Intentions and A Cocktail for the New Year
““For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice.”
― T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets”
Denise’s New Year’s Intentions:
I like to reflect on each passing year and look back on what happened and how I have grown or changed. To say this year was a lot would be an understatement. I practiced waiting and patience. Waiting for things to change, waiting for things to return to normal, waiting…waiting. I learned how to teach online (still not a fan). I learned how to draw on the app Procreate, and I learned the art of negotiation. I also became even more aware of how deep institutional and structural racism runs in our country.
This past year, I also became more aware of my words and the power that they hold. Words cast spells. That is why they call it spelling. So instead of setting New Year’s resolutions, I will be setting intentions for this upcoming year.
My intentions for next year include two simple life affirming things. One you can touch: soil and one you can see: light. The first half of the year for me will be creating and enjoying simple beauty. I am making plans to create a rose garden in my small little backyard. I also ordered a weekly flower subscription so that I can have something beautiful to look at while I teach from home. As for the light, I try to avoid the sun as much as possible to avoid premature aging and sun damage. I swear that my fair skin burns within a few minutes! Light, however, is necessary for life. So, I will also be investing in this light source. Lastly, I will continue working on being more aware of my implicit bias and how it impacts those around me.
As for the other half of the year, I will be open to what is possible. Happy New Year!
New Year’s Eve Cocktail Recipe
Bottoms up!
And here is a recipe for a pomegranate martini that I have been drinking on repeat since November. My sister has the best pomegranate tree and that might be part of the reason this cocktail tastes so good! Enjoy!
Makes 2-3 Drinks
4oz Pomegranate Juice
4oz Lime Vodka - or lemon will do, but I’ve been using lime lately
2oz simple syrup
1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice - or lime if you are using lime vodka
Shake all ingredients well with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with lemon or lime peel, and serve.
Katy’s New Year’s Intentions:
Out with the old, in with new. 2020 has been one banger of a year, and like many, I am not sad to see it go. This has been a year of growth for me. As much as I would like to say that I learned nothing and the year was just crap, that really is not the case. First, I leaned that I really like structure. As much as I have rejected the idea that I am a planner…I have to face the fact, I love a completed lesson plan book. Starting the first half of the year without clear structure and plans gave me massive anxiety. I found myself spending hours on lessons, videos, and instructions, only to have to go back and revise or completely scrap my original plans for my class. I knew that in order to keep my sanity come fall, I would have to start letting go of my completed plan book. I would need to “go with the flow.” While I still don’t love it, and I’m not great at it, I have started to let ideas of where I need to be, or what I need to be doing at a certain point in time not define me or guide me. I am doing the best that I can, and my best is good enough.
Next, I took a hard look at the state of our world. Systemic racism, oppression, and inequalities that members of the BIPOC community face seem insurmountable. I knew from previous years of reading and growing and learning that this year I wanted to start acting on what I was learning. I wanted my classroom lessons to have a new focus, and I wanted to integrate more Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and women voices into my curriculum. Denise and I took numerous classes and attended several Zoom conferences centering BIPOC voices and experiences. We listened and we learned. While I would be happy to never say the word Zoom, teach through Zoom, or think of Zoom ever again, it has been an amazing platform. I have attended so many conferences and classes that I never would have been able to attend in person. The classes made available for teachers for free or at a very low cost have been amazing. I also took it upon myself to read and learn more. I picked up more books to educate myself on systemic racism, and I read more books by BIPOC and women authors: Memoirs, Fiction, and Non Fiction.
Last, on a personal note, I have learned to enjoy the small moments with my little family. My four-year-old has not been in preschool since last March. We have found so many new ways to stay entertained. Directed drawings have become our jam. Our little artist could sit and color, and draw, and paint for hours a day. We play board games, build magnificent buildings with our Picasso tiles, wood blocks, and Mega Blocks, and we read. I have also kept a sourdough starter alive all year. I got into making sourdough at the start of the pandemic, and our starter is still alive and well. I am not baking as many loaves as I once was, but I’m still feeding the starter regularly and keeping it safe for the next time I want to bake some bread.
Looking ahead for my intentions for 2021, I am going to focus on my health and wellbeing. We purchased a Peloton in October and finally received it in November. I had no idea how much I needed the Peloton in my life. I will continue to carve out some time just for me each day. Self care is not selfish, and I need to remember that. Like many, I have also let my healthy diet slip, relying on comfort foods to help me cope with this crazy year. Our diet is so important for not only our physical, but also our mental health. It’s time to say goodbye to all the carbs I have been consuming and introduce all those rich veggies back into my diet. I have missed them. Last, I will continue to grow, learn, and listen to the BIPOC communities as well as amplify their experiences and voices within my curriculum and our platform.
Cheers to the New Year!
Love,
The Teaching Distillery
Cheers!