Writing With Abandon

Day two and I’m already scrambling for what to write. I could probably wait until inspiration hits today, but I’ve decided instead to participate in the monthly REPORT trend — first seen as a leftover slice idea on Elisabeth’s blog. My coworker, Teghan, also does a sort of monthly round-up on her Substack, Field Notes, where she reflects on the season, shares her current reads and what she’s cooking, and gives recommendations for things to do in her neighborhood in Vancouver, BC.

The REPORT trend specifically stands for Reading, Eating, Playing, Obsessing, Recommending, and Treating (which is funny, because this morning I woke up singing “Treat yoself two-thousand-‘leven!”). Here goes!

Reading

I’m currently reading Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman, which I sliced about a bit last week. Patrick and I have also been taking turns reading aloud the MinaLima interactive versions of Harry Potter. We just finished the Sorcerer’s Stone on Friday and started Chamber of Secrets yesterday. I have to say, I am quite lucky that my partner is British, because his accent is everything when he reads!

In February, I also read:

• I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death by Maggie O’Farrell
• Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (for book club — we all LOVED it)
• Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

Eating

Last night I made chicken taco bowls in my trusty Instant Pot, which I always forget exists. I love being able to just set it and forget it. This week’s dinner plan includes Julia Turshen burgers with caramelized onions alongside green beans and mashed potatoes.

I’ve been struggling to meal prep and absolutely hating making myself breakfast (I tend to like to eat eggs or some sort of protein in the morning, and I do wake up hungry). If anyone has some easy breakfast ideas to help me mix things up and get “excited” again, please throw them in the comments!

Playing

I always start my mornings with the NYT Games app: the Mini, then Wordle, then Strands, then Connections; occasionally Spelling Bee and Pips throughout the day; and the Crossword on most Mondays and Tuesdays, with the occasional Wednesday-Thursday-Friday completion. They’ve just added the Midi, so I’ll be adding that to my daily solves, too!

While it’s not necessarily playing, I’ve also been working on my fiber arts: I just finished crocheting a Wooble for the first time last week, and I’m currently knitting myself a Lakes Pullover using Noro Madara Sake. My thumb had been bothering me since I strained it in December, but it’s been feeling a lot better lately and knitting continental has helped to ease some of the pressure.

Obsessing

Lately I’ve been obsessed with Amy Poehler’s podcast, Good Hang. And honestly, who isn’t? If you’re into podcasts and you’re into Amy Poehler, I highly recommend it. I love listening while I take my daily walks with Phoebe. I find myself absolutely cracking up, no matter who the guest is. It’s such an easy listen!

Something I wasted time obsessing over last week was whether or not to buy a walking pad for under my desk. Truly, I spent maybe 2-3 hours poring over Amazon reviews. (Why? Why do I do this?) I decided against it in the end — I started wearing my Apple Watch again so I can be reminded to get up and move, I’ll use my standing desk with the help of an ergonomic standing pad I ordered that supposedly will help me move around and stretch and massage my feet (TBD), and I’ll make sure to get in my two quick 15-minute walks with Phoebe in the morning and sometime after lunch.

Recommending

For books, definitely our book club pick, Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy. A gorgeous book that leaves you guessing throughout, with such incredible character development and descriptions of place. Lots to discuss as well, from climate change to the role of women and mothers in society, to the importance of the land, to relationships. A great one.

For TV shows, The Pitt! It’s just so well done, I find myself getting emotional in every episode. If you have a strong enough stomach to watch a pretty graphic medical show, I highly recommend it. (It’s funny, considering I can handle watching it on TV, but get vasovagal when I’m dealing with medical stuff in the real world!)

Treating

It’s only this last month that I’ve finally felt the freedom of not having a second job. I stopped tutoring and ended my copywriting gig last November, but I was traveling a lot for work in December and January, so February was the first month that I got to see what it was like to have that time back. I miss the extra cash, that’s for sure, but I am so grateful to have my weekends and evenings back.

Sometimes I just enjoy the extra rest and me time — for reading, knitting, taking long walks with Phoebe, or watching TV. But I’ve also been using the time to get slowly back into working out. I rejoined ClassPass and have found a great, authentic (NON-heated) yoga studio, which I’m trying to go to twice a week at least, and I’m trying to supplement that with the occasional run, spin class, and strength training.

And when all else fails, I’m loving treating myself to our new hammock-style chair on the balcony.

Alright, there you have it! The February REPORT.