2016: The Year of the Hustle

Hello, friends. Before I dive into the post, I'd like to welcome you to my new website. Seriously, love having an actual domain and this SquareSpace platform makes me feel so legit. It's definitely a nice way to ring in the new year. Oh yea, HAPPY NEW YEAR :)

2016 is full of high hopes on my end, but while I have many goals I'd like to accomplish, I am saying no to resolutions this year (gasp!). Instead I am going to try to live my year and define it in ONE word: HUSTLE!

Found on Zullily.com

So you might be wondering what made me decide on the word Hustle for 2016? Well, if I were to have created a regular resolutions list as I've done in the past, it may make more sense. That list would look a little something like this, so you can understand my choice of this word:

• Grow the blog
• Create opportunities for the blog to become a business
• Work on past passion projects as well as future ones
• Gain financial stability
• Get my shit together

Can you see the similarities? Maybe not right away, and believe me at first I was struggling to find a good word to define my year. But once I really thought about it, what all these goals have in common is that I have to work hard at them–a blood, sweat and tears level commitment. 

While 2015 was great and I became more present, I know I got lazy in a lot of areas in my life, so that's also why Hustle is a good fit for 2016. I'm done with the slacking off and then beating myself up because "I could have done that" or wondering about numerous what ifs, while feeling "stuck" in my life. So of course this year, I got to change that! I want to go for what I want so I can have the lifestyle I want and can be present in a life that means something!

Etsy.com

And the reason I am saying no to the typical resolutions is because often, we write this long list of them down only to forget about them or find a lack of motivation to accomplish them. On top of that, by choosing a word to define my year, I allow myself flexibility, cuz sometimes life happens and you have to adjust. For example, for my blog, maybe I start off thinking offering services is the way to go, but then find that my audience needs courses instead of services, I am still hustling, just the goal gets shifted in a new direction.

Also, the word can apply to different aspects of my life. Even though HUSTLE  is often associated with making money and can seem business-centric, it can actually apply to my personal life too. For example, I can hustle and work towards better time management or hustle it with my workouts or even hustle hard to make sure my friendships stay strong. 

So how will you define your year? What word will you use to make the most out of 2016, cuz between you and me, I whole-heartedly believe this is our year!! But if you can't think of a word right now, no worries, I have your back. I've create a free worksheet just for you, so it can help get those creative juices flowing!

Love,
Astrid

My Week With TV: Fall TV Week 2

I meant to put this up on Sunday, but to be completely honest, I spent most of the weekend sleeping or actually catching up with some Fall TV. I was also trying to get over whatever was causing me to have the cough of death. But at least being sorta sick (just a nasty cough, so annoying) allowed me to lay low, that and paying most of my bills for the month. So without further ado, here are the shows I feasted my eyes on this week.

Let's start off with the shows I mentioned at the end of the last My Week With TV post. These were all shows that premiered last week and remember, there are still shows yet to premiere for the season. But anyway, that's for the next post in the series(?). For new premieres, this is what I saw:

Grandfathered-This is the John Stamos and Josh Peck starred vehicle. Stamos plays a forever bachelor restauranteur, obsessed with not aging, who soon learns that not only is he a father to Peck's character, but also a grandfather. I was actually really excited to watch this mostly because both of these actors were huge in my childhood (hello Full House and Drake and Josh). And I was not disappointed. The show is funny and charming, with the dynamic of Stamos and Peck's character really playing off each other. I would definitely recommend tuning into this for a good laugh. (Tues at 8pm on FOX).

The Grinder- If you miss Chris Traeger from Parks and Recreation, then this might be the show for you because Chad Lowe pretty much plays a Traeger on this show. Except that he is an actor who's show, where he played a lawyer, has just ended. However, his old role has led him to believe that he could be a real lawyer alongside his father and brother, played by Fred Savage (oh the Wonder Years).  While Lowe's character exudes confident, his much more serious brother may be a great lawyer but lacks in public speaking skills.  I feel this show has the potential to be really funny, but at the same time it seems a little over the top and like it's trying to hard. We shall see. (Tues at 8:30pm on FOX).

Code Black- Of course this would make my list because I have a huge thing for medical dramas/procedurals. The title of the show is a term used in this case to refer to any incident where the number of patients outnumbers the number of resources available. The show stars primarily Marcia Gay Harden as the director of the residency program, but early on you are told that while she is the best at her job, she is having trouble overcoming a personal tragedy. Alongside her we have Luis Guzman who plays the head ER nurse and he definitely brings the comic relief to the show. The rest of the cast centers on 5 new residents who are trying to learn the ropes of the fast paced ER. It reminds of a cross between Grey's Anatomy and ER, which makes it an automatic win in my book. (Weds at 10pm on CBS).

The other two shows I gave a try this week were shows that premiered the week before, but I had thought started this week LOL. But what they really have in common is that they both have a badass female lead. So here they are:

Quantico- Think of this show as Homeland (speaking of which I still to catch up on) mixed with any Shonda Rhime show. It stars the seriously gorgeous Priyanka Chopra (like can I have her skin) as one of 50 new FBI trainees at Quantico. The first task given to all the trainees is learn one another's darkest secret. This gives way to how the show is setup, flashing back between the past and the present, where we discover there might have been a terrorist among the trainees, and Alex is being framed for their actions. I really enjoyed the high stakes of the show, the detective work that goes with it and the sexy allure the show gives off overall. Hopefully, it just gets better (Suns at 10pm on ABC).

Blindspot- Some have said this show is a combo of the Bourne Identity and The Blacklist, but to be honest, the show reminds me of the star's, Jamie Alexander's, previous show, Kyle XY. So what is this show about? Well it's about a woman who is discovered in a duffel bag in Times Square, who has no memory of who she is or how she got there. The only clues as to her identity are the fresh tattoos that cover her body, one of which demands the attention of FBI Agent Kurt Weller. It is up to him and his team to decode the tattoos and figure out who she is, and why Weller seems to be involved in her case. Oh and we soon find out that Jane, as they refer to her (as in Doe), might have had some sort of combat training. Very juicy so far! (Mons at 10pm on NBC).

Have any of you checked out these shows? Did you like them? Let me know in the comments below, or better yet come join me on Periscope this Sunday, October 11th at noon PST to talk some fall TV (I'm under @astridstars). And if you weren't able to join us earlier this week, I did my first Periscope on October Goals.

Here is the replay. We have a few more premieres to come so stay tuned for more #MyWeekWithTV.

Love, 
Astrid

Hello October Goals

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Wow does time fly by! I cannot believe its already October, but I don't mind at all. It's not just that it's my birthday month (Holla! and yes I celebrate throughout the whole month), but it's also when temperatures start to finally cool down a bit in Los Angeles and it really starts feeling like fall. In fact, we were lucky enough to get some rain today, which just makes me so happy. And to continue in the happy spirit, I hope to set the bar with my October goals just as high as I set them in September. So let's see what I accomplished from my lengthy list of goals.

As a reminder, here are the goals I set for myself in September and which I was able to cross off:

Personal Goals:

• Read The The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness and The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke
• Plan out social events such as book club meetings, dates and workouts. This one is pretty self explanatory. Just didn't follow through on the workouts...oops.
• Workout at least 5 days a week
• Continue decluttering room
• Read 4 books - Only got through Fallout by Ellen Hopkins
• Catch up on my Emmy's nominees  I got through Parks and Recreation and Silicon Valley! Will try to get through more during October
• Eat healthier- only have takeout 2x a week
• Play with my dog at least 20 minutes a day Towards the end of the month, I got better at waking up early enough to take him for a walk and play with him before and after work.
• Plan my birthday- Everything is all set for that weekend! Hotel, hot air balloon ride and horseback + wine tours are booked! James and me will definitely have fun.

Blog Goals:

• Design new site- i.e. banner, color code, etc.
• Create Editorial Calendar- for this I will be using this as one of my guides. I did get this done in my physical planner but still have to digitize it and get better at sticking to it.
• Schedule posts in advance- including graphics.
• Add all the blog chats I attend on Twitter to my planner/calendar. Done! Been enjoying them so much. I follow #nectarchat, #ellechat, #FBLChat and #createlounge
• Begin creating a business plan
• Launch sponsor program/ads
• Create a budget- since I want to invest on my blog
• Sign up for E-Courses, starting with this one. I might have actually gone overboard with this one lol!
• Continue the 30 Day Blogging Challenge  Other than needing to be more consistent with this, I have been following this, even though it isn't daily the way it's intended to be
• Engage with my communities online

Other goals:

• Work on my Youtube channel- starting with biweekly videos
• Look for Freelance writing ops
• Look for screenwriting courses
• Finish screenplay....

So yes, there were a lot of things I didn't get through, but you know what, that's ok. Instead of discouraging me, it makes me just want to try harder or at least have some stuff on the horizon constantly. On that note, here are my goals for October:

Personal Goals:

• Workout 5x a week- Today I started the 28-day program from Tone It Up: 28 Days to Fit, Fierce, and Fabulousby Katrina Scott and Karena Dawn . I am also following their Fit For Fall Challenge as well asLauren Gleisburg's fall program.
• Eat healthier- Just did a one-day juice cleanse from Pressed Juicery yesterday and today started the Tone It Up Wedding Slimdown (it's 10 days, just in time for my bday).
• Finish Decluttering my room- Last month it was continue to declutter my room, but I want more intention this month so I'm hoping to finish doing this, particularly the throwing out old magazines part.
• Read 4 books- Since it's really starting to feel like fall, the weather is perfect to get some good reading done. I'm especially looking forward to the new fall books, which I mentioned in my previous post. 
• Stay up to date with TV Shows- I want to continue catching up with the shows I said I'd watch for the Emmy's but also not get too behind the fall shows I'm loving.
• Watch some scary movies- Because hello, Halloween is this month. Plus I have a few I haven't seen yet, both classics and new ones.

Blog Goals:

• Create/Engage with the community- Social media is a great tool for connecting with all of you guys, so anytime a new platform comes out, its definitely worth exploring. This month I am trying out Periscope! In fact, I will be hosting my first "real" (cuz the other two were me goofing off) scope tonight at 8pm PST to discuss October goals! My handle is @astridstars. 
• Follow through with my E-courses- Like I mentioned, I've been signing up for E-courses like crazy. Mostly because I now have this fire to make this blog something I'm really proud of and this pushes me to keep the fire blazing. I even just signed up for a bundle yesterday. But now I need to actually do the work and put them to use. Some of the ones I signed up for are: Pinfinite Growth, Your First 1K and Quit + Commit(I got the bundle price). 
• Work on Design and Branding- I've actually got this one rolling already. The Quit + Commit course was part of a bundle that came with the Breathtaking Brand Package from Lemon and the Sea. Our first session is on Saturday!
• Launch Newsletter and Sponsor program- I'm so nervous for these, but I've got to rip the band-aid off sometime.
• Create a collaboration program- This is something that I thought off during a blog chat. Seriously the chats are great for brainstorming and getting motivated. Get ready for this!
• Create a budget - While I love investing in the blog, I also can't get too crazy.

Other goals:

• Work on my Youtube channel- starting with biweekly videos

Again, I know my list may seem a bit impossible, but you gotta aim high right?! Share your goals with me in the comments below, or better yet join me during tonight's Periscope. Again that's tonight at 8pm PST and my handle is @astridstars! Hope to chat with you there! 

Love, 
Astrid

On My TBR List: Fall Books

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In my previous post I talked how the new TV season always signals the beginning of fall for me. But it's not the only thing that let's me know fall is here. In case you didn't know, fall is also the most important time for new releases in the book world. Actually, if you think about it, Fall seems to be the biggest season for a lot of industries (i.e. TV, Oscar potential films, books, etc). But I digress. Besides settling into the couch (ok my bed) to relax in front of the TV, fall to me means snuggling up with a good book. 

Seriously, nothing, not even new TV shows, screams fall to me quite like enjoying a good read with a cup of tea and Charlie sleeping by my side. Lately, I've been trying to set aside more time to read as my TBR list is constantly piling higher and higher, but haven't been very successful in doing so. However, with the fall season starting I have this huge urge to stick to my TBR list. 

With so many new books, plus running into this

reading challenge

, I had to compile a list to help me get to them. And so here are my top picks, which include mostly new fall debuts, with a few "older" ones that seem perfect for the season as well:

Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

- This has been sitting on my book shelf for months so I am glad that I'm not only in the reading mood lately, but that I now have the added pressure to read it thanks to two of my book clubs. The novel is a thriller, which some have compared to

Gone Girl

 due to it's many plot twists, and centers around Rachel, an alcoholic who's husband left her two years ago for his mistress. Every day, Rachel rides the train and observes the lives of one couple, thinking it to be perfect, until one day tragedy strikes, leaving Rachel wondering what is true and what her role in it could be. It's actually the perfect fall book, though it was published earlier this year, due to its dark mystery.

Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff

- There has been a lot of buzz around this book, so you know it's a must read. The story examines the marriage of Lotto and Mathilde from both their perspectives over the years. It's set up similar to

Gone Girl

(can you tell I liked it?) in that it is split into two parts, one part being Lotto's experience and perspective with in the marriage and the other being Mathilde's. The marriage begins as one envied by their friends it seems, but not all is what is seems and I hear there's a pretty crazy twist, which is what really intrigues me.

The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz-

I may have mentioned that I love Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy on the blog before, so it is no surprise that this made it onto the list. The Trilogy has now become a series and this book marks the fourth in this series. Lisbeth and Blomkvist are back again for another thrilling and dangerous ride. Blomkvist's magazine is struggling until he gets word about a computer scientist who is in trouble with the NSA and the Swedish government. At first Blomkvist is disinterested until he is told he may have been aided by someone Blomkvist is familiar with: Lisbeth. I'm excited to see how Lagercrantz continues the series and if stays true to Larsson's vision and style. 

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling-

 How could not this not make the list?! When I lived in New York I remember finding comfort reading her first book during my subway rides. In this one, we find her same Mindy humor in her essays except this time she discusses her journey of trying to find contentment and excitement in her adult life. In her previous book she focused more on her struggle to try to fit in with Hollywood and trying to make it. Her new book appears to focus more on the after of her success. Really cannot wait to read this especially since it seems most of my other choices are on the darker side. 

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy-

 This is another one that I've heard a lot of buzz around, especially on BookRiot. The book centers around Willowdean Dickson, aka Dumplin, who has always been happy in her own skin as a proudly thick girl. However when she falls for a boy at her new fast-food job and he likes her back, she begins to doubt herself. Her solution to gain her confidence back? Enter the beauty pageant. I love how badass the protagonist sounds and I think in today's body-shaming world, it really is a nice punch back. 

Obviously there are a lot of other books that I am interested in, but that would just make for a never-ending post. In the mean time, these will be the ones I'll try to get to first and the ones that piqued my interest the most. Do any of these sound good to you? Any you recommend I add to my list? Share with me and everyone in the comments below.

Love, 

Astrid

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