Wow Thanks Yay #45

Howdy!

It’s so nice to be back with a new installment of WTY goodness for you.

Last time I wrote you, the trees were still naked and the nights were long. Today, here in Turin, the trees are now wearing their full green regalia and we’ll be enjoying our evening aperitivo al fresco, and well before nightfall. 

WOW

A few months before the arrival of our little bundle of joy, Aurelia, Ashlinn and I started feeling an urge/need to renovate and optimize a number of the operational systems in our life. 

We knew that our lives were about to change radically so we felt like all this creative chaos would be a wonderful opportunity to shake things up, shedding things/behaviors that we were ready to release, and also to bring in some new things we that would support us in this new chapter of life.

Serving as the executor of my uncle’s will and estate after he died in early January also gave me fresh insight into the value of running a tight ship and focusing on what really matters most.

Everything from our furniture and our wardrobe, to our cupboards and our tech hardware have gotten some serious consideration. Some we’ve re-organized, others we’ve released, and a few we’ve upgraded or enhanced. 

Yes, there are still a few shelves, file folders, and systems to go yet, but we’ve now laid eyes and hands on all of our most mission-critical items.

In years past, I’ve been a devotee of organizing gurus such as Marie Kondo, The Minimalists, and David Allen. These days, my approach is a sort of intuitive, hybrid mishmash of all of those.

My voiceover business systems have been getting some renovations in the background too. Soon, I’ll be rolling out my new branding, website, and demos so stay tuned for that!

Last, but certainly not least, we’re also working to adapt and upgrade our previous diet and exercise regimens for our new parental reality, and the time/energy constraints that caring for a tiny human entails!

To that end, I recently listened to a fantastic interview with biomedical researcher, Dr. Rhonda Patrick. She offered a dead-simple and evidence-based recipe for the smoothie she makes each morning for her and her kids.:

Rhonda’s Super Smoothie (for 2)

-1 avocado

-8 kale leaves

-1 cup of frozen blueberries 

-2 scoops whey protein powder (we use chocolate flavored)

-1 scoop collagen protein

It’s super delish and nutrish!

THANKS

In February, Ash’s sister came over for ten days to help support us after the birth. Then in mid-March my in-laws came over for about a month, and my parents came over to join the party for ten days during their stay. It was such a sweet, poignant, and beautiful experience getting to introduce all of them to their niece/granddaughter. 

As the only-child of an only-child of an only-child on my father’s side, to say that Aurelia Maeve was a welcome addition to the family would be a serious understatement! 

It was such a precious gift to have all of our immediate family over here in Torino to welcome her and to witness this transformative moment in all of our lives, and I’m deeply grateful to all of them for making the journey.

YAY

Although we’ve actually been getting out and about a good bit with the baby, we’ve also been plowing our way through some excellent TV series lately too! Here are our faves:

Resident Alien (Netflix) “A crash-landed alien takes on the identity of a small-town Colorado doctor and slowly begins to wrestle with the moral dilemma of his secret mission on Earth.”  (NB: Season one is really fun and family-friendly, Season two kinda fell off the rails for us in a number of aspects. YMMV.)

Fallout (Amazon Prime) “In a future, post-apocalyptic Los Angeles brought about by nuclear decimation, citizens must live in underground bunkers to protect themselves from radiation, mutants and bandits.”

3 Body Problem (Netflix) “A fateful decision made in 1960s China reverberates in the present, where a group of scientists partner with a detective to confront an existential planetary threat.”

Speak to you soon,
Adam