Pi Day, Video Games, and Irish Stew

The first quarter of the year is almost over. Is it weird that I count the year in quarters? It's something that still rolls around in my brain after years of being in finance (you know, why back in my pre-baby days). Old habits die hard. Maybe I need to start referring to them as seasons instead? So, as we enter Spring, here’s how I spent our last month of winter.

News from the Nest

My daughter got accepted at her first-choice university two weeks ago. I cannot tell you how relieved we all are to have that over with. 

Some of you have been reading my blog since she was a toddler so I wonder if you think it's as a crazy as I do that she's leaving home in a mere six months. I have occasional bouts of sadness about it but then her Senioritis flares up and I remember we will all feel better once she starts on her adulting journey. But seriously, we'll miss her when she's gone. And my husband and I are so, so proud of her.   

Eating Pi and Irish Stew

We had our usual Pi Day celebration with Buttermilk Pie. Which might sound gross but is, honestly, a delicious, creamy, nutmeg laden treat. I make it every year and when I do, I think about Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney drinking buttermilk and singing to each other about counting their blessings in White Christmas. 

I also made a delicious apple pie, with chopped up bits of candied ginger.  I got it from a fantastic book about writing-How to Write a Novel in 20 Pies by Amy Wallen. I mean writing advice and pie recipes? I'm sold.

A few days later we had our St. Patrick's Day feast. We stumbled onto this Irish chef's blog a few years ago and are pretty much addicted to anything we make from it. It's a nice change from the usual corned beef and cabbage of my youth. My husband, daughter, and I all recently fessed up to the fact that we don’t like corned beef so instead I’ve been making Irish Stew or salmon for St. Pat’s Day, both of which are much more authentically Irish anyway.

Reading

After feeling like I haven't been reading enough lately, I decided to make a concerted effort to read more this month. I've started to bring a book around with me everywhere I go and instead of picking up my phone to scroll or read the news when I'm waiting, I pull out my book and read a page or two. I'm amazed by how fast I am getting through books doing this, but more than that I am calmer. I feel differently after I've spent a few extra minutes reading than I do scrolling. I feel like I've accomplished something. If you are looking for a way to bring a little more zen into your life, try reaching for a book instead of your phone and see if that helps. I recommend lighter reading for this practice. I read The Bookish Life of Nina Hill this week and really enjoyed it's rom-com vibe. It's not great literature, but it is entertaining and was easy to dip in and out of.

I also just finished Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. I don't think I'm her target market. It's about video games, which, as a mother of a child born into the video game era (and all the good and bad it brings with it) I found to be something I wasn’t interested in reading about in my leisure time. I had to read it for my book club though so I finished it. I will say that the author writes some interesting things about where we find our creativity.

I also watched The Storied Life of AJ Fikry, which was based on another of Zevin's novels and didn't love it. If you saw it, tell me what you thought. I was quite mad about the ending of the movie, thinking it was going to be one thing and it didn't deliver.

Hopefully, my April reading will be more satisfying.

Watching

Have you seen Shrinking on Apple +? Did you love it as much as much as I did? It made me laugh and cry. It’s a feel good show-something I think we need more of these days.

Writing

I've started my first novel. I don't want to talk about it too much yet, but I am terrified and elated. I'm really proud of myself because I have been writing two hours a day, five days a week! I'm using The 90 Day Novel by Alan Watt as my guide to do that. It's helpful to have writing prompts and a process to follow. I found out about the book when I read an article that said that Ottessa Moshfegh started her novel, Eileen, using the method. Since I recently read Eileen and loved it (in all its dark, disturbing glory), I thought I would give it try. I mean if it worked for Ottessa..., right? 

So that's my March, tell me how yours went.