1. This weekend I’m off to my first writing retreat! Three other writer friends and I are staying in a cabin in the nearby Pocono mountains for three days. There will be plenty of first drafting/revising, reading, chatting, snacking and tea-and-wine-drinking (though not all at once). I’m really excited to get away from the hustle and bustle of NYC for a few days and fully concentrate on my writing. I’ll share a recap next week!

2. I finished reading The Fault in Our Stars by John Green last night. It was incredible. That’s all I’ll say about it for now because next Friday, I’ll discuss it as part of the YA Book Club (hosted by Tracey Neithercott). If you’ve read the book, you should join in! All the details are here. If you haven’t read the book, DO IT. It will change you for the better.

{source}

3. Next on my reading list is Ditched by Robin Mellom. It’s really fun so far. It’s a debut so I’ll post about it for the 2012 Debut Author Challenge when I’m done.

4. Last weekend I started Couch to 5K, one of my Thirty Before 30 goals. It’s a 9-week program for beginners who want to work their way up to running a 5K. I first tried it a couple of summers ago but stopped when it got to hot to run outside (me and the gross NYC summer temps don’t get along). This time, I’m starting out on the treadmill at the gym and will move outside when it gets warmer out. The hardest part so far is finding the time to get to the gym, since the program has three runs a week. But I highly recommend it if you want to get into running.

5. I’m really behind on my TV viewing (which is probably a good thing), but the one show I’m really excited to catch up on is Smash. Have you seen it? Here’s the premise from the show’s website:

“Smash” is a musical drama that celebrates the beauty and heartbreak of
the Broadway theater as it follows a cross section of dreamers and
schemers who all have one common desire – to be a “Smash.” The series
centers on a desire to create a Broadway musical based on the life of
Marilyn Monroe.

My teenage self (who dreamed of being on Broadway) is rejoicing over the existence of this show.

{source}

What have you been reading/watching lately? Have an awesome weekend!