What I'm thinking about for Week in the Life 2019 (May 6-12)

I’m really looking forward to Week in the Life 2019. Most years I don’t actually complete an album, but I still love the process of looking closely at our lives, looking at our daily routines and then being able to compare how things are the same and how things are different from one year to the next.

It seems like there's always laundry waiting to be folded. The good thing is the kids help with this now.

As I gear up for this next week of documentation, I'm thinking about being more mindful about the type of photos I take. This may be hard because I haven’t done a good job of taking pictures I like in the last year or so. So this year for WITL I really want to concentrate on finding shots that look good, that represent little pieces of our lives, and that are taken purposefully and not just as an afterthought, before we go to bed because I forgot to take pictures that day. This is my intention – we will see if it plays out or not.

I'm thinking about finding some common themes on a daily basis (I’m hoping this will help with my intention). For example, I want to document what I (we) eat morning, noon, and evening throughout each day. I want to take pictures of these foods and then feature at least one on a tag I’ve created beforehand.

I'm thinking about focusing on gratitude. It would be nice to finish each day with something simple that I'm thankful for. I’d like to pair it with a picture but that might mean too much planning for the busy week ahead. 

Falling asleep after a busy morning of dentist appointments, running errands and doing some homework (reading).

I'm thinking about paying attention to the fine details of our day, in particular the things we say and do when we are home together as a family: what are the things we are talking about at the dinner table? What are the jokes Agus plays on his brother? What are the things Nico “corrects” us about each day? What things do they say to each other? What stories are they telling? 

I'm thinking about paying more attention to what they are doing online. What are their favorite games and apps at the moment (I know some but not all). What snaps are they sending to each other? What pictures are they taking? What homework do they have?

I'm thinking about getting each person to write their own story during the week, to get a different perspective, maybe add in their own handwriting as well.

Typical view on a lazy Saturday. Sitting next to Nico while he does homework.

It’s always fun to see the passage of time in this way. Words + photos for the win.

Around here

Around here we are looking into colleges and financial aid for Agus. It is still two years away but, as we all know, those two years will go by quickly.

Around here the boys have been participating in "multiple intelligences" week. Nico has been talking about the story he wrote for the writing intelligence day, and the pencil drawing he chose to do for arts intelligence today (an eye). Today is math intelligence day. Agus doesn't say much about what he wrote or didn't write. He did inform me that he drew "a sunset or something" for the arts day.

Around here we just paid for Agustin's driver's ed classes, which he will be taking this summer, three hours a day for two weeks. I am super excited for him and this new stage in his life, but also feeling a lot of anxiety as he starts branching out on his own.

Around here there are some major changes coming up in terms of work, not all welcome. But we've weathered this storm before, and I imagine we'll get through it somehow.

Around here I am dreaming about writing more, like writing a book or short stories or something. There is no reason to believe I will ever do this, nor that I even should, but yesterday I read a post that reminded me: Why not me? and What would you do right now if you knew you couldn't fail? I have so many answers to those questions: set up an Etsy shop with crochet items, open my own English school, write a book (both fiction and one for English language teaching), start a vlog (one for the family and one for English language learners). These are just dreams, really - fun to think about and maybe putter about in. There will be no regrets if they don't come true.

Around here the nights have been colder and it's been wet and rainy. The cold is convincing me that maybe I am not going through menopause yet.

Around here I've got lots of doctor's appointments coming up. Hoping for a clean bill of health.

Around here we are just living our lives, both out of habit and routine, and it feels perfect and right.

The Monday Blues

Feeling a little blah and blue. 

Maybe it's because it's Monday. 

Maybe it's because I've been procrastinating things and have a bad feeling about how it's all going to play out when things are due. 

Maybe it's because I want a standing desk and am stick of being hunched over the computer at work all day.

Making my own standing desk. Gotta love the gray hairs and the bulging belly, though.

Maybe it's because I'm feeling out of control about my weight, diet, exercise, like I have no will power and then I feel ashamed and depressed. 

Maybe it's because of all of the changes at work and the unknown: Henry is retiring and (I suspect) because of that they are making things difficult, they want Andres to take the position with no pay raise or other guarantees, and it just seems unfair and maddening like we are being targeted or sabotaged. We've gone through this before, and hopefully we can get out of it, but the in-between part is no fun and very stressful (even though I don't feel the stress directly I'm sure it's affecting me). 

Maybe it's because I feel like in my forties I'm having so many health issues (most controllable, if I can muster the will power to be healthier): uric acid, cholesterol, ovarian cysts, weight gain worse because of peri-menopause and having no uterus and being constantly hungry for chips, thyroid issues, breathing problems (adult onset asthma? Doctor won't say but what else could it be? Allergies?), nodules in my breast that require regular mammograms and ultrasounds, foot problems and muscles aches, a need to go to a dentist...well, the list feels like it goes on and on.

Maybe it's because I took a week off of regular exercise to adjust to the altitude after our amazing UK trip and therefore my body is sore and tired.

Maybe it's because I haven't been sleeping well (I assume - I fall asleep fine but toss and turn all night and wake up feeling like I haven't gotten a restful sleep). This may be the result of a combination of all of the above.

I remember my grandma telling me that, whatever I do, not to get old, and while of course I don't want to live a short life, I get it. I totally get it. The mid-forties have kicked my butt.

I hope the kids have little homework - or at least homework they can do on their own - so that I can go home and take a power nap. Today's a good day for one.

And then I saw this on Twitter and had a good laugh! At least I'm not alone...

What I read in March 2019

Another slow month, full of lots of work and some travel prep and travel. I will need to step up my game to get to that magical number 40! That's just how some months go, though.



Here's what I read:

The Far Away Brothers: Two Young Migrants and the Making of an American Life by Lauren Markham |  This book was the February read for my book club on refugees. It was the story of twin brothers, Salvadorean, who make it to the U.S., crossing the border illegally and finally getting their resident status. It is a good way to understand a bit about the crisis at the southern border (if you want to call it that), and a little more about the U.S.'s direct role in the problems to our south. The brothers weren't super likable, necessarily, and in that sense it felt "real" to me - for some reason that I can't put my finger on, I think we tend to find the Latin refugee/immigrants a bit unlikable at times. It may be because they are often very frank about being in the U.S. only to make money and send money back, or bring family members to the U.S. It doesn't fit our "romantic" idea of what a refugee is. But it is SO important for us as Americans to understand that the U.S. has put Latin America into a corner, destroying in many cases their democracies, stability, and economies, and for that reason alone I feel strongly that the people from these countries should be welcome with open arms in the U.S. We should all read more about their stories and the political history behind them that has shaped them.

The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George | This book came highly recommended by my friend Jenny, and while I didn't like it very much (I really couldn't identify with the characters, and the writing was a translation from French and felt a little disjointed and straining to be "poetic"), there were some really nice passages and ideas throughout. The premise (a bookseller who owns a book store on a barge and recommends books to others as a sort of health remedy) was really nice.

What I read in February 2019

A bit slower month, but it was also a shorter month (to my credit! haha).

Here's what I read:


Origin by Dan Brown | I checked this out from the library because I was looking for something light, easy, and fast to read, but also good, and I enjoy Dan Brown's books. I really liked this one too - learned a bit about Gaudí and Barcelona and the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, Spain - and solved a mystery all at the same time!

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng | This is another book I checked out various times but could never get myself past the first chapter. I finally got into it because my friend Jenny said we should do a Snapchat book club, just the two of us, and this is the one she chose. I liked it a lot, even though the ending was a bit unsatisfying.

What I Read in January 2019

One of the things I've wanted to do with my blog for a long time is keep track of my reading habits and what I've read each month. So, I've decided to just go ahead and do that, even though it is almost mid-April and seems like a strange starting point. But I love going back to my Goodreads page and seeing the different books I've read, and I wish I had just a little more information about each one: what I thought about it, why I read it, what I liked or didn't like about it.

January 2019
I started the year off strong, as I often do. January is usually a good reading month for me. I have set a Goodreads Reading Challenge of 40 books this year. This is the same number I've done for a few years now. Some years I get close, others not even halfway, but this year I'd really like to try to break that threshold - just because that will mean I'm reading enough. I just love books so much and need to make the time for them like I used to.

Here's what I read:

A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea: One Refugee's Incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival by Melissa Fleming | I read this because I was invited to join the Hearts and Homes for Refugees Book Club. We will be reading a book a month, and each one will be about a refugee's story. I love these kinds of books because we get a glimpse into a real life story. I honestly can not imagine what some of these people have been through so sometimes I leave the book feeling hopeless and despondent, but overall I am so glad I took the time to hear this story and understand a bit more about the refugee crisis in Syria.

Calypso by David Sedaris | I was really looking forward to this one, since I've enjoyed Sedaris's books in the past. I didn't love it as much as I thought I might - it seemed a bit dark at times but there definitely were a few moments where I smiled or laughed out loud. Overall, it felt a bit sad and nostalgic, but not in a bad way. In the end, I enjoyed it, but it wasn't the light, funny read that I expected.

Becoming by Michelle Obama | This is one of my all-time favorite books EVER. Not because I am necessarily a fan of Obama - I didn't know much about her before reading - but because she tells such a great story, writes so eloquently, and has great insight. I read this as a library loan on my Kindle but this is one I think I may need to buy to add to my collection and reread at will.

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman | Another all-time favorite. I had checked this book out of the library a couple of different times, and never seemed to get around to reading it. I finally picked this up (on my Kindle) and after the first two pages was immediately hooked. Eleanor Oliphant is an endearing, special character who will live in my imagination for years. Really, really enjoyed the story, the writing, and the character development.

It was a good reading month!

Currently | April 2019

Tulips in London market.

Feeling happy and satisfied and content with our recent trip to England and Scotland. Loved experiencing these countries so much and just really glad we went to the conference. London, Liverpool, and Edinburgh will live in my heart for many years. I enjoyed being a tourist, learning new things and seeing new places, and (my personal favorite) visiting museums. There is something about a museum that calms and clears my soul.

Reading a book about my One Little Word (OLW) for 2019 (habit) called Making Habits, Breaking Habits: Why We Do Things, Why We Don’t,and How to Make Any Change Stick by Jeremy Dean. It’s giving me some good insight so far (only on chapter one) into what a habit is, what it feels like, and why we need them as humans.

Thinking about my word, habit. Feeling a bit more curious about it and connected to it. (The book is helping to pique my interest – I like the more scientific approach to understanding habit, rather than the “self-help” approach many books take.)

Browsing books online. I love doing this as much as I actually love the act of reading. I read about books, make lists of books, and add books to my TBR (to-be-read) pile and it makes me so happy. Hello Goodreads and Instagram Book feeds.

Taking a break from the news cycle for a bit. Mostly this is happening because we’ve been out of the country for a couple of weeks and I just didn’t keep up with what is happening, but it also feels right at the moment, like it might make me a bit happier and less stressed out. Yet I worry at the same time because these past two years have shown me more than ever how important it is to be connected, to be aware, and to pay attention. I don’t want to be clueless about things that don’t affect me just because it’s the easy thing to do. But what Ali Edwards wrote in a blog post today about the same topic really made me think about my current motives for following the news closely: is it spurring me to action (no), or am I just consuming it (yes)? So I’m going to “unplug” for a little while and come back to it later, refreshed and maybe with ideas of ways to make a difference (better than I do now).

Liverpool

Watching a recurring sketch on Late Night with Seth Meyers called “A Closer Look”. It is mostly politics-related (so I won’t be doing cold turkey from politics and news completely), but it is something Nico and I have occasionally watched before bed as a part of our bedtime routine. Lately Agus has asked to be included, so once we are ready we go get him (he is usually on the orange chair listening to music before bed), and the three of us sit down together to watch. I enjoy this time with them both and like that they are interested in something I enjoy as well.

Planning meals for the week. I’m ready to make some changes to my diet – the last three months of just trying to lose weight through exercise have been disastrous – but one thing I have learned is that at this point in my life, exercise alone isn’t going to work. What I put in my body may be more important than how much I actually move it, and it’s time to recognize that fact. I don’t expect it will be easy, but hoping the book I’m reading will give me some ideas of how to tackle this change and make healthy eating a bit more of a habit.

I love book stacks but I don't like that books in Spanish never standardize their spines. It's a bit chaotic. 

Buying books in Spanish from a colleague at work. Excited to read some books that were originally written in English and then translated to Spanish (Rusia by Edward Rutherford, The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne). I like this sort of “genre” better (books translated from English, well, except for the Verne), probably because the thought process is more familiar to me and I can work on the language rather than the organization of the writing.