Fall Update: Boredom and branching out

What a crap year. Seriously. I doubt that anybody who lives through 2020 will have much good to say about it in future years.

Sure, we've grown more resilient and it's been a good time to focus on the things that matter most to you, whether that means family and friends, your health, or your cat and access to ultimate nachos. (For me, it's all the above.)

Every Halloween, Mooney turns into a fabulous pink unicorn. She hates it, but tolerates it.

But as summer turned into fall, it almost feels like the world had doubled down on the doom and gloom, and I won't lie, it's hard to stay positive at times. For one, coronavirus is still well and kicking, but people are getting burned out of taking safety precautions because they want to get back to a normal way of life. In the States, we're on the cusp of an election that means a lot to many people and has a lot of folks jittery AF. Me included. It just feels like a lot is on the line in 2020, and if you're anything like me, 2021 can't come soon enough.

*Speaking of which, dear reader, have you voted yet if you're in the States? If not, please consider doing so. Your vote matters. I used to be that person who didn't vote because I didn't like the options much and felt that my single voice didn't matter. I know now that that simply isn't true. Your voice is part of a huge collective, and that collective makes a difference.*

It's getting cold enough that I feel validated putting the fireplace to use.

But enough of me being a Debbie Downer, there has been some fun stuff going on in my life. Up until some recent snowfall and ice, it's been a beautiful fall and I've taken advantage of my free time by going on a lot of walks and hikes.

One of the views from a recent hike in the Manhattan, KS area.

I've also gotten back into some crafting, which I'd put off for quite some time as I didn't feel very creative. I'm a sucker for anything pumpkin-related so I bought a plain white crafting pumpkin and glittered the shit out of it. Yes, the glitter got all over and now my porch is covered but that's the price you pay for cute home decor. I also got all nostalgic for my kindergarten days apparently, and made a few peanut butter, birdseed pinecones to hang off the balcony for the birds. I'm sad to say that the birds much prefer the birdseed I left on the ground, but that's their prerogative.

I think my glitter pumpkin turned out well! I had to do quite a few layers of spray-on glue to get it all to stick.

I've also gone full crazy library lady. I've always been a fan of libraries, but the library here in town has been closed due to COVID. They finally opened up the other week and so I've been a frequent visitor, checking out books, movies and games. The stack above my fireplace grows rapidly.

While I'm trying to be cautious, I've also started trying out new workout classes and going to limited events. Think, socially distanced comedy nights at the local winery and a trampoline class with literally me, the instructor, and one person tapped in via Zoom. Basically, I just want to try new things to get myself out of my extremely ridged comfort zone. One of my favorites has been Buti Glow Yoga, which is a fast-paced, cardio style yoga class that involves dancing, glow sticks, body paint and black lights. Yes, it was intense and my legs hurt for days after, but it was just so much fun!

I went to a yoga class at the local winery. It was a chilly day but it was very relaxing and the winery's cat kept us company. :)

All in all, I've found that trying to branch out and meet new people doing new things, even if it's only for an hour or so, has really helped me in my *attempts* to have a more positive mindset and not let my anxiety get the best of me.