Good, True, Beautiful: Week 3

To Read: Articles

A Life to Embrace — “New Year, Old Musings: A Story About Ethical Fashion” by Taylor Glover, a pal from college I’ve enjoyed staying connected to in the years after college. This is a lovely look into her heart and thought process behind the subject.

Relevant — “Why Learning to Breathe May Be the Best Way to Pray” by Katie Jo Ramsey, a therapist and writer I’ve admired from afar on the interwebs. The connections between our physical bodies, emotions, spirit, soul, and mind is so fascinating and I’ve found trauma to be a particularly fascinating (and needed) topic of study. This isn’t about trauma per se, but is a tangental, simple way we can recognize our bodies’ roles in our interconnected selves, in all their goodness and finiteness and dependency.

*Vox — “Roma’s Yalitza Aparicio had never acted before. Now she’s in one of the year’s buzziest films.” by Alissa Wilkinson. I was in awe after viewing this film in the dark of our home on a makeshift computer/monitor setup. It’s captivating and it’s amazing that Alissa got to interview the lead for this interview.

*Snakes and Ladders — “The Circulation of Roma” by Alan Jacobs. Again, some excellent musings.

BuzzFeed — “How Millennials Became The Burnout Generation” by Anne Helen Petersen. This one was circulating quite a bit this week. I avoided it, then took TWO DAYS on and off to finish this mammoth of an article, analog style. There are some nuanced gems in here worth considering and mulling over, for the sake of your own and others’ flourishing.

(I appreciated what Kendall Vanderslice had to say about it: “My first question when reading it was how the idolization of individuality fits into this conversation as well. We simply cannot do everything on our own—and I would argue we are not meant ever to do everything on our own.”)

To Read: Books

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom. This one I listened to this one on audio. I recently purchases Glory Over Everything at Half Price Books and wanted to dip my toes in the water of her writing. She’s a great storyteller.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Jakob told me he finished this one a few years ago, way into the wee hours of the morning. My thoughts halfway thorough included the fact that it seemed like the post-apocalyptic novel Marilynne Robinson would write, if she did. Slow, methodical, oddly soothing at times, compelling, and full of silent, tense, emotion.

Begotten or Made? by Oliver O’Donovan. Our little family has had a healthy interest in, and good conversation about, the ethics surrounding the realm of fertility and child bearing in our hyper-technological age. I think we ought to think slowly and wisely. This book is ahead of its time, and the author forces me to evaluate my own underdeveloped thoughts about different aspects of this topic.

To Watch

Sunsets. We need to discuss the pleasures of enjoying an explosive sunset to the tune of Young Thug.

*Roma. This one is a masterpiece.

Lars and the Real Girl. What’s hilarious is watching Ryan Gosling play a smooth-talking, handsome ladies man in last week’s Crazy, Stupid, Love….. and watching painstakingly as he create socially uncomfortable situations in this one. On a different note, mental health is not a joke.

To Listen

I Don’t Want This Job by Zach Winters. This guy’s music has followed me through many years, cities, and life situations. He’s come out with two singles recently and I think you’ll enjoy his latest. I DO. And I will always find his music worth championing.

Tomb by Angelo De Augustine. From his artist web page: “A quiet heartache threads through Angelo De Augustine’s latest album, Tomb. It’s a universal feeling, the kind that piles up over the years and yearns for resolution. Across this collection of songs, Angelo grapples with the past while searching for the best way to soothe an anguished heart. The album’s title reveals these sentiments: “Throughout our lives we bury many dead things in our hearts and minds,” Angelo says. “There they go to rest and hopefully are reborn as something beautiful for the world to behold.”

Ella Mai by Ella Mai. This has been a go-to work album. In the vein of Beyonce, she will make a lady feel strong and fabulous, simultaneously.

Been a While by 6lack. The past month has had me on a heavy rotation of 6lack’s past albums. (Although I refused to ashamed at how many plays they’ve received). This is his newest song, release with a different version of the previously released song Unfair.

Blonde by Frank Ocean. This minimal, moody 2016 treasure is back in the Billboard Top 200 this week, SO HOW WE ALL DOING?? Soon enough it’ll be summertime Frank. Until then, soak up wintertime Frank. Stay tender, y’all. — And enjoy these summer photos  from us, the (still) obnoxiously-in-love newlyweds.

To Make

Winter Soup. A delicious and fail proof soup for this mostly-vegetarian lady is a simple carrot / onion / chicken stock / chickpea pasta soup with various spices (jalepeno powder, garlic, turmeric, celery seed, etc.) It’s nourishing and so easy. And therapeutic to make.

Snail Mail Letters & Cards. We finally sent out Christmas / New Year letters complete with “limited edition family photos”. We are satisfied with our decision to include something of value and not just about ourselves: a 2018 reading recommendation list. People love physical mail, and I’m trying to incorporate more of it on a regular basis when considering the people in my life.

To Cultivate

Friendship. My good pal from college / former Texas roommate / bridesmaid in my wedding / current Vancouver resident was in Kansas City last weekend, so I made the drive to see her and spend a few hours of quality time over coffee and Pho. Nothing beats it.

Audiobooks while grocery shopping. Living in NYC got me used to headphones in almost constantly, due to the nature of life and transit and waiting and walking times, so this was a no-brainer back then. But I’m bringing it back for errands and housework and…… grocery shopping. Grocery Stores are already a joy. Talk about an Extreme Happy Place.

Blooms. Tulips were $3 at the grocery store, so of course I snagged some yellow ones.

Tech-Wise Family Challenge. While our little family isn’t doing this per se, I want to share the resource. Andy Crouch’s writing and speaking is always a wealth of wisdom, so even if you simply pick up the book and print out the calendar of ideas to try (as I did, for future reference, this link will be worth it.

No Electricity. Speaking of technology, this weekend’s blizzardy weather turned into 8 hours without power on a Saturday. That will humble a person. But it was also a good time for us to make progress on books we are enjoying, cuddle, not be productive in the conventional sense…….and eat peanut butter jelly sandwiches in the lighted bedroom, and chips and salsa in the dark of the kitchen….. with candles, together. The flashlights Jakob retrieved were thankfully (barely) not needed. The folks working all afternoon on the power situation deserve some cookies.

Rest and Recovery. Enjoy it, and don’t forget to Sabbath up.