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Friday Links That Are Sad
Today’s the fourth anniversary of Mom’s death. I don’t have much to say today; the longer it is, the more grief and memory are just a daily thing versus a “before this date, everything was okay” comparison. I wish she was still here. I wish I could show her my quilts and my cakes. I’m glad she’s not sick anymore.
1. This onion definitely made me cry:
2. That’s okay, though, because this kid knows what to say to someone who’s crying:
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3. This was my dad’s theme song for the first few months after mom’s death. It’s just what you have to do: keep on keepin’ on.
PS–First Aid Kit is coming to town in May! Maybe Dad and I should go.
Making Spirits Bright
I decided I’d do little fun things every week or so this month, to counteract the winter blues and that final slog of “always winter and never Christmas.” I’m trying very hard to keep the “fun” from just turning into buying stuff online; I’m aiming for experiences or trying new things (even just working in a new place for a morning counts).
So far I’ve gone to a flower arranging class and played with more marzipan–not too bad for nine days into the month.
New Year, New Snow
We had planned to ice skate with our nephew Sunday but the outdoor ice rink was closed because “they couldn’t keep all the snow off the ice” (it’s their first season; you’d think you’d anticipate this issue?). Anyway, we made our own fun at home, building a snowball fight wall and playing Legos and Nintendo.
And today is a bonus day off! This almost feels like funemployment again.
How Is The New Job?
It’s only been a couple days but so far, it’s great–organized, friendly, kind of pointing out how dysfunctional the last job was in every respect.
Also, this is a Slack channel at the company with 40! members!
And my first project is a series of harm reduction spots to help people not die from fentanyl overdoses–meaningful work! It’s early to call it but this move is looking really great.
One More Month
There’s just one more month to go until the Winter Solstice and then the days start getting longer again. We can do it. (Right?)
(Picture from Red Butte Garden yesterday–there’s a Sunday morning yoga class there we tried out!)
Time Change Vibes
Autumn Vibes
Productivity With The Seasons
Via an Austin Kleon newsletter, here is writer Matt Thomas talking about throwing away the idea of a daily routine for a seasonal one, and mapping out a year of habits and goals rather than just focusing on the day-to-day.
Fall is a time to write for me as well, but it also means welcoming—rather than fighting against—the shorter days, the football games, the decorative gourds…Come summer, I’ll feel less stress about stopping work early to go to a barbecue or movie because I know, come autumn, I’ll be hunkering down. More and more, I try to live in harmony with the seasons, not the clock. The result has been I’m able to prioritize better.
Freelance Life!
This is why I quit my job: So that when friends are in town and we talk the day before about going to the hot springs on a Tuesday afternoon, I can…just go to the hot springs on a Tuesday!
I introduced a couple more people to Maple Grove and truly, fall is the best time for it–golden light, fall colors, the river not-too-cold, the hot springs not-too-hot.
Maybe every Tuesday afternoon should be an adventure day in my new freelance life!