February Check-In
Happy March! February was definitely a strange month, full of a lot of change for me. Here are some of the highlights-
- I learned how to pay Mah-Jong. One of my friend's aunt has a Mah-Jong club and occasionally teaches new people how to play, and I was lucky enough to get to join in this month. It's such a fun but challenging game with some luck and strategy involved. I had so much fun and can't wait to go back to play again!
- My friend came to visit for President's Day weekend and we had a great time! We did a little tour of downtown Raleigh, stopping by 42nd Street Oyster, Aunty Betty's Gin and Absinthe Bar, Watts and Ward, and Bittersweet one day, then had dinner at Brodeto and explored Iron Works another day. The weather wasn't great while she visited so we didn't do much outside, but got to have a ton of amazing food and had a really fun weekend.
- I started #The100DayProject on Instagram. I was in need of a little motivation and a project (more on that below) so I was really happy when a friend sent this over to me. Basically, for 100 days my goal is to consistently work on something creative every day and document it on Instagram. So far it's been great and I've been working on a bunch of fun projects. Follow along on my instagram at gretchcrafts.
- I got laid off! I feel like I'm one of a million people that were victims of mass layoffs lately so I'm not taking it personally, but it's been a very up and down month for me. I hope this will be a good change in the end but for now there's so much uncertainty. I'm just trying to take this one day at a time, look for jobs, stay active and get outside, and also practice some self care.
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There has been another item check off of my annual goals list- curling. Dan and I went earlier this month with two of our friends and had a blast. There's a curling club in Durham, and they taught us how to play and then we got to play a few ends in a game. Let me tell you- curling is no joke and it is so hard! I'm so glad I put this on my list and can't wait to try again.
Let's finish up with a quick round up of the books I read this month!
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros - 4/5 stars - After loving Fourth Wing and DNF'ing Iron Flame, I really didn't know what to expect with the third book in the series. Luckily for me- I LOVED it. It started a little slow, but once we were in the main "mission" of the book I couldn't put it down. And the ending!??!!
The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy - 4/5 stars - If you're looking for an easy read with a college sports romance- this is the book for you. I got a recommendation for this from BookTok, and devoured it! It's nothing groundbreaking or noteworthy, but very entertaining and sweet.
The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson - 2/5 stars - Had to DNF this because I did not like the main character at all, and got bored with the plot.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho - 4/5 stars - This was a book club pick, and I'm so glad it was chosen because I never would have picked it up and I really enjoyed it! I actually started reading this right before I found out I was laid off, and the message in the story about finding your personal legend and the world conspiring for you to reach your goals really hit home. In the book, Santiago has a comfortable job as a shepherd in Andalucia but hears about a treasure hidden under the pyramids in Egypt, so he gives up everything to find it (even getting mugged along the way and losing all his savings) but finds his true path during his journey to the treasure. It was really inspiring and thought provoking for me, and I really enjoyed the conversation my book club had about it.
The Cinnamon Bun Book Store by Laurie Gilmore - 4/5 stars - This was the second book in the Dream Harbor series, but I read them out of order and definitely think this is my favorite. I really liked the characters and the "mission" along the way! I can't wait for the next one in the series to come out this year and dive back into this sweet world.
Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten - 5/5 stars - I love a good celebrity memoir, and dove right into this one. I listened on audio, which was narrated by Ina herself, and it was such a cozy and entertaining story. In some ways I feel like Ina and I are kindred spirits and I wish I had more of her "just go for it" mindset and wasn't afraid to fail. I do think she is a bit out of touch in some of the things she says and does, but overall I really enjoyed this one and just borrowed a ton of her cookbooks from the library to try out!
The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden - 4/5 stars - Loved this thriller! Freida's books are always so fast and easy to read, and this was no exception. If you're in a reading rut or want to fly through a book in a day, pick up anything that she's written!
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