First things first: I don't like using the phrase "post-pandemic" because we are still very much in the midst of a pandemic, even when it doesn't feel like it. Worldwide, 3.9 million people have died of COVID-19, & the delta variant & others are real & threatening. 

For the purposes of this post, though, saying "post-pandemic" really means "post-quarantine." Now that restrictions have lifted & life largely feels safer (for me as a fortunate, vaccinated, science-beliving American human), I'm struggling a little bit. That feels unfair, doesn't it? We've all struggled enough during quarantine; now we have to struggle coming out of it, too? 

How I Take Breaks During the Remote Workday

Before a work call the other day, my boss asked us each to come prepared to share what we do during the day to keep us happy & motivated throughout the workday. 

She talked about her love of fancy non-alcoholic drinks (like the iced cardamom rosewater coffee with honey she'd just made), while other folks talked about what they're inclined to do during their breaks, like gardening & walking the dog. I don't have a dog or a garden, but after decade of that work-from-home life, I do have a lot of little tricks for break-taking & motivation-stirring. 

Here's are 10 ways that I work small breaks into the day & how the activities I choose help my brain recharge for the work to come. 

What I'm Looking Forward to for the Rest of the Summer

One of my favorite things about summer (not the heat) is looking forward to all the adventures on my calendar. That wasn't a part of summer 2020, for me, as we didn't go anywhere, for the most part. We ate on a patio once or twice, but even that felt fraught. It was a summer of fear & indoorsiness.

But #vaxxedgirlsummer is here! I'm not yet fully vaccinated, but I'm one shot down & still hopefully riding some antibodies, so I feel relatively safe. I'm still not ready to hop on a plane or head to a crowded concert, but I finally feel ready to hit up some events & spend time with friends & family.

Here are some of the things I've looking forward to for the rest of the summer. How about you?

What I Read in May & June

Two months down, seven more books under my belt! 

OK, actually, it's nine more books under my belt, but I've been relistening to the Harry Potter audiobooks, & I'm not reviewing those here. We all know how I feel about Harry Potter by now, right?

My last two months have included some pretty good books covering a diversity of topics & voices. The lowest score I gave any of them was three stars, & even then, it was still a really enjoyable read. Here's what I finished & how I felt about them.

I am a Proud Cleveland Public Radio Nerd! (Plus, a Giveaway from a Local Artist)

I was never an NPR person… until suddenly I was. As a kid, something about the voices of public radio hosts seemed to lull me to sleep, reminiscent, no matter the show, of long car rides with my parents. And although I don’t know when the change happened, exactly, at some point in my 30s, out of the blue, I became an NPR listener.

I get NPR news alerts on my phone. I listen to whatever NPR show is on when I get into my car. And I listen to Up First every morning, the NPR Politics Podcast every weekend, and Pop Culture Happy Hour whenever I want to lighten things up.

Here in Northeast Ohio, I have ideastream – the home of Northeast Ohio’s member-supported public broadcasting stations – to thank for that. And now, on the 20th anniversary of its founding, ideastream has become Ideastream Public Media.

Here's Where I'll Take You If you Visit Cleveland

In May, for the first time in more than a year, I had not one but two visitors: First came my NYC BFF, Rebecca, & then Brittany came up from Columbus for a weekend. In June, Sammi came to visit from Atlanta, & Christina came home from Tennessee. Thanks, vaccine companies!

It's been incredible to see my friends after so many months apart. And without even meaning to, I realized that I took them to a lot of the same places – places I love & hoped they would, too. As people start to travel & explore again, I thought I'd share my old standbys with you in case you're looking for places to check out or to take visitors, too.

Things I Love Right Now (V. XIII)

I tend to think I do these "things I love right now" posts all the time, but every time I go to write one, it turns out it's been, like, an entire year. And I open with a variation on that same sentence every single time. I'm nothing if not consistent in my inconsistency! 

Anyway, this last year has been too weird for me to tell you all the things I've loved lately, but here's what's rising to the top at this moment in time. Howwww 'bout you?

I'm Suddenly Pretty into Meal Kits

At the beginning of the year, I set a goal of trying 30 new recipes this year (see recipes 1-5 and 5-10). I've sort of put that goal on hold for now, though, because Mike & I started using a meal subscription kit – two of them, in fact. So, yes, I'm making new things, but it feels a liiiiittle bit like cheating because I don't have to, like, plan at all? Or really do anything? 

Anyway. We've been using both HelloFresh & Green Chef, as I got a free week of each from friends' referral codes, & now we're just kind of alternating between them. I've been sharing some of them on Instagram & thought I'd round them up here just for the sake of general interest and/or so I can remember what I've made in the past.

A Day in the Life: An Average Awake-to-Asleep Look at Being Me

Full disclosure: This seems like the most egotistical blog post to write, but I never feel that way when I read them from other people. I always love a little behind-the-scenes peek at other peoples' lives, so I figured I'd try my own. Have I ever done one of these? Who can even recall? 

Anyway, let's do it. This was a random Wednesday toward the end of April, after I'd started my new job but before I'd gotten into the swing of things. Here we go!

What I Read in April

This month was a lotta murder... & then I slow down & branched out a little to other topics: mommy playgroups, celebrity alcoholism, teen angst, & the Cleveland mafia. Listen, I'm a woman with many interests.

With this month's seven books, I've read 21 out of my goal of 55 books for the year, which puts me a little bit ahead of schedule. (Yes, I intentionally undershot my goal in the hopes of being able to meet it, & no, I am not ashamed of that.)

I currently have a billion books on my TBR list & literally a dozen of them downloaded from the Libby app & about six recently purchased audiobooks... & at this rate, I will never read any of them. But at least the ones I'm reading are good, right? Onward!