Flower Mom, Fitness Slump, Mini Game Review

Almost a month after planting deck flowers at the start of an extended July heatwave, I am stunned to find that my flowers are not only not dead, they are actually thriving. My only MO in deciding which flowers to buy was to choose ones that looked hard to kill, and that strategy seems to have paid off. After the initial befuddlement at the monstrous amount of water those things suck up, I finally got the hang of watering them. I ended up buying a moisture meter because I was certain I was over-watering them, but every time I dipped the meter in the soil, it read as dry. At any rate, after weeks of regularly fussing over them and trimming them and checking on them multiple times a day, I have started to feel like their mom, to the point that they all seem to have their own little personalities.

I knew intuitively that this bright orange one was the zestiest and happiest of all of them, and you can see him standing tall and bright:

The impatiens, true to form, yields more blooms each day and is starting to climb over the pot its quest to reach the sun.

The hardy little fern is marching on despite taking the brunt of the wind, and the grouping of flowers in the herb pot seems perfectly content.

I was worried about crowding too many of them together, but they seem to enjoy each other’s company. Not a bad result for my first go-round with deck flowers in many years. I’m not sure what to expect of them come winter, though. I didn’t keep all of the tags and I’m not sure which ones are annuals and which ones are perennials. I’ll enjoy them while I can.

The move has brought many blessings into my life, but it’s also caused its share of disruption, especially to my fitness regime. Between the sudden closure of my beloved neighborhood gym, losing my trainer, the move, and being gym-less for a period of months, I have completely lost the plot on what I’m doing and even why I’m doing it. The new gym is huge, but it’s also incredibly busy and I have not yet been able to get anywhere near a bench press. The dead-lifting mats are never not being used, and the giant, “inspirational” quotes on the walls and the proliferation of models and body builders that swarm the place is a bit much. The extended heatwave hasn’t helped my motivation any, either. In short, I am in a major fitness slump, and I have concluded that the only way out it is through sheer consumerism. You see, the problem isn’t me, the problem is my workout wear. It’s all old and boring and not quite right in some way or another. I need new workout pants--full-length with zippered pockets--and sleek new tops, and breathable socks. Once I have the gear, fresh inspiration and crystalline clarity on my goals are sure to automatically follow. I’ll keep you posted.

Speaking of inspiration, I recently came across a most charming little game called Ete. Refreshingly, it’s not a farm simulator—if anything, it’s a watercolor and art simulator. In a nutshell, you move into a cute little loft in Montreal and proceed to create and sell paintings to eke out a living as you prepare for your big exhibit, sponsored by an eccentric patron of the arts who takes a shine to you early on. The storyline is right up my alley, but it’s also a gorgeous game with the truly innovative mechanic of painting the world in as you go. The more objects you paint in, the more colorful your world becomes, and the more objects and pigments you can add to your “palette” to create your own masterpieces. It’s truly a joy—simple, beautiful, and creatively stimulating. Even if games aren’t your thing, I would recommend checking it out for the creative outlet if nothing else. It’s quite unique, and the indy developers put a lot of loving care into it.

--Kristen McHenry