Miscellaneous shit from the past month Vol 5

After a long hiatus from doing concerts and all via Covid and just general disinterest due to life stage, it felt good to be back this year since I intentionally tried to make it The Year of Live Music that turned into the Year of Live Things in General. I saw Jagged Little Pill the musical in January, Bruce & the E-Street Band in Atlanta in February, missed the goddamn Gin Blossoms in February due to Covid but they were booked, Harlan Coben in March, music in the park in Langhorne at the end of May, Elin Hilderbrand in June,  Bare Naked Ladies/Del Amitri/Five for Fighting in July, and of course I saw Bruce at the Meadowlands, which was a bucket list concert for me, with Melissa and Tris the week before Labor Day weekend. Bruce was scheduled for Philly too with my Dad & brother but that was postponed until August 2024. Today is Bruce's birthday. Happy birthday to the boss!

Anyway the Year of Live Things concluded its booked portion this week with Ray LaMontagne at the Met and Kate Baer in conversation with Jessica Knoll at the Northampton Library. I also saw Jennifer Weiner at Bucks the Thursday after Labor Day, and had dinner with my mom after. I'm on the hunt for some live music/things to do for the remaining three months of the year, preferably around the shore since I'll mostly be there with a few spots of Philly intermixed. The live music/event doesn't have to be famous so if you have suggestions especially near the shore, let me know

The end of summer at the shore was good - MFD’s fam was down, mine over Labor Day, his Aunt Maureen spent a few days with us and it was nice to visit with her. Mom and alRich were supposed to be down this weekend but switched to end of Oct due to weather. 

Have I mentioned stilt people are at the top of the list with clowns of things I do not ever want to encounter?

Isn't she a beaut? I actually got one of those Brads deals things in my signature color. This was a fucking steal. It's quite a bit bigger than the yellow one from Aubrey I've been rocking the past few years and will likely continue to use for my shorter beach trips.

I just need to leave this here.

This will never go out of style. Fuck him and everyone excusing him and everyone on the fascist down escalator to hell.

Random things that have been kicking around in my head.

My hand is raised.

In the past week the dogs went back to Dog Beach and loved it - still another week before they are allowed back on our regular beach - and Shittah went to the vet and hated it. He refuses to be in a carrier so he went on his harness. He was pissed regardless.

Covid pause killed all of my creativity including cooking but I'm feeling like I'd like to do it again. I made greek chicken bowls recently, and ground chicken with a cauliflower veggie mix and some sesame oil and soy sauce to clean out the freezer. On the last day of summer (yesterday) I finally had two really good pieces of corn on the cob. I feel like I didn't get enough fresh farm food this summer. Also Snoop has cereal and it's not good. 

We cannot get enough of topo chico in the glass bottles with a little lime over ice. 

Adult level joy is finding the tart cherry juice you flavor your water with on sale for half price.

The only time I would ever touch Hunt's ketchup is to purchase it for a blind ketchup taste test happening this fall. Heinz only, FOREVER

Are we all loving connections as much as me? I do Wordle, connections, and a daily crossword all on my phone (I also do crosswords by hand still obvi). Gotta keep that aging brain fresh to death

This is my perimenopause headshot. Do you like it?

We are one main mini split and one window AC unit down at the shore. We are in the make a list of things to do portion of shore time.

Happy first day of fall. This is my favorite type of pumpkin.

My weekend plans were changed due to rain so I figured I'd use the time to catch up on random shit I like to keep on the blog. Hope you're well

Thursday Thoughts - it's okay with me if you don't have that much to say

1. I set myself up with a fall back plan: start work earlier because I'm up anyway, get outside for at least a half hour at lunch, and then finish work at 4 and be out walking from 4-5. That lasted for two days before I missed out on the 4-5 but those two days felt super so barring anything major, that is the plan going forward still. I can come back and clean up work stuff from 5-6. Light is everything.  Still out here in bare feet but it takes my feet a while to warm up after that. 

2. We have discussed possibly shutting this house down in January and/or February for a month but I would be hard pressed to leave my outdoor oasis and treasure trunk. I walk at lunch in the city but the 4-5 hour is always inside. Last year was the first year we kept it open all winter because one of us could always be here if the temps got too low. We will be able to do the same this winter so we'll probably just keep it open again. 

3. Officially a carry a pair of readers around person. Between this and yesterday's peri menopause post it's like guess my age around here

4. We watched Ted Lasso season two over two nights this week and can I just say how incredible Sam is and also that I have always hated Nate. Billy was passed out because we took a timer set family holiday card photo this week and that went over as well as you think with four dogs and a cat.

5. How cute are these from World Market? 12.99, I got the tree one. Trees are sort of my thing and I love the holly jolly one but the word vibes bothers me not really on this mat but like in general. Weird, I know.

6. Yo, have you guys tried Wawa's new salads? They have definitely upped their game. I had one for dinner this week. Other things I've been having:

7. Thanks to those who joined us for Show Us Your Books Tuesday. I did one of my standards - committed to clearing up what's due to publish or has recently from my Netgalley list then went to the library and picked something up the first in the Holly Jackson trilogy which I told myself I'd start in January. 

8. Early dark has sucked this week but the temps have not. Cheers to night biking on the boards, blurry pictures and no wind. Also sucking this week: Kyle Rittenhouse acting like a motherfucking victim when he brought a gun he should not have had across state lines to a fucking protest he should not have been at if he was afraid and used it to murder innocent people. People defending Kyle Rittenhouse. White supremacy. Racism. Republicans introducing zero pieces of legislation for the good of everyone. Republicans obstructing everything. Centrist democrats. Oligarchy. Patriarchy. 

9. Reminder: fuck the shoulds, do the wants. The true wants. Art by Eliienkind

10. Ecards - woke up in a mood this morning

Saluting all Veterans today and every day. Hopeful to live in a world with no more wars and no more military occupation for economic interests. 

What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Hello by Martin Solveig & Dragonette from Ted Lasso's Coach Beard episode

Shifts

I - and many friends my age, we are in our mid-40s - are experiencing or on the cusp of perimenopause. I read this article in The Lily about how menopause isn't widely talked about and it pisses me off how little is known or taught about this massive shift in life, but that's a story for another day. We will clearly be talking about it here because the patriarchy can choke twice and die.

Last week I spoke to my doctor and my acupuncturist about peri-menopause and just feeling absolutely not myself. I have lived in this body for 44 years. I know a shift when one comes. Maybe you also think you're entering some shift and you've been brushed off. Maybe you just want to know what might be coming at you.

My acupuncturist had absolutely amazing advice and info. If you have an acupuncturist, please consider discussing this with them. Apparently there is a word in acupuncture that is used when discussing menopause and it boils down to stuck - everything becomes stuck and you need to unstick it. She needled me some and waking up hot has stopped since and I could die in gratitude just from that...but she was extremely helpful in other ways too, mostly with information and suggestions.

It should come to no surprise to any of us that you can really work to make yourself more comfortable with peri/full menopause by keeping your blood sugar down and stable, decreasing cortisol levels, exercising ,and getting the appropriate amount of sleep for your body. Otherwise known as half of the shit I don't want to or feel like doing - I am always down for the right amount of sleep . I am not now and never have been a person who loves exercise. Regardless, I have already made some changes since I've seen both of them because I'm a big fan of not waiting for anything you're looking to change. Start today, even without a full plan, even if you're still working it out.

Food

I've gained weight that I attributed to quitting smoking or the pandemic but the truth is this is different weight. It sits different and it feels different. Obvi cut down on bread/pasta/rice, increase veggie intake. Tale as old as time, yes? Notice I say cut down because I do not believe in cut out. I don't think cutting out food groups is sustainable and I am not in the business of setting myself up for failure. That's a tale as old as time for a lot of women too. Not this one. We are realistic or we are nothing in my brain.

I don't drink much, but my acupuncturist said that many women struggle more than they need to with peri/menopause because of the daily wine they like. It interrupts sleep and that hurts.

Sleep

The hardest one, especially for most women with kids. Or in our house, a 16 year old dog that doesn't keep regular hours unless you count 3 and 4 am as regular. My sleep in general has improved with the addition of magnesium supplements. Many people are deficient in magnesium and have no idea. I take Metagenix brand, and it has helped tremendously. I have taken other brands that did little or made me sick.

Movement

This is my least favorite, and one I have gone in fits and spurts with my whole life. So once again I have increased my time walking outside. Moving, no screens, fresh air. I walk outside all year and in all weather. Obviously walking has physical benefit but doing it outdoors is a great boost for me mentally.

I open my front door and spend $20, so it was not a big decision to spend $13 a month on the One Peloton app. I don't have the bike or treadmill, but the stretching, strength, and walking are great and the instructors don't annoy me with typical fitness bullshit that I loathe. I have stretched more in the past week than I have in my life and that is not an exaggeration. What a tremendous way to get un-stuck and what the hell is wrong with me for knowing I should stretch forever yet not doing it.

I'm also considering going back to water aerobics, which I used to do with Jenn years ago at the Y and really enjoyed. 

Mind
Exercise keeps your body in excellent operating order, keeps your heart and muscles in good shape, blah blah blah. It's also a good way divert your attention away from the screens we are always in front of everywhere, which is not ever a bad thing. Being able to do that while turned out in sweats and Nike sneakers or whatever floats your foot boat? Even better.

But wait, there's more! I also spent time discussing cortisol and serotonin levels with my acupuncturist. People always talk about endorphins and euphoria, which come with longer workouts. Serotonin production though...that's virtually instantaneous, and the existence of serotonins has been associated with a reduction in stress. Which is extremely beneficial to overall health at all ages, but especially as we get older and especially as we enter peri/menopausal years.

Music
I'm not a huge TV watcher in general, and am absolutely comfortable in complete silence, but I have started listening to music more. Many gym-goers say that music helps them get through their workouts more easily, and it definitely makes me less sedentary around the house even. It's the perfect backdrop for cooking the food I should be eating or cleaning while getting some additional movement in.

This is a little helter skelter, but I wanted to put it out there while it's fresh. Perimenopause and menopause are normal and we'll be talking about them in public and if people are uncomfortable with that the discomfort is theirs to sift through, not ours. Thank you and good day. I SAID GOOD DAY.