Week in Review: 224
Monday
Day off. Always good. Woke up early, lay in bed listening to podcasts for almost four hours. Maddening ones, hopeful ones. Some that make me cry. One that finally made me get up and do something.
Went out for bakery breakfast for the first time in a long time.
Made a little headway on a to-do list.
Found some rocks. Lost some paints. Life: 1 Bettye: 1 Can’t expect much better than that.
Tuesday
Back to work today. In the morning I went to a student’s house to film/photograph her graduation. The principal and her teachers were there and a couple other people from work. It was in her backyard which was gorgeous, it was hard to return to real life.
Today was my turn to go into the office and it was one of those “dothisdothisdothisdothisdothis” days where you never get to what YOU need to do, because there are so many “do this’es.” But…tomorrow is another day.
Met a friend after work to sit, you guessed it, on some grass at the edge of a parking lot, ha ha. I texted her after we met last time and said let’s commit to walking at least one lap around wherever we are, before we just sit. And dammit, she remembered. It was fine. I realized I had No Heel Pain At All, maybe this length of Stay at Home is the “stay off your feet” rest they’ve needed. My hips are another story, but…at least One Thing seems better!
Sat on the patio with Janey for a bit when I finally got home cuz she had been alone all day. The teenage (?) boys in the house sort of to the side of my apartment were having an outdoor party. It was So Nice to hear sounds of life! It’s usually So Quiet here.
Wednesday
Okay, I hope you’ll try and find just ten minutes today to watch this. It can count as your meditation time. It’s so peaceful and lovely.
Thursday
I don’t have much to say today cuz I said it all in my “Update (aka I Got Nuthin)” post.
Friday
Had to go into the office. They’re prepping for some students and staff to arrive on July 1. Everyone had their own bottles of hand sanitizer on their desks. Someone still doesn’t know how to spell my name.
Saturday
Went to a winery with some friends, outdoor socially-distanced tables…guacamole, hummus, live music, gentle breezes under the late afternoon shade of an umbrella. Not a bad outing.
Sunday
Went out east with a friend to visit a public garden that’s open. It’s hot. I’m almost ready to be done with being active outside in the heat.
Then a little brunch.
Farmstand stop.
Home to some distressing news. Gonna just relax on the sofa this evening.
WHAT I’M READING
Too much all at the same time. I’ve got two “hold in your hand” books, one Kindle, and one audiobook all going at the same time. And can’t keep up with all the podcasts I want to listen to.
WHAT I’M WATCHING
The Last Black Man in San Francisco. This was a good (true) story, visually lovely, wonderful photography/cinematography, well-acted. It had almost a Wes Anderson surrealistic vibe to it. Two thumbs up.
Dead To Me: Season 2. I really enjoy this show, but MAN do they cry a lot.
WHAT I’M LISTENING to
- NPR: Corona Virus Daily, daily. It’s under 15 minutes.
- NPR: News Now, daily. 5-minute synopsis of top news stories.
- The New York Times: The Daily, almost daily. 10-30minutes a day. There was a very good show on Friday by a historian on The History and Meaning of Juneteenth.
- NPR: Up First: 15-ish minutes daily of some news thing.
Those pretty much take up my limited “listening” time and I rarely get to the longer podcasts I’d also like to listen to. I can’t listen while I’m doing other things: I can’t hear it, I get distracted with what I’m doing, etc. I listen either early in the morning if I’ve woken up before I actually have to get out of bed…or while I’m driving (which isn’t that much these days). Sometimes on a weekend if I’m feeling particularly luxurious, I’ll lay on the sofa with my eyes shut and just listen to something – either a podcast or audio-book. That is like the HEIGHTH of laziness and relaxation.
Okay, signing off.
Be safe, all. We’ve done well in NY but I see so many other places in the country spiking.
julia
I’m the same way about listening to podcasts. I have to be doing something mindless to listen, usually cleaning the house or doing dishes or driving. My luxury is to sit on my back porch in the evening listening to my audio book and I look forward to that all day. I always love your photos Bettye!
bettyewp
Thanks, Julia. Yeah, I can’t even listen while washing dishes, etc. Hearing is a big part of it – there’s no way I can hear them over the sound of dishwashing! I have poor “while there is ambient sound” hearing. The tests all say my hearing is fone. That’s nice. I STILL CAN’T HEAR YOU.
But, agreed, just sitting or laying down, listening – that is the ultimate relaxation. Not even having to Hold a Book or Turn the Pages! Ha. I like to go ALL IN on my relaxation.
Karen
It’s heavy times. At first we thought we were taking a rest from real life. Now we’re digging into life “as it should/could be” and it’s exhausting to hear and see the changes that we need (or hope) to make. As Gilda Radner said, “it’s always something”.
Speaking of Gilda, I watched Jerry Seinfeld on Netflix on the weekend and he had a bit about “in” and “on”. You live in Manhattan, but you’re on Long Island. You’re never “in” Long Island. You’re on the bus but in a taxi. And you’re neither one in an Uber – you “take” an Uber. It was a lovely break from all the enlightenment I’m trying to absorb. A very funny man. Happy Monday, Bettye! I hope your distressing news seeps back into being manageable news. xo karen
bettyewp
Ha, yeah. And Manhattan is a funny one, cuz it’s really the same as Long Island. It’s an Island, so you’re ON it. And it’s not like an ACTUAL PLACE. You wouldn’t address mail to Manhattan, NY, you send it to NY, NY. We all KNOW it’s Manhattan, just like we know this is Long Island, but…it’s a BOROUGH. But so are Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island – and you address mail to them. 123 Any St, Staten Island, NY. Queens is also weird, in that you address mail not to QUEENS, but to the specific town within it – Glendale, Jamaica, Astoria, etc. 123 Any St., Ridgewood, NY is IN Queens, but…
So many different rules…
Mmm…I’ve got some family health things happening. Seems like a lot of Not Good News all at the same time.
Sheryle
Hi Bettye- totally off the subject but I’ve been meaning to ask your take on selling clothes online. Is it worth all the extra steps it seems it requires? Is it seasonal? Any tips on it?
bettyewp
You know I sold clothes on ebay for many years. But going out and searching for the “best sellers” to resell is a different animal than selling unwanted clothes from your closet (unless your closet is full of Best Sellers!). And while I used to do that full time, even while I was already WORKING full-time, I was 100% setup for it. I had apps that helped me streamline and systems that I followed daily to keep everything moving. I was listing 25+ new items each week. It was a smooth operation. NOW? When I try to list ONE THING I get SO aggravated! Ha. I’m not set up for it anymore. Plus, I’m not listing “sure things,” I’m listing “stuff I don’t want anymore.” Ha.
I’ve been meaning for a long time to write an updated post on this…and I will…but for now I will answer your questions:
* Is it worth all the extra steps it requires? That totally depends on what you’re selling, how much you’re marketing your “closet,” (wherever it may be), your pricing, etc. So many variables. If you have some time…and patience…and either desirable items or sizes…then it’s worth giving it a shot. Go through the process with maybe your five “best” items and see how that goes. You’ll get a feel for what’s involved. If your BEST items don’t sell well, then…that might be a good indicator for whether or not you want to continue with your other items.
* Is it seasonal? I will say as far as pricing goes, yes. A winter coat MIGHT sell in July, but people looking for a winter coat in July are probably looking for it then hoping for a deal.
* Any tips? Well-lit, clear pictures; give all measurements so people don’t have to ask (shoulder, bust, waist, hips, length); really assess condition objectively and point out any flaws, discolorations, stretched seams, etc.
If you have any other specific questions, please ask 🙂
SundayDahlias
That June vlog video was so peaceful and calming to watch! Thank you for sharing it, I love those kinds of videos!
https://sundaydahlias.com
bettyewp
Right?? I’d been following her Instagram account for awhile and only recently learned she had a YouTube account and her videos are So Lovely!
Sheryle
Thanks so much for your excellent response to my inquiry about selling clothes on line. As usual, you have excellent insight into this! I see what you’re saying about the difference between selling hot items or just stuff I have and want to get rid of— I’m still fighting the clutter control and confusing purging my unwanted things versus trying to sell them. I want them gone— do I see the road I need to take!!!! Looking forwArd to the rush of accomplishment when I let it all go! Thanks for your thoughtful answer!
bettyewp
Yes. I have a hard time just letting things go when I know I can convert them into money….but sometimes….the RELIEF of having CLEAR SPACE instead of PILES OF STUFF is worth it.
Emma Peach
The painted rocks are lovely! I’ve been meaning to do this with Isobel. Your garden looks so tranquil and green!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
bettyewp
Thanks, Emma. I should put the rocks outside in some of the flower pots.
I wish I could put EVERYTHING outside.
Omaye
I really love that anytime I read your weekly journals you’re committed to learning about race dynamics and I must commend you for that. I got introduced to your blog by the honest entry you made about race relations in the USA.
You stuck to your word which shows you have immense integrity.
I love how you said Bettye 1 life 1. hahahaha. Isn’t that how it always goes? hahahahaha
Love this!
xxxxx
https://ooomaye.com
bettyewp
“I love how you said Bettye 1 life 1. hahahaha. Isn’t that how it always goes?”
Yeah. This morning as I was headed out for my day off it seemed like one thing after another was annoying me…but then the afternoon was one delight after another. I think it pretty much evened out…which should probably be considered a win 🙂