2020: Week 13

mayfaringtoo, ,

March 23, 2020 – March 29, 2020

Bucket List Items Accomplished

  • Do the SNAP challenge (live on $40 CAD a week for groceries for one month)

Things I Enjoyed this Week

  • I finished the SNAP/Food Stamps Challenge for Week 4 of 4. I finished up the last few extra days I needed to make up for this challenge. As a recap, I only spent $40 CAD on groceries each week for four weeks. This challenge proved the immense limitations of living on such a small amount each week. Fresh fruits and vegetables were hard to include in the quantities I like. I feel deeply for anyone that must live on so little as a necessity. In this current time, living with the pandemic, there will be many people that can not work and must rely on supplemental income and food. As in my first post, if you are able, I encourage you to donate to your local food bank. Also, please do not be afraid to reach out to resources in your area if you are struggling.
  • Some resources for cheap recipes that I love are
    • Good and Cheap, the free PDF recipe book that was produced by Leanne Brown which was designed to feed people on $4 a day.
    • BudgetBytes produces lots of budget friendly recipes, and is my inspiration for doing the SNAP Challenge.
    • Cooking on a Bootstrap wrote a book entirely framed around cooking delicious food with canned goods after experiencing poverty and needing to access a food bank. She regularly posts recipes for cheap meals.
  • I started a 30 day daily photo taking and gratitude challenge. I want to take a photo each day of something that makes me happy or that I am otherwise grateful for. I, like the rest of the world, am trying to keep positive how I can. I want to be thankful and acknowledge all the ways in which I am lucky.

Day 1: I am grateful for my journal/ daily tracking system. I keep track of the 12 habits that are most important for me to do each day for my wellbeing and to make progress towards the things I want to achieve. I also try and do two or more optional, but important, things each day from a big list. See below.

Day 2: I am grateful for oatmeal and other comforting hot breakfasts. Working from home gives me a little more time to cook something nice for myself each morning.

Day 3: I am grateful to live by the ocean.

Day 4: I am grateful for Spring.

Day 5: I am grateful for the jams, jellies, and other preserves I receive each year from my Mom and my boyfriend’s lovely Aunt. Eating homemade jam on homemade bread is a delight.

Day 6: I am grateful for the small kindnesses of strangers.

Day 7: I am grateful to have a lovely roommate that shared his delicious homemade samosas with me. Having him around has lessened the isolation for me while we are all stuck mostly indoors.

  • Daily habits
    • Do WaniKani to study Japanese kanji
    • Do BunPro to study Japanese grammar
    • Take my iron supplement
    • Floss my teeth
    • Drink lots of water
    • Do a workout or get a bit of optional exercise. This can be calisthenics, a walk, yoga, a run, an extra bike ride beyond my daily commute, or anything that gets me moving, even for a short time.
    • Take a multivitamin, fish oil capsules, or a calcium supplement
    • Do my skincare routine
    • Read or listen to an audiobook
    • Meditate. I usually listen to a short guided meditation before bed.
    • Stretch
    • Sleep for seven hours or more
  • Optional habits to do when I can
    • Money: Buy nothing. Don’t buy coffee or tea. 
    • Food: No sugar. No dairy. Eat mindfully. Eat vegetarian. Try a new recipe.
    • Drink: Drink 2L of water. Drink green tea. No caffeine. No coffee.
    • Exercise: 10000 steps. 15000 steps. 20000 steps. Gym. Bike ride. Yoga. Swim. Run.
    • Wellness: More than 8 hours of sleep. Meditate. Gratitude journal (just one or two things). No social media. Listen to music and do nothing else. Colour. Sleep before 12 am. Yoga or stretching routine at home. Nap. Breathing exercises. Positive self talk. Breast exam. Set aside/ schedule time for working on my mental health. Mouthwash. Take a bath.
    • Home: Clean a room. Organise your closet. Water your plants. Laundry.
    • Social and Productivity: Contact a friend. See friends. Contact a family member. Do something new. Cross something off ongoing to-do list. Ask someone, “What was the highlight of your day?” Write a love letter. Leave reviews for things you like. Send a note to someone that did something good for you. Take photos.
    • Beauty: Charcoal tooth tab. Charcoal toothpaste. Hair mask. Face mask. Moisturize. Dress well. Wear makeup. Do your nails. Try a new hairstyle. Shave your legs. Pluck your brows.
    • Japanese: See your tutor. Go to a language meet. Read simple articles in Japanese.
  • Here are some highlights from my first week with Animal Crossing New Horizons. My boyfriend and I chose the same face coincidentally. I came across a tarantula filled mystery island which helped pay my second mortgage. I really enjoyed the design of the museum in this one! The butterfly area is fantastic and I can’t wait to see how it develops with more donations. The pace of the game has made me very happy, with something new to look forward to each day. I’m excited to wake up each morning and check for new hybrid flowers, see new villagers move in, and make gradual improvements to my town. I got lucky and came across one of the rare hybrid flower islands. I also found one of my favourite villagers, Marina the pink octopus.
  • I taught myself no constellations this week. I will get back on this next week for sure!
  • I watched no new Oscar winners this week. I did watch Rosemary’s Baby though, and I loved it. It’s been on my list for a long time and I’m glad I finally got around to it.

Meal Prep and New Recipes Tried

  • I am working from home now, so I’ll be making simple fare this week. I’ll probably make some ochazuke, a Japanese rice dish submerged in tea. I just make it with some matcha or sencha, a can of tuna, and a premixed ochazuke packet. Here is a lovely ochazuke recipe from Just One Cookbook if you’re interested in an actual recipe.
  • I want to work through some of the canned goods I had in my pantry. I’ll likely eat some baked beans and eggs on toast, Campbell’s soups, and make some simple Shakshuka with canned white beans and canned tomatoes.
  • If I bake anything, I will post about it next week. I do want to eat more of the scrumptious gifted jams I have sitting in the cupboard.

Updates

  • I am wary about pain in my right knee, so I put running on hold until it feels 100%. I’m therefore still in the middle of week two of the C25K (Couch to 5 km) running program.
  • I am back to my comfortable reduction of added sugar this week.
  • My 30 day skincare challenge continues. I spot tested the Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%, Retinol 1% in Squalane, and Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% products from The Abnormal Beauty Company. I also started using the Niacinamide regularly as I have been breaking out more than usual over the last week. I will keep track over the next few weeks to see if it helps.

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