Merm’s Loving Lately’s
- Mocha Chip Perfect Bar
My new fave flavor of Perfect Bar is Mocha Chip. I love the taste of coffee, but can’t drink it because I’m too sensitive to caffeine, so this flavor combined with the chocolate chips is the perfect protein bar that tastes delish and gives me that nice taste of coffee & chocolate.
2. Reading Russian Literature
I’ve been getting back to my roots (I’m half-russian) and started to read more books by Russian authors. I recently read Mountain of Crumbs by Elena Gorokhova which is a memoir of how she grew up during Cold War Russia and eventually immigrated to the United States. I originally bought this book to do research for a play I’m writing about my mother who has a similar background and it sat around in my room for almost a year until I finally had the time during my solo trip to Portugal to read it. It brought me to tears multiple times. Her writing was rich, decadent, and poignant. It’s inspired me to keep reading Russian literature to learn a little more about the culture my ancestors come from. Next up, is Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov.
3. Blogging (again!)
After a little summer hiatus, I am back blogging and already the ideas for posts and things I want to write about are flowing out of me! This blog is such a creative outlet for me and it really helps me feel more like myself. Sometimes I feel like I need to be sharing it more with my community (like posting it on social media every time I post) but there’s a part of me that just feels like this is for me and whoever is meant to find it will find it and it can resonate with them or not. Right now, I’m just focusing on content and sharing bits of me to whomever comes across it!
4. Face Massages
I tend to hold a lot of tension in my jaw and temples which has started to cause headaches. I’m pretty sure I clench my jaw during my sleep (hello low grade bruxism) so I’ve been starting to massage my jaw and forehead in the morning and it feels so amazing. It’s crazy how much we hold onto unconsciously. I’m making it a point to be my morning and bedtime routine.
5. Paying it Forward
I have been feeling super blessed and abundant lately. I recently read You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero as well as the Seven Spiritual Laws to Success by Deepak Chopra and I’m learning to release my limiting beliefs about money and am discovering that money is simply an exchange of energy and you must give in order to receive. Therefore, I am making it a point to give to others joyously and freely. Last night, I was sitting in bed and randomly decided that I would venmo some of my best friends just $5.00 to congratulate them on starting new jobs and grad school. I left a little note telling them to treat themselves to a certain coffee shop/bakery in their respective areas (SF, DC, and NYC). It made me feel so happy to gift them a little treat and I just imagined how nice it would feel if someone surprised me with something like that and I felt so nice being able to do that for them.
6. Homemade Iced Earl Grey Lattes with Lavender Honey
I recently bought lavender honey from a local honey store and have been putting it in almost everything. When I’m at work, I like to make a drink for an afternoon pick me up, and since I can’t have coffee, I’ve been making iced earl grey lattes and then adding the lavender honey and it’s been so delish. All I do, is steep a tea bag in a little bit of hot water, add in the honey, and then top it with ice and almond milk and there ya have it.
7. Bachelor in Paradise
Okay, I have never been a fan of the Bachelor franchise until a few months ago. I’ve been watching Bachelor in Paradise religiously and it’s my ultimate guilty pleasure. I used to think these types of shows were super sexist and superficial, but I think it’s fascinating to observe humans and how they react in these emotional situations. It’s just crazy what can happen when you put a bunch of people together on a beach. The show has taught me a lot about the human condition and acting, oddly enough, because it’s so easy to tell what is real vs not real. My fave couple from this season is Astrid and Kevin bc they are #goals.
8. Driving My Beloved Orangelina
Orangelina is the first car I’ve ever had. I drove her during my high school years, but when I moved away for college I left her behind and haven’t had a car since then. I lived a whole year out here in CT and I lived on campus so I was able to get to work, but it was tough not being able to go to the gym, grocery store, or yoga on my own time. I moved off campus recently so it was necessary I find a car. After my searches on Craigslist didn’t succeed, it just so happened that my mom no longer has a need for Orangelina and I shipped her out from California to CT. Already, my life has been changed for the better! This morning I went to the gym before work and am planning to go to yoga later tonight and I am just so HAPPY and GRATEFUL for Orangelina and I being reunited once more.
9. Sleeping with a Partner
I usually don’t like sharing a bed with other people because I like my own space, but the past couple months, I’ve been sleeping with my partner almost every single night. I’ve noticed that when we sleep together, I fall asleep super quickly. When I’m alone, it takes me about 1-2 hours to fall asleep because there are so many thoughts running through my head, but for some reason, when I’m with my person, I’m relaxed and can just focus on sleep instead of everything else under the sun.
10. Weekend Getaways
I love mini-vacays. It gives me something to look forward to, and if I can fit it into a weekend then I don’t have to feel bad for taking any days off work. I went to Dallas, TX for Labor Day Weekend to visit my best friend for her birthday and this coming weekend, my boyfriend and I are going to Cape Cod. I’m also planning on visiting other New England towns and really enjoying the New England fall before the weather gets too bad. It’s the perfect taste of freedom before returning to work for the week while getting to explore the area around us! I am blessed to live in a place that is so close to major cities like Boston and NYC and have all this beautiful nature surrounding it.
Mermaid Musings 