February was short and sweet… and bitter!
It was SHORT which is particularly nice during a Chicago winter. It follows the long, dreary days of January. January is the official buzz killer after the merriment of the holidays. Those 31 days of resolution to make this year the best is exhausting. February is the calendar pause between two long winter months. And although it is already short, I abbreviated February even more with vacation days and President’s Day observance.
It was SWEET. I got to take a trip to Palm Springs, CA. I previously had not been on a plane since November 2019. Ironically, my last trip was to Palm Springs, CA. If my life was a fantasy movie, my return to PS would have ended the pandemic. The return to the-time-before would be this mystical closure of a deadly virus. It would symbolize a global health crisis coming full circle in two years. That would have been super sweet. Obviously, it didn’t happen. Still, my trip was sweet!
And February was BITTER. As the world continues to battle a global health crisis, Russia invaded Ukraine. Just as we started to see land after years of treading water in the sea of COVID, there is war on that land. A murderous dictator is trying to steal a country. A bitter, greedy tyrant has instigated a war during a pandemic. The deadly combo of health and humanitarian crisis blankets the world in heartbreak.
Oh February!
For awhile now, I’ve been craving pancakes. The desire is in direct response to IHOP commercials featuring the tagline ‘we could all use a pancake.’ An empathetic IHOP encourages us to take a break from pandemic pressure and find pleasure in a pancake. This month, I did indulge in a pancake as my mechanic replaced the motor in my car window. Once the car was diagnosed with its newest ailment, all I could think of was ‘I could use a pancake.’ It was delicious and gave me momentary respite from the craziness. So simple to find solace in a fluffy pancake and real maple syrup. Thanks for the idea, IHOP!
Pancake aside, I really did love escaping to California. I spent an overnight with my niece Abby and her partner in LA. I then drove to Palm Springs and checked into Steve and Mike’s Shangri la resort (featured picture). They had recently rescued and restored a mid-Century home transforming it into a welcoming desert oasis. The beauty and quiet provided an ideal setting. Continuous sunshine, warm temps and wonderful friends (Steve, Mike, Bilger, Jen) made for the perfect vacation. We even connected with fellow Chicagoans turned snowbirds, Mary and Frank, for drinks.
Back in the real world, I used the month to nimbly wade into life. Having been on a plane fully masked for four hours, I decided I also was ready for more public transportation so rode a bus and an Uber. I went to a movie, a theatre and a casino. I ate/drank in four restaurants and two coffee shops. And I had a mani-pedi. I had dinner with Bilger, Collin, Bill (2) and parents/Jenny/Bob/Christy. I had lunch with Schooler/Sue C-F and Bill (2). I had multiple meals with Ellen. She hosted dinner and a game night with Christina and Laurie and dinner and a movie with Sharon. We also went to the play “Come From Away” and had a pre-theatre nosh with Cathy. I’m grateful for so many outings with friends and family. These seemingly ordinary activities have become thoughtful, deliberate decisions of pure enjoyment.
At home, I completed four puzzles, hit 5983 level on Candy Crush, and assembled my new office chair (game changer). I worked out with Josh biweekly and got my 10K steps in on 22/28 days. With the announcement of the Oscar nominations, I realized I had 13 movies still to see. I watched 8: “Dune”, Coda”, “Belfast” (twice- loved it), “Spencer”, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”, “Licorice Pizza”, “The Lost Daughter” and “King Richard.” I also saw non-nominated entertainment in “Red Notice”, “And Just Like That” Documentary, “Gilded Age” and “I Want You Back.”
I’m continuing to adhere to my new practice adoption based on James Cleary’s Atomic Habits. My morning ritual is to first read for 30 minutes to an hour. In February, I read 3 1/4 books.
I’m reading Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Armande Gamache series in order. It is a perfect read especially for winter. Penny is an extraordinary storyteller. She creates colorful and flawed characters that become friends. It’s so engaging!
*The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny. I finished the second half of the book. (Penny’s fifth)
* Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny. I’ve read the first half of this novel. It’s set during Carnival in Quebec City. Penny’s mysteries aren’t thrillers. They are more puzzlers with multiple quirky characters and Canadian culture & history. In this particular book, she has interwoven three mysteries to be solved. I love her writing style! (Penny’s sixth)
*What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey Gordon. I finished listening to the other half of this book. It’s a powerful read! It talks candidly about fat shaming, anti-fat bias, the unimportance of the BMI and the new body positivity movement. Gordon shares some gut-punching stories of fat people treated cruelly on airplanes and in the grocery stores. I highly recommend for anyone like myself that is fat and/or grapples with fat-phobia.
*De-transition, Baby by Torrey Peters. Tom recommended this book to me. It’s about two trans lesbian lovers. One of the ladies decides to transition back to her gender by birth, male. He then gets his new girlfriend pregnant. He decides he wants his former lesbian lover to help raise the baby. I’m not ruining anything this is all on the book’s back cover. Peters does an amazing job of talking about the sexual politics and emotional struggles through multiple gender lens. Her distinct characters are marring. This was a hard book for me to read/comprehend because of graphic sexual violence and the intimate nature of the trans experience. I’m not likely to forget and I hope it has developed my understanding of the transgender community.
*Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and Language of the Human Experience by Brene Brown. I’ve listened to 75% of Brown’s newest book. She dissects emotions in her exploration on the road to being a better person. I find her style -especially listening to her narrate – soothing and inspiring. Although Brown is preaching self-improvement by understanding how are feelings navigate our actions, she is really grounded in humanity. She is quick to reveal her own flaws. A few nuggets that are staying with me is perfectionism is driven by a need for validation and admiration. And shame is a lack of empathy. I enjoy Brown’s no nonsense and research-driven approach to living authentically.
Palm Springs, pancakes, puzzles, Penny. Although February was a pretty good month, I did battle overwhelming fatigue in the second half. Normally, I’m blessed with an abundance of energy. When I returned from California, I found myself unnaturally exhausted. I was asleep by 9pm and slept straight through until 6 or 7am every day. This routine is highly unusual for me. For ten days, I was dragging. Some days, I even had to take a nap. I took a COVID test. It was negative. I didn’t know if it was COVID or another virus infecting my body. Or if it was jet lag. Or if it was going from a desert to Chicago winter to Chicago spring to Chicago winter -II to Chicago spring II and back to Chicago winter-III. Or if it was all the crap going on in the world. I just know I woke up last Sunday and felt the veil of fatigue had been lifted. I was once again feeling like myself and so very grateful!
So, it’s March! Chicago’s mask mandate has been lifted. I move forward with optimistic caution and a mask as needed. It’s 58 in Chicago! Let’s all find time to go out and play. Chicago spring III is the 24-36 hour variety. ENJOY it while we have it!