Tag: livingoffleesh

100 books in 2022

Published on by AliciaLeave a comment

I posted my Top 10 Books of 2022 the other day and went down a rabbit hole of book bloggers and got a lot of inspo. Rosie, who I’ve followed for years, posted her post, GoodReads Goal and it made me want to do the same thing.  I read 100 books last year and while sharing my top 10 is great, I want to share my rating for all my books. My friends say I’m pretty harsh with my GoodReads stars so keep that in mind 😉

Five stars

  • Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
  • It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
  • The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  • The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus
  • The Stranger by Albert Camus
  • The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie
  • For the Love of Friends by Sara Goodman Confino
  • Coraline by Neil Gaiman
  • The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
  • The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
  • Book Lovers by Emily Henry
  • People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
  • The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
  • Before the Coffee Gets Gold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
  • Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
  • Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas
  • Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas
  • The Assassins Blade by Sarah J Maas
  • House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J Maas
  • A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas
  • A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
  • A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas
  • I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
  • We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
  • Animal Farm by George Orwell
  • The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • Evidence of the Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
  • Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
  • The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
  • They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
  • The Brighter the Light by Mary Ellen Taylor
  • The Bee and the Fly: The Improbable Correspondence of Louisa May Alcott and Emily Dickinson by Lorraine Tosiello and Jane Cavolina
  • You, Me, and the Colors of Life by Noa C. Walker
  • Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
  • The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner
  • Night by Elie Wiesel

Four stars

  • The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
  • Persuasion by Jane Austen
  • Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey
  • Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
  • Black Coffee by Agatha Christie
  • Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
  • Campos de Fresas by Jordi Sierra I Fabri
  • This Time Around by Tawna Fenske
  • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  • Life After Coffee by Virginia Franken
  • The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
  • The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
  • The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
  • A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
  • Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
  • Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas
  • Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J Maas
  • Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
  • Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
  • Crazy to Leave You by Marilyn Simon Rothstein
  • The Fifth Agreement by Miguel Ruiz
  • Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
  • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
  • Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
  • When We let Go by Rochelle B. Weinstein
  • The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Three Stars

  • Emma by Jane Austen
  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
  • The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
  • A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
  • Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
  • Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
  • The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irvine
  • The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis
  • Meet Me in Madrid by verity Lowell
  • A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas
  • Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas
  • House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas
  • People I want to Punch in the Throat by Jen Mann
  • Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
  • Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
  • Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery
  • Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
  • Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
  • Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
  • Canoeing in the Wilderness by Henry David Thoreau

Two stars

  • Love Yourself First by Krystle Laughter
  • The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli

One star

  • Life is Short and So is This Book by Peter Atkins
  • Como Agua Para Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
  • The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
  • Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis [DNF at 25% also my first ever DNF ever aka it was awful]
  • Tower of Dawn by Sarah J Maas

After looking at my ratings like this, I am the opposite of harsh with my stars. But here are my 100 books for 2022. My goal for 2023 is 50 books. Ideally, I’d love another year of 100 but I’m starting small and then I can make changes as I hit smaller goals J

How many books did you read in 2022? What’s your goal for 2023?

Alicia 🙂

If we were having coffee [and hadn’t chatted in a few years]

Published on by Alicia3 Comments

I got an email confirmation from WordPress a few weeks back saying that my URL was being renewed for another year. I couldn’t help but find it silly that 20 or so dollars came out of my account, and I hadn’t posted since I last got that email in November of 2021. My last post was in July 2021, and it was a catch-up post about my life. I had just moved into my first-ever apartment [which I still live in] and that was that. Nothing since. I’ve logged in a few times but every time I try to put finger to the keyboard, I’m overcome with anxiety that I should be doing something else: work, cleaning, sleeping, working out, walking my dog, etc.  Why can’t I just do something [like read or write] because I want to? Why must there be a higher purpose? If I want to sit on my couch, watch Dance Moms, and write a little blog post for a few hundred people to read, then why can’t I??? My goal in 2023 is to take care of myself: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Blogging does a lot for my mental health, and it makes me feel like I have a bit of a purpose. So, here’s to writing at least one post a month. If I write more, fab, but 1 post a month is my goal in 2023 and that’s that. So, for the first time in over a year, grab a coffee, and let’s chat.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m actually no longer drinking coffee. I kind of stopped drinking coffee in October? I drink it rarely but not daily like I was before.  I really only drink tea now and I’m feeling good about this decision. I love Chai now!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I was diagnosed with PCOS last January. It’s been awful and I have so many more questions, but I love the online support community that surrounds PCOS. I’m learning so much about my body through it which is good, but it truly sucks that my body doesn’t function like others do.  I would love to start posting about it here 🙂

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m reconsidering my profession. I think I’ve fallen out of love with teaching. It’s heartbreaking and I’m not sure if it’s my school or teaching, but I think a career change is in my future [that and my master’s degree for sure]. I’m having preemptive guilt because I love my coworkers and my students and the Spanish language and culture, but I come home every day exhausted [not to be mistaken for the lack of caffeine I’m drinking haha] and depressed. I don’t want to lead a life like that :/ I’m not sure what’s in store for me next year but I really need to reevaluate my life and what’s important to me and see if teaching gets better for me.

If we were having coffee, I’d let it slide that I’m no longer vegan. WHAT?! Here’s the deal. I went vegan in 2015 when I was in the grips of an eating disorder. I used veganism as another method of starvation and ate protein bars, smoothies, and bananas, and called it a day. I maintained this veganism for 6 or so years, hating myself when I slipped up and ate something with milk in it. I made the decision for myself that right now, veganism is too restrictive for me. I am still vegetarian and will realistically never eat meat again. Once I work out all of my problems with food and body image and eating in general, maybe I’ll make my way back to being vegan, but right now, I need to not be as restrictive so I’m a happy little vegetarian at the moment and have been now for well over a year.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m ready to leave Chicago. When I was little, I always dreamed of moving to LA or NYC. That dream is long over. I want a backyard and grass for my dog to play in. I want to be within 30 minutes of an airport but without the hustle and bustle of Chicago. I want to be able to find parking dammit! I want things to cost a little less money. I love Chicago and always will, but Chicago isn’t [and never was] permanent for me. I never pictured myself here post-grad and I’d love to be in a city that feels like home. I’m not sure when I’ll move but I do know that I’m not staying in my tiny little apartment forever [which is bittersweet].

I’m sure there is so much more but that’s what I have today. I miss writing dearly, and every time I do open a blank document, it feels right, like this is what I’m supposed to be doing.

Chit-chat soon,

Alicia ❤

If we were having coffee

Published on by AliciaLeave a comment

Long time no write – my favorite phrase. It’s been about two and a half months since I’ve sat at my computer and written. My laptop crapped out on me in February amidst my hardest assignment I’ve ever had to complete in order to graduate college and get my teaching license. The keyboard stopped working [I realized right after purchasing my new one that I needed a new battery] and I had to connect a mouse and keyboard to get the computer to work so basically it was just a desktop computer. Nothing wrong with a desktop, however, my favorite blogging spot is at the corner of the couch with a cup of coffee on the table next to me and a movie on the TV for background noise. That was difficult with my previous set up. Now, I’ve got my brand new computer and I’m ready to get back into writing. So, grab your cup of coffee and let’s chat about my summer.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you about how I’m still [hopefully] headed to Spain. I’ve submitted everything necessary for my visa application and now it’s just a waiting game. As long as everything goes as planned and my visa gets approved, I’ll be heading to Ciudad Real, Spain on September 14th to teach !!!!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you how my sister went away to college! We moved her in about two and a half weeks ago at Southern Illinois University and then I got to visit her this past Friday! She’s doing so well there and college was just what she needed.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’ve still been quarantining for the most part. I’ve seen a few friends but I’m keeping my circle small and not risking a thing because I know [and no one else seems to] that there is still a pandemic going on.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I visited my friends in Ohio for my friend Grace’s 21st birthday. We went back to my college town and kept to ourselves, spending much of our time in our hotel rooms, playing cards, and just enjoying everyone’s company. It was great to see them all but that drive wasn’t fun.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that my family and I spent a week in northern Wisconsin at my cousin’s home. Every year we used to go to Kentucky for a week of fishing, swimming, card playing, sun burning, and just to spend time with each other. Because of COVID, we had to adjust and spent the week at my cousin’s home. We got to celebrate the graduation of my sister from high school, me and my cousin from college, and my cousin’s husband from his surgical residency! It was tons of fun to get some sun, read, check out a new little town, and get in some much-needed baby and dog time!

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’ve been consistently working out and eating right pretty much all summer. I’m feeling really great and this little bit of consistency in my life has made these uncertainties of quarantine and COVID a little easier. I also recently downloaded Nike Run Club and I’m going to try and get into running! If any of you runners have any tips for beginners, please let me know!

What has happened during your summer?

Much love

❤ Alicia