finding joy 1/15

warmth in the winter

Good morning and happy Monday. It’s a holiday - for most Americans at least - so if you can, relax, have a cup of your favorite hot beverage, and get your week off to a good start. We are knee deep into winter now, languishing in the frozen tundra of January. It’s a long, cold month and I’m making sure every day to find thing to keep the winter depression monster at bay.

I find it’s getting easier to pick out the little joys from each week. My head feels clearer, my brain seems to be functioning normally, and I’m having more and more clarity about my life and direction. This all makes for being happy, something I have not been able to consistently claim in many years. So that’s my big joy for the week; feeling true happiness. But there are always little things.

I went on a purging binge this week. I kept feeling like I don’t have enough space for my belongings, but the truth of it is, I was misusing the space I do have by keeping things unnecessarily. I could have so much space if I just cleaned out my cabinets and closets. So I started in. I purged my Tupperware/to-go container closet, recycling anything without a lid as well as all the restaurant containers, and reorganizing the space. I threw out half of my spice and baking cabinet, throwing out spices that expired in the Obama administration. I raided my snack closet and discarded anything I haven’t touched in months (I go through phases with snacks. Went on a trail mix binge and now I can’t even look at the stuff). I took so many items out of my hall closet than can go to Big Brothers. I don’t know why I was saving stuff I will never use, but it certainly feels good to let it all go. There’s something very satisfying about all this; I feel great for having moved on something on my to-do list, and I am now the owner of plenty of storage space. If you knew how much I struggle with getting motivated and being on top of things, you’d know what a triumph this is.

this is what i’m left with in my backup spice/baking cabinet

My cats Pixie and Reilly have discovered the wonderful world of YouTube. I have been playing videos of squirrels and birds on my iPad for them and they absolutely love it. Reilly will paw at the screen and try to get at the birds, but Pixie will just sit in front of the iPad watching the wildlife for over an hour. It’s pure joy to watch them “interact” with nature and how much they enjoy it.

My tenant/friend was very sick this week, down bad with a sinus infection. I was thinking about how everyone including her took care of me when I was sick, bringing me food, sending me flowers, checking in on me. So I made a pot of chicken soup with rice and brought it to her. It felt really good to take care of someone else for a change, to not be the one in need. And I got to reciprocate the way she took care of me. I miss having someone to take care of and nurture (my kids only need me so much as adults). Plus, I got to make my favorite winter treat.

I got quite a few records/cds in the mail this week. Rocket From the Crypt, Josaleigh Pollett, Hum, and Ben Kweller.

Ben Kweller has been around for a long time but I just discovered him recently, and his 2002 album Sha Sha is just simply wonderful. I love his voice, I find it very comforting and cozy. His music makes me feel both warm and happy. I love finding new music to get into, even if it’s not new (he does have a new single out). But this song just fills me with joy.

I had a great week. There’s lots of ways to find joy and I feel like I’ve been doing a really good of it lately. Once again, I thank retirement for this. I feel like a different person. A happy one.

Have a great week. Stay warm.

P.S. I am still working on changing over to Buttondown. If there is any reader of this newsletter who is more technologically savvy than I and would like to migrate my site for me, I am feeling like this is over my head and would gladly pay someone to do it. If this is you, please hit me up in email or on twitter DM. Thank you.