Try Again

I have not done a very good job at blogging each morning. Some mornings I am just too tired when I wake up to put any coherent words down on this page, even a digital page. Other mornings I simply don't have the time. I also struggle with what to write. My days are often routine and the monotony of my daily drill is not inspiring.

That is all about to change as the hubby and I will be heading to help our middle one recover from ACL surgery. My life for the next 10 days will be devoted to healing, helping, supporting, and encouraging her recovery.

Yesterday was spent preparing to go. We leave Tuesday. All the little things needed to be tended to and I am happy to say the list of chores is complete.

Today, I hope, will be a more fun and relaxing day for both of us. Hubby has been working at the office to get ready to be gone.

I have been reading. And, I managed to finally get back to the barre and plan on going the next two days.

The birds are awake and singing. Perhaps the sun will shine today as well. It was pretty yesterday even though it was cool.

Friday Eve

What is not to love about a short week? It is Friday Eve already. Yesterday instead of reading, I watched season three of the Netflix Anne of Green Gables series. I've enjoyed this adaptation which has added some interesting storylines to the main narrative.

After a day of reading, editing, writing, and staring at a screen, I just couldn't dive into the latest Lady Darby mystery. So, Anne, it was.

I have no idea what today will bring. Work has been difficult. A lot of drama that is sweeping into our department. Hard to focus, tough to get things done. The weekend will be welcomed with open arms.

In other news, I am trying hard to stay away from the news. The results of the impeachment are a foregone conclusion. It is disgusting and the current administration's tactics have forever changed our country. I truly believe that.

Hubby came home early from his business trip and we do need to figure out what we will try and accomplish this weekend.

Today's positive: It is Friday Eve!
Today's goal: Barre class, number 3 for the week.

Free advice

My office is closed today to observe Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The holiday snuck up on me even though I was very much looking forward to having an extra day off. Several memes, themes, and posts on social media berating those who support this administration's policies to not post thoughtful images about MLK. I agree. Hypocrisy abounds.

Today I have a meeting where I'm offering an hour's worth of free advice to my hubby's company regarding their social media and digital communication presence. It is a means to an end. When I leave my current position, being able to contract these services to them would provide an income stream and flexibility.

I send a PowerPoint over last week and that will provide a framework for the discussion. It should be an interesting hour. Then, afterward, we will head to lunch. I'm sure the table talk will also include topics related to my presentation.

Today's positive: Being reminded about how far we have to go through thoughtful posts about MLK and his legacy.
Today's goal: Provide solid advice.

Awake

I was supposed to go to book club last night, but I canceled by 6:15 as a storm was coming in and my head was pounding. Oh well. It looks like they had a great time from the pics on Facebook.

Instead, hubby got home and we watched three episodes of Schitt's Creek. I was in bed by 9 and slept well for a change.

The house is cool this morning and I'm hoping the next few days of lower temps will stay around as predicted. I'm missing winter. The crisp, cool, mornings and chilly days have been very limited this year. Instead, it has neared 70 each day. It does wonders for my curly hair, but not so much for the crud-ridden people all around.

The weekend is looming as today is Friday-eve. Yay! I need to do better about making it to barre this weekend and I really need to go to the grocery store.

I finished my first nonfiction book of the year this morning. I'm enjoying my new goal of reading one chapter of a nonfiction book each morning instead of scrolling around on social media for an hour or watching the news. Both are depressing and I'm feeling better about learning something on the written page instead.

The first book was Pam Grossman's Waking the Witch. Fabulous read and I learned quite a bit about the history of witches, modern witchcraft, women's empowerment, and oh so many sparkly things! If I could ever find the time, energy, and opportunity to listen to podcasts, I would listen to hers. She is an entertaining writer.

Today's positive: It is cooler outside.
Goal: barre class...#3 for the week.

Yikes. Ugh. Sigh.

Yesterday was one of those days. I've never felt like I was drowning, but work is giving me that feeling. Since they expanded the magazine from four to six issues, it has been coming. I think yesterday it arrived. That feeling that no matter how much you do, how hard you try to get ahead and stay organized, being behind is the new normal. I don't like that. It makes me feel like I'm drowning.

Yikes.

I found errors in the magazine I was proofing yesterday that I would never normally make. That is disturbing. I don't have time to fix them. All I can do is try better on the next one. I'm thinking about making a checklist for each article to make sure I run each one through the same process. Haven't had to do that for the past 8 years, but I guess I need to now.

Ugh.

I'm overwhelmed. I keep telling myself that your workload can't be increased by 50% and things just hum along like they were without some impact. I know that logically, but that need to be perfect and have things just so is there.

Sigh.

Today's positive: book club is this week!
Today's goal: barre again today

Already?

The weekend went very quickly for me. We did go out with friends on Friday and had a nice time. The storm arrived, as predicted, and knocked our power out for a bit. So, I spent more time sleeping on Saturday than usual and did not make my barre class. I baked later on Saturday and we wound up getting pizza for dinner.

Sunday came along and I didn't go to barre class that morning as I wasn't feeling well. We did make it over to Trader Joe's for a freezer restock, and then came home and hubby made pork tenderloin sandwiches. Delicious.

And now it is Monday! I did a fair amount of reading over the weekend and I've finished the February selection and will return that book to the library today.

I have book club this week on Wednesday and am looking forward to that. It looks like a fairly large group is coming, but that always seems to change as most of these ladies have little ones and someone is always getting sick.

We spoke to all three kids yesterday. After updates from all of them, hubby and I watched three more episodes of Schitt's Creek, season 5.

Just a typical weekend!

Today's Positive: I'm taking all those cookies to work.
Today's Goal: go to barre since I took the weekend off.

Friday!

First, I had some very weird dreams last night. Yikes! I hate that feeling when you dream like that and it feels as if you have some kind of supernatural hangover. If I knew of a good cleansing ritual, I think I'd partake.

Tonight is double date night. Our friends up the way are joining us for some Asian cuisine and then we are going to shoot some pool. Or, they will shoot pool and I will provide the laughs as I try to shoot pool.

Tomorrow, if the predicted deluge isn't too horrible, will be barre and then TJs. I haven't been to TJs in months and my fridge, freezer, and pantry reflect that. Time to stock up.

Today should be an easy one at work and we have a fun lunch spot picked out for our Friday gang get together.

Today's positive: FRIDAY!!
Goal: Try to shake this woo-woo- feeling from those dreams. Freud would have a field day.

Friday Eve

When I first went back to work, I had Fridays off. Eight years later, I still miss having Fridays off and this Friday eve (aka Thursday), I really wish I had tomorrow off. It has been a long week. I guess the first full week back after the holidays always feels that way.

Hubby and I have been watching Schitt's Creek in the evenings again. We took a break while the kids were home. We are now on season 5. It is so nice to have a show to watch that makes us both laugh.

The weekend ahead will hold two barre classes, a trip to TJ's, a night out with friends, and some organizational tasks.

I may also go look at new washers and dryers!

Today's positive: it is Thursday
Today's goal: barre class

uncertainty

I don't want to turn on the TV this morning after watching the news last night. What is happening right now in Iran, Iraq, and in DC is frightening.

We often hope cooler heads will prevail, but when you fear those mindsets are not to be found, what happens next? I know what happens next.

My country elected a reality TV show con man to the presidency and he will do exactly what is in his character to do. There is no uncertainty in that. What will his party do? What will the rest of the world do? That is where the uncertainty lives.

Today's positive: I get my teeth cleaned today.
Today's goal: Try not to obsess over reading the news.

new routines

Another new routine I am adopting for 2020 is to listen to NPR during my morning drive to work. I have usually listened to MSNBC or CNN for news and once I am yelling at the radio, I switch it to 80s music.

NPR, so far, has been a breath of fresh air. Which is perfect as the program on at 6:30 is Fresh Air! I've heard an old interview with Toni Morrison and one with Bruce Springsteen.

Why the change? Well, two reasons. First, channel surfing and news options were making me a bit anxious and sad. Second, I'm turning 55 in March and I have a sudden need to learn new things. I think that is also driving the nonfiction reading efforts.

Who knows, I may start listening to podcasts next!

Today's positive: slept well, almost too well, I feel a bit wonky this morning
Today's goal: barre at 4:30

the week ahead

What a nice weekend. We really enjoyed Little Women, although familiarity with the book seemed to fill in a lot of character development points for the audience. My kiddo had several questions after the movie and felt that some things weren't explained well.

I am back to the empty nest now. Everyone left by noon on Sunday. Hubby and I got caught up on Vikings and enjoyed a simple dinner. We are all back where we belong.

The week ahead will be long. It always is after a holiday break. I hope it goes quickly and we settle back into the routine of normal life. I do need to stop by the library today and pick up a book I placed on hold. It is one of the titles for my book club. I think it is our February read.

So, with the new year here and underway, I'm trying a few different things. Of course, one of them is blogging again. What is old is new! The other thing I am doing is reading one chapter in a nonfiction book each morning. And, staying on my barre schedule. I went to class Saturday and Sunday, so that return to normalcy is well underway.

Something positive: coffee is almost done
Today's goal: clean house after work

Excited

The middle kid and I are heading to see Little Women on Saturday. I'm very excited. One of my fave books and I believe I've seen every movie and TV adaptation around on the March girls. I've heard great things about this version and the cast is stellar.

This event will wrap up our Christmas 2019 break. I was able to be off work for 13 days, such a treat. Returning to the office yesterday was hard and the day didn't start well. I was locked out of the building since they updated the security system and my new key was on my desk. Not helpful. Waited for 5 minutes before my calling and ringing finally got the door opened. Then my email wouldn't open and I got an error message. Sigh. Then, no TP on one of the stall spools. Joy. Some things just never change in that place and TP is one of them. The women I work with seem to have an aversion to changing the roll.

The day was quiet and pretty low-key. No one wanted to be there. Today will go fast, I hope. We will go out to lunch and that should help the afternoon speed along.

And it's Friday! The weekend is ahead and while both kids will be heading home on Sunday, I'm ready to return to our normal routine. I did make it to exercise class yesterday and am a bit sore today. I will be going early Saturday and Sunday as well. With it being a free weekend...new recruits needed, classes should be packed.

Today's positive: the girl is happy her TN Vols won over my IU Hoosiers.
Today's goal: not let the petty stuff at work get to me like yesterday.

Let's Go

Off to work I go. The plan is for this to be my last year of full-time employment. With that in mind, I have several things I want to accomplish this year. First off, I need to create an SOP for my job. My director is a great guy, one of my friends, but he is not an SOP person. I often tell him that if he was hit by a bus, we'd be in big trouble. I'd be in big trouble! I don't want to leave that mess for someone else, so each task I handle in the year will require me to create an SOP for it.

Ugh. Writing directions on how to do something is not an easy task for me. But, I will make a start of it and see where it takes me. So glad we only have a two day work week to kick off the new year.

After work, the barre class is next. I really need to get back to my routine. It was nice to have a break, but I'm craving that workout. Never thought I'd be in a place to say that. I even have new socks to wear!

We finished our second Christmas puzzle last night and had a wonderful steak dinner to cap off our holiday break. Fun and tasty. I mentioned to the fam that as much as we enjoy those puzzles, we only do them at Christmas time. We all agreed to keep it that way. It is a nice tradition. At some point, the stash up in the bonus room closet needs to be distributed to the kids.

Today's positive: drinking coffee with that delish pumpkin spice creamer...when it is gone, no replacement!
Today's goal: barre class after work.

Here's to 2020

I can tell my vacation ends in less than 24 hours as I woke this morning at 4:00 AM. The thought of the office and all the normal routines are creeping in and my stress level is rising. The last 13 days have been wonderful. Stepping away and not thinking about work was needed. I am refreshed and while I'm not ready to go back, it will be okay.

2019 was a good year for me. Work went well even though we had several folks depart our small department. We survived and even thrived! Home-stuff went along as it usually does. The kids are all, more or less, doing well. Adulting can be rough and they have had stumbles, but things look to be on track for them.

I managed to read over 100 books in 2019. Hubby's travel schedule assisted with that. Even though we have several TV options to choose from, I'd rather read most evenings. I also stayed on track with my Pure Barre routine and managed to keep to a Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday routine for the most part. I can see a difference and I feel a difference as well. Being able to attend 6 classes in a row before Christmas was a new personal best for me. The stress relief was needed and it helped offset those holiday calories. I have renewed my contract for 2020 and extended it a few months into 2021 due to a deal on class packages, so I am committed moving forward. I've attended over 370 classes so far and hope to hit 500 this year.

I hadn't posted on this blog in a very long time. Years have gone by without a post. That's okay. I kept track of my reading on Pinterest and I do enough writing at the office to soothe that itch. However, with the new decade launching, I think now is a good time to return to this. I find I spend too much time in the morning on social media. It doesn't help me feel good. I'd rather return to this platform and hash out the thoughts in my head here.

This is also prep for my impending retirement and a place where I can begin to write my next chapter. I have a few ideas in mind for what will come when March 2021 rolls around. Story ideas, gardening ideas, home improvement ideas, travel ideas. Lots of ideas!

I'm excited to start noting them and planning for them.

So here is to 2020. A new decade for all of us on this planet and a new opportunity with each sunrise to try and get it right.

Today's positive: baked oatmeal in the oven.
Today's goal: read the latest Holly Black novel I downloaded....my first book of 2020.