1- NaBloPoMo starts tomorrow (some official notes + inspiration here at San’s site!). I have not previously joined in any sort of official way, but love a good daily blogging streak, so I will give it a shot! I can’t wait to read lots of blog posts in November. I think I will try to post daily — it’s not like my posting cadence is usually that far from daily, anyway, and it can be fun to come up with quick highlight posts even when I don’t have a long chunk of time to write.
(Let’s face it, I rarely have a long chunk of time to write blog posts. But I do it anyway!)
2- The seasons are SHIFTING -you can feel it! C’s XC season is over after this weekend, A’s meet season is starting (though she is not competing until January due to her fractured finger), and BLP LIVE IS UPON US (next weekend!), which is starting to feel like a ritual that marks the start of Reflection + Celebration Season for me. (Though the official start date is still, in my mind, November 1). LOVE quintile 5. 5 and 1 are my favorites. Bring on the parties, the family time, the ‘best of’ lists, the 2026 goals, and more.
3- Analog hobby project, 2026 edition: I have decided on THREE analog hobbies I will pursue next year. And I hope to start them in Q5 to sort of . . . pilot things out.
- Learn the ‘official’ version of TS’s Showgirl on piano. I ordered the songbook below! I can play them by ear already to some extent but I want to play them better. (I am definitely simplifying some chords and doing a lot of lazy left-hand stuff.)
- Project Fountain Pen is on. I think I might order: a Pilot Kakuno and a Lamy Safari and the things I will need to use my own ink vs just cartridges.
- Cross stitch. I want to make something like, say this or like, the Best Laid Plans logo! (I feel like that could be easily turned into a pattern, no?). The last time I did THIS particular activity was like . . . 1989 so I will need to watch some YouTube videos. But if I did it as a second-grader it can’t be that hard, plus that means maybe MY second grader could do it too!
4- Low Key Halloween: I’m not on call tonight but I AM on call Sat/Sun so hoping we can have a relatively chill night. A already said she wants to be done fairly early because of Saturday gymnastics and C will be leaving (with Josh) SUUUUUPER early Sunday morning for an XC race in ORLANDO (the school team made states!). SOOO I’m thinking I will alternate taking G around and handing out candy (until Josh gets home, then we can trade off but I am not sure how early he will actually make it . . .) and be done by 9. I AM excited to wear my Cool Mom costume though! A is going around with friends and C is meeting up with a school friend in another neighborhood. The days of everyone going around together have passed but that’s fine with me — I didn’t really love it anyway!!
5- I plan on finishing this book this weekend:
2025 BOOKS is at 42 as we head into Q5, exactly at my ‘usual’ cadence. It’s crazy that I always end up with such a similar number from year to year without really trying!
13 Comments
Love the analog hobbies! I recently re-took up knitting and started a blanket (big square, minimal counting) to reduce scrolling. One thought for consideration if you are open to it: I find counted cross stitch beautiful, but much more mentally demanding than embroidery (where you dont have to count). Also, in my mid-40s, I find seeing the little holes to stitch…uhhh…more challenging that it used to be. Have you considered trying/doing embroidery instead? I haven’t ordered anything from here, but this is an adorable women-owned shop… and there’s a Hanukkah kit! https://www.etsy.com/shop/capitalstitchco Obviously, do what brings you joy, but I definitely found more ease in embroidery.
ooh see I thought cross stitch would be EASIER! I want to do whatever the easiest thing is, lol. I will investigate and perhaps try both options!
Ha I was going to comment the same thing about vision challenges I had with cross stitching in my mid 40s. Sigh. The first kit I got was fine but the second one had slightly smaller holes and I can’t do it. On the plus side, starting cross stitch made me realize I need reading glasses, which has greatly improved my reading experience. 🙂 Also, I think cross stitch is easier than embroidery. Yes, there’s counting involved (I like to cross off each X on the pattern to keep track of where I am) but embroidery has lots of different stitches so when I tried it I kept having to pull up videos. I was able to do cross stitch just by looking at the directions in the kit.
I need that Taylor piano book! Thanks for inspiring me to get it. I used to get music for the top hits of the 90s/early aughts from a piano store in the mall I went to as a teen. I need to bring that purchase back!
I’m at 98 books which is nuts but my reading has been very off the charts lately with my leave of absence from work and poor night time sleep. So I hope to read LESS in November and December…
I would suggest needlepoint instead of cross stitch… with cross stitch, you stitch on a blank canvas, but with needlepoint, you work on a painted canvas, so you have a ready-made guide for stitching. Having done both, I find that you have to concentrate much less with needlepoint, so it is much more relaxing! Some of the canvases are so pretty… they can be $$$$, though, so be forewarned!
Love those analog hobbies! This is inspiring me to think of my own. I’ve done knitting before and really enjoyed it, problem is I live in a hot climate so scarves are not needed. But I’m sure I could it just for fun. I did knit my daughter a teddy bear a couple of years ago, it came out terrible, but I had fun making it haha! Other ideas I’d enjoy would be colouring in, playing with my planner, of course. And always reading, and journaling.
Knitting seems super cool but I have spacial issues and honestly it hurst my head to think about learning it!!! VS cross stitch is like . . repetitive and in 2 dimensions!
Love the idea of emphasizing “analog” hobbies! I used to do counted cross-stitch in college and into early adulthood, but the last project I worked on was pretty complicated and has been sitting in a drawer for probably close to two decades. I think I might like to get into doing some smaller projects, though!
A big vote for counted cross stitch! I don’t consider myself a very “artsy” person, and so I am always so happy to follow the instructions (I liken it to following a recipe, so easy!), yet create something so beautiful. It isn’t difficult at all (notwithstanding vision issues, I guess) and just so satisfying. I hope you give it a try.
I actually still need to figure out which rewards the hosts of NaBloPoMo have to offer. I agree that you can feel that the seasons are SHIFTING, Dr. Sarah Hart-Unger, but I’m not sure if I can feel it, since I don’t think you’re referring to “seasons” here as the 4 seasons that are created by the Earth and the Sun. Although, starting from December, the public facilities in the city where I live will start playing carols that have to do with the final 7 days of the year. I’m thinking if in-person yoga sessions can also be an analog hobby of yours, Dr. Sarah Hart-Unger. In hindsight, I’m actually interested in whether you did get a relatively chill night tonight on Oct 31, go to bed on time, and subsequently be able to prepare for being on call Sat/Sun. If you always end up with such a similar number from year to year without really trying, Dr. Sarah Hart-Unger, I think it will at least mean that you’re usually guaranteed to read no less than 40 books per year.
In the meantime, yes, I agree that you rarely have a long chunk of time to write blog posts, Dr. Sarah Hart-Unger.
Oh I love fountain pens. I use the Faber Castell ones and use this lovely purple ink – although right now I’m using boring blue I had to buy a 50 pack of en route to a pal’s wedding (you need to sign the register with proper ink, not ballpoint). But I use at least 1 cartridge a week (I write a lot), so should go through them quickly. I make enough of a mess with the reusable ones. T and I read Harriet the Spy, and now whenever I have ink stained fingers, he says Ms Harriet M Welsch.
Love the piano playing. T’s big cousin worked through a book of Beatles music while visiting and taught him how to play Yellow Submarine. We need to invite him back because he needs a new song (waitlist for lessons, so he just picks up things here and there).
I’ve used FlossCross to generate a cross-stitch pattern from a photo for free. If I remember correctly you can adjust the detail fineness to generate an easier or harder pattern. I’ve been cross-stitching for decades and think it’s a great analog craft. Maybe this will be the year I finish my Santa sampler.
that is so cool! i was wondering if this was a thing, actually!!