Hello Dear Readers,
Can you believe that it has already been a month since I last updated you? Me neither. I decided to put “Write Journal Post” on my google calendar as well as my Starbucks planner and voila! I did it. Go me.
I haven’t done much in terms of writing, but that is because work has decided to flip our curriculum and we’re still relearning how to do everything—it will be better in the long run, but right now my energy is focused on helping my teachers stay on track.
I did, however, start putting together a writing schedule, gym schedule, and grading schedule that will help me use my time wisely (hello, Virgo!) and the only thing left to do is implement it. I start it next week. I’m excited, but also rather antsy to get back in the game of, well, everything.
As far as morning routines have been going, I’ve been pretty consistent with my Mel Robbins’ 5 Second Journal. It certainly helps to format my day and get the thoughts out of my head. I’ve also gifted myself some new face cream from Clinique to help out with my dry skin~
In other news, my sister, Melissa is coming to visit me at the end of March until mid April and we had a four hour conversation about what she wants to see and do here. She’s been to Seoul twice but this is the first time we’re going to Busan and Jeju Island (for both of us), so there was a ton of things to sort out. We got most of it sorted—just have to wait to purchase the KTX tickets as they only go on sale a month in advance.
I’ve finished reading two books thus far in 2023: Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street and a debut novel from Sumi Hahn called The Mermaid from Jeju. Cisneros’ novel was on my “To Read” list fo far too long—probably 12 years. It made me miss Chicago a lot, and inspired me to read more books set in the Windy City. If you haven’t read it, I recommend it—it reminded me of the power words can have. It’s short—but not necessarily a light read, there’s some beauty in the heaviness of Esperanza’s neighborhood for sure.
The second novel, The Mermaid from Jeju is historical fiction that takes place between 1948 on Jeju Island and Philadelphia in 2001. The way that Hahn weaves the story was satisfying, yet she knew exactly when to build the tension with one set of characters and then flip to another set. All my questions were answered by the end, and I was gutted yet relieved when I reached the last page.
I have recently begun a tradition of buying my stepmother my favorite books I’ve read during the year. It started last last Christmas when I bought her Where the Crawdads Sing by Della Owens. Next I bought her a few books (most I read, one I didn’t): The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, Elenor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, and Taylor Jenkins Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. The latter I haven’t read (yet) but it came highly recommended by a friend who has recently started her own book channel on Youtube. I trust her judgment. :)
Anywho~ that’s all the updates I have. Hopefully when I write again in a month, I’ll be well on my way with my new routines.
Until then~