Loving… my nose piercing! I finally did it, friends. I got my nose pierced. I went with Bri on Friday night and now I have a delicate little stud in my nose. I love it so much! I am hoping to get a hoop in a few months, once the piercing has healed fully. I’m going to be completely honest and tell you that this piercing hurt like hell. I mean, duh. They’re stabbing a needle through my nose cartilage, of course that’s going to hurt! But whew… it was painful! I teared up a little from the pain but managed to hold myself together. Is it more painful than a tattoo? I mean, I’m willing to get more tattoos but not sure I’m willing to get more piercings so take from that what you will.
Loathing… this upcoming political year. I’m not excited, friends, and I know that’s a sentiment shared by so many of us. It’s obvious that Trump is going to be the Republican candidate and it’s terrifying to think he could be back in office in 2025. I am not looking forward to all of the political ads and texts and mailers. Or the debates and fights and spats. Recently, I started listening to Pantsuit Politics, which I heard about for years but I was committed to my Pod Save America bros and didn’t want to listen to two different political podcasts. But I needed something that was a bit more hopeful than PSA can be, and PP has definitely delivered in that regard. You can feel their anger at times, but they also deliver the news in a much more straightforward way that I need right now.
Reading… Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, which is the second Christie novel I’ve read (I read And Then There Were None a few years ago). I think I’m going to watch the movie after I’ve finished this mystery. I don’t know if it’s a great adaptation, but I think it will be fun to see it captured in film. (I’m also still listening to Cover Story by Susan Rigetti, which is riveting.)
Watching… The Traitors! I am so glad this series got renewed for a second season. If you haven’t watched the show, I highly recommend it. The premise is that a group of people are brought to a castle in Scotland to participate in a reality TV show. A handful of those people are chosen to be “Traitors,” which means they “murder” one contestant every night. The rest of the group are known as “Faithfuls,” and they must work together to figure out who the traitors are. But if any traitor makes it to the end… the $250,000 is all theirs. It is a game of intense strategy and social skills, and it’s so fascinating to see how the game affects people differently.
Listening to… Guts by Olivia Rodridgo. I have a 2024 goal to listen to one new album every month, and I started with a great one! During my first listen, I was kinda “meh” on it and wondered if I just couldn’t vibe with a Gen Z singer, but I gave it another few listens and I’m loving it actually. Her songs are just fun to sing along to, even if I can’t totally relate to the words anymore. Heh.
Anticipating… some really fun plans in February! I’m going to a strawberry farm market with friends this weekend, have my annual Galentine’s date with Bri, and I’m doing a game night with friends later in the month. Plus, there’s the Super Bowl and restarting family game night once football is over. And Bri and I are finally going to get our moms behind the mics for the podcast, and I’m looking forward to that. It should be a really good month!
Thinking about… routines. Developing a regular daily routine has been a constant struggle for me, as is well-documented on this blog. I really want 2024 to be the year where I finally figure out a daily routine that works for me. Is it starting my day with a long walk (even if it’s dark outside)? Is it starting my day on the couch with coffee and games on my phone to slowly wake up? Is it hopping onto my computer early to clear out emails and set my to-do list before starting my morning routine? Honestly, all of those sound nice, ha! It’s a work in progress.
Buying… not much these days! I have a few things in my Amazon cart (a new computer bag, a sling purse, a kitchen organizing rack) but I haven’t pushed purchase on anything yet. And that’s because I am only allowed to buy things from Amazon if I earn an A or B average with my weekly habits. Sometimes, you have to treat yourself like a 5-year-old with a sticker chore chart in order to get things done. On this habit list is taking five walks a week, taking my meds regularly, doing my skincare routine morning and night, doing one 15-minute standing session per day, and get to bed by 10:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday. I have yet to earn an A or B, so I’m a work in progress but it just means it’s going to be really exciting when I finally do get to buy something special from Amazon!
Grateful… to have graduated from therapy! I have felt ready to end this round of therapy for a few months now, but kept scheduling appointments because a) I’m an Enneagram 9 and didn’t want her to be mad at me for ending our sessions and b) I wanted to feel really, really sure it was time. I am not someone who needs continuous therapy. I like going when things start feeling unmanageable and my usual coping skills aren’t working anymore. I have been seeing this particular therapist for almost two years now, and I finally feel in a good spot to handle life without these regular check-ins. I know my anxiety—and especially anxiety about my mom—will always be a part of my life, but I have better insight around why I have this type of anxiety and how to challenge it when it occurs. I will still see my psychiatrist regularly (I have those appointments once a quarter) but it feels good to be in a stable place after feeling so unstable in 2021 and 2022.
What’s something you’re grateful for today?
