Independence?

Today I went to the store without my phone. ON PURPOSE. 

I needed to go out for two items. (One was out of stock when I was shopping across town yesterday, and I completely forgot to purchase the other item. Oops.) The closest store is located exactly half a mile from my house. I could have driven there in three minutes but decided to walk because it is lovely out today, I wanted to get outside and move, and I had plenty of time. My phone was (and still is) charging and I thought to myself, "Self, what if we just left the phone here to charge?" Before me and myself could start debating it too heavily, I grabbed my keys, sunglasses, an insulated bag, and I walked out the door. 

Post-Walk Selfie. It's still plugged in. 

I was gone a total of 25 minutes. 

I spent the first three convinced that one of my children would end up in the school nurse's office with a broken limb or a volatile stomach virus. They would call me, then worry when I failed to answer the phone. Then my husband or parents would receive a phone call -being next in line on the emergency contact list- and they would worry as to why I didn't answer my child's call. People would be upset at me for being out of reach!

After a deep breath, I convinced myself that I could be away from my phone for half an hour. People go that long without answering their phones during important meetings or when they are bathing, right? My parents parented without constantly being accessible by phone, as did their parents before them, and so on and so on, and humanity has survived up to this point. Surely, I can take a quick trip to the store without the world crumbling down around me. 

So I walked -quickly- and made sure to empty my brain of extra thoughts and instead pay attention to the world around me. I noticed the trees, some very dormant, some beginning to think about waking up as if Winter is over. I smiled through a window at a dog sunning itself on the back of a couch. I appreciated the cool air and the warm sun and the feel of my feet on the pavement. I felt happy. 

Then I purchased my two items (sliced cheese and Italian sausage, if you must know) and walked back home. 

And you know what? I didn't miss a single call. Not even a robot telling me my non-existent car loan payment was overdue. 

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Currently Reading: Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson and Why We Can't Wait by MLK Jr. (on audiobook)

Attempt Numero Uno

Last year I wrote a whopping TWO blog posts. This year I am attempting to do a little more writing. However, I'm pretty sure I say something along those lines every single new year, so... we shall see how it all pans out. Part of me thinks that my writing should be kept to myself; maybe it should just be tucked away in a folder on my hard drive, or maybe this entire blog should be changed from public to private. Another part of me thinks, no. Naw. Nope. So here I am.

Reflecting on last year... I can tell you I didn't write much because I haven't had anything new to say. Life has been still, routine, simple, and mostly pleasant. The feelings and upsets that have ruffled my feathers the past couple of years have been of a rather personal nature. While I don't mind sharing some of those stories and troubles, they aren't only mine to tell, so I keep my typing fingers quiet. I stew in my personal soup of frustration, discontent, and general feelings of resentment in private, like a damn grownup. I also verbally vomit on all of my friends. (Sorry friends.)

The Books of 2022

I enjoy reading. It makes me happy, is an escape from reality, and sometimes teaches me new information or different ways of thinking. 

This year I consumed a total of 58 books! 36 of which were audiobooks, so 22 were read with my eyeballs. 

I'll post photos below. It's been a good year for reading. I highly recommend: 

- The Broken Earth series by N.K. Jemisin

- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

- Project Hail Mary (ON AUDIOBOOK!) by Andy Weir

- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

- All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir

- everything by V.E. Schwab

Here's to more reading in 2023! There are a lot of new books I'm looking forward to, and many books from past years that I'm excited to finally read.

My first audiobook of 2023 was This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel and I loved it. I'm in the middle of reading the hardback of The Honeys by Ryan La Sala and am enjoying that, too. 

What are you reading?