Aries season:
I love this season! I’ve been feeling more energized and motivated to take care of myself and plan for the future. Spring always calls me to shift and take another look at the bigger picture. Definitely feeling into activating my own power - very Aries vibes! As the snow is clearing and the new leaves and buds are peeking through, I feel in sync with this season in knowing that there are always moments and seasons where growth and blooming will happen.
question I’ve been asking myself:
How do I stay in the present and enjoy the beauty of today WHILE I invest in my future self + our collective vision? It feels so easy to be so hopeless about the future sometimes…the earth is literally dying and capitalism/white supremacy/the whole oppressive system seems to be always winning. I find it so hard to keep grounded in knowing and believing that I get to experience pleasure, love, enjoyment, joy while keeping my eye on the bigger vision of our collective liberation.
Right now I’m on a financial journey in finding stability and investing in a future. And honestly, I feel like an alien looking at these creatures creating all these imaginary rulers of value that ultimately creates scarcity and suffering…when there’s enough to go around. It feels silly to be investing under these constructs, BUT at the same time - I deserve to thrive and not be worried about providing for myself. Capitalism wants me to be exploited and barely surviving so I can’t experience joy and can’t be in interdependent relationship with my community. So resistance could looks like investing in my retirement and being strategic with my money. It’s a struggle. More updates on this next time.
Sourdough:
Are you sick of reading about my sourdough journey yet? I’m still going strong! So I hope not!
I had some ricotta on hand so I made these ricotta sourdough discard pancakes, and they were GOOD. I will be making these again 100%.
Making sourdough bread is still very fun! It helps me feel grounded, because I have to be at home for a full day - and it’s a good way for me to be away from screens and use my hands. It also is so nice to have a delicious breakfast every morning. Recently, I’ve been making 7 minute eggs and eating it on sourdough toast with some mayo and salt + pepper. Very satisfying.
wordle:
My wordle daily routine is still going strong. I just needed to show you all how ridiculous march 30th’s world was for me.
Art inspiration:
I went to the Art Institute recently with a dear friend from out of town, and it was a needed refresher of inspiration. Having been to many museums over the years - especially the Art Institute - I’ve become so much more confident in knowing what I like. I’m really not interested in most things there, but I know what draws me in and holds my attention. There was this (new to me) exhibit featuring Ray Johnson’s work, and it sparked my love for collage work with multimedia. It reminds me of the work I did in 2019 - I’ll insert a photo below of a piece I did under a project I did called “Intersectional Fridays,” where I interviewed activists/educators of color about their identity + intersectionality - and made pieces inspired by them.
more liberation etsy shop:
I’ve been feeling more energy about my shop recently! So I’m going to go with it while it’s still there. I want to add more fun designs in the next few weeks. So keep your eyes peeled! Also, I got my first whole sale account - they are a cafe in Toronto! It was very exciting to see my products in an actual space for the first time.
the most exciting news:
Some how my Sandra Oh quote shirt that I designed ended up in a interview between Besea.n and SANDRA OH. I died. Watch the clip here! Also Turning Red was amazing!! I can’t wait to watch it again!
Music:
I’ve listened to Rosalía’s new album MOTOMAMI on repeat at least 30 times in a row. CANDY and COMO UN G are my two favorite songs!
restaurant:
Kabobi Grill
I live very close to Kabobi, but I haven’t been there for awhile. When my friend was in town, we ate there - and I forgot how incredible the food is there! If you’re near Albany Park, you have to get food there. We ordered two traditional Persian dishes and got it with rice…everything was perfect. After dinner, we grabbed baklava next Dukan International Food Market. So perfect!
when challenges arise:
My partner is in a challenging season where multiple people in his immediate family are sick, and so his energy and time have been with them - as they should be. I’ve been thinking so much about who we choose to love, and how things have a certain weight when we choose who we want to be in relationship with when things get hard. Romantically or platonically. I feel honored to have this relationship and that it is strong even when things are incredibly scary. Even though things are solid, I’ve been confronted with needing to constantly regulate and utilize my mental health resources so that I can have my needs met while can support him how he needs. Slowly but surely, I’m learning how to come to acceptance with what I can’t change, and activate my agency for what I can.
In this new season, I’m stepping into:
(I shared this on Instagram)
🍊 Following my menstrual cycle with more intention. Slowing down when my body is needing more rest + gentleness, and bringing more movement + creating when my body is energized.
🍊 Returning to the kindest words and tone when I speak to myself.
🍊 Making art for pure pleasure.
🍊 Taking more walks and making it fun - instead of it feeling like a chore.
🍊 Daring to dream more about what life can be for us as a collective - liberated from capitalism, patriarchy, white supremacy, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, etc.
🍊 Doing my individual part of dismantling systems of oppression, and believing there’s power in “small” and big ways we go against it.
🍊 Seeing what is here, and feeling gratefulness in my body.