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random thoughts written for your reading pleasure

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Real Estate

I’ve decided to go for it and get my broker’s license! I’ve narrowed down my options of where to go to school for it and will pick one by the end of next week. I will go to a college (like North Seattle) if I get financial aid otherwise I’ll just do online schooling at one of two places. While I don’t need financial aid, it’d be nice to not have to pay for school before M starts working again. Even if I have to, it’s not that much. I filled out FSA on Friday and already got it all verified so I could complete the whole app today! I’d never filled it out before and had to pull up 2017 tax info. It would take longer if I went through North Seattle so I’m not as excited about that... now that I’ve finally made the decision to go through with it, I want it to be done as soon as possible! I’m just a tad bit excited :) Good things to come in 2020!

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Psychological Thrillers

WOW! I’ve gotten into some awesome psychological thrillers that I can’t wait to write about. I need to sit down and take the time to do it... the thing is that is stopping me is wanting to keep reading! I finish one and immediately find another. I have quite a few that I’ve saved on my Amazon wish list for reading. The ones I’ll blog about soon - hopefully this week, are Dead Certain, Stillhouse Lake, and Drop Dead Perfect. Two of those were Amazon Firsts - WHICH I LOVE. Can’t believe I didn’t know about it until a few months ago. Keeps me wondering what gems I missed out on all these months. Anyway, I just wrote two different reviews on here from books saved in my draft folder but next time I log in, I’ll post a review of one of those three!

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Books: Where We Fall

This book is.. good enough. What kept me reading it is Abby’s struggle with depression and how it surfaces in different passages. But honestly? It wasn’t super imaginative. There were maybe two things that surprised me in there and ended the way you’d expect.

Basically, three high school friends are split apart - two girls and one guy. And I’d bet you guessed it, one of the girls ends up with the guy and the third reappears 17 years later and the love triangle that was formed in high school falls apart... or maybe uncovers a secret or two is a better way to put it. This book is a good enough read if you’re looking for something easy and has the interesting element of depression mixed in with it. But if you’re looking for something with more substance, skip it.

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Books: An Absent Mind

Loved this book. I was interested in Alzheimer's and wanted to understand it a bit more. This book gives you a more in depth understanding of it. I love the way it’s written, it reads like a true story or even at some points, like a diary! You can tell the author did some great research on the disease before writing and in doing a little research after, I found out his father had Alzheimer’s before he died. I was also impressed that this is only the third book this author wrote. His first two were physiological thrillers which I intend to add to my reading list! 

So, well researched, well written, and well rounded! Well rounded because it not only gives you insight into the man with Alzheimer’s, but also his wife, adult children, AND his doctor. A must read for anyone slightly interested in this disease or who knows someone affected by it. I truly believe it helps you understand the disease more even though this book is a work of fiction.

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While in Paris, I had to visit Shakespeare and Company! I didn't make it there my first time around and am glad I did this time. Earlier in our trip, I walked by one in Munich. I didn't realize there was more then one! Didn't go into the bookstore in Munich since it was closed but I did take a picture.

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Books: Wasted Words

This book was written by Staci Hart and before writing this I decided I’d see if she’d written any other books. She has! A lot! I’ve put a lot of them on my books to read list. Wasted Words is basically a romantic comedy. Roommates who are totally different - read: jock and nerd - end up together. It’s obvious its going to happen but it shows what happens after and if they stay together or not. That, I liked. It kind of starts where the happy ending leaves you. You know, at the end of a story they get together and live happily ever after? Well, they get together pretty quick in the book and then have some difficulty after that. I liked how this was written and while it’s not a complicated read, a quick and easy read is exactly what I look for at times. Would recommend to someone looking for the same but also enjoys a love story.

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Books: When I'm Gone

I really liked this book. It’s written by Emily Bleeker and I read another book of hers because I liked this one so much. The plot line doesn’t seem very unique and thinking about it now, it’s not. I’m sure there’s tons of books out there, and movies as well, that have letters from a dead loved one being delivered secretly to you. This one is to Luke from his dead wife, Natalie. She died of cancer and she wrote him letters while she was fighting it. Through these letters, he learns of how Natalie made preparations before she died so that he and their three kids would be taken care of. Have people around to support them. But she reveals more about herself to him through these letters and there’s a mystery that each letter unfolds. Luke becomes closer to Natalie’s best friend as you read along and you see that relationship develop. I didn’t find this book depressing or a tearjerker. Writing about it now makes me want to read it again! I probably will, you should too!

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Not memorable...

Soo... I had a bunch of books queued up to write about and since I haven’t done that in a while I thought I’d come back and check some of those off my list. Well. Turns out I can’t remember what some of them are about... so why write about them?? If I can’t remember, maybe it’s not worth reading. I’m deleting the drafts of books that don’t spark any sort of memory. I have read quite of a few great books on my trip to Europe! Those I will blog about soon.

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Books: When You Make It Home

Written by Claire Ashby. The main character is a pregnant woman named Meg. She’s been knocked up by an ex and then meets a man, named Theo, who was injured while serving in the Army. He helps her out by getting the baby room ready and she lets him be her roommate. Of course, they end up together. There’s a bit of a fight when her baby daddy shows up and Theo leaves and towards the end, she has to decide whether she wants to be with Theo or not. While I liked this book well enough, isn’t something I’d put on a “must read” list.

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Books: From a Paris Balcony

Loved this! Highly recommend. I may even buy a physical copy of this! Very great read!! From a Paris Balcony is written by Ella Carey... Sarah finds a letter in her father’s old belongings that is written by the famous Parison courtesan, Marthe de Florian, from 1895. This letter references the mysterious death of her great aunt, Louisa, who supposedly committed suicide. Sarah had just gotten divorced so with nothing holding her back, she decides to go to Paris and investigate both the letter and Louisa’s death further. She meets Laurent, who is an artist, and they get to know each other while finding the link between Louisa’s death and Marthe de Florian’s letter. This book has a little bit of all my favorites - history, love, paris!! Go read it!

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Project: Books

I decided I’m gonna write little summaries about books that I’ve read so far this year since I’ve read so many of them! This will be a good way to remember the ones I want to recommend. I’m hoping to write a little something about all of them... I also have maybe 15 or so just from this year to write about. I’m gonna get started!

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Lower Queen Anne

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Reflection

I haven't kept this blog updated at all like I hoped I would do... but I'm glad I kept it this whole time instead of deleting it. I reread a post I wrote three years ago entitled "I have the urge..." and could not help but think how many of those things I'm actually doing. 

It's amazing to look back at that post and to read the things I wanted to do and knowing that I am doing those things now. It really makes me reflect on what made me get to the point that, instead of just having the urge to do something, I went out and did it.

What prompted me to act? What changed? What motivated me? Bottom line... Me.

I'm proud of how much I've grown as a person in the last few years. Three years ago, I wasn't confident enough to do the things I really wanted to do. I didn't believe in myself enough... I conformed to what society's expectations were of a normal, successful life. And honestly, that wasn't for me! I'm too much of a free spirit, if you will, to do that.

Edit in January 2017... took out a paragraph here.

I started out writing this post because I wanted to write about how I didn't have the urge to do things anymore. I don't have that urge because I just do it. And that, that makes me happy.

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Always loved this quote.

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This link. So amazing. I wanted to have this link available to me whenever I needed to read it or show it to someone to read. Such a good little piece!

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Project: 2nd Bedroom/Creative Office Space Update

The second bedroom is a LOT different now then it was a few years ago! It's been awhile but I'm hoping to blog on here again. Maybe it'll help with my business! 

The second bedroom is now my office and scrapbooking space… but also Tuesday the bunny's room!

It's being cleared out now so that it's more usable but its actually looking pretty good… like the rest of the house! Which is amazing :) 

Hard work pays off!

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Project: 2nd Bedroom/Creative Office Space

I'm aiming to get everything cleaned out of there by the 15 th... Then I can go get a loft bed for it and get a little desk under for a sewing machine! My scrapbook stuff will be under there too. And we will have a desk in there for studying and a computer. So excited for when it is all done! I'll post a picture when it's done. :)