I hope those of you who were celebrating Thanksgiving this week had a lovely holiday. Mine was quiet, but my mom and I are accustomed to two-person celebrations, and we had a nice time. As I expected, I overshot on food: a Gardein roast, stuffing, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and Nantucket cranberry pie. It was more than we needed, but the result is that we’ve both been able to take an entire weekend off from cooking as we enjoy the…

I asked for an extension on a big project this week. I’d been trying to avoid it, telling myself that an urgent deadline is a good motivator and that I could get it done if I really pushed hard. But my ability to work in a time crunch just isn’t what it used to be. And, like many people, I’ve been having a lot of issues with productivity this year. I know that an extension only draws out the process of completion. Still,…

I got a call from my uncle this week. He let me know that a family member of ours, who lived overseas, had passed away. Another loss. This one wasn’t entirely unexpected, but I was still surprised to hear it. My heart ached for the family of my cousin, who was gone. I’d thought she would have more time. As my uncle and I chatted a bit, I was aware that he was in no hurry to get off the phone. We don’t…

I felt stuck all week. I was having a hard time getting things done, in spite of more than usual to do. I woke up every morning with good intentions and a plan that I watched deteriorate by midday. By evening I’d be gloomy and disappointed in myself, exhausted in spite of the tasks that had gone unfinished. I have weeks that feel more purposeful than this one did, but the sensation of being stuck has hung around me for a long time….

It’s World Vegan Day today. This got me thinking about a day just about eleven years ago now, Thanksliving at Woodstock Farm Animal sanctuary in 2009. I’d been vegan for only a few years. The lifestyle was still new, and my eating disorder and recovery were recent. It was difficult for me to sort through my motivations for being vegan. I liked what I’d read about the environmental benefits of eating plant-based, and vegetarianism had always spoken to my heart. But I’d plunged…