Last Week Look-Back, 2/14/21
This week, as record-breaking frigid temperatures continue on outside, I’ve been battling cold symptoms: a sore throat and all-over achiness, primarily. Experiencing cold symptoms in the time of Covid-19 can be a scary thing. Every Google search leads me down a new path of articles, and I sign off defeated, wrapping myself in my quarantine cocoon a little tighter. If you’re finding yourself wishing more than ever for relief from this pandemic, and the fear it brings, know I’m right there with you.
My sore throat and achiness are not related to Covid-19, thank goodness. I suspect my symptoms came upon me due to a combination of sleep deprivation and decision fatigue. The sleep deprivation that often comes with caring for a newborn is REAL, and every hour of every day I find myself having to make decisions like:
Should I shower now, even though I won’t stay “clean” for long?
Should I get properly dressed for the day now, even though I will soon wear spit up?
Do I have 15 minutes now to exercise, eat, or (fill in the blank)?
(Note that, by the time I’ve checked the app we have that tracks when our newborn eats, sleeps, and poops, the answer to that last question is usually “no”.)
This blog post will go up on Valentine’s Day. I’ve wrapped up my Julia Roberts rom-com Netflix binge and entered into the wonderful world of Firefly Lane. It feels like the week passed by in a flash. Suddenly, February 13th had arrived and I found myself in the Target card section with everyone else who ventured out to the store that day.
My husband and I have never been big on giving gifts to one another. On most days, his gift to me is a good meal and some time together, and my gift to him is appreciation and some snuggles. It works well for us, but regardless of his insistence on me not buying him anything when a holiday rolls around, I still find myself venturing out to buy something before each and every one.
The day we got engaged always falls near Valentine’s Day (cleverly planned, I’ll say), and each year we both put in the effort to make the holiday week special and “romantic”. In the movies, romance is depicted with fancy dinner dates, champagne and nice cocktails, flowers and chocolate, wine and sex.
Like most, I can get sucked into this, feeling the need to get fancy when February 14th rolls around. But life looks a bit different for us this year. We are currently sharing our bedroom with an almost two-month-old, who is still learning his nights from his days and sleeps in a bassinet surrounded by burp cloths. It is not a room that screams romance, nor are the wake-up cries every three hours or so.
I used to fantasize about being whisked away into the evening on Valentine’s Day, but this year, romance for me looks like sweatpants on the couch, a dinner in, and maybe a movie. Society likes to tell us a marriage will surely die if the “spark” does, but my "spark" doesn’t re-light with an expensive dinner bill.
I’ll wrap this post up with a reminder to you that celebrating Valentine’s Day can look however you want it to. Sweet words come at no cost, and romantic gestures can be as simple as washing the dishes or filling the bathwater up. (And don’t forget the relationships you have that may need the most attention today might not be your romantic ones.)
Things I’ve loved this past week
Mari Andrew’s “Love Q&A” Instagram story. I’ve followed Mari Andrew on Instagram for years and find her introspection and honesty charming, and her joy so contagious.
This Bloomberg article about the Save Our Stages Act, which was started by a few independent music venues including Minneapolis’ First Avenue. The Act has led to significant federal support for arts and culture during the pandemic.
This article about Haley Williams’ new album, 'Flowers for Vases / descansos,' which I will definitely have on repeat this week.
All of the Britney Spears support I’m seeing surrounding her conservatorship case, including this New York Times article. I haven’t yet watched the “Framing Britney Spears” documentary that sparked public interest in this, but I’m intrigued (and sad already).
Songs bringing me life this week (a love song edition)
“What Is Love - 7” Mix” by Haddaway
“First Day of My Life” by Bright Eyes
“If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys
“Friday I’m in Love” by The Cure
“We Belong Together” by Mariah Carey
“I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” by Whitney Houston
“I’ll Stand by You” by the Pretenders, Bob Clearmountain
“You Are the Sunshine of My Life” by Stevie Wonder
“Make You Feel My Love” by Adele
“Bleeding Love” by Leona Lewis
“I Wanna Know What Love Is - 1999 Remaster” by Foreigner
What I’m reading this week
“‘Caste’: The Origins of our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkenson
“Love’s Ripening, Rumi on the Heart’s Journey” translated by Kabir Helminski and Ahmad Rezwani
The “Last Week’s Look-Back” series will be posted on this blog weekly each Sunday afternoon. It’s me at my most honest: an unpolished spewing of reflections and ramblings on all that’s happening in the world.
Thanks for reading!
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