Portmanteau Suitcase

Well, the month of “daily” posting is done. I wrote and backdated 4/30 posts (including this one!) so I didn’t quite ace the assignment. I do feel like I’ve made good progress on re-establishing my blogging habit. I don’t think one month is quite enough to form an ironclad habit but it’s a good start.

So, things that happened this month: I voted, trip to Florida to visit my family for an early Thanksgiving, trip to San Diego for real Thanksgiving, and the start to my first week of call at UCSF!

At the very end of the month, I started to exercise more consistently which I feel very motivated to continue. I am alternating days with the Couch to 5K workout and bike rides. The bird is very proud of me and is ok with giving up her perch as needed.

Now, here comes December! I’m looking forward to reflecting on the year, setting goals for the next year, finishing up my first call week, and traveling to San Diego for Christmas!

Shout out to Elisabeth for the idea!

BEST:

This is the most amazing song. It combines Christmas, The Killers, and clever lyrics. What other song uses the word “anthracite?” Also, double bonus, Brandon Flowers IS WEARING THE SAME CHRISTMAS SWEATER THAT I HAVE?!?!?! Love, love, love!

This a total flashback to college when my friend Karen from New Jersey introduced me to this song. It’s not the best, but a flashback to a fun time and fun person in my life!

A little on the sad side, but I love it so!

A fun song. I really like the Christmas song sub-genre that spreads Christmas cheer in non-traditional (aka, non-snowy) environments since I’ve spent several Christmases in California and in other countries.

Another nostalgia winner! We watched this TV special a lot when I was a kid. I have tried to learn how to play it, but it’s a challenge. My Mom can play it though!

“WORST:”

Ok, ok, there really aren’t many “worst” Christmas songs but I will play along.

The Grinch! He’s the worst! (But I actually like the song!)

Ok, this song does make me want to stab myself in the eyeball rather than hear it the whole way through.

Problematic lyrics and sung by She and Him. This is a pointlessly catty comment, but I’m not the biggest fan of Zooey Deschanel’s voice. Like, I can hear in her voice how awesome she thinks her voice is. So smug! And so silly on my part.

Only because I heard so many tortured versions. But this soprano has a beautiful voice so in this case, worth a listen.

It’s so bad, it’s good. I actually kind of love this song and wanted to end on a positive note. Merry Christmas!

I have really enjoyed the November blog challenge and reading others’ blogs. My commenting has only been so-so, but I really like the ideas for repeating posts that occur at regular or semi-regular intervals. One type of the post is “Things I’m Liking” so…

Couch to 5K: I’m using the UK Runner’s World plan to ease my way back into running. A friend of mine hurt himself a few years back and this is what his PT recommended. Since I majorly tweaked my calf a few months towards the end of a random 3 mile run, I decided I am of the age where consistency and gradual increases are required. You know that “Only increase your mileage 10% a week” adage that I have never followed? Well, I think it’s time that I do.

Thanksgiving Weekend Sales: While I wish I could save 25% all the time, I stocked up on a few items that were really well-priced. My favorite moisturizer and SPF/skin concealer which leads me to…

Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment: While it might sound next-level Chia pet, this is my favorite SPF/color-correcting/mattifying cream. I tried a lot of BB creams back when they were first out and very popular, but I never was super into them. The Laura Mercier BB. Meh. The Kosas skin oil. Well, that was ok but no SPF. This TFCCT is awesome. It goes on with a slight green tint that changes to a light beige as it’s rubbed in. And it changes quite quickly- it’s not something that you have to rub in vigorously like those purple-to-white sunscreens. The color match is really good for me. It’s important to note that it’s not skin shade matching- I am pretty sure on any skin color, it would stay the same light beige while being rubbed in.

You know how mindfulness teachers will talk about “Be in the moment.” I feel that oftentimes, this is not a very big problem for me. In the moment, I feel something very strongly and it seems like it will be a permanent state. This morning, I woke up still full from yesterday night’s dinner and I thought to myself, “I will never eat again.” Well, that’s clearly not true but kind of funny that it seems so true in the moment.

This has also happened to me in the grocery store when I make the mistake of shopping when I have just eaten. I lack the imagination to consider I will be hungry again so I often underbuy. This is different than when I go shopping while hungry because then I just overbuy and lean towards ridiculous amounts of snacks.

There are some foods that I try to avoid buying because it is difficult for me to stop eating. This usually falls into the salty crunchy category. The little crispy mochi bites from Trader Joe’s? My kryptonite! I also really like Trader Joe’s Chinese cracker mix. My favorite cracker? The round silver dollar sized one. Don’t worry- I don’t think that fact is the basis for any of my password security questions. Or is it…I may have been too hungry at the time to dedicate to remembering!

It is lovely to be back in San Diego. It’s fun to be back as a visitor, especially when it’s a fun family holiday trip! It makes me realize how fantastic the weather really is here. I also love my in-laws backyard. It is a little piece of paradise. SMS and I even did 30 minutes of yoga in the backyard today. It was so nice!

Thanksgiving dinner was amazing. The turkey was really well done, the dressing delicious, the cranberry sauce the perfect citrus zestiness, the potatoes amazing, and the green bean casserole was loaded with bacon. I really liked it and I also find it funny when the veggie sides are loaded with meat. You know, to ward off the evil spirits of healthfulness, antioxidants, and phytochemicals!

For lunch, we went to Point Loma Fish Shop, where I had a delicious scallop and ono fish taco. So tasty! Then we went to Eppig and grabbed a beer. We hung out with SMS’ childhood friend and it was fun to catch up with him.

Although I try not to be, I can definitely be influenced to buy something. I know that influencing is a career in advertising. When I’m on IG, I can clearly see that I fit into a “demographic.” Oh, how my angsty, “I’m all alone” teenage self would despair. How can I be like everyone else?!?! Well, not everyone else, but certainly in a group!

So, I’m sitting here typing with a hyped anti-puff face mask on. Yes, my face looked puffy this morning. And yes, I was lured by the promise in a jar. Nevermind that real anti-puffing would occur with healthy diet and exercise! Sheesh.

But the funny thing is that this overhyped miracle smells, and probably is, repackaged anti-hemorrhoid cream. How do I know this? Because in my teens, I was influenced by Seventeen to try anti-hemorrhoid cream as an undereye depuffer. I know the smell! And as I sit here in my expensive mask, I feel swindled!

Also, another funny hemorrhoid treatments story (they exist?!) is that when I was an intern, people would often ask each other to put in prescriptions for them as needed. Well, some of the guys thought it was hilarious to add Proctofoam and suppositories to each other’s order. It was a short fad since it was really only funny once, but it was pretty great since the person didn’t find out until the pharmacist reviewed each prescription.

Another missed post! I’m happy to be part of the November daily blogging streak. I feel like it’s revived my interest in blogging! But I’m a work in progress. I will take the win that I’ve really broken a dry spell in blogging.

And thanks for the thoughtful comments on rent vs buy. I feel like a load is lifted in making the decision. I’m not looking forward to telling our realtor, whose business has taken a hit. We are going to give him a nice present, but I’m sure he would prefer the present of a home sale commission.

Now, it’s time to focus on the move. On the positive side, my shipment from San Diego is being handled by professional movers. In addition, the 1B/1B apartment is fairly sparsely furnished so that part of the move will be easy (oops, just jinxed myself!).

On the negative side, there will be a little too much stuff coming into the new apartment from my shipment since there is a lot of garage garbage included. Some of that stuff has been carted around for years and I would love to get rid of it, but it’s mostly SMS’ stuff. It’s always easier to throw someone else’s stuff away than my own so I need to focus on my own excess! And accidentally throw away some of his. (JKNR, new acronym! JKNR = just kidding, not really).