I’m so happy you shared about the reading struggle! I adore reading and I’ve had so much trouble getting back into it due to tiredness and inattention (which I completely blame on social media addictions for last few years) I realized that I stopped reading as much once I had downloaded those apps years ago! Anyways.. I also started back w/ very mindless fiction, not at all the sophisticated reads I see so many enjoy here, but it did the trick! It got my brain back (staying off of socials also helped!) and funny enough I’m also finishing the grace of enough, which has been on my read shelf since like 2017, which proves how long this has been an issue!
I truly get your addiction to tech and trying to set more boundaries with Substack now that I’m *basically* off of the others at this point! You are not alone in this and I’d honestly be interested about the struggle w/ the tech if you do write about it, because I’m right there with you (and sure many others are too!!) in getting better at leaving it behind and focusing on other things... there is progress just not as much as I’d like!
Maybe I will eventually write about it. I keep thinking about it but being more embarrassed that the struggle is still so... struggle-y? And yes! Sometimes you just need a quick win in the book category. My focus is not great when I’m tired so the barrier to entry needs to be low!
I totally agree about the technology struggle. I am still on Instagram but have very strict limits but find myself coming here for that dopamine hit instead! We are trying to work against something that is completely designed to draw us in more and more. It can be so hard to stick to those boundaries and not always be picking up the phone to feel something... anything!
Ugh. Yes. I was twitchy this morning after I wrote that and couldn’t check things! For me at least the firm limits seem to work the best and I find that especially if I can stay off/limit phone use for the first bit of the day I’m less distracted for the rest of the day. If I start off with the dopamine cycle first thing it’s a much harder battle.
Oh that's a good idea! I can't go on Instagram until 1pm but maybe I should be doing the same for substack 😅 just like you do! Why do we get so sucked in? My husband really doesn't have the same struggle at all! But he's also in a work environment where it's just not appropriate to be wasting time on his phone whereas no one is checking in on me. Sometimes I wish someone would be my boss like that 😂🙈
RoR and Sarah have always lifted my heart on hard school days. The episode where she tells you audiobooks are ok, means we (my child and me) listen from the sofa to a brilliant book, read by someone who knows what they are doing.
Yes! I have always loved audiobooks for the kids, but finally realized this year that there’s no shame in doing audio for things like history too! The reality is that if I listen to their history with them instead of actually reading it out loud it’s the difference between having margin to read my littles a few stories and being all read out. That is worth it! And we always do audiobooks during “quiet time” because it helps so much with eliminating bickering.
I listened (ha!) to Sarah's book The Read-Aloud Family.... and it made me feel vindicated for listening to audiobooks myself! It's how I get through 90% of books these days. Reading out loud and oratory transmission of info was the norm for... most of time! Bringing that with me when my tiny kids get older and we inevitably make use of audio readings from time to time.
*Maybe this says something about my learning style, but I also vividly remember loving the "Audio Theater" dramatized versions of books when I was younger.
It’s so funny! I love the *idea* of audiobooks but I cannot seem to track with them. I love podcasts though so I wonder what the difference is. Though lately I’m struggling with any extra auditory input because my house is SO LOUD.
I also can’t keep up with audiobooks and I love books! I think it’s because it’s auditory processing and not visual. I’m not strong with paying attention to auditory 🤷🏼♀️
"and the two year old carried them inside" - got me good and brought tears to my eyes. These are really lovely. You have such a way of elevating the mundane, finding gems of truth hidden inside the smallest of moments.
Love these. They cultivate presence and connection. I did a similar thing over on my Substack this summer (called Welcoming Summer). I think I might keep it up!
Fun fact for your 9-year-old: Ghenghis Khan crushed defeated enemy leaders (soldiers) to death as a sign of respect for them. He would force them to lie down on the ground, build a wooden floor on them, and then have his victory feast with his leaders on top.
Hahaha. Oh man. Those Mongol hordes. Fun fact... I asked him about it today and he tells me, “oh, no I started to say Ghengis Khan but then I remembered it was Attila.
That’s what I told you!” (I suspect perhaps one of the other many people simultaneously talking at me took my attention at that point? 😆)
I much enjoyed these vignettes. On the reading front--and tiredness--I do appreciate the quick experience of a-moment-in-time poems.
I am
Unsure when
Schoolwork (1sr grade, 4th grade--oh!
The report--) is due and
The dishes haven’t been done in
2 days ago
I laid on the floor to
Wonder if God
Knows I really meant to vacuum.
Love this! Thanks for sharing :)
I’m so happy you shared about the reading struggle! I adore reading and I’ve had so much trouble getting back into it due to tiredness and inattention (which I completely blame on social media addictions for last few years) I realized that I stopped reading as much once I had downloaded those apps years ago! Anyways.. I also started back w/ very mindless fiction, not at all the sophisticated reads I see so many enjoy here, but it did the trick! It got my brain back (staying off of socials also helped!) and funny enough I’m also finishing the grace of enough, which has been on my read shelf since like 2017, which proves how long this has been an issue!
I truly get your addiction to tech and trying to set more boundaries with Substack now that I’m *basically* off of the others at this point! You are not alone in this and I’d honestly be interested about the struggle w/ the tech if you do write about it, because I’m right there with you (and sure many others are too!!) in getting better at leaving it behind and focusing on other things... there is progress just not as much as I’d like!
Sorry this got so long!
Maybe I will eventually write about it. I keep thinking about it but being more embarrassed that the struggle is still so... struggle-y? And yes! Sometimes you just need a quick win in the book category. My focus is not great when I’m tired so the barrier to entry needs to be low!
I totally agree about the technology struggle. I am still on Instagram but have very strict limits but find myself coming here for that dopamine hit instead! We are trying to work against something that is completely designed to draw us in more and more. It can be so hard to stick to those boundaries and not always be picking up the phone to feel something... anything!
Ugh. Yes. I was twitchy this morning after I wrote that and couldn’t check things! For me at least the firm limits seem to work the best and I find that especially if I can stay off/limit phone use for the first bit of the day I’m less distracted for the rest of the day. If I start off with the dopamine cycle first thing it’s a much harder battle.
Oh that's a good idea! I can't go on Instagram until 1pm but maybe I should be doing the same for substack 😅 just like you do! Why do we get so sucked in? My husband really doesn't have the same struggle at all! But he's also in a work environment where it's just not appropriate to be wasting time on his phone whereas no one is checking in on me. Sometimes I wish someone would be my boss like that 😂🙈
RoR and Sarah have always lifted my heart on hard school days. The episode where she tells you audiobooks are ok, means we (my child and me) listen from the sofa to a brilliant book, read by someone who knows what they are doing.
Yes! I have always loved audiobooks for the kids, but finally realized this year that there’s no shame in doing audio for things like history too! The reality is that if I listen to their history with them instead of actually reading it out loud it’s the difference between having margin to read my littles a few stories and being all read out. That is worth it! And we always do audiobooks during “quiet time” because it helps so much with eliminating bickering.
I listened (ha!) to Sarah's book The Read-Aloud Family.... and it made me feel vindicated for listening to audiobooks myself! It's how I get through 90% of books these days. Reading out loud and oratory transmission of info was the norm for... most of time! Bringing that with me when my tiny kids get older and we inevitably make use of audio readings from time to time.
*Maybe this says something about my learning style, but I also vividly remember loving the "Audio Theater" dramatized versions of books when I was younger.
It’s so funny! I love the *idea* of audiobooks but I cannot seem to track with them. I love podcasts though so I wonder what the difference is. Though lately I’m struggling with any extra auditory input because my house is SO LOUD.
I also can’t keep up with audiobooks and I love books! I think it’s because it’s auditory processing and not visual. I’m not strong with paying attention to auditory 🤷🏼♀️
I absolutely love dramatic radio plays. It probably says I lot about my learning style too!
I can sooooo relate to these sparse images of mothering a large, young family. Beautiful words and pictures.
Thank you!
LOVE 💓
Loved these.
Thanks for reading!
These vignettes were beautiful and inspiring! Will have to give it a go myself sometime!
Thank you! I hope you try it!
Love the poetry!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thanks so much - poetry is such a different challenge, but I really enjoy it!
Really lovely, Annelise. I love the effect of distilling these moments down to an almost bare format.
Thank you, Aimee.
It was a really fun challenge to try to capture the feeling of a scene in a few words.
"and the two year old carried them inside" - got me good and brought tears to my eyes. These are really lovely. You have such a way of elevating the mundane, finding gems of truth hidden inside the smallest of moments.
Thanks so much ❤️ that is such a nice compliment! And there are few things sweeter than a two year old with flowers after a very rough day 😭
Love these. They cultivate presence and connection. I did a similar thing over on my Substack this summer (called Welcoming Summer). I think I might keep it up!
I’ll have to go check them out! It was a fun exercise to try to capture a moment in time in a few words.
Thank you! And yes. 💛
(Parts 3, 4 and 5 :)
Fun fact for your 9-year-old: Ghenghis Khan crushed defeated enemy leaders (soldiers) to death as a sign of respect for them. He would force them to lie down on the ground, build a wooden floor on them, and then have his victory feast with his leaders on top.
Yay.
Hahaha. Oh man. Those Mongol hordes. Fun fact... I asked him about it today and he tells me, “oh, no I started to say Ghengis Khan but then I remembered it was Attila.
That’s what I told you!” (I suspect perhaps one of the other many people simultaneously talking at me took my attention at that point? 😆)
"Geez, Mom, can't you keep your pagan invaders straight?"
On a lighter note, I really liked your vignettes (and this format!).