       A bunch of reading this week.
The Last Watchman of Old Cairo was not bad but it didn’t grip me and I just don’t always have the patience for historical novels so they have to be really good for me to like them.
I knew The Shortest Way Home would be a super light and easy read and it was okay but I don’t have the patience for those either especially since I can tell you exactly how they will end at this point, having read so many many books.
I put off reading The House of Broken Angels quite a few times but I finally buckled down and read it and I am glad I did. It was interesting and funny at times, and pithy and sad at other times.
His Favorites was a super short read and really sad for me in how matter-of-factly this terrible story was told. Because it was all how things worked I guess, but it’s still pretty sad.
The next book was going to be my 200th so I decided to read something I knew I would love. I’d read The Tao of Pooh many many years ago and I knew I’d love it so I spent a night rereading it.
Then I picked up Unhinged which didn’t turn out to be as badly written as I thought it would be. It wasn’t life changing or anything. I am not sad I read it but it wasn’t the very best use of my time.
I then moved on to Snap which is a Man Booker long listed mystery. It wasn’t awful. I like when mysteries focus on character and not just plot and this one did but it also wasn’t fantastic.
Net net it was a so-so week. I am so looking forward to October (I know we’re just barely in September.) because it’s going to be an awesome book month. Murakami, Brene, and Lamott together in one month!
Books I Read this Week 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
After Girona, we drove to Barcelona and quickly realized that we didn’t really want a car in Barcelona so we returned our rental the next morning. Our first trip was to Park Güell. I read on the net that you didn’t need to buy the tickets to the special paid part to see all the Gaudi stuff, which was completely untrue. So that night we bought tickets and went back the next morning. I took hundreds of photos at this tiny section of the park. I will not torture you with all of them but I find Gaudi’s work to be magnificent.
The mosaics are just so so breathtaking.
and the shapes he uses are so curvy and organic.
vines.
doesn’t that take your breath away?
this lizard is quite famous.
i tried not to go overboard but I couldn’t help myself.
i just loved all of his stuff.
i mean look at this house!
and this!
 even the bathrooms were pretty!
We spent a long, long time walking around before it was ok to move on. 
so here’s part one of our adventures in Barcelona. more next time 🙂
Stories from 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018here.
Weekly Intention: This is a crazy week. I feel like I say that often. So today there’s no work or school(yay!) But then tomorrow midday I have a work social event which doesn’t get me home till 6:30pm or so. Wednesday’s even longer with getting home around 8 and it’s Jake’s birthday!! Poor Jake has to pickup the kids from a cross country meet on his birthday. And then Thursday is still my offsite which ends around 3 and I have to run back home to run to the kids’ school for back to school night. Friday I get to go to work for a little bit and then my inlaws come so that Jake and I can go away for the weekend (not really far away but we will not be at home so we can spend time just the two of us during the weekend between his and my birthday.) So a lot going on. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday will be really long, Friday will involve chaos and driving, and while the weekend will be awesome, I usually do a lot of work over the weekend and I will not be able to which will make next week a bit challenging (especially since I plan to take a few days off next week, too.) We’ll see how it all unfolds. On the upside every one of the individual things makes me happy so I will enjoy everything while I experience it and not worry about the next thing before it’s here. LEt’s see how well I can do being present in this moment.
This month’s intention is: Love Strong: This month is hard. There are transitions, new schedules and more. Use this month to think about what it would look like to love more. Love yourself more: more self-care and kindness. What boundaries can help you? Love Jake more: what’s something you can do for the two of you? Love your kids more: How can you help them with the transition? Oh this is lovely. This weekend is something I can do for the two of us and I will be thinking about the other questions, too. I love how serendipitous these feel!
One way I will stretch this week: I am hoping the offsite will stretch me, and possibly the hiking will too because it usually hurts my back :/
One boundary I will set this week: when I am with Jake I will focus 100% on jake.
This week, I will focus on pleasing: my husband. it’s his birthday week!!
One new thing I will learn this week: how to make these offsites even better.
One area where I will go deeper this week: the curriculum for 8th grade.
What do I need to sit with this week? the chaos i know that will ensue when my colleague is back.
I am looking forward to: our weekend together. being by the water.
This week’s challenges: tuesday’s hike. honoring jake on his actual birthday, 3 really long days, transitioning to leaving the kids behind. not getting work done on the weekend.
Top Goals:
- Work: do one more turn of the crank for october. be present.
- Personal: run for 30 mins 3 times this week (maybe sun, mon, fri), one body pump, one hiit, refocus on good nutrition, meditate, journal, art+scrap, stretch, evening routine as much as possible
- Family: cook for jake+celebrate Jake, help kids with school+routine
I will focus on my values:
- Love: love for my one and only husband!
- Learn: i want to focus here to be on eating better this week. i did quite poorly last week.
- Peace: peace with the long days
- Service: to my team, to school, and mostly to JAKE! 🙂
- Gratitude: my inlaws who flew here so we could have this time for ourselves.
This week, I want to remember: that i am super lucky and there are so many things to celebrate in all areas of my life!
Stronger Than Before is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
How I got Stronger this week: I knew transition week would be hard and it was. Not as hard as I made it in my head, of course, But I gave myself a lot of grace this week while still doing the nonnegotiables and I think that helped a lot. I didn’t want to eat well or exercise this week and yet I tried and I showed up. I am putting this week in the win column.
Top Goals Review:
- Work: focused on september and october offsites as much as possible, closed out strat sessions.
- Personal: finished couch 2 5K woohoo!, did body pump, did hiit, so-so on the nutrition, meditated only once, journaled only once, too, scrapped but did only one art. didn’t do so well on the stretching or evening routine.
- Family: cooked for jake only a handful of times this week, worked on adjusting to school with the kids.
I celebrate: i celebrate the first week of school in the books!
I am grateful for: using the alternate bus stop in the mornings, it’s been a game changer.
Karen’s Points: I did couch 2 5K all 3 days this week which meant I finished the program, I am super proud of that. I also did 3 Body Pump classes and one HIIT class. I journaled and meditated only one of the days and I scrapped. Not perfect but pretty good for how chaotic this week was.
A Change I embraced: school!
I let go of: getting art done with our new schedule. Some days I let go of everything just to get some rest in there.
Core Desired Feelings Check-in:
- Fresh: it was wonderful being at school on Monday and hearing all the inspiring talks
- Magical: i have a 4th and 8th grader now and they both seem happy at school, how can that not be magical?
- Lighter: i feel lighter now that we’re transitioning into the new routine instead of me thinking about it nonstop
- True: i’ve been journaling less and i can definitely see the impact (in a negative way.)
Where I chose Joy: i went to school on the first day and my friend kelly was there too, and it made my whole week!
I showed up for: my friend, my colleague who’s traveling, my kids.
A Mistake I made this week: i made a bunch of small mistakes this week. sometimes jumping the gun too soon.
What I tolerated this week: ambiguity.
My mood this week was: exhausted.
I forgive myself for: not getting it all done.
What I love right now: that the kids are happy at school.
Weekly Reflection is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
here’s the another post-vacation set.
bits of our summer life.
and books i’m reading. love it <3
Moments from this Week 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
     Less reading this week.
Now My Heart Is Full was lovely and touching but not super amazing.
I didn’t like From the Corner of the Oval as much as i’d hoped i would. Too meh for me.
How to Build a Girl was even more meh for me. This book gets such great reviews so it must just be me.
Three Things About Elsie dragged for me. It took me forever and ever to read it. I didn’t connect with it at all.
Just when I was about to give up on all books, I picked up I’m Not Missing which I swallowed up in a single day and really liked. Saved the whole week for me.
Net net it was a meh week. Here’s to a good one!
Books I Read this Week 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
We drove to the last town in France, Perpignan, and took the super fast train to Girona.
I’d seen this photo but seeing it in person was so much more beautiful.
isn’t it magnificent?
some interesting statues.
nathaniel loved this one store and spent 45 mins there
we loved the streets and noticed all the flags everywhere.
not sure if this is a real person.
i loved these stairs too!
we could have taken the super fast train right to barcelona which would mean we’d miss this.
and this!
 so i am glad we did go to Girona and see this small but beautiful town.
And next we come to the last part of our trip, Barcelona, which was my very favorite part!
Stories from 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018here.
Weekly Intention: This week is going to be full to the brim. School starts Monday morning and a new bus schedule starts too and I am also trying to see how I can balance all my morning exercise classes with all the drop offs and pickups so all this makes me unnecessarily anxious. Add to that the layers of uncertainty at work at the moment and it makes life more challenging than I’d like. But I have so so much support and my intention this week is to lean into that. And ground myself in that love and kindness. And have faith that all will be well. So I will work hard, I will still exercise, i will cook food, and I will focus on the kids, that’s it for next week. If my evening time is out the door, so be it. Until we have our new routine, things will have to shift.
This month’s intention is: Shine Strong: This month is for showing up. Show up at work. Show up with the kids. Show up as we close out the summer and start a new school year. Let your light shine on everyone you meet this month. Shine shine shine!!
One way I will stretch this week: I think the schedule changes will do it for me. My bet is that I will feel much much better by Friday but just making it there.
One boundary I will set this week: I am going to do my best to protect bedtime this week as I will need to rest and recover.
This week, I will focus on pleasing: my husband. my kids. my boss.
One new thing I will learn this week: i would like to say art but really if i do a bit of scrapping i’ll be grateful.
One area where I will go deeper this week: i’d like to take photos again. i miss it.
What do I need to sit with this week? understanding the work is going to wax and wane in the next few weeks and how to not spin with that.
I am looking forward to: school and getting into a new routine.
This week’s challenges: our adjusting to new routine and the kids are doing cross country this month so they will come home late 3 times a week which is hard on their schedule, too.
Top Goals:
- Work: focus on september and october offsites, close out strat sessions.
- Personal: couch 2 5K, body pump, hiit, good nutrition, meditate, journal, art+scrap, stretch, evening routine
- Family: cook for jake, adjusting to school with the kids.
I will focus on my values:
- Love: love for my family a lot this week, too. as much as i can.
- Learn: scrap!
- Peace: peace with the schedule changes
- Service: top school
- Gratitude: for my life and for all the flexibility i do have.
This week, I want to remember: that i am so glad our kids are still young enough to be home, i will miss these days so so much.
Stronger Than Before is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
How I got Stronger this week: This was a tough week, I was so so tired all week, and just couldn’t get out of a funk, or more specifically feeling like i am under a lot of weight. I came home most days this week feeling incredibly tired and worn out and just ready to throw in the towel. I didn’t do a great job of eating well, I ate a lot of granola and yogurt this week, but I still did my running, I did my body pump and HIIT classes, despite really feeling exhausted. I journaled, i showed up for my kids, I cooked at least a few times, i did what needed to be done. I am putting this week in the win column considering how hard it was for me.
Top Goals Review:
- Work: made a deck for metrics, planned december a bit, allyship sent!, fleshed out sept offsite, started on oct offsite.
- Personal: couch 2 5K done, body pump 4 times this week, hiit once this week, so so on nutrition, meditated twice, journaled three times, did some art and the OLW for August, didn’t stretch enough, did the evening routine all but one night.
- Family: cooked for jake a little, did math with david and math, vocab and comp sci with Nathaniel, and we all went climbing together too.
I celebrate: i celebrate going rock climbing with my boys.
I am grateful for: Jake’s support this week. He was so wonderful.
Karen’s Points: I did couch 2 5K all 3 days this week, 25 mins of running straight at 12 minute miles, that’s amazing for me. I also did 4 Body Pump classes and one HIIT class. I am still caffeine free. I had a lot of granola this week. I will go back to only the occasional bare bowls this week because I think i am doing too much dairy+granola and I don’t think it helps me with feeling energetic. I journaled and meditated 3 of the days. I continued the evening routine all but one night. Did the roller a tiny bit but didn’t stretch any.
A Change I embraced: there are lot of changes at work, i am working on them all. trying to do my best to roll with the punches.
I let go of: doing things at night when i was exhausted and i went to bed at 6:30 on Thursday and just read in bed.
Core Desired Feelings Check-in:
- Fresh: the rock climbing was definitely fresh, i was sore for 6 days afterwards
- Magical: doing the OLW work was wonderful, i am hoping i’ll get to scrap a bit this weekend
- Lighter: i go back and forth between feeling lighter and heavier
- True: trying to stay true to who i am amidst a bit of chaos.
Where I chose Joy: i had lunch with an old friend and it was wonderful.
I showed up for: my friend on monday night when she needed to talk to me.
A Mistake I made this week: i made a bunch of small mistakes this week. still trying to figure out how to navigate in general.
What I tolerated this week: exhaustion.
My mood this week was: down.
I forgive myself for: needing extra rest this week.
What I love right now: despite all the crazy and all the tired, i am so super grateful for my life.
Weekly Reflection is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
here’s finally a layout from post-vacation 🙂
i haven’t been taking photos lately so i’m going to have to get back into the groove.
i still love what I have so far.
Moments from this Week 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
        
I read a lot this week. It wasn’t intentional. I read four books over the weekend and then several shorter books over the week.
Eat Cake. Be Brave was wonderful and very much recommended if that type of book is your style.
I also really enjoyed, On Color. I read a book a long time ago on a single color and really liked it so I knew i was going to like this and it didn’t disappoint.
Notes from a Public Typewriter was a random grab because of Stephanie Howell mentioning it on her instagram. It was a super fast read and super amazing. Touching, sweet, and just all around lovely.
Switchers was also really good, especially if you’re interested in switching careers. It was tangible, actionable and full of good information.
I liked America for Beginners which meandered a bit but then was thoughtful towards the end.
The Bookshop was a super quick read and it’s being made into a move so I had to read it. It was…not sure how to put it. It was different. More like a short story.
The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work was also actionable, specific and I really liked reading it. I posted about this on my instagram that I love reading books on marriage especially when things are going well in my marriage.
Convenience Store Woman was a super quick read and unusual and different and also like a long short story. I actually liked it.
The Incendiaries didn’t connect with me at all. It was fast so I read it but it wasn’t a good use of time for me.
Net net it was a good week. Here’s to another good one!
Books I Read this Week 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
At the end of the year, last year, I wrote up my unraveling for 2018 and I was recently revisiting it to see all the things I said I wanted to do/be and see where I am with it all. So I thought it would be a good time to do an update for myself. This will be long, feel free to skip 🙂 I am only going to cover the pieces that had some kind of “thing I will do” answer to see if I did it 🙂
- Fast-forward to December 2018. You’re sitting in a cafe?, musing over the last 12 months. Where do you want to be…
- in your head? (work, dreams, goals) I want to be scaling up the quality of my work and create processes that can scale. I want to develop relationships with leadership and add value to all of my teams. I want to think of myself in a way that allows me to show up without hesitation. I also want to listen better and talk less.
- Ok so, interestingly, I switched jobs since I’ve written this but some of it still applies, I created some processes but I’d like to (and am working on) doing some more. I am definitely developing relationships with leadership and adding value. I am listening more but also still talking a lot. And I am still working on the “without hesitation” part.
- in your heart? (relationships, family, friends) I want to make sure to prioritize people who matter the most to me. I want to develop deeper friendships with the Tamara, Kelly and Leslie. I want to make good friends in Nathaniel’s class. I want to continue to foster my friendships with Evelyn and work friends. I want to put my family first. Support my nephews. Talk to my sister more. Go on regular date nights with Jake. Continue teaching the kids. Continue taking photos.
- Ok so I’ve definitely deepened my friendship with Leslie and I’d say also with Kelly. I have more room to grow with Tamara and Nathaniel’s class. And just with friends in general. I’m supporting my nephews but I’d like to do more there. I definitely don’t talk to my sister enough. I finally found a sitter so date night might become a reality. I teach the kids a lot and take photos a bunch.
- in your soul? (beliefs, practices, self-love) I want to get stronger in my sense of self. In my ability to be okay with who I already am, in drawing boundaries. In choosing to spend my time in ways that are most meaningful to me.
- I am working on this. I definitely spend my time on what is most meaningful to me but I need help with the sense of self part. Or at least with not spinning.
- in your physical world? (home, health, hobbies) I want to continue to buy flowers. Continue to exercise daily, and start doing it at home, too. Add massage at work. Do more consistent self-care. Eat way way better and drink a ton of water. I want to do more art but only when it gives me joy. Continue the new way of scrapping that I am loving.
- Exercising daily. Did only one massage, could do more. Doing more consistent self-care. Eating better, drinking a lot but tea and water. Doing art and scrap, too.
- Okay, let’s take it up a notch. Use this page to describe what 2018 looks like in your ideal world. Be specific! What are your dreams for love this year? Work? Play? Where are you hungry for change? How do you want 2018 to FEEL? Use your answers from the previous pages to craft your ideal vision for the next 12 months. What would saying YES to your life look and feel like? Write out everything your heart desires for this new year. Be bold. I am exercising every single morning. I am drinking a lot of water and taking care of my skin, my hair, my teeth. I am feeling strong and healthy and alive. I am trying new things that feel fresh to me, I am appreciating the wonder in my life. I am choosing what to spend time on and loving the time I spend on it. I am feeling positively about my choices. I am spending a lot of time with Jake. And with my kids. I am talking to my nephews regularly. I am working hard. I am teaching my kids. I am reading. I am resting. I am showing up for life.
- Ok so i am exercising every work day, drinking water, taking care of skin and hair (not perfect on the teeth.) Feeling stronger for sure. I am trying a few things but not enough. I am spending time doing art and i love it. I am spending time with kids and Jake (though i’d like more with Jake.) I am talking to my nephews with less regularity than I’d like. I am working hard. I teach the kids. I am reading a lot. I am resting a lot. I am definitely showing up, though not as much socially.
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- List 3 duties or commitments you feel ready to let go of in 2018
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- No more lit club after this school year is over.
- i quit this!
- No more Math Circle.
- i quit this too
- Maybe no TV?
- i quit this too!
- List 3 skills you’d like to learn or improve in 2018
- Math, I want to do even more math with my kids.
- I am so on this, doing it with both kids.
- Drawing, sketching, art in general.
- working on this one, too, it’s a long journey
- Science. Both my kids are into science and I know practically nothing.
- well david and I are taking physics but man it’s hard.
- How could you bring more calm into your life (and head) this year? More journaling. Quiet moments in the morning and evening. Taking much more time out. Muting when on VC.
- hmm i am finally journaling and taking moments morning and night but I am not on VC as much anymore so I will have to get creative.
- List 3 ways you could be kinder to your body this year
- Take care of my skin + teeth.
- doing this.
- Massage my body and release my muscles + stretch more.
- i was doing this but am not anymore.
- Take Yoga and Pilates to increase flexibility.
- i did a bunch of this but am not doing it anymore.
- List 3 ways you could connect with loved ones in 2018
- Regular date nights with Jake.
- not doing this yet :/ but i have a sitter now, i am optimistic.
- Biweekly check-ins with my nephews.
- not doing this either but will do when school starts.
- Weekly meeting with a friend.
- I am doing this with one friend but I’d like to do it more.
- How could you bring more love into your life this year? By choosing joy. Assuming the best. Realizing that things always work out because I try harder and harder until they do. Realizing the magic that is my life. Being grateful. Paying attention to the support I have. Being thankful.
- i am definitely grateful and think about it all the time but it hasn’t been enough.
- List 3 interests/hobbies you would like to explore more in 2018
- Rock climbing
- hmm only did this once, and a long time ago, it’s time to do more
- Does journaling count? I want to do it much more regularly.
- making a bit of progress here but not a lot
- Taking online classes. Or maybe even in person ones!
- just started this, too.
- List 3 ways you could feed your imagination this year
- Try new things. Fresh things.
- hmmm…. maybe one or two but i’d love to do more here.
- Go on adventures. Travel. Especially to places I’ve never been to.
- we did a bunch of travel adventures this year, but i’d like to do more
- Read different books (things I wouldn’t typically pick up.)
- hmmm…i think i did some of this.
- List 3 dreams you would like to manifest this year (personal or professional)
- I’d like to be really much stronger. Be able to do pushups with ease.
- uhm. i am stronger. i started the year with 4 kilos for body pump squat weight and now i am doing 15 kilos but the pushups definitely don’t come with ease.
- I’d love to have handful of really close friendships
- i definitely have one but i’d love two, three more here.
- I’d love to deepen my relationship with Jake even further.
- there’s so much here and i have the best man in the world, he’s incredible. i want to always work on this.
- How could you bring more creative energy into your life this year? I would like to journal more. I’d love to bring back my sketching habit, not sure if I can but I would love to. I still love looking at those sketches. I’d love to do another 100-day project.
- i did a 100-day project but it was lame, imho. i still want all these things. i am doing them but i want them more.
- List 3 ways you could bring more mindfulness to your mornings
- Take 15 minutes to journal each morning.
- finally started doing this most weekday mornings.
- Take 5 minutes to meditate.
- this, too, i am doing right now.
- Exercise first thing in the morning. (continue to wake up at 6am!)
- this has been a winner all year.
- List 3 ways you could cherish your home this year
- Buy flowers!
- i do this religiously
- Fill my house with twinkly lights.
- i haven’t done enough of this. i want to do more.
- Buy sheets that we love for each of us. Decorate our rooms to feel more our own. Put our family photos into frames.
- i did this for the kids (sheets) but not for us yet. I also haven’t done the photos. i love the idea and I want tho think more and find a way to make it happen.
- List 3 ways you could connect more deeply with nature in 2018
- Take weekly walks and monthly trips to water.
- I definitely haven’t been doing this. It’s easy enough to do.
- I still would love to take hikes.
- also still on my list, i think i need to scout a bit and just make this a reality and stop wishing/whining
- I think I’d like to swim more this year, too. Need to think about this one more.
- this completely fell off my radar and actually is not on my list anymore
- List 3 places in your city, town or neighbourhood you want to explore
- The city. We definitely don’t go there enough.
- we did a tiny bit here but not enough.
- Marin. Especially the headlands.
- also here super little.
- Go to the woods more. Learn new hikes.
- nothing here 🙂
- I will learn more about:
- Science: as much as I can.
- very little progress here 🙂
- My body: how to make it stronger, how to take care of it.
- made a bunch of progress here but have a ways to go
- Who I am. I will pay attention to what I do and what I say and what my values are and own who I am.
- need more work here, too. more around healing.
- I will release my attachment to chocolate. The past. Coffee. Things + people who don’t nourish me.
- haven’t had chocolate in a while, don’t seem to really miss it. coffee’s also morphed. i’ve practically quit processed sugar. working on other things.
So here we are. I’ve actually done a lot of the things I wanted to do. I had a dip in mid-February to mid-May but I’m on track now, I’m working at it. Things are not as grim as I make them out to be in my head. Onward we go 🙂
On My Mind is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
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projects for twenty twenty-four
projects for twenty twenty-three
projects for twenty twenty-two
projects for twenty twenty-one
projects for twenty nineteen
projects for twenty eighteen
projects from twenty seventeen
monthly projects from previous years
some of my previous projects
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