Goodbye, April! Hello, May!

Recent addition planted at Burke Heritage Park

Sometimes life doesn’t go as planned. April’s purpose was to remind me of that. It was thirty days of misery: conflicts in personal relationships, financial worries, work-related stresses, and a host of medical problems affecting the whole family. There were some bright moments, but by far, it was the worst month I have experienced in a long time. And given the nature of many of the issues, a long stressful year may lie ahead.

By nature and by nurture, I’m a rather cynical person. Joy and optimism don’t come easily to me. Much work has been done to improve this, but it’s difficult to keep up a positive attitude on life when everything appears to be falling apart. My prayer for this month is that things take a turn for the better.

Goodbye, March! Hello, April!

My son's favorite animal at the Los Angeles Zoo

Missed the first day of the new year, but the first day of a new month seems reasonably appropriate for launching a new blog. I had outgrown the old one, initially created as a form of self-therapy. Here I hope my writing will take on a more positive outlook, reflecting my internalization of the KonMari Method of decluttering and embracing what “sparks joy” in life.

So what did I enjoy this past March 2019? Here are some highlights:

FICTION Erle Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason novels surpass his iconic television show. One particular quote in The Case of the Rolling Bones (1939) had me laughing: one of the characters complains that the young men these days are “a bunch of whining little snivelers who want the government to support’em.” This same bunch, in real life of course, later managed to rebrand themselves as the “Greatest Generation.”

COOKING Robb Walsh’s The Chili Cookbook: A History of the One-Pot Classic, with Cook-off Worthy Recipes from Three-Bean to Four-Alarm and Con Carne to Vegetarian is making me a more discriminating chile shopper. My goal this year is no more cans of Hormel.

TELEVISION The Great Courses series can be pretty dry sometimes, but I liked Steven Tuck’s dry humor in The Mysterious Etruscans. It’s too bad that courses on more popular topics probably get watched more often.

SKINCARE Thank you, Amazon for the FaceTory - Handpicked Korean Sheet Masks Subscription Box. Giving myself a facial at home has been a great way to close a work week...and less expensive than going to a spa. However, I must confess that some of the ingredients are a bit strange. I just can’t bring myself to put snail slime on my face.

HANGOUT My toddler had his first Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens experience this past weekend on a trip with my in-laws. It was great to watch his face light up with delight at the zebras and especially the giraffes.

AND… The biggest “joy” moment of March, by far, was winning a contest. This was completely unexpected. Can’t reveal it yet – no, it’s not a million dollars – but I’m looking forward to sharing my experience when the prize is finally awarded in the upcoming months. In the meantime, I wish my readers a fairweather and stress-free April.