Sinus Infections and Forced Rest
Tuesday, August 29, 2023
First, I want to start this post off by stating that my brother did not enjoy the last blog title. Last Wednesday, he gave me a call to express his opinion, “No one said you couldn’t.” I was slightly confused so he further explained he had read my post, and wasn’t a fan of the title - it was misleading. So, I’m here to say, that he’s right. No one told me that I couldn’t do it. It was more like, “She decided to go back and finish her degree and she did it!” I digress, apologies to my brother.
Anyway, I’m popping in for a quick little update. Last week was rough. I spent most of my days hacking up mucus, not being able to breathe, coughing so hard I would occasionally pee a little, and getting very little sleep. The doctor said it was a pretty bad sinus infection. And well, now as an adult, these take me about 10 days to get over. Thankfully, I’m on the mend this week. Still coughing, and I feel like my ears and nose are stuffed with cotton. BUT, I can confidently say we are out of the woods.
Looking at the positive, this sinus infection forced me to take a long pause. I didn’t go to the gym or run. I stayed at home, watched a significant amount of Thai & Chinese drama in bed, and drank a lot of water. It was super unproductive, but you know, every once in a while you just need that. Even if it's forced. I'm really glad that I’m feeling better though. And I’m actually looking forward to getting back to my normal day-to-day.
Now, with Fall right around the corner, there’s a lot that has to be done around the house. Mainly, I need to go through with another round of decluttering. I’m hoping that I can take this weekend to just get it all done. Moving boxes upstairs, and getting rid of clothes, shoes, and pantry items. I feel so much better once I’ve gotten rid of all the unnecessary items and packed away seasonal stuff. I'm hoping to give our house one really good deep clean before the school year really ramps up too. So, you know what my weekend plans are going to be. Anyway, that's about all for now. I hope y'all are having a great week! Until the next one...✌
And She Did It
Monday, August 21, 2023
In July, I finished the last two classes that I needed in order to graduate. The relief I felt when I got my final grades, would equate to that feeling you get after a long trip and you finally make it home. Back to your bed. You know, that blissful moment you have as you faceplant into your sheets? You let out that long sigh, and you’re just HOME. You’re in a place that brings you peace, and comfort. And you’re ready to jump into your stretchy pants so you can slide under your comforter and relax. THAT’S what it felt like when I got the final email stating I had passed my finals and would be graduating in August. I was officially done with the summer semester! And boy was I tired.
Those first few days I slept so well. However, the next two weeks felt odd. I had a lot more extra time, and I had no idea how I was going to fill it. My brain was just itching for a schedule. Would I catch up on reading? Go on more runs? Would I sign up for a kickboxing class? Write more? Would I work out? Would I sign up for a class - not career related? And if you’ve been around here for a while you know I enjoy consistency & routine so I started trying to fill the gaps and create a schedule. Then one afternoon someone said, “Hey, take a breath. You’ve got time.” That’s when I had to force myself to take a pause. I had been trying to do ALL of the things ALL at once. I wasn’t giving my mind or body any kind of break. And let me say, they deserved to slow down. I deserved to relax and feel calm. To destress. So, I scaled back.
“No” became a word in my vocabulary. I left work at 5 pm. I did set aside time to work out, but it’s limited to 40 minutes of movement. And then my regular runs. But that was about it. I went to work and then came home. I spent a lot of time in my PJs. I ate delicious food and spent time with my family. I made time to see my bestie while she was in Texas. And I just enjoyed not having a research paper, reading assignments, or tests. No, final looming on the horizon. It hasn’t been the easiest thing, getting out of that “go, go, go” mindset. Some days I still catch myself being in a rush. However, those days are becoming less frequent.
Then on August 11, 2023, I walked out onto the field at Memorial Stadium with the rest of my Summer 2023 class. I walked across the stage, shook our University president’s hand, and received my “diploma”. It was my first-ever graduation. I was homeschooled in high school so I didn’t have a commencement. And then I didn’t walk for my Associate’s degree, because honestly, I didn’t apply and I forgot about it. So, this was pretty important to me. And I couldn’t stop smiling on graduation day. I was just so happy, and grateful. This week I received the official email stating that my grades have been verified, I had no holds, and everything cleared. My diploma will arrive in 8 weeks. And that marked the end of my college run! At least for now. I keep getting asked if I’m going to get my Master’s, and my response is usually, “Nope.” But as the old saying goes, “Never say never.”
For now, I am just so damn proud of getting my Bachelor. I crossed the finish line with an Institutional GPA of 3.57 and an overall GPA of 3.45. All of that hard work paid off! I didn’t do it alone though. I had help, and there were sacrifices made. I wouldn’t have made it through without the love, support, help, and encouragement of my loved ones. This achievement was just as much theirs as it was mine. So, I think we’re all going to relish this moment for a bit. I mean, y’all, I freakin’ did it! I graduated!
Those first few days I slept so well. However, the next two weeks felt odd. I had a lot more extra time, and I had no idea how I was going to fill it. My brain was just itching for a schedule. Would I catch up on reading? Go on more runs? Would I sign up for a kickboxing class? Write more? Would I work out? Would I sign up for a class - not career related? And if you’ve been around here for a while you know I enjoy consistency & routine so I started trying to fill the gaps and create a schedule. Then one afternoon someone said, “Hey, take a breath. You’ve got time.” That’s when I had to force myself to take a pause. I had been trying to do ALL of the things ALL at once. I wasn’t giving my mind or body any kind of break. And let me say, they deserved to slow down. I deserved to relax and feel calm. To destress. So, I scaled back.
“No” became a word in my vocabulary. I left work at 5 pm. I did set aside time to work out, but it’s limited to 40 minutes of movement. And then my regular runs. But that was about it. I went to work and then came home. I spent a lot of time in my PJs. I ate delicious food and spent time with my family. I made time to see my bestie while she was in Texas. And I just enjoyed not having a research paper, reading assignments, or tests. No, final looming on the horizon. It hasn’t been the easiest thing, getting out of that “go, go, go” mindset. Some days I still catch myself being in a rush. However, those days are becoming less frequent.
Then on August 11, 2023, I walked out onto the field at Memorial Stadium with the rest of my Summer 2023 class. I walked across the stage, shook our University president’s hand, and received my “diploma”. It was my first-ever graduation. I was homeschooled in high school so I didn’t have a commencement. And then I didn’t walk for my Associate’s degree, because honestly, I didn’t apply and I forgot about it. So, this was pretty important to me. And I couldn’t stop smiling on graduation day. I was just so happy, and grateful. This week I received the official email stating that my grades have been verified, I had no holds, and everything cleared. My diploma will arrive in 8 weeks. And that marked the end of my college run! At least for now. I keep getting asked if I’m going to get my Master’s, and my response is usually, “Nope.” But as the old saying goes, “Never say never.”
For now, I am just so damn proud of getting my Bachelor. I crossed the finish line with an Institutional GPA of 3.57 and an overall GPA of 3.45. All of that hard work paid off! I didn’t do it alone though. I had help, and there were sacrifices made. I wouldn’t have made it through without the love, support, help, and encouragement of my loved ones. This achievement was just as much theirs as it was mine. So, I think we’re all going to relish this moment for a bit. I mean, y’all, I freakin’ did it! I graduated!
Monday Motivation
Monday, August 14, 2023
It’s a new week! We had a whirlwind of a start to August that had me a lot more busy than I had originally planned. And while I have always intended to pick things back up on my blog: life happens. Anyway, I will slowly work my way up to blogging more consistently. I do have a lot more time on my hands these days. I just have to make sure I make time for it and actually plan it out. I'm currently working on a "blog calendar", and uploading all of my pictures from my phone. There's a lot I want to share. But for now, I just want to wish everyone a very happy Monday. Here’s to the new week!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
