march + april picks n pics

It’s no secret, I love to promote good things.

I find myself constantly striking up conversations by aggressively exploding with excitement on my latest purchase, discovery, show, podcast, fill-in-the-blank. Really I just hyper-fixate on something for any amount of time ranging from 2 seconds to a decade and can’t shut up about it. So, I’m sparing you (maybe only a little… okay maybe not at all actually) by blogging about some of those things here, instead. (Instead?? Not likely. I will surely still never shut up about my “picks” - let’s be honest, it’s who I am.) From “what’s in my cart,” to items I use everyday, I’ll paste the links here for your to enjoy as well if you so choose. As an Amazon Associate I earn a little here and there from qualifying purchases.

And then, pics.

Instagram lately (and by lately, I mean for the last decade) has felt to me, for lack of better words, icky.

“Icky,” yes, this feels like the most appropriate word in my current vocabulary.

I just don’t love the doom scrolling, fear mongering, “keeping up with the Joneses” vibes anymore. I miss the days where you took a picture of your scrambled egg and coffee breakfast to document the morning shenanigans followed by the poorly filtered, blurry pictures of you and your friends at the park. AHHH! Remember when we would would document the mundane and nobody really cared about the likes or fell into the comparison trap? Yeah, that’s what I miss.

So, this is my new space to document that. The mundane, non-exciting parts of life that are actually filled with so much simplicity and joy.

Picks n pics. A place where you get to hear all about my recent hyper-fixations that will hopefully excite you as much as they have with me, paired with mini updates of silly little pictures I decide to take along the journey of life.

Thanks for being here :)

Picks

My Lenten season started with an amazing podcast recommended to me by a dear friend who lost her husband in the recent past.

Grief used to be a real bitch. In high school, someone close to me died every year. That was a lot for my little adolescent heart to hold, and hold I sure did. I held onto sadness and bottled up all the anger that came with bad things happening to good people and I just shelled up and kept gritting through life. It wasn’t until within the last decade that I’ve started shedding some of those layers filled with shit I don’t have to carry and hold onto and welcoming grief as a companion, that she is.

This podcast is absolutely amazing and both men do such a wonderful job exploring and expressing the layers of grief from their own stories. They mention a book that I’ve never read in full, but is absolutely beautiful as it explores how to find purpose in the midst of suffering. Dr. Viktor Frankl was a professor of neurology and psychiatry and spent years in concentration camps during WW2. This book has been recommended to me left and right from so many creatives and deep thinkers I admire. I finally purchased my very own copy.

For this pick I have a story of complaint. 2 years ago, when I was hired as a teacher, I knew I needed to get a coffee mug I could cart around with me that would lock tight and prevent spillage as I hurl my 12 bags around from house to car to school and then back to car & back to house. I loved this mug, but the price tag I did not love. So I bought a $10 knock off at Target. It has worked well. Too well. She never spills, we love this. She is stubborn when it comes to taking off the lid and washing her. We do not love this. I cannot TELL YOU how many times I’m in the midst of dish duty and no one with even the grip strength of a professional rock climber could open this mug. I’m telling you, this knock off from Target just isn’t cutting it. She’s giving me arthritis, I swear. So, two years later I finally spent the extra $20 and purchased this mug which is MUCH easier to take off the lid. No more arthritis.

Thank you for listening to my first world problem.

My health journey has been a roller coaster and not always the fun kind. Mostly because some of those moments consisted of me not making health a priority, but more often than not it’s because I’ve been on a 5 year grind of trying to locate the root issue of my body’s symptoms &/or finally get an auto-immune diagnosis.

Right now, I have a kick-ass team of people in my corner that consists of my therapist, chiropractor, Physical therapist, holistic nurse-practitioner and personal trainer. *takes deep breath*

Lately my body tells me she’s ready for a diet shift. I already eat very little processed food. I’m not a huge sugar fan. My diet is already pretty clean 90% of the time. I’ve done the Whole 30 a few times and I’m a fan, but since I already know what foods my body is sensitive to, I wanted to try the anti-inflammatory route. I purchased this book and it has some great information as to what food groups to stay away from and what food groups are anti-inflammatory. It’s basically paleo on steroids. Do I have a start date? No. But I’m telling myself it’s the thought that counts until I have the energy to map out a meal plan (which is also included in the book, we love this. I’m referencing the grocery list plan. We don’t love this.)

There is nothing that makes me feel more adult and put together than a matching pajama set. I have no idea why, but when my PJ’s are matching, I just feel like a fancy grown up. Maybe it’s because the alternative is a ratted, 12 year old baggy T-shirt? Very polarizing. There is no middle ground here.

I purchased the first set linked above, but the other two are sitting in my cart waiting to be added to the collection eventually.
When I’m shopping for sets I’m looking for comfort and movement, anything that is sensory-friendly. These options seem to fit the bill.

A month ago I had dinner with a friend. She provided the main course, I brought the extra’s. I decided to bring homemade bread and a Caesar salad with homemade dressing. I went all out, look at me adulting.

There was about half a jar of Caesar dressing left after dinner, so I took it home.

POV: I’m driving home at 11pm, jamming out to my spring playlist, nearly miss my turn into my neighborhood and as I whip the corner my mason jar half filled with homemade Caesar dressing gets abruptly thrown from my passenger seat into the dash and shatters, all over my new-to-me car with that lovely new fresh car smell.

I clean the mess as much as I can IN THE RAIN AT 11PM, but sure enough the next day my car smells like pure vegan mayo and Worcestershire sauce.

I ended up being able to scrub the floors and get the scent out eventually, but I needed a car freshener to help fumigate the smells. I’m really sensitive to strong smells (honestly I’m just sensitive to any smell in general. Is it a super power or hormonal dysfunction? Who knows?) But because of all these things I’m also really invested in non-chemical air purifiers. I immediately purchased these bad boys half expecting them to be a flop. But I LOVE THEM. They work so well, my car smells pure and clean and I don’t have to worry about any hormone disruptors and chemicals.

That playlist? I linked it below for your listening pleasure :) should I rename it “don’t spill your Caesar” ?

Pics

Every month I’ve been attending the Art Battle’s hosted here in Omaha at Culxr House. It’s one of my favorite events in my area. Each month local artists are invited to compete in an art battle that consists of painting a canvas in 20 minute increments. It’s beautiful, every time. This was one of my favorite paintings in the March championship battle <3

Perfecting my sorority squat since… yeah right I was never in a sorority lol

But if I was I would want it to be with gals like these gems!

All the gals post Hibachi goodness and Farmhouse’s famous strawberry cake - I’m apparently late to the game, I had no idea that Farmhouse still even existed and certainly didn’t expect their fame to come from a strawberry cake. But it’s definitely delicious and now I get it.

Here’s one of those I-miss-the-monotony-of-early-Instagram-posts, pictures. I mean c’mon. This was the cutest little accident. It does look a little creepy if you stare at it too long, but if you did, no you didn’t.

When I lived in Georgia, I discovered my love for painting, specifically depicting my spiritual journey and religious stories through art. Every year for the Lenten season I would contribute an art piece to a Stations of the Cross event the non-profit I worked at at the time would host. It was cathartic to create and contribute my art, but even more cathartic to walk through the Stations and experience other artists’ interpretations.

When I moved back to Omaha, I was sad that this would be an event I would miss out on. Since Stations of the Cross is largely a Catholic tradition, and not often presented by local artists from my experience, I figured I would have to find another Good Friday tradition.

My friend’s church, however, hosts an interactive Stations of the Cross event and it’s something sweet and simple that reminds me just a little bit of what I experienced in GA.

Exactly a month post back injury (herniated disc) I went on a 6 mile walk in my fave park and felt pretty good about it! Yay body! Yay healing!

This tree captured my attention on mile 5. So much it brought tears to my eyes.

I know nothing about this tree. But if you look at the base of the tree, it’s been through somethin. Whether attempts at chopping down, or being eaten and chipped away by other creatures - it’s hanging on by it’s core inner rings.

I can’t really describe the feelings I have when I look at it. But it does something to me.

Last but not least, my fave image of the month(s).

I’ve been longing to take a pottery class for many years. What stopped me? The usual - time and money.

But I finally found a place with decent pricing and times I could manage

AND I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT.

OMG. I LOVE CLAY. I LOVE POTTERY. I LOVE THE KITTY THAT GREETS ME AT THE DOOR, WALLACE. I LOVE THE RAYS OF SUNSHINE THAT DRY MY CLAY AND MAKE ME SWEAT.

I loved everything about it. There’s much more to come on pottery making, but that’s all I have for now. :)

Take care and talk soon,

L