Thinking Out Loud #21

Yep, it’s Thursday and the perfect time for a random brain dump. I’ve felt a little bit of writer’s block in the last couple of weeks, so I am just going to leave my random thoughts here for you today, okay?

+  The start of the FIFA World Cup is finally here. Who’s excited? I’ll be getting up bright and early on Sunday to watch Germany vs. Mexico at 8 a.m. PDT.

+ I said in my last post that I am not depressed and rarely anxious, but the news in the last few days might be able to change this. I mean, what is going on with this presidency? I had to pick my jaw up off the floor a couple of times in the last 72 hours. Gosh, what am I saying. I’ve been in a perpetual state of horror and perplexity since November 2016.

+ Do you like poppies? I like poppies. 

+ We watched the documentary “Living on one dollar” on Netflix last weekend. Have you seen it? I highly recommend. It really does put things into perspective. Also, if you’re looking for a good place to donate some of your spare dollars, this might be a good cause.

+ I’ve noticed that I’ve been getting more intentional with my shopping habits. I’ve never been a big money spender, but lately, I noticed that I really think twice (or three times) if I want to spend money on certain things. (Not food though, I always want to spend money on food.) This may be a topic for another finance post.

+ I’m trying to reclaim my evenings. I don’t know when you get home from work, but I usually don’t get home before 6:30 p.m. and go to bed at a pretty reasonable hour, too, so my weeknights often feel very short. I’ve been trying to prepare meals that are not too time consuming (now that it is almost summer, there will be a lot less cooking and more non-cook meals!), so I have more time to sit on our patio for a little while or get a few rows of knitting in. What do your weeknights look like?

+ I’ll be making compound butter with herbs for this weekend (it’s a staple for German BBQs). It’s so, so good. I don’t know why I don’t keep a supply in my fridge at all times. I dare you to try it on your next piece of grilled meat. Another staple: herbed greek yogurt dip. I could eat a whole tub.

I am linking up with Amanda from Running with Spoons for Thinking out Loud again.

  1. I am also excited for the FIFA World Cup! Going to watch tonight!
    I’m nodding along with the intentional shopping because just the other day I realised I’m thinking before buying things I don’t really need.

    Well done on reclaiming your evenings – weekday evenings can fly by too quickly. We start early so we are able to end a bit earlier and I can be changed and in the gym by 5:00pm (traffic dependent) but then there is often grocery shopping and it eats into the evening. I love sitting outside in our garden before dinner in summer – such a relaxing way to start the day.

    That butter sounds so good – I’m sure it is delicious on grilled meat.

    1. I definitely think retail therapy is a thing, but being intentional with the purchase also feels very satisfying :)

  2. I’m excited to find out how you reclaim your evenings. I usually just spend them relaxing and doing whatever I want. I’m tired after the work day! So I’ll fiddle on the internet, blog, read, watch tv, or do a puzzle. I rarely come home and do something productive! (Unless it’s piano lesson night!)

    1. I am just trying to be more intentional with my time and not waste my precious evenings on stupid things :)

  3. Yes right there in the WM fever. And actually just learnt that the US is hosting 2026. I’ll start saving now and will make it a trip. At least that’s what the hubby and I discussed.
    Enjoy the next weeks.

    1. Oh, you’re planning to come to the US for the next World cup? Cool!

      1. Well it was a spontaneous idea but we never shy away from visiting the US and by then no more Trump…

  4. I’m so disappointed with the administration. Things just get worse and worse and worse. I just hope he gets voted out in 2020 but that still feels like a long ways off.

    My evenings look so different these days! Paul goes to bed earlier – usually between 7-8, but I am pretty exhausted by the time he is down for good that I don’t want to do anything. I’m nervous for how short our time with him will feel when I return from work as we will get home around 5-5:30 and he will be in bed around 7. :( We will have to make the most of our time together on the weekends.

    1. I can imagine that you’re worried that you won’t have enough time with Paul when you go back to work… I hope you can find a good rhythm that works for all of you.

  5. I have decided to take a month off reading the news, both listening to political podcasts and all the emails I receive about news-related items, because I just can’t handle all of the shit that’s happening right now. It’s put me in a depressive state and as much as I want to be informed, I also need to take care of myself. It’s so much worse than I could have ever imagined.

    1. It’s really imperative that you take care of YOU first (especially with all that you’ve had going on recently), so I totally get it that you’re taking a step back from the news.

  6. I’ve been trying to be more intentional with my spending this year as well. Instead of just clicking the purchase button on Amazon, I’m taking some time to think about if I really, really need it and I’m trying to be better prepared with snacks and stuff when I’m out and about for work so I don’t end up spending a bunch of money at the gas station.

    1. I’ve had a couple of runs where I bought things from Amazon only ending up returning them and that made me think about hitting the “buy now” button in the first place.

Comments are closed.