September 2022 Monthly Wrap-Up

September was crazy. There was so much going on–mostly fun stuff, but my body did not like it.

Mid-month I took a week off work and enjoyed a staycation catching up with friends.

Then I went on a solo writing retreat in the North Georgia mountains, which was basically the best four days of my life.

I was welcomed back to real life with an ER trip (lots of rough medical + health stuff going on this month, as always). Then I stayed at my parents’ for a weekend while they were out of town…

…and wrapped up the month with a Lizzy McAlpine concert (where I got super sick).

This month I’m…

Reading: Golem Girl, Riva Lehrer. The Land of 10,000 Madonnas, Kate Hattemer (reread). The Radius of Us, Marie Marquardt (DNF). Heaven to Betsy, Betsy in Spite of Herself, and Betsy Was A Junior, Maud Hart Lovelace (rereads). The Lion of Mars, Jennifer L. Holm (reread). The Line Tender, Kate Allen (reread). The Moth Girl, Heather Kamins (DNF). You, Me, and Our Heartstrings, Melissa See. The Girl Who Stole an Elephant, Nizrana Farook. These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends, Chloe Gong. 13 total.

Listening to: My September playlist (The Secret of Happiness from Daddy Long Legs kind of sums it up). Wicked. Alessia Cara’s In the Meantime album.

Watching: YouTube–The Frey Life; Jordan Bauth; Shelby Church vlogs; Kelly’s Life; and Dance Moms compilations lol. Movies–Encanto; Nim’s Island (rewatch); Hugo; The Secret Garden (2020).

Writing: I officially 100% finished Things We’ve Lost on my writing retreat… and then started querying it. Y’ALL. I AM SO EXCITED. Also, I sent my first ever agent queries from a bed in the ER, which I feel like is so on brand. Anyway, I also used my retreat to outline and begin drafting my next book, a middle grade called Butterfly Island which is such a fun story of my heart. And as always, I wrote songs; volunteered with People Hope (lots of addressing envelopes); and volunteered with the Diamonds Conference (lots of designing carousel posts).

Buying: Winter dresses. Fall candles. Fun thrift store finds, like $6 black boots in my size that I’d been looking for! Lots of used books. New port covers. Glitter eyeshadow. A slushy cup.

Grateful for: Exciting new library books. Deaccessed showers. Chapel service. Finally getting home health set up. Kittens at church. Fellow spoonies trusting me to tell their story. Talking with Joshua. Finally getting my professional website up again. A slow work week.

Wow I took a ridiculous amount of pictures this month. How was your September? What did you read and listen to? Let me know!