(vol 3, issue 8) Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches?

Grandma loved to tell the story of when my dad was a child and her watch stopped working, and how he took it apart and fixed it. Since he died when he was only 33, I hold on to the few stories and memories that I have. Sometimes I wonder if they've influenced me in ways that I'm not aware of.

For instance, I like learning about how things work, behind-the-scenes stories and people like Beryl Markham in her memoir West with the Night even though I have no particular interest in aviation or Africa. Or a now-unknown adventure journalist like James Scott Negley Farson. Or why this woman's experience with calling off her wedding resulted in the internet forever remembering that she once wanted to get married.

I would find it strange that I religiously watch Corridor Crew, a YouTube channel dedicated to stunts and special effects in films, if I wasn't aware of my interest. Maybe this is why I love mysteries, rock documentaries, and Eric's YT video on Resurrecting Leonardo's Salvator Mundi from Over Restoration with Photoshop.

The first time I see a jogger smiling, I’ll consider it. —Joan Rivers (1933–2014), American entertainer

Jacek Yerka is a Polish surrealist painter. I love his four-sided paintings, and while I liked them all, this one seemed the most representative of the times in which we find ourselves in. Here's more of his work.

Well, our CV numbers are on the rise again (so over it), which means a partial lockdown for the country, but a complete one for us teachers (unless your school supports teaching online and our branch doesn't). 

But I suppose the good news is we are blessed with an abundance of free time. And since we were already on our Thai New Year holiday, all of this is simply an extension of the waiting we all find ourselves in 2021.

So I've been cooking up some awesomeness:

• Microwave Chocolate Mug Brownie
• Thai summer rolls (ahhh, childhood)
• Cauliflower, potato, and white bean soup

And I'm working hard on my writing. The writing class I took months ago has continued into a writers group so we're helping each other with our WIP.

And yet, despite working hard on our personal creative endeavors (seriously, Eric fixing the botched restoration of Leonardo DaVinci's Salvator Mundi and launching a YT channel is ambitious to say the least), we make time to watch something funny and lighthearted daily (after Seinfeld it's been Brooklyn 99) and swim in the pool. 

Hoping you're making the time to do what makes you happy in whatever small ways you can. xoxo

💞 Lani