Hello my lovelies!!
How are you? I know, long time, no read. But I’m back now, and I’m here to stay. I’m so glad to see you today for our Weekend Coffee Share.
I’ve got strong coffee and various teas on offer for you, so come on in, make yourself at home and I’ll make us a brew.
If we were having coffee today, I’d start by telling you that I’m currently playing catch-up on some posts. So don’t be surprised if a few back-dated posts go up.
If we were having coffee, I’d also tell you that my Etsy Shop LifeInNotes is going pretty well. And that’s why I’ve got an announcement to make:
To celebrate the start of 2016, I will be giving away 5 x 1 Chunky 2016 Planner! More in my next post!!
If we were having coffee today, I’d tell you that I really got into planner stamping over the holidays. I can’t draw to save my life, but planner stamps and colourful inks are just my thing. I’ve been playing around in my own Chunky 2016 planner, and been decorating pretty much every insert I’ve got for my own Midori Traveler’s Notebook.
I know this is more of a girly thing, but do you decorate your planners in any way?
If we were having coffee today, I’d tell you about my 2016 Reading Challenge. I’m once again doing Study. Read. Write’s 60 Books Challenge and I’m already well on the way. I’m on my fourth book already, as I have decided to include audio books I can listen to while driving and while doing chores. If you’re up for the challenge, I invite you to join me!
I have also just joined Emma Watson’s feminist Book Club ‘Our Shared Shelf‘. The first monthly book is My Life On The Road by Gloria Steinem. The group is on Goodreads, and you’re welcome to join as well!
What’s on your reading list for 2016? Are you doing any of the other challenges?
If we were having coffee today, I’d also tell you that I’m two shortish courses away from starting my M.A. thesis. I just completed my latest course with 100% throughout and while I’m very proud of the result, this study programme is definitely not good for my health. Since Halloween, I’ve been battling S.A.D. in full fling and lost the ability to concentrate and the will to do anything. It’s been a struggle just to submit something. Resulting in long days when I could not focus and staying up all night trying to make up for it. I started the first week of 2016 absolutely knackered and sleep deprived. Knowing the days are getting longer definitely helps me. Over the next days / weeks, I’m hoping to implement a new workout routine (because I fell off the DDP Yoga wagon in early December and have yet to get back on it), plan my time better and make a few general improvements.
I’m really looking forward to more theatre in 2016. First off, I’ve got the NTlive screening of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, and I finally get to see the legendary Una Stubbs (Mrs. Hudson on Sherlock) live on stage. Followed by the NTlive screening of As You Like It, and seeing my favourite comedian Ralf Schmitz live in Solingen.
If you understand German, here’s an interview I did with Ralf back in 2008 (sorry about the poor quality, it was a phone interview and my equipment wasn’t the best).
If we were having coffee today, I’d offer you another cuppa at this point. Though we’d probably discuss the Sherlock Special (sassy John Watson is my favourite John Watson, and Lestrade can come grave digging with me anytime!) and books some more, I wouldn’t hold it against you if you wanted to leave. I’m sure the other Weekend Coffee Sharers would love to see you as well!
Thank you for having coffee with me! Same time, next week?
Study. Read. Write. 
I can’t draw either. That’s the reason I use rubber stamps. Well, I don’t use them as much as I used to. At one point I had well over 10,000…yes thousand…rubber stamps and used them for everything. I ended up giving them away, most of them to teachers that could use them in their classrooms. Now I have begun collecting again but I don’t think I have more than a couple of hundred.
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Oh wow! That’s an actual stash!! I feel a bit better about the few dozen I have ordered! 😉
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Happy New Year Conny!
My MA completely drained me, but that was more due tôt gew fact that it dragged on over time especially the second year. In week A I had half my courses and in week B the other so I had my lessons every 2 weeks or if the professor was absent it could be 4 or more weeks… This translated in never really getting focused on the subject. I would have preferred 2 intensive weeks for each course and a week off inbetween courses. But I am rambling…
I used to decorate my planners but more with concert tickets and stuff. Now after years without a planner I have a new one but I am not sure if it will be decorated.
Have a nice Sunday!
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Sorry to hear you’ve struggled with the season change. Sending you some cyber sunshine. 🙂
I’m doing the Goodreads challenge — last year, I read 24 books. This year, I’m aiming for 35. I hope I can squeeze in that many!
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Love the planners and such! I myself go in for a very simple and plain, pen-and-paper-only sort of planner, but I love looking at this sort of thing and seeing what other people do with them. 🙂
Haven’t managed to see the Sherlock special yet, but I’m really looking forward to it!
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It’s funny, we were talking about S.A.D. just today. My 25 year old son was saying all he wants to do this winter is sleep! And he’s an early to rise kind of person. I think you’re right to try to get back to your workouts, it helps the energy level. The days are lengthening again, and that should help. Keep chugging away on your courses. Your grades are fabulous and that degree is worth the effort! You amaze me!
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