Category: everyday distractions

right now everyday distractions

READING. Just finished Ninth Ward by Jewel Parker Rhodes. Such a beautiful YA novel about a young girl in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Just began The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson. So far so good.

WATCHING. Half the Sky, a mini documentary series that raises awareness of the atrocities happening to women and girls around the world, and celebrates some of the activists and groups making a difference to see an end to the suffering. It’s inspiring and heart-breaking and important and difficult to watch. It’s reinforced my desire to raise a daughter who knows her worth and fights for others.

may every woman(I do not have the source for this – the Pinterest link did not work when I tried to attribute this. But it is not mine; I just really love this. I will try to find the source).

LISTENING.

  • To the new Marilyn Manson album, The Pale Emperor. Maybe it surprises people to know I love Marilyn Manson, maybe it doesn’t. All I know is I’m a 30-something white suburban mom and this album has been the soundtrack to my random naptime painting and cleaning stints over this last week. And that’s probably weird. But I think he’s pretty genius and loud gothy industrial rock music makes me feel young.
  • And because I believe in balance in all things, some Mark Ronson techno-pop or belly dancing playlists, both of which Hannah loves.

DOING.

  • Helping in little ways to get our basement done.
  • Some early spring-cleaning projects.
  • Dejunking (always.. where does it all come from??).

WEARING. Jeans with so many holes in them, my dad said it looked like I was in an explosion. They are my project pants, okaaayyy?

PLANNING.pants

  • My spring garden; looking into a more space-saving way to start seeds that our giant grow light contraption.
  • A trip to Yellowstone in the fall.
  • I am so inspired by the Half the Sky project, I want to help with awareness and doing what I can to support women. It’s time I get involved with a cause. Does anyone have any suggestions for where to start?

What is everyone else into these days?

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right now everyday distractions.

I’ve been such a bad blogger so I thought I’d just recap what’s been filling my downtime lately. Some comforting old favorite hobbies, books and shows have been resurrected this last year.

READING. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5). It seemed like a good idea to re-read the HP series and it’s still amazing. ❤

WATCHING. Buffy the Vampire Slayer; entire season. For the third time. I re-started the series when Hannah was tiny and I was up all night with her. It got me through. And Being Human (US Version); another legit good vampire-werewolf-ghost show on Netflix. My expectations were low, but it’s actually really great.

 

buffyDOING. Scrapbooking Hannah’s first year. I am LOVING Project Life! I never thought I would catch up so quickly with an entire year, but the pocket-style scrapbooks have made it doable, and they look great.

project life

And journaling. I haven’t kept in journal in years but I’m back to making some effort to write once a week or so. I get up early to do it and enjoy my coffee and just write about whatever is on my mind at the moment.

DRINKING. My coffee black, like a grownup.

WEARING. Fall or spring-like ensembles during this freakishly warm Utah winter. Flowy, layery styles and a limited wardrobe of what fits me since I haven’t lost much of the pregnancy weight. LUSH lipstick in STRONG.

LEARNING. About Ayurvedic healing. I need to post on some of this because it’s really fascinating. This is my favorite blog on the subject.

PLANNING.

  • A more scheduled daily routine. For my sanity and Hannah’s. This work-from-home mom stuff is no joke! I feel like I’m spinning my wheels constantly. On the agenda is a dedicated day at the office each week, and some scheduled fitness/sanity each week.
  • My spring garden (I ordered my seeds from Seed Saver’s Exchange today!)
  • Our basement finishing project (JB’s doing all the work – I just get to make the fun decisions). More about this later.

What is everyone else into these days?

everyday distractions // american authors – believer

A few months back I got a new ride, and it came with Sirius XM radio, which means I get to hipster-out regularly, discovering new music every day (except that I park it on the 90s alt rock station most of the time.. can’t get enough Alice in Chains and Elastica!). Occasionally I venture off to see what the cool kids are listening to and the other day was totally blown away by the poppy-gem, right when I needed a reason to smile. Perfection.

everyday distractions // “yellow house” by grizzly bear

I love love love my library. Since moving into a new county (almost two years ago now!) I’ve been frequently a new, larger, older library. I get lost in there. I grab stacks of books on whatever subject I’m into, and go sit in a corner to look through a few immediately, hauling several home for later. Lately it’s books on sustainable living and vintage jewelry collecting. And there’s always a new cookbook to glance through. {I’ve got a temporary ban on fiction in my life while I get through my last couple of classes. I have issues setting time limits on myself on anything but non-fiction, and this girl needs to study!}

I also stop by the CD racks and pick up some new music to check out. I still love CDs and the fun of finding new music without it being ruined by things like YouTube comments. Just listening, no seeing, no one trying to influence my opinion while I go through the tracks. At the library, nobody tells you what’s cool. I just pick one up, and absorb an album in its entirety, appreciating it in its rightful context. How very 90s.

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This week I have been giving a listen to the album Yellow House by the band Grizzly Bear. It’s beautiful. I particularly love this track.