Or HOW I KEEP FROM GOING CRAZY DURING LOCK DOWN
It’s 2021 and everyone is looking for self-care routines or really anything that will keep us sane. Sometime I to feel like I’m going stir crazy during the continuing lockdown, but daily writing has really helped me. Even if you don’t count yourself as a writer one easy and affordable habit that anyone can try is journaling. When you journal you write only for yourself, no one else is intended to read your thoughts and this allows you the freedom to express what is truly on your mind
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I have always been a writer. Even as a child I used to journal daily events, write stories, note good (and bad) events that happened. Now I do all that plus track my health, fitness routine, and track my money via journals. I also used to create travel journals to document my travel adventures, which now seem to be almost a dream. *Sigh*
It seems like we are never going to be able to take those big trips, but now is the perfect time to plan a dream vacation. Journal what your ultimate dream trip would be and spend some time each day researching it. You might be surprised to see how affordable traveling can be. (Especially if you plan ahead and book for 2022!) Journal the route you want to take, the places you want to visit, food you want to sample and anything else you want to include on this trip
You can also use a journal to make art, draw your day or doodle.
If journaling about future trips doesn’t seem helpful, try writing down a daily goal or journal your problems. You may see a pattern, or that you are actually making more progress than you realize. You may also learn that you are battling a larger problem, causing daily stress. (Such as a bad roommate situation, money issues or relationship problems that are making everything else more stressful than it should be.) This could be the root of your stress or overwhelm. Having more information will help you come up with a better plan or strategy for addressing the problem. 
I recently bought these extra journals to give as gifts.
I love the fact there is a journal for every taste on Amazon. Most as sold by small, independent publishers like these.
No matter what you journal, just taking the time to put your thoughts on paper can help you clear your mind and release some stress.
Why not try journaling today? Speak soon~
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 Hey ~ How are you? I had a pretty good night's rest, although I was up late watching the storm blow in. I woke up to a steady snowfall for the first couple of hours, but the rest of the day has just been gray and dreary. But it's okay because I actually love this kind of weather, it makes my heart happy, plus its a great weather for reading! Another reason for my happiness today is I knew that TACOS were on the menu for dinner. And yes, seriously, I could in fact eat tacos every day, and be a happy woman. I eat pretty healthy with the exception to my taco addiction, lol So as the snow falls and I eat ANOTHER taco I thought I would share my reading results for 2020.  So in between eating taco and working I managed to read a few books in 2020. Some of these books I even managed to review here! Click here to read reviews: BOOK REVIEWS  As you can see I am an eclectic reader. Some of these were read for work, some were recommended from friends and others just showed up. The Tim Conway book was funny and touching (reviewed here) the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearn (review here) is always a fun way to escape and Neil Gaiman is always a good bet for a snowy day (review here.) I also ended up with an airfyer for my birthday and I really needed the cookbooks!  Before I started the Goodreads Reading Challenge that I had no idea what or how much I was reading month to month. (I would have guessed a lot more books than I actually was reading.) I'm not a big tv person, but its easy to fall down a HBO or Netflix rabbit hole and not crack open a book all weekend. The yearly challenges keep me on track and reading more than just work stuff. If you are on Goodreads send me a friends request and we can follow each other and if you have any reading recommendations I'm always up for that too!
Now back to those tacos..Speak soon~  Hello and Welcome to 2021~ I hope you are having a rocking time. Okay, before we get too deep into this staycation post let me be honest on two points:
 Work = more money for travel, after all Plus we have to wait until the pandemic is over to do much of anything, because it is still raging in the US. So we tried to make the most of life by cooking, (and eating) new dishes, saving for that BIG trip, and getting clear on where we want to live next.  Greece?  Back to Rome?  Australia? So many possibilities! I'm also working on a December food diary post - And before you ask, yes I will include the recipes. I made everything from Vegan Ch'kin and Dumplings to Apple Pie last month.  Vegan Ch'kin Dumplings in progress..... I also managed to meet my 2020 reading challenge over at Goodreads. Setting a challenge really helped me monitor how much I was reading... OR NOT reading as the case was... Which will end up being its own post too. If you are on GoodReads as well please friend me and lets compare notes on books, k?  So overall my December Staycation ended up being a busy time! I can't wait to see how this year goes.
Catch you later~  October was another strange month of limited travel (thank you Covid-19) and random, half hearted events. I think most people are really feeling the strain of the pandemic. Now just about everyone I speak with has either lost someone or knows of person who was very ill. Halloween was all but canceled this year. Trick or treating was frowned on and parties were illegal, well depending on where you lived. This was the first year we didn't hand out candy, dress up or do anything.  A little bit of Halloween fun spotted around town.  Book Reviews: I've actually been reading every night and have about 30 books I need to write up. In October I did manage to review a trilogy of quick, reads by Erin Kellison. (Read about it here)  I had plans to write up all my September adventures, but just didn't have the time. So I put all the pictures in a quick video. It's less than 4:00 minutes, but it covers the kooky and upbeat vibe of Roswell. Watch it here: I spent most of the month working to make up for taking September off. I did find time to bake and write a bit. And to makes things more bizarre right before Halloween we had a freak blizzard!  Right before the storm blew in....  It was like this for 3 days.  Which called for Vegan Pumpkin bread!  A cold weather veggie suppers. See you with more book reviews and updates soon!
Happy Weekend! The weather here is turning off cold and we have a good chance of snow Sunday. I'm going to head to the trails and take advantage of the sun before the storm blows in, but wanted to get this book review to you first. It's been busy this month, and I wanted to just turn off my brain for a while. You know? Not read for work or anything too heavy, just clean my palette, with an easy story. (And who doesn't want a bit of fantasy to get lost in right now?) So after some diligent searching I decided to start a new book about Dragon Shifters. It was so good that I read all three in the series!  Last weekend I started the Dragons of Bloodfire trilogy The first book: Tempted by Fire Tempted by Fire is a quick and fun dragon shifter story. Honestly I wasn't expecting much, but I was pleasantly surprised! I enjoyed the story, the characters and the world building. The authors writing style is pleasant and very easy to read, making this a very relaxing weekend escape Let's face it, there is nothing new on Netflix anyway, why not read?  Author Erin Kellison is a New York Times best seller and I can see why. She didn't have me setting on the sidelines being told a story, she immersed me in the storyline. The plots move pretty fast (no one likes a book that drags) but there is enough action to keep you reading.
The books could be read alone or as a trilogy.
The review is based on all three books: Quick Book Review - Weekend Edition: Dragons of Bloodfire
More reviews out soon~  Today I am reviewing a set of short stories belonging to The Iron Druid Chronicles. This series of urban fantasy novels, is written by Kevin Hearne and wildly popular in the United States. Set in modern day, the druid's world contains witches, vampires, werewolves, demons, elementals, as well as various deities from many pantheons. During the course of this series the Iron Druid, his dog and cast of characters, have adventures with gods and goddess, travel to different plains and search out good food. There is action, adventure and humor aplenty with well written dialogue and unexpected twists. WHY YOU SHOULD READ THE SERIES: There are 9 well written novels in this series and if you include short stores and novellas the count reaches 18. The world Kevin Hearne creates is inviting, exciting, beautiful and horrific. If you are looking for a nice action filled read then grab this series. I would recommend you begin with book one, but I also don't think its mandatory. Each book stands alone in its story telling, but to really understand these short stories a basic understanding of the characters is needed. THIS BOOK: This is a "stand alone" collection of short stories from the Iron Druid's world; with all but two of the stories starring Atticus and Oberon. I really enjoyed the stories set in ancient Egypt and the carnival misadventure in modern day Kansas. The book reviews for this book are the most mixed for the entire series. For some people short stories just don't work, but if you are a fan of the series, don't hesitate to read this one.  Quick Book Review - Tuesday Edition:
Besieged - Iron Druid Chronicles
More reviews out soon~  Did you know its National Read A Book Day? Yes, it’s observed annually on September 6th or basically everyday at my house, lol. But don’t confuse it with National Book Lovers Day which is celebrated on August 9th. National Read a Book Day invites us to spend the day reading. This is a perfect day to read aloud either to children or to grandparents, your pets or even to your plants. WHY SHOULD YOU MAKE TIME TO READ? Reading is has been proven to improve memory and concentration as well as reduces stress. Older adults who spend time reading show a slower cognitive decline.  Pick up a classic or try out a new book, either way you're likely to reduce your stress levels and end up engrossed in an adventure. (And let's face it...couldn't you use a positive distraction right about now?)
If you are looking for some recommendations, check out some of my many book reviews. And don't worry I have recherché taste so there is probably something on this list you will like. The link to the posts is here: Book Reviews My Blog tells me there are over 205 posts there, not counting multiple books being reviewed in one post, so you should find something that will pique your interest. So there is no excuse not to celebrate this holiday! Happy Reading!  Happy Sunday! It's going to be a busy day around here and I'm rushing to get things done before we have to go out. The heat is miserable this week, so we plan everything for early morning or late evening. But so far I've been really great at procrastinating this morning. I've knocked out two cups of coffee and not much else...So before I buckle down and get something done today, here's a quick book review:  This novel has been on my list for years, and thanks to 2020 forcing me to slow down, I finally had time to read it! It was the first novel to win the Hugo, Nebula, and Philip K. Dick Awards, and is considered a science fiction masterpiece. Written in 1984, Mr. Gibson's Neuromancer came together at a time when the personal computer was just beginning to make its way in private homes, and many people were dismissing its staying power as a "fad". This book builds a complex, future reality that is far away from 1984 and uncomfortably close to 2020. Quick Book Review - Sunday Edition: Neuromancer by William Gibson
 Books two and three in the trilogy. While Gibson did not invent cyberpunk, but wrote several important contributions previous to this novel - including short stories “Johnny Mnemonic” and “The Gernsback Continuum.” But Neuromancer cemented cyberpunk as a damaged, dystopian society dominated by global computer networks, crime and personal enhancements.  It's a page turner!  If you are looking for a great read, go grab a copy today! This review contains affiliate links, but I never post about anything I don't love.
Have a great Sunday! Speak soon~ 
Hello and Happy Saturday!
I hope you're having a great weekend. I've officially moved outside, to enjoy this amazing weather. And the Sunsets - OMG the sunsets! I took the picture above yesterday with my phone. It doesn't do it justice, but you get the idea. Summer is here and I'm loving it!
So thats why I'm posting later than normal today, I'm too busy doing nothing outside, lol. But still I've got a quick review of another book you need in your life.  
This one is a bit different... I don't know about you, but I needed a laugh this month. So much has happened and we have lost so many people, this has left me just wanting (needing) to step away from the news and read something lighter. So no self-help or business building books, this week and also nothing dark or apocalyptic either. #ChangeofPace
This book is a light, fun read. Tim Conway's humor is not like typical, modern comics. He doesn't shame, or humiliate people or even poke fun at them. He had an optimistic joy for life and it shines through in this book. Quick Book Review - Tuesday Edition: What's So Funny? by Tim Conway
Speak soon~  I'm coming to you late today because I took the day to do some much needed mundane chores such as dusting, laundry, etc., #Goodtimes Actually it felt good to be physically active and see concrete results, so much of what I do online is less "physical" and requires longer timeframes to see results. (Unlike instantly seeing the laundry basket go down, lol) The sun came out for a bit but it is still cooler, with more rain on the way! I have hope though as the weather is supposed to become warmer starting Sunday. I posted a bit more in April and thought I would give you the rundown, if you missed anything...  Quick Book Reviews: Isolation Diary: Have a great evening and speak soon~
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Author Welcome to my (I used to travel) blog, my healthy Vegan lifestyle blog and my life! It's a lot, but it's my passions and I just love to write about it. Here I share tips, stories and photos from my adventures and life. This is the place where people can find daily inspiration to travel and motivation to live healthier lives and laugh a bit too! 
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