Works Every Time

It was a tough couple of days: an eye infection that just would not quit; a heart wrenching conversation with someone I love; my estranged son’s birthday; an outing I’d been looking forward to canceled; a call to return to the dermatologist’s office “just to be safe”. I noticed myself preparing to shut down, to dish out some ice cream (or pour a glass of wine), get on the couch, and start the endless tape of old stories. Remembering that movement precedes motivation, I decided instead, grumbling all the while, to take a crack at moving some energy around in my bedroom.

I’ve written about decluttering here, and my house is in good shape, but there’s always room for improvement, which is where quieting comes in. Spending less than a half hour on the top of my desk was transformational. Removing everything and dusting, tossing old papers and bookmarks, donating obsolete earphones, and relocating items that didn’t belong there left my desk functional and my mind clear. As a bonus, while doing so I rediscovered a creative project I’d abandoned and recommitted to it.

And just like that, I’d built momentum. The couch could wait. Another tool to remember for storms to come.

Ways I Found Joy This Week

Finding another bonanza in the current fiction section of the library

Stocking the new refrigerator/freezer I bought after months of deliberation, and once again having access to ice

Visiting the trunk sale of a local artist/clothing designer, treating myself to a tee-shirt and a visual feast

“Quieting” several areas of my bedroom

Hosting ladies movie night

Things I Learned This Week

That there are over forty different species of toucans

How to make pom poms from yarn (no idea what I’ll do with them, but it keeps me out of trouble)

That grief and gratitude are both forms of love

Quotes That Resonated This Week

The way we heal does not always look like healing.

Suleika Jaouad

don’t spend too long swimming in the idea that it’ll never go back to the way it was, when it’s time to accept that this is the way it’s meant to be.

Billy Chapata

What I Watched This Week

Finally got to the finales of Will Trent and High Potential (both on Hulu). Shocking, heartbreaking, and leaving me eager for the next season.

Ru Paul’s Drag Race Season 17 (Paramount). Somehow missed this season when it aired. The creativity and talent of the contestants never fails to amaze. This season seemed to have a little more catfighting than usual, which got a little old.

The Witness and The Murder of Rachel Nickell (Netflix). A dramatization and a documentary about the 1992 murder of a young Englishwoman in front of her toddler son. An unutterably sad circumstance made infuriating by the insensitivity and incompetence of most of law enforcement involved. Incredible fortitude and integrity shown by the child’s father.

Legends (Netflix). A series inspired by the undercover operations of UK customs officers in the nineties in an effort to stem the flow of heroin into the country. Fast moving and well done.

20^th Century Women (movie). A heartwarming coming-of-age comedy/drama in which a single mother enlists two young women to guide her son toward adulthood. Great cast and spot on portrait of 1979 Santa Barbara.

What I Read This Week

Between Two Kingdoms, by Suleika Jaouad. A memoir of a truly amazing individual detailing the years after her diagnosis of leukemia at 22. Her resilience and determination through almost three years of brutal treatment plagued by every setback imaginable are remarkable. Afterwards, she is faced with the question of how to live going forward. Her decision to take a one-hundred-day road trip around the US to visit people she met or corresponded with while she was ill was heroic. Highly recommend this inspirational account.

Caller Unknown, by Gillian McAllister. This thriller literally had me on the edge of my seat; I read it in one day, pulse pounding. Simone arrives in Texas from London to vacation with her daughter Lucy after summer camp. Lucy is kidnapped the first night, and the ransom demand involves Simone in a nightmarish dilemma that just won’t end. Action-filled with a great twist, and a meditation on the depth of maternal love.

American Fantasy, by Emma Straub. The American Fantasy cruise line sets sail for a four-day voyage highlighting a nineties boy band and a ship full of their now-middle-aged, adoring fans. Reluctant to go at first, Annie, newly divorced and facing an empty nest, is slowly transformed. Sharp satire, keen observation, and lots of fun.

The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions, by Christopher K. Germer. This is a re-read for me as I concentrate on mindfulness and acceptance. Highly recommended for my fellow taskmasters.

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Thanks for reading!