slow living. well-being. grad school.
I'm notorious for starting projects and not finishing them. For having an interest I explore for six months and then never revisiting it again. It's one of the reasons I was hesitant to go back for my PhD, initially. How could I commit to one thing for so long? Eventually I came to realize that … Continue reading Why I wanted to save an old couch
1. Remembering the kind of meditation I like I wrote in March about trying to get back to my sitting meditation. What I think has perhaps helped me with making it stick was remembering that I don't really like guided meditation--which tends to be the default in many of the popular apps. Instead, I really … Continue reading april: what’s bringing me calm
"Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attentions from serious things." Henry David Thoreau, Walden Earlier this year, I wrote about one of the ways I’ve tried to solve the problem of starting at my laptop screen too much. I decided to buck the high-tech trend of reading on a screen … Continue reading An Ode to the 2-D Printer
1. Coming back to sitting mediation I know, I know, people can't be "bad" at mediation. But I've tried sitting mediation on many occasions, and--trust me--I am not great at it. I've made daily walks in some kind of nature a much more consistent habit, and the movement combined with the nature helps calm my … Continue reading march: what’s bringing me calm
I started swimming lessons with the classic "water babies" classes taught at the local middle school. With the exception of long bouts of travel and pandemic restrictions, I don't think I've spent much time away from the pool since then. I'm the farthest thing from athletic, and swimming was no exception. I have the opposite … Continue reading Part 3 of 3: Sources of Overwhelm—My Executive Functioning Disability
1. Information as a coping mechanism for chaos This month turned out to be more anxiety-ridden than usual. A bit of this was to be expected with class demands ramping up, an exam, etc. But this was compounded for me by the winter freeze that knocked out much of the Texas power grid, which has … Continue reading february: what’s bringing me calm
After school, the second source of overwhelm for me has been my finances. I’ve vacillated between saving and spending throughout my life and would still describe myself as “not a saver by nature but by nurture.” I’ve worked hard to develop a habit of saving, but it didn’t come naturally. As with school, I’ve also … Continue reading Part 2 of 3: Sources of Overwhelm–Finances
Figuring out how and when I can decrease screen time, particularly looking at my computer and monitor.As the pandemic has progressed, and I’ve learned how I do working from home, I’ve had to figure out my limits when it comes to screen time. I know if I’m on my computer too late, I struggle to … Continue reading january: what’s bringing me calm
"The good life is one guided by love and inspired by knowledge."Bertrand Russell, What I Believe I’ve loved school since I can remember. I love the order and predictability of a classroom. I love the joy of learning new things. I love the intellectual community. I suppose I want to get that out there before … Continue reading Part 1 of 3: Sources of Overwhelm–School
1. Krista Tippett’s On Being has long been a favorite podcast. I listened to/struggled with her recent episode while on a walk through my neighborhood, which brings me to… 2. Daily walks through my neighborhood. These are cold right now as the weather finally becomes colder where I live in Texas. I’m a northern transplant … Continue reading december: what’s bringing me calm
The Lazy PhD 