Tag Archives: Food

Something Good

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The Universe saying “yes.” This happens all the time, if you are paying attention. It happened for me today, more than once. Sometimes, it yells in celebration, and sometimes it’s as quiet as a whisper, and it happens more often when you are on the right path, doing the good work that is uniquely yours, following your calling, trusting your heart, knowing your hungers, being wholeheartedly yourself. It’s been happening for me a lot lately, and often when it does, I burst into tears. For so long I ignored it, told it to wait or even shut up and leave me alone, and all it wants is the very best for me. The love and wisdom that is available to us, all the time, can be utterly heartbreaking.

image by renaissancechambara

Leftovers. Thanks to the boy for this. I opened the fridge to make my lunch today and realized there were multiple options, so much that I felt like I was ordering off the menu of my favorite restaurant. He takes such good care of me.

Spring. Spring Break isn’t until next week, and technically according to the calendar it’s not quite Spring yet, but the warm weather yesterday and today, more daylight, and crocuses blooming say that it’s close. I ate my second breakfast today sitting in the backyard with the dogs, one of my all time favorite things to do, (I think it’s theirs too), and I can’t wait to do more of that.

image by Armin Vogel

Online classes. I feel like I have stumbled upon this magical wonderland of creativity and support, wisdom and kindness. There are so many classes available, taught by so many amazing women, and though I don’t really have this kind of time, I keep diving in. I just started “Blogging from the Heart” and “Telling True Stories” will be right on its heels. You, dear reader, can only benefit from me spending time immersing myself deeper into the practice of writing.

              

Live music. Last night, I saw Gregory Alan Isakov and Ani DiFranco in concert. There are plenty of bad things I could list about staying up late, standing in a dirty hot loud crowded space for four hours, getting shoved around and groped, having drinks spilled on you, but that’s not my point here. My point is there’s something good about hearing and watching music performed live. The force of sound vibrating in your chest, that bodily experience of the music. A direct and immediate conversation between an artist and their audience. Anything can happen, spontaneously, in the moment. You are trapped in the crush of humanity, screaming, dancing, singing, clapping, and sweating. There’s the potential for aggression but also the opportunity for compassion, for you to soften to those around you, the chance to be in the moment, feeling what you feel, allowing emotions to arise and dissolve, feelings evoked by a person opening their heart to you, telling the truth. This is all possible, mistakes, bravery and vulnerability, life and pure love.

Ani DiFranco, image by Julio Enriquez

Global Sorority. This is yet another fabulous Kickstarter campaign that I pledged this week. It’s a documentary planned by Tia Kelly & Loretta Cella. They explain it this way:

It’s our hope that these documentaries will be used not only to bring awareness, and aid the upward mobility of women and girls in developing nations, but also to be a learning tool in schools and colleges in the western world, offering a platform for discussion around women’s issues and also giving young women a starting place as to how they might connect and make a difference, in their own lives and in the lives of young women around the world.

As with the “Realizing Empathy: An Inquiry into the Meaning of Making” and “Danielle Ate the Sandwich Album” Kickstarter campaigns, I pledged because I wanted to see the final product, but also because I believe if the project is realized, the world will be a better place, suffering will be eased, and I am all in for that.

Color Me Katie blog. This blog is fun, sweet, colorful, and makes me so happy.

Kate, a 24 year old freelance photographer, actress, street artist and fun maker!

And finally, the tiniest-big dose of happiness and cuteness the internet has to offer: Dancing Baby Plover from Dou Dou Birds. Click on the image to see the other three views. The sum of four enables you to see the full measure of his little happy dance.

Joy Jam

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What were the 3-5 things that gave you joy this week?

1. Reading Women Food and God by Geneen Roth: I first heard about this book from a work colleague, and then again from Rachel Cole. Originally, I checked it out from the library because, at the time, I was trying not to buy anymore books, (I have a problem, am a bibliophile who wants to have all the books). But I could tell early on, this would be a book I would read and reread, that I needed to keep reading it until I could embody and manifest its wisdom, so I bought a copy. This book might not be for every woman, but it’s exactly what I need to hear, to know, to accept. A quote from this morning: “We are unrepeatable beings of light [and love] and space and water who need these physical vehicles to get around.”

Reading it right now is really good timing because…

2. Fort Collins Well-Fed Woman Mini Retreatshop is here! There is still time to sign up if you want to come on Sunday. I am anxious (nervous) to finally meet Rachel in person. If you haven’t read her latest blog post, “The ABC’s of Self-Love: P is for Pleasure” you really should. It’s one of my favorites.

We’re actually starving for pleasure.

By taking care of everyone else. By striving to be loved, liked, approved of, to be the ‘good’ girl, to be the ‘bad’ girl. By seeking to numb ourselves and distract from what’s here. It’s exhausting, we’re exhausted, and all this clouds out pleasure.

We don’t receive pleasure when we do “shoulds,” have “to do’s,” or when we try to fit in, suck it up, suck it in.

Dry bread and low-fat cheese. Shoes so uncomfortable they make you want to cut your big toe off. The job that looks good on paper. Faking it in all the many ways we do. Denying our self what we truly hunger for.

This is where so many of us live and this is a pleasure desert.

Rachel has a map that shows the way out of the desert. She’s a gentle and kind guide that will lead you to the river, to a place that is not a mirage, not a dream, but your real life, your true life, your one wild and precious life.

3. Surprise love note.

4. Valentine’s Day, not the commercial aspects of the holiday, but the opportunity to contemplate love, generosity, gratitude, and grace.

5. Dexter. He came in one night this week to meditate with me, and I was reminded of how great he is, how much I love him, how much joy he brings me. His gentle sweetness, his steady and calm energy in contrast to everything that isn’t, the way he buries his head in my arm and sighs, the way he “pets” me back by pressing his paw into my arm and curling his toes, the white hair that’s grown in his ears and on his chin as he’s aged.

I hope you experienced joy this week, kind and gentle reader, and that you continue to do so. Happy Friday!