Here is a practice that Emily Freeman started on her blog several years ago that has caught on with other bloggers. It’s a great way to reflect and share anything from the super silly and surface to the weighty and profound.
- Writing every day is completely doable; I’ve been simply procrastinating all this time. Thanks to the Write31Days challenge and community, I found my writing feet again and it feels so good. It’s so true that doing something daily becomes a habit. It’s also true that the more you do something, the more you want to and the more you do. I’m planning my blog posts a month at a time and writing several at once; I’m working on one book and am about to embark on another; I’m also writing poetry again, which hasn’t happened in many months.
- Menu planning never gets easier. I just need to keep myself inspired with food websites, blogs, cookbooks and magazines that contain plenty of delicious recipes to try.
- Eating fish a few times a week for dinner (for the sake of upping my protein intake) makes me feel better. I stay satisfied the rest of the evening and am regaining strength I lost after my back injury in August. Last Monday, I purchased four bags of frozen fish from BJs and have been trying them out: Sea bass, mahi-mahi, swordfish and flounder. They’re so easy to prepare. I’ll be sharing recipes soon!
- Adding more protein to my morning smoothie or having eggs a few time per week is helping me feel more alert, stronger and stay full longer. I plunked down the money for this pea protein powderand am glad I did. Two scoops does the trick.
5. I still love Stranger Things. Season 2 was no exception. We binged-watched it in two days, wishing there were more episodes and that Netlix would release more than one season per year. The actors can act and portray the characters believably, the plot is interesting, the monsters are scary and effects are well done. Can’t wait for season 3!
4. Mothers will always miss their children. My mom still misses and wants to see me if it’s been a while; I miss my kids every day I don’t see them and try to stay connected through text and phone on the days I can’t have them with me.
5. Starting a business is an opportunity to learn. This month, I started a craft business selling home decor items, like pillows, ornaments, wreaths and natural body care products. I am getting into as many local craft fairs as I can, trying to keep my costs down, and improving the quality of my products all the time. At each craft fair, I meet people, hear about other fairs, learn what I can do differently, see what works and what doesn’t and go home a little wiser. I still have to set up my etsy store and Facebook business page and market myself. I have a lot of new things I want to make. It’s hard work, but I always love a challenge.
6. Being lactose-intolerant requires vigilance if I don’t want to get sick. On Friday, I purchased a bag of M&M-looking candies from Greenstar, thinking for some reason they were vegan. I got them in the car, ate three and felt a hint of queasiness. Glancing at the ingredients list, I was horrified to discover they contained milk in the candy shell. Ugh! Totally my fault for assuming, but all the same, I wish some more dairy-free options were out there. And while at Barnes and Noble getting a coffee yesterday, I asked the barista taking my order which of three drinks contained dairy. She didn’t know the answer to that. Her employers have clearly not bothered to educate her on the ingredients of the various syrups and mixes. She had to dig out a package and skim through the list so she could find out. It’s nearly 2018 and every establishment selling food and drink in this country should be able to clearly list common food allergens found in their products. Their employees should know what they are and be able to find the list instantly. Why isn’t this a thing?
7. I like working out with someone. After working out solo pretty much my whole life, Alan has joined me at the gym three or four days per week. I love going with another person. Not only do I feel more motivated when I know someone is there, the whole experience is actually enjoyable, even when I’m gasping for air. We usually start out on the treadmills and graduate to the weight machines and end with another round of cardio. But even if we’re doing completely different workouts, it just feels good to know he’s there.
8. I can read Stephen King even though I don’t like horror. I’m eight chapters into 11/22/63. This book is enormous–I guess all his books are. Time travel is definitely something I can get into.
9. Mixed drinks are so much fun! A Margarita once in a while makes the dinner hour like a party. I love mixing drinks and this one is so simple and always satisfying. When I decided learning mixology was on my list for 2017, a friend heard about it and bought me the Libbey Mixology 9-piece Cocktail Set
10. I missed the library! Yesterday, Alan and I took a trip to Ithaca to see what Wizarding Weekend was like. Unfortunately for us, the rain drowned out the bulk of the fun and various activities and vendors were scattered to Hotel Ithaca, Coltivare, Center Ithaca and the public library. As soon as we stepped into the library, I knew I’d have to borrow a few books. So Alan sat on a bench and chatted to a friend and I looked up seven or eight books and checked them out. Oh, how I love it. The smell of books fills the air, it’s relatively quiet and the atmosphere lends itself to learning. I’ll be back.
What did you learn this month?
Life of Kim 