#also if anyone is feeling the impulse to recommend me a season of the podcast in question: i have listened to it. Trust Me

[irrigos]

fatt anon: yeah thats fair! Personally I think its a good podcast but your reasons for liking it are def valid

well thank you for your approval lol

[backofthebookshelf]

Horror Recs for Magnus Fans, Part the Second

Last time I did this I was assuming that anyone who was listening to a horror podcast already knew some horror, but I have since learned that this is not the case, so there are a few more classics in here, as well as some more of my faves.

For anyone and everyone who listens to TMA: Sarah Monette's Kyle Murchison Booth stories, many (though not all) of which are collected in The Bone Key. Queer information professional would very much like for ghosts and monsters to leave him alone, does not get what he wants; can't resist the impulse to help out people who are more fucked over than him anyway. I love Booth so much, he deserves much better things than he gets.

For Web stans: Blindsight by Peter Watts, a sci-fi horror novel about free will and consciousness. Lydia Nicholas named this as one of her favorite books in the first Assistant's Round Table; I respect her for it, but I read this once and it gave me an existential crisis. Highly recommended, but make sure you've got a palate cleanser.

For jonelias fans and/or fans of the Corruption: Candyman (1992). With bonus folklore & urban legend meta! Kissing bees into your (potential) lover's mouth in order to convince them to become a murderous spirit of vengeance just like you! "All you have left is my desire for you"!!! It's extremely sexy, is what I'm saying, in all the best ways. (Trigger warnings for violence against children and a fair amount of gore, in addition to the aforementioned bees.)

If you love the no-holds-barred social commentary of season five: The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle. No, I will not shut up about this book until absolutely everyone in the world has read it. It's short! You could read it in an afternoon! This is Lovecraft's "The Horror at Red Hook" from the point of view of a black musician and hustler who's hired to help out with the ritual, and it's incredible. (If you're enjoying Lovecraft Country, absolutely do not miss this.)

If you miss the standalone statements of season one and two: the works of the early 20th century cosmic horror and ghost story writers: M.R. James, Algernon Blackwood, Arthur Machen. Machen has a tendency to get pretty eugenics-y, and they're all either misogynistic or don't have women in their stories at all, but goddamn do they do atmosphere. ("The Magnus Archives" is named after James's "Count Magnus," Jonny's favorite M.R. James story.)

For Stranger fans and those who love unexplained mysteries: The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher, a Southern horror (not a Gothic) about a woman who goes to clean out her abusive grandmother's house to sell it only to find that there are things other than his wife that her grandfather was afraid of, and for good reason. Features hot competent neighbors, extremely practical reactions to terrible monsters, and a Very Good Dog (the dog does not die).

For Lonely bitches: "The Horla" by Guy de Maupassant, the story I use to describe my depression to people. That's a pretty good content warning, honestly.

If you loved the "Am I still human?" plotline: The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht, a grotesque little novella about monsters in (dysfunctional) love. I'm a bit iffy on the ending, but honestly landing the ending of horror is so tricky that I'll almost never discount something just because I'm iffy on the ending. The body horror and emotional repression throughout make up for it.

If you crave the supernatural adventure series starring Gerry Keay: The Sandman Slim series by Richard Kadrey - modern noir, so gritty you can feel it in your teeth, featuring all kinds of monsters, demons, curses, and narrowly-averted apocalypses. Not as misogynistic as noir can get, but it is noir so there's definitely a bit of that (but definitely not as misogynistic as Jim Butcher). Trigger warnings all over the place; this is B-movie horror in book form.

For Distortion fans: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. Bears almost no resemblance to the Netflix series of the same name, or any of the movies based on it; this is a twisty psychological novel with a profoundly unreliable narrator and a lot of repressed queerness. Michael/Helen would be right at home in Hill House. (Content warning for suicidality.)

If you want your horror to make you cry: El Orfanado, directed by Guillermo del Toro; a family moves into a house that used to be an orphanage, that is, of course, haunted. This is a tremendous distillation of the way that horror movies are so often centered around women not being believed, so content warning for gaslighting (and for harm to children); I saw this movie once and entire scenes are embedded in my brain in full color. (Honestly you can't go wrong with any Guillermo del Toro movies; he's fantastic.)

If you want your horror to make you cry, but make it gay: In the Flesh, two seasons of a zombie TV show tragically cut short (yes, it ends on a cliffhanger, I’m sorry). Uses zombies as a metaphor for homophobia, but also includes actual queer people. Content warning for small-town-typical homophobia and tragic gays. Please come yell with me about Simon Monroe, I love him so much.

For Slaughter fans: The Shining by Stephen King - look, look, I know. He's not great. He needs an editor. The movie is all kinds of fucked up. But this book is one of the most raw, personal horror stories I've ever read, and it's got an excellent combination of supernatural influence and real-life mundane fear of addiction and personal weakness that really grabs you by the intestines. Again, an iffy ending, but it's worth it for the slow descent into paranoia and madness.

If you just want to try to find some authors to read: The Borderlands anthology series, paperbacks from the height of the 80s horror boom; there are so many different kinds of stories in here that I can pretty much guarantee you that you won't like some of them but you might well find something new to fall in love with. A lot of these writers are out of print but readily available at used bookstores or for pennies on Amazon.

As always, let me know if you liked any of these or if you have a specific need: it is no longer my job to recommend books and media to people but it is still my very favorite thing to do and I will be obnoxious about it forever

[carpediempagesite]

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!)

Hi friends! Once or twice a year, I like to share a list of general updates on my life and business. I used to call them our virtual coffee dates, but in line with the fact that I’ve been trying to get outside again more recently, I thought I’d take you on a virtual hike instead. :)

If I’m honest, I’ve felt a bit all over the map lately – ever since losing the girls. I’ll have a productive day followed by a day where I can’t seem to cross anything off my list; a happy day then a sad day. It comes in waves, like everyone said it would (and I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped walk me through this).

So, I’m writing this list for both of us. By giving you a glimpse at what’s been happening in my world, I hope to also get more clarity around what it is that I’m working towards. So many my ideas have been born on trails. I’m excited to share this virtual one with you.

If we were on a hike today:

I would pack a peanut butter sandwich, carrots, an apple and some trail mix, along with 1L of water with big slices of lemon and lime in it.

I would tell you the slow food experiment has been my favourite slow living experiment so far this year. I feel healthier and am sleeping better, and it’s also come with a number of non-health-related lessons. For example, cooking isn’t hard and it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. It takes trying a handful of new recipes to realize this, but it’s been so rewarding and now I feel genuinely excited to cook again. Oh, and compared to when I was a vegetarian in 2009-2013, it is so easy to switch to a vegan diet now! There are so many more options at grocery stores and restaurants. It’s been awesome to see. :)

I would offer to share a few of the recipes I’ve tried and enjoyed this month:

the Vietnamese rice noodle salad + ginger-sesame tofu from Thug Kitchen (borrowed from the library)

the sweet potato + avocado green salad from Minimalist Baker

this vegan alfredo sauce from Minimalist Baker, and

this smoothie bowl from Oh She Glows.

I would tell you that, aside from eating fish once, I’ve eaten a vegetarian (and often vegan) diet since June 30th – and I don’t see myself going back to eating meat anytime soon.

I would share that I’ve had to talk myself out of a lot of impulse purchases lately. I’m not entirely sure why I’ve been wanting to buy things, but I’m in a place where it’s easy to almost sell me on “needing” things. The good news is that even after submitting a couple orders, I’ve realized I don’t need those things and cancelled them. But I’m still journalling and trying to figure out what’s going on in my life that is making me want to shop at all. Stay tuned. I’ll write a post about it, once I figure it out.

Along that note, I would tell you I finally bought a desk! Or rather, I bought the base of an adjustable stand-up desk. This was definitely not an impulse purchase, as I’ve been living without a desk since March and was waiting until I found what I wanted. I’m still on the hunt for a tabletop but I have half a desk – which means I’m 50% closer to finally having an office at home! Hooray!

If we got on the subject, I would probably tell you I have finally started a more regular journalling practice. I currently have two going. The first is one I’ve modelled from the Five-Minute Journal, after Tammy told me how much gratitude it was bringing into her life. (Side note: I just wrote the prompts on the first page and follow them on regular lined paper after.) The other is just another regular journal that I’ve been writing some thoughts and observations in all year. It’s incredible how much this + therapy have helped me so far in 2017. It’s been a tough year, but I’m learning a lot about myself and can see how I’m changing every week.

I would rave about a podcast I just binge-listened to: Terrible, Thanks for Asking. The episodes are all interviews with people who have gone through tough things in life and who are willing to honestly answer the question: how are you? It’s hosted by Nora McInerny Purmort who is the author of It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too), which I am now listening to the audiobook version of. I would warn anyone who considers listening to the podcast that there could be some triggering language in it. I cried while listening to a few episodes. But it’s real. I can’t recommend them both enough.

Speaking of podcasts, I would also tell you about a few episodes of others that have been meaningful for me:

The Power of No with Oprah (Part 1 and Part 2) – Dear Sugar

Making Mindfulness Simple Again with Linda Esposito – The Slow Home Podcast

On Body Acceptance with Anna Guest-Jelley – Real Talk Radio

I might also remind you we’re halfway through the summer season of Budgets and Cents! ;)

On the business front, I would talk about how I’ve made a number of changes in mine. Aside from quitting freelancing in May, I also made the Mindful Budgeting Program FREE (it used to be $20). It feels odd to have intentionally removed two sources of income from my life, but the decision was exactly that: intentional.

For the rest of this year, I’ll be working on three big projects.

The book! The Year of Less comes out January 16th, and even though the actual writing and editing part is done, there’s a lot to do on the promotion side of things.

A program + community! Some people might call it a course, but I’m looking at this differently. There won’t be any quizzes or tests. Instead, there will be lessons and space/time for reflection. I’ll share more as I’m working on it, but look for this in October. I can’t wait. :)

A NEW podcast! Of all the things I’m working on, this is the one my friends have had to listen to me go on and on about. (I love you for listening, friends! And I will love YOU for listening when it comes out.) I’d love to launch this TODAY but am currently planning for it to start on January 2nd.

And finally, if we were on a hike, I would tell you I’m taking three days off this week while my adventure partner in crime and her two kids (my “niece” and “nephew”) visit me in Squamish! We plan to spend most of Tuesday up in Whistler, then will have a day in Squamish before they head back to Victoria. I can’t wait to see them all and explore more of my new home together. :)

What would you tell me if we were on a hike today?

A Call for Guest Posts: With so many fun projects in the works, I want to open up my digital home and invite pitches for guest posts. I’ll still be doing my slow living experiments and blogging 3-4 times/month, but would love to start sharing 1-2 stories written by other people in this community every month going forward. If you have an idea for a post you think would be fit here, email me! The only thing I ask is that it be a personal story with a lesson on any of the topics you normally read about here (money, shopping bans, minimalism, simple living, mindfulness, etc.) and that the final post be at least 1,000 words. This community is stronger because you’re in it. I can’t wait to see what you share with us!

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!) posted first on cashforcarsperthblog.blogspot.com

[fesahaawit]

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!)

Hi friends! Once or twice a year, I like to share a list of general updates on my life and business. I used to call them our virtual coffee dates, but in line with the fact that I’ve been trying to get outside again more recently, I thought I’d take you on a virtual hike instead. :)

If I’m honest, I’ve felt a bit all over the map lately – ever since losing the girls. I’ll have a productive day followed by a day where I can’t seem to cross anything off my list; a happy day then a sad day. It comes in waves, like everyone said it would (and I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped walk me through this).

So, I’m writing this list for both of us. By giving you a glimpse at what’s been happening in my world, I hope to also get more clarity around what it is that I’m working towards. So many my ideas have been born on trails. I’m excited to share this virtual one with you.

If we were on a hike today:

I would pack a peanut butter sandwich, carrots, an apple and some trail mix, along with 1L of water with big slices of lemon and lime in it.

I would tell you the slow food experiment has been my favourite slow living experiment so far this year. I feel healthier and am sleeping better, and it’s also come with a number of non-health-related lessons. For example, cooking isn’t hard and it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. It takes trying a handful of new recipes to realize this, but it’s been so rewarding and now I feel genuinely excited to cook again. Oh, and compared to when I was a vegetarian in 2009-2013, it is so easy to switch to a vegan diet now! There are so many more options at grocery stores and restaurants. It’s been awesome to see. :)

I would offer to share a few of the recipes I’ve tried and enjoyed this month:

the Vietnamese rice noodle salad + ginger-sesame tofu from Thug Kitchen (borrowed from the library)

the sweet potato + avocado green salad from Minimalist Baker

this vegan alfredo sauce from Minimalist Baker, and

this smoothie bowl from Oh She Glows.

I would tell you that, aside from eating fish once, I’ve eaten a vegetarian (and often vegan) diet since June 30th – and I don’t see myself going back to eating meat anytime soon.

I would share that I’ve had to talk myself out of a lot of impulse purchases lately. I’m not entirely sure why I’ve been wanting to buy things, but I’m in a place where it’s easy to almost sell me on “needing” things. The good news is that even after submitting a couple orders, I’ve realized I don’t need those things and cancelled them. But I’m still journalling and trying to figure out what’s going on in my life that is making me want to shop at all. Stay tuned. I’ll write a post about it, once I figure it out.

Along that note, I would tell you I finally bought a desk! Or rather, I bought the base of an adjustable stand-up desk. This was definitely not an impulse purchase, as I’ve been living without a desk since March and was waiting until I found what I wanted. I’m still on the hunt for a tabletop but I have half a desk – which means I’m 50% closer to finally having an office at home! Hooray!

If we got on the subject, I would probably tell you I have finally started a more regular journalling practice. I currently have two going. The first is one I’ve modelled from the Five-Minute Journal, after Tammy told me how much gratitude it was bringing into her life. (Side note: I just wrote the prompts on the first page and follow them on regular lined paper after.) The other is just another regular journal that I’ve been writing some thoughts and observations in all year. It’s incredible how much this + therapy have helped me so far in 2017. It’s been a tough year, but I’m learning a lot about myself and can see how I’m changing every week.

I would rave about a podcast I just binge-listened to: Terrible, Thanks for Asking. The episodes are all interviews with people who have gone through tough things in life and who are willing to honestly answer the question: how are you? It’s hosted by Nora McInerny Purmort who is the author of It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too), which I am now listening to the audiobook version of. I would warn anyone who considers listening to the podcast that there could be some triggering language in it. I cried while listening to a few episodes. But it’s real. I can’t recommend them both enough.

Speaking of podcasts, I would also tell you about a few episodes of others that have been meaningful for me:

The Power of No with Oprah (Part 1 and Part 2) – Dear Sugar

Making Mindfulness Simple Again with Linda Esposito – The Slow Home Podcast

On Body Acceptance with Anna Guest-Jelley – Real Talk Radio

I might also remind you we’re halfway through the summer season of Budgets and Cents! ;)

On the business front, I would talk about how I’ve made a number of changes in mine. Aside from quitting freelancing in May, I also made the Mindful Budgeting Program FREE (it used to be $20). It feels odd to have intentionally removed two sources of income from my life, but the decision was exactly that: intentional.

For the rest of this year, I’ll be working on three big projects.

The book! The Year of Less comes out January 16th, and even though the actual writing and editing part is done, there’s a lot to do on the promotion side of things.

A program + community! Some people might call it a course, but I’m looking at this differently. There won’t be any quizzes or tests. Instead, there will be lessons and space/time for reflection. I’ll share more as I’m working on it, but look for this in October. I can’t wait. :)

A NEW podcast! Of all the things I’m working on, this is the one my friends have had to listen to me go on and on about. (I love you for listening, friends! And I will love YOU for listening when it comes out.) I’d love to launch this TODAY but am currently planning for it to start on January 2nd.

And finally, if we were on a hike, I would tell you I’m taking three days off this week while my adventure partner in crime and her two kids (my “niece” and “nephew”) visit me in Squamish! We plan to spend most of Tuesday up in Whistler, then will have a day in Squamish before they head back to Victoria. I can’t wait to see them all and explore more of my new home together. :)

What would you tell me if we were on a hike today?

A Call for Guest Posts: With so many fun projects in the works, I want to open up my digital home and invite pitches for guest posts. I’ll still be doing my slow living experiments and blogging 3-4 times/month, but would love to start sharing 1-2 stories written by other people in this community every month going forward. If you have an idea for a post you think would be fit here, email me! The only thing I ask is that it be a personal story with a lesson on any of the topics you normally read about here (money, shopping bans, minimalism, simple living, mindfulness, etc.) and that the final post be at least 1,000 words. This community is stronger because you’re in it. I can’t wait to see what you share with us!

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!) posted first on http://ift.tt/2lnwIdQ

[cash4youblog]

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!)

Hi friends! Once or twice a year, I like to share a list of general updates on my life and business. I used to call them our virtual coffee dates, but in line with the fact that I’ve been trying to get outside again more recently, I thought I’d take you on a virtual hike instead. :)

If I’m honest, I’ve felt a bit all over the map lately – ever since losing the girls. I’ll have a productive day followed by a day where I can’t seem to cross anything off my list; a happy day then a sad day. It comes in waves, like everyone said it would (and I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped walk me through this).

So, I’m writing this list for both of us. By giving you a glimpse at what’s been happening in my world, I hope to also get more clarity around what it is that I’m working towards. So many my ideas have been born on trails. I’m excited to share this virtual one with you.

If we were on a hike today:

I would pack a peanut butter sandwich, carrots, an apple and some trail mix, along with 1L of water with big slices of lemon and lime in it.

I would tell you the slow food experiment has been my favourite slow living experiment so far this year. I feel healthier and am sleeping better, and it’s also come with a number of non-health-related lessons. For example, cooking isn’t hard and it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. It takes trying a handful of new recipes to realize this, but it’s been so rewarding and now I feel genuinely excited to cook again. Oh, and compared to when I was a vegetarian in 2009-2013, it is so easy to switch to a vegan diet now! There are so many more options at grocery stores and restaurants. It’s been awesome to see. :)

I would offer to share a few of the recipes I’ve tried and enjoyed this month:

the Vietnamese rice noodle salad + ginger-sesame tofu from Thug Kitchen (borrowed from the library)

the sweet potato + avocado green salad from Minimalist Baker

this vegan alfredo sauce from Minimalist Baker, and

this smoothie bowl from Oh She Glows.

I would tell you that, aside from eating fish once, I’ve eaten a vegetarian (and often vegan) diet since June 30th – and I don’t see myself going back to eating meat anytime soon.

I would share that I’ve had to talk myself out of a lot of impulse purchases lately. I’m not entirely sure why I’ve been wanting to buy things, but I’m in a place where it’s easy to almost sell me on “needing” things. The good news is that even after submitting a couple orders, I’ve realized I don’t need those things and cancelled them. But I’m still journalling and trying to figure out what’s going on in my life that is making me want to shop at all. Stay tuned. I’ll write a post about it, once I figure it out.

Along that note, I would tell you I finally bought a desk! Or rather, I bought the base of an adjustable stand-up desk. This was definitely not an impulse purchase, as I’ve been living without a desk since March and was waiting until I found what I wanted. I’m still on the hunt for a tabletop but I have half a desk – which means I’m 50% closer to finally having an office at home! Hooray!

If we got on the subject, I would probably tell you I have finally started a more regular journalling practice. I currently have two going. The first is one I’ve modelled from the Five-Minute Journal, after Tammy told me how much gratitude it was bringing into her life. (Side note: I just wrote the prompts on the first page and follow them on regular lined paper after.) The other is just another regular journal that I’ve been writing some thoughts and observations in all year. It’s incredible how much this + therapy have helped me so far in 2017. It’s been a tough year, but I’m learning a lot about myself and can see how I’m changing every week.

I would rave about a podcast I just binge-listened to: Terrible, Thanks for Asking. The episodes are all interviews with people who have gone through tough things in life and who are willing to honestly answer the question: how are you? It’s hosted by Nora McInerny Purmort who is the author of It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too), which I am now listening to the audiobook version of. I would warn anyone who considers listening to the podcast that there could be some triggering language in it. I cried while listening to a few episodes. But it’s real. I can’t recommend them both enough.

Speaking of podcasts, I would also tell you about a few episodes of others that have been meaningful for me:

The Power of No with Oprah (Part 1 and Part 2) – Dear Sugar

Making Mindfulness Simple Again with Linda Esposito – The Slow Home Podcast

On Body Acceptance with Anna Guest-Jelley – Real Talk Radio

I might also remind you we’re halfway through the summer season of Budgets and Cents! ;)

On the business front, I would talk about how I’ve made a number of changes in mine. Aside from quitting freelancing in May, I also made the Mindful Budgeting Program FREE (it used to be $20). It feels odd to have intentionally removed two sources of income from my life, but the decision was exactly that: intentional.

For the rest of this year, I’ll be working on three big projects.

The book! The Year of Less comes out January 16th, and even though the actual writing and editing part is done, there’s a lot to do on the promotion side of things.

A program + community! Some people might call it a course, but I’m looking at this differently. There won’t be any quizzes or tests. Instead, there will be lessons and space/time for reflection. I’ll share more as I’m working on it, but look for this in October. I can’t wait. :)

A NEW podcast! Of all the things I’m working on, this is the one my friends have had to listen to me go on and on about. (I love you for listening, friends! And I will love YOU for listening when it comes out.) I’d love to launch this TODAY but am currently planning for it to start on January 2nd.

And finally, if we were on a hike, I would tell you I’m taking three days off this week while my adventure partner in crime and her two kids (my “niece” and “nephew”) visit me in Squamish! We plan to spend most of Tuesday up in Whistler, then will have a day in Squamish before they head back to Victoria. I can’t wait to see them all and explore more of my new home together. :)

What would you tell me if we were on a hike today?

A Call for Guest Posts: With so many fun projects in the works, I want to open up my digital home and invite pitches for guest posts. I’ll still be doing my slow living experiments and blogging 3-4 times/month, but would love to start sharing 1-2 stories written by other people in this community every month going forward. If you have an idea for a post you think would be fit here, email me! The only thing I ask is that it be a personal story with a lesson on any of the topics you normally read about here (money, shopping bans, minimalism, simple living, mindfulness, etc.) and that the final post be at least 1,000 words. This community is stronger because you’re in it. I can’t wait to see what you share with us!

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!) posted first on http://ift.tt/2sSbQiu

[carpediempagesite]

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!)

Hi friends! Once or twice a year, I like to share a list of general updates on my life and business. I used to call them our virtual coffee dates, but in line with the fact that I’ve been trying to get outside again more recently, I thought I’d take you on a virtual hike instead. :)

If I’m honest, I’ve felt a bit all over the map lately – ever since losing the girls. I’ll have a productive day followed by a day where I can’t seem to cross anything off my list; a happy day then a sad day. It comes in waves, like everyone said it would (and I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped walk me through this).

So, I’m writing this list for both of us. By giving you a glimpse at what’s been happening in my world, I hope to also get more clarity around what it is that I’m working towards. So many my ideas have been born on trails. I’m excited to share this virtual one with you.

If we were on a hike today:

I would pack a peanut butter sandwich, carrots, an apple and some trail mix, along with 1L of water with big slices of lemon and lime in it.

I would tell you the slow food experiment has been my favourite slow living experiment so far this year. I feel healthier and am sleeping better, and it’s also come with a number of non-health-related lessons. For example, cooking isn’t hard and it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. It takes trying a handful of new recipes to realize this, but it’s been so rewarding and now I feel genuinely excited to cook again. Oh, and compared to when I was a vegetarian in 2009-2013, it is so easy to switch to a vegan diet now! There are so many more options at grocery stores and restaurants. It’s been awesome to see. :)

I would offer to share a few of the recipes I’ve tried and enjoyed this month:

the Vietnamese rice noodle salad + ginger-sesame tofu from Thug Kitchen (borrowed from the library)

the sweet potato + avocado green salad from Minimalist Baker

this vegan alfredo sauce from Minimalist Baker, and

this smoothie bowl from Oh She Glows.

I would tell you that, aside from eating fish once, I’ve eaten a vegetarian (and often vegan) diet since June 30th – and I don’t see myself going back to eating meat anytime soon.

I would share that I’ve had to talk myself out of a lot of impulse purchases lately. I’m not entirely sure why I’ve been wanting to buy things, but I’m in a place where it’s easy to almost sell me on “needing” things. The good news is that even after submitting a couple orders, I’ve realized I don’t need those things and cancelled them. But I’m still journalling and trying to figure out what’s going on in my life that is making me want to shop at all. Stay tuned. I’ll write a post about it, once I figure it out.

Along that note, I would tell you I finally bought a desk! Or rather, I bought the base of an adjustable stand-up desk. This was definitely not an impulse purchase, as I’ve been living without a desk since March and was waiting until I found what I wanted. I’m still on the hunt for a tabletop but I have half a desk – which means I’m 50% closer to finally having an office at home! Hooray!

If we got on the subject, I would probably tell you I have finally started a more regular journalling practice. I currently have two going. The first is one I’ve modelled from the Five-Minute Journal, after Tammy told me how much gratitude it was bringing into her life. (Side note: I just wrote the prompts on the first page and follow them on regular lined paper after.) The other is just another regular journal that I’ve been writing some thoughts and observations in all year. It’s incredible how much this + therapy have helped me so far in 2017. It’s been a tough year, but I’m learning a lot about myself and can see how I’m changing every week.

I would rave about a podcast I just binge-listened to: Terrible, Thanks for Asking. The episodes are all interviews with people who have gone through tough things in life and who are willing to honestly answer the question: how are you? It’s hosted by Nora McInerny Purmort who is the author of It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too), which I am now listening to the audiobook version of. I would warn anyone who considers listening to the podcast that there could be some triggering language in it. I cried while listening to a few episodes. But it’s real. I can’t recommend them both enough.

Speaking of podcasts, I would also tell you about a few episodes of others that have been meaningful for me:

The Power of No with Oprah (Part 1 and Part 2) – Dear Sugar

Making Mindfulness Simple Again with Linda Esposito – The Slow Home Podcast

On Body Acceptance with Anna Guest-Jelley – Real Talk Radio

I might also remind you we’re halfway through the summer season of Budgets and Cents! ;)

On the business front, I would talk about how I’ve made a number of changes in mine. Aside from quitting freelancing in May, I also made the Mindful Budgeting Program FREE (it used to be $20). It feels odd to have intentionally removed two sources of income from my life, but the decision was exactly that: intentional.

For the rest of this year, I’ll be working on three big projects.

The book! The Year of Less comes out January 16th, and even though the actual writing and editing part is done, there’s a lot to do on the promotion side of things.

A program + community! Some people might call it a course, but I’m looking at this differently. There won’t be any quizzes or tests. Instead, there will be lessons and space/time for reflection. I’ll share more as I’m working on it, but look for this in October. I can’t wait. :)

A NEW podcast! Of all the things I’m working on, this is the one my friends have had to listen to me go on and on about. (I love you for listening, friends! And I will love YOU for listening when it comes out.) I’d love to launch this TODAY but am currently planning for it to start on January 2nd.

And finally, if we were on a hike, I would tell you I’m taking three days off this week while my adventure partner in crime and her two kids (my “niece” and “nephew”) visit me in Squamish! We plan to spend most of Tuesday up in Whistler, then will have a day in Squamish before they head back to Victoria. I can’t wait to see them all and explore more of my new home together. :)

What would you tell me if we were on a hike today?

A Call for Guest Posts: With so many fun projects in the works, I want to open up my digital home and invite pitches for guest posts. I’ll still be doing my slow living experiments and blogging 3-4 times/month, but would love to start sharing 1-2 stories written by other people in this community every month going forward. If you have an idea for a post you think would be fit here, email me! The only thing I ask is that it be a personal story with a lesson on any of the topics you normally read about here (money, shopping bans, minimalism, simple living, mindfulness, etc.) and that the final post be at least 1,000 words. This community is stronger because you’re in it. I can’t wait to see what you share with us!

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!) posted first on cashforcarsperthblog.blogspot.com

[carpediempagesite]

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!)

Hi friends! Once or twice a year, I like to share a list of general updates on my life and business. I used to call them our virtual coffee dates, but in line with the fact that I’ve been trying to get outside again more recently, I thought I’d take you on a virtual hike instead. :)

If I’m honest, I’ve felt a bit all over the map lately – ever since losing the girls. I’ll have a productive day followed by a day where I can’t seem to cross anything off my list; a happy day then a sad day. It comes in waves, like everyone said it would (and I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped walk me through this).

So, I’m writing this list for both of us. By giving you a glimpse at what’s been happening in my world, I hope to also get more clarity around what it is that I’m working towards. So many my ideas have been born on trails. I’m excited to share this virtual one with you.

If we were on a hike today:

I would pack a peanut butter sandwich, carrots, an apple and some trail mix, along with 1L of water with big slices of lemon and lime in it.

I would tell you the slow food experiment has been my favourite slow living experiment so far this year. I feel healthier and am sleeping better, and it’s also come with a number of non-health-related lessons. For example, cooking isn’t hard and it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. It takes trying a handful of new recipes to realize this, but it’s been so rewarding and now I feel genuinely excited to cook again. Oh, and compared to when I was a vegetarian in 2009-2013, it is so easy to switch to a vegan diet now! There are so many more options at grocery stores and restaurants. It’s been awesome to see. :)

I would offer to share a few of the recipes I’ve tried and enjoyed this month:

the Vietnamese rice noodle salad + ginger-sesame tofu from Thug Kitchen (borrowed from the library)

the sweet potato + avocado green salad from Minimalist Baker

this vegan alfredo sauce from Minimalist Baker, and

this smoothie bowl from Oh She Glows.

I would tell you that, aside from eating fish once, I’ve eaten a vegetarian (and often vegan) diet since June 30th – and I don’t see myself going back to eating meat anytime soon.

I would share that I’ve had to talk myself out of a lot of impulse purchases lately. I’m not entirely sure why I’ve been wanting to buy things, but I’m in a place where it’s easy to almost sell me on “needing” things. The good news is that even after submitting a couple orders, I’ve realized I don’t need those things and cancelled them. But I’m still journalling and trying to figure out what’s going on in my life that is making me want to shop at all. Stay tuned. I’ll write a post about it, once I figure it out.

Along that note, I would tell you I finally bought a desk! Or rather, I bought the base of an adjustable stand-up desk. This was definitely not an impulse purchase, as I’ve been living without a desk since March and was waiting until I found what I wanted. I’m still on the hunt for a tabletop but I have half a desk – which means I’m 50% closer to finally having an office at home! Hooray!

If we got on the subject, I would probably tell you I have finally started a more regular journalling practice. I currently have two going. The first is one I’ve modelled from the Five-Minute Journal, after Tammy told me how much gratitude it was bringing into her life. (Side note: I just wrote the prompts on the first page and follow them on regular lined paper after.) The other is just another regular journal that I’ve been writing some thoughts and observations in all year. It’s incredible how much this + therapy have helped me so far in 2017. It’s been a tough year, but I’m learning a lot about myself and can see how I’m changing every week.

I would rave about a podcast I just binge-listened to: Terrible, Thanks for Asking. The episodes are all interviews with people who have gone through tough things in life and who are willing to honestly answer the question: how are you? It’s hosted by Nora McInerny Purmort who is the author of It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too), which I am now listening to the audiobook version of. I would warn anyone who considers listening to the podcast that there could be some triggering language in it. I cried while listening to a few episodes. But it’s real. I can’t recommend them both enough.

Speaking of podcasts, I would also tell you about a few episodes of others that have been meaningful for me:

The Power of No with Oprah (Part 1 and Part 2) – Dear Sugar

Making Mindfulness Simple Again with Linda Esposito – The Slow Home Podcast

On Body Acceptance with Anna Guest-Jelley – Real Talk Radio

I might also remind you we’re halfway through the summer season of Budgets and Cents! ;)

On the business front, I would talk about how I’ve made a number of changes in mine. Aside from quitting freelancing in May, I also made the Mindful Budgeting Program FREE (it used to be $20). It feels odd to have intentionally removed two sources of income from my life, but the decision was exactly that: intentional.

For the rest of this year, I’ll be working on three big projects.

The book! The Year of Less comes out January 16th, and even though the actual writing and editing part is done, there’s a lot to do on the promotion side of things.

A program + community! Some people might call it a course, but I’m looking at this differently. There won’t be any quizzes or tests. Instead, there will be lessons and space/time for reflection. I’ll share more as I’m working on it, but look for this in October. I can’t wait. :)

A NEW podcast! Of all the things I’m working on, this is the one my friends have had to listen to me go on and on about. (I love you for listening, friends! And I will love YOU for listening when it comes out.) I’d love to launch this TODAY but am currently planning for it to start on January 2nd.

And finally, if we were on a hike, I would tell you I’m taking three days off this week while my adventure partner in crime and her two kids (my “niece” and “nephew”) visit me in Squamish! We plan to spend most of Tuesday up in Whistler, then will have a day in Squamish before they head back to Victoria. I can’t wait to see them all and explore more of my new home together. :)

What would you tell me if we were on a hike today?

A Call for Guest Posts: With so many fun projects in the works, I want to open up my digital home and invite pitches for guest posts. I’ll still be doing my slow living experiments and blogging 3-4 times/month, but would love to start sharing 1-2 stories written by other people in this community every month going forward. If you have an idea for a post you think would be fit here, email me! The only thing I ask is that it be a personal story with a lesson on any of the topics you normally read about here (money, shopping bans, minimalism, simple living, mindfulness, etc.) and that the final post be at least 1,000 words. This community is stronger because you’re in it. I can’t wait to see what you share with us!

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!) posted first on cashforcarsperthblog.blogspot.com

[fesahaawit]

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!)

Hi friends! Once or twice a year, I like to share a list of general updates on my life and business. I used to call them our virtual coffee dates, but in line with the fact that I’ve been trying to get outside again more recently, I thought I’d take you on a virtual hike instead. :)

If I’m honest, I’ve felt a bit all over the map lately – ever since losing the girls. I’ll have a productive day followed by a day where I can’t seem to cross anything off my list; a happy day then a sad day. It comes in waves, like everyone said it would (and I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped walk me through this).

So, I’m writing this list for both of us. By giving you a glimpse at what’s been happening in my world, I hope to also get more clarity around what it is that I’m working towards. So many my ideas have been born on trails. I’m excited to share this virtual one with you.

If we were on a hike today:

I would pack a peanut butter sandwich, carrots, an apple and some trail mix, along with 1L of water with big slices of lemon and lime in it.

I would tell you the slow food experiment has been my favourite slow living experiment so far this year. I feel healthier and am sleeping better, and it’s also come with a number of non-health-related lessons. For example, cooking isn’t hard and it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. It takes trying a handful of new recipes to realize this, but it’s been so rewarding and now I feel genuinely excited to cook again. Oh, and compared to when I was a vegetarian in 2009-2013, it is so easy to switch to a vegan diet now! There are so many more options at grocery stores and restaurants. It’s been awesome to see. :)

I would offer to share a few of the recipes I’ve tried and enjoyed this month:

the Vietnamese rice noodle salad + ginger-sesame tofu from Thug Kitchen (borrowed from the library)

the sweet potato + avocado green salad from Minimalist Baker

this vegan alfredo sauce from Minimalist Baker, and

this smoothie bowl from Oh She Glows.

I would tell you that, aside from eating fish once, I’ve eaten a vegetarian (and often vegan) diet since June 30th – and I don’t see myself going back to eating meat anytime soon.

I would share that I’ve had to talk myself out of a lot of impulse purchases lately. I’m not entirely sure why I’ve been wanting to buy things, but I’m in a place where it’s easy to almost sell me on “needing” things. The good news is that even after submitting a couple orders, I’ve realized I don’t need those things and cancelled them. But I’m still journalling and trying to figure out what’s going on in my life that is making me want to shop at all. Stay tuned. I’ll write a post about it, once I figure it out.

Along that note, I would tell you I finally bought a desk! Or rather, I bought the base of an adjustable stand-up desk. This was definitely not an impulse purchase, as I’ve been living without a desk since March and was waiting until I found what I wanted. I’m still on the hunt for a tabletop but I have half a desk – which means I’m 50% closer to finally having an office at home! Hooray!

If we got on the subject, I would probably tell you I have finally started a more regular journalling practice. I currently have two going. The first is one I’ve modelled from the Five-Minute Journal, after Tammy told me how much gratitude it was bringing into her life. (Side note: I just wrote the prompts on the first page and follow them on regular lined paper after.) The other is just another regular journal that I’ve been writing some thoughts and observations in all year. It’s incredible how much this + therapy have helped me so far in 2017. It’s been a tough year, but I’m learning a lot about myself and can see how I’m changing every week.

I would rave about a podcast I just binge-listened to: Terrible, Thanks for Asking. The episodes are all interviews with people who have gone through tough things in life and who are willing to honestly answer the question: how are you? It’s hosted by Nora McInerny Purmort who is the author of It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too), which I am now listening to the audiobook version of. I would warn anyone who considers listening to the podcast that there could be some triggering language in it. I cried while listening to a few episodes. But it’s real. I can’t recommend them both enough.

Speaking of podcasts, I would also tell you about a few episodes of others that have been meaningful for me:

The Power of No with Oprah (Part 1 and Part 2) – Dear Sugar

Making Mindfulness Simple Again with Linda Esposito – The Slow Home Podcast

On Body Acceptance with Anna Guest-Jelley – Real Talk Radio

I might also remind you we’re halfway through the summer season of Budgets and Cents! ;)

On the business front, I would talk about how I’ve made a number of changes in mine. Aside from quitting freelancing in May, I also made the Mindful Budgeting Program FREE (it used to be $20). It feels odd to have intentionally removed two sources of income from my life, but the decision was exactly that: intentional.

For the rest of this year, I’ll be working on three big projects.

The book! The Year of Less comes out January 16th, and even though the actual writing and editing part is done, there’s a lot to do on the promotion side of things.

A program + community! Some people might call it a course, but I’m looking at this differently. There won’t be any quizzes or tests. Instead, there will be lessons and space/time for reflection. I’ll share more as I’m working on it, but look for this in October. I can’t wait. :)

A NEW podcast! Of all the things I’m working on, this is the one my friends have had to listen to me go on and on about. (I love you for listening, friends! And I will love YOU for listening when it comes out.) I’d love to launch this TODAY but am currently planning for it to start on January 2nd.

And finally, if we were on a hike, I would tell you I’m taking three days off this week while my adventure partner in crime and her two kids (my “niece” and “nephew”) visit me in Squamish! We plan to spend most of Tuesday up in Whistler, then will have a day in Squamish before they head back to Victoria. I can’t wait to see them all and explore more of my new home together. :)

What would you tell me if we were on a hike today?

A Call for Guest Posts: With so many fun projects in the works, I want to open up my digital home and invite pitches for guest posts. I’ll still be doing my slow living experiments and blogging 3-4 times/month, but would love to start sharing 1-2 stories written by other people in this community every month going forward. If you have an idea for a post you think would be fit here, email me! The only thing I ask is that it be a personal story with a lesson on any of the topics you normally read about here (money, shopping bans, minimalism, simple living, mindfulness, etc.) and that the final post be at least 1,000 words. This community is stronger because you’re in it. I can’t wait to see what you share with us!

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!) posted first on http://ift.tt/2lnwIdQ

[carpediempagesite]

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!)

Hi friends! Once or twice a year, I like to share a list of general updates on my life and business. I used to call them our virtual coffee dates, but in line with the fact that I’ve been trying to get outside again more recently, I thought I’d take you on a virtual hike instead. :)

If I’m honest, I’ve felt a bit all over the map lately – ever since losing the girls. I’ll have a productive day followed by a day where I can’t seem to cross anything off my list; a happy day then a sad day. It comes in waves, like everyone said it would (and I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped walk me through this).

So, I’m writing this list for both of us. By giving you a glimpse at what’s been happening in my world, I hope to also get more clarity around what it is that I’m working towards. So many my ideas have been born on trails. I’m excited to share this virtual one with you.

If we were on a hike today:

I would pack a peanut butter sandwich, carrots, an apple and some trail mix, along with 1L of water with big slices of lemon and lime in it.

I would tell you the slow food experiment has been my favourite slow living experiment so far this year. I feel healthier and am sleeping better, and it’s also come with a number of non-health-related lessons. For example, cooking isn’t hard and it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. It takes trying a handful of new recipes to realize this, but it’s been so rewarding and now I feel genuinely excited to cook again. Oh, and compared to when I was a vegetarian in 2009-2013, it is so easy to switch to a vegan diet now! There are so many more options at grocery stores and restaurants. It’s been awesome to see. :)

I would offer to share a few of the recipes I’ve tried and enjoyed this month:

the Vietnamese rice noodle salad + ginger-sesame tofu from Thug Kitchen (borrowed from the library)

the sweet potato + avocado green salad from Minimalist Baker

this vegan alfredo sauce from Minimalist Baker, and

this smoothie bowl from Oh She Glows.

I would tell you that, aside from eating fish once, I’ve eaten a vegetarian (and often vegan) diet since June 30th – and I don’t see myself going back to eating meat anytime soon.

I would share that I’ve had to talk myself out of a lot of impulse purchases lately. I’m not entirely sure why I’ve been wanting to buy things, but I’m in a place where it’s easy to almost sell me on “needing” things. The good news is that even after submitting a couple orders, I’ve realized I don’t need those things and cancelled them. But I’m still journalling and trying to figure out what’s going on in my life that is making me want to shop at all. Stay tuned. I’ll write a post about it, once I figure it out.

Along that note, I would tell you I finally bought a desk! Or rather, I bought the base of an adjustable stand-up desk. This was definitely not an impulse purchase, as I’ve been living without a desk since March and was waiting until I found what I wanted. I’m still on the hunt for a tabletop but I have half a desk – which means I’m 50% closer to finally having an office at home! Hooray!

If we got on the subject, I would probably tell you I have finally started a more regular journalling practice. I currently have two going. The first is one I’ve modelled from the Five-Minute Journal, after Tammy told me how much gratitude it was bringing into her life. (Side note: I just wrote the prompts on the first page and follow them on regular lined paper after.) The other is just another regular journal that I’ve been writing some thoughts and observations in all year. It’s incredible how much this + therapy have helped me so far in 2017. It’s been a tough year, but I’m learning a lot about myself and can see how I’m changing every week.

I would rave about a podcast I just binge-listened to: Terrible, Thanks for Asking. The episodes are all interviews with people who have gone through tough things in life and who are willing to honestly answer the question: how are you? It’s hosted by Nora McInerny Purmort who is the author of It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too), which I am now listening to the audiobook version of. I would warn anyone who considers listening to the podcast that there could be some triggering language in it. I cried while listening to a few episodes. But it’s real. I can’t recommend them both enough.

Speaking of podcasts, I would also tell you about a few episodes of others that have been meaningful for me:

The Power of No with Oprah (Part 1 and Part 2) – Dear Sugar

Making Mindfulness Simple Again with Linda Esposito – The Slow Home Podcast

On Body Acceptance with Anna Guest-Jelley – Real Talk Radio

I might also remind you we’re halfway through the summer season of Budgets and Cents! ;)

On the business front, I would talk about how I’ve made a number of changes in mine. Aside from quitting freelancing in May, I also made the Mindful Budgeting Program FREE (it used to be $20). It feels odd to have intentionally removed two sources of income from my life, but the decision was exactly that: intentional.

For the rest of this year, I’ll be working on three big projects.

The book! The Year of Less comes out January 16th, and even though the actual writing and editing part is done, there’s a lot to do on the promotion side of things.

A program + community! Some people might call it a course, but I’m looking at this differently. There won’t be any quizzes or tests. Instead, there will be lessons and space/time for reflection. I’ll share more as I’m working on it, but look for this in October. I can’t wait. :)

A NEW podcast! Of all the things I’m working on, this is the one my friends have had to listen to me go on and on about. (I love you for listening, friends! And I will love YOU for listening when it comes out.) I’d love to launch this TODAY but am currently planning for it to start on January 2nd.

And finally, if we were on a hike, I would tell you I’m taking three days off this week while my adventure partner in crime and her two kids (my “niece” and “nephew”) visit me in Squamish! We plan to spend most of Tuesday up in Whistler, then will have a day in Squamish before they head back to Victoria. I can’t wait to see them all and explore more of my new home together. :)

What would you tell me if we were on a hike today?

A Call for Guest Posts: With so many fun projects in the works, I want to open up my digital home and invite pitches for guest posts. I’ll still be doing my slow living experiments and blogging 3-4 times/month, but would love to start sharing 1-2 stories written by other people in this community every month going forward. If you have an idea for a post you think would be fit here, email me! The only thing I ask is that it be a personal story with a lesson on any of the topics you normally read about here (money, shopping bans, minimalism, simple living, mindfulness, etc.) and that the final post be at least 1,000 words. This community is stronger because you’re in it. I can’t wait to see what you share with us!

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!) posted first on cashforcarsperthblog.blogspot.com

[fesahaawit]

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!)

Hi friends! Once or twice a year, I like to share a list of general updates on my life and business. I used to call them our virtual coffee dates, but in line with the fact that I’ve been trying to get outside again more recently, I thought I’d take you on a virtual hike instead. :)

If I’m honest, I’ve felt a bit all over the map lately – ever since losing the girls. I’ll have a productive day followed by a day where I can’t seem to cross anything off my list; a happy day then a sad day. It comes in waves, like everyone said it would (and I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped walk me through this).

So, I’m writing this list for both of us. By giving you a glimpse at what’s been happening in my world, I hope to also get more clarity around what it is that I’m working towards. So many my ideas have been born on trails. I’m excited to share this virtual one with you.

If we were on a hike today:

I would pack a peanut butter sandwich, carrots, an apple and some trail mix, along with 1L of water with big slices of lemon and lime in it.

I would tell you the slow food experiment has been my favourite slow living experiment so far this year. I feel healthier and am sleeping better, and it’s also come with a number of non-health-related lessons. For example, cooking isn’t hard and it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. It takes trying a handful of new recipes to realize this, but it’s been so rewarding and now I feel genuinely excited to cook again. Oh, and compared to when I was a vegetarian in 2009-2013, it is so easy to switch to a vegan diet now! There are so many more options at grocery stores and restaurants. It’s been awesome to see. :)

I would offer to share a few of the recipes I’ve tried and enjoyed this month:

the Vietnamese rice noodle salad + ginger-sesame tofu from Thug Kitchen (borrowed from the library)

the sweet potato + avocado green salad from Minimalist Baker

this vegan alfredo sauce from Minimalist Baker, and

this smoothie bowl from Oh She Glows.

I would tell you that, aside from eating fish once, I’ve eaten a vegetarian (and often vegan) diet since June 30th – and I don’t see myself going back to eating meat anytime soon.

I would share that I’ve had to talk myself out of a lot of impulse purchases lately. I’m not entirely sure why I’ve been wanting to buy things, but I’m in a place where it’s easy to almost sell me on “needing” things. The good news is that even after submitting a couple orders, I’ve realized I don’t need those things and cancelled them. But I’m still journalling and trying to figure out what’s going on in my life that is making me want to shop at all. Stay tuned. I’ll write a post about it, once I figure it out.

Along that note, I would tell you I finally bought a desk! Or rather, I bought the base of an adjustable stand-up desk. This was definitely not an impulse purchase, as I’ve been living without a desk since March and was waiting until I found what I wanted. I’m still on the hunt for a tabletop but I have half a desk – which means I’m 50% closer to finally having an office at home! Hooray!

If we got on the subject, I would probably tell you I have finally started a more regular journalling practice. I currently have two going. The first is one I’ve modelled from the Five-Minute Journal, after Tammy told me how much gratitude it was bringing into her life. (Side note: I just wrote the prompts on the first page and follow them on regular lined paper after.) The other is just another regular journal that I’ve been writing some thoughts and observations in all year. It’s incredible how much this + therapy have helped me so far in 2017. It’s been a tough year, but I’m learning a lot about myself and can see how I’m changing every week.

I would rave about a podcast I just binge-listened to: Terrible, Thanks for Asking. The episodes are all interviews with people who have gone through tough things in life and who are willing to honestly answer the question: how are you? It’s hosted by Nora McInerny Purmort who is the author of It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too), which I am now listening to the audiobook version of. I would warn anyone who considers listening to the podcast that there could be some triggering language in it. I cried while listening to a few episodes. But it’s real. I can’t recommend them both enough.

Speaking of podcasts, I would also tell you about a few episodes of others that have been meaningful for me:

The Power of No with Oprah (Part 1 and Part 2) – Dear Sugar

Making Mindfulness Simple Again with Linda Esposito – The Slow Home Podcast

On Body Acceptance with Anna Guest-Jelley – Real Talk Radio

I might also remind you we’re halfway through the summer season of Budgets and Cents! ;)

On the business front, I would talk about how I’ve made a number of changes in mine. Aside from quitting freelancing in May, I also made the Mindful Budgeting Program FREE (it used to be $20). It feels odd to have intentionally removed two sources of income from my life, but the decision was exactly that: intentional.

For the rest of this year, I’ll be working on three big projects.

The book! The Year of Less comes out January 16th, and even though the actual writing and editing part is done, there’s a lot to do on the promotion side of things.

A program + community! Some people might call it a course, but I’m looking at this differently. There won’t be any quizzes or tests. Instead, there will be lessons and space/time for reflection. I’ll share more as I’m working on it, but look for this in October. I can’t wait. :)

A NEW podcast! Of all the things I’m working on, this is the one my friends have had to listen to me go on and on about. (I love you for listening, friends! And I will love YOU for listening when it comes out.) I’d love to launch this TODAY but am currently planning for it to start on January 2nd.

And finally, if we were on a hike, I would tell you I’m taking three days off this week while my adventure partner in crime and her two kids (my “niece” and “nephew”) visit me in Squamish! We plan to spend most of Tuesday up in Whistler, then will have a day in Squamish before they head back to Victoria. I can’t wait to see them all and explore more of my new home together. :)

What would you tell me if we were on a hike today?

A Call for Guest Posts: With so many fun projects in the works, I want to open up my digital home and invite pitches for guest posts. I’ll still be doing my slow living experiments and blogging 3-4 times/month, but would love to start sharing 1-2 stories written by other people in this community every month going forward. If you have an idea for a post you think would be fit here, email me! The only thing I ask is that it be a personal story with a lesson on any of the topics you normally read about here (money, shopping bans, minimalism, simple living, mindfulness, etc.) and that the final post be at least 1,000 words. This community is stronger because you’re in it. I can’t wait to see what you share with us!

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!) posted first on http://ift.tt/2lnwIdQ

[carpediempagesite]

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!)

Hi friends! Once or twice a year, I like to share a list of general updates on my life and business. I used to call them our virtual coffee dates, but in line with the fact that I’ve been trying to get outside again more recently, I thought I’d take you on a virtual hike instead. :)

If I’m honest, I’ve felt a bit all over the map lately – ever since losing the girls. I’ll have a productive day followed by a day where I can’t seem to cross anything off my list; a happy day then a sad day. It comes in waves, like everyone said it would (and I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped walk me through this).

So, I’m writing this list for both of us. By giving you a glimpse at what’s been happening in my world, I hope to also get more clarity around what it is that I’m working towards. So many my ideas have been born on trails. I’m excited to share this virtual one with you.

If we were on a hike today:

I would pack a peanut butter sandwich, carrots, an apple and some trail mix, along with 1L of water with big slices of lemon and lime in it.

I would tell you the slow food experiment has been my favourite slow living experiment so far this year. I feel healthier and am sleeping better, and it’s also come with a number of non-health-related lessons. For example, cooking isn’t hard and it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. It takes trying a handful of new recipes to realize this, but it’s been so rewarding and now I feel genuinely excited to cook again. Oh, and compared to when I was a vegetarian in 2009-2013, it is so easy to switch to a vegan diet now! There are so many more options at grocery stores and restaurants. It’s been awesome to see. :)

I would offer to share a few of the recipes I’ve tried and enjoyed this month:

the Vietnamese rice noodle salad + ginger-sesame tofu from Thug Kitchen (borrowed from the library)

the sweet potato + avocado green salad from Minimalist Baker

this vegan alfredo sauce from Minimalist Baker, and

this smoothie bowl from Oh She Glows.

I would tell you that, aside from eating fish once, I’ve eaten a vegetarian (and often vegan) diet since June 30th – and I don’t see myself going back to eating meat anytime soon.

I would share that I’ve had to talk myself out of a lot of impulse purchases lately. I’m not entirely sure why I’ve been wanting to buy things, but I’m in a place where it’s easy to almost sell me on “needing” things. The good news is that even after submitting a couple orders, I’ve realized I don’t need those things and cancelled them. But I’m still journalling and trying to figure out what’s going on in my life that is making me want to shop at all. Stay tuned. I’ll write a post about it, once I figure it out.

Along that note, I would tell you I finally bought a desk! Or rather, I bought the base of an adjustable stand-up desk. This was definitely not an impulse purchase, as I’ve been living without a desk since March and was waiting until I found what I wanted. I’m still on the hunt for a tabletop but I have half a desk – which means I’m 50% closer to finally having an office at home! Hooray!

If we got on the subject, I would probably tell you I have finally started a more regular journalling practice. I currently have two going. The first is one I’ve modelled from the Five-Minute Journal, after Tammy told me how much gratitude it was bringing into her life. (Side note: I just wrote the prompts on the first page and follow them on regular lined paper after.) The other is just another regular journal that I’ve been writing some thoughts and observations in all year. It’s incredible how much this + therapy have helped me so far in 2017. It’s been a tough year, but I’m learning a lot about myself and can see how I’m changing every week.

I would rave about a podcast I just binge-listened to: Terrible, Thanks for Asking. The episodes are all interviews with people who have gone through tough things in life and who are willing to honestly answer the question: how are you? It’s hosted by Nora McInerny Purmort who is the author of It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too), which I am now listening to the audiobook version of. I would warn anyone who considers listening to the podcast that there could be some triggering language in it. I cried while listening to a few episodes. But it’s real. I can’t recommend them both enough.

Speaking of podcasts, I would also tell you about a few episodes of others that have been meaningful for me:

The Power of No with Oprah (Part 1 and Part 2) – Dear Sugar

Making Mindfulness Simple Again with Linda Esposito – The Slow Home Podcast

On Body Acceptance with Anna Guest-Jelley – Real Talk Radio

I might also remind you we’re halfway through the summer season of Budgets and Cents! ;)

On the business front, I would talk about how I’ve made a number of changes in mine. Aside from quitting freelancing in May, I also made the Mindful Budgeting Program FREE (it used to be $20). It feels odd to have intentionally removed two sources of income from my life, but the decision was exactly that: intentional.

For the rest of this year, I’ll be working on three big projects.

The book! The Year of Less comes out January 16th, and even though the actual writing and editing part is done, there’s a lot to do on the promotion side of things.

A program + community! Some people might call it a course, but I’m looking at this differently. There won’t be any quizzes or tests. Instead, there will be lessons and space/time for reflection. I’ll share more as I’m working on it, but look for this in October. I can’t wait. :)

A NEW podcast! Of all the things I’m working on, this is the one my friends have had to listen to me go on and on about. (I love you for listening, friends! And I will love YOU for listening when it comes out.) I’d love to launch this TODAY but am currently planning for it to start on January 2nd.

And finally, if we were on a hike, I would tell you I’m taking three days off this week while my adventure partner in crime and her two kids (my “niece” and “nephew”) visit me in Squamish! We plan to spend most of Tuesday up in Whistler, then will have a day in Squamish before they head back to Victoria. I can’t wait to see them all and explore more of my new home together. :)

What would you tell me if we were on a hike today?

A Call for Guest Posts: With so many fun projects in the works, I want to open up my digital home and invite pitches for guest posts. I’ll still be doing my slow living experiments and blogging 3-4 times/month, but would love to start sharing 1-2 stories written by other people in this community every month going forward. If you have an idea for a post you think would be fit here, email me! The only thing I ask is that it be a personal story with a lesson on any of the topics you normally read about here (money, shopping bans, minimalism, simple living, mindfulness, etc.) and that the final post be at least 1,000 words. This community is stronger because you’re in it. I can’t wait to see what you share with us!

If We Went on a Hike Today (+ a Call for Guest Posts!) posted first on cashforcarsperthblog.blogspot.com