Real, Not Ideal

       About five years ago, I wrote a blog post about becoming an adult . At that time, I was 20 and was in England for the first time. I had no idea what to expect from life or that the NEXT five years was going to be so different than what I expected. I had moved away from home for the first time, and I was getting to know who I was outside of my childhood home. I got to “adult” for the first time. Now, I’ve done a lot more adulting, yet I still don’t feel like an adult. I have a career, I have goals, I have savings, I’m taking care of myself, and I’m making it through a gosh-darn pandemic. I know how to cook, I have a financial advisor, I make time for friends, I’m in a stable relationship, and I know what my values are. I’ve maintained long distanced friendships, I drink water, I have hobbies, I’ve paid bills, and I budget. Isn’t that the list? Doesn’t that mean I’ve done it? Am I an adult now?          The truth is ...

                Seeing as I have missed the past two weeks of blogging, this is a good time to review my goals. Things have certainly been busy. I work full time teaching hours and then an evening part time job. My hours there may be going up as well. That leaves me with no time during the week to do many personal things. Also, I just want to relax.                Last weekend, I decided to relax and take the pressure off. I don’t HAVE to do everything during the week. It’s OKAY if I want to sit back and watch Grey’s Anatomy with my family instead of sitting down to write book reviews. Instead, I’ll use my weekends for personal things that don’t have deadlines.                It’s all part of readjusting and finding time for my goals. I know what is important to me, but rest is just as important as everyth...

 Is fall not the best reading season? I’m so glad I’ve had a few opportunities to sit on the front porch, wrapped in a fuzzy blanket with a hot drink and my book. Right now, it’s raining outside and all I want to do is cozy up and get back to my book. I’ve read some great non-fiction in the past six weeks. I’m learning so much about how people relate to the world around them. That is so important to me. Check them out! The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism – Naoki Higashida – 4 Stars         This is a very short book that I think everyone should read – particularly those who work with children. Although knowledge has come a long way, there is still so much more to be learned about autism. This book is a series of question that Naoki Higashida answers from his point of view. Interspersed is also a handful of short stories from Higashida’s point of view.         It’s an i...