Category: Friday Five

The long-awaited last week of employment– here we are! I am officially (as of Friday) not really employed anywhere– eep!

This week, I’ve taken it easy, got to hang out with my baby niece all day Tuesday (#auntielife), got a massage, and generally freaked out just slightly.

1. The Parent Trap (circa 1998) was easily in my top five movies as a kid. The fashion holds up today.   (Abbi, what were your top five? Well, if you insist… Probably ANYTHING Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, Milo & Otis, Chicken Run, The Parent Trap, and the Princess Bride)
2. What do you unnecessarily spend money on? Mine is on food– or, going out for food. I hate cooking at home, or at least tell myself I do, mostly because I wait until I’m “too tired or hungry” to wade through a recipe, so I order out (Grubhub is both my best friend and my arch enemy). Anyways, I’m eyeing unneeded expenses and hoping to cut down. Wish me luck!
3. By now, everyone knows Humans of New York– I still wanted to share this story. The power of SSRIs, social media, and friendship.
4. I’ve spoken recently about my anxiety and the habit of rehearsing. This article gives some good tips for “over-thinking” which is kind of the same thing? Anyways, I’ve kept a few pages in my BuJo for gratitude and that has helped a lot (tip 6), but the biggest thing for me is to recognize the pattern and step out of it.
5. Take small, determined steps to get yourself in a better headspace— start with making the decision, then go from there.

 

Happy Friday! I’m headed north for a long weekend– to spend with friends in celebration of birthdays and my freedom!!

This week was slower paced. I had every single evening free– and really didn’t know what to do with myself! I painted for a friend (trim and doors), I planted all of the plants I’d been gifted by my mom and aunt, I napped. It was… nice.

1. I love this article about parenting in France. Really, I have no idea what parenting is like here in the US, but this is just really intriguing to me.
2. Melancholy is my jam— I think, like this author, I feel happiest when I’m just a bit blue. And, reiterating what she says– not in the way I feel when I’m in a depression slump, but just a nice, casual blue day. It’s lovely and cozy and I think helps me access some of my heavier emotions without getting too bogged down. Give me a rainy day, any day.
3. Take a break before the breakdown— I did this last weekend. Even though I probably could have gotten a few more massage appointments in last Friday, I instead scheduled an entire day off for myself– and did NOTHING. It was exactly what I needed, and lent itself to a slower-paced weekend which, in turn, helped me gear up for a few more weeks of madness.
4. Hola, Tres Leches! Gracias, Joy the Baker!
5. Another food one. Because nothing says summer like caprese salad!!

This weekend is a whole different pace than the week was– my office took home Office of the Year (for the fifth time in a row?) so we’re celebrating tonight, complete with a stay at a charming BnB and brunch Saturday morning! I think I’ve been prepping for it all week, ready to go hard!

Happy Friday, all!

What a hot, sticky week! This week, I celebrated Independence Day inside in air conditioning, picked at a leftover stars and stripes cake, and ate Hotbox Pizza to my heart’s content. What I’m saying is– I’ve been living my best life.

1. I have definitely used this recipe for pesto because I don’t have a food processor and I wanted to know if it was possible (answer: duh, we’ve been doing this for a long time). Also, just like my mama, I made lots of substitutions. Lesson learned: do you. Chop like crazy. Cooking has been around for longer than kitchen gadgets and “must haves.”
2. Mac and Cheese is my go-to comfort food. And now there’s a scientific reason why!
3. This is probably my favorite thing I’ve read all week– a listing of first dates. Don’t read if you’re squeemish about dating and/or human sexuality. I’d love to make a list like this someday, but I think my first date stories are just boring. Not terrible, just really, really dull.
4. What other people don’t get about living in America
5. American Life, experienced in a variety of ways. I love hearing stories, it makes me feel so connected to others. I’m thankful for those brave enough to share their “outside the norm” life.

Here’s to rain and a slightly less-hot weekend! I have plants to plant, sunshine to enjoy, and a deep desire to not melt in the heat!

This week was FULL– of FUN! From a jazzy time at the Jazz Kitchen, to a much-needed massage and wine session with my MT, and tonight– the Star Spangled Symphony. Other than those very fun things, I’ve had some proper down time, I’ve started planting things in my yard, and I just generally feel a bit more settled. Whew.

1. If you see my comment on this page, it’s true. I teared up. I needed to hear these “so what“s and say a few of my own.
2. Impostor Syndrome? A few of these books have now made it on my “to read” list, which just keeps getting longer. Guess I’m going to have to live forever to get all these books read!
3. I’ll be honest, I’m a little bit cheap. As in– I only buy Anthropologie when there’s a sale on sale. Which– there is! Enjoy.
4. This article inspired me to reach out to the author of a book I’m currently reading. It was just a few lines to say how much I was enjoying her work. Who would you reach out to, just to say you love their stuff? It might go a long way.
5. Routines. Love them? Hate them? With my anxiety, I tend to thrive on routine. But I also am easily bored. So I need structure but freedom within the structure…? I don’t know, I’m a complicated person. (Sidenote: The first question of 6 is one I think of frequently– What kind of person do I want to be? It’s helped me make a lot of decisions in the past few years)

This weekend, I’m finishing up foster training a month earlier than I thought I would, going to a church brunch (helloooo, mingling anxiety), and anticipating the delivery of my new shed! It should be an equal balance of exciting and relaxing– hope yours turns out the same!

After last week’s craziness, this week’s slower pace was a welcome respite. We got some rain, the temps fell (o, happy day!), and we celebrated the beginning of summer and World Yoga Day.

1.  New life goal: buy this house, decorate appropriately, run a Hogwarts-themed B&B.
2. All of a sudden, articles about parenting— which once felt “not for me”– are very intriguing. And scary. How do people do this parenting thing? How do you raise a human person? And people– put that phone down occasionally!
3. More on children– but these are being separated from their parents. Yes, you know what I’m talking about. But this is a good explanation of what’s been going on, and how to help.
4. This is a bit of good news, locally. Our governor just took $25 million from our state’s surplus to improve DCS. Hallelujah.
5. Lastly, here’s a piece about Johnny Depp. Remember middle school, when he was Captain Jack Sparrow and handsome and charming? Apparently that lifestyle doesn’t hold and this just gets a bit sad, really.

Oof. This list tipped heavy. It’s been a heavy week, again. I’ve got the weekend with family up north, and I’m excited to get away, out of my headspace, and breathe a little. It’s a bit of sticking my head in the sand, but you know? Sometimes you have to, knowing others will carry on, and when you’re strong enough again, you rejoin the fight and let someone else take a breather.

Breathe. Love. Fight.

 

1. Who was your ideal you? I could tell you… I wanted to be married by 20, have babies, be a writer– but let me say, I actually like where it turns out my life is right now. And though there are a few things I’m working on changing, I’ve mostly gotten over my “where I thought I would be” girl.
2. I am also embracing the journey of more happiness and less money. I’m on my way to quitting my office job and giving my energy to things I really care about– massage therapy, my niece, writing. I don’t know how things will fall into place yet, financially. But I’m so thankful I’m able to pour my energy into my dreams instead of someone else’s. It feels free.
3. Do you get bored? I definitely do, and sometimes I even seek it out– in doodling, coloring, just listening to music. Even sometimes just sitting and breathing. It’s kind of amazing the places your mind will go if you stop filling it with “interesting things.” I especially love the Aldous Huxley quote in that post–

   “Your true traveller finds boredom rather agreeable than painful. It is the symbol of his liberty – his excessive freedom. He accepts his boredom, when it comes, not merely philosophically, but almost with pleasure.”

4. If you had 3 days to do whatever you wanted, what would you do? I would sleep for two days and then get SO MUCH DONE AND FEEL GREAT the third day. How do I know? This is my regular day off schedule…
5. Night Watch is PPG’s 2019 Color of the Year. It’s no PANTONE COLOR OF THE YEAR, but I really enjoy this great green shade. Also, I have this vision of painting my front door– but not just once. I want an ever-rotating colorful door. Why not? It’ll take maybe 10-20 minutes each time, and maybe I should only do it once or twice a year. But how fun would it be to be the house with the colorful (and changing) door?! YES. Anyways, this color may be on the list.

Happy Friday, all. Hope your weekend is more restful than mine– I’ve got a lot planned, including a baby shower for my new niece. I’m hosting and I’m not quite ready yet…

What a hot, sticky week! It started with my 30th birthday (yay!) and ended with us in JUNE! Crazy how fast things are flying by. Stick around, summer. But maybe a couple of degrees cooler? So I can leave the house a time or two?

1. Tomorrow, you should sleep in. It’s good for your health.
2. Take a break– even a quick one. See the theme I’m going with? We’re getting older, it’s time to learn the art of chilling. I’m getting older– but I can lay around like a boss! (do we still say “like a boss”? is this what it is to get old?)
3.  Got your money on your mind like I do? I’m changing careers and saving up for some awesome trips– it’s all going to be do-able, but it’s been on my mind a lot. What I am a newbie on, though, is investments. I haven’t done any investments since my mom put money in CDs at the bank for me– it served me well, back when they were actually getting good interest. Some resources for getting started wouldn’t hurt.
4. Do people change? I definitely think they can, but the reason can never be another person (if you want it to stick). You gotta do it for you. That’s my opinion, anyways.
5. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one with a floral obsession. Seriously, stick a flower on it and I will wear it or stick it in my house. And, despite what this article says– there is never too much floral. So there.

Happy weekend, all! Also, if anyone is free to mow my yard– I have a beer with your  name on it!