I debated on doing one of these this week; Christmas/New Years week always feels like some really weird in between gray area. I lose sense of time, of what day it is. Even with a strict list of what posts are suppose to go up this week all I can think of is but I really just want to sleep. It’s been cold af here in TX and I’m not living for it. I hate the cold. So much.

There aren’t many links I’ve discovered this week but I am having fun reading everyone’s yearly recap posts and 2021 goals posts! So if you have one please link it below in the comments, I’d love to read yours!

Cnet talks about 6 Useful Amazon Echo Tips You Should Be Using; My dad gifted me my Echo Dot the year before he passed away. And he was so excited for me to have it. We use it for almost everything in this household. I even got an Echo Show for my bedroom and planning to get a Kid’s Echo Dot for the office/Tums playroom!

Fast Company is talking about The 26 Best New Apps of 2020; I’m always on the hunt for a good app to fall in love with — though I really need to organize my ISO’s. But we’ll talk about that part later.

I signed up to be a contributor at ThriveGlobal; It’s been a goal of mine for awhile to publish writing. I just… don’t know what to write about. They have a ton of interesting articles covering a bunch of different subjects.

Shealea from Shut Up, Shealea (interesting blog name for sure) talks about 23 Books by Filipino authors; I’ve been trying to add more Filipino authors as well as learn more about my culture in 2021. There’s a lot I don’t know and there’s a lot of differences when you learn about it from a Philippines versus Western stand point. I want to be able to educate and expose T to as much of her Filipino culture as I can and as someone who’s first gen Filipino American, I worry a lot of the things I was exposed to will be lost since I don’t have those certain roots to the Philippines itself. I try to speak Tagalog and Cebuano to her as much as I can but it’s not enough for her to pick up, I don’t think. Which also worries me.

The downside to the holiday being over? Putting the holiday decor away. Ugh lol.

How was your week? Did you find any cool links around the web?

It’s moving week. Which means the last few days in the apartment I’m currently at. Of all the apartments in Texas I’ve lived in, this one has been my favorite so far. Despite you know, being way too close to my in law’s house. The location (other than that) is so cute. When we moved in it was up and coming with a ton of fun small businesses. But since COVID hit, some of those small businesses have had to close down and it’s so so sad to see. There was also a coffee shop downstairs (that’s now closed) that got me addicted to Cold Brew. But so far, no one has made it like this place does! And I’m so sad they’re gone! A few new small businesses have also moved in; I can’t wait to see what this place will be like in a year or two.

Our new place is clear across town; somewhere I can reset and start over. It’s also another up and coming area and things are getting completed super fast. There’s a lot around us and there’s only going to be more. I absolutely can not wait to see what businesses move in around us! And also, for the first time I don’t have a pool view. As much as I loved it in my last place, I’ve also hated it. People aren’t the best at following pool curfews or you know, not blasting music.

This week… I’m not sure what I’ve been doing besides stressing. And reading various articles on sites like The Every Girl and Food52. I’ve been trying to read more since it’s almost time for my annual October Reading Challenge and because I went a little crazy on NetGalley after 3 years of not even logging in.

On to the links;