Currently is a monthly post to check in and chat about all the things I’m into right now. 

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Hey friends. 👋🏼

It's a weird week in the world. How are we? Are we okay?

I began the new year with big plans to drink more water and I'm here to tell you I have not been staying hydrated. Until this week, when I bought a gallon jug and committed to drinking it, in its entirety, every single day. I'm on day 3 now and can tell you that my skin looks plump, my joints feel loose and I'm also peeing every 15 minutes. It's never easy, is it?

The world has not had it easy this January. I started to feel the familiar signs of depression creeping in and have been doing everything in my power to keep them at bay. Eating right, working out, journaling, baths, yoga, practicing gratitude, drinking little alcohol and lots of water (SO MUCH WATER). It's helping, I guess. But sometimes it's truly a struggle to stay afloat. We're all doing our best, right?

I wrote in my journal earlier this week that being depressed feels like wearing sunglasses all the time. Everything is a little bit darker, dimmer. I feel like I'm hiding, avoiding eye contact, unable to see brightness anywhere. Sometimes I feel sad, but not always. My depression manifests as a negative attitude. Everything sucks. Everything annoys me. Everything is the worst. Simple things become impossible tasks. I blow off plans, people, projects, deadlines and start numbing out by mindlessly scrolling through social media - not liking or commenting, just silently judging and feeling bad about all the things I'm not doing.  

Thankfully, I can now recognize when my brain starts inching towards the darkness and know that I need to prioritize getting back into a good headspace over everything else. Self care! Because I've learned that if I ignore and deny my depression and try to power through, it only leads to a cycle of failure, guilt and feeling even worse.

I'm back in a better place today, feeling like myself again. Maybe it's the water! 🤷🏻‍♀️

Having something to look forward to is always helpful in staving off the sadness, and I cannot tell you how excited I am about building a new home this year. That picture above was taken from our lot, and the views will be even better higher up. It's incredibly cool and honestly still doesn't feel real. It's also a little overwhelming. Just thinking about the decision making, the stress, the money, the moving, etc. gives me anxiety - it's going to be a lot. But I know it will all be worth it. 

Below is what I have for ya this month. I'm so very grateful you're here:

Currently Buzzing About...

• Wow. Just... wow! Talk about #doggoals: Speech Pathologist Teaches Her Dog to Use a Soundboard and Now it Communicates in Sentences. (Upworthy)
• Seriously though, I can't get enough of this dog and her soundboard and I binge-watched all of her Instagram videos and I highly recommend you do it too - if you want to be completely amazed: @Hunger4Words (Instagram)
• "Clams, mussels, oysters and scallops are the most sustainable animal protein out there." It's important to know the difference: Every Question About Sustainable Cooking, Answered by a Climate Change Expert. (Epicurious)
• We're living longer and arguably slower. It's a thing: The Rise of Older Mothers (The Atlantic)
• Sometimes I really reject the "dream bigger, hustle harder" mentality: It's Okay to Want to Live a Slow and Quiet Life. (Elephant Journal)
• Exactly 100 years ago they outlawed booze in the US. 🤯 Can you imagine? As a gal from Atlantic City, I'm particularly fascinated with this strange time in history: 100 Years Ago, Prohibition Arrived, but Did it Ever Really Leave? (NorthJersey.com)
• Related - I did not go dry for January this year, but I'm trying to change my relationship with alcohol as a whole. Microdosing? I'm in: The Power of Low Alcohol. (A Matter of Taste). 

Currently Listening To...

So I get a little bit sad in the winter, okay? And I can't help but wallow in soft, melodic, heartbreaking music that does absolutely nothing to lift my spirits, but I love it. A playlist of songs to settle into winter, including two of my favorite Bowie covers, if you're into that. 

Currently Watching...

• Do I even need to tell you that the new season is pretty, pretty, pretty good? Curb Your Enthusiasm. (HBO)
• If you didn't watch it back when it began airing 10 years ago, I can't think of a better time than the start of the roaring 2020's to finally give it a go: Boardwalk Empire. (Amazon Prime Video)

Currently Cooking...

• Coley Cooks turns 5 in February! And boy, most of my old posts look pretty haggard. I'm slowly going through and updating the best ones with new photos and revised recipes, then pushing them to the front of the blog. This is the latest: Vegetable Minestrone with Parsley Pistou. (ColeyCooks) 
• Speaking of old recipes that could use a photographic makeover, this one is PERFECT for the super bowl: Bacon Dip. (ColeyCooks)
• I'm a popcorn fiend and I don't own a microwave, so I cannot wait to try this awesome method for making it on the stove: The Popcorn Technique You Wont Find on the Internet. (Epicurious)
• Let's make use of our new popcorn skills for the big game this weekend: Buttery Buffalo Popcorn. (ColeyCooks) 
• In keeping with the theme - I'm honestly not even a huge buffalo person but this recipe from Erin practically has me licking the screen: Crispy Smashed Buffalo Potatoes.(Platings and Parings)
• These noodles are the best thing I've made all year, and I'm thinking about posting my own version that's gluten free and just a little bit healthier. But for now, don't sleep on these: Better-than-Takeout Stir Fried Udon. (Bon Appetit)

Thanks for making it all the way to the end! I see you, I appreciate you and I really, truly am so very glad you're here. 

<3 Coley