here’s finally a layout from post-vacation 🙂
i haven’t been taking photos lately so i’m going to have to get back into the groove.
i still love what I have so far.
Moments from this Week 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
        
I read a lot this week. It wasn’t intentional. I read four books over the weekend and then several shorter books over the week.
Eat Cake. Be Brave was wonderful and very much recommended if that type of book is your style.
I also really enjoyed, On Color. I read a book a long time ago on a single color and really liked it so I knew i was going to like this and it didn’t disappoint.
Notes from a Public Typewriter was a random grab because of Stephanie Howell mentioning it on her instagram. It was a super fast read and super amazing. Touching, sweet, and just all around lovely.
Switchers was also really good, especially if you’re interested in switching careers. It was tangible, actionable and full of good information.
I liked America for Beginners which meandered a bit but then was thoughtful towards the end.
The Bookshop was a super quick read and it’s being made into a move so I had to read it. It was…not sure how to put it. It was different. More like a short story.
The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work was also actionable, specific and I really liked reading it. I posted about this on my instagram that I love reading books on marriage especially when things are going well in my marriage.
Convenience Store Woman was a super quick read and unusual and different and also like a long short story. I actually liked it.
The Incendiaries didn’t connect with me at all. It was fast so I read it but it wasn’t a good use of time for me.
Net net it was a good week. Here’s to another good one!
Books I Read this Week 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
At the end of the year, last year, I wrote up my unraveling for 2018 and I was recently revisiting it to see all the things I said I wanted to do/be and see where I am with it all. So I thought it would be a good time to do an update for myself. This will be long, feel free to skip 🙂 I am only going to cover the pieces that had some kind of “thing I will do” answer to see if I did it 🙂
- Fast-forward to December 2018. You’re sitting in a cafe?, musing over the last 12 months. Where do you want to be…
- in your head? (work, dreams, goals) I want to be scaling up the quality of my work and create processes that can scale. I want to develop relationships with leadership and add value to all of my teams. I want to think of myself in a way that allows me to show up without hesitation. I also want to listen better and talk less.
- Ok so, interestingly, I switched jobs since I’ve written this but some of it still applies, I created some processes but I’d like to (and am working on) doing some more. I am definitely developing relationships with leadership and adding value. I am listening more but also still talking a lot. And I am still working on the “without hesitation” part.
- in your heart? (relationships, family, friends) I want to make sure to prioritize people who matter the most to me. I want to develop deeper friendships with the Tamara, Kelly and Leslie. I want to make good friends in Nathaniel’s class. I want to continue to foster my friendships with Evelyn and work friends. I want to put my family first. Support my nephews. Talk to my sister more. Go on regular date nights with Jake. Continue teaching the kids. Continue taking photos.
- Ok so I’ve definitely deepened my friendship with Leslie and I’d say also with Kelly. I have more room to grow with Tamara and Nathaniel’s class. And just with friends in general. I’m supporting my nephews but I’d like to do more there. I definitely don’t talk to my sister enough. I finally found a sitter so date night might become a reality. I teach the kids a lot and take photos a bunch.
- in your soul? (beliefs, practices, self-love) I want to get stronger in my sense of self. In my ability to be okay with who I already am, in drawing boundaries. In choosing to spend my time in ways that are most meaningful to me.
- I am working on this. I definitely spend my time on what is most meaningful to me but I need help with the sense of self part. Or at least with not spinning.
- in your physical world? (home, health, hobbies) I want to continue to buy flowers. Continue to exercise daily, and start doing it at home, too. Add massage at work. Do more consistent self-care. Eat way way better and drink a ton of water. I want to do more art but only when it gives me joy. Continue the new way of scrapping that I am loving.
- Exercising daily. Did only one massage, could do more. Doing more consistent self-care. Eating better, drinking a lot but tea and water. Doing art and scrap, too.
- Okay, let’s take it up a notch. Use this page to describe what 2018 looks like in your ideal world. Be specific! What are your dreams for love this year? Work? Play? Where are you hungry for change? How do you want 2018 to FEEL? Use your answers from the previous pages to craft your ideal vision for the next 12 months. What would saying YES to your life look and feel like? Write out everything your heart desires for this new year. Be bold. I am exercising every single morning. I am drinking a lot of water and taking care of my skin, my hair, my teeth. I am feeling strong and healthy and alive. I am trying new things that feel fresh to me, I am appreciating the wonder in my life. I am choosing what to spend time on and loving the time I spend on it. I am feeling positively about my choices. I am spending a lot of time with Jake. And with my kids. I am talking to my nephews regularly. I am working hard. I am teaching my kids. I am reading. I am resting. I am showing up for life.
- Ok so i am exercising every work day, drinking water, taking care of skin and hair (not perfect on the teeth.) Feeling stronger for sure. I am trying a few things but not enough. I am spending time doing art and i love it. I am spending time with kids and Jake (though i’d like more with Jake.) I am talking to my nephews with less regularity than I’d like. I am working hard. I teach the kids. I am reading a lot. I am resting a lot. I am definitely showing up, though not as much socially.
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- List 3 duties or commitments you feel ready to let go of in 2018
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- No more lit club after this school year is over.
- i quit this!
- No more Math Circle.
- i quit this too
- Maybe no TV?
- i quit this too!
- List 3 skills you’d like to learn or improve in 2018
- Math, I want to do even more math with my kids.
- I am so on this, doing it with both kids.
- Drawing, sketching, art in general.
- working on this one, too, it’s a long journey
- Science. Both my kids are into science and I know practically nothing.
- well david and I are taking physics but man it’s hard.
- How could you bring more calm into your life (and head) this year? More journaling. Quiet moments in the morning and evening. Taking much more time out. Muting when on VC.
- hmm i am finally journaling and taking moments morning and night but I am not on VC as much anymore so I will have to get creative.
- List 3 ways you could be kinder to your body this year
- Take care of my skin + teeth.
- doing this.
- Massage my body and release my muscles + stretch more.
- i was doing this but am not anymore.
- Take Yoga and Pilates to increase flexibility.
- i did a bunch of this but am not doing it anymore.
- List 3 ways you could connect with loved ones in 2018
- Regular date nights with Jake.
- not doing this yet :/ but i have a sitter now, i am optimistic.
- Biweekly check-ins with my nephews.
- not doing this either but will do when school starts.
- Weekly meeting with a friend.
- I am doing this with one friend but I’d like to do it more.
- How could you bring more love into your life this year? By choosing joy. Assuming the best. Realizing that things always work out because I try harder and harder until they do. Realizing the magic that is my life. Being grateful. Paying attention to the support I have. Being thankful.
- i am definitely grateful and think about it all the time but it hasn’t been enough.
- List 3 interests/hobbies you would like to explore more in 2018
- Rock climbing
- hmm only did this once, and a long time ago, it’s time to do more
- Does journaling count? I want to do it much more regularly.
- making a bit of progress here but not a lot
- Taking online classes. Or maybe even in person ones!
- just started this, too.
- List 3 ways you could feed your imagination this year
- Try new things. Fresh things.
- hmmm…. maybe one or two but i’d love to do more here.
- Go on adventures. Travel. Especially to places I’ve never been to.
- we did a bunch of travel adventures this year, but i’d like to do more
- Read different books (things I wouldn’t typically pick up.)
- hmmm…i think i did some of this.
- List 3 dreams you would like to manifest this year (personal or professional)
- I’d like to be really much stronger. Be able to do pushups with ease.
- uhm. i am stronger. i started the year with 4 kilos for body pump squat weight and now i am doing 15 kilos but the pushups definitely don’t come with ease.
- I’d love to have handful of really close friendships
- i definitely have one but i’d love two, three more here.
- I’d love to deepen my relationship with Jake even further.
- there’s so much here and i have the best man in the world, he’s incredible. i want to always work on this.
- How could you bring more creative energy into your life this year? I would like to journal more. I’d love to bring back my sketching habit, not sure if I can but I would love to. I still love looking at those sketches. I’d love to do another 100-day project.
- i did a 100-day project but it was lame, imho. i still want all these things. i am doing them but i want them more.
- List 3 ways you could bring more mindfulness to your mornings
- Take 15 minutes to journal each morning.
- finally started doing this most weekday mornings.
- Take 5 minutes to meditate.
- this, too, i am doing right now.
- Exercise first thing in the morning. (continue to wake up at 6am!)
- this has been a winner all year.
- List 3 ways you could cherish your home this year
- Buy flowers!
- i do this religiously
- Fill my house with twinkly lights.
- i haven’t done enough of this. i want to do more.
- Buy sheets that we love for each of us. Decorate our rooms to feel more our own. Put our family photos into frames.
- i did this for the kids (sheets) but not for us yet. I also haven’t done the photos. i love the idea and I want tho think more and find a way to make it happen.
- List 3 ways you could connect more deeply with nature in 2018
- Take weekly walks and monthly trips to water.
- I definitely haven’t been doing this. It’s easy enough to do.
- I still would love to take hikes.
- also still on my list, i think i need to scout a bit and just make this a reality and stop wishing/whining
- I think I’d like to swim more this year, too. Need to think about this one more.
- this completely fell off my radar and actually is not on my list anymore
- List 3 places in your city, town or neighbourhood you want to explore
- The city. We definitely don’t go there enough.
- we did a tiny bit here but not enough.
- Marin. Especially the headlands.
- also here super little.
- Go to the woods more. Learn new hikes.
- nothing here 🙂
- I will learn more about:
- Science: as much as I can.
- very little progress here 🙂
- My body: how to make it stronger, how to take care of it.
- made a bunch of progress here but have a ways to go
- Who I am. I will pay attention to what I do and what I say and what my values are and own who I am.
- need more work here, too. more around healing.
- I will release my attachment to chocolate. The past. Coffee. Things + people who don’t nourish me.
- haven’t had chocolate in a while, don’t seem to really miss it. coffee’s also morphed. i’ve practically quit processed sugar. working on other things.
So here we are. I’ve actually done a lot of the things I wanted to do. I had a dip in mid-February to mid-May but I’m on track now, I’m working at it. Things are not as grim as I make them out to be in my head. Onward we go 🙂
On My Mind is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
After we left Aix, we drove down to Marseilles which was another seaside town. Marseilles is a fishing town and it’s so very beautiful.
I loved all the streets.
and the incredible churches.
isn’t it magnificent?
i love all the detail.
i made the whole family walk to this museum in the super hot weather just so i could get these shots.
this made me think of home.
so many many of the streets had a lot of graffiti.
and a lot of old doors.
I took around 600 photos just in Marseilles.
and snapped this on the way out of town.
 We then drove to Montpellier where our AirBnB was down this amazing, amazing street.
And the house was amazing too. It was big and fun and we ended up taking the whole day to relax.
the kids played all day while I read and Jake went climbing.
On the way out of town we passed by Carcassonne and had to capture this shot since it’s one of our favorite Board Games 🙂
Next up is Barcelona, the last leg of our wonderful journey.
Stories from 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018here.
Weekly Intention: This week looks like it’s going to be a long week. I had hoped I could take a vacation day this week since it’s the last week before school starts but it looks like it won’t be possible as I have a slew of meetings all week. But the boys will come visit me on Tuesday and I am excited for that and I will do the best I can to come home early and be engaged. I did make some plans for the transition to school but we’ll see how they work out. The plan for this week is to just savor our last week of summer. To have fun and go on adventures in the evenings, even if it means I don’t get my personal todos done.
This month’s intention is: Shine Strong: This month is for showing up. Show up at work. Show up with the kids. Show up as we close out the summer and start a new school year. Let your light shine on everyone you meet this month. I love this one. I am going to do this. Take it all up a notch and I will add one more: show up for myself, too.
One way I will stretch this week: It looks like work is about to kick up a few notches so I am going to try really hard not to mess things up and I am also going to be running quite a lot this week so that will stretch me.
One boundary I will set this week: i am going to do my best to try and stay grounded and assume all will be okay.
This week, I will focus on pleasing: a few projects at work.
One new thing I will learn this week: i did the sketching work last week so maybe this week i can focus on the next video in my painting class.
One area where I will go deeper this week: a few things at work, I think.
What do I need to sit with this week? my anxiety around the next few weeks, i want to enjoy my days.
I am looking forward to: enjoying our last week.
This week’s challenges: just making sure requirements and todos are clear for some of the things that need to come together at work
Top Goals:
- Work: make a deck for metrics, plan december more, allyship send, flesh out sept offsite, start on oct offsite. think about other areas
- Personal: couch 2 5K, body pump, hiit, good nutrition, meditate, journal, art+scrap, stretch, evening routine
- Family: cook for jake, math, comp sci and physics with david and math, vocab and comp sci with Nathaniel, fun time!!
I will focus on my values:
- Love: love for my family a lot this week. as much as i can.
- Learn: didn’t do OLW still and some catch up on my weekly book too
- Peace: peace with the chaos at work.
- Service: to the changes coming up.
- Gratitude: for my family.
This week, I want to remember: that it’s all going to be okay. I will not let everyone down.
Stronger Than Before is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
How I got Stronger this week: This was a good week. I continued to do strength exercises and to run. I also meditated and journaled and continued with my evening and morning routines. I worked with the kids. I worked on the art and when the work days were long and I couldn’t, I gave myself grace. I also did a few things that were on my list but I hadn’t gotten around to doing.
Top Goals Review:
- Work: cleaned up the onboarding doc, fleshed out thoughts on metrics and accessibility work and the offsite, and started planning december but very briefly
- Personal: couch 2 5K, body pump, hiit, good nutrition, meditate, journal, art, stretch, and evening routine were all done!
- Family: cooked for jake, math, did comp sci and physics with david and math, did vocab and comp sci with Nathaniel
I celebrate: i celebrate finally putting our photos on the wall.
I am grateful for: a new workmate who is kind and thoughtful. grateful he’s part of our team!
Karen’s Points: I did couch 2 5K all 3 days this week, I also did 3 Body Pump classes and two HIIT classes. I am still caffeine, sugar and grain and dairy free (though i ate granola twice with my bare bowl and ate yogurt with bit granola at work twice this week). I journaled and meditated 3 of the days. I continued the evening routine . Did the roller a bit but didn’t stretch too much imho.
A Change I embraced: my schedule was a bit off this week but I adjusted.
I let go of: having to be invited to all the meetings. it’s ok.
Core Desired Feelings Check-in:
- Fresh: the kayaking was crazy fun and fresh and adventurous.
- Magical: my life is all feeling magical at the moment.
- Lighter: the journaling is really helping here.
- True: i am really looking forward to some scrapping this week.
Where I chose Joy: i hung our family photos on the wall and it’s making me joyous beyond words.
I showed up for: our new colleague this week.
A Mistake I made this week: does anxiety count? I was anxious way more than necessary.
What I tolerated this week: longer days.
My mood this week was: centered.
I forgive myself for: not adhering to the rules 100% , i am trying quite hard most days.
What I love right now: the simplicity of my life. i know it’s all about to change so i am extra grateful.
Weekly Reflection is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
here’s the second layout from forte dei marmi.
i love all the action they have in them.
and seeing all my family together too!
Moments from this Week 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
    
This was the week of super long reads. With the exception of one, all the books I read where 13+ hours of audio.
Spinning Silver was an amazing read!! I resisted reading it, I even hated the cover. It’s rare that I will pick up a fantasy but I love love loved this book.
I checked out A Conjuring of Light from the library like eight times. I read and liked the other two books and this one was no exception. I really enjoyed this series.
A Gentleman in Moscow was another one that I checked out a bazillion times so I am glad I finally managed to finish it. In the end I am not sure it was my cup of tea. It was funny and sweet and interesting at bits but not amazing enough to be worthwhile the time investment for me.
The Three Questions was meh. I need to read it again I think to really sit with it.
I am almost done with The Death of Mrs. Westaway and I am glad I read it. I don’t think I’ve gotten to the big twist yet since I know Ruth Ware likes them and she’s woven a windy tale. But I have about an hour left so it’s coming soon.
Not sure what I’ll tackle next, let’s see.
Books I Read this Week 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
I wanted to capture this before everything changes again in a few weeks because school will start. I am really loving all the morning time I get right now and I am making the time to do all the things I want to do in my life and I feel really wonderful about that. So I want to make sure to note it all and as we move into September and school and things change, I can see which bits I can incorporate back in.
Right now here’s what happens:
- 6am – I wake up
- 6:15 – I am out the door to work
- 6:30 – arrive at work and M, W, F, I do Couch 2 5K so I run on the treadmill for around 30 mins.
- 7am – I have an hour off, I meditate for 10 mins, journal for 20 mins, talk to my mom for 5-10 mins, and depending on the day I also might eat breakfast.
- 8am – I do Body Pump M, T, W, F and HIIT class on Thursdays (my class on Monday is 7am so i shift everything up to accommodate it.)
- 9am – I shower and go to my building at work
- 5pm – I come home and work with the kids, M, W, F is David, T, Th, Sa Nathaniel
- 6pm – I do art
- 7pm – I cook dinner and spend time with Jake
- 8pm – Done for the day, I start night routine, wash face, floss, brush teeth, and do vipata karani (if i didn’t get to meditate, i usually do so when I am doing this pose.) I plan to add stretching and rolling for 5 mins each and 1 minute of plank which will hopefully eventually grow to 3 and then 5 mins 🙂 all this takes 15-20 mins total.
- 8:30pm – in bed with a book
- 10pm – lights out
There are exceptions of course and some days I work much later, some days I come home and work more, some days i have meetings that start earlier, some days i have obligations with the kids, etc. But this is all my normal days and I do all the things I want to do. I am super grateful for this routine at the moment.
Once school starts, my 6-9:30 slot will be broken up, I plan to wake up at 6 and so all the stuff i usually do at work, at home. 6-6:30 run, 6:30-7 meditate, journal. 7:15 leave to take kids to bus, 7:35, drive to work in time for the 8am class. So we’ll see how likely that is to work but we will give it a try. And if it doesn’t, I’ll adjust. I can wake up at 5:30 and I’d rather do that and get my alone time than dig into that time. So we’ll see…
On My Mind is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
On the way back from St. Tropez, we decided to stop at Cannes. I had read that it was not as interesting and it was getting darker but we went anyway.
We were so glad we did. In fact, it turned out to be Jake’s favorite part of the trip.
we walked around the beautiful beach.
and I snapped a million photos.
we saw a ferris wheel and decided we had to get on!
it was fantastic, right at sunset.
it was very beautiful in Cannes.
we didn’t do shopping but still went to the main street.
but the beach was so much better.
The next morning, we were on our way to Montpellier so we stopped by Aix-en-Provence, which I loved.
This city is so very beautiful and old and lovely.
Full of fountains.
and these stunning buildings.
 I just loved the feel of the whole city. It was so delightful and warm.
And of course I took photos of all the windows.
this is one of my favorites.
isn’t it magnificent.
we then moved on to Marseilles but I love love loved Aix and here’s to being able to go back one day!
Stories from 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018here.
Weekly Intention: This week looks like a reasonably average week. Lots of meetings but not a debilitating amount. I might get some home time which will be nice and I don’t think I will be home super late any night. I might experiment with a few schedule variations this week, too, so, we’ll see. My intention this week is two fold: stay really focused on what matters to me and start making some plans for the transition to school. Changes in routine are always hard on me and we have a big one coming with going back to school and managing drop off and pick up again as well as a slew of stuff that happens at the start of the school year. So I’d like to both mentally but also practically get prepared for that. Also I’d really like to double down on the journaling with strong focus on healing.
This month’s intention is: Shine Strong: This month is for showing up. Show up at work. Show up with the kids. Show up as we close out the summer and start a new school year. Let your light shine on everyone you meet this month. I love this one. I am going to do this. Take it all up a notch and I will add one more: show up for myself.
One way I will stretch this week: It looks like I will be doing two HIIT classes this week, it’s going to kick my butt.
One boundary I will set this week: I will keep laser focused on the things that matter to me, coming back to my values again and again.
This week, I will focus on pleasing: me but also i will be kindest to everyone along the way.
One new thing I will learn this week: i signed up for another sketching class, so I will do the work for it this weekend.
One area where I will go deeper this week: figuring out a transition plan for september
What do I need to sit with this week? how i am feeling and what i am still holding on to, i want to work on that.
I am looking forward to: a little extra time with my amazing hubby.
This week’s challenges: nothing too specific this week so i will focus on really sticking to my routine
Top Goals:
- Work: clean up the onboarding doc, flesh out thoughts on metrics and accessibility work and the offsite, make notes on what else. start planning december.
- Personal: couch 2 5K, body pump, hiit, good nutrition, meditate, journal, art+scrap, stretch, evening routine
- Family: cook for jake, math, comp sci and physics with david and math, vocab and comp sci with Nathaniel
I will focus on my values:
- Love: time for some serious journaling here this week
- Learn: i didn’t do the OLW homework but did do the learning. this week i will do that and learn to sketch.
- Peace: peace with the changing of seasons and all that comes with that.
- Service: to my boys, my hubby, work, friends and me this week, let’s make plans!
- Gratitude: for people who support me.
This week, I want to remember: that I have so much kindness around me and I need to learn to absorb it better.
Stronger Than Before is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
How I got Stronger this week: I did a lot of work on being stronger this week. I consistently worked on my exercise and strengthening my physical body. I also worked on my mental state by meditating most of the days. I established an evening routine to ground myself and do some of the small things I wanted to do more/better. I strengthened my emotional state by journaling most days and then having the conversations I needed to have at work. I also strengthened my connections by working with the kids each night, talking to my mom everyday and meeting up with my friend Leslie on Friday. I also found a babysitter and will be going out on date night and scheduled an adventure for all four of us. I did art every night even when I felt bad about the results. So I am feeling good about the work I did this week.
Top Goals Review:
- Work: the onboarding doc v2 is slightly done though could use another pass, started version one of thoughts on metrics, and started the accessibility work, also doubled down on the offsite – phew
- Personal: did c25K three times, body pump 4 times and HIIT once, ate well and mostly slowly. I meditated four days and journaled four days. started the art class but didn’t scrap since i don’t have the kit yet.
- Family: cooked for jake, did math, comp sci and physics with david and did math, vocab and comp sci with Nathaniel
I celebrate: i celebrate having the hard conversations.
I am grateful for: a manager i really like at work. I feel very lucky.
Karen’s Points: I did couch 2 5K all 3 days this week, I also did 4 Body Pump classes and one HIIT class. I am still caffeine, sugar and grain and dairy free (though i ate granola twice with my bare bowl, and 5 mini pretzels this week). I drink lactose-free decaf cappuccinos now. Still a bit too high on nuts and fruit but I’ve been eating more slowly and reducing my portions by paying attention to when I am full so I don’t keep eating. I journaled almost every day and meditated 4 out of the 5 work days. I did start an evening routine and wash my face and floss nightly now. So the only two things I am not doing at the moment from my original plan are the stretching and the roller which I plan to incorporate into my evening routine so I am feeling optimistic at the moment.
A Change I embraced: a little bit of churn at work.
I let go of: deciding that the churn is mine to solve. waiting now.
Core Desired Feelings Check-in:
- Fresh: the art i am doing definitely feels new and raw and fresh and i am learning.
- Magical: my routine feels very magical now but I know it will all change in two weeks when school starts
- Lighter: much lighter now that i’ve had some hard conversations
- True: truth is that the journaling really helped and I am working hard to come back to myself.
Where I chose Joy: i’ve been listening to music when i journal, music from my twenties and it’s making me very happy.
I showed up for: my friend this week.
A Mistake I made this week: i spun more out of control in my head than needed. i feel better now.
What I tolerated this week: too much stress inside my brain.
My mood this week was: relieved.
I forgive myself for: spinning things out of control a bit.
What I love right now: my routine. my life. how much i spend my days doing what i want to be doing.
Weekly Reflection is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
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projects for twenty twenty-five
projects for twenty twenty-four
projects for twenty twenty-three
projects for twenty twenty-two
projects for twenty twenty-one
projects for twenty nineteen
projects for twenty eighteen
projects from twenty seventeen
monthly projects from previous years
some of my previous projects
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