AuburnChick's Adventures

I’m not a huge podcast listener, but one that I do enjoy is Theology and Other Fun Stuff.

It is hosted by Whitney Capps and Russ Greer. They play off of each other quite well and are a hoot to listen to – all while delivering sound theology.

The fourth season just started back up after the summer break, and the first episode was about a topic that I’ve recently been giving a lot of thought to – the premise of FOMO (fear of missing out).

Two or three weeks ago, I stopped wearing my smart watch. I suspect that my second shoulder surgery awakened some skin sensitivities I have periodically struggled with the last few years, so I’m doing what I can to mitigate them.

I am not gonna lie. The first day, I only lasted a couple of hours before I put my watch back on. Yeah, I’d taken it to work just in case I changed my mind, and my weak self caved very quickly.

I found myself at a loss for how to do daily life without the constant notifications I’d grown accustomed to over the past few years.

I enjoyed the buzz on my wrist reminding me to clock in, take my medicine, and leave for an appointment.

I didn’t want to miss a text message from the hubby or a FaceTime from a grand baby.

Of course, I needed to know that it was going to rain in five minutes, and that my AirPods had gotten left behind when I ran to pick up lunch from Publix.

I felt so disconnected.

I had serious FOMO.

The second day, I left my watch at home because I knew myself – that I would give in – and I saw this as an opportunity to exhibit some self control.

Day two went a little better.

I didn’t feel the need to get up and move as often. I no longer had rings that needed to be closed by the end of the day.

I found myself able to focus more – especially after I adjusted some settings on my phone to better alert me of certain things I couldn’t afford to miss. Vibrate on silent was something I googled and set up.

I tried to wear a normal watch, but weirdly enough, I found myself tapping on it to “view the time.”

Sheesh. 🙄

At the end of the second day, I was proud of myself. I’d survived. 🤣

Each day afterward has gotten easier; I have learned that it is okay if I don’t respond to a text message immediately.

My job has been so busy that being able to work without distractions from a “smart” device on my wrist helped me be more efficient and accurate.

This has been a huge shift in my mindset.

I am a creature of habit. I suspect most people are.

I like for things to be easy. I mean, who doesn’t love the ability to set a timer by talking to an invisible robot?

I have discovered a lot of freedom the last couple of weeks.

Oh, I still use my phone – a lot, truth be told – but it’s different from having something attached to my body.

I don’t mind leaving it behind if I run to another office to grab misdelivered mail.

I feel more present when speaking to someone because I no longer have the nagging pull of a notification trying to convince me that something else is more important.

I’m also better able to extend grace to my daughter, who often gets back to me later than what I’d ideally like (truth be told) because, in her words, “Mama, I don’t constantly have my phone with me.”

She doesn’t have FOMO. She’s focused on rearing the most incredible little humans God has put into her life.

While I’m certainly not opposed to technology, I think I’m finally understanding how to set healthy boundaries for myself and be more “present.”

Sometimes a “smart” device isn’t really all that smart after all.

Sometimes, you have to simplify life by going back to the basics.

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Happy Monday, y’all!

I pray that your weekend was restful and restorative.

I was certainly glad to clock out at 4:45 Friday afternoon. I love my job and coworkers, but we have been slammed for the last month, and with in-person traffic increasing as students begin moving in, I was ready for a break.

With football season around the corner, I’m relishing my quiet Friday evenings. Usually, if there’s a home game, friends come in for the weekend, and we are on the go from the time I get off of work until Sunday afternoon.

Friday night, the hubby and I watched a couple episodes of this Prime Video series . . .

I didn’t know much about the case, so the show was fascinating.

I wound up staying up later than I’d planned because I wanted to finish a book that I’d started a couple of weeks ago.

It’s based on the true story of Drue Legton, an American actress from the 30’s who became involved in the French resistance during WWII.

Unfortunately, the writing was lackluster. The narrative was rushed and lacked details. It felt quite juvenile, in fact.

I was sorely disappointed and rated it with ⭐️⭐️ on Goodreads. Thank goodness this was a book I borrowed through Prime Reading. I would have been irked if I’d actually spent money on it.

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Saturday morning, I woke up before 4am thanks to the pain in my shoulder. Nights are absolutely the worst. I long for the time when I’ll be able to sleep in a bed and wake up pain-free.

I took Aleve, played my word games, applied heat to my achy arm, and sipped tea while Gambit grabbed a couple more hours of sleep.

I made this Gatorade-Inspired Hawaiian Punch – a recipe I saw on Instagram.

I used coconut water. Pitting the cherries was a beast of a job. I used the paper clip hack (google it) for this task.

Here’s what my juice looked like when i finished.

It is very light and summery and not overly sweet.

I started a new book.

I think it was one of my free purchases from Prime’s First Reads offerings this month.

I am enjoying it so far.

I also washed my hair – a laborious task with my bad shoulder. I was able to use my right arm a little more though, which was a big step in the right direction in this healing journey of mine.

The hubby and I finished watching the last two episodes of the Manhunt series and called it an early night.

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Sunday morning, I slept until 6! That two extra hours of sleep made a difference.

Hubby and I headed to church. I wore my newest tank top and yoga pants.

Our sermon was about how the church is God’s solution for community.

I love the verse below, which says that God is our strength.

We were reminded that God must be at the center of community.

The Mr. and I ran to Sam’s on the way home and then stopped at a new-to-us eatery to grab sandwiches to go.

One of the students in my office had been talking about this place last week, and when I saw that I could veganize a burger, I knew I had to try it.

One look at the bread, and I had to take action. I couldn’t trust that they hadn’t grilled the bread with butter, which has milk, so I swapped it out for my own bread.

It was pretty good, but our sandwiches cost $16 each. I don’t like paying over $40 for lunch, so I doubt that we will go back.

I did a couple of chores after lunch, listened to my Big Brother podcast, and read a little.

Gambit snoozled beside me.

We got a lovely, unexpected FaceTime call from our girl in the middle of the afternoon. Both kiddos had just woken up from their naps and were in rare form.

I checked in with a couple of good friends while I meal prepped. One of my friends is a teacher, and her school district starts back today. She’s my friend who lost her husband in June, so she’s got a lot on her plate right now. Managing the tasks involved with becoming a widow, along with starting another school year is a daunting affair. If you could pray for her, she’d appreciate it.

Meal prep was a simple affair. I made another batch of my vegan egg salad. Black salt is the key to making the tofu taste like eggs.

After watching Sunday night’s episode of Big Brother, I read a little and called it a day.

I pray that you have a wonderful week!

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Y’all, how has it been eight full weeks since my shoulder surgery?

The first few days after shoulder surgery d-r-a-g-g-e-d by. Fighting pain and simply doing life were exhausting and took a heavy toll on me.

Last week, I had myself a little pity party when I wrote an update on my shoulder. I apologize for that indulgence, but I needed a safe place to vent – somewhere to hold the memories – because I knew that in a few months, the day-to-day reality of what I’m currently facing will be replaced by joy. I think it’s important to mark milestones without, hopefully, dwelling too long in the valleys.

And so I push on . . .

With that said, I’ll start with some wins for the week.

Beginning my day with a heating pad is helping a lot. I’m thankful for my knowledgeable physical therapy who suggested this. The heat is the perfect way to start each day because it loosens my stiff shoulder and bicep.

In fact, I discovered that I can, with a bit of finagling, get my hand in my pocket.

This was something I couldn’t do this early on after my left shoulder surgery.

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I was able to put on a T-shirt Sunday after church.

This is one of my favorite shirts. I got it from my favorite, local coffee shop/bookstore in town.

The material is akin to a soft jersey, so it has a lot of give to it and drapes comfortably over my body.

I was a happy girl.

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I ordered another pair of the yoga pants I recently discovered. I’m wearing them in the first and last photos in this post.

I’ve already got them in khaki and navy blue. They are easy to put on and take off, and they are light enough to wear during the blistering summer months.

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I was able to do most of the juicing by myself last weekend when I made another bottle of my turmeric juice. I kept my right elbow close to my body and stood on my tiptoes to feed the produce into my juicer.

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During yesterday’s physical therapy session, I started doing strength exercises. I did rows and lat pulldowns with a set of bands. Both of my shoulders and biceps were sore by the time I’d showered at home last night, and I had to ice them down.

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Now for the not-wins.

My left bicep (i.e. the “good” arm) has been hurting more this week and actually popped one day, which slightly freaked me out. Fortunately, I didn’t have any pain when it popped, but after all I’ve been through since last September, I didn’t enjoy the sensation.

When I told my physical therapist about it yesterday, he said that he doesn’t think I did any damage structurally, but we will keep an eye on it.

Fun times, y’all.

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I also asked my PT about the pain I’m having in the muscle that runs alongside my right (i.e. the “bad” one) forearm. He said that it’s part of the bicep muscle, and it is taking on the brunt of the lifting since my upper bicep can’t do much. It’s also aggravated by the pressure of being bent in a typing position constantly (hello busy time of the year).

He gave me some stretches to help with the discomfort and added a couple of pads to the muscle when we put the TENS unit on at the end of my therapy session yesterday.

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Overall, this week has been a lot better than last week. That’s the biggest win of all.

I’m eager to see what improvements I make next week!

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Happy Hump Day, y’all! If you’re new here, you might not know that Wednesdays are for hodgepodging. Joyce posts the questions, and bloggers post the answers.

Without further ado, let’s get started!

1. The midpoint of summer (believe it or not) is August 7th. Describe a perfect summer day. Have you had one this year? 

A perfect summer day is a Saturday when I’ve gotten to sleep in. It includes a bit less humidity and a lovely, unexpected breeze in the air. I might be sitting poolside sipping lemonade while reading something on my Kindle.

The closest I’ve come to having the kind of day I described in the previous paragraph was Sunday. When I took Gambit out to do his business, post-dinner, I noticed a definite dip in the temperature, and the breeze was blowing.

Lo and behold, here’s what my weather app said . . .

One thing you must know about my dog is that he’s a creature of habit. He’s old, so o don’t blame him.

Every afternoon, he barks at us, insisting that we take him out front to do some porch sitting. Once the weather turned hotter than Hades, we had to stop our evening ritual.

Gambit was super excited when the Mr. grabbed Gambit’s collar and leash and took him out front.

I met them outside with a blanket and a cup of tea I quickly brewed. I was cold because I’d just spent an hour icing down my shoulder and bicep.

It was a wonderful way to cap off the weekend. I’m looking forward to more days like this when Fall gets here.

2. What’s one thing you wish you knew before starting high school? 

Prior to starting high school, I wish I’d known that those years would merely be a blip in my life. It’s easy to say this now with the passage of time and the perspective that maturity provides. I wish I’d known that a broken heart would heal with time, that boy I had a huge crush on – the one with the great hair – would be bald one day, and the red haired bad boy who reveled in getting under my skin would turn out okay. I wish I’d known back then that the eighteen people I did life with from 7th-12th grade (minus the one we unexpectedly lost in 8th grade) would be the source of great memories almost forty years later.

3. What’s something that bothers you if it’s not done perfectly? 

I am a perfectionist, so there are quite a few things that bother me if they’re not competed correctly. For the sake of time, I’ll expound on only one thing.

Writing that contains grammar errors is a huge pet peeve of mine. I had a high school English teacher who covered our essays in red ink, and I later had a boss who proofread everything I typed with a small rectangle cut out of the middle of a business card to catch every single mistake.

I realize that grammar rules can be bent for creative writing, and that’s sometimes okay for me. Heck, I bend them too; however, please learn how to place a comma properly and how to make a subject and verb agree.

4. What’s the most overrated food you’re convinced people are just pretending to enjoy? What’s a trendy food you actually do enjoy and would say is definitely not overrated? 

Is kale still trending? I seem to remember seeing kale-infused items being hot commodities once upon a time, and I’ve often wondered why. Kale and I are not on friendly terms. It does a number on my gut, and honestly, I find the taste disgusting.

A food trend that’s not overrated is matcha. I make an iced matcha latte almost every morning, and it’s fantastic! I even served one up to one of my bosses last week when she expressed interest.

5. Wrapping it up this week with five fun this or thats . . .

personal stylist or personal chef? 
dance like nobody’s watching or sing like nobody’s listening? 
unlimited tacos or free pizza? 

bookshelf organization-by size or by genre? 
ten minutes late or ten minutes early? 

I’ll opt for a eating delicious food prepared by a personal chef, dancing like nobody’s watching, enjoying unlimited tacos, organizing my bookshelf by genre, and arriving ten minutes early.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

With the start of August, my little college town is getting ready to increase exponentially in population size as students move in.

I love the energy the students bring to campus. It’s always too quiet when they aren’t around.

Sorority members moved in last weekend in preparation for Rush.

It won’t be long before I’ll start hearing the band practicing. The stadium isn’t far from my office.

Traffic will be crazy as new freshman and transfer students learn how to navigate our roads.

Y’all have a wonderful week!

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Good Monday morning, y’all.

Are you awake, caffeinated, and ready for another week?

Whew, but I was in sore need – literally and figuratively – of the weekend after an incredibly busy week at work.

As soon as I got home Friday, I hopped into my pajamas. I did not pass go, and I did not collect $200.

Ha!

Hubby and I watched a couple of episodes of the Netflix show, Untamed, which we’d started watching earlier in the week.

We are enjoying it a lot. The casting is great, the scenery is breathtaking, and the storyline is riveting.

I was pooped by 9:00, so I called it an early night.

Saturday

Saturday, I woke up at 5am. Boo. This darned shoulder wakes me up early every morning begging to be tended to.

Gambit took full advantage of the early start by climbing into my recliner and taking an extra snoozle.

Of course matcha was a must as well.

After washing my hair – a bigger ordeal when you’re recovering from shoulder surgery, I relaxed the rest of the day.

I checked in on a friend who recently had shoulder surgery – both procedures like me (rotator cuff and labrum) to see how she was faring. I’m so glad that I’m able to reassure and encourage her, from a deep sense of empathy born from this shared experience, as she goes through her own tough journey of recovery.

I listened to the daily Big Brother update on Rob Has a Podcast and texted a friend who also watches because friends don’t let friends miss out on funny moments that CBS probably won’t air because they put forth their own narrative for viewers.

Even though I have a podcast app on my phone and iPad, I like to listen via YouTube because of the funny facial expressions the hosts make throughout.

The Mr. and I finished the last three episodes of Untamed Saturday evening.

Whew. This show. It’s only comprised of six episodes, but they pack a heavy punch. I highly recommend it.

Hubby saw a post on Twitter / X that said the show has been renewed! We are stoked!

Sunday

Once again, I was awake at 5am – on the dot.

I prepared my matcha, grabbed my quilt, plugged in my heating pad, and made myself comfortable on the couch to chill for a couple of hours before getting dressed for church.

Church was wonderful! We kicked off 21 Days of Prayer yesterday. The sermon was all about how to pray.

I took screenshots of my notes.

We ran to Ulta and Kroger after church. It was time for me to replace my mascara. I love Tarte’s tubing mascara. I also grabbed a tubing primer, which I’d never seen before.

Then, I listened to Sunday’s Big Brother live feed update.

While the podcast was running, I made a batch of my ginger-turmeric juice.

It’s a task I dread right now because I can’t help with the prep work. The Mr. graciously acquiesces to my biweekly request for assistance, though, because he understands how much it means to me to be able to drink a shot of this each morning.

Here’s the recipe in case you’ve missed my previous posts about this.

The last chore for the day was prepping my favorite vegan “egg” salad recipe.

This came together very quickly and will make for an easy lunch each day.

I was going to eat this on bread, but the Mr. accidentally picked up the wrong kind of bread (one that has milk in it), so I’ll be enjoying this on its own.

Mid-afternoon’ish, we sat out front to enjoy the drop in temperature that an incoming storm brought in. Gambit was all about it.

Gambit tired after less than an hour of sitting outside. So, since he’s in charge around here, we carried ourselves and all of our stuff back inside.

After eating a light dinner, I settled in for the Sunday night episode of Big Brother.

There was so much drama. Even though I knew what had gone down thanks to the daily podcast episodes, seeing the fireworks on the TV was something else.

People are ridiculous. The drama gives me angst. I can’t keep up with all of the various alliances, which change on the daily. It just seems rather pointless.

Truth be told, I’m starting to feel convicted about the time I’m wasting on this show and the distraction of the podcast. I know that I could be making better use of my time. I’m considering forgoing it after this season.

Things to ponder as I head into another busy work week . . .

I pray that you have a wonderful week filled with productive results from whatever you endeavor to accomplish.

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