Learning To Push The Easy Button

I have long realized that I seem to do everything the hard way.  But recently I became determined to install an Easy Button on my life.

Where does one get an easy button?  All you gotta do is ask.  Which I did.  I asked the powers that be, and now I am noticing a difference.

I am actually making choices right now that save me time and effort.  Choices which are allowing me to be productive.  And I'm learning to ask for help.

There's a difference between asking for help that you really need, and being pressured to accept help that you don't need and I'm learning to distinguish that difference.

There is a specific energy that goes with having an Easy Button.  It is different from the overwhelm, I have been used to experiencing these last two years or so.  It feels like ease and grace.  It feels like tranquility.

I have to say, I'm really enjoying it.  I just hope it comes with a life time warranty.  

Of Spoons

I finally sold my first zine on etsy.  It's the only venue that wasn't working for me, and now I'm really glad I sold one at this time in particular, because I ended up finding, through etsy, a very important article that I would like to share here.

I had decided that I would close my etsy account after my listings expired, but when I came back from helping my parents move, I found that I had actually sold something.  So after figuring out where the payment had gone, (because I had apparently set that up wrong) I decided to relist Hearth & Heart, as well as the letterpress holiday cards we make at Pegana Press.

work in progress "dummy" zine

I don't spend much time on etsy, because I don't have all that much spare time to familiarize myself with something new.  But I happened to notice that two people had "favorited" my zine, and I wanted to understand that aspect of etsy a little better so I clicked on the name.  Such a random thing for me to do, but it led me eventually to a very inspiring article, because I happened to notice there was "team" on etsy going by the name of "Calling All Spoonies".

I became interested because I am almost finished creating a zine about spoons, and I could tell this wasn't the same thing at all.

When I followed the link it took me to a site called "But You Don't Look Sick . com"  And I found this article explaining The Spoon Theory and was immediately touched by it.

http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/ 

If you have a chronic illness, you will relate.  If you know someone with a chronic illness, it will help you to think about that person in a whole new light.

Thanks to Christine Miserandino for this eloquent work.  It has touched me tremendously.

Catching Up

Busy Summer!  I've been helping my folks move.

I've been saying good bye to the woods on my parent's old place.  I will miss the land they've lived on these past dozen years or so.  Tomorrow the place will go to the new owners.  Only one more trip back for me to gather up three plants my mom wanted to keep and couldn't fit into the trailer.  I feel like I won't be able to rest until I get them safely tucked into their temporary sanctuary at my home.

Nor will I feel truly rested until I know that my parents won't need to make any more trips back and forth moving things.  Some things are being temporarily stored at my home to be moved at a more convenient time.

I know...

It's usually the kids who store their things with their parents.

I was sad yesterday as I meandered through the woodland trails, saying good bye to everything.  I know this new family - with young children - will embrace the land, as my family has.  And it, in turn will welcome them.  Those woods are a wonderland.

But the new home my parents have, is also a wonderland, and I find myself wanting to live there too.  They have traded old cedars for young pine, and misty rain for sun and wind.  The new place is also magical.  It makes me happy for them.  And they are still close enough for me to make a day trip or stay the week end.

Good byes are hard.  Leaving old friends for new...  Trading the familiar for the new adventure...