Mommy The Journalist: May 2020

Do you have a TBR list? You know, a list of books you want to read? Well, mine never gets smaller because as soon as one title comes off, at least three more get added. That said, I got a decent start on my summer reading list this month. Recently I've let myself get sucked into a specific genre and not strayed from it, so I challenged myself to branch out and read some different types of books and break the trance.

Whisper of the Moon Moth

Author: Lindsay Jayne Ashford

This book has been on my list to read for awhile, and it was a good one to start my summer reading. It's a nice historical fiction based on real-life actress, Merle Oberon (best known for her role of Cathy in Wuthering Heights), and how she spent her entire life hiding her true heritage. The story begins in Calcutta, India, where Merle still goes by her given name, Estelle Thompson, and a failed love affair sets her dreams of becoming an actress in motion. As you follow her journey to stardom, you'll cross paths with Laurence Olivier, Vivienne Leigh, and Leslie Howard. It's a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at early Hollywood and what might have happened.

The Girl in Cabin 13

Author: A.J. Rivers

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, the plot line is extremely interesting. A female FBI agent, Emma, is sent undercover to a small town to find a serial killer, but because of a previous incident she's ordered only to observe and then call in a team to bring the culprit in. There are a lot of things about her mission that I don't think would actually happen in real life. However, I did like the main character and the story didn't get bogged down. I will say that I identified the killer pretty early on in the story, but I read a lot of mysteries and have a pretty good eye for foreshadowing. There is a lot of unexplored and unresolved back story with Emma that I assume will be addressed and eventually resolved in successive books, however I haven't decided if I want to continue the series.

The Mermaid's Sister
Author: Carrie Ann Noble

Why did I wait so long to read this? Clara, Maren, and O'Neill were raised together after being found as orphans - Maren inside a seashell, O'Neill underneath an apple tree, and Clara delivered by a stork. When Maren turns into a mermaid, Clara and O'Neill know they have to get Maren to the sea or she'll die. So they set out for the shore, but their journey is anything but easy and the trio finds themselves the prisoners of a troupe of traveling performers.

Infinity Chronicles
Author: Albany Walker

I read this all in one go in the box set. Truthfully, the author probably could have told the story in one or two books instead of four. Laura and her mom have been running for as long as Laura can remember but she doesn't know why. Now it's senior year and all Laura wants to do is make it to graduation without attracting any attention. But an unexpected connection to three of her classmates and the disappearance of her mother make that unlikely. Laura learns she's part of an Infinity and that everything she thought she knew about herself is a lie. Now she and her men find themselves facing a dangerous adversary that's been chasing Laura her entire life. I liked the story, especially the unexpected ending, but I have to admit that I found Laura to be annoying at times. Her underlying issues were understandable based on the circumstances but at times she just came across as obtuse and her self-doubt seemed overexaggerated. Ares was my favorite character.

Ghosts of Gotham
Author: Craig Schaefer

Holy freaking wow. This book was by far the best I read in May. I literally found myself sitting in open-mouthed shock as the author revealed the secrets of this mystery. In order to not spoil those same moments for you, I'm going to tell you what made me download it initially. An investigative reporter is hired to find and authenticate a lost manuscript written by Edgar Allan Poe. For Lionel Page, who's built his career on debunking mysteries and the supernatural, it should be an easy task, but when the first body shows up, Lionel realizes he's gotten involved in something much bigger than a mysterious manuscript.

No comments

I keep having to remind myself of this, especially as I find myself taking longer to get through daily to-do lists only to be followed by a day where it seems as if I run out of tasks by lunch time. Although to be honest, I haven't felt like I've had many productive days these past few weeks when it comes to work. I've definitely been working, but I don't have a lot to show for it. I'm blaming it on all the confusion related to this pandemic and the slow reopening of things. This is traditionally my busiest week of the month, as everything starts to come together for the next month's magazine. So in keeping with my current theme with these motivational posts, I thought I would share five things I couldn't live without in my home office.

1. Planner - Between school projects, work deadlines, doctor visits and other appointments, I would get absolutely nothing accomplished without a planner. I'm a big fan of The Parent Planner. I like that it has the entire month plus daily pages to keep track of my life. It also has thumb dividers and pockets for storing important papers.

2. Blue Light Blocking Glasses - I started using blue light blocking glasses a couple of years ago, and now I can't spend a day working from my computer without them. They have significantly reduced my eye strain, and if I didn't already have daith piercings I feel like I would be able to tell a difference in the amount of headaches I used to have. These days, my blue light blocking glasses are also my prescription glasses, but I started out with this pair.

3. Cozy Blanket - I, for one, can't work when I'm hot, so I tend to keep my office pretty chilly. That said, I also don't want to sit and freeze. So I invested in a plush throw to keep my legs and feet wrapped up. The one I have isn't available anymore, but this one is pretty similar.

4. Comfy Headphones - I talked about my headphones in an earlier motivation post. I don't use them every day, but when I really need to get things done, using headphones helps keep me focused.

5. Desk Organizer - Admittedly, my desk stays pretty cluttered when I'm actually working, but I do try to reorganize everything at the end of the day so I can start the next work day on a good note. At the moment, my organizational system is very mismatched, but I've got my eye on this really pretty rose gold set from Amazon.

My home office also has a space set up for my daughter so she can 'work' with me and a book corner where I can relax and have a moment to myself. What are your home office essentials?

No comments

Another week of social distancing has come and gone. My state has started reopening in phases, and I am so excited to be able to get my hair cut later this week (I'm two months overdue!). We've also got a day trip to the beach planned with some cousins, which will give Alexis some much-needed play time with kids her own age, and I don't have to worry about where they've been (home like us). For the most part, life won't change for us immediately. We still plan on keeping Alexis away from big crowds. She has asthma so we're being cautious. And we'll continue to do restaurant take-out rather than dine-in for at least another month. I, for one, can't wait until our library reopens and I can reschedule my long overdue dentist appointment.

In the meantime, we've all be spending way more time on our devices these days, so I thought I would share my top 5 phone apps - not counting social media, and no, Pinterest isn't social media to me.

1. Pinterest - I would much rather look at Pinterest on my phone or tablet than on my computer. Whenever I pull up a recipe I've pinned, I'm not setting my laptop up on the counter. Anyway, I've been trying out a lot of new recipes and Pinterest is honestly easier to keep track of them with than writing them down.

2. Webtoon - Do you like comics? I'm not necessarily talking about Marvel or DC. You could just like the Sunday funnies. This app has dozens of comics that you won't see in the newspaper or find in a comic book store. Most update weekly, although some are biweekly or even daily. I never miss an episode of Lore Olympus, SubZero, or unOrdinary.

3. Block! Hexa - This is a puzzle game where you have to fit pieces into a layout.

4. Amazon Music - I use this app while I'm getting ready in the morning. It's included in my Prime membership, but they're also running a special right now where you can get 3 months free unlimited music.

5. Happy Color/Paint by Number - Technically this is two different apps, but they're the same type of app. Each drops new pictures every day. It's super relaxing, but beware. It will kill your phone battery.

What apps are you loving right now?