Why I Have Been Absent

Hello, this is going to be a long post so if you can bear with me that would be great.

I have been gone for quite a while now from this blog. My last post having been done in April, my Page Habit box reveal. Since then, I have been working hard finishing my junior year in college and getting home. I have also been battling a little internally which I will share later in this blog. I just haven't been feeling like myself, and for those reasons (and the ones I will share with you) I haven't felt the pull to post something. I've barely read a book that I've been DYING to read ever since I got it at a library sale.

So, I finished my junior year of college. I had many research papers and projects to finish, so many that I just couldn't even think about doing something that was fun for me, like reading or writing (by the way I completed my NaNoWriMo novel and am on the editing stage of that). I just had to get my work done so that I could pass. Outside of my papers and projects but still in the realm of school, I was working TIRELESSLY on my study abroad trip. This trip has had its ups and down, from before being Lyon, France to now being Montréal, Canada due to money, I'm still having issues.

I have been honored to be awarded two scholarships through my school due to the work in the language department of my university and one for my study abroad trip, but I also won third place in a French video contest held by the Franco American Centre of New Hampshire. My research partner and I from one of my classes won a small award from the Women's Studies Council at my university based off our paper on Wonder Woman and how her new movie has changed the world of cinema for women. So it seems that my hard work has been paying off!

However, with all this, and all the work that I have been doing since 2016, I still need some money. As of this moment, I am only covered just over half of my trip. I was not able to find a job for the summer either, so that will hurt me in my journey. I still need to get the rest of the money before I leave, so that I am able to have a place to stay while in Montréal and be able to eat. I will most likely be living off campus so I need money for rent (which is surprisingly cheap).

Here is my travel fund if you are able to donate: Help Send Monica To Canada for an Eye-Opening Semester!. If you can't donate yourself, I ask that you please share to help me instead. The campaign is only open for the rest of June because I can't change the end date so I would need the money ASAP!!

So, now on to my internal battle that I mentioned earlier. I am diagnosed with depression and anxiety, and I take medication for this. However, I for a while I was without health insurance and I wasn't able to pay every month for my depression medication. This meant that I was in a low spot, this also happened while I was finishing up school, so the stress of school really began to take a toll on my like it never had before without the help of my medication.

However, I have made it home. I have insurance again, and I am back on my meds. I am starting to slowly feel better, but the depression is still a strong hold on my head and thoughts. Also, with all the talks about suicides in the media (RIP all those who have passed), it's hit me because I once felt that low.

I'm bouncing back though, I hope to be in full swing of myself but the end of the summer. I have family events coming up with people I haven't seen in a while so that's exciting, and I look forward to working harder on my study abroad trip.

If you've read this far, I thank you. I know that I can ramble on at sometimes and that not many people care about someone's personal life online, but I just wanted to share the things that make up my life, and in the process make up who I am.

If you have any questions I would love to answer them! Now, let's end this off with a cute gif of a cat, shall we?

à bientôt!

Gif credits: black cat in the tub, heart,

$10 Library Book Haul

The library in the background of this logo/photo is from my
local city library.

This past Saturday I attended a book sale at my local city library.  It's called the 'Off the Shelves - $10 a Bag Booksale' and the name really spells out what it's all about.  You bring either a plastic or reusable grocery bag (or you can use a brown paper bag they can give you) and fill it with anything from hardcover/paperback books, movies, and informational books that they are no longer keeping in circulation.  Once you fill your bag(s) you pay for them.  $10 a bag and you get to walk away with a whole bunch of amazing finds.

This isn't the first time I've done this event at my library.  They hold it about four times a year.  I've been going to some of them for about four years and each time I bring home at least one full bag of books.  It's wonderful to come home with so many books.  I haven't read even one-eighth of the books I've gotten from there but that's not the point.

Below I will list the books I picked out along with the author name and the reason why I picked it.  I'll link the Goodreads as well (if I can find it).

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.  I picked this one because I had heard great things about 'Kite Runner' and both have been on my TBR list for a while.

I wish my bookshelves looked like this photo.

How I Became Stupid by Martin Page.  My mom laughed at the name alone so I read the summary on the back and it seemed really funny.
The Vampire's Doll by Jaclyn Dolamore.  The story was interesting and the cover felt nice in my hands.  I have a very weird relationship with books.  Then, honestly, the final reason that I had for picking this book was the description of the author in the book.  She seemed like an adorable person and I want to see what they have to offer me.
The Tolkien Companion by J.E.A. Tyler.  I really like anything Tolkien so this one was an obvious choice to pick.
Unfinished Tales by J.R.R. Tolkien (and edited by his son Christopher).  Again this one was an easy choice for me.  I was pretty sure that I already had this but the cover was different so I'll add it to the shelf.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.  So there were many reasons I chose this one.  I have always heard that Oscar Wilde was a crazy cat, and Dorian Gray was in an episode of one of my favorite television shows.  The last reason was the pretty green binding and hardcover of the book.
The Raven's Heart by Jesse Blackadder.  This is the first book that I placed in my bag during the book sale.  I liked the fact that it was an interesting historical fiction novel with what seemed like a possible kick-ass heroine.  There was also some wording on the back of the book that gave me a strange feeling of a possible LGBTQIA+ relationship.  So that was definitely something for my list of 'Will This Book Be Good?'.



I also got a Scooby-Doo comic book and a cookbook of Cajun food because it was themed a little with pirates and I want to try new foods.

So now I'm going to be off finishing my reading challenge for 2017.  I'm a little bit behind on it right now.  So if you need me just know that I'll be either working or having my nose in a book.

À beintôt!

Photo creds: sepia library, book haul logo was designed by me on Canva, bookshelves, girl reading,

Review: Franco-American Life & Culture in Manchester, New Hampshire: Vivre La Difference

Franco-American Life & Culture in Manchester, New Hampshire: Vivre La Difference by Robert B. Perreault
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well if I wasn't interested in my Franco heritage...I sure am now.

This book, though it had nothing to do with me, opened up my eyes and mind to a world, that is not so far gone. Many of the events and persons mentioned in this book happened from the 1700s to the 1980s. I know that I have a Franco side from my Paternal grandparents, and I know what to know more. I want to go to that ACA/Lambert/Franco-Collection Library and try to track my ancestors back to when we started on this Earth.

Also, having lived in Manchester (mainly the West Side) I was able to picture all the streets he talked about. I have lived on both the East and West sides, I went to Manchester High School West (which the author's son is mentioned having attended). This, I feel, connects me deeper to the story than I thought it would have. The photo on the front cover, I know that street, I recognize those buildings. Granted the bridge is not the same, but I've been there it seems. I've walked and drove across that bridge that separates the East and West sides of Manchester. I know personally most areas in the photo from Rock Rimmon on the right, to the original St. Mary's Bank on the left.

This book has brought out a side of me that I didn't know was in me. A side that wants to further my French heritage as I never have. Who wants to learn all I can about my ancestors and their journeys here and elsewhere. And I think I'll start that journey today.

View all my reviews