Last Friday in Asheville.
1. I stopped watching Parenthood. It was stressing me out more than it was entertaining me and I don’t need to watch TV for that nonsense. I just read funny recaps and I regret nothing (though I might start watching again if it stops being so darn soap opera-like). I have no problem giving up TV shows or books if they aren’t enjoyable anymore. Maybe I even drop things too easily (see: Veronica Mars, The West Wing, New Girl).
2. I’ve been wanting a laptop for work since…forever. I use a 27-inch iMac, which I adore and works great, but sometimes I want to go work somewhere else. I usually use Mike’s laptop (a 2009 MacBook), but it’s getting too old to run my design programs or even work. Which means he needs a new laptop, too. We cannot afford two laptops. We need at least one though, since Mike’s is useless. I’m trying to figure out if there’s some way we can have just one laptop and one desktop but all our files and programs in the cloud and both of us can just work on whatever computer is available. But that hurts my head. It seems silly to have three computers between two people, but we both do all of our work digitally!
To Pro or to Air?
3. Speaking of things we want, we’d like a new couch. Our Craigslist-purchased Ikea couch from 6 years ago is some fake leather stuff that is flaking off. We have our eyes on the Karlstad from Ikea after much research. This one, specifically:
It’s so much comfier and bigger than our tiny couch (the only picture I can seem to find of it is here)! Plus, the covers are washable and it’s not fake leather and it’s less than $800! But every time we buy something, I just think, “Someday we’ll have to move this piece of furniture…” I’m a killjoy.
4. Today I am home alone for an entire! day! since Mike is at work and Gabe is at my parents. I made a to do list twice as long as usual and a giant French press of coffee, fired up alternating NPR and music, I’m just super happy. I love my boys, but I also love being alone and productive.
5. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how many kids I want to have. Mostly because I’m wondering if this will be my last pregnancy, I suppose. I love how simple and manageable and peaceful our life is with one kid, so the idea of having, say, 3 or 4 kids, seems overwhelming. I love how much one-on-one time we get with Gabe and how I don’t feel resentful or overwhelmed by parenting (most days). But! I loved having several siblings myself. It’s too bad we can’t try both options out and see what we prefer – big family or small family? Heh. I can’t do this conversation justice in 100 words and there are obviously more factors (finances, history of pregnancy loss) to consider and we’ll see how two kids goes before making the final decision, I imagine. I can’t believe I get to/have to make grownup decisions about my life like this. It’s so weird. When did I stop being 16 years old?
And now, a few links. Because I still miss Google Reader. Yep. Still.
Links I’ve enjoy lately:
Why Culs-de-Sacs are Bad for Your Health – Slate // “most people do not walk in American cities because cities have designed destinations out of reach. But they have also corroded the experience of walking.” Urban development and city design is so intriguing to me! I know I like to live somewhere that’s walkable, and articles like this (and this book) help me understand why (and how).
List Your Prices (THE RIGHT WAY) – The Middle Finger Project // A must read for anyone who sells things on the internet, particularly services. A straightforward and easy read about how your structure your site.
BILL WATTERSON: A cartoonist’s advice – Zen Pencils // “To invent your own life’s meaning is not easy…and I think you’ll be happier for the trouble” I found this several months ago and love it so very much. It really speaks to Mike and I and our choices.
Interview with Sarah Von Bargen of Yes & Yes – heatherthorkelson.com // Really great blogging and business advice. Sarah is just so fun to listen to, as well!
I feel compelled to comment to discuss the Ikea couch. I actually bought that exact couch (but without the fun sectional piece) 5 and a half years ago, and we just got rid of it this weekend. It held up remarkably well, aside from the inner workings of one of the arms falling apart (but I think that was a fluke). The dark gray is really easy to clean and hides stains really well. Also, it weighs basically nothing because it’s constructed from plywood and cardboard, so moving it wasn’t that bad. (I think I might be high off of my recent new sectional couch purchase and now want everyone to have a new sectional.)
I’ve heard good things about that particular couch, and I think we’ll probably go with it one day when we move and downsize.
Glad to hear I’m not the only one who was finding Parenthood to be a little stressful. I still watch it, but sometimes wonder why when I end up feeling agitated afterwards or anxious because of the ridiculousness of everyone. I miss what was.
So stressful! We were yelling at the TV, which is when we knew it was time for a break. ;)
No real advice, except definitely go MacBook Pro if you plan to design on the computer. My MB Pro is only a couple of years old, but still sometimes struggles with Adobe software.
I really want an iMac, but it’s just not gonna happen any time soon.
Thanks! We used to have a MB Pro which is what I started using Adobe software on and now my trusty iMac (seriously, this thing is a workhorse!) handles everything so well that I’m spoiled! I think I just like the idea of lightweight. Do you use the cloud software? I wonder if that would be less stress on a computer…
I also miss Google Reader! What do you use now in its place?
Feedly! But you can’t share within Feedly like you could with Google Reader. Sigh.
Ah, me too. I’m still figuring out feedly. I like it well enough, but not as much as Google Reader!
I know! I miss Google Reader so much. I miss having the easy tagging the most, I think, along with the easy emailing option.
Yay for a day at home alone :) I already forget what that feels like. I think the decision of how many kids to have is a really hard one and is so influenced by our own experiences growing up. There are so many great things about a big family, but I know I couldn’t do it! For me it’s going to be 1 or 2 kids, but if it’s 1 I’m going to have to part with that image I always had of what I would do, of my “plan” so to speak! I also wish I could try it out haha
If you’re deciding between laptops I would definitely pick Pro vs. Air. And that couch is fabulous!
Oh Google Reader. I miss miss miss you!
I LOVE Zen Pencils! And New Girl deserves to be dropped. Schmidt just wasn’t enough to carry that show, in my opinion.
I love my 11″ MacBook Air, but I always prefer the small & light electronics. I think a Pro would do better for your design work.
I do think that you & Mike both having laptops is not ridiculous because that’s how y’all WORK. If you both had jobs involving driving to locations (I don’t know, realtor? or some kind of inspector?), you’d both have cars, and perhaps they’d be company cars, and you’d have a family car. (I know, I know, the idea of having more than one car is a crazy luxury for me, too, but work with my analogy!) The Apple website usually has a variety of refurbished laptops.
Tell me about your trip to Asheville! We spent a few hours there, but only made it to Farm Burger for lunch and then over to Pack Square to let the boys run like crazy for a bit. Loved what I saw, which wasn’t nearly enough!
Also, we dropped Parenthood, too. We half-assed watched last season and stopped DVRing it this season. It no longer feels fresh and fun anymore (even when some of the topics were heavy and sad, it still felt fresh in the first couple seasons). I’m not sure if that’s because we now know the characters, so it doesn’t feel as new to us anymore, or whether the writing has gone downhill. I have no regrets about no longer watching it, just as I never looked back after dumping Gray’s Anatomy after the first season.
I seriously love having days to myself. I love Matt so much but I also love when I can tackle whatever I want to do on the list and dance around to the Spice Girls, ha.
Also, although I am still at zero children, I always envisioned having a lot. I’m from a family of four and it was/is so fun to have so many siblings. But alas, finances and actual body problems make this too hard to figure out. I guess now we’re at the “wing it” stage and see what happens, ha.
Parenting is as difficult as learning an art and it generally comes with experience and throughout the journey, there is a new lesson to learn.