A Lil' Of This, A Lil' Of That- December 2020

I’ve missed writing monthly updates on my blog and I decided to start doing monthly recaps to share what I’ve been up to. I love reading other people’s recaps and they always inspire me, so I wanted to start up again. First up, December from the year that won’t end.

2020 is OVER! The year brought hardships for a lot of people, myself included, but I still feel insanely blessed so I try not to complain about the things that DO happen, especially when they seem very much like a first world problem. I accomplished a lot and I’m hoping to keep this momentum going into 2021.

I Listened To…

This month, I listened to Joel Osteen’s new book, “Empty Out The Negative.” I’m not completely finished but I already highly recommend it. I’ve also been binge-listening to my Year In Review on Spotify and it’s no surprise to me that my most played song this year was “Just Fine” by Mary J. Blige.

I Read…

I knew I wasn’t going to hit my Goodreads goal this year a few months ago but that doesn’t mean I gave up on reading completely. I read The Science Behind Stephen King, The Devil All The Time, Cursed Objects, Hood Feminism, and re-reading the Babysitters Club series. I have a hard time giving books a bad rating because I love reading and I have so much respect for writers. I also understand that not everyone has the same taste in books. But if I could only recommend one, I’d recommend Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall.

I’ve identified as a feminist but I still have a hard time with the overall concept. It’s been difficult to describe what I often feel in a way that’s not only politically correct but, I dunno, nice? This year showed a lot of people’s true colors when it comes to racism in our country and I noted who has a savior complex. I didn’t attach my name to certain projects because I didn’t want to be involved with them, both professionally and personally. This book really describes a lot of issues I have with the feminist movement in general, as well as the issues that are still not being discussed.

I Watched…

I have a Shudder subscription I’m obsessed with and utilized this month. I watched Anything for Jackson, A Creepshow Holiday Special, and The Cleansing Hour. I also watched It Comes at Night on Netflix which has me still thinking about the ending.

I Cooked…

I made tamales with a few friends which I haven’t done since I was little. I made Spanish Rice from scratch to go along with said tamales.

I Was Grateful For…

Friends who are like family, my boyfriend, my very own cute apartment and having a new car I can lend to friends without any worry.

I’m Most Proud Of…

I incorporated daily walking as a new habit. Since I had a big trip planned in January that would require a few miles a day on foot, I decided to start going for walks to build my endurance up. I’ve been walking 4-5 times a week, mainly with my boyfriend and his dog. I can take advantage of nice weather until April in Arizona so I’m determined to make the most of it.

Launching the Money Smart Latina Etsy Store

Starting the EMDR process.

Not eating out.

I Visited…

Nowhere! I canceled two trips to see my family because COVID numbers continue to spike in Arizona, along with everywhere else. My best friends and I were also supposed to go to Washington D.C for Inauguration Day which we’ve decided not after all. We are rescheduling and hoping to go later on in the year.

I Spent Money On…

This cool planner and Christmas gifts which I can’t show yet. I have a monthly subscription to Tamed Wild and Therabox, plus a quarterly subscription to Causebox so I try not to let myself splurge too much. Speaking of spending money, I’m going to be doing a different type of spending challenge for the month of January. Angela from Tread Lightly, Retire Early is hosting a Local Spend Challenge, where you try to purchase items you need (or want) from local small businesses. I’m already making a list of items I need and which store I can pick them up from.