This week is the first new normal week since the pandemic in the sense that kids are back to school, I’m back to office because it’s mandatory now. It felt busy!!!
Work:
- in my attempt to dress to feel better, I’ve been trying to put some effort to dress and look put together.
- Full day in office is tiring. I plan to continue to do Monday, Tuesday, Thursday work in the office and Wed and Fri to actual do reading and writing work. When I am in office I kept being interrupted by others to catch up, thus don’t get much done.
- I am e-meeting new teams in Jakarta, so far so good. To me, first business is really to build personal relationship with the new team. I know some people say don’t blend work with personal life, or differentiate work friendship with real friendship. I would say it’s partly true but I find having personal relationship with teams is crucial for me to want to work with them and feeling excited to go to office. That requires investment and I am starting now.
Girls:
- They are back to office and both are loving it. The school welcomes hundreds of new/returning students so getting to school in the morning is a bit chaotic. Both girls like their new teachers. It’s sad to know that they will only stay with the group for few more weeks.
- We got Sofia’s passport back!!! YAY! now I think we have a chance to get the visa before our flight. Finger crossed.
- I’ve “repaired” my relationship with Cookie. She’s finally wiling to rest on my tummy. 😀
Running (yes, it needs its own category)
- 3 workout runs left me tired for the day, thus needing to “recovery” by going to bed early. Now I understand the elite runners’ daily schedule: sleep, run, fuel, massage/PT, nap, eat again, chill, sleep.
- I found out that I lose too much sodium during runs which leave me exhausted in any runs of more than 5 miles. One of the runs this week was 8 miles easy run. I felt terrible by mile 5, which was odd because it is an easy run. I was having water but felt it was not helping so I got a sugar-free electrolyte drink and felt 100% better. Electrolytes drink all the way going forward.
- I am loving my physical therapy session on Fridays. It is like a private pilates class on the reformer but targeted to strengthen my running needed muscles. I plan to have 1-2 sessions until my race day.
Relocation prep
- Visa is still ongoing but I am confident we will get there.
- I managed to declutter few more areas this week, and organized kids staff to give away.
- I am identifying furnitures that my friends want before I put them on sell. I’d rather give to my friends that could use them instead of strangers for just couple hundred bucks.
- I am looking for rental furnitures for the first 1-2 months in Jakarta before our shipment arrives. That sounds better than sleeping on the floor.
- We will visit IKEA this weekend to see what beds girls will get.
Feeling:
- I hosted a lunch with my favorite people in the office. Grrr…. I already miss them. Another dinner is scheduled for next week. I plan to do as many as possible before we leave.
- I am having hard time to put words to my mixed emotions about moving on, until I found this:
I hate that I have to be at this crossroads. I keep saying to myself, I wish it could be easy for me, but it’s not. I’m torn: I don’t want it to be over, but at the same time I’m ready for what’s next.
There is an inevitable shoulda, woulda, could at every end of an era—getting into or out of a serious relationship, starting or ending a career, becoming a parent or accepting that your kids are all grown up. That sense of being ready but not ready at the same time. And the feelings, which seem contradictory but are actually complementary, that you’re proud to have accomplished so much … and also, somehow, your best doesn’t feel like it was “enough.
“I’m going to miss that version of me, that girl who played tennis,” she says. It’s funny how easily an old version of yourself becomes a stranger. When you change an aspect of your life that has long been core to your identity, it means saying goodbye to a whole self. Every victory lap is also a funeral.
Our New Journey 
Whew, it seems like a lot between work and back to school and planning the big move and all the marathon training!! A busy time. Sounds like you are juggling it all very well though. I can imagine this is more emotional this time – it’s the first move where the girls are actually old enough to really have their own separate relationships, etc they are leaving behind. Lots for them to process! They’ll be ok- life is full of things that are both sad and good at the same time.
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So much going on in your life, but what a time of growth and new adventures! How brave to be living this life and thanks for linking to that article by Serena Williams – what an inspiring piece and so relatable to what you’re going through.
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We are required to be back in the office now, too. They opened our offices in March and there was a loose expectation to be in 3 days/week. But I guess some people never came in so now starting in Sept there is a firm expectation to be in at least 3 days/week. But my boss said he really doesn’t care as long as we are getting our work done. I had dropped down to 2 days/week and feel that is plenty of time but don’t know if it’s worth asking my boss for an exception, even though I know he would be fine w/ me coming in 2 days. We’ll see.
I’d love to know more about what you do. I am newer to your blog so you have probably already explained it. I’m curious if you work for corporations or an NGO or something like that? You look great in the outfit you posted a pic of!
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I work for an International organization in development. I’m an economist by training and now work for more economic policies. 🙂 welcome to my little blog.
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As a person who has always had cats, it struck me as funny that you say your cat-human relationship had to be repaired. I think cats see humans are their servant/slave with whom they *might* have a friendship. The only thing a cat wants is the reward that you will provide; the reward can be anything like warmth, petting, playtime, food, water, companionship, or opening a door for them. Also they don’t like to sit on unstable surfaces, like a leg or stomach…it’s not personal!
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hahaha…. that’s what I thought what cats like until I had my own. I am not sure our cat thinks we are her servant/slave, she’s more like a kid that likes to play, company, and space.
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