I've posted in the past about going to a Pilates mat class once per week. I've been doing that for (eek!), close to five years. (Time flies when you're sweating.)
Last fall, I found a dance class for Grace that I wanted her to try and of course, it overlapped with my Pilates class. I talked to my instructor and she noted there was an opening in the Reformer/equipment class on Thursday night.
SIDE NOTE: I could've sworn I'd previously posted on this blog about my one time in the Reformer/equipment class and how dizzy I was and that I'd never do it again. Can't find reference to that, but it happened.
Since that was experience was a few years ago, I decided to give it another go, as I didn't want to lose out on my once per week exercise. (When doctors ask if I exercise, I say, "well, I do Pilates." [I just tend to leave out the once per week part....]) I joined on a Thursday night and while I can say I didn't get dizzy (I made sure to leave my glasses on, which oddly was part of the problem, I think), I DEFINTELY had a more intense workout than mat class.
But I soldiered on and kept going. Unfortunately (for Grace), the dance class she was in ended up with dwindling attendance and it was canceled after the holidays. So, I'm back to having my Monday nights free. What to do?
At 50 years of age, I committed to two days of exercise. What the what? Yes, I'm now going to mat class on Monday night and Reformer/equipment on Thursday night. And you know what? I like it. I mean, it's taken five decades for me, but better late than never! (And yes, I realize that two days is ludicrous to some people who work out on the regular, but I have never been an exercise lover. So sue me.) 👊😅
I need to extricate myself from my phone/laptop and be productive. This is a constant struggle for me (I'm glued to a screen for hours and then feel guilty later because I have so much to do and didn't do any of it!)
I will track them in my brand new planner that I love that I got for Christmas from John. It's from Paper Source and it's gorgeous. It's larger than the ones I usually get, but I'm hoping it will be harder to avoid/write in. 😆
Today's three productive things are:
I exercised! This is also a constant struggle for me. I don't like exercising. Period. (I'm sure I've said that here before.) I've really come to love my once-per-week mat Pilates class (I find the relaxation part to be the draw), but exercising at home is just a challenge. Today I did some Pilates stretches (bridges, rest pose, flat pigeon, etc.) and then I did this very short beginner fitness routine found here. I did the Monday routine (and yes fellow OCD peeps, I realize it's Saturday). I modified the push-ups (because I am weak), but otherwise, I did it!
I deactivated my Twitter account! (See note above about being glued to phone). I have FB, IG & Twitter, and I figured I'd rip the least painful bandaid off first. Twitter for me is what I imagine Las Vegas is like (overstimulating and constant noise). I have a strong sense of FOMO leaving Twitter (it's where I first saw the news of the Boston Marathon bombing), but I will persevere.
I grocery shopped AND did a few returns! Not much to say here, but I had a few items hanging around that needed to be returned and I decided to do it today. (It was odd- very few people out and about today- I didn't expect that.)
Other than feeling like it's hours later than it really is, let's see what else is going on around here.
It's been "warm" for November in New England (in the 50's!), so John and I were able to get out yesterday and take a walk on a local rail trail. We walked to the Merrimack River and sat on a bench and just took in the scenery. It was beautiful.
I've gone to Pilates three weeks in a row, which for me is good! The class is early Monday evening, which can sometimes be tough. Mondays are always crazy at work, but I've made it a priority to go.
John and I always have trouble finding a TV series that we're both interested in watching. I found this list of the 18 best Netflix Original Series and we made a list of seven that we were interested in trying. When we sat down last night to actually watch, we determined that two I wasn't really that interested in, one was totally hokey, and one was meh. So, yeah- we'll give the others a shot, but it's back to the drawing board. (Suggestions? Throw them out!)
I've tracked all my meals on WW (Weight Watchers) for the past week and did it sporadically prior to that. The scale shows it's working.
The six month anniversary of my Dad's passing is coming up this week. Some days it seems like it happened yesterday and some days it seems like it's been longer. Grief is weird.
Since it's only 6:45 🙄, I'll try to catch up on some book reviews- plenty of time!
BOOK REVIEWS 2021
Book #49: So You Want to Talk About Raceby Ijeoma Aluo
Summary: The book is about race in the contemporary United States, each chapter titled after a question. Oluo makes the argument that America's political, economic and social systems are systematically/institutionally racist. The book provides advice for readers when discussing race-related subjects, such as how to avoid acting defensive or getting off-topic. Statistics are used to support the book's arguments. Oluo also describes her upbringing and experience living in Seattle, Washington. She was raised by a white single mother and became a single mother herself to two mixed-race sons at a young age.
Rating: A-. I found this book to be informative and definitely worth a read. (Admittedly, I am very behind on reviews and I read this one a while ago, so my in-depth impressions have gone out of my mind...lol. This will be applicable for the next set of reviews, as well. 😀)
Book #50: The Bombay Princeby Sujata Massey
Summary: Bombay’s first female lawyer, Perveen Mistry, is compelled to bring justice to the family of a murdered female Parsi student just as Bombay’s streets erupt in riots to protest British colonial rule. Sujata Massey is back with this third installment of the series set in 1920s Bombay.
Rating: A-. I've really enjoyed this series. I love that Perveen is blazing a trail as Bombay's first female lawyer and breaking down barriers. The time period and setting are fascinating.
Book #51: Who Moved My Goat Cheeseby Lynn Cahoon
Summary: Angie Turner is back in her hometown of River Vista, Idaho, ready to open her own farm-to-table restaurant. Together with her friend and business partner Felicia, Angie is lining up vendors from local farmer’s markets to Old Man Moss’s goat dairy farm. Not everyone in the Boise suburb is keen on having a fancy new eatery in town. But the cantankerous Moss takes a shine to Angie, as does his kid goat Precious. When Angie hears the shocking news that Moss has been killed, she jumps in to mind the man's livestock—and help solve him murder. Now with her grand opening just days away, Angie has grave reservations about her new neighbors. But one thing's for sure, Angie's not about to let some killer get her goat.
Rating: A-. This was a fun/light cozy mystery and I will definitely be reading the next one in the series.
Book #52: What's Mine and Yoursby Naima Coster
Summary: When a county initiative in the Piedmont of North Carolina forces the students at a mostly black public school on the east side to move across town to a nearly all-white high school on the west, the community rises in outrage. For two students, quiet and aloof Gee and headstrong Noelle, these divisions will extend far beyond their schooling. As their paths collide and overlap over the course of thirty years, their two seemingly disconnected families begin to form deeply knotted, messy ties that shape the trajectory of their lives. On one side of the school integration debate is Jade, Gee's steely, single, black mother, grieving for her murdered partner, and determined for her son to have the best chance at a better life. On the other, is Noelle's enterprising mother, Lacey May, who refuses to see her half-Latina daughters as anything but white. The choices these mothers make will resound for years to come. And twenty years later, when Lacey's daughters return home to visit her in hospital, they're forced to confront the ways their parents' decisions continue to affect the life they live and the people they love.
Rating: B+. The premise was good and I liked it, but I wish I'd liked it more.
Book #53: Dead Dead Girlsby Nekesa Afia
Summary: Harlem, 1926. Young Black women like Louise Lloyd are ending up dead. Following a harrowing kidnapping ordeal when she was in her teens, Louise is doing everything she can to maintain a normal life. She’s succeeding, too. She spends her days working at Maggie’s Café and her nights at the Zodiac, Harlem’s hottest speakeasy. Louise’s friends, especially her girlfriend, Rosa Maria Moreno, might say she’s running from her past and the notoriety that still stalks her, but don’t tell her that. When a girl turns up dead in front of the café, Louise is forced to confront something she’s been trying to ignore—two other local Black girls have been murdered in the past few weeks. After an altercation with a police officer gets her arrested, Louise is given an ultimatum: She can either help solve the case or wind up in a jail cell. Louise has no choice but to investigate and soon finds herself toe-to-toe with a murderous mastermind hell-bent on taking more lives, maybe even her own....
Rating: B+. A decent start for this new series. This is a period in history that I've always been interested in, so hoping the series continues.
I was never a big Star Trek fan, but the title seemed fitting.
Here's what's new here:
Yes indeed- we are at day 247 since quarantine happened. I am still working from home and as of now, will be doing so until the end of April (I firmly believe that will be extended to the end of June.)
I still miss seeing family, friends, and co-workers. I realized recently it's been over a year since I've seen my parents. This has been tough for me. However, a few weeks ago, we Zoomed and it was so good to see them (vs. just talking to them). (Hi Mom & Dad- my faithful readers. 😅)
Here in New England we had some 70 degree days last week (HALLELUJAH!), but are back to "real" fall weather- 40's and chilly. It looks like snow here today (gray), but none is in the forecast (hoping that's not a jinx...)
I have done a fair amount of Christmas & John's birthday shopping online, so I feel that's somewhat under control. Knowing that there have been hiccups in delivery times, I decided to start early.
Thanksgiving is not far away and not sure how that will look this year. I do know that we are going to cook a turkey breast in the air fryer (John's new favorite cooking tool!) I also know that I'll be making Pecan Pie Cake for dessert (even if it's just the two of us!) John LOVES pecan pie. While I'm not a fan, I decided that this might be a decent compromise. It calls for a Butter Pecan Cake Mix, which I'd never seen before, but stumbled upon in Walmart, so I grabbed it!
I have dipped my toe in the yoga arena. My supervisor told me about Yoga with Adriene, a YouTube channel with short yoga videos for all levels of ability. I found a 20 minute video for beginners and I've done it a few times now. It complements the mat Pilates class I do via Zoom very nicely.
I've done some (semi) crafty things, which I'll share, but they deserve their own post. We've also made a bunch of new recipes, also deserving their own post. However, here's a sneak peek at one we did recently- Ham & Gruyere Sliders with Raspberry Mayo. They were really good! We had a ham dinner and instead of making regular old ham sandwiches, we decided to try these. The raspberry mayo is a nice twist on just regular old mayo.
And lastly, before I hammer out some book reviews, a picture is worth a thousand words-
I just realized I read four memoirs in a row...completely unintentional!
Book #46- The Upside of Being Down by Jen Gotch
Summary:Memoir of ban.do Chief Creative Officer. Gotch suffers from serious mental health issues throughout her life and this memoir chronicles those travails.
Rating: B+. I thought this was an inspirational story- showing that mental health issues don't have to impede success and living. However, (and yes, I know it's a memoir) I felt like Gotch tooted her own horn. A lot.
Book #47- A Backward Glance by Edith Wharton
Summary:A collection of autobiographical sketches by the famed writer, detailing New York society in which she grew up and the relationship she developed with Henry James.
Rating: D+. I loved Ethan Frome & House of Mirth. Thus, I thought what better way to get an insight into how and why these were written than reading Wharton's memoir. Wrong. So.much.minutiae. (About nothing.) And more time was spent on the first book she wrote, which was architectural in nature. Snooze. I skimmed the middle and read the beginning and end.
Book #48- Everything Beautiful In Its Time by Jenna Bush Hager
Summary:Jenna Bush Hager, the former first daughter and granddaughter, shares moving, funny stories about her beloved grandparents and the wisdom they passed on that has shaped her life.
Rating: A+. I absolutely positively loved this book. It was honestly the best of the memoirs I read in this stretch. It was honest and really portrayed The Bush presidents as humans, with real lives and familial relationships.
Book #49- The Making of a Miracle by Mike Eruzione
Summary:On the fortieth anniversary of the historic "Miracle on Ice," Mike Eruzione—the captain of the 1980 U.S Men’s Olympic Hockey Team, who scored the winning goal—recounts his career on ice, the legendary upset against the Soviets, and winning the gold medal.
Rating: C+. I loved the movie Miracle (about the amazing upset of the Soviets in 1980) and since Eruzione is a local hero, I thought I'd love this book. Meh. Another one that toots his own horn to a fault. And strikes me as someone who is not very personable (I have zero proof of this- just my impression.).
If only at the end of this 90 minute late 80's classic movie could we emerge from the theater and find out that the COVID-19 pandemic never happened. That is was just a figment of a movie director's imagination and not real.
I wish.
And I'm guessing 99.9% of people worldwide wish the same (I'm very literal and do need to account for that wackadoodle .1%.)
(Oh, and if you're not following along, I'm referring to the movie Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.)
However, this is DEFINITELY not an excellent adventure and definitely not a 90 minute movie that we will emerge from.
Unfortunately.
I have a lot of things to write, but not sure I'll be able to get it all out in a coherent manner, but let's give it the old college try, as my Mom would say.
On Thursday, the company I work for gave the directive that we were to begin working from home starting Friday, March 13th. We got emails leading up to this directive that made me think in the back of my mind it was possible (bring your laptop home every night, make sure you can access the VPN, etc...), but honestly, I didn't think it could really happen. Because a directive to work from home meant things are serious...and that's tough to deal with (at least for me.)
So, on Thursday, March 12th, I packed up and said goodbye to the cubicle that I spend 40 hours a week in.
I brought my two monitors, docking station, laptop, keyboard, mouse, etc... home and my trusty in-home IT support guy set me up.
I am thankful that I have a nice space to work from and a view where I can see birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and (if I put my glasses on) deer.
But it's not the same. I can't yell over to Andrea in the next cube to ask if she's having trouble in Teams. I can't walk down to Terry's cube and ask her if she wants to go for a walk. And I can't go into Annie's office to sing whatever song is in my head at that moment (and grab chocolate.) Thus, the social isolation aspect of working from home has been tough. (But I do have that cute in-home IT support guy to chat me up when needed.)
I will say that it has helped when I and others turn on our camera during meetings. It's good to see people's faces and hear their voices. While it's not the same as in person, it's better than nothing!
I also realize that others still have to go to work during this crisis...to help others. I sincerely appreciate those who put their health at risk to help others. Doctors, nurses, other healthcare workers, grocery store and pharmacy employees. Thank you, thank you, thank you, and stay healthy.
Let's talk about something REALLY important, shall we?
Toilet paper.
This was taken the evening of Thursday the 12th at our local grocery store.
My food/paper goods panic started the night prior when I could tell sh*t was getting real. I volunteered to go to the grocery store on the way in to work on Thursday morning to at least pick up bottled water, since that's 90% of what we drink. At 8:45AM it was packed. I got four cases of water and while I wanted to get more, I knew I had to be on my way to the office.
During the day, I told John to work on a list and when I got home, I knew I would be going to the store. I needed something that I could exert control over since it felt like none of this was under my (or anyone's control.) After we ate dinner, I went to the store and piled up with basically anything I thought we might need. From meats to frozen food to bread to Pop Tarts to microwave popcorn. At that point they were out of eggs, pasta (although I got two random/off brand boxes of spaghetti), paper goods (as you can see above), and any type of cleaning supplies.
I felt like I was transported back to the Soviet Union. It was odd. Really odd. Eerie is more like it.
While I couldn't get toilet paper that night, we had enough to get us through the short term, so I laid that obsession to rest (temporarily.)
Over the next day or so, John and I discussed the fact that he's immunocompromised (due to being less than a year out from cancer treatment). I told him that I was worried about him going out into public and that I really thought it best he not do so. I was scared. I still am. Luckily, he came to the same conclusion and agreed that I would go out when we needed something.
It's hard to describe, but after having been through such a traumatic event (his cancer) and surviving it (which was exhausting and wore both of us down), my worry has been off the charts in terms of me getting sick or him getting sick again. This pretty much started right after we found out he had clean scans. I think all of the emotions I had to keep in check while he was sick so I could carry on were finally coming out. And now, with the pandemic, it's ratcheted up another notch. Thankfully, I have anti-anxiety medication that I can take when needed. And a loving husband and friends and family that talk me down when needed.
OK- back to toilet paper.
I went out on Thursday (the 19th, if like me you're getting confused) to get some more groceries and to look for toilet paper as we were getting low. None. No dice.
Ridiculous, but I was starting to panic about not having toilet paper.
I had a really bad day on Friday (the 20th) anxiety-wise and didn't sleep well and was up at 4AM on Saturday morning (the 21st). I decided since I was up and it was unlikely I'd get up this early again anytime soon, I went to the grocery store at around 6:30AM.
That picture you see above of the paper goods aisle? Same thing on Saturday morning. I bought a bit more food, brought it home, and then decided to step up my journey for the toilet paper.
The Target app (liar) told me that they had toilet paper. Nope.
I went to another grocery store. Nope.
I went to CVS. I see the single rolls of Scott toilet paper. (And hear the angels singing Hallelujah in the background). A woman was grabbing some and said, "Do you need some? I'll leave you some." THANK YOU! There were five rolls and I grabbed four, thinking someone might be desperate. She and I (6 feet apart) get up to the register and we start to notice that there are rolls of Scott toilet paper EVERYWHERE. Just piled up.
She gets up to the cashier and the cashier says limit of one roll per person. ONE? OK- now I know why people were dumping the toilet paper rolls everywhere. I think to myself that one is better than none and I'll hit Walgreens next. The cashier says to the woman, "I have some multi-packs back here- do you want one of these?" (Again with the angels singing Hallelujah in the background.)
So, let me get this straight. We can only buy one single roll of Scott toilet paper, but you'll sell me a multi-pack of 18 rolls? SOLD!
I stepped up and got the last multi-pack. Phew. I could now let that obsession go...for now.
I want to end on a positive note. I've discovered that there are certain things that are helping me get through each day.
A routine. A routine is huge.
Get up and shower as if you are going to work.
Get dressed.
Put on makeup (if you feel like it).
Each lunch at the regular time.
Take a snack break when you'd normally walk to the vending machine.
GET OUTSIDE. We have gone for a walk everyday so far (except one) and it's been amazing. I've never seen as many neighbors out and about as I have in the past week. And everyone's friendly (from a distance). I can honestly say that this has made me smile.
Exercise. The outside walk will do it, but if you want to do more, do it.
CONNECT with people. My friend Terry and I did a video chat. I did one with my parents today. Talk on the phone. Message. Send smoke signals.
Find something that will make you smile and be thankful for the day at hand, even though it may be a struggle. (And if you can't find it today, you'll find it tomorrow.)
As a lot of other people do, I always reflect on what I want to do better or more of in the upcoming year. At the ripe old age of 46, I know that I won't achieve all of my goals. If I can achieve a small percentage and maybe partially complete some others, I will be satisfied.
Here goes:
1) Pull this blog off of life support and get it breathing again. That sounds familiar, doesn't it? I've said it frequently in the past. I've meant it at the time I said it, but it never came to fruition. So...let's try again, shall we? I won't try to set a goal like, "blog at least once a week" because I know I won't do it. How about we go with blog more than 2018? (I wrote SIX blog posts in 2018 [including this one]). SAD! I love writing. I need to be more intentional about my free time. (Translation- less time sitting on Facebook & Instagram.)
2) Share what I read. I list my books read with a letter rating in the right column of this blog. I keep track on Goodreads. I occasionally share via Instagram or Facebook. I've had people message me on Facebook or email asking for reading recommendations, so why not share on a wider/more consistent basis? In 2019, for each book I finish reading, I will post on Instagram & Facebook with a photo of the book, the name/author, a snippet of what the book is about, my letter rating, and a snippet review. Because I want to speak the "kids" language, I will be creating/using a hashtag for this project- #katiereads2019 (Brilliant, right?) Hopefully this will give followers exposure to books they might not otherwise get and they might give recommendations back.
3) Lose the 10 lbs I lost in 2018 but gained back. Yeah, not much to say here. I need to suck it up buttercup and do it. I'm back on the Couch to 5K program (week 2, day 1 completed earlier today.) I use the 5K Runner app and it's great. Eating is really where the problem lies. Holidays and eating healthy are just not a good match. But, as they say in Weight Watchers, there's always tomorrow.
4) Spend time doing calligraphy and lettering. I have collected a few books about calligraphy and lettering and want to actually sit down and open them up and use them. I also have some Tombow Dual Brush Pens/Markers that I bought a while ago to go with the books. I need to dust them off and spend a 1/2 hour on a weekend just doing that.
I did Spinning for the first time ever last night!
Now don't get too excited.
I wasn't part of a class, but rather I decided to try it before my Pilates class. My teacher and I had been talking about my need for cardio and she suggested I come early before Pilates and try spinning. Last week after class she showed me how to use the bike (adjust the seat, etc...) and wished me well.
In the days leading up to Monday night, I was mostly concerned with one thing: what music was I going to listen to while I pedaled?
I'm a luddite when it comes to music on devices. I have zero.
I ended up downloading the Spotify app and created a playlist. Here it is:
To say my music tastes are eclectic would be an understatement.
Having good music definitely helps the time go faster on the bike.
My first time ended up being fine- definitely got me sweating and warmed up for Pilates. Each week I'll try to pedal a little longer...but that means I need more songs!
