sure. wait. what?

I am currently in a train winding through a vast forest. Through the window I see an endless sea of green. Evergreens stand firm while aspens sway with the wind, the sunlit sky flickering through their quivering leaves.

Occasionally, the forest opens up to show other hues. A flock of bighorn sheep picks its way up a rocky terrain. Mountains reign over glassy lakes. A row of black birds gather in a peaceful assembly atop a cargo railcar running parallel to the train I’m riding.

Sometimes the train slips into a tunnel and the view fades to black. On the window I see my own hazy reflection, which isn’t nearly as scenic, I must say. Thank goodness the train emerges out of the tunnel and sees daylight again.

But always, the forest closes in and I am back to witnessing the expansive wall of trees. I still have several hours left to kill on this train ride. I don’t mind looking at the trees, but I might as well start writing this monthly log while I’m at it.

Money

I invested a small amount in July. Other priorities came up, so I am no longer optimistic I’ll meet any of my investment goals this year.

Tier	Target (% of salary)	Invested (% of salary)
Tier A	30	–
Tier B	20	–
Tier C	10	4

Fitness

July was a busy month. I had errands to do almost every day after work, and I barely had any time to exercise. Still, I tried.

Exercise Days	12
Walk	8
Walk + Lift	1
Lift	1
Run	1
Boxing	1

Social

Most of my after-work errands in July involved socializing one way or another. L and I asked R for a favor, so we had to visit R’s workplace and learn about his niche industry. Friends also came over to our house several times to help us with the Big Project. We played boardgames, we watched World Cup matches, and we shared Costco food for dinner.

There were plenty of reasons to socialize in July, and for that I was grateful.

Hobbies

Every time I write this part, I always default to books. It’s probs because I think of hobbies as something that someone does regularly that isn’t work or chores. And, in my case, the one activity that fits these criteria is reading.

But this isn’t to say that I don’t do anything else other than read, work, and get chores done. I cook nearly every day, but I don’t write about the dishes I make on these monthly logs. I also don’t write about my plants because, to me, keeping them alive is more a chore than a hobby.

And then there are activities that I do only occasionally, like going on a picnic or forest bathing or antiquing (which is really more of L’s thing).

Anyhow, it doesn’t really matter how I define “hobby”, does it?

I did finish one book in July, a collection of short stories called You Think It, I’ll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld. I loved the stories because I love being a spectator to feminine petulance, especially when it’s filtered through rant-y, hilarious monologues that make me cringe, clutch my pearls, question my own moral ascendancy (is it really that ascendant, huh, Self?), and commiserate with the characters’ decisions all at once. Good read, for sure.

Looking Ahead

I felt a lot better in July, so I am optimistic Life will return to Chill Mode in August – and, hopefully, for the rest of the year too.

The Big Project is done, finally. I have another project to plan for, and another sub-project to ideate. This year has been been hectic but, pfft…it’s fine. Better busy than bored.

Okay, full disclosure: I am no longer in the train, and I finished the rest of the log in my home office.

Have a fun August, everyone!