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What We Are UP To – Productivity Edition

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wall art do you have what it takes for productivity

One of the biggest challenges I faced when I initially started working from home was productivity. When you’re in the comfort of your own home, it’s easy to get distracted and before you know it, you’re looking at an article about a guy who edited Disney characters into his photos. Over time, I’ve learned that integrating some fun distractions into my workday allows me to enjoy my time and still be productive. This month we managed to do just that: get a few important things done while enjoying ourselves. 

Watching | Ant-Man & Ant-Man and the Wasp

> Sometimes the key to productivity is allowing yourself a little downtime. We found ourselves faced with that earlier this month and decided to rewatch these Marvel movies. And we’re glad we did. We had forgotten how good Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly are together. 

Reading | The Flip Side

> While I have my own political opinions, it’s important to me to understand what others might be thinking. The Flip Side is a FREE daily email that presents both the left and right viewpoints to the top news stories. What I like about this site is that it doesn’t tell you one side is right or wrong. It curates both views and presents them side by side for you to decide. They also explain their curation methodology so you can determine if it meets your standard. 

Remembering | Estate Planning

> We haven’t forgotten about this project. Keith recently wrote an article about our estate planning takeaways so far as we update our wills and health care directives. Let me add a 4th takeaway to his list: it takes time. When it comes to budgeting your resources, keep in mind that even updating an existing will does take time. 

Working On | Cleaning up digital photos

> One of the things I love about my iPhone is that I can take a picture whenever I want. The downside to this is that I quickly accumulate a lot of pictures! So, I came up with a plan to organize them. My productivity trick is to schedule an hour a day for a few days and before I knew it…photos organized, and project completed. 

Feeling | Ready for some cooler weather

> I’m probably not alone in thinking it would be nice for some cooler temperatures right now. While I love sunshine and warmer weather, there’s a point where I’m just, “…on to autumn, please”. I know this year will be tough, given that we’re still trying to practice social distancing but I’m looking forward to wearing sweaters and soup season.  

Planning | Flu Shots

> We always get a flu shot. I realize it doesn’t protect us 100% but in my book that’s better than 0%. And I find that if I do catch something, it doesn’t seem to stay with me very long. I’m planning to have a very productive fourth quarter and staying healthy is a necessary part of that plan. 

Loving | Jot

> When I work from home (which is all the time these days), I like to enjoy a small cold brew in the afternoons. Helps with my afternoon productivity! I’ve been trying all sorts of cold brew concentrates and recently found Jot Coffee. It comes with a tablespoon for you to measure the perfect amount. Then just add water. BTW – you can turn it into a pumpkin spice cold brew with just a little bit of Coffee Mate pumpkin spice creamer. 

Geeking | Peloton Update

> I mentioned last month that we got a Peloton and I thought that I would provide a quick update. We’re both really liking it. We were unsure about the whole notion of “biking in the house” thing but there are hundreds of classes to choose from. We can always find something to fit the mood we’re in. And the most important part? We are regularly getting exercise, which helps with our productivity!

What’s UP with you?

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Anaheim, CA

What We Are UP To – The Music Edition

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music image showing notation

I read an article recently about “Using Music for Self-Care” that was very interesting. I had always heard about theories like the Mozart effect (which I don’t believe is true) but I can definitely see how listening to music can be helpful in stressful situations. While we’re not experiencing any out of the ordinary stress this month, we are listening to a lot of music and it’s been nice. Here’s what else we’ve been up to:

Watching | TwinsthenewTrend

> Tim and Fred Williams are twins who record their reactions to music that they’ve never heard before. I recently discovered them when their reaction to the Phil Collins classic song “In the Air Tonight” went viral. Totally loved it and have been checking out their older videos. I especially liked their reaction to “Dream On” by Aerosmith.  

Geeking | Spotify

> I think one of the reasons that I’ve been enjoying the TwinsthenewTrend videos is because they’ve been listening to a lot of the music that I listened to growing up. The blast from the past is fun. I’ve also found a couple of playlists on Spotify that are filling my need for the oldies: 70s Road Trip and Classic Road Trip Songs. If you have a Spotify account (FREE), check them out.

Loving | Peloton

> Yep, we broke down an bought a Peloton. COVID-19 put our Pilates plans on hold and we really wanted to exercise. So, we looked at all of the money that we would have spent on classes and it quickly justified the expense. One of the things that I’m enjoying about Peloton classes is the music. I’m finding some new artists to enjoy. If you’re considering a Peloton, let me share with you my referral code – 83QXDQ. If you use it, you’ll get $100 to spend toward accessories. I get a little something too. 

Remembering | Halloween

> It’s hard to believe that the holidays are right around the corner. I mentioned last month that we’re working on organizing our garage. Well, in the process we found our Halloween decorations. Frankly, I’m not sure we should put them up. Which is sad, since this is our first Halloween in the new neighborhood. But better to be safe. The good news is that we will be able to do our annual viewing of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and sing along to the music. 

Planning | Going to a show?

> Speaking of holidays, one of the things we love to do in the fall is go to the theater. And I’m not sure that’s going to happen this year. Last year, we were able to see both Randy Rainbow and Lindsey Stirling in concert. (Not together, separate shows.) Both were fabulous! Now we’re eyeing the fall new movie releases and realizing that we might be catching a lot of shows when they come out on video. 

Feeling | Ready for Autumn 

> My Pinterest page is filled with soup recipes! While I’m enjoying salad season, I can’t wait for soup season. We discovered some soup mixes from King Arthur Baking right at the end of last winter. They were easy to make and very tasty. I’m looking forward to making some soup as soon as the weather drops below the 90s. 

Working On | Estate Planning

> We’re taking our own advice and updating our wills and health directives. This process is a lot less stressful when you have the time to think about and discuss your final wishes. 

Reading | “Life” by Keith Richards

> I saw an article in Rolling Stone that ranked the best musician autobiographies of all time. One of my favorites is “Life” by Keith Richards. I’m not even a huge Rolling Stones fan and I loved this book. If you’re looking for a nice read to finish your summer, this might be it. 

What’s UP with you? Let us know what music you’re listening to these days. 

What We Are UP To: History Edition

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Caesar's Palace showing history through art

2020 is making history. We’re in a recession during a pandemic. We have an election coming up later this year. We’ve all sheltered-in-place at some point. Keith and I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe and well. We started July with the Independence Day holiday and history seems to be a pretty strong theme this month. 

Watching | Hamilton on Disney+

> We enjoyed Hamilton in a theater a long time ago and really wanted to see it with the original cast. Watching it was a nice start to the Independence Day holiday weekend. I realize that there have been some challenges to the accuracy of Alexander Hamilton’s life as represented but it’s a great show with terrific music. And it will get you interested in history. 

Reading | OMG WTF Does the Constitution Actually Say?

> I’m a political science major. I love news and politics. But I will admit, it’s been a long time since I’ve read the Constitution. So, I was very excited to read Ben Sheehan’s book “OMG WTF Does the Constitution Actually Say?” It not only has the actual content of the Constitution, but Sheehan does a great job of translating it into everyday conversation. It’s an easy read and a great history lesson at the same time. 

Remembering | National Treasure 1 & 2

> Our annual July 4 tradition is to eat brats and tater tots and watch the National Treasure movies. While the movies are pure entertainment, I love the history theme and story line. It’s also exciting to hear that there’s a National Treasure 3 in the works. 

Working On | Garage Insulation

> We’ve lived in Central Florida before but after years of living in South Florida, we’ve forgotten historical weather patterns. South Florida always had some nice ocean breezes, even when you lived inland. North Florida is ridiculously humid. So, we decided to add some insulation to our garage attic area. It’s made a huge difference!

Feeling | Caution Fatigue

> I read a TIME article recently titled “How to Combat COVID-19 ‘Caution Fatigue’”. It’s a very interesting read and might help to explain how exhausting it can be to deal with the face masks, disinfecting, distancing, etc. We’ve never been through anything like this in modern history. We’re all going to feel things that we’ve possibly never felt before. 

Planning | Erin Condren LifePlanner

> I have a lot of friends who joke about trashing their 2020 calendars given all we’ve dealt with already this year. But I still love my planner. The new 2021 Erin Condren planners are out, and I couldn’t resist pre-ordering mine. One of new designs is Wonder WomanTM one of history’s best superheroes. 

Loving | JLANI Jewels

> As a small business owner, I like supporting other small businesses. My hope is that by supporting them, they will make history. JLANI Jewels is a Black owned, female owned, small business, based in my home state of Florida that makes eco-friendly sustainable jewelry. I fell in love with the stackable rings and couldn’t resist. 

Geeking | Calamityware

> Over the years, we had accumulated quite a collection of coffee and tea mugs. Before our move to North Florida, we purged ourselves of most of them. I’ve been admiring the designs at Calamityware for quite some time and decided to splurge on new mugs. Calamityware is a traditional blue willow-pattern with fun features like pterodactyls, robots, zombies, monsters, etc. 

How’s your summer going? What’s UP with you?

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Las Vegas, NV

What We Are UP To – The New Normal Edition

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brain cramp zombie poster on bus stop implying the new normal

This month we’re watching states relax shelter-in-place restrictions. I will admit that while it’s nice to see places reopening, I’m not sure we’re completely ready to resume all of the activities that we were planning before COVID-19. So, this month, we’re getting ready for a new normal – at least one that we believe will last for the next few months. 

Watching | The Mandalorian

> I’ve never been a huge Star Wars fan, but I have seen the movies. After all the Baby Yoda news, we broke down, ordered Disney+, and watched The Mandalorian. The Child (aka Baby Yoda) is adorable! I’m a fan. This will definitely be a part of our “new normal” viewing schedule. 

Reading | “Love Your Age”

> This was the perfect time for me to pick up this book. Author Barbara Hannah Grufferman gives readers an actionable, practical list of things we can do to feel better about ourselves and live a healthier life. I particularly liked the “master cheat sheet” at the end of the book with tips for things we can do daily, weekly, monthly, and annually. It’s given me some ideas about activities that I should incorporate into my new normal. 

Remembering | Road trips

> I ran across an article in Lifehacker about “Why You Still Need to Drive Your Car a Little If You’re Quarantined” and it reminded us that we need to figure out how to do this. A dead battery is not any fun. So, Keith and I took a road trip to a nearby small-town with a roadside restaurant famous for their barbecue. We ordered online, took a drive, and the restaurant brought it out to the car. The Q was delicious, and the road trip was just what we (and the car) needed. 

Working On | Sourdough starter

> Yep, we jumped on the “make sourdough starter during quarantine” craze. I’m not sure how this kitchen science experiment will turn out, but it has been fun. We’ve researched all sorts of recipes to understand the science of sourdough. And we had to find lots of uses for sourdough starter discard. The best so far? Sourdough peanut butter cookies.

Feeling | Comfortable with face coverings

> I must admit the first couple of times that I went outside with a face covering, it was odd. The face covering doesn’t hurt, and it doesn’t seem to fog up my eyeglasses too much. It just takes some getting used to. Personally, I think I will be wearing face coverings for a while, so I’m thinking about having a small (very small!) collection. That will allow me to always have one available. 

Planning | Meatless meals?

> Is anyone else out there wondering about meat shortages? I’ve been in a few grocery stores over the past month that are limiting meat purchases. The news is talking about supply chain issues. Not sure where all of this is going but Keith and I are thinking about adding a meatless meal to our new normal. We both love lentils, and this might be a good time to test out some recipes. (If you have a good meatless dish, drop a link in the comments.)

Loving | Small tea kettles

> You know, I’m a tea person. Well, I broke my favorite tea infuser and decided to try something new. Instead of a tea infuser, I’m using a small glass kettle (with a strainer). It works great, easier to clean, and significantly cheaper. Sometimes being forced to try new options works out well. 

Geeking | Logic Puzzles

> I’ve mentioned before my love of puzzles. One type that I remember loving (and aggravating the heck out of me) are logic grid puzzles. It’s the type of puzzle where you are given a series of categories and an equal number of options within each category. Each option is used once and only once. The goal is to solve the puzzle using the mathematical field of deduction. 

What’s UP with you? Is there anything that you’ve been doing while sheltering that will become part of your new normal?

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Chicago, IL

What We Are UP To: Quarantine Life Edition – #Unretirement Project

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wild wall art during quarantine life

Like many of you, Keith and I are still sheltering in place this month. But we’re making the best of our quarantine life. I know, it’s not really a quarantine. Here are a few of the things we’ve been doing during this wild time. 

Watching | Zombieland 1 & 2

> I’m sure this movie choice sounds a bit offbeat given what’s going on, but they are really fun movies. Neither of us are into scary or gory films. Don’t want to give away the storyline, but I will say that I loved the list of rules for surviving the zombie apocalypse. Especially number 32. You can look it up. 

Reading | AARP Memory Activity Book

> I bought this book a while ago because I wanted to see what types of activities were being encouraged to stimulate our brains. I believe brain health is important, so I was curious. The book contains dozens of individual activities that a person could do on their own (like creating a song playlist) or with others (playing a team sport). Even if you’re not dealing with memory loss, there are some fun things in the book to occupy your time. 

Remembering |Great Recession

> No, I’m not looking back on the Great Recession with fond memories. But with all of the talk about recession these days, we are looking back at what happened to see if there are some lessons that we need to remember or ideas we should incorporate into our lifestyle sooner versus later. Better to plan ahead.

Working On | Hanging Pictures

> Living the quarantine life is giving us the time to do a few small projects around the house like hanging pictures. We did a few right after moving in to make the house feel more homey but it’s time to finish the project. When you’re spending more time than usual inside, it is nice to have beautiful things on the walls. 

Feeling | A bit of FOMO

> FOMO is an acronym for “fear of missing out”. It’s often associated with the anxiety of not doing something such as going to the hip new restaurant or buying the latest trendy item. In our quarantine life, I think it’s attached to making the latest culinary trend like Dalonga Coffee, a South Korean drink made from instant coffee and sugar served over milk. It was tasty and a fun distraction to make. 

Planning | With Blueberries

> One of the benefits to living in North Florida is the number of blueberry farms in the area. And we love blueberries! The season just started, and we were able to get a summer’s worth of blueberries. Good thing they freeze well. LOL! That being said, I’m on the hunt for really good blueberry recipes. Quarantine life is the perfect time to try then out. 

Loving | Pigs in a Duvet Cover

> When we lived in Cincinnati, one of our favorite places was Skyline Chili. We were very fortunate when we moved to Fort Lauderdale that they had not one but two Skyline Chili franchises. Well, now that we’re in Gainesville, we’re not as fortunate. Luckily, we can buy Skyline online. We saw this recipe for ‘pigs in a duvet cover’ and decided to try it with some mustard, Skyline chili, onions, and cheese. OMGosh, it’s a deconstructed cheese coney! Delish. 

Geeking | Fiasco

> A favorite podcast of mine is Slate’s Slow Burn. It’s a well-researched look at significant events in our history. The original host of the podcast, Leon Neyfakh, has recently gone out on his own and created another podcast documentary called Fiasco. I’m listening to season one about the contested 2000 election between Al Gore and George W. Bush. If you enjoy politics and the news, check it out. 

What’s UP with you? How are you passing the time in quarantine? 

What We Are UP To: The Old School Edition

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old school Reykjavík Iceland city street

I’m a big fan of technology and have lots of it. I love technology gadgets and test-driving new tech toys. But loving technology doesn’t mean that I have to give up some old school activities or items. This month, I find myself gravitating towards things that are a bit more classic or old school. 

Watching | Bad Boys for Life

> I’ll admit it. I loved the first two movies. It’s a classic cop buddies action flick. And every once in a while, that’s really okay. I don’t subscribe to the theory that every movie needs to be Academy Award winning material. In fact, lately I’ve been gravitating toward fun, entertaining movies over serious, somber ones. 

Reading | Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore

> Full disclosure, I’m not finished with this one yet, but I’m loving the juxtaposition between old books and new technology. The book is about a marketing executive who loses his job during the Great Recession and ends up working third shift at a bookstore. Then strange things start happening. So far, it’s a nice example of how old school and new school can work together nicely.

Remembering | MAD Magazine

> Talk about old school! I remember reading MAD Magazine when I was much younger. It was my introduction to satirical content. Last year, the publisher announced that MAD was basically shutting down, except for the occasional special collection. Well, I ran across a special collection in the grocery store this month and couldn’t resist. I haven’t opened a MAD Magazine in years. I hope I’m not disappointed. 

Working On | Car Research

> We’re a research family. We do spreadsheets to plan our vacation. LOL! You can imagine what it’s like trying to figure out what car to buy. Keith and I downsized to one vehicle a few years ago, so having a reliable mode of transportation is important. It will take us a while to sort this out. Our current vehicle is almost 15 years old and many of the fancy new items we added back then are now considered to be very old school. GPS? Pfft. Just use your phone.

Feeling | Settled

> We’ve managed to unpack all of the boxes inside the house. Can’t say the same for the garage, but we’re declaring it a win. We’re in phase two of moving – rearranging where everything goes around the house. The nice part is that we’re settled. All of our stuff is in one place and we don’t have to wonder where we’re going to live every month. That was a terrible feeling and one that I hope no one ever has to experience.

Planning | WordCamp Miami

> Unretirement Project runs on a WordPress blog. WordPress is considered to be the most popular content management system (CMS) in the world and used by about 75 million websites. WordPress users hold regular events, called WordCamps, where users help other users learn more about the system. Old school sharing and networking. We’ve been going to the one in Miami for years and even though we live in Gainesville, we’re still going to it. 

Loving | Coconut Water Cold Brew

> I’m a big fan of cold brew coffee. I make my own at home after finding this recipe via Jaime Oliver. It’s very easy to do. My latest experiment is using coconut water. It does make a subtle difference. Not overpowering but very mellow. If you like cold brew, it might be worth a try. 

Geeking | Light Box

> Light boxes are basically plastic boxes with a translucent surface that you can place shapes/letters/etc. on so the messaging is seen via contrast. Growing up (and still today), many businesses use very large light boxes to let customers know the latest specials or advertise help wanted. Today, companies are making smaller versions of light boxes for personal use. I have one in my office so I can post my own motivational messages. It’s fun!

What’s UP with you? Got a favorite old school item or activity? 

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the old school streets of Reykjavík, Iceland

What We Are UP To – The Grateful Edition

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sign saying this is a good day next to a graffiti heart being grateful

Thank you so much for being an Unretirement Project reader. We’re grateful for your support. We’ve been UP to lots of exciting things in November. 

Feeling | Excited (and Exhausted!)

> Five years ago, we decided to move from Fort Lauderdale to Gainesville. Three years ago, we put a deposit on a house. Last week, we finally started moving into our forever home. To say it’s been a rollercoaster is an understatement. But we’re grateful to be spending our first Thanksgiving in our mess of a new home. 

Working On | Unpacking

> Needless to say, it’s all about the unpacking right now. And we’re tackling a few boxes a day. After having most of our belongings in storage for the past few months, it’s quite a treat to open a box and say, “Yea! I found it.” And “OMGosh, I forgot we owned this!” When we put our things into storage, we were wearing shorts. Today, we’re grateful to find our sweaters. Ha.ha.

Watching | Football

> Thanksgiving is a day for being grateful. But it’s also a day of celebration. We like to spend ours watching parades, football, and the Turkeys Away episode of WKRP in Cincinnati. We lived in Cinci years ago and always loved how the city embraced this wacky show and episode. 

Reading | Warranties and Manuals

> It’s not the most exciting reading. But it’s essential. While appliances are usually very intuitive, they also have more features. The hardest part is figuring out how to store all of these documents. In our last home, we created a file for each room and stored the manual for the item in the room’s folder. Very efficient and easy to locate the manual when necessary.

Remembering | Past Thanksgivings

> I don’t know why but holidays are always a time for remembering past holidays. This one will be particularly special since we’re in our new home. But last year, we took a cruise and it was fun. I guess what makes a holiday special is who you spend it with not where you spend it. 

Planning | Alton Brown’s Aged Eggnog

> I read an article recently on the Serious Eats blog about Alton Brown’s aged eggnog. We like eggnog. It’s a once a year treat. So now that we have a home and a new refrigerator, I thought that I would break it in by making fresh eggnog and aging it for one year. Ask me this time next year if I’m grateful for it. LOL!

Loving | Versed

> I’ve mentioned before that taking care of my skin is important. Especially as I’m aging. But I will admit that I’m not interested in having a 20+ step skin care regimen. Thankfully, I recently discovered Versed. It’s a Target-exclusive skin care collection that’s free of toxins, added colors, and fragrances. It’s also vegan and cruelty-free. Lastly, each item is under $20. 

Geeking | MOTILE Backpack

> I love traveling with a backpack and recently found one with a charger. Walmart’s MOTILE brand includes a laptop backpack with a wireless powerbank and a wallet with a Qi wireless charger. I decided to give them a workout on a recent trip and loved the storage. It’s great when form and function come together. 

We are truly grateful that you join us in this project. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. And let us know, what’s UP with you?