Pictures Of Things + Le Love List :: 4/52

January 29th, 2017 - filed under: Furthermore » Feedback

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♥ Stormy seas on my birthday. ♥

Hello dears! What a week, what a week. Will I say that every week? Maybe. It’s hard to stay calm with all that’s happening in the world these days, but I’m trying my best to do my best. I hope you are too.

This week was full of birthday love, so there’s that — and I still haven’t even had my big birthday party! That will come this evening (Sunday), and thus will complete the Birthday Adventures of Sayward, 2017.


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On another note, I have a little announcement on behalf of a friend of mine. Have you heard of T.O.F.U. Magazine? It’s an independent, intersectional, vegan magazine run entirely by my friend Ryan, and it’s really as amazing as it sounds. I think it’s just exactly what the world needs more of right now — independent media that focuses on the intersection of health, environmental, and social justice issues.

Up until now, T.O.F.U. had been publishing new content digitally through a pay-what-you-can platform. And they’ll still be doing that, because Ryan is a righteous dude and he’s not going to deny anyone access to this important work. BUT, now he’s *also* offering ongoing subscriptions through Patreon. Pricing starts at just $1. I really urge (beg?) you to consider supporting this amazing magazine, which provides such a unique and critical voice in today’s vegan movement (that is, the voice of intersectionality).

The upcoming issue of T.O.F.U. focuses on the topic of veganism and physical health: Going beyond the facade that veganism is the path to perfection, the issue hopes to provide a space for people to talk about their battles with declining health, chronic illness, and disease while maintaining (or questioning the end of) a vegan diet. Ideally, this will then lead to dialogue regarding our relationships with food, and mental health (including disordered eating), in future issues.

And hey, it includes an in-depth interview with yours truly! But even if I wasn’t featured, I would still fully be backing this project. Like I said, I really believe that this sort of media is exactly what the world needs right now. So please, click those linkies ^^^

Okay, now enough of that. Here’s what my week looked like:


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View of the shore, from the end of the pier. My birthday.


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Carrot cupcake and an almond latte with my boys, also on mah birfday.


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This week we planted a very special garden.


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Waits’s garden!


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When you run a small business with your partner, your lunch dates become work meetings. Or your working lunches become dates? Either way, we went out to lunch.


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Salad bar love forever.


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January 28th was the anniversary of the 1969 oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, which completely devastated our oceans (and eventually led directly to the establishment of the very first Earth Day, later that year). And this January 28th, a small group of activists gathered around our local congressperson Salud Carbajal (a Mexican-American, he immigrated here from Mexico as a child, and is truly an example of the American Dream personified) as he announced his very first bill as our new congressman: the California Clean Coast Act, which seeks to eliminate ALL future oil drilling off the California coast. It was such a precious glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak political week.


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Worth protecting, no? I love my home (and I love our progressive politicians!)


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Another homegrown cauliflower that’s bigger than my head.


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“Mom, this is my MAD FACE!”


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A beautiful, bountiful vegan feast my godmother made for my birthday dinner.


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And some after dinner digestion work, from my godbrother.


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These two treasures arrived in the mail this week. True treasures.

My mom died when I was 9, and due to a series of unfortunate events, I have very, very few things that belonged to her. Earlier this month, I got a Facebook message from an old friend — a guy I knew way back when we were just kids, both living in the UC Berkeley student family housing while our parents were in graduate school. My mom was good friends with his mom, and apparently, my mom gave his mom these mugs that she made. I actually remember the pottery class my mom and I took at the rec center, and I remember these mugs! My mom made these mugs in 1988 (signed and dated on the bottom). And this week, my old friend shipped them to me.

Treasures.

~~~

And now, it’s time for the one, the only, Le Love List!

Waking up to the sound of rain. // My cat in my lap so happy and content he drools all over himself. // Homegrown beets. // Rose quartz. // Ginger tea. // My step-brother and his wife visiting Santa Barbara, and cranking up the music and dancing dancing dancing while Jeremy and I shut down the wine bar. // Having them stay at our house, and having a super late night pajama party with all four of us piled onto the couch, under blankies and kitty cats, and drinking cider and watching Stranger Things way into the wee hours of the morning. // Re-watching Stranger Things. // Spanish wines. // Burning a single sage leaf every morning, to center myself. // Cleaning out my dresser and stashing away tons of clothes. I don’t want to think about what I wear; I want to have a very specific and consistent style, and the best way to do that is to have less choices. Winter wardrobe capsule is in full effect. // Lying in bed naked drinking coffee and eating a cupcake. // Hot mud masks. // Driving to work and passing by the park and randomly spotting my godbrother leading a group of ecstatic dancers. // Hot hot showers. // This week I attended my first meeting with the local chapter of SURJ (Standing Up for Racial Justice). It was a totally packed house, which was so exciting, but the meeting was still super well-organized and efficient. And, now I’m sitting on the Environmental Justice committee, and feeling a greater sense of hope. Is there a SURJ near you?? They are doing amazing work and really focus on practical training and empowerment. You should join! // And finally, this poem:

for comrades who ask:
‘what is to be done?’ during this particular historical conjuncture, a (partial) list of practical things to do

throw a stone
throw another
fire a poem
slash a tire
raise a fist
raise your voice
raise a child
wear a mask
paint a slogan
paint a dream
honor the martyrs
build a barricade
build a network
claim your history
claim the streets
sing a message
shoot a bullet
sow a seed
set a fire
break a window
break a sweat
rent a safehouse
learn from workers
teach a comrade
mark the time
free a p.o.w.
steal the files
steel your heart
hound a landlord
feed the homeless
squat a building
join a cell
learn a kata
memorize the code
cut the bars
vault the fence
clear the perimeter
swim the river
disarm a cop
disable a missile
create a diversion
tell a joke
secure a march
walk the picket
pick a lock
bait a trap
spring an ambush
blow a horn
make a plan
plan a back-up
wreck the tracks
print a leaflet
forge a document
shelter a fugitive
bind a wound
love a friend
hold a lantern
hold your ground
clean your weapon
practice your aim
strike a chord
strike a blow
tell the truth
trick the man
hold a meeting
take a beating
hold your tongue
watch your back
watch the sky
cut a trail
leave no traces
pick a target
launch a rocket
lose a tail
find your hope
raise the stakes
change your name
wipe for prints
test a theory
challenge a dogma
cut the wires
slip the noose
slip the checkpoint
use your fear
tighten the drum
plant a thought
tend the orchard
cherish a tear
commit it to memory
check your ego
study the map
deal with the traitors
silence the snitch
start from scratch
carry your weight
take on some more
fight to love
say it again
cross the line
take us with you
don’t look back.

6/87 USP Marion
From the book Hauling Up the Morning/Izando la Manana: writings & art by political prisoners & prisoners of war in the U.S. (ed. Ray Luc Levasseur and Tim Blunk)

~~~

Alright guys, now it’s your turn! I really love reading your own Le Love Lists, so please leave them down in the comments below. What are the little things in your life that make you smile this week?

Happy Sunday, I hope you have a most wonderful week!

  • Laurie

    Centering myself by reading a passage by Pema Chodron every morning (which is something I fortunately–prophetically?–started doing on Nov. 1 before the world went extra crazy), reading poems by Mary Oliver, going to a postcard-writing party, watching “Very British Problems,” laughing with coworkers over silly things that happen at work, getting to practice patience at work, finally finishing the leftover sweet potato casserole from Thanksgiving that I’d frozen.

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Great Love List Laurie, thank you so much for sharing. I’m also finding myself drawn to poetry lately. ♥

  • Sonjah Arr

    This must be in the air. Just yesterday my partner and I stood in the kitchen reading Kahlil Gibran aloud.
    Possibly with some tears.
    Though novels tend to be more my speed, poetry is a potent pill.

  • Sarah C.

    I’m frankly having a hard time smiling this week (so much, both political and personal, going on, and I’m feeling the constant jitters of cortisol running through my veins), but I guess that’s part of the purpose of the love list isn’t it!

    So, here goes:
    my little girl’s plan to protest the Muslim ban (signs that say “Muslims have rights” and “black people have rights” along with a donation jar to give them practical help — all her idea!); the alt-national park movement; finally getting myself to start a yoga home practice and being consistent; coffee; a new tray of microgreens hopefully working its germination magic on my counter; my partner, who is truly the best; living near a mountain and going there every weekend

    By the way, “Waits’ Garden” killed me with delight. So adorable. Give us an update about what he planted!

  • Sarah C.

    And also, I totally teared up at the mug bit. What an incredible thing to have happen to you!

  • Jessica Minguez

    My love list for last week, looking toward this week: some surprise “bow chicka bow wow” time with my husband/lovah in the late morning when I took a day off of work; having him look at me after a meal of me trying to eat meat at the insistence of my doctor and say, “I’m just not sure you were cut out to be a meat-eater; having my teaching life and my union life and my activist life align more and more; buying the missing two ingredients to make my favorite lentil loaf for dinner!

    Your mug story brought tears to my eyes, Sayward. My SIL-who-is-more-like-a-sister lost her mom in the past few months, and it brought the possibility/eventuality closer to home. My mum is my best friend, and I am so glad you have a couple more physical reminders of her to add to your memory bank. <3

  • Pingback: Love from Bonzai Aphrodite | T.O.F.U. Magazine

  • http://angieeatspeace.com/ Angie

    Oh wow. I cried so much reading about those true treasures. What a beautiful and meaningful gift. I am so glad you were able to re-connect with a small piece of your mama.