If I switch to KDWD in the morning on the way to work (because I want to hear Beyonce, obviously) I am always surprised again by the weirdness of the dj's and how they perpetuate stereotypes, particularly about how typical Americans should live, pro-consumerism, how they are hyper critical and interested in the lives of famous people, and they are particularly generic with their banter with each other (the girl puts up with a lot but then calls the guys out for being too critical or crude and is laughed off as uptight, etc). It's a pattern that they've found works for radio (but not for me).

So I was listening to this morning's weekend arts round up on The Current instead and was suddenly surprised to have those same kind of feelings as they joked for quite a while about how stressful the holidays are and made that a reason to go check out some new comedy performances in town. More festivities to offer 'relief' from the stressful season. Seemingly normal banter, but it struck me really hard today, paired with ads popping up all over reminding me that I need to buy more, start that 'stressful' Christmas shopping, find that perfect thing, etc. The fact that it seemed commonplace and a normal feature of life was the most striking part:

How is it that we live in a place where we are so privileged that our holidays - our times of celebration and family and joy - have become burdens?

And why do we accept this as the norm?
So here's to a holiday season where we make many of our gifts, we only buy things that we've picked out with excitement to gift to a loved one, we buy many of those things used but still in good shape, and we don't fill our homes with any more things or decorations that add stress, need more upkeep or create additional clutter. Consider that hardships exists but that stress is mostly self created.



Things I will try to live by this season:
If it feels like a burden instead of a celebration, don't do it or don't go.
If I feel I must go, make peace with it first and bring that peace along with me.
If it feels out of place or superficial, say what's on my mind, with love (challenging, no doubt).
Reject the notion that the holidays will be stressful.
Enjoy the people, traditions and spiritual depth around me.
Opt out of traditions that aren't meaningful and create new ones that are.
Support the people who try to do it all by sharing the work, bringing simple dishes along, or taking on some of the needed tasks.
Be genuinely hospitable: Invite people into our home, our usual lives, our chaos.
Be consciously thankful for big and little blessings.
Appreciate little moments as a gift from my maker and be present.

On one of my blog post from mid last week, my friend Erick pointed out that an ideal week should include more of him in it. Good point. I have so many more priorities (and people I'd like to see / skype!) that didn't make the list that I tried to follow last week. I knew this even while I tried it, but I do think I learned from the attempt.



It's much more reasonable to try to accomplish a list of priorities in the span of a week or two, with bursts of accomplishment as well as lulls. For example, for several hours straight on Sunday, Tory and I cleaned the house and organized our spaces. And on Saturday, we did an experimental endeavor - a photo shoot with friends that I'm submitting to a small fashion magazine. Collaborative art is always a priority which we rarely manage to fit in.

	Thursday		Friday		Saturday		Sunday
	get up: 7:45am		get up: 7:30am	x	sleep in	x	sleep in
x	wear something creative / do hair	x	wear something creative / do hair		morning yoga		morning reflection time
x	make a smoothie or eat breakfast	x	make a smoothie or eat breakfast		Farmers Market before 1pm	x	general picking up / cleaning
x	work		bike to work	x	clean and refresh the house	x	water the plants
x	general picking up / cleaning	x	work summer hours - afternoon free	x	water the plants	x	wear something creative
x	big costco run / hang out with neighbors	x	vaccuum		sweep	x	see Tory's family
x	take supplements	x	water the plants	x	activities together		Solomon's Porch
	bedtime: 11pm		sweep	x	see good friends		prepare/freeze lunches
			clean the bathroom				make our own bread
		x	personal hobbies			x	take supplements
		x	a small adventure or activity			x	bedtime: 11:30pm
			additions		additions		additions
		x	fashion design related meeting	x	see friends	x	clean for hours!
		x	see friends	x	art / photoshoot	x	swimming!
				x	make smoothies	x	make smoothies

At Solomon's Porch this week, the photographer who shot the amazing photos of Doug and Shelley's 25th anniversary party (pw: 25th) also covered a huge table with free books.

I felt a little gift over the fourth of July weekend (one little extra blessing among many if I really think about it).

In my initial reflection about slowing down, I said I wanted to find a beach and take a swim and see the Northern Lights from my childhood.

We were invited up to Dave and Danielle's family's cabin for the 4th and had some great adventures, but incredibly, the first night we arrived we went for a swim and there was the faintest glimpse of the Northern Lights in the night sky. It was faintly similar to the memory I have of when I was about fifteen and up in Northern Ontario with my family - I went for a swim one night when they were blazing green over top of me - it was calm and beautiful. The world slowed down.

The Huffington Post has a recent article about slowing down time perception, and talks about the reasons behind what we all feel - as a kid you think time takes forever, and as an adult you feel like it can't slow down.

"The more detailed the memory, the longer the moment seems to last." The remedy is a combination of mindfulness and introducing yourself to new experiences, both of which I think are valuable. Mindfulness, thankfulness, new inputs.