Hola, folks! This week has felt a month long. I’ve been the live-in nurse for my sick mom, who’s been dealing with double pneumonia. (why isn’t she in the hospital being treated, you may ask? Ask her. I want to know why too!). So, I am exhausted and got nothing accomplished other than breathing for the majority of the week. But it’s fine. This week shall be better!
In My Own Words:
Nada. Whoops. I did post a bit of an Instagram sermon last week about self-care.
On the interwebs:
I Made an Exit Survey For People who Ghosted Me. Here’s Why.
(Kevin wrote this in the vein of romantic relationships, but I’ve experienced this in regular ol’ friendships, too).
You Only Have to Do Your Job. (love these words).
What If Girls Knew They Were Allowed to Be Angry? (Mara Wilson (aka Matilda) is such a gem).
Opening Up Christmas Shoeboxes: What Do They Look Like On the Other Side?
Paying Attention to Jealousy (I have been dealing with this a lot lately, so this was a good word to ponder).
Cool things to buy:
My Diana doll arrived this week! She’s a lovely addition to my Pop! collection.
My friend Nikki shared about a friend’s online plus-size boutique, Positive Peach. When I’m not broke, I intend to purchase something– they’re all so cute!
This Unicorn sprinkler. I need a yard big enough to enjoy this beauty.
Books!!
Speak was one of my favorite novels in middle/high school (Laurie Halse Anderson is awesome). It’s now a fabulous graphic novel! I can’t wait to get it.
I’m about 100 pages away from finishing Alex and Eliza. (Is it my favorite novel? Nah. Is it still a fun read? Definitely).
I plan on re-reading A Wrinkle in Time before seeing the movie. I haven’t read it since middle school!
I used the last bit of my BAM Christmas gift card (THANKS, AUNT PAM!!) to buy this book (so I could read it before seeing the movie!). BAM also had a buy 2, get 1 bargain book free sale going on, so I got a couple books off my list for cheap: Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen (haven’t read a Sarah Dessen book in a few years, so woohoo!), Belle’s Library (a book of literary quotes and musings based on the best Disney princess around!), and Small Victories by Anne Lamott (Love me some Anne).
Let’s talk about… sleep, baby
So, I’ve talked before about my insomnia and anxiety-related sleep issues. My sleep supplement works well… when it kicks in. But it takes awhile. So I usually fill that time with reading, my bible study, and other non-computer things (I try to shut the computer off a half hour plus before I go to bed).
One thing I’ve noticed lately is how much I need noise as I’m falling asleep. So funny, since I used to have the OPPOSITE problem– I hated noise/light of any kind. Needed pitch black silence. Now the silence is too freaking loud, causing me to overthink and ruminate and do all the not good anxiety things. Usually, my mom has her TV on, which helps… except she watches freaking crime/murder shows, which is not exactly what I want to hear drifting off to sleep (I have woken up mid-nightmare more than once… thanks, mom, and thanks to my HSP-ness!).
So, I’ve been doing a mix of two things as I get ready for bed:
I listen to music (primarily Christy Nockels Be Held: Lullabies for the Beloved because it’s so calming and dreamy).
and I’ve begun using Abide, the Christian meditation/devotional app. I’ve had this app on my phone forever, but just now started using it. I’d used Headspace before, but just wasn’t crazy about it– it just didn’t really have an effect on me.
The meditations on Abide are devotional/scripture based. They also have longer devotionals, prayers, and sermons you can listen to, and even more content as a part of their paid subscription that delves into specific topics (this isn’t sponsored, I just really like them). I only have the lite version for now, but I would definitely like to have a paid subscription eventually. I do their 2 minute meditation before bed, and I usually also do their Examen prayer, which basically helps me walk through my day and how I felt, then use those thoughts to pray. It’s really changed my prayer life, and I hope to continue using it in this way. It helps me pray actual words and thoughts as I go to sleep, instead of falling asleep mid-prayer. I highly recommend it. With both of these things, I’ve been thinking about purchasing SleepPhones— basically a headband with headphones in it to wear as you sleep. I have an issue with things being on my head (I’m super tender headed, and headbands have a tendency to give me headaches), but I know it’d be a lot more comfortable than trying to use my headphones as I drift off to sleep! (and it’d be better than listening to my music with mom’s Joe Kenda in the flipping background). Has anyone used them before? I need thoughts before I buy! (or save money to buy… #brokevilleusa)
That’s all for this week, folks.
Follow my writer page on Facebook for more writerly updates and sometimes funny things, among other amusements. Thanks for reading!