Hobbies That Keep Us Sane
On Sunday, I started my day at the Farmer’s Market, and then at home, made a batch of lentil-sausage stew. It’s a favorite recipe that feeds 8 -10, so there are now plenty of leftovers in the freezer. I put individual servings in ziplock bags marked with the date, which are easy to microwave. Except for the cleanup, the entire process makes me feel happy and nurtured.
Photo by Joseph Ford
Testament of Hope
“When our days become dreary with low-hovering clouds of despair, and when our nights become darker than a thousand midnights, let us remember that there is a creative force in this universe, working to pull down the gigantic mountains of evil, a power that is able to make a way out of no way and transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows. Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.”
How Do You Feel About Purple?
Make way for ultra-violet, the Pantone color of the year 2018
Painting by Lisa Congdon
Rainy Season
During the last 2 days in Los Angeles, we finally got soaked. At 5 AM, my neighborhood lost power, which in an all-electric building feels dramatic. No lights of course, but also no heat, no working stove (with the immediate result of no morning hot beverage), and if the outage lasts long enough, no hot water. Dawn was approaching, and with it, some natural light (despite a darkened sky) so that was good. My phone was newly charged. In other words, I had a lot to be grateful for. 5 hours later, we were back in business.
Painting by Brad Phillips
Zen of Toothbrushing
Maybe like your electric toothbrush, mine has a 2-minute cycle, with 30 seconds allotted for each quadrant of the mouth. I’m consistent at lasting for the entire 2 minutes, but I’m always walking around my apartment, not paying attention. On New Year’s Day, in the spirit of mindfulness, I decided to try another approach, to see what it would feel like to actually be still for 2 minutes and concentrate on the task at hand. It’s hard. Let’s see how long it lasts.
Illustration by Geoffroy de Crécy
Archive for January, 2018
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FIRST PERSON SINGULAR is a guide to surviving, thriving and sometimes just getting through a single day. Created by Wendy Braitman (more…)
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