It’s already August, but it’s not too late to share my 5 resolutions for 2018 right? I invite you to join me in one or all of these in living the dream of the 2010s here in Santa Monica…
1. More Self-Care. This mean something different for everyone, but make no mistake: there is no shortage of resources for said self-care here in Santa Monica. Santa Monica is a beacon for wellbeing (literally). We have plenty of mental health professionals and over 300 fitness opportunities in town. For me, it’s less cruising the Internet and soul-crushing SaMo centric Facebook groups, more healthy lunches from home, less McDonald’s drive-through, AND developing the physical stamina and psyche to try jogging to work. The amount of time to run this distance is slightly longer than driving or biking, but less than catching the bus. I realize the distance is nothing for many of you, but it’d be a huge feat for me. What would better self-care look like for you?
2. Enjoy what Santa Monica offers for FREE (or very low-cost) for families with children more often. Earlier this year, I took Wilshire to Make A Mess Day, brought to our community by the Santa Monica chapter of the Kiwanis. Next month, the City will host its 13th annual Jazz on the Lawn concert series at Gandara Park; it’s a really low-key way to spend time with friends and there’s a little something for everybody. I plan to follow Next and Seascape (the City’s newsletter, which has been completely revamped) for events to pencil into my calendar and I encourage you to do the same.
3. Reduce the number of vehicle miles traveled with my son even further. Wilshire is now old enough to ride on a bike with us, so we do that a fair amount. He’s also now old enough to walk short distances with us. (Now, we have to watch out for people who can’t be bothered to ride their dockless e-scooters on the street.) But there are still trips to destinations like the grocery store that we complete by car, and I need to motivate myself to do them by bike more often.
4. Read More Books. My latest read is Middle Class Radicalism in Santa Monica, which is this book about Santa Monica politics circa 1985.
Also, I am itching to dive into the mystery novels written by former Santa Monican Mar Preston, who has four books set in Santa Monica. Her first novel, No Dice, revolves around the investigation into the murder of the swing vote on the Santa Monica City Council following the vote on a gambling casino by the beach. Literally, doesn’t that sound like beachside reading to you? If this sounds good to you, let me know!
5. Spend more time with my Santa Monica friends – and finding friends who have young children This goes back to #1, Self Care. Friends, especially my neighborfriends, you make my world complete. I love spending more time with you hanging out in paradise in person. And as the momma to a two-year-old, I am increasingly in a place where I want to make new friends with folks who have young children. I feel a little vulnerable in asking people if they want to hang out with me and my son, but that’s the only way it’s going to happen right?
What have you been focusing on in 2018? Now that we’re more than mid-way through 2018, what would you like to keep working on? How will you recalibrate? How will you be taking advantage of all that Santa Monica has to offer you?
