Novaurora

Here to support you! This looks great!! I hope it gives you what you need!

So, after a very questionable start to 2022 where my whole marriage fell apart (for the final time) and I spent a long time being kind of okay until I just WASN'T OKAY AT ALL, I am ready for a mulligan (or to kick 2022 in the nads to show it how I really feel). So, if you need to know one thing about me as we move forward, its that I am terrified (in an almost paralyzing way) of failure and being alone, two things which are exacerbated by my ADHD and my anxiety (that I am diagnosed with and medicated for). SO MY BIG GOAL FOR 2022, as I sit in a place in my life where (in my eyes) I have undeniably failed as a human and now must forage ahead by myself, is to become THE BADASS BITCH who takes what she wants and loves herself and says YES to adventures and exciting new things just because she can. And maybe I'll do lots of this alone, but (unlike 25 year old Nova who was following the traditional WASP path of college-marriage-kids as the gateway to fulfillment) I have to remember that I get to define myself however I want now, and UNLEARNING this idea that a traditional lifestyle leads to the ONLY path to happiness is going to be so crucial to me this year. My other major goal is to NOT put the focus on getting me right so I can just get with another man. If I build me and my lifestyle in a way that brings me joy, a man might fit into that one day. But I am no longer playing origami or hide and seek with my priorities, finances, and goals because of another person. I mean, at 33, I get to look back at dreams I had in my early 20's (when I was undiagnosed and less financially stable) and say, "YES" instead of "maybe later" or "when I'm older" or "If I had the money." While this whole idea is TERRIFYING, I always had that nagging thought in the back of my head, "how could things have been different for me if...." and while I can't go back and get an early 20s diagnosis for my mental health issues, a hard reset like this is the closest thing to it, and I'm scared, but I'm here for it. So, WELCOME TO NOVA'S YEAR OF THE BADASS...where each challenge I pick a few BADASS WOMEN (from TV, real life, sports, etc) and emulate their awesome qualities to help get me where I want to be. So, the first line up includes: Beauregard (from Critical Roll Season 2), Amy Santiago (from Brooklyn 99) and Elsa (from Frozen...thanks to a little general chatter inspo last night). Train Like Beau: So, she's a bit rough around the edges, BUT she is always authentically 100% herself (unless she's being Tracy...but that's a different story). Anyway, she's a badass, and she trains hard so she can kick the crap out of shit. But she also meditates (sometime, begrudgingly....like someone else I know) so I figured she would be a great fit. Part of learning to love myself by myself is learning to love myself PERIOD. And currently, I'm not super nice to physical me because I know I have it in me to kick some ass, not just sit on the couch. Goals: 2 gym sessions per week Can replace with a home session of at least 45 minutes as needed 1800 calories a day Yoga x3 Meditation after yoga (1 minute, with a 30 second build each week) Plan Like Amy: So, she's a bit much when it comes to organizing, but she owns it. She's a character (like me) who has high anxiety and fears failure, but doesn't let those things change who she is. She still proudly organizes more than any human ever needs to, does her ridiculous victory dances in public, all the time, and and sees her quirks as positives more often than not. Organization has never been my skill, and I started a good thing with my ITS ALL RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF MY FACE wall last challenge, so I want to continue that. I'm also working to continue putting as much of my life on autopilot as possible, so there's less to worry about, and more room in my brain for fun things. I wanted there to be a more financial slant to this challenge but due to (insert divorce annoyances here) our money is still together this month. Lastly, I want to be more mindful of all my screen time, and try to cut that down a bit. So we are going to plan and find control in our life with Amy. Goals: Meal Prep With HelloFresh Use the wall calendar and COMPLETE the daily and weekly chore lists Take my meds EVERYDAY Make preparations where I can for financial independence in March Put things on auto draft (by end of month) Set up a summer saving account to help bulk up my savings without having to think about it. (by end of Month) Turn in Direct Debit form (by 2nd of week 2) Track spending Let It Go like Elsa So this is really getting at the heart of what I was going on about at the top. She had to learn to love herself for who she was, and so do I. She has a secret magic power; I have mental health diagnoses...tomato potato? Anyhow, this is the fun part. Goals Let go of who we thought we had to/should be at 33, and welcome who we CAN BE Try a new (or forgotten) hobby or gym class Visit somewhere in town I’ve never been WRITE daily for at least 15 minutes (finish draft 3 of Children’s Book, revisit your novel, or one of the million short stories on your drive) Keep a journal about new adventures and self discovery and write in it at least once a week (does not count toward writing goal). I'm headed back to work tomorrow after surviving my bout with COVID, and I have already tried to set myself up well by cooking one of my HelloFresh meals tonight incase I come home exhausted tomorrow (being tired is like my one nagging symptom, but I'm negative now, soooo). Can't wait to see what everyone else is up to!!

Okayokayokay, here we go. So: Successes: kept on my meds for the most part got my challenge to do list done reduced food waste with HelloFresh positive coping strategies for bad mental health dips staying on the boards until the last week when I got sick. Stumbles: Deciding (jointly, with my husband of almost 8 years) to get divorced Mid-Challenge which had me dealing with a few serious mental health curve balls getting COVID at the end of the challenge and exacerbating previous mental health curve balls with isolation. Set ups: Seeing as my challenge changed like 4356 times last challenge due to life and things, I'm really looking for stability and consistency this go round. Finally feeling human again and so ready for a new challenge

I think I can watch football now. I downloaded a new service to watch the olympics and I have other sports options and saw "Everton" and was like "why do I know them??" I enjoy watching "soccer" lol and can't wait for the next world cup!!

Hey guys, 2022 just keeps coming for me. I struggled over the weekend with a bit of depression about limbo and being alone and other things, and then I woke up on Tuesday with a sore throat, had a fever that evening, and a positive COVID test yesterday. Luckily, I have been feeling okay today. Tuesday night and Wednesday were miserable, but my fever broke yesterday afternoon after a very medicinal 4 hour nap, and I had enough energy to take a shower and make my sub plans for today (my favorite part of being a teacher). Today I am VERY TIRED and I have lots of congestion, but have no fever, and I had enough energy to cook dinner and make sub plans, but even as I am typing this now, I know that was about all of my energy. All I have been doing besides that is watching Blind Spot on Hulu. That's about all I have for now. I'm alive and all that. Yay...ish.

Good morning, Nerds! Another day down. I'm really looking forward to new beginnings in February. I might even covertly have 0 week next week. I'm glad I scaled everything back and really focused on my emotions and feeling my feelings (and I'm sure there will be more of that as the year progresses) but I am so ready to start experimenting with me on my own and what that looks like in terms of money management and finding actual hobbies and moving forward in my career and everything else. I am also really looking forward to the weekend. This week has been insanely busy (had three after school meetings this week) and I'm looking forward to some "active" rest. I'm currently working on zeroing in on this term for my next challenge in an effort to 1. cut down on sitting in front of the tv while scrolling on my phone and 2. spending alone time with myself. I have been spending a lot of time with friends and I have thrown myself in these new career directions, and I'm excited, but I'm also really really tired. I need to read more and write more and relish in spending time with myself. Anyhoo, yesterday was pretty good. Class went well, had an equity meeting after school, then Red came over and we cooked the Pork Al Pastor bowls from my hellofresh box. I think they were my favorite thing so far. I was glad the two of us were cooking together because it was quite a bit of prep and multi-tasking, and since they sent me a random extra box, I have a few servings of leftovers. Tonight will be busy again, but in a good way. I have therapy at 2:30, then I'm doing an escape room with friends that evening. Week 4 1. Take my meds and do my oral hygiene routine: ✅✅✅✅✅ 2. Practice healthy coping strategies: grounding, meditation, talking to friends, journaling ✅✅✅✅✅ 3. Track moods ✅✅✅✅✅ To Do 1. Plan a spring break vacation/girl's weekend/something Pick dates ✅Girl's Trip from April 15-18 (the 19th is my anniversary...distractions are good) Pick place ✅Raleigh, NC Book lodging 2. Schedule a dentist appointment 3. Rejoin the gym before February 1 (I miss the classes and the structure) 4. Fill out the Emerging Leaders Application Form (Due January 24) 5. Set up new bank account 6. Link Mint 7. Create a tentative budget for February

Good morning nerds! Yesterday was very busy but also very productive. School was fine, no biggie there. Though, I finally got to see the actual numbers on my big sexy bonus, and it's basically a 2nd paycheck, so I'm very very thankful for it. Because apparently I'm going to need it...... So, my friend's husband works for an extermination company. And I posted on FB asking for recommendations, and she (who knows my current situation) was like, "girl, send me your address, hubby says he'll swing by and do an outdoor inspection today" So, he did and then he send me pictures where they had burrowed in under both sides of the HVAC and through several grates and apparently our house has a stupid number of accesses (like 4) to the crawl space, and he was like "this happens with old houses (1941) built near the river" so it was basically inevitable. The total cost for the work (to seal everything up, get rid of rats and smells etc etc) is 1200 dollars. He said it would be cheaper if A was willing to do some of the work (the construction business is listed under the house and comes up when you search the plans and whatever for it) but I'm not holding my breath on that one because it took him three years to install a waterline so we could have water and ice in the fridge door. The guy also gave me a financing option, but I really need to rehab my credit score due to the last 2 years of surviving on 1 income and being maxed out of credit, etc etc. It's not terrible (I would be on the border of approval), and getting back into the 700s won't be too hard, but it's going to take a few months of aggressively paying down my credit cards (which thankfully do not have a super high limit to begin with). All together, It would be a third of my bonus, and that would still mean two thirds gets chucked into savings for the summer, which would still keep me in the clear. Some thoughts in spoiler about divorce finances... Anyhoo, I did set up my bank account, so I can cross that off, and I had an orientation to host a fulbright teacher (a teacher from a foreign county comes to America to observe teachers and we both learn from each other...it's a fabulous program). and then I ate dinner and watched TV. HelloFresh sent me a 2nd free box for the week, which was weird...maybe due to the first one being delayed...but hey, I'll take it. Week 4 1. Take my meds and do my oral hygiene routine: ✅✅✅✅ 2. Practice healthy coping strategies: grounding, meditation, talking to friends, journaling ✅✅✅✅ 3. Track moods ✅✅✅✅ To Do 1. Plan a spring break vacation/girl's weekend/something Pick dates ✅Girl's Trip from April 15-18 (the 19th is my anniversary...distractions are good) Pick place ✅Raleigh, NC Book lodging 2. Schedule a dentist appointment 3. Rejoin the gym before February 1 (I miss the classes and the structure) 4. Fill out the Emerging Leaders Application Form (Due January 24) 5. Set up new bank account 6. Link Mint 7. Create a tentative budget for February

I agree with everything Athaclena said. She doesn't get to do what she did to get home, gloat about sleeping in her own bed, and then demand you keep up the care for things that she should be getting from professionals if that's what she needs. I'm wishing you the quickest in and out visit that one could ask for. Could you arrange for your brother to call her while you are there? Is he the type that would go along with you? "Oh mom, I see you're on the phone, we'll get out of your hair." or have an Agent call you?

Woohoo!! Congrats!!!

I love seeing my friends and fellow nerds standing up for what they believe in!!!

I'm sorry that you had a really rough day and you were feeling so hopeless. But I'm still so proud of you for sticking to your goals and staying sober. I'm putting positive vibes into the universe for your sister and her treatment!

https://www.uniba.it/docenti/fortunato-elisa/attivita-didattica/WordsandBehaviorHUXLEY.pdf There you go! It's dense, but so so good. I blew a couple of minds on Monday. Thanks everyone! The voting is sometime this week, so I'll let you know how it goes Yesterday was pretty good. I wasn't as planned for one of my classes as I should have been, but thankfully, I have taught Hamlet more than a handful of times, so I was able to throw something together that fit the bill. Other than that, school was fine. I made it to my workout after school. It was GREAT! ...so great that I slept in for an extra HOUR, HA. I am really enjoying this class, and it's staying small, so I definitely feel safe. There were 8 (3 minute) stations (bulgarian split squats 😵) and then 30 seconds of cardio between each station, a 4 minute run with intervals (heart rate was up to 160 at the end of that), and then a sprint across the floor to different exercises (jumping jacks, climbers, squats). Needless to say, I was VERY DEAD at the end of it. I came home, showered, and met up with an old coworker for pizza. It was good to see her. We team taught together at the school (she is a special education teacher) in the school that I used to work for, and we had a great dynamic. Then I came home and read the last 50 pages of a novel I have to teach today. HOWEVER, while I was reading, I KEPT HEARING RAT NOISES IN THE ATTIC. So, my first act as owner of this home will be to KICK THE FREELOADERS OUT. Only dogs welcome here!!!! So, I'm looking into exterminators. The big news today is that I'm opening my own bank account. I'm also getting the SEXIEST PAYCHECK EVER on the 31st. It has a bunch of bonuses on it from the state (due to COVID and a few other things plus I get paid $50 for every kid that passed my AP test last year) and even taxed it will be enough to plump up my savings so I don't have to work this summer AND I can start an emergency fund. I already have enough in savings to pay my bills this summer, but this will allow me to eat (lol) and have some fun. I'm hoping to be able to catch the mortgage up (its been almost 30 days late for like a year) so that'll be an extra 900 dollars this month, but it will be worth it. I HATE having late bills hanging over my head. So much easily avoidable stress. Anyhoo, Week 4 Week 4 1. Take my meds and do my oral hygiene routine: ✅✅✅ 2. Practice healthy coping strategies: grounding, meditation, talking to friends, journaling ✅✅✅ 3. Track moods ✅✅✅ To Do 1. Plan a spring break vacation/girl's weekend/something Pick dates ✅Girl's Trip from April 15-18 (the 19th is my anniversary...distractions are good) Pick place ✅Raleigh, NC Book lodging 2. Schedule a dentist appointment 3. Rejoin the gym before February 1 (I miss the classes and the structure) 4. Fill out the Emerging Leaders Application Form (Due January 24) 5. Set up new bank account 6. Link Mint 7. Create a tentative budget for February

Save all your spoons for you. We are here for you regardless.

Good morning Nerds! Gotta be quick this morning because I have to write up a short bio because I WAS NOMINATED FOR TEACHER OF THE YEAR. Teachers can nominate each other, and the top 3 nominations go to the final vote. I'm shocked, honestly, but half of my departments is new and I helped all of them with our new curriculum this year, so it kinda makes sense. Anyhoo, that's exciting and feels very validating because I love this job and I put a lot of work into it and for YEARS my dedication was a huge point of contention with A (which I can kind of understand because when you have dedication coupled with limited focus, you get hours of inefficient work and everything takes twice as long...pre medication). The rest of yesterday was pretty good. My juniors literally make my day every time I see them. We are reading Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (one of my favorite books ever ever ever) and they GET IT and they are enjoying it. And we just read an article over the last 2 days called "Words and Behaviors" by Aldous Huxley (basically a 1939 article about how we use personifications, abstractions and euphemisms, to describe our enemies, political rivals, anyone we don't like, etc to get others to see them as inherently less human and make destroying them easier). And watching them toil away in groups at this piece of DIFFICULT literature, while their brains made modern connections to how we still do this today was AMAZING. They are great kids. Made my day. Came home and had my first equity meeting. I felt a bit overwhelmed because everyone else in the room had like SO MUCH more experience than I did (school board member, former international superintendent, a teacher with a doctorate, etc) and they were all invited, but I basically asked my way on because I'm not a fan of waiting for doors to open for me when I have a goal in mind) but it felt good to be involved and to be working toward making my county a better place for ALL students. The rest of the night was about as unproductive as it gets. I did make a hello fresh meal (and have 2 containers of leftovers) but then I parked my ass in front of the TV. I should have done a bit more work for school, BUT it just wasn't in the cards. I totally forgot about the nomination bio (hence why I am doing it this morning) and I didn't even really relax because the whole time I was thinking "I should be doing other things" but I just...didn't. I really need a screen time goal in my next challenge. I need to practice relaxing, not zoning out. In other news, A leaves for his Utah trip today, and he gave me the go ahead to shift some things of his around to make room for me in spaces that were traditionally his. (I figured he wouldn't care, but I asked anyway). Week 4 1. Take my meds and do my oral hygiene routine: ✅✅ 2. Practice healthy coping strategies: grounding, meditation, talking to friends, journaling ✅✅ 3. Track moods ✅✅ To Do 1. Plan a spring break vacation/girl's weekend/something Pick dates ✅Girl's Trip from April 15-18 (the 19th is my anniversary...distractions are good) Pick place ✅Raleigh, NC Book lodging 2. Schedule a dentist appointment 3. Rejoin the gym before February 1 (I miss the classes and the structure) 4. Fill out the Emerging Leaders Application Form (Due January 24) 5. Set up new bank account 6. Link Mint 7. Create a tentative budget for February

Thanks! I sent it off last night. I'm totally nervous, but also very excited. I spent time with a friend and her husband. She and I got in her hot tub (in the freezing weather) and had a good chat. Yeah, on her worst days, I can give her 9 of the little pink benadryls (three at a time over the course of a day) Good morning nerds! Yesterday was both productive and relaxing. So, I kicked it into overdrive yesterday because I wanted to get my to do list done before heading over to see Red and her husband. I got the grading done that I wanted to, finishing (and folded) the laundry, cleaning up the kitchen, and submitted my Emerging Leaders Application. My HelloFresh box didn't show, but it is supposed to come today, so hopefully it stays safe until I get back home. It was really good to see my friends (weekends are BORING by yourself). A was supposed to be there as well (we have been getting together with these guys once a week since the pandemic started...they were our only in-person friends), but didn't show because he was waiting for his client to come home. Red made a SUPER TASTY chicken and pumpkin soup for dinner (I'll share the recipe in a spoiler) and we just sat around chatting. After a while, her husband abandoned us to watch football and we went out to the hot tub and talked about stuff. I don't talk about anything more than surface level stuff in front of her husband because he has his own gaming friendship with A outside of our Saturday get togethers, and I'm trying to be kind and not vent and make him think he needs to pick sides when I'm usually just blowing off steam in the moment. So we talked about a lot of the stuff I spoilered yesterday, and she echoed wat a lot of you said, so I think I'm going to put anything of his that's ALREADY in a box (years of old paperwork, family heirlooms, etc) into the guest bedroom, and I am going to reach out about clearing off the top of the desk, but I think that's where I'll leave it for now. I really just want the office cleared because the weight rack is in here and it's impossible to do deadlifts (the #1 way to make me feel like a badass) when there's tons of boxes in the way. If we were still "together" I wouldn't think twice about moving it, so there's also that. Tasty recipe below I have my first meeting for the Equity work group today, and I won't lie, I'm a bit intimidated. I'm in a group with a board member, the guy in charge of all the high schools (also my former principal though), and another woman who had a doctorate (but I spoke to her on the phone and she is hella nice). We will see how this goes. Anyhoo, week 3 was near perfect goals wise (one missed day of medication) but we are starting off great this week GOALS! Week 4 1. Take my meds and do my oral hygiene routine: ✅ 2. Practice healthy coping strategies: grounding, meditation, talking to friends, journaling ✅ 3. Track moods ✅ To Do 1. Plan a spring break vacation/girl's weekend/something Pick dates ✅Girl's Trip from April 15-18 (the 19th is my anniversary...distractions are good) Pick place ✅Raleigh, NC Book lodging 2. Schedule a dentist appointment 3. Rejoin the gym before February 1 (I miss the classes and the structure) 4. Fill out the Emerging Leaders Application Form (Due January 24) 5. Set up new bank account 6. Link Mint 7. Create a tentative budget for February

I often find its easier to do what I need to do if the motivation is coming from someone who is not me. Good luck!!

I hope you feel on top of the world for this victory because you should. I'm so glad that the two of you are able to support each other!!! You got this!!!!!!!!!!

Diamond has actually been doing a lot better the last few days. I think the tumors go through cycles of being more and less irritating (they its and stuff), and I upped her antihistamine dosage (we can give her up to three doses a day, but generally 1 works) and today she jumped off the bed, pranced around for breakfast and got herself up and down the stairs no problem. Good Morning Nerds!! Yesterday was all right. I spent a good portion of the morning on the phone with my mom and my sister. My mom had sent me some shelving designs for my front room, so I called her and we chatted. And lately, since A has been gone, my sister and I have a Saturday ritual of video chatting on Saturday morning and eating breakfast "together." However, the dogs had been acting a bit weird all morning, and mid conversation with my sister, we had another dog fight (this time between the littles, Diamond got to be a spectator and was uninjured). So, I threw my phone down on the couch, and broke up yet another dog fight on my own. Luckily, they were fighting right in front of the hallway door, so it was easier than last time when they were in the back of the house and I had to drag one all the way up front. I can't tell you how long it took, and the only injury was a cut on the pad of Piglet's foot (the one of the back of the leg) that was deep enough that I contemplated the e vet, but my uncle said it was fine to wait once the bleeding stopped and we got a good look at it. So we are just keeping it clean and dry. I'm starting to think that some of the fighting might be an adjustment to the attention they have been getting. With A gone, and only one person to pay them attention, I need to be sure I am carving out time for each of them individually. Piglet was always more my dog, and Waffle was more A's, but now that they are both staying with me, I need to be more attentive to Waffle (she started the fight yesterday) and hopefully that will help. I'm thinking of taking them on individual walks a few times a week (maybe every day, but with one or the other), which will be great for my step count and fitness, and good for their individual needs. Anyhoo, I hasn't actually hung up on my sister, and she was very concerned about my safety because she was unable to see anything, but I am basically an expert at this point. I hung up with her to check for injuries, and the rest of my day was quasi productive. I did some of the grading I wanted to do, but not all of it. I have 2 more assignments I need to grade today. My hellofresh box is delayed (as expected) but I still ate well yesterday and my weight has been trending down, yay! I am sending off my application today after my friend gives it one more look. I did nothing for my house (I dunno why, just really wasn't feeling it yesterday) and I read more of my book and then got stuck in a bit of a planning rut. Details in spoiler GOALS! Week...3? 1. Take my meds and do my oral hygiene routine: ❌✅✅✅✅✅✅ 2. Practice healthy coping strategies: grounding, meditation, talking to friends, journaling ✅✅✅✅✅✅✅ 3. Track moods ✅✅✅✅✅✅✅ To Do 1. Plan a spring break vacation/girl's weekend/something Pick dates ✅Girl's Trip from April 15-18 (the 19th is my anniversary...distractions are good) Pick place ✅Raleigh, NC Book lodging 2. Schedule a dentist appointment 3. Rejoin the gym before February 1 (I miss the classes and the structure) 4. Fill out the Emerging Leaders Application Form (Due January 24) 5. Set up new bank account 6. Link Mint 7. Create a tentative budget for February Well, I have a lot to do today, so LET'S GO

I could not agree more. My favorite infinite loop is forgetting my ADHD meds for a few days because I'm running late in the morning and don't eat, or a dog has peed or puked on the floor and my morning routine is the thrown all off and whatever. And then remembering to get back on them when you are going down the rabbit hole of being off meds

Here's a limerick for you There once was a girl so in pain She felt all the cures were in vain But that pain she fought through With no sweets and no booze A feat most would say is insane I'll see myself out, but feel free to add an inspiration re roll to your challenge this week (if you want to)

Glad you survived all the weather! Also, living in the south with all its "traditions" is such a treat sometimes, isn't it?

I'll tell you after you have a secured deal

Hey, you gotta start somewhere. Glad you found something that worked!!