Last Thanksgiving was spent in NYC since I was waaaay to pregnant to travel to Savannah. We definitely made the most of it, having a Famsgiving the week prior and going to Connecticut to see the Neudeck side of the fam on the actual holiday, but nothing – nothing – was going to stop me from getting back to the SAV this year. Being able to get back to Savannah for my favorite holiday is certainly something to be grateful for, but there’s plenty more…
Check out my 2021 list for last year’s gratitude sesh.
- Albert Otto Neudeck V! I still can’t believe I have a child. Or that he’s about to be one. I’m extraordinarily thankful that he’s here, happy, and healthy. And grateful would be an extreme understatement if we’re talking about how easy he is as a baby.
- Cool work travel. I was lucky enough to visit some very cool places through work in the past year. London, Dallas, and Montreal were real highlights. I don’t think I’ll be doing much work travel moving forward so I’m glad I got those experiences. I also visited some fun places outside of work, like Charlottesville, and was reminded what a joy travel can be.
- My new job. I am a bit astounded by how well things worked out. My job at Acast was probably my favorite ever, but after 3.5 years it was becoming clear that I wasn’t going to get a much deserved and long overdue promotion. While I understand the constraints of the business and current economic status, I was earning far below market value and didn’t have a title that reflected my role. As much as I loved the job and the company, it was time to start looking. And then the layoffs happened. 15% of the company was laid off, myself included. It was a shame seeing such incredible talent impacted but it was also nice to see everyone rally together. Since I had already made the difficult decision to start looking, I had my final interview the day of the layoffs and immediately accepted an offer at a new job. Having that security is amazing, but it’s also nice to be challenged in a new role.
- Netflix holiday movies. I love a rom com. I also love the cheesy romantic holiday movies Netflix is pumping out. They’re ideal for half-watching while drinking wine and keeping warm under a blanket.
- Daycare. I love my child, but it would be hard to be home with him all day every day, especially when he’s a non-talking, fast moving wiggler who can very easily fall and crack his head open at any moment. We are so lucky to have found a great daycare/preschool very close by that takes him off our hands Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 6pm. The best part is that he loves going and they do so many incredible and enriching activities with him. He’s enjoying Spanish and art and lights up during music class.
- Peloton runs. I’ve been a Peloton devotee for quite some time now. Bike classes will always be great, but I’ve been really into the runs lately. And I love the themed ones. They keep me super motivated…hopefully motivated enough to do my first 4 miler in a long time today.
- A great commute. My new job is very much hybrid but mostly WFH. That means my commute is just a few short steps. When I do go into the office, however, it’s so nice that it’s just a couple of stops on the express subway. Takes no time at all.
- Our neighbors. We have a truly incredible neighborhood in our building. Our neighbors have been dropping off clothes for Finn left and right, invite us to weekly courtyard gatherings, offer to babysit, and were the first to RSVP for Finn’s birthday party. It’s so nice to live in a real community where everyone helps each other out. This is the kind of thing everyone assumes is impossible in NYC, but we’re living the “borrow a cup of sugar” lifestyle right here in the middle of Manhattan and it’s awesome.
- Kewpie mayo. It just hits different.
Peaches to Apples 