Comforting words.

"The point of doing nothing, as I define it, isn’t to return to work refreshed and ready to be more productive, but rather to question what we currently perceive as productive."

Hola,

By the end of last week, I was feeling upset because I didn't manage to achieve what I expected to do during the week. I had a small surgery and after that, one of the strongest migraine episodes I have had. Thus, I couldn't read, nor do anything else for three days. During these days, I tried an audiobook for the first time (A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway) and I managed to listen to half of it! Even though that wasn't part of my plans, I did my best to keep myself entertained during this challenging week.

For me, it is important to keep this quote from Jenny Odell in my head because I tend to get frustrated when I'm faced with situations that I can't control. This is to me a constant source of stressful situations. I must keep realistic goals and my health as my number one priority always. Thank you to everyone who listened to me and reminded me of this essential life advice this week. Even though this seems logical to think, it is comforting to listen to it coming from someone else. I have noticed that a frustrated mind tends to make essential thoughts more difficult to recall.

On a special note: Thank you, Annika, Tania and Matheus for your homemade food and your 5 stars delivery! I'm lucky to have such caring and loving people around. And for all of you who were aware of my situation, thank you very much for the kind words!

Find here a list of things I found worth sharing from last week:

1. See. A satellite tonight! In the near future, when we take a picture of the sky we will see plenty of moving artificial satellites in it. So, enjoy the static skyscape while we can!
2. Read. This exciting piece about a group of young Burmese activists who launched a pirate radio to broadcast anti-coup messages. They are risking their lives by doing this, but during thess hard times, brave people like them are needed more than ever. I hope this situation finishes soon!
3. Laugh. With this hilarious piece of how a match on Bumble costed this criminal his freedom. It all started when her "match" told her that he was part of the mob who stormed this U.S. Capitol earlier this year. An exemplary citizen here!
4. Browse. This beautiful website to learn more about your plants. I can easily spend hours learning every detail about all of my planties!
5. Despise. War in every possible form. I grew up listening and reading to similar stories happening in Colombia. I thought it was unique to my home country due to plenty of sick people that have perpetuated an internal conflict for decades. What a naive person I have been, and what a disgusting surprise I had when I read this article this week. Amhara militiamen are raping, and then destroying Tigrayian wombs to avoid this ethnicity to reproduce. This is horrendous.
6. Languish. Is what this author says that most of us are feeling, after a year of living in a pandemic. Please read this article, and make time to explore your feelings. It is comforting to be able to name our feelings. To recognise and accept is the first step to be compassionate with ourselves. Thank you Ina for sharing this article!
7. Congratulate. The Betoota Advocate (Australia’s oldest newspaper) for this clear headline: Murderer Who Got Caught Committing Murder On Video Found Guilty Of Murder! Loved it! I hope the media world learnt a lesson.
8. Aww♥️. Let me take a selfie! (Thank you Annika!)

Thanks for reading and have a nice week!

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Diego,

What I ate last week:

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