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The Best Part of January is… When It’s Over.

Just like the old saying goes, “The best part of winter is, when it’s over.” I felt the same way about January 2024.

After a wonderful holiday season in 2023, we turned the calendar to 2024. It started out great for the first few days. Eventually, it just seemed to drag on. January just didn’t want to end and then, it did. Looking back on the month and what the good and bad were, there wasn’t that much good to say about it. We had our fair share of snow and frigid temperatures around the middle of January. That snow cover we had a few weeks ago has completely melted and has been replaced by sunshine today to cap off the first day of February.

The snowstorm in Buffalo pushed the wild card game between the Steelers and Bills back a day but, alas, the same result likely would have happened if they played it when scheduled. The weather remained cold through the weekend of Ligonier IceFest. It was perfect if you wanted to see the ice sculptures, but you probably didn’t want to stay outside too long anyway. After attending IceFest the last two years, I wasn’t able to make it this time.

I kind of stayed true to my New Year’s Resolution and made it to the gym a few times in January. I tried to go on my days off but found that hard sometimes as I had other things to do. I’ll make it more of a habit in February. With the upcoming weather forecast set to be dry and a little more mild, it might be a great opportunity to get outside and put in a nice walk as well.

January was as drab and gray as the weather but some good things occurred. I discovered a new coffee shop in town that specializes in coffee flights. Cutie’s Coffee is definitely at home in a town that has some great cafes. I also ordered supplies for my vision board (which I will work on in February). The best thing about a January that didn’t have much sunshine was ordering my digital photo frame.

My mother bought her frame on Amazon and added many good pictures to her collection. There’s at least five years worth of photos on her frame. I have a few pictures of mine on there from this past Fall, as well as from the holidays. I finagled with the settings and have it working perfectly like I want it to. I’ll be getting about five years of pics on my frame as well.

I spent a lot of time reading the fourth book of the Harry Potter series and now I’m very close to finishing Goblet of Fire. It took me a while in December because I was focused on Christmas and growing my content for the month. I’ll start Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by mid-February. This will be the longest read of the series and will take me through the remainder of winter. This weekend I will be watching the third Harry Potter movie, Prisoner of Azkaban, and then I’ll watch Goblet of Fire next weekend. I should be caught up to the books by then.

I didn’t blog as much in January and maybe that had an effect on my mental health. I planned on that in order to give myself a break but I kind of missed writing, even though it gave me more time to read the fourth Harry Potter book. One of my old coworkers texted me that he had a chance to read my blogs and he really liked my content. I will post a little bit more in February as I am passionate about doing this and the days start to get longer. Here’s a look at what’s coming up this month as I close off the blog.

Area Contests in District 13—I’ll be attending two speech competitions next week. All area contests will be done online. I’ll attend more if and when my schedule allows.

Activewear/Outfit hauls—Just got a few things in yesterday and so I’ll be trying everything on this weekend and posting to my socials. “You’re slaying that outfit!” Thanks, it’s Old Navy. This will be part of my Fashionista segment.

Restaurant Reviews—I’ll be going to Don Patron in Greensburg and posting about my visit there. It will be a pre-Toast dinner so I’m looking at February 21 for this visit. I plan on doing multiple reviews starting in March. This will be a part of my Foodie Segment.

Queer Eye Season Eight—Once again, the Fab Five is in the Big Easy making people’s lives better. It’s the swan song for design expert Bobby Berk as he moves onto other projects.

First Food Review of 2024!

Stylish and Hungry and James the Food Slayer have brought you to amazing establishments to try out great food and they will continue to do so. My restaurant reviews have been popular since I began them in the summer of 2021 and that will continue in 2024.

I’ve already eaten at a few places in the new year and I was hoping to try out a local establishment this morning. However, due to other circumstances, Diner Thirty was closed this morning. What was the easy solution? Go across the road to Denny‘s and that’s exactly what I did. Though, I did drive around to see where Katie and Annabelle‘s karate 🥋 studio was, first.

This restaurant has been here since Greengate Mall was still in existence. In fact, across Route 30 where Big Lots stands was an old Giant Eagle that moved up the road to Hempfield Square in the late 90s. That’s the one my family shops at and where I currently work. The Gabe’s was an old K-Mart Department Store.

Service was excellent. I walked in and was immediately seated by the hostess. My server took care of me and was patient while I decided on what I wanted. She was courteous and asked me if I wanted more coffee which I agreed to. In this changing climate of eating out since the pandemic, Denny’s is trying to keep afloat. That means doing different jobs other than your own sometimes. Grade: A.

There were lots of great options on the menu for breakfast (as well as lunch and dinner). Having pictures of food on the menu gives the customer a good idea of what they really want. I was torn between my favorite, Country Fried Steak and Eggs, and the Create Your Own Slam. Denny’s is known for their Grand Slam breakfasts but the popular Country Fried Steak won out for me. I ordered that with hash browns, toast, and eggs overeasy. It didn’t take long for them to prepare and get it run to my table, though I did beat the morning breakfast rush. I had luck on my side this morning. Grade: A.

Food was perfect and not overdone. Eggs ran a little bit but that means that I already had my work done for me and I could still dip my toast in the yolks. Thus, the presentation of how a Country Fried Steak breakfast should look. I savored my meal and took my time, just as I like to. I got my money’s worth on this morning’s breakfast. Grade: A+.

Overall, my experience was great. I was hoping to enjoy a new local establishment but, I learned to adjust by making a quick fix. My attitude was positive and it showed as I enjoyed my breakfast. I also made the experience enjoyable for the other diners and the people working there didn’t have to deal with an unhappy customer.

As I continue my foodie segment next month, I plan on making time for lunch or dinner. In fact, I’m eyeing that Don Patron Mexican restaurant next door at some point next month for lunch or for dinner. That will be my review for the blog. I’ll also coordinate my restaurant visits with the nights that I have Greensburg Toastmasters. That way I can open up my days off to do other things with my time, like shopping or going to the gym or taking long walks once the weather warms up.

Going to a diner this morning inspired me to do a nostalgia segment as well. 20 years ago this summer, I got a job at the old Park Classic Diner to make money to pay for school. It was actually my first real job even though I worked on campus the year before. Looking back, it was the perfect job for me at the time. I was hired as a dishwasher and made $5.50 per hour. I only worked part time but it helped provide for my college tuition and gave me work experience. It was owned by Eat’n Park, so they had some of the same menu items as well. It was messy work and I had to wear a paper hat, but I enjoyed the people and the classic car cruise music.

The first summer, the diner had an island theme and all the staff wore Hawaiian shirts. Even the menu items had some cool names, like Caribbean chicken and coconut shrimp. I kept my shirt even as I went back to Slippery Rock that fall. The next year, the kitchen staff wore normal white t-shirts that had Park Diner’s slogan on them, “Meals made snappy to keep you happy.” The front of house staff wore white dress shirts with bow ties. The first year was enjoyable, the second year not so much. But it was nice to work in a great environment, though I didn’t appreciate it until years later.

That’s because I always looked at school as a “safe space” for many years. This is before the term became the household name that it is now. Even with Christmas break, I just wanted to be on my own. I couldn’t wait to go back and was eager to push everyone away. When I graduated, I didn’t have those feelings of hostility anymore, but I lost my safe space that I had for many years.

For many years, I wanted to go back to college or work in a different field because I didn’t prepare myself as well as I should have and wanted to prove people wrong. I feel like now, I’ve proved the doubters wrong by working on this blog and being authentic, especially in my fashion journey. I’ve published over 500 blog posts and feel like I’m at a good place in life.

Just as I have embraced my style, I’m doing the same in Toastmasters and in life. I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am without embracing that authentic college experience. Sometimes, we need to get to that good place by charting our own path, different from everyone else’s.

A Flight, my Digital Picture Frame, and a Look Ahead to February

Flight—A flight is a journey made by flying, usually in an aeroplane. Flight is one of the three most basic stress responses. It reflects how your body will react to danger. Here, it means your body urges you to run from danger

The flight I’m going to be talking about in today‘s blog refers to the coffee flight. What is a coffee flight? Many coffee shops have joined in on the fun and adopted flights to provide a better tasting experience for their customers. Coffee flights give customers a chance to sample a few different types of coffees. Flights typically come in groups of 3 to 5, and they can choose coffees from the menu they’d like to try.

I first learned about coffee flights from the blog Adventure a la Mode. The two girls who maintain the blog have visited a cafe in Wheeling that offers toast and coffee flights. The newest cafe in Greensburg offers coffee flights too.

Centre Market Cafe in Wheeling looks like an amazing experience and it’s a great place to stop at before or after a trip to Cabela‘s in the Highlands. Cutie‘s Coffee just opened in downtown Greensburg and is one of many great little cafes in my hometown along with White Rabbit, DV8, and Sun Dawg. I follow all and want to talk about some of the seasonal flights that the local establishment has to offer.

Cutie‘s has a Valentine’s Day themed drinks right now. They had an Elf-themed flight over the holidays to celebrate the movie’s 20th anniversary. I don’t know if you drink these on your own or with a friend but coffee flights sound like a lot of fun. Future flights include a St. Patrick‘s Day 🍀 flight and, don’t quote me yet but, possibly an Eras themed flight for all you die hard Taylor Swift fans.

Another place that specializes in flights is the popular Hofbrauhaus in Pittsburgh’s South Side. But instead of coffee flights, I’m talking about beer flights! I visited my fashionable sis in the South Side for Friendsgiving and got to hear about all the fun places that the South Side has to offer. We’re planning a Waffles INCaffeinated date in the future. I’m sure I can talk her into Hofbrauhaus as well. Hey sis, are you in the mood for a mimosa flight?

At home, we have a digital photo frame that plays countless photos over and over in a loop. My grandmother had one that we got her for Christmas several years ago and we took it with us after she passed away. My mother ordered a new one on Amazon and it has five years worth of pictures on it, meaning lots of memories to share. I was inspired to buy one myself after enjoying hers, which sits in the living room. My frame arrived Wednesday evening.

As the calendar turns to February a week from today, I’m starting to make my plans for next month. So far, I’ll be putting together my vision board, watching Queer Eye (season eight) as well as the Super Bowl. I’ll be finishing off the turkey balls from Christmas as well.

I spent part of my downtime Wednesday night figuring out my new toy. It didn’t take too long and I was able to get about 25 pictures up with more coming soon. My mom and I rearranged the room so it would be easier for me to work on my content. The frame sits on my desk next to my laptop. My pics are mostly from the latter part of 2023, including some holiday pictures. While Mom’s pictures are great family memories, mine are also going to be family. But I also have food and fashion pictures, as well as a few from Toastmasters events.

I’m in the homestretch of the fourth book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I plan to finish the book just before Super Bowl Sunday and start the fifth book sometime around mid-February, Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix. In addition to reading the books, I’m also watching the movies. In the next few weeks, I’ll be caught up there as well. I quit the series just before starting Goblet of Fire in December 2018 so I’m making up for it very well in 2023 and into 2024.

It’s also area contest time in our Toastmasters District. All contests will be virtual and I hope to attend a few when the time permits. Our area contest will be February 10 in the morning. Our division contest will be March 16 in Blairsville. The district contests will take place during the conference, which is the first weekend of May at the Doubletree Hotel in Washington, PA. I’ll be attending the conference for the first time since 2019, so it’ll be interesting to see how a hybrid conference works out. I did attend virtually in 2021 and it was well-run.

Closing off the blog, I want to share a story of how things have changed. Recently, I posted my 500th blog and one of my club members congratulated me on my milestone achievement. I thanked her for the encouraging compliment and told her about my experience 15 years ago. If I started blogging regularly back in 2008, content would have likely been weather or sports related. She told me she likes it the way that I do it now, with more lifestyle and fashion posts (especially). You know what?

I agreed 100% with her on that.

The Vision Board, Queer Eye, and an Activewear Haul

Yesterday, I spent some time in the morning looking for images to put on my vision board as well as some inspirational words. Using the book that I picked up from Amazon, I checked off what would go great on my board. This will be my winter project. Originally, I was going to work on it this weekend but there are some things that I will need to make the construction of my vision board go smoother. Here are some questions that could motivate me when working on it.

What inspirational quotes or words best describe me?

Words that best describe me would be that I’m confident. I’m starting to build that in my journey though I am known to take a few steps back. One of my New Year’s resolutions, and I’m not sure I mentioned it, is to erase the lingering self doubt I have about myself. As my fashionable sister tells me, I have a lot to offer. She also refers to me as her icon because of my amazing fashion sense. I’m like her own personal Harry Styles. The third word would be slay, because let’s face it, I slay anything I do.

Where is my most ideal vacation spot?

I’ve taken multiple trips to Cape May over the years. It’s an amazing vacation destination and there’s lots to do. You can shop in town on Washington Street, where you’ll find plenty of specialty boutiques, eateries and dessert shops. This will help you satisfy your inner fashionista and inner foodie. One of the many fun things to do is to take a tour by horse carriage of all the Victorian homes in Cape May. Bring plenty of sunscreen if you go in the summer as the sun is much hotter near the ocean (I learned my lesson the hard way many times).

The Netflix series Queer Eye returns January 24 for its eighth season. Once again, the Fab Five team of Bobby Berk (Design), Karamo Brown (Culture), Antoni Porowski (Food & Wine), Jonathan Van Ness (Grooming), and Tan France (Fashion) will be in New Orleans as they were the previous season. Six episodes will air during season eight in which the Fab Five will change their hero’s life for the better. I’m excited for the new season, but it comes at a price.

Design expert Bobby has stated that season eight will be his final season on the show. Not going to get into the details, but it will be a bittersweet season finale knowing that it will be his last one on the show. However, I do know that he will be moving on to bigger and better things.

Season Nine will see the rest of the Fab Five sans Bobby go west to the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas. That city has become quite the sports town with the NHL’s most recent Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, as well as the transplanted Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders’ home field, Allegiant Stadium, will host the upcoming Super Bowl (LVIII) on February 11. The game will be broadcast on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.

This weekend is for the construction of my vision board, as well as watching NFL playoff games. The upstart Houston Texans are taking on the top seeded Baltimore Ravens; the Green Bay Packers travel to San Francisco to take on the 49ers. I’ll also be attending church online at Allegheny Center as the Proverbs series continues.

Next week, I’ll be shopping online for some activewear as I begin to up my fitness game for the later winter months. In addition, I found a few shirts that I really like and maybe some new jeans. When my new outfit haul arrives, I’ll be sure to post it to the blog as part of both my Fashionista and Fitness segments.

That being said, I tagged my fashionable sister on an Instagram post that had some cute Valentines’ themed sweaters and she commented back on how cute they were. There were a lot of hearts so it was easy to react to the post saying that you loved it. We’re in cozy season but before long it will also be heart and chocolate season, in addition. Later this winter, I’m up for planning a shopping trip with my fashionable sis. We can definitely shop for clothes and makeup, but I would really like it if she showed me the ropes on what kind of anime to get interested in. I know of a few series such as Dragonball Z, Sailor Moon, and Pokemon. But, I still want to get to know my sister better.

I still have to use my gift cards and I’m not sure what my JCP gift card will go towards yet. I want to buy a new bag but I don’t know if I’ll buy it at JCPenney, Kohls or wait until the Spring when I attend the District conference which will be held in Washington, PA. That way I can shop at the Tanger Outlets and check out the Coach and Michael Kors outlets. Do I spend the money there or on something else. I’m also interested in some accessories including a new infinity scarf. Decisions, decisions.

The Foodie Segment

With today’s winter weather making travel tricky, I felt that it was best to cancel eating out this week. After the snow, cold temperatures make their arrival for the weekend so I’ll play it safe and stay warm, enjoying the playoff action the NFL has to offer. I will pick it back up next week with breakfast at Diner Thirty, a newer restaurant that just opened up. This diner is located near the martial arts studio where Katie and Annabelle practice karate every week. It looks like they have a great selection on the menu and, I’m dying to try the cinnamon roll pancakes. Also on my radar and in the same area is Don Patron, a local Mexican restaurant. I’m looking forward to a lunch date there soon. Of course, a future Waffles breakfast date with my fashionable sis is coming soon. That’ll be in Pittsburgh, however.

Creating a Vision Board and Keeping Warm!!!

Vision Board—noun-a collage of images and words representing a person’s wishes or goals, intended to serve as inspiration or motivation. Example of vision board in a sentence follows.

“On her vision board she put a log cabin, a sailboat, a red car, and a man and woman dancing on a white carpet”

Vision boards have become a popular thing as of late. People create them as a way to look ahead to the future. I was inspired to create one after following a social media influencer located in the Pittsburgh area. In my previous blog and, in addition, my speech, I mentioned creating a vision board as a great way to make your New Year’s resolutions count.

For my vision board, I plan on using motivational words, inspirational quotes, and messenger conversations between me and my friends. I might just march to the beat of my own drum on this one (there’s a quote for the board). I’ve considered taking a page from one of my social media influencer friends and use clippings from magazines. Next week on my night off, I’ll take some time and look for supplies. I’ll shop at Dollar Tree and either Michaels or Joanns. I’m also in the market for a vision board book complete with cutouts that I can use, and there are plenty to choose from on Amazon.

Here’s how to create the perfect vision board. The first step is to choose your images. Is this image something you want in your life? Does it make you smile or feel motivated. If so, this is the perfect image for your bulletin board. For me, I’d look for a picture of Nashville or New Orleans and draw a fake plane ticket because I’d love to visit those places.

The next step is to clip those images that make you feel good. Grab your scissors, play your favorite music, light a candle, and pour yourself a glass of wine. It’s time to put your board together!

After you’ve put your images up and found some amazing affirmations or a positive mantra, it’s time to arrange all of those and get everything in its place. You can arrange your images by category, color, or whatever makes your heart sing. For me, I want to use images that go with the content I’m posting on my blog (fashion, fitness, food, lifestyle). I’ll also give it a good pop of whatever color suits me.

Once my board is complete, I will put it on my wall and take time to look at it. I’ll take the time wishing I had those things in my life, while also being grateful for everything I already have. Creating a vision board is a great way to make your new year’s resolutions count. Plus, it’s a great way to beat seasonal depression throughout the colder winter months. I’m going to have fun with this project and come up with some interesting images and quotes.

As of today, nine and a half weeks to Spring, people! Winter has officially arrived in Southwestern Pennsylvania with snow on the ground and gusty winds making it much colder than it is. The weather is so bad around the lakes that the Wild Card playoff game between the Steelers and Bills was moved to Monday afternoon. I just joke that it was a bad move by the NFL only because people on social media are doing it to be buttholes, but in all seriousness it was smart to do that. It was dicey here this morning with snow squalls moving through the area (we had a Snow Squall warning earlier) but the sun has done its work and now I don’t have to clean off my car.

Momma (Paula) and I called off our church visit this morning for the sake of staying warm and safe. This gave me an opportunity to enjoy another online church service from Allegheny Center Alliance Church (ACAC) and another lesson from the book of Proverbs. I think for now I will stick with ACAC and make the most of the ten week sermon series. You can take the month of January and read the whole book of Proverbs from New Year’s Day on, but you can always start whenever too. Paula and I will eventually get to church when the weather and time permits for me and we’ll have lunch as well.

If you have a fireplace in your house, you’ll get a lot of use out of it this week as we stay below freezing and don’t see a warm-up until early next week. I may make it out to Fire and Ice in Ligonier this weekend if I have time (most likely on Sunday) and I want to be brave. I may even get a food review in.

New Year’s Resolutions and Making Them Count

The first week of 2024 went off without a hitch. We had our first Toastmasters meeting of the new year, I made the most of going to the gym, and I got to witness the first major snowfall of the season (two inches people). However, I missed the boat on some grand opportunities and mixed up my priorities.

I was off last Thursday and Friday and right there I could taken the time to research some LGBTQ therapists in the Greensburg area. I was given the suggestion to talk to someone last Spring about my journey but held back. I didn’t want to narc on my parents and the negativity surrounding transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney made me once again question my journey. I almost abandoned it entirely until I went back at the eleventh hour (June 23, 2023).

I ate breakfast at Waffles INCaffeinated and enjoyed myself. However, that afternoon I felt the need to rush myself and didn’t hit up all the stores I wanted to. Thus,a shopping day will have to wait. Don’t know if I want to use my JCP gift card on just yet. I could have also worked out a little longer instead of checking the time.

The new week has gone well and I am awaiting the arrival of colder weather making it feel like January. Next week will feel really frigid and have most of us wondering, “Is it Spring yet?”

Tuesday night at Laurel Highlands Toastmasters, I gave a speech on New Year’s Resolutions and making them count as well as some of mine heading into 2024.

One of the ways to make your New Year’s resolutions count is that you don’t have to make them on New Year’s Eve. They can still count if you make them later on in the year too. Maybe you haven’t thought of ways to improve yourself and your wellbeing when the calendar turns to January.

In our Table Topics session at Greensburg Toastmasters last Wednesday, our Topicsmaster asked us questions related to making New Year’s resolutions. In addition, she asked if we were for or against what was being asked of us. I wish I’d have written down the questions to share them to this blog.

Another way to make your New Year’s Resolutions count is to have an accountability partner or friend to make sure you’re meeting your goals. This comes in handy if your New Year’s Resolution is to exercise more, eat less, or even read the Bible in 2024. I’ll hint on my resolutions later on in this blog.

One of my upcoming projects in January is to put together a vision board for 2024. People do this at the beginning of the year and while this practice has been questioned by some, it’s just a fun way to make plans for the New Year. I’m going to hit up a couple of stores for supplies and might even by a vision board kit. Doing a vision board is also a good way to defeat seasonal depression during this time of year.

Now on to my New Year’s resolutions. I made them before New Year’s Eve (and I’ll make a few on February 1, March 1, and even April Fools’ Day). I have plans to exercise more and eat better. That’s the number one answer when asking what the most popular New Year’s resolution is and also, the one that no one sticks to after a month. Last week I stayed true to my promise and went to the gym three times and will be heading there this evening. Tonight for dinner, I’ll be having some salmon.

Another resolution that I made was to go back to church after taking an extended period away from there. I walked away after things came to a head in my personal life in 2021. I hadn’t given it much thought and I wasn’t going back until I knew I was ready to. Saturday night, I attended Allegheny Center Alliance Church and the message was in Proverbs. While I’m in no hurry to find a new church, at least I’m getting fed and I enjoyed the message I got from the preacher. I’ll at least be attending (online) for the duration of the sermon series, which lasts ten weeks. This Sunday, I have plans to attend Living Word Congregational Church in Jeannette with my adopted Momma.

The last resolution that I’ll highlight for now is one that’s past due for me. That is to believe in myself and be confident in myself. I’m responsible for the decisions that I make and I know I need to follow through on them when the situation calls for it. Even if my harshest critics don’t accept my ways, I need to stay true to myself. I can’t continue to live in fear of what may happen, and a great example is my fashion journey and going against the status quo (I wear scarves and own a couple of Coach purses). Some people have worried that it will lead to ridicule or even getting fired (though Giant Eagle is LGBTQ friendly) and suggest that I go back to being more traditional. Also, if I like something then that’s all that matters. The only approval I need is my own.

Finally, with next week’s weather forecast calling for frigid temperatures, what a perfect time it will be for attending Ligonier IceFest. Dress warmly if you’re headed out there next weekend. I have gone the last two years and enjoyed myself, and there’s lots to see and look at (such as the many ice sculptures in the diamond). Stop in for a bite to eat or shop around at one of the many little shops in town. Also, you can take a ride around the town by horse carriage. I’ll try to stop up when I have a free day next week.

First Blog of 2024 and A Look Ahead to January!

We are just a few days into the new year and so far, so good. I’ve been treading lightly and have been careful not to break anything. I’ve done good on some of my plans in this first week of 2024. I ate sauerkraut and pork on New Year’s Day for good luck and rang in 2024 at work with taco dip and non-alcoholic champagne. I think the new calendar in the picture above will be what I use as the thumbnail for the first blog of the month. Don’t get too excited as content will be light through February.

The transition from Christmas into the New Year’s is always hard. You don’t want to take down the tree and all the decorations but you have to sometimes in order to move on to the next season. Some of our neighbors down the street still have their lights up so all the power to them. We started taking the tree and ornaments down before New Year’s and slowly began the process before finishing Tuesday.

New Year’s Day was a good day for me. I enjoyed my day off and chilled at home. I put up my calendar that you see under the title of today’s blog. I was inspired to buy a LANG calendar after getting my mom one every year for Christmas. She’s had many over the years including Wysocki (which I gave her this year). My second family gave me a book of Harry Styles pull-out posters for Christmas. I put up a few after I woke up Monday afternoon. Hopefully, all of that makes the transition from Christmas to New Year’s and the dead of winter a little easier.

I’ve stayed true to my word so far about hitting the gym after New Year’s Eve. Working with my schedule, I took advantage of having Tuesday morning off to work out at the Planet Fitness behind the mall. I haven’t been there since last Spring so I needed to get acquainted again. I went again last night and I’ll go again today, with a little shopping trip at the mall to boot (since I didn’t go on New Year’s Day). As I get more acclimated, look for fitness reviews from me on this blog. That’ll include what I eat and what I buy as well. When I order some activewear later this month, that’ll be considered one of my fitness posts. If I go to Fruits’n Roots, that too will fall under that category.

I’ll have a food review up sometime this month, even though I’ve already gone out for coffee Tuesday and breakfast this morning. After working out on Tuesday, I got a cup of coffee at that new cafe on Otterman Street (Cutie’s Coffee). I was impressed with the service and learned this is a really happening place. I’ll be back again and one day I hope to try the flights (I learned what these were from following a little cafe in Wheeling, WV). For breakfast, I ate at Waffles INCaffeinated (my second time there) ordering the MegaBerry waffle. It was so hard to choose because everything looked so good. Last time I was there, I ordered my mom and me a Pittsburgh Today Live coffee mug. Hers was for her birthday and she was so happy because it’s one of her favorite shows. Next week I’m thinking about downtown Greensburg and Sun Dawg for breakfast. I’m looking forward to a future breakfast date with my fashionable sister at Waffles INCaffeinated (I’m hinting at early Spring when the weather warms up a bit).

After two and a half years away from church (save for several weeks when I went to Cornerstone around the Easter holiday), I’m going to go regularly again. When I work Saturday nights, I’ll attend online but when I’m off it’ll be in person. Tomorrow night, I’ll be attending Allegheny Center Alliance Church online (the senior pastor used to lead worship at Cornerstone). Next Saturday night, I’m off so that opens the door for me to attend with my second momma on Sunday. She attends Living Word Congregational Church in Jeannette. I plan on visiting a few right now (Cornerstone included) and not settling on one at the moment. I look forward to getting back in the Word and talking to God again. I’m also thankful for an amazing Christian woman like Paula who accepts me for how different I am (she’s in awe of my fashion sense too) and loves unconditionally.

Finally, as I move through January, I’m looking into designing a vision board. I’ll check out Dollar Tree and Michaels for supplies. Half-Price Books in Monroeville may be on my radar as well. An instagram blogger and influencer inspired that last one. As I said earlier, I’m going to be planning a big activewear, haul closer to February. I plan on shopping online at Amazon as well as Old Navy and Going Going Gone for some good deals and steals on good gym attire and even something comfy to wear around the house. If I get stares and complaints, which I hope to, I’ll remind them that, “It’s Just Fashion!”.

I’m also into book four of Harry Potter and plan to use up a lot of January to knock out the book. The plan is to finish Goblet of Fire by the Super Bowl and start book five in the middle of February.

Stay safe tomorrow as the snow moves through and stay warm this Winter. Spring is only two and a half months away. Also, stay awesome!

Feelin’ 22 with the Last Blog of ‘23!!!

Today is my final blog post on this platform… for 2023. Don’t worry, I’m still here and will be back with more content in 2024. I will meet my goal of doubling my content for December with 22 posts. Not easy to do but I still got it done. Thursday, I officially went ahead of my total from 2021, when I ended the year with 300 blog posts. But enough of me throwing numbers at all of you and let me take you back.

The year began with me getting a new laptop so I was able to work more on these blogs. Thank you Cousin Katie and family for this awesome gift because I know how much my blog means to you. Soon after, Benny went back to Children’s and would stay there well into Spring, which meant many visits to Children’s. My fashion journey once again hit a roadblock with all the negative press surrounding Dylan Mulvaney and Bud Light but I emerged victorious in the end. It ended with a nice Christmas and having lunch with my second family. I also began making plans for the beginning of the new year and what kind of content you can expect to see on this blog.

While the number one New Year’s resolution for me would be to exercise more, I think I’d like the Wizard to give me confidence. In this nonconforming journey, I have struggled off and on with confidence. Not so much going out in public, but being at home. I need to stop worrying about what others may think and just enjoy myself. I think that I started to turn a corner on Christmas day and even Katie, my real sister, sees how much I like those things (like cheetah prints). I’ve learned that I only need my own approval and if I like it, that’s all that matters. Another New Year’s resolution I have is to look into therapy, which I almost did do this summer but a few things held me back.

The goal is to reach out to a few therapists in January. I already have plans to go to the gym the first week of the new year (going on days when I’m off) and treat myself to breakfast (Waffles INCaffeinated on Friday) and a little retail therapy. I’ll be getting back into church in January and I hope to go with my second Momma some time in the near future. Later on, I plan on ordering active wear so I have something comfy to work out in or at home. Also, I’ll be enjoying the fourth book of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

The plan is to go light on content for January and February and into the early part of Spring before picking it up in May. I’ll focus on work, reading, getting an exercise routine down, as well as contest season. I’ll be breaking my content into groups as I post more about fashion, fitness, and food. I’m excited to eat at some new places and review them. Look for stories and reels on those restaurants I eat at.

But first, I’ll be hanging one of my new Harry Styles posters and putting up my calendar Monday morning.

The Fashionista, The Fitness Enthusiast, and the Foodie

We’re already up to the last weekend of 2023. I remember when turned the calendar over from 2022. For this world, it’s mostly been chaotic with wars, wildfires and wokeness offending everyone. For me, it’s had a touch of chaos and two scoops of fun. I celebrated my milestone 500th blog post at the end of November and now I’m ready to move this blog forward into 2024. I’ll be making some changes on my home page and on my content.

Most of the content that I posted this year was lifestyle-based and I will continue to do so next year but there will be a little less of that and more that center around other things I like. I also don’t want to put too much out there that some people want to keep to themselves. Some of the new topics I plan on including in 2024 I will discuss next.

The Fashionista:

I have friends who call me a fashion blogger. While it’s true that I have a great sense of style, I never looked at it like that. In 2024, expect me to become more confident here. I’m waiting for the opportunity when someone calls me out so that I can tell them, “It’s just fashion”. “That shirt is too short.” I’ll respond back with “It’s just fashion.” I want people to give me weird looks and they are the ones who come away with the stench of defeat. Everyone has something to say and they’re just jealous because they can’t slay as hard as me. As long as I’m comfortable, that’s all that matters. Clothes are just clothes.

I have so many people on my side in my fashion journey, especially my second momma who is amazing. As long as I like what I wear and feel comfortable, then that’s all that matters. Also, I shouldn’t have to worry about anyone’s approval but my own. As I told myself and I should have told Rae and Sara on Monday, “I just need to learn to be confident in myself”. I have lots of good pictures to share which I already am good at doing. It’s time to put a story to that and highlight my shopping adventures.

I have plans for later in January to buy some active wear as I get ready to highlight the next thing that you’ll see more of in 2024. I’ll hit up Old Navy and Going, Going, Gone (I made plans to do this last year but got sidetracked).

The Fitness Enthusiast:

What’s the #1 New Year’s Resolution on most people’s lists? That’s to eat healthy and lose weight. People join gyms after the first of the year and stick to their plan for a little but before falling off in February or March. I was beginning to get back into that routine myself before I fell off in the Spring and didn’t recover. Now that I have a handle on my schedule, I can plan better. In 2024, I plan to commit more time to Planet Purple. I also plan on eating better (example, granola and yogurt for breakfast with frozen fruit). As I alluded to in the last segment, I’ll be in the market for some new active wear come late January. I also would like to keep a journal of what I do and what I eat to hold myself accountable. I will refer back to this post often.

The Foodie:

What’s one thing that most people enjoy about my blog? It’s that they read about my eating out experiences which may inspire them to try that place. In 2021, I started to incorporate food reviews into my blogs and my friends enjoyed them, especially if it was restaurants around Ligonier. In 2024, I plan to bring the reviews back into my blogs once a month in January, February, and March before picking it up in the Spring and Summer months. I also plan to embrace my style.

I work in a grocery store and I’m always finding new items. I’d like to try some of those once in a while and give my review of them (these Vlasic pickles with Frank’s Red Hot come to mind. I also want to take up cooking in 2024 and would love to share how I put together my meal on this platform, as well as the recipe itself.

Look for January and February to be light on content as I focus on other projects. I need a break anyways and I want to come up with new ideas when the warmer months get here. After the middle of March things should return to average with a couple of heavier months in the summer and around the holidays.

I hope you’re all enjoying your holiday!

Christmas 2023: A Good Day

Christmas 2023 has come and gone. While it was a warm one with no snow, it did not disappoint as I finally celebrated with my adopted family. But before I get into that, I celebrated with my blood relatives and we opened presents in the living room. Everyone loved the gifts I got them. Dad’s flashlight will help him out when he’s driving the bus, Annabelle will definitely use her controller when playing Switch, even Katie and Matt enjoyed their haul from Old Navy. I got gift cards including one from Old Navy and plan to put that toward some amazing fashionwear, or activewear.

We ate breakfast and then I was off to brunch with my other family. I got to her place around 11:30. Rob greeted me and I also got to meet Grandma J. This was my first visit to Paula’s since 2010. She sent me an invite for Christmas and wanted to make sure I was able to attend. We agreed on Noon on Christmas Day. She was very happy to see me as was her daughter. We had a great feast with turkey and all the trimmings. We also shared plenty of laughs, something I’m not used to doing at home that often.

My parents go out of their way to decorate for Christmas and so does the Queen of Christmas herself. It was very festive and I was loving every minute of it. Rae came over just as we were eating and was happy to see me sitting at the table as well. I started to get a little more comfortable today than I’ve been in the past. Maybe it’s because I’m at home a lot and feel short shrifted sometimes. It doesn’t matter how old I am, I still want attention and acceptance in my fashion journey and not feel like it’s a mistake. This is why I’m always happy when I get together with my adopted family even though it seems few and far between. They get me and accept me. My cousins are the same too.

This day was a couple of years in the making. I wanted to get together a few years ago but we were still dealing with COVID. In addition, I was going through a big transition as I was changing jobs. I even bought gifts for everyone. Luckily, I ran into Rob, Sara, and Rae at IceFest a month later on a sunny, cold day and did gift exchange with the first two. They gave me my gift as well. That would be our last time together in person until Friendsgiving (Rob and Sara) and Christmas (Rae).

We opened gifts and watched Netflix and talked. Thor was the star of the show and was loved by everyone today. Uncle was hilarious and the banter and humor between him and his sister made the day so worthwhile. I got a book of Harry Styles posters from my fashionable sister and brother-in-law and I can’t wait to post a few on my ceiling. Harry’s fashion journey is amazing. Mine can be too. I just need to be more confident in myself.

We got a few family pics before we all left on other adventures. Momma and Thorence Hemsworth Mason were so blessed to have our presence on this fine Christmas Day. I promised her it wouldn’t be another 13 years before I came to her house. We have some plans to go to church when I get a free Saturday night/Sunday morning off. One thing I want to do going into 2024 is get back into church after a few years off. Fashionable sister and I will make a date for Waffles INCaffeinated closer to Spring. Maybe before that, we can talk about planning a shopping day.

2020 was cold and chaotic. Not the way we wanted our last Christmas at Grandma’s old house to go.

2021 was flu-ridden and disappointing. That’s all I need to say.

2022 was cold but better than the last two years. We got a Christmas miracle on Christmas Eve when Benny came home from the hospital after a weeklong stay there.

2023 could have went back to the last couple of years but turned out better than expected. Don’t know if going to Momma’s will be a Christmas tradition for me but I know I won’t be a stranger going forward.

Here’s our family pics from yesterday.