I will be honest with you. This week has been a hard one and this blog falls to the bottom each day. I’ve started two posts that I’ve ended up trashing because they were just word vomit. I started back to work. My daughter is back in school. My husband has been sick. My dog is itchy and has been scratching like crazy and looks like she has mange (I took her to the vet – she doesn’t have mange…she has serious allergies, but we don’t know to what and it has been getting worse and worse…I feel like I’m on one of those ads on Instagram for those dog supplements, but I haven’t found the right supplement yet). Work feels a little intense as we thought we were going to have a very slow Spring so we decided to send out feelers for a lot of different alternative programming and they all said yes. We were not expecting that. Things are good, but they almost seem too good. Like everyone loves every idea and now I have to follow through on all of them. Speaking of word vomit. I will clean this up and join “Currently…” for the remainder of this post.
The Currently topics are: loving, resolving, planning, eating/drinking, watching/reading…
Currently loving…
All things Stranger Things. I can’t help it. Looking forward to the documentary this week!
Getting my ducks in a row for a very busy semester. For the past three days, I’ve mostly been at work on my own. My two student assistants are around, but they’re focused on their own projects and tabling for Winter Orientation. I do have a colleague in a nearby office—we can see each other through our open doors—but we’re far enough apart that there’s no background chatter. Another colleague has been out sick (which is genuinely unfortunate), but the absence of our usual conversations has made these days surprisingly productive. No interruptions, no side conversations—just long, focused stretches of work.
One thing that’s made a huge difference this week is how I’ve been using ChatGPT. Instead of turning to it for random or novelty tasks, I’ve been using it very intentionally—as a project planner. I’ve essentially plugged in everything I’m juggling: multiple work projects, teaching responsibilities, Girl Scout commitments, and all the and, and, and that come with a semester like this. Then I’ve asked it to help me map everything out in a way that doesn’t require sacrificing sleep and my sanity.
Honestly, it’s done a pretty solid job. Seeing everything laid out on a semester-long timeline has helped me identify where I can (and should) delegate, where hidden traps lie that could derail progress, and where I need to be more realistic about my time and energy. That clarity alone has lowered my stress level significantly.
I’m trying to be mindful about how I use AI—less for filler, more for the things that actually weigh on me. This week, using it as a planning and thinking partner has felt like exactly the right choice.
Currently Resolving
Honestly, nothing feels like it is getting resolved right now. There is a whole lot ramping up and not much ending or wrapping. Sigh…
Currently Planning
So much. I’m trying to plan much of my semester. I have three major projects happening at work, three different class preps all with new books, a new staff employee I will be supervising coming on board on Monday, cookie sales for Girl Scouts happening in a week, my daughter’s 17th birthday in about five weeks, we are going to a conference right before my daughter’s birthday. So, there is a lot of planning happening here.
Currently Eating/Drinking
A pretty unhealthy diet! Unfortunately, we’ve had pizza twice, In and Out tonight, and I have not been drinking enough water. I need to improve. It has been hard this week. We have not handled the change back from break well.
Currently Watching/Reading
I just started my 3rd Maid novel – The Maid’s Secret, by Nita Prose. I haven’t got very far into it, and I’m a little scared of the change in lifestyle that might happen from her sudden wealth (I don’t think this is a spoiler – it is in the description of the book). So, we’ll see if it holds up. I really liked the other two books in the series.
I’m also revisiting Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Brethnach. I worked my way through this book many, many, many years ago (pre-child, living in Southern California) and am happy to revisit it now when my life is in a much different place.
I haven’t watched much of anything this week beyond some YouTube videos of travel in Northern California.
Well, that’s it. I got a post done and I’m going to hit publish! What are you up to currently?
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