1. & 2. Done   3. I tried, but it was like my skin was rebelling and I just had constant itches pop up all over the place to distract me. Anyone else experienced this?   4. It was a lovely sunny day, and I used it to run some grocery-oriented errands.   5. So, there's an interesting story about this one today....   I finally made it to my son's dorm so that he could show it off, and he gave me a little tour of his college campus. It's really nice, and he's right around the corner from a kitchen, which is handy. Lots of little cafes and places to sit and everything just looks really fresh and new. He seems happy there and settling in really well.   After I got back, I decided to go out on the aforementioned grocery-oriented errand run. I was walking down the street with my shopping trolley and an SUV pulled over into the street parking and a woman got out. I assumed she lived there at first, but she seemed to want to talk to me, so I thought maybe she needed directions or something. Her English was not very good and it took me a while to figure out what she was saying. It turns out that her husband, driving the SUV, is the imam of a musallah that is running just up my street, not even a ten-minute walk from my house. (A musallah is an informal temporary prayer space that is not a mosque. In this case, it is someone's home.) They invited me to the WhatsApp group for this community that I didn't know existed, and now I have an invite to go this Friday.   I was stunned. My town only has about 4000 people in it. While it's probably more diverse than the average small US town, it's not exactly overflowing with ethnic diversity. I had NO IDEA that this thing existed. And I hadn't been seeking it out, it just sort of found me. I feel like I have to give it a try. I mean, how much clearer a message from the universe can you get?   I'm not going to pretend I'm not nervous. I'm not exactly what you would call religiously orthodox. And based on past experience, I'm fully expecting (and very much not looking forward to) questions about my family, my lack of a husband, encouragements to find one, questions about my personal history, and so on. It's all innocent curiosity, but it's also really intrusive and makes me feel like the token white woman that's seen as some sort of trophy prize, and I hate that. The prying is also pressing on things that I can't be fully open about, but they don't know that. The language barrier could be tricky too. So I'm not really sure how this will go. I'm trying not to prejudge it and just be open, meet people, let them show me who they are. They are opening their doors to me (literally), to give me a chance. Perhaps it will be wonderful, and I will make some friends in the fullness of time. Perhaps we will be too different on a deep level, and I will be uncomfortable or rejected as time goes on. Perhaps there will be some of both. And perhaps there will be some good I can do, bridges I can build. I won't know if I don't try.

I'm subscribed, but I'm so able to ignore newsletters, apparently. Next year. Or maybe I'll just read it.   I have tons of vampire TV lined up for October, though.   (Also, I'm in possession of a certain novella, and I'll be hunting for your review soon.)

Bit early, but I'm probably going to be pretty busy after work tomorrow, so here we go!   I dunno if it's better to copy/paste it, or just post the google docs link.... Opinions welcome. This one's not even a page so I'll copy/paste it for now (spoilered to avoid the big wall of text, though I suppose a link would avoid that even better...)      

Your solidarity encouraged me.   Two players down and out tonight, so I cancelled the session (which is too bad since we're not on next week). Cid and I made dinner - chicken with broccoli (and also cauliflower for me) baked with a seasoning packet to spice it up and served with rice pilaf. I had a glass of grape juice, too, and enjoyed it immensely.   I also used the oven to make some scotchies. I only made half a dozen, but there's plenty more of the mix in the fridge. XD   Afterwards, I had to work up my nerve, but I'd decided to at least sketch Ginny into the group portrait (so thank you again, Ever, for your brief but reassuring solidarity). Look at this Stuff! I was told her face is a little too light to see, so for clarification, she's looking to the right, and her black stripe is a bit like a cheekbone accent.   Other things that I gave half-assed effort to at least make progress: Took the stairs down, but not up Paid down my credit cards, but not all the way Continued answering questions for Critmas exchange, but only have 4/8 questionaires done.   I also did really well at training, and hope to maintain through the rest of the week. Leaving work 5 minutes early is consistently helping avoid the worst of the traffic. Tomorrow or Wednesday I need to also stop at the store for a couple grocery things Cid and I forgot or realized we're low on.   Hope you can get a little done for something important  Maerad 

Love your attitude and mindset!

Today I started a new workout routine. It is 15 minutes a day. Just two exercises. I am also doing some stretches. I picked it for this month because we are on vacation in the middle of the month. and we arealso at my mother in laws for a few days the end of the month.  My last workout was pretty intense, so I thought this month I would do something with less volume. Next week, I may add in some rowing.  Today I didn't because the weather was gorgeous, so I spent the time in the garden and walking. It's fall though, cold in the mornings, and chilly in the evenings, even with afternoon sun. Hubby and I did get an evening walk in though.   One of the exercises was Bulgarian squat. They had you take the back bent leg down so your knee touched the ground. I didn't think I could, but I managed it! I did it bodyweight. Though also had Romanian Deadlift. Each set I kept upping the weight, and it still felt easy, so next time I will up it more.    Started on time today.  Tracked my food. Working on the water goal.

Hopefully! Thanks.

Meh, numbers...it's what I do  🤷🏼‍♀️

I believe it has, I feel much better now!     Thank you! I'm rather proud of me for this as well, I've noticed since then she's trying to move forward while at the same time slipping back into old habits. I've been reminding her that it's not how things are anymore. Old habits die hard though, no matter how much we want them to.