As I write this, I’m battling a cold (which should be gone by the time this goes live), so I can barely grope for words to summarize my August. Except for “awesome.” Yes. I still dealt with lingering anxiety in my offline life, but as the month comes to a close, I’m utterly delighted with what happened and what I accomplished during that time.

So, yes, it was an awesome August. Say that alliteration ten times fast. 😉

Since today is the last day of August, it’s also time to share some of the joys of the past month. I’m taking a slightly different approach this time, too. Instead of mostly material items, I included two accomplishments (or, rather, “to-do list” items that I completed) and one experience. And feel free to share your August joys in your comments. I always love hearing what’s made you happy, too!

I Saw Anathema (One of My Favorite Bands) in Concert 

While I was in NYC for Writer’s Digest Conference (which I’m hoping to have a recap post ready for in the next couple weeks), I caught British prog rockers Anathema on tour at the Gramercy Theater. And their show. Was. FANTASTIC! It was the second time I’d seen them play live, and while I loved the first gig of theirs that I attended (September 2013 in Cambridge, MA), it doesn’t compare to the fact that this time I was IN THE SECOND ROW. 😀 And when you’re 5 foot 3 inches tall, having such a close view at a general admission show makes a huge difference.

For their setlist, Anathema played five songs from their new album The Optimist and several older songs, some of which I’d heard the first time I saw the band live, and others for the first time. Here’s a high-quality YouTube video (not mine) of their performance of “Untouchable Part 2” from the NYC show.

I Finished My Magazine Bin Organization Project

Back in June, I posted about my recent decluttering and re-organization streak. This past month, I finished the next such project on my list: my magazine bin. I combed through all of the Writer’s Digest and Poets & Writers issues I’d kept since 2013, decided which articles (or entire issues) to save, and tossed the rest. And now, not only do I have a smaller collection of favorite or useful articles, but the bin is also so much lighter- and no longer bulging! (It’s one of these heavyweight polyester storage bins with grommet handles, in brown… so, yeah, if you fill them up enough, they can bulge. *blushes*)

As for my next decluttering project, I think I’ll go through my extensive journal collection next month. I have so many that I don’t remember which ones are full or partially used, so this will be a good chance to empty out my nightstand and see what’s worth saving.

I Also Fulfilled the Last Remaining Perks for My Iceland Writers Retreat GoFundMe Campaign (Well, Sort Of)

Some of you might remember the crowdfunding campaign I ran over the winter for my trip to the Iceland Writers Retreat. That campaign had a number of perks, including custom tea blends, an online photo album of my trip, and first-chapter critiques. And just before my recent NYC trip, I finished the final first-chapter critique. This means that, except for one perk category, all of the perks have now been fulfilled.

I might sound like a broken record by now, but I really do appreciate everyone’s support (either financial or emotional) for that campaign and the Iceland trip overall. And to everyone who opted to receive perks, I hope you enjoyed them or found them beneficial in some way. So thank you once again, from the bottom of my heart. ❤

Oh, and that last perk category to fulfill? Listing the names of donors who contributed at least $15 USD in the acknowledgements of my first published novel. Unfortunately that won’t happen for a while… But I have the list typed up for when the day comes!

I’m Reading Tea Time Magazine

A friend of mine had told me about Tea Time a couple years ago, but I didn’t investigate it until earlier this summer. And, well, the July / August issue looked so pretty and delectable that I bought a full year’s subscription!

Tea Time is North America’s premier magazine for all things tea-related. They publish six issues each year, and have a beautiful website where they feature additional articles and photos. So what kinds of articles do they feature? Profiles on tea companies and tea rooms from around the world. Recipes for savories and desserts to serve during afternoon teas and other events. Place settings and serving china. And that’s just for starters. 🙂

In short, I’m already enjoying the magazine, and I look forward to whatever teas, goodies, and adventures they share in the coming year. And who knows? Maybe I’ll try some of their recipes.

I Watched Season 7 of “Game of Thrones”

ASJFLJASFJAJKSFKAJFLAJFAJFLJALAAAAAAA

OK, that’s out of the way. (*lol*) But this season has been a momentous one for Game of Thrones, with reunions galore, long-awaited meetings between certain characters, and lots of revelations. I won’t get more specific, since I don’t want to spoil anything for fans who haven’t seen the episodes yet… But I will say there were plenty of surprises, yet other things were NOT a surprise, more or less due to personal predictions than the leaks (which I tried very hard to avoid!). A good example: I’ve had a hunch for the past couple seasons that something like the finale’s final scene would happen, but that didn’t make it any less terrifying!

The only critiques I have about Season 7? How quickly (to the point of illogic) everyone travels from place to place in a single episode (does WesterosiAir exist?), and how frequently the showrunners use dei ex machina to rescue characters. But I digress.

On a related note, did anyone catch the Orphan Black series finale? (Again, AKJLKFJASKLFJAKLSJFAJLFJALJLFJALAAAAAAAAAAA.)

What were some of the things that made you happy in August? Have you finished (or started) any decluttering, organization, or related projects at home? Do you read any magazines or similar publications? And if you’re a GoT fan, what are your thoughts about Season 7?