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Jenna’s Room

Last week, Jenna started a new job in Maryland, 100+ miles away from home. In a few weeks, she is moving into an apartment and will make it her own. She will definitely come to visit us on quick trips home and long weekends when she can get away. When she comes home, her bedroom is here for her, but what about the rest of the time?

I’m thinking about the possibilities.

First of all, her closet is huge. Once we clean it out (with her help, of course), I can store things in there that we don’t have a place for right now. And yes, I know that I should declutter and rid myself of the things I no longer need – but that’s not what this post is about. Stay with me. LOL!

She also has an impractical desk in her room that she used on and off to do homework. It’s impractical because there is a hutch and shelves attached to it with very little room to spread out and work. What if I replaced it with a pretty writing desk and dedicated part of that room as my writing studio? It’s the perfect corner of the house for me to think, dream, and write. The big windows look out onto the backyard where many family memories took place. Inspiration galore! And did I mention that Jenna’s room has the one thing every writer needs to shut out any distractions from the real world and write to their heart’s content? It has a door to close.

Believe me when I say that it is not my intention to take over her room or change it into something completely different. I’m not creating an indoor “she-shed” or a workout room. It is still hers for as long as she comes home to enjoy it. Her queen-size bed, cushy throw pillows, wall art, and favorite stuffed animals will still be there. Her stickers and shot glasses will remain by the mirror. I’ll keep whatever she wants to save in her closet and dresser. None of her stuff will be touched – except maybe the desk. I’m sure she won’t mind, and if she does, she will let me know after she reads this post!

What do you think? How did you repurpose your children’s rooms after they left the nest? Let me know in the comments. 

Top 10 Things On My Mind

Every morning, I scroll through my Facebook feed and see a personal question posed to me on my profile.

What’s on your mind, Elisa? 

Oh, Facebook! Thanks for asking. How much time do you have? Luckily, today’s Ultimate Blog Challenge asked us writers to create a top 10 list. So, here are the top 10 things that are on my mind right now.

  1. I can’t buy any books for Amazon Prime Day because I want to stick to No Book-Buy July. But Mama needs a new FitBit!
  2. I decided to update our style guide at work. I thought it would take about an hour, but I was wrong. It took over three hours to complete. I’m happy with the result, and others will be pleased too. Summertime at work is the best time to complete the projects I can’t get to during the busy season.
  3. Along with this blog challenge, I’m doing a step challenge this month. But with these miserably hot and humid days and the torrential rainstorms in my neck of the woods, reaching 10K steps a day is not easy. I need to start pacing around the house to increase my step count!
  4. It gets harder to plan family vacations as the kids get older because — guess what — they have lives! Go figure. One works a full-time job, and the other is a full-time student. I’m starting to miss the days when the kids would just come with us — no questions asked. And it’s just going to get tougher. But I’ll adjust. I always do.
  5. The Supreme Court is starting to piss me off. Not to get too political or anything, but I used to feel protected by the First Amendment, which includes freedom of religion. All religions, not just the majority. I read this op-ed in the New York Times this week, which outlines how recent decisions have sided with the religious right. As a Reform Jew, I can’t help but feel under attack. I miss Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She wouldn’t put up with this crap. This has been on my mind a lot lately. How can it not? (End rant.)
  6. Back to my happy place. I’m starting a new book tonight. Our book club picked “The Maid” by Nita Prose. Has anyone read it? What did you think?
  7. I don’t know what I’m making for dinner this week.
  8. I decided that two writing challenges were too many for me this month. My goal is to write every day, but I can’t write all day and keep up with both groups. So, I’m keeping the Ultimate Blog Challenge and giving up the daily prompt challenge from Philly Writers Workshop. But I am going to their writing class tomorrow night. I can’t stay away too long.
  9. I’ve officially switched from Diet Raspberry Snapple to Turkey Hill Diet Green Iced Tea. This is big news! My addiction to Diet Snapple is legendary. I would drink two or three a day without thinking about it. Now, I can enjoy my diet iced tea without guilt. And some days I don’t drink any iced tea at all. I opt for a Mike’s Hard Lemonade instead. 🙂
  10. If you have commented on any of my blogs, I want to say THANK YOU! I love reading your comments. While writing is my passion, it gets lonely sometimes. Your kind words fill my heart and are greatly appreciated.

XO,
Elisa

No Book-Buy July

Inspired by a fellow blogger’s No Buy July post, I decided not to purchase any new books this month. As you know, it is difficult for me to refrain from supporting independent bookstores or downloading new titles from my ultra-convenient Audible and Kindle accounts. Right now, I have one Audible credit for July, and I’m not cashing it in until August. Is it killing me that it’s sitting out there, and I could have a new shiny book to listen to today? Well, yes. But I’m not giving in. I have shelf control.

I mean self-control.

So far, I’ve listened to one book I own — which turned out to be a 5-star read — and started a book on my Kindle that I purchased a long time ago. I’m also reading more New York Times articles and cleaning up my Kindle by catching up on the samples I’ve downloaded and never read. I deleted a few of them and put the two I liked on hold to buy later.

Here is the only downside. I haven’t stopped myself from making other random purchases this month. Just yesterday, I spotted a sterling silver bracelet featuring pressed flowers in a charming jewelry shop. I had no intention of buying anything for myself, but after I tried it on, I loved it. This sort of impulse buy would not have happened if I had made a recent trip to the bookstore. But since there was no chance of that, I decided to support a different kind of small business and bought the bracelet. While I had a little buyer’s remorse, I woke up this morning happy to see it sitting pretty on my wrist.

Of course, now I want a manicure, so this no-book-buy July might wind up being too dangerous for my pocketbook. But at least I won’t add any new books to my TBR tower. So, silver lining!

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