Just a little notey note

Because I dropped off the face of the planet in December

Hey! I’m back!

You probably didn’t notice that I’d been gone… because I have like five subscribers (ok wait, SIX, hi) — AND… have barely any posts! I get it, it makes sense ok!!! Regardless, I’m gonna write as if I’m the most famous Substacker in the world and let you know where I’ve been and what to expect going forward. As if that’s something I can guarantee.

Ahem.

Hi love bug. This winter has been FLYING. Also, all I’ve wanted to do is rest. And, I have been in a major transition, since I- (wait for it)….

QUIT MY CORPORATE JOB

!!!!

In case you didn’t know, this is a major thing because this job has been negatively affecting my health (especially my ability to breathe) for months. Yesterday, I put in my two weeks’ notice. The change has been a long time coming, and it truly feels like the dawn of a new age in my life. I’m sure I’ll say more things about this.

So I’ve been kind of preoccupied, mostly with how I’m going to afford existence after putting the stops on my self-taught career in copywriting. (If I wrote a post about this profession, the pros and cons, and why I’m kinda sorta mostly leaving it, would that be interesting or helpful? Maybe it would be. Maybe I’ll do it.)

I also was MAD depressed for most of December and just trying to allow my emotions and stuckness to exist, flow out, and inform me. I have been writing newsletter drafts but a lot of them were kinda dramatic or overly negative… I believe in the value of acknowledging what’s hard, but somehow nothing I wrote felt truly representative of me. I knew I just needed more time in the pressure cooker before I was ready to serve up this tasty rice, yaknowhamean?

Anyway.

Tonight I’m in a good mood so I thought I’d write a lil notey note just to say:

I think about this Substack all the time. I have so many ideas about things I want to write, and I’m kind of writing them — just in little fits and spurts. I’m thinking about ADHD, about internet culture, about unreligious faith, about giving yourself what you need, about water as a metaphor for God, about putting out what you want to receive and how it makes no sense, about the magic of gardens, about sincerity, about cultivating self trust through innerlife councils, about dreams (not the sleep kind, but those too kinda), and about the sensation of love.

So just, like, some light topics.

I’m itching to let my little fingers express what Life is exploring through me, and my feeling is that I’ll start publishing consistently in February. I hope you’ll read along. 💛

In the meantime, here are some favorite discoveries from December and the first week of January:

THINGS I’M LOVING RN

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett — BOOK

How can I quickly summarize what this book has come to mean to me these past few months? I may write a whole post about it because it awakened so much. If you’re feeling beyond help, hopeless, listless, or disconnected, do yourself a favor and find this lil gem on Spotify. (Sidenote, there are so many free books on Spotify all the sudden!!!! Helloo! I love it.) I am recommending the audiobook because it was so fun to hear the Yorkshire accents. I have many thoughts on this book, and I actually feel pretty critical of the ending, but everything that came before the last couple chapters was absolutely enchanting. It reminded me of the innate powers of nature, words, resolve, togetherness, wonder, and of course, magic.

The French Gardener by Santa Montefiore - BOOK

Another garden book. They have been finding me lately. I read this one right before The Secret Garden, and the thematic similarities were striking. Maybe you just can’t write about gardens without featuring massive transformation, warmth, growth, wonder, abundance, connection, and love. This one wove past and present together in an easy-to-follow, unputdownable manner, complete with a spicy love story and the reunification of a loveless family. And of course, like in Burnett’s book, it was all because of the garden and those who share its magic. I’ve been seeking out books that help me feel connected to internal sunshine, and this one did it for me.

Self Portrait by Victor Franco - ALBUM

Indie. Soul. Pop. It’s my favorite genre. This album is so good. And that VOICE! MMmmmm. Give it a listen. My favorite track has to be Everything I Want or Glad I’m Not Alone.

Justicia spicigera (El muicle) - PLANT

This herb is a form of honeysuckle native to Mexico, and when the leaves are brewed as a tea the result is HOT PINK. 🤯

I’m a sucker for any plant that makes bright colors. Hibiscus, butterfly pea… yes and yes. But this color is a slightly different hue than both of those! It’s so cool! It also has some pretty nice benefits including boosting the immune system, lowering inflammation, helping enrich the blood, dissolving kidney stones, and relieving coughs. Ah, I just love discovering a fun new planty.

The Little Book of Big Dreams by Isa Adney - BOOK

I guess I’ve just been mostly excited about books lately. But this one has been changing the game for me because it’s just so damn inspiring! Contrary to the normal sequence of events, I actually met the author of this book before I started reading it. Isa is a new friend here in Florida and such a legitimately inspiring human — I feel so grateful to have met her. Her passion in life is writing profiles about artists and creatives who overcame hurdles and setbacks to achieve their dreams. BUT, she doesn’t do it in a way that seems fluffy or toxically positive. She writes unflinchingly about the tough moments that come with pursuing a seemingly impossible goal. You can also read motivating stories on her blog, Creative Teacup.

Puzzles

That’s it. Just puzzles. Well… puzzle. Singular. I did just one, and it’s the first over 100 pieces I’ve ever started and completed all alone. My friend offered it to me when I was at her house last month and I said you know what, yes, I will be a puzzle person this week. It featured a garden cottage (is the univerze trying to tell me something?? about gardens???), not the one above but equally cute. And you know what, it was so SATISFYING. It makes you feel accomplished every time you drop one of those little pieces into the right place. It’s also great rest for your brain to get into that thoughtless (yet productive) flow. Feeling scattered or like life doesn’t make sense? Do a puzzle. You’ll feel better.

That’s all for now! See ya in Feb!

XO

Jordan