Planners Reading

5 on a Friday: Early Fall Edition

September 24, 2021

1- Day 1 of 100 went well, though I had nothing to do with bedtime (Josh took it over, as is theoretically our Thursday night custom, though it isn’t always feasible). Phone screen time was 59 minutes (and would have been less if I hadn’t been trying to attend a Webex meeting from my car). A far cry from the >150-200+ that have been typical for me lately. I didn’t open Instagram.

I appreciated everyone’s comments yesterday – lots of thoughtful fodder there. I do feel like I come across sounding unfun sometimes or overly rigid with myself.

I actually really want to have fun too. Just for the record.

2- Fun podcast rec: Clothing Kids from The Girl Next Door pod. I still maintain a fair amount of control over the kids’ clothes (well, what is purchased – what actually gets worn is a different story). This year we are in uniforms which I honestly love (EASY) but I still plan on letting the kids pick out some weekend basics and at least one ‘nice’ outfit to have on hand.

3- Currently still reading: All’s Well by Mona Awad. I didn’t love it at first but it has gotten pretty dark and twisty (in a literary fiction way) and now I’m almost done.

I had FOUR holds come in at the library so hopefully I will be in a major reading mode the next few weeks!

4- Yesterday was a day off (PL) for me and I used it SO WELL if I do say so myself. Massage. Facial. Some ridiculously fun and exciting interviews.

5- This weekend Josh is working again. I do have (outdoor + social) plans with the kids on Sunday. I need to figure out something fun for tomorrow! As always, crossing my fingers for good weather. I really can’t wait for our ~6m of relatively good and non-stormy weather to begin (usually mid-Nov through mid-May. Getting closer!). Hoping to do some fall-related things or at the very least light a scented candle and eat pumpkin things. . .

(Also going to order Halloween costumes. It’s time . . .)

13 Comments

  • Reply Nadine Chan September 24, 2021 at 7:14 am

    S.powers. G.Rubin. Whaaaaaaat??? Excited for what may be to come…..🀩

  • Reply Elisabeth September 24, 2021 at 8:01 am

    I saw those names, too! So exciting.

  • Reply Caroline September 24, 2021 at 9:18 am

    Excited about those interviews too! There will have been work prep and stress involved as well but sounds like you have managed to schedule in some fun with your podcast work! And it makes your listeners happy too.

  • Reply Lisa of Lisa's Yarns September 24, 2021 at 10:38 am

    I’m also excited about those names! I am wondering if you are taking to Gretchen about her new journals for BLP? That is my guess! Super exciting! And I love Sarah Powers.

    As a fellow upholder, I can relate to yesterday’s post. I think back to the Happier podcast on the types and how Gretchen’s sister said, “do you ever feel like you are living in a prison?” I had my husband (then boyfriend) listen to that episode to give him more insight into who I am because he also felt like I make life harder for myself with all of the expectations I have. He is a questioner, like G’s husband, so I think it was an enlightening podcast for him to listen to so he realized it wasn’t just me – it’s how I’m built and telling me to take life less seriously is like telling him to take life more seriously/worry more/set more rules for himself. It’s just not a fit.

    I’m about 9.5 months out from having our baby so I definitely am not loving how I feel in my body but am accepting it’s a stage of life for me. Mine, too, is related to eating because I have been exercising quite a bit (running a 10 mile race next weekend!). I heard on a podcast once that ounces are lost in the gym and pounds are lost in the kitchen. I will probably do weight watchers when I am done breast feeding as that program really works for me. I have about 10 pounds to use and theoretically, I should be able to lose them on my own. But I do so much better when I am following a detailed program (hello, upholder status). I’m not looking to achieve a weight that is unrealistic (goal is 150 lbs on a 5’7″ frame). I want to fit back into my clothes and not buy a whole new wardrobe. And I want to feel good in my body. That is very subjective from person to person, of course, but for me, I know what that weight is, how it feels, how clothes fit, etc.

    I’m looking forward to listening to the clothing episode. We use almost exclusively use hand-me-downs so I am not at all picky about what the kids wear and no one will say our kids are the best dressed. πŸ˜‰ But that is a-ok with me. i’ve already seen the strong preferences our 3.5yo has and I imagine it’s only going to get tougher!!

  • Reply Lee September 24, 2021 at 10:46 am

    Wow, big names! Go YOU! Glad you had a massage and facial, too! How nice! πŸ™‚

  • Reply Amy September 24, 2021 at 10:51 am

    Did you read Bunny by Mona Awad? That was a weird and twisty one too. A lot of really good books have come out lately! Ghosts by Dolly Alderton and The People We Keep by Allison Larkin are two recent favorites (not that you need more suggestions, but I want to tell everyone about them!). πŸ™‚ Hope you have a good weekend!

  • Reply Kat September 24, 2021 at 11:02 am

    I wonder if you can replace scrolling in the evenings with another *way* low effort activity. It sounds like you don’t have too many issues with scrolling in the morning, and your days are pretty busy (esp. clinic). Do you think allowing yourself to watch a show in the evenings will feel less mentally draining than scrolling, but still low effort enough to stick to? Or course if you have some more energy, reading it a puzzle or somesuch is a better option… But to loosen screentime to watch actual shows when you want to scroll? And doing it upstairs so that to get a snack you’d have to go back down (laziness as health habit πŸ™‚ )?

    • Reply Laura September 24, 2021 at 7:11 pm

      Puzzles are a great non screen evening activity. Pawing through a puzzle box looking for something red is relatively brainless but satisfying.

    • Reply Sarah Hart-Unger September 25, 2021 at 9:20 am

      Interestingly though I whine about screen time a lot (I know!) I am never referring to TV. I guess what I really mean I want to banish/minimize is SCROLL time. I have no problem with tV and in fact last night settled in to watch 2 eps of White Lotus while the kids watched a movie, and it was glorious and relaxing and felt like a lovely use of time.

  • Reply Grateful Kae September 24, 2021 at 1:08 pm

    When do you do your podcast prep work? I certainly do not host a podcast, but I’d assume that there is at least some element of planning and prep work involved to get ready for the interviews you do. Or even for a non-interview episode- at some point you’d need to sit down and think about which planners to recommend in the planner match maker episodes, for example, or prep what you want to say about the planners you review. I just never really notice much “podcast work” mentioned in your posts/daily schedules, so I have just been curious when that fits in to your busy life! πŸ™‚ Thanks!

    • Reply Sarah Hart-Unger September 24, 2021 at 3:22 pm

      I don’t spent a ton of time prepping! I do it in the AM when I am posting. Or some mornings when I don’t post I may be doing that. Interviews actually take the least prep time! I mean I was thinking all week about what I wanted to ask Gretchen but I jotted it down in 10 min just before the interview !!!

      • Reply Mrs. Candid September 24, 2021 at 10:20 pm

        Wow Sarah, considering how good and prepared you sound on both your podcasts, I had also thought that much more work would be going into the prep. Looks like you are a natural. Bravo πŸ‘πŸ‘

        • Reply Sarah Hart-Unger September 25, 2021 at 9:03 am

          I definitely write outlines (Laura and I do) for the BOBW conversational eps. But it actually does not take as much time as one might think. I’m also over 200 eps in at this point so I would consider myself pretty experienced!

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