If you own a cast iron too, how do you 'season' it? 
What TV show are you currently obsessed with?

Not a big recipe repeater but Naturally Ella's cauliflower skillet is too good. Especially love that spiced chutney with it. Also digging the simplicity but adaptability of grilled cheeses as of late. Bread + cheese + veg. Mmmhmm... (PS my hand is blocking the other half of that sandwich )