Open Space Practice, (AKA: A Thousand Shades of Gray)

1. Better than nothing, but not by much. The President has proclaimed today Indigenous Peoples’ Day. “On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor America’s first inhabitants and the Tribal Nations that continue to thrive today. I encourage everyone to celebrate and recognize the many Indigenous communities and cultures that make up our great country.” However, he also went ahead and proclaimed it Columbus Day as well. In related news, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Explained on The New York Times, and Voices to Honor for Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Story Corps, and Poetry Foundation Collection of Native American Poetry and Culture, and Goodbye, Columbus? Here’s what Indigenous Peoples’ Day means to Native Americans.

2. The YOU ARE LOVED Mural Project. “Since 2014, muralist Alex Cook has created 70 murals in 13 states with three simple, yet very impactful words – YOU ARE LOVED. Alex has taken his mural message to schools, businesses, shelters, prisons, and organizations of all types because now more than ever people need to feel seen and supported. Creating a mural is a collaborative event where people from diverse communities and all ages and abilities come together to have fun and to engage in conversations about worth, value, and well-being.” I want one!

3. New to me music, Around by JONES featuring Nardeydey. (video)

4. Pets love to be dramatic just like us. (video)

5. Live Event Painting by Maggie Smith Kuhn. I didn’t even know this was a thing! So cool.

6. Here are the finalists nominated for a 2021 National Book Award. In related news, The Vigorous Vulnerability of Robert Jones, Jr.’s Debut Novel The Prophets.

7. David Sedaris Shows Us How His Mind Works, a review of his new book on The New York Times.

8. Brandi Carlile, Larger Than Life and Achingly Human on The New York Times. “The singer and songwriter’s seventh album, ‘In These Silent Days,’ realizes and polishes her ambitions.”

9. A U.S. judge blocks enforcement of Texas’ controversial new abortion law.

10. Over 120,000 American Children Have Lost a Parent or Caregiver to Covid-19, Study Says on The New York Times. “New findings showed wide racial disparities among those whose caregivers had died during the pandemic.” In related news, also on The New York Times, How to Help Kids Process the Trauma of Covid.

11. Finding Your Wild Voice, with Laurie Wagner. (podcast) “‘I think of it as a writing practice, but it’s a healing practice.’ That’s what the author, teacher, and artist Laurie Wagner says about wild writing — a process in which you write as fast as possible for 15 minutes, pushing past your inner critic, your ego, and your desire to look good so you you can connect with your real self and let your wild, authentic voice come forward. In this episode of Your Permission Prescription, Laurie and I talk about the therapeutic benefits of wild writing, the power of poetry, and why everyone has the right to write.”

12. a year ago today we buried my dog. this is what i wrote after. If you know, you know.

13. The 40-hour workweek isn’t working.

14. 25 Creative Ways to Help Animal Shelters. This list is a few years old, but still relevant.

15. How to Meditate on Lion’s Roar. “Mindfulness, relaxation, and clarity are just some of the benefits that accompany a basic meditation practice. It can also reduce pain and stress while improving your mental health. Beginner meditation techniques are simple; if you can breathe, you can meditate. In this step-by-step guide on how to meditate, we answer your questions.”

16. This Experiential Learning Farm Helps Youth Build a Better World. “At Freetown Farm, members of the community can learn the names of medicinal herbs and harvest vegetables, all while developing a deeper relationship to the land and local community.”

17. Meet Democrat Marcus Flowers, the Army Vet Who’s Looking to Unseat Qrazy Marjorie Taylor Greene. “Flowers has already raised more than $1.3 million from July to September, because folks are tired of this gun-wielding wack job.” Some of that money was from me.

18. One Month Later, Five Escaped Zebras Are Still Roaming the Suburbs of Maryland.

19. A Black family got their beach back — and inspired others to fight against land theft.

20. Hard Conversations Resource List. “What are you willing to do to stop racism and heal our world?”

21. Ask the Teachers: How can the dharma help us work through grief? on Lion’s Roar. “Breeshia Wade, Tenku Ruff, Damchö Diana Finnegan share how the dharma can help us work through grief.”

22. Good stuff from Austin Kleon: You can’t create under surveillance and A blessed unrest.

23. Behind the scenes: the process that goes into creating stop motion animation. (video)

24. 20 Moth Species More Beautiful [As Beautiful?] Than Butterflies.

1. It’s Eric and I’s 28th anniversary! That seems like a really really long time at the same time that it totally doesn’t. The day to day living of it seems like we’ve just started until I start to think of all the things we’ve experienced in those years…and it’s A LOT. There is no one that I’d rather do this hard, beautiful, amazing being human thing with than him. He’s my favorite.

2. A like minded nutritionist. There’s some things I want to work on in terms of my wellbeing that are related to food, but when you have a history of disordered eating, the world of health and nutrition is fraught with so much nonsense related to diet culture and fatphobia that it’s confusing, risky, even dangerous. Finding someone with a HAES, ED centered practice is such a relief.

3. Practice. I am particularly grateful for meditation, the way it allows me to be with what’s hard with wisdom and compassion.

4. Morning walks. I’d say that this week and next we are at peak autumn. Everything is lit up and glowing gold. Fall is my favorite time of year and this one isn’t disappointing.

5. My tiny family, my tiny house, my tiny life. At lunch today, I asked Eric if there was anything he’d do differently with the last 30 years of his life. The only thing he could come up with is to buy a more expensive house 20 years ago, because we could have and property values here have more than doubled in that time. Then I asked him if he thought we’d be happier with a bigger, more expensive house, and he said, “no.” That was all he could think of, and the only thing I had was to not bring up something that about seven years ago caused a fight between us that felt like it lasted for two years, although even that I told him “maybe needed to happen.” I feel super lucky and grateful that we have the life we have, that we’ve been able to live so much of it together, and that we still choose each other.

Bonus joy: Golden leaves falling like snow, raspberries, crunchy apples, podcasts, clean laundry, clean sheets, flowers in the bathroom, crunchy peanut butter, food Ringo can eat that he’s not allergic to, cooler weather, making art and hanging out with Calyx, texting with Mom and Chris, baby pictures from Chloe’, cooking, good TV, napping, getting in the pool, sitting in the sauna (but not the dude who told me “you have a beautiful smile” while we were in there alone), laughing with Eric, reading in bed while Ringo and Eric sleep.