Two concepts I’m mulling over right now:
+ what you see is what you get
+ what you think is what you see
and how we draw in certain materials based on our reaction to what we already have. I don’t think too much about products or the habits that tend to grow around our objects. But I want to embrace that side of life a little more and allow it to expand. Going forward, I’d like to play more with objects, special products, clothing: the materials of the world. We are in the physical realm of course! This begins with praising what I already have.
So, here is a list of my favorite objects of late—some that I’ve acquired recently, many things I’ve used for a while and come to appreciate as joyful puzzle pieces in the everyday.
+ Onitsuka Woven Slides - Mexico 66 Sabot
I found these at the Onitsuka store in Paris, when I needed a new set of regular tigers after completely wearing out my first pair. The woven aspect of the slides is so amazing and light weight. Spiritually they’re sandals, but physically they’re mules. I now have two pairs and can’t recommend enough. *Also, they tend to sell out, but sign up to be notified—they do come back in stock, don’t lose hope*
+ Gluten Free Cook’s Sourdough
I found this in the frozen section at Whole Foods, which doesn’t always inspire confidence but I decided to take a leap. As someone who started cutting out gluten for intolerance reasons way back in 2010, I can tell you we’ve come a long way. Rice cakes used to be the best bread alternative. Cook’s has a great chewy texture that toasts well. I love the sourdough taste and you can freeze it, so it lasts forever.
+ Matcha Bar Matcha, Hot Water, Splash Coconut Milk
I used to be a daily matcha latte girl— I’ve gone through many phases with milks and methods, but now I keep it super simple.
Heaping teaspoon of matcha in the bottom of the cup, fill cup with warm water (not boiling!), mix mix, splash of coconut milk.
So so good. So easy. If you really want to commit to the bit, you can subscribe to matcha bar, which ensures you’ll never spend a morning staring into the green dusted void of an empty bag.
+ Powder Dip Nails
I know I’m super late to the game on this, but if anyone is out there wondering…I’m here to tell you, they’re great. Two weeks ago, a friend texted me to see if I wanted to get a last minute manicure. I was eyeing a place in my neighborhood, we were able to walk right in and I opted for the powder dip. It was my first manicure in……..5 years? So I wanted to make it count. Today is day 14, my nails barely have a tarnish. Having a thick coat has helped me not press and bend my nails (a habit I didn’t even know I was doing until I couldn’t) so they’re growing in healthy and strong.
Initially I got this notebook for my Intro to Judaism class, but I love it so much, it’s become my anytime notebook. It has a special fabric spine that allows it to lay flat, the pages are thick but not too precious. I believe they also have blank and dotted options.
+ Burts Bee’s Toner/Micellar Water
I got this at Target in the middle of a boring errand run. The bottle called out to me and I was overcome. Fantastic light floral smell, plus my skin has been so happy the past few months under its care. Slather on your face, moisturize and boom. You got a whole routine.
Okay so maybe I’ve loved Burt’s Bees since I was a child and my mother would rub honey scented Baby Bee Balm on her cuticles. Burt has always been a King. Back when we were masking and wearing any lipstick was a waste of money, I started getting these little tinted balms at Whole Foods just to feel special around the house. You can get three, four, stick them in your pockets, loose one, find one, put one in your boyfriend’s pocket when you go for a walk. The options are endless. I always get Red Dahlia because they aren’t that strong of a tint and this one pops the most. Also bonus points for moisturizing and no weird scents. Peel the label off and you have a mystery cylinder that you can whip across your lips at dinner, after the pasta, before dessert.
+ This American Life - The Seven Things You’re Not Supposed To Talk About
Since quitting podcasts in March, I’ve slowly started listening to two or three shows but nothing on a regular basis like my prior crazy habits. My whole thing now is being really intentional about what I want to hear and taking in work that inspires me, where I am right now. That cut out 98% of my previous podcast diet. I decided to visit the archives of This American Life, because it is really a class in story telling. This particular episode revolves around the idea of taboo topics for public discourse. It’s not because the topics are off-putting, but because they have a high likelihood of being boring. It’s left me thinking about why we love some stories and how much of a difference it makes when we already know (and maybe love) the narrator.
Hope you enjoy this little collection. Let me know if you like this format and if I should incorporate it more.
xx
James