Phew, this week has been a week.  First, my apologies for updating less than I usually do.  I am just starting my second week of grad school, where I’m attending school part-time while working full-time. Every person I have ever met told me I would be bone-tired.  That could not be more true.  Hopefully, the muscle memory of 13+ hour days will develop and I won’t feel like a wobbly baby deer by the time I take my shoes off at the end of the day.

While setting up this project/blog, I didn’t think about how some of the items would conflict with each other when I try to do them all at the same time.  In the past week that I’ve started school, I haven’t watched movies or practiced Spanish or taken any photos for the 100 Happy Days project.

So, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I’m going to do it all and not lose my mind:
5 Ways to Be the Worst at Time Management:
1. Set your alarm for 7:30 AM.  Press the snooze button until 8:30, when your partner can’t take it anymore and physically shoves you out of bed.
2. Eat fried take-out food, sleep very little, and, for the love of God, don’t go to a gym or take a walk around the block.  Don’t even be in the same room as a vegetable or a vitamin.
3. Keep your calendar on crumpled cryptic Post-it notes, old take-out napkins, and the backs of gum wrappers.  You’ll find them six months later and have no idea what “Craig, email blurb” means.  Good, that’s how it should be.
4. Binge watch two full seasons of that show, because some guy from Facebook said they mildly enjoyed it.
5. Constantly beat yourself up over it.  Get incredibly down on yourself for not completing all the things you want to, BUT definitely don’t make any changes to your behavior that might lead to future success.

5 Actual Tips for Time Management:
(Can you tell my parents gave me Goofus and Gallant Comics as a kid?)
1. Wake up early: Literally, give yourself more hours in the day.  This is the hardest one for me, as I am absolutely not a morning person.  I’m trying to set my alarm earlier and not snooze six times, but bed is so cozy and warm.  Morning people tell me that waking up early gets you out the door earlier and accomplishing more in your day.
2. Take care of your health: All of the items on your plate will be much harder if you don’t feel well, or (knock on wood) if you’re sick and out of commission for a day or more.
3. Write down everything: Put everything (meetings, classes, tasks you want to complete, meals, social time, etc.) into an online calendar, with reminders tied to your phone.  I know you think you’ll remember in the moment, but your calendar is about to get very full and putting everything on paper in front of you is a surefire way not to lose track of anything.
4. Stop procrastinating: Just do the thing.  You may not be in the mood for it, or it’s your least favorite activity, but the sooner you do it, the sooner it’s done.  The relief you’ll feel will be worth any of the grumps that go into completing it.
5. Be kind to yourself: The universe is going to get in the way at some point.  You might forget something, an unexpected event will show up, and you may have to put off that one task you’ve been trying to get to for three or four or five weeks in a row.  Forgive yourself for not being a superhero.  Cut yourself a break.  And when you need it, take a breath.  Get some ice cream and watch a movie; the momentum you’re building won’t come crashing to a halt.

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Liebster Award #2! I’m so honored to be nominated for this award by the lovely ihaveabadsenseofhumor.  I know we’re supposed to blog for the love of writing, but it feels nice and humbling to know someone is reading and enjoying.

Liebster Award Rules:
1. Acknowledge the blog who nominated you and display the award.
2. Answer the 11 questions the blogger gives you.
3. Give 11 random facts about yourself.
4. Nominate 11 blogs
5. Notify those blogs of the nomination.
6. Give them 11 questions to answer

Anika asked me: 
1. What is your favorite song?
I have different songs for different moods and purposes, but the one I’m most likely to sing in the shower is Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin.
2. What is your favorite language?
American Sign Language fascinates me.  I always think it looks like music to watch people speak.
3. Do you play an instrument?
I played piano and took voice lessons as a kid, but didn’t have the dedication nor the talent.  So, nope.
4. Would you rather travel or stay at home?
Travel, 100%.
5. What piece of advice would you give your younger self?
Care less about what people think of you, do the things you’re interested in (even if they’re nerdy), and absolutely do not cut your own bangs.
6. What are you afraid of?
Mediocrity, failure, and bedbugs.
7. Describe yourself in 5 words
Unable to follow directions.
8. How old are you?
26 years old
9. Would you say you’re an extrovert or introvert?
I definitely lean extroverted, but value my alone time too.
10. Who’s your favorite author?
This is a tough one.  Consistently, I have loved JK Rowling, Madeleine L’Engle, Nick Hornsby, Neil Gaiman, David Sedaris, and Agatha Christie.
11. What is the last tv-show you binged?
I just watched the entirety of The Good Place, the new Netflix show with Kristen Bell.  So funny, you guys! Highly recommend.

11 Random Facts about myself:
1. I’m left-handed.
2. I decided I wanted to work in public service when I was 15, and have structured my entire academic and professional career around that decision.
3. There is a big part of me that still wants my Hogwarts letter.
4. I dislike old western movies.
5. I despise asparagus.  I ruined a date once because he made asparagus and I couldn’t leave fast enough.  Not my finest moment.
6. The tattoo on my left arm is the Roman numeral IV, because I’m the 4th grandchild on both sides of my family.  It’s a Roman numeral because my grandmother passed not too long before I got the tattoo and I wanted it to look like the antique grandfather clock she loved.
7. I have never broken a bone and my only surgery was for my wisdom teeth removal.
8. I built the TV stand and the sundial stand in my parents’ home from scrap wood.
9. If I am handed a baby, 100% of my thoughts are panicked about dropping that baby.
10. As a kid, I used to practice my Academy Award winning speech in the mirror.
11. When I was in college, my cousin and I made a list of romantic deal breakers. Number 3 was “Must love roller coasters”. My SO is afraid of heights.

11 Blogs I Highly Recommend (in no particular order, all are great!):
1. Mary’s Average Adventures
2. ChloevsWorld
3.  I Wanna Be a Lady
4. Learn Fun Facts
5. This is My Truth Now
6. Clues and Reviews
7. Global Housesitter x2
8. The Death Project
9. Elsie LMC
10. The Wayfaring Voyager
11. Killing Time

11 Questions to Answer
1. What is the first thing you do when you visit a new place?
2. What is your number one dealbreaker (romantic or other)?
3. If a bear and a shark had a fight, who would win?
4. If you had unlimited resources, what is one ridiculous thing you would buy?
5. Is there a sound or a word you absolutely cannot stand?
6. What is your favorite way to waste time?
7. Would you rather have to say every thought out loud or hear everyone else’s thoughts?
8. If you were in a movie, what cliched trope would you fill?
9. If you could teleport, where is the first place you would go?
10. What household chore do you actually kind of enjoy doing?
11. What are you reading right now? Are you enjoying it?