Thinking Out Loud #90

Hi there! Happy Thinking Out Loud Thursday! My week has been packed with reading and meetings and stuff, but it’s been a generally good and exciting one. Not as good and exciting as the weekend, but… it’s been okay. 😉 I’ve also been getting a ton of sleep… which I should really do now. I promise I’ll go to bed as soon as we catch up on what’s been going on in my life and mind.

1.) It’s been a long time since I actually “meal prepped“. As in, I made a bunch of food last weekend to eat this week. Do you do that? Honestly, I’ve had a whole bunch of ready-ish stuff in my freezer so I haven’t had to, but also it was a good way to occupy myself on Sunday while I was coming down from the high of a good weekend. Also, it’s been a lifesaver because I can just grab food and not have to really cook during my super busy week. I intend to get back in the habit now.  

2.) Did I mention it’s a busy week? Well, it is. So, I freaked out about it and scheduled myself down to the hour all week. This was a good decision and I’m not sure why I haven’t done it before. It’s nice not to think about what comes next. However, people keep messing with my schedule. Still, it’s made me much more productive during all the unstructured time that I have. Another new habit to keep.

3.) One of the teachers who led my yoga teacher training hosts Yoga at the Opera classes every month-ish, and Monday’s was the first one I have been able to make work with my schedule, but it was lovely. It’s not like there’s an opera going on while you flow, but the Chicago Lyric Opera is gorgeous. It’s always nice to switch up your workout scenery. I would have nice pictures, but it was pretty dark.

4.) I’m extending my stay in Europe next fall, because why not? I’m going to travel through Britain and Ireland for about two weeks before my Paris program starts, in addition to the Mediterranean cruise my parents will join me for after I’m done in Paris. Guys, I’m so freaking excited.

5.) Also, next week people can start to bid for classes for the fall and that’s another thing I don’t have to do! I automatically have my three classes, plus French. This is incredible and honestly makes the start of school so much less stressful.

6.) All of this excitement aside, I had a really hard time packing stuff up on Saturday to send home with my parents. I gave them a whole big trunk of stuff that I won’t be needing and that was weird. It kind of made me start questioning if I really want to leave Chicago (the city, not the school). For now, at the very least, the answer is yes. But it’s kind of like when I got into UChicago and was hesitant to come here or when I got my internship for this summer and was on the lookout for something else. That is, I tend to chase things (early graduation, heading back home) and then freak out once I get them.

It’s a great pattern and I am a joy.

7.) I don’t usually consider myself dependent on caffeine. In fact, I generally don’t think it has a huge impact on me. I just really, really like Diet Coke. However, over the last week or so, I’ve been overdoing it a little and feeling super wired. I even get a little out of breath by the end of my sentences, which seems like a caffeine thing (?). So, this is me promising to cut back and drink more water.

8.) I’ve never had a hypermobility-related issue with jump squats. Ever. And then yesterday my hip partially popped out (subluxed) as I landed. Um hi ow. I’m hoping it’s still just sore from that and not from any additional injury. I guess I’ll find out over the next couple of days.

9.) Speaking of hypermobility, it’s almost halfway through May and I haven’t shared my Ehlers-Danlos Awareness posts. Oops. Look for a day-in-the-life one next week and a more forward-thinking one the week after that. And if you have specific questions about my weirdo condition, ask! Or reference these posts from last year:

• Ehlers-Danlos Awareness: What I Didn’t Know
• Ehlers-Danlos Awareness: Tell It Like It Is

10.) And now I want to leave you with some of my favorite recipes + reads from the week:

• This looks INSANE. –> Chocolate Chip Cookie Vanilla Cheesecake
• Gorgeous and delicious. –> Unicorn Toast
• The ever-necessary reminder. –> Find Happiness Where You Are
• I (sort of) relate. –> What It’s Like to Be Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia at 11 Years Old
• The guide no one should have to write. –> What to Do When Your Friend Loses a Baby

Your turn:

Are you good at scheduling your time?

Cookies or cheesecake?

Anything else I should know?