The Weekend Send-Off

June 6th, 2013 - filed under: Furthermore » Feedback

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*cough* Hello! *sneeze*

Oh dear my dears, I’m coming to you from the land of the sick and the home of the wrecked, where wee Waits and I are both laid out with a killer cold. Dang it! I got sick in Portland and thought I’d had my share of illness for the season, but apparently that just left my immune system weakened and susceptible to the bug that swept through preschool this week. Ah, life with little people!

So this is going to be a pretty stripped-down send-off. My brain is foggy and fuzzy and other alliterative adjectives (see what I did there?) and oh hey, can you tell I’m a bit delirious?

~~~

I’m going to post this Amanda Palmer talk again, because I suspect that you didn’t watch it, and I really think you should. I’ve been watching it over and over this week, as well as listening to this Macklemore song, and something is happening in the back of my brain. Some thread of understanding, something, something . . . connecting the dots. I’m wrapping my head around living a creative life, I’m thinking about making art (in my case, writing) in this modern world. I’m thinking about how you can possibly make a living doing what you love. I’m thinking about community and the power of the Internet. I’m thinking thinking thinking . . . connecting the dots.

Please watch this.



~~~

And now for the good stuff, it’s time for Le Love List!

I’d love if you joined in our little Friday ritual, where we take a moment to look around at all the awesome things in our life that we might otherwise take for granted or gloss right over. Pensa Positivo!

a lazy morning at the Venice Beach farmer’s market on the most perfect sunny breezy beachy SoCal day .|. dinner with new friends at Cafe Gratitude .|. grilling a whole mess of farmar veggies, but especially this portobello which was marinated in Montenegro Amaro, coconut water, Braggs, and Kentucky BBQ sauce, oh. em. gee. .|. working on superfun summer projects for the blog .|. daydreaming and scheming and imagining a better way; imagining dreams coming true; daring to hope .|. when a phone call can change your whole outlook .|. when my car battery died and my dear friend and neighbor had to help me push it out of my driveway so we could jump it and we were huffing and puffing and I had a full-on giggle attack and couldn’t stop laughing while trying to push with all my might .|. finding that friendship again .|. MUSIC. all the time. no more talk radio, no more podcasts. MUSIC. .|. dancing. sometimes alone, sometimes not alone .|. dreaming of Italy, some day some day some day .|. being alone, belonging to me .|. when Waits is sick he gets oh-so-sweet-and-snuggly, and I LOVE it .|. going on a cleaning binge . . . FINALLY (oh the shame) .|. being exactly where I am right now, in this very moment. Present.

~~~

Alright guys, now it’s your turn – let me know what you’re loving this week!


This happy little post will stay at the top of the page all weekend, so stop by any time to leave your Love List, ask a question, or offer some feedback! Or if you’re new, feel free to just introduce yourself and say ‘Oi!’! This is your community, so get involved!


I hope you all have a spectacular and sick-free weekend! Get out there and do something wild!

  • veggiesara

    Aww, I hope you feel better soon!

    This week was a good one, our house is finally getting shape (renovation!) and it is really exciting! Also, the weather is getting hot – maybe a little too hot for me, since I’m a pale ginger, but it’s better then rain!

    And I’m getting ready for my first vegan brunch. I’m a volunteer for our local EVA group (EVA = Ethical Vegetarian Alternative – the only vegetarian society in Belgium) and I’m baking lots of croissants, pain au chocolate, cakes and cinnamon buns. I really hope it will turn out nice :-). I’m excited and dying at the same time.

  • http://coconutandberries.com/ coconutandberries

    Just listened to the Amanda Palmer talk- everyone needs to listen to it! So true and inspiring :D
    This has been a good week, 1st week free after finishing my finals!! Loving freedom, sunshine, punting, picnics, rekindling and cementing friendships, English strawberries, planking and feeling STRONG!, having time to spend in my kitchen again- Life feels good!
    Get better sooooon.

  • Lynn

    Feel Better Soon!
    Love List!
    -Moved last weekend, new place is still in choas, but we got everything out of our old apartment and scrubbed it spotless, and we got our entire security deposit back! Yay!
    -We have moved into the upstairs flat at my grandparent’s house to give them a hand, and since we’ve moved in, my husband has totally taken to having a house to take care of like a duck to water :) In the week we’ve lived there, he fixed the garage door, mowed the lawn, hosed down the outside of the house and cleaned out the screened-in porch and he is happy as a clam! Seeing him this happy make me very, very, happy :)
    -The first few strawberried starting to show up at the Farmer’s Market! YES!!!

  • Meg

    Fantastic speech from Amanda Palmer…. beautiful. This weekend I’m loving some free concerts at our local park in Memphis, laying around with and loving my lovely furry ladies, and actually completing a few projects that I’ve started. Summertime is grand. Feel better and thank you for always sharing your own amazing connections!

  • http://www.thevegancookiefairy.com/ The Vegan Cookie Fairy

    I did watch it, actually, and shared it with my uni friends, because we’re all creative folk and very much benefit from these sort of talks and inspiration! Thank you for sharing in the first place.

    So, my love list. I’ve been in a funk since graduating and find it hard to wrap my mind around the fact that my life is going through some pretty huge (and traumatising) changes, but there is still plenty to be thankful for. Like the OST from “How To Train Your Dragon” (Viking music FTW!); the sun is finally shining in the UK, so I can wear shorts and dresses; I took up a membership at my local gym and have found a GREAT yoga teacher there, I really connect with her style of yoga; I have been writing my novel AND FREAKIN’ LOVING IT; my boyfriend is a big ol’ sweetheart and i love him; my sister is due to give birth on the day of my one-year anniversary with my boyfriend, which is just amazing, and I can’t wait for the little guy to be born (I have three nieces, this will be my first nephew!); swimming; watching Hart of Dixie season 2 and lovin’ that good ol’ southern drawl; reading Eckhart Tolle’s “The Power of Now”; I had vegan chocolate mousse today. Nuff said.

    So yeah… I’m very emotional lately, but there’s a lot of little happy things in my life as well. Trying to stay positive and see the good where it’s happening instead of dwelling on negative feelings, because I hate brooding and being moody. :)

  • http://windycityvegan.wordpress.com/ Monika {windycityvegan}

    Hope you and Waits feel better soon!

    Today is Nina’s last day of kindergarten, which is all kinds of exciting! I see a chocolate layer cake happening this weekend, maybe with a layer of toasted Dandies. And there will be s’mores sundaes, or shakes – I haven’t decided yet. Other things I’m loving: my new 6″ springform pan, so I can make a layer cake without having to make two full-sized cakes .|. the feather pattern on two of our hens, Vastra and Jenny, makes them look reptilian .|. watching my goblin cat herd our flock (it’s really cute) .|. my exploding garden! .|. garlic scapes

  • Lauren

    -This weekend I’m looking forward to spending time with friends and finally taking a trip to see my friend’s new house! Excited for the 3-hour trip out there as well. Canada is so beautiful :)
    -Also loving all the fresh and delicious (rasp/black/straw)berries that are finally more in season and bursting with berry-goodness.
    -Thankful as always for the health and happiness of my family, friends, and myself.
    -Last but not least, Stromae. Incredibly talented musician. Can’t stop listening to 2 of his most recent songs “Papaoutai” and “Formidable.”

  • Vegan Richa

    hope you guys feel better soon.

    This weekend I am hoping to enjoy some time planning for setting up our new home instead of stressing over things to be done, picking up some goodies from the new vegan bakery in town,and looking forward to booking tickets for my parents to visit us from India,

  • Crystal Dicus

    Feel better soon, Sayward & Waits. Another good talk by Palmer; thanks for the second share ; )

    Love list:
    + huge turnout for my city’s first veg fest, at which…
    + my friend sold completely out of over 500 baked goods
    + meeting up at my favorite coffee house
    + wall color for our stairwell & hallway inspired by said coffee house
    + synchronicities in the strangest places (including the Palmer talk above)
    + chilly spring weather perfect for jeans, hoodies, hot drinks, and soup
    + my cat sleeping on my lap right now
    + vegan dinner parties with friends
    + cafe americano with soy milk
    + smoky, chocolatey, delicious roasted kukicha

  • Jessica Minguez

    Ack! I think my Love List was eaten by Disqus. I’ll try again:

    <3 Finally, some gorgeous hot weather here in the Anchorage area! Beautiful sun, hello!
    <3 Going to see the Wailin' Jennys tonight with the husband. Excited for a great show!
    <3 My big trips are finally in sight: headed down to Thousand Oaks and Santa Paula in a couple of weeks, and then on to Spain for six gorgeous weeks!
    <3 A big produce shipment headed my way that arrives next week; 25 pounds of peaches and a ton of berries. Going to can, freeze, and eat the f*** out of them!

    Have a great weekend! Lots of love and vitamin C sparkles to you and the kiddo!

  • Rachel

    -Graduating today from University!!! wearing the gown just felt so good.
    -Feeling the goodness of good friends when family is getting you down
    -The prospect of treating myself to some donuts
    -Waving at the old man who lives on my corner-his smile never ceases to brighten my day
    -My growing garden – all my seeds are up!!

  • Sarah C.

    I hope you both feel better soon! Sick-baby snuggles really are the best.

    I don’t usually share a love list, but I’m feeling it this week:

    - getting back into running after a loooong break – starting from the very start again, but at least I’m out there
    - my folks surviving a tornado that swept through their neighborhood

    - watching tennis on the tv (and my man Rafa Nadal winning!)
    - getting closer to new friends
    - rainbow kabobs on the grill
    - starting to get a lead on what might be causing my health problems

    Have a good weekend and I hope you both feel well enough to enjoy it!

  • vegyogini

    Discovering Bonzai Aphrodite and making my way through the posts, hoping that I’ll finally get to the first one // Getting a pedicure with my mom after an overwhelming day at work where I felt unsupported // A new vegan cafe and gelateria created by 2 friends that’s opening a couple blocks down the street from my office // Voice lessons and vocal warm-ups // Practicing guitar and teaching myself slowly how to finger-pick // Music, period // Hearing my 10-month-old niece giggle // Cafe Gratitude and my amazing Cafe Gratitude community of dear friends // Writing // Spontaneous vacuuming at 11:15 pm // Crossing items off my to-do list // Warm, jasmine-scented evenings in LA // Loving in a huge way because that’s how my heart works even when the person I love so much currently has his heart closed to me and knowing that he just might open his heart to me again.

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Thanks, feeling better already! And good luck with the brunch, that’s so exciting!

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    SO glad you listened! Isn’t it amazing?

    Glad you had a great week!

  • rebelgrrrlraechel

    Thank you for re-posting the video! You were right, I skipped over it last time, but your second posting did the trick. A lot of what she said really resonated with me. I fancied myself a creative writer before academia stole my sole, and now I spend the majority of my time “academic writing.” Her video re-inspired me to find space for creative stuff. That’s one reason I started my food blog, but I feel like I need something more. And her thoughts about connecting and the internet and critics (and and and) were profound….so much good stuff in there.

    I’m recovering from a sinus infection (and dealing with some heavy relationship stuff), so finding the love was harder this week than usual, BUT, not entirely lost.

    1. I’m feeling all the feelings reading “Tiny Beautiful Things” by Cheryl Strayed. Have you read it? I think you would feel all the feelings too!

    2. strawberries!

    3. phone calls with friends who understand

    4. feeling myself moving forward, clawing through the forest of fear, knowing i can make it out the other end.

    Feel better wishes being sent to you and Waits!

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Great love list – yay!

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Thanks Meg, and yes, summeritme is the grandest! =D

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    I’m sorry you’re in a funk, but it sounds like there’s a lot of good there too. Sometimes being extra emotional can be good – especially for the writing! ;-)

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Aww, congrats Nina! And wow, sounds like a delicious weekend!

  • Taylor

    Hey! Get well!
    This week I’m feeling better- think it was just ’cause I was stuck at my parents’ house and not doing what I do. I am really loving:
    daily bike rides to and from work, Green Goddess juice, collard greens, the fact that my boyfriend will be visiting me in 1.5 weeks!!!, lazy summer afternoons, reading, long island iced teas w/ friends (at happy hour price!), aaaannd being thrifty.
    Thanks for posting about your time at VVC. Loved the posts!!

  • lysette

    I listened to the Palmer video last week while stretching. I’ll re-watch it for sure. A few months back she did an interview with her band on Q with Jian Ghomeshi. You can watch it on youtube, her energy in the radio studio is electric.

    xo~love~ox
    ~Drive-by wavings.
    ~My boss taking us on a lunch break outing with his 2 stroke boat.
    ~Listening to Pixies Bossanova on my morning commute.
    ~New issue of BC Bookworld.
    ~Little moments of curiosity and understanding from my carpentry co workers about vegan-ism.
    ~Meeting another tradeswoman and feeling all clan-ish.
    ~Monarch butterflies feasting on tree blossoms above our heads.
    ~A little wooden wolf my sister gifted me from Europe.
    ~Running into friends relaxing on the beach and planning cookouts.

    This has been a good week indeed!

  • B M

    So, I clicked on the video to kind of scan through it this morning before school, but was completely engulfed and entranced (and late to class- but totally worth it). Amazing speech, she is such a unique and genuine individual. Thank you for sharing :)
    p.s. you have probably heard this a million times, but you and Amanda could be doppleganger’s (both in physical appearance and spoken word).

  • Amelia

    Just this morning I was thinking about how I never watched the Amanda Palmer video you posted, and when I came back to find where you posted it you were reminding us to watch it if we hadn’t already. Pretty freakin’ cool. So, I did, and I am so glad because it was amazing! Love list…
    - Knowing I only have 8 more days of work before having 6 weeks of summer vacation (guidance counselor)!
    - Looking forward to going to Asheville, NC tomorrow for some awesome vegan food!
    - Excited about going to my friend’s birthday party tonight where the theme is Field Day and we are all pretending it is 1984 again (yes, we’re in our 30s). Lots of silly events are planned like hula hooping, egg racing, tug of war, etc.

    - Reminding myself to stay present, that things only have the meaning you allow them to have, and that I will be okay no matter what happens.
    Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and feel better!

  • skeptk_vegan

    My [delayed] Love List

    *Seizing the opportunity to apply for MSVA and being accepted! Yeahhh!
    *Sunshine in Alaska… it’s kind of blowing my mind.
    *Despite working every day, early mornings, for almost 50 days straight. I only have 40 more to go until I am DONE with this job, and 10 days later, move to Colorado.
    *Always, my boyfriend.
    *My Mom’s collection of rescued calico cats.
    *The dream I had last night, incredible.
    *Never getting sick!