Hello from the other side… the side where I didn’t blog for more than 3 months (I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist)! That’s the longest hiatus I’ve taken since I started this blog and I considered whether it was time to close it down for good. For a while, I didn’t feel like blogging at all, so I didn’t. But then, I started to miss it quite a bit. I’ve thought about writing a new post for a few weeks now, but I didn’t know what to say. Then I thought, I don’t have to say anything in particular, but it would feel nice to write something, anything, here on the blog again. This is all to say that I don’t have a particular topic in mind for this post. It’s going to be more of a rambly, chatty one, and I thought I’d just jump right in to my life currently.
I just finished House of Cards Season 4, like a few minutes before I started typing up this post, and all I have to say is that I’m even more terrified of Frank and Claire. However, Claire’s cheekbones and outfits remain as flawless as ever. Have you guys seen the new season yet? The next Netflix season premiere that I’m excited for is Daredevil Season 2, which drops this Friday.
I’m getting that restless feeling that I often get when Spring comes around. I want to go somewhere, do something, clear my closet, and reorganize my room from top to bottom. Speaking of going somewhere, I’m hoping that I’ll be making a trip next month to Indiana for a close family friend’s wedding. My parents are planning to attend and so is my sister, so it will be awesome if I get the chance to see them next month.
One thing I’m not looking forward to at all is moving in the next few months. My lease is up at the end of May and I’m 99% sure that I’ll be saying goodbye to the apartment that I’ve lived in for the past 3 years. I’m trying not to ignore the unhappy task ahead of me, but it is a bit too early to actually start looking yet. I have a few more weeks before the stress of apartment hunting begins to consume my life.
Let’s get off that less happy note and talk about clothes for a bit, ok? I’ve been shopping less and less lately; in fact, I don’t think I’ve bought any new clothes in the last several months. Ever since I did my capsule wardrobe experiment a couple years ago, I’ve noticed that I tend to shop in waves. I’ll go months without shopping, then one day, I’ll shop till I drop and pick up a few new pieces for that particular season. I’m ready to add some more spring-appropriate pieces to my wardrobe. At the moment, a lot of my clothes feel very dark and heavy, so I’d like to add some color and lighter fabrics. I’ve been browsing my usual haunts, and I’m tempted by this Madewell sweater and this Loft drapey trench. I’ve been eyeing that sweater for weeks now and I might actually take the plunge since it’s on sale; meanwhile, I’m keeping an eye on the trench and may head into a store to try it on first.
I was still reading and (mostly) keeping up with my booktube channel during my hiatus. I’m currently knee-deep in The Count of Monte Cristo. I started it last month, but as the book is nearly 1,500 pages, I’ve accepted that it’s going to take me a while to read it. I’m also reading Between the World and Me, which is a book I’ve been meaning to read since it was published last year. I’ve written reviews for the novels I’ve finished since I wrote my last post on books, but I haven’t posted them on the blog yet. Is that something you guys would still like to see?
I have other unpublished posts as well- outfits that I shot while I was home in California in December and recaps of the road trip my family took last summer. If you guys are still interested, I’d be happy to post them. Let me know what you think!
During my break, I thought about what I want to do with this blog. I don’t have all the answers, but I do know that I want to write more. When I published my first few posts, I treated this space like an online journal and I want to go back to that: keeping a log about my life that I could look back on, writing about things I was interested in, not worrying about a schedule, and interacting with people in the comments. I also want to get back to snapping pictures of things- I can’t even remember the last time I took my camera out of my apartment. I’m returning to the things that made me excited about blogging in the first place. It will be a challenge to get back into the swing of things because I can be a lazy bum, but I’d like to push myself.
If you made it through this lengthy post, thank you very much. And thank you to anyone who’s ever visited this blog and read what I’ve written. I hope you’re all doing well and if you’d like to fill me in on your lives lately, I’d love to hear about it in the comments down below!
(image via Death to Stock Photo)
![It's a very belated book haul! These are the four books I picked up on my trip to Australia back in May. Of course I had to check out some bookstores on my first trip to Sydney and I think I ended up visiting 9 in total (check out my stories to see the mini bookstore vlog I made)!
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It was so fun book shopping over there since majority of the covers are different from our US covers. I couldn't resist this pretty edition of PACHINKO, which I've already read. And when I picked up this copy of PEOPLE PERSON, I was so excited to see it because it wasn't out yet in the US at that time. I also bought two books that I hadn't heard of before I discovered them in the bookstore: IDOL and LOVE AND OTHER PUZZLES.
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Do you tend to prefer US or UK book covers?
[P.S. This is an old photo that includes a HarperCollins UK title, but please note that I support the HarperCollins Union.]
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[ID: A stack of the following books sits on top of white bedding in front of a white wall (from top to bottom): PACHINKO, IDOL, LOVE AND OTHER PUZZLES, PEOPLE PERSON.]
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#Pachinko #Idol #LoveAndOtherPuzzles #PeoplePerson #whattoread #beautifulbooks #bookhaul #booksandtravel #travelandbooks #bookishaesthetic #bookstacks #bookstacklove #ukbookcovers #ukbookhaul #newbooks #bookbuying #bookpurchases #coolgirlsread #readerslife #bookishcommunity #australiatrip #stackofbooks #bookwormlife #booksandbooks](https://starcrossedsmile.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
Welcome back — I was wondering where you’d gotten to! And good luck with all the moving business…moving is seriously the worst,
Courtney ~ Sartorial Sidelines
Thanks so much, Courtney! I was still online, just lurking mostly, haha :) Thank you- I’m going to need it!
Hey N! It’s great to see you back on here. I loved reading all the updates! To answer your questions… Yes to the book posts and yes to the other unpublished posts!! :)
I have Daredevil on my watch-list and look forward to starting it soon, but have actually never seen House of Cards.. Although I’ve heard good things about it.
How awesome that you’ll be going to Indiana soon! I can totally relate to that restless feeling of wanting to get out and go somewhere.. We’re thinking of some options ourselves, but nothing set yet.
Thanks love! Thanks for letting me know about the unpublished posts- I’m glad you want to see them :) I don’t know why I think this, but I have a feeling Carlos would really enjoy House of Cards. You have to let me know what you think of both Daredevil and House of Cards if you watch them. I’m really hoping Indiana will work out- I still need to buy my ticket. The nice thing is that I do have at least one trip to CA on the horizon. Today I submitted my time off request for July! :D
Glad to see you blogging again! I’ve felt a pull to return to my blog lately as well (and move away from YT, which I might have to chat with you about some time). I say yes to all of your planned and unpublished posts! :) We just finished House of Cards this weekend as well– I thought this season was great, and I totally agree with you about Claire’s outfits. Good luck as you deal with apartments/moving; that will be me in a few months and I’m already dreading it!
Thank you, Caiti! You’re part of the reason why I wanted to keep blogging- your blog reminds me that there are still people out there publishing posts with substance. I’ve been loving your meal planning posts in particular lately. I don’t fully meal plan (yet), but you’ve given me some new recipe ideas. Yes, definitely shoot me a message about blogging/booktube if you want to (do you have Voxer?). I’d love to chat with you about it. Thank you for the good wishes for apartment hunting! I figure I have a bit of time to brace myself/develop a more positive outlook on it :)
Welcome back :) Love to see what you will be blogging about next :)
katattack2000.wordpress.com
Thank you so much! :D
I think it’s important to take breaks with blogging, although I’ve only taken about 2 weeks off at longest, it was definitely needed. Instagram these days is my weakness when I am too busy to blog, lol. Sounds like you’ve a lot that you will be looking forward to, have fun at the wedding. I love House of Cards, will have to catch up with the latest season on the weekend. Have a great spring. BTW The Count of Monte Cristo is like one of my favourite books when I was younger. <3 /Madison
Spring & Easter Inspiration
Thank you, Madison! Yes, I wanted to wait until I felt like blogging
again before coming back. I’ve got a few weddings to attend this year so
far and I’m looking forward to all of them! The Count of Monte Cristo is really great so far- someday I will actually finish it! :D
Hi Nnenna! Glad you took the break you needed – the blog can be tricky, because sometimes the lines between hobby and job get blurred and there are definitely times when I feel like all I want to do is curl up and watch tv but I feel like I have the obligation of getting my blog post ready for the next day. And other days I have a post I can’t wait to share, or have a great conversation with another blogger and remember why I started down this path.
I’d be happy to read anything you post, and will always keep coming back, no matter how long the hiatus.
I just started house of cards two nights ago and have watched two episodes. I’m already scared of Frank and Claire.
In my life news, not too much is going on, but my sister and I are planning a trip to California in June! We are starting in San Francisco and heading to San Diego.
Hi Lydia! Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment and support! It’s interactions like these that make me want to continue blogging. Even when I wasn’t posting, I was still reading my favorite blogs, including yours :) The nice thing about it being a hobby is that if I want to take a hiatus like I just did, I’m not obligated to anyone else and the decisions is entirely up to me.
Get ready to become addicted to House of Cards! I hope you have a great time on your California trip! Both San Diego and San Francisco are great, and if all goes as planned, I should be visiting both cities this summer too :)