***The Starry-Eyed Revue***: I'm back

Some things that happened while I was away:

I got the most awesome The Princess Bride-themed birthday present from my older sister who just knows me so well.
I'm participating in the 3rd round of #otspsecretsister. It's my first time, but I'm really excited about my sister because I've been mildly acquainted with her almost since I started blogging, I think, but now I'll have a chance to really get to know her. =)
I taught my older sis how to use Instagram after she begged me to. And then she was like, "That's it?" :P She doesn't really get the appeal, and she asked it all I ever did was post pics of books. Ha!
I had the best dream about Celaena Sardothien as a badass superhero fighting alongside a Batman who had real bat wings and it was fucking awesome. Of course, anything that involves Celaena is fucking awesome.
ETA: OMG, I can't believe I almost forgot to mention seeing a Joseph Gordon-Levitt look-alike at the restaurant I was eating at in Austin on Saturday night. He was such an adorable suspender-wearing cutie, and I just wanted to beg him to lip-sync for me. Of course, he was there with some chick who had NO clue how lucky she was.

Anyway, I'm back from vacation and I was supposed to put up a review or something or anything today, and I wasn't feeling it last night when we got home, so I just did nothing. Okay, well, not nothing because we watched Big Hero 6 and then finished up the night with the last of the Harry Potter weekend on ABC Family. Which, by the way, we'd started before we left my sister's house earlier in the day. =D #HarryPotterForever

But I digress. I just haven't felt any kind of inspiration to blog lately, not in any kind of formal way, at least. Like, reviews schmeviews, for reals. It's sooooo much easier for me to just word vomit like this than to actually think of something intelligent and eloquent to say about a book when it feels like I'm just repeating myself in all of my reviews. The heroine was badass. The story kept me turning the pages. The supporting cast of characters was well-drawn. Blah blah blah. So, I think I'm going to go all unprofesh on you guys and just gush away from now on. It's easier, and honestly, I don't even really think people are reading reviews on blogs that much anymore. I know I'm not. When I really want to check out reviews, I look up the book on Goodreads and peruse those before deciding whether to pick up the book or not...and even then I might just be looking at star ratings and nothing else. As long as I'm promoting the books I receive for review, it doesn't matter how I review them, does it? Or when, right...'cause I'm seriously tired of pushing back books I'm really excited about because of my "TBR schedule". So, yeah, I'm seriously going to go back to being just a book lover who gushes about the books she loves. It feels right.

And in the meantime, I hope to do some real writing. I've got an itch to write all of a sudden. I used to write all the time when I was younger, but I'm such a perfectionist that I re-read all of my stories later and threw them all away. I know. Except for some stupid essays that I wrote in high school and college, I threw everything in the garbage, except for some really, really bad poetry that should have been trashed. I don't know what I was thinking. But I think part of the reason I've been feelings so down and put-out lately is because I used to get out all my feelings on paper, whether it be in a journal or short story or really crappy poem. But it helps to have that outlet...and even if nothing comes of it, it'll still be time well-spent because maybe it'll help keep me sane. Writing is just so cathartic for me…at least when the words are flowing.

I'm not happy at work, and I haven't been in awhile. It's kind of trickling down into everything else. I should actually be working instead of typing this up because I'm rather behind after being out of the office for a week, but I can't find the willpower...so here I am. The thing is, I'd love to change jobs, but I don't want to do what I'm currently doing anymore. I used to joke that I "work with numbers by day and words by night" and that it should be my superhero mantra or whatever, but the truth is, I hate numbers. I only work in accounting because it comes so naturally to me. And I really hate the direction my company is headed in. But I don't know what I'd do if not this. I'm not really qualified for anything else, though my BIL frequently tells me that the length of time I've been with my current employer would be a big sell for potential employers, regardless. It's been so long since I even had to consider all of this, though. And honestly, I just want to do something that involves writing or editing or reading or just books in general.

Reading would be ideal because I'm SO far behind on my TBR. Hah! Only in my dreams, lol. I thought I'd get a crap ton of reading done over vacation, but as it turns out, I only read one book in full. Pretty lame, right? But I did spend some quality time with Katie and I got to see my sis, whom I haven't seen since our last vacation to Universal Studios. It always comes back to Harry Potter, doesn't it? :0)

So, that's where I'm at right now. I know I had more to say, but that'll have to wait for another day. Or when I'm not getting ready to leave the office for the day. :P But I'm back, and I'll be around, lurking as usual. :D

Labels: discussion, I'm back, reading, reviewing habits, writing

Hi Everyone!!!

I announced in early June that I would be taking a bit of a break. June is always a busy month for me, but even more so this year because of everything I had going on in my personal life. I am, back, but I may still be sporadic this month, as the renovations we are having done on the house finally start next week. My husband and I are so excited for this, you have no idea.

I really missed having something to do when I sat down at the computer to be honest. lol. And I missed Jen of course. We've lost touch a bit this month and we never want that to happen again. The break was amazing and I highly recommend it to anyone who is in a rut.

I read a few good books this month. I can't wait to tell you all about them. I'm still going to stick with just reading what I want. A few with be review books I've been dying to get my hands one, but also books I've just had sitting in kindle storage. I finally read "Isla and the Happily Ever After!" I liked it! Not as much as her others, but I'll go into that further when I review it. :)

I don't think that I will be participating in STS every week now that I'm back. I've really cut down on buying books because house repairs.. are expensive!!!! : )

The most important thing that happened in June, and one of the main reasons I wanted to take a break, was my grandparents came to stay with us. As well as a few cousins. Our house was packed and my hands were full. Back in May when we went to Disney, my grandfather had a stroke. He's doing okay. It's affected him mentally for the most part, physically he gets around as good as you can expect from an 85 year old. They live in KY, so I don't see them very often. This trip was very special and I wanted to put all my focus on them.

It was a pretty busy weekend too, because Aubrey had her dance recital. They were so happy they were able to see it. Also, they were here to celebrate Aubrey's 7th birthday and it was just so special.

So that's what I've been busy with. It was a fantastic month, but I'm glad things are settling down and I can be back. :)

I hope that you all had a wonderful Fourth of July! We spent it in the immediate care with Aubrey, because of course that's how we spend Holidays here in our household. Poor little thing couldn't even stay up for fireworks, but we are hoping she's on the mend.