August W.I.S.H. Challenge - The Sunday of Summer

[sjrec]

I don’t think I gave much thought to careers until high school-I did work for a bank when I finished college, mainly because I wanted to live in a city! I enjoyed it, but when I went back to work when my daughter was older I was much happier in my library. I do wish sometimes I had chosen that path first, but then I wouldn’t have met my husband! So things work out for a reason

 

[Summer2018]

When I was a little girl, my imagination was very powerful, and pretending (acting) was my favorite thing. I entertained my parents' guests at parties with little skits. I took dance classes, and my friend and I would put on shows using our old dance costumes. We would stage our shows on my friend's huge patio off her house overlooking her vast lakefront backyard. From first grade on, I performed in every school show/play all the way up through high school. I sang in church choirs well into adulthood and took private voice lessons. At university, I minored in Musical Performance.

My parents never allowed me to pursue my dreams. They insisted on me doing something more practical like being a secretary. I did that for three miserable years, quit, and put myself through college on my own dime while working full-time at night. I never wanted my child to feel like her parents were an obstacle to her happiness, so we always supported DD's natural talent from age 2 when we couldn't keep her off the stage during the Christmas play at church. The following year, at age 3, she was the youngest angel they ever had. I never missed a performance of hers and helped her prepare for her audition for her performing arts high school where she discovered "her people" and finally found the acceptance of her peers.

Anyway...

My dream was to become a Broadway performer.

 

[Oneanne]

Pre-teen I wanted to be a fashion designer. I really didn't understand the concept of "career" and didn't even think of it as a "job", I thought that's who I was going to "be". Around eight or nine I sent a bunch of design drawings to McCalls, and someone was kind enough to send me back a formal rejection letter saying "sorry but we are not accepting designs from independent designers at this time". I thought I must be pretty good if they thought I was a designer! Oh how I wish I still had that letter!

In high school when I did the occupational aptitude test I tested out in the Engineer category, which kind of blew me away. But my High School Counselor said that field was over saturated and I should probably go for being a Teacher. He was right, at that time we were in a recession and Boeing, where all the Engineers worked, had laid off a lot of people. But it was also the worst advice I've ever been given, because as a woman Engineer I could have written my own ticket. If I had known there was such a thing as an "Imagineer" that would have been the perfect job marrying my math, science and artistic skills.

I ended up going to Community College and taking an Associate degree in Fashion Merchandising, thinking I was going to be a Window Display Specialist ala Rhoda. Since then all my jobs have been in retail: in the smaller stores like The Gap, I did do all the displays, at one point in multiple stores. At Nordstrom I never officially worked in the display department, but when I was in Chicago I would help out for big setups and the Display Manager would give me cases to do on my own because she trusted what I would put together. When I had my crafting business my booth display was always as important to me as my product. One of the best compliments I've even been given was when a gal came in and said my booth always made her vibrate with happiness.

When I was a programmer I always felt like I was designing things. In my current job I work with Industrial Engineers, who do the facility layouts and I'm able to think like they think so that our tech solutions marry to their vision. It all seems to fit together looking backwards, but I can't claim I had any master plan or vision.

 

[Oneanne]

Not a great picture, but I do believe the little gal in front is my baby. It'll be a couple more weeks before she's ready for adoption, but I'm OK waiting now that I've seen her.

 

[glss1/2fll]

Friday: The twins always want pizza on Friday so we bake the frozen Costco pepperoni pizza. I can't eat the sauce so I always have something different. Last night it was brie on a baguette. Definitely not the healthiest option but oh so delicious! And I had salad, so that was healthy, right?! Weekend plans include driving the twins to their aunt and uncle who have their two older brothers so they can spend the night there. I did tell DH I wanted to win the lottery so if we remember we'll spend a buck for our chance!

Saturday: I don't remember ever having any big career plans as a child (or as an adult!). I just wanted to read. In college I thought I might want to be an editor, but that didn't pan out once I graduated. So I just followed DH as we moved around and took odd jobs. Eventually we had kids and I stayed home. Then started volunteering in their classrooms and loved it. So now I work in an elementary school!

DS2 leaves for college a week from today. I won't say I'm not more apprehensive than usual because I definitely am. I'm not sure how he's feeling! I think he's just taking it all in stride and is happy he won't be forced to quarantine when he gets there.

 

[Summer2018]

Well, we've been missing Disney World a lot, and do not plan on going until there's a vaccine. So, we have been doing things like shopping at Shop Disney like crazy. DD has wanted to try the recipes that they are releasing every once in a while. Earlier in the summer, we tried the Dole Whip....let's just say it was a disaster. DD has been on me to try the recipe for the 'Ohana noodles which I LOVE and miss terribly. So, before I got fully involved with school, we decided to try it. Well DH had a hard time finding some of the ingredients and made substitutions...like pineapple juice instead of pineapple concentrate...which doesn't always work out. One of the packages of Udon noodles was spoiled, but he still didn't get enough. Anyway, we had way too much sauce for the noodles, so I put some in ramekins for a dipping sauce for our shrimp. DH said it was too much pineapple; DD said it was too sweet; and I agreed too sweet and too much ginger. Ugh...when will I learn not to mess with perfection? It was so much work, and just not worth it. So, I continue to hope for that vaccine so we can go to WDW next July 2021.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Not a great picture, but I do believe the little gal in front is my baby. It'll be a couple more weeks before she's ready for adoption, but I'm OK waiting now that I've seen her.

View attachment 520832

Oh, I’m so happy for you!!

She looks a little like my Tabitha:

 

[MickeyMom76]

Ever since I was little, I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher. I taught first grade for many years before I finally made that dream come true. But the funny thing is that my parents encouraged me to look into other careers because I come from a family of teachers and they were worried I was choosing not because it was all I knew. So I ended up being accepted into college as a computer science major. But I changed that to Elementary and Early Childhood Education before the semester even started! Now my dream job is to work in Disney...maybe when I retire...or else be a Disney travel agent

 

[Oneanne]

Oh, I’m so happy for you!!

She looks a little like my Tabitha:
View attachment 520945

Ahhh... what a beauty!

 

[Oneanne]

SELF CARE SUNDAY:

Pick a couple from the list for your self care today.

 

[ShannyMcB]

Well today will likely include a podcast. If my back feels moderately better I'll be spending time with loved ones. DH's family all gets together on Sundays in the summer to hang at my in-law's pool..works out well we have just the right amount of people to meet the social gathering max. If my back feels worse I'll be home alone while the others go....listening to more podcasts.
Think I narrowed down what caused this injury. In addition to the added workouts I had to fly up the stairs when DD tried to climb out of her crib. Well as of yesterday she switched to a toddler bed. Took her a long time to settle down last night and we heard her up playing with a ride on toy at like 6am...but that's all preferable to her taking a really long tumble. I'm sure the novelty of getting out of bed whenever will wear off over time.

 

[PollyannaMom]

So far, I’ve got “sit down for your morning coffee” and “play with a pet” (well, sit outside with her on her leash ) covered. I’m also planning on exercising for at least 20 minutes and spending some quality time with DH.

If I can count yesterday, I can also check off “try something new every week”. DS taught us a new trick on our phones to animate emojis.

 

[Summer2018]

SELF CARE SUNDAY:

Pick a couple from the list for your self care today.

View attachment 521036

2. Easy. I only wear a bra when I leave the house.
6. I read every day. Currently I'm reading PATHWAY OF THE BIRDS, by Andrew Crowe, a Polynesian voyaging non-fiction book.
11. Spend quality time with loved-ones.
18. Laugh. I try to laugh as often as possible, and my DD makes me laugh all of the time.

 

[sjrec]

4. Exercise 20 minutes-it’s overcast and drizzly today so there won’t be many people on the trail-just the way I like it. I take my phone for safety reasons, but I don’t look at it while I’m out there. Love to hear the birds.

6. I read every day. I love historical fiction and I am reading the final book in Hilary Mantel’s trilogy about Thomas Cromwell.

9. Watch a movie-I have an old Columbo recorded I will watch this afternoon.

 

[MickeyMom76]

4. Exercise for at least 20 minutes (25 minute stretch workout - “Dynamic Recovery”)

5. Practice Yoga (My workout included some yoga, so I think that counts)

10. Play with a pet (just had my dog out in the backyard)

13. Eat Mindfully (I’m about to work on my meal plan for the week, hopefully I can eat mindfully today and the rest of the week

20. Have a power nap (well, I woke up at 6:30, but then let myself go back to sleep until 8, does that count? Haha)

22. Practice gratitude (I will be reminding myself how thankful I am to have a new kitchen as I work hard today to try to figure out where everything is going to go in the new cabinets. I will also be thankful for my husband & kids and their ability to help - and hopefully during this time will will make each other laugh, which is number 18.)

The one I want to push myself to do that doesn’t necessarily fit into my original plan for today is #1 - go for a walk without my phone.

 

[Oneanne]

I liked this list, because it has things on it we all do, but might not think of as "self-care".

1. I'll try to go for a walk today, I also always take my phone but I don't normally look at it.
2. Ah, braless. I rarely wear a bra at home, but I do put one on when I "go" to work. It'll be off more than on today.
3. I've been meaning to get in to podcasts, so I'll try one today.
6. Read... I am going to go to the local book store today and will pick up a nice novel... everything on my to-read stack is non-fiction.
10. Play with your pet is an everyday thing, neither of us could do without it
12. Meditate... I've done my breathing exercises already this morning.
13. Eat mindfully. Yesterday I made mindful choices, but then tuned out while I ate, today I'll try to do both.
14. Moisturize is an everyday thing, but I think I'll get a nice new lotion today as a treat.

Not on the list, sleeping in until 9am which felt really, really good. And doing some gardening, I pulled a few dead things up yesterday and will do some trimming today. And I think I might get a mum to put in one of the pots on the porch, altho it does seem so early for mums... oh where did summer go? And I think I'm going to do some crafting today. The yarn store in Cordova Alaska, who did the retreat I went to a couple years ago, is doing a knit-a-fish thing and they are making a garland out of the fishes that will be on display in the town museum. I'll either knit a fish or hand sew/quilt one to send up.

 

[sjrec]

 

[sjrec]

 

[sjrec]

Here we are, going into the last week of August! I hope you have had a good month and are happy with your progress as we head towards the end of summer.

What worked for you this month? Your meal planning? Exercise? Is there something that surprised you?

 

[sjrec]

I feel like my meals were healthy and we liked them. This time of year with all the fresh produce makes planning much easier. I could do better this week with portions-I don’t eat so much that I gain, but I would like to lose 2-5lbs and I haven’t made any progress with that. So this week, smaller portions, no seconds and no bread or potatoes with dinner.