Changes are hanging in the air. I don't quite know what all of them are yet, but they're coming. I'm excited and scared about that uncertainty, but mostly I am just trying to be patient and accept that life happens at its own pace. Tension and anxiety come from wanting to things to be other than they are, and I find more and more that acceptance is really the only way to achieve that sense of calm.
My hiatus has been wonderfully productive, and after hitting a big milestone today, I decided that I could peek back into this space. I will probably burrow back into Dissertation Land for at least a few more weeks, but until then, it feels good to toy around with rejoining this happy little space.
reading : Hijas Americanas, a great book about body image, culture, and growing up Latina. It's made me think about the challenges of balancing two cultures, and so many of the interviews with young Latina women resonate with me. It feels so good to read again!
writing : My dissertation, of course! :) I am so thrilled to report that I submitted a complete draft to my committee chair just a few moments ago, and while that makes me want to throw up a little (sorry), it's also great to know that even if I have a ton of revisions to make, the structure of my dissertation is finally all there. And, wow, does that feel amazing.
listening : To the typical springtime sounds of my neighborhood.... The cheery birds, of course, the occasional car horn, and lawn mowers. I know that I've written this here before, but as much as I love the hustle and bustle of the city, I love the relative quiet and peace of this little suburban corner. I may have a DC address, but this quiet block exudes suburban springtime all the way.
thinking : About the future. I'm still afraid to fully throw myself into planning my post-August life, but each day brings me a bit closer to that reality. Good things await, I tell you...
smelling : The almond lotion that I put on my hands.
wishing : For peace for the people who need it.
hoping : For good news this week. :)
wearing : Mesh gym shorts and a college t-shirt. Dissertation writing is strictly a low-fashion zone, people. Comfort is key.
loving : How great it feels to encourage others. One of my very dear friends was diagnosed with cancer last summer, and her plan of running the Virginia Wine Country Marathon with her family had to be put on hold. I am so grateful and thrilled to report that she is now cancer-free, and in honor of her awesome recovery, she ran in the Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon yesterday, just as she was supposed to do last summer. For such a meaningful milestone, the hubs and I simply had to drive out to cheer her on. I had attended her races in college, as well as the Cherry Blossom Ten-Miler a couple of years ago, but I hadn't been to a race this long of a distance before. It was fun to travel around to different points and cheer on the runners as they made their way through the course, and it made me so happy when runners waved and thanked the spectators for being there. It was just so nice! Here they were, doing the hard work of actually running 13.1 miles, thanking us for applauding them. I would have loved it even without their thanks (seriously, it's fun to cheer people on!), but their comments were so touching to me. It was a nice reminder for me that mutual respect and gratitude go a long way.
wanting : My family's July beach vacation to be here!! We are all getting so excited, and I am getting so giddy to be back on Long Island, sprawling out on my beloved beaches, making s'mores and getting pizza from that great place in Montauk. Seriously, the beach is good for the soul.
needing : To do some continued house-cleaning. Laundry is underway, but I think that some vacuuming is in order.
feeling : A cool breeze from the open kitchen windows. Spring passes by too quickly here in DC, so I'd like to hold on to these warm-but-not-too-hot moments before they are replaced with the oppressively hot and swampy days.
clicking : On little bits here and there. I'm starting to select my World Cup bracket, which will probably end up being laughably inaccurate, but it's fun! Naturally, I've also been reading about the evolving scandal about the 2022 World Cup selection and another scandal about fixing matches prior to the last World Cup. Such drama! Such intrigue!
