Bobo Ji

Life Update

  1. Home building

    1. Gardening

      1. We set up our first raised bed with some wood we had, some new treated wood from Home Depot, and some convenient bricks that have cutouts for the wood.

      2. We have been following the Square Foot gardening paradigm and book to get started. The idea is to make vegetable gardening accessible, simple, and maximize efficiency.

        https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/192503.All_New_Square_Foot_Gardening

      3. I scored an affordable push lawnmower from an estate sale. I was on the fence about if I wanted to delegate the work to a landscaper that was covering our neighbor’s yard or do it myself. I decided to at least start by doing it myself, and see how much work it was. I did wait a bit too long for the first mow, but that just meant I just scored a solid free workout as a result.

      4. Our friend Jeanne, who is a retired landscaper, came by and walked our yard with us. She was full of insight, ideas, and inspiration. I have newfound appreciation for gardeners, landscapers, arborists, etc.

  2. Taxes

    1. I had quite a challenging this year with taxes. I am almost out of the woods, but it reopened the question in my mind of DIY vs. delegating work. Granted, this year’s taxes were a bit of an edge case.

  3. Exploring nature

    1. I feel quite grateful when I can walk into a natural forest just a few minutes away from my home. We prioritized picking a location with close proximity to nature. As the seasons change, I try to observe the impermanence of the surroundings.

  4. Hosting a good friend

    1. A good friend is in town visiting. We met a couple of years ago in Thailand, and kept in touch. It’s his first time in the US. I see myself wanting to explain and curate the experience a bit. However, I’d like to let go and find a balance between suggesting activities and going with the flow.

    2. We’ve been trying to set up a daily routine of meditating first in the morning, followed by a workout. I can feel the effects. I feel much stronger, more positive, and connected with my body.

  5. Reflecting on my calling

    1. I feel the urge to focus on more meaningful work. I keep getting the advice of simplifying, doing less, and focusing on the right things vs. trying to do everything. I’m trying to ease into this, and be patient and love myself along the way.