Though it is sweltering outside and humid beyond belief (hi climate crisis), it is officially fall! Before I dive too deep into the fall festivities (aka grad school and a potential pumpkin patch visit), I wanted to recap my summer. Since I did not do any long distance or long term travelling this summer, I made a bucket list of things I wanted to achieve in my local community. This is a recap of all that I accomplished, which is more than I anticipated since I was fighting for my life working a summer camp.
Finish Only Murders in the Building
This was very important to me, and no, I can’t explain why. With a murder mystery comedy, you want to binge the entire season because each episode keeps you guessing and wanting to figure out who the killer is or why there’s a spotlight on three specific people. I’m so happy I was able to finish it; the three dollars a month is worth it to watch Steve Martin go down a pole like a stripper.
Binge Off Campus at least 1 Time
Loved it. Ate it up. The show is so much better than the book. I’m excited to see what they do with it since they’re changing the order of the books in the upcoming seasons. For example, Allie and Dean are the main focus of season two, but their book is number three in the original series.
Upgrade Wardrobe with Quality
In my head, I wasn’t going to be lazy and would take a picture of a few of the items. Then… I looked at my laundry pile and saw most of the clothing items were in there. Laundry day is not upon us, so the clothes will not be featured images. Just know, I improved. I got a few items from Belk’s, Old Navy, and H&M–all better than the secondhand items I’ve been settling for. Don’t get me wrong. I love thrifting and secondhand items, but there needs to be some semblance of a balance, which I was severely lacking. Also, ya girl needed cute, comfortable shoes for her new job and scored platform Crocs on sale.
Beach w/ Friends
Well, it was one friend, but it still counts. To commemorate successfully buddy reading The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, I went to the beach with a friend (the friend I buddy-read with). Our day started with getting coffee from Calico Coffee. Well, I got a coffee; she got a matcha. Then we headed to Wrightsville Beach. She had a cutesy $10 beach tent from Five Below, which was so perfect for the day. The weather wasn’t too bad, but we definitely sat in the tent while a storm passed through. While we were at the beach, we painted coasters and made bag charms. Afterwards, we went to Pho 68 and ate delicious pho before making the drive back.
Go to the Movies 3 Times
Cinema is back in 2026, and there’s nothing more fun than enjoying it at the movie theater. I went to see The Devil Wears Prada 2 (for the second time) with a friend. Then, I went to see the 2025 version of Lilo & Stitch at a local university. Lastly, I took myself to see The Odyssey.
NEW for Clover
It was high time for Clover to get a little upgrade, to look less like a one year-old and more like a two year-old… and like she belonged to someone. She finally got a tag, in case her curiosity reaches maximum levels and she fully wanders off. She also got a new collar, a new harness, a retractable leash (I know how people feel about them, but it’s helping me train her to listen when we go outside). She also has reusable pee pads for when she decides the use the bathroom at 2 am while I’m knocked out; I tried to train her out of it, but when you don’t have a fenced in yard, some L’s just have to be taken.
Launch All Projects
There was really only two projects that needed to be launched over the summer, but beginning of the summer Jamilah thought writing “All” was better than writing “Two” for some reason. Anyway, my quarterly digital ‘zine, Chronicles of Chaos, has finally launched. When I’m writing this, volume two for fall 2026 has (finally) been shared. My other project/side hustle, Jay Are Designs, also launched over the summer (dare I say prematurely because I was definitely not as prepared as I thought I was). It’s a hub for information about the websites I design for clients and a place to sell both the digital and physical stationary I design.
Find a New Dietician
At the beginning of summer, my previous dietician had a baby and said she was taking maternity leave for the rest of the year (to the women who are able to do that, I hope you know how lucky you are). Therefore, she found a new Berry Street dietician for me to connect with. Things started off a bit rocky because my new dietician got in a car accident and had to have surgery and rescheduled appointments; it was a whole thing. Once we finally established my needs, our meetings only lasted about 20 minutes; with my previous dietician, they would last about an hour, and she actually made an effort to get to know me. There’s pros and cons to the change, like my new dietician making weekly meal plans where my previous dietician didn’t.
Try 3 Local Food Spots
Though my semi-small town is limited with eatery options, there are quite a few local restaurants available. After living here for three years, I figured it was time to give a few a try. The first place I tried was a Jamaican food truck; though most of their food had a chicken base (which I don’t eat), there were a few shrimp options, and the food was superb. I had a grilled shrimp dish with a side of rice, beans, and pineapple salsa. The next place I tried was a Mexican restaurant, and it was horrible. I got the pulled pork tacos, but the pork was cubed and dry. There was also something in the food I’m allergic to because I broke out in hives after the meal. The last place I tried was a new Hawaiian BBQ place. I got the Hawaiian beef bowl, which was literally rice, onions, and sliced beef in a Hawaiian BBQ sauce. It sounds simple, but it was very delicious.
Find a New Routine
I knew I would be starting at a new school with an earlier start time in August, so establishing a new morning routine over the summer was imperative. This is the eight-step routine I came up with (I often combine steps seven and eight):
1. Feed Moira (my fish) and give Clover allergy meds
2. Workout
3. Take Clover outside
4. Skincare routine
5. Make up my bed (gives skincare products time to settle in before #6).
6. Take a shower
7. Eat breakfast
8. Read 15-30 minutes
The Unaccomplished
- Spontaneous trip. I kept trying to make it work, but my bank account was very against me. Also, I could not decide if Clover should go with me, or if I should scrounge for a dog sitter.
- Sniffspot at least 1 Time. I booked a Sniffspot for Clover’s birthday… but the person who owns the property we were going to is extremely ill (to say the least), so that was cancelled. In booking the property, I realized Sniffspot is a subscription, and I used my free opportunity on the property that was cancelled.
- That Surprise Thing. Again, my bank account was very against me, but I think I’ll be able to do it soon.
- Go to Trivia Twice. Quite literally every week I tried to go to a trivia night at a local wine/international goods shop, it would torrentially rain, and it always rained when the trivia night started. I took it as my sign that I needed to not partake.
- Start Writing [For Real]. I tried, but time and summer camp survival were not on my side. I have fictional stories I want to tell, but I need the time to tell them. I thought summer would be my chance; I guess I was wrong.
