Monday, March 18, 2024

Spring Equinox

#1 - I knew something was up when beyond being tired, I decided I should just wear pajamas today. I took my temperature and my fever at that point was 99.3 F, later 100.3 F, just now 102.9 F. I'm grateful to be in a quiet safe home to experience this. #2 - I also somehow got the gumption (before the fever was so high) to make some "Cold Be Gone Flavor Bomb" soup which I am reheating right now. #3 - I have been sleeping most of the day, alternating with reading American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins which I have to wonder if this is why I'm sick in the first place. The book is very dark. (It's an Oprah book club pick which is why I'm reading it). The last Oprah book I picked was really dark too The Road. I wonder if I need to take a break from reading her suggestions. However then I remember Open House which was absolutely delightful. #4 - I just cued up Latte ASMR Night Nurse Taking Care of You, for when I need it tonight. #5 -I am going to use my wellness leave for the first time at my job, I don't usually get any pay when I'm sick.

Sunday, March 10, 2024

From Suffering to Awakening: Embracing Consciousness in Virtual Worlds |...

I keep trying to get this to start at minute 19. Even though I check the box "Start at 18:55" it doesn't seem to work. Anyway 19:00 - 20:30 is the point I want to share. I feel similary but can't quite articulate or understand it.

Soccer etc.

#1 - #2 - I started playing on a 2nd Sunday soccer team today. How did this happen? Last summer I played on a rec women's team. The guy who organized it organizes teams in all these leagues. I don't really understand how he has time/energy for this, as I think he does it all voluntarily. Anyway, now I'm on his email list. He must have sent out something gauging interest in a Sunday pre-outdoor soccer "scramble". I either ignored it or marked "not interested" because I already have a Sunday team.

However some time later there was an email from him pleading for people to sign up. He had reserved facility space based on interest in his poll, but not enough people had followed thru and now he was going to be out a few thousand dollars.

Well, I organize my 1 Sunday team, so I am sympathetic to this so I looked more closely. And the 2nd half the games are at a location only a couple miles from where I live. And I could use more cardio. Ideally not on the same day as my other cardio, but anyway I signed up.

Today is the first day I have 2 games. The first game was at an unfamiliar location. I didn't really pay attention beyond the address, but once I got there I learned it was an ice arena and we were playing on a surface over the ice. This meant a few things: 1. It was a bit chilly 2. The surface was not ideal (pretty hard) 3. There are boards along the edge. I've heard of this but never played soccer with boards.

It ended up being pretty fun. Since the ball rarely goes out of bounds there aren't many breaks. However I was comfortable with the skill level, and since many people I played with preferred D, I ended up in forward some and actually scored a goal! (I think I score a goal about once every 8 years in my regular soccer league).

#3 - My regular soccer game is pretty late, but will at least feel a little earlier to my body as daylight savings time was last night. I am going to try a new strategy tonight though as it can be hard to fall asleep right after a soccer game. When I get home I am going to shower and then lay down for a Latte ASMR video (well headphones I don't watch), because though I might think I don't have time for that, I'm hoping it will help me transition from soccer to relaxation quicker.

#4 - Last week I didn't buy enough groceries. I made a couple new meals from a library cookbook and I didn't have enough leftovers. Today I made a big pot of vegetarian split pea soup and made tempeh reubens with green beans and I have a bunch of leftovers from both.

# 5 - I skipped posting a couple weeks here, one week I forgot and another I just didn't want to be on a screen in the evening. Even Eckhart Tolle has a hard time articulating it, but I agree.  I'm trying to get this to start at minute 19:00 and can't get it to work, maybe if I put it on a separate post.

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Good Trouble

 I had a few friends over for lunch today.  Before they left one gave me a card.  Was it a thank you for lunch?  My friend said it was a late birthday card.  I read it quick.  Then I read it again after they left and I was so touched.  It says,

"Tammy, When I saw this card, I thought of you right away - someone who gets outside and enjoys the lakes and parks all year long. I hope you had a good birthday and it's good to see you enjoying your home and life.  Thanks for being a great friend, teammate, letter-writer, poet and encourager to me all these years.  And now to"...(and he named his wife and baby) "too!"

All of it is nourishing to me, however the part that I think touches me most is "encourager".  This is not a friend I would expect to hear that from.  I really don't talk, or see him much at all.

It is also really touching to hear him say "it's good to see you enjoying your home and life."  It makes me think about how it has been a hard road that has brought me here.  And I  have not denied or hidden that. I'm trying. And it is nice to have someone say that shows.

This friend got married two summers ago. 

They had a baby in September, who I met today. We had lunch with another mutual friend and then took a brisk walk.

My friend hasn't played on my soccer team since the baby until 2 weeks ago when he subbed.  We play half field and at this particular location the goals are particularly small.  My friend jumped up to head a ball when our goalie was up field and smashed his head right into the top of the goal.

On a normal field that isn't possible, so it wasn't something he was thinking about.

Anyway, I was glad to hear today that it turned out fine.

And now I'm going to watch the kind of film I like (or at least assume I do)  John Lewis: Good Trouble

"Using interviews and rare archival footage, JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE chronicles Lewis' 60-plus years of social activism and legislative action on civil rights, voting rights, gun control, health-care reform and immigration"


Friday, February 9, 2024

Efficiently Written Gratitudes

 #1 - My cousin got the job she wanted/applied for.

#2 - It starts in early March so she is going to move in with me at the end of the month.

#3 - This is perfect timing as I hoped she would wait at least another week and a half.  I am having a radon mitigation system put in my bedroom closet, so I need to empty that closet, and I assume move anything else out of the room that I don't want to clean concrete dust off of.  That is happening in a little over a week.

#4 - Emptying out my spare bedroom closet is making me store my things more efficiently, as well as go thru some papers.

#5 - The empty boxes that I had stored in the top shelves of my closets will be used by my friend during her remodel, including the packing materials I asked if she wanted to use or I should throw away.

Thursday, February 1, 2024

I Know You

#1 -  I'm feeling a little stressed and anxious tonight.  It is the same as when I was in college at the beginning of the semester or a big project or...that is when I get stressed and anxious.  The night before the test or the assignment is due, I'm ok, I'm prepared, I'm going to bed on time. I've done what  I can and I let go (though if it is a test of course I still may feel nervous).

So I'm seeing a big "project" of sorts a few months ahead and all the pieces that will need to be put in place/figured out by then.  And though I'm not at the point where there isn't stress or anxiousness, I can at least say, "Hey I know you, you always come about this time.  You are welcome to sit besides me," (this is something Elizabeth Gilbert would say), "but you are not driving. I will handle that."

#2 - Tonight is the first time in 1 1/2 years of living here, that I've been waiting to use the laundry!  There have been a couple times I've walked in the laundry room and the washer was running, but I've just gone back 30 minutes later and been fine.  

Tonight I went in around 5pm and it was in use. I did eventually get my laundry washed, however the last time I checked someone else's clothes were still just sitting in the dryer, and I don't know whose...and I'd like to dry my sheets to get them back on my bed.  However let me say this again

THIS IS  THE FIRST TIME IN 1 1/2 YEARS THIS HAS HAPPENED!

#3 - I started with a new home visiting family this week.  The mom is (thus far) engaged/attentive/not on her phone at all and the kids have a lot of imagination.  We pretended the stuffed unicorn today was having a birthday party and all the animals were having cake.  The kid said it was "broccoli cake"!  Of course I had the animals say, "YUM!" even the tiger who usually only likes meat.

#4 - One of my cousins may come live with me - maybe just for a month or two - maybe longer.  I'm looking forward to the possibility, yet also a little nervous.  We have a really good relationship and I hope it doesn't change that.

#5 - I spent part of the day with another cousin (sister of the aforementioned).  I didn't think I'd have much time with her today, however one of my home visits was cancelled so it worked out well.  And it's a mom who already suggested we'd do a make up visit, which makes things much easier when a visit is missed.

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

What is True

 #1- I had a pretty light healthy supper tonight.  So I took the time after, I was still a bit hungry, to make a carob mousse that I'd been thinking about making recently and luckily had all the ingredients for. The only fresh ingredient required was an orange.  An orange, honey, silken tofu, carob powder, vanilla and a little tahini in the blender.

#2-


My hallway has looked like this for over a year.  A couple months after I moved in my neighbor's toilet had a leak so the carpet and some drywall were ripped out.  The drywall has been fixed but I haven't done anything with the floor.  I honestly don't really care.  It doesn't bother me.  Plus it has taken a while for me to figure out what I wanted to do.  

Originally, I was hoping for bamboo floor, then maybe hardwood to replace the living room carpet. Though some say it's fine, others do not suggest putting hardwood on cement slab.  So it's an expensive thing to do questionablely.

I've had a new plan for a while now and don't seem to be changing my mind again so I could probably go for it.  I want to just extend the flooring in my entry way (at the very top of this photo) down the hall.

The other couple improvements I've hired for here have taken quite a while. So, since things take a while I finally decided to call someone on the "trusted vendor" list from my Realtor for flooring.  

The first guy is too busy/not interested.  "I wasn't looking to do it until at least March."  Didn't matter.

The second guy told me to send him my address, which I did after our call on Monday and then I heard nothing.  Today someone calls and said they want to stop by in 30 minutes, "What?" 

"About the flooring."

"Oh, ok."

So he stops by measures and gives me a quote.  "$600."

"$600?"

"Yes."

Wow.  That doesn't include the flooring which I will purchase ahead of time.  He was ready to do the job. "I don't want it done until at least March," I said.

"Ok just text me when you are ready."

"Should we schedule it?" I asked.

"Anytime is fine."

Now I don't know if it will end up being this easy/quick.  However nothing else I've done here so far has gone so easily (and happily priced), so I was in a bit of shock when he left of the seeming simplicity.

#3 - I emailed a high school friend (who I wasn't sure I even had an email for, and haven't seen in over 10 years even though she lives very close), after seeing the Flamenco group she used to dance with is performing soon. I asked if she would be part of the show.

She isn't.  However her reply and the exchange meant.  "Ok, maybe this is a person to consider keeping in my life." I invited her to a gathering at my place this weekend.

She can't come, but her response told me, "next time invite her." I actually considered inviting her, but I recall inviting her to a similar thing 4 years ago and getting no response from her.  So I assumed either

A. I didn't have her correct email anymore

B. She wasn't interested

Neither of which were true.

#4 - Another friend's mom on the other hand is going to come.  My friend's mom, and my niece.  So there will be people ranging in ages from 12 to 70 something.  I am very curious about how this is turning out.  I have never had this many people over to my "new" place (about 15).  And frankly last year I wouldn't have wanted that because people saying happy things about my "new" place would have just made me sad.  

However, now everyone that is coming has been here before, so the focus will not be on the new place anyway.

#5- It took me a lot longer than 90 minutes to listen to this because I paused it so often. Besides the content, it is so refreshing to see/hear men having such rich/deep conversations.