Lifestyle

Am I Back?

March 16, 2021 / Life Stuff / Comments Off

It’s insane to think I’m yet again back at this blog writing thing, probably because I was just charged >$350 for my domain name. And I’m too lazy to figure out how to cancel the domain name.

Maybe not lazy, but just not interested, enough, to go through the hassle.

Plus, interestingly enough, its been ~1 year since my last post. Its been one year since the world seemed to come crashing down around us. I can still remember checking in to my hotel for a week at the client site, ready to take on the long hours, free nights, and free treadmill. And upon check-in was told I may have to leave because EY was pulling everyone home. Personally, I felt it a gross overreaction and massive infringement on my service level to my client. But hey, wasn’t my decision.

I was convinced this was going to be a couple weeks. Convinced I’d be back to work in no time. Convinced my nail appointment in mid March was nowhere near the last for MONTHS on end. Convinced my hair appointment was nowhere near the last for MONTHS on end. I mean, come on, this is ridiculous. I thought.

But globally the numbers kept rising. COVID numbers. Unemployment numbers. Blood pressure numbers. As a family we were starting to wonder how long this could go on, and what about life in general? The husband was furloughed. The toddler was now home full time. I was now home full time. It felt impossible to be living this situation.

I will say we were blessed. We have wonderful friends in Brooklyn who essentially took us in for months on end because they have a 10×10 backyard. Enough for RJ to run around in circles and blow off some steam. Enough for me to sit outside with the laptop and not go completely stir crazy. And, I will say, the diverse adult conversation most assuredly saved my marriage. (I’m kidding, or am I?) And having an extended family setup allowed the husband to have a purpose besides keeping RJ alive. He had to cook dinner, every, single, night. And every, single, person, was excited about dinner. Every. Single. Night.

Like so many others, this past year has been a haze. We woke up yesterday ‘springing forward,’ and I couldn’t help to think, to what? I’m not afraid of the future, c’est la vie. Whatever happens, will happen. But I sure as hell am proud of what is going on in the world. I’m not evening talking vaccines. I’m talking about people taking a step back to see the forest for the trees. People, myself included, realizing that everything we’ve been taking for granted for so long can be ripped out from under us in the blink of an eye. I believe innately we all knew this fact, but I can’t help but feel the rude awakening from the past year.

A lot can change in 365 short days. And truthfully, I think its inevitable that we’ve all grown in one way or another. For the better. Even if we haven’t quite figured out how, yet.

So – here’s to another round of my figuring out a blog. It’ll most assuredly be messy, and probably random, and full of rants. And probably some terrible iphone photos since I just cant be bothered dealing with tripods and all the rest of it. Maybe people will read, maybe they wont. But hopefully one day #richardjoseph will at least be able to “hear” my voice through my words.

Here’s to another year, whatever it may bring. And seriously, f*ck you COVID, and thank you COVID. You’re like a bad breakup. A really, terrible, no good, very awful, breakup. Now please, leave us alone.

COVID-19

March 30, 2020 / Lifestyle, Tips & Tricks / Comments Off

Work From Home Week 2

It’s hard to believe we’ve been “at this” for a few weeks now. “This” is COVID-19, more affectionately known as The Coronavirus. The world has been in an upheaval since earlier this year when its ugly head reared in China. As of today, thousands upon thousands have been affected, and died.

I’m sure anyone bored enough to read my ‘back up & running’ blog are wondering the same things I am.

How much longer?

Can I remain sane being locked in my house?

Did I always love trips to the supermarket this much?

How do I keep my family safe?

Am I going to continue eating my way through this time, and only be able to fit into my spandex pants?

How will my child (or children for some of you) come out of this? Will he/she be scarred for life? How much of an impact will it have on his/her generation?

And. So. Much. More.

To date, we have been living between our apartment, and our friends’ home. Why are we doing this? Lets see.

(1) There is a backyard. It may not be the worlds’ biggest backyard, but there is a backyard. We can all be seen running around in circles, listening to music (normally Euro dance), laughing, and screaming. Energy must be expelled, somehow.

(2) There are two additional humans with whom RJ or Adrien can speak. AKA, less talking to me. But on the flip side, there are two additional humans with whom I can speak. These are not easy times and being able to stay connected to people WITH WHOM YOU DO NOT NORMALLY LIVE is critical. Please don’t read into this. Our marriage is just as fine as everyone else’s. Our family unit is just as fine as everyone else’s. But sometimes, you need a break.

(3) Adrien has become the stay at home Papa. His company furloughed him about two weeks ago. He really needs the space to run around with RJ, and to be alone when I’m back on duty.

(4) Family values. Eating together for meals. Reading together at bedtime. Having an uncle read to RJ during the day. OR play with him. OR talk to him. OR sing with him. We all need those interactions, including RJ’s uncles who own the home. They too need a break from each other.

Our family unit has never been the ‘typical.’ RJ has many, many, many aunts and uncles all over the world. But this new living arrangement is allowing his parents some additional space to breathe in this scary time.

I know not everyone reading this can just hop over and stay with friends, merging two families into one, even if temporarily.

But I implore you, please find a way to interact with others and love on each other. I’ve never, ever, ever, been the peace & love kind of lady. I’ve always been described more as The Ice Queen. There I said it. And I could write an entire post about how that’s not entirely true.

Here is what IS true –

We all need to take a big deep breath and look around at reality. People are getting really sick. But not just with the virus. Being lonely. Being bored. Anxious. Sad. Angry. Overwhelmed.
We need to focus on the shit we can control. Like what goes in our mouth. Or what comes out of it.
We need to think about others, not just ourselves and our immediate families.
Counting our blessings goes a heck of a lot further than bitching about our issues. Everybody has them right now. Everybody has ALWAYS had issues.

I believe we as humans have the ability to come out of this with some grace. A lot of grace actually. And a lot of lessons learned.

Until then, I think I’ll keep opining over here, while juggling the same shit everybody else is juggling.

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy. Remember, this shit won’t take us down.

Xo.

Stickk – Goal Setting Accountability

October 18, 2018 / Lifestyle, Mama stuff, Tips & Tricks / Comments Off

Ever set a goal you didnt achieve? Dont lie. I’m sure there are equal number of NYE resolutions to years you’ve lived. We’ve all been there, done that, and bought the t-shirt. I know I have and I am more than happy to admit it.

We only grow by acknowledging our mistakes/life lessons and growing from them and learning the lessons. If you’re still adamant you have never failed at any goal you set, please take your hand, put it on your computer mouse, move towards the top right corner of the screen, and ‘x’ out this page. We are done here.

For those of you living on planet Earth with me, lets move forward.

Did you notice my husband hasn’t actually responded to be my referee? I doubt he even opened the email

My goals are always related to one of the following –

Exercise
Weight/Weight Loss
Financial
Work
Business

Which is what bring me to the homerun of goal setting accountability – Stickk.com

I recently learned about this app and decided I had to give it a try. Accountability is key to keeping on track with your goals. Its almost like, if a tree falls over in the woods and nobody hears it, did it happen? Or as my father always asked, “Do bears sh*t in the woods? Have you ever seen one do it?” (You’d have to have known him to see his humor)

With Stickk you create an account. Input your goal. Decide the length of your goal. And then, le pièce de résistance, you decide how the app is going to hold you accountable. On your honor? (So back to the bear in the woods bit) Or financially? You can set a certain amount that Stickk will take out of your bank account if you dont hit the goal. It can go to your anti-charity. AKA, dont hit the goal – donate to your least favorite charity available in their dropdown of options.

You also have the option to request a Referee. I requested my husband. If you look closely, you’ll notice he hasn’t responded yet – not for lack of my trying. Hopefully soon because there is a point to a referee… they’re here to keep you honest. Get one. And get one who answers/reads their emails 😉

Both of my starter goals run over a 26 week period. So, if I miss hitting a goal one week, I owe $20 to my anti-charity.

We know goals have to be SMART – otherwise, they’re pipe dreams. If I want to lose one pound a week, over the next 26 weeks, I have t Image result for goal setting o eat properly, according to a lifestyle change (more later on that). I also need to exercise. I set a goal of (4) days of exercise per week. If I dont achieve either or both, each week, $40 go to my anti-charity.

So far I’ve made it a week. My coach suggested this to me last Monday, and challenged me to download the app and setup 2 goals the same day.

So today, I challenge you to do the same.

download the app
setup 2 goals

Dont wait for the “right” time. There isnt one. Dont wait for some “other” sign that its time to get your sh*t together. Instead of waiting for NYE, or the next full moon, or the next time you’ve made a full rotation around the sun – just do it. Use me as your not so suttle nudge to just get. it. together. I mean this with love and kindness – get. it. together. For you to achieve a goal, your mind has to believe it is moving from a place of pain to a place of pleasure. (There is science behind this, I swear I’m not making this up) So, if you choose your anti-charity, the pleasure is work towards the goal or the pain of donating to your least favorite charity is the outcome.

I’m not perfect, nor am I pretending to be. But here is the thing, nobody is. Maybe I’ll end up donating a few times during the 26 weeks. Hopefully not. Because my hatred for this charity far outweighs my desire to skip a day of working out or eat like a garbage disposal.

If you sign up, let me know! I’d love to hear how Stickk is working

Xo,

Megan

Yoga – does a body good

October 16, 2018 / Exercise, Lifestyle / Comments Off

Image may contain: 1 person, sitting and indoor Let me start out by saying “thank you” to a dear friend, Brandon. I recently spoke with him as he continues on his path of being a traveling artist, and he asked, “So Morrill, whats the deal with that blog?” I embarrassingly had to admit I hadn’t written anything and never seemed to “find the time.”

Sound familiar?

Recently, over the last month, I’ve started regularly attending yoga classes at a studio near my apartment. It is a 12 minute walk, if I’m crawling. I began going for the #1 reason of getting in some exercise and moving my body. My day job is not an 8 hour a day job (I wish!). I work from home 3x a week. On the days I work from home, I’m lucky if I walk around the block. I know, I know. Lazy. Get up. Do more. Experts say to move your body once an hour. What about my cardiovascular health? I get it.

But something always got in the way. Not least of which, motivation. I hate working out, I would tell myself. I hate sweating, that little voice in my head would chatter. You already showered today, Megan, do you really want to have to do it again? You don’t have cute yoga clothes. You aren’t a ‘yogi’ and have no idea what you’re doing. The list goes on and on. You can relate, right? How many times does the little voice in the back of your head tell you – you ignoramus you really can’t be thinking about this again.

In comes The Yes Studio in Bushwick. I found it during a random Google search and decided to check it out. They have a 2 week intro for $20; unlimited classes. So I signed up. My first class had me AS NERVOUS as when I went to take the SATs. Will everyone be skinny and fit? (Yes) Will everyone be judging my post-baby jiggle? (No) Will I spend all of class thinking everyone is judging me? (Actually, nope) The benefits of this studio could go on and on.

Before I talk about the overall benefits I’ve found in (4) weeks of yoga, let me paint you a picture of me pre-yoga classes. First, I associated yoga with “zen” and my inner “chi” and pretty much wrote it off as a bunch of bullsh*t. Literally. Secondly, I figured there was literally no way on this earth that I would be able to touch my toes, so clearly it’s not for me. Thirdly, if I want to sweat, which I don’t really want to do, I’ll run. Why do I need all these Lulu Lemon wearing moms judging me? (This was even before RJ) Also, I hate the smell of patchouli. It reminds me of my university days at the University of Vermont where 98% of the campus had that smell. And approximately the same percentage of students smelled that way. Heck no. To this day, if I smell patchouli, I run, not walk the other way. It’s possibly the only negative I have to say about UVM.

But I’m here to give a couple benefits, in my humble opinion, from yoga.

The sweat is real. This isn’t a cardio workout where you’re running/bicycling/whatever-ing and sweat is dripping off you. You are doing specific movements, with cues about moving your hips, shoulders down, breathing a specific way, returning to your breath. And sweat is dripping off you.
Mind clearing. From the minute the instructor starts talking my To Do list vanishes. It requires insane concentration to breathe in & out on their cues. They time everything. Certain movements are to be done on the inhale, others on the exhale. It is virtually impossible for me to think about Richard’s diaper supply, or dinner, or that pivot table I may have screwed up, or our bank account, or our debt and breathe in and out, and follow cues. I M P O S S I B L E. If you had a stressful day/week/month/life, take a class. Suddenly its all put into perspective. Now I’m not going down the inner chi rabbit hole. I’m simply stating that by taking an hour out of your life to focus purely on your breath and movement, clarity on certain above mentioned problems finds its way to the forefront.
Friend making. I’ve been lucky enough to meet a bunch of really great gals and guys in these classes. Truth – I’ll talk to a wall if it will answer. But that’s not the point. Getting out, talking to people, raising your heartbeat and generally being present are all beneficial.
Better sleep. For 4 weeks now, the night of a class, I sleep better than the baby. Just ask my husband. That baby can wake up crying anytime between 10 & 6 and the odds are, I won’t hear. (Have no fear people, I’m also fully aware Adrien will hear)
“Me” Time. I don’t care if you’re a woman, man, either, neither, mom, dad, fur-parent. If you are a human you need “me” time. A moment (or 60) when the world isn’t pulling at you. No cell phones. No work. No deadlines. No requirements. No worries. No anxiety. Trust me when I say the apocalypse won’t hit. Trust me when I say <insert loved one/boss here> won’t die. Trust me when I say <insert problem> won’t get worse, go away, or change in any way. Trust me when I say – your mind health, emotional health, physical health will all improve.

Now look, all of the above are the benefits of any kind of exercise in a group. We all know exercise is paramount to success in so many areas of our lives – all areas. Relationships (romantic & not). Work. Family life. Finances. This is so true and what I kept telling myself when I first started running and what I kept telling myself when I get down on how slow I still am.

I am far from being a ‘yogi’ and even further from becoming a yoga instructor. But I will go on record that this Jersey girl, who still rocks her acrylic nails and Amazon.com purchased workout clothes loves yoga. If you live in NYC and want to come with me to a class – send me an email or IG message or fill out the form below. I’m here and as I’ve said – I’ll talk to a wall, so an actual human coming to a class with me is a huge bonus.

Xo,

Megan

Thank You Notes – wtf?

April 23, 2018 / Lifestyle / Comments Off

I grew up with “older” parents. They were married at 37 and had me at 40. (Sorry Mom, don’t be mad at me!) Obviously this age gap has its pros and cons.

A huge pro, in my opinion, was etiquette. I was taught to say “please,” “thank you,” “sir,” “ma’am.” I was taught to smile instead of walking around with resting b*tch face. My parents taught me to write thank you notes… as soon as I was old enough to write. The Morrill family had a rule – all thank you notes must be completed within 7 days of receiving the gift. At the time I thought this was R*I*D*I*C*U*L*O*U*S!!! The gall of these two people… asking me to stop playing with my new toys from Christmas/Birthday/Graduation and sit down and write a thank you note. For what?

My Nana and Gramma Grace (I realize grammatically it is Grandma, but this is how she wanted it spelled) were also sticklers for thank you notes. If something was sent, and a thank you note was not received in 14 days, you can bet they called my parents… which meant I was being scolded. It also meant the next time something was sent, there was an impending promise of not being given said “something” because I wasn’t gracious enough to write a timely thank you note the last time. (Please note: my mother’s favorite phrase was, and still is, “this is not a threat, it is a promise.” So whenever you see me referencing my mom and her promises… it was a threat)

I now appreciate the value of this tradition. Today I make it a point to write a thank you note whenever it is even mildly appropriate. Invite me over for dinner? Odds are you are going to get a thank you note. Invite me to a lunch? You’ll get a thank you note. Offer a gift of some kind? You get a thank you note. I may be one of the few early 30 somethings who has a vast array of stationary. I also have a love for all things monogrammed on my stationary.

Here’s the thing… people LOVE receiving thank you notes. Its a welcomed change from the paper spam and bills we all receive in the mailbox on a daily basis. Its a chance to warm someone’s soul. Thank you notes are an opportunity to really show someone you appreciate the gift/gesture/call/random act of kindness.

I also have a major pet peeve, flimsy *cough* cheap *cough* paper. It gets me every time. Why not take the time to purchase stationary with some bulk to it? I realize this may seem silly, but it is important. My friends and family all know a thank you note/invitation on flimsy paper is going to cause me to have something to say. It doesn’t mean I won’t attend whatever event, or be grateful for the note, but I just have a “thing” about cheap paper. Etsy vendors have BEAUTIFUL options… and by purchasing through Etsy you’re also helping a small business. Perhaps you’re helping a family bring in some extra money to pay bills. Or a student looking to make some extra money to pay for books. Or someone who wants to be more artistic but needs some dull day job to pay the bills. I. LOVE. ETSY. for those reasons and more. I love sitting down to write a thank you note and knowing my paper will not only brighten someone’s day (hopefully) but also help a small business. The gift is in the giving.

Here is a link to the Lady of Etiquette (as I call her), Emily Post. Yes, she is no longer with us, but her family carries on her beloved tradition of providing etiquette for the everyday layperson. – http://emilypost.com/advice/the-importance-of-the-handwritten-thank-you-note/ – I really believe you will enjoy this quick read, and hope it will give you pause the next time you feel the urge to say thank you.

Please carry on this tradition of saying thank you in a handwritten note, it is my call to action for you. Even better, take a photo of your stationary and show me! I would love to see how you’re saying thank you. If you can still write in cursive, extra bonus points… but that is for another post.

Love,

Drunk Yoga

April 5, 2018 / Lifestyle, Mama stuff / Comments Off

So before you all think I’ve completely lost my mind… well, you’d have to believe I am not crazy first so that’s a moot point.

Recently I’ve been feeling like I haven’t been doing much for me. Between work + my side hustle + family + house stuff + life in general, getting out on my own hasn’t been a huge priority. Which needs to change.

So, I started yesterday. I signed up for a workout class with a friend. And we went to drunk yoga. It was AMAZING! We paid $35 to go to Drexler’s in the city, have a couple glasses of wine, make new friends and do yoga.

We were about 12 people in the class. Eli, our instructor, was so friendly and of course knowledgeable. Her story is so interesting and it goes like this… back in the Fall she was out with a friend at another bar talking to the owner about yoga. The owner said he couldn’t touch his toes unless he was drunk. She suggested they do some yoga right then and there, and they did. Eli asked the owner if she could host a few drunk yoga classes in his bar. He obliged. It started out slow. And now she is essentially a NYC phenomenon.

Heres why I loved the class.

1- I almost never workout and didn’t feel like a complete loser.

2- The instructions were easy to follow

3- There were fun rules that if not followed one must take a sip from one’s wine glass.

4- All attendees were super friendly, non judgey, and there to have fun.

5- I had a blast with a friend and made new friends.

6- I was away from home. And as much as I love home, it was great to be out doing something for myself.

Sometimes we all forget to take time for ourselves. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. It’s necessary. We can’t be our best selves if we are constantly going, going, going and doing for others. It’s just not possible.

Thank you Eli for an amazing evening. I’m sure you will never know just how special it felt to be out, albeit in the rain, doing something for me. It made returning home last night all the more fulfilling.

If you’re ever in NYC check out Drunk Yoga. Check her out @dodrunkyoga.

Cheers from one Mama to you all!

love,