It is my first reading wrap up of 2023, and I am late writing about what I read in January. Back in January, I announced that my goal on Goodreads for this year is 75 books. I completed only one book in the month of January and that was No Exit by Taylor Adams. It was FANTASTIC! This suspenseful psychological thriller was chosen for the Chills, Thrills, & Kills Book Club that I host with my friend Kelsi. It was the perfect winter read to start off the new year. I found it engrossing, action-packed, and at times, quite brutal.
Darby Thorne is attending college in Colorado. The story begins with her heading home to be with her dying mom in Utah. Due to an intense snowstorm, she is forced to make an unexpected detour to a remote rest stop in the Colorado Rockies. There, she encounters four strangers, who seem to be experiencing a similar fate. Shortly after arriving, she makes a horrifying discovery that will forever change her life. Now, it becomes a race against the clock to not only save herself, but to also attempt to save a total stranger. I loved it! I loved the setting (cold and isolated), Darby (flawed but strong), and the intensity throughout the entire story. What a terrific introduction to Taylor Adams! 5-star read for me.
Although I only completed one book in the month of January, I began the new year reading quite a bit. I started five other books for various projects I am participating in for this year. Except for Stardust (finished in February), I am currently still reading the books on the following list.
Stardust by Neil Gaiman (Cozy Cottage Book Club – January)
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F%#k by Mark Manson (Buddy Read with sister Rachel)
Agatha Christie: An Elusive Woman by Lucy Worsley (Year of Christie project)
Choose Joy: 3-Minute Devotions for Women by Barbour Books (on my 23 Books to Read in 2023 List)
Overall, dear reader, I am pleased with where I am at with my reading in 2023. February has been a terrific reading month because of Folklore February, my very first readathon I hosted on my channel. I look forward, sometime in the next couple of weeks, to share everything I read for Folklore February as well as what I read for other reading events throughout February. My book club selection for February is The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay. To see my current book reviews or books I have read in the past, follow me on Goodreads at Katherine Loyacano. Happiness!
“In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.” ~ Mortimer J. Adler
The rule focused on for Week 3 of the Tranquility by Tuesday challenge was Move by 3p.m. The purpose of this rule is to move by 3 p.m. by doing some form of physical activity for at least 10 minutes in the first half of the day (Monday-Sunday). Laura Vanderkam leaves it up to you how you move, but many of her suggestions are fitness-related activities (push-ups, sit-ups, walking, bicep curls, etc.). However, running around the yard with your dog or child can count as well. Personally, I think anything that requires your body to move, including grocery shopping, vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom, etc. can also count for this rule.
Vanderkam acknowledges this rule may not work for everyone; however, she states in a blog post, “Even if you get no other activity, building in a 10 minute walk break will allow you to focus for the rest of the workday. Choosing to move in the first half of the day means the day is less likely to get away from you.”
Is 10 minutes before 3 p.m. worth it? Well, 150 minutes per week of aerobic activity is the current health recommendation. You are almost halfway there with the daily 10 minutes before 3 p.m., so if you add another 11.5 minutes later in the day, you could hit the 150 minutes per week mark. Take it even a step further and go outside, add a few more minutes, and you can count it for Gretchen Rubin’s #Outside23in23 which is a perfect way to use the Strategy of Pairing to achieve those two goals.
Before the week started, I pondered the planning questions for Rule #3 that Laura sent us on Friday, 03 February and made a plan for the week.
On average, how much exercise do you currently do per week? When do you exercise and what kind of exercise do you do? Sadly, I am currently NOT exercising – ZERO, ZILCH, NADA
What sort of physical activity could you do for 10 minutes before 3 p.m. during an average day? Walk. I love walking, especially by myself while listening to a podcast.
Think about today: When could you do this activity today? Between 10:00-1:00 (Friday)
How about tomorrow? When could you do this activity tomorrow?Morning would be best. Ideally, I’d like to go walk after my cup of coffee, but before breakfast.
What challenges might keep you from building more physical activity into your life? ME
How can you address these challenges? I would really need to plan this 10-minute break into my schedule, but even then I’m not sure if I will honor it because it really depends on how involved I am in whatever I am working on at that moment in time.
RESULTS
I did awful with this rule. I did not plan on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. I lived by my calendar and a to-do list if I even made one. I knew I was going out of town on Thursday, so I used every moment to get videos filmed and edited while prepping for an audition, and completing other necessary tasks. Now, that does not mean I did not move on a couple of evenings. On Thursday evening, Barry and I walked on the beach for about an hour before we went to dinner.
REFLECTION
About how much exercise did you get this week? When did you do this and how much did you do? One day on Sunday from 9:00-10:00 if you count grocery shopping at Walmart on Sunday.I did walk on the beach for an hour with Barry on the night we arrived at the beach (this was not before 3 p.m.).
What effects did you see in your life from moving by 3 p.m. most days? None, because I failed at this rule in the context of setting a specific 10 minutes per day to be physically active before 3 p.m.
What challenges did you face in implementing this week’s strategy? My only challenge is myself and my lack of planning. Honestly, I really didn’t give this rule a second thought this week with everything I had going on as well as preparing for my overnight trip out of town.
How did you deal with these challenges? n/a
If you needed to modify this rule, how did you do so? I guess I modified it by including grocery shopping as a physical activity. HA!
How likely are you to continue to move by 3 p.m.? Highly unlikely; however, instead of 7 days per week, I may strive for at least 3 days per week. No promises.
Did you plan on Fridays? Unfortunately, NO.
Did you observe a bedtime this week? YES! And, I feel like I am continuing to improve with this rule.On all 7 nights, I was ready for sleep by 11:20 (only 2 nights I read before lights out; 1 night I watched YouTube videos; 1 night I was posting a book picture on Instagram; 1 night I was doing some chores; 1 night I took my shower and went straight to bed; and the night at the beach I was downloading video clips from our traveling adventures onto my iPad). I did NO mindless scrolling on social media on any of the nights before lights out. Overall, better than the first week as far as scrolling on social media; my winding down routine is still a work in progress, and I was asleep no later than 11:20PM.
With completing Rule #3, I finished Part 1 of Tranquility by Tuesday, dear reader. I still believe planning on Fridays is the key, so I will try harder with this rule. I will still continue working on giving myself a bedtime, and I will try to move by 3 p.m. at least three times during the week. These first three rules are meant to “calm the chaos.” I am looking forward to the second part of the book as well as the next four rules. Happiness!
“Committing to move by 3 p.m. also nudges you to pay attention to how your energy ebbs and flows during the day, and the control you can exercise over your energy levels.” ~ Laura Vanderkam
The rule focused on for Week 2 of the Tranquility by Tuesday challenge was Plan on Fridays. The purpose of this rule is to set aside 20 minutes on a Friday afternoon to consider how you want to spend your upcoming week (Monday-Sunday). Laura mentions, “when the session occurs depends on personal preference” (38). However, if you do not already have a designated planning time or a preference, she recommends Fridays because most people are wrapping up a week instead of starting something new. Monday mornings are more productive because whatever is on the schedule can be attended to first thing in the morning. Weekends can be tentatively planned a week ahead and upgraded if necessary. And, the Sunday scaries can be kept at bay because last minute planning the night before will not cause unnecessary anxiety, especially if someone has to be reached to schedule an appointment first thing Monday morning.
After assessing your commitments, think about what you want to achieve with the time you have left in your time bank for the week. Remember, we all start with 168 hours. Laura suggests making a list with three categories (career, relationships, and self) and listing a few items under each category that you want to do when your schedule allows the time. The items on this list are important; however, they are not urgent. You want to do them even if you do not have to do them. This is also where creating a List of 100 Dreams can come in handy.
Back in 2019, I created a List of 100 Dreams. This activity can be found in Laura’s book, 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think as well as in this chapter of Tranquility by Tuesday (pages 53-55). I actually enjoy making lists, and making this particular list was invigorating because it includes all the things you want to experience or want to add to your life. Like her list of planning categories on Fridays, Laura suggests dividing your list of 100 dreams into the same three categories: career, relationships, and self. I highly recommend this activity.
Before the week started, I pondered the planning questions for Rule #2 that Laura sent us on Friday, 27 January and made a plan for the week.
What does your planning look like now? I plan sporadically; usually on Saturday or Sundays, more so on Sundays when I plan a schedule;unfortunately, there are some weeks where I just follow what is in my monthly planner
This rule is about creating a designated weekly planning time. When, approximately, can you schedule a weekly planning time into your life? If you are planning to use Fridays, when on Friday generally works? Friday or Saturday mornings
How much time do you think it will take to plan the week? at least 30 minutes, maybe longer
What benefits do you think you would see (or do you see) from a designated weekly planning time? It allows you to be a better steward of your time.You can make more time for what is important to you.
What obstacles might keep you from a regular planning practice? Unexpected things can crop up during the planning time, especially in the afternoon.There is also the possibility that I will just forget because I’m occupied with something else.
How can you address these challenges? For me, I will strive for Friday mornings; however, Saturday morning will be my back up planning time.
RESULTS
The first step I took was creating my list of things I wanted to do for the week. While I am not currently working a job outside my home, I still have skills I am working on towards career goals.
Career: 1) Create Youtube Video 2) Learn StreamYard
Relationships: 1) Buddy Read with Sister 2) Lunch with Sue
Self: 1) Eye Appointment 2) Improv Class
Then, I used different colored pens to write my commitments and the activities I wanted to do for the week on my weekly planning page. Using the colored pens make planning a bit more fun. It adds a bit of whimsy.
REFLECTION
On Thursday I received reflection questions from Laura to review how well I did with planning on Fridays.
How did planning on Friday (or your chosen planning day) affect your week? Planning on Friday really made the week run more smoothly.
What challenges did you face while implementing this week’s strategy? I had no problems implementing this week’s strategy, partly because I knew I was participating in this challenge.However, it did take me longer than 20 minutes.
How did you deal with these challenges? n/a
Did you need to modify this rule? If so, how? The way my planning page is set up, I planned Sunday-Saturday instead of Monday-Sunday.
How likely are you to continue to plan on Fridays? Very likely; however, I will designate Fridays for planning (preferably in the morning with Saturday mornings as a back up.
Did you observe a bedtime this past week? Somewhat. On 5 nights, I was ready for sleep by 11:30 (4 nights I read before lights out; 1 night I watched tv). On the other two nights, I either scrolled on social media (Tuesday) or worked on a video (Thursday). Of course, I had improv on Thursday night, and I worked on a video after my shower. Overall, better than the previous week as far as my winding down routine and reading before sleep.
Two rules down and seven more to go, dear reader. Remembering to plan on Fridays will be the key. I will also continue working on giving myself a bedtime. Both of these rules take a small amount of organizing and require strategies within themselves to prompt reminding me to implement them. At least, for me anyway. As with developing any new habit, it takes a little time, plenty of commitment, and a whole lot of patience. I keep striving towards making life better by being a good steward of time. Happiness!
“As for feeling tired and distracted, remember that planning work takes less energy than actually doing the tasks you’re planning. It is far easier to write “call three prospective clients” in a planner than to actually call those clients. That Friday-afternoon fatigue is precisely why this is a good time for planning.” ~ Laura Vanderkam, Tranquility by Tuesday
Note: Photo at the top is by Content Pixie on Pexels.com.
The rule focused on for Week 1 of the Tranquility by Tuesday challenge was Give Yourself a Bedtime. I knew from the start that committing to a bedtime was going to be tough for me. Since the beginning of the new year, I have been going to bed whenever I feel like it, and sometimes it has been 1:00 in the morning by the time I climb into bed for my evening slumber. I no longer have an established morning routine, and I rarely set an alarm since leaving my instructional coaching job, but I manage to get enough sleep.
Laura mentioned (in a recent blog post about Rule #1) that she chose it first “because it’s important to get enough sleep and a regular bedtime gives structure to the day.” I could not agree more and was happy to start with this rule because as I mentioned in my post, “My RESULTS of the 2023 Time Tracking Challenge,” I want a more structured daily routine (M-F), especially in the mornings and throughout the day.
Before the week started, I pondered the planning questions for Rule #1 that Laura sent us on Friday, 20 January and made a plan for the week.
What time would you like to wake up most mornings? 6:00 AM
About how many hours of sleep do you need on an average night? 7 hours
What time do you generally need to be in bed in order to get this amount of sleep? 11:00 PM
About how much time do you need before your bedtime to relax and get ready? 30 minutes
What might keep you from going to bed at your bedtime? working on video projects for my YouTube channel
How do you plan to address these challenges? no idea
RESULTS
I am thrilled that I continued time tracking along with this challenge because I averaged 7.5 hours of sleep not 7 hours. This is huge because I now have to readjust the time I start winding down and going to sleep by a half hour or decide to wake up at 6:30 instead of 6:00 in the morning.
My time tracking log also revealed the reasons for staying up later than 11:00 PM. On Friday night, I showered at 10:30 and from 11:00-11:45, I played on my phone, scrolling through social media. On Monday night, I showered at 10:15 and from 10:35-11:30, I edited a video. On Tuesday night, I showered at 8:45 and from 9:15-11:45, I was either scrolling on social media or watching YouTube videos. On Thursday night, I attended my improv class from 6:00-8:00; showered at 9:25, and from 9:50-11:50, I edited a video.
REFLECTION
On Thursday I received reflection questions from Laura to review how well I did with giving myself a bedtime. I did not go to sleep one single night at 11:00 PM. I missed the mark EVERY single night. Boy, do I have my work cut out for me!
How did observing a bedtime affect you this week? more conscious of trying to go to bed on time
What challenges did you face in implementing this week’s strategy? me(only see this after reviewing my time tracking log)
How did you deal with these challenges? sadly, I didn’t deal with it, but I can from this point on
If you were not able to observe a bedtime, what prevented you from doing so? getting sucked into playing on my phone (effortless fun)and continuing to work on my videos past my bedtime
If you needed to modify the rule, how did you do so? n/a
How likely are you to continue observing a bedtime? very likely; I need to take this rule more seriously
Additionally, I realized that I do NOT have a good winding down routine. I did try to set an alarm to stop working on Monday night; however, when the alarm went off, I was right in the middle of what I was working on and did not want to stop. I still think an alarm is effective; however, I will need to set it for at least 15 minutes earlier than the time I ideally want to stop and start winding down before bedtime. I also think I need some sort of transition to signal my brain that it is time to wind down for the evening. Of course, this will take trial and error over the next few weeks.
Participating in this challenge has been enjoyable, dear reader. I am discovering some interesting information about myself. This is definitely a know yourself better experiment. Going forward with Rule #1, I need to readjust my bedtime if I want to wake up at 6:00 AM, be more intentional with observing a regular bedtime (set a timer), create a transition to wind down before bed, and eliminate phone time prior to winding down. With a bit of practice and the right attitude, I really think I can make giving myself a bedtime a good habit. Happiness!
“If you would like to experience the additional energy and optimism that comes from being well rested, choose a time that you would like to go to sleep more nights than not. Then, commit to getting in bed by that time unless you have a compelling reason not to.” ~ Laura Vanderkam, Tranquility by Tuesday
Note: Photo at the top is by Kristin Vogt on Pexels.com.
Once upon a time, dear reader, Kat came up with the idea to host her very first readathon on her channel, Kat’s Novel Adventures. With tender care and lots of hard work, that idea soon blossomed into a month-long adventure of reading folktales, fairy tales, and fables. That whimisical adventure starts tomorrow, February 1st.
I have had a blast planning the reading prompts, creating graphics and thumbnails, choosing the books I want to read throughout the month, and seeing the books others in the booktube community are planning to read for this event. Many of the books I will be reading are picture books which I absolutely adore reading. I have a middle grade retelling on my list called Snow & Rose by Emily Winfield Martin. It is based on the Brothers Grimm’s tale, “Snow-White and Rose-Red.” Fairy Tale by Stephen King is also on my list. Even though it is a dark fantasy thriller, it does include fairy tale elements. I am super excited about my pile of possibilities for the month.
Dear reader, if you are interested in joining me for Folklore February, I have a graphic with the reading prompts as well as a graphic where you can keep track of the books you read throughout the month on the highlights section on my Instagram, katherineloyacano. I will also include the reading prompts below. Additionally, not all nine prompts require reading, but instead encourage watching folktales, fairy tales, and fables. I am planning to watch Guillermo del Toro’s Pinnochio. It was released on Netflix on December 9th.
Folklore February Prompts
Read a Folktale.
Read a Fairy Tale by Hans Christian Andersen.
Read a Fairy Tale by the Brothers Grimm.
Read a Fable.
MOOD READ or WATCH
Read or Watch a Retelling of a folktale, fairytale, or fable.
Read a Fractured Fairy Tale. Read a Folktale from a country other than your own.
Watch a screen adaptation of your favorite folktale, fairy tale, or fable.
To kick off Folklore February, I am having my first livestream on my channel that will include reading sprints. Basically, sprints are designed to give you time for reading or other productivity tasks. The sprints will begin at 4pm CT. In between sprints, we will chat and see how everyone is using their time. My goal is to do 3 sets of sprints, starting with 30 minutes for the first sprint. If you have never done sprints, dear reader, I encourage you to join me. They are a great deal of fun and a terrific way to be productive.
While I am exploring whimsical worlds through folktales, fairy tales, and fables, what will you be reading in the month of February, dear reader? To see my current book reviews or books I have read in the past, follow me on Goodreads at KatherineLoyacano. Happiness!
“The narrative of so many fairy tales are timeless in so many different cultures, and they have been since the dawn of man. They represent escapism, but they all feature themes that have such poignancy in a modern world.” ~ Lily Cole
I know I am a tad bit late, dear reader, with sharing all of the books I read in December; however, I want to complete my year in books for 2022. December was another outstanding reading month for me! I completed 8 books and 3 short stories in the month of December, finished Melissa’s 7th Grade Book Challenge, fulfilled one prompt for Cloak and Dagger Christmas, and completed the Christmas Evil Readathon. I completed a total of 75 books in 2022!
Since I quadruple dipped with one book for the different challenges, I will wrap up the month by Readathons instead of my normal categories. Needless to say, I successfully read a nonfiction book, several children’s literature books (#Read21in2021 Challenge), and a book written by Stephen King for Year of King. We did not have a selection in December for my Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club.
#Book Challenge & Cloak and Dagger Christmas
I read two terrific books to fulfill the last three prompts to complete Melissa’s 7th Grade Book Challenge.
Read a Book Suggested by Mrs. Morrison (Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige )
Read a Book That Has a Mystery to Solve (Crooked House by Agatha Christie)
Read a Book a Classmate Suggested to You (Crooked House by Agatha Christie)
Dorothy Must Die is a YA novel and a retelling of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It is also the first book in the Dorothy Must Die trilogy.It was a 4-star read for me. Crooked House is an adult mystery and one of Agatha Christie’s standalone novels. This book was suggested to me by my friend Amy to read for this challenge, and it did not disappoint. Definitely a 5-star read! I also used it to fulfill one prompt for Cloak and Dagger Christmas, which was 3 French Hens: Read a Translated Work or from a Different Country from Your Own. Crooked House begins in Egypt and takes place in England.
Suggestion by Mrs. Morrison (#Read21in21; young adult)
Suggestion by Classmate & Mystery
Christmas Evil Readathon
Kelsi co-hosted the Christmas Evil Readathon on her channel alongside four other co-hosts (Crystal, Katrina, Michelle, and Kelly) on their channels. I completed the entire board! Woo-Hoo! This readathon was super fun and had so many additional activities happening throughout the entire month of December (movie nights on Discord, picture prompts, a virtual Christmas party).
Black Xmas (Witches Copse by Math Bird)
Krampus (The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil by Al Ridenour)
A Christmas Carol(The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand)
A Gifted Book (It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies! A Book of Christmas Carols by Michael P. Spradlin)
Mood Read (“Little Monsters” and “Dinner is served!” from Christmas Evil by Mark L’Estrange)
Slay Bells (Crooked House by Agatha Christie)
Winter Wonderland (The Shining by Stephen King)
Santa’s Little Helper (Dead Voices by Katherine Arden)
Reindeer Ride (“The Adventures of the Blue Carbuncle” by Arthur Conan Doyle)
Black Xmas
Krampus & December nonfiction
A Christmas Carol and #Read21in21 (young adult)
Gifted Book from Kelsi
Mood Read: “Little Monsters” & “Dinner is served!”
Slay Bells
Winter Wonderland & Year of King (December)
Santa’s Little Helper and #Read21in21 (middle grade)
Set in Another Country (from Murder for Christmas short story collection)
Dear reader, if you want to hear more about my thoughts on any of the books I read in the Christmas Evil Readathon, please check out my YouTube channel, Kat’s Novel Adventures. In addition to my December Reading Wrap Up, I have two more videos where I share my thoughts on the other books I read in December along with more bookish content.
Year of King
Kelsi and I chose The Shining for December. This wonderful novel was a reread for me, and I enjoyed revisiting it so much. The Shining was also the last book for our Year of King project.
After losing his teaching job, Jack Torrance, a recovering alcoholic, secures the winter caretaker position at the Overlook Hotel. His wife and young son will join him. It seems like a fresh start the aspiring writer and his family need; however, the hotel has an unsavory past and a penchant for preying on the vunerable.
The Shining is one of my favorite Stephen King novels. It has its ghosts and suspenseful moments, but it is also a story about fear, addiction, loss, love, and redemption. It will always be a 5-star read for me.
Kelsi and I had a marvelous time discussing The Shining (novel, film adaptation, three-part television series, and documentary called Room 237) on January 15th. Dear reader, you can check out the recording on Kelsi’s YouTube channel.
January is almost over which is hard to believe since it feels like the new year just started. I took a break from readathons in January, so I could catch my breath after three back-to-back months of intense reading and to prepare for a special project I am hosting in February. I finished No Exit by Taylor Adams for my book club. I am currently reading Stardust by Neil Gaiman for the Cozy Cottage Book Club and really enjoying it. I am also reading Tranquility by Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam and participating in her Tranquility by Tuesday Challenge. My sister and I are buddy reading The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach To Living A Good Life. We are currently on Chapter 3: “You are Not Special” which we will be discussing this Sunday evening, 29 January.
Speaking of this Sunday, Kelsi and I are having a live chat on Sunday, 29 January at 2PM CT to wrap up our Year of King. This project was a super fun collaboration between Kelsi and me. I loved revisiting King’s classics and discovering new stories along the way.
Thanks, dear reader, for stopping by and reading another long bookish post. I am hoping to share my February reading project with you very soon. February will be a whimsical month of reading. To see my current book reviews or books I have read in the past, follow me on Goodreads at KatherineLoyacano. Happiness!
“Books and doors are the same thing. You open them, and you go through into another world.” ~ Jeanette Winterson
Greetings, dear reader! I am currently reading Tranquility by Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam. It is #20 on my 23 for 2023 List. I also started the Tranquility by Tuesday Challenge today. I am proud to say that I am one of the 150 participants in Laura’s time study that produced the results she writes about in her book. I am super excited to read her book and to participate in the 2023 Tranquility by Tuesday Challenge.
I filmed a short video about the challenge for my channel, Kat’s Novel Adventures, and want to share it with you. It explains the challenge, mentions the 9 rules, and the planning questions for the first rule. You do not need to read the book in order to participate, and there is still time to join the challenge. Just click on Tranquility by Tuesday Challenge (2023) to join.
I am also continuing to track my time this week and have a feeling I will be tracking my time through the first few days of February. My hope is that with tracking my time and participating in this challenge, I can finally get caught up, achieve some balance, and make a real effort to get organized. I love everything I am doing right now in my life; however, I am burning the candle at both ends, not exercising, and starting to feel a bit stressed. I am ready to “calm the chaos and make time for what matters.” Happiness!
“The good news is that everything becomes easier over time, as the grooves of habit wear deep.” ~ Laura Vanderkam, Tranquility by Tuesday
During the week of 09 January, I participated in Laura Vanderkam’s Time-Tracking Challenge. Laura hosts this annual challenge in January, asking her readers to join her while sharing her discoveries about how she is spending her own time throughout the week. As I have mentioned in past posts, I find time tracking beneficial, especially when I am feeling overwhelmed or need to make some changes. My one-word theme for 2023 is CREATE, and I feel the need to create better organization of my time in order to successfully create a healthier and more sustainable life.
My week started with 168 hours on Monday 09 January at 7:00 in the morning. Two categories that took up a huge chunk of my time were creating content for YouTube and sleep. 35.5 hours were spent on content for YouTube (Kelsi’s channel and my own channel). This total includes 15.5 hours on watching movies and preparing notes for the Year of King project I did in collaboration with Kelsi and 20 hours for my own channel’s projects. 54.5 hours were spent sleeping. This left me with 78 hours to spend on other tasks or activities during the week.
So, how did I spend the remaining 78 hours of my week?
Morning Routine: 2 hours
My morning routine looks quite differently than it did when I was working as an instructional coach at HGCS. Since I am currently taking a hiatus from working outside my home, I really do not have a structured morning routine. There are days when I have nowhere to go, staying in my pjs until later in the morning. Therefore, it mainly consists of pet care for two dogs and two cats, personal care for myself, and making myself a cup of coffee. When Barry is home, he will take care of the dogs during the day and generally make me a cup of coffee in the morning (sweet guy). My day then naturally unfolds and meanders around my responsibilities and appointments. Generally, I do not eat breakfast until about 9:00 in the morning.
Get dressed: 4 hours
Exercise: 0 hours
Meals: 12.5 hours (prepping/cooking and eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
Afternoon Routine: 1.5 hours (pet care for dogs and cats, sometimes make a cup of coffee)
Outside Time (23 for 2023 Challenge): 3 hours
Blog: 0 hours
Read: 1.75 hours
Goodreads: 0 hours
Marketing YouTube (social media): 2 hours
Gretchen Rubin created the #Outside23in23 Challenge which I am participating in this year. Most days I do get outside for at least 23 minutes per day and usually because of my dogs. Unfortunately, this week I did NOT exercise (no workouts, no walking), and I barely read which is a bummer and totally unacceptable.
Evening Routine: 3 hours (shower, take dogs out before bed, prep for bed)
TV Shows/Movies/YouTube: .5 of an hour (watching Youtube)
Napping: 0 hours
Errands/Social Events: 6 hours
Birthday Message Project: 3 hours
Personal Development: 4.25 hours (improv, buddy read with sister, time tracking, self-care updates: check/record watch & Happier app)
I took a ride with Andrew on Monday evening to pick up sushi (our dinner) from Kirin. Tagging along gave me quality time with him. On Wednesday, I went to the post office to mail a small package to Shelly’s friend (book exchange) and stopped at PJ’s coffee to pick up sausage, egg, and cheese biscuits (for me and the boys) and a mocha latte. Around lunch time, Andrew and I rode together to pick up chicken tenders from Cane’s to bring to Mrs. Billie’s house for my birthday lunch with the two of them. My social events for this week included a bridal shower for my niece Kaitlyn on Saturday and a Livestream with Kelsi (The Shining) on Sunday.
As a result, 55 hours were spent on life responsibilities, 9.25 hours were spent traveling, and .5 of an hour was spent watching television shows, movies, or YouTube for a total of 64.75 hours.
This left me with 13.25 hours left over in my weekly bank of hours. Of my remaining time, I spent 5.5 hours of those hours hanging out with either family or friends. This is in addition to time spent with family and friends during meals, travel, or social events. My birthday was on Wednesday, so I spent 2.25 hours of the week reading and responding to texts, emails, and FB messages, as well as opening and reading birthday cards that came in the mail. I still have to respond to FB messages because I did not get to all of them last week. The remaining 5.5 hours was spent playing Trivia Crack, scrolling through social media (mainly Instagram), texting, email, time-tracking, or puttering around the house.
So, what did I learn during this Time-Tracking Challenge?
Regardless of it being my birthday week, socializing with family and friends throughout the week, and preparing for the livestream for my Year of King project, I did devote time towards my aims for 2023. I was able to combine my already scheduled dental cleaning appointment with getting the impression made for my implant crown. BAM! I created my first Readathon for February and released the announcement video for it on my channel and social media. BAM, BAM! And, finally, I registered for Laura Vanderkam’s Tranquility By Tuesday Challenge which means I have started reading her book this week. Triple BAM!
With that being said, I still had 5.5 hours that I could have read more, dealt with digital clutter, or organized spaces around my house. “Puttering around the house” is also not necessarily wasted time. Puttering is where I squeeze those little tasks in between major tasks, such as going through the mail, writing a check, putting a book back on the shelf, or taking out the trash.
Additionally, I used the Strategy of Pairing quite a bit last week, generally when eating my meals. My YouTube watching hours would have been higher, but I watched several videos while eating breakfast and lunch. Also, my television watching hours would have been higher because I ate dinner a couple of times while watching The Shining movies. I also read a little more while waiting for my turn at the dentist. And, I listened to podcasts or talked on the phone (hands-free) while driving to improv class and Kelsi’s house.
Where do I go from here?
You should not be surprised I am time tracking again this week, dear reader. Last week was an unusual week with my birthday and everything related to the Year of King project. I want a more structured daily routine (M-F), especially in the mornings and throughout the day. I want to purchase a planner or create a binder to organize the content I am creating for both my blog and my YouTube channel. In addition, I need to create some time this month to get my home office organized, so I am not spending so much time get my little corner in the bedroom ready for me every time I film a video. I am actually excited about these results because they are motivating me to create a better schedule and to get me a step closer to becoming a better steward of my time. Happiness!
“We must use time as a tool, not as a couch.” ~ John F. Kennedy
Note: Photo at the top is by Andrey Grushnikov on Pexels.com.
We all have the same 168 hours a week, dear reader. How are you spending yours? As many of you know, I having been tracking my time periodically after reading Laura Vanderkam’s awesome book on time management, 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to make the most of his or her time. When trying to accomplish goals, keeping a time log of how you spend your 168 hours is a worthwhile endeavor. January is the perfect month to track your time. It provides a terrific starting point which can be adjusted as life happens.
Like last January, I have signed up for Laura Vanderkam’s annual “Time Tracking Challenge” which will begin on Monday 09January and run through Sunday, 15 January. Laura will send out an email on Sunday with details about the challenge. After logging my 168 hours for the week, I will analyze my time log to see exactly how much time I have left (after sleep and family commitments have been deducted) to work on my health and fitness goals, content creation, and the aims on my 23 for 2023 List. Time tracking is actually enjoyable for me, and I try to track my time periodically throughout the year, especially when I am feeling overwhelmed, feeling like I am not making any progress with my yearly aims, or there is a significant change in my life that affects my schedule.
If you are interested in finding out more about time tracking or want to see where your 168 hours are going, check out Laura Vandercam’s website or her book 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think. The time tracking challenge is free, does not require a great deal of time, and can be eye-opening. Please let me know if you decide to participate in the challenge, dear reader, because it would be fun to compare notes and chat about time management strategies. You can leave me a comment or email me at katloyacano@gmail.com. Have an AWESOME weekend. Happiness!
“Time stays long enough for those who use it.” ~ Leonardo Da Vinci
It has been quite awhile since my last health-related post (23 November), so let me bring you up to speed, dear reader. I successfully completed JOB1 which I REALLY enjoyed. I loved the schedule, the length of the workouts, most of the exercises, and the instructor, Jennifer Jacobs. I have not committed to a new fitness program through Beachbody on Demand, yet. I am time-tracking next week, starting on 09 January. Time-tracking is a wonderful way for me to see how I am spending my time. Then, I will choose a program. In the meantime, I will be researching the programs I am interested in and walking for exercise.
Back in November, I visited my OB/GYN for my annual well-woman visit where we also discussed menopause and the symptoms I was experiencing. I had brought a list of labs (ordered by Dr. Bone for her menopausal patients) with me to my appointment. Dr. Robin Bone is the OB/GYN that Molly Kimball interviewed on her podcast, FUELED: wellness + nutrition with Molly Kimball. My doctor ordered the following labs from the list (see below) but added Vitamin D 25-Hydroxy and D2. A word of caution, make sure that when requesting labs for Vitamin D 25 -Hydroxy, D2 + D3 that it is coded as medically necessary and covered by insurance because it is very expensive. I did NOT know this until after my bloodwork was done, and my insurance company processed my claim. Fingers crossed that I will not have to pay the difference since I only requested Vitamin D3.
Thyroid panel
Lipid panel
CBC
C-reactive protein
Vitamin D3
Hemoglobin A1C
Hormones include FSH, estradiol, progesterone, testosterone or free testosterone
I scheduled a follow-up appointment when I received my results, and we discussed them. Most of my results look great, but there are areas in need of improvement. I am postmenopausal (ovaries no longer producing eggs); however, I have to go all the way through 19 June of this year without a cycle before I can say I am finished with menopause. I am considered prediabetic; however, diet modification, less processed carbs, and more movement can help me improve this area. My liver function is slightly elevated, so my doctor ordered a hepatitis panel, and it came back with no hepatitis. Thank goodness! While my calcium and albumin are also slightly elevated, my LDL (cholesterol) is very high and concerning. Even though the rest of my cholestorol components are terrific and the high LDL may be genetic, it needs to be addressed. Therefore, I have an appointment scheduled to see an endocrinologist in February, who will address the cholesterol, as well as the liver, calcium, and albumin results. I plan to ask him if he can run the C-reactive protein lab (determines inflammation in the blood) which my OB/GYN doctor was unable to order.
My doctor prescribed hormone replacement therapy which I started on Monday. She also recommended I check out Dr. Mary Claire Haver on Instagram. She is a board-certified OB/GYN who helps women dealing with perimenopause and menopause. She has a new book, The Galveston Diet, coming out on Tuesday, 10 January, which I preordered. We shall see if she has some helpful information that will benefit me on my health journey.
HEALTHYRECIPE
I have another recipe to share with you that I found on Molly Kimball’s Facebook page. It is a healthy Creamy Fruit Dip. Even though Molly featured this recipe during the summer, I made it during the holidays. Delicious, in my opinion! It requires four ingredients and is SUPER easy to make. This dip also pairs well with a variety of fruits.
Blend the following ingredients in a bowl.
1 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
8 ounces of reduced-fat cream cheese
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
your choice of no-calorie sweetner (1/2 cup of Swerve Confectioners Style Sweetner recommended)
Pair this healthful and flavorful dip with your preferred fresh fruit. If you decide to try it, please let me know.
It is a new year, and I am ready to CREATE a fresh start, dear reader. CREATE is my one-word theme this year. The definition of create that is connected to my health goals is cause (something) to happen as a result of one’s actions. The way I am going to sow the seeds of a healthy life is by developing lifelong healthy habits by eating properly, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep. I have taken initial steps by getting my bloodwork done, seeing all of my doctors in 2022, starting hormone replacement therapy, and buying The Galveston Diet book. My last weigh-in was Monday morning at 154 pounds. I have gained 1/2 pound back since 23 November; so my overall weight loss is 8 pounds since 01 June 2022. January 2023 is my official reset date.
Dear reader, have a wonderful Wednesday! What are your plans, goals, or dreams that you have set for yourself in 2023? I wish you nothing but the best as you strive to reach your goals and make your dreams a reality. Just remember to enjoy the journey along the way. Happiness!
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”~ Aristotle.
"Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behaviors. Keep your behaviors positive because your behaviors become your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny." ~Gandhi
Run/Walk Schedule
Week #1: Walk 30 minutes a day, at least three times a week.
Week #2: Continue week-one workout but pick up the pace, pump your arms. Break a sweat!
Week #3: Walk 10 minutes. Run 1 minute. Walk 2 minutes (repeat this 3-minute session 5 times). Walk 10 minutes.
Week #4: Walk 10 minutes. Run 2 minutes. Walk 1 minute (repeat this 3-minute session 5 times). Walk 10 minutes.
The Kat Files 