09. A Spring Manifesto
I'm curating a vibe here
Spring is my *favourite* time of year and it is finally just around the corner. I know spring has been very much present in many parts of the world- but she is just starting to open her eyes here in Toronto, where we have had a very long and very cold winter. As an eternal planner, dreamer, and schemer, it is my solemn duty to write down what I am planning and dreaming and hoping for out of this season.
I was originally going to title this post something with “girl” in the title- but I watched Game of Thrones S5E5 last night and was struck by this scene:
I’m turning 30 this year, and Aemon’s line struck a chord in me. It’s time to kill the girl- so here’s a vibe check on how this woman will be spending the best season of the year. This is a list of what I am looking forward to during my favorite time of year- and a quick update at the end about how my no buy has become so much more difficult during a shift of seasons!
Reading
I recently had a major fig tree moment when my dream nursing job was posted at my workplace. If I wasn’t doing a PhD, my dream job would be to work as an organ donation coordinator- a specialized nurse who counsels families in the ICU and supports them through making a decision about organ donation on behalf of their loved one, as well as doing the work behind the scenes to match donated organs with recipients. I’m a pediatric ICU nurse, and a pediatric donation coordinator position became available. For context- there is one person who does this job in the entire province where I live.
Our lives are so terribly short, and we only get to live one of them. I can’t work as an organ donation coordinator because it’s a full-time job, and I am doing my PhD full-time. I have to let one of my dreams pass me by- and that’s difficult. The only way to live other lives (and we have endless opportunity to do so) is by reading good books. Books take us out of our lives, give us other perspectives, let us take novel adventures, and we can experience all of this from a comfortable couch, a cozy cafe, or a chic wine bar. Media doesn’t count, by the way- you can only experience this with books.
A few books I am planning to read this spring include Martyr!, The Dream Hotel, Stag Dance, and Slouching Towards Bethlehem.
Adult Activity Bags
When you go out into the world with a small child, you generally will pack a bag with a few things for them to do- a picture book, a fidget toy, maybe a few snacks. I’ve seen a few creators talking about applying this concept as an adult recently- packing a few things to do in your bag so that you don’t need to reach for your phone every time there is a spare moment out in the world. I’ve realized that I tend to do this by bringing my Kindle everywhere (this is one of the biggest selling points of the Kindle, imo), but I’d like to expand my on-the-go activity repertoire. This spring, I’m planning to knit in public! I’d like to carry my projects around with me, and fill small windows of time with stitches. I’ll keep carrying my Kindle, too - and maybe I’ll start packing myself a snack! My current WIP is the Olga Sweater by PetiteKnit (someone else’s Olga sweater pulled from Pinterest for this collage), but I’d love to start making these little fish pouches with scrap yarn as gifts- the perfect portable project!
Journaling After Work Instead of First Thing
I’m not sure if this will be relatable to anyone, but I have always struggled with quiet time spent alone. I fill my hours with work, projects, more work, and workouts, to avoid being alone with my thoughts. When I have an expanse of an evening before me, I find it difficult to be kind to myself- ugly thoughts start to rear.
I’ve always followed the traditional advice of journaling in the morning to start my day- but it’s never been hard for me to tackle my day first thing. I struggle more in the evenings, so I am going to try something new- journaling to transition from work to my own time, to set me up for more enjoyable evenings!
Spring is my favourite season and I’m so thankful it’s here.
I’d love to hear about the vibes you are curating for spring- thanks for being here!
Other random updates…
My no buy is getting so. much. harder. now that it’s a new season in fashion! I thought I had gotten used to it, but it turns out my feelings of ease were only in the context of my winter wardrobe. Spring trends are attacking me! I might need to quit social media again… this is going to happen again in summer and fall and need to prepare
I have been consuming a ton of content about ditching my smartphone (ironic, I know). Catherine Shannon and August Lamm have both written excellent guides. Watch this space…
Does anyone have a small, compact, digital camera that they love? I’m thinking of trading in my Sony ZV-E10 for something that is more focused on portability and memory-making.
Love you! Thanks for reading <3
I’m an Organ Donation Coordinator in California! I also worked in a PICU just before getting my current job. I do love it but I go through periods of burnout - it was fun for me to read that my job is actually someone else’s dream job. And ironically my dream is to go back to school :)
Write to the organ donation place and introduce yourself anyway! You never know what that might lead to x