March, 2025
This is a book I’ve had for a long time. I bought it because I have met the author, Tejpal, several times when I’ve been lucky enough to spend some time at the Miraval Resort in Tucson.
You know how you buy a book because you like the author, but then you think you probably don’t really need to read it, because buying it way more about supporting them?
Then, the day comes when you think, let’s just take a look.
Each brief chapter describes a way to BE – Be Cool, Be Disciplined, Be Less – but the explanations aren’t what you might expect.
Each chapter also has a journal prompt, a meditation and breathing exercise, and a suggested action, so it works well as kind of a daily or weekly devotional.
March, 2025
Those of you who are artists on Instagram, or follow artists on Instagram may be familiar with the #100 day challenge. A big part of the challenge is to make a long-ish term commitment to an artistic project of your own design and to regularly share whatever it is. That makes sense when your project is somehow tangible – the written word, the painting, the piece of music.
For whatever reason, this year I felt inspired to a different kind of creative discipline, one that I sense might unlock new creative energy if I can just stick with it, and 100 days seemed like a good start.
The problem is, my project this year doesn’t produce anything visible.
My #100day project, you see, is to commit to at least 7 hours of sleep every night.
I know that’s still only the minimum recommendation by many sources, but it would be a good improvement over the 6 or so I’ve been getting for as many years as I remember.
I really only started in earnest last week, once I completed a cross country drive and adjusted to the time zone chaos caused by that change. The secret for me seems to be shutting it down by 11 p.m. because I seem to have to grab the extra hour in the evening instead of the morning.
It’s going pretty well so far, but I guess you’ll just have to take my word for it!
February, 2025
February has been another travel month, so another month that art has to be made in the cracks of available time and with whatever materials made it into the art supply cull or ephemera from daily life.
Collage is one of the “multi”s in my multi-passionate art practice. That means I can’t settle on one type of work to make or medium to use.
Starting February 1, a series of prompts were issued on Instagram under the #februllage. It seemed appropriate since I started late and haven’t caught up to share with you the February 5 prompt piece: Chaos. Honestly, it sort of feels like an appropriate prompt for the whole month, and then some.
February, 2025
From November 2024 through January 2025, my husband and I were on a pan-European adventure, a trip you’ve heard me refer to as our 65-30-65 project
For most of the places we went, this is considered low season. Here one thing I can tell you for sure – I don’t think I’ll ever travel in the high season again.
Summer travel often is what you can do if you are in school, or the kids are in school, but sometimes it just becomes the default when it doesn’t need to be anymore.
Everything you have read about high season travel in Europe is true – crowds beyond imagination, hot weather, higher prices.
Low season has a lot to recommend it, but everything you had heard about it may or may not be true.
Here’s a few things that are true –
- The weather won’t be perfect, but it’s not perfect in Paris or Florence in the middle of summer either, and Ireland in November still beats Chicago weather. In fact, we decided that 50-65 degrees is just about right for really enjoying most activities
- The crowds will be smaller, but they won’t be small everywhere. The Louvre on a Monday morning in January still feels like the busiest train station you’ve ever seen, and that’s after you stand outside for about 20-30 minutes waiting to get in with your timed ticket.
- Prices will be lower, except for the two weeks around Christmas, and especially for vacation rentals outside hotels
- VRBO and AirBnB hosts don’t always update their rates for the low season, so send an inquiry before you book or decide someplace is too expensive
- Holiday season concerts, shows, parades, and light displays are everywhere. They are magical, and often free.
By the way, the photo is from the Powerscourt Gardens in County Wicklow, Ireland in November.
February, 2025
Sometimes I try too hard to find the meaning in random things that happen, and sometimes the meaning just reaches out to me.
That’s what happened recently when we wound up with a hummingbird in the house.
Don’t worry, the hummingbird came out of the situation just fine and is back in the yard with all of his or her friends. And I might be just a bit wiser.
