Sunday Spotlights 15: Virtual Book Club & Hot Summer Days

A RECAP OF LAST WEEK:

Last week was pretty chill. I ended up having a slower-paced week with work since my major deadlines were the week before. I had a bit of breathing room and only one meeting. I spent the extra hours working on a blog post I’m incredibly proud of and excited about (more details towards the end of the month). I also switched to planning mode since I’ll be traveling this summer to the Channel Islands. I had a bit of a snag with my hotel and isolation requirements which was defeating. I’m hoping those things are finalized tomorrow. * fingers crossed * Last Sunday Mom and I ventured out from our go-to pizza places and tried a Gluten-Free deep-dish pizza. It was delicious. We realized we hadn’t eaten deep dish in over 10 years! As Chicagoans, this broke our hearts and made every bite more enjoyable.

 

Monday I walked to a cute outdoor space in town and set up shop to read under the archway and in front of a fountain. I joined a virtual book club (my first time trying one of those!) and the first book our group decided to read is Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardugo. If you follow me on Instagram and Twitter you know I’ve been obsessed with the show (and Ben Barnes). I knew that the book was different but I hadn’t realized how many of the show’s adaptations I gave my heart to until I longed to stumble across the words on a page…and didn’t. Anyway, I’ll save my thoughts about the book for a book review which I’ll publish this Tuesday—so check back here! I also finished binge-watching season 5b of Lucifer and found out it was renewed for a 6th season which is incredibly exciting! I think the cast is phenomenal and the scrip is hilarious. I’m excited to see what direction the new season takes whenever it is set to release.

Click here to buy the collector’s copy of Shadow & Bone with bonus pages included.

Last week was difficult for me health-wise. Since my brain injury, my body always has a hard time adjusting to the hotter months since it takes a lot more energy out of me. I was incredibly thankful for fewer work tasks since I had many headache days and needed to go slow. I ended up taking one to two naps daily and rekindling my friendship with the icepack at the back of the freezer. I’m hoping this week is easier for me to power through despite the temps and humidity levels being so high!

A Recap Of The Weekend:

The mid to end of my week was rather enjoyable as I walked with my neighbor in the morning and the weather warmed, making it feel like summer. My mom was able to work from home on Friday so we coordinated our schedules to sync up for quality time. She and I ventured to our favorite coffee shop (our favorite thing to do together) while basking in sunshine and conversation. We also had dinner out that evening at an old favorite spot. The restaurant had outdoor seating open and we were one of two parties, which felt like a luxury! Yesterday and Today we had coffee chats, long walks, and tidied the house. Our new neighbors also moved in yesterday which was heartwarming. Our old neighbors were quite horrible and caused a lot of issues around our otherwise pleasant and peaceful block. We were excited to meet the new family and have pleasant conversations with the residents of that home again. The new neighbors also matched our porch color scheme which was so kind. We loved how they were trying to coordinate the garden areas and porch since we’re all so close. It looks gorgeous out front of our homes and so welcoming!

Looking To The Week Ahead:
As we enter a new week AND a new month, I encourage you to stop and reflect. You can write this down on a piece of paper, use these as discussion points with friends/family/loved ones or think on these independently or with your therapist. I’m trying to get better at carving out intentional space each week and month to pause and think about what worked, what didn’t, and set intentions for the days ahead.

This Week’s Intention/Mantra/Encouragement

It’s okay to take up space.Challenge:
Don’t second guess advocating for yourself or sharing something you’re passionate about/wanting. We exist to take up space, create, learn, and interact with those around us.