I've been doing gratitude journaling since 2009. I recognize this means different things to different people. My version is highlighting as many positive moments that happened during the day, and trying to write most days. Recently I opened up one of my older journals and saw a note to myself. It said, "Don't worry about writing every day. It's aok if you are too busy living it up to write."
That has been this year. There has been a lot of living and not as much time for reflection. Even my gratitude entries have been quick writes, sometimes just pictures. For me, reflection is super important, and I am grateful I'm easing back into it.
There have been so many wonderful moments this year I find myself eager to revisit my 2026 resolutions to make a lot of checkmarks! Though it isn't quite time for that yet, I do want to highlight some of the good.
- I am creating as much art as I can humanly make, absolutely living it.
- I have started to tiptoe just past my comfort zone in some areas (working some athletic events at schools for the heck of it among other things). I am embracing the connections that are wanted and with those who wish to reciprocate. Sounds easy! It is not! I didn't realize it until recently, but I have been absolutely weighed down with the absence of meaningful connections. I am an introvert through and through, but I also recognize I need to do more than just going to work and PT sessions.
- I had successful carpel tunnel surgery, which is the easiest procedure in the world, and it's made such a huge difference.
- I just played the barest, smallest amount of tennis and am moving easier. I am enjoying jogging - much to my surprise. I am at a solid eight minutes of jogging, which is the exact length of Justin Timberlake's Pusher Love Girl.
- I am even finding just the faintest trace of a routine at work. Robert and I both have full teams of people we think are incredible. There's so much work in so many different areas, I'm absolutely bowled over by it on occasion. But I have been picking myself up and getting back to it rather than letting it crush me. My Texas brother, Jason, said something super helpful. He said that we are the type of people who just want to hold down the edge of one of those giant soft pools and let the water gush out. Get it all done as fast as humanly possible and move on! Well there are some jobs where this method doesn't work. The water has to be taken out a teaspoon at a time, and well, Jason and I suck at this method. His very weird metaphor gave me such a huge laugh but also really helped. Here is just one of many examples. We need a second C02 laser. We buy the laser. We next need to find a home for the laser. A bunch of things need to be moved around. In the process we learn our fire extinguishers are the wrong ones. The electrician needs to do some different wiring for the laser. He finds some other wiring we need. The HVAC folks come out to run another exhaust line, but they're missing a part. They leave a giant homemade box that takes up so much room we need to move it every time the saw is used. They leave it for weeks because the box is missing a part. The old laser needs to get its butt out the door. The new laser needs to be properly set up by a professional etc. etc. This is terrible, terrible teaspoon work. But I can recognize that now and focus on whatever moment we're in during the process with each task and not the entire effing task.
Ok, that's my small moment of pausing to reflect (and maybe possibly going on too long about a laser).
Recent pictures!
I saw the Mary Oliver documentary, and it was wonderful! I have been a huge fan since I was 17, which was when my great aunt Betsy gave me one of her books. I even had the opportunity to attend one of Mary Oliver's readings several years ago. If you are a fan the documentary is a must-see. There is a lot of fluff, but it's actually the good kind of fluff because it just goes to show that Mary Oliver was a very private person, and even after her death, her privacy hasn't been too terribly invaded. Plus the fluff is the artsy kind.
First tennis post achilles injury. It was a relief to discover I am still the most terrifying Arnold Schwarzenegger/Roseanne Barr combo out there. Especially with my golden retriever posse by my side. 😆
Pumpkins! One of the wonderful people I work with, Nini casually told me she wanted to laser engrave some pumpkins. She showed me a video, but I wasn't sold. I thought we were going to create some kind of terrible pumpkin pie in the one laser that is successfully hooked up. Not to worry. No pumpkin pies were made.
She engraved lots of pumpkins last month and I do believe started a tradition.
Josie couldn't have her moment with her pumpkin (which had her dressed as a mummy), because someone was jealous (look behind her 😂).
And because our lives pretty much revolve around our dogs, here is Margo soaking up the sunshine.
We also had some company from out of town, and surprise suprise our dogs absolutely suffocated them with love.
And Josie with Margo's cow work toy. Also Josie in Margo's boat with Margo's backup human. Our lives really just revolve around our dogs.
