Happy New Year, all! I hope you’ve had a great start to 2024 so far. I’ve been taking it slow and trying to keep myself from wanting to do ALL THE THINGS, which can be hard because that’s definitely something that I tend to do (and then I burn out. Wash, rinse, repeat!) But the difference now is I feel motivated out of genuine joy and satisfaction and not for KEEPING THE DARKNESS AWAY (I think? Though that’s probably a motivator, deep down inside). 

I figured we could do a Taking Stock post together to catch up, inspired by one of my favorite blogs.

Taking Stock

Getting: A little nervous about the upcoming winter weather! Not because it will be too cold (thanks Midwest!), but I’m hoping we don’t lose power. Texas had a massive winter storm in 2021 and there were major failures with the power grid, making all of us apprehensive now (I wasn’t living here in 2021 but heard enough stories from family, friends, and coworkers.) We’ve been reassured that there shouldn’t be any issues with blackouts, but we’ll see. At least our rental home has a fireplace and a gas stove. We’ve already done our HEB run, though I need to go back for some pasta for dinner I’m hosting tomorrow. I WILL say that if there’s any kind of precipitation, I’m working from home. Northerners make fun of us for not handling winter weather well, but it always makes me really defensive – we’re just not equipped to deal with it here! I mean, it was 70 degrees on Thursday – winter is super mild here. We don’t have the massive salt trucks that the Midwest uses to prep the roadways. It’s just not same. LEAVE US ALONE, OKAY?

Cooking: I’ll make some chicken wings for lunch, then will be making a big Italian meal tomorrow for a dinner I’m hosting. I’m cooking for a lot of people so hopefully all goes well.

Sipping: Coffee. HEB’s Bavarian Hazelnut. I’m not a coffee snob but I really love grinding whole bean coffee. It’s my morning ritual.

Reading: The Wall by Marlen Haushofer. It’s about a woman who wakes up one morning and finds herself separated from the rest of the world by an invisible wall. She’s the only survivor in her region so the book describes her daily life as she struggles to keep herself and her animals alive. It’s so good so far, but not really a relaxing read. I’m probably a quarter of the way through it.

I also finished my first audiobook! I don’t consider it reading, because I can cook or do chores while consuming the content, and those are activities I definitely cannot do while physically reading a book. But if you think it counts as reading – it counts! (It’s not a hill I’m willing to die on, so don’t @ me). I listened to Britney Spears’ The Woman In Me, which was really compelling and sad. She’s been through so much and I hope that she heals.

Thinking: That I need to get off the couch in another hour and a half to prep for the day, which is PLENTY OF TIME TO LOUNGE, but I’m already feeling lazy. I have a coworker’s retirement party to attend, a bookstore trip planned, and a music lesson.

Remembering: Tomorrow marks sixteen years since I moved to Austin. I was just a dumb 23-year-old, still a kid in so many ways. I had no idea what I was doing with my life, but it’s still one of the best decisions I ever made. My time here has been discontinuous but even after three months, I still can’t believe that I’m back and able to celebrate this anniversary again. 

Last Sunday we rode bikes on Town Lake with our friends, and I got to visit my favorite bridge. It was the perfect activity to celebrate three months in Austin (Husband says I like to celebrate anniversaries. I ENJOY MARKING THE PASSAGE OF TIME, OKAY?) This bridge is my favorite spot in the trail, which I’ve blogged about ad nauseam. River on one side, skyline on the other. Visiting this spot after we had moved always made feel so sad and emotional. (The first time we visited that spot on the trail after our move, I sobbed. It was not the only time). What a joy it was to visit last weekend and think, I live here again. I still can’t believe it and I’m not even sorry that I sound like a broken record at this point. I’m just so, so grateful.

Looking: forward to my coworker’s retirement party, since it will be a big reunion! Lots of ex-coworkers are supposed to attend. But I’m also apprehensive because it will be a lot of people and I’m still not very comfortable with my social skills. Still, I’m looking forward to introducing Husband to one of my coworkers. I think they will get along really well and they have a lot in common.

Listening: These two songs have been in my lately – one newer, one older.

Enjoying: Watching the girls grow! ❤ They are getting more vocal and their little personalities are so big. They are such a joy. I remember being so sad and frustrated that I couldn’t find any openings in the nearby shelters for them. But now I understand that they became part of our family the minute they showed up under our deck- we just didn’t realize it yet.

Appreciating: THE PETS ARE FINALLY COEXISTING.

Right now the girls are doing their insane witching hour runs around the living room, and Apollo is just resting peacefully next to me. IT WAS AN EFFING PROCESS but we’re finally on the other side of it. Moon Pie is still pretty skittish but she’s getting better around Apollo. I think Mittens and Apollo are future cuddle buddies. I worked from home yesterday and at one point, the girls were on the windowsill right next to Apollo, who was resting in his little puppy bed. My heart was so full.

Wanting: to keep with this momentum from the New Year! I have so many creative projects in the works and am feeling really inspired.

Rather than resolutions, I’m trying to be inspired by feelings and actions. There has been so much going on in the past five years, both globally and in my own personal life, that I’ve felt this residual heaviness lingering. I can’t do anything to change what is happening in the world right now, as terrible as things are. I can keep informed and raise awareness, but I also need to continue working on myself and being present in my day-to-day life. I’m turning 40 this year, which is older but not OLD. If I’m lucky, I still have half of my life ahead of me, which is a pretty decent chunk of time. And I have the fortune of lived experiences now and knowing myself better. 

So what can I do to shed this heaviness? The answer is finding what brings me joy. I felt it last weekend hanging out with my friends, I feel it watching my pets begrudgingly tolerate each other, or when Husband and I explore our city and find something new. I’m also focusing on movement and not so much daily exercise. I was doing something daily for awhile and it’s not a healthy mindset. Instead I’m focusing on moving my body and exercising if I really want to, and not because I feel obligated to. And finally, I want to disconnect from feeling like I need to catch up on Instagram every ten minutes, but that is a whole other process. 

Finishing: This embroidery piece! It was a pattern from Embellished Elephant. I started it in Terre Haute and finally finished it New Year’s Eve.

Watching: Lots of Twilight Zone (an annual New Year’s tradition) and Only Murders in the Building (I just started Season 3, so no spoilers, please!)

Hoping: I keep up with all this momentum because I feel pretty good. 

Saving: These photos so I can buy the patterns later! 2024 inspo

I’m having a hard time embedding the other post I wanted to, so I’m digging this sweet embroidery here.

Bookmarking: This piece that my friend recently got published in National Geographic. Congratulations, Suchi! You are a rockstar.

Feeling: grateful for mind winters and excited to see how this year unfolds.

Hearing: Poor Apollo has had a cold and he’s very congested. I hope he feels better soon. ❤

Well, my hour and a half wasted away to 15 minutes. Time to get up and start the day. I hope you all have a restful weekend!