The January Slump

Ah, winter. Post-holidays, all you have to offer are cold weather, icy roads which lead to a longer commute, endlessly gray days and building enough time into my morning routine to scrape and de-thaw my car before I drive it. 

via Boring Pittsburgh | seriously, this is how the new year wants to greet me?

Barf.

I don't know about you all, but January is the worst month of the year for me. I always joke that I'm in need of a sun lamp because I am just straight miserable during the winter, but especially in January. I mean, a lot of it is due to my own hang-ups. Take New Year's Resolutions and goals, for instance: I like instant gratification and the ability to see results, but really, all of my/our goals are a process - most of which that will likely take the entire year. I know I sound like a brat who wants what she wants right now and I won't say that's wrong - it's just that while I'm looking forward to all that 2015 has to bring, I'm also just in a weird twiddling-my-thumbs place. 

In the same vein, January can also be a little overwhelming to some. All of the New Year, New Me ideals floating around, articles instructing you to take the time to purge and clean and re-organize and DO ALL OF THE THINGS. It's like geez oh man, the year just started, can I have a minute? 

One of my far-off-future goals is to plan a little vacation for Jon and I in January, a post-holidays de-stress and a pre-year re-energize. That's fun to dream about, for sure, and will definitely be a bright spot to look forward to. . .even if post-vacation depression rears its ugly head - take the good with the bad, am I right?

So, knowing this general ickiness is coming during these dark (figuratively and literally, if you will) days and nights, I'm trying to be proactive about it. 

Here, There and Everywhere: Happy 2015!

Back at work for the sneaky Friday that 2015 managed to wedge into what should really have been a nice, long weekend? Don't worry: I'm here for you.

• I'm a little late in my discovery of this, but better late than never, right? Dee Williams of Olympia, Washington resides in a home that totals 84 square feet. Yes: 84 total square feet. For those of us looking to downsize in 2015, she's either an inspiration or an intimidation.

image via Amazon, copyright of Putnam Adult

• Linda Tirado offers an interesting perspective of what it's like to be poor in today's America. Saving money costs money. This is something that I grapple with often: it'd be great to invest in the more-expensive-but-better-quality item and sure, in the long run it'd be beneficial, but sometimes you just don't have that extra amount in the Right Now.

• Those who know me know that I love little more than people being friends. I love when people I love have a connection. It's part of why I love guys like Adam Sandler and Judd Apatow and why I'm drawn to their films. All of this to say: Kelly Clarkson went to see Britney Spears' show in Vegas and I just about died. 

• Google is freakin' amazing, if you didn't know that already, and put together a lookback at 2014 in terms of searches and web trends. Everything from chia vs. kale and Ellen's Oscar selfie is covered in this amazing corner of the internet. 

• True Fact: I love pop culture. I'd say it's a defining characteristic. The AV Club is my all time favorite website because they are all about pop culture. There are reviews and news articles, all written with a certain tone that speaks right to me. As they do every year, they came up with the best television shows of 2014: part one is dedicated to numbers 35 through 11 and part two is dedicated to the Top Ten. What I learned from these lists: my TV game is ultimate suckage. I am beyond behind and I blame watching SVU every time it's on USA as well as turning to Nick at Nite before bed. I need to get it together and have already started doing so: currently watching The Affair (ranked #23). Bonus: I get to see Pacey's bum. Swoonies.

• Also from the friends at The AV Club: quirky society figures like Weird Al Yankovic and Mara Wilson ranked their favorite pop culture of 2014.

 

image via Keith Hodan of Trib Total Media

• Pittsburgh's version of the Polar Bear Plunge involves freezing temperatures in one of our famed three rivers. According to local news, about 700 people participated this morning. Believe it or not, I think I might want to adopt this tradition for Jon and I as well. We'll see if I remember this January 1, 2016 - but as I mentioned in my resolutions post, when I put things to words, it gives them life, so even though my finger is hovering over the delete key, I'm keeping it here. Early morning 2016 will involve freezing laughter with a bunch of strangers. Eepies.

Anything keeping your attention this Friday? Feel free to share and discuss - we're all in this together!

#ApartmentLife: Happy Holidays Edition

Growing up, I used to insist that living in an apartment would be way better than living in a house. You can say that television is to blame for this, and I might even agree with you, but apartments symbolized cool to me. They were everything city, everything bright lights and busy streets, everything that my rinky dink depressed hometown was absolutely not.

Flash forward: I am a grown up (I think? I'm supposed to be anyway, right?) and I am living in an apartment and it is damn cool, so there. 

Jon's and my homestead trajectory has been pretty simple, fortunately. Our furthest move has been 3.4 miles.

image via Pittsburgh Neighborhoods Wikipedia | The gold stars are us. . .approximately. ;)

It'sa me, Stephanie!

If you didn't read that in the Mario voice, please educate yourself and try again. ;)

Maybe you're here from Weddingbee, maybe you're here because I forced you to sweetly suggested that you check out my newest blogging adventure, maybe it's neither: regardless, YAY.

I haven't actively blogged since finishing up my recaps as Mrs. Palm Tree on Weddingbee but lately I've found myself missing it. I'll have a need to share an opinion or something super clever only to realize I have no audience (except for Jon and the cats. . .all of which are debatedly willing and/or interested). 

Typical. . .

I also know that the holidays are coming and family members who still think of me as a slightly pretentious eight-year-old will ask, "are you still writing?" And, really, who am I to disappoint them?

So, here I am: a twenty-something fairly newlywed city slicker with a fierce love of books, coffee, Disney, booze, friends, brunch and television - not necessarily in that order. Hang out with me a bit, or at least do some pokin'. . .I can't promise I won't bite, but I can promise it'll be a great story.