I‘m so proud of my governor. Thank you, Governor Mills.

You can read her full statement here: https://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/news/governor-mills-statement-notice-invest...

#MentalHealthMonday check in

1. I‘m ok. Having anxiety about things I must get done, but I‘m managing the anxiety well.
2. Music 100% helps my mental health.
3. Bee Gees are my go-to when life is tough. Writer Sarra Manning has a great quote about The Bee Gees that sums up why I love them. ⬇️

I read self-help books on topics relevant to my life. I avoid ones with a “this is the only way/right way to do things” or “do this and all your problems will go away” messages. We are different and what works for one person may not work for another.

I‘m still reading this book, but so far it‘s been a good tool for healing my childhood trauma.

#SundayFunday

I made these chocolates for Valentine‘s Day. I think I‘ll make more today.

Recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/236212/homemade-melt-in-your-mouth-dark-chocol...

Getting hair colored today & reading this at the salon

My dear friend @JanineHightower

Tomorrow is the three year anniversary of your passing. I miss talking to you about books, Frida Kahlo, and life in general. You were such a beautiful soul. I am honored to have been your friend. If heaven exists, I hope it‘s filled with books and that you get to enjoy each one.

In the words of Joe Kennedy III:

“Folks, when we start shutting down libraries in the name of government efficiency, we‘ve got a problem.”

Article: https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2025-02-19/jfk-library-reopens-with-free-admissi...

Joe Kennedy III interview: https://youtu.be/chbbP9tMCAs?si=f4FEEgDG8dPy-98P

I recently discovered Charles Bradley‘s music. Holy cow, so talented! I feel his song “Why Is It So Hard” in my soul. He does great covers of Neil Young‘s “Heart of Gold” and Nirvana‘s “Stay Away” too. I recommend his No Time for Dreaming album.

#TuesdayTunes

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=x-RbEDaKTSw&si=j53Fi22fDwh7voBD

#MentalHealthMonday check in

1. I‘m doing well. Sleep debt is down & I‘m spending less time online.
2. I‘m sleeping better. Sleep is hard for me due to ADHD & anxiety. I‘m glad my sleep is going well.
3. I use the Rise sleep app to keep track of my sleep debt. I also give my husband my electronics every night & ask him to hide them. That way I can‘t use them in the middle of the night.

#WeekendReads

#SundayFunday

I handle book slumps by doing something else that interests me and then returning to reading when it interests me again. I always come back to reading eventually. 📚📚📚

Type “literally my character” into your Pinterest search bar…first six are who you are…👀

Love this, especially Alice. She‘s my favorite Disney character and so relatable. Although I do like books without pictures 🤣

@TheBookHippie thanks for inspiring this!

Basic synopsis: Casey is obsessed with StreamVid content creator Della. Casey goes to Della‘s house after Della announces she‘s sick. She discovers Della isn‘t who she thinks she is.

I enjoyed the first half, but the second half felt rushed & jumbled. It was almost like two books. I didn‘t like the paranormal elements.

Lorelei‘s expression reflects my thoughts 😆

#CatsOfLitsy

Listening to this thriller on an #audiowalk. I‘m already creeped out by the main character‘s obsession with a StreamVid content creator.

#5JoysFriday

Things that brought me joy this week:

1. I finished this wonderful book.
2. I got a long-overdue haircut.
3. Snuggled with my kitties
4. Spent time with my husband.
5. Went for walks.

#TLT #ThreeListThursday @dabbe

1. Survey link: https://www.listchallenges.com/litsy-ap-literature-free-response-titles-list-4
2. My score was 15 out of 110
3. My favorites were When The Emperor Was Divine, Sense and Sensibility, and Their Eyes Were Watching God
4. I think everyone I would tag has already been tagged, lol!

Just read this sweet ebook from cloudLibrary. Highly recommend for kiddos!

Thought I‘d do a second #TuesdayTunes post in honor of my friend Tarsha. She passed away 13 years ago today. She loved the song “Walking In Memphis” by Marc Cohn.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=dUh1DSIsUOY&si=LVqWajNaapwmjS9B

I‘ve been listening to this audiobook & it made me think of the Destiny‘s Child song “Survivor”.

#TuesdayTunes

YouTube: https://shorturl.at/Obgud

Spotify: https://shorturl.at/VLiID

Loved this final book from the Old West series. #Romantsy

1. Tired but hopeful it will be a good day overall.
2. I practice self-care by going for walks, journaling, etc.
3. I would love to hear what topics you‘d like to discuss for a future #MentalHealthMonday!

Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins is a book I read that was even better the second time around. Not only is it a great historical romance, but it also addresses important issues like class and racism. The HEA = so good!

I read it the second time while vacationing in Belize. Hubby & I vacationed there the week of the 2024 election. It was a very needed poolside read after the election results! A wonderful escape!

#SundayFunday

I‘m looking forward to this read!

The author, Lisa Marie Martens, is doing a giveaway. Read more about it here: https://medium.com/are-you-okay/is-this-your-next-free-physical-book-on-family-t...

I read about this book in a Medium article about Christian books with terrible covers. The cover is so…interesting…that I am tempted to read it. Also, the main character has the same name as me, which I don‘t see often 😆

The article:

https://medium.com/inspire-believe-grow/14-truly-horrendous-christian-book-cover...

I use the Rise app to keep track of my sleep debt. I‘ve never been a good sleeper, but it‘s been really bad the last two weeks. I‘m working on getting my sleep debt down in the coming days.

On a positive note, at least I‘ve kept up with my exercise! 😆

#TuesdayTunes

A friend and I watched a Nightwish concert on YouTube yesterday. This song has been in my head since!

The song: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz0PoUDde_Y&si=SXEOhoGFoX5HDPXy

The concert: https://youtu.be/810SAASfTZM?si=PAiDLWaCFRxfdTtF

1. Last week was rough. I‘m a huge figure skating fan & the DC plane crash shook me up. Plus the other nonsense in the world. But I had good moments too.
2. I‘m tired but enjoying the day.
3. I‘m watching a Nightwish concert on YouTube with a friend today. Music always brings me joy.

#MentalHealthMonday

Happy Gotcha Day to this beautiful girl! We adopted Boots January 31, 2011. She was a year and a half. Today she‘s 15. Hard to believe that much time has passed! She has chronic kidney disease now but is doing well overall. We love her so much ♥️ #CatsOfLitsy

Didn‘t sleep well, so I read some of this book & then I stretched. Lorelei tried to steal the yoga mat again 😆😆😆

Screw nationalist executive orders. It will always be the Gulf of Mexico to me.

I‘m looking for ways to limit my time online & to have better time management. (Time management can be hard when you have ADHD!) I created a folder on my iPhone for apps I use daily. I hope having them in one place will keep me focused. We shall see!

BlueSky may come off the list! 😆

Today is the 39th anniversary of the Challenger Disaster. I was in kindergarten at the time. Thankfully, my class did not watch the launch. Folks who were alive then, do you remember where you were that day?

My friend Stephi wrote this great book about Ellison Onizuka, one of the Challenger astronauts.

I‘ve been listening to iLe & Ivy Queen‘s “Algo Bonito” a lot lately. Great song for #TuesdayTunes

Song: https://youtu.be/cglgGAMD5-g?si=z76P0VczERTzmuoZ

Article: https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/ile-ivy-queen-deliver-algo-bonito-feminis...

Listened to this audiobook during a workout. Lorelei sometimes steals my yoga mat, like she did in this old photo, but thankfully she didn‘t today 😆

#CatsOfLitsy

1. I'm a bit sleepy. Cats woke me up early. I may nap later! 😆
2. I read this book the summer of 2016. I hadn't dealt with depression in years, but that changed after the November election. I'm glad I read it when I did. It reminded me it's OK to be not OK. I wrote Jenny & shared how much her book meant to me. She wrote back to thank me & said she really needed to hear it that day.

#MentalHealthMonday

The Emma Project is one of my go-to comfort reads. It's a beautiful love story that tackles difficult topics like familial abuse, sexism, homelessness, and mental health. The chemistry between Naina and Vansh is 🔥🔥🔥.

#SundayFunday

I‘ve been watching the U.S. Figure Skating Championships this weekend & remembered Rudy Galindo‘s biography. Rudy was the surprise U.S. Men‘s Champion in 1996. His long program was one of the best in U.S. skating history in my opinion. #FigureSkating

Boots new morning routine: paw at my face until I get up 😁 #CatsOfLitsy

#FirstLineFridays

“Jane Bansil threw the heavy blankets over her head and burrowed deeper beneath the covers.”

Simon & Garfunkel's "The Only Living Boy in New York" is in my head today. Fun fact: this was one of the quotes I picked for yearbook senior year. ?

https://youtu.be/5biEjyXNa2o?si=RWH0fBkMq5I96Xnf

#TLT #ThreeListThursday

I've only read 10 on the list 😳

My favorites:

1) Emma
2) The Canterbury Tales
3) Beowulf

Hey y‘all! Question for you. I have friends from Brazil and Germany who want to join Litsy, but they say they can‘t access it there. Any suggestions for who to contact to recommend that Litsy expand access? I don‘t know if it would help, but it‘s worth a try, lol!

I‘m giving this a pick rating for good content. However, it‘s the same content from Emma‘s emotional regulation course on her Therapy in a Nutshell YouTube channel. I‘m watching the course now, so I didn‘t learn anything new from this title. I recommend this book if you haven‘t taken the course. If you have taken it, skip this book.

“Emotions can serve an important function, but the one thing that is sure to make them worse is by fighting them or avoiding them.”

Excerpt from: "How to Notice and Name Emotions" by Emma McAdam.

Read this book on Everand: https://www.everand.com/book/561935345

#MentalHealth

Lorelei tried to knock things on the floor as I watch a film with friends. She‘s so silly. 😆😆😆

#CatsOfLitsy

Welcome to #MentalHealthMonday! What are you doing today to take care of your mental health? So far I've watched Star Trek with friends & spent time with my husband. I'm about to excercise & maybe take a nap. Taking care of our mental health will be vital in the coming weeks, months, & beyond. We still live in an "f your feelings" society & it's likely to get worse. Making mental health a priority is one way to fight back.

Taking care of our mental health will be extremely important in the coming weeks, months, and beyond. Any interest in a #MentalHealthMonday tag? Would love to see the books you're reading related to mental health!

It's been a while since I read this book, but I think it's a good fit for a plucky group fighting back against a fascist government.

#SundayFunday

Today‘s audio walk. Its supposed to be freezing next week, getting outside while the cold is manageable!

#Audiowalk

"My best friend Valentina Ramirez has been relentlessly tapping my shoulder for the past three minutes and forty-seven seconds."

#FirstLineFridays