Isorhythm

Books Sputnik Sweetheart , Haruki Murakami;  In the Garden of Stone , Susan Tekulve; Bad Behavior , Mary Gaitskill Clothes Zara Long Flowy Skirt in Nude, $79.99 $39.99;  Zara Skirt with Contrasting Box Pleats in Sky Blue, $39.99 ; Everlane Raglan Boat Neck Sweatshirt in Black, $35.00 $15.00 Sound, Stage, and Seminar No Country for Old Men ; Saving Mr. Banks ; The Beatles Anthology ; Her ; The Act of Killing ; Ghostbusters Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival: Drama & Intrigue Adam Neiman, piano; Ara Gregorian, violin; Marcy Rosen, cello

The cold weather and dark evenings make me wish I owned more things that sparkle! Free People Shimmy Shimmy Party Dress in Silver, Pim + Larkin Sequin Mosaic Mini in Multi, ASOS Sequin Top Cami Dress in Oxblood, ASOS Sequin Top Skater Dress in Navy, Corey Lynn Calter Regence Tunic in Gold, Little Mistress Maxi Dress with Sequin Bodice in Cream/Navy

Books Thomas Mann,  Der Tod in Venedig Richard H. Hoppin, Medieval Music Inna Naroditskaya, Bewitching Russian Opera: The Tsarina from State to Stage Der Tod in Venedig  is still ongoing, but I haven't been keeping a steady regimen. The same goes for Medieval Music . Inna Naroditskaya's Bewitching Russian Opera , however, is a page-turner. Clothes Mossimo Women's Solid Skater Dress in Dark Red Sam & Libby Dominique Pointed Toe Pump in Pewter J. Crew Factory Double Stripe V-neck Sweater in Cloud/Brilliant Coral J. Crew Factory Always Cardigan in Black J. Crew Factory Colorblock Boatneck Tee in Ivory/Navy J. Crew Factory Clare Cardigan in Champagne The dress and shoes were emergency purchases for a wedding I attended. I realized at the last minute that all my semi-formal wear was only spring/summer appropriate and definitely not warm enough for a November ceremony. Now that it's over, I'm thinking about altering the skirt to make it a more ...

Books Thomas Mann,  Der Tod in Venedig Boris Pasternak, trans. Max Hayward and Manya Harari,  Doctor Zhivago Richard H. Hoppin, Medieval Music Keeping up a steady reading regimen has become more difficult now that I'm not riding the bus to and from work everyday. But I'm almost  done with Doctor Zhivago . Hoppin's Medieval Music  is more for notes in case I ever decide to go back to graduate school. It's nice, though, to be able to spend time with books I should have read more closely for class. Clothes Bonfire Stories Tunic in Red, $39.99 American Eagle Straight Jeans in Light Gray, $23.96 It was a light shopping month because I'm really trying to repurpose things I already own. But I needed new jeans, and the red plaid reminds me so much of camping and cold and the woods. Sound, Stage, and Seminar Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin , Met Opera Broadcast Dmitri Shostakovich's The Nose , Met Opera Broadcast I can't...

I'm trying to be a mindful spender, but these are making it difficult.

I've seen monthly recap posts on a few other blogs (namely here ), and I like the idea of looking back on what I've accomplished before flipping the calendar. September had a lot of stops and starts. Books Alan Light,  The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of "Hallelujah" Thomas Mann,  Der Tod in Venedig Boris Pasternak, trans. Max Hayward and Manya Harari,  Doctor Zhivago Light's being the only book I started and finished. I don't expect to be done with Mann any time soon, as I'm attempting to read it auf Deutsch. Clothes Everlane Classic Tote in Burgundy, $35.00 Weston Wear Bloomfall Peplum Tank, $39.95 Leifsdottir Delancey Trousers, $39.95 (possibly returning) Maeve Zola Shift in Navy, $49.95 Pesqueira Lola Dress, $59.95 I'd been eyeing the Zola shift (left) for weeks and was thrilled when it went on sale. It's light, has deep pockets, and is a perfect length for work. The Lola dress (...

Clockwise from top left:   Pankaj & Nidhi Lalina Dress , Floreat Varanasi Maxi Dress , Cloth & Stone Belted Chambray Shirt Dress , Indigo by Clarks Purity Snow Wedge in Tan , Everlane Canvas Tote in Tangerine , Everlane Leather Sandal (Released next week), Edme & Esyllte Freya Dress in Navy I'm hoping for a sale at Anthropologie soon.

The sweatshirt, not the guy. And it's for me, not Christopher. I sized down, so hopefully it will fit. I'm hoping for a slouchy-slim look, anyway. I could easily spend my entire next paycheck at Everlane .

I always approach giveaways and sweepstakes with a grain of salt because so many people enter. But I also figure that, statistically, if I just keep plugging away, eventually something will come of these entries. And earlier this week it did: I won The Clothes Horse 's a-thread giveaway! So now I have $75 to spend in their online shop, and I have no idea what to get. Below are some of my favorites: Fierce Floral Shift Dress ,  Scallop Print Dress ,  Lace Swing Dress ,  Big Floral Surplice Dress ,  Brooklyn Chambray Blazer ,  Splat Dot Racerback Blouse ,  Woven Peplum Top in Maroon/Orange ,  Silk Stripes and Flowers Blouse I can't decide if I should opt for the less expensive items so I can get more than one, or if I should go ahead and blow it all on one piece. At the end of a hard week, this is one tough decision that's nice to make.