Friday Five 4/10/2020

Happy Friday friends!

I hope that everyone is safe and healthy! Now that we are a few weeks into this new temporary reality, I know it has been easier for me. I have a routine and a schedule figured out now. It has also been amazing for my mood to have some warm, sunny days.

My Friday Five is pretty TV heavy today as I have been watching a lot of TV lately. I figured most everyone is in the same boat so I wanted to pass along some recommendations.


1. Tiger King

If you haven't heard of Tiger King, you must have been living under a rock for the last few weeks. I watched and I have almost no words. This took me on an adventure I didn't even know I wanted to go on. It was the most outrageously amazing and confusing thing I have ever watched. No level of crazy is out of reach for these people. There is no question- you must watch it. Buckle up and let it take you for a wild ride. Word on the street is that another episode is coming soon as well!

2. Prodigal Son

If you like crime shows and serial killers, this is for you! I don't want to give anything away so I am not going to say anything more than go watch it!


3. World On Fire

This new PBS show is super intense. It takes place during the very beginning of WW2 in both Poland, Berlin and England. I am truly obsessed with WW2 so of course I love it but my husband, who usually hates history, actually liked this show as well. It airs Sunday's on PBS.

4. Homemade Facemasks
Per the CDC, we should all be wearing fabric facemasks while in public. I have been sewing them in all my spare time for family and friends. The CDC website has information on how to sew handmade masks as well as no sew options. Stay safe friends!

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

5. I started a Podcast

I have been thinking about this for about 6 months now and with the extra spare time due to social distancing, I was able to make it happen. My podcast explores stories of famous horses in history and the role of horses in historical moments. I am a lifelong equestrian and horse lover and I have a degree in history as well as a love for it. This podcast seemed like the perfect way to combine my passions into something interesting and enjoyable for a wide audience. If you want to check it out, the links are below!

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Listen on Spotify

Tips for Remote Law School

I know this is a crazy and scary time for law students. 3L's are dealing with the lack of graduation and uncertainty around the bar exam and my heart just goes out to all of you. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone and my hope is that this pandemic will pass and everyone will have access to all normal opportunities.

What I want to discuss today is the change to remote law school. I know it has been a hard adjustment for everyone. As I am now working for my law school, I have remained pretty informed on the transition to online law school and the struggles students are facing. While I never completed law school online, I did study for two bar exams online from home and through a lot of trial and error, I figured out a few tricks to handle full time study online from home. I want to share these tips in the hopes that they might provide a little assistance to all the law students out there figuring out online law school.

1. Set a Routine 
It literally doesn't matter what your routine is, but find something that works for you. Personally, I would do work in 3 hour increments throughout the day. It was unusual but it worked for me. Having a routine gives you a reason to get up and get to work in the morning. Having a routine also makes it easier to ensure that you are getting enough work done. It is sometimes hard to keep up when you don't have the usual parameters. Having a daily routine keeps you in the rhythm of getting your work done and will help you to stay on top of the work load.

A routine also helps you make time for relaxation. You need to take breaks and rest your brain. Work hard and then enjoy your leisure time.

2. Make a Study Space
I think it is super important to have a defined area in your home for studying. Just like when you get home from class, you can relax and step away from school work, if you define a place in your home purely for studying, you can step away from that area when you need to relax. Further, when you get into your study space, it helps to motivate work just like arriving to class motivates you to be prepared and do your best.

3. Ask for Help
If you are struggling, absolutely reach out for help. There is no award for going it alone. These are hard times- these are unprecedented times. Everyone is figuring it out as they go. I urge you to seek out help if you feel like you are starting to struggle. Talk to professors, faculty, mentors.... anyone you trust to advise you and assist you. If you feel mental health issues beginning, seek out help. There are many free and online counseling options available. Please please please ask for help if you are struggling. I know personally I always hate admitting I need help but when I seek it out, I always feel better on the other side.

4. Have Grace with Yourself
Life has changed drastically- it's okay if your motivation and productivity changes too. Have some grace with yourself as you adjust to this new reality. It will get easier, it will get better and eventually, this pandemic will come to an end.

5. Helpful Products 
I put together an Amazon list of items I think are gamechangers for studying from home.

•  Laptop stand to get your laptop up to a better position to improve your posture and alleviate neck strain
•  Wireless mouse
•  Wireless keyboard- it makes it easier to type while your computer is raised
•  Ring light- clip this over your laptop camera and look like a rockstar on Zoom or Facetime
•  Blue light blocking glasses help to alleviate the strain of computer screens on your eyes and help with headaches
•  Seat cushion to help with posture
•  Water bottle- I like to have water next to me at all times while studying at home 
•  Coffee mug with lid- don't let your coffee spill on your computer!

Shop all these products here!

I hope this is helpful! Best of luck everyone!

Fitness at Home

I have always been a homebody so quarantine has not been a huge adjustment for me (thankfully). I know a lot of people are struggling with the new normal and I am doing my best to share relevant information.

Today I am talking about keeping fit at home. Many people practice fitness in gyms, yoga studios, pure barre studios, Orange theory... you get the idea. Unfortunately all of those places are currently closed. That doesn't mean you can't keep up your fitness routine at home though. I have never been a gym member or workout class attendee so I am pretty well versed in this. I am sharing all of my go to ideas and tips for working out at home.

Tips for Working Out at Home

1. Designate a Space (if you can)
If you have a spare room or basement, it can be helpful to designate the space to working out. It makes it more similar to a gym or studio. My husband has an area in our basement all organized for his workouts. Personally, I am pretty content to do Yoga in my living room or pedal my exercise bike in front of the TV. I do have a treadmill in the basement so I try to use that a few times a week as well.

2. No Need for Fancy Equipment
Even if you don't have fancy equipment, you can get in good workouts. No weights? Try cans of soup or books. No Yoga mat? Carpet works just fine for most moves. Get creative and make the best of your space and the things around you. There are also tons of ideas for equipment free workouts.

3. Pick a Time 
I find it helpful to set a time for my workouts so that it gets to be a part of my routine. Personally, I like to workout at night. So I make a deal with myself that I can't go to bed until I have done a workout of some kind. Sometimes its 30 minutes on the bike, sometimes its Yoga and sometimes I even run on the treadmill if I am feeling motivated. Whatever time of your day feels good, make that your workout time and stick to it.

4. Stop Making Excuses 
It is SO easy to make excuses to not work out. The gym is closed, you don't have room, you have no equipment..... STOP. Every excuse has a flipside which makes it possible. Where there is a will, there is a way. Stop making excuses and start figuring out solutions.

5. 21 Days
It takes about 21 days to make a routine that will stick. We are likely quarantined for at least 21 days if not longer. What a perfect time to make home workouts a part of your routine!

Ways to Workout at Home

1. Youtube
There are SO many amazing workout's on youtube. Search for whatever you want to do and you will be amazed at what is available... the options are nearly endless. I personally love the Yoga with Adriene series and it is completely free on youtube.

2. BBG
I did BBG all last summer and WOW did it work. It is super hard but very effective. It is within an app called SWEAT ($19.99 per month) and the workouts are about 28 minutes and require zero to very minimal equipment to complete. It is a great way to really tone your body!

3. Treadmill 
I bought a used treadmill 3 years ago and it has been great. My husband and I both use it regularly. I love being able to run and burn off energy right in my own basement. Search through Facebook marketplace and you would be amazed by how many great deals there are on exercise equipment. Off course, sanitize well after you pick it up if you choose to go this route.

4. Exercise Bike 
This folding exercise bike is perfect for tight spaces. It folds up small to be out of the way and works great when you need to get a workout in. Mine was under $100 and works really well. It lives in the corner of our living room and my husband and I both use it several times a week.

Happy exercising!

My Favorite TV Shows

Thanks to COVID-19, most of us are stuck in our houses and watching lots of TV. I have had this post in my drafts for a long time but now I had a push to finish it.

I am a TV lover. I sometimes wish I didn't enjoy it so much so I wouldn't spend so much time sitting in front of the TV but the fact remains that it is something I really enjoy. I am pretty wide open in my TV interests- I watch a little bit of everything.

I have broken this list up by genre and listed my favorites under each.

Comedy

1. The Office (Netflix)

2. How I Met Your Mother (Netflix)

3. Friends (catch reruns on TV)

4. Gilmore Girls (Netflix)

5. New Girl (Netflix)

Crime

1. The Following (Netflix)

2. Criminal Minds (Netflix)

3. CSI: NY (not sure where you can see it)

4. Mindhunter (Netflix)

History

1. Into the West (buy it on Amazon)

2. Call the Midwife (Netflix)

3. Band of Brothers (Amazon Prime)

Drama

1. Outlander (Starz)

2. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime)

3. Jack Ryan (Amazon Prime)

4. The Resident (NBC currently)


Documentaries 
1. Mysteries at the Museum (Travel Channel)

2. WW2 in HD (Netflix)

3. The Keepers (Netflix)

4. Five Came Back (Netflix)

5. Secrets of Great British Castles (Netflix)


Family Favorites
1. Boy Meets World (Disney Plus)

2. Full House and Fuller House (reruns and Netflix)

3. The Middle (reruns)

Other
1. The Hot Zone (NatGeo)

2. Trisha's Southern Kitchen (Food Network)

3. Home Town (HGTV)

4. Great British Baking Show (Netflix)

5. Walking Through History (Amazon Prime)

Friday Five 3/20/2020

Happy Friday!

It's been a hot minute since I have done one of these but thanks to COVID-19, I finally have some spare time. I have decided to transition to doing these every other week moving forward so they aren't excessive but are regular enough to get info out.

This week was my first week working from home in my new position. I am the Assistant Director of Development for the law school I attended. So far, it has been a great job and I am enjoying learning new things and attacking new challenges. Working from home has thankfully been an easy transition for me because I grew very accustomed to this lifestyle while studying for the bar exam.

I am practicing strict social distancing in light of COVID-19. I am only leaving the house to buy essential groceries at this time. I am a homebody so I find this endless time at home pretty easy to acclimate to. I have extra reading time, time for home projects, time to get organized and extra time with my husband and puppies.

I know that COVID-19 has turned our world upside down and is very scary. All I can say is try to find as many silver linings as you can during this time. Make the best of the extra time at home. Pray for those infected and the healthcare workers if you are so inclined. Every pandemic our world has ever experienced eventually came to an end. This too will eventually come to an end.

Now to my Friday Five.

1. Budget Friendly Bathroom Organization 

Towel Holder

Towel Ring

Something I have been meaning to do for a while and finally had time for was refreshing my master bathroom. Our house is old (built in 1924) and our bedroom is the refinished attic. We are blessed to have an attached master bath but it is quite compact. This week on my lunch breaks, I was able to reorganize and add some new storage to the space and it has made a HUGE difference. I am attaching photos as well as product links to these budget friendly organization options for small bathrooms. Right now is a great time for projects!!

    

2. Love is Blind 

Yeah... I fell down this rabbit hole along with the rest of the world. Honestly, it was super entertaining despite how utterly trashy it was. If you are looking for mindless TV during quarantine, this is perfect.


3. Recently Read 
The Runaway Bride by Jody Hedlund. 

A historical romance with deep characters and plenty of twists to keep you invested! I finished this in just an afternoon because I didn’t want to put it down! You can never go wrong with a romantic triangle- a woman caught between two men and trying to decide with whom her future lies. I enjoyed the full character development and the undercurrent reminder that God is the answer. Arabella and Pete are imperfect characters- they have flaws and make mistakes but this only makes them more relatable to a reader.

I found this to be a very enjoyable read. When I am stressed, I gravitate toward sweet historical romances and this one was just perfect to let my mind wander away from the current crisis and get lost in the book. 

(Disclaimer: I received the book from the publisher complimentary but all opinions in the review are my own!)

4. My Favorite Work Flats
I may be working from home at the moment, but I am still wearing these every day. They are SO comfortable I can hardly believe it. If you need to treat yourself to something during this dark time, let it be these amazing shoes!

   

5. Midway 

My husband and I watched this movie on the way home from Switzerland and WOW. It was incredible. Such an amazing snapshot of a poignant moment in history. I get so emotional during WW2 movies and this one had me in happy and sad tears multiple times. I cannot suggest it enough!!!