Completed! #125 - Read 100 Books in a Year

I did cut it close, I have to say. But I did do it. 105 books in total. And for 2024 I am making it 105 books. It feels good to have accomplished this one. I love to read and I love my books. And it has inspired me to do something a bit crazy.

I am going to start an ETSY STORE!!!

I am going to start with just mugs and I am going to sell mugs with phrases and quotes from authors, books and famous people who have written and maybe I will branch out from there. I am going to give myself until January 31st to get it set up. But I I’m going to do it!

Why not? What’s the worst that happens? It fails? So what. I have made a bigger ass out of myself than that before so pish posh. Life is for adventuring and I might as well try. And there are too many wonderful words that can help people get through the day, and horrible meetings, to not at least give it a go.

In Process - #122 Get Yoga Certified

So I signed up to get my yoga certification. Was going well, then my type A, teacher’s pet, must get 100% in class personality promptly got myself injured when I didn’t quite understand that pain was bad (I have a high pain tolerance, I just normally push through, oops).

Well, in my effort to have my wrists be more flexible than what they are, I gave myself double tennis elbow.

Yes, I know, that is ridiculous, I fully acknowledge that.

Anyway, after 6? (time has lost all meaning to me) weeks of OT, I have been given the okay to start back up with easy beginner friendly yoga along with light (2-3 lb weights, ugh) weight training and if I feel any pain I am to stop.

This will be a new experience for me, but hey, new website design new me? Something like that? I will give it a try. I have messaged the company and they will be adding me back into a new class and though I have to start all over, that is okay. I do enjoy it and it is nice to have something that makes me take time for myself to stretch and center myself.

I enjoy the feeling. Back when the Kid was little, one of his friends was a yoga instructor and I miss her and her classes. It was so lovely having the ability to do something for myself without feeling guilty about it. I know it is silly to feel guilty about it and yet, I still do.

Ah, I wonder what will happen first, me and therapy fixing that issue or death? It might be photo finish there, lol.

Anyway, I am excited to get back at it!

In Process - #125 Read 100 Books in A Year

I am working on my Book challenge but I am a bit behind. That said I haven’t caught up yet on getting everything posted on Goodreads either. I’m so naughty. But hopefully by the end of July I should be back on track. So far I am 34 books in on the app but I think I am really 38 books in.

I have 4 books read in the bedroom, but I am being lazy and haven’t gotten up to go get them and make sure I add the properly chosen one. I am so bad at names and titles. Maybe one day I will be better, but it will not be today, that is for sure.

But I do love this challenge. It is incredibly fun. Though it was intended to work on the books I already own, I have not been very good at that at all. It has become an excuse to buy more. I do need to start work on the financial goals and work that one in for sure.

Books, my true weakness. If only I could just be Belle….

Completed! #115 Go to Alcatraz

I had to go to San Fran for work and was able to extend the visit and check off Alcatraz while I was there!

Well worth it. To experience the history was a treat.

The pictures are that great, the weather wasn’t either, but it was fun.

I also was able to go explore the Modern Museum of Art and eat some delicious food on the trip which rounded out the adventure in a nice relaxing way. I do love being able to just wander.

In Process #39 - Run a 10 Minute Mile with no Knee Pain

Morning Walks Habit and Nose Breathing

I have been trying to get in the habit of walking every morning for at least 2 miles daily and focusing on breathing purely through my nose. I am not focused on speed but on consistency and on belly breathing and keeping my mouth closed. Since right now I am working on getting more flexibility in my joints so my knee doesn’t have to over compensate I know I have time and I want to make sure I have this as a comfort response.

The biggest issue I have had on running is that quite often I will cut it because of work. Yet it is one of the best things to help me deal with work. So I want to focus on building it in to be such a muscle memory that it is not an issue. This is always hard because I am stereotypical ADHD in that way. Habits are hard. I can do something for years and then not do it for a day and then I’m done. So I am purposely trying to make this not a “habit” but a comfort response. I have been twirling my hair since I was 1 year old. I have never been able to break it. I cut my hair into a pixie. When it grew back, so did the twirling. I want running to be that. It’s good for me physically and mentally. So I am trying to build it into my life like that so it becomes twirling hair level.

It might sound silly, but I need something like this. Portable, easy, solo. It’s the right move.

In Process #39 and # 42 - Run a 10 Mile with no knee pain & Do the Splits

I signed up for Stretchlab and have been working with a person to address the issues that are actually causing my knee pain. The issues are more around my hips, ankles and calves aka everything BUT my knees. but it is working.

What is funny is that in the short time that this has been going on the amount of flexibility that is coming back is also amazing. The muscle memory is there as well. And that is uplifting. It gives me a lot of hope that it won’t be that hard to get a lot of things I “used to do” back. And the fact that I hurt my wrists that have unfortunately prevented aspects such as weight training might be useful because by first focusing on my flexibility, I might be able to have an easier time keeping my flexibility while I build muscle back up instead of trying to get flexibility back after it has tightened through strengthening.

I am really excited!!!