🤸🏽‍♀️ how have you surprised yourself? ~friday open thread 13~

Oct 16, 2020

Good morning dearest dears. It’s Friday again.

Here’s Ursula LeGuin’s ideal daily routine. This whole schedule brings me great joy but I love how she gives herself 3 hours not only to make dinner, but also to eat it.

I too get up at 5:30am and have a brain that is useless after 8pm. Since discovering this ideal day I’ve kept it close by as a reminder of what’s possible—I dream of the day when my schedule is all the way mine.

⚖️ Real quick: we who read this newsletter are all voting, yes? Hell yes.

Today’s thread is me asking you how you’ve surprised yourself in Pandemia. I know this time has been awful for all of us, some more than others. Whether we like it or not, we’ve all been called (*cough* forced) to face our shadow (not to mention the great gaping void of a shadow at the center of American culture and politics, no biggie). So I’m wondering what you’re discovering about yourself, your life, the world. You know, little stuff like that.

Tell me: What have you learned (are learning) about yourself that’s surprised you?

Me first: mine is of the quieter, subtler variety—it has to do with what I mentioned about getting up at 5:30am. In Pandemia, I have become that person I never thought I could be: someone who wakes up early to write. This is my saving grace these days, y’all. Even if I’m not actually writing, I’m engaging with my creativity in some way in those early dark hours when my house is exquisitely quiet and the noise of reality hasn’t yet sunk it’s hooks in me. Regardless of how the rest of the day goes, getting some words on the page or someone else’s words in my brain early early and nurturing that spark inside that reminds me of what I’m here to do make the day a success.

Now tell me yours, boo boos 👇🏽

I love you. Keep going. And let me know what you're made of below ♥️

xxoodani

⛓ Links so many LINKS - got a mix of everything today. AND THEY ARE ALL HELLLLA GOOD READS. Ugh I’m swooning now re-reading everything:

⚖️ “It has been easy for some liberals to make the fight solely about defeating Donald Trump. But that absolves us of responsibility for what comes after him.” Sabrina Hersi Issa points out the limits of resistance in a must-read opinion piece

⚖️ The German Model for America: “The long and public reckoning that followed the Holocaust shows a path forward for a United States that desperately needs to confront its racist past.”

💡 Don’t Sleep the Side Project - just a lovely little essay about the joys of creative collaboration and process and oh it’s the type of conversation I could have all day every day and never tire.

🤷🏽‍♀️ Heartwarming, hilarious and honest, and kind of dark and edgy (aka my sweet spot): Why We Can’t Stop Loving the Most Terrible Pets (as I eye my butthead terrier who kept my ass up half the night)

☔️ 🔮 💜 Some of you know the depths of my Prince obsession and here is yet another article that breaks my heart: Prince Was One of the Loneliest Souls I’ve Ever Met. This is such a tender read. Hate that he’s gone.

Ok shout out to Erin Moon over at The Swipe Up for the following joy:

—>If you’re drinking your coffee or tea right now put it down because you’re about to spit it out:

Cameron @SirCamCarter

Y’all, please watch this. I’m hollering omg 😂😂😂😂😂😂

Holy hell:

ℭ𝔬𝔰𝔪𝔦𝔠 𝔊𝔦𝔯𝔩 @COOLCHICBLONDE

Thinking about this 1400 year old ginkgo tree.

I watched the first 2 minute of this and had to pause and have a cry because sometimes I forget how much magic is in the world and how fucking rad humans are and then I’m reminded and it overwhelms me. Also, butter is my whole life:

Food Insider @InsiderFood

We visited a traditional maison du beurre, or butter house, in Brittany, France 🧈

Thank you so much for being a part of this community. If you like this newsletter, please consider sending it to a friend or subscribing. And don’t forget to share your deepest soul discoveries in the comments below ;)

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