Me & My Quite Contrary Life

NUDGED: "Write in a new way" (re-do week!) BACKSTORY: My original intent for this nudge was to learn to write in Shorthand like my Grandma did. I have an old book that teaches it, but I have struggled to learn it each time I have tried. It's all dashes and lines to me!  This week, I want to take something "basic" (writing) and do it in a new way. Maybe I will revisit Shorthand this week, or maybe I will try to write in cursive again? Maybe I can try hand-lettering as something new. I love options! QUOTE: "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone!" HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: Take two! I am finally feeling better, after feeling like I got hit by a bus for 8 days. I am grateful to be healthy again and grateful for all the calls, texts, messages and deliveries this past week. I have the best friends and family! You are so appreciated by me.  I paged though the Gregg Shorthand book. My edition has a date of September 1945! It didn't make a lot of sens

NUDGED: "Write in a new way" BACKSTORY: My original intent for this nudge was to learn to write in Shorthand like my Grandma did. I have an old book that teaches it, but I have struggled to learn it each time I have tried. It's all dashes and lines to me!  This week, I want to take something "basic" (writing) and do it in a new way. Maybe I will revisit Shorthand this week, or maybe I will try to write in cursive again? Maybe I can try hand-lettering as something new. I love options! QUOTE: "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him about your plans." - Woody Allen HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:  I started the week with writing in cursive. I usually print and haven't used cursive for decades. It was slow at first! I had to think about each letter and write it slowly. It took me 10x longer to write! I wanted to keep with it though, and was curious to see if my writing got better the more I did it.  Then, my plans changed and week derailed with a number: 10

NUDGED: "Take journal to coffee shop for 1 hour" BACKSTORY: This was a newer nudge I added at the beginning of the year to help me do more fun things that I enjoy...but then COVID happened. I kept pulling this nudge during several weeks, only to throw it back because coffee shops were closed. Boo!  While many coffee shops are still closed, the drive thrus are open and many still need business. It's time for me to figure out my new normal, so I accepted the nudge this week with the extra challenge of completing it during a pandemic.  I don't see myself actually sitting in a coffee shop and journaling, but I will find another nice, safe spot to enjoy writing with coffee. I want to make it work this week!  QUOTE: "Reading is my inhale and writing is my exhale." - Glennon Doyle in "Carry On, Warrior" (This quote deeply resonates with me!) HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: I'm surprised at how difficult it was to complete this nudge, considering in the availa

NUDGED: "Learn to play Craps" BACKSTORY: Craps is a popular casino game that many people enjoy, including my husband. I have watched him play this game many times (pre-COVID!) but I never learned how to play. I'm sure there are rules and strategies involved...but all I see are rolling dice and then cheering/yelling/booing/swearing. This item has been on my list of things to learn for many years. What am I waiting for? It's time to actually do it! QUOTE: "To learn something new, you need to try new things and not be afraid to be wrong." - Roy T. Bennett HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: My grandma always encouraged learning and education. She told me often to learn all that I could as no one could take those lessons away from me. I never forgot that and always try to keep learning.  My husband gave me an introduction to Craps while on a walk with the dog (yes, discussing Craps while picking up crap!). He explained the basics of the game to give me a place to start in

NUDGED: "Read though an old journal" BACKSTORY: I process my life by writing about it. Oddly enough, after I write, I don't look back and re-read my journal entries. I prefer to look forward and don't want to get distracted by things that happened in the past. This nudge marks the first time I would intentionally re-read previous entries. Why is it a challenge for me? I am afraid of re-living tough moments. I assume I will get tired of hearing myself babble on and on about meaningless things. I wonder how many "important" problems in my teens will seem trivial to me as an adult. But, it is the nudge this week and I am determined to complete it. Putting on my game face... QUOTE: "If you do not make peace with your past, it will keep showing up in your present." - Dr. Wayne W. Dyer HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: I quickly learned that re-reading old journal entries and saved emails (many from 20+ years ago) can be good and bad. Journaling was