Weekly Ramble – February 15, 2025

Hello, Hi, How are you? In this week’s Ramble, let’s chat midweek tweaks to make life easier, weight vests, podcasts, romcom, and the delayed gratification involved in writing fiction.

I’m stunned that February is half over. It feels like the year just started at the same time as feel miles away. The year has already taken turns I didn’t exactly expect when I was writing out my goals and objectives for the year.

I think the overall vision is the same, but many of the specifics have changed shape.

For today’s Ramble, I thought I would try a slightly different format: doing, eating, listening, reading, writing. Let me know in the comments what you think!

What I’m doing

The main thing I’m “doing” is trying to get a handle on our new schedule. It will only be for another 3 1/2 months, but it would be good to make it as smooth as possible.

For instance, Mondays I leave the house at 9 and don’t get home until after 6. Getting dinner in the slow cooker before I left last week was one of the best things I could have done.

Doing my laundry on Friday when all of the kids are gone or busy is better than fighting for a space in line for the washer. A victim of my own success, I guess. 😜

It’s small tweaks like that that help me, so I’m trying to systematize a few more so the days go more smoothly.

What I’m eating

I’m struggling to get my weight under control. I recently hit my newest all-time high, so that’s my signal to change gears.

When I bought Bryan a weight vest for his birthday, I bought myself one. I’ve now been hitting my step goal for over 200 days in a row. I’m hoping that adding weight to my walking will bump up my calorie deficit.

I’ve also been working to get more protein. I have a big bowl of plain Greek yogurt with muesli and fruit each morning. Then collagen peptides in my coffee. Then more protein in my lunch. And if I have dessert I make it something protein, like a Built Bar.

I’m seeing a few improvements, both on the scale and off. Now to just keep at it.

What I’m listening to

I spend enough time in the car, you’d think I’d be caught up on all my podcasts. But I’m in the car with the girls, and we don’t share the same listening preferences. Typically I let the Spotify DJ decide and that’s always interesting.

However, on Friday I was cooking and cleaning and able to catch up on some of my queue.

• Stories are Soulfood has several good episodes recently. I particularly liked Capitalism Doesn’t Produce Great Art and Year of the Looney Toon. The latter makes a really interesting comparison between alcohol and social media. Definitely worth a listen.
• Rebekah and Rachel make some excellent points about encouraging your kids crushes (or not). This episode was really good.
• I love the Sheologians. They really make me think. Their entire series on health and wellness has been thought provoking.
• Yours truly was recently on the Simplified Organization podcast. You can check it Part 1 and Part 2.

What I’m reading

I’ve binged a huge amount of rom coms over the last few weeks, but it’s time to read some headier stuff. I’ve explored a number of Courtney Walsh, Emma St Clair, and Jenny Proctor books.

I currently have several books started, including but not limited to these, that are near the top of my Kindle library:

• Out of the Silent Planet
• How to Be Free From Bitterness
• Mere Christianity
• My Dear Hemlock

Let me know what you think of my To Be Read List.

What I’m writing

As I mentioned last week, I’ve started a fiction project, a series of love stories that I hope have some substance as well. I was surprised how much I like the process.

Apparently, Bryan has had this in mind for quite some time. He’s said, “I’ve been telling you…” more than once.

A dive into fiction writing has been a trip and it’s brought up all kinds of questions. Questions that need answers from real people, such as

• how long would it take you to get over a broken engagement?
• what would be a reasonable and/or realistic context for a parent to tell an adult child he never wanted them?
• what are other words you commonly use instead of the word prudence?
• what’s your favorite fruit to put in a cobbler?

Yep. These are questions I have asked my children over the last week — and more, but I don’t want to give away spoilers.

I never in a million years thought I would write fiction. It has really surprised me, how much this project has an energy of its own. The characters wake me up at night.

Since these ideas have momentum of their own, I feel like it’s my duty to write it all down. And pray that it’s God pushing it.

The whole thing is moving away from Hallmark romcom all by itself which makes me really happy. (I could write that stuff all day long and probably make a million dollars, but I wouldn’t be proud.)

Yesterday, it started taking a turn that made a lot more sense for the type of reader I want to write for. This is basically me right now:

via GIPHY

One of the things about writing fiction that I’m learning quickly is that it requires a lot more patience than writing for the web. I’ve always published fairly soon after writing and/or gotten feedback quickly. This is a different thing entirely.

I’ve got ideas about where it could go and I’m excited, but I’m also trying to temper myself and not forget I have a day job. A couple of them.

I’m giving myself 2025 to figure this out, to draft out the story lines that have already presented themselves as well as investigate if and how to publish it all.

Either way, I’m focusing on making it good and true and beautiful. I’d love for you to pray to that end. These stories feel like a gift, one I hope is from God. I don’t want to squander them.

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