After returning from Australia at the beginning of the year, I set a goal to spend more time on local adventures. Specifically, in the city. Years ago I spend a lot of time there, but post-2020/2021, my adventures inbound decreased. Over the weekend I was invited to a volunteer event, which was incredible.
Sunday Spotlights 19: Kayaks, River Clean Up, & New Cafés
As mentioned in the introduction, I had the opportunity to attend a local volunteer event with Urban Rivers. Read more about my experience, here. In the blog post I shared what it was like picking up trash and tending to the world’s first floating eco-park.
A Recap Of Last Week & The Weekend:
This week I continued to be in and out of the city. The community class I’m a part of is nearing the end. I’ll share more about that once the program ends. We learned more about Chicago’s waste management including recycling and composting. That was incredibly insightful.
Trying Out A New Café
My Mom suggested I try a café she recently went to and loved. I met her at Nectar in Burr Ridge and was pleasantly surprised by the drink variety. They offer smoothies, fresh pressed juices, coffee, teas, and more. Overall, the space was incredibly open, bright, and felt inspiring. If you’re looking for a calm and comfortable work spot, I highly recommend Nectar. The tables and chairs are supportive and there are plenty of indoor and outdoor options.
Last Week’s Favorites:
Now, for your dose of entertainment. Continue on for reading and listening recommendations.
What I’m Reading:
I just started Emily Henry’s new book, Funny Story.
About Funny Story By Emily Henry
”Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.
Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.
Scruffy and chaotic–with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads –Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them? But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right?”
What I’m Listening To:
Surprise surprise, I’m still listening to TTPD. Though, Saturday evening I did press play on evermore (deluxe version) as I was driving home in the middle of a severe lightening storm. What can I say, that’s my go-to comfort album.
You Might Like:
- How To Get & Read Books For Free (Legally)
- I Challenged Myself To Live Sustainably For One Month – Here’s How It Went
Household Favorites:
I’m still enthralled by the Breville Barista Express Machine. I’ve officially found the ideal settings for my daily cuppa. And, it’s much less cleaning than I originally thought. I’m in a good routine already.
Looking To The Week Ahead:
As we enter a new week, 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, think about this independently, or with your therapist. I’m trying to get better at carving out intentional space each week. This is my reminder to pause and think about what worked, what didn’t, and to set intentions for the days ahead.
This Week’s Intention/Mantra/Encouragement:
“Do one thing today that your future self will thank you for.” – Unknown
Challenge:
Using the intention/mantra, above, think about what that “one thing” is. It doesn’t need to be solving a major world issue — although, that would be much appreciated. Instead, it can be as simple as getting out of bed, not skipping a meal, asking for support with something, calling a loved one and saying hi/ catching up.
Those “little” things are sometimes the most important. They are building blocks, moments we can never turn back, and opportunities to try something new.
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