Every time I walk by the new-to-me treadmill, I swear I hear its syrupy judgments. “All that downtime, staying barefoot? Can’t put on some tennis shoes? Looks like someone’s avoiding me.”
It sits there, looming—watching me when I breeze into the office, when I sit down to schedule clients, or when I casually pass by to organize the closet. Always staring.
So what if my headache wasn’t that bad, and tortilla soup, hot dogs, root beer swigs, and hummingbird watching felt more my speed?
When my friend Kristen messaged after her trip to the San Diego Zoo, she sent a slew of animal photos. My favorite: a hippo in suspended animation underwater. Back legs floating a foot off the ground, head a foot under the surface, front hooves tiptoed at the bottom. She told me, “They just float… inhale air to rise, blow it out to sink. I couldn’t handle seeing it on its tippies.”
Also fascinating? A photo of the largest eagle in the world—the Stellar’s sea eagle. A white patch on its shoulder, a comically large orange hooked beak, and wings that span the size of an extra-large umbrella.
Meanwhile, my stick bug video is getting some TikTok traction—24 likes and 300+ views. Unfortunately, my quick search on monetization felt as vast as the Grand Canyon. Turns out, it’s about followers. Let’s do the math: I have 33. I need 10,000. At this rate, I’ll get there by Christmas… of 2030.
So I’ll focus on goals I can actually catapult toward—like improving my push-up game, mastering the Spanish subjunctive tense, or perfecting my bagel recipe for the upcoming beach trip.
Flight scans are on my radar, too. With an end-of-December visit to the Seattle area, I’m prioritizing family and friend time, a snowy day trip, and some very specific food stops: a Dick’s burger, sushi, and maybe a date day with Dave in Seattle. We could revisit the coffee shop from our first date—and maybe follow it with a concert. Dreaming for now, nothing is set in stone.
Alright—time for the subjunctive. And maybe a Tylenol for this growing temple ache.
See you tomorrow.
Love,
Jaclynn
Going On 40 