MamaManagement

I've been obsessively listening to audiobooks lately. I have multiple books running on my phone through Audible, plus library books running through Hoopla, AND the kids and I are listening to (and loving) The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens audiobook in the car. Not only am I listening to new books, but I'm also relistening to one of my favorite "pump me up" books, You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero, pretty much any few moments I get. I actually just paused an audiobook so that I could write this blog post. I'm still reading hardcopy, hold-in-my-hand books too, never fear (currently: The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer; just finished: Obsidio (The Iluminae Files book 3...see earlier blog post on that trilogy) and Crazy Rich Asians (which I did not love)). BUT, it's audiobooks that hold my passion and attention right now. I'm not entirely sure why...the ease? the fact that I can listen while I drive or fold laundry or walk the dog? am I just "into" non...

Dear Diary, I was really tired last week. Like, really tired. Like in my bones. Throughout my body. In my brain. Just, tired. My first inclination is to react to this by powering through. I can do it. I'll get up and get going and it'll be fine. I ignore what my body is telling me with fatigue, and aches and pains, and brain fog, and I plow on through. And then, on the, like, third day of exhaustion, despite reasonable nights of sleep, it occurs to me that maybe I should listen to my body. Maybe it's okay to take it easy. Maybe the ridiculously heavy period I'm having is somehow related to how I'm feeling. Maybe my body needs me to slow down...just for a bit. Fun Fact: Did you know that back in biblical times, women went to a special place together during menstruation? The Red Tent. (The book of the same name, by Anita Diamant, is wonderful, by the way.) There were lots of reasons for this back then (some, not so great) that we don't need to get into ...

I want to simply share a yummy fall recipe with you today, but I'm not sure I can just do that. I am going to share a recipe, which I highly recommend. I've actually had a great week of new recipes. This Vegetarian White Chili plus a delicious Vegetarian No-Beef Stew and a hearty Pasta with Ground Beef and a Thai-Peanut Chickpea Slaw and a Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry. BUT, I'm feeling so raw and emotional lately, that I feel the need to do a little emoting here, too. Is it wrong to mix food and emotions? If so, I ain't right lately. Because Lord knows I've been stress eating like a boss this last week and I'm having trouble shifting gears back to healthy-girl. So, bear with me... The political and emotional climate in our country right now is so upsetting to me. I'm feeling a bit like a kid in tiny boat out in stormy waters. Genuinely, this all makes me feel very kid-like...naive and like my hopes for the world I want to live in are being...