5 Goals for March 2022

Hello Everyone!

I hope you’re all as excited for March as I am.

February a bit tough and I was so ready for it to be over. I love a fresh start and I feel like I get one on the first of every month. I’m also looking forward to Spring.

These are the things I’d like to accomplish in March.

One

Finish a 5K walk on 20/03.

I’m confident I can do this, even though I haven’t been walking that much lately. The other day I ended up walking 5 km without planning it and it wasn’t so bad. My pelvic pain and heavy belly make it harder but not impossible.

Two

Get everything ready for the baby.

We’re pretty much done with the things we need to buy and the changes around the house but I still need to get a few things and wash all her clothes.

Three

Finish and pass my Training Course.

This training course I’m taking is ending next week and I need to prepare my final presentation. Fingers crossed it will go well and I’ll get my diploma by the end of the month.

Four

Go on a weekend getaway to celebrate our 9th anniversary.

I’m not sure where we’ll go yet but it will double as our babymoon.

Five

Deep clean the whole house.

I’m excited for Spring cleaning. My nesting instincts are kicking in and I feel like getting rid of all the clutter and cleaning every nook and cranny until the whole house is sparkling.

So, yeah. If you need me, I’ll be working on these goals.

What about you? Any goals for March?

Love,

Cheila

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5 Goals for February 2022: An Update

Hello everyone.

February is over (finally!) and so I wanted to check on my goals for the month.

We’ve been thrown a few curveballs this month, so I don’t think I worked hard enough on some of my goals. Let’s check them one by one.

One

Follow our weekly meal plan.

Well, this definitely didn’t happen. Between my husband getting covid, us being quarantined for a week and me getting recently diagnosed with gestational diabetes (I’ll update on that later), our meals have been all over the place. Hopefully, we’ll do better in March.

Two

Follow our budget.

Not sure. Still need to check with my husband and do our monthly budget meeting but I’m pretty sure we overspent on a few categories.

Three

Walk every single day.

Definitely not. We were stuck at home for 7 whole days and then I didn’t really manage to do much walking the rest of the month because I simply wasn’t in the mood.

Four

Visit both our families.

We were able to see Rui’s family twice and some of his extended family (unfortunately, while attending a funeral) which was quite lovely as we don’t see them often. I saw my sister a couple of times too. Didn’t see my mom but I’m meeting her later this week for lunch.

Five

Keep up with my journaling.

Not at all. I’ve been on a journaling block for the last couple of weeks. I’ll do my best to get back to it this month.

After reviewing my monthly goals and the month of February in general, I have to say it was pretty meh. I’m hoping March will be better.

Love,

Cheila

Bucket List Updated – 10 Things in 10 Years (Things I want to do before I turn 40)

Hello everyone!

I hope you’re having a great wednesday and an even better week.

I turned 30 in October and I must confess it took me a while to being okay with leaving my 20’s behind. Now that I’m finally happy and content to be 30, I decided it was time to update my bucket list.

These are the main things I’d like to accomplish before I turn 40.

Have a second child.

Ideally, we’d have three kids. Realistically, I think we’ll probably be done after two.

Adopt another dog.

We’ve been meaning to do this for years but it never seems like the right time. We’d love for Rosa to have a furry brother or sister but we’re not sure how she’d react to sharing her space and our attention with another dog. She’s not super nice to other dogs and she’s quite used to being spoiled and having both of us all to herself. Having a human sister should be hard enough and quite the adjustment so we’re going to wait and try to understand how she reacts to no longer being our only baby.

Buy a house.

We’ve been casually looking for a while but the market is impossible unless you have a lot of money laying around, which we don’t. We plan on saving as much as possible and keep looking until we find something we like and can afford.

Get into nursing school.

I have applied twice (2020 and 2021) and did not get in but I’m definitely going to keep trying. Praying that 2023 will be the year.

Renew our vows for our 10 year wedding anniversary.

My husband is not super keen on this. According to him “what is ten years if we plan on spending the rest of our lives together”. He’s right, of course, but this is something special I really want do for us and for our marriage, every ten years.

Visit a new country every year.

I’m not exactly sure what travelling with a kid will look like but I know we’ll still do it. We don’t want to be one of those couples who never leave the house again after having children. Wherever we go, she’ll go with us. We’ll figure it out.

Learn how to ride a bike.

I actually bought a bike last year and was in the process of learning when I got pregnant so that’s on hold for the next few months.

Get fit.

I know I’ve been saying this for years but I feel like I can’t live my 30’s the way I’ve lived my 20’s. Especially now that I’m about to become a mother, I want to be the healthiest I can be and to set a good example for my daughter. It won’t be easy. It was never easy but I think it will be especially hard now, after 30 and after giving birth. I NEED to lose about 40 kg or 88 Lbs, which I’ve gained over the last 5-6 years, after a mental health diagnosis, tons of medication and years and years of neglect and unhealthy habits. I have no idea how I’ll manage this but it is definitely one of my top priorities.

Be fluent in German.

I took two semesters while in university and then I quit. I think it’s a beautiful language and would like to go back to learning and become fluent at some point in the next few years.

Write a book.

Something I’ve been wanting to do since I was about 12 years old. I’ve started a couple of books but have never finished anything. I don’t think my writing is good enough as of now but I intend to learn more and get better to the point of feeling comfortable sharing my work with the world.

What about you? What’s an item on your bucket list?

Love,

Cheila

5 Goals for February 2022

One

Follow our weekly meal plan.

We eat better, save money and don’t waste food when I follow the meal plan I have set. I’ve been enjoying cooking and trying new recipes too, so it’s something fun to look forward to. Mostly, I like how in control I feel when things are planned and organized.

Two

Follow our budget.

Even though we budget for every euro we spend, it’s still very easy to go off track and overspend if we’re not careful. It helps if we keep a close eye on our spending so I plan on doing just that.

Three

Walk every single day.

I have to “train” for this 5 km walk I’m doing in March (shame on me, my husband is running a half marathon and I actually have to practice to walk 5K), meaning I should be walking every single day for the month of February. My plan is to walk 3 km a day for the first two weeks and then 4 km a day for the next two.

Four

Visit both our families.

We haven’t seen them since Christmas and they’re missing out on my pregnancy with their first grandchild so we’ll try to make it happen.

Five

Keep up with my journaling.

I got The 6-Minute Diary from Amazon and absolutely love it.

What about you? Any goals for February?

Love,

Cheila

My goals for 2022

Hello everyone,

As you might have noticed, I seem to be on a blogging kick. I find myself looking forward to writing and interacting with you all, which is wonderful.

I came up with my goals for 2022 back in December, and they have been living in both my head and the back of my planner, where they were originally written and where I can keep them with me at all times.

So my goals for 2022 are:

One

Create a new routine after my baby is born. I know my life is about to change forever and that I’ll have to adapt to being a mom and taking care of someone else 24/7. As excited as I am to become a mom, it is definitely scary to think about the changes that are coming. As someone living with mental illness, I deeply care about my routines and habits, as they keep me sane and balanced. It’s a bit nerve racking not knowing what my days will look like after May but I’ll know my husband will have my back 100% and that together we’ll figure it out.

Two

Lose weight after baby. Not that I have actual baby weight to lose (not yet, as I’ve lost some while pregnant) but I’ve been wanting to lose weight for years. I definitely want to be fit and healthy for my daughter, so I plan on doing my best to lose some weight while on maternity leave (breastfeeding would be a huge help, if I’m able to do it.

Three

Get my Driver’s License. Ideally, I’d be done by the time my baby girl is born but I don’t think it will happen. My deadline is the end of the year, though. I’ll be driving by the end of 2022 (manifesting here, as the kids say).

Four

Finish my Trainer’s course. I’m taking this course to become a Certified Professional Trainer, meaning I’ll be able to provide corporate training and such. I’ll be done by March, if all goes well.

Five

Lose fear of driving. This is something I’m currently working on, while having driving lessons. Hopefully, I’ll be okay with driving by the time I’m finished.

Six

Read 24 books. My goal for 2021 was 100 (I got to 91) and I wish I could be as ambitious this year. However, new moms are not known for having much free time, so I’m not expecting to get much reading done after baby is here. I’m counting on reading all 24 before she’s born. Current 2022 book count so far: 7. Not bad.

Seven

Watch Breaking Bad. It’s my husband’s favorite show and I’ve been promising him for YEARS that I’ll eventually watch it. Seemed important enough to make my list lol

Eight

Drink 1,5l of water, every single day, for the whole year. I wrote this and then found myself wondering if I should count all liquids as water? I drink plenty of coffee, tea, orange juice, lemonade and milk. Am I counting that to my daily water goal? Yes, I have been. Otherwise I would probably drinking too much, especially as a pregnant lady who pees constantly.

Nine

Take a walk, 5 times a week. Take Rosa and then the baby. I have been walking a few times a week, definitely not 5, though. Probably around 3. The days have been gorgeous and I love to take walks on cold weather so I should definitely get moving a little more.

Ten

Spend 15 minutes outside, in the sun. Most days are sunny and beautiful here, even when they’re cold so I plan on getting as much vitamin D as I can take. This is also something that greatly improves my mood.

Eleven

Weekly video chat with my group of best friends. We’re currently living in different countries (two here in Portugal, one in Belgium, the other one in Ireland) so it’s super important that we keep up. We haven’t been doing weekly calls but we’ve managed to chat almost daily, which is great.

Twelve

Monthly family lunch with our families (mine, his or both). Not easy with his family living 2 hours away and mine is not super close either. My sister is a busy bee (working while getting her master’s), so it’s hard to catch her. Also, covid. Fingers crossed we’ll be able to see everyone in February.

Thirteen

Sit at the table for dinner every night. So, let me start by saying this is NOT how we were raised and that both our mothers disapprove but we’ve been having dinner sitting on the sofa for the past 7 years. I know, it’s awful. Since the beginning of the year and because we’re about to become parents who want to set good examples, we’ve been having our meals at the table instead.

Fourteen

Go to bed with a tidy and clean kitchen every night. Again, our poor mothers would die if they knew that we have ever gone to bed with a sink full of dirty dishes. Not that it would happen most nights but it did happen on occasion. We’re making an effort to change by cleaning the kitchen as soon as we’re done with dinner.

Fifteen

Finish one crochet project. I’ve been crocheting on and off for years a have yet to finish something that’s not a baby hat. I’d love to crochet a blanket for my baby. Three and a half months to go, I should start soon.

Sixteen

Cook something new every week. I love trying new recipes. I’ve been doing it, mostly. Not always something fancy but definitely something new.

Seventeen

Go to Porto. Yes, I’m Portuguese and I’ve never been to Porto. Shame on me. I’d love to go before the baby is here.

Eighteen

Be less wasteful and focusing on being more sustainable/green. Not that I’m super wasteful but I’m not Greta either. There are some habits I’d like to change and some products I should stop using.

Nineteen

Work on my anxiety. Mostly, I should schedule therapy sessions more often.

I apologise for the odd number but I wasn’t going to make something up just to make it 20.

If I had to come up with something now, I’d say I’d love to keep blogging regularly but I won’t be making it a goal for now.

What about you? Do you make New Year’s Resolutions/Goals?

How have you been doing so far? Would love to know.

Love,

Cheila

MY RESOLUTIONS FOR 2020 – LATE AS USUAL (PART 2)

Good morning everyone and welcome back to my channel! Sorry, I’ve been watching too much YouTube and think I’m funny.

I’m about ready to hit you back with part 2 of my resolutions for 2020. I’m also sitting here second guessing my choice mint and eucalyptus tea but that’s not your problem, is it? Moving on…

It’s funny how I have unintentionally divided my resolutions by “have done something about them” and “haven’t done anything to make them happen”. Now that I look at the remaining 3, however, is it possible that they’re further down the list because they’re not as “important” or not as “urgent”? I definitely want to make them a priority though, so the fact that I haven’t done anything towards accomplishing them is one more reason I should start as soon as possible.

 

4. Exercise twice a week

Resolution 4 was something very different at first, actually. There’s no point in getting into much detail now but let’s just say it was school/studies related, something I’ve been wanting to do for a while. However, after discussing my goals with my therapist, she mentioned that I would be adding a third “intellectual” and “study oriented” goal which might be too much to add to Uni and getting my driver’s license. It did indeed require a lot of reading and exam taking and in a very short time frame, which would be too much along with what I already have going on. I had not thought it through at all. Thank God I have the most amazing therapist, Dra. Matilde. She then help me to come up with other possible resolutions, that would not involve putting my brain under too much pressure. I mentioned that exercise 3 times a week would be good for me, she told me to be reasonable and to settle for twice a week at first.

Deadline: I’d like for this to have become a habit by Summer. Any exercise at all.

Steps Taken: Nothing much. I know that I want to go back to swimming and to do yoga. But I’ll also take whatever exercise I can get.

 

5. Go to 5 new places in 2020

It doesn’t have to involve expensive travelling at all, but I want to get to know 5 different new places this year. Ideally, I know where I’d like to go, but we’re always so busy and need to take into account vacation days (which we can’t always get to match), flights, our budget, my school. I’d like to take a big holiday and then some little weekend getaways when possible, just the two of us. I’d love to go to the US at some point, as we have family there and it’s one my of my dream trips, but I don’t think it will happen this year. My other dream destination is Scotland and I’ve been meaning to go and visit my Maid of Honor in Vienna one day. There are a few places I’ve yet to visit in my own country which is a shame. My hope is that I’ll go somewhere new, with my husband, wherever that might be.

Deadline: December 2020, planning to do this throughout the year

Steps Taken: I’ve planned my full year of vacation days at work, I’m dying to plan our big Summer vacation.

 

6. Get braces

This is a big one for me, as my teeth have bothered me since I was a teenager. My single mother could not afford braces and so I’ve had to wait until I was able to pay for them myself, which means I’m getting them at 28. My insurance is good enough to cover this, which is great. I don’t think there’s much more to say about this? It’s teeth and braces.

Deadline: June 2020

Steps Taken: Trying to find the right clinic and doctor

I’m finally done with my resolution posts, by February.

I hope everyone is working hard on theirs 🙂

Love, Cheila

Photo by Irina Iriser from Pexels

 

 

My Resolutions for 2020 – Late as Usual (Part 1)

Hello fellow bloggers and lovely lurkers!

Today I come to you in the company of my chocolate milk and a very agitated dog, since the mailman has just paid us a visit and he’s a bad bad man, apparently.

I thought I might as well share my resolutions for 2020 because, in case they never happen, at least they’ve met the internet at some point, which makes them at least 10% real.

I should start by saying that I haven’t made any resolutions for the past couple of years for the obvious reason that there is no point in making them as I know myself too well by now. I’m not sure I should call these “resolutions” or simply a list of “shit I’ve been putting off for so long it’s becoming embarrassing”. Yup, that sounds more fitting. Honestly, I wish I could be the kind of person that could make it a goal to drink more water or eat better or whatever the cliche and keep it up forever but I’m just not. I have no discipline whatsoever when it comes to such goals. I think I’m getting better with age, but I’m not there yet. Also, I’m not that lousy when it comes to drinking water, actually. I manage to get 2-3 liters in the Summer (being a bit lazier on the weekends) and 1 to 1.5 liters in Winter. I could definitely eat better, though. (Anyone else thinking about spaghetti and meatballs right now?).

And that is why I do not make these “cliche goals” as long term. I prefer to focus on eating better tomorrow or eating more vegetables today. Then, if I fail, it doesn’t feel like I’m failing for the whole year. I hope this makes some sense. Anyway, I’m rambling.

There’s definitely 2 things that I hope will help with achieving my goals:

1. A deadline.
2. To start working on them ASAP.

And without further ado:

My 6 Resolutions for 2020: (Part 1)

 

1. Lose the weight

I’ve been carrying around this weight (literally) for too many years after being diagnosed and dealing with illness and SO much medication. Going from being more active and taking public transportation to sitting at a desk all day did not help either, if I’m being honest. But I’m tired of it, both physically and mentally. I’m tired of the fat jokes, and of loathing myself and what I see in the mirror. I don’t even like my wedding pictures that much, which is pretty sad. Also, I’d like to be pregnant some time in the next few years and I don’t want to add more weight to this body. I want to be the healthiest I can be for my future child. My actual goal is to lose 30 kg/60 pounds (you guys, I work with UK banking and almost wrote GBP and died laughing).

Deadline: December 2020, with a grace period of a couple of months because I want to do it in a healthy way.

Steps taken: Appointment with a nutritionist for January 29th.

 

2. Finish my Degree – History Minor. 

So I happen to have 3 credits/courses of my degree to finish, which happen to fall under my minor in History. I should have finished this in… what? 2015? Never mind. The thing is, I’ve never actually and practically needed it. I’ve worked for quite a few years in the field, I’ve taught, I’ve tutored HISTORY, I’ve prepared students for HISTORY exams and no one has ever questioned my abilities. Nevertheless, everyone who has ever known me, mostly my mother and husband, love to bust my balls about this. The funniest thing ever is that my baby sister has since started and finished uni. It’s not like I don’t care, it’s just.. I’m mostly over it. Would I have picked the same degree today at 28 years old, so many years later? No way. I know I want to go back to school at some point in my life and study something else. I’ve been back and forth with this for so long, having at some point having to quit because I was too sick. I’m ready for it to be over. And that is why I’m FINALLY going to finish it.

Deadline: June 2020 (End of school year)

Steps Taken: Applied back in November, got accepted, classes start on January 27th.

 

3. Get my Driver’s License

Oh my God, you guys! You have now idea the kind of bullying I’ve endured over the years because I do not have a license. My mother mentions it at every family dinner,  phone call, text message and my nightmares. My husband is always going on about how he’d love to be able to drink as much as he’d like to if I was able to drive him as I don’t drink at all (We DO NOT drink and drive and neither should you). My friends and my husband’s friends tease me equally. It comes up at every party, wedding and funeral. People assume they’d be able to take advantage of my driving just because I do not drink. The day I finally have my license will be a national holiday. In everyone’s defense and to my shame, most people in this country get their driver’s license by the time they’re 18 years old. Because I’m tired of being made fun of (for this anyway) this will finally be the year. I’ll help the drunks be drunks.

Deadline: June 2020 (6 months sounded like enough time)

Steps Taken: Enrolled in school and paid for the whole thing, lessons start in February.

Because I’m someone with soooo many goals *laughs maniacally*, stay tuned for part 2.

Love you to Spain and back.

Mrs. Martins.

** I don’t know why but this post took me 3 hours to write and edit. **

Photo by Valeria Boltneva from Pexels

February Goals: 11 days late

Before I was a blogger, I was a blog reader.

I absolutely loved reading about goals, to-do lists and routines.

When I started this blog, that was one of my main focus. With time, things changed.

I’m still very much a goal maker and definitely a list lover. I just haven’t been sharing them, for some reason. But I do have goals and things I would like to do this month.

February goals: 11.02 – 28.02

• Finish my big freelance work project and get maybe one more. Extra income is always welcome.
• Go to the pool 5 times a week. I’m really enjoying it.
• Keep on leaving my nails alone (not biting them)
• Keep on drinking 1.5 l of water every day.
• Blog every single day.
• Read 3 books.
• Read as many blog posts as I can every day.
• See/talk to family and friends as much as possible.
• Keep my de-cluttering/rearranging/reorganizing process.
• Remember my year 26 challenges.

 

 

Happy Birthday to me – 26 goals for year 26 + One year challenge

Good day to you people!!

I hope everyone is having a good, stress-free, easy Monday.

As you might have noticed from the tittle, it’s my birthday.

26 years ago today (close to 5 p.m), mom was probably in a lot of pain, poor thing. Thanks mama, for pushing me out, I know it must have been hard for you, despite the fact that it was probably the only time I was ever thin.

I used to love my birthday, but I’m NOT feeling it at all this year. For several reasons:

• I’m no longer in my early twenties;
• I’m close to 30, my scary age;
• I’m NOWHERE NEAR where I thought I would be by now, if you had asked me 10 years ago.
• I had the shittiest year, 25 being extremely hard. Is it going to be over now?
• I’m still going through some of the consequences of my mental health issues, meaning I’m still a fat ass and I hate my body and can’t stand looking at myself;
• I have some small family issues, nothing to big, thankfully;
• I have lost one of my best, childhood friends, probably forever.

I told Rui that the only thing I wanted to do today was try a pumpkin spice latte and go thrift shopping. I need some cardigans. I have decided to just go to Primark to get them because it’s closer and near Starbucks.

I’m going to my mom’s house for dinner. Not feeling it at all, but I need to do it for them.

Rui always takes my birthday off and so we have enjoyed a lazy morning, talking about my birthday blues and eating my favorite cereal (me).

I still have to work from 5 p.m to 7 p.m, which I don’t mind at all. I like being with the kids, even if they drive me crazy most days.

Because 25 was so bad, I’m kind of determined to TRY and make 26 way better. I came up with a few goals and also a few challenges.

26 goals for year 26:

1. Finally get my f*cking driver’s license;
2. Finally get braces and endure all of the suffering. At least high school has been over for many years so there’s no one to make fun of me;
3. Lose the damn weight;
4. Travel somewhere; Anywhere. Just see some new place, outside the country;
5. Get into that second degree I want to take so bad; (shhh, you all know what I’m talking about but I won’t say anything so I don’t jinx it. I’ll be doing my best to accomplish this goal which is more than just a goal, but one of the things I NEED to do with my life.
6. Write an e-book. (I have, but as a ghostwriter); 
7. Double my number of followers on this blog;
8. Go back to being a red; I just love it so much.
9. Share some exciting news in May; Can’t talk about it yet, sorry.
10. Learn Spanish so I can help the kids; 
11. Join the church choir. So, this might be happening already, I just haven’t said anything. I’m not particularly religious, as you already know. I have faith and I pray and I love to read your posts about faith and God’s word. But I don’t consider myself fully catholic and I don’t go to church. But I feel the need to sing. I haven’t in a long time and my spirit longs for it. So I looked into different options and the easiest and friendliest was the church choir. I have talked to one of the ladies and she lives near me so she even offered a ride. I’m going next Monday and try it out.
12. I had this idea or this calling after all of the things that happened in Portugal for the past few months. I would like… and bear with me… to train to be a volunteer  firefighter. Putting out fires is not all they do. They are the first at car accidents, 911 calls, they ride ambulances, help in all kinds of situations and are the first ones to be there for people when they need it the most. I thought it sounded stupid and impossible because I’m so far from being fit and I have no physical strength or resistance. I have talked to a girl I know who is a firefighter and she told me that’s not an issue at all. She said the physical test are minimal and that I could always get better and lose the weight before or while I’m taking the preparation course (250 hours, I think) because it would be long before I had to actually do something. I talked to my local fire department and they said I should go there and speak to them in person. I don’t know. Rui and I are talking and trying to figure out  what this would mean to us and how and if we could make it work. I don’t know if I dream too much of if I’m just someone who really wants to make a difference.
13. Learning how to sew;
14. Keep collecting plants and turn our patio into a beautiful garden;
15. Double my income;
16. Do my best to get organized; For the past few year, maybe more, I’ve had this problem where I can’t seem to get my shit together. If I’m working and being successful there, my house is a mess and the dog needs a bath. If I’m off, I should be cleaning the house but I seem to always feel tired and lazy so nothing gets done anyway. Laundry is an issue too. I’m always behind on errands. People keep telling me I don’t call or answer their calls. I just need to find a way to balance things better.
17. Really help someone;
18. Learn how to dance;
19. Volunteer at some charity or event;
20. Finally decorate this house;
21. Go off my medication completely. 
22. Meet some new people and make new friends. Be open to people and to the world in general;
23. Be in more pictures;
24. Just go to places and get out more;
25. Try new things;
26. Challenge myself;

Year 26 Challenge:

• 1.5 L of water every single day for a year;
• Exercise every single day for a year; (even just 15 minutes of yoga)
• No McDonald’s or soda for a year; (here’s looking at you, coke)
• 1 book a week for a year;
• 1 post a day for a year;
• 1 selfie a day for a year;
• Mandatory full skin care for a year; (Never go to bed without washing my face, never leave the house without sunscreen, never forget to moisturize after showering, remember to clean and moisturize my face on the weekends)
• Write 1 nice thought about myself every day for a year;

I guess I’m ready to take on this year. I just need to accept being 26 and try to make the best of it. I don’t to let another year go by and feel like I haven’t tried hard enough or that I haven’t accomplished anything. It’s the worst feeling.

Does anyone want to join me in one of the above challenges? We can be sodaholics anonymous together!!

Thank you for being here, friends.

American Horror Sorry and February Goals

No, I did not make a mistake. I really meant to say SORRY instead of STORY! I feel that I need to apologize to the TV show because I was so mean and didn’t give it a chance and kept saying it was boring. It wasn’t, and I only realized that when there were only about 4 episodes left. It got so interesting with amazing twists and turns and the finale was wonderful. My back and fourth with this series is not new, though. Every season there have been moments when I’ve felt bored and that it was just dragging too much. I actually watched season 2 before season 1 and it still holds as my favorite. Season 1 and 3 were really good too, although I’m not interested in witchcraft at all, which is the theme of the third season. Both season 3 and 4 are far from what I consider horror, as I’m not scared of witches or clowns or freaks. We have started season 5 and so far, despite the fact that I’m not completely convinced yet, I would say that it is more like the kind of horror I like to watch. Dead kids running down a hall? That IS scary. A haunted old hotel? Definitely. I’m not so sure about Lady Gaga and the twilight shit she has going on in the series, though. Vampires? Also not my thing. Unless I’m seventeen and team Jacob and read all the books and watch all the movies. Which totally didn’t happen…. (I hope my best friends are reading this and having memories about how… mature… we were at that age. Not twilight fans at all…). Anyway, she (still talking about Lady Gaga) got a Golden Globe for it so who am I? Let’s watch now and have an opinion later.

 

• Eat healthy food  – I have been sort of good lately, eating more fruits and vegetables than I usually do (I keep talking about the Brussels sprouts craving, don’t I?) and I would like to continue doing that. Yes, I do need to lose weight. But I’m not focused on that in particular. I know that I’ve gained it because I have been sick and because I’ve been making bad choices for many years but I’m at peace with the way I look. I will lose the weight eventually, because I want to and because I will work for it. But now, I’m more focused on taking care of myself in general (which I have been ignoring for many years) and that means putting good foods and nutrients into my body. Will I still eat my favorite cereal on Saturdays and Sundays? Yes, I will. Sorry. Can’t do it. In love.

• Get moving. Really, my back and knees are begging for some action. My body in general is screaming “please stop sitting on your ass for 12 hours straight”. I can’t stop doing it, because I need to work and I work long hours but I can fit some exercise into my schedule if I try really hard. My second semester (of university, not pregnancy, just clarifying. Fat but not pregnant.) is almost starting and time will be scarce but once again, I need to think about my health.

• Read 3 books. I can fit 3 books into a whole month if I want to. I used to read three books a week when I was a useless, jobless teenager. I’m a fast reader and I really miss it. I just hope that my memory cooperates. The last book I read was To Kill a Mockingbird and I can’t even remember who killed the damn bird. Just kidding, there are no birds in the story (Yes, I was surprised too).

• Read 10 short stories. I have about 100 short stories by great authors on my computer and I’ve never read them. I just send them to my students so they can read them and then I pretend that I know the story so we can discuss it. Joking. Maybe. Dear students, you will never know. Now being serious, I want to get back into the habit of reading and short stories are easy because they are… well… short so I can read one every day or when I have a little break.

• Listen to more music. I love music. I love singing. I just don’t remember that music even exists, to be honest. It started when I became depressed. I slowly stopped listening to music and singing and now I don’t even sing in the shower. I’m always lost in my thoughts I guess. Maybe that is one of the problems. This month I will abuse Spotify and listen to all the cheesy songs that I like.

• Spend time with my mother and sister. Just because I love them and miss them and my crazy life doesn’t allow me to see them as much as I would like too. We used to live in the same street and see each other all the time. If I was home I would just call my mom and invite her for lunch. Now I can’t do that and I miss it.

• Have my whole week planned ahead by Sunday afternoon. I mean my student’s schedules, clothes set for the whole week for both of us, meals cooked or at least planned and an organized home. No more being by the stove on Sunday at 11 p.m and having no clue what to wear when I get up in the morning. I will enlist the help of my beloved house mates Rui and Rosa, boyfriend and dog, to make this happen. Not sure how I’m going to make them helpful as my boyfriend doesn’t do much. Kidding. I know he’s reading this. Just teasing, babe. He’s Martha Stewart if I need him to be. And an amazing cook, by the way. The dog though, doesn’t cook or clean for shit.

• The most important one yet: Take care of myself, especially my mental health. Enough said.