Month-in-Review Highlights: November 2019

I managed to vote in the U.S. elections all the way from Switzerland this November, which counts for something. Even local elections matter, folks. November 5, 2019.

I postmortem each month shortly after it ends, reflecting on what happened in general and, more specifically, in the context of my goals. Though I don’t share all my insights here, I have made it a practice to share at least one key highlight or insight. (To read previous months’ reviews, click here.)

I had another intense month in November.

Fortunately, certain 2019 objectives, once I realized that I wouldn’t have the time needed to complete them, I could slough off entirely. (I look at you, “cross-country skiing.”)

Sloughing off the won’t-happens gave me the opportunity to go gung-ho on a few other objectives, whether to cross them off my goals list for the year as “completed” or to continue to progress and finish strong for the year.

For example, I finished my reading goals for the year in November. Everything I’ll read in December is gravy. (Fortunately, I like reading—even if I don’t like gravy.)

Also, I cranked up the heat even further in an intensive French-language course for which I’d registered in October by adding an additional tranche of coursework to my November program. I feel like I’ve made some progress with my French reading and writing comprehension, if not yet with my speaking fluency. (Shakes fist at sky.)

However, all this French and working through the intense season at FrogDog has meant that my writing suffered in November. I didn’t have much time to craft articles for Observing Leslie and I didn’t make any progress on outlining a long work I have scratching around at the back of my mind.

On the former count, I needed the creative rest. Good things come when I take breaks. On the latter count, I need to dig in again. The writing group in Lausanne that I attended on the U.S. Thanksgiving break helped me at least revisit the long-work idea a little more fully than I had done in months.

Let’s hope the holiday season will provide the opportunity I need for creativity and generative focus. (Even if the holiday break also provides… more time for French classes.)