Real, Not Ideal

                I cannot believe this is the end of August. The end represents my final month employed as a teacher in the UK. It’s the end of a summer of a ton of reading. The end of all the free time I’ve been using to spend time with my family.                It’s also the beginning of a lot of exciting things. I’m starting to put down my roots in Canada. I get to be a part of my friends’ lives again. I get to go back to work!                Before I look forward, let me look back at my favourites in August. 1.       Bralettes Like many people during lockdown, I have given up on bras while being at home. When I was in Leeds, I would live in workout clothes. When I came home, I started feeling the need to put actual outfits on. I quickly realized that I was not about to sit...

Wow, is it already the end of August? I suppose you can tell because of the amount of books I've been reading. I was really worried that I wouldn't have much to write about since I've been busier this month, but I guess I did pretty well here!  Alias Grace – Margaret Atwood – 4 Stars         I love Margaret Atwood. I love her style, her characters, and her stories. Add in some false imprisonment and psychological studies, and I’m there. I haven’t read enough Margaret Atwood in my life, so I was thrilled when Alias Grace finally showed up on my library’s eBook selection. I read it instantly.         The inside look at the minds of all the characters is fascinating. Through correspondents, conversations, and inner dialogue, readers get a sense of the different motivations involved for each character as well as their backstory. It also creates excellent dramatic irony when the characters interact with each other...

 Every time I sit down to write these posts, I look back at the last one I wrote to see where my head was. Back in July, I was adjusting to a new routine. I feel like I’m back in the same place. I’ve started a part time job since then, and I’ve also ended my school year. It has been a summer of readjustment.                Right now, I’m really focusing on looking forward. Where do I see myself? What kind of steps do I need to put in place to make sure I am the best I could possibly be? How can I set myself up for when September starts and I start working as a supply teacher?                This is what I’ve landed on: 1.       Journaling I mean, obviously. Since six weeks ago, I haven’t missed a day. I really think I’m better off going to bed when I’ve journaled. I’m one of those people that really ruminates ove...

       For someone who literally only listens to podcasts, I’m shocked that I have not done an updated podcast list. I suggest podcasts to everyone and I’m always listening to new ones to see if I can add more to my collection (I’ve only just got on to January 2020 podcasts). I still listen to all the podcasts I wrote about in 2018 , but there are new ones now that I always look forward to listening to. Back in 2018, I liked conversational, friendly podcasts. I still look for that, but my interests have changed slightly. I now like learning new things and listening to activist podcasts. I prefer ones that make me laugh. I want to get to know people’s stories. This list consists of my current favourites. 1.       This Might Get Weird       In the last podcasts list, I mentioned that I liked Grace Helbig’s podcast. Since then, she started a new podcast with her best friend, Mamrie Hart. I love this podcast because they always...

What is self care? I’ve been having these conversations a lot lately. The “wellness” industry has us thinking that self care is all about taking baths and doing face masks and having a workout routine. They certainly have a point because I do love a Sunday night bath to set me up for the week. However, I think self care is beyond that as well. These industrialized forms of self care can be band-aid solutions to the bumps we encounter in life where self care should be about truly getting to the centre of what helps you. To me, self care is recognizing the things you need to do in a day that help you function and roll with the punches. It changes all the time. It changes day to day as well. Yes, taking a bath definitely helps with stress; it’s an important part of my routine as well. But sometimes, self care is spending an entire afternoon reading in the pool because that’s what helps you focus your mind. I read With or Without You* in one afternoon. It comes out on the 4 th so it’...