In an effort to actually maintain my 2020 goals, because they are in fact good for me, I figured I would blog about them. This seems to be a good medium for reflection and accountability for me. Soooo let’s see how I did in April, shall we?
1. Find a morning prayer routine
You’d imagine I would have memorized this by now, but I think my problem is that I just open my book & read it kind of unintentionally because I’m tired. So my goal this month was intentionally reading it to hopefully have it memorized.
O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day
for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart,
in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world,
for the salvation of souls, the reparation of sins, the reunion of all Christians,
and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father this month.
Amen.
I added the Memorare to my daily routine for Lent but I liked it so much, I purchased a mirror cling from Studio Senn.
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.
Amen.
2. Travel internationally relatively cheaply at least once
Welp coronavirus ruins everything. At this rate, maybe I can manage to go somewhere for Thanksgiving or Christmas? Who even knows anymore. Now I’m just trying to tie up loose ends on those trips I had planned to try and get some money back, reschedule or cancel. So heartbreaking!
3. Finish our master bathroom renovation
The bathroom mirror is UP!!!! yayayayayy…now just to put in hooks for towels, a shelf perhaps, artwork, & a hamper. SO CLOSE.
4. Work out at least twice a week
Week 1:
- Saturday, April 4: yard work & an evening walk (don’t hate, this is my blog, & I say it counts)
Week 2:
- Sunday, April 5: 5 mile forest hike with a friend
- Monday, April 6: The WRKOUT: #14 – Ab Bonus (23:58 – so she says this is supposed to be an attachment to another workout….sure)
- Tuesday, April 7: Pilates: Level 2, Class 1 (31:34)
- Wednesday, April 8: after dinner walk with Will
- Thursday, April 9: 30 minute jog/walk & 5.6 mile forest hike with a friend
Week 3:
- Sunday, April 12: 3 mile walk that turned into a series of sprints as Will & I kept getting chased by a huge bee
- Tuesday, April 14: walk around the neighborhood, the usual
- Wednesday, April 15: Nike Training Center App: Lower Body build & Burn (24:50) & Core Strength (8:00)
- Thursday, April 16: Do Yoga With Me: Pilates: Creative Challenge (21:46)
Week 4:
- Sunday, April 19: Nike Training Center Core Control (12:00) & we pushed our car up and down the street for exercise (I’m so not kidding!)
- Monday, April 20: Nike Training Center Lower Body Build & Burn (25:00)
- Thursday, April 23: 8 mile hike with a friend (with running jaunts as we got chased by a bee)
- Sunday, April 26: short walk around the neighborhood
Week 5:
- Tuesday, April 28: a really awful & lame 2 mile run with Will
- Wednesday, April 29: Will & I pushed a car up and down the street (~20 minutes) & Nike Training Center 12-minute Ab & Arms
- Thursday, April 30:6 mile hike with a friend (it’s a weekly thing in case you haven’t noticed)
5. Build a bookcase for our library
ummmm fat negative this month BUT since it seems all our summer plans are getting cancelled this might become a higher priority this summer. Will and I have never everrrr spent all summer in our house together and it’s a terrifying thought. :))))) save us!!!
6. Do not purchase new clothes unless I get rid of something first
Now that I don’t leave the house anymore I a) don’t need new clothes but b) love “window shopping” online. What a conundrum! But I didn’t purchase any clothes this month.
7. Reduce our grocery bill by $100 a month (it’s like $800 right now!)
*Note: the coronavirus outbreak & us working from home has changed our food buying patterns a lot
Week 1:
- April 2: $178.52 at Publix (I was only supposed to go in for dairy & produce but they lured me in with BOGO everything!)
Week 2:
- I made it this whole week without needing to go food shopping! (it was tempting to go so I could have a “traditional” Easter meal but I decided against it)
Week 3:
- April 13: $426.36 at Winn-Dixie (No, no one stole my credit card and went on a shopping spree. I got 8 bottles of wine & enough meat for a month.)
- April 13: $29.69 at Publix
- April 13: $16.37 at another Publix (I went in for yeast, no yeast but I walked out with BOGO wine & capers. yay?)
Week 4:
- No groceries this week! I was hella excited when I realized this on Sunday (I know what you’re thinking: “duh you spend a million dollars last week!”)
Week 5:
- April 28: $426.02 at Winn-Dixie (holy sh*t, I wasn’t supposed to spend this much again, and I know what you’re thinking!? There’s only TWO of you. Yeah I could justify it buy why bother?)
- April 28L $35.15 at Publix
Grocery TOTAL for April: $1,110.11 (so I TOTALLY screwed up this month, with not my freezer & pantry stocked this had BETTER pan out in May or I’m dead.)
Restaurant TOTAL: $115.40
*We’re trying to do take out at a local restaurant at least once a week to support the local economy.
8. Finish decorating the living spaces in our home
I made no headway here with William & I think it’ll be awhile, unless Will gets sick of our blank walls…
9. Read and/or listen to at least 30 books
I do a big book review at the end of the year but these are the books I have read or listened to in April:
- Lent and Easter: Wisdom from Fulton J. Sheen (finished)
- Every Sacred Sunday Year A: 2019-2020
- The Habit: A History of the Clothing of Catholic Nuns (finished)
- Fahrenheit 451 (finished)
- Understanding the Mass: 100 Questions 100 Answers by Mike Aquilina (finished)
- Dolci: Italy’s Sweets (finished) – yes, this is a cookbook, but I read all the historical and informational tidbits while deciding on the many desserts I am going to make during the Easter Season
10. Blog at least once a week (or 52 times over the year)
I successfully blogged 12 times this month:
- Things I have Learned about Myself in Social-Distancing
- NEH Teaching the Holocaust through Visual Culture: Budget Reflection
- Feminism in a Skirt
- Pestilence & Prayer: Arrows & Plague
- Religion on the Upper West Side: Connect, Conflict & Coexist
- Planning vs Reality: 2017 Belgium & The Netherlands Trip
- Pestilence & Prayer: Vita of St. Sebastian
- AP Art History 250: Church Vocabulary
- #234. Earth’s Creation, Emily Kame Kngwarreye. 1994 CE. Synthetic polymer paint on canvas.
- Pestilence & Prayers: St. Sebastian in Art
- Things I have Learned about Myself as a Teacher during Social Distancing
- Pestilence & Prayer: Intercession of St. Sebastian
11. Transform part of my backyard into some kind of garden
So apparently when Will told me his plans for a raised bed, so I got excited, but apparently he didn’t actually mean to do it anytime soon. -_____-
12. Practice yoga at least once a month
Here are the following times I practiced yoga:
- Yoga for Bone Health: Lower Body (18:18)
- Breaking Down Barriers (40:20)
- Yoga to Build Resilience – Shorter Class (31:35)
13. Cook a meal 100% out of my pantry at least every other week
This is just our life now thanks to quarantine. I don’t go with a meal plan anymore to the grocery store, but I do have a list of ideas. Although I will not keep up this plan after quarantine, I am enjoying deciding and experimenting with dinner.
14. Apply to (& get accepted) to one summer program
Le sigh…I technically got into two summer programs: Oxford for 3 weeks & asked to be an AP Art History essay reader but coronavirus screwed this all up! I COUNT THIS AS A WIN THOUGH, because I got in…never said I had to go….loophole!
15. Host someone over for dinner at least once a month
Although it’s not dinner, I started a once-a-week “Drinks in the Driveway” (social distancing style) with a few neighbors.
16. Write a letter (& mail it!) at least once per month
I mailed some postcards & gifts for Easter. So I am set here!
17. See at least 5 artworks from the AP Art History 250 Curriculum
Does seeing art on my computer count? This was supposed to be an EASY win with our proposed spring break trip, our Oxford trip but no longer. #coronavirusoutbreak
18. Have a cheap date with my hubby at least once a month
Cheap is the only way we date now… cheap and at home. lol
19. Get at least a 65% pass rate for my students in AP World History
Well they dropped that bombshell on the AP test only being 1 DBQ with 5 documents, woah! But I am not someone who cares to try and game the system. I adjusted my digital teaching to help them and now we just have to wait until May 21 when they take the test to see if my plan worked. Fingers crossed!
20. Vote Trump out of office (!!!!)
Biden is now the Democratic candidate and I am shocked to see some Bernie supporters say they’re not going to vote in this election because it’s not “their guy.” I have not seen anything so idiotic since…we’ll Trump…that’s just stupid and that is how the Democrats will lose. Thanks Bernie voters for stabbing Democrats in the back. Hope you like 4 more years of idiocracy!
JMF
