Anyone else feeling like they’re flying by the seat of their pants? End of the semester. Holiday season. Etc. Etc. I’m just trying to do the best that I can, and that all that I can do. I’ll get into why I’m so stressed in this post, and basically what I’ve been up to this month.
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I’m currently …
Up to … Finishing the semester, getting ready for Christmas, and finishing my internship applications – 2 weeks from today, I have my comprehensive exams (I can’t graduate without passing). 2 weeks from tomorrow, 1 final is due. 2 weeks from Thursday, the other final is due. As long as I pass my classes, I’ll have my degree. Plus, it’s Christmas time! I’m so excited about that. Also, I’m almost done with my applications. Busy, busy busy.
Reading … Becoming Marie Antoinette, Braving the Wilderness, and To Defy a King for fun; Our Mutual Friend and Wives and Daughters for school – I finally finished Becoming Marie Antoinette! I really enjoyed it. It follows her from when she’s 10 to when she and her husband become King and Queen of France. It’s the first in a trilogy and I’m interested in reading the others, but I also don’t want to become attached to the character given how it all ends. So we’ll see if I read the others. I also read Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown, which was really good. It’s about searching for true belonging. As she says on her website, “True belonging requires us to believe in and belong to ourselves so fully that we can find sacredness in both being a part of something, and standing alone when necessary” (x). I also started To Defy a King, which is about one of the daughters of William Marshal, who was one of the most powerful man in England in the early middle ages and also someone who I find super interesting. It’s set against the time of the Magna Carta. I’m reading these on Audible.
I also finally finished Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens and Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell for school. I really hate Charles Dickens, especially because a book like Our Mutual Friend could be told in 300-400 pages instead of 800. I enjoyed Wives and Daughters so much more! It feels like it’s along the lines of Jane Austen’s books.
Follow me on Goodreads (Ignore all the books listed as by me; only Aureole is. My name is just common *shrug emoji*)
Feeling … Stressed – Did you see everything I’m up to recently? I’ve been constantly stressed since August. The good news is in a few weeks I’ll be done. The bad news is everything I have to do in the next few weeks before I’m done.
Watching … Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the first few The Fast & The Furious movies, Outlander, Supernatural, Dynasty, and Unrest trailer – I had my infusion in November, so I spent 6ish days on the couch watching TV and movies. I rewatched all of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and watched the first 4 The Fast & The Furious movies during that time. I’ve also been watching Outlander and Supernatural on a weekly basis, and I love both of those shows. Like I mentioned last month, I’ve been watching the Dynasty reboot. It’s good trashy TV; it isn’t amazing, but it’s good enough that I’m still watching.
Finally, you should really check out the Unrest trailer. I haven’t been able to see the movie yet, but it looks really good. It’s about what happens when Jen, a Harvard PhD student, develops ME, also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Here’s the synopsis that Jen sent me:
Jennifer Brea is an active Harvard PhD student about to marry the love of her life when suddenly her body starts failing her. Hoping to shed light on her strange symptoms, Jennifer grabs a camera and films the darkest moments unfolding before her eyes as she is derailed by M.E. (commonly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), a mysterious illness some still believe is “all in your head.”
In this story of love and loss, newlyweds Jennifer and Omar search for answers as they face unexpected obstacles with great heart. Often confined by her illness to the private space of her bed, Jen is moved to connect with others around the globe. Utilizing Skype and social media, she unlocks a forgotten community with intimate portraits of four other families suffering similarly. Jennifer Brea’s wonderfully honest portrayal asks us to rethink the stigma around an illness that affects millions of people. Unrest is a vulnerable and eloquent personal documentary that is sure to hit closer to home than many could imagine.
Watch Unrest online | Find a screening near you
[Jen asked me to share this with you, and since so many people know very little about the disease and its impact, I agreed. I do really want to see this movie, but she emailed me right after my infusion recovery period, so my free time is super limited right now. I have not been compensated for sharing it.]
Looking forward to … Being done with my MA, Christmas, and getting our puppy after Christmas – I think these are all pretty self-explanatory, but in case you haven’t seen me mention this, yes, we’re getting a puppy after Christmas! He’s a golden retriever and we can pick him up the 26th at the earliest. He’s in Maine, so we’ll get him when we leave Maine after Christmas. I’ve been sharing the pics we get of the litter in my Instagram story, so that’s an extra reason to watch!
Loving … Arava and Boscia Luminizing Black Charcoal Mask – Do you have arthritis? Do you hate methotrexate? Have I got good news for you! No, but seriously, I’m in love with Arava. All the benefits of methotrexate with more manageable side effects. It’s once a day instead of once a week, and I’m generally nauseous until 10 AM – 1 PM. But it usually isn’t as bad as methotrexate’s nausea! I couldn’t tolerate high dose of methotrexate so I’ve been trying Arava and I love it. We just doubled my dose since I can tolerate it, so I will hopefully feel even better once that kicks in. On the other hand, I have the Boscia charcoal peel-off face mask and it’s amazing. I love it so much.
Wearing … Sweaters galore, riding boots, Too Faced Love Flush Long-Lasting Blush – I’m so happy that it’s fully sweater weather. Most of my closet is full of sweaters, so I’m super happy to be breaking some out now. I’ve also added this Too Faced blush in Love Hangover into my makeup rotation, which really helps give me color. I’m have pale ancestors (most Irish, English, Scottish, and Polish) and chronic anemia, so paleness is par for the course.
Similar Dress | Boots (Cheaper)
Hoping for … An internship or job and lower pain – I’ve been applying for internships like there’s no tomorrow, and I’m really nervous that I’m not going to get one. If I don’t, I’m going to apply for jobs once Christmas is over (because I have no idea what hiring at the end of the year will be like). Additionally, my infusion should kick in within the next few weeks. This will also be the first time that I’ll experience my infusion with the Arava working, so I could feel amazing, or at least amazing compared to how I feel now. We shall see!
Listening to … my Working playlist, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s new album called The Rest of Our Life, and Christmas music – My Working playlist is over 8 hours long (which is why it’s called Working) and I update it regularly! I’ve also loved The Rest of Our Life, which makes sense since it’s a Tim and Faith album. And of course I’m listening to Christmas music!
What are you currently up to?
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Kate Mitchell is a blogger, chronic illness patient, and advocate who helps people understand chronic illness and helps chronic illness patients live their best lives.
I LOVED The Rest of Our Life!