Before I even begin The August List I just want to apologize for my brief hiatus. August is a very busy month for me because of my real job. Even though I wish I could be a full-time blogger, I am first and foremost a teacher. August is the time of year when back to school hits hard and teachers feel like they could use 100 more hours added to every day. School has started up again and don’t worry because in September a work/life balance is much easier to achieve. Thanks for sticking with me. Regularly scheduled posts will be up and running again very soon! And now… THE AUGUST LIST!!!
Mantra
I am becoming a better version of myself one day at a time.
Last month I retired a very long standing mantra and have had a bit of difficulty replacing it. This is the one I keep coming back to but I still think that I am on the hunt for my next mantra. This one isn’t set in stone. This year, being my golden year, I am totally focused on myself and self-improvement. We can always take time to become better versions of ourselves if we accept our role in the journey. Here’s to that!
Alyson Haley @alyson_haley
Click the handle to check her out. Last year Emmalee (click here to see her blog) introduced me to Alyson Haley. Haley is a fashion blogger who I have grown to love with all of my heart. I honestly love watching her insta stories and hear her talk about life She is adorable and wears the best things! If you’re looking for a fashion blogger to follow, she not only dives into fashion but she also does wonderful posts about traveling that give me serious wanderlust. You should check her out on insta and check out her blog (click here)!
Sarah Herron @sarahherron
I was first introduced to Sarah when she was on the Bachelor. She gives off cool, calm, and peaceful vibes and just seemed like the kind of girl you could have a glass of wine with and take on the world. After watching her on the Bachelor she went on to do Bachelor in Paradise. Please note: I realize I have an unhealthy obsession with this series but it is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. You should follow Sarah if you like people who are genuine and down to earth or if you like looking at gorgeous pictures of nature. Sarah is a pretty cool chick and I think you should check her out.
Sophia Bush @SophiaBush
I have been following Sophia since her days on One Tree Hill. Sophia was the older sister I never had… and also have never met. She is a so cool. Sophia is an advocate for social justice and takes to her twitter each morning to retweet important information in an ever-growing battle for equal rights in the United States. She is a supporter for those whose voice is often silenced. Sophia is fierce and legit and she isn’t about to be silenced for standing up for what is right.
Oprah Winfrey @Oprah
Does anyone else just miss watching Oprah on TV every day? I seriously miss this lady and her show. I used to come home from school every single day and watch it at 4:00. Oprah is still the queen she always was and is currently living her best life. I love following her not only for her nuggets of wisdom that she always imparts whether intentional or not but for the pictures she shares of her life. If I could have dinner with Oprah one day, my life would be complete. Until that day comes I will just continue to stalk her online and tell people to follow her on Twitter
Book
Odd Birds- Ian Harding
If you recall from The July List last month I had a not so small obsession with Pretty Little Liars. Ian Harding, the man who plays Ezra Fitz, wrote a book. While I was sitting at the airport in Malaga I decided to purchase it and read it. If you haven’t watched Pretty Little Liars you can still appreciate Ian’s tales. His book is filled with interesting, thought provoking and hilarious stories from his life as an actor and his life as an avid bird watcher. Several wonderful women in my life have been enthralled with the art of birdwatching and I have to say that after reading Ian’s book I am slightly more interested in it. Don’t think I’ll be pursuing it anytime soon though, I still have an intense fear of birds and frequently struggle to walk past pigeons on the sidewalk!
Lean In- Sheryl Sandberg
On another flight, I decided to purchase Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In. Now I know that this is a party I am arriving late to, to be honest, I rarely arrive to the party on time. This book is fantastic. I love it so much! I think it should be a must read for everyone.
TV Shows & Movies
The Handmaid’s Tale
In July I saw so many people watching The Handmaid’s Tale and I finally decided to join in. This series is chilling, terrifyingly relevant to today, and fascinating. I highly recommend seeing this show. Now, last month I did binge watch all of Pretty Little Liars in a very short time span. I do not recommend doing that with this show. This show is something that needs to be digested and savored. It isn’t meant to be watched all at once. It needs time for reflection and time for wondering. I hear that it is available on Hulu? in the States but here in Poland I had to purchase the season on iTunes. It was worth every penny and I am anxiously awaiting season 2.
Bachelor in Paradise
There was a lot of drama revolving around Bachelor in Paradise this season. I love Bachelor in Paradise because I am addicted to this whole stinking franchise! It is a serious guilty pleasure and I love nothing more than tune in to this insane world and tuning out of my own for an hour each week. This year Bachelor in Paradise has been insane. I have seen people I loved turn into people I do not enjoy and people I hate turn into people I love. You never know with this. You just never know. I hear that ABC is planning a Bachelor Winter Games and so I am pretty sure this series will be a staple on my list as long as it keeps going.
Youtube
Manitowoc Minute
I was trying to describe a WI accent to one of my friends recently and just found myself coming up short. Somehow I stumbled upon the Manitowoc Minute (click here). Each week Charlie Berens posts a quick minute of news in a hilarious fashion. If you haven’t subscribed yet, you need to!
Song
Sorry Not Sorry Demi Lovato
What? Can I put the same song on the list two months in a row? I think yes! OH MY GOSH! I just can’t get enough. My day starts with listening to this while I walk to the car. It ends having a dance party to this song in my pajamas. I just can’t get enough!! I just LOVE it!!! Check out the song and the music video HERE. We’ll have to see if it makes the cut for September!
Podcast
Pod Save America
I used to listen to a lot of podcasts in college and am now getting back into the game. Pod Save America is four former Obama staff members sharing their take on current events in America and the problems occurring within the Trump presidency. It is a really good one if you are into keeping up with what is happening in the US (and if you are from the US, you should be). While writing this I also realized that there is Pod Save the World and Pod Save the People all put out by Crooked Media. I’ll have to check out the other two and get back to you. If they’re anything like Pod Save America I guarantee they’re good.
Quizzes
This is going to be heartbreaking. I have taken a total of 2 quizzes in the month of August. TWO! They aren’t even worth sharing on the blog. Quizzes will return next month when I have more time to waste because I’m not rushing around with back to school things!
Place I Visited
Palma de Mallorca
Well… I only went one place in August so it has to be my favorite place. Good thing Mallorca is such a beautiful place! I went to Mallorca when I lived in Spain but it was so nice to revisit a wonderful beach. I can handle laying on a rooftop pool and laying out on the beach.
Moment
Lounging on the Beach
My last trip of the summer was to Mallorca. It was wonderful to breathe in the last few breaths of summer while laying on a beach and soaking up the hot summer air.
Links I Love
Troian Bellisario Gets Real About Her Struggle With Mental Health
This is a serious must read (click here). I love how more and more people are opening up about mental health struggles. Dealing with mental health issues can be very challenging. I really love the way Troian discusses her eating disorder and brings it to light in a way I haven’t seen before.
The Big Question- Should Peter Have Proposed?
Peter! I could not love Peter from the Bachelorette anymore. Not only did he get me glimpses of Madison, Wisconsin, a place I miss so so much, he was such a gentleman. I did not like Rachel pressuring him to propose. It enraged me. We all know that the bachelorette exists in an alternate reality where there is typically a proposal at the end. I stand with Peter. If he wasn’t ready to propose, why propose? Everyone knows that Bachelor relationships don’t last long at all (Nick and Vanessa just broke up)! Why pressure a man to propose when he wasn’t ready. I also felt Rachel was only interested in the ring and not the man who is down on a knee. If you watched you noticed that she talked over Bryan as he was proposing gushing over the ring. This wasn’t about love, it was about the bling. Click here to hear Ali’s perspective on this topic.
There’s a lost “Everwood” alternate ending, and it’s actually really sad
I loved Everwood! So much! I am pretty sure that Ephram was one (of many) of my first crushes. He was so moody and misunderstood and I loved every second of it! The Everwood cast recently had a reunion where we found out there was an alternative ending!!! What?! Click here to read more!
