What Ana Does

 We've now spent a bit of time the last four months touring colleges with Leah. Either through official visits or swinging by the campus and walk through. And it's such a weird feeling on a few accounts.  First, perspective for me is so different. When I was looking at colleges and making this decision, it was obviously a much different time, a different world, everything. Totally different. And looking back on what I used to decide on college was probably totally wrong. 40-something me would look at so many other things than the things I looked at then.  Mostly, I wouldn't look so hard at the $$. Because regardless, that whole "how to pay for college" sucked and to a point it almost didn't matter what the price tag was. I was going to be applying for loans and repaying it into my 40s no matter what.  What I should have paid attention to was the equipment and who could get me the job at the end of the four years in the field I thought I wanted to do. Experienc...

I love books and read lots and lots. When I tell people how many books I read a week, they think I'm crazy and say "I could never read that many books, no matter how much I love to read." To that, I say, you're probably doing it wrong. ( YDIW series ) First off, some people don't care about reading or they're just not in the "book reading season" in their life ... totally get it. When I had young babies, I didn't read more than a very few books a year ... maybe. Not biggie. I don't judge. But if you're eager to read more, and think it's impossible, it's probably not.  Pick easier books. If your goal is to read three books a month, a pretty attainable goal, don't pick books from a MFA- English program. Skip the Tolstoy or Vonnegut. Sure, they're worthy but "War and Peace" is a damn dense brick! You're not being graded, so pick more "easy" books, than classic that require a comprehension guide. Mix it...

 As someone who makes a living creating social media content I have a lot to say about this subject. But mainly most people are DOING SOCIAL MEDIA WRONG.  Don't get mad at me. We didn't have any of this 10 years ago and we're all not on the same page about how to use it. We've been experimenting. But, yes, there's a right way to do it. And most people do it WRONG.  At its core, social media apps (Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, TikTok, etc.) are for CONNECTION. And to sell things and gobble up your time. But, at it's best, they are a means to be inspired and connect to people with similar interests or ideas. And even keep up with family and friends. YAY!  But, if you're taking hours to scroll through your feed. If you're not interacting with any posts. If they make you jealous, uncomfortable or angry. All red flags. YOU * ARE * DOING * IT * WRONG.  Curate your feed! Follow only those that ADD to your day, not subtract. Look for influencers and content cr...

In the first of my series of "You're Doing It Wrong (YDIW) we're starting with houseplants . Lately, I've been collecting a lot of houseplants. This house loves the plants. Our windows are large and bright, and I'm home to look after them. So, I'm covering every available surface with plants. And I have a few friends who also like plants, but mostly, I hear "I can't do houseplants" and "I love houseplants but I always kill all of them!" Of course you do. Everyone does. And that's why people are doing houseplants wrong. You don't buy them to keep them to just "keep alive." You buy them to enjoy until they eventually die. Because yes, they will probably eventually die. Killing houseplants isn't really the failure everyone thinks it is. We buy bouquets of flowers and they all eventually die, so why don't we accept the same will happen to most of the house plants we buy? Even houseplant experts know a certain numbe...

In our normal days, I wear a lot of hats. Mom, worker, wife, dog mom, house caretaker, etc. And I usually get transition time to change my hat.  I start work in the morning and I'm constantly interrupted by dogs, family members, the kitchen dishes (who mock me when they're piled up in the sink). My house projects, the laundry, my book, the beautiful weather, they all fight for my attention. And I barely had focus before this all started, but now that focus time is under a few minutes.  When I'm working, I'm always keeping an eye on the dogs, the kids, the house. And no amount of hiding or wearing earphones or trying to concentrate on one thing ever works. I always get pulled away to something else.  I'm a multi-tasker at heart, but it's exhausting to multitask as many things as I have been while everyone is home. I find places to disappear when I need to re-charge, but some days it's just too much.  And there are only so many hats I can wear on any given day...

Please excuse me as I stumble through this post. It's not going to be perfect or the best but I've got to put what I'm thinking down in writing, as that's how I best digest the world around me. This latest focus on the Black Lives Matter movement and the issues around being Black in our country is inspiring me to dig a little deeper and get a little uncomfortable about what I think I know and what I've been blind to.  Racism is an evil. And in my small world, where I come in contact with such a few people, I don't spend a lot of time peering into other worlds and realities. But the more I've seen these last few weeks, the more ugly it all is.  But what can I do about it? I'm isolated mostly in my house, I don't have many friends and I don't see my extended family very often. Am I exempt from helping? From contributing? Just because I'm a homebody.  And what does that say about what I'm teaching my kids? What am I exemplifying? Because tha...

I have so many thoughts about this pandemic and all the scary uncertainty rolling around everywhere. I worry for my family and my loved ones and my coworkers, but I'm also filled with some certainty that we're all going to be safe. And, someday soon, we'll share stories about what we did during these days/weeks we were isolated at home. Work From Home! I'm also fascinated by the sociology of this and what kind of mark it will leave on our culture. Big changes come from being uncomfortable, from uncertainty, from a massive crisis. That's true for us individually and as a civilization. So this is all so fascinating from that point of view. There's just so much swirling it will be weeks until we can really understand it all and see the big picture. Until then... We're all home. Dave and I are working from home. The kids are getting e-learning assignments and keeping busy. And Bruce the pup is confused that we haven't all left him to his day-long ...

My brother got married this weekend and I have a lot of things to say about what a special weekend it was and spending time with my family and all that ... but I wanted to write about this one thing I've noticed about wedding receptions. Why isn't everybody dancing? It was the wise Lee Ann Womack who sang " and if you get a chance to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance ." I and my family can certainly attest to the dance part. Give us some music and a dance floor and we are there. But as I was boogying my booty off this weekend, I noticed a large group of able-bodied wedding guests (presumably close family and friends) sitting at their tables, chatting or looking around awkwardly. And I noticed it at previous weddings, as well. OK, some people have fragile bones and are older. Excused. And others have social anxiety, so I'll give them a pass, as well. And maybe some people don't like music, or dancing, but that's no excuse. It's FUN to be out...

Let's overthink my lawn for a post, shall we? Leah Mowing Like a Pro While we were in Paris, my Mother moved into my house (temporarily, as it turns out), fired my lawn guy, bought a gas-powered mower and was planning to take care of the landscaping herself. She enjoys it. But circumstances took her to Florida and now I'm left with no lawn guys and long grass. No big deal, really. But it started me thinking about lawns. Then I read this article  that summed up the environmental issues of our lawn obsession. We, as a nation, over-water, over-fertilize and over-mow our lawns. And it's having a negative effect on our environment. While, yes, there are absolute positives for having a lawn and taking care of it, we're often doing way too much . Sure, grass is a plant and pulls a little carbon from the air, and is way better than paving or anything else, BUT it's doesn't need to look perfect all the time. I live in the midwest, so I only need to worry a...

Lately, I've been reading a lot about  capsule wardrobe . It just kept coming up in blogs, podcasts, Pinterest and books. (See below.) A Capsule Wardrobe concept, as I understand it, is your limited every-day-go-to wardrobe. And it's usually 20-38 items. Total. In theory, it cuts out the unworn clothing in your closet -- the just-in-cases, the I'll-fit-this-again-someday, etc. And, by doing so, wipe out the "what am I going to wear?" daily stress by just wearing your favorites/most-flattering in rotation. (Which you probably do already.) And you save money because you're not buying new clothes every month. Sources right to left:  Over the Deep End ,  Emily Lightly ,  Classy Yet Trendy  (I think) (Here's one link to How to Start a Capsule Wardrobe . I found a ton of other articles, too.) The frugal, zero-waste, sustainable side of me loves this concept. I love the idea of simplifying my morning because really most days I do wear the same thing (...

With the new OS on my iPhone, there's an app keeping track of how much time is spend on the phone -- have you seen this? I had already been thinking about wanting to decrease my phone usage time -- as I find, like most people, I pick it up all too often. But with this tracker I now know I average two hours a day on my phone!!! Two hours! That seems nuts! Imagine how many other things I could do! And why am I surprised when I now catch the girls grabbing their phones all day, too?! So I had started stopping myself before I opened the screen or leaving the phone in another room, etc. to avoid using it when it wasn't really necessary. And I was starting to drop my usage just a little. Fast-forward to this week, when I finally got around to fixing my cracked phone screen. We got the insurance on my iPhone we bought here so I just needed to drop it off at a store. Little did I know they would send it away to be fixed ... for "about two weeks." The Loaner So I...

Have you seen the cover of National Geographic this month? Gah! It's such a kick in the pants. Here's the link to check out the articles and be completely devastated by the pictures. The thing about this plastic crisis is: it's something we can all get involved in and make a huge difference. There are some environmental causes, such endangered elephants and rising sea levels, that make us feel basically powerless to help out. (Unless we can send financial support or fly to Africa to volunteer.) I can buy a more fuel-efficient car and turn my lights off when I leave a room, but you don't really feel the connection, right? But with plastic ... just bringing reusable bags to the supermarket and that's less plastic right there. Done. And it eventually becomes this really simple habit. And then you start remembering your reusable water bottle or coffee mug when you head to work. And that becomes a habit. And just those two things is a WHOLE LOT LESS plastic. An...

For a long time, I've been resistant about bringing my daughters to the gym with me. And it was an effective excuse for years. It just felt so selfish. I as putting myself before my babies. They were so little and I was a full-time working mom, wasn't it better to spend time with them and not on myself? But, geez, this is totally dumb logic. There are plenty of reasons adults need to be active and exercise. And taking care of yourself is NOT selfish. You can't pour from an empty cup. So all parents need to take time for themselves. Duh. We teach our kids about nutrition and making good choices about what to eat, so the gym is just an extension of that. It's a habit they will need to learn, too. Pay your grocer today or your doctor tomorrow is the adage for eating right, and it works the same if you replace grocer with gym. So ... this advice presupposes YOU love the gym, and you might not. But it's never too late to find an activity you can get passionate ab...

I'm finding lately that every week is a little different. I can't seem to get myself into a daily or even weekly routine and, for awhile, it was frustrating. I think this was one of those assumptions I had of staying home: I'll have it all organized and scheduled. But that just can't be a reality of not heading into an office everyday. At least not for me, when I have so many different interests I'm indulging right now. So, I've adopted this attitude ... which is a Fall Out Boy lyric. Focusing on house work, or sewing projects, or garden, or writing, or job hunting, or travel ... etc. Just depends on who I am that week.  :) Related Posts:  What I'm Digging posts It's a Rebuilding Year My Favorite Influencers 

I have clear memories of 2000 election and the horror I felt when Gore lost. That feeling has followed me around each election year, as I go in knowing there's always a chance it won't go my way. That feeling is nothing compared to the disappointment I feel now. First, because I have to explain it to my daughters. And second, because I have to try to understand it for myself. So, where to do we from here? This is what I know: a President doesn't have absolute power in our democracy. He's got to work with the two other branches of government to get anything done. He (adding "or she" continues to be frustratingly unnecessary) needs the support of his party and, for most legislation to pass, bipartisan support. He can't get a Supreme Court judge elected without a hearing and a simple majority.  From all that I've read and seen, Mr. Trump does not have that support. He belittled the GOP for the last 16 months while campaigning. And I can't imag...

Darn you Pinterest for making me feel like I can just up and leave my job. I was already thinking about this, but then my Pinterest board just kept sending me these mantras and I was subconsciously influenced. Where are the motivational mantras about being financial prudent? See my Words of Wisdom Pinterest board . But, warning, it might make you do something crazy.

I KNOW it's only the end of July, but school starts here in one month, people, ONE MONTH. Eeep!! A Page From My Notebook: Holy Crap So, I'm starting to freak out a little at all the tasks that accompany this time of year. Wondering if I can get a jump on school supply shopping. And starting to wrap my head around all the decisions I'll need to make in the next four weeks. For example, what is Leah doing after school this year? Babysitter? Can she manage alone? Send her to after-care? When is Leah's soccer practices starting up again? Does Alice want to play soccer? When will we get the park district catalog of activities for this fall? Will there be a Saturday dance class for Alice? And, inevitably, I get to the question: How will we manage it all on top of Dave's work schedule? And finally, should I find a new part time job or stay at home to make this all work? The downward spiral continues . Deep breath ... the good news is there's one more ...

I blame it on my Instagram stream. Here's my secret wish ... I want to be a homemaker. Okay, and not the homemaker you're thinking. This one: But maybe. Because I do these things on weekends and spotty over the week, but I want to be dedicated. I want to master these things. I want to make more food from scratch . Bread. Yogurt. Cheese. Ketchup. Granola bars. Cheese crackers. Tortillas! My heroes are those bloggers who do this. The cookbooks that they put out. I read them with awe. I try but I'm no where near where I want to be. I dream about spending time preparing meals for my family ... now that the kids are older and we can just about enjoy the same food. And having the time to really plan and prepare. Soak beans and make the tortillas from scratch. Stuff like that. I think half of what we buy around the house is because we didn't know we already owned it. Nothing is in the right place. We need to organize and get rid of things we don't need/us...

I've been feeling a little blue today. Just overall cold and bummed and low energy. So to cheer myself up I made a list of my 2016 accomplishments ... so far ... I sorted out all the holiday decorations , trashed some stuff (except for the Dancing Homer-Santa, I can't seem to part with it) and neatly put away the decorations into tubs, keeping like things together, and labeling each tub. (* I got a label-maker for Hanukkah.) There are two books that have been languishing on my ToRead piles for years: Longbourne and The Night Circus . I DO want to read them, but other books keep making more noise. I'm determined to clean out the pile, so I pulled the audiobooks from the library and started on Longbourne this week -- which I absolutely love. You can tell the author is a true fan of the Pride and Prejudice story, weaving it into the storylines of the house servants.  I dumped Facebook from my phone. It was sucking up my time and it wasn't all that interesting, ...

I've got two things to say about the 50 Shades of Grey movie that is coming out this weekend -- as someone who will own up to reading the book. And, I'm not ashamed to admit, rather enjoyed the story. I keep reading criticisms about the book and the story that are just crazy annoying. One, can we all collectively remember this is a romance , well actually an  erotica ,   novel? And, as such, has all the characteristics of a romance novel; cheap and quickly produced. While there are different levels of writing/production of Romance novels, overall, they are not well-written. I mean, when was the last time a romance novel was up for a Pulitzer, huh!? They are written so fans can multitask while reading them. They usually have typos/misspellings, repetitive information and the characters are generally one dimensional -- which allows the female reader to put themselves into the book more completely. See? Get it? So, expecting this book to be a classic example of timeless l...