Tag: Podcasts

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Five Thangs Friday

Five Thangs Friday #7

Anyone else exhausted? I can taste spring break on my tongue, but it’s not quite here yet. My patience is running slim, and my student’s are antsy to be out for the summer. It’s been a rough week in my classroom. On the bright side – three more Fridays until break! Lets get on with the post – here are the five thangs that have humored/amused me in the past week!

#1. This podcast!

This podcast is gold ya’ll! I am not an entrepreneur but this makes me want to be one. It’s quite interesting how prominent the “side hustle” is amongst millennials. There’s a good amount of people who do something on the side. Recently, I started working part time on an analyst position, and it’s felt really good to be so productive. The extra cash doesn’t hurt either!

The woman behind it is a local Chicago photographer, and she talks all things freelance! She’s covered anything from fear, starting a business, to tax advice! Definitely give it a listen, if you’re a hustler or if you’re thinking about doing some freelance work!

#2. This book!

I fell off the reading wagon for awhile. Okay, honestly, I didn’t just fall off. I got on the opposite going wagon. I didn’t pick up a book pretty much for the entirety of February and it did not feel good guys! I love reading. As cliche as it sounds, it’s such an amazing escape from real life. I did manage to finish this book and it was spectacular. I did not think I would like it as much as I did, but it was the perfect blend of romance, history, and plot line. If you’re at all interested in the Holocaust, you’ll love this one!

#3. What this kid said!

On the subject of reading… let’s flashback to Tuesday afternoon. We’re in eighth period, which is typically where kids can either finish up work or have some chill time. Anywho, I find myself reading a story to a kid (real talk – I was reading Harry Potter to him in a British accent – I am that teacher guys!). I hear a gasp from the other side of the room, and see a kid with his jaw dropped. “Ms. Maydan – YOU KNOW HOW TO READ?!?!”

Guys. I’m a teacher. I have a bachelors and a masters degree, and this child thought I did not know how to read. I’ll just leave this here to sink in.

#4. The fact that Philz is coming to CHICAGO!

I. AM. SO. EXCITED. I somehow missed this story and found out this week. This summer, they will be opening two locations – one in Hyde Park and one on the North Side! GUYSSSSSSSSS. Have you ever had mint in your coffee? It is taaaa die for! I am jazzed, to see the least!

#5. My new EMF reader!

Okay guys – lets nerd out for a second. I read a lot of the Wellness Mama blog and she’s talked about EMF before. That sent me down a large rabbit hole and here I am today, the owner of an EMF reader. For those who aren’t hypochondriacs like me, an EMF reader reads the signals that electronics give off, such as phones and computers. There also tends to be EMF “hotspots” in homes due to wiring, wifi and all the other comforts of the modern world. These EMF’s are known to disrupt our bodies – some studies suggest higher risk of cancer, and others suggest ADD and other behavior issues. I’m pretty jazzed to see what types of signals we have in our home because there are ways to mediate it! I’m sure I’ll be posting in the future about this! In the meantime, if you’d like to know more, this book is a great starting point!

So there ya have it folks – my week in four photos and an anecdote! I hope ya’ll have a gr8 weekend, filled with sunshine, sleep and all the nice things in life!

XO,

J

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Five Thangs Friday

Five Thangs Friday #6

I’ve begun to really look forward to Five Thangs Friday. It makes me really take a step back and think about five things that truly made my week better – which can help me when I’m stuck in a rut, as I have been.

I haven’t posted much lately. I’ve lacked thoughts, which is a strange thing to say, but I don’t know how else to describe it. I’ve been preoccupied with other things. This post makes me take a step back though, which is why I’m continuing to do it. What do you do when you’re in a rut? How do you get your thoughts and creativity back? Let me know ya’ll!

Enough digression – here’s my week in iPhone photos. I hope everyone had a great first week of “spring”! The fact that the sun isn’t setting until 7 is giving me lifeeee!

#1. Deep Conditioner

I colored my hair about two years ago and I deeply regret it. The first 8 inches of my hair are a deep brown, but now, the remaining 6 inches of colored hair are a rusty orange from all the bleach. Needless to say, my hair is dry AF. I’ve switched to clean shampoos and conditioners, which aren’t really helping the case either. This weekend, I picked up a few deep conditioners at Target to see if they could work some magic, and ya’ll, THEY DID! I’ve only used the one on the left so far (Shea Moisture) and it has made me hair feel so much better this week. I’m planning on using another this weekend and ya know I’ll let ya’ll know how it goes!

#2. Paleo Muesli

I found this as Aldi this week, and to say I was geeked would be an understatement! While I love granola, it’s difficult to find a good quality clean one at a decent price. These were $4 a box, and each had a pound of paleo deliciousness inside! I’m not one to eat a bowl of muesli, but I did enjoy it drizzle over a smoothie bowl! Highly recommend ya’ll!

This beauty was an avocado kale banana smoothie with some sprouts! Delish!

#3. Workin’ Moms!

OMG. Go to Netflix, now. WATCH THIS SHOW! It is hilarious, and honest, and while I’m not a mother, I assume, pretty dang realistic. Canadian TV has been on fire lately! Between this and Kim’s Convenience (also found on Netflix), I’ve been impressed! I binge watched this show in a week, and tried extremely hard to get access to Canadian Netflix so I could watch the other seasons. (Update: I did not find access)

#4. This Episode of This American Life!

I listen to at least one podcast a day, on my way to work. This one was the best of the week! As a special educator, and a sibling of someone with mental disabilities, this episode resonated with me. It gave insight into what parenting someone with special needs is like, and had me bawling on my way to work. Side note: this podcast has a show on Amazon that you can watch the first 2 seasons of! Very interesting stuff guys!

#5. Oversized Coffee

We buy most things on bulk on Amazon. 20 pound buckets of salt. 5 pound bags of coffee. 1000 pens. We get it all! I amused myself on Wednesday night with this larger than life bag of coffee. (PS: this coffee is actually delicious if you’re looking for a good quality, inexpensive organic dark roast)

Other highlights of my week include teaching my students about riverdancing and square dancing, which many are now obsessed with! It’s adorable! I’ve also been loooooving this window down weather (when you’re a Chicagoan, anything over 40 is windows down). The countdown to spring break has also officially begun – LESS THAN A MONTH AWAY!

I hope ya’ll have a relaxing weekend! Please, please, please – let me know how you get creative!

XO, J

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Five Thangs Friday

Five Thangs Friday #4

It’s Five Thangs Friday #4 – which means its a habit ya’ll! Happy Friyay! I hope your week is going swimmingly and you have some time for rest this weekend. This week has been smoother for me – we’re finally getting more settled in and into a routine, and I’ve figured out timing for my drive in to work (which is key in Chicago). It’s crazy that if I leave at 6:45 my commute is 30 minutes, but lord forbid I wait til 6:50… then I have to drive for 45. Math isn’t my strong point but that shizz does not make sense. I digress. Let’s get to my five thangggggs for the week!

1.THIS vest

A couple months ago, my husband surprised me with a beautiful Patagonia sweatshirt. I’ve been going through a Patagonia phase. Basically, I am convinced that because they often have collars, they can pass as business casual. I know that that’s not true, but let me live!

Anyways, he bought me this sweatshirt but got it in an XS. This was a flattering gesture, but I’m a small in good ole Patty. I ended up exchanging it for two things on the website and only liked one, so returned the other (Side note: did anyone else think that the Los Gatos fit super strangely?)

So this week, I exchanged the other item for a dad vest. My husband got an e-mail when I purchased it and I received this text:

SO ANYWAYS – the dad vest came in the mail yesterday and I am loving it.

I may live in this thing you guys. It’s so cozy and has three pockets. THREE! I can keep so many snacks on me! #noragrets For anyone who is wondering, this is the retro pile women’s vest. Patagonia lists it as a slim fit, but it’s not. I could have work an XS in it no problem.

My husband said I look like Mr. Rogers – on a good day. I’ll take it!

2.My blood test results came in!

A few months back, we purchased an EveryWell blood test to test female hormones for fertility. I had an eating disorder in high school, had been on birth control for nearly a decade and lost an ovary in 2016, so I was not sure what my hormone levels would be like. I submitted the test in January, only to have them say that there was not enough blood on them. So I redid it last cycle (you need to take blood on the third and nineteenth day of your menstrual cycle so timing is everything) and got my results yesterday! I’ll be doing a whole post on what I learned but short story: I am pleased with my results!



3.Smoooooothies

I usually have breakfast every morning before work, but because I’ve been getting home later than usual this week, I’ve been eating dinner late. This is making me not want to eat at 5am as I usually do. SO I’ve been making these smoothies in the morning which are a) nutritious AF and b) fun to drink on my drive! I get frozen organic berries at Costco, throw in a small banana, some broccoli sprouts and some coconut water and I’m good to go!

Side note: check out how millennial my mason jar is!

4.This episode of This American Life

What podcasts do ya’ll listen to? I’ve been listening to a podcast in the morning and then allow myself to listen to music if there’s time left. I’ve been really digging This American Life this week, especially this episode! It was fun and amusing and exactly what I need in the morning. Also, who doesn’t love a good rom-com?!

5.Mobility

Last week, I was sick with some type of cold or flu for two days. Friday rolled around and I was finally beginning to feel better. This was true, until Friday night. My husband and I sat down to eat dinner and I realized I had a strange pinching feeling in my hand. I brushed it aside and went along with my night. I was able to fall asleep for an hour, but woke up with the worst pain in my hand. It felt numb from my shoulder to my fingertips, and hurt so much I couldn’t go back to bed. I spent that night nursing my hand with some ice broccoli, which did not work.

By 4am, my husband was awakened by the sound of the rustling bag of broccoli I had brought to bed. Hubby is mad into mobility training and taking care of his body. He promptly massaged my arm and back and GUESS WHAT?! The pain disappeared. Basically, I am learning that I am growing older and that I need to be proactive (begrudgingly). So foam rolling and stretching has been a highlight of my week. I need to go the gym, but because this week had so many events after work, I’ll have to begin next week!

This is me, chilling with some broc!

So there’s my week, in iPhone photo form! Plans for this weekend include a real estate class, and hopefully putting my clothes away so I can stop living out of a box and running out of underwear! Happy Friyay lovelies!

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Sparking Joy

When Your Commute is LONG AF

I was spoiled – spoiled rotten. My old commute was an easy 12-minute drive down the highway. We moved recently, and now my commute into work is about 30 minutes and my drive home is anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. That’s a total of at least one hour of driving a day! 60 minutes! 3600 seconds, if you will!

It’s going to take me a while to get used to this new drive, but I’m trying to be positive and proactive during this time. I’ve done this drive now for five days and here are some things I’ve been doing to fill that drive time purposefully.

#1. Podcasts

I go through phases with podcasts. One week I can’t get enough of them. ALL THE KNOWLEDGE, AT MY FINGERTIPS? LETS LISTEN TO ALL OF THEM! One week later, and I can’t stand the sound of anyone’s voice. I’ve been listening to podcasts, especially on my drive home this past week and it’s been a nice feeling to know that I’ve learned at least one thing every day. I’ve been trying to diversify the podcasts I listen to and have found several amazing ones! It’s kind of amazing – there’s a podcast on pretty much any topic!

What I listened to this morning – love me some Wellness Mama!

#2. Upbeat Music

It’s hard to get myself out of bed, dressed and to work. My body wants nothing more than to stay in bed, eat paleo pancakes and binge watch Netflix. With that being said, it can be difficult to be jazzed about the day ahead of me. Listening to my monthly playlist on my drive in, even if it’s just for a portion of the drive, has been helping me put myself in a better mood. Sure – you can be cranky your whole drive in, and possibly all day long, but why do that when music can change your mood almost instantaneously? Lately, I’ve been loving this playlist that I’ve screenshot below!

#3. Phone calls

I try to talk to my parents and sister regularly – at least every other day but preferably daily. It’s difficult to find time to sit for a phone call with everyday life, when you’re running to and from but I’ve been finding that I call my dad every morning. It gives me a solid uninterrupted half hour to catch up with my dad, and have more meaningful conversations than I was able to fit into my 12-minute drive. So in a way, my commute has been helping me strengthen my relationships with my family, and that is a beautiful thing.

#4. Mindfulness

I’ve written about being mindful, and specifically about driving mindfully in the past, however I’ve been able to take it to a whole other level with my new drive. For starters, this drive allows me to watch the sunrise every morning. Not only do I get to watch the sunrise, but I get to watch it rise over the beautiful Chicago skyline! It’s something special every morning, and I am hoping that that beauty never gets old for me. My drive gives me a good chunk of time to sit, be still (for the most part) and think. Sometimes, I think about the scenery that spills out in front of me. Sometimes, I think about my day ahead. It’s just a great time to process my thoughts. I’ve been enjoying listening to Petit Biscuit and just noticing/thinking/taking life in on my drives to and from work each morning, and it’s helped me calm myself down. It’s also allowed me to observe my surroundings more, and sometimes I’m gifted with something humorous, like this protest sign I saw.

#5. HYDRATION!

I drink a decent amount of water throughout the day, but I’ve found that my morning and afternoon commute is a great time to put away some water! In the morning, my mind is on coffee and I tend to forget about water. For the last week, I’ve been drinking a bottle of water and a thermos of tea on my drive in, and a bottle of water on my drive home. When there’s not much else to do, it makes drinking water easy!

So that’s five things I’ve been trying to do whilst battling Chicago traffic. How do you pass time on your commute? I tried to do some tasks, like paying bills, but reading account numbers off paper and staying in lanes turned out to be a more difficult task than I am capable of!

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Five Thangs Friday

Five Thangs Friday #2

It’s been a crazy week! We packed up our old house, closed on our new house and moved. I’ve also been working on my new part time job and learning the ropes, which has been taking a good amount of my time. Despite all of the life changes, I’ve been trying to stay true to my goal of being more mindful and more present. Without further ado, I present my FIVE THANGS FRIDAY!

#1. Books on books on books on books

One of the fun (or maybe not so fun) parts of moving is remembering what you have. My husband and I are huge bibliophiles. We dream of the day we have a library in our house, filled with walls of books and dark leather chairs. We were packing up our house this week, and realized we had 20 boxes of books. 20 boxes guys! I am so excited to find a home for all these books in our new home. Stay tuned to see what it all looks like!

#2. Green juice!

Eating healthily is a bit more difficult when moving, with limited food and all of our utensils in boxes. I was at Costco this past week and saw that they were offering these Suja green juices again! They tend to sell them during the spring, when people are getting ready for their summer bodies. These were delectable and much needed, after having eaten a diet consisting of falafel for a few days! If you see them, check them out! It’s hard to find true green juices that aren’t loaded up with fillers like apple juice!

#3. This podcast!

My hell yes/hell no mentality applies to my relationships as well. If I feel like a relationship is not giving me energy, I don’t want anything to do with it. As of lately, I’ve been thinking even more about what friendships are, and their cycles. I found this podcast last week and it was great! This episode in particular, really spoke to me and confirmed the decisions I’ve made for myself in regards to friendship. The women who host it are real and raw, and the topics are all so interesting. I can’t wait to listen to more of these!

#4. Valentine’s Day notes

Guys – how freaking adorable is this note? (Side note: he wrote identical ones for all the staff who work in our classroom). Valentine’s Day is special when you’re a teacher. I still see all the students nervously hand Valentine’s cards to their crushes, and we still have fun passing candy out in class. One student gave me some chocolate covered strawberries, and it absolutely made my day.

#5. This man (:

While we don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day, I do appreciate and love this man a little more each day. We got married when we were crazy young (I was 21 and he was 23) and have grown so much since then, both together and as individuals. I couldn’t imagine life without him – my adventure buddy, my support system and the love of my life. Moving this week made me reflect further on how much our lives have changed since we got married, and I appreciate and recognize all of the amazing, selfless things he does for me, and for our relationship.

So there it is folks – my five thangs Friday! I hope ya’ll have a spectacular weekend! Peace out, girl scouts!