Other Ideas – design + surrender

things i love: acne

I think I got my first zit in fifth grade. My parents both struggled with acne in their teens, so they knew that it was going to be inevitable for me. I’m not sure what kind of health insurance my parents had at the time, but my frugal, busy mother immediately took me to aContinue reading “things i love: acne”

things i love: attention

I have been thinking about the phrase “pay attention” a lot lately. Pay. Attention. To pay. To give (a sum of money) in exchange for goods or work done or in discharge of a debt. To yield or provide someone with (a specified sum of money). To give or bestow. When you are paying attentionContinue reading “things i love: attention”

things i love: weight loss

It’s astonishing when you discover you’re much lighter than you’d thought. Maybe not on a scale. That might still say that your gravitational pull is too strong according to the charts the scientists have plotted. That’s okay. That’s not what we’re talking about, anyway. We’re talking about the strange cloak you wear. The heavy oneContinue reading “things i love: weight loss”

things i love: hunger

I have recently made a very astonishing discovery. For my entire life, I never understood what hunger felt like. That’s not to say that I never felt hungry. Just that I didn’t understand what it meant. I’ve always been drawn to concepts like intentional eating and intuitive eating. The idea that our bodies know exactlyContinue reading “things i love: hunger”

what to do when the world of work seems like a sinking ship

I know working at jobs is a positive thing for so many people. A necessary thing. It can help build confidence and foster feelings of accomplishment. It pays the bills, it helps people form relationships and feel connected to community. Not to mention the essential services workers provide for us, like food, shelter, and clothing.Continue reading “what to do when the world of work seems like a sinking ship”

the diary of a free woman (who’s been trying to rebuild her cage)

I don’t really know what happened. I was trying to follow the rules. I finished high school, went to college, got a degree, did a few odd jobs and travelled before I settled into a desk job. I met my husband at my job, we moved to Minnesota for a promotion he took, and IContinue reading “the diary of a free woman (who’s been trying to rebuild her cage)”

counting the things i love

number one: my door knocker I love objects shaped like animals. I also love door knockers, even though they hardly ever get used these days since most of us also have doorbells, not to mention elaborate smart-home devices. In any case, seeing this stoic lion gazing from our black front door brings me much joy. Continue reading “counting the things i love”

and what do you do?

I always thought there was something wrong with me. Well, maybe that’s a long story. But what I mean is, in relation to work, I could never seem to want what everyone was saying I should want. Networking. LinkedIn. Lean In. Hustle. Girl Boss. It made my stomach twist whenever I made myself think aboutContinue reading “and what do you do?”

oh, the places you’ll go – dr. seuss

I have had the good fortune to see a few places in the world so far. My last international trip was to Argentina in 2019. My husband had to travel there for his work, and I tagged along. We met in Buenos Aires and then went south to Patagonia. I had visited Argentina before, MendozaContinue reading “oh, the places you’ll go – dr. seuss”

make a new plan, stan – paul simon

I have been playing around with the idea of bullet journaling for a few years. Last year, I finally ditched my usual planner, and committed to setting up a journal according to the process established by the bullet journal creator, Ryder Carroll. I am so glad that I did. It has been the organizational systemContinue reading “make a new plan, stan – paul simon”