Weekly Roundup 49: Quality Control

I've just returned from a 4-day weekend in Los Angeles, a city I'd not visited before. We did some touristy things, but one of the main reasons we went was to help decorate a float for the Tournament of Roses (aka Rose Bowl) Parade. It's something my husband has always wanted to do, and it sounded quirky and fun, so I was in.

The parade isn't until January 1st, so mid-December is too early for fresh flowers. Our volunteer gig was one of the dry decorating tasks, specifically gluing crushed walnut shells to the float exterior. Kind of like paint by numbers, but way messier. (The medium brown are the walnut shells.)

At one point, our volunteer coordinator noticed that some of the work done by a previous shift was not up to her standards. It didn't look wonderful, but neither did it look awful. I thought that by the time all the flowers and water features and people were added, no one would even see it, let alone notice.

But she couldn't let it go and asked a volunteer to try scrape it off. The glue had already dried, so it was impossible to do without damaging the float. I'm not sure how it ended up, but I hope she made her peace with it.

It all got me thinking, at what point does quality control (usually helpful) become perfectionism (often unhelpful)? Is it when it slows down the creative process? Is it when good enough is never good enough? Is it when we lose sight of the big picture? All of those, and more?

I ask because I get caught in the trap of perfectionism more often than I'd like to admit, and it can be paralyzing. I tend to be pretty critical of myself in writing and in life. But the truth is that few things--maybe no things--in this world are perfect. Maybe, if we're lucky, we have moments where we come close.

As seasonal side-note, Christmas is a great time for this reminder. There is no perfect gift, perfect meal, perfect photo, despite what social media implies. Cut yourself some slack, and I'll try do the same.

See you next week!

 

Weekly Roundup 48: Life Happens

Hi there! Life happened to me this week, so instead of a post, you get a couple of seasonal pictures and a promise that I will be back next week with a better effort.

Take care!

Weekly Roundup 47: 12/12

Yes, we've reached the last month of the year, the twelfth of twelve. I do like the feeling of a dozen months that can be neatly split into halves of six. Like an egg carton. 

January is named for Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and endings, whose two faces look simultaneously at past and future. But I don't like to look back when the month of January arrives. I prefer for the New Year to feel like it's brimming with forward momentum. So I do my retrospection in December.

I have already identified some very specific disappointments courtesy of 2024, but this year I also learned some lessons about the importance of pivoting, of staying nimble and realistic in regard to expectations. I tried to embrace a new mantra (which I guess I borrowed from Frozen, despite having never seen it): Let. It. Go.

As my husband could tell you, it's a work in progress.

So am I. So are we all, really.

As we stampede toward Christmas and New Years, I will try to make space for some quiet moments to be generous with myself about how this year played out on the large and small scales. And I'll try back off on the overthinking and my ever-so-slight tendency to be controlling.

December is already shaping up to be a the speediest month of the year--kind of like the anchor leg at the end of a relay. In the words of Ferris Bueller, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." 

See you next week!

Weekly Roundup 46: Happy Thanksgiving!

A classic for #TBT tomorrow. No matter who's at your table or what you're eating, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Weekly Roundup 45: Breathe

As we close in on the busyness of the holiday season, I'd like to remind everyone to set aside time each day and breathe.

Just breathe.

If you like, try meditation breathing patterns such as 4-7-8 breathing or box breathing. Here are others to choose from. 

But all you really need to do is get quiet and attend to your natural breath. 

Go outside if possible, as being in nature has additional benefits for mental and physical health. 

Sit or stand with your feet firmly planted, so you're grounded. Close your eyes if it's safe to do so.

And breathe. 

Feel the air come in and go out. 

That's it!

Spas and massages are great, but they're also expensive and time-consuming. Mindful breathing is free, and you can do it anytime, anywhere. Along with stress reduction, you might experience increased energy, improved focus, pain reduction, better sleep, and even boosted immune system function.

And did I mention it's free?

Take care, friends. See you next week!

Weekly Roundup 44: Sigh...

Nope, not a sigh of relief.

I tend not to get political on this blog because there are other places for that. But let it be known that as I proudly voted for Kamala, I also voted against misogyny, bigotry, xenophobia, religious extremism, an American oligarchy, and the general lack of truth and decency that pervade politics and society.

You all know how that turned out.   

It was clear to me before November 6 that regardless of the issues, this election was really about anger. Men and women are angry, sometimes for different reasons, but history has shown that a man's anger trumps (I use that word intentionally) a woman's anger every time. I hope I'm wrong, but it seems that a woman's anger is taken seriously only when it is expressed in support of an angry man. (Women can be righteous, but we can't be right? Is that how it is?)

We have an uncertain road ahead. Please remember that we are strong and resilient. Please take care of your physical, mental, and emotional health. Please reach out to your community when you need a shoulder. And please, please be very selective about how much media you consume. We've all reached saturation point after this year (and the years before), and it's absolutely fine to step away from the churn.

Take good care, and I'll see you next week.

Weekly Roundup 43: Election Day

I'm writing this on the afternoon of November 5, Election Day. It's too early for any real results, so I'm trying to keep my mind occupied and my spirits up. This has been an election like no other in my lifetime, and almost everyone I know has felt the impact on their mental, emotional--and sometimes physical--health.

Frankly, there's a lot to be upset about, not the least of which is the rampant misogyny. But as Denzel Washington said, "It is impossible to be grateful and hateful at the same time." So today, I choose grateful.

Thank you to election officials and poll workers who uphold this country's standard of free and fair elections.

Thank you to everyone who took the high road and refrained from sharing disparaging, insulting, and demeaning content.

Thank you to everyone who believes that all registered voters deserve to cast their ballots in safety and without unreasonable inconvenience.

Thank you to everyone who helped their friends, family, and community members exercise their right to vote.

Thank you to everyone who fact-checked and sought out reputable, trustworthy sources of information.

Thank you to everyone who was willing to think instead of simply react.

Thank you to everyone who made me laugh, including SNL and The Daily Show.

Thank you to pets, houseplants, and autumn leaves, thank you to tea, chocolate, and long walks, thank you to my husband, friends, and family for helping me keep my sanity.

And thank you to everyone across the country who submitted artwork for new voting stickers, including the one above, designed by Julia, a 12th grader from Loveland, Colorado. (See other great examples, including the Michigan Werewolf, here.)

I don't know what the next days, weeks, and months will bring, but here's hoping we can all Keep Calm-ala and Carry On-ala.