// a-babbling-sort-of-recap //

i recognize that i've been missing from the blog for a while, and i could spout a million excuses, but i kind of just wanted to write a nice rambly post and update y'all on everything that's happened in the past month+

(without having to actually do the monthly recap format b/c i'm lazy and n o)

(steal any of my pictures and i'll hunt you down + tackle you)

-school started. i'm exhausted already. honors english class is ironically kicking my butt this year, and my best subjects are math and history at the moment. and the only explanation i have for all this is that i've fallen into some kind of alternate world. on the bright side, speech and debate isn't anywhere near as horrible as i was expecting it to be, and i've managed to settle into a pretty good groove for the year. my honors us history class is kind of like a review of everything i've learned over the years, which makes it an easy class to get through each day. i typically enjoy it the most, along with sign language II.*

*which doesn't count for credit as an actual language towards 

graduation and honestly just pisses me off because it is a

 language, and it's extremely relevant and i just. *screams* 

-in the world of book news: empire of storms finally came out, and it was fantastic. it ripped my heart out and i can't fathom having to wait another year to read the next one ah. i love sarah's books so much. and it was just recently announced that throne of glass was picked up for a tv show (!!). i'm excited to see what they do with the series, but also worried that they're going to seriously muck it up + butcher it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ we'll see how it goes.

-and as far as reading has been going, i've been doing terribly. i've only read two things this month, and five books in august. i blame the lack of reading on the fact that nothing (exluding empire of storms) comes even close to comparing to the foxhole court. *sigh* book slumps will be the death of me. 

-one of my instagram pics was featured on bookstagram features + i may have freaked out just a little too much??? there was a lot of flailing and muffled shrieks, and ecstatic all-caps texts. and while we're on the topic of instagram-- i reached 300 followers!! *flings confetti*

-we had relatives come to visit several times in the past month, which never happens. it kind of threw the whole fam for a loophole, and honestly, i'm still kind of exhausted by it all?? but i got to meet some relatives i've never met before, + they were sweethearts who brought me vinyl (which is basically the key to my heart) so it was tolerable.

-okay, so arguably the biggest and most exciting thing that has happened all bloody year-- I GOT TO SEE MY FLORIDA CHILDREN IN CONCERT!!! oh my god it was the most fantastic thing ever. back in march (?), it was announced that a day to remember would be opening for blink-182 on their tour, and i, of course, lost my ish. i frantically texted my mom in the middle of state testing (don't do that children), screaming about how we just had to go. i was blessed enough to be able to get tickets to the concert and it was everything + more. you all know that linkin park is forever my favorite, but guysss, adtr is right up there with them. i spent the whole night sounding like a broken record, just incessantly babbling about how happy i was. it was truly such an amazing night.

-and wait, wait, wait! the story doesn't end there! i posted the above photo on my instagram, and had a little fangirl moment in the caption where i shared my utter joy at having seen the guys live. i'd been having a pretty sucky time the day i posted it, and i was tired + just generally feeling pretty down. so i didn't really believe it when it popped up in my notifications that kevin skaff, guitarist in the band, had seen + liked my photo. 

you can probably imagine the screamfest that ensued. i scared my mom with my yelling, and danced around the house like a loon. i'm still not really over it??
thank you kevin, for making my day 1000000x better. 

|| x ||

and that's the basis of what i've been doing while i've been away from blogging. i'd like to say that there will a slew of posts coming from here on out, but honestly, i haven't written a review in ages, and i'm still trying to work out my sporadic schedule. BUT i promise i shall return relatively soon, 

i hope you all have a lovely day, and remember to smile for me if you can. you're fantastic. <3