Author Archives: jillsalahub

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About jillsalahub

Writer & Contemplative Practice Guide holding space for people cultivating a foundation of a stable mind, embodied compassion and wisdom. CYT 500

Gratitude Friday

1. Laurie Wagner, my Wild Writing teacher and dear friend. Facebook told me that today is our six year anniversary of being friends on Facebook. The reason we became friends online is Rachel Cole told me about Laurie’s writing classes and I signed up for one. I’ve been writing with her on the regular ever since. A few years ago, too long now, I got to go visit her at 27 Powers three different times. Her home is magic, she’s magic, the practice we do together is magic.

2. Morning walks. I got to go this week. We saw a fox one morning, and the herd of white tailed deer another. The sky is so amazing, particularly in the winter.

3. Getting Sam in to see our favorite rehab vet, four days early. That’s the next step with Sam, doing physical therapy. We tried to get in to see our favorite person, but she was booked a month out, so we scheduled with someone else. Then yesterday, I got a call from her tech, who remembered us from when we took Dexter there, saying they could get us in this afternoon. Fingers and paws are crossed that this helps him feel better.

4. Dexter. Going to rehab with Sam reminds me of when Dexter was going. He hurt his knee the last year he was with us, but because he already had a fatal cancer, he wasn’t a candidate for surgery. In the end, he wouldn’t have needed it either way, got better with physical therapy. I miss him so much. He was so in love with Obi and so was I, and when we lost him, we turned that love on each other and it was a glorious four years.

5. Ringo. Let’s not forget him. Yesterday I took a sick day. I was so exhausted. He typically only wants to take about a half hour nap if he’s not in his crate, but he cuddled next to me for almost two hours yesterday.

The only dry spot in our yard right now

“Stop taking my picture, Mom.”

Bonus joy: chocolate chip oatmeal cookies the size of my face, meditating with a friend, yoga, Pilates, aqua aerobics, a tall glass of cold water, sweet potatoes, tangerines, bbq pizza, napping, clean sheets, reading in bed at night, sunshine (it’s gorgeous outside today).

Something Good

I stand with Emma poster

Free downloadable graphic from Pocho.com

1. Emma González Is The Bisexual Latinx Teen Leading The Charge For Gun Control. In related news, The Problem is Toxic Masculinity, Not Mental Illness, and Men Are Responsible for Mass Shootings, and Black Teens Have Been Fighting for Gun Reform for Years, and The Armed Florida School Officer Didn’t Go Into The Building During The Mass Shooting.

2. James Brunt, an artist who makes amazing sculptures and madalas in nature using natural materials.

3. 23 Pictures That Prove The World Isn’t A Steaming Pile Of Garbage, just in case you needed the reminder.

4. Allegations of sexual abuse against Sherman Alexie. In related news, An Open Letter About Sherman Alexie.

5. How “Good” White People Silence People of Color Every Day. “Being offended and uncomfortable is a natural part of life. But before you lash out, sit with that feeling, deconstruct it. Understand why you are offended by the statement or action. Take time to understand the statement or action… But never assume your initial reaction is the correct one, especially when faced with brand new information. Your bias plays a part in how you see things and must be actively overcome. Don’t do white supremacy any favors because something hurt your feelings.”

6. How Might Trump Plan For Food Boxes Affect Health? Native Americans Know All Too Well.

7. Me Too Founder Tarana Burke: “Watch Carefully Who Are Called ‘Leaders’ of the Movement.” In related news, This is why we need to talk about race in the #MeToo movement, (video).

8. A Wrinkle in Time’s Representation is Just as Important as Black Panther. In related news, Sade to release first new music in eight years. “The British singer has recorded a song for the soundtrack of Ava DuVernay’s film adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time.”

9. Getting intersectional means showing up when there are no pink hats.

10. Why I Won’t Ever Identify As Recovered. “Recovery is hard. Period. Recovery in a culture that promotes disordered eating and inequality of bodies is even harder.”

11. Easy activity to satisfy our toy de-stuffers! (video)

12. Laura Monterrosa Detained In Texas, ICE Won’t Let Elected Official In. “This young immigrant was sexually assaulted in custody — but ICE won’t allow her to get help.”

13. George Washington’s teeth not from wood but slaves. It’s ugly, horrible, disturbing, but can we please look, listen, and finally begin to face the real truth if our history? This is who we are.

14. How ‘Strange Fruit’ Killed Billie Holiday. White supremacy kills. So does white fragility, white guilt, and in particular white denial.

15. Undoing Patriarchy – A Syllabus on Google Docs.

16. The Breakup Museum.

17. The Forest That Blooms Brilliantly for Just a Few Days a Year.

18. What I’ve Learned from 10+ Years of Body Acceptance from Anna Guest-Jelley on Curvy Yoga.

19. Why I keep a diary from Austin Kleon.

20. 8 Paradoxes of Being an INFJ, the Rarest Personality Type. I’m an INFJ, btw.

21. The Year in Hate: Trump buoyed white supremacists in 2017, sparking backlash among black nationalist groups from Southern Poverty Law Center.

22. When feminism ignored the needs of black women, a mighty force was born. “Founded in the early 1970s, the Combahee River Collective spoke to the unique position of being black and female.”

23. Watch this viral video of a Zen priest singing the “Heart Sutra” with acoustic backing.

24. Daniela Andrade – Stare at Each Other & Fall in Love, (video). I don’t understand why she’s not famous yet. And if you like her and don’t know who Yuna is, you need to seek out her stuff too.

25. Five Truths About Black History from the ACLU. “If we want to understand the state of race in America, we need to know our past — particularly the painful parts.”

26. Donald Glover Can’t Save You on The New Yorker. “The creator of “Atlanta” wants TV to tell hard truths. Is the audience ready?”

27. Artist makes mirrors from anything he can find. (video)

28. Playing ‘Havana’ on violin. (video) This song gets so stuck in my head. #earworm

29. Vernā Myers: How to overcome our biases? Walk boldly toward them | TED Talk.

30. This American Life: In Dog We Trust. “Stories of dogs and cats and other animals that live in our homes. Exactly how much are they caught up in everyday family dynamics? We answer this question and others.”