Helping artists through coaching and big picture planning, to get clarity on the next best steps, so they can be confident, breathe easy and build a sustainable, successful career.
[Silent Book Club ~ Ottawa Chapter] All the best for the new year... and what's the big idea behind resolutions, anyway?!
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“Resolve to renew all your old resolves, ― from a postcard in the 20th century It's New Year's Day, late afternoon. It's dark and gray, with a little bit of everything falling from the sky. It's wet and cold. It simply does not feel like a day for resolutions. The tradition of new year's resolutions is primarily a Western world tradition, filled with promises of renewal and the strict, colonial idea of self-improvement. We're never quite good enough, so we're given an annual chance to be better. Hm. What if, instead of a self-improvement regimen of resolves and promises, we choose to turn to ourselves with new adventure in mind...? A dear friend mentioned something in socials about new years bingo where, rather than picking a resolution or even devining a word-for-the-year. A chance to add a sprinkling of new experiences to our plan for the year, with little or no pressure to get all of them done. Hm... 'seems fun, n'est-ce pas? Sure, today feels more like a day for sinking into the muffled quiet of gloom and seeking solace in a story, well told and captivating. It feels like a day for letting the world pass us by as we hide under the covers with our flashlight and picture book. But with the whiff of adventure tickling our noses, our mouth might just water at the thought of ticking off little boxes filled with things like "taste three new cheeses in 2025", "pet a highland cow in 2025", or "run through a meadow of heather in 2025". And though it's hard to believe that days are getting longer, that we are returning to the light... ... we do believe. That's what life's about, I think. About believing even when are not feeling it. About hoping, at least a little bit, even when it feels dark and dreary. We are still resting and that's a good thing... and that means we will awaken. To light and life and renewal. Soon we will awaken, ready for new adventures we can dare ourselves to think up now, and set our year asail. Adventures we can imagine as we lie on our tummies, crayons scribbling out ideas, paper-folded captain's hat on our heads and flashlight shining bright against the blanket walls of our fort. · · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · · Wishing all the best for you for 2025! The recent frequency of these emails has slowed down to a snail's pace in the past few months and despite my extoling the virtues of not creating resolutions, my hope for the coming year is to get back to a comfortable rhythm to keep in solid touch with you all, and keep you informed of what's coming up. Welcome back, sweet Reader. Thank you for clicking this email open and letting your eyes and attention trickle down the "page" with me, as I muse about the wonders of gloom and light, of reading and adventuring. And if you have just signed up, I am so very glad that you're here. Truly, I am. From stories and thoughts, to reminders and lists of upcoming events... gathering them into these emails for you is not a flippant act on my part. Sometimes I stew and struggle for the right words, and I sometimes my fingers can't keep up with all of the things I want to tell you. And each time I click send, I am quietly humbled by the fact that I know you'll be reading. I know this because some of you write back to say so, to tell me about your own thoughtful reading journeys, to with me just share what you're reading & what's in your pile of stories to come. For all of this, as always... Thank you, thank you, thank you. · · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · · Even over the holidays, I've been reading... You might remember, Reader, in our last instalment of this trusty email thread I told you that I finally got The Embroidered Book back from the library. Though I love how Heartfield weaves magic through history and stories we might be familiar with, when I got about half way through the book, I had to set it aside. It was not for me, at least not at this time. Though I still plan to dive into Aunt Dimity's Death the first of 25 books in a mystery series by Nancy Atherton, that series will wait for another bit. Our last book club book was Foster by Clare Keegan, a novelette that explores family and being cared for by others, from a child's experience. We all enjoyed it quite a bit, and had long chats about it. I zipped through The Mistletoe Mystery: A Maid Novella by Nita Prose... a great Christmastime read featuring the determined Molly Gray as she tackles a mystery that's a little close to home. Our current book club book is Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout. With a frequent breaking of the fourth wall, this author creates an intimacy in this novel, that has me invested in its characters to an unexpected extent. I'm about halfway through adn enjoying it. Up next? Well, my pile grew over the holidays, so I'll leave my next reads for our next e-chat. I'd truly love to know what's on your nightstand or cozy fireside table, Reader... What has you reading into the night by flashlight light, covers over your head and quiet as a mouse...? · · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · · As always, please make sure you use the signup links... Another thank-you coming your way: we are so very grateful to those of you who are using the signup link: https://www.ticketleap.events/events/silent-book-club-ottawa. It truly helps us to keep our host venues up to date with how many people to expect at any meetup. So... thank you! Please bookmark that link and use it when making your SBC plans. Also... you can subscribe to the Silent Book Club ~ Ottawa Chapter's Google Calendar (if you use Google Calendar, that is) so that all of our meetups show up on your calendar. Go to our webpage scroll all the way to the bottom and click where the arrow points to. Follow the prompts and you'll get the info directly on your G'Calendar. In the description field of each meetup "event" in the calendar, you'll find the link you need to sign up. Easy peasy! Once you've visited the link and explored what's there, please let me know what you think! · · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · · That's all from me for now. Happy reading! Warmly and bookishly, as always, nicole · · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · · JANUARY EVENTS There are two meetups to alert you to in this note: one is returning (Hintonburg) and one is starting up fresh (Vanier)...! See details below and... don't forget to sign up! 📆 If you'd like to add our events to your Google calendar, please click here and subscribe! 📝 All meetups are now available for signup here! This helps our hosts know how many people to expect. Thank you! As always, please pay close attention in the list below to the start times for various gatherings. Not all meetups are at the same time. We have one that starts a touch earlier than most and one that's in the afternoon! Read carefully below and when you sign up. ⭐ = New! (Click here to email me, if you're looking to host a meetup in your area!) Upcoming events
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· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · · Silent Book Club ~ Ottawa Chapter If you received this email from a friend and would like to subscribe, please click here. |
little acorn creative coaching
Helping artists through coaching and big picture planning, to get clarity on the next best steps, so they can be confident, breathe easy and build a sustainable, successful career.
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