The Weekly Round-Up

April 11, 2021 Edition

In hindsight, last week was a big week: lots of changes. So not a huge surprise that it’s Monday AND I’m catching up on last week AND I’m burned out. That’s life in a high-anxiety kinda gal. But just because last week was a lot about change doesn’t mean those changes were bad; on the contrary, most of these changes were, in fact, very good. Maybe it says something about my inability to deal with hope. That’s pretty bleak so let’s not dwell there…let’s instead look back at the fabulous (?) week that was…

best healthcare update in a year: I got my first COVID shot…at Wrigley Field

Talk about thoroughly unexpected. I was chatting with my landlord (who also happens to be a good friend…I tried to make friendlord happen as a term because I thought it was funny but, alas, it was rebuked as “weird”) about having zero impetus to even search for a shot because Chicago is still in Phase 1B+ (or some such ridiculous half-category) and there’s still a lot of first responders and teachers waiting. He had tried and signed up at every portal possible with no luck. 20 minutes later he texted a phone number and a directive: call here, you can get an appointment tomorrow.

For one minute, I hesitated: should I do this knowing there are people still waiting to get the shot? The answer I came back with was, if an opportunity is there and you’re not skipping the line, do it. I fall into Phase 1B+ for a health condition so, I called…and got an appointment for the next day.

I’ll skip the procedural details but let’s just say the Wrigley operation run by Advocate Health and the Cubs…good goddamn, what an incredible operations win. I showed up to the some airline-named club bar entrance (I don’t know…I remember Wrigley when it was gross and easily accessible) at 8:30 for a 9am appointment, not sure what to expect. I left at 8:56am with a shot in my left deltoid and an appointment for #2 on 4/27 at 9am. I have no regrets about doing this. Pfizer, for one, please. I slept the rest of the day but I think I was so keyed up about getting the shot that I stressed myself out.

best work news in a long time: New leadership coming in.

I have only two things to say about this: 1) it’s about damn time and 2) I hope it works out. That said, if this isn’t a fairytale and this actually did happen, I’m very curious and somewhat excited to see what this could possibly mean. My hopes are high.

best benefit review in a long time: I have vacation days I didn’t know about

As I was reviewing my PTO with my peeps, I got the news that 12 days had carried over from last year without any deadlines to use them. Next to the leadership announcement discussed above, this was absolute Mozart to my ears. I deserve it. I need it.

biggest new idea I’m seriously considering this week: “all in”

I had never heard of Stephanie Buttermore before Saturday but, via the magic that is Youtube, I’m now an expert on her. A former physique competitor and current fitspo influencer all over social media, she stopped dieting to compete physique and began healing her insatiable hunger with a method called “all in,” whereby you don’t diet or restrict and give your body what it’s asking for in terms of calories as long as it takes to subside naturally.

I’m freaked out by this idea, only solidifying the fact that 1) I have seriously disordered eating patterns for a lot of reasons and 2) it always means more weight gain. I’m equally fascinated by this idea because, more than any other method, science has proven that it will heal any damage (metabolic and emotional) that disordered restricting has caused in the past. All at once, I see a path to a different life right behind an incredible gate of fear. I need to think more about this but…my curiosity is piqued (btw, I loved when students write about their curiosity being “peaked” and I’m like…your curiosity is angular? That’s weird). More to come on this idea.

Frankly, I’m tired and this is all the reflection that I’m willing to do right now. The sun is shining in my window, I have the rest of a sick day to enjoy, and I’m gonna go lay down and do the puzzle. Until next time…probably next Monday…