May Yay...

Another month done and dusted.

Another month of can you believe this shit. We're still (STILL) at war with Iran no matter how bored the Toddler in Chief is with it. We're about to "celebrate" said toddler's birthday with a cage match on the White House lawn next to the giant construction project that was the once lovely East Wing all while the entirety of Washington DC gets covered in gold leaf and swimming pool blue. Ah...ain't that America...

So what my personal theme has been for the past month or so is "Zoom In." I cannot control, well anything much, but I can control what I focus on. And yes, I will still protest, and vote, and voice my displeasure but I'm fairly limited. My congresspeople are actually doing what I want them to do so the notes I send them are more of the "Keep it up" variety than the "DO SOMETHING" ilk.

My blog posting has gotten really mundane as I try to not continual focus on the things that are going wrong. And I'm sorry about that. I've lost a couple of subscribers this year and I'm sure that's part of it. It's just boring around here when I'm not screaming into the void. But the thing about screaming into the void is that eventually you lose your voice. I'm still just as angry. I will still post here and there in that vein, but I'm actually making a conscious effort not to. Which leads to things like these monthly recaps.

Zoom in.

Control what you can, and what in all actuality makes the biggest difference in your day to day life.

So here we go, little goals updates:

Reading: I read 6 books in May. Three of them nonfiction, two of them books I own. So hitting those goals. One on Muskism (in reference to Fordism and how Ford and Musk changed capitalism), one on pooping, and one about mental health by Jenny Lawson. So all books about shit, being one, taking one and dealing with it. Muskism was interesting and frustrating as you'd expect it to be. You've Been Pooping All Wrong was actually really good, if you are interested in internal health and also might want advice on how to be a little more comfortable. And How to Be Okay when Nothing is Okay was a joy to read, but everything by her is. It was also a little more focused on techniques on managing anxiety and ADHD and mood. Not all of it applied to me, but I found all of it really enjoyable. The fiction was all solid. All four stars, nothing I can't stop thinking about, but all solid. (The Lost Daughter of Sparta, The Hounding, The God of the Woods)

I also made up one of the books I was behind so now I'm only behind 4 books instead of 5, we will see if I chip away at that this month.

Writing: Wrote more days than I didn't. After I finish writing this I will also post a fiction piece which will be the fourth of the month, so on track with that. Though the fiction piece is something I wrote back in January for my exchange with Dana and didn't post here. Still counts. To nobody's surprise though I sent her two more parts to the long story I am still not finished with it. MAYBE by the end of June. Maybe. But basically still rolling along. Even if, like I said, I know the quality of the nonfiction might not be all that great.

Workouts/Weight: As I whined about last month, my weight is the same. I gained muscle in my legs, and torso, lost a little in my arms. But all really small amounts. The funny thing is I had been noticing more and more that my arms are resting defined. Like I don't have to flex for the mound of my biceps to show. I have a pretty constantly visible line of demarcation on the muscles. And then I looked at my segment readings and I lost muscle. But, honestly, if I am exchanging a little bit of mass for a little more definition I'll take it. I increased the weight on my Hemsworth workout, and am doing a strength series through PVOLVE this month so we will see how things look at the end of June.

Masterclass: Was trying to figure out what to watch. Getting really frustrated by how hard they are pushing AI classes. Love your new replacement! No, no I don't think I will. There was a class by Goodby and Silverstein and I told Brent if I had still been in advertising I would love that one. I've heard both of them speak, and have read a few Ad Week pieces about them and some of their highest profile campaigns and they always seemed like such a cool shop. Brent reminded me that I'm doing these for fun and even if I don't still work in the industry I can still watch them for fun. Oh yeah... It was really enjoyable. They were what I expected them to be and hearing behind the scenes information (like Michael Bay directed the Aaron Burr Got Milk? commercial) was great. Not sure what I'm doing this month, but that one reminded me that there were parts of my old job that were really great.

Language: Still plugging along. Stretch that brain in all directions.

So June? What's the goal?
GOOOOOAAALLLL! World Cup starts soon. I've been back and forth on watching. But then thought about my Zoom In! philosophy. I've always enjoyed World Cup, even with the fact that US men's team doesn't do as well as the women's I still have enjoyed the men's cup series. Even with FIFA just being...well FIFA. So I will ignore what the "Oh corruption? I Love soccer then!" dweeb in the gold plated office has done and enjoy the games like usual.

Reading, writing and workoutmatic, I will keep doing what I'm doing. Write more days than not. Read at least one nonfiction and one book I already own. Lift heavier things and put them back down all while also doing fun stuff (dance, Rivs Run Club) that keeps me enjoying it all. Find a Masterclass that looks interesting. Learn more words I'll never use with the Owl and do my positive book every day.

And bore all of you with the mundane.

May was refocus. June is Zoom In!

I hope you all are able to do the same. Look at the things in your life that are working. Focus on those and hold on to them. Deal with the other shit as you have to, but know that the little close up stuff is where you're going to find your balance.

Love those around you.
That includes you.
Especially you.
And even though I haven't said it in awhile, as always,

Fuck I.C.E.