To live In the Spice Rack means that you embrace the things in life that make you happy, and add a dimension of wholeness to your life. Give up feeling guilty for enjoying pleasure in your life. Be happy. Do great work that enriches your life, and the lives around you. Know that you are worthy of being loved and cherished just as you are. Start with yourself. Living a colorful and pleasure filled life isn’t for everyone. Are you daring enough to take the leap?
June has arrived at an alarming speed. I’m looking forward to the warmer weather, flowers blooming, and Pride month. Planting vegetables. Relaxing and playing with my dog, Biscuit. Hanging out with friends. Finally seeing Toad the Wet Sprocket! I’m very excited.
What are you excited about for June?
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I found this Good Housekeeping article about things to give up for Lent and had my own idea. Instead of avoiding something, I’ll embrace myself and open up my heart. Radical acceptance and radical growth. Here’s days twenty one through forty – click the day to go to Medium.
Day 21 – Alcohol
Day 22 – Donating 3 things each day
Day 23 – Meat
Day 24 – Your phone after 8 PM
Day 25 – A half hour of sleep
Day 26 – Your favorite junk food
Day 27 – Write one letter of gratitude each day
Day 28 – Frivolous spending
Day 29 – Swearing
Day 30 – Buying Lunch
Day 31 – Mindless snacking
Day 32 – Negativity
Day 33 – Bottled Water
Day 34 – Food Delivery
Day 35 – Instagram, Snapchat, & TikTok
Day 36 – Instagram Filters
Day 37 – Makeup
Day 38 – Soda
Day 39 – Jelly Beans
Day 40 – Peeps
This one is just so darned cheerful that I think it’s my favorite piece I’ve made. I’m starting to work on different color schemes per month, maybe. I did an orange one last November. Blue is coming up for June!
I am looking forward to May. Anxiety and depression have been chasing me for the past year or so. In good 12step fashion, I decided to put all of that into the hands of my Higher Power, and find my joy. It is not fair to myself to keep doing things that aren’t working. I’m not running away, but I’m not going to my own peace slip away either. Some hard life lessons, but really important.
Spring typically means Spring Cleaning, so that process is underway as well. We recently got Greenlight fiber-optic Internet, which is so exciting. My mom and I have had the same phone number since we moved to this house in 1979. (With the exception of having to change area codes when our area needed expansion.) It is sad to let it go, but also freeing, in the spirit of Spring and fresh starts.
What are you looking forward to in May?
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“April Showers” and Easter signs were on my mind when I created this one. All about the pastels and neons. And lots of rabbits. Rabbits everywhere.
We’ve had uncharacteristically warm days in the 70s and 80s F. The magnolias have already bloomed, and now it’s back in the 40s. Seeds are starting to sprout, and the dog has Spring fever and is ready for days of napping in the sun.
What do you like best about April?
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I found this Good Housekeeping article about things to give up for Lent and had my own idea. Instead of avoiding something, I’ll embrace myself and open up my heart. Radical acceptance and radical growth. Here’s days one through twenty – click the day to go to Medium.
Day 1 – Music
Day 2 – Complaining
Day 3 – Clutter
Day 4 – Avoiding Reading
Day 5 – Online Shopping
Day 6 – Biting your nails
Day 7 – Dating apps
Day 8 – Heat styling your hair
Day 9 – Using your phone at dinner
Day 10 – Skipping your doctors’ appointments
Day 11 – Not catching up with loved ones
Day 12 – Skipping your sunscreen
Day 13 – Not offering forgiveness
Day 14 – Streaming services
Day 15 – Fast food
Day 16 – Skipping Workouts
Day 17 – Video Games
Day 18 – Bad Posture
Day 19 – Coffee
Day 20 – Gossiping
“In like a lion, out like a lamb” is the phrase I’ve always heard about for the month of March. With climate change, the lions and lambs are having a rave or something. One day it’s snowing heavily, the next day it’s 40 and everything has melted.
A friend who moved to California to avoid the snow and ice in Rochester had snow today! Absolutely bonkers. Weather is a wild card in the life game of Uno.
I feel like life is happening to me this month, rather than me being a part of life. Some months are like this. I’m working to get better organized so I’m not running out of steam, and my PTSD is less invasive. I’m being more generous with myself and others. Some days, it’s really hard to do.
What’s happening in your life?
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Love, Cori
January was a mix of things for me. Anxiety about a class I needed to repeat (and passed!), frustration with people misgendering me, concerned about subconscious racism I witnessed, my 100 days of violin, and starting off the new year. Life in motion, always growing.
I’m welcoming a month focused on Love with a capital L, and putting love into my actions. I fell off the violin bandwagon, and I’m getting back on. I am terrible at correcting people when they call me the wrong pronouns. Inside my head, I want to scream or cry. I feel unseen for who I want to be in the world. Who I think I am presenting. I can’t say it with love, so I don’t say it at all. I’m not loving myself though by being silent. Which brings me to racial microaggressions.
I found some links that explain racial microaggressions better than I can. I’m still learning, and am able to see some of these, but it’s a daily practice for me. I mess up by trying NOT to mess up. It can be complex, but is extremely important work to do. The impact can be significant.
Dear anti-racist allies: Here’s how to respond to microaggressions
Unmasking ‘racial micro aggressions’
Racial Microaggressions in Everyday Life, Implications for Clinical Practice
I have also been reading adrienne maree brown’s book, “Pleasure Activism” which explores Black Joy and why pleasure is political.
Learning how to love my human siblings teaches me how to love myself, and vice versa.
May each of you find deep abiding love for yourself this month, which extends to the universe we live in.
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Love, Cori
Happy New Year!
Wow, 2023.
It seems in so many ways that 2019 was yesterday. The pandemic has made the years between move both slowly and faster than ever. The good news: many of my annual traditions resumed. Some have adapted. It was really good to get back to things, though. And now here we are at 2023!
Do you make resolutions?
I don’t think I make resolutions exactly. I do have things I hope to accomplish this year, which is probably about the same as a resolution. I have committed to 100 days of violin, even if that means only 5 minutes. I just want to get my violin out of its case on a daily basis and exercise my violin muscles. The days where I could rest on my laurels has past, and I need to build them up!
Would you be interested in hearing a practice session or two? I think that will be in the future! Keep an eye out!
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Coriander in the Spice Rack 