#227 - Have Our Reading Goals Already Flown Out The Window?

"I think I DO want a bandana, I'm not gonna lie to you" y'all are so cute lol

2024 is the year for hobbies!!! I abandoned so many hobbies in my 20s and now I want to get them back. I rebought a sewing machine, I’m going to continue flow arts, paint again. I started crocheting in November and it has been so good for my brain. I want to roller skate too or something similar! Here’s to all the hobbies 🎉

No issues with the sound here 😊

Hi Raeleen! Welcome to the Rollerskating community! A couple of tips: get toe guards (especially if you are Rollerskating outside). They are pretty cheap and you can get some cute ones (though I recommend not getting glittery ones as they break easily). The first thing you should learn is how to fall. Fall small and make sure you fall forward not back. Bend your knees and get low. If you think you’re low enough, you should probably get lower haha. Also lean forward but keep your chest up and don’t look at directly at your feet Rollerskating often requires training muscles (like your inner thighs, hips, and ankles) that you usually don’t use. Practice safe stretches and strengthening exercises (especially for ankles as you don’t want anything to break) and don’t be hard on yourself as it’s a new sensation. With Rollerskating you are gliding your foot out, not stepping in front. It’s a pushing motion. If you don’t have a helmet already do not get a second hand one and make sure it’s either S1 or triple 8. This is because helmets crack and are no longer safe once that happens so you can’t always trust these sellers. Different wheels for different feels! I don’t know what skate wheels you have but you need different ones depending on if you are rink, park, or cruise skating, so look into it. I don’t know what skates you have but not all of them are safe for all kinds of skating (especially park skating). Impalas are especially unsafe for park skating. My personal all around favorites that aren’t as expensive are bonts. Tennis courts are the best for practicing skating on but be respectful of the tennis players. Most places won’t let you use basketball courts as it messes up the wood. Parking garages are the best for indoor skating and the concrete is usually smooth. Just keep your eyes and ears peeled. Make sure your toe stops are the right height! The best way to know is to take off your skate and lean it forward on to the toe stop and then put your fingers between the back wheel and the ground— ideally you should be able to place three fingers between the back wheel and the ground. You can adjust them as you improve, especially if you want to dance skate. When you walk on your toe stops, make sure you are walking on the balls of your feet as well as the toe stops. Find online Rollerskating communities! Hope this helps! Have fun and if anyone in this section has questions lmk.

LOVING the new Raeleen angle!! just nice to have a fuller background to watch :) i hope Ariel got a Squarespace sponsor for the headache of the website table hahah the Secret Life of Bees book story is amazing 😅 this episode also reminded me the Discord community has the coolest people participating and i need to be more active and social there!!

Ariel you HAVE to get Dear Scott, Dearest Zelda! Its the (love) letters between F Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and its stunning

Marie Kondo and your IG purge actually tie together perfectly! Social media and our belongings should both be useful tools that serve us, we shouldn't be slaves to them. Proud of yall!

You guys inspired me to be more concious with my Instagram use! Not deleting it, but cutting down on reels time and instead using my time on my friends' stories and posts. I also made a goal to post more myself - which ties in with my goal to pick my photography hobby back up.

Glad to hear the reading goals are working for the two of you so far! I myself was inspired by Ariel to read more, so now it feels like I have a virtual accountability buddy 😃

Raeleen, you should crochet some toe guards or other accessories for your roller skates :) I'm so excited to hear about both of your progress on your goals this year!

Oh Ariel I had THE exact same problem with Sibling Dex! And I didn’t realize it until you said it! I was like everything was fine with the book then why did I not enjoy it as much as I should’ve… it them! It’s the sibling Dex!!

uuu, i nearly screemed when raeleen said shes starting with japanese again. ive been studying it now for some time and in general i always get excited when someone is learning a language, so fun! would love to hear updates on it in the future maybe :))

I just love this podcast. So cozy and fun! Thanks for a calming evening chat!

Ariel, read the Wayfarers series!!

Raeleen, you have inspired me to read less and live more! I set my reading goal to 50 books for the year, made a 24 for 2024 TBR from my physical bookshelves and kindle shelf, and I am planning new hobbies to embark on! I already started painting some pictures frames that I am going to gift to friends, and making things with clay! Thank you both for being so fun and inspiring, and comforting to listen to!❤️

My library has a silent book club meeting each month and I'm going to my first meeting next week! I'm so excited because i feel traditional book clubs feel too strict to me. Hoping to make some new in real life book friends! 😂❤

The positivity and the want for growth and change is inspiring me this new year. Can’t wait to keep up with the book goals as well as the life goals ❤❤

Love the podcast and love hearing about a ton of books that are different and more interesting (in my opinion) to the types of books I see on other areas of social media! In 2022, you made a post on your website of “our top picks”, are there any books you would add to this ‘reading challenge’ from the last year+?!

It's possible to read while you crochet🙂 Takes some practice & maybe only simple projects get done, but it's fun!

Love when you mention books I have a copy of (an unread copy I mean), it just makes me want to read them right away!! ❤ (in this episode: the one by Marie Kondo & Stoner) 📚