bits and bants vol. 5
focus, weight loss drugs, and lent, of course
Hope you’ve had an acceptable week for the middle of February. I wish I could pop in with exciting news from my few weeks absence from these bants but alas, just regular life!
For most of January, February, and inevitably March, I repeat to myself that this is the season of getting the most done when it comes to our school year. It means focusing on consistency and slow progress. The discipline of daily reading aloud, daily habits for me and the kids of chipping away at tougher books on subjects we feel intimidate us. The consistency and discipline parts of life are not exciting, but they’re also where the most progress comes from be it when just parenting regular kids, or homeschooling them, or trying to hit your own personal goals. It’s annoying, but true.
In my further attempts to mindset my way out of February blahs my words to contemplate for the month were ‘calm’ and ‘focus’. Focus in the sense of because it’s one of the less busy times of year you can focus on things. Anything! But it’s that anything that can be the hardest part. It’s difficult to focus on one thing at a time, or even just focus on one thing for more than you have in the past. I say this as a mom of 16 years who has had her capacity to focus completely annihilated for 16 years. But even the slight change of thought to give myself permission to focus on something in a month long chunk feels better.
Maybe the idea of focus can help you out this Lent as you mull over things to sacrifice. I think it’s helpful because it reorients me to the fact that I’m choosing to focus on one thing more than another. I’m not failing by not doing all the things. And I’m devoting a good chunk of my energy, thinking, and will in a specific direction, not randomly into the ether! Somehow that helps me. Does this make any sense? DM if you can give me professional advice!
Bits:
I went down the ozempic rabbit hole yesterday after reading this piece from The Free Press and listening to the podcast from Honestly. It probably shouldn’t make me feel better, but in a way it does because it again confirms that these absurdly small bodies that we’re seeing especially in women in their 40s are very much not natural. As much as I joke and earnestly want my clothes to fit differently, I don’t idealize a tiny body. I know the reality of life is that women’s bodies change over time! Our bodies are who we are not a giant sign to the world of a woman’s worth or health. I guess what’s more disappointing about the ozempic trend is that it is so popular with older women who should just be wiser about their bodies, and accept and appreciate them more rather than jumping to the latest miracle drug to get to a size zero. (Adjacently, if you’re struggling with your changing body please listen to this lovely podcast from Kendra that came out this week at The Lazy Genius Podcast.)
Here’s a good piece from Word on Fire: Dignity, Equality, and Solidarity: A Catholic Alternative to D.E.I. Once again, there is a wealth of Catholic teaching about a trending socio-political fad! I know it’s my Catholic liberal arts education speaking, but guys, there really is a Catholic answer to the problems of the world that has already been figured out. We don’t have to reinvent the wheel or act as if these trends are necessary in addition to the truth we already possess. But we do have to do a better job of understanding it ourselves if we can offer the world these real solutions.
Not to get super political, but this piece on the NordStream situation I found well thought out.
If I redirect you to Ted Goia’s stuff every week I apologize but his stuff is just so very good. I thought this was so interesting and definitely worth some thought.
And you know one of my nerdy hobbyhorses is Agatha Christie so this very current, very mainstream take on her influence right now in movies and tv was a fun-ish read.
Reading, Watching, What Have You
I finished up Bill Bryson’s Shakespeare this week and it was of course, an easy to read, wonderfully diverting yet informative look at what we actually know about Shakespeare. How Bill Bryson can make everything so interesting is a true marvel!
I have been watching all not great stuff. Like stuff I will not mention on the internet for fear of embarrassment. I am dying for a good, soapy yet not sleezy, easy watch to get sucked into at night when I hid in my room and crochet. I’ve been watching too many gardening YouTube videos and they just make me sad and jealous I can’t actually see the ground for snow. Please help a girl out!
I think that’s it for now, the sun is shining for a few brief moments today so I might just go sit in a snowbank and let the skin of my face enjoy some sunlight. Happy weekend!
-Christy
Genuinely how do you feel about very sweet, cliche, fun romantic comedy Korean dramas? I've been on a huge kick and it makes me feel very nerdy but they are SO great, SO fun, very diverting. On Netflix some ones I've loved include: Business Proposal (fake dating cliche), Hometown Cha Cha Cha (big city move to small town cliche), Our Beloved Summer (pair of exes cliche), It's Okay to Not Be Okay (a little on the darker side mental hospital focus), Mr. Queen (on Hulu, a historical drama).
I love the idea of "focus" for Lent - to think of it as focusing on a kind of sacrifice (drinking only water for me this year) instead of "giving up."
My husband and I are still enjoying the current season of All Creatures Great and Small (we stream it, so we are a few weeks behind) - I could watch that just for the scenery, but I enjoy the story and characters, too. No other suggestions right now, I'm afraid!