The holidays are upon us and I can feel the anticipation in the air. I am feeling very much in the Christmas spirit, so it's been constant Christmas music & movies. This will pretty much be my diet until December 25 (and heck maybe a day or two after) 🎄.

I wanted to catch up with you guys and let you know what's been going on. Share with me any of the below!

Thankful For: Christmas time! The songs, the activities, the food, everything! I am so ready for Christmas break (hello, two weeks off). Also, I can't wait to use this wrapping paper again! 

Thinking About: Around this time I always think about the loved ones that are no longer with us. You just never know when it will be someone's last Christmas. I always think fondly of the memories of them, and I don't know, the love you have for them, missing them, it never goes away. I get a little sad, but I always remember the good times. It's bittersweet. 

Feeling: Christmasy (is that a word?), excited, and just a little burned out, if I am being honest here. Around the end of the year is also the end of the Fall semester, and the Fall is always way more hectic than Spring. I just really feel excited about getting an extended time off to actually decompress without counting down the hours for when I will return.

Listening To: Christmas music, duh! I think I should call this post, "Christmas Talk". I have all of the holiday and Christmas classics on my Spotify account. My favorite albums are always Classic Christmas, Pentatonix, Glee, and Michael Buble.

Eating: White fudge covered Oreos. They are only out for a limited time, so I try and take advantage. I have also been having WAY too many Starbucks holiday drinks.

Reading: I haven't been reading as much lately. I think I am in a book reading rut.

Loving: I am loving the Hallmark Channel right now. Basically, I get to watch non-stop romantic Christmas comedies. The cheesy music, the semi-good actors (and some good actors, too), the happy endings. Give me all of it. And cue the tears...I am also loving the YouTube channels of Zoella (and More Zoella). I am not sure if I am super late to the party (I probably am), but I love her videos. Her crew and dog look to be so much fun!

More Coffee Talk Posts on Melissa Faye Blog:

• Coffee Talk October 27
• Coffee Talk May 31

LINKS & LOVES

Woo! Thank the Lord it is finally FRIDAY!

Have you recovered from Thanksgiving yet? I haven’t! I have been on the road all week for a conference, so I am ready for this weekend to stay put and relax! I decided to decorate my little 3 ft. tree the other night, and I have to say, I love it! What do you think?

Here are my links & loves for this week:

ONE. You can now watch Netflix Offline!
Great! Now I can watch Netflix while I am driving...I mean working...I mean, never?

TWO. The trailer for The Shack is now available!
I read this book years ago and pretty much bawled the entire time I read it. It is a controversial book in that the depictions of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are not as we would assume they would be. However, for me, the depictions matched the characters of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit perfectly. I felt the characters (as they are in real life) through this book and it was life-changing!

THREE. I finally was able to purchase my first pair of Hunter Boots (RED) for $112.50 at Nordstrom.com on Black Friday. I am so excited to get them!

FOUR. I have always been a fan of Dolly Parton, but her generous offer to support families affected by the wildfires in Tennessee takes the cake! She is going to give families $1,000 a month. 

FIVE. Warby Parker has new eyeglasses and they are amazing! 

SIX. This precious video 😍.

Have a great weekend, xx!

HOW TO SURVIVE A CONFERENCE

I have been to many a conference in my career. I have had to go to several annually and they vary in distance all across the state. Conferences are beneficial in that they have cover important aspects of your job, and they condense a lot of good information into a relatively short amount of time. Conferences vary from 2 days to 5 days or more. Travel may involve driving to a nearby location, or it may require that you hop on a plane. Whatever the circumstance, here are some helpful tips in navigating your conference.

1. Travel as light as possible.
Dress may vary from conference to conference. Your conference may require business professional dress while others only require business casual or casual. If you have to pack your pantsuits, use a nifty Wallybag from J.C. Penney to make sure your dresses and suits stay wrinkle free. This is a sure fire way to make sure that you only have to check one bag. If you are driving to your conference destination, this can be a useful bag for making sure you don’t take up too much space, especially if you’re car-pooling. For toiletries, purchase travel size for easy packing and for making sure you following TSA guidelines. If you need to bring multiple pairs of shoes, invest in some shoe bags from Bed, Bath & Beyond to keep your shoes clean and to reduce the spreading of germs in your bag.

2. Be sure to bring a laptop or tablet for taking easy notes, or for downloading presentations. 
Some presenters will send the conference organization their PowerPoint slide presentations ahead of time, so you can easily follow along. I like to take notes on the presentation slides themselves, so I am always bringing my MacBook Air whenever I attend a conference. If you are like to take handwritten notes, be sure to pack a notepad and extra pens. Some conferences will provide these for you, but I like to bring my own just in case. If you are looking for some pretty notepads, get these from Target!

3. Bring a refillable bottle and snacks. 
If you do have a ways to travel, or if you tend to get low blood sugar (like me), keeping some snacks handy can help to reduce hunger and increase focus. Also, some conference venues have food courts, but the food can be astronomically expensive. A small bag of trail mix was nearly $5 at my last conference. Bring multiple snacks and refillable water bottle. Chances are a water fountain or water cooler will be nearby.

4. Wear layers.
It could be Summer or Winter, but I have found that most conference arenas or halls are ice cold. I always pack a light sweater, or blanket scarf for those cold rooms. You can also bring along a cardigan, or vest if you are looking for something to easily remove.

5. Network!
One of the positive aspects of going to conferences is the opportunity to network. Striking up a conversation at the coffee bar line could even lead to a future contact. Be sure to pack plenty of business cards, or something that can be used for people to get in touch with you. You never know when you may need help on a project, answer on an issue, or heck, even a future job opportunity!

6. Relax & Enjoy.
Unless your conference is incredibly fast-paced, there should be room left for leisure and relaxation. If you are in a new city, don’t feel guilty for setting aside a few hours to explore. Head to a popular restaurant (not a chain restaurant), a neighborhood pub, or even a museum in the area. If you are staying in a hotel, ask the front desk or concierge on dinner ideas or ideas for fun. I am sure there is something for you to do to unwind while you are away from the office for a few days.

Are there any tips that you would include as well? Tell me below!