Just a reminder for when starting something new or putting yourself on the line.
Friend calls
Yesterday I randomly called my best friend during my lunch hour. I don't normally do that. We haven't been frequent phone-callers since high school, or really, the widespread invention of email. In fact I felt the need to preface the call with "this isn't an emergency". We hadn't chatted for awhile and I just felt the urge to touch base. I'm so glad I did. We talked for 30 minutes about life stuff and generally both felt better getting off the phone than we had when we picked it up.
My April was all about written correspondence. Maybe my June will be about conversation.
Brush pens
My husband bought me the best birthday present - a huge color selection of these beautiful Pentel brush pens. So I've been practicing, as any brush pen takes a little while to get used to the necessary pressure. And finding the right paper is key. But I'm having a fun time figuring it all out!
Birthday
Today is my 33rd birthday. I've been fortunate to have many small and large gestures of celebration, thanks to friends near and far. A younger self would have thought I'd have more of my life path figured out by now. But I'm okay with the uncertainty because I'm working with a pretty great team.
April Correspondence
Over the past month I've written 30 letters -an attempt to use hand-written correspondence to increase communication. Either I've attempted to deepen existing conversations or kickstart ones that have been neglected. It's been a success. In response, I've gotten several notes (by hand!), a small flurry of texts, and one fantastic hours-long phone call with an old friend.
It's taken time, to sit down and craft specific content to a specific person. But it has been enjoyable to really reflect on a person and their life, and interests, and current experiences before putting pen to paper.
Social media means we know more of each other's milestones and day-to-day. But that was a good jumping off point for these letters. I continued a conversation that was begun on a "wall" or as a comment. It was fulfilling to be able to congratulate, reassure, profess, admit in a very personal space.
And it was fun picking out stamps and embellishing addresses.
Thanks to write_on. I'm already looking forward to April next year.
The last stack of letters went in the box today.
A happy recipient.
In your heart
Might as well go for it.
Write On
Really excited to participate in my second year of the write_on campaign, which celebrates April as National Letter Writing Month. They encourage everyone to write 30 letters, one for each day of the month, by sending out free stationary kits. This is truly a holiday month I can support.
Abide
As winter and the mental clouds that accompany it drag on, abide with me.
Sleep
Potentially my new favorite holiday - World Sleep Day.
The benefits of sleep continue to get better and better documented even though as a society we seem to emphasize it less.
Vote hopes.
Super Tuesday.
It's a day of civic duty here in Illinois (and several other states). I always enjoy voting, contributing to the democratic process. It's something I can still do despite my lack of time and energy to canvass or campaign, which I hope to resume again when my children are old enough to walk door to door independently.
This quote is from Wisconsin Senator Herb Kohl, and I think it sums up the promise of voting day quite nicely.
Leap Day
Leap year math is infinitely interesting but hard to understand. I prefer to just think we gain a day. Ideally, we could revert to ancient Egyptians 360-day calendar with a "leap week" of partying and festivals at the end of every year.
But in honor of having an extra day to use well, I'm practicing my brush lettering. I've been participating in #calligrabasics on Instagram, and it's really pushed me out of my tool comfort zone in some ways. I still have a ways to go with many mediums!
Taking risks
I'm in the mindset to not talk myself out of things. Might as well just start something, even if I'm not fully prepared or confident. What's the worst that could happen?