Things I’m Loving

I’ve been away. Not really away-away. Just kinda over here in a bit of a slump since the passing of my dear dad at the end of October. But here I am reflecting and thinking about my favorite things this week, in spite of. It’s the perfect time to meditate on positive things that can help push me up and over the slumpy emotional hill. Side note, being cognizant of your mental health through the grieving process is very important.

Things I am loving this week:

1. Luggage Free – Don’t you wish you could just pack your bags and do an I Dream of Jeanie head nod blink and your luggage is picked up and magically appear at your destination? Ahhhh…yes! No more dragging suitcases through the airport, fussing with check-in, and reaching your destination only to endure the baggage claim ritual. Luggage Free will pickup your bags from you and deliver them to your destination. Just like that. Using a service like this would have been awesome for my trip to Spain. No worries. When you know better. You do better.
2. Duck Duck Go – You do know that Google is doing the most, right? Making money off of users by tracking our movements online. All up in your personal business. Tell tale signs greet you whenever you’re online from the ads that are presented on your social media, in the search engine, and on websites you visit. If you are concerned about your online privacy, beyond using Google’s incognito search option (I give this the :::side eye:::), consider using Duck Duck Go. It’s a private search engine that does not have advertising trackers, keeps your search history private, and limits data profiling. Although it may not protect you 100%, it does provide a layer of protection that I can appreciate. I still use Google; however, I have the DuckDuckGo extension installed on my Google Chrome browser.

   

3. Happy Planner – I toe the line of being a planner junkie. Just because I have a stock pile of washi tape, sometimes use more than one planner at a time and create stickers to use in my planner(s) doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m a junkie. As a creative, I use my planner as my canvas where I not only plan and track the details of my life, but also use stickers, washi tape, markers, stamps, and pretty papers to beautify its pages. So, with the ending of one year and preparation for another, comes the selection of a new planner. I’ve been rockin’ with the Happy Planner for quite some time now. So far, it’s my fav. Last year, I tried something different and I am so ready to return to the Happy Planner Classic. This planner is available at Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Joann, and online. I will be Frankenplanning my planner in order to customize it to my needs by adding the daily planner inserts as well as some faith planner pages. That’s all part of the fun!

   My 2019 Happy Planner Classic

   

4. Boys II Men “Let it Snow” – I LOVE this song. I’m not quite sure why but what I do know is that I look forward  to being able to pull it out and blast it every year. Mariah’s version of Oh Holy Night is my number two holiday  song.

5. Kiwico.com – I’ve always been a proponent of buying children gifts that were not toys for Christmas. I lean towards books, experiences, and/or something educational and mind expanding. The KiwiCo and its team of developers create a monthly subscription box that provides kids, including those 16+, with educational projects, from hands-on science to art. I’ve ordered a box for my teenage daughter. Another Christmas gift complete!

My favoritist fav is all of the people around me who still check on me. My new normal without my dad has yet to set in and some days are better emotionally than others but I still see the light.

Make it a great weekend!