I don't think I've ever had more people stop me to ask about something I'm wearing than these slides. You will actually not believe the price.
If you are a parent and exist anywhere on the socioeconomic spectrum apart from "insanely rich," you need to read this. (I Killed My Teenager's Fancy College Dreams. You Should, Too, via Slate.)
I was in & Other Stories yesterday, and these earrings literally stopped me in my tracks.
Me, about to do something random and rad.
I’ve done a lot of random (and rad) things over the course of my 10-year career as a blogger. I’ve been lifted in glass cubes onto Las Vegas stages. I’ve used myself as a guinea pig for everything from laser treatments to Rogaine. I’ve clogged on rooftops, worked with the FBI on a sting operation to take down a Moroccan hacking ring, and walked around New York City dressed as a superhero to source decor ideas.
Three ladies, glasses raised, dancing together…You don’t need me to tell you that there’s a party going on here. The Three of Cups is a picture of celebration, of communion. This is a card about sharing joy with friends.
Let’s go a little bit deeper. Cups are the suit of emotion, and in Tarot, groups of three represent a firm foundation. So the friends we see in this card aren’t just casual acquaintances; they’re your squad. They’re the friends who empower you to be your best self. And they’re the friends who are with you even when you’re maybe being…not totally your best self.
The holiday season is full of celebrations - one might even say "overfull." There are work parties. There are family get-togethers. If you’re a parent, you may be looking at a calendar stuffed with classroom parties and choir concerts and dance recitals. These communal gatherings can be delightful, but they can also be draining. There’s a big difference between compulsory socializing and reconnecting with soul friends. The Three of Cups wants you to make time to spend with people who fill your cup rather than drain it.
All together, now: Shopping for guy gifts is the worst. Whiskey cubes! Cuff links! Tiny "Zen" boxes of dirt that one must theoretically groom, for calmness or something. It's just the same stuff, over and over and over, and if the men in your life are anything like the men in mine, they are zero help ("What do you want for Christmas?" "Oh, you know...whatever.").
This stuff? Is not the same stuff.
I've gotten a lot of questions about whether the effects of the retreat I went on in September "lasted." It was an expensive trip, and for me to opt out of my entire life for a full week required about as much insane hoop-jumping as you can imagine...but if I had to do it all over again, the answer to "would I?" is "absolutely."
I'm not meditating every day anymore. I'm not using all of the "tools" that they gave me (although I am using some). But there was one very fundamental takeaway I got from the retreat, and it's one that appears to have taken root.
I give myself space now.
