I hope everyone has had a good February! I had a pretty good month. Here's some of the things that took up my time these past few weeks:
First off, after a long time of sitting around with a hunched back, typing away at my thesis, I have finally started exercising again! Oh man, I wish I had never let my regular exercise schedule go because it is HARD to get back into the swing of things after taking such a long break off. Fortunately, thanks to Blogilates and Cassey Ho, I have been able to find my motivation again to work on my fitness.
I challenged myself this month to take the Blogilates Beginner's Challenge and I am supremely impressed with myself that I actually managed to keep it up all month long! It wasn't easy, but I am I am so happy I didn't give up. It's pretty exciting to be able to feel your body slowly becoming stronger over the weeks, and I find that I can now push myself harder and take fewer breaks than ever before. Blogilates was new to me in February, but I hope to keep it up in March and for a long time to come!
Also this month, I found some casual employment! I've been unemployed since I finished my teaching contract at the University of Toronto last year, so I felt so lucky to be given some work in these hard economic times in Alberta. As part of my position, I am now hosting sleepovers for families at the local museum:
Yes, that's right, families are able to spend the night at the museum sleeping among the dinosaurs and also learning about palaeontology - dream come true much?! Well, MY dream come true anyway. And also, I'm essentially being paid to SLEEP for most of the time!! It doesn't get much better than that.
And finally, this month I was able to get a new library card for the town I'm living in and I immediately started requesting as many graphic novels as I have ever heard even the slightest amount of buzz over. And I think it's safe to say that I now have another new favourite way to enjoy reading.
It's strange to think that before now I had just never given graphic novels a go. I would see plenty of reviews from trusted bloggers and think they sounded interesting, but I just never got my butt in gear to make my reading of them happen. And now that I am reading them, I can't imagine that I'll ever grow tired of this medium of reading. I especially love to read graphic novels between bouts of reading normal novels as they make for a quick and entertaining break. The graphic novels pictured above are all ones I read in February and enjoyed - I'll have to write up some reviews for them to discuss them more in depth though.
P.S. If you can think of any graphic novels to recommend to me, I would LOVE to hear them! I'll try pretty much anything! Thanks guys :)
Posts in February:
Muggle Monday: News From A Celebration of Harry Potter
Muggle Monday: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to be Published
Waiting On Wednesday: Simon & Schuster Winter 2016 Catalog
Waiting On Wednesday: HarperCollins Spring 2016 Catalog
Waiting On Wednesday: Penguin Spring 2016 Catalog
Series Review: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld - 3.5 Stars
January Recap: Thesis Completion, Ice Castles, and True Crime Documentaries
Oh, that IS a nice job. Our local science museum does something similar, but just for kids. I bet your patrons just have a blast.
ReplyDeleteAs for graphic novels -- Bride's Story by Mori, Lumberjanes by Stevenson, Boxers & Saints by Yang, and Y: The Last Man by Vaughan are all great choices.
omg I can't imagine what it would be like doing it with just kids with no help from any adult chaperones! A bit stressful I would think.
DeleteAnd THANK YOU for the recs!! :D
Thats very cool, and yeah, jobs in science are hard to come by but the one you have sounds very cool!!
ReplyDeleteAnd Graphic Novels!!! They are so good! Try to read Miss Marvel it's so so awesome. And give the new Archie reboot a try. :D
And I second looloolooweez on Bride's Story, it's amazing!!!!!! I really liked the first arc, the second bride didn't pull me in as much but it was still interesting.
Yes, I'm very lucky! And thanks so much for the recs! omg I used to LOVE Archie comics back in the day! I'm pretty excited about reading a reboot :)
DeleteI would love to have a sleepover in a museum. That sounds like SO much fun! What a fun job.
ReplyDeleteI have heard so many great things about blogilates! I have never really looked into it- I should though, I am a big advocate of exercising at home.
And graphic novels aren't something I typically gravitate towards. I think I would get addicted and it'd be the only thing I ever read. I just know me. Haha, in saying that I am not writing it off. I will be sure to check out your reviews once they are up.
I can't believe it's the end of Feb already, where has the time gone?!?!
haha, it's maybe a bit less fun than it sounds because you do have a good amount of responsibility, but I'm enjoying it so far anyway :D
DeleteYes, I love exercising at home on my own time. Bonus: blogilates is free! You don't need to pay to watch any workout videos.
Heh, yeah... I could sort of see myself becoming addicted to such an easy way of reading. But I'm just going to have to restrain myself from requesting all the graphic novels at once!
Woah, what a fantastic job! That's great you were able to find something paid and that it's such a fun one, and something in your field! I have a part-time job but I'm really looking for something new - even if it's still part time. I just need something different and to gain more real world experience after graduating.
ReplyDeleteBlogilates sounds like a cool challenge. I'll have to look into it. I JUST joined a gym today. I belonged to one a few years back, but I hope to use this one more because it's a lot closer. It's also more expensive each month, but I figured that's good motivation to go as often as I can. I'm so out of shape. I need to just get moving more!
YAY for reading graphic novels. Love the Saga books. I also really liked Anya's Ghost and Friends with Ghosts. I need to read Nimona still. I recommend Locke & Key (it has five volumes, I believe) and it's by Joe Hill. Really really good.
-Lauren
Thanks, Lauren! I hope you find something different for work, something that you really enjoy. That dream job is out there for all of us!
DeleteYeah, I've belonged to school gyms the past few years, but I am no longer a student and don't want to pay the steep price. The advantage of Blogilates is it is free (among other stuff). I also like being able to work out at home on my own time.
Ah, I forgot to say thank you for the graphic novels rec! Adding Locke and Key to my TBR now. And I KNOW you will love Nimona!!
DeleteI love Blogilates and Cassey is just so inspiring. I've been doing it since last June and haven't gotten bored yet (and I get bored super easily with working out). :)
ReplyDeleteThe new position sounds awesome! What a neat idea for a museum.
I also love being able to sneak in a quick graphic novel read between lengthier works. In terms of graphic novels, I'd recommend Gene Luen Yang's Boxers & Saints duology. If you're interested at all in food, Lucy Knisley's Relish is pretty good. If you want any MG, you should try Victoria Jamieson's Roller Girl or Ben Hatke's Zita the Spacegirl. Happy reading!
I know, I'm pretty impressed that I've stuck with a workout for this long too! My problem is more laziness than boredom though, to be honest. But Cassey is a great motivator!
DeleteOoh thank you thank you for the great graphic novel recs!! Can't wait to try some new fantastic reads :D
I need to start working out! Maybe I'll check out Blogilates if it doesn't take too much time. I used to go for jogs every other day but find I'm so tired after coming home from school. Plus, it's been really cold here for the last few weeks so I'm not in the mood to venture out of the house either. I like the idea of staying in and working out that way.
ReplyDeleteYeah, keep in mind that I'm doing these workouts while almost completely unemployed. It would be a much bigger commitment if I was working full time like you! The workouts are about half hour to one hour a day, I think.
DeleteI started Blogilates almost 2 years ago and I'm still doing it! It's definitely a great way to find motivation for fitness but I'm trying to look for other ways to work out as well. :)
ReplyDelete2 years!! That's awesome, Leanne. I hope I can keep it up for that long!
DeleteGlad had a great February, Aylee! Blogilates sounds interesting. I never heard of it before, but I'll have to look into it. Your casual gig sounds so cool!
ReplyDeleteAnd yay for reading graphic novels! I can't wait to see what you thought of the ones that you read. I would also recommend El Deafo, Raina Telegeimer's stuff, Fables series by Bill Willingham if you're interested in fractured fairy tales. I also love the new Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson, and Lumberjanes.
Yesss, I knew you would have some great graphic novel recommendations for me, Rummanah! I'm excited to try out the ones you mention here!! Thanks <3
DeleteBlogilates sounds really cool! I'm glad you found something to get your butt in gear again as you say! Usually I'm super active in the Winter with skiing, snowshoeing, walking and general adventuring but this Winter has really sucked that way with hardly any snow - it's either too cold or wet to walk or it's icy and dangerous o.O As much as most everyone around here is loving this mild Winter, I'd love a huge snowstorm right about now LOL!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new job!!! It really sounds perfect for you and believe me when I tell you that the job front is lackluster all around. I was really lucky to find something in my field over the Summer after a LOOOOONG time working odd jobs to make ends meet. Hard economic times all around. It sounds really fun though, sleepovers amongst the Dinosaurs :D And getting paid to sleep? WIN.
YAY for library cards and graphic novels - I need to read more of those too! Needless to say, Saga and Nimona are both on my tbr shelf! Happy reading and happy March my friend ♥
I should probably try to make more of an effort to be active outdoors in the fresh air in addition to indoors. The weather is often the issue though!
DeleteAnd yes, it's pretty tough all over. But I have no doubt our dream jobs are out there if you're willing to be patient and hard-working enough to earn it! I'm glad you've found your newest position and are pleased with it <3
Woo, I think you'd love both Saga and Nimona!
Getting rich while sleeping, that's not a bad deal ;) Blogilates is amazing and I hate the fact I lost motivation in December last year. It's hard to get back to it, but this March I'm going to pick it up again.
ReplyDeleteHeh, well I wouldn't say RICH, but yeah it is nice :) It's so hard when you fall off the exercise wagon! That's why it's important to have a good motivator.
DeleteGosh :D Awesome recap Aylee. <3 Thank you for sharing about so much that you did :) And ahh, those sleepovers sounds like SO MUCH FUN :D You are the luckiest. <3 I hope March will be amazing to you :) All the hugs. <3
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carina :D
DeleteCongratulations on the job! That sounds like a ton of fun. I used to volunteer at the Toledo Zoo in highschool doing something very similar, although, of course, there were adults who were in charge :)
ReplyDeleteOoh, I'd love to sleep over at a zoo!!
DeleteSounds like you had a great February, Eilidh!!! So glad to hear that. :D
ReplyDeleteI might have to try Blogilates...I'm so lazy right now, it's bad!!! I do get some walking in every morning when I go to work and when I come home though, so I guess at least I'm doing some form of exercise that way. I tell myself it's better than nothing at least. :P
I still think your job sounds so cool!! And I'm so happy for you. I think it'll open up doors for you there, too, and hopefully a more permanent position will open up and they'll pick you because you're the perfect person for the job! And in the meantime, you get to host sleepover and get paid to sleep, so YAY! :D
WOOOOO HOOO for graphic novels!! Glad to see my faves up there, and I hope you've been enjoying the ones that I've been recommending to you!!! :D
Yeah, it sounds like you're getting a fair amount of walking in! I've just been sort of puttering around the house so I felt like I really needed to do something more!
DeleteThank you for your kind words! Also, I don't believe I've gotten to any of your recs quite yet - I have them all written down in my notebook though.
Congrats on your new job, and I do hope you're able to get back to exercising because I know how difficult it is to do that! I'm sending motivation your way.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I've always been meaning to get into graphic novels, but it never happens, and as always, you have me wanting to try them out seriously now!
Thanks for sharing.
Sarika @ The Readdicts
I got my Harry Potter and the Cursed Child book today.
ReplyDeleteI brought it on Amazon and they delivered it in just 2 days!
Amazon link:
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2, Special Rehearsal Edition Script