Can't.Stop.Listening.

To be honest, I'm not even sure that I know what having "moves like Jagger" means. But don't worry - that doesn't hinder my enjoyment of this song.

Summer Reading

I love reading. I've always loved reading, but as I've gotten older, I've found myself reading less and less - life gets in the way, you know? I had really big plans for my summer reading. Summer isn't over yet, but my progress so far is kind of disappointing. Here's what I've read so far - 

Laurie Halse Anderson Forge

The second book in LHA's "Seeds of America" series; details Curzon's time spent with the Revolutionary Army. Took me awhile to get through as it is slower moving than the first novel. Still, loved it. LHA can do no wrong in my eyes.

George Orwell Animal Farm

I personally have no idea how I made it through both a Bachelor's AND a Master's degree in English without having read this book. It was an easy read - finished in an afternoon - but creepy as hale. Not messing with pigs no more.

Neil Gaiman American Gods

Boyfriend is a big Neil Gaiman fan and I'd only ever read Coraline, so I figured I should give him a proper chance. I sort of feel like I'm still digesting this book, even though I finished it in early July, so I'm still not totally sure how I feel about Neil Gaiman. Will report back.

Sara Shepard The Lying Game

To be honest, this book was NOT on my summer reading list, but was a last-minute addition when I found out that ABC Family will be debuting a series based on the book in mid-August. Twins! Separated at birth! One is privileged! The other is an orphan! SWITCH! I really love trashy YA lit series..

Anna Godbersen Rumors

Like the Luxe series! It's like Gossip Girl, but in the late 1800's. Honestly, it's a pretty bad series, but I have a serious penchant for imagining myself in giant poufy dresses, sipping champagne at fancy parties, and flirting with Chuck Bass-style bad boys. Which is basically all that happens in these books.

That's all I've managed to get through so far, but here's what else is on my list:

1. Laurie Halse Anderson Fever 1793 - can't get enough LHA.
2. Jay Asher Thirteen Reasons Why - I read a lot of YA lit, have you noticed?
3. Chris Cleave Little Bee - I'm a sucker for a good cover. I also, occasionally, enjoy being able to discuss books with other adults.
4. Suzanne Collins Mockingjay - YES. I STILL HAVE NOT READ IT.
5. Lev Grossman The Magicians - this books has been on my list multiple.years.in.a.row. And now there's a sequel!
6. Charlaine Harris Dead Until Dark - ALSO not on my original list, but the series was recommended to me by many friends.
7. Herman Hesse Siddhartha - I started this one. Not sure if I'll finish it. At least it's short!
8. Stephen King Full Dark, No Stars - another book to appease Boyfriend. I'm actually 3/4 of the way through. And have been since January.
9. Audrey Niffenegger Her Fearful Symmetry - I started this book last summer but it was due back at the library before I finished. Very intrigued.
10. Gregory David Roberts Shantaram - another recommendation. Also I think the word "Shantaram" is fun to say.

As you can see, I should not be spending ANY time doing ANYTHING EXCEPT reading for the rest of August. I'm a very ambitious list maker.

Have you read any of these books? What'd you think? What's on your summer reading list?

Things I Don't Love Thursday #1

It's been an interesting week.. I spent the weekend in extreme pain from stomach cramps caused by fallen-from-glory Primatene, and the first half of the week unable to breathe and unable to sleep. I should probably never have children because I do NOT do well on no sleep. Since I've been real grumpy this week and it's Thursday, I present to you a list of things that I don't love - I call it Celebrities That I Irrationally Hate.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

Something about him just gives me the heebie jeebies...

Lea Michele

NO ONE is as impressed with Lea Michele as Lea Michele.

Zooey Deschanel

Too unabashedly whimsical. Boyfriend has a crush on Zooey and it makes me question his taste in ladies.

Robert Pattinson
I mean REALLY.

How's your week going?

Netflix of the Week

Blue Valentine (2010)

To be honest, I couldn't finish this movie. It made me extremely uncomfortable. The basic idea of the movie is that Cindy (Michelle Williams) and Dean (Ryan Gosling) fall head over heels in love, get married, raise a child, lose their dog, and now they don't really like each other. The cinematography is nice and I like Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling, but the film was very hard to watch. I really wanted to like this movie, but I ended up feeling like I was watching something that I shouldn't be - someone else's private family moments, like when you're at a friend's house and their parents argue. It probably deserves the good reviews and attention that it's gotten, but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

My rating: 3/5

If you've seen Blue Valentine, what did you think? What movies have you watched recently?

TiLT #23

zen habits ♥ I'm a pretty big fan of zen habits and think that Leo offers relevant advice, but I have a lot of trouble following most of it. Every once in awhile I'll go on a zen habits binge and spend hours reading articles and imagining how wonderful my new, beautiful, simple life will be. I will get rid of paper! I will unplug from the Internet! I will wake up early! I will be creative! I will take public transportation! But then my real life happens and I remember that I really love sleeping and the Internet and paper (must be the English teacher in me). Hope springs eternal.

Push ups ♥ I realize that it might be weird to like push ups, but for some reason I really like doing them. And they don't bother my asthma! Every morning I put on Leighton Meester's "Summer Girl," open the push ups app on my phone, and go WILD. I also do sit ups and squats but I don't like those as much... squats are kinda fun 'cause they're easy to do but you definitely feel them the next day. Sit ups have no redeeming qualities.

Air conditioning ♥ Obviously I loved air conditioning before this week, but I have a new appreciation for it now. Yesterday, our apartment building shut off the air conditioning so they could do some maintenance; we were told it would take about four hours (Boyfriend was sure that this was an overestimation - "If I knew it would take me three hours, I'd tell you four hours, just to be safe!"). It ended up being over twelve hours without air conditioning. I really don't like being hot.

Natural medicine ♥ Since I am now without prednisone, without insurance, AND without a doctor, I've been researching other ways to control my asthma and sinusitis symptoms. I have an inhaler that I use when I'm feeling really wheezy, but I'm also going to be experimenting with some of Dr. Weil's suggestions for controlling asthma - in particular, cutting back on dairy and taking a quercetin supplement. Any other asthma sufferers/vegans/lactose intolerant folks out there with advice or recommendations?

Honorable Mention ♥ Sarah Pinto planners ♥ Captain America (surprisingly entertaining) ♥ phone interviews ♥ Dr. Weil's anti-inflammatory diet ♥ Animal Crossing ♥  reading whatever I want! (I threw my summer reading list out.. take that!) ♥ ginger ale ♥ purse guts ♥ Pinterest ♥ St. Louis Craft Beer Week ♥ 5-htp ♥ cinnamon gum ♥ Mad Men on Netflix Instant ♥ craigslist ♥ fresh fruit ♥ fall tv (anyone else kind of excited for Hart of Dixie?) ♥ lunch dates ♥ the library! ♥ living vicariously through FB ♥

What do you love this week?

Mental + Physical Health

My posting has been pretty light lately and I want to talk about WHY.

I mentioned previously that I've had some chronic health issues and have been on the best worst drug, prednisone, for months. I found out last week that the prednisone train is stopping and I'm being kicked off - not voluntarily. My sinus issues have caused me to develop asthma, and without the prednisone, I have A LOT of trouble breathing. I'm still job hunting, which means I'm still uninsured and I'm broke, so I can't really afford to go to the doctor right now. Because I have a pre-existing condition, private insurance companies won't look at me and I'm not eligible for the state health insurance pool for a few more months. I understand my doctor's decision to take me off prednisone, but it's really frustrating to be left with pretty much NO options. I've been feeling AWFUL lately - emotionally and physically - and I know that these two things are related. You cannot underestimate how your physical health effects your emotional and mental health.

I've been trying to take care of myself in a way that nurtures health in both senses, but, you know, my emotional health wants brownies and pizza and that doesn't really benefit my physical health, so it's been a balancing act. If I'm honest, my emotional health usually wins, and prednisone LOVES storing fat (it is, after all, a stress hormone - fight or flight, baby) so I've gained a lot of weight.. which makes me feel badly for myself, which feeds right back into that emotional eating.

Going off prednisone is 90% completely terrifying to me and 10% exciting. I'm excited to not have to deal with all of these side effects, but I am so scared of how uncomfortable I'm going to be without it; scared to the point that I spent Friday morning crying on my couch, imagining trying to go to a job interview or learn the functions of a new job while in that wheezy, congested, non-medicated state. Even on my current low dose of prednisone, I find myself avoiding activities that might make it hard for me to breathe - simple things like vacuuming the apartment have triggered my asthma. Though I've been sick for much longer, I've only been dealing with the asthma for a few months and it's still very new to me - I don't know how bad it can get, or what to do if it does get bad.

This post is significantly more personal than I'm used to, but I really want to take this opportunity to say two things:

1. As far as I'm concerned, health insurance needs to be a right, not a privilege. I'm lucky enough to have a support system - both financial and emotional - that allows me to function even with a chronic illness, but most uninsured people in the U.S. don't. If we're the richest, most powerful country in the world, why aren't we taking care of our citizens?
2. If you're sick, go to the doctor. Find a doctor who will see you for a reduced rate. Go to a free clinic. Do what you have to do. Your health is IMPORTANT. Although my doctor won't blame me, I believe 100% that if I had gotten proper treatment when I first began feeling sick, I would not be sick right now.

So that's the state of the Princess & the P. Like I've said, blogging usually makes me feel better about things - if nothing else, it takes my mind off the fact that I am woefully unemployed - and things are looking much more positive in the job hunting department, so hopefully this is the turning point. Like my homeboy Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, the lowest ebb is the turn of the tide.

Fall Wish List!

As with last summer, I will waste no time in preparing myself mentally and wardrobally for autumn. (I made that word up. Blogger doesn't like it.) Mostly, I just can't wait for this awful heat to break so that life will be less sweaty. Here are a few things I've got my eye on for the cooler weather.

TOMS Scottish Houndstooth Classics

American Eagle's Straight fit jeans

Stella & Dot's Colette necklace

Express (Minus The) Leather Quilted Moto Jacket

Steve Madden's BDAINTY bag

PSL, obviously!

Express Leopard Infinity Scarf (lovelove leopard print!)

And of course...

Target's Mossimo Supply Co. Pocket tee

What's on your autumn shopping list?