Jan 3 2025

“A cardinal lives in a tree of hope and love. (S)He is the guardian of all our wishes and dreams.”– Unknown.

Photo by Dmitri Sotnikov

Day three. What have I added to my day? Exercise. A gym trip today is needed, and I will go with B. – maybe even N? Need a moment to do some college work for B.

I am glad for the holidays, yet I am eager to return our home to its normal undecorated state. The incoming cold temps coming to the NE make me eager to hibernate this weekend while also including time to see visiting family tonight and Sunday. Fireplaces, red wine, and a good book are on my mind. Also, there will be another viewing of Wicked, if I am being honest. 🙂

WEAR: Gotta be honest. All the hype around expensive leggings has me appreciating my Crzy Yoga Amazon find. These are in heavy rotation: a great deep brown color for the girlies staying on trend.

EAT: Dinner plans tonight: homemade pizza! Great dough recipe here. B. made one NYE and topped it with ricotta, fresh figs, mushrooms, and prosciutto. Immediately a fam. favorite.

GRATITUDE: Coffee with Hubs., communication with my BILs, a plan to see my parents before they fly to warmer climes, and an unexpected morning visitor…

As I sat here this morning, I was visited by a female cardinal with a perfect red-orange plume. She landed and paused on the windowsill, looking into my office and watching me for a moment before taking flight again. It felt extraordinary to have a personal visit from her, and it served as a reminder to put some birdfeed out.

There is lore about cardinals being a divine visit from angels or someone you loved who passed. Female cardinals hold their legacy as symbols of the strength and resilience of women, encouraging their humans to embrace their unique qualities and stand tall in their endeavors. Her presence hints at hidden strength and the courage to tackle life’s challenges.

A beautiful message for the day and one I am grateful for.

Jan 2, 2025

A goal without a plan is just a wish. – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Planning.

We are on day two of this new year, and all those ideas need to be put into a plan. How do you break down an idea or a dream into a plan? What is the first step? Beats me. I am sitting here writing this entry, surrounded by my notebook, coffee, and lists of to-dos I’ve blissfully ignored during the holidays.

I guess the first step is just that: starting. One step at a time will bring more creativity and more ideas, and with the help of Google, my trusty notebook (instead of a yearly planner I am fighting the desire to purchase), here we are…

BUYING: Planners? Oh my. This article from The Strategist is living in my head rent-free. Many are available on Amazon. Happy planning! And please let me know if you make the purchase – I am close to losing this battle…

WATCHED: Did you head to the movies to catch Wicked? Did you watch it streaming this week? It’s now available to rent or buy on many outlets, including AppleTV and Amazon Prime.

PLANNING: The last regular season of NFL games is this weekend, and I am excited to watch my team: Go, Bills! I grabbed this sweater to support The Bills in the playoffs!

WORK: I am again between roles while doing some advisory work. Organizing interviews, tracking roles, and networking will become my FT job next week. Maybe this is a good justification for that planner? :). The white-collar recession you may have heard about is real: middle managers and executives who were let go for budget savings. I am optimistic, though, and will update regularly.

What movie recs are on your to-watch list?