On November 11, Mike & I celebrated three years of marriage, a mile-marker than still sometimes feels hard for me to believe. Prior to meeting him, my longest relationship was three & a half years, & frankly, I wasn't very good at being in that relationship, so it's astonishing to me that I have so easily & responsibly managing a healthy, happy marriage for three years already.

We usually take a trip for our anniversary, but this obviously isn't the year for that, so we made do with what was available to us: my mom's friend's floating house in Port Clinton, OH, where we spent some time over the summer.

Autumn in Northeast Ohio: Pandemic-Safe Adventures in CLE & Beyond

We're fortunate to be able to experience all four seasons here in Northeast Ohio, but the one I consider to be the best of them – autumn – is also the most fleeting.

This year, it seems 2020 has thrown us a bit of a bone (finally), giving us what feels like slightly more autumn than usual, & I, for one, have been trying to make the most of it before cold(er) weather sets in for good. 

Here's what I've been up to as the air gets crisper & the leaves start change color (OK, fine, most of them have fallen by now...) How about you?

What I've Read Lately (Pandemic Pt. II)

I continue to notttt read much at all during the pandemic. In July, I shared reviews of the seven books I'd read (plus four Harry Potter audiobook re-reads) since the initial shelter-in-place order went into effect in March. Since then, I've listened to three more Harry Potter audiobooks & finished only eight others. 

Why? I don't know, really. I still love reading, it just hasn't felt like my jam this year. I'm still working on other hobbies, like cooking & baking & learning Spanish. But reading just hasn't been high atop my to-do list.

How I Stay Active Online Without Letting Social Media Rule My Life

In the wake of Election Day Week, does anyone else feel social media’d out? After aggressively refreshing every app & news site on repeat for days on end, I’m ready to remain largely logged-off for a bit.

But how do you ensure that while you’re keeping it low-key, social media’s tricky algorithms don’t forget about you forever, de-prioritizing your content & ultimately doing damage to your online presence? I’ve spent the last year figuring that out.

At the end of 2019, I transitioned out of my longtime job managing social media for the organization where I work; I still work there, but I’ve moved into a role that doesn’t require me to be on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram all day every day. After spending the better part of a decade in a job that had me perpetually connected, it was both strange & refreshing to suddenly be able to put down my phone & close my laptop & not need to check them all the time.

I'm Trying to Learn Spanish (Again)

As a kid, I was obsessed with trying to learn Spanish. I had a book of Spanish words that I carried around with me for an entire summer, & I once convinced my grandmother to consider taking me to Mexico in lieu of having a bat mitzvah. (She didn't come through on this one, but I tried.) (Also, when I was young, I thought that Mexico was the only place where people spoke Spanish. Imagine my surprise & delight when I learned about Spain & allll of Latin America!)

I took Spanish in both middle school & high school, & for awhile, I even wanted to be a translator of some sort, or maybe teach ESL. My freshman year of high school, when my mom & I welcomed a Peruvian exchange student into our home, I was proud to discover that my choppy freshman-year-of-high-school Spanish was enough for us to communicate un poquito, enough for me to understand the book he brought with him to teach us, his host family about his home city.

Somewhere along the way, though, my drive fell: I struggled with conjugating verbs, & after my two requisite college Spanish classes, my commitment waned, even if my interest never did.

Sorta-Spooky Stuff I'm Watching this Halloween

Halloween used to be my favorite holiday, but we didn't do much for it last year because we had a wedding that weekend, & this year, we have exactly nothing planned because... you know, global pandemic & all. 

Our friends Stevie & Andrew typically host an epic Halloween party, but that's not happening this year, so I'm trying to get in the Halloween spirit with all the spooky movies & TV shows I can watch. I don't like horror, so my choices are all, for the most part, extremely tame.

What's your favorite Halloween-themed movie, show, book, podcast, etc.? Tell me what else I should be watching! I need morrrre!

The Time We Rented an Entire Bookstore for Date Night

Mike is notably difficult to buy gifts for. He doesn't want, need, or care about stuff, & he rarely gives me any semblance of a wishlist. This year, as we prepared to celebrate his 35th birthday amid the pandemic, he wouldn't even tell me what he wanted to do that day, so I was left to my own devices.

Enter Visible Voice Books, an independent bookstore in our neighborhood. It's located on the top floor of a building that also houses Crust, a popular pizza joint, & Proof, a new BBQ spot. 

Baked Apples... in the Microwave: My Favorite Fall Treat!

This is decidedly not a food blog, especially given that I just learned how to cook, like... at the start of the pandemic. But this new-to-me recipe, shared with me by my mom, is so easy & results in such a delicious autumnal treat that I couldn't help but share it with you here. I've told a few friends about it, & it's become so popular that I wanted to spread the love!

How I Observed the Jewish New Year from Home

Like everything else about 2020, this year's Jewish High Holidays look considerably different than in years past. Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish new year, was observed last Friday/Saturday, & while I would typically have spent the day in synagogue, this year I, like millions of Jews worldwide, had to get a little creative.

My day job working with ReformJudaism.org means I have a lot of easy access to & knowledge of Jewish resources – finding synagogues, figuring out which prayers to recite, identifying tasty recipes. Leaning on some of the content I've recently created or helped promote for work, Mike & I cobbled together a really nice little new year's celebration for ourselves. Here's what it entailed. 

All the Things I Miss

I've been trying to stay upbeat during the pandemic in part because... well, what's the use in moping? (God, I sound like my grandmother.) That said, as this thing drags out & drags on, I'm starting to dread the approach of colder weather – because with it comes our return to isolation, without the option of outdoor hangs.

I've been thinking about all the things I miss most, & I'm keeping a little list, just because I find that it makes me feel a little bit better to have it all written down. I thought I'd share it with you here – & if you're inclined to share, I'd love to hear what you're pining for, too.