Accomplishments this week

• ​re-organized my Things 3 app, cleaned up a lot of old tasks and unneeded tasks, made more efficient 
  
• Improved my dental health with deep cleaning and medical rinse
  
• Got an ad posted for condo roommate 
  
• Got Nora & Jon together with other geeky 27 year olds 
  
• Entertained 8 people at our house for game day
• Entertained 6 people (hosting 2 of them) for weekend reading retreat 
• Walked around Lake Morton
• Finished two jigsaw puzzles (with help)
• Noted: a full year of baking sourdough bread
• Helped team win first place at Brass Tap trivia 
• Finished reading a book before book club day
• Coordinated trip to NC in July
• Planned two small vacays to Tampa
• Coordinated a visit from Susan in June 

REPORT on my week

​Reading: finishing Crying in the H Mart

Eating: not a lot. But also not healthily. I need more veggies and good protein. 

Playing: Formula D with 9 people was a hoot. Flip 7 and Telestrations with a crowd. Also taught Moon Colony Bloodbath, Velonimo and Knarr.

Obsessing Over: renting out room in condo

Researching: trains to NC, certified financial planner programs, the depths of various Lakeland lakes, schedule of board game days in Polk County

Treating myself: more moisturizer

What made you happy this week?

​For me: 

Time with friends, lots of reading, recognizing my energy limits, a calendar that’s only half full, being offline more, a fun Italian movie with Peter. 

And always a fresh loaf of bread.

Lakeland mural tour

 got info from 2025 from FB

Heres a fun scavenger hunt. #LALtoday posted murals around lakeland, and I asked ChatGPT to organize them into a tour.

If you want to make it a challenge, the Amazing Race Lakeland Edition, you can just print and cut out the addresses into slips of paper and hand them to teams, and have them race to take their photos in front of it.

Lakeland Murals tour

L’Hermione

Address: 3825 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Bartow: Head north on US-98 N/Bartow Rd for approximately 10 miles. The mural is on the right side.

You Are Beautiful

Address: 4520 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from L’Hermione: Continue north on S. Florida Ave. for about 1.5 miles. The mural is on the right.

LoveBird Almost Famous Chicken

Address: 2101 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from You Are Beautiful: Continue north on S. Florida Ave. for approximately 2.3 miles. The mural is on the right.

Florida

Address: 740 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from LoveBird Almost Famous Chicken: Continue north on S. Florida Ave. for about 1.4 miles. The mural is on the left.

Dixieland mural

Address: 950 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Florida: Head north on S. Florida Ave. for approximately 0.2 miles. The mural is on the left.

Flights of Fancy

Address: 901 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Dixieland mural: Continue north on S. Florida Ave. for about 0.1 miles. The mural is on the right.

360 Unlimited

Address: 911 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Flights of Fancy: The mural is adjacent to Flights of Fancy at the same address.

Crape Blossoms

Address: 913 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from 360 Unlimited: The mural is next to 360 Unlimited at the same address.

Let’s Ride

Address: 1058 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Crape Blossoms: Continue north on S. Florida Ave. for about 0.2 miles. The mural is on the right.

AstroKnights

Address: 844 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Let’s Ride: Head south on S. Florida Ave. for approximately 0.2 miles. The mural is on the left.

Dixieland THEN

Address: 948 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from AstroKnights: Continue north on S. Florida Ave. for about 0.1 miles. The mural is on the right.

Lakeland swan mural

Address: 1035 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Dixieland THEN: Continue north on S. Florida Ave. for approximately 0.1 miles. The mural is on the left.

Angel Selfie Wall

Address: 1113 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Lakeland swan mural: Continue north on S. Florida Ave. for about 0.1 miles. The mural is on the left.

Welcome to Lakeland

Address: 110 W. Highland St., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Angel Selfie Wall: Head north on S. Florida Ave. for approximately 0.2 miles, then turn left onto W. Highland St. The mural is on the left.

Tobacco Leaf

Address: 112 S. Tennessee Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Welcome to Lakeland: Head east on W. Highland St. toward S. Missouri Ave., turn left onto S. Missouri Ave., then right onto E. Main St., and finally left onto S. Tennessee Ave. The mural is on the right.

Watchful Woman

Address: 235 N. Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Tobacco Leaf: Head north on S. Tennessee Ave. toward E. Lemon St., turn left onto E. Lemon St., and then right onto N. Florida Ave. The mural is on the right.

Magnolias

Address: 230 N. Kentucky Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Watchful Woman: Head north on N. Florida Ave. toward E. Pine St., turn left onto E. Pine St., and then right onto N. Kentucky Ave. The mural is on the right.

Exploring Innovation

Address: 235 N. Kentucky Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Magnolias: Continue north on N. Kentucky Ave. for about 0.1 miles. The mural is on the left.

Rec Room

Address: 202 N. Massachusetts Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Exploring Innovation: Head south on N. Kentucky Ave. toward E. Pine St., turn left onto E. Pine St., and then right onto N. Massachusetts

Butterfly Wall

Address: 310 E. Pine St., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Rec Room: Head south on N. Massachusetts Ave. toward E. Pine St., turn left onto E. Pine St. The mural is on the left.

Art/ifact Studios Mural

Address: 820 N. Massachusetts Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Butterfly Wall: Head north on N. Massachusetts Ave. for approximately 0.5 miles. The mural is on the right.

Artcade Mural

Address: 1035 E. Main St., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Art/ifact Studios Mural: Head south on N. Massachusetts Ave., turn left onto E. Main St. The mural is on the right.

Blue Sky Mural

Address: 114 E. Parker St., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Artcade Mural: Head west on E. Main St., turn right onto N. Kentucky Ave., then left onto E. Parker St. The mural is on the right.

Tapestry Mural

Address: 220 E. Pine St., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Blue Sky Mural: Head south on N. Kentucky Ave., turn left onto E. Pine St. The mural is on the left.

Wildflower Mural

Address: 221 N. Tennessee Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Tapestry Mural: Head west on E. Pine St., turn right onto N. Tennessee Ave. The mural is on the left.

Sunflower Mural

Address: 207 E. Bay St., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Wildflower Mural: Head south on N. Tennessee Ave., turn left onto E. Bay St. The mural is on the left.

Celestial Mural

Address: 101 N. Kentucky Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Sunflower Mural: Head west on E. Bay St., turn right onto N. Kentucky Ave. The mural is on the right.

Lake Mirror Swans

Address: 121 S. Lake Ave., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Celestial Mural: Head south on N. Kentucky Ave., turn left onto E. Lemon St., then right onto S. Lake Ave. The mural is on the left.

Geometric Lake Mural

Address: 502 E. Orange St., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Lake Mirror Swans: Head north on S. Lake Ave., turn right onto E. Orange St. The mural is on the right.

Cypress Tree Reflection

Address: 1500 E. Memorial Blvd., Lakeland, FL

Directions from Geometric Lake Mural: Head east on E. Orange St., turn left onto N. Lake Parker Ave., then right onto E. Memorial Blvd. The mural is on the right.

Multitasking

 I have been attempting to:

*get rid of a desk
*get rid of some unwanted cat food and a cat tower
*get a new prescription filled
*pay a few bills
*do IT security training for work
*clear up a speeding ticket I got earlier this year
*coordinate with a handyman to install more shelving in this house
*pre-plan a train trip to NC
*get folks interested in a day trip to St Pete
*make a loaf of sourdough bread
*coordinate an investment with Sean
*start a new jigsaw puzzle because I am insane that way

Hoo doggie, yes, that is a LOT when I see it all written down! No wonder I have not been successful at some of these. Today. I have not been successful at them today. But a few are done, and a few are started. and that is good enough.

Tonight is trivia night!

Cinnamon sugar lava pancakes

​video on how to 

New travel plans

 train ride up to Raleigh Durham

Researched: would cost us $950 train ride which includes two days of food

If we don’t go see Patrick in R/D … or after we have and we liked the train ride, maybe we can do Savannah as well. 

catching up

 How have I not updated in days? Ooops

We had a reading vacation weekend at our house with Matt& Heidi and Deb & JT and Barbara (for one day). Very relaxing, low key. Spending time with friends 24/7 can be tough, but it worked with these people. I got lots of reading done 0-- some of Crying in the H Mart, and a lot of Count of Monte Cristo. Also, we played 3 board games, and getting Hans Teutonica off my shelf of shame, and a puzzle/mystery game. Showed our friends Lake Morton and Inklings and Peach House and Bonnet Springs.

In anticipation of their visit, I got a lot of small home projects done. So lots of wins. 

I have had great sleep, and plan to go to bed early tonight again! [narrator: that didn’t happen. Late night coffee ice cream and too much screen time did not help]

New resolution: reading in backyard in morning before work. Spend time with birds. Get reading done. Less scrolling phone in bed.

This was a great way to avoid news and spend less time doom scrolling.

29th wedding anniversary

​29 years ago, while on our honeymoon, I married Sean Brodrick on a beautiful beach in Jamaica. It was a non-traditional wedding, but it worked for us. 

Through ups and downs and two kids and occasionally different approaches to life, we’ve made a good team most of the time. Enough of the time to weather any rough patches.

Donald Vaughan introduced us. He said to me: “you two have the same energy.” I was like “whatever man, I can use a free dinner!” But it turns out he was right. 

On our first date, we learned we both like and decorated our houses with gargoyles — a somewhat rare oddity — him because of horror movies, me for a love of architecture. That night, Sean introduced me to hard cider, and also he got lost and we did a detour through the Ft Lauderdale airport. I still refer to it as our favorite airport; we flew out of there for our honeymoon/wedding 2 1/2 years later.

The internet tells me that the 29th anniversary is the Furniture Anniversary. Whatever. We are celebrating tonight with a talk about e-bikes at a bookstore, then rum drinks at a bowling alley tiki bar. We like to do it our own way. 

I love you, Sean. Let’s keep this going. 

Steps to lessen phone addiction

​Today’s steps to lessen phone addiction:

• -AC maintenance check
  
• -Phone call with insurance company 
  
• -House projects with a deadline motivating me
  
• -Leaving phone in charger during the day 
  
• -Trying out a new board game
  

Sea shanties to print

​

Blow the man down 

Away Rio

Call of the Sea

The mermaid

If we had 9 children

• ​Eleanor
  
• Peter
  
• John 
  
• William 
  
• Margaret
  
• Clementine 
  
• Twins: Andrew & Amelia 
  
• Michael 
  

LOOKED UP: how to fix seat belt

​when seat belt doesn’t retract: how to fix 

LOOKED UP: macrame flowers

​how to: 10 macrame flowers 

My lavender… needs more flowers around it. 

Keeping busy in Lakeland

​Some woman was whining on FB about nothing to do (esp after 8) in Lakeland. 

I wrote:

I don’t understand the folks saying there’s nothing to do here. 

In the past few months,  I’ve been to the farmers market multiple times, the Mayfaire art show, the Swan Derby, a trivia night at a local bar, bingo night at another bar, a current movie at the Lakeland Square Mall theater, a couple old movies at the Polk theater, a play at the community theater, two historic tours of downtown Lakeland, a craft event at the library, a craft fair at RP Funding, a book club meeting, and the Lakeland Book Crawl (a tour of all the bookstores in Lakeland). Not to mention trips to Bonnet Springs and a bike ride down Ft Fraser Trail. Many of these were free activities and some could include small kids. 

If you want more options, you’ll need a much bigger town.

I realized I forgot to list the art museum and the comic book/game store. 

Some people just want to be miserable.

Weight loss update

​4.5 lbs down since I started Wegovy. 10 days ago

13 lbs down from a high in mid March (2 months). So I was slowly losing weight, the Wegovy is certainly going faster!

A photo from May 8

A photo from April 5 

Photo from Mar 21

What brought me joy today

• time with family
  
• being outside 
  
• a little bit of Alexander Calder, a fave artist of mine
  
• a fantastic salad 
  
• a good nap
  
• writing out birthday cards for friends 
  

What brought me joy today

• ​Moisturizing my poor cuticles
  
• My cat on my desk
  
• Getting a $75 rebate
  
• Making note of cheese holidays
  
• Reading the book My Friends
  
• Researching becoming a Certified Financial Planner
  
• A margarita
  
• Baking bread for my family and for my mother in law
  
• A walk
  

What brought me joy today

​What brought me joy today 

1. Sean making sure Mothers day will be special for me

2. Skitty talking to me with multi-syllabic meows demanding her treat

3. Playing Formula D!

4. Peter handling his doctors appt mostly by himself.

5. Getting new bank accounts set up

6. Having a lie down with Sean at end of work day 

7. Rebecca’s Mental Health Calendar suggestion of breathing fresh air outside. Done! Here’s my view:

Rebecca’s mental health calendar catch up

​2. new image for vision board — for decorating, for creating, for more travel 

3. Sunset — tonight

4. Motivational quote

We can’t control how long we live, but we can control how well we live — Jodi Wellman

5. Dance — tonight with Sean, “Melt With You”

6. 3 things grateful for 

• Peter maturing and taking a bit more responsibility for himself
  
• Mini vacays on someone else’s dime
  
• A pared down and therefore roomy closet with clothes that fit, that I like 
  

Work update

​Tax accountant life in May:

I got an urgent email from my corporate overlords about how I was 21 credits behind for the company’s internal  continuing ed requirement (and Eeep, CC’d to admin). I do have 7 weeks to get it done, so it’s nice they alerted me with plenty of time.

Of course, I’d taken a bunch of continuing ed courses outside the company in late 2025 — that it turns out I hadn’t submitted. So I just added 16.5 credits to company compliance. And I’m already signed up for 2 more this month. Based on the email, I went ahead and signed up for 3 internal credits this month. (I may have more external credits but I don’t want to bother looking.)

Which is all to say: this is why I’m taking a banking AUDIT course right this minute. Context for non accountants: Audit =\= tax. I’ve got a list of personal emails and phone calls to take care of during this 2-hour course that won’t be paying attention to. 

Multitasking at its finest. 

Rebecca’s mental health calendar:

​3 things I like about myself:

• My ability to organize fun 
  
• My curly hair
  
• My love of learning 
  

I need a vision board when I get home. And I’ll watch a later sunset because today and tomorrow are super cloudy. 

What brought me joy today:

​What brought me joy today:

1. Back with husband after 2 nights apart

2. Seeing him lauded over and over at opening day of conference

3. Bacon wrapped dates

4. Making friends with attendees

5. Spending the morning with my BFF

6. New dresser for son

7. A good visit with mom

8. Surprise chocolate 

Rest well, but also love friends well

​Can I stay in bed all morning?

Yes. But I probably won’t. 

• Finished the NYT crossword. 
  
• Organized reading vacation weekend 
  
• Scrolled social media awhile
  
• Could do some reading…

But also want yo hang out with Barbara! 

May Ins & Outs

​In: 

• Board games ✔️✔️✔️✔️
  
• Riding bikes ✔️✔️
  
• High quality chocolate✔️✔️✔️✔️
  
• Reading✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️
  
• Shelves — scheduled for June 
• Oatmeal for breakfast
  
• Making new friends or at least hanging out with new people while singing sea shanties or playing bar trivia ✔️✔️✔️✔️
• Stretching
• Birthday cards✔️✔️✔️
• Continuing ed for tax✔️✔️✔️

Out:

• Excess sugar ✔️
  
• Lemonade
• Acid reflux ✔️
  

UPDATE:

Loads of reading. A good number of board games. Only one bike ride so far. Enjoyed by Boca Raton resort chocolates, very slowly -- the key lime and the caramel were the best. Getting on Warren's schedule for June for the shelves. I have sent birthday cards and done plenty of continuing ed. I have NOT been stretching or eating oatmeal. We have not made friends, but we have met some people and we shall see. I am still eating too much sugar and drinking too much lemonade. But overall, it has been a good progress month!

10 things that I am into

​Number one. Memorizing quotes.

Number two. Baking cookies.

Number three. Reading.

Number four. Riding bikes with Sean or friends.

Number five. Traveling.

Number six. Going to museums.

Number seven. Organizing things, especially organizing fun.

Number eight. Sending birthday cards and happy mail.

Number nine. Knowledge, learned through reading, lectures, podcast, journaling, conversations, trivia.

Number 10. Otters, board games, cheese, Italian, movies, needle work,… I’m not sure what the last one is. It is the last one should just be lists. 

Avoiding regrets

​I want to finish my Crosstitch projects.

I want to read 50 books a year.

I want you to be a person as memorized and can recall great quotes.

I want to drive. I tend to Los Angeles, seeing Austin, San Antonio, and Albuquerque and the Rembrandt in Los Angeles.

I want to sing in a group, like a choir, I guess.

I want to become decent and drawing houses and sketch peoples houses for gifts.

I want to go to Maine again and Halifax

I want to go to Italy and spend three weeks

Take me to my grandkids and live long enough for them to have memories of me. I want to write them in my children letters to read after my test.

I want to buy art.

I want to finish my scrapbook that I have done

I want my office to look like an office not a story. This means getting shelves in pretty baskets and getting rid of a lot of stuff.

I want to lose weight to a healthy weight and improve my medical numbers, extending my life and improving my quality of life

I want to write a book. 

I want to go to England again in Scotland for the first time

I want to use up all my note cards and postcards sending happy mail to friends.

I want to weed down our games until they all fit in the cabinet with none on the floor. I want to have played all the games that we own.