Sneezing Our Way Through Spring

The Week in Selfies: 3/22/21 - 3/28/21

Well hi.

I am continuing on with the subscription donation project. The organization for March is Apocalyptic Artists Ensemble. This is a great arts education organization founded and run by some friends from grad school and I’m so happy to be able to support them. If you are new here (welcome!) or need a refresher, you can always find more details of the project on my About page. And if you want to be a matching donor, let me know.

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To start, thank you all for reading last week’s newsletter. It is one that has been in my mind for a long time and I was a bit worried about the vulnerability involved but knowing y’all where out there reading it made it easier. Thank you, as well, to the people you left comments or reached out. It means so much. If that newsletter is one you think someone might connect to or might explain your own brain a bit better, as always, feel free to share it. Thank you for being here. 

/sap 

Spring has sprung! …nearly. It’s closer in New York anyway. The temperature seems about right for this time of year, finally. Although, the weather can still swing a bit wildly depending on the day. Regardless, I’m going to lean into spring. (Is “lean in” something we say anymore? Oh well, just imagine the visual.)

This time of year is a big time of transition for everything, it seems. The season changes, there’s daylight savings time, regular jackets start to get a bit lighter, the colors pastel up. To attack this transition, I’ve put together a little list of things that help me get through spring. This can also be a guide to help you get through spring, if needed. Or just another list of fun stuff. Your choice!

First, I recommend having a good decongestant on hand. My spring issues tend to be all sinus related so that’s my flavor of medicine but I know some people lean to the allergy flavor as well. If you want to be an adult about it, you can buy the stuff from behind the pharmacy counter. If you don’t want to be, you can have your mom (or whoever) buy you a big ol’ box from Costco. 

In the same vein, SLEEP. Try getting as much sleep as you can. With a spring transition you might still not feel very rested but you can sure as hell try. Some people I know use ear plugs or a white noise machine to help. I use a sleep mask. Although, none of that really matters if your upstairs neighbor’s boyfriend decides to slam on the front of the building at all hours or the day or night. So, maybe throw in an evening spell? prayer? curse? or something for him and your sleep as well. 

Now, I am very serious about this next thing: it’s cookie time. The only movie I think you need to get through spring is the 1989 Shelley Long classic Troop Beverly Hills. The outfits are…they are. And it’s all about finding your people and supporting each other. I have watched it once already this spring. 

In the TV realm, if you aren’t already watching Abbott Elementary, spring is a great time to catch up. Come see where Chessy ended up. And see the show that won Sheryl Lee Ralph her first Emmy. The fuss is warranted. 

The soundtrack of my spring is, so far, leaning really heavily on the new Miley Cyrus album. And Leon Bridges. Especially this song in particular. This Retro Soul playlist is great for work tunes or hanging out music. A little Stomp and Holler couldn’t hurt either. And there is my own playlist which encapsulates my word of the year. The word is “Quality.”

None of these books are spring specific but they are all the books that are physically on my TBR pile in my living room. In no particular order:
My Mother was a Freedom Fighter by Aja Monet
Taste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food by Mayukh Sen
Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett
Sudden Death by Ȧlvaro Enrigue, translated by Natasha Wimmer

If you are ready to dive right into spring cleaning, ThredUp is a great place to send your clothes. They can either sell them or recycle them. Selling wise, they obviously don’t take everything but even a little store credit is helpful to refill those empty spots in your closet. You can also donate clothing, shoes, bedding, and towels to the recyclable sneaker company Thousand Fell. Donations will earn you credits to buy shoes!

And if all else fails, go back to hibernating for a little longer. I won’t tell anyone. 

Monday, March 22, 2021

Oh good, I can get into my apartment.

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Sam, that is not how you wear a sweatshirt.

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

If I am not mistaken, I made these veggie dumplings completely FROM SCRATCH.

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Thanks for a mask that goes perfectly with my childhood Christina!

Friday, March 26, 2021

What can I say? I know what I like to wear.

Saturday, March 27, 2021

The sunset is so sunset-y.

Sunday March 28, 2021

Only classy toasts coming from this lady.

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This week, paying subscribers got to look into the whites of creepy Big Bird’s eyes themselves. If that sounds intriguing to you, consider becoming a paid subscriber.