My dear–how have you been? Are the kids okay? I know that thing at work has been really getting to you—has it lightened up at all? I love seeing your pets on Instagram—please never stop. All our friends are having babies right now! Isn’t that great? If you’re wondering what to get all of them, this. I hope you’re finding some peace within your days. The days are getting chillier and with all the soup, boots, and pumpkin spice also come darker days so I hope you’re being proactive about preparing your mind for that. Please take care of yourself. Make a plan. Do you like this song?

I know I haven’t written in a while but it’s not because I don’t have anything to say. I have a lot of things I want to say and I’ve been working on finding language. I’ve been thinking about a lot of unrelated things.

I’ve been thinking about Colin Kaepernick and how this is the first time I’ve ever cared about anything having to do with football ever, before. I’ve been thinking about how a lot of people say that he shouldn’t complain because he has a lot of money and grew up in a white family. People do that. Like when Jennifer Lawrence wrote that essay in Lenny Letter about how women make less than men and everyone was like, “shut up and count your millions.” But, like, then who is allowed to speak up? These people have money but they’re still real people and they’re still allowed to have convictions. These people have money but that doesn’t mean that they can’t use their platform to talk about important issues. These people don’t live in our televisions—hired only to entertain us and cease existing otherwise.
People talk about privilege like it’s this horrible, shameful thing. But, really, it’s only shameful to ignore it. To use our powers for evil instead of good. All of us have some measure of privilege and we can use it to build others up. To hand the mic to those that get passed by.

I’ve been thinking, too, about money and the way that we spend it and what that means. I don’t know if this comes from being in my 30’s—just growing up, or if it comes from having so many friends who are business owners. But I’ve felt so compelled, lately, to make sure that the little money that I have really speaks for me. Really does some good in the world. I’ve been thinking about the ethics of buying and making sure that the clothes that I put on my back were not purchased from people who profit from the impoverishment of other people. I have been having trouble, lately, reconciling the idea that someone else should work in unsafe conditions or long hours for little pay just so that I can wear $7 leggings. My minimalist, capsule wardrobe lends itself to choosing quality over quantity and from now on I want “quality” to mean “quality of life” as well as backstitching and double seams. Earlier this year, I had a Noonday Trunkshow at my house and that’s what really kickstarted that thought in my mind. I’m considering having another one before Christmas… do you think that’s a good idea?
I’ll save up my pennies for fair trade pieces or buy used. I have no problem with that. I know that there are a lot of areas where we should be mindful of these things but I’m trying to have more grace for myself about starting somewhere and moving from there.

I’ve been thinking a lot about learning new things. Something happened to me, recently, wherein I realized that it’s my nature to give up on things if I’m not good at it rather than applying myself and learning. I’ve always wanted to be good at illustrating and hand lettering but in my mind, I’m just not the kind of person who is good at drawing. So I never tried. And if I did happen to doodle, I’d scratch the whole thing out if one thing didn’t come out perfect on the first try. I don’t know what it was that lit me up and told me that, hello, I can learn anything that I want to… If my friends babies can learn to walk and talk and read and pee in a toilet—I can learn to sit down and try something more than once.

So I’ve been drawing every day. My short term goal is to get comfortable enough to draw all of our Christmas cards this year. I’m excited about it.

Have you learned anything new lately? Do you want to?
What kinds of things are on your mind? I hope you’re taking good care of yourself.

XOXO, Lib