I spent some time this weekend doing a monthly reflection plus monthly planning, and here are some thoughts that came out of it…
February may be a short month but it didn’t really feel that way this year. Partly for good reasons (I packed a lot in) but also it was really winter. We tend not to have constant winter snow cover here in the Philadelphia area, but this February we basically did. The huge snowstorm of January 25th didn’t melt because the temperatures were so cold for the next few weeks. Then just as it was disappearing we got another huge storm on Feb 22-23. But now things have warmed up and next week might get up to 70 degrees, so spring is on its way. This is always a comforting thought. Sometimes it’s sad that time keeps passing but sometimes good to know that nothing lasts forever.
February was a surprisingly social month. I had lunch and went for a winter hike with one local friend. I went running with another (+ a stop for coffee at McDonalds after – a fun weekend morning thing to do). I knew that Sarah (and Kathleen) would be coming to visit and that was a highlight. My family did a more impromptu gathering for my dad’s 80th birthday on President’s Day, so I saw my parents and my two brothers (+ my little brother’s wife). Then I threw in that trip to Boston, which wasn’t even on my radar when the month began, so I got to see KJ, Sarina and my freshman son. I don’t like flying but I like going places and seeing people, so the flying is just part of it.
A professional highlight: I was on the Mel Robbins podcast! I’d recorded this interview a long time ago, but it ran this month, and it was fun to see who listens to/watches that show. A lot of people! I think I am up 1900 new Instagram followers in the last month. If you found me through that interview, welcome! I hope you’ll stick around.
I’ve been doing a lot of time log analysis and calls with people for the book I’m writing (Golden Hours — which will likely be out in 2027). My goal is to finish the research for that by the end of March. I’m also starting promotional interviews and such for Big Time (the book that is out in early May this year). More of that will happen this coming month.
This past weekend was fairly chill — various kid activities, plus I went to a production of Holst’s The Planets from the Main Line Symphony Orchestra. And our big adventure: My husband and two of the kids and I went to the Philadelphia Flower Show. That’s going on downtown right now and it’s always fun to see all the displays. I don’t really have many pictures though as I accidentally left my phone in the car. We went to lunch at Maggiano’s afterwards. I ran outside this weekend because it was finally warm enough and the snow was melted enough.
Looking forward to March: there will be a lot of travel. Two work trips, two fun trips. Though the work trips will have fun too. I’m trying to do a lot of Big Time promotion (for people/shows who have longer lead times or are nice enough to record ahead of time!). I will record the audio book for Big Time.
On the personal front — Choral Arts Philadelphia will perform our “Flora and Fauna” show. I have been listening over and over to the Finzi 7 poems of Robert Bridges, and Britten’s 5 flower songs. I have reached the point where they are deeply in my head. Hopefully everyone else has been doing this too as we lost our rehearsal last week due to the snow storm, plus lost another one in January. I’m hoping we pull it off…
I will see extended family a few times as my niece is having a bridal shower, and then my parents will be having a joint 80th birthday party later in the month.
When things get busy, good habits like exercise can fall by the wayside, so my goal for this month is to make sure to run three times and do three strength training sessions each week. It should work, but I do need to identify times. Fortunately, I’ve found that the evening can work pretty well for running on the treadmill, at least on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. So that will be my “golden hours” intention. Onward…
Holst used the theme from Jupiter to compose a hymn tune that we often sing at this time of year. I was bummed that this year it was slated for Sunday, January 25 because our church service was virtual that morning due to the storm so I missed singing it.
@Gillian – it is very soaring and catchy – it had been a while since I’d heard it but it came right back. I did the vocals on Neptune once many years ago…