I don't know why I've never given up this blog. I started it in 2012, for goodness sake. In 2012 I was a sophomore in high school! You'd think that at this point I'd feel like I'd outgrown this space, and during some periods of time, I have. Every time I make a "comeback" to blogging consistently, I think about just starting something new. Throwing all of this out, and creating something fresh. Sometimes I get so far as creating a new website or signing up for a newsletter service, but I never actually write anything for it. I just don't want a new space. I like the idea of years and layers and different seasons and chapters of my life just being dumped here, even it it's sporadic and messy. The messiness is why I choose to follow random, normal people online, instead of glossy celebrities.
So I'm going to keep this mess. And what better time to come back, than a global pandemic!
As I'm writing this, we're closing out Week 2 of self-isolation in the US due to COVID-19. It looks like we'll be in this same sort of situation for at least another month. Like most places in the world, everything is shut down: restaurants are takeout only, all non-essential businesses are closed, and gatherings are limited to less than 10 people.
Like most things, this feels complicated: I'm happy for time at home, and tired of being stuck at home. I'm happy to finally have time to do a few projects, and frustrated that over 3/4 of my work is gone. I'm worried about money, and grateful that I also know I won't starve, or become homeless. I feel useless for being at home while knowing medical professionals are really struggling. I can't wrap my head around the fact that something so challenging, feels so incredibly easy in my day-to-day life.
This entire world is going crazy, people are sick and hurting and broke, and yet I'm here, still getting through work, watching tv, and planning what to make for dinner. We're all still just living hours and days and weeks, and waiting until something happens to change our routines again. Life is absolutely ridiculous, and I don't understand it.
But anyways, right now....
mornings have been cozy & slow. All of my work at the moment is from home, as well as all of the work for Chris' office job. We've been sleeping later than usual, usually getting up around 7:30 and then actually being out of bed by 8. We play the news in the bedroom while we're getting up. We make coffee and eat breakfast together. About half of the time, we watch watch TV with breakfast, too (right now it's always either The Newsroom or Dave).
I've been making really good to-do lists. Not aspirational "today is the day I fix my life" lists, but real, actionable to-do lists. The night before, I've been setting 3 essential things that must happen the next day: at least one is a workout, and the other two are for work. The rest of the day is organized around making sure those three things happen. On top of that, I've been chunking out blocks of hours and being specific from what I expect from each hour. For instance: from 10-1:30, I need to finish that list of cold calls, plan out a week's worth of Instagram posts, and create a list of interview questions. The day seldom actually looks exactly like my list, but it's at least a start, and some way to check in with how productive and focused I'm actually being. Plus, if I completely loose myself along the way, I can just come back to the day's 3 essential things and get them done.
I'm attempting yoga every day, and running every other day. The yoga is sorta happening, but is probably still hovering around 4-5 days a week like the beginning of the year. Running is getting better though! I'm trying to not overthink it and just get out every other day and run. I've never been a fantastic runner, but the times in my life where I've felt the best about it have always been when I was really consistent.
I've been taking my plants on field trips outside. I planted a container veggie garden this week (no I'm not a doomsday-er....yet), and that's led to me being much better at remembering to water the houseplants, too. Since it's been sunny and warm during the day, I've also been taking them outside to soak up the sun! It's been extremely enjoyable to set them up outside on the porch, and then bring them all in, like I'm calling for pets at the end of the night or something.
we've been making the bed together. I'm a really clean person, but I'm not a neat person. I have to make a really concerted effort to not just throw my clothes around, and leave piles of notes and books and pens on every surface. We've been making a point to make the bed together every single day, and that's definitely been motivating to keep the rest of the house clean, too. Here are some other habits I'd like to work on making second nature right now: sweeping the floor every night, vacuuming at least once a week, not leaving clothes on the floor, and wiping down the bathroom every weekend.
I've been making lots of sourdough. We haven't bought a loaf of bread since late February, and I'm excited to keep that streak going. I've been making a quick, cheater-version of sourdough that I'm really liking, but I'm excited to try the real version soon.
Work Stuff Happening: Lots of zoom meetings for TOI Boston, creating curriculum for running our practices virtually, creating content and running the Instagram for Floquiya.
Listening to: Tedeschi trucks band. It's the only music I can have on in the background while I work, and I love it.
Reading: The Return of the King, The Hobbit (we're reading this together!), and You Are A Badass At Making Money. Just finished Untamed on audio.
Eating: Out of the freezer, and lots of sweet potatoes.
Looking forward to: Watching all my new plant babies grow (hopefully)!
A blog post on essential oils I wrote for Floquiya, and what life looked like this past October.
