#OneDayHH 2016

Every November, Hollywood Housewife hosts a linkup called One Day, in which everyone posts the minutiae of their regular day that normally go undocumented. I’ve learned that these are the kinds of things you look back on and see how much in your life has changed (or not). While One Day is meant to happen on Instagram throughout the day, I prefer to post it all here as a photoessay!

Past years: 2013 // 2014 // 2015

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

5:30 am: On Wednesdays I get up an hour earlier than usual to go to 6 am yoga. I’m not a morning person in any sense of the word, but I’ve been attending this early class for a few months because I can (more on that shortly), and I’m getting used to it. Last week I felt too lethargic to go and regretted that decision all day. Anyway, I didn’t remember it was One Day until I’d been up for a few minutes, hence the later timestamp.

5:50 am: Brush teeth and head to yoga in my beloved Marc Gasol matador shirt, available here. Note the car temperature of 68 degrees, before 6 am, on November 2. Most years, I’m taking out my winter clothes around this time. This year, I haven’t even worn a jacket yet.

6-7:15 am: It’s a good class, even though my legs are so visibly tight from running that the teacher is concerned and brings me a block. I end up talking to her for a few minutes after class. She decides we should have a free recovery class the day after the St. Jude marathon/half for all the runners. Woo!

7:20 am: Get home, start the coffee, complete quickest shower/hair/makeup job yet.

My primping area/inspiration wall is one of my favorite spots in my house. I wanted a vanity all my life and never had one until I moved here. I actually bought this desk the day after I moved, from a guy who sells handmade furniture on Craigslist from behind his house on North McLean. It felt like the Midtowniest thing ever on my first full day as a Midtowner, and I still smile when I think about it.

My go-tos: Real Techniques brushes and Makeup Revolution eyeshadow palettes. So glad I can get some MR products at Ulta now instead of placing an annual order to England.

8:00 am: Since May, I’ve been working from home one day a week on Wednesdays. My VP offered us the option, and it is the best. Having my day in the middle of the week is also great because I’m never in the office for more than two days in a row. I actually get a lot done with no one distracting me, and the overall impact on my emotional/mental health has been huge. I don’t have a home office space, so I work here at my dining table.

Every other morning of the week, my breakfast consists of a package of Bel Vita biscuits eaten in the car, but on Wednesdays I can have a real breakfast and coffee in a real mug! It’s amazing how such a small thing can make you feel more like a human being. I usually have two poached eggs and some sort of fruit, which I eat while checking the overnight e-mails.

9:30 am: The St. Jude corral list is out, and this is probably where I should be. This will be my second half-marathon, and training isn’t going as well as it did the first time. I’ve been struggling to convince myself that I should be proud of myself just for doing this (again) and it doesn’t matter how slow I am. Sigh. Also: typical convo with the BFF, today about the new furniture I’m having delivered later. (Spoiler alert: I tipped them well, because they totally earned it.)

10:00 am: The best thing about working from home is a whole day of togetherness with Rufus. However, he likes to jump onto and around the keyboard, and it’s probably a matter of time before he accidentally sends an e-mail and I’ll have to tell someone, “Please excuse that e-mail from my cat.”

10:30 am: I pinned this narwhal glass a year ago, and finally bought it last weekend, when I was at Anthropologie trying to find a dress for my brother’s wedding. It’s pretty small, but I’m going to use it for some iced tea anyway!

I’m the type who needs a physical planner I can write in, and I don’t trust my memory of my schedule unless the planner is in front of me. I’ve been using this Filofax for a couple of years and still love it. I make it more exciting with Project life cards. The little shell notebook is for grocery and to-do lists. (Spoiler alert: I forgot to take it with me when I went to the store later.)

12:00 pm: My new sleeper sofa is here! I’m on a quest to make my second bedroom into a room I can actually use and enjoy. Last week I sold the queen bed that used to be in there, and this is Step 2. I wasn’t sure it would fit up my narrow staircase and through the narrow door, but the delivery men assessed the situation and got it upstairs on the first try. Excited!!

12:45 pm: Today is the grand opening of my neighborhood Kroger that has been in process and under construction for at least two years. It is a huge deal. I was going to wait a few days to go, but Kelsey texted me to exclaim about it, and I do need a couple of things. So I take a quick break to check it out. It’s very tidy and has lots of cool amenities!

1:30 pm: On the way home, I hear this song for the first time. I’m not a huge Bon Iver fan, but something about it really resonates with me in this moment.

Back to work while finally eating some lunch. I grabbed a cup of broccoli cheese soup from the brand-new salad bar area.

2:15 pm: It rains lightly for about five minutes (drops barely visible on the patio planter). We’re in a drought, so this is worth noting. Between the overcastness and this Ingrid Michaelson song, I feel really melancholy for a few minutes. For various reasons, I’ve been pretty down this past week or so. Life.

3:30 pm: Because I need to appear in my own day, here’s what I’m wearing. Usually I do get presentable and wear actual clothes when I work from home, because you never know what a day will bring. This shirt is distressed in the back and I like it a lot.

5:10 pm: It’s a pretty evening now, and here’s the extent of our fall color so far, from my patio.

6:20 pm: Domestic tasks. I hang the clean shirts to dry; I don’t put my tops in the dryer. (Yes, there are five gray shirts there. So what?) I also have time to make a pot of one of my favorite soups and eat some before small group.

7:30 pm: Last summer, I joined a prayer class through my church. When the class was over, some of us stayed on and evolved into a “story group” (our current term for small groups; I’m sure it’ll be something else next year). We meet weekly and take turns hosting, and tonight is my turn. I made pumpkin pie dip. It’s a hit!

My lifetime track record with small groups isn’t great, but I can honestly say this group is one of the best things in my life right now. We’re “age and stage” diverse, and every one of us has Been Through It in one way or another. It’s the church island of misfit toys I’ve looked for all my adult life. We talk about last week’s sermon, some things I’m dealing with (because Dianne notices that I look upset), and crazy things that have happened to other members of the group. At the end, they kindly pray for me and then we turn on Game 7 of the World Series. We’re all rooting for the Cubs. Meanwhile, Rufus goes from lap to lap and chair to chair being adored.

11:00 pm: Bedtime routine. The mascara tube is a combo of castor oil and almond oil for healthier eyelashes. I’m constantly looking for eyelash helps, since they’re still getting flattened by my sleep mask.

The last friends have gone home, but I’m sticking with this game till the end because I refuse to miss history!! To stay alert, I replace some earring hooks. I recently found a pack of non-allergenic hooks on Amazon, and am systematically switching them out on all the fake earrings that hurt my ears. Yay for budget-friendly solutions!

11:45 pm: CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN! I’ve never been super into MLB in general, but I know many devout, lifelong Cubs fans, and I’m incredibly happy for them. They earned this! (Sorry, Indians, I would have rooted for you under any other circumstances.)

12:03 am: Okay, it’s technically tomorrow. But this is where my day concludes. Good night!