Currently - September '17

I find these intros are always the hardest part of these posts, maybe because by the time I get around to them, things are no longer "current," (at least as far as the link-up goes). But I didn't want to skip posting for a second month in a row, so read on for a peek at what life has been like of late.

celebrating - Keizo and I celebrated Labor Day with lots of walking in Baltimore. We checked out Fort McHenry, walked around Fell's Point and all the way around the Inner Harbor to Federal Hill (photo above). I'm also looking forward to celebrating my birthday next weekend...exactly how is still TBD.

watching - Our Sunday mornings are often spent catching up on Japan's Top League rugby matches, while The Office provides weeknight entertainment. Keizo is watching the whole series for the first time, and I'm picking up on things I missed the first time around.

welcoming - Nicer fall weather (while trying to ignore the fact that it's accompanied by noticeably shorter daylight hours).

preparing - For a busy fall at work, managing logistics for several different projects. One of them will wrap up with a public event on October 1, and another will calm down a bit in mid-October, just in time for the biggest project of all to pick up steam in late October/early November. Once the travel dates for this project are finalized, I can start planning a long overdue vacation!

photographing - Nothing out of the ordinary; the photos on my phone from the last month are the standard mix of streets for work, weekend fun, and a few kitchen creations.

Currently - July '17

Unbelievably, I am on time for this month's Currently post! Don't let your shock prevent you from visiting Anne and Stephanie and checking out what others have been up to lately.

recipe

documenting - Just because this blog is less food-centric than it used to be doesn't mean I've stopped taking photos of my food. We've had a good run of home cooked meals lately, thanks to the bounty of produce from our weekly CSA box, and I've been snapping photos with the idea that one of these days I'll put together a post with the highlights. The pickles above were a quick and easy way to make use of two weeks worth of radishes and cucumbers that had been piling up.

accomplishing - After taking about a month off, I've been running twice this week, trying to get back into a routine. Both times felt pretty good physically and provided some much needed stress relief!

enjoying - Plenty of summer food and drinks. More ice cream = yet another reason to get back into regular running.

reading - I have way more books in progress these days than I usually do, probably because there are a few non-fiction books I'm in the middle of that haven't really held my attention. I spent a nice chunk of the afternoon yesterday on the sofa with a book which made me think it was time to plan a real vacation (not just a day off work) to enjoy back to back days of reading and relaxing, preferably with a view of the mountains or a beach.

spending - Until the 'real' vacation plans take shape, I'll make do spending the upcoming weekend with Keizo at concert on Friday and camping Saturday/Sunday. After almost two months of working weekends, Keizo finally has the same two days off I do--just in time to celebrate his 36th birthday. Whoo hoo!

Currently - June '17

How is June more than half over already?! In addition to being out of town the first weekend and having house guests for the second, my work schedule has been pretty full with few signs of slowing down even though summer is usually less busy than other times of the year.

Like most of the non-essential things in my life, the blog has gotten a short shrift lately. Without further delay, here is what I've been up to "currently."

planning - Summer activities so we don't miss them! Keizo's requested a weekend off so we can go camping, and I've started a bucket list of things closer to home like outdoor movies, new restaurants to try and summery recipes to make. Keizo's birthday is coming up too...

wishing - For a magic wand to make all of my various aches go away. While training for a half marathon, I developed an acute case of plantar faciitis two weeks out from the race that has sidelined those plans for a while. Since there's no magic wand, I'm trying to incorporate more yoga and strength training into my exercise routine to prevent more injuries in the future.

learning - It's really hard to find an even remotely flattering business suit. I think the fact that I don't own one means I already knew this, but I was reminded of this fact after trying on about a dozen suit separates this week and having every single one be way too loose or too tight. Thankfully, there aren't many occasions where I need to wear one.

browsing - The Little Free Libraries in my neighborhood on a regular basis. Some of the best books I've read lately have come from them, and I don't have to worry about returning them past their due dates!

going - Here, there and everywhere for work. From local field visits to an interview in Charlottesville, to three days in Lorain, OH one week to an overnight trip to Austin, TX the next, work has been full of surprises lately. It's been challenging to give some projects the attention they require with new things constantly popping up, but such is the nature of consulting.

Currently - May '17

Since I was so late with last month's post, it feels like I just did this, and it will feel that way again in just a few weeks when June arrives!

baking - My list of things to bake has become exponentially longer since discovering the Great British Baking Show on Netflix. I am amazed at what those bakers can create on their kitchen islands in that tent! However, my most recent creation was a batch of crowd-pleasing peanut butter chocolate chip cookies to share with my mom while she was in town for a few days last week.

listening - Not only was yesterday's Kingman Island Bluegrass Festival a fun time for the third year in a row, now I've got new bands to follow including Justin Trawick and the Common Good, The War & Treaty and Man About a Horse.

loving - Life has been a bit hectic lately with Keizo working most weekends, and my travel for both work and fun. Amid the chaos, it struck me while I was running along the beach in Florida just a week after running along the beach in California that life is pretty awesome, and the stresses of work and mismatched schedules are not permanent.

planting - My black thumb not withstanding, I hope to have a bit more time next weekend to start some herbs and maybe some tomatoes. Our summer CSA subscription starts next month, and I am looking forward to all of the fresh produce grown by professionals!

remembering - Lots of fun times during my 10-year college reunion at the end of April. While the campuses of all 5-C's have changed quite a bit, (and the students seem very young), it was fun to reminisce with my best friend and stroll around to all of our old haunts.

Currently - April '17

Where has April gone? There's just a week left in the month and I have yet to get to April's Currently post. Though you wouldn't know it from reading this blog, Currently is a link-up that takes place the first Wednesday of every month.

accomplishing - Running 3x per week for the past 4 weeks, only missing one workout. Today, I ran 7 miles in a light drizzle to keep up with my half-marathon training plan. The running part went surprisingly well, and the hot shower at the end was heavenly.

feeling - Warm, then cold, then hot, then cold. Even in my 5th (gasp!) spring on the east coast, I'm always ready for it to be consistently warm and sunny long before nature is.

needing - A few new things to perk up my work wardrobe. I'm on my third, mostly seasonal, capsule-esque closet, and need to find pants other than jeans to wear to work until it's warm enough for skirts and dresses. A cute pair of shoes wouldn't hurt either.

practicing - Finding the silver linings and saving the whining for the times when it's really necessary.

pinning - The usual, mostly food, some outfit ideas and quotes that I like. I'm more excited about my mental summer bucket list, since it's all sunshine and fun activity oriented. If April was any indication, summer will be here before I know it :-)

Currently - March '17

It's now closer to the beginning of April than March, so without further ado, here's what I've been up to "currently."

watching - Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. I'm better at Jeopardy; some of the phrases on Wheel of Fortune are pretty random!

eating - A little too much ice cream and other treats. Training for a 10K at the beginning of the month, I wasn't too concerned, but since the race my activity level has dropped a bit. Guess it's time to pick my next race and get moving again.

saying - Every week, I pick a saying to write in my 5 minute journal. Sometimes they're funny ("Stress does not go with my outfit,") other weeks they're topical ("Nevertheless, she persisted,") but they're always something I want to remember and use to help guide my thoughts and actions throughout the week.

wearing - A little bit of everything. It seemed like spring had arrived early in DC before we left for a week of vacation in Arizona, but then after a week of sunshine and 90* temperatures, we came back to a layer of snow. Before we left, I was looking forward to putting away my sweaters and getting out some spring clothes, but I've decided to hold off for another week or two.

posting - Almost all of my 'posting' these days is 'pinning.' So much inspiration, not nearly enough time or motivation!

Thanks for reading.

Currently - February '17

February is here already, but more importantly, there's now a chance of leaving work with a bit of daylight left! Linking up again with Anne and this month's guest host Erin for another Currently post. Please stop by and see what other's have been up to - I think you'll be glad you did. :-)

packing - We packed a picnic to eat at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park this past Sunday. It was a bit cold and windy to enjoy sitting still, but more pleasant once we were moving - hiking around Civil War battle sites and through the small historic town at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers. I would like to go back in spring or summer as the views, while impressive, were all pretty gray during the winter.

jonesing - Even before attending the kick-off meeting this week for a project I'll be working on in Key West, I've been wanting to be somewhere warm and sunny. Winter has been really mild, but every year around this time, I start feeling really pasty, tired of all my sweaters, and long to wear wear light jackets for looks rather than thick ones out of necessity.

texting - One of the highlights of this week has been emailing/texting with one of my best friends since 3rd grade to arrange a meet up while she's in town for a conference. I'm really looking forward to trying a new restaurant and spending an evening with someone I usually only communicate with via snail mail.

reading - Somewhat unusual for me, I have a few books in progress. I've started Devil in the White City and Mighty Be Our Powers recently and found them both a bit too violent for reading before bed. My mom fulfilled my Christmas list wish with a copy of Ruth Bader Ginsberg's In My Own Words, which I am finding inspirational during these stressful and uncertain times. However, I've just just reached the chapters highlighting her legal career, and worry this one might become a bit too dense to read at the end of the day.  

hearting - All of the little things Keizo does for me around the house that let me know I'm loved - leaving hot coffee and a friendly note in the kitchen when he has an early morning shift, washing out my lunch containers in the evenings, and leaving the front light on for me anytime I am due home after dark. They're all perfect reminders that it doesn't take much to make a positive difference in someone else's day, and help me remember to slow down and practice gratitude.

Real Life Resolutions vol. 2

Another year, another opportunity to set goals, and if you're me, another chance to try and find the most effective goal setting/accountability method. In 2014-2015, I worked to check things off of my 30 before 30 list; in 2016 I pared my resolutions down to six things that I could easily remember.

Both methods had their pros and cons. The 30 before 30 list was varied and had a good balance of smaller and larger goals, but overall was rather ambitious. Having only six things to focus on in 2016 felt more manageable, although in the end I didn't feel like I achieved much more by having fewer items on the list.

For 2017, I've chosen three big goals as well as some weekly and monthly habits to work on.

Weekly/Biweekly

• Spend time on Sunday preparing for the week
• Work on a blog post
• Volunteer

Monthly

• Update calendar at the beginning of the month
• Try a new restaurant
• Have people over
• Review budget at the end of the month

2017

• Complete a half marathon
• Pass AICP Exam
• Go back to Japan

Okay, 2017 - let's do this!

Currently - January 2017

Happy New Year! It seems fitting for my first post of the year to be a part of the link-up that I look forward to each month and has kept this blog going when not much else has. To see what other's are up to this month, please go visit Anne and Jessica. 

***

gathering - We hosted my family for Christmas, and it was so nice to all be gathered in one spot for a few days. My parents are now off to Peru for two weeks (lucky them!) and I am looking forward to going home to AZ in March for a wedding.

making - Handmade new year's cards. In Japan, almost everyone sends nengajo cards ahead of time, and the post office bundles them up nicely to deliver on January 1. I thought an extra week (vs. Christmas cards) might help us get them out on time, but I am still working on them.

sipping - I enjoyed a few glasses of egg nog laced with bourbon over the holidays, and found them to be a lovely way to enjoy something sweet and unwind after dinner. 

following - Political news in small doses, and trying to find the right balance between understanding what's going on and not becoming completely demoralized. 

resolving - While my goals for the year are still coalescing, I have resolved to not watch any Netflix/Amazon Prime for the month of January. One of my goals from last year was to make time for hobbies, and I probably would have made more progress without the binge watching! 

***This bright blue sky captured during the the first bike ride of the year on January 1 gives me hope for 2017.