Taking Stock: 0720

Making

New business plans for the flower shop. This is a really challenging time to own a small business, but we’re one of the lucky ones. We managed to get back on our feet after closing through April, and our small team is back to work. We adapted quickly and made big changes. Like moving away from retail, closing the shop to the public, and shifting to phone and Internet exclusively. Our business model looks completely different than it did just six months ago, and in some ways, it’s better and more efficient! I’m incredibly grateful for our team and the support of our family, friends and community; I can’t imagine getting through the last few months without them.

Drinking

Ice-cold Mexican Coke. The kind in glass bottles that’s made with real cane sugar. I keep a stash in the fridge, and it feels like such a treat to crack one open. It’s not the healthiest daily habit, but listen — do what you need to do to get through 2020, am I right?

Although the trend disappeared from Instagram, I still make myself an iced Dalgona coffee almost every morning. (Hack: this little handheld milk frother* is the perfect tool for the job.)

Watching

Old comfort favorites to keep me distracted and boost my mood. In addition to the ensemble comedies I always turn to, I’m going back through New Girl, and usually have Gilmore Girls on in the background when I cook and do chores around the house.

For new stuff: The Babysitters Club on Netflix is a hit of wholesome nostalgia we all need right now. I was weirdly emotional watching it; adulthood feels pretty daunting lately, and the series took me back to simpler times when I loved cuddling up with my BSC books as a kid.

For bingeworthy drama: Chad and I just started Westworld, and we’re totally sucked into the second season of Dirty John, the Betty Broderick story. The latter is worth watching just for the amazing 80’s designer fashion, but Amanda Peet is so good as Betty.

And Bojack Horseman is my go-to before bed; the low, soothing voices of Will Arnett, Paul F. Tomkins and Aaron Paul lull me right to sleep.

A sidebar: If you want to lose yourself in reality TV, 14/10 would recommend Bravo’s Summer House. It’s my introvert nightmare — sharing a party house with 8-10 people every weekend through the summer — but it’s ridiculously entertaining.

Reading

Just a little. I went into quarantine with a huge TBR stack — that’s To Be Read in #bookstagram speak — and lots of enthusiasm to tackle it while the flower shop was closed. But I had trouble concentrating, and only managed to finish one book. The Southern Book Club’s Guide To Slaying Vampires* by Grady Hendrix is one of the weirdest, creepiest, funniest stories I’ve ever read, and, despite a handful of graphic scenes that truly terrified me, I couldn’t put it down. It’s a deep-fried southern horror story, based in 80’s and 90’s Charleston, and I loved it.

I’m slowly making my way through Beautiful Ruins*, a recommendation from one of my favorite podcasts, Ask Ronna. Then I have a stack of books by black authors that I plan to dive into next.

Listening

To so many podcasts. I’ll share a post soon with all my favorites.

Also the Spotify playlist from the FX show, Better Things. (That show is incredible and I cry through every episode. Pamela Adlon is a gift to this world.)

Loving

Daily morning walks with Doak. More homemade meals. Extra time at home with C. Working in my home office that we painted and setup just before COVID hit.

Doing more with less.

Wearing

Face masks!! And my summer capsule wardrobe. More on that next week!

Feeling

A little anxious, but mostly calm. Fleeting moments of overwhelmed. Thinking I have coronavirus at least three times a week. But overall, optimistic and content, and filled with hope and gratitude.

Basically I’m feeling all the feelings lately, lol.

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