The Sunday List #1

Happy Sunday!

Raise your hand if you kinda-sorta dread Sunday because it's the day before Monday. You can't see me, but those who know me are visualizing me with a cartoon Mickey Mouse hand raised high in the air.

It's true, I used to get through Sundays by worrying/fretting/anticipating the week ahead of me with no intentional plan of creating something better. Oh, I have planners - lots of them, but all of them just had work and our hockey schedule listed on the days.

Like I don't know when I'm working?

After the year that will be forever be known as The Lost Year, I decided that I want to create something a little different, and maybe memorable for something better. Let's be clear, I fully understand I created the mess last year, and this is my time to clean it up. And I thought, what better way than to celebrate the little things - the things that bring me joy - with all of you?

Enter The Sunday List.  It's not a big list, five things or less, depending on the week, but something you will be able to read, download, or find at Target. I have decided to choose things in my life that actually make me happy instead of what is expected. Some days Dexter fits that mold, and other days it might be a sappy romance. I'm over trying to figure out why things matter to me... only accept them as they are.

Less judgement, more acceptance.

So without further ado, here is my first official Sunday List.... comment below if you agree (or disagree!) with any of them!

• Of course I'm going to start with a book... They will always be my first love. So the book I just finished a couple hours ago, My Favorite Half-Night Stand, by Christina Lauren made me giggle on the first page, and then throughout the book. After reading the uber-tense Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman, Half-Night was the perfect follow up book. Witty, romantic, and a great ending to boot. If it wasn't snowing outside, I'd say it was the perfect beach read. Seriously, download for your next vacation. 

• Last year, I remember being obsessed with a new Serial-like Podcast called Dirty John. It was part murder mystery, (in that you didn't know who actually died) and part Dateline-telling of the story. If you haven't listened to the podcast, I highly recommend it. However, if podcasts aren't your thing, then you have to watch the series. The final one was aired last Sunday, so all of them are available for your binging pleasure on demand. I mean, is it really a Sunday if you're not binge-watching something? Connie Britton and Eric Bana are perfectly casted - Eric (John) will make your skin crawl. If you like Dateline, this is a perfect escape, especially since it's based on a true story. 

• And finally, my favorite story of the week involves a hockey player, an NHL team, and one of my favorite cities. Jacob Piros - 17 year-old goalie for the Capital City Capitals and cancer survivor - had a dream come true this week when he got to visit with his favorite player, Pekka Rinni, goalie for the Nashville Predators. The trip was part of the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and was a once in a lifetime moment for everyone involved. He met with them off the ice, practiced with them, and even led them on the ice for their game on Wednesday. You can read more about the story and check out videos here. It was one of those stories that reminds me that hockey players aren't just great athletes... they're amazing people too. I think you'll agree.

Well, that's it for me this week. I hope this post finds you warm and snuggled up with a good book (or show!), and that you begin to look for the little things that bring you joy every day. It really is as easy as changing your focus.

Until next week... Happy Reading!

xo, Mo

Winter

I am freezing today.

It could be the fact that I work in an ice rink.

Or the fact that I couldn't warm up since I've been home.

I'm.  Just.  Sick.  Of.  Winter.

But this blog is about inspiration, not hatred, right?

So I'll take the polar plunge into finding good things about Winter, and while I can't guarantee you will all agree with me (except for the whole I hate winter part), you might at least see some good in this dreadful wonderful season.

1. Winter means reading books by the fire.  Writing by the fire.  Eating breakfast by the fire.  You get the picture.  
2. Winter = Award Season.  I'm watching the red carpet for the Oscars as we speak.
3. It's a scientific fact we burn more calories during winter.  Granted it's our bodies desperate way to try and stay warm, but I'm okay with that.
4. Winter is the perfect season for my favorite food group:  Soup.  I love pinning soups... cooking soups.... eating soup.  It's a food group and an activity now.  
5. Scarves.  Not a secret that I have a small, okay big, scarf collection.  I love them, and almost always have them on... even around the house.  
6. Winter leads to Spring.  This one needs no explanation.  “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?” ― Percy Bysshe Shelley

Thats it.  That's all I can drum up for this season that is kicking my butt.  I know you're feeling my pain too, but have no doubt we will be complaining about the heat in no time :)

Until then, stay warm... 

Happy Sunday!

Word

I have fallen... and I can't get up.

I have fallen in love with reading again.

Yes, it's always been one of my true loves, but I have to admit that since finishing my own book I've felt like I should be doing more than just reading.

Like working on my own.
And trying to get it published.
Or reading about getting published.
Maybe writing query letter #7.

To say I don't relax much is an understatement.

However, tonight I was cleaning out my book shelves and realized what I've been missing... and remembered why writing is so important to me.  Books are my favorite escape and always have been.

#bestshelfever

Perhaps I'm having this writers block because I'm trying too hard and not taking the time to savor the words already written.  How could I possibly think that all work and no reading would possibly work for me?  I gave up the one thing that truly made me more myself than anything else... and ended up lost again.  

So, this summer is about reading more than writing.  My book isn't going anywhere (quite literally), and I need some clarity about why I even started writing to begin with.  And starting this week, I'll bring back the Friday Reads posts again.

It's been too long, in more ways than one, so I hope you'll read along with me this summer...

Have a great week!

gratitude

An attitude of gratitude.  That's still the summer challenge.

Here are my 5 for today, and yes, I expect you to find something to write on and do yours now too.

1. Reading and books
2. Not going into work till noon
3. Air conditioning
4. Blake is still sleeping
5. My new yoga video.  Love!

Happy Wednesday!!

Summer Reading

The absolute BEST part about summer isn't the warm weather, grilling out, or even the frozen margaritas (well, maybe not)... it's about the reading.  More than anything it's about having more time to read.

The homework is done, exams taken, and now they are trying to figure out every which way to not be B O R E D, but that doesn't bother me much, because I know at the end of the day, quite literally, I get to read.  There's not much on TV lately, so why not pick up a book?

This year I'm even going to try and read one book a week.  I know, I know, I can't even relax without setting goals already, but this is just my way of not getting hooked on shows that I could care less about.... just as soon as The Voice is over.  If you're like me, it's all too easy to plop in front of the TV and watch hours of mindless "reality" television.  So, yes, it's kinda like having homework all summer, but it just happens to be the best homework ever.


And to boot, I'm not going to spend a dime on any of the books.  These are all books I either have laying around, borrowed, or downloaded and just haven't gotten to yet.  I figured our summer schedule at the rink is 11 weeks, so I have chosen 11 books that will get me through to the first week of school.  Stop cringing, we're not even close to that yet.

Here's my Summer Reading List (not in any particular order):

1. Inferno by Dan Brown:  Love the last three... can't see how this one will be any different.
2. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon:  Heard from many reliable sources it's fabulous.
3. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach:  Must read one baseball book in honor of my mom.
4. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton:  Downloaded for Pittsburgh and never read.
5. All the Summer Girls by Meg Donohue:  Well because it's summer... and I'm a girl... and I loved her first book.
6. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman:  Started a couple times and kept putting down for something lighter.
7. Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness:  C'mon already.  I just have to finish this one already.
8. The Shortest Way Home by Juliette Fay:  Love her other stuff.
9. The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh:  Came highly recommended by someone who has fabulous taste.
10. Daring Greatly by Brene Brown:  Love her, love her, love her.  Isn't that enough?  Plus I want to dare greatly myself.
11. Untitled by Mo Parisian:  I have a date in mine when it will be done, so it will be nice to read (and fix) in its entirety.  Hopefully I can come up with a title by then too :)

So that's it.  As soon as I hit publish, I am on the hook for reading all of these books.  Every Sunday I will review what I read and put in my two cents on here.  I am going to start with The Language of Flowers, because I hate keeping books that aren't mine for too long!

What about you this summer?  What will you be reading?

Happy Monday!  And looky there.... it's just in time for The Voice!