the coffee break, vol. 3
a favorite warm-weather lunch, the pain olympics, and a new daily practice
Happy Friday, y’all! Between the fluctuations in temperature and assaults on my sinuses, it feels very spring-like here in Central Texas. We typically have a window in which we can get outside and enjoy the weather before the impending threat of heat stroke sets in, so I’ve been taking full advantage of it and spending lots of time in the yard and garden. So much that I haven’t spent much time doing much else in my free time but to quote my favorite piano man, Bruce Hornsby, that’s just the way it is. I enjoy putting my hands in the soil, and every season is made up of different priorities.
Anywho, grab your coffee (or whatever beverage you prefer!) and let’s take a break.
Want a good, hard look at the underbelly of Texas politics? This is a great, investigative piece by Texas Monthly journalist Russell Gold that provides a lot of context for the inner-workings and outside influence on the state government by one Texas billionaire for the last two decades.
The cherry blossom (“sakura”) is probably Japan’s most well-known bloom but have you feasted your eyes on the winter plum blossom (“ume”)? They brighten up the often cloudy skies of January and February, leading the way to sakura season in March. They’re also frequently portrayed in both ancient and modern Japanese paintings and poetry.
Comparative suffering and the “Pain Olympics” are lumped up as one of the most frustrating parts of living with chronic pain. There’s always going to be someone who undermines your pain - intentionally or not - by one-upping your experience with their own. I think this can usually reflect some aspect1 or need of the other person that’s not being met but as they say, impact is often greater than intent. This article concisely outlines some best practices for navigating those conversations, whether you’re on the giving or receiving end.
I’m a longtime student (almost ten years!) of Tsh Oxenreider when it comes to unplugging and finding ways to feel connected to the hums and vibrations of your everyday life, sans screens and posts from chronically-online Thought Leaders™. Tsh’s piece from Tuesday centers an interesting and ever-relevant conversation on ways that we can establish healthy boundaries and separate ourselves from the Machine. Can you guess which item on her list of suggestions is the one I’m most passionate about (hint: I’ll be mentioning it below)?
doing
So…much…gardening. I bit the bullet and started planting last weekend, which resulted in 42 newly added perennials to our backyard beds and four potted plants (with more to come!) for our back patio. I used many of the tools mentioned in this post and aside from a bruised palm, I’m feeling pretty good!
Lots of seasonal refreshes and cleaning, including our pantry and garage
Studying and journaling about my daily tarot card spreads, which have served as a tool to think deeply and better understand the going-ons of my life
Organizing my sticker collection with a tabbed disc system (for my CoffeeMonsterzCo stickers) and these sticker files (for everything else)
reading
Still chippin’ away at Lonesome Dove and The Custom of the Country, which are multi-month group reads for the From the Front Porch and Novel Pairings book clubs
Two manga series, Skip and Loafer and Princess Jellyfish, that are such endearing, escapist reads with lovable characters
listening
Kacey Musgraves is releasing a new album this month (screams), and I’ve been lovin’ the sound and lyrics of her first two singles
Ina Garten’s jazzy and soul-filled playlist, Ina’s Dinner Party
consuming
Lavender lemonade, which has been a recent craving of mine with the change in season and weather; it’s so bright and refreshing!
Different variations of ginger beer from SoCo Ginger Beer (found at farmer’s markets in the larger metropolitan areas of Texas); I’ve been lovin’ the honey orange and pomegranate flavors, and I like to mix them with a bit of Topo Chico and ice for a spritz-y afternoon pick-me-up
Tuna salad on whole wheat bread or Saltine crackers, which I strongly associate with late spring and summer because it was a lunchtime staple of my childhood; my recipe is as follows and best served cold: one large can of Starkist tuna in water, a squirt (sorry) of your favorite mayonnaise, a squirt (again, sorry) of yellow mustard, a handful of chopped dill pickles and celery, and a whole bunch of freshly cracked black pepper
Instagram, where you can often find me laughing at memes and sharing work from my favorite artists in my stories
Check out my planner-related videos on YouTube (more coming soon!)
My shelves on Bookshop.org
Some of my favorite products, which are saved to my Amazon storefront
‘Til next time,
PS. Affiliate links are used in this post. They’re at no cost to you but if you do choose to use them, they give me a very small percentage of the cost of your purchase.
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Being neurodivergent, I try to empathize with others by sharing similar feelings or experiences but I also strive to be self-aware in those conversations so not to center myself. It’s a delicate balance but there’s certainly a way to do it so that the other person doesn’t feel undermined or ignored.