WOTY 2025 Resonate

 

Washing My Face

Only my word of the year has been holding this blog on, then, all of a sudden, I'm back. Contents may vary. I am 42 almost 43 now. 😁 ♥️

I have had no skin or hair routine to speak of for the last 20 years, besides some sun screen at times and St. Ives scrub, a staple since high school.

Today that all changes. This is my shelf now. It's so cheery. I am a wolf (The Power of When) so I have decided to do my skin stuff in the morning. I am a beginner at all this. My daughter (11) is my expert. ♥️

I got Clinique because once on a trip to Spain with my Ecua-bestie we went into an expensive store and she bought me a set. It felt like the height of fashion for my 18 year old self. I am still drawn to it because now I have money of my own to spend and that is a powerful thing.

For the other products, honestly, I just liked how they look. 😁😁

P.S. no product endorsements, just sharing my shelf.

P.S.S. strength - I like my face and it's rather cheery tonsee myself in the mirror again. ♥️ I love the little wrinkles around my eyes and I may do art on my forehead someday.

weakness - I am bad at brushing my teeth. The mint stings my mouth and makes me cry. I am/was a super taster (not sure now after COVID messed with my smell/taste) so toothpaste was torture. This one isn't bad. My brother's daughter has a non-minty one I may look into.

P.S.S. Suddenlies are mostly just fruit showing finally from long years on inner work, I think, although there are moments of turning a page or sudden season change.

Today is Christmas Eve.

Note to self, hair mousse before French braid made it weird. Better to do it dry and silky soft, I think, so it falls into place.

#BExskincare

ETA Dec 28: now that I have been using the Clinique set, there are some things that aren't a good match for me. It turns out I am ready to experiment with what else is out there beyond Clinique. I have my eye on JLo's skincare next, or maybe Alicia Keys. ❤️❤️

WOTY 2025 Contenders

 I used a choose your own adventure story set at the Louvre in Paris by Chat GPT to choose this year's guiding idea.

Drumroll please!!!!!!

Wonder-Full.

ETA Dec 28:

The above word isn't aging well for me, so I've moved on to...

WOTY 2024 in review

 

This year held a large move for my family.

The word I chose was ENUFF.

AHAvocadoodle video for my WOTY video in the cedar chapel.

I also have leaned on:

STAY THE COURSE.

WOTY 2024

The ever-expanding Word Of The Year (WOTY) 2024 possibilities list. The funny thing is that usually the word I end up using isn't on my list. I also tend to have a transitioning intention for the December/January season, then settle into my enduring word for the year. Last year I chose SIMPLIFY as my transition word, but the word that eventually held my hand all year long was STEADY. 

The phrase from 2021, KEEP MOVING FORWARD is also a STEADY refrain in my head. 😁😁

I have been SIMPLIFYing by purging a lot of my personal possessions and redoing my office spaces, so I am glad to see that I upheld my 2023 intention to some extent. I also quit school and let several past hobbies go, accepting that I am no longer that version of myself. Bittersweet but good overall.

(Reposted from a Facebook reflection I wrote today)

Comfy Fashion Post

Hello y'all! I am on my way to Texas and this is my plane outfit. 😍 These are not affiliate links (yet??!!), I'm just trying to make the world of clothing a friendly, fun, and fitting place. I currently weigh 200 lbs, have a round shape, and wear 16-18, XL. 

And here it is THE TRAVEL OUTFIT!!!!

I can't delete or rotate from my phone yet, so here you go! I'm letting myself be a beginner this trip so this is a great post for that. 

Also, I forgot to mention that it's Wednesday, which for me is WE day, because I focus on group things. Usually I have activities for my kids, and things on Wednesdays that involve groups of people. My WE day colors are black and white. It is also decision day if I have anything on my mind that needs a choice one way or another.

🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤

Details:

Jeans - Gloria Vanderbilt All Around Slimming Effect size 18, found at a local reseller for Costco in WA.

Tunic T-shirt from Elly and Grace - https://ellyandgrace.com/

Heartwork Journaling Trucker Hat and Hanes Unisex Sweatshirt (2x, too big, I'm usually a woman's XL) from Zazzle. (The sizes vary a lot so try a few and you might have to reorder but the customer service was fast and friendly.)

Existential Crisis Duck tap nightlight - such gentle light and a satisfying touch/sensory experience for me. It used to have legs. I found it on Facebook but I've heard they are on Amazon too. 

Bee Better Bombas socks from my daughter. No idea where she found these. Lovely though. I like happy and inspirational words on my clothes.

Mournday

For me, Mondays are Mourn-days. I find that I am a bit out of sorts after my busy weekends, and my sensitive nature has pulled in much of the world's pain. I see many broken things in the course of my life, and for a while, the sadness of what is wrong in our world and sometimes, in my own life, overwhelmed me emotionally. Having a day to process things and tidy up emotionally helps me stay balanced and healthy. The natural low of Mournday sets me up with a clearer mind and more energy for To Do Day (Tuesday).

Mournday is blue, and I try to incorporate water and art (beauty) into my day. I am wearing Walmart or Ross clothes, a scarf I made at my local Crochet Club, and a heart necklace that my son gave me. Usually I'd have dangle earrings too but I've lost my current blue pair.

Beach Outfits

Hello! This is the first post of a new series for my..... outfits! I am part engineer, part storyteller, and very sensory-sensitive, so clothing is a joy and a challenge. Here I want to share what is working for me right now.

Fuzzy blue hat - Walmart

Ear Warmer Headband - Linda's Crochet Love (local and handmade!! ❤️)

Chosen (TV show) sweatshirt "Get used to different"

Blue stretchy pants - Tried and Tru, made in Kenya

Boots - Walmart 

A better view of my favorite new beach accessory - ear warmer headband - as the weather turns from cloudy wet to spring sun.

❤️ Linda's Crochet Love sold through the Facebook page for ART HQx.

Hair Posts

 Hair Saga

I am cutting my hair short on April 6 and hopefully donating it to Locks of Love. I like things that are cyclic, so I plan to grow it out and donate it every 3 years or so. 

Today is the 3rd day of Lent. One of the things I will be doing is a love letter to my hair in portraits. Long hair and short hair are different, and I want this hair to be fully lived (and loved) before it goes off on its next adventure.

Today's hairstyle: front braids.

Hidden Wealth

Salt - the Salt Wars (book)

White Sugar - Little House on the Prairie

Paper - bark, papyrus, parchment...

Toilet Paper - my personal proof that there is hope for humanity.

Someday I want to do a lecture called "You're Richer Than You Know" or something like that. We have enough of so many things. We are wealthier than we know.