Wake up with bursts of colors

The beginnings of spring

I’m not sure when exactly it happens, but there’s this perfect part of the year I enjoy where it’s a tolerable 60-70 F sunny day and the trees wake up with bursts of colors. My favorite part of the year started this week. I’ve been walking a little slower to enjoy these colors while they’re here for however long.

Taking it easy

My allergies have calmed down where I don’t need Claritin. Work is busy, but yet not hectic like the last couple of weeks where I’m not burnt out. Rather than pile things up, I should just enjoy this breather before things pick up.

Also mask mandates have been easing in Los Angeles as we are going into the endemic phase of COVID. This morning I went to the gym and it was the first time I worked out indoors without a mask. Though I am relieved that things are going back to normal and we’re transitioning out of masks, I also thought “looks like I got to get back to wearing makeup everyday.”

Re-arranging spaces invigorate me

I did not organize my year by monthly theme because I felt like at this point I’d be overthinking and overcorrecting — where’s the fun in that? Also, people can’t predict the future. Initially, I did start off with planning monthly themes of which areas I’d like to revive and invigorate. At the time I planned for February’s focus on to be travel (or travel planning) and then I scrapped that idea and I’m glad I did.

Since this month is almost over, I can reflect and say that this month’s focus was about space and planning my space. Getting the opportunity to re-arrange the space was invigorating. When I had to empty out my kitchen cabinets and counter tops for the exterminator, it gave me an opportunity to plan a re-do in organizing my kitchen. When the time came to move the stuff from boxes back to the kitchen, I decided not hurry up with unpacking. Instead, I wanted to give myself four weeks to evaluate the stuff we have. If we need something, we would go through the boxes and unpack the needed item. At this point, it means that item has a home in the kitchen. After the four weeks, whatever remains in the box would go to a local food pantry or soup kitchen.

Other things that invigorated me this past month

1. Reading The Daily Stoic – it helped me get out of some really rough days.
2. Repurposing items
3. Visiting Tokyo Central Market in Gardena — I am obsessed with that store. I recognized a lot of the brands when I travelled to Japan. It’s like a trip to Japan without the flight to Japan.
4. In-person shopping – I guess the gratification of online shopping has lost its luster lately. I enjoy being out and about.
5. Taking a day off after being sick over the weekend – being sick over a weekend sucks — it takes away my weekend.

Tags: Weekend Coffee Share, WOTY (co-hosted by  Donna, Sue, Jo and Debbie), The Changing Seasons