things i’m consuming over spring break (and thoroughly enjoying)
Being a teacher has some pro’s (and sure, a few con’s too)…
But absolutely, positively, 100% the best thing about being a teacher? The schedule.*
*only if you have strong work/play boundaries. Which I would say I’m fairly good at, and I have; waiting to find myself, find security in who I am and my purpose, and the wisdom that comes with experiences and age, to thank for that. Had I become a teacher straight after graduating, it would be an entirely different story.
So, anywho. The schedule. Winter and Spring break anticipation take me back to childhood. Like, I know my students are excited, but they have no idea how excited I am as both little Linds and adult Linds within me are counting down the days to their heart’s content.
Last year was a rough time and my breaks were basically reduced down to becoming one with my couch and trying to restore my weary soul before going back to work. It was rough for MANY reasons, both personal and work related, but without going into too many details just imagine the most difficult first year of teaching and that was me.
This year, things are much different and much better ALSO for many reasons, both personal and work related. So here’s what I do first thing when I have a big break in order to make sure there is less becoming one with the couch and more of both productivity and fun.
I am a huge list gal. My brain pretty much needs nearly everything short of brushing my own teeth written down somewhere so that I know what I need to do. And I love the satisfaction of crossing things off. So I make a list of both productive things that need to get done AND a list of fun things I want to do. I used to only write down the productive things but then realized that I would burn out pretty quickly and it was because I wasn’t creating enough time and space for the fun in life. Now, that list has become almost more important than the productive side :) Yay for true rest! Double yay for self-awareness!
Here’s what my list looked like for this spring break. Did I literally write down getting groceries under tasks? Yes. Remember, everything short of brushing teeth. hehehe
Here’s a more exhaustive list of some fun things I’ve been consuming lately:
Not social media
I gave up socials for lent. It wasn’t necessarily intentional FOR lent, but the timing fit and I have had it on my mind for literal years and only gave it up for weeks at a time, so I thought I’d try for a little longer. TBH this time around I have only thought about it twice. And you will laugh when I tell you about those two times.
The first Monday of my social media fast as I was watching The Bachelor, I habitually pulled out my phone to go on Instagram and look through all the silly memes people were posting about the show. I actually got sad when I remembered I deleted the app. Do I even like watching the show without interacting with the virtual community making fun of it with me? Maybe not. Time will tell.
(I have still been watching but it is not NEARLY as fun.)
After finishing Perfect Match on Netflix. Listen, not-so-reality tv love shows are my guilty pleasure. It’s like, the drama is so juicy yet so out of touch with my personal reality that it just makes it enticing enough for me to eat it all up. When I finished the show I was DYING to get on their social media accounts and see who was still together. I found an article instead that told me everything I needed to know.
None of them are together.
SHOCKER.
All this to say, I feel so free giving up the socials. I thought it might be tough on my break but instead of mindlessly scrolling, I’m mindfully consuming other things, some of which are on this list :)
If you’ve been thinking about it, don’t waste anytime. DELETE THOSE APPS BABY. Send me a little text and I’ll be your cheerleader!
Megan Batoon’s Youtube channel
Okay so yes, I have given up social media, but not all media.
People have asked “what have you been substituting it with? And as much as I’d like to admit I’m substituting it with reading books and cooking and doing things with my hands and all things naturally productive, the reality is, it’s mostly Youtube. hehehe.
Okay, I will give myself SOME credit, not mostly. But maybe like 30% of what I was consuming with social media is now replaced with Youtube. And not just any and all Youtube channels. Specifically Megan Batoon.
Why? Honestly not sure. I used to think it was weird to just watch someone live their life and plaster it on the internet willingly, but now that I’m typing it out, it’s LITERALLY reality TV or social media which is just silly that I didn’t see the difference.
Megan has done it all. Dance, food, DIY, interior design, clothes - she’s a great content creator. She’s incredibly relatable and authentic, but also good at SO many things (which I cannot relate to) but probably because she’s willing to TRY so many things (something I aspire to relate to.) She’s funny and goofy and honestly a huge inspiration for me to get back into blogging and recommending stuff I like (kinda like this blog :) ) Megan is not reading this, but if the universe ever directs her to this page for some unexplainable reason, thank you Megan! Huge fan!
These next few are shows. And I know what you’re thinking. (Okay, you’re actually probably not thinking it, but my self-judgmental self is and now I’m projecting that onto you. Ugh! I’m so predictable.) hehehe.
Yes, I am watching quite a bit of TV during this break. But, something that is different from (unhealthy) years past is I’m trying to be EXTRA cautious of WHAT I’m consuming - because there’s SO much on television these days, and a lot of it is extremely entertaining. But, for the sake of my mental health, I’ve had to decipher between entertaining and good.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good true-crime show. Cult documentaries? DON’T GET ME STARTED! Handmaids Tale? LOVE. Rom- Coms? I’M A SUCKER.
But recently I have a new personal algorithm to use in order to decide the difference between “entertaining” and “good” for me. If it feeds my conspiracy-driven soul to the point of bitterness, it’s a no. If it will likely trigger me and I have to process it in therapy later, it’s a no. If It leads me to be ungrateful for what I have or wishing that my life was different in a way that is unrealistic or unhealthy, it’s a no.
And speaking of, this is when I recommend a helpful resource that my therapist recommended to me to accommodate this new personal decision process.
doesthedogdie.com - lol at the title but it will literally tell you every potentially triggering thing about a show, movie or book, including but certainly not limited to if the dog dies. I use it ALL THE TIME.
So, though many of my guilty pleasures are harmless to the general public, it’s proven in times past it can be harmful to me. So the next three shows are not only generally safe choices, but you’ll walk away not only entertained but learning something too.
Anywho, back to Outlast. The rest of this is just hyping up this show so scroll on if you don’t care.
I love a good survival show. Reality TV at it’s FINEST. Traveling. Living off the grid. Using nature, primitively. These are skills I WISH I acquired. The most I can bring to the table is I know how to (humanely) slaughter, butcher and cook a chicken. But chickens don’t typically roam the Alaskan forests, so I guess I’m outta luck for this show. hehehe.
There was one moment where I learned something about myself, though.
Backstory* the premise of the show is a survival competition with 16 contestants attempting to withstand the Alaskan wilderness. There are few rules but they have to be on a team of no more than 4 and the winning team wins $1 million. It is enthralling.
Back to something I learned about myself… Angie, Nick and Seth are on a team and prepping for a competition to build a raft and steer down the river to an island with 6 hidden crab pots scattered about for the taking. Perks were whoever made it to the island first could take as many crab pots as they could find/wanted as to prevent the other teams from being able to crab fish - a MAJOR source of protein for the surviving the Alaskan wilderness.
So Angie says that she’s the best fit for rafting down the river because she’s the lightest and will go the fastest without sinking. Nick argues that Seth would be the best bet because though she’s lighter, he’s the toughest to withstand the freezing temps and reroute if needed. Angie’s pissed. The arguing continues and Angie is triggered because a man is telling her she’s not good enough. She will not be controlled. She makes her argument and they all agree to let her go.She rafts down the river. She is the first to the island. She wins! Yay!
She collects 3 crab pots and brings them to her team. They are elated. They congratulate her and apologize to her for doubting her abilities. They are top notch dudes.
But (all that backstory just to get to this part. I’m long winded. I’m sorry. No I’m not because if you didn’t want to read this you could have skipped over it. I don’t need to apologize. Regardless, thanks for sticking with me.)
So after all this rafting down rivers, Angie’s clothes are soaked in the below freezing temps and in order to prevent frostbite, she sits under a plethora of blankets while her clothes dry over the fire. She keeps asking her team what she can do and apologizing for being (and feeling) worthless. They reassure her they are overjoyed with her efforts from the day. She goes on and on. And the whole time I’m over here like ANGIE. GIRL. YOU PROVIDED FOOD FOR DAYS FOR YOUR TEAM. CHILL. RELAX. YOU ARE FULL OF WORTH EVEN IF YOU DIDN’T DO THAT, FRIEND (stranger).
And then I my heart stung and I shed a tear because *can relate*
This doc is IMPECCABLE. If you want to watch something and leave it feeling inspired, watch this. The premise is a series of 7 leaders who are committed to making a difference in the world and share their inspiring life stories in each episode. The leaders selected are diverse in all aspects - from age to culture and ethnicity to their career and what they fight for - it’s amazing. I learned so much from each leader and each episode, I could write an entirely separate blog with all my thoughts and it still wouldn’t be enough. Highly, highly recommend.
HE’S BACK! OMG OMG OMG.
I love Ted. I learn so much from his story.
I tuned in with the rest of the eager Ted Lasso fans Tuesday night to watch the season 3 premier.
Within the first 3 minutes I was a tear-stained mess.
*SPOILER ALERT AHEAD*
The episode opens with Ted prepping to send his son back to the states with his ex wife. He’s sad.
He goes home and calls his therapist. They begin discussing his feelings of sending his son back and processing, but then the conversation turns to the present moment and purpose of Ted managing the British soccer team, AFC Richmond. He says to his therapist “I do wonder sometimes what the heck I’m still doing here. I mean, I know why I came, but it’s the stick’n around I can’t quite figure out.”
His therapist encourages,” You don’t quit things, Ted.”
“Right, right. Yeah. But hey maybe my being here is doing more hurtin’ than helpin’ at this point, ya know?” he responds in self-depreciating Ted fashion.
His therapist drops the mic with “well, as the man once said, ‘Doubt can only be removed by action.’”
ANNNNNNNND cue tears.
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
MMM. I’m obessed with Rick Rubin.
Rick Rubin is such a wonderfully strange man. I cannot remember how I discovered him, and I *think* it might have been a few years past from an episode of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction maybe??? I remember watching an episode of something and he was producing for an artist who invited me, as the watcher of said episode, to Shangri-La (Rick Rubin’s recording studio in Malibu, California.) And I watched as Rick, this artist’s music producer, laid down on a bench while the artist worked in bare feet and closed eyes “feeling” the music.
That’s all I needed. I was sold on this hippie.
The more digging I did, the more I fell in love. He’s the co-founder of Def Jam records. He started producing music out of his college dorm. He’s produced nearly everyone who’s anyone in the recent history of music. From LL Cool J and Run DMC to Mick Jagger to Johnny Cash to Adele to Kesha - I mean, his production discography is STACKED.
And SO diverse. Which I just love.
And to top it off, he only dabbles in playing musical instruments.
And he has no tech abilities to work a soundboard.
So, how and why is he so musically gifted??
Because he feels music. He can pinpoint the authenticity of one’s sound.
He’s brilliant.
And he wrote a book. Called The Creative Act. And it’s wonderful. Go read it (after you finish reading this, of course! hehehe)
Avocado Toast
Something I’m quite literally consuming is Avocado toast. I make this breakfast pretty much every Saturday and have made it pretty much every morning on this break. It’s not just ANY avocado toast. Here’s the recipe *salivates as typing*
Toast up some bread. Homemade if you can because it’s a real treat.
Cook up some eggs. Sunny side up and just a little over easy. I like mine runny, but ONLY on avo toast.
Grab an avocado. From trader joes bc duh. The best.
Once the bread is toasted, slather on the avocado. Drizzle the tiniest bit of olive oil. Sprinkle some everything but the bagel seasoning. Oh you don’t have that? Well you should. But it’s fine, everything’s fine just grab some sea salt and sprinkle that magic on the toast. Lay your slightly over easy eggs on top of their freshly made bed of Avo toast and VOILA!
You have the best breakfast in town.
The BEMA podcast is not something new I’m consuming. It’s a podcast I’ve been listening to since 2017. It’s the best commentary on the Bible I’ve EVER discovered. Here’s how they describe it on their website:
The BEMA Podcast is a walk-through of the context of the Bible and the Text itself, as well as surrounding history. We deconstruct our common readings of the Bible and attempt to reconstruct them through the lens of historical context.
The main body of work is contained in Seasons 1–5, and we encourage you to start with episode 0 and continue in order through episode 204.
BEMA Discipleship is a ministry of Impact Campus Ministries.
I’m currently going through each episode again from the beginning and just started season 3 which is the Gospels. It’s amazing and I highly recommend it.
Tunes - here’s a playlist on Spotify
Every year I add any and all songs I enjoy to a “favorites” playlist. I want to start making seasonal playlists and sharing them. So, here’s this season’s playlist that I’ve curated for you :) My playlists will never have any rhyme or reason, they’ll never be limited to any particular genre and they will for sure be eccentric. They will only make sense in the fact that they’re songs that I enjoy, make me feel something and wish to share the magic with you. Maybe I’ll go through each song in the future and tell a little story about why it was selected, but for now I’m just going to let you wonder. :) Cheers!
take care and talk soon,
L
