Happy Mardi Gras! Though by the time you read this most celebrations will be over. It also seems strange to celebrate in a world plagued by war and disaster – though obviously the world needs not just peace and healing but also reminders that life can be beautiful indeed. Also, this holiday, all about excess, serves as sparkling contrast to the somber time of reflection to follow. And we obviously all need that right now, though I doubt it will do some of us any good at all.
Still… What are you giving up for Lent? I once successfully gave up all single use plastics, though I’m not sure it made a dent in the pollution in our oceans. One year I failed miserably at giving up judgment of others. What made me think a few years later that I would be able to give up judging myself? This year, I don’t want to set myself up for failure. I also want to do something that actually helps make a difference – and I know in this spirit many people pick up a habit instead of giving something up. I might want to try some kind of gratitude practice but I already fail at that pretty much every day. Also most of the people who preach gratitude annoy me very very much. I’ll sleep on it and see what I can come up with.
In other news:
My neighborhood chickens have disappeared. I think the family is moving. I’m sad. I used to talk to them every day (and by that I mean the actual chickens not the people associated with them, though the people too seemed nice). Now I’m left with a vague sense of loss and about 100 pictures of urban chickens in my phone. I bet the annoying gratitude brigade would tell me to let this be a lesson in not taking stuff for granted and all that jazz. Eye-roll! The gratitude brigade can kiss my behind. But I still wonder where my feathered friends went.
March (hopefully) marks the beginning of spring so I’m trying to be more upbeat. Can’t you tell? 😜 It’s also the anniversary month of Storms of Malhado and I’m trying to find some reviewers for the audiobook. Do you know anyone who might enjoy a review copy?
