Category: Uncategorized

Lit-Cube Unboxing: Perfect Penpals

Published on by Rachelle

2016-01-23 16.33.01

This, unfortunately, will be my last Lit-Cube unboxing for awhile, at least until I’ve got a full-time job.  As soon as I’m working full-time, though, I’ll be using my new lunch bag 🙂

  • Exclusive “A good book, a close friend, and an impromptu picnic.  What could be better?” Insulated Lunch Bag – valued at $11.99
  • Nourish Snacks Gluten and Dairy Free, Non-GMO, Vegetarian “Miss Popular” Dark Chocolate Half-Popped Corn Kernels – valued at $1.99
  • Stationary Set – valued at $10.99
  • “Bonafide Bibliophile” Lit-Cube Pen – valued at $2.00
  • Driving with the Top Down by Beth Harbison – valued at $15.99

I don’t know if I’ll like this month’s book selection, but it looks like the perfect Summer read, so I’ll hold onto it at least until then.  The Nourish Snacks look delicious, and I love half-popped popcorn kernels, so I’m looking forward to trying them.  Though I’ve already got a million pens, I realized I don’t have any book-related writing tools…until now, and what’s even better?  Like the lunch bag, it’s purple, my favorite color!  One thing I’m not so happy about is that there wasn’t any additional book swag or QR codes for free ebooks like there was in the past two boxes, but overall it’s still more than worth the subscription cost.

February’s theme is “Classic Romance,” and there are still four days left to order.  If only I had the money…
lit-cube-300

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle1 Comment
FitReaders2016
  • This check-in is for January 15th – 21st.
  • Though my knee is doing much better, I didn’t do any yoga this week.  I still met my step and mileage goals, however, so I’ll be working towards an average of 4K steps per day.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Yoga Workouts: 0/5
  • Steps: 22,384/21,000
  • Miles: 9.19/7.00
  • Flights of stairs: 17/21
  • Active Minutes: 65/105
  • Monthly 5K Races Completed: 1/10
  • Monthly 1 Mile Fun “Runs” Completed: 1/10
  • Total Money Donated: $3.26/$100.00

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle3 Comments
FitReaders2016
  • This check-in is for January 8th – 14th.
  • I’ve still got knee pain, and I wasn’t able to do any yoga this week.  I still met my other goals, however, so I’ll be working towards an average of 3K steps per day.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Yoga Workouts: 0/5
  • Steps: 31,482/14,000
  • Miles: 13/5.25
  • Flights of stairs: 34/14
  • Active Minutes: 147/100
  • Monthly 5K Races Completed: 1/10
  • Monthly 1 Mile Fun “Runs” Completed: 1/10
  • Total Money Donated: $2.53/$100.00 – I’ll keep this the same for now, but I may adjust it down to $75 if my progress is slower than I anticipate.

#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle2 Comments
FitReaders2016
  • This check-in is for January 1st – 7th.
  • I completed my first 5K!  Sadly, I hurt my knee doing it.

2016-01-04 17.33.43January-2016-5K

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Even with rest, the pain in my knee spread to my hip, which means this is more than just a minor setback.  The problem with ITBS is that I can’t just jump right back into what I was doing once the pain goes away.  I’m doing my physical therapy exercises and light yoga for now. I’m also restarting my walking program from the beginning (averaging 1K steps per day), and rebuilding the progress I made over the past year.  With any luck, I’ll be back to trying to get 9K steps a day within a couple of months.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Yoga Workouts: 1/5
  • Steps: 32,700/7,000
  • Miles: 13.44/2.75
  • Flights of stairs: 26/7
  • Active Minutes: 134/70
  • Monthly 5K Races Completed: 1/10
  • Monthly 1 Mile Fun “Runs” Completed: 1/10
  • Total Money Donated: $1.44/$100.00 – I’ll keep this the same for now, but I may adjust it down to $75 if my progress is slower than I anticipate.

#FitReaders 2016

Published on by Rachelle2 Comments
FitReaders2016
  • Below are my goals, and the template for my weekly check-ins, which will now be on Fridays instead of Tuesdays.  The only goal I’ve changed is the total amount of money I want to raise through Plus3.  However, I’ve also added a new goal; I plan to complete at least ten 5K races so I can win a #FitReaders medal.
  • When I meet my step goal for the week, I will raise it by 1K until I’m averaging 12K steps per day (84K steps in a week).  After that, my plan is to try out a Couch to 5K running program to see if my knees can handle running again.  If not, then I’ll start doing more intensive cardio workouts.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Yoga Workouts: 0/5
  • Steps: 0/63,000
  • Miles: 0/21
  • Flights of stairs: 0/70
  • Active Minutes: 0/210
  • Monthly 5K Races Completed: 0/10
  • Total Money Donated: $0.00/$100.00

First Book of the Year 2016!

Published on by Rachelle

First Book

Sheila over at Book Journey wants to know what we’ll be reading as our first book of the new year.  When I signed up, my first book of 2016 was going to the be The Portable Dorothy Parker.  However, I just finished A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon, and as I knew would happen, I wanted to jump right into reading the next book in the Outlander series.  So, I’m bringing in the new year with An Echo in the Bone!

2015-12-31 21.17.24

Happy New Year, Everyone!

 

#ShelfLove – End of Year Check-In

Published on by Rachelle3 Comments

showyourshelves_zps8f6e8b06-png320x480

This is it!  The last month of the #ShelfLove No Book Buying Challenge!  Those of us participating are discussing how we did.

For those of you who don’t remember, I chose not to purchase any books this year.  Free books, of course, didn’t count.  I made one exception, but other than using gift cards I received for Christmas and my Birthday, and getting books from the Boyfriend as a prescription against insanity, I didn’t buy a single book.  Not spending my own money on books took some creativity on my part and generosity on the part of others, but I can at least say I was successful.

I also succeeded in reading at least 51 books that were already on my shelves…or in boxes…in a storage unit.  Yeah, lots of books, itty bitty living space.  There, my friends, is where I flailed.  You see, despite not buying books with my own money, I still managed to bring a lot of books home with me this year.  In fact, I have less space on my bookshelves than I did before the challenge started, and that’s after taking several boxes of books to the used bookstore to earn enough money to buy the Outlandish Companion, Vol. Two.  I earned that book, darn it, so why isn’t there any space on my shelves?!  Well, between the Boyfriend showing he loves me through books, a couple of subscription boxes I get, and all the giveaways I’ve won this year, I not only replaced the books I sold but ended up filling every last nook and cranny of my bookcase.

2015-12-29 11.54.22

I have so many books and so little space for them that when the Boyfriend asked me what I wanted for my graduation present, I told him, “NO BOOKS!”  I then checked myself for a fever because that is the first time in my life I’ve ever turned down the opportunity to get books.  It turns out this challenge has been a sort of 12-Step program for me.  So, I plan on participating again next year, but that’s for another post.

 

 

#FitReaders Check-In #52

Published on by Rachelle1 Comment
Geeky Bloggers Book Blog
  • This check-in is for December 21st – 27th.
  • This is my last check-in for the year.  Next year, I’ll be changing the day I post check-ins to Friday.
  • I didn’t meet my goal of donating $50, but I intend on trying for $100 next year since I didn’t start using Plus3 until about midway through this year.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Yoga Workouts: 0/5
  • Steps: 36,542/63,000
  • Miles: 15.01/21
  • Flights of stairs: 55/70
  • Active Minutes: 166/210
  • Total Money Donated: $43.08/$50.00

#FitReaders Check-In #51

Published on by Rachelle1 Comment
Geeky Bloggers Book Blog
  • This check-in is for December 14th – 20th.
  • I think this might be one of the worst weeks I’ve had all year as far as getting exercise goes.  I’m on the job hunt and have been spending most of my time stuck at my desk.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Yoga Workouts: 0/5
  • Steps: 25,538/63,000
  • Miles: 10.49/21
  • Flights of stairs: 6/70
  • Active Minutes: 120/210
  • Total Money Donated: $41.83/$50.00

#FitReaders Check-In #50

Published on by Rachelle1 Comment
Geeky Bloggers Book Blog
  • This check-in is for December 7th – 13th.
  • I was less than 10K steps away from my goal!
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Yoga Workouts: 0/5
  • Steps: 53,343/63,000
  • Miles: 22.04/21
  • Flights of stairs: 110/70
  • Active Minutes: 292/210
  • Total Money Donated: $40.82/$50.00