We have to keep doing the work.
Prime Day!
I'm not quite sure why Amazon chose 7.16 as Prime Day, since it isn't a Prime number. But regardless, as a prime member I'm happy whatever day it is.
I don't think that 5 years ago anyone could have convinced me how much I'd come to rely on Prime in my day to day life. It's become a convenience and a habit and a life saver. I assume without children, I'd still be an avid user, but with my inability to get to a store alone, the need to bargain shop, and the apparent urgency of wants and needs, I can't imagine parenting without it. And now with the extra deals at Whole Foods as Prime members, it's getting even better.
If you are one of the few people who don't have Prime, use the link to get a free month. And if you don't yet have Prime Pantry, I'd recommend at least a trial. It was a great time saver for us, and you can always cancel if you end up not liking it.
But, Prime Day. Lots of good deals, if you are in the market for it. I put together a list of my favorite Prime-shipping lettering supplies. Stock up!
Keep Families Together
I feel so far away from the border. So unable to help. But these atrocities have really shaken me. I can’t stop thinking how the separated families at the border must feel. And not only that they are separated, but then the continuing trauma they are subjected to.
If you aren’t fully educated on the subject, I’d recommend reading this explainer by Vox. And, this post by Elizabeth Warren, detailing her visit to detention centers at the border, is a must read. It was posted to Facebook, but she is also submitting it as a letter to the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services.
All of this can make one feel helpless.
But there are ways to help from afar. Of course donating. And this post from Together Rising details volunteer opportunities.
But also the crisis isn’t as far away as the border. The children have been transferred to detention centers all over the country. Pro Publica has created a map and is asking for help gathering details.
And remember that there are ways to help in your own community, even if it isn’t directly for these families. Find your local refugee resettlement group and volunteer. Seek out a foster care organization and see what support you can give local children.
The more details come to surface about these atrocities, the more horrendous and horrifying it is. But there are small intersections and acts of resistance one can take. And keep talking about it. Keep being horrified. Don’t let this become common place or hidden in the news cycle. Keep being a human feeling for other humans.
The tide will turn
Harriett Beecher Stowe was likely talking about abolition or women's rights when she wrote this, but it feels prescient to any task requiring effort.
Darling Media
I stumbled across Darling magazine a few years ago. Looking for a more "grown up" or nuanced woman-centric magazine with a feminist lens, I subscribed. Though somewhat of a luxury, due to the expense, this quarterly is worth it's very hefty weight. One of the tenants is that no woman you see on its pages, in original content or advertising, is retouched. It seems so simple and yet it is so bold.
Recently the magazine founders launched an entire media company with the same ideals, to spread their messages beyond print. I'm excited to be a founding investor in Darling Media. And the below is part of their mission statement.
Diversity of features, models, and content are part of the overall empowerment message of the magazine.
The mission statement appears on the back of every issue, instead of advertising.
#shelfie :)
30 letters 2018
One of my favorite months! The #write_on challenge has begun for April. I love that this month ramps up my handwritten correspondence. I love assembling the supplies almost as much as dropping a thick stack of envelopes in the box.
Late and in love
I’m not sure if this counts as #mondaymotivation but I ran across this quote by Atticus and just had to write it. An aspiration for us all, perhaps.
Support, Defend, Celebrate
On this International Womens Day, we must remember those of us with the harder fight. Those who so often are our voice of reason. Remember to stand up for black women's voices; let those voices lead us. We are all sisters, and there is much we can do to hold each other up.
Together
Valentine's Day is the same week as my partner's birthday, so there is usually much fanfare. This year, however, life got in the way of much celebrating. So we are just trying to enjoy the time together.
Work place inspiration
Last fall I was approached by a designer to help detail a furniture showroom for Haworth. They were looking for handlettered inspirational signs to pair with Patricia Urquiola's "Openest" line at the launch in the DC showroom. The furniture line is designed to invite people to gather, share ideas and focus on a task (even if that task is occasionally relaxing). The signs were in multiple languages and multiple sizes. It's my highest profile and largest commission to date, even though my work was anonymous!
Work-in-progress!
Lots of mapping out which phrase looks / feels best on which size paper. And then lots of paper cutting.
Zora
Zora Neale Hurston is infinitely quotable, but on this MLK, Jr Day it is important to remember her contributions to documenting her rich racial heritage. An influencer of many authors and poets from the Harlem’s Renaissance, Zora is the OG #blackgirlmagic. And while there is chasm between her life and mine, I’m so inspired by her words and texts. This new year, this quote particularly resonates with me. Bring it on, world.
2018 - Patience
The past couple years I've chosen a focus word instead of setting resolutions. (2016: Quality, 2017: Resistance) This year, I'm opting to do the same, to help structure my next 12 months and remind me of my priorities. 2018 will be Patience.
I am not the most patient person by default. So this year will be about taking a pause when before I wouldn't have, giving the benefit of the doubt, keeping quieter, and allowing myself to take the time.
In our current times, as citizens of society, we could all do with a bit more patience for each other. Listening and having a bit more restraint before we jump to conclusions or assumptions. Taking the time to appreciate the nuances and layers of those around us, and remembering that we never know a person's full story. (Recently a co-worker's husband passed away, which came as a surprise to those of us at work. But he'd been living with cancer for some time, and she kept it a secret for her own personal reasons. Not that I was ever unkind to her, but could I have been kinder had I known?) Be kind, be patient with everyone we meet.
As a parent, my patience is continually tested. I hope to be a better example to my kiddos, and cultivate their ability to be patient as well. They deserve that.
And I hope to be more patient with myself, to give myself grace, and in moments of anger or annoyance try to identify what I'm really feeling. Ursula K Le Guin wrote it beautifully when she said, "If I'm in an angry mood and aware of it, I can ask myself, So what is it you're afraid of? That gives me a place to look at my anger from. Sometimes it helps me get to clearer air." Ideally I can get myself into some clearer air this year.
I am sure 2018 will continue to test us all as a society, and certainly myself as a parent, and an individual. Hopefully I can meet the challenges with grace and patience.