In 2020, when everything shut down due to the pandemic, I made it a habit to support local businesses in the area. I did this in person, and through Instagram and Facebook. Like everyone else, my way of life had been interrupted. I was getting used to things like social distancing and having to wear masks.
At the same time, I was feeling lonely and looking for attention. All of the good that came out of 2019 had evaporated as the world shut down in the middle of March. I had become more active on Instagram, in addition to Facebook, and discovered some new faces. Like me, they were bloggers and some of them were influencers. One of them makes it her passion to find joy amidst all the chaos. She calls it #JoySpotted. I did this as well in 2020 and part of 2021, before my health issues and other chaos took over.
I’ll leave the #JoySpotted name to the creator who came up with it. Instead, I’m starting #GoodNews and on the socials I’ll post some of the good things going on in my life. It’s hard to hear any good news on TV as most things you hear are negative. Whatever coffee I order is always #goodnews to me, for example.
Speaking of coffee, I visited Cutie’s yesterday afternoon and enjoyed good coffee and good company. I got to catch up with some of the staff and am always trying to learn names and faces there. I also met the owner of a small cafe in Manor and we talked about Giant Eagle and other things. My Samoa Cookie Latte was amazing and my time there was well-spent. I’ll be back on Monday.
Something else that’s #goodnews is that I’ve become more active. I made many trips to the gym in February and it looks like a carbon copy in March. With longer days coming soon when the weather permits, I’ll take time to walk around one of the local parks. When I have a night off, I’ll be planning trips to Twin Lakes or Mammoth. As long as I get thirty minutes a day, I’ll feel like I accomplished something.
Finally, I’ve been making some purchases with my gift cards from Christmas. I’ll begin reading the Josh Shapiro memoir in a couple of weeks, as we welcome the first weekend of Spring. He has my vote in November. In April, once I finish the NPR book then I’ll begin the Jazzmen, which is about some of the famous Big Band jazz musicians of our time. My summer reading project is going to be 3 Shades of Blue, which goes into detail about Miles Davis’ best selling album “Kind of Blue”. Also covered is the cool jazz era of the 1950’s and ‘60s.
I used my Old Navy card to update my wardrobe and ordered some new shirts and other pieces of clothing. Everything should arrive later this week and I’ll be putting together some cute comfy ‘fits. Something I can wear for a Sunday coffee trip, or for dinner plans when we relaunch the Dinner series soon. I’m thinking Eat’n Park for the Whale of a Cod for our first visit.
Stylish 🍒 