I signed up for a Fantasy Football league with my coworkers, having no idea what I was getting into. 30 minutes prior, on the day of our draft, I was frantically combing YouTube and Google for some nuggets of information on what I should be doing. I didn’t know how to interact with the app, much less who I should pick or what stats were relevant.

Draft Time! Donald and I sat down in front of the computer and started picking players when it was our turn. In between turns, Donald would be researching the next position we wanted to fill, to see if there were any leads about who would be a good fit. Most of the time, I just sorted different stat headers and tried to go for the top suggestion. Sometimes it would be the person who scored the most Fantasy Football points the preceding year, or who had the most rushing yards, or the most passing yards, or whatever. To be fair, we really don’t follow football too closely and don’t know most of these people. Draft day was very exciting and we started to get into the spirit of it.

Week 1: We paired off with my boss. We didn’t think to look at any of the games until Monday Night Football. That was an exciting game and we very nearly won our match up! I mean VERY nearly. We lost by 0.04 points. We really wanted our running back to go in for the last 5 minutes of the game, but to be fair to the team, the other running back was having a better night and their goal was to try to win the game, not to help along our Fantasy game. 🙂

Week 2: Currently in progress! This time, we watched the Thursday Night Football game, which was playing on Amazon. Amazon as a place to watch sports was news to us, but there you go. It was also a very good game. Our quarterback was playing against one of my coworker’s quarterbacks (although we are not matched up in the Fantasy league this week). We ended up making over 30 points towards our overall total! I even went into the app prior to the game and changed out a few players to try and give us a better shot at winning our Fantasy match up this week.

We are starting to get into it and even think that it would be beneficial to watch more of the NFL games – even the ones where we do not have players – so that we can get a sense of who the real stars are and who are “on fire” this season. Perhaps we will be able to trade for them at some point during the season and help us win some Fantasy games!

We were so surprised to see that Fantasy Football as an industry pulled in more revenue than the NFL itself, but we can definitely see the draw!

Until next time, let us know if you are getting involved in football this season and, if so, what the best part about the sport is.

— Jennie (and Donald)

A couple months ago, we watched as NASA and SpaceX launched two astronauts for a mission to the International Space Station. It was the first time in a long time that US astronauts were launched in a US craft from US soil. Today, we got to watch the happy ending to that mission, as SpaceX’s Crew Dragon splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico and both the spacecraft and the astronauts were successfully recovered.

Watching live on NASA TV was a fairly low-res event – most of the time, the images displayed were dim and hazy. But this did nothing to curb my excitement as we first saw images of Crew Dragon entering the Earth’s atmosphere, releasing the (counting… one… two!) drogue parachutes. Then, the four main chutes. Keeping pace with them as they decelerated (“Speed is nominal.”). And finally, SPLASHDOWN! (And, of course, the interminable waiting while they “sniffed” the spacecraft for hazardous gases and decontaminated it, before we could see the successful extraction of the astronauts.)

I took a few screen captures as I watched, but really, the actual photos from NASA are vastly superior. 🙂

“Welcome back to Planet Earth and thank you for flying SpaceX!”

Yesterday, our senior director shared this cute video with us. It talks about caring for both our physical and mental health while we are sheltering in place, and how creating distinct functional areas within our homes (and being diligent about reserving certain tasks for only that space) can help us to be more focused on the task at hand.

The couch helped you … couch ….

My favorite line from the video!

I felt personally attacked by this video. 🙂 I have been dealing with wound healing issues for quite a while and have been largely restricted to my bed (I *wish* I had the run of the entire house!). So, creating different stations within my house for different tasks has been impossible. My bed has been my sleep/work/recreation station and exercise has not even been on the agenda. (It’s amazing how much you need your feet for!)

Blessedly, last weekend I was finally able to walk around a little bit and have been slowly increasing what I am able to do around the house. Today is the first day that I’ve attempted wearing socks and shoes! I have really missed that!

The video mentions that if both your physical and mental health are suffering, it may be easier to try to work on improving your physical health first. Which is probably why I spent a good amount of time last night researching bicycles. LOL! I’ve wanted one for a while, especially since Gabby is learning how to ride a bike now. There is a lot of stuff that you need! Bike, kickstand, helmet, storage, bike lock, carrier for your car… I think I have everything picked out, but I’ll pause that decision for just a bit.

I’m a planner girl and I love making order out of chaos (although, I’m also pretty talented about creating that chaos in the first place). So I was really motivated by the video to take a new look at my “spaceship” and see how I can make personal improvements. Also, lucky for me, I have a metric ton of planners, productivity journals, list pads, sticky notes, and pens at arms reach to assist me!

Exercise Station

This will take some thought, especially as I am still healing. I’ll keep bicycling in mind, but will likely start with short walks (and build up) and some free weights. Having contingency plans for inclement weather and other obstacles will be key to maintaining a good schedule.

Sleep Station

I generally do pretty well with falling asleep, and I typically get up at the same time every morning without an alarm. The part I need to work on is going to bed at a reasonable hour and getting up in the middle of the night. I’m fairly used to operating on little sleep, but I’m interested in finding a better balance here.

Recreation Station

This station runs amok all around the house! Usually into the Sleep and Creation stations. I have made a little headway in this area by cleaning off the kitchen table and putting my personal computer there. Even before watching this video, I had tried to make a cognitive distinction in tasks by leaving my desk after the workday is completed and moving to the kitchen if I wanted to watch YouTube, etc. Just a small change in scenery to tell myself that the workday is done (otherwise, it’s really easy to just keep working – there’s nowhere else for me to go, after all!).

I’ve tried to find recreational activities that I can use to connect with others. Since I live alone, I really miss human interaction! I bought a Nintendo Switch Lite (for entertainment when I was stuck in bed) and have jumped on the Animal Crossing bandwagon. It’s a cute game and I have been able to play with my brother (hopefully, with more friends soon!). I’m also buddy-reading a book with another friend.

Creation Station

I find this station the most interesting. What to do for personal growth during this time? I always have it in the back of my mind to blog – I miss it, but I’m horrible about completing posts. I must have a million drafts, but I try too hard to make them perfect before I publish and as more time passes, I don’t circle back. “Done is better than perfect,” is a phrase I’ll need to keep in mind.

I’ve also taken advantage of some of the language software out there and will see if I can gain more foreign language skills during my time in space. The hardest question is which one to focus on first?

I’ve joined a Bible study (Ruth) through our parish, which helps feed me spiritually as well as give me a small group to talk to and share my ideas.

Being creative with my planning is always a fun pastime for me. I’ve been doing really well with meal planning and daily to-dos, and am eager to create more structure and accountability into my days.

A friend recently sent me a card – just to say that she was thinking of me and provide some encouragement. I think this is a great idea, so I’ll make sure to spend some time writing *actual letters* to my friends.

Creation Station is probably the hardest for me to control, since I always want to do ALL THE THINGS. But, ultimately, I think I’ll feel more accomplished if I try to limit what I do and actually follow through on that. Check one thing off, *then* start the next thing.

Your Spaceship

As the video says, we are all alone …. together. How are you maintaining your Spaceship You? I’d love to hear (and see!) your ideas.

Stay happy and healthy!

Ever fall into the internet rabbit hole? Where one thing you look at leads you to the next, and the next and … ?

My daisy chain of events went like this: Catch up on YouTube subscriptions, click on a suggested video about Shawn Johnson’s pregnancy, watch more of The East Family‘s videos, Google Shawn Johnson and view her Wikipedia page, see that she was in Dancing with the Stars, look up where you can watch previous Dancing with the Stars episodes (I still haven’t found a good solution – if you have one, please let me know!), look for what shows are premiering this Fall.

And this is how I ended up on “Fall Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming: 2019 Edition” by Deadline.

From that list, these are the shows that I am most interested in for Fall 2019. I may not have time to look at them all, but I’ll at least program the DVR and give them a shot. There were some series that I know I can watch on Hulu or Netflix, so I didn’t list them in particular.

• 9/16: Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
• 9/26: The Masked Singer (Fox)
• 9/26: Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) – I’ll have to catch up a little, but have been watching from the beginning.
• 9/26: Young Sheldon (CBS) – I’m not sure if this one will keep my attention. I’ve only caught a couple episodes during flights.
• Sept TBD: Declassified: Untold Stories of American Spies (CNN)
• 10/2: SEAL Team (CBS)
• 10/6: Supergirl (CW)
• 10/11: Charmed (CW) – I’ll have to see if I can watch the first season. This is the reboot series.
• 10/18: Looking for Alaska (Hulu) – I think this is the adaptation of John Green’s book.

What shows are you most interested in watching this Fall?

Hi Everyone! Today, I’d like you to meet Julie Garza from @julies_plans on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

I’m trying to think of the best way to describe Julie to you. Isn’t always the hardest to try and introduce friends?! What are they like? Sit down and let me tell you stories for 6 hours….

Julie is … Trend-setting

I’ve known Julie for some time, and yet I am still continually surprised with what she discovers. It could be a new product or shop I’ve never heard of before, or it could be something that’s been around forever which she’s managed to use in a new way.

Look at this review of the Aura Estelle B6 planner! She goes over all the features of the products and how she puts her own personal stamp on them. I always leave feeling like running to the shop and placing an order. 🙂 She will also frequently get some PR/launch products from Erin Condren to show you what is coming out soon, like these Valentine’s Day themed products!

And more recently, the Erin Condren new Life Planner Binder system. I love that you can see what the product is like before you buy!

Julie is … Relatable

Of all the people making content in social media, I find that Julie has an extremely relatable personality. She fits is well to many different social circles and has a nearly universal appeal.

She was in the Army herself and has also been in the role of military spouse. I am former Navy, and if you have ever been in the military, you know that there is a camaraderie between veterans that is unlike any other. These are your brothers and sisters and you will defend them to the death. You will also slap them upside the head when they do something stupid, like violate OpSec and PerSec. Julie has a way of bringing heart, hope, and humility to any discussions involving the Armed Forces. She is a fantastic mentor for new military spouses and has so many spot-on, must-note recommendations to make deployment just a touch easier. (Get your shizz in order, folks! Julie can show you best practices and what to have on hand.)

She is a fantastic parent with two children in their late teens/young adulthood. Sometimes she will share glimpses into her home life and you can see how much she loves her family. She also has a talent for organizing and decorating her home so that it feels elegant and cozy at the same time.

Julie is … Creative

I love Julie’s aesthetic, both in her planner and in general. It is neat and organized, fun and colorful. Her photos tend to be high-key and vibrant, which is exactly my taste! She has a great blend of elements in her planning style that she has found which fit her needs, but at the same time is not afraid to branch out to try something new.

Julie is … Positive

Everyone knows that life is a mix of joys and sorrows. Through it all, Julie remains a very positive person, but not in the fake positive, superficial way that makes you roll your eyes. She’s very pragmatic in a way and can break down difficult situations into What Needs to Get Done and What Is Out of My Hands and then focus on the stuff on the To-Do list.

She is great about showing people how to make the best out of any situation.

Julie … on Social Media

You’re really going to enjoy Julie’s content! But don’t just take my word for it; check her out for yourself!

• YouTube: Julie’s Plans
• Instagram: @julies_plans

Every year at new planner launch time (typically May), I get very conflicted about my planner.

I like to keep my previous planners for reference, and even if I’m in school, I prefer to keep to a calendar year schedule. The idea of having all of 2019 in one volume makes me a lot happier than the idea of having July 2019 – June 2020 in a volume.

But, FOMO….

When Launch Day arrives and people begin posting their images of the new planner designs, I really want to use the new style and patterns along with everyone else, but my calendar year planner doesn’t change until 6 months later. What to do?

My friend, Kristin, sympathized with me, but told me that she finally switched to an academic year schedule so she can always have the new patterns as soon as possible. I was nearly convinced to do the same, and a little disappointed that I had already purchased my 2020 planner in an 18 month style and ripped out the duplicate July-December 2019 pages. Now, I’ll have to wait an entire year until next Launch Day to flip over… Right?

Well, I think I’ve come up with a plan that will work for me!

I still had the July-December 2019 pages that I had snipped out of my new 2020 planner sitting on my desk. Since they were snipped, I could just pop them into my 2019 planner and use those pages for July going forward! Now, I can have my planners remain in a calendar year bind up, but have the old style from January-June, and the new style from July-December! I’ll just have to uncoil/recoil my planners when I get the new one every year at Launch – no problem.

This is the current look of my hybrid planner. I could have taken all of the pages out of the new planner, so that I had cohesive monthly spreads, but I had left those in the new planner along with the new goal setting pages. I may decide that this bothers me and transfer those pages over to my 2019 planner as well. For now, I’m not too concerned about it.

The first half of 2019 will be the Woven Wonder pattern:

And the second half of 2019 will be the Kaleidoscope pattern:

As I was writing this post, I realized that there’s about 0% chance of me opening my 2020 planner just for the goal planning pages, so I moved those over to my 2019 Frankenplanner. This is the final look:

I think this is going to be a great solution for me!