Sara Hartwin

What a great thread!
Lately I've been wanting a quick wipe-down but a full shower or bath isn't needed.
Has anyone made their own wet wipes?
What I'm thinking is a homemade (water and...?) in a lidded jar, cloths kept in the jar in the solution or kept separate and dampened as needed...
It wouldn't need to be a deep cleanser. Just refreshing.
I'd like to keep it at my bedside for ultimate convenience.

What might you add to such a thing?

Neat!
In Brave mobile with Brave shields up, it tells me I don't have an f-code and I'm currently logged in.

A year later: reflection and intention

In very general "it depends" terms, I'd like to add two strategies to our list so far.

First, in new situations
allow for/accept the adjustment period, and remember it won't last forever.
With a new job, there is an acclimation period, right?
New routines, new people, new skills, new environment... a smorgasbord of stimuli for brains to deal with.
Even if we've been through similar in the past, we've never been through it as our current selves.
There are elements of both
"here we go again" and
"this has never happened before".
All that adaptation (and stress) can be exhausting!

We already know humans aren't so good at estimating duration (read about Planning Fallacy on Todoist , at The Decision Lab, or at Ness Labs).
It makes sense that we might feel exhausted here, and it can feel like it will always be that way.
But it almost certainly won't.

Personally, I knew there would be an adjustment. I didn't fully realize how intense and impactful it could be.
I'm deeply introspective - a self-watcher. I understand my coping defaults and window of tolerance from a trauma-informed perspective. Even then, how hypervigilant/protected I stayed, and for how long, surprised me. I wasn't fully aware how deeply I was trigger-hijacked for all those months. It wasn't as quick as an overnight change, but it was certainly like waking up - to great relief.

Basically - I was "along for the ride" in this phase. I took care of myself the best I knew how, but really the way out (to better energy) was through. I think the "struggle bus" metaphor applies here.
In short, this tip is about having patience with ourselves while we adapt to newness.


Secondly,
support the season of life you're in apart from the work situation.
I am definitely going through perimenopause (link to permies.com post). Undoubtedly that impacts my work experience, and probably is impacted by the stressors of work.
Targeting my perimenopause symptoms - mostly through nutritional supplement - made a big difference in how I felt on the job.

I still don't have energy for the tasks I mentioned in the original post. But I'm interested to see how the next months go. When I have extended time away from work, my usual interests are alive and well. So I'm not losing myself by any means.

Hahaha - this is great!

I haven't watched TV in ages (so my commercial-watching experience isn't current) but I think it ticks all the "elements of modern shampoo commercial" boxes. It's got just enough tongue-in-cheek satire to be funny but not so much that it can't be taken seriously.
Poking fun, but introducing an actual concept while doing it.

The only serious drawback for me was the high-pitched sped-up voiceover at the end.
I've noticed on radio ads in recent years that often the same voice actor is used as in the main commercial - their voice is sped up to read through the disclaimer, but the pitch doesn't change. It's unnaturally fast (no breaths taken!), but not squeaky.
Or they use an authoritative-but-not-harsh male voice.
I think speeding it up is the crucial bit.

That wall of ingredients is effective, too.

How could I forget Tom and Ray from Car Talk?!? Two funny, funny guys.
Tom (the bearded one) died in 2014.




Here's a history of the show, in their own words.

Cooking and baking shows!
America's Test Kitchen, Pati's Mexican Table, and Cook's Country are some of my favorite public programming.

My window of tolerance (screens specifically and stimulation in general) is generally narrow by default, and these low-drama, low-/medium-energy, informative shows are GREAT. Hooray for stable camera work!

I think Jamie Oliver provides great info and more or less approachable recipes, but he's high-energy! I like his shows in smaller doses.

I find BBC's Escape to the Country equally calming, as well as fascinating. Getting a glimpse of  UK's "aged" buildings and interiors (which are usually much older than the US's "aged" buildings!) is a treat.

I want to make note of a concept I think is fundamental to (higher quality) existence.
(Really, I'm just feeling smug gratified that a concept particularly foundational to my worldview is also found in Permaculture.)

Self care IS people care -
both in the sense that we are people,
and in the sense that others benefit
when we're supporting our own (eco)systems* adequately,
as best we can.

*our physical, emotional, mental, spiritual systems - our whole selves

Permaculture supports this concept, hooray! (Day 1, Session 2)

In other words, Permaculture and I agree, again.
That's nice.

Paul Wheaton wrote: Another thing is that some folks are certain that their path is the only path and that other paths are unacceptable. That sort of thing is unacceptable to me.

I really, really appreciate this tidbit, and how these publishing standards create space for us to discuss the diversity of experience and perspectives that is so important to share.

I guess I just want to say thanks for making quality rules and sticking with them. Following them may at times require extra work and attention, but having a safe place to discuss these things is priceless.
Thanks for the time the staff takes to help us when we need to polish things up a bit.
And thanks to all of you over the years who took the advice, kept posting, got better, and have consequently left so many stellar examples for the rest of us of what makes a great permies.com discussion.

Edited to add a missing word.

This might help someone else -
I introduced a regular caffeine habit by way of sencha (green tea) a couple months ago. I'm really enjoying it! It's enough for me to feel an energy/alertness difference, but not enough to feel jitters or other side effects. And no withdrawal symptoms if I miss a morning or two.

Emmett, I think I understand what you're doing as "opting out". Permies.com seems to me to be a giant smorgasbord of resources for opting out. I think we are all collectively wanting to "do differently" in all sorts of ways, whether it's gardening or homesteading or self-development. I think it takes courage to make changes like that.

resetting the scale of balance

is an apt way of putting it.
I used to use notebooks from the brand "Exceed". They had their name printed on the title page. I wrote "At peace with POTENTIAL" over their brand name, blotting it out. From my experience, sometimes the pressure to exceed can be misapplied. Instead of striving for excellence and taking on that pressure, I appreciate the opportunity to explore possibilities of my potential.

Most of my adult life I've opted out of conventional life, one way or another, for various reasons, with various levels of self-awareness. Most recently my husband and I traveled seasonally. I worked as needed. Now I need to "opt in" for a bit. A lot of the challenge for me comes from how exposed I am to what passes for "normal" life these days in US suburban society.
Thankfully, I don't have to lose myself in the culture. I can be in it but not become it.

Nina Surya wrote:Luxuriate in observing with all senses, without engaging your mind.

Cloud-watching and sitting under a tree looking up are two of my most favorite ways to practice this.

Anne Miller wrote: Sara, it is good to hear back from you how life and the job been since Apr 2024?

Thanks, Anne!

Thank you, thank you, Raven, for making this space, and for everyone who's shared their experience! Knowing what to expect is a huge advantage. Long may this thread live! And be added to.

Realizing I'd started this next stage of maturity was exciting, but I knew next to nothing. I wanted to avoid HRT if possible so I started my research with that.
Simone Jeffries' blog post has been the most educational and empowering by far (link). I still refer to it. Very specific, lots of details.

In her blog, Simone Jeffries wrote:If you're in your early 40s you might be surprised to hear that you could be experiencing perimenopause. But yes, the hormonal changes that lead us towards the end of our reproductive years will begin around the age of 42.

The photos we see in the media about menopause show much older women. However the following photo is more realistic for a woman experiencing perimenopause.

(source, image link)

Links to other helpful resources I've found:
Perimenopause: Targeted Diet, Lifestyle & Supplement Support - Jill Dumas Nutritional Therapy
The Women's Wellness Collective | Herb & Supplement Guide for Menopause
Help in a Flash: Natural Support for Common Menopausal Symptoms - Aviva Romm, MD

I realized I was in perimeno around 40 yrs old. I might actually have started in my late 30s but symptoms were subtle enough I didn't clue in or record them.

Symptoms so far: shorter cycles w/more irregularity, ear flushes, night sweats, hot flashes, multiple missed cycles, sleep disturbances, decreased energy when not having periods, increased energy when cycles resume, rage-y or extreme irritation episodes, more frequent aches and pains.

Supplements:
chamomile hot drink (nightly for years; occasionally add lemon balm leaves the last several months)
Evening Primrose oil & an omega-3 (been on these for several years)
magnesium glycinate (added 2-3 years ago)
flax oil (<2 weeks, experimenting)
sage tea (<1 week, experimenting)

I also use Greek yogurt, protein powder, milled chia seeds, and an antioxidant/vitamin powder to boost protein and other nutrients. I get plenty of activity and heavy lifting at work but supplement with an at-home stretching/exercise program (link).

Top 3 challenges right now: decreased energy, sleep changes, and aches/pains.
Because life is life, and not a sterile science lab, it's hard to know how and how much the hormone changes and life in general (thread link) are interacting with each other to create my symptoms.

Questions for all of you:
How do you experience "brain fog"? Is this forgetfulness, grogginess, absentmindedness, an actual feeling, or something else entirely? Can you describe what you're talking about, please?
and,
Re: supplements for the low-estrogen symptoms - how long did you take those? Days, weeks, months? How did you know when to stop? I'm specifically wondering about flaxseed oil and black cohosh, but anyone's experience with any supplements would be helpful.