looking back at may & forward to june
Things I accomplished in May
- Got all of my dental work taken care of
- Paid off one of my student loans - two more to go
- Read 11 books
It feels as if May passed quickly, but I don't mind. I'm grateful to have caught up with all of my dental treatments, even though it took a really large chunk out of my savings account. I kept from spending my money on unnecessary things (like new video games and books), although I did buy some new nail polishes with birthday money I was given. I figured since the money was a gift, it was okay to use it on something fun.
Normally, the volume at my workplace would be slowing down at this time of year. Our peak season was supposed to end at the end of March/start of April. It looks like we'll have more work than expected and be required to work overtime after all. I'm sort of glad, actually, because I can pick up extra hours to begin rebuilding my savings.
I've been listening to more audiobooks during my work days - in May, I listened to six audiobooks! It makes my shifts more enjoyable and helps to pass the time. I'm currently making my way through Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach series, a scifi/horror/thriller revolving around a mysterious Area X.
At the end of April, I deleted my Instagram accounts (more on that in this post). One of my friends from my hometown texted me asking about it, and it led to us re-connecting and having genuine conversations. When we'd DM on Instagram, it was just sending each other reels or memes, rather than personal interactions. Now, we're catching up, checking in on each other, and we have plans for a double date while him and his fiancée are in town this weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing them!
Things I want to do in June
- Continue to make payments to my student loans
- Work more overtime and save more money
- Have another pool day
- Finish a knitting project
It's hard to not think constantly about money, spending, savings, all of that. Looking at the news and seeing things about grocery and gas prices going up, and more Americans buying essentials on their credit cards ... I'm just very aware of how precarious things are for a lot of people in the country lately, and it's hard to put out of my mind. Still, I need to continue paying off my student loans while saving what I can.
Summer is right around the corner, and I think it would be fun to do another afternoon in the backyard pool with some cold cans of sparkling water or beers. I don't get enough time outdoors anyway, but just relaxing in the pool is an easy way to get some sun.
I might be able to finish my massive, long, dense scarf WIP1 this month. After I finish this, I want to start a similar scarf for my boyfriend with Legend of Zelda symbols, characters, and details.
I try not to rush my knitting projects or give myself deadlines, because I feel like it takes the fun out of it. I like to take my time - if I get bored with the project, I'll put it down for a bit and won't pick it back up until the time is right. I've been making some good progress on this lately, knitting as I watch Star Trek in the evenings, and I'm excited to be able to have a finished project sometime soon!
Work in Progress↩