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Buh-bye 2023... don't let the door, etc etc
Not gonna miss 2023—deaths of dear ones, horrific intractable wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Yemen, displacing millions from their homes, probably forever. Meanwhile, migrants are fleeing deadly drug cartels, repressive autocracies, and economic misery in Central and South America. Toss in the hottest year on record, costly weather “events", and a former president whose criminal indictments only make him more enticing to his fans... Fuck it.
But wait. When I eyeball the contents of my Keep or Toss containers, there are many more Keep slips than Tossers. These two tubs live on my bedside table, and a few times a week I manage to write something on one of the blank slips I keep nearby. On New Year’s Eve I dump them out and read each one, reliving the highlights and lowlights of the year in tiny moments. I recommend it.
Word of the Year: Linger
Walking along NW 23rd Street this morning, I spied this sign on the Fireside Grill... et voilà! My Word.
Every year I choose a word to describe my overall intention for the next twelve months. However, by early Spring, I’ve either forgotten my Word, or given up on it. Today, an energy-worker friend was describing how our energy shifts with the seasons. Each season has a particular vibe, she says, that calls us to align ourselves to it, rather than fight it. It just occurred to me that I've been choosing my Word at the end of December, deep WInter. Come Spring, the energy is different and needs a fresh Word. So, instead of choosing one word for all 2023, I’m choosing a fresh one at the beginning of each season.
Winter is a time for slowing down, going deep, storing energy and renewing ourselves. My Winter Word: Linger, reminds me to linger with friends, linger with a good book, linger over a cup of tea, linger and go deeper on my writing, linger to notice and appreciate what's right in front of me nose.
You get the idea. <<First Name>>, will you choose a word of the year or season? I'd love to hear what works for you.
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Money matters!
We've got one more day to close out the taxable year. You've got till midnight 12/31 to increase your tax deductions by donating to charitable causes you believe in. I focus my contributions on reputable non-partisan investigative journalism like ProPublica, local news like OPB, organizations fighting for women's bodily autonomy, like Center for Reproductive Rights, the National Network of Abortion Funds, where you can find an organization near you that helps women get the care they need. If you want to preserve our local wild lands you can do no better that the Columbia Land Trust. AND if you're an Oregon taxpayer, you can get a $50 tax credit for donating to a political party or candidate. But do it now. (The Oregon Democratic party makes it easy...😁)
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Update: Not retiring from the color analysis biz after all. I love it too much, and so far I'm the only Portland analyst who carries on the holistic process created by Suzanne Caygill, in the 1950s. Open for appointments in the new year.
Culling my email list: I'm going to be culling my mailing list. I don't want to continue to annoy those of you who aren't interested. So look for that email in the next couple of weeks, and please respond yay or nay.
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Put yourself in the way of beauty
A friend and I wandered into the Prana store on NW 23rd this morning, and while she tried on some sale items, I spotted this intriguing garb for the railing to protect hips and kids' heads from injury as they rounded the corner. Turns out Colin, the guy who devised it, had been a sailor, which requires a lot of knot-tying experience. He used mountain climbing rope. If you look closely you can see he also made a rope pattern going up the steps to block kids from tumbling through the rails. He was thrilled I noticed his handiwork.
I spent several days this week at a friend's house on Whidbey Island for a writing retreat. I mean... a person could LINGER here for a very long time.
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 P.S. If you haven't yet bought the Cherry Pie Paradox, may I humbly suggest the process and practices are the best way to fulfill your annual New Years' Weight Loss resolution, once and for all. You can eat what you love, without packing on the pounds. Really. I also have copies on hand if you want to buy direct.
Then, request the FREE AUDIOBOOK! For owners of the Cherry Pie Paradox or the workbook. I’ve found a new home for the audiobook version, where I can set the price however I want. If you already have a copy of the book or workbook and would like the audiobook, just email me (joy.overstreet@gmail.com) and I'll send you the info. If you do not yet have the book and want to buy it, Venmo me $20 @Joy-Overstreet, and I'll mail you a signed copy and the audiobook link. (Use the email link above and add your name, address, and any message you'd like when I sign it.)
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