February 2023
YOUR SECOND BULLETIN FROM BART
Hey Friend! We made it through January! Congrats if you did a Dry January- not for everyone but a good challenge to embrace nonetheless. Hopefully you bottled some of that new year energy to bring forth into February. This month is going to have some big themes for me: moving our store & office across town, jury duty, managing stress.
Thankful for the short month ahead.
Here’s some stuff to check out as we embark upon this new month:
Listening-
Your Best American Girl - Mitski. Continuing along my quest to hear music with “building energy”, this song topped my most listened to this past month. Mitski is very talented in this particular genre of growing sound and emotion and is my favorite of hers. She was recently nominated for an Oscar for her song written for Everything Everywhere All at Once, which, if you haven’t seen yet you simply must. I don’t expect the song will win since there are some strong contenders, however, it’s worth a listen and the movie is a must see. (Apple Music linked in song title).
Reading-
Maybe you spent January doing the Cure; maybe you’ve heard me talk about Occupational Therapy and are jealous that I have my own organizational cheer leader. Either way, these are the books on organizing & productivity that have been foundational for me. I promise Bart Bulletin is not all about cleaning and organizing but the more I spoke about it this past month, the more I was asked for book recommendations-
David Allen- Getting Things Done- the OG of organizing one’s work and productivity. I never used his card system but #inboxzero is a core value over here.
Marie Kondo- the life changing magic of tidying up - The idea of assessing everything that surrounds you, to consider if it ‘sparks joy’ is so simple and easy you’ll become more judicious in all aspects of your life… but in a good way. I rolled my eyes when it first hit the scene but turns out her methods are pretty great. If you’re not into reading, I recommend looking for youtube videos where people review the book and share what they learned. The folding techniques alone are worth investigating.
Christine Platt- The Afrominimalist’s Guide to Living with Less - OK now we’re getting more recent with content- Christine is incredible. As a
hoardercollector, I was worried I would feel judged reading this book; my experience was quite the opposite. If the walls are caving in on you or you dream of Swedish Death Cleaning1 this is the book for you.Atomic Habits -James Clear- Another newer book- this one feels like a GTD for a new era. James presents ideals that make good sense and became calls to action for me. After my TBI in 2021 I needed a big reset to get me back on my feet and this book was a catalyst for that. I especially like his weekly newsletter. It’s a quick read and always thought provoking.
And Eating-
Honey Lemon Slices
…Drinking? I do not recall where I learned this trick, but slice a lemon and cover it with honey in a jar. Let it sit. The lemon juice will thin the honey and you’ll have a honey-lemon simple syrup and lemon slices to add to tea or a beverage of your choice. It’s great for when you have a cold.
Photo credit: me
Brooklyn Dehli Tikka Masala Sauce
I was recently in Trader Joes looking for their jarred Masala Simmer Sauce - a go to staple of my last decade- only to find that they had discontinued it at least 6 months prior. The look of pity I received from the mate when my face fell! It was pathetic! Brooklyn Delhi to the rescue (I found it at Whole Foods here in SoCal). Their products are great; I’m happy with this for a new era of Lizzie. Global Pantry2 and Convenience are trends that continue to rise in the Specialty Food world. This ticks both boxes. I simmer a can of chickpeas in the contents of the jar, serve over brown rice and top off with some roasted broccoli3 .
Photo Credit: stolen from Brooklyn Delhi's site- don't rat me out you finks.
This Delighted Me-
The Joseph family is making fun memories this month. (Click photo to watch video).
Photo Credit: I screen capped it from the video.
A Quote-
“For whoever listens to a witness becomes a witness.” Elie Wiesel
Thank you for witnessing me this month. If you’ve found anything worth sharing please consider forwarding to a friend or sharing on social media.
This is a philosophy of having your home so fucking organized that if you died, your family members would not be burdened with your belongings. It’s delightfully bleak and always a dark joke to throw at the group chat, which Anna did this past week. I cackled.
Global Pantry refers to food from foreign cultures that are not only accessible to you physically but also intellectually. There are differing philosophies on whether it is good or bad that the internet has broadened our palates. In terms of cultural appropriation it’s good that I can’t get Masala sauce from TJs any more. I can get it from a brand that comes by it earnestly. There is a long conversation to be had about accessibility in terms of visibility and affordability, an area in which Trader Joes shines. It is, however, good food for thought to consider where one sources Global Pantry items.
or Air fry them if that’s your jam- it is mine.