Personal: October Update of My 2021 Goals

Wow. October has come and gone. That was fast! Here’s an update of my 2021 goals.

  1. Eat more vegetables. Yes. I have been eating more salads each week, and a few veggie soups, too.
  2. Travel. Sigh. Nope.
  3. Save money. My budget spreadsheet is new and improved thanks to some brainstorming with a friend about Excel formulas and pivot tables (thanks JM!). Saving continues!
  4. Pass on magazines/books/clothes/puzzles. Yes. I keep things moving around here. I have a pile of books for friends to sort through and to move into Little Libraries. I have brought yet another carload of items to the thrift store.
  5. Crochet a blanket. Nope. Not done quite yet!
  6. Reduce social media consumption. I feel like I have reduced consumption, but maybe it’s just my imagination.
  7. Play games. Oh yes! Bananagrams and Saturday crosswords continue. I want to get into Backgammon in November.
  8. Edit my magazine subscriptions. Done. I feel like I accomplished this goal several months ago. My magazine subscription list has been reduced, and anything I don’t get, I end up borrowing from the library.
  9. Read more. Yes! I have been reading. I finished Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library. I skimmed through The Clarity Cleanse by Habib Sadeghi. I am ready to start Amor Towles The Lincoln Highway now.
  10. Blog. Yes…I’ve been blogging three days a week!
  11. Bike ride regularly. I’m deleting this from my goal list because it’s too cold for my liking to ride now.
  12. Have fun! We’ve had a very fun October, including a memorable last-minute impromptu music night which brought together a great group of people – and amazing music!

Previous updates: January, February, March, April, May & June, September.

Marketplace: Games

Cool, rainy, dark fall days have arrived, which makes me want to bury myself in blankets, stay warm, and play games. Bananagrams continues to be a favourite, and I have a goal to learn Backgammon this season. Beyond these, here are some good-looking – and fun – games to try. (Luxe, too!)

Personal: Things on My Mind

What have you been doing/watching/reading/visiting/making this fall? Please share! I’m always looking for new things to try.

Here is a glimpse into some of what I’ve been up to lately.

  1. Recently watched: Call My Agent (French, set in Paris), The Great British Baking Show (who can resist Paul Hollywood?), Sex and The City (started from the pilot episode, makes me want to to to New York), Kid90 (Soleil Moon Frye’s documentary), Mixte (French), Maid (based on the autobiography), this short video by Sadeck Waff for the Paris 2024 Olympics (watch more of his work – it’s mesmerizing!) – and I’d recommend all of them!
  2. Recently read: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop by Felicia Rose Chavez, The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi – I’d recommend all of these books!
  3. Recently played: The John Derion Painter’s Palette puzzle, Globe & Mail Saturday crossword (one of my favourite things to do over the weekend)
  4. Recently visited: The Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain (I’m already eager to return. My nearly-back-to-normal sprained ankle, back, and skin felt so good.
  5. Recently purchased: an incredible antique Italian armoire (absolutely stunning – my office design dream is slowly coming true)
  6. Recently made: NYT plum torte (so good that I made it twice in two weeks!), slow roasted chicken and garlic (a hit for a crowd), Ina Garten’s roasted shrimp and orzo (eaten warm rather than room temp)
A completed Globe & Mail crossword is so satisfying!

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