Happy Tuesday Friday, friends! 😀
I don’t know about you guys, but having a holiday in the middle of the week has totally thrown me off. Wednesday felt like a Sunday, yesterday felt like a Monday, and today should technically be a Tuesday. Friday is tonnes better, though, so let’s just roll with that 😉
I’m still kind of trying to fall back into a blogging groove after the holidays, so we’re going to keep things on the lighter side today with a “Currently” survey. I love filing these out because it let’s me look back at where I was at during different months of the year. Actually, I published my first currently post in January of 2013, and it’s been fun to go back and look at what’s changed/stayed the same. Gotta love blogging for that 😀
. – . – . – .
Current book: The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. I’m pretty much finished with it and looking for something new, but it was definitely good while it lasted (TWSS). I especially love that I recognized so many lines from the movie, and that one of my favourite authors (Patrick Rothfuss — Name of the Wind) gave it a shoutout as one of his favourite books.
Current music: Taking a trip down memory lane with Closing Time by Semisonic.
[youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGytDsqkQY8&w=560&h=315″]
Current guilty pleasure: Listening to 90’s pop music ^^ I stumbled across this link to the 18 Best 90’s Pop Songs You Forgot Existed a couple of weeks ago, and it sparked a craving for the cheesy wonderfulness that I used to listen to when I was younger. Well, listen to while singing along at the top of my lungs and trying to learn all the dance moves. Oh gosh… how embarrassing.
Current nail colour: Garnet from RGB Cosmetics. I know I already mentioned this in my December favourites post, but this polish is amazing. I’m sportin’ 5 day nails in the pic below, and aside from a couple of tiny chips, they still basically look good as new. And I haven’t been easy on them, either — they’ve managed to survive plenty of dishwashing, vacuuming, scrubbing, and showering without looking any worse for wear. So.much.love.
Current drink: Still showing some serious love to kombucha and ginger tea. My stomach’s been giving me a lot of grief lately and I have no idea why, so I might have to take a look at what I’m eating if it doesn’t start clearing up soon. It’s a lot better than it was around the holidays, but dang… go away, bloat!
Current food: Crispbreads, specifically the ones from Doctor Kracker. I’ve been craving more savoury/salty snacks after The Great Christmas Cookie Coma of ’13, and these have been a definite favourite. So crunchy. So good.
Current obsession: Birthday cakes. I’ve pretty much decided on the kind of I want for the big day, but I can’t help but keep browsing to see if I can’t find something better. Dratted perfectionism! At the end of the day, any cake is good cake… Well, maybe except for that weird red and green fruit cake they sell around here during the holidays. What.the.heck…
Current wish: Warmer weather for my birthday! It’s -4C (25F) today, and going down to -22C (-7F) tomorrow. Why?! Why can’t it be warm just.one.year? My birthday always falls on a ridiculously frigid day, which makes it especially annoying when I had plans to go to the mountains. Oh poop…
Current need: A chalkboard for my food photos. Actually… more food props in general. I really hate the idea of cluttering my condo, but I also really want to work on my photography this year, especially since I plan on posting more recipes. And let’s face it… a little more variety wouldn’t hurt…
Almond Fudge Protein Bars — Chocolate-filled Pumpkin Spice Muffins
Current triumph: I got hit with a huge boost of motivation yesterday and ended up cleaning pretty much my entire condo. Laundry (x2), vacuuming, dusting, tidying… all squeaky clean. I blame the new year.
Current bane of my existence: A lack of sleep. I have no idea what it is, but my sleep has been completely whacko lately. Some nights I can’t fall asleep; some nights I can’t stay asleep. Stress? An overactive mind? Whatever it is, I really need to work on getting more shut eye — the zombie look isn’t good for anyone.
Current indulgence: Not quite ready for this one yet — still recovering from the holidays. Besides, I’m gearing up for birthday cake.
Current procrastination: Answering the overwhelming amount of e-mails in my inbox. Gulp. This is actually something I really need to work on (as anyone who’s ever tried to keep in contact with me can attest to)… I always try to respond to each one, buuuuuuuut it might take me a while. Ideally I’d like to answer within 24-hours, especially since I start stressing when they start adding up.
Current blessing: Absolutely amazing blends (blog friends). I woke up this morning to a Bloglovin feed full of the sweetest happy birthday posts from Davida, Arman, Sam, Lucie, Miss Polkadot, Heather, and Becky. Oh.em.gee. I started blubbering like a baby.
Current excitement: I think I may have mentioned on more than one occasion that it’s my birthday tomorrow? (Sorry!) Yeaaaaaaah, kind of happy dancing about that one.
Current mood: Reflective, content, happy…
Current link: The local weather… hoping against hope that it’ll miraculously show warmer temperatures for tomorrow!
Am I the only one who’s garbage at answering e-mails in a timely fashion?!?
Give me your current:
1) … book.
2) … guilty pleasure.
3) … obsession.
4) … bane of existence.
5) … procrastination.
Happy Birthday! I hope you are enjoying some incredibly indulgent birthday cake and filling yourself up with friends and family! I’m loving that nail polish color, I currently have gold on which I am very excited about solely for the reason that I got it on sale!
Umm those blog friend posts are the sweetest things ever. Holy cow. THAT FRUIT cake makes me want to DIE! EWW NO NO NO!! HAHAHA. I too want to work on my photography this year, and just bought myself a fancy DSLR camera..here’s to hoping I can figure it out!
AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY OF COURSE!
1. Most importantly, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I adore you, and you will always be the AB to my J (I got it right that time, right???)!
2. That list of 90s songs. OMG so excited. My itunes will never be the same.
3. For food props, I suggest World Market. I don’t know if they have them in Canada, but I would imagine you can order online? I’ve gotten almost all of my napkins there, and I was so surprised how the little splash of color from a napkin took my photography to the next level! I want a chalkboard too! There’s a lot of cheeseboard ones out there that have my eye.
And you will always be the J to my AB 😀 That was definitely an epic night… I still look back on those pictures with fondness 🙂
Happy Birthday Amanda! Found you via Davida and really enjoyed this post! My favorite book right now is any cookbook sitting on my dresser;) Guilty pleasure? Chocolate peanut butter. I’m pretty obsessed with bananas and Egyptian licorice tea (not together, that would be a little weird) and the bane of my existance is all the ice everywhere! It makes going outside pretty impossible, although our temps are nothing like yours!
Thanks for stopping by and saying hi, Mary Frances! Chocolate, bananas, and licorice tea? Definitely all fabulous things 😀 Headed over to check out your blog!
I LOVE Doctor Kracker crackers! And super cute nailpolish color too– perfect for this time of year. Keep warm and have a great weekend!
I didn’t get a chance to post yesterday but I want to wish you a very Happy Birthday Amanda!! much love!!!
1) … book: – I have Lean In started but it’s too boring haha… so maybe ManRepeller’s book?
2) … guilty pleasure: every type of nut butter ever
3) … obsession: tea – I can’t get enough
4) … bane of existence: this cold weather!
Happy birthday in a few hours! Hope it’s amazing!!
A little birdie says your birthday is soon!
1) … book. Wild by Cheryl Strayed
2) … guilty pleasure. Bread and more bread
3) … obsession. Same as #2 and “Scandal”
If you entered my apartment, you would think I were baking 15 cakes!! 😉 Come on over, however…… You might get mad cause no cakes would actually be baking – LMFAO!
Just the appearance of fruit cake has always made me gag…I have no doubt your cake choice will be muuuch more appealing. I am so guilty of dancing to 90s pop songs and embarrassing myself horribly attempting to learn the dance moves. Picture me flailing around to NSYNC solo in my bedroom…
I want a chalkboard for photos, too! I loved reading your b-day wishes this morning and happy early b-day to you, chickity!! 😉
That’s so funny – “Closing Time” has been in my head ever since I watched Friends with Benefits on Wednesday (it’s in the movie). Man, I miss 90s music. Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of 90s playlists on Songza while I work out and I’m loving it. 😀
Current book: A Dance with Dragons… finally!
Current guilty pleasure: My homemade chocolate soy nut butter cups. So good!
Current obsession: Girls. I’m so excited for the next season!
Current bane of my existence: All the internship projects I have looming over my head.
Procrastination: All those projects. 😛
Chocolate soy nut butter cups? Gah! You made allergy-friendly Reese’s! I’ve been meaning to try making some of those -forever- so I’m gonna need you to tell me how fabulous they are so that I finally take the plunge.
Book – I’m reliving childhood memories and re-reading ‘A Little Princess’ by Frances Hodgson Burnett!
Guilty pleasure – I can’t think of one! Chocolates, chocolates and lots of it will always be a guilty pleasure
Obsession – all things social media/food & fitness
Bane of existence – lack of sleep for me as well. On days that I have work the next morning, I can’t sleep but when I don’t have work, I can sleep…why?? I will never understand.
Procrastination – hmm, I’ve been good lately, I haven’t let anything slip or haven’t been lazy. It’s the longest I’ve ever gone but I guess I do procrastinate a little when it comes to housework…I’m always telling myself I have to much to do…
Happy {almost} Birthday Amanda! Im useless at answering emails, texts, phone calls you name it; however when it comes to blog reading I am always caught up. Priorities right 😉
It’s Saturday over here so I can officially say it: Happy Birthday, Amanda <3!! Current .. .hm, is it a guilty pleasure or procrastination that I try to read your blog while at work ;)? It's tricky to do when I'm working at a computer without internet access having to sneak to the desk of a colleague who's currently on vacation and whose internet access I use for work research in anyway. And blog reading totally counts as research, right?!
I'm so happy you liked the birthday surprise and it was hard to keep the secret until today.
After a long time without really getting into a book – I'm clearly [too?] picky – I'm currently reading The Book of Fate by Parinoush Saniee.
Don't feel bad about not answering mails right away. Anybody who knows me can attest I'm the worst at this myself though I don't mean it in a bad way. It just … happens? Maybe it's time to make a conscious effort at getting better here.
I hope you'll have a great birthday no matter how you decide to celebrate!
Thank you, Missy <3 And thank you so much for your sweet post 🙂
i wish for warmer weather too! itz only supposed to be getting colder here, too – colder than it has been in 20+ years!!!!!!!! craaaazy!
1. Dexter series (started forever ago but determined to read them all)
2. Skinny margaritas
3. Working out
4. Bills…
5. Putting wedding photos into photo album!
HAPPY OFFICIAL BIRTHDAY- It’s 9.42am here and I eat my cold, leftover pesto pasta in your honour 😉
I’ll have to hunt down TLU book- I love reading a novel AFTER watching the movie- not the other way as it always leads to disappointment (You would know that if you had read/watched HP :p)
Fruit cake is the absolute worst ‘dessert’ ever invented. It’s like all those gross cherries mushed with brandy and.. I don’t even know what else. Speaking of emails, I will reply to yours this weekend- I wanted to wait till after today :p
THANK YOU again for doing all this, Mister… And here I was thinking you e-mail abandoned me 😛
Happy Brithday for tommorow!!! Current book- game of thrones (just started- love!) current guilty pleasure- chocolate. Chocolate. Cake and chocolate :). Current obsession- did I mention the chocolate? May as well add white chocolate and salted caramel to the list too 🙂 current bane of my existence- waiting to hear back from people that will make my career dreams a yes (so anxious!) that fruit cake is gastly- I came see why Americans an Canadians make fun of it! In Britain fruit cake is most and dosnt have those hideous gummy things (well at a least none I have come across in my lifetime!) here it is absolutely amazing- dense- spiced- moist- boozy- fruity and all round delicious! I suggest a nigella Lawson or Delia recipe 🙂 and spread it with a bit of butter if you feel like it :)Have a great Brithday
Happy (early) birthday to YOU!! I really hope it warms up for you. It’s -18*C (feels like -35 with wind chill…yikes) here today so I totally understand where you’re coming from. You can’t really do anything in this weather without your toes falling off.
1) book – I’m reading and loving Eat & Run by Scott Jurek right now.
2) guilty pleasure – Pyjamas. It’s 5pm and I’m still wearing them.
3) obsession – Princeton, but that’s no surprise.
4) bane of existence – The FLU. It needs to leave me. Stat.
5) procrastination – I’m with you on emails!
Have an amazing day tomorrow! Eat an extra slice of cake for me 🙂
-35 with windchill here tonight too 🙁 BAH, I say. And I hope you feel better soon! Give Prince a hug for me <3
I’ve just been reading about 100 ways why you are awesome. Ms. Amanda, you are definitely one special chickadee. I think the only thing that will make you more awesome is when you finally become obsessed with Harry Potter. Just sayin….
Happy Early Birthday. I will happily sacrifice a few degrees of our 10 degree temperature here so that you can make it above freezing on your b-day.
My favorite pop song ever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G6QDNC4jPs
Ok, so I just realized that I never even told you happy birthday in my post to you so….HAPPY BIRTHDAY GORGEOUS!!! I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you that there is some sort of weather miracle and you can have a birthday that is at LEAST above freezing! And omg, you know I’m right there with you on the emails…I’ve got a couple right now that are calling my name…and comments to respond to…and blogs to read…and yeah, I can totally understand!
I want a chalkboard!! Actually, I’d really like to look into making some photo boards/backdrops of some kind…or maybe I’ll check out some kind of poster board? You know, as if I don’t already have like 3296 placemats and other props! It’s an affliction I tell you!! 😯
I think I may end up looking into some poster boards as well. Gah! This can seriously become all-consuming if you let it… And THANK YOU again for the sweetest post ever <3
Currently – I am so overwhelmed with happiness because of the wonderful posts other bloggers have done for you today. My heart was all happy when I was reading them! I am also happy that I stumbled upon your beautiful blog because it has simply become one of my favorites. Sometimes, I feel like you are reading my mind when you write stuff, and other times I can’t help but feel completely inspired by your words.
Side note – current bane of my existence is work. BUT, current mood/feeling is so so joyful/happy/anxious for my trip to see my mama in 10 days in Florida! I have so many happy, grand plans for when I’m down there!
Oh goodness, your comment just totally made my night. Thank you so much, Kelsey <3 And even though it's a little early, I hope you have the most amazing time with your mama 😀
Wow – y’all do have some really cold temps!! We are supposed to get to -11 Sunday night and I’m sort-of dreading that!!! Sweet that you had so many birthday posts!!
Happy birthday (tomorrow)!!!
The weather is just awful here, too (Minnesota). Our Governor actually ruled that no schools be open this coming Monday because of the terrible cold coming our way – it’s supposed to be 50-60 BELOW zero (F)! Yuck!
Happy early Birthday. Here I am complaining about temperatures in the teens and you’re in the negatives. Brrr. The Last Unicorn is on my to read list, I just haven’t gotten to it yet. I’m currently reading “Clash of Kings” by George R.R. Martin. It’s going to take a while.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! Don’t let the cold bring you down! I’m also pretty sure I’m in a permanent state of cookie-coma. Those peanut butter cookies with the hershey kiss in the middle get me every time. I wonder if they can be made with Almond Butter…hmmm….
Happy Birthday Eve Amanda! If you’d like to hop on a plane it’s about 75 degrees F here in SoCal right now. As a newbie to California I have to keep checking the calendar because it certainly does not seem like January.
Currently…
book) Jim Henson The Biography by Brian Jay Jones
guilty pleasure) mini naps
obsession) The Sunday New York Times crossword
bane of existence) unable to get new computer to connect to the internet
procrastination) working on a writing project
I can’t even imagine that kind of weather in January, but it sounds fabulous… Hopping on a plane doesn’t sound like a bad idea right about now…
Happy Birthday! Is it bad that I kind of want to know what it’s like to be in a cookie coma? Hehe! Well I hope suddenly Canada and Arizona switches weather on your birthday– wouldn’t mind those negatives your having…. Love you so much and hope your stomach feels better!
Omg that cake!
Happy Early Birthday Lady!! I hope you have a beautiful day filled with love and most importantly CAKE! Enjoy it. 🙂
1. Intuitive Eating
2. Old Britney Spears CDs
3. Downton Abbey – I just get sucked into that show..even repeats!
4. Snow that traps me in the house
5. Lesson Planning!
Old Britney! Oh gosh… I don’t think I’ll ever stop [secretly] loving her music. Thanks for the sweet wishes, Diana! 🙂
currently eating molasses and celebrating YOU a day early. Save up for the cake bday girl!
Heading over for the first time from Olives n wine and wanted to wish you a very Happy Birthday!! Excited to check out your blog some more 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Thanks for stopping by and saying hi, Lauren Rene! And thank you for the birthday wishes 🙂
So I kind of feel like you just wrote the currently about MY life! My birthday is this month, I have WAY too many emails to respond to, my sleep has been crazy weird lately, and I just bought those same exact crackers! Happy birthday!! 🙂
Is that fruitcake?! Ick- it looks so gross! OH! But I bought “I’m No Angel” after seeing you talk about it on one of your LinkLove posts and I’m so excited to start reading it!!
I’m so excited for you that it’s almost your birthday!! I hope you have a great one and can’t wait to see what cake you choose!:)
OH MY GOSH. SAME PROBLEMS here with the tummy. It’s like constant gurgling ALL the time. No matter what I take out of my diet, change or do, it’s constantly bubbling and bloated. I hate this! I wonder if there is something going around?? If so, it must be spread EVERYWHERE because I’ve heard many people having the same issues. I follow a FODMAPS diet for the most part, so I have no idea what the issue is:( When probiotics won’t help, or enzymes, I know something is going on in there:) Hope you feel better soon!
I love this currently series. I need to do this on The Soulful Spoon soon. I think it’s a great way to get to know somebody, and we have all loved getting to know you a bit better too:)
Have a FABULOUS pre-birthday!!!!
<3
Looks like I’ll need to add The Last Unicorn to my reading list 🙂 I’ve been hearing a lot about it lately.
I’m super hard on my nails, I’ll have to try an RGB polish and see if it works better for me (once I’m allowed to spend money, that is).
When it comes to emails, if I don’t answer them immediately, I forget and then never do. Oops. Have you heard of the Mailbox app? It’s totally helped me keep my emails under control.
1) Book – Eat and Run. So good!
2) Champagne. I opened in on New Years Day and am still drinking it.
3) Netflix. Anything and everything.
4) Snow. Seriously GO AWAY already 🙂
5) Uhm. Work? Being off for two weeks means I’m slow at work.
Mailbox? I’ve never heard of it… but if it can help, I seriously might have to look into it. Actually… going to look into it now.
It’s super cold here as well… going to be -12 on Monday. 🙁 I’ve been hibernating inside like it’s my job…. many extra long & fuzzy warm socks & multiple layers.
Current book: A Shade of Vampire series… kind of addicting. Bane of Existence: the cold.
Hope you have a Happy Birthday tomorrow lady!! Can’t wait to see the cake you end up with! 🙂
Happy birthday tomorrow!! Current bane of my existence is the fact I have to go back to work Monday after 16 days off…..oh the terrible life of a teacher.
Too funny I just went shopping for a chalkboard for photos this weekend! found one i liked at Marshall’s. I actually loved the mid-week holiday but I think it’s because I pretty much work any day of the week so I had lots of fun having David home.