Life is short, week 4 of 52

January 31, 2022January 31, 2022 Jody AlarvaLeave a comment

Stats: Less hives, more migraines. Advil cannot run out in this house.

Life is short moments for the week:

1. Rehearsing for a presentation where I’m not really tuned in yet— how do you present a plan you’re just getting caught up on? You practice with a person who is so much better than you on public speaking. I asked for help and got it. I botched it of course, but hey I didn’t cuss at the worst moment. That is a win.

2. Realizing that the first thing as an Asian woman, in a group of male leaders, presenting something in my second language, my first reflex is to minimize my role, or go to the negative. I can point towards so many cultural influences that make me this way but I can also stop making excuses. I will do better, for the people I’m representing.

3. Giving myself a break. The weeks I’ve signed up for food deliveries have been such a help that I went for one more week. These migraines, hives, nausea have been hell, and having to cook is an added layer of stress I can take away. So I will for another week. And I will forgive myself for the shortcut.

Song of the week: Dirty Thoughts by Chloe Adams

What were your Life is Short moments for the week?

-J

Gratitude · Jodythinks · Love/Life

Life is short, week 3 of 52

January 25, 2022 Jody AlarvaLeave a comment

Status report: Ran out of ibuprofen and running out of Tylenol because of all the stress migraines.

1. Ate ice cream for two meals last week. I didn’t feel like eating, but my meds kept me dizzy and/or awake because of hunger. Solution: the last of my vanilla ice cream, and most of my Chocolate Chip Cookie dough pint. To do: buy a bottle of sprinkles.

2. Ordered three pizzas from my favorite place. I like nonmeat pizzas. Don’t judge me.

3. Made a batch of posole. Ate it continuously for 3 days.

I realize all of my life is short things were food related this week. This is what happens in lockdown.

Song of the week: Godspeed by Frank Ocean

What were your life is short moments for the week?

-J

Jodythinks · Love/Life

Life is short: Week 2 of 52

January 17, 2022March 21, 2022 Jody AlarvaLeave a comment

Last week’s Life is Short moments were:

1. Buying a silly mug because it makes me happy. It’s semi NSFW, and doesn’t fit too much coffee, and can’t accommodate the phin filter, but it always makes people smile when they see it. To me that’s a win.

2. Building flatpack furniture solo. So I went from 0-100 and I wouldn’t trust this thing for long, but I was able to make it, and it hasn’t fallen apart so far. Life skill, check.

3. Giving Chibi more space. Little lady has been exploring more, and I’ve seen her binky like I haven’t seen in years. I love that I get to see it.

4. Getting boosted. It hit me like a truck and I was useless for more than 36 hours, but it can’t be worse than a bad case of real covid19 and all of its new variants. Staying safe and getting access to vaccinations are a blessing I can’t stop being thankful for.

Song of the week: Surface Pressure by Jessica Darrow

-J

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Cheese · Jodythinks · Love/Life · Thanks

2022 — I’m going with, “Life is short.”

January 10, 2022 Jody AlarvaLeave a comment

In 2021, it was all covid fatigue. We’ve been a year in. I knew I was in a not good place to begin. I came up for air bruised and battered, and all the more scarred.

I hope I really made the moments count. There were a lot of decisions made under the guise of “Life is short.” Sure, there were decisions that ultimately hurt like hell afterwards. But there were also ones that changed me for good.

I’m not going to go into details that can get me into trouble, but suffice to say— I did my best to live while I could. Having lost two friends tragically (not to covid) just made the idea stick even more.

So 2022 – Under the idea of life being so unexpected that you don’t know who’s going to be here tomorrow, I’m just going to keep on with Life is short. Take the small wins. Live while you’re still here.

On that thread, for the first week of 2022, my Life is short moments are:

1. Having cookies and milk for dinner. Because why not?

2. Working outside while it’s cool.

3. Making insane amounts of chili for myself.

Song of the week: Solo by Frank Ocean

What little things made you appreciate life a bit more last week?

-J

Gratitude · Jodythinks · Love/Life

What I’m grateful for, week 52 of 52

January 3, 2022January 4, 2022 Jody AlarvaLeave a comment

1. Life. I talk a lot of shit about finding it hard to find the good of every day, and it does happen for me, but with this pandemic still raging on — it’s becoming more and more common to hear one person be here one moment, and not in the next. My immediate family and loved ones are all still here. Our lives have changed and I have not been able to be in the presence of some people I love since this all started — but we still get to. I’m grateful for that.

2. Support. I am so grateful for the people that show up for me on a regular basis without me asking. It’s so much just trying to survive for yourself now, to have people that put in the extra mile is such a big deal.

3. Opportunities. Doors are opening for me, and there are different things that help. I love being able to choose without any scrutiny other than my own.

Song of the week: Adult Movies by Litany

What are you grateful for?

-J