In my heart and in my cart + other things

In My Heart -

Oh boy, a whole rollercoaster of emotions going on over here! February has been chaotic! Lots of good things, but it feels like all this talk about the wood snake and the fire horse is really coming to fruition at my house. Lots of change, shedding, and going with momentum into new things. I’m excited! But then I’m nervous! Gah!

**

The biggest switch-up has been accepting a new job recently. I mentioned this last week on Substack, but the general synopsis is that after 12 years, I’m moving onto a new role at a new company and boy, has that been a real up and down emotionally. Truly bittersweet. I’m so excited to do something new, but I’m sad to leave coworkers I feel like I’ve literally grown up with. When I started here, I was 25 and the whole place was a start-up ran by other 25 year olds. In the last 12 years, we’ve all gotten married, had kids, bought houses, etc. I know we can be real friends and not just work friends, but it’s going to be hard to walk out the door.

I had to tell the bosses and then the rest of my team last week and I wish I could articulate how my heart beat at double speed in my chest. I stumbled over my words and gave the least eloquent notice in history, and then once it was out, I immediately became scared I made the wrong decision. It’s a real cycle guys. I’ve leveled out now that it’s been about a week, but for a few days I was really oscillating between the highs and lows.

The good news, and I think evidence that I’m on the right track, is how excited I get when I think about the new job. Change is good! Onward!

**

Hey, how was your Valentine’s Day btw? Do you do anything? My husband and I usually order a heart-shaped pizza and call it a day, but this year, we wound up spending the weekend with my sister and her family. Friday night, the grown-ups had a double-date night and went home early to hang with the kids. On Saturday afternoon, my sister and I went out for a little galentine’s drink and popped into the place where we both met our husbands. We met them a handful of years apart which makes it feel all the more coincidental. Pretty low-key but it was a nice weekend!

**

Next week, I’m looking forward to settling down and settling in. My husband was on a trip for a few days this week and I’ve been solo parenting, so I’m particularly happy to have him home and another adult in the house! Yesterday was my last day at work and blessedly, I have a few days before I start my new job. I’m going to get my nervous system back into equilibrium, maybe do some weird house projects and hopefully spend some free time reading a couple of books.

Oh and hey! February is just about over. We’ve had some spring-like weather where I live and March usually shows up with a couple more peeks. Onward to all good things!

In My Cart -

+Picked up these dumbbells and a kettlebell this week. Last summer I started an extremely entry-level weight lifting routine and made due repurposing some old ankle weights. A bit cumbersome! Excited to feel more legit with actual dumbbells.

+A skort is an key feature in my summer outfit uniform. I like this one! PS I am so delighted to see us collectively thinking spring!

+Okay, back to winter. I wear this sucker every single day.

+For when the coat is the outfit.

+Related: some fun finds at J Crew this week. Doesn’t this dress look like the salsa emoji lady? I really like this gold belt and this lightweight cardigan that I imagine could be worn with something or solo.

+Am I crazy for kind of wanting to try this?

+My new job is fully remote and I’m shopping for an actual desk for my home office. I really like an L-shaped one. (Edit - I wound up ordering this one!)

Other Things -

+Currently Reading

+Related: just finished this book about Madeleine Force, the 18 year old woman who married John Jacob Astor in 1911. He was recently divorced and also 47 years old, so just imagine how cool those gilded age rich New Yorkers were about all of this. The Astors were sailing home from a months’ long honeymoon in April 1912, and tragically chose the doomed Titanic for their journey. This is historical fiction, but Madeleine and JJA were real and those ages are fact.

+Belatedly Valentine’s adjacent: if it ain’t this, I don’t want it.

+A big part of being happy…

+Still working on my album-a-week goal. This week, buckle up because I’m listening to N*SYNC’s debut album. It’s tearin’ up my heart, indeed.