COVID Chronicles, 7-29-20

As we all keep figuring things out during this slow-moving car crash known as the pandemic, I find myself of two minds (maybe more?). On one hand I will admit that the slower pace of these last few months has been beneficial... I am sleeping more consistently, eating better, reading more books of substance, and learning a great deal about how to listen more attentively to my head, heart and body.

All good things, right?? Absolutely. Ho-o-w-e-v-v-e-r-r-r-r... There is also a gnawing dread that lurks just out of range of my consciousness that pops up at inopportune times (often at 3am when I get up to go to the bathroom). It causes my chest to tighten and my mind to spin out various catastrophic scenarios that include delightful things like Social Security disappearing and the world economy collapsing. Melatonin can't kick in fast enough during those anxious moments.

So in the midst of just trying to make a living (thankfully, that part seems to be working... for now), and managing daily life in ever-changing and increasingly bizarre ways, I am also trying to keep my head tentatively above the fray and not stay immersed in a bunker mentality. What do I mean by "above the fray"? Naive as it sounds, I might be trying to make lemons out of lemonade. Or just looking for some ways to remain creative and hopeful amidst daunting unknowns.

Thus I am gently launching at least a few posts to share what that looks like for me week to week. Content will include recipes I am trying out, books I am reading, quotes I am pondering, podcasts or shows or movies I am taking in, and once in awhile, perhaps some BIG THOUGHTS. Tell me what you think.

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FOOD
Like most people (I think?), I am eating at home every day. And as quarantine really got my attention in early April, I discovered something rather jarring when I got my first credit card bill under quarantine: I ate out a lot. A LOT more than I thought. Like, credit-card-balance-nearly-cut-in-half a lot! Sure, some of those meals were work-related meals, and there was a bit of work-related travel, but there was still a fair amount of coffee here, coffee there, quick tacos during errands, meeting friends for lunch, etc. I'm not saying it was horribly wrong; it was just more than was necessary.

So quarantine has got me digging deeper back into patterns I first established during the "Great" Recession of 2009 ("Great" seems pretty minor compared to now... sheesh). I first wrote about it all here in this link. All that to say, I have been recommitting to local produce, eating seasonally and organically as much as I can.

The best place to start is with a membership with a local Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. My hometown favorite is Local Harvest Delivery, which is I LOVE because 1) it gets delivered; 2) I can decline a week if I go out of town or still am trying to eat this week's produce; and 3) I can opt out of the stuff I know I won't eat.

Even then, I still have to push myself to get creative with vegetables I may not have chosen at the grocery store, but are part of what's in season. It's caused me to fall in love with many new vegetables. I'm definitely suffering!

These past two weeks I have made these side dishes, all with CSA veggies:

• Caprese Salad 
• Grilled Cauliflower "steaks" 
• Cucumber Salad
• And yes, Zoodles, with which I covered in a vegan cheese sauce that I found to be quite tasty.

Don't get bored with your cooking ~ get creative.

PODCASTS

I wish I wish I wish I could figure out a way to make a living listening to podcasts. It is hands-down my favorite form of entertainment. I listen to podcasts on bike rides and walks, when I vacuum, when I make my morning coffee, when I brush my teeth at night... you get the picture.

I won't list the MANY podcasts I like and listen to. But here are my three newest favorites:

1. Make Me Smart. A quick 15-minute summary of trends in technology, culture and the economy five days a week. The repartee between the two hosts is natural and enjoyable and, I'm not gonna lie, they make me smart. At least a little bit more.
2. Future Perfect. I'm just digging into this one, but the first one I listened to had me dialed in every. single. minute. It was a fascinating discussion between a rabbi and an agnostic on how to make sense of suffering. It aired July 7. Tune in.
3. Evolving Faith. I'm an unabashed fan of Sarah Bessey and Jeff Chu, the hosts, who co-created the Evolving Faith conference with one of my heroes, Rachel Held Evans. These episodes are from past conferences.

HABITS

I have developed two new habits during quarantine:

• reading poetry and contemplative quotes before going to bed;
• using a writing prompt generator during mental health breaks while working.

HUH? Tell me more, you say?

The poetry and quote reading kicked in sometime in May when anxiety was slowly building and I having a bit of a hard time falling asleep. Regular reading habits weren't cutting it. I needed something to slow me down more. And bring in... Mary Oliver. I truly believe her poetry could quite possibly solve everything wrong in the world. I somehow landed on her compilation Devotions on Kindle for $1.99 and off I went. Now I'm on to Thomas Merton quotes and they are also so good, in an entirely different way. Both access my heart and soul in ways that quiet the little Gnawing Dread Demons that like to taunt me at night, and I am sleeping better.

The writing prompt generator idea came from an article I read on how to fight the struggle to focus and maintain productivity while working from home. So periodically, when I am zoomed-out or SICK of email or who knows what, I will pop open a new tab and plug in this link from self-publishing.com. Try it ~ you might like it.

Final reflection.

I read this this morning as I prayed about my day, not wanting to get so mad at those I do not agree with. It punched me in the gut. In a good way.

“When you understand, you cannot help but love. . . . To develop understanding, you have to practice looking at all living beings with the eyes of compassion. When you understand, you love. And when you love, you naturally act in a way that can relieve the suffering of people.” Thich Nhat Hanh

Thanks for reading. If you're at all interested in my work-related stuff, go to www.ksleadershipdevelop.me. Make it a good week!

I'm Back! Resources for July 2019

I have allowed this website to go dormant for a while as I have been developing resources in leadership development for my marketplace consulting clients. You can find that website at KS Leadership Development.

Nevertheless, I am still working with some churches and want to share some great stuff I've been reading and using. Here goes!

The Benefits of Brokenness. A dear friend and colleague of mine turned me on to this author's website quite a while ago. I really value his reflections and often uses resources with my marketplace clients as well. He has a great understanding of holistic, healthy, humble leadership. I especially liked his references to "leadership with a limp" in this post.

Centering Prayer with Cynthia Borgeault. I listen to podcasts like it's my job. Seriously, I probably listen to at least three a day. I can be brushing my teeth, exercising, or making dinner, and I will be listening to a podcast. This one comes from one of my favorites and I will confess that I might like it just because the hosts are British and I'm a sucker for accents. But this particular interview has stayed with me for quite a while.

Embracing a Post-Christian America. When I am not listening to podcasts I can often be thinking about what it means to work with younger generations. If you know me at all you know that I have spent my entire career working with young people directly, first as a youth pastor and then as a college instructor. I really feel like the American church is missing the boat with this generation and it breaks my heart. This particular blog is one that I follow to help stir the pot in terms of my thinking. He wrote an intriguing book a few years ago titled The New Copernicans.  I think it does a good job of exploring the mindset of younger adults and cultural trends globally.

What am I reading? Like my podcasts, I tend to work on more than one book at a time. Here is what is cooking:

• The Prophetic Imagination by Walter Brueggemann. A stunning classic written 40 years ago that has aged very well. Not to put too fine a point on it, but it is still quite prophetic.
• When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Life's Sacred Questions by Sue Monk Kidd.  Not the most profound book I've ever read, but really thoughtful and tender-hearted. I'm using it in my devotional reading in the mornings. I like it.
• The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. DuBois. I took a challenge from the theologian and sociologist Soong Chan Rah at a conference a few years ago to be intentional about reading from non-white writers and theologians.  This is all part of that journey. I can't wait to get started on this one.

Thanks for reading. Send me your thoughts, feedback and questions at kelly.soifer@ksleadershipdevelop.me.

Podcasts Anyone?

I'm really curious as to how many of you listen to podcasts. I've become quite hooked on them, and listen to at least one every day. In fact, I barely watch TV anymore - I'd much rather listen to a podcast, especially when I am walking, riding my bike or traveling out of town.

Here's a list of the ones I listen to - I subscribe to all of them through iTunes. Please share on this blog as to what podcasts you listen to by posting a comment below. Thanks!

• A Prairie Home Companion's News from Lake Wobegone - he just makes me laugh.
  
• Garrison Keillor's Writer's Almanac - I mentioned this yesterday. I don't get something out of it every day. But I find myself learning a lot from it over time. I've also learned about or been reminded of some great authors here.
  
• KCRW's Left, Right & Center - this is a stimulating roundtable on politics. The various members' comments annoy me at times, but I take that as a good sign. The whole thing gives a decent flyover of the issues of the week .
  
• KCRW's Today's Top Tune - good exposure to different kinds of music.
  
• New Yorker: Out Loud - I am an addicted subscriber to the magazine. It's fun to hear interviews of the writers.
  
• NPR: All Songs Considered - I've mentioned this before in this space. This is intelligent commentary on all sorts of music. My favorite is when they invite an artist to guest DJ and play some of their greatest influences. Totally cool.
  
• NPR: Sports with Frank Deford - this guy is an old crank, but very articulate. He gives a great spin on sports and culture. And he's a classic fan.
  
• Paste Culture Club - only once a month, but it's a good supplement to All Songs Considered. It expands on that month's issue of Paste Magazine, which is an outstanding music & culture magazine that I really enjoy.
  
• This American Life - perhaps my favorite. It's an entire hour, but it is luxurious in its telling of stories. It's nearly impossible to describe, but it's always fascinating. It's so real and honest that sometimes I feel like I'm eavesdropping on someone's life. Funny, weird, intense, different.

Yes, this is sort of a long list, and it takes me a week (and exercising every day) to chip away at it. But it keeps the pot stirred mentally. I dig it all.