Trying my best

As I continue to work on my graduate portfolio while also working full time, I am reducing my expectations for myself. I no longer have to do a chore every weekday, and I no longer have to make dinner every week. The nice thing about making rules for yourself is that no one else cares if you break them.

I had the day off on Monday for Presidents' Day, and it was nice to get some extra relaxation, since my next holiday off is Memorial Day. 

For my run that day, I went down to the Jordan River Parkway. 

At one bridge there was a White Lives Matter sticker, so of course I tore it off.

Doing my part to end white supremacy

These mini snowstorms we have been having have been a bit frustrating. They're bringing us the havoc of slippery roads, but without the benefits of lots of snowfall. Ordinarily, I am super happy for February to end and March to begin. But I'm not feeling that way this year. We need March to act like February so we can get more snow. So if March is cold and snowy, I won't be happy because it will be cold and snowy. But if March is warm and sunny, I won't be happy because we are in dire straits for water.

Sometimes I feel bad that I don't do more to help the environment. But then I realized that if everyone acted the way I do, we would be in great shape. I can't remember the last time I used a plastic bag at the grocery store. I am very frustrated when I go to restaurants or dessert shops with all the single-use plastic. For example, this week I went to Kneaders with some colleagues. I know they usually put a lid on their soup. So I told the cashier, "I'm trying to reduce my plastic consumption, so I don't need a lid on my soup," and he also confirmed that I didn't want a spoon (I brought my own). But when I got my food, it still had a lid and a spoon, even though I specifically asked them not to! But if everyone acted like me, then the owners of restaurants would not give out single-use plastic, so that issue would be solved. (Now don't get me started on bottled water, which is morally bankrupt.) I try my best to do the right thing, so it's hard when my efforts seem so futile because of others' actions. (I have taken to driving without my heater on, since my hybrid car uses less gas when I keep it off.)

On Thursday, I took my parents to the airport so they could visit California, and all the signage to get to the terminal was very confusing. And it didn't help that it was snowy. 

Anyway, that means the last few days have just been me and Reginald in the house. Today marks two months since we put Jimmy down, so almost two months since we got Reggie. He has been very slowly warming up to us. One of the things I have missed about Jimmy is when he would come onto my bed to spend time with me. A few weeks ago, I picked up Reggie and took him to my bed to show him he could go there, but it didn't stick. So this week I tried it again, and it worked! He has been coming onto my bed frequently now. It is so wonderful to have a furry buddy sitting on me, and I love putting my hand or my ear on his body to feel or hear the purring. But so far, Reggie is a little less satisfying than Jimmy, because he is more restless and doesn't sit still for long. I guess that's one difference between old and young cats.

It's hard to get good pictures of him, because often when he sees me taking a picture, he gets up and rubs his head against my phone.

I have about two months before I graduate, and I still have a lot of work to do on my portfolio. So much in my life right now is on hold until I'm done with school. But I can do it!