What I’m…Doing

The best things in life are meant to be shared. Sometimes I think of the art of influencing, and how it all starts with sharing what you’re up to.

For me, I’m most drawn to learning several things: what others are reading, watching, buying, eating, and doing. And that’s what I like to share the most, too.

So, in the spirit of influencing (or really, sharing our lives with one another), here’s my attempt at pulling back the curtains at some of my current favorites in a new way. Please feel free to do the same.

What I’m…

Reading

I just finished reading Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. I rated it a 5/5 stars because it had it all: mystery, a creative and vintage setting, gray areas, outdated conversations on race, adoption, and surrogacy (done on purpose! and very well, thanks to a time when nuance on complex issues didn’t exist), and a range of imperfect characters.

Up next on my library card Kindle read is Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult.

Watching

Right now we are on a Mindy Kaling kick! We’re watching The Mindy Project, after recently finishing The Sex Lives of College Girls (which, by the way, is so freaking funny.)

It’s been years since I watched The Mindy Project, and it’s just as funny as I remember: making me laugh out loud several times every episode, as I fall further in love with the silly and lovable characters on the screen doing a range of silly, lovable, cringe, and despicable things. I really think it’s an excellent show, even if some themes are a little outdated.

Note: we just watched Avatar in theaters a couple weekends ago. My simplified review is that it’s an entertaining watch, with lots of special effects and a story that’s pretty good if you don’t think too hard about it. HOWEVER, I’ve read a lot of really valid criticisms over the years, especially from Indigenous communities (the movie kind of melds a ton of different Native tropes together and slap blue on the characters and cast a bunch of white people, which is…problematic?) and parts of it made me go “oof.” But honestly, it was such a long movie, that I couldn’t remember my specific negative thoughts by the end.

So, take that for what it’s worth: if you’re really aware of social issues, you might feel a little guilty for enjoying Avatar. If not, you’ll probably walk out thinking it was a pretty solid sequel.

Buying

I’ve bought a couple different things lately! Here’s a brief list:

• Door anchor for resistance bands, from Amazon. (This could’ve saved me a trip to the hospital if I’d gotten it three days prior, lol.)
• Luggage tags, from Amazon.
• Protein shake, from Amazon. I’ve been drinking this daily. It’s not bad, and it has a lottttt of protein in it.
• Vegan leather blazer dress, from Abercrombie. I’m excited for this one to arrive!

Eating

My eating habits lately have been centered around my macros: namely, making sure I eat enough calories and protein, after years of under-eating that has messed up my metabolism and made it so that I rarely feel hungry. It’s hard! I’m focusing on 8 weeks of tracking.

So far today I’ve had the following foods:

• A really big banana
• Chocolate chip protein waffle, ala Kodiak Cakes
• Iced coffee with oat milk
• Alani Nu protein bar – “munchies” flavor
• Marinated tempeh on top of salad

But in general, I’ve been really into bowls (grain-based, with veggies, then some kind of protein.) I really like rice, roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes, chick peas, and tempeh. Etc, etc, etc.

Also, always love Crumbl cookies and cheese curds from pretty much anywhere. #balance

Doing

These days, I’m doing a few things!

First, I’ve gotten into therapy, so I’m “doing” some healing. It’s been great to process the inner workings of my mind, and to get help with my seasonal depression. I also really like my therapist! She’s great and it feels like catching up over coffee (even if it’s super one-sided, lol).

On Tuesdays, we go out for beers with our friend Haley. It’s a winter tradition and it’s helping us get out of the house during the week—a must!

We’ve joined a shuffleboard league! That’s new and fun! Chad and I are excited to get to know our new friends a little better and to master a new game. We play once a week.

And last, I’m starting week three of a fitness challenge. It’s coordinated with the nutrition/macro counting I mentioned above and so far it has been really good for me to lift some weights every day and to move my body. Challenging, but a worthy one!

And you?

What are you up to? And by up to, I mean: reading, watching, buying, eating, and doing? I’d love to know!