Starting the New Year

Close up of multiple blooming yellow dandelion heads and one closed dandelion bud

"Dandelions" by mononenville is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Between the ongoing pandemic and the blatant white supremacists, it's been a year already, so we're starting off with a round of Dandelion Hunting.

 

If you need to take a moment:

Here's a whole list of self care ideas.

They range from taking yourself and/or your houseplants on a field trip to a sunny window and letting yourself sit with them in the light, to reacquainting yourself with a hobby for fun, especially if you do something like it for work now.

(That second is one I've been doing - there's a square shawl for me and a pair of socks for my mother in progress right now.

On that note, putting on a pair of cozy socks isn't on the list, but it's another delightful option and I particularly recommend it for winter.)

Listen to a forest.

Put on some stove top potpourri (but also set a timer so you remember to check the water level before the water boils off).  Something with lemon, mint, or rosemary makes a lovely, refreshing scent.

 

If you need to dance it out (personally or vicariously):

Here's a video from this past summer of the Harlem Dance Theatre dancing through their neighborhood.

Here's a Zoom performance of "Warm Skies" from the Hyde Park School of Dance Summery Company.

Hyde Park School of Dance in Chicago is holding virtual classes for adults, including Pilates, Teen/Adult Ballet, and African for Everyone, on a pay by session basis. Spring session starts January 25th (please note all classes are virtual for now due to COVID regulations, but the Teen/Adult Ballet and African for Everyone classes may transition to studio sessions later in the year, if regulations permit).

Core to Couer has virtual quarterly movement workshops by Black Indigenous People of Color for BIPOC and the next one is January 15 (you can also sponsor a spot by signing up and then sending an email to them saying you want to pay it forward).


If you need something good to do:


Sign the ACLU's petition against over policing and overmilitarization of police.

The Concious Kid
is an organization dedicated to equity and helping kids develop healthy racial identities; they've also been coordinating donations to provide COVID rent relief since April 1, 2020.

Be My Eyes matches sighted volunteers with blind or low vision users through an app to help with tasks like reading instructions, distinguishing between colors, or helping with orientation in an unfamiliar place via one way video/two way audio call.

Write letters to seniors from around the world who have had to isolate themselves due to COVID-19 through Letters Against Isolation.

 


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