The Tuesday Currents

I’m currently…

finishing a lovely weekend off with Indy, which is so rare, and adjusting has not been fun. I forget how much we have to cram into the few hours we have that overlap together. Soon he’ll be back on the night shift!

chores, paperwork, planning

lots of random small things and some larger ones

being super cryptic

not sleeping great again. That was a quick reprieve!

listening to old playlists and playing guess-the-song games with Indy and Wood Sprite

daydreaming. Quite a bit. Lately, all I have to do is take a few deep breaths and it sends me into a yawny, dreamy state and I’m practically singing “Strawberry Fields Forever.” Too bad it doesn’t keep me asleep.

night dreaming. And nightmaring. Often.

listening to my body, meeting its needs, and finding that it makes me want to DO quite a bit less and just vibe

trying to remember tasks and appointments at the same time. How did I survive without phone alarms before?

attempting to meet the reading deadlines of several bookclubs, mixing them up, not getting them in time from the library, etc. Spelling library “libraly.” Thinking I really don’t have much to share and realizing it’s a lot more than I’d imagined in the first place.

getting the pups’ shots and scheduling grooming appointments

brushing Sally out and thinking of starting a felted creations business from the resulting fur. Kidding! It really would felt well, though… David Rose’s cat scarves, anyone?

drinking water out of something made of metal every chance I get. Seriously, why would we use anything but metal, especially in the thickness of summer, when it protects our ice cubes so proficiently?

Reading Galaxy: The Prettiest Star, Raising Critical Thinkers, and King of Battle and Blood. Also continuing Penryn and the End of Days and Ballad of Songbirds with Indy aloud.

listening to one of those YouTube relaxation videos and feeling floaty

wishing The Chipmunk Adventure were still available

watching John Wick 4 and Yellowjackets with Indy

What are you up to this week?

Monday’s Music

Monday’s Music

Things I Love Thursday

This week, I’m loving…

help getting Wood Sprite rides to his classes

holding my labradorite heart

s l o w l y closing drawers. It’s my new mindfulness reminder. I don’t know why it’s so satisfying, but it is!

birds chirping RIGHT in the window! The cats get so excited, and it’s like the bird is in the room.

Sixteen92’s Wicked. I am just now trying a free sample that came with an order from ages ago and it’s really nice.

listening to Raising Critical Thinkers. I wish I had the paper book because audiobooks can sometimes be difficult for me, but I really enjoy Bogart’s style. Also, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs brings to mind the first time I got to play a lawyer during a 5th grade play we did in class based on the book. I wanted to work towards justice so badly, even well before then! Delving deeply into transformative justice is my jam these days. (I totally lost that trial. One of my best friends that year was the wolf and he was such a good liar!) Also, Mrs. Hopson? Best teacher ever.

Indy surprising me with a fountain Coke Zero with lime, my favorite! He also brought home pistachios so I’m set.

listening to Wood Sprite’s camp stories and humor. He’s the funniest person I know.

how nice his lesson books are looking. I haven’t been as careful with my handwriting as I used to be lately and I’m trying to keep things as neat as I can.

planning his senior year, which is loaded with so many feelings. The biggest one is exciting!

coping with losing documents I lost when my computer updated. I know a me that would’ve had a complete meltdown. Not saying I don’t have those anymore, but today-me ended up breathing for a few minutes, getting some other things done to take a break, and starting them over again.

resting today, or so I hope! I haven’t had much sleep this week, so by the time I’ve scheduled this to go live I better be in bed!

What are you loving this week?

The Tuesday Currents

I’m currently…

working on logistics for The Teen’s many summer programs, including two internships, two camps, and his classes. Transportation is always the biggest factor since Indy’s schedule is still not the one we’d choose, but there’s also more paperwork than usual this year.

(helping Indy look for new jobs)

listening to a few new podcasts and mixes while I get things done. Today has featured everything Tig Notaro, Queer Collective, Ludo, and The Darkness. I may have played “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” on repeat while I made everyone breakfast before Artie’s internship this morning, which made me feel 20 years younger until I had a little meltdown because cooking under pressure (which a lot of cooking falls under for me) often triggers that for me.

(troubleshooting getting my hacked Spotify)

wanting to carve in more time to write. My first book just celebrated its 10th anniversary and my brain is itching to create another so badly. There are so many drafts to finish and so many new ideas every day and honestly it’s overwhelming. One of my holiday books featured a Cyclops and I just had another totally different idea for another person of the same species, but I’d really like to finish my ghost story and my circus trio first…

trying to finish books in time for my many clubs this month. The Fiance Farce didn’t make it in time from the library, so I don’t think I’ll make that one, and I had to bow out of Philosophy Book Club because I’ll be working during the discussion, but I’m still trying to finish The Chosen and the Beautiful, Crown Chasers, The Gilded Wolves, Imogen Obviously, and Never Lie (another I’ll likely not make in time) for my book clubs. I’m also reading Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools for my work book club, and of course many others for personal and homeschool reading. For the latter, I’m very excited to have landed a copy of the graphic novel version of Stamped this week from the library. I’ve just been so tired lately and the person who read 2-3 books a day every summer as a kid and teen is struggling to read a book a week, let alone as many as I’ve been checking out.

(rethinking how many book clubs I signed up to read with)

trying to make judicious cuts. I’ve scheduled 2-3 days of stuff to do every day since I was a teenager and even though I know it’s not possible, I continue to do it. I make excellent plans, follow through with the stuff I do for other people, and tend to just keep rescheduling the rest. Through therapy and personal work I’ve realized that this is due to my neurodiversity, and while I feel like I’ve made a lot of strides in my life in regards to that in many other areas, this is one that continues to plague me.

(organizing trainings, speakers, and webinars, both for myself and others)

absolutely loving the colder-than-usual weather this June! Wow, it’s been nice. I’m so grateful for being able to have the windows open and for the break for our electricity bill, and not having unbearable heat means not having extra pain on top of the chronic stuff that’s here all the time. I know some folks’ pain is exacerbated by the cold, but my nemesis is heat. I’ve only had a couple of really bad days this month, which is very unusual for June.

having big feelings over Guardians 3. It’s been a week and I’m still reeling. They’re far from my favorite team in the comics, but they are my favorite in the films, and while I don’t mind one change a bit (and even cheer another change made), the rest of them still need room to settle. I did think it was largely well done, save for some heavy-handedness on a theme and some changes made without enough buildup.

making coconut milk coffees with mixed results. We’ve been too busy to go get groceries and we’ve been using a lot of random stuff that has been tucked back in the pantry! I’m working several shifts tomorrow, so Indy’s going to go shopping.

(working a bunch of extra shifts while folks are on vacation)

really craving some pistachios

What are you up to this week?

Monday’s Music

Things I Love Thursday

Some things I’m loving this week include…

Indy’s week off! It was SO great to sleep at the same time, play video games, watch movies, catch up on chores/projects and just do nothing together.

sweet potatoes

laughing with Wood Sprite about everything. He’s such a funny person. Tonight he was making the dogs discuss Doritos and explaining some goofy Tiktok concepts to me.

finding new music I love. Usually this comes from friends’ Instagram stories, but lately I’ve been rediscovering long lost songs from the 90s and 2000s.

Kerrygold butter. It’s my biggest splurge when we are able.

The Teen’s summer job and programs. While it means puzzling over logistics, it also means chances for him to hang out with other teens, explore more interests, earn money, and other fun things for him.

seeing my niece more since it’s summertime

sharing Tiktoks and IG videos with Indy

seeing so many wildlife this week! Since Indy was off, we were able to drive around at night, look at the moon, and see WAY more critters than usual. We saw skunks, deer, and rabbits. We do see them all in the yard in the morning sometimes but at night they seem to all be out in community or something and it’s been so lovely. I can’t WAIT until he’s on nights again and we can do it again.

errands with Indy–again, something I took for granted while we were on the same schedule! Just going to get chicken feed together is nice.

air conditioning

de-screening. Being on screens less is absolutely lovely. I’m toying with the idea of just not using my phone or laptop on days I’m off.

What are you loving this week?

Monday’s Music

Reparations Friday

It’s the start of Pride Month and Reparations Roundtable has an urgent need for a queer, non-binary parent and their 2 kiddos. RR has been working with Q since 2019, when they escaped a terrible domestic violence situation. A little over a year ago, Q attained permanent housing in their hometown, after living in an extended stay hotel in another state for several years. They are thriving in their new situation and just renewed their lease, but now it’s threatened.

Due to a miscommunication with the landlord, Q has an outstanding utility bill that the landlord paid. The property manager is now refusing to accept Q’s June rent until the utility bill is reimbursed. They have already sent letters threatening eviction. We need to raise $1000 TODAY to clear this up and keep this family housed. If they lose their housing, they could lose everything, including custody of their children. We cannot let this happen. We are asking for all hands on deck.

Funds can be sent to the RR Paypal: paypal.me/ReparationsR

Things I Love Thursday

Some things I love this week are…

Sick days. I never had them before this job, and while I still feel guilty for taking them, I’m learning to be able to lean on a team–and the support of my team is absolutely beautiful. Accepting help is restorative and lovely–and the rest absolutely helps with recovery from illness and pain. I’m feeling very grateful today.

Book of Night! I can’t believe this isn’t being rated at least a 4.0 or higher on Goodreads. I understand the critiques, sure. This is the first book to really hook me since January and anything that does that for me gets a 5 in my book! Great characters, mystery, gritty urban fantasy and twists, as is expected with Holly Black. I related to Charlie SO much, which I’m sure matters, too. It reminded me a lot of Valiant, my favorite book by Black (another that not as many folks seem to like). Cannot WAIT for the sequel in January.

books that rope me in like this one. I wish I could just scan books and know that will happen, at least sometimes. Getting absorbed into a book is the best feeling.

The Teen’s help cleaning when I’m not well

rest, which impacts said wellness so much. So does distracting yourself when pain meds aren’t helping (books, TikToks, Cats & Soup, Internet rabbit holes…)

feeling my undercut growing back. It’s so fun to play with, even though I change my mind about cutting it every day.

looking at wallpaper and backsplash ideas. I’m thinking a wall of moths and some red-and-black tiles to go with the red walls Indy painted two years ago.

a coworker collecting books for incarcerated folks

said coworker making Pride treats. She makes treats for the office often and while I’m remote, I think that’s so kind. She also regularly shares information about observances that are important and I really appreciate that, too.

the wildberry flavor Indy bought for me for Mother’s Day for my tea, which is already gone as of today

the moon lamp he bought as well! This thing. It is the coolest thing in the world.

Four-star reviews. I get them many more times than five, and I’m learning to be okay with being enough. If a caller says that I helped them, if a reader says they loved my book and my world-building was “spectacular,” both with a four-star review, I can accept and appreciate that.

having a super supportive boss I admire and respect. I have two quotes by them on my desk! Have I mentioned how grateful I feel lately?

sharing music with my son. We love to play songs for each other to guess or ask if we’ve heard of an artist or song.

trying a new method of tackling my to-do list

Liberal Jane, as always

being understood. I never knew how much it mattered. And therapy in general!

watching the cats and dogs snuggle. Now only if the cats would get along together like that…

American Born Chinese. Indy and I watched the entire thing in a day last weekend and love it.

pretty Instagram feeds. I could just scroll through people’s art all day long.

Kristin Neff’s self-compassion exercises

Alexis Rose’s growth. All of the Schitt’s Creek characters are so great, but I cry every time I watch her level up. And we’ve watched the series many times.

time with my niece now that school is out

cool marble bee and butterfly feeders

watching the chickens take dust baths

this network of Mayan cities

teens taking charge of their health and needs

remembering things I love to do

exchanging notes in puzzle books with Indy

What are you loving this week?