Well, my no-peopling weekend is going to be challenged by running errands this morning. Eeps. I plan to go straight to self checkout, though, to avoid all possible interactions. The question is, will I pick up a lipstick at Target (some of the more makeup-savvy people reading this probably just fell over…sorry…) to try Elisabeth’s trick? I know you will be waiting with bated breath to find out. 😉

Other than that, it’s a working weekend. We do not have a Thanksgiving (or Fall) break, which means next week is the usual mishmash for me of teaching, meetings, and other things I need to check off the list.

I realized I forgot a key part of my morning routine: The parental phone call. This started a couple of summers ago, when my parents decided that they wanted to check in every morning. Why? I’m not sure. To check that I’m alive? Regardless, each morning starts with the same text message: Good morning. Call when you can. Love you. (Sometimes I mix it up and use heart emojis instead of saying “love you”, LOL.) And then we talk for anywhere from 5-20 minutes. I usually get the weather report from where they live, as well as a run down of their days, and I look up goofy local news and share it with them. I figure, I don’t live with anyone, I don’t really have any breakfast conversation, so this is a small thing to do and honestly? It makes me happy. I know I won’t be able to do this forever, so I treasure each of these moments of mini-connection.

It’s kind of like the random texts you get from people just popping up to ask a question, or say hi. For me, at least, there’s a little burst of joy when I see that someone has, apparently, thought of me, and let me know. Even for the introvertiest of introverts, those mini-connections matter.

I hope you get the chance to have some mini (or not so mini!) connections this weekend and, for those in the US, next week. I know you all treasure them as much as I do, maybe even more.

(Well, this went down an unanticipated path, but… I guess that’s what you get when you title a post “Saturday Randomness”! Happy Saturday, my friends.)

I’m skidding in near the end of the day (well, workday) here to get something up, because I like my posting streak and didn’t want to break it. Huh. Who would have thought?

Anyway! A few highs and lows from this week… but more highs than lows, I promise:

Highs

• It’s Friday, and I have a no-peopling weekend ahead of me.
• The sun was out today.
• I managed a WFH day today, which was much needed.
• The last 3 guest lectures (of 4) that I did this week went so well. The students were engaged, interested, and even approached me afterwards.
• More specifically, a student in one of those classes gave me the nicest compliment I have ever received as a teacher. Cue heart-eyes emoji.
• I’ve managed to stay awake every day. This is no small thing, trust me.

Low-ish things

• I am so completely peopled out and overstimulated, because of a tidal wave of emails, stressed students (and unanticipated issues), and endless meetings.
• I am dreadfully behind on everything on every list (see “endless meetings”, above).
• I did not sleep, essentially, for 2 nights in a row, making the end of the week particularly challenging.
• Guest lecture 1 of 4 was … not great. Disengaged (and almost rude) students. Sigh.
• Oh, and perhaps the worst… I am so far behind on NaBloPoMo and commenting. I may try to read and not comment the next day or two to try to catch up a bit.

Have a wonderful weekend, all. Here’s hoping I can keep my mini streak alive. 😉

…an update on the book that I am reading with my friend. (I know, you are so excited right now!)

First, I want to thank Elisabeth for sharing her hack for adding color to her cheeks (I feel like I should use the Canadian spelling of “colour” in order to properly honor her suggestion… :>): using a bit of lipstick for color on her cheeks. I think this might actually work for me – I always look a bit TOO red when I use actual blush, but this seems like it might be more subtle. Now… to determine if I actually own a lipstick. Ha.

The book update! I finally heard back from my friend last night and… she got about halfway through, life got busy, and she hasn’t picked it up since. LOL. I think I’m going to suggest abandoning ship on this one. And! I had a thought this morning – please weigh in if you have read this book. I was thinking about suggesting Ann Patchett’s These Precious Days. Essays by someone whose books I have always wanted to read? it appeals to me, for sure. But please weigh in if you’ve read it – do you think it would be good for this kind of buddy-read-and-discussion?

And now, my random question… last evening, as I walked down to the mailboxes, it occurred to me that I am the only person on my hallway who does not have a mat outside their apartment door. This is a small thing but… I’m starting to think I should add one (I have one inside for wet shoes, etc.). Do I get a holiday one, as it’s the holiday season? Or a year round one? And, any suggestions? Quirky? Standard? Boring? (I was leaning towards boring but maybe I should try to show a hint of personality??) This does bring up another question… why am I thinking so hard about a door mat? 😉

Caveat: I am not putting times on this post, as my sleep schedule is completely wonky right now. I get up very early. I hope to shift things back closer to normal – at least, normal for me – soon.

Stephany asked about my morning routine, which kind of made me laugh. It’s very boring, as you will soon see, and is likely very different from the morning routines of those of you who have kids and spouses/partners and long(er) commutes. I’m only responsible for myself – no one else to prod awake, no one who needs a lunch or a backpack check. So it’s pretty streamlined and very routine.

I’ve had the same basic routine for the last, oh, 15 years or so.

Wake up, pull up the covers, and get dressed in my workout clothes. For the next 60-80 minutes, depending on the day, I walk on the treadmill in the little exercise room across the hall, ride my stationary bike (THE best pandemic purchase ever, seriously… it folds up! Perfect for a small apartment.), and do a series of PT exercises + lifting light weights.

While exercising, I listen to 1) ESPN radio (SportsCenter All Night), which gives me an overview of things that have happened in sports in the last day or so, and/or 2) sports podcasts (most frequently one hosted by a father-and-son, both of whom went to Notre Dame, which I know will resonate with Ernie :>).

I also – yes, I multitask – read through the stories on the Washington Post and NY Times apps that I missed the previous day, to catch up on non-sports news. This usually helps keep my heart rate, and blood pressure, up pretty well. 🙂

Then, I wipe down the kitchen counter and my desk (a COVID WFH habit that I really like), get my bag together for school, and get out what I’m wearing for the day.

Next up is a quick shower, and since I know someone will ask, yes, I wash my hair first, then put in conditioner and leave it in for the remainder of my shower (even though, according to the blogosphere [I thought it was Engie who posted about this but I can’t find it on your blog, Engie, if it was?], this is not necessary, which goes against every fiber of my being…). I also wash my hair every day, because otherwise it is a disaster. Wash, rinse everything, and be done. This is not an elaborate shower routine. 🙂

Hop out, dry off, do my mini-ablutions (face sunscreen and cream is the extent of my “makeup”, and honestly I could use any suggestions to help me look less like the Ghost of Wisconsin Winters?), brush hair and teeth, and get dressed. Note that I get dressed for the climate of my office (which is, in a word, arctic), not the weather outside. This is working well, TBH. I may be overdressed but I’d rather be warm, thank you, than blue.

I make the bed nicely, gather up my bag and lunch bag, and head on in to the office. I thank my lucky stars that I am an early morning person and don’t need to deal with much traffic in the endless construction zone that is one of the main roads in town (sigh), pull into the parking lot, and thank my lucky stars again that I paid through the nose for a parking spot close to my building. No more slogging up the hill from the parking ramp to my building, fighting the wind that never seems to stop.

I land in my office, make some tea, and settle in to read/comment on blogs, and (this week, at least!) post my own.

And that, in its boring entirety, is that. Aren’t you sorry you asked, Stephany? 🙂

I’ve mentioned Holstee on here before, but I’m not sure if I have mentioned the associated app (Reflection.app). I use it every night as a kind of “download” of the day. They have prompts – quotes, which of course I love – and allow you to tag entries with things like “Highlight”, and other tags you create.

Anyway, I don’t use the prompts often, but yesterday’s really spoke to me:

Joy in the universe, and keen curiosity about it all – that has been my religion. – John Burroughs

This reminded me of the wonderful word from A Swiftly Tilting Planet (one of my absolute favorites of all time), Ananda, that joy without which the universe will fall apart and collapse.

While the prompt spoke to me – because I do not ascribe to any kind of organized religion – it prompted more deep thinking at bedtime than I probably needed. The key question, for me, is what “joy in the universe” means in my life. How do I show that I find joy in the universe? I don’t think that can be answered in the 24 seconds that I am able to stay awake once I get in bed, but it’s something that I need to ponder, and consider, and explore.

I know, deep thoughts for a Tuesday morning. But I’m curious, of course. What brings you joy? How do you find joy, in the world, the universe, your life…? What lifts your heart and your soul and your mind? If you don’t mind sharing, I’d love to know.

Happy Tuesday everyone. For those NaBloPoMo-ing, you’re almost halfway there!