1. Morning walks. I took so many pictures that my first attempt to put them all on this page crashed my browser. This week the weather and my body cooperated and I got to do all our normal walks. But y’all, it was COLD. Beautiful light, gorgeous sky, and we got out early enough and at the right place to see an owl one morning. Eric said they saw a coyote this morning, and because of where they saw it I now know why Ringo gets so excited and starts tracking every time we walk along that one side of the back cement pond.
2. Being able to unload my junk. This could apply to a lot of things but what I’m thinking of in this moment is the load I just took to ARC to donate. There has been a huge pile in the middle of our garage for months that we hadn’t gotten around to loading up and taking, (this winter was rough, y’all). I really really need to clear out my office but without that space in the garage to unload to while I reorganize it’s almost impossible. I had a few errands to run today and since Eric was home, I had him help me load up the car. When I got to ARC, I was laughing at myself because the two cars in front of me dropped off ONE bag each and when they got to my car, I told them, “everything in the back seat, on the floor, and in the way back goes.” One of the kids unloading said, “all of it?” and I said, “everything but the seat cover.”
3. Naps. I need one so bad today. Hopefully I can take care of that once I hit “publish.” I got a set of flannel sheets, have never had them as an adult, and oh wow do I love them. My bed really is one of my favorite places in the world and it’s now even more cozy.
4. Reading. One of the biggest regrets of my life will be not getting to read all the books I want to read. I love it so much, always have.
5. My tiny family, tiny home, tiny life. I love it here, so much.
Bonus joy: two little beloved boys turning two on the same day, stickers, my favorite fork and spoon, a new notebook, ink refills for the pen I thought I’d have to throw out, reusable grocery bags, bird song, that corner of the couch, my infrared heating pad, a warm shower, a cold glass of clean water, peanut butter, sweet potatoes, wild-ish writing, training with Shelby and the gang, hanging out with Mikalina, texting with Chris and Chloe’, the promise of spring, crayons, other people’s dogs, all the ways Eric helps and supports me, watching TV with him at night, sitting on the couch together doing nothing, making each other laugh, the way Ringo will just show up at random times throughout the day asking for some love, documentaries, true crime, music, poetry and poets, massage, reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.
2. 7 Writing Hacks Every Writer Must Know. “Want to write better and quicker? These tips and tricks from the pros will help make the process much easier.”
3. Imagine being loved anyway. “I am convinced more than ever that trust is built not because you are loved, but because someone loved you anyway. They loved you when you were angry, or messy, or cranky or a total and complete pain in the ass. They loved you when you forgot, or remembered—when you said it or when you didn’t say it. They didn’t love you because you could do it—they loved you anyway, even when you couldn’t.”
6. On Being with Krista Tippett: Ada Limón “To Be Made Whole”. “An electric conversation with Ada Limón‘s wisdom and her poetry — a refreshing, full-body experience of how this way with words and sound and silence teaches us about being human at all times, but especially now. With an unexpected and exuberant mix of gravity and laughter — laughter of delight, and of blessed relief — this conversation holds not only what we have traversed these last years, but how we live forward.”
8. Michelle Yeoh on her Oscar-nominated performance in ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’. “The film with the most Oscar nominations this year, ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once,’ became a surprise, breakout hit for audiences and critics. The movie’s star, Michelle Yeoh, has already nabbed a Golden Globe and now has a chance to make history as the first Asian woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress.”
11. Your Body Knows You’re Burned Outon The New York Times. “Here’s how to recognize the physical symptoms of work-related stress — and what to do about them.”
14. The week I spent with our son Henry after he died. “Grief makes you do some seemingly weird things. Or maybe grief makes us behave in a way that is our truest self, because every impulse I had felt completely organic.”
23. High-Profile Art Couple Offers Worst Job Everon The New York Times. “Wanted: Caretaker for child, dogs, chef, nannies, landscapers, housekeeper and guests. A detailed rundown of irritating tasks is the talk of the art-world underclass.”
24. How Long Is Writing Supposed to Take?“Some books take years to write, others months. Can we learn to accept the inefficiency and unpredictability of writing?”
30. Running With Hank. “How my daughter’s rambunctious mutt saved my sanity while she was lost to the darkness.” Some day I will have a dog named Hank.
38. How To Be More Present & Live In The Moment, From Experts. “Practicing mindful awareness in the present moment is a skill. Not only are we navigating our neurobiology, but we also have obstacles in the form of social media, difficult emotions, and other distractions that can pull us out of the present. The good news is that we have research-backed ways to help us become more present with ourselves and each other. The benefits of being more present in our lives are enormous and worth every try.”
40. Beauty and Terror. “It’s hard to hold both when you are healing—both the beauty and the terror. There are some moments of healing that are so difficult. So massive. Those giant cloud domes filled with lightening. All the pain you experience lighting up as you bring your attention to it.”
Open Space Practice, (AKA: A Thousand Shades of Gray) 