Captain's Log: February 26

 

Happy February friends!

February has always been my favorite month. Maybe it's the love in the air of maybe it's the fact that my birthday is in 5 days. Either way, I love the transition from winter to Spring, the romance, the love, and the pink and red vibes everywhere.

I talked a little bit about my resolutions last month and how I've been doing. I'm really proud to say, I've actually been KILLING it on my resolutions and plan to go into February with this momentum and continue the all around productivity I have made.

Usually, I divide these logs into what I've been reading, watching, and playing, but because I've been focusing on utilizing screen time more productively, I'll be talking more about how I've spent my time overall this past month.

It's so strange seeing this photo I used to use for my reading sections. It was taken at my first apartment when I had one tiny bookshelf from Walmart. As I write this, I'm looking at the wall of bookshelves in my office in our now 3rd apartment.  I still have that bookshelf but it's smaller than my other two and definitely more packed then it used to be.  

Reminiscing aside, I read a total of 14 books in January, which was a really great start to the year.  Some of the most standout books I read were...

• Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgewick - A story enveloped in Norse mythology about souls transcending through time and what it truly means to love someone. 5/5 stars. I sobbed at work and the writing was absolutely incredible. I listened to the audiobook, which set the atmosphere and the interwoven mythology was fascinating.

• 11/22/63 by Stephen King - We all know I love Stephen King and this book was no different. 850 pages of time travel as our main character tries to stop the assassination of JFK and attempt to do as much good as he can in the process. 4/5 stars. I adored this book but I feel like some of the end was a little...mid. I had a theory on how it would end and honestly preferred my theory. Otherwise a fantastic read.

• Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Read - A tale of two queer women training to be the first women in the program in the 1970's. 4.5/5 stars. I loved this book. I heard a lot of mixed reviews about this book but was pleasantly surprised. As a person who adores space and astronomy, and is queer myself, the setting and writing were fantastic and I definitely shed a tear.

• Don't Let The Forest In by C.G Drews - This book about two boys who have to deal with not only the monsters in their heads but the unknown in the forest. 5/5 stars. This book was hauntingly beautiful and I ADORED the writing. I'm so excited for C.G. Drews upcoming book just to experience the incredible atmospheric writing. 

• A Well-Trained Wife by Tia Levings - A memoir about a woman growing up and living in a fundamentalist Christian world, becoming subservient and oppressed under men. 2/5 stars. I wanted to like this book. The writing was raw and the story was heart-wrenching and I wanted to scream most of the time. However, I felt there were ties to the current political climate that were halfway explored and could have easily been expanded on and I felt the end was too abrupt. 

For more of my book thoughts, you can always follow me on Goodreads or Fable!

I haven't been watching a whole lot of TV or playing video games, though my hands are itching to go back to Stardew and try Sun Haven, as I see my fiancé playing it right now. However, I've definitely been working on my goals that I have set for myself.

Every day, I wake up and intentionally, slide my phone in my pocket, using it only as an alarm to keep me on track in the mornings. I have been doing Tagalog, Japanese, Spanish, and Klingon lessons daily, not only in various apps but with books and taking notes, studying on my own to improve my speech and grammar. I've even found myself thinking (more) in other languages and incorporating bits here and there into my daily vernacular.

I have started the process of joining a gym and telling myself that maybe walking around instead of eating Hot Cheetos might be better for me (much to my dismay) and my watch has definitely seen improvement in my step count.

Every day, I try to stick to a routine of self-care, healthy eating, journaling, reading, practicing languages, enjoying spending time talking to my family or my fiancé, and doing more hobbies instead of just scrolling on my phone. I will say it does feel somewhat easier since I have been off most social media for almost a year and I do still look at screens, though I have swapped my phone for my big iPad to make it a little more inconvenient for me to just scroll through it all day. I still love watching YouTube and movies, but as I have worked on building more of my hobbies, I realized something.

My ultimate goal is to be the interesting person I want to be. I want to learn to play more instruments well, get back into playing the piano and flute and guitar and drums. I want to speak multiple languages, be well read, be knowledgeable about random topics like botany and astronomy and the Renaissance. The other day, I actually intelligently discussed the Cuban Missile crisis and just knowing what I was talking about made me feel...accomplished and like....this is what life is about. Being, living, doing, experiencing. 

I've always wanted to speak multiple languages, so why not now? I'm planning on ordering a flute and starting to play again and eventually, once we move to a bigger place, maybe getting a studio to draw and play the drums and guitar without annoying my neighbors. 

So, I guess all in all, this past month was definitely a beginning in the best way. A beginning into what I hope to will make the journey I've always wanted. 

How was your month? Tell me all about it!

Always, Raineedayze

Welcome 2026

 

Happy New Year y'all!

I have always been a person who loves a new year and a time to reset. I'm a list maker to my core and when the new year rolls around, I get so excited to make a list of the new goals and visions for the new year. 

Even though I already started the year a little....delayed (I slept most of the day. Thanks chronic fatigue!) I still have high hopes for the year overall!

So with no further ado, here are my goals for the new year!

1. Read 100 books

This was probably my lowest reading year in recent history and I only read 40 books for the whole year. Obviously, reading any amount is a great accomplishment, however, I know I spent a lot of time procrastinating this year and didn't get a lot of the books read that I planned on reading. So this year, I plan to aim for 100 books and prioritize my library and currently owned books! I'll discuss more about this in an upcoming post ;) but overall, I think I can do it!

2. Plan my wedding!

One of the biggest priorities this year will be planning my wedding. Our tentative plans are to get married in early January 2027 so this year will be our time to plan like crazy. I've obviously never planned a wedding and this is a very daunting task but I'm just reminding myself that no matter what happens, at the end of the day, I get to marry my best friend! But expect a lot of wedding planning updates this year.

3. Get fitter

I know, I know. It's the ever evasive resolution, but this past year has really definitely shown me I need to get fitter and in better shape. Between the daunting task of clothes shopping, general discomfort in public spaces, and my body developing new fun aches and pains, I know that once I prioritize my body, I will be happier. I want to take care of myself to feel more comfortable, not only because of physical changes, but because I shouldn't feel this old this early in my life. 

4. Increase my fluency in Spanish and Tagalog

Ever since I moved, I've been able to really immerse myself in both my Mexican and Filipino heritage due to having more opportunities to surround myself in both cultures. I've always had a basic knowledge of Spanish, grew up in a Spanglish household with family members who only spoke Spanish, but over that last year, my Spanish has grown significantly.  I want to continue that this year and improve both my Spanish and Tagalog, which is rudimentary at best.

5. Get out of my comfort zone

One of the biggest things I've struggled with my entire life has been my anxiety and this past year I pushed myself to leave a job I was very comfortable at for a job that was more beneficial financially and pushed me out of my comfort zone and after seeing how much that has helped me, I wanted to continue that momentum and push myself to do things that help me become more independent and more of the person that I want to be. Whether it's driving more, saying yes to more opportunities, or doing things that I tend to overthink, I want to push myself.

6. Stop Doom-Procrastinating

I know that a lot of this year, I spent a lot of my time procrastinating. I would often spend my free time wanting to read a book or play a game or watch a show and spending all my time trying to decide what to do instead of actually doing anything. So this year, I'm going to try to make myself just DO IT. I want to stop overthinking "what should I do" and just actually do something. There's so many things I want to read, games I want to play, stories I want to write, movies I want to watch, and the constant overthinking and indecisiveness robs me of my little free time and makes any time off seem like not enough.

7. Romanticize my life

One thing I love is watching people who find beauty in simplicity. In a calm morning, a cup of coffee, and a simple meal. I want to spend more time romanticizing the little things, the simple acts of having a morning routine, of cleaning my space, and making my home a happy place to be. In that same vein...

8. Reducing unproductive screen time

Since deleting Instagram, Tiktok, Twitter, and Facebook, you would think that my screen time would go waaaay down. But I replaced that with youtube shorts, reddit posts, and just general mind numbing on my phone. So i want to spend more time living in the simple silence. Obviously, I love to read a lot on my phone or iPad so I'm not counting that as screen time or counting the games or movies/television that I have on my never ending backlog, but more of the just....useless nonsense that I use to fill the silence, especially during moments where I can just....be.

9. CREATE MORE

One of the biggest things I want to do this year is create. Whether it's blog posts, short stories, journal entries, videos, vlogs, drawings, paintings, crafts...I just want to create. I want to make things from my own brain, from my own hands, and do something. I have so many crafts that are undone, hobbies I want to try, drawing supplies I never use...and I want to spend this year using them!

10. Save money

Of course, with the wedding coming up, I will be having to be a lot tighter with my money, but I also want to be more conscious with my spending (especially as I see the amount of stuff I have to put in storage just because it's taking up so much space) and use my money for more productive things like a new running car or an actual home, where I don't have to use a mini washing machine that sits in my bathtub.

What are some of your goals for the new year? I'd love to hear them!

Always, Raineedayze

March Goals Update

I decided to change things up a little bit this month because things were getting a little too redundant having two goals posts every month. So I think I am going to condense all my goals into one post instead. 

1. Write 2 Book Reviews - SUCCESS

I wrote 3 book reviews this month and I loved it. I planned on writing a few more, but because the content of the majority of my books was a little....risque, I stuck to only reviewing a select few. However, I remembered how much I loved it and I'm super stoked to write more in the coming months.


2. Deep Clean the House - Kind of?

I didn't really hit the house hard this month, but I did clean out my wardrobe and got rid of a TON of clothes that were just taking up space. I'm not gonna lie, I may have cleaned up just to make room for more clothes, but whatever works right?


3. MCU Movie Marathon - FAIL

I honestly forgot about this goal. Life kind of got in the way and I haven't been in the movie mood lately. However, I won't say I never will do this. Hopefully, I can catch up before Infinity War.  

All in all, I think I did a pretty decent job this month. I may not have completed all my goals, but I did enjoy what I was able to accomplish.

1.  Play More Games - FAIL

Is it really a surprise at the moment that I keep failing at this goal? I just haven't been in that mood. I dunno. Maybe things will change next month. Though, I don't feel too bad since I am enjoying my free time.


2.  Get Out More - SUCCESS

I'm super excited that I continue to do more for this goal each month. This month we headed to Six Flags and Sea World, and we got membership passes! So I can definitely see this becoming a usual thing! I also went out of my way to head to the movies instead of staying in with Netflix and junk food.


3. Create - SUCCESS

I bought a sticker machine this month, and I am so excited to use it. I also spent time taking photos and sketching when I could. I'm pretty stoked to do more next month and I have a few ideas. 


4. Treat Yo' Self (Better) - SUCCESS

Okay, so this one was a big one. I finally started working with my doctor and managing my depression with meds and I am so stoked. If you've been a follower on here for a while, you might remember how I was pretty happy to be off meds for years. However, I realized I couldn't deal with it alone and I needed help to get back to myself. It was truly the best decision for me and I am super excited about that. I feel this is best to treat myself and I am very happy.


Overall, this month was pretty good for goals and I am super stoked to continue on in April.

What do you think of the new post format? How have your goals been achieved this month? Let's chat!



Always, Raineedayze

Yearly Goals Check-In: January

Hiya guys!

This year, I made monthly mini-goals and 4 big yearly goals. I'll be posting about my mini goals later this week, but here is my progress for my 4 long-term goals!

1. Play More Games - FAIL

I cover this more in my wrap-up post, but I really didn't play too many games this month. I have a pretty large library of shame, or games that I need to get to but I haven't found myself heavily immersed in any game lately. Though, I hope that changes soon with the new games coming out.

2. Get Out More - SUCCESS

This month I wanted to start getting out of the house, whether it was going to the park, for a drive, or just grabbing some lunch. I can definitely say I did get out of the house a bit more. Jonathan and I spent more time at the park, and I tried to make it a priority to leave the house.

3. Create - SUCCESS

Out of all my goals this month, this was the one I was most excited about. I wanted to get back into creating more art and crafting more and I can definitely say this was a success. I got multiple comics done, including a special anniversary comic. I also made it a point to draw every day and filled up my sketchbook with some really awesome stuff. I also made some bookmarks, themed towards fandoms like Geekerella and Harry Potter. I'm pretty happy with how much I created this month and definitely hope to create more.

4. Treat Yo' Self (Better) - SUCCESS

This month, I really wanted to treat myself a lot better. Whether it was healthwise or self-care, I wanted to make my life a life worth living. I think I actually did pretty good! I drank more water, took a lot more time to myself, and indulged myself in things that made me happy. 


I can't wait to see how I progress in February! Check out that post next month and be sure to check out the monthly goals post coming later this week!

Always, Raineedayze

New Year's Book Tag

Morning, my dudes!

I totally was not tagged in this but I thought it was super cool. I haven't done a book tag (or any tags) in a while, so I thought this would be a good place to start!

1. How many books are you planning on reading in 2018?

I set my Goodreads Goal this year at 100 books. Last year, I read 62 books but only really started reading a ton starting in June. I know I can hit 100 and if I can go over, that would be awesome!


2. Name 5 Books You Didn't Get to in 2017 but Want To in 2018

Warcross by Marie Lu, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, Replica by Lauren Oliver, and The Summer I Turned Pretty series by Jenny Han


3. What Genre Do You Want to Read More Of?

Sci-fi! I love sci-fi movies and shows and I want to read more good sci-fi books!


4. Name 3 Non-Book Related Goals for 2018

To create more things, to catch up on more TV shows, and to graduate college!


5. What's a Book You've Had Forever That You Still Need To Read?

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott. This is Jonathan's favorite book and I feel so bad because I haven't read it all the way through, even though it is actually super interesting! I definitely want to read it this year. 


6. One Word You're Hoping 2018 Will Be?

Productive. I want to create more and stop procrastinating!


7. Tag a friend!

I tag Becca over at My Life As A Sports Fangirl!



I really enjoyed this tag and definitely hope to do this more in the future!

Always, Raineedayze
 
 

2018 Yearly Goals

Fun fact about me.

I love setting goals. 

I love vision boards, planners, goal lists, lists in general, personal spreadsheets....I'm like an organization nerd goddess.

However, this can tend to get me a little overwhelmed and I will set 500 goals that have to be done RIGHT THIS SECOND. I then fail miserably, and drown my failure in a gallon of Rocky Road ice cream.

So this year, I decided to keep it pretty simple. I set monthly small goals, goals I can accomplish and that will keep me motivated to continue. I also modified my yearly goals to be a little less stressful but also something that would require work.

Each month I have a section in my planner titled "How Did You Work Towards?" with my list of yearly goals and space for me to write down how I worked towards achieving them. I hope to see some progress and be able to look at the little actions that helped me overall become a better me. 

So without any further ado, here are my goals for 2018.

1. Play More Games

In 2017, I was asked to help co-admin a female-based gaming community. I was so honored to be asked because it let me connect with so many gamers on a personal level and helping foster an awesome community. Plus, being an admin of anything is just so much fun. This year, I really want to amp up that and play more games that I've left in my Steam Library of Shame or in my Xbox Cabinet of the Forgotten (great names, right?). I really want to be more well-versed in a variety of games than my typical walking sims. 

2. Get Out More

It's no secret that I am a homebody. I have my special DragonWarm blanket (it's Skrim themed...get it?) and my sweatpants and I'm more than happy to spend a day in front of my computer or in bed with a book. However, I've been thinking about how much of the outside world I've been missing. I'm 22 and I would like to see it while I'm still healthy and not blind. Jonathan and I went for a walk in the park the other day and just talking outside while sitting by the lake was so calming and just felt so much more personal than sitting in front of one of our screens, talking over our headsets. 

3. Create

Obviously, this would be on here as Create is my word of the year (post coming soon). I want to create more content whether it be videos, art, blog posts, or personal journaling. I love creating new things and I have the time. I really want this to be the year I create more content not just for the internet, but for myself and my own happiness.

4. Treat Yo' Self (Better)

I am REALLY bad at treating myself too good *gestures wildly to the zillion books and makeup products cluttering my life* . So I modified this one a little bit (Sorry, Tom and Donna). In 2018, I want to do things that make me happy, stop doing things that don't, enjoy myself, and overall make myself a better version of me. Health, spiritually, general fulfillment. I want to just feel better about myself and about where my life is at this time. 

These are my yearly goals. What are some of yours?

Always, Raineedayze

January Mini-Goals

I love the new year. With it comes new goals, aspirations, and ideas for the future.I know that the old "new year, new me" cliche is a trope often times made fun of, but it's the perfect time to start small habits that can set up the rest of your year!

This month I have 4 mini-goals that I would like to accomplish. I set them slightly lower than usual because I hope to surpass them. I noticed this year that I tend to overestimate my goals, get overwhelmed, and do none of them. This year, my mini-goals are all about the basics.

1. Read My 4 TBR Books

My Goodreads Challenge for 2018 is set at 100 books, so I know I will have to read more than 4 a month to reach it. But, because I have so many books that I bought that are unread and I feel super guilty about it, since I typically get them from the library, I plan to prioritize these four books before I read anything else this month.

2. Draw 4 Things

Last year, I struggled with creating art. I would be on a good run for a bit and kind of die out near the middle. This month I am hoping to draw at least 4 things, just to get that sense of accomplishment that will hopefully carry me on to creating more things.

3. Write 4 Blog Posts

I know I slacked off a ton near the end of the year in 2017, so this year, I am aiming for 1 blog post a week. I will try to post more than that, because I'd eventually love to build to 3 times a week, but to get back in the swing of things, once a week should set up a manageable path.

4. Walk 4 miles

I know this sounds so bad because apparently we are supposed to work out 30 minute/3 times a week (oops), but I know myself. If I can actually commit and walk 4 miles in a month, it will be way better than making a super high goal I will never accomplish. Plus, baby steps right?

These all somehow revolved around the number 4, but I'm pretty excited to see if I can accomplish these and if I can exceed them. 

What are your goals for January?


Always, Raineedayze

Autumn Bucket List

It's Autumn!!!

Autumn is my favorite time of year (until winter that is) and I love going all out for it! I am a flannel wearing, pumpkin-spiced everything, apple-flavored bundle of orange and red in the fall and every year I make an Autumn bucket list for things I want to complete from September to November!

This year, I decided to focus on all the fun things that make Autumn special for me.

                            

I also wanted to incorporate some autumn elements into my hobbies. I'll be taking plenty of photos as I complete my Autumn bucket list so be sure to follow me on Instagram to see all the fun!

I definitely hope to make this season the best ever!
I'd love to see your goals for Autumn! Link your posts in the comments or tweet me @raineedayze!


Always, Raineedayze

Hello September - September Goals

                                          


It's already September and I am completely in the fall spirit!

I even had the first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season (and found out I LOVE it iced!)

I am one of those people who gets crazy around this time of year with pumpkins, flannel, apple, and anything orange! So a lot of my goals this month are more fall related than anything!

1. Iggle Doodle Challenge 

Photo credit - @UnicornPrincez4

Last month, I really slacked off on using my tablet to draw. This month I saw this amazing challenge by Jennifer (@UnicornPrincez4), who is an all around awesome Iggle! I can't wait to join and am loving the fun fall elements about it! 



2. Stay Ahead of my Coursework

It's back to school season over here and it's also my senior year! I really want to stay ahead of the game in my classes so I can spend more time enjoying my hobbies guilt-free and not spend my days panicking when I forget about an assignment. This ties in with my next goal...



3. Use My Planner!

I have the most adorable planner that I purchased from Bando. I also have so many cute stickers and craft supplies. I really want to utilize my planner and actually do my weekly spreads instead of putting them off. Not only will it keep me organized, it will be a great outlet for my creativity. Plus have you seen fall planner spreads? GORGEOUS!



4. Blog 1x a week

I really want to keep up with my blog but it isn't realistic to plan to blog more than 2x a week. I want to keep this goal simple so I have more incentive to go over than go too ambitious and feel bad if I don't reach it. Plus, with all that is going on, 1x a week will be healthy enough to keep this place fresh with posts!



5. Decorate for Fall

Have I mentioned that I love fall?? I have some of my decor hanging around but I really want to pumpkin up this place to surround myself with cozy warm feels! Even though it still feels like summertime (thanks Texas), I noticed I always get more motivated and happy during this season!


6. Bake A Pie

                                          

What better way to get into the fall spirit than baking a pie? I love to bake, I love pie, and I find the act of baking a pie to be so fun and calming. Plus, PIE!

 

Those are all my goals for September but I'd love to hear yours! Let's chat in the comments or tweet me @raineedayze!




Always, Raineedayze

August Goals

Hello there August. You're looking lovely.

                                   


Last month, I had three goals and completed them with pretty good success. This month, I put a lot of thought into my goals and how they would benefit my life. 

1. Use my drawing app

I was really pleased with the graphic I made for Online Tea Party and after spending hours on my tablet, tweaking and shading, I remembered why I love doing this so much. This is also my first big step into digital artwork, something I've always wanted to do. I'm really excited to start working more on my own graphics and maybe actually getting some of my art goals achieved.

2. Drink more water

                               

I've been super bad on drinking enough water this month and it totally sucks. I've been tired, breaking out, and I feel sluggish. Since I spend a lot of my time in front of the Xbox and the computer, I tend to snack on unhealthy things and so if I can at least incorporate a little more water into my diet, I may be able to make better choices with my other snack choices. 

3. Read 5 Books

Pretty big goal considering my past few months, but I know I won't have much time once school begins. I really want to finish the summer strong with my reading challenge and I am debating on completing a 24 hour read-a-thon, just to finish with a bang!

4. Build my Computer

Jon and I ordered my pieces for my new gaming set-up and hopefully I will be able to complete this by the end of August. I helped build his gaming computer, and was amazed by my skill. I grew up not knowing a thing about technology, so the idea that I could build my entire gaming PC is so incredible to me. Plus, I'm so excited to unveil the completed setup! 

I really hope to make the most of August and see more improvement in my life. I believe in myself!

                                

I hope your August is filled with awesomeness! 


Always, Raineedayze

Captain's Log 13: July Recap

Guys, I can't believe July is already ending!

I hate the end of summer because it reminds me that school is about to begin and I long for the freedom and excitement I had at the end of May.

But I must be positive and instead, focus on the awesomeness this summer has brought to me! 

July was filled with a ton of excitement. I went on vacation twice and finally left my job! I also got more in touch with my interests and completed some pretty daunting goals! 

This month, I read a total of 11 books. Wow!!! I slacked off at the beginning of the month but went on a reading binge the last few days. I even had to reupdate this post a few times to reflect the new books!

Loose Girl by Kerry Cohen | The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson | Going Vintage by Lindsay Leavitt | How it Ends by Catherine Lo | When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon | Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler | All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven | Little Bee by Chris Cleave | How To Love by Katie Cotugno | Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten | Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate |

I was pretty pleased with my books this month. I hadn't heard of a lot of these books and I really enjoyed all but one. Plus, one was nonfiction, a genre I struggle reading enough of, so that was awesome!

Goodreads Goal: 32/35

This month, I actually watched more TV than previous months, probably because I had a lot more free time!

Movies: Alien: Covenant

Shows: Game of Thrones, Friends from College, Raven's Home

I finally started Game of Thrones and I LOVE IT. I have no idea why it took me so long to watch it but I'm currently obsessed. I'm still in the first season so I have a long way to go, but I hope to catch up by the time next season starts!

I also finished Friends from College, a Netflix Original Series, about a group of friends from college (ha!) who's friend group becomes tested by the secrets and stressors that come with being an actual adult. I really enjoyed this series and it has so much great talent (Keegan-Michael Key, Cobie Smulders, Fred Savage, & Billy Eichner, just to name a few) and I really hope it comes back for a second season. It got a lot of negative reviews because the characters are the literal worst humans ever, but I really enjoyed it because I don't want to watch TV where all the characters are white picket fences and golden smiles. This show makes you hate the characters, laugh with them, and maybe cry a little. 

I also saw the first episode of Raven's Home and I was kinda meh on it. I hope the next episodes are more enjoyable and have a little less laugh-track. But, I am optimistic!

Movie-wise, Jonathan and I went to go see Alien Covenant, and it wasn't....terrible. It was pretty ridiculous because the crew made such easy mistakes that caused their issues, but Danny McBride was excellent in it!

Skyrim (XboxOne) | Stardew Valley (PC) | Overwatch (XboxOne) | Crush Crush (PC) | Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (DS) | Borderlands (Xbox One) |

This month, I mostly played a ton of Skyrim and even started streaming a bit. I'm still figuring out Twitch, but I am pretty excited to start using it again.

I spent the majority of the beginning of the month getting obsessed with Stardew Valley. I had never been able to play it so when it went on sale, I immediately jumped on it. I am now happily married to Shane and nearing the end of Year 2. 

I finished Happy Home Designer, after wanting it for a year. I'm pretty bummed that it was such a short game but I plan on replaying it on days where ACNL isn't enough.

I also spent a few hours shifting between Overwatch, Crush Crush, and Borderlands for when I needed a quick distraction. Doomfist and the new highlight features on Overwatch are incredible! Crush Crush is currently holding their Summer Fling event and a DVA swimsuit is one of the perks, so I'm pretty excited for that as well!



July Goals - Check In

1. Take More Photos
        
I think I did a pretty good job with this goal. I took a ton of photos on our camping trip, although I realized I rarely use my phone for photos. The area has no service and I left my phone in my bag, rendering it useless until I realized there was a camera on it .-. Overall, I'd say: Could be Better

2. Make A Graphic for Online Tea Party

SUCCESS!!!! I installed an awesome drawing program on my tablet and have been obsessed with it. The new graphic will debut on my Instagram (if it hasn't already) and will of course be in my OTP post for August! Feel free to use it if you join us!

3. Game More

Oh hell yes. Definitely completed that one. 


July was fantastic and I'm so excited to see my life progress in ways that I never realized. I'm starting to feel like the person I want to be rather than letting life pass me by and I know August will only bring more improvement!



Always, Raineedayze