Cleaning Up The (Dreaded) To Be Read Pile My daughter worked at a national bookstore chain for the last year. She used her staff discount liberally - and frequently. I was in her room the other night and she proudly showed me a small basket. “This is my ‘to be read’ pile.” I looked her dead in the eyes and said “Amateur.” And while I was joking around with her, my mind went to the other side of the house and the feet of physical books that are in my pile…and the books that are languishing on...
8 days ago • 2 min read
What’s In My Carry Bag This article was inspired by a recent article from Chris Bailey. I read the article, and decided to pare my carry bag way down, and then share the results. I was headed down a frightening path. I’ve always carried stuff with me. Lots of stuff. Kind people tell me I’m just prepared for things (Be Prepared is the Girl Scout Motto). Unkind people, well, it’s unkind. But I could see that I was heading to being one of those old women who has a purse the size of a steamer...
23 days ago • 2 min read
LauraEarnest.com Deliberate Living Made Simpler. VIEW IN BROWSER One Charger To Rule Them All It really seems like chargers are finally starting to standardize. It’s reminded me of the video tape format wars in the 80s where VHS was up against betamax. Chargers have taken a lot longer to standardize, though. I used to carry a pack of chargers with me when I traveled: usb-a for my Kindle, Apple for my phone/iPad and usb-c for the Android users I live with. Even with a multi-ended charger, it...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
LauraEarnest.com Deliberate Living Made Simpler. VIEW IN BROWSER Featured Article: Checking In With Yourself Most of the time when people ask how I am, I say, “fine.” Even if it isn’t technically true. But I learned that when the person in question is a medical person, I need to really check in and give an honest answer. My oncologist asked at my last appointment if I was having any pain. My answer, after a quick body scan was, “My arm hurts where you just jabbed me with a needle.” I’m...
2 months ago • 4 min read
LauraEarnest.com Deliberate Living Made Simpler. VIEW IN BROWSER Featured Article: Conquering Revenge Bedtime Procrastination Revenge bedtime procrastination is when you stay up late doing the things you want to do but don’t have time to do during the day. A coworker of mine was describing it to me the other day, and explaining how it was getting in the way of getting enough rest. I totally understand. I used to do it myself. I would get so caught up in work and family and household tasks...
3 months ago • 3 min read
LauraEarnest.com VIEW IN BROWSER Snowpocalypse It snowed this month. I know to those of you who live where it snows every year this is not a big deal. But where I live 8 inches of snow is branded “snowpocalpyse” and the grocery stores are emptied of milk, eggs (yes, even at the current prices of $6.99 per 18) and bread. Snow shovels fly out of the grocery stores. There is no salt/ice melt left anywhere. Apparently southern Virginia residents believe that snow calls for vigorous cleaning...
4 months ago • 2 min read
LauraEarnest.com VIEW IN BROWSER The New Normal Expectations trip me up every single time. When I ended my active cancer treatment, I expected that my energy would gradually return. I did not expect the roller coaster of energy that leaves me feeling able to tackle a full list one day and needing several naps on others. I expected that my body would react the same way every day to the new medications I am now taking. I did not expect that each day would have its own reaction where I had to...
5 months ago • 3 min read
LauraEarnest.com VIEW IN BROWSER Bye Bye 2024 I’ve never been so happy to see a new year. I know it is just an arbitrary day dictated by long-dead men who sought to standardize the calendar. But somehow this year the new year really seems like a new start. I’ve learned a lot of lessons this year about myself, my approach to life, and more. The things that shook my life to the core have given me a lot of gifts, if I choose to see them. As the light starts to return (after what seems like an...
6 months ago • 2 min read