Back again with some COVID-19 life updates. I’m learning that a lot can happen in 3 weeks. Since writing my last Chit Chat post, everything regarding the coronavirus has gotten worse. My mom texted me the other day to see if I’ve been keeping a journal/writing about what’s going on and I said … “sort of?” I always consider my blog to be like my journal. I kept a diary on and off throughout my younger years, but could never stick with one once I got older. Even my 5 Year Journal, which I had been doing REALLY well with, has fallen by the wayside (note to self: I need to get back into it!)
My blog has been the most consistent tracker of my life since 2014 and I don’t see it stopping anytime soon. I love using it to catalogue life experiences like graduating with my master’s degree, and archiving road trips and first jaunts across the country. So this post is going to be a little different than normal — just trying to write about what has been taking up my thoughts lately. Hopefully this is interesting for you and/or you can relate!
Life Updates/Thoughts.
I hoped to start writing more blog posts, but work was just about as hectic as it could be and I was honestly dealing with some anxiety surrounding not knowing what my job was going to turn into over the next few weeks. PA has now officially closed non-essential businesses and schools “indefinitely” which is a very scary word. I honestly don’t know if I will be seeing my students again before September which is saddening. I won’t get to say a proper goodbye to my 5th graders and it hurts my heart to think about the students that I know aren’t living in the best conditions.
walking in the park with Ryan on a Sunday!
The government also announced that we should be wearing masks now when we go into public places which has been really unsettling for me at least. Seeing people wearing masks at the grocery store, while driving, etc. has a scary and foreign feeling. So much misinformation swirling around social media also has me feeling overwhelmed and concerned. If I start thinking about healthcare workers, elderly people isolated from families, teenagers working their minimum wage jobs at the grocery store not knowing this would ever happen… I start to spiral! It’s a lot to think about and handle mentally right now.
Right now though, I’m on my “spring break”.
Ryan and I had planned to go to Portland and Seattle for the first time… but obviously we had to cancel. It makes me sad not knowing when we’ll get to take another trip but I know that I won’t be taking traveling for granted ever again! Speaking of things getting canceled, we were planning to go to our first ever music festival in June (it’s called Firefly and it happens in Dover, Delaware) and it was canceled about a week ago.
Side note: I know these are all #firstworldproblems and I’m super privileged for these to be the types of things I’m sad about… but just had to document my experience so far and what’s been taking up my thoughts!
birthday text from my friend Maggie that made me smile
My 25th birthday
… was on April 2nd. I didn’t post about it because it didn’t feel right; it was not the type of day I imagined. I was so excited to have my first birthday at school! Maggie, my coworker, made a big deal of everyone’s birthdays so far this year and I was looking forward to celebrating with her and our students. I also looked forward to using “it’s my birthday” as a technique to get my students to do what they were supposed to do all day 😉 haha kidding.
The day wasn’t bad though. My mom dropped off half of a birthday cake for me (chocolate cake with peanut butter icing… my family kept half at their house for them to eat with me over FT later). Ryan made me cinnamon rolls for breakfast. We went to the park to sit and read for a while in the sunshine. We ordered takeout from a local place.
facetime with my dad is always entertaining…
I lit candles on my birthday cake and FaceTimed my family who sang happy birthday and ate slices of cake with me. My best friends FaceTimed me on Friday for Happy Hour which has become a weekly thing and it’s amazing. I hoped I would be spending my birthday night at the studio, where I had for the past 2 years, but sometimes life has other plans! I feel weird being 25 now, it is an age I always thought seemed SO grown up!
I’ve been reading a LOT.
Especially since April began. I’ve read 3 books so far this month which is actually absurd but I’m so proud of myself! I’ve been on a huge romance kick lately because they’re easy reads and a GREAT way to escape the day-to-day stuff that’s going on. So far this month I’ve read THE FRIEND ZONE, IN FIVE YEARS, and THE BROMANCE BOOK CLUB. All three were really good, quick reads that I’d recommend! I have a bunch more romance/rom-com books in my cart on Amazon — let me know if you’d like me to share in a blog post! I’ve been considering it.
Other things I’ve been doing:
— Animal Crossing: I’m obsessed. It has been another way –besides reading– to escape daily life. I love it! I’ve never played Animal Crossing before this new release but I have played it every day since I downloaded it. The music is so calming and I just love the vibe. There’s nothing to worry about except wasps and tarantulas lol.
— Games/Puzzles: Ryan has been trying to get me to do a puzzle with him but since we finished the 1,000 piece California puzzle (if you’ve seen my stories you know) I’m traumatized. Need a break from puzzles! We did just buy a few games at Target though. Uno Flip, Yahtzee (a classic), and Guess Who? High School Reunion. The Guess Who game is one of the revamped versions at Target. It’s more of an adult version of the classic game and I can’t wait to play with Ryan!
— Netflix/Disney+/Amazon Prime Video: We just finished watching Schitt’s Creek and I’m SO sad that there’s only one more season! Ryan is trying to get me to watch Community with him but I’m not into it… I’ll keep watching and hope it gets better? I also started Modern Love on Amazon Prime which is good so far. Ryan and I have been watching/renting movies for nighttime which has been fun as well. We really miss going to the movies! We watched Jojo Rabbit the other night which Ryan really liked and we re-watched Good Boys last night (definitely a good movie if you need a laugh and have a semi-crude sense of humor).
— Workouts: We usually take a few laps around the track at our local park every day. I’ve been trying to do a class on Peloton almost every day as well! I bought a bike after my studio closed for about a week and I noticed the news was not promising. I’m glad I bought it. Especially because my studio started doing online classes; I’ve been able to participate using the bike! I like the Peloton classes but I miss the rhythmic spin classes at SoulBeat. Every time I think about getting back into that dark room on a bike I start tearing up. I will probably sob through my first class back at SoulBeat — mark my words.
Recent purchases.
— Peloton Bike: My favorite instructors are Kendall Toole, Cody Rigsby, and Aly Love so far.
— Books: Recent purchases include The Guest List and Beach Read (BOTM April box), The Perfect Couple, The Girl He Used to Know, and The Bromance Book Club
— Games: We just got Yahtzee, Uno Flip, and Guess Who? High School Reunion
— Sweatshirts: I have literally been living in leggings and sweatshirts lately. I have this tie dye one from American Eagle (tried finding it to link but it’s out of stock!) that I love so much. I just bought this one from Target and it’s similar.
— Animal Crossing: Like I mentioned above, this game is SO worth it! I’m not a gamer (Ryan definitely is and I am not) but I’ve been super into this! If you like The Sims and/or games where you go on little quests and do your thang most of the time you’ll like it.
Reading + Watching.
TV shows I’ve been watching — Schitt’s Creek (Netflix), Community (Netflix), 30 Rock (Prime), Modern Love (Prime). We finished all of Schitt’s Creek that’s on Netflix– sooo good. Ryan is currently trying to get me to watch Community (he’s seen it before, I haven’t). I’m also re-watching 30 Rock from the beginning. We got to maybe season 5? before and then stopped watching so I’d like to finish it at some point!
Movies we’ve seen — We’re trying to keep up with watching new movies! Even though we can’t hit up our Regal theater like normal. Since my last update post we’ve seen (at home): Jojo Rabbit ($ on Prime), Onward (Disney+), Spencer Confidential (Netflix), Brittany Runs a Marathon (Prime), Good Boys (HBO), Wonder (Prime).
Books I’ve read — Check out all of my book update posts! Most recently I’ve read The Friend Zone (5 stars), In Five Years (4 stars), and The Bromance Book Club (3 stars). All of my ratings/recent reads are on my Goodreads page!
