Sunday, September 14, 2014

Coffee and Blogs No. 11

It's getting actually, properly, deliciously cold at night and in the early morning.  The chill burns off, but I'm jumping on the train of getting pumped for my autumn.  I call it mine the way that insane dude called Ireland "my island" in Braveheart.  I get batty about this time of year.  Tons of family birthdays, apple picking, pumpkin carving, etc, etc, etc.  I'm probably the 453rd lady you've heard enthusing about FALL!  I know how typical it is and I still can't turn it off.  Sorry I'm not sorry.

While I've salivating over here about pumpkin-scented scarf parties, the world spins madly on. I spent a weekend playing single mom, and while I had a great time with my boys, that ish is hard.  Hats off.  I'm going to take the boys to a diner later just to tempt fate (two toddlers, restaurant, no extra hands?  That's how much I love omelettes.) but first, let's let the internet entertain and inform us.  Here are some weekend links!

 A Facebook friend posted this list of 25 Things All Basic White Girls Do in the Fall.  I admitted that I've choked down pumpkin spice lattes every autumn for five years, and finally realized I don't like them.  Drinking them is a part of my culture, so I understand my confusion.

Much love for this short list of books on being productive and organized.  I also love when other people admit that September is as much of a "fresh start" as January is.  I really want to read the one about the daily routines of creative people.  I am super nosy and obsessed about the details of peoples' day-to-day.

I went on a Sesame Street watching kick the other night, with one YouTube video leading to another until I was a writhing, sobbing mess.  I get wildly emotional about simple stuff.  Janelle Monae is singing and dancing about The Power of Yet (Milo said "This is crazy!") and this is The Pentatonix singing a medley of classic songs beautifully.  We have the book Five People in My Family and it makes me want to have one more kid.

The news about Ray Rice being cut from the NFL after a video was released of him violently abusing his wife has dominated over the past few weeks.   While plenty of people use the opportunity to share opinions, the hashtags #whyistayed and #whyileft have been an chance for people to tell stories.  My only new development from all of this: I continue to be amazed at my own capacity for judgement and reminded that love is the only, only, only response for almost anything that happens

Hermione Granger has never been a role model for me, but I still love her dearly.  I'm happy to see that she's still inspiring young girls, years after the initial fury for the series has passed.

This article about truly understanding self-care was a powerful read for me.  I tend to think of self-care as letting myself off the hook ("Rest, sweetheart, the gym will be there tomorrow") but personally, the stricter I can be, the better I feel.  Just like I tell my first graders, it's not about everyone getting the same thing, but everyone getting what they need. 

In the same strong, self-loving vein, my sister sent me this article.  The author shares the message she wants to send to her daughters about the real motivations to work out.  Spoiler alert: it's not to look great on the beach or squeeze into a smaller dress size.

Before we drop the topic, this article about being unable to relate to skinny people and wishing you could body swap really made me think.  Tentatively, I'm celebrating, because I didn't really relate to the author, despite being fat for most of my life.  I think I am so full of self love right now that my weight is not much of a hang up for me, which is amazing growth, and I'm also at a point where I realize that no matter what I looked like, there would be something I would want to change.  I'm more confident now than I was 50 pounds ago, and I feel sexier and happier most days than I ever did when I was in much better shape.

I think I might actually try National Novel Writing Month this year.  It happens in November, and there is a daily word count goal.  I'm also thinking of scheduling at least one simple road race to run for the last few months of 2014.  Goals help me get shit done.

What did I miss?  Point me to some good stuff!  Happy reading, dears.

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1 Comments:

At September 14, 2014 at 10:26 AM , Blogger gillian claire said...

oh my gosh, "25 things all basic white girls do in the fall," sooo funny! :) have a great sunday, thanks for sharing all this link-goodness!

 

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