SPRING!

Spring! 

Easter has come and gone and up here in Seattle the air is less crispy yet full of pollen.  *achoo* Our storms are more volatile and the rain is insane.  Boom boom crash.  Sudden rivers pop up where streets used to be.

Spring means the restaurant I work at is busy and just going to get busier as we round the bend to summer.  

Spring is the last time slot to get that “summer bod”.  I’m committing to more gym time, more outdoor time, and healthy eats.  Meal prep and I are getting to be icy acquaintances.  “Oh…it’s you again.”  

Spring light is flooding my window which has my healthy and thriving aloe plants stationed to catch the most rays.  Also a few new herbal infusions I’ll be using to make salves and moisturizer to help my skin during the rough and tumble outdoor days of the summer.

Spring is planning time for the summer adventures. Hikes and trips and all the things I’d rather be doing. 

Spring means my maps are tacked to my wall as I circle and highlight routes through forests and wildernesses. My dreams are filled with gear lists and trail names and how I’m going to keep my camera safe when I have a tendency to drop it down canyons…it still works even if it’s not pretty!

Spring is the season of wildflowers and renewal.  Spring means we made it through another winter.   The dormant earth erupts in new life and the promise of bounty as the sun lingers longer in the clearing skies.  Spring is a long, full bodied stretch after a nap as we launch into the new season. 

Here's to Spring!  

A Shift in Voice

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I haven’t written in a while because I face a conundrum.  This blog was created to encourage mostly women to be confident and try new things and to promote an environmentally ethical and sustainably simple lifestyle.  I’ve purposely avoided writing about current events, politics, religion, or really anything controversial.  There may be the occasional strongly phrased post but it usually has to do with kindness, practicality, or common sense.  Right now I feel like this is a moment in history, or a period in our country when the normal “go with the flow” and “every little thing is gonna be alright”, laissez-faire mindset is no longer appropriate. 

Conflict is something I avoid at almost all costs unless I’m forced to deal with it.  I’d make a marvelous ostrich.  However, I now feel like there are some things I need to say and be open about even if they aren’t fun and delightfully witty.  This isn’t a change in the purpose of this medium, rather it is a shift to a more open dialogue and a more personal channel for me to express not just my ideas about herbal oils, but my concerns and feelings about our world today.  

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I’m committing to you now that I will do my utmost to remain encouraging as that was one of the main foundations of this blog’s conceptions.  My goal is not to persuade you to change your views or lifestyles or choices, instead my goal is to challenge you to evaluate them as I have done, am doing, and will continue to do.  I will do my best to speak not from a place of ignorance or prejudice, but from an informed and curious place.  You may read some stream of consciousness pieces as I wrestle things on my own.  I hope you are encouraged by that.  My fellow millennials are in the throws of figuring out life and I want to pitch my tent in the camp of those of us challenging ourselves and getting uncomfortable so we can grow and learn and be better for it. 

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 I hope you join me, and are challenged and in turn challenge me so we can grow and learn together.  Thank you for your support!

I Own a Rug

I'm a millennial.  I cringe to admit that fact, however,  being born in 1990 places me smack in the middle of the 80s-99 babies. 

I did not grow up with generation X parents like the majority of my peers.  My parents are Baby boomers and I was an oops (They have assured me I'm a very loved and welcome oops)

My formative years happened in a rural community with very traditional "John Wayne-esque" values. 

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Stand for what you believe in.

Work hard and earn your own way.

The fewer words spoken, the better.

Deep patriotism

Whining is for the lazy and the coward.

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Sometimes I stand in awe of my peers and how they...

• not only receive, but demand financial aid from parents well after college.
• fail to see the harm in being late to work (it's cheating the man who is paying you to do a job in case you're wondering)
• who don't vote (my brain atrophies after hearing those explanations) 

Sometimes I really really really hate being a millennial because I get lumped in with that lot.

However

There are many levels where I'm right there with my peers.

#adulting is a real thing.  

I'm not sure if the arrival of social media during our lives, giving us the ability to divulge every nuance of live has caused this, but somehow it seems as tho previous generations didn't fail as much.  They just kind of became adults and had babies and houses and tons of debt and everything was trucking right along sans catastrophe.  This goal/weight of achievement over our heads just adds to the pressure of scraping our way up the slimy, obstacle ridden incline to "responsible adulthood" (insert dramatic music) Whatever that means.

Perhaps it's because so many of my generation received awards for merely showing up to a soccer game let alone winning but we seem to have this communal struggle and subsequent irrational joy of succeeding in the basics of adulthood. Example: taxes, getting engine oil changed, paying bills on time, keeping food in the refrigerator, acquiring a home via rent or purchase and taking care of it. 

I did not grow up getting trophies for existing but I still feel a great deal of pride catching the bus back to MY OWN home from the market with toilet paper and hand soap in my giant IKEA bag.  

They say it's the little success right?

Sometimes I feel quite good about how adult I am.  But remember how I said when I moved I realized I don't own pillows or towels? Yeah that was a blow to ye 'olde self esteem. 

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Today added a big old notch in my adulting belt.

I bought a rug.

Not a bath mat.  That's college kid level.  

No, I am the proud owner of a runner.

A long grey, jute runner that starts at my front door and travels 8 ft. into my kitchen.

It looks like an adult lives here who may have some of her act together! 

An adult who understands that a long sheet of fibrous material between door and abode will keep the dirt and PNW moisture out of my living space.

A mature individual with a sophisticated monochrome decorating scheme.  (Grey's and whites? How Scandinavian chic)

A wizened member of society who stood gazing at this new member of her apartment feeling quite pleased with herself while eating Trader Joe's brand cheerios directly out of the box because someone forgot to buy almond milk...four days ago.

#realtalk

Go Vote

It's the presidential election tomorrow, we all know that.  But there are a lot of other things on that ballot besides the office of president.  Measures and senators and repeals and fundings.

 I'm not going to get political here and say who to vote for or things to consider. That's on you.

What I want to say is go out and vote.  

Do it.

I'm shocked by how many of my peers that simply do not care or are too lazy to register or drop off a ballot or even educate themselves by googling the candidates names.

Ladies less than 100 years ago we didn't even have the right to vote.  Or hold property.  Or retain custody of children. Or work in a capacity more than a secretary.

The ease of life you now know as a woman is due to people voting over the decades on your behalf.  

By not voting you are telling the next generations that you simply don't care about them because heck, you don't even care enough about yourself or your future to check a box.

Oh, but I bet you'll have strong opinions and voice them the next 4 years....even though you did absolutely nothing to contribute.

Vote or zip it for 4 years.

That's all I have to say.

#imnotwrong

Fall is a sneaky snake

Why is it mid October?  What happened?

Pretty sure I was knocked in the head and am suddenly have a Jason Bourne experience except much less violent. 

What did I do in the two months I didn't post?

Well I mostly worked my little tuchus off(Yiddish slang for butt) this summer.  Much, much, much, more work than I'd anticipated due to other people at my job taking off large portions of time.  I'm not mad about it because now that fall is here...

(my favorite time of year)

( yes I'm that basic)

...I am taking MY time off!

Conclusion is... I'm going to be posting more adventurey things here in the future as well as my studies in medicinal herbs paired with my continued education in essential oils!  Also the DIY things I so love to do! (Can we say home made SPF makeup?)

I've done several outdoor excursions this summer on my wee days off so thats coming up soon!

Also did a teensy bit of traveling here in the states. Mainly one road trip across the top of the US to the MidWest and some mountain biking/hiking/outdoorsying in Colorado!  

If you don't already follow me on instagram, that's the best way to keep up with me when I'm not posting here as much!

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Oh boy have I missed writing here and I'm so excited to get back into the swing of things!

Birks and Socks

Recently I was having one of "those" days.

Where you pick up your tote bag on your way to rush out the door only to accidentally drop one handle and the whole bag spills half on the entry floor and half in the carport and you realize that the lid to your Nalgene wasn't screwed on all the way and the whole contents of your bag, books included, are soaked.

One of those days where a long series of event's and tiny moments all go awry and add up to a chaotic brainspace and anxious mood.

Cut to me driving to work and realizing to my utter horror....

I'm wearing socks and birkenstocks. 

Not just socks....hand knit recycled fabric socks that are wild colors like a Puruvian blanket...

...with my floral birkenstocks.

The clash could not be more real.  

The haphazard aura surrounding me could not be more vivid.

After getting gas, picking up my mail,  and fighting Front Street traffic to get to work, I sat in the parking lot...hands still on the wheel mentally berated myself.

"Geez Louise, Talcott. Well played.  Adult much? Good one.  Reeeeaallll classy."

One may elaborate that I banged my head a few times on the steering wheel for good measure.

But then....

as if a switch was flipped...

I changed my dialogue.

"No.  You know what? I'm wearing happy colored socks made by people who care for the environment and guess what? I do too!! Oh and my Birks? Yeah they are pretty amazing.  They make my feet feel good and what is so wrong with that. Nothing? That's right.  

Why should I knock myself for wearing ethical socks and sandals that are like therapy for my feet?

I shouldn't.  These socks and birks mean I won today.  And every day."  

With that that I gave a Mary Poppins curt nod of my head, swapped to my work shoes, and headed in to my job with a bounce in my step.

Sometimes we can have days that go wrong.  Every little thing seems wrong, wrong, wrong. 

We feel deflated.

Beaten.

Haggard.

Discouraged.

Fed up.

But we can change that feeling if we change our dialogue!

Maybe you did burn lunch,

and put a red towel in with the white sheets,

and get a library fine late payment notice,

and vacuum up your cell charger cord,

and open a backpack that spilled pine needles all over your just vacuumed floor,

and erased your camera card with all your future blog post photos...

However,

That just means you are aware of your nutrition and are making home cooked meals! What a champ!

Red towel? Well at least it's all clean!  And baby pink sheets are kinda cute....ish.

You clever dog.  You've got a library card like a super smart kid who reads a lot.  Intellectual giant you are!

Hey...you were doing house cleaning.  How responsible!

Pine needles in your backpack?  Yeah you adventurous Robinson Crusoe you!  That's basically the fairy dust of an explorer! 

The camera card really blows but hey! You have a chance to make your pictures even better next time!  Creatives make failures into triumphs!

See what I did there?  You can too!

You can put a positive spin on pretty much any flop. It may seem ludicrous or laughable but that's ok! Laugh!  Enjoy the irony!

You don't have to feel 100% phenomenal but you can change a downward spiral into...dare I say it...a character building opportunity? Yeah I said it.

Practice being okay with the "Birks and socks" in your days. Once you do...you'll realize...

"My feet feel amazing!"

A Lesson in Politeness: Restaurant Edition

Working in the restaurant industry has brought to light a few things.  

Most vividly is the lack of knowledge or perhaps desire of patrons to employ basic etiquette and in some cases  exhibit common human decency.

So I'm going to just give a few tips to help my readers out so they can avoid these pit falls.

Basic Restaurant Manners: From a Server's Point of View

1. When a server greats you, don't respond with your drink order or the name of an appetizer. The server is trying to start your service off on the right foot by being warm and welcoming.  Cutting them off and demanding things right off the bat is a great way to ensure poor and cold service.  
2. Just say thank you.  Servers know you didn't come there to talk to them, you came there to talk to your party.  However when he/she refills your drink or takes your dirty plate it doesn't kill to say "thank you" and return to your conversation.
3. Don't re-write the menu.  I totally understand dietary restrictions for those with celiac disease, lactose intolerance, diabetes, etc. However, there is a vast difference between saying "hold the cheese" or "no bun" and creating a whole new dish out of ingredients you've read through the whole menu.  IF you want to design a dish...cook at home.
4. Be aware of how busy it is.  Servers know you came there to eat...but so did the other 75 patrons.  If a restaurant is packed realize that service may be slow, but if you're polite, it will still be good.
5. There is a way to deal with mistakes and it is not by being irate or rude.  If a burger is not cooked how you'd like or there was a mistake on your order or a dish was late, calmly explain it to your server.  They are berating themselves in their heads as you point out the salad dressing is not on the side.  You know why? Because they have to do the walk of shame back to the kitchen, put the mistake through the window to the very very busy kitchen and tell them "I messed up guys can you make me another salad on the fly with dressing on side?".  You've no idea how awful that is until you see the glares, hear the sighs, and offered a meek "I'm sorry guys" to the men with the knives.  Not that you shouldn't point out a mistake, you're paying to be there so you deserve to have it done right, but be a decent human about it.
6. If you want separate checks...tell the server at the beginning of service.  They do not have magic GPS units in their head that map each dish as it goes to you as well as the 3 different beers you've had.  Here's how they organize you. Each table is a number and each person in a seat is in a different numbered "position".  As the server approaches the table, the patron on his/her direct left is "position 1" and that continues around the table clockwise.  If you order your food in an organized fashion (and made it clear you are on separate checks) your server can then enter it in the computer by positions and when it's time for the checks, pretty easily provide you with an accurate bill.  BUT! If you are in a party that moves around a lot don't be surprised if one big bill is delivered for YOU to split.
7. Tipping.  Ah yes ye olde tradition of compensating underpaid staff and basically bribing them to put you first.  I agree the whole tipping system is crazy but the fact is, those servers aren't making enough hourly to make ends meet.  They depend on the tips to pay the rent and buy the groceries. That said, 10% is minimum.  That's if service was pretty bad.  Wrong orders, bad server attitude, no drink refills.  15% is pretty standard if your service was prompt, polite, and efficient.  20% is for when service was awesome.  They helped you find a beer off the draft list you'd like, were extra helpful when you have dietary restrictions, kept your beverages full, were warm and friendly and basically just created a great space for you.  If you've never worked in service you've no idea the absolute elation one can get on a crummy day by one table tipping well because you worked hard for them.  It's a day maker.

PRO TIPS

• If you are in a hurry and go to a sit down food establishment.  That is not the establishment's fault nor the servers.  You should have planned your day better or have simply gone to a drive thru.
• Refrain from commenting on the food or prices in a derogatory manner while your server is around.  They hear more than you think and and insulting the food within ear shot is just plane boorish behavior.  Also many times they let the kitchen know...and they are making your dish...so just save the snippy comments for later.  Mkay?
• Don't ever reference "Yelp" the app.  Ever. At all.  Don't order off the app (all restaurants have menus).  Most of all, don't correct a server as she explains the menu and tell her what the dish ACTUALLY is by reading a "Yelp" review to her.  Guess what!? She's been there longer than you have, or the person who wrote the review.  You see the menu once, she sees it hours and hours day after day.  Don't "Yelp" at a server. 

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There are plenty of other things that I've come across as a server that grind my gears but this isn't meant to be a rant.  This is meant to inform readers of behaviors they may not even be aware of but can cause unpleasantness for themselves as well as the people around them and serving them.  

Please be aware that people in service are humans too and should be treated with respect.