Holiday Hours
Hey! We are going to be closed off & on for a few days, to accommodate some much-needed R ‘n R.
Upcoming Store Hours
Friday April 15 (Easter Friday & Passover): CLOSED
Saturday April 16: 12pm to 6 pm
Sunday April 17 (Easter Sunday): CLOSED
Monday April 18 (Easter Monday): CLOSED
Tuesday April 19 to Saturday April 23: 12 pm to 6 pm
Sunday April 24: CLOSED
Monday April 25: CLOSED
If you need to get you some Haley time, please pop by April 12, 13, or 14, otherwise, I’ll see ya again on the 26th!
Housekeeping
As masks come off and infection rates go up, we in the store continue to keep our masking policy in place. Last time a lot of you reached out to let us know you supported that choice, and I’m really grateful for that. Everything has been working nicely with the masks, and it looks like there is no reason to change that, so we aren’t. If you come to the store but forget your mask, that’s ok, we have lots on hand, for both adults and children.
I know that people are all over the map on masking and COVID protocols, etc, it’s definitely a spectrum. When I find myself falling into a negative frame of mind, especially if it involves blame or “Bad Othering” of any kind, I try to remind myself that we’ve all experienced some form of trauma from the pandemic experience, we’re all burned out from some aspect of it. Our common humanity is a stable place to ground when life feels out of balance.
What I’m Knitting To …
My favourite picks this month …
Brene Brown’s Atlas of the Heart (on TV)
Not only is Brene’s new book out on paper, kindle and audiobook, but HBO has brought it to TV too (streaming on CRAVE in Canada)! The audiobook is cool, it’s narrated by the author and as a dyed-in-the-wool teacher, she throws in lots of extra stuff and repeats important content to catch your attention. The TV show illustrates her points with TV and movie clips, and includes audience interaction by the third episode.
Whatever way you consume it, ‘Atlas of the Heart’ dives deep into human emotions to give us a foundation in what our feelings really mean. Apparently, language is really important when it comes to feeling our feelings. According to the research, there are 2 parts to the process of experiencing an emotion: feeling it and naming it. Once we give it its label, that’s what it becomes … so best to make an informed decision about what you’re signing yourself up for. Having a lexicon of emotions is also really important for communicating feelings with other people … a very necessary part of human connection, which we indisputably all need. Life is about relationships and we’re here to experience emotions … the clearer you are on them the more meaningful your connections can be.
Run Towards The Danger by Sarah Polley
Many years ago I almost accidentally barrelled into Sarah Polley in a Whole Foods – I was distracted by pretty displays, and being very petite, she was out of my tall-girl line of sight. This was a major oversight on my part because she is someone who you’ll regret overlooking. I read the book on Audiobook, and it was superbly narrated by herself. She has an artist’s perception and skill combined with academic critical and analytical skills, so she’s basically wicked smart and down to earth. The book is a memoir written as a series of essays. She examines trauma, but she somehow manages to go to dark places without downloading any shame or fear onto the reader. Her story is fascinating and moving, and I found myself learning about myself from each chapter of her life. Thank you for sharing Sarah, and I apologize for almost smooshing you, that small package holds a formidable soul.
Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness
My current Media crush is Jonathan Van Ness, who you may know as the master of grooming from Queer Eye (and before that Gay of Thrones). After bingeing the 6th season of Queer Eye, I fell down a major JVN rabbit hole; I was feeling twinges of resistance to him on the show, which means it’s time to lean into that energy and explore what I’m resisting in myself. It turns out, this dude is AWESOME! He’s had a podcast, “Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness”, since 2016, where he talks to smart, interesting, passionate people about all manner of things. The podcast then expanded into a TV show of the same title streaming on Netflix, which is fun, funny, thought-provoking, and accessible to everyone (sometimes he swears, but I still think it’s a good watch for my 8 & 11-year-old niece & nephew). His new book comes out today, which is at the top of my to-download list. He may come off as fluffy, but don’t mistake his authentic joy and complete self-acceptance for an empty head, he is far, far from an empty vase. JVN is a great example of the true magnificence of unconditional self-love in full bloom, as is my admiration.