January has finally ended
And some inspiration for the months ahead
Dear reader,
January was long. It always seems long, but this year especially so. I’m not going to use this space to elaborate on why it felt long, but I suspect you share my feelings on the subject.
In our little corner of the world, we had 5 inches of snow (in Houston, that’s something), I ran a half marathon for the first time, I joined a community advocacy group to lobby for public education at the state capitol and sprinkled among all of that were the endless kids’ sports practices to attend and coach. And of course, dinners to make.
I’ve done my best to limit my news consumption to 20 minutes a day and, according to my phone, am spending less time on social media than months’ previous. When I instinctively reach for my phone, instead of opening Instagram, I try to open the NYT cooking app or the Real Real website (my latest obsession).
I am walking a fine line between staying up to date on current affairs and protecting my ability to function/parent/run a business. Achieving that balance feels exhausting at times, but surely must be better than the alternative?
Here are some things that are helping to keep me grounded in this season of life, and history.
Advocacy work
I was in Austin this past week for a lobby day at the capitol to advocate for strong a public education system and specifically, to oppose the school voucher scheme that our governor is trying with all his might to pass through the state legislature.
This was my first time doing anything remotely like this. I have participated in protests and spoken at school board meetings, but hoofing it around the capitol with talking points and a long list of appointments with Chiefs of Staff was something entirely new.
And you know what? It was wonderful. Will it make a huge difference in this particular issue in this particular moment in time? Probably not, but I feel so much better for having gotten out there and doing something about my anger and discontent.
We have more agency than we think in local government. Honestly, it was pretty easy to organize and execute, shockingly so. How did I not know this was something I could do so easily?
I plan on going back in February for a Mom’s Demand Action event; I find myself really excited to sit down with lawmakers I don’t agree with and get into it.
Cleaning out the closets
The snow is gone in Houston and it is starting to feel a bit “spring like” down here. I know this is not the case across the country… but I’m using the spring-like weather to inspire closet clean outs and general de-cluttering.
Our children are growing so fast (thankfully), I can hardly keep up with their clothing and shoe sizes. Once every few months I take all their clothes out of the drawers and go through item by item to decide what gets to stay in rotation.
It sounds exhausting but it’s incredibly cathartic. New things are discovered (though they’d been lurking beneath piles of t-shirts all along) and old things are discarded to go to a new home.
I recently did a huge closet clean out for myself and WOW. Now I finally understand what clothing I have, what fits, what doesn’t, what goes with what and where the gaps are [there are many, but more on that in a separate post].
Again, all of this sounds so obvious and boring, but it bordered on transformational for me. Give it a try if you need a mini-boost, but start with something small.
New recipes!
As mentioned, instead of scrolling Instagram, I’m trying to focus on new recipes and content that will add value to my existence.
We recently started a membership with Butcher Box, which means an amazing amount of organic meat is delivered to our door monthly. I’ve been so impressed with the quality of their meat vs. our local grocery store’s. And given the array of cuts and types of meat available, it’s challenged my staid rotation of meals.
It’s also challenged me to think differently about boring old chicken breasts, to the beat of this recipe:
My family’s love for tomato soup hit an all time high this past month. Instead of paying $9 for a pint at Whole Foods, I’ve taken to making my own.
Guess what? It’s super easy. Check out this recipe if you’re so inclined; your wallet will thank you. Paired with buttered sourdough bread, it’s a lunch time delight.
That’s it for this week.
Wishing you all strength and grace in finding your “balance” these days.