Erica

First leather working class done...I made a pi belt...had room for around 600 digits and I got pretty good with the number punches of I do say so myself

Grid of 9 book covers. How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming by Mike Brown The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben Humanly Possible: 700 Years of Humanist Freethinking, Enquiry & Hope by Sarah Bakewell A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas The Inner Life of Animals by Peter Wohlleben How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi by Balakrishnan, Wasawski DIY: The Wonderfully Weird History & Science of Masturbation by Eric Sprankle Dark Restraint by Katee Robert Big Meg: The Story of the Largest and Most Mysterious Predator that Ever Lived by Tim & Emma Flannery

Doom scrolling short circuits my brain so I tried hard not to do it this month. Read 16 books instead, here's my favorites.

Half I listened to as audio books, 13 of the 16 were from the library via the Libby app.

#booksky

4 framed cross stitched pieces that say the words shit, damn, and fuck (twice) arranged on top of a dresser with a hand thrown pottery collection and a metal singing bowl.

Some days are for screaming into the void ... my preferred method is intricately cross stitching profanity... what's yours?

Today the kids' school had a 2 hr snow delay to keep kids/staff safe.

Reality = childcare costs mean someone has to stay home today + all vacation/sick days. I sacrificed my ability to have a ft paying job so that I can do that

When you hear 'nobody wants to work' I'm who they're talking about

Right there with you. I refuse to sink into despair and spend my hours doom scrolling and screaming into the void, but bloody hell is it hard to ignore and do what I know is actually the right thing to do right now...

Food bank volunteering: Day 1

Helped sort the 1000+ lbs of fresh produce donated by local stores- remove the too-far-gone-for-people food & organize the rest

The non-people food that was still safe for animals goes to a local pig farm

I got to help people, reduce food waste & learn cool stuff.

Started in 2023, when I read way fewer books and finished stitching way faster 😀

If you've never tried digital/ audiobooks, it's a free way try them.

These formats are more accessible for many readers with visual impairment or who might have different abilities to hold physical books. You using these services means your library gets more funding to add more titles for everyone.

I finished cross stitching all the books I read last year! On to adding fun details to my 2024 shelf.

I love reading, but I don't love supporting Amazon. I love Libby & Hoopla Apps instead.

Both free, help fund your local library, have audio + digital books. You just need a library card #booksky

Spending time in physical spaces, full of all kinds of people, makes my life better.

Getting beat (twice 😀) by my 7 year old at bowling with a senior league on one side and college kids on the other was a great way to spend a Saturday night.

Today's playlist:

Slumber Party - Ashnikko, Princess Nokia
My Type - Saweetie, Jhené Aiko, City Girls
Venom - Little Simz
Body - Megan thee Stallion
Rumors - Lizzo, Cardi B

There's great writing on how people can come into minority spaces & criticize. It's spicy, if that's not for you, walk away.

Today my resistance looks like going to the gym. Taking out rage & fear in movement let me show up in the world the way I want to. (Make sure you stretch afterwards 😀)

Bonus for me: Listening to kickass music by black, minority, queer or otherwise marginalized communities under attack right now.

This week, I've been mostly....

Listening to an audiobook on the history of how the world got better by people being decent, and volunteering at a local Makerspace (organizing the programs office after a move)

Tiny actions can equal big improvements, I'm trying hard to lean into my strengths.