I am surviving. Not quite back to thriving, but surviving. So much crazy-making distraction right now. I'm really working on budgeting my engagement time and clinging to my lifesaver of a daily routine. How about you?
Thinking About:
Kogarashi. Someone added me to a Twitter list with this name. I'd never heard the word before so I did some research. Kogarashi means "leaf wilting wind" in Japanese and refers to the cold wind that lets us know winter is coming. Yeah, not exactly a list you want to be on. I have been re-tweeting an awful lot of progressive apocalyptic viewpoints so I suppose being added to this list is warranted. I prefer to think about it as being presciently aware of what's to come.
Thankful For:
Everything I took for granted before. Talk about a smack upside the head! These initial non-Obama weeks have knocked the wind out of me. I've been trying really hard to be grateful for what we had and hope that the world's belief in the good parts of us is still there and will carry us through. Despite the general and pervasive cynicism in my core being, I am actually an optimist. (Shh! DO NOT tell anyone.) There's a tiny voice inside that always whispers: "things will get better; hang in there." Always. This usually means I have a tendency to stay too long at the party, which has cost me dearly over the years. This time, it's sustaining me. But, seriously, if you tell anyone, I'll deny it.
A husband who brings me pizza instead of chocolate on Valentine's Day. Enough said.
Watching:
Sing Street. You all HAVE to watch this movie! It's very John Hughes and it has all the good 80s music in it. Even Spandau Ballet! Basic premise is: boy meets girl. Boy wants to impress girl. Boy tells girl he's in a band. Boy then tries to figure out how to form a band. It is so good and will improve your mood by film's end.
Spy in the Wild. What is the budget for this show? The Mr. and I are mesmerized by these animatronic critters they place all over the world in animal habitats to SPY on real animals. Spy Otter is my favorite!
Riverdale. I am a sucker for teen dramas. Although a show based on the Archie comics did not seem like an interesting premise, it has pulled me right in with it's mysterious intrigue, creepy twins, and unsolved murder.
The Missing. Season 1 was good, but Season 2 is FANTASTIC! It's twisty and engaging and confusing just enough to make you wonder what the hell is going on in every episode. The full season is available on STARZ.
Creating:
New statement necklaces. I've been getting ready for Jamaica and usually end up buying a few (ok, A LOT) of new stuff for the trip each year. However, I made a commitment that I would take actions that would lead to less stuff and more money at the end of the year. I have a bunch of once-loved necklaces that I took apart to create just the right color combos for this year's outfits. Kinda proud of myself for that!
Reading:
Carve the Mark. I'm a few chapters in and am really liking the sci-fi vibe and sparkly ethereal environment in this book written by Veronica Roth of Divergent series fame.
The Daily 202 and The Optimist from The Washington Post. As part of my effort to edit my world calamity intake, I've cut out a lot of reading. These two are terrific, though. 202 is very wonky and has lots of analysis and the guts I like. The Optimist is about everything else. ALL THE GOOD STUFF, friends. Like CBS Sunday Morning, or as we call it, The Happy Show.
Alt-POTUS 45 (@IfHillaryHad) twitter feed. Written as if this was Hillary as President tweeting about her day. Funny. Always ends with what she assigned Bill to do that day. One of my favs: "DAY 26: Still no Russian spies in my goddamn WH. Told Ryan/McConnell that they're fucking jokes. Sent Bill out to pick up some succulents."
Discover by Revue. In past editions of Clamshell, I mentioned a number of newsletters that I read. Check out this source if you want to find more newsletters on all sorts of topics.
Listening:
Missing Richard Simmons podcast. Did you know he hasn't been seen in public since February 15, 2014?? The guy hosting the podcast used to be a Slimmons regular and even became friends with Richard. He's taking us on his search to find out why Richard dropped out of the public eye and stopped talking to his friends. I am SO intrigued!
Twice Removed podcast. This isn't a Skip Gates kind of ancestry inquiry. The host takes a famous person (who is in the studio) through his family tree and finds a LIVING PERSON they had no idea they were related to. That person is hiding in another booth listening in until the big reveal. SO much fun! (Also I discovered my podcast player, Overcast, has a speed up feature that doesn't make people sound like chipmunks but cuts the listening time down. LOVE IT!)
"Enjoy the Silence" by Ki:Theory from that Ghost in the Shell trailer. This is one of my favorite songs ever. Definitely takes me back to a time in my life that was raw. As if Depeche Mode wasn't emo enough, this version takes it to the extreme. And that movie? I'm in! Remakes all around.
The "Stranger in Paradise" podcast episode of Radiolab. Trust me when I tell you that this story about raccoons in Guadeloupe is worth your time.
Eating + Drinking:
Trader Joe's Smoked Extra Virgin Olive Oil. So my doctor tells me I need to lose some weight (but my cholesterol is down despite all that butter and cheese I shoved in my face this past month!) Olive oil is a big part of that effort. I've never really liked salad dressing so I often drizzle my spinach with this and then grind some sea salt on top. Makes it taste like bacon. Whatever it takes, right?
Pink House Alchemy Cardamom Syrup. True confession, I bought this for the Mr. for Christmas, but I seem to be liking it the most. There's a recipe on the bottle for a daiquiri that contains rum, this syrup, and lime juice. Hey, my doctor said women can have seven drinks a week. That's one a day!
Epic Pork Cracklings, maple bacon flavor. So we won't tell my doctor about this one but they do come in a small bag. If you need some serious comforting, grab these. They leave some of the fat on the skin before they fry it into a puffed up crunchy crispy bit of pig. It is crazy delicious!
Learning:
About foreign policy. The Crooked Media guys are literally carrying me through the wretchedness. Their newest podcast, Pod Save the World, is entirely about foreign policy and I am learning so much. Check out the first episode with Jake Sullivan, who was AT THE TABLE for the secret Iran deal talks.
Hyggeing:
Daily fires in the fireplace. Mid- to late afternoon is my time to sit down and enjoy a bit of quiet time. I've started throwing a log on the fire every day to help set the tone for that sacred time.
Snuggling on the couch by the slider door with my sheepskin and fluffy blanket staring at nothing. Coincides with the above daily fire.
Loving:
Method Body Wash in Lilac Blossom. This smells like a bottle filled with hope. Transports me to spring, which will be here soon, right?
Goodreads Deals. I just discovered this! You can sign up here to get an email with special Kindle (and other eBook options) deals. Usually for $1-$3! AND if you keep a list of books you want to read on Goodreads, they'll email you when one of those books is on sale.
Baby Foot. I've cut out regular mani/pedis since moving to the Cape and use this crazy gel in a plastic boot stuff at home. Be warned: your entire foot will peel (including the top) and usually a week or 2 AFTER you use it. So plan accordingly. Nothing worse than skin hanging off your feet at that special occasion.
Eliminating:
My toxic morning routine. Morning news + vitriolic Facebook feed + rabbit hole of Twitter links = a very angry, cranky, and completely unproductive me! I still watch GMA, but only the first hour, and then off goes the TV. I also try to cut off FB at 8:00 am and then not revisit until later in the evening (THIS IS SO HARD!). I'm replacing all of it with silence (or podcasts), writing, and getting straight to what I need to do that day. Sidebar: I just want to go on record as saying I am supportive of anyone who needs to let loose with a finely crafted political rant on Facebook. What irks me more are the people scolding anyone who posts anything remotely political. They come across as completely unaffected by -- or worse, uncaring about -- the turmoil around them. I call them the Puppies and Unicorns crowd. PU!
Where I express myself. Considering the above side bar, I've been grappling with social media frustration. Since this is a space I created for myself, independent of anyone else's expectations or rules, I'm going to use this space to share. Which means a likely more frequent posting schedule. (Also, these are getting very LONG so shorter and more frequent seems better.)
Expanding:
My eBay shop!! Again, working on my less stuff, more money focus this year. There are now over 60 items for sale, with more to come. Below is a sampling of some of the items there. Check it out and feel free to send me a "best offer" idea if you want to haggle! I'm open.
New Tag line for Juniper Disco. I recently changed the tagline on my website to "Dive in!" from "Amusements for people who would rather be poolside." I'm in more of an action mode than an escapism mode these days. Small change, but a better reflection of what people will find here.
My first pair of Birkenstock's. Even in their resurgence in the 90s and more recently a few years ago, I avoided them. But now that I have issues that require appropriate footwear, I've had to rethink this. So I bought myself a pair through eBay -- the shiniest pair I could find. I now own teal metallic ones to replace my super cool teal metallic flat sandals I can no longer wear.
Planning + Organizing:
Outfits for Jamaica. You'd think I'd have this down by now, but I don't. I'm struggling a bit this year trying to figure out what to bring. I usually go with a basic dress or linen pants/solid top and then go big with the shoes and accessories. I have swimsuits and kaftans all set, though. That took like 10 minutes. I think I'm just wanting to be comfortable this year and am a little sad about my shoes.
Resisting:
What has surprised me the most. It's not the level of corruption, hate, and insanity that comes from the White House. We saw so much of that on the campaign trail. But these two things have left me with my jaw regularly hanging on my chin: 1) The Off the Charts Incompetence. I've worked with Capital N Narcissists before (lucky me, right?) and they are usually able to be at the top because of the highly skilled, best-in-the-game people they surround themselves with -- the people who keep the trains running and clean up after them without complaining. Capital N's have a knack for finding people who will crawl on their knees through glass to please them. He seems to have the Uber Lackey part covered but not the Best in Show. This is what makes me certain that it is only a matter of time before the whole thing crumbles. Stay out of the way, friends, and be ready to swoop in and fix things. But, LORDY, what a colossal fustercluck! 2) GOP Ostriches. Despite the complete obstructionism we saw in the Obama years, I am still knocked to my knees by the la-la-la-I-can't-hear-you of the GOP in Congress -- especially around issues that impact us COLLECTIVELY as true believers in American democracy. Chaffetz. Ryan. McConnell. If not the American electorate, the Universe will take care of you. I hear those who do nothing in the face of evil are on Floor 9, Ring of Hell.
Critical Reading. @RoguePOTUSStaff on Twitter. Unconfirmed, of course, but these tweets are REALLY interesting if this is what is going on inside the WH! "The Best Thing You Can Do for Democracy in Trump's America is Read." Working on it. "Seven Presidents are Better Than One: Why the Oval Office Needs a Round Table." Intriguing. Radical. Sensible. "Peter's Choice." Another look at the Trump phenomenon. One teacher's view of one of his students. "What It's Like to Work for the National Park Service Right Now." I've long wanted to be a park ranger at the Cape Cod National Seashore. My husband says I've totally romanticized it. But now they are badass rebels! Still, those uniforms ...
Action. "52 Things You Can Do in the First 52 Weeks of the Bad Guy's Presidency." Action items! "This Website Allows You To Send Pizza to Protestors Around America." Totally up my alley. Swing Left District RESEARCH Sign Up. ATTENTION INTROVERTS: here is the perfect opportunity for you! Swing Left is focusing on turning swing districts to the Dems. They need people to do research on these districts and you can sign up here!
Until next time, my friends! Keep on keepin' on.