Welcome to this edition of LifeSoup! I especially want to say hello to all the new readers, including those of you I met at the recent library workshops and book fairs. I think you’ll love today’s message, and you’ll also enjoy this previous LifeSoup message, “12 Fave Books to Read Next.”
Now, For a Happy Life …
Y’all, I’ve been married to my husband, Dwayne, for 25 years now. A quarter of a century. We get along, but we have our, um, moments. We also have our “jobs,” things we’re naturally inclined to do to keep our lives running smoothly.
(If you’re married or sharing a living space with someone else, let me know how you relate to this subject. If you live solo, take a moment to be grateful that you can do WHATEVER YOU WANT in your home, lol.)
I asked my husband to please, for the love of God, to stop putting dishes in the dishwasher. I tried to teach my boys how to load it - thinking if they could master Tetris, this shouldn’t be an issue - but for some reason, it’s my brain that remembers those important details of what goes where and how and why. Well, relatively important.
Know what I mean?
Before I continue, this is a good place to stop and reflect on how you can vent your more serious frustrations when they arise. Because they always arise. We’re human. It’s okay. Some ways that work for me are - depending on the level - to go outside and breathe, listen to nature, throw a heavy rock, or write poetry. And so I share with you a teaser from my next book:
For a Happy Life (How to Share a Dishwasher)
For a happy life,
First, ignore the psychopathic stacking of mismatched bowls placed in opposite directions
Find appreciation, instead, for the attempt given.
Look away from the silverware that is wrong-side up
Do not let yourself join the madness
When on the bottom rack you see
The printed glasses.
Take a breath
Remember why you said yes to begin with.
If you come upon one of your “handwash only” fragile plates,
Resist the urge to throw it across the kitchen.
Practice patience as you set it in the sink.
Most important, remember free will;
You have the choice to
Ignore or reload
But whatever you do,
Do in silence
Ambivalence
For a happy life.
Notice that in the poem, I refer to silverware that’s “wrong-side up” without being specific. This is a disagreement Dwayne and I still share. Please help us settle the dispute ~ use the poll below to vote - Handles up? Or handles down?
Peace, love, and poetry,
CherieDawn
2nd Place Winner!
Thank you to Clermont County Public Library for choosing my story, “The Whisper” for the 2nd place prize in the 2024 Short Story Contest! Stay tuned ~ this story will be included in my next book, coming later this year.
What If We All …
In this section of LifeSoup, I include a suggestion on what each of us can do to try to nudge the Earth needle just a smidge in a more sustainable direction. A smidge! Don’t get excited or offended. ;)
Here goes: What if we all tweaked our snacking habits? Bags and boxes of snacks often use way more packaging than fresh fruit and vegetables. While pretzels are at the top of my snack list, some of my natural faves include baby carrots, sugar snap peas (try different brands - these vary for some reason!), and of course any fruit. :)
For veggies, I usually dip them in light Ranch dressing, and if that’s the case, other veggies that fit the bill are raw sliced mushrooms, cucumber slices, broccoli, cauliflower, and bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange).
Speaking of food! Something new I learned ~ you can take scallions (green onions) and drop them into water to keep them fresh for weeks! I like to use a few snips on a breakfast bowl of diced, air-fried potato, two over-easy eggs, and a pinch of shredded cheese (cheddar, or plant-based cheddar works well).
So there you have a food life tip. Choosing fruits and veggies as snacks is better for the planet and your body. Share your favorite healthy snacks in the comments!
Hello to New Friends!
A Few More Notes
~ LifeSoup is now available as an audio reading on Spotify! It’s set up as a podcast so you can listen any time: Check out the LifeSoup by CherieDawn Podcast here:
~ It’s very helpful for readers to see reviews of books online ~ if you’ve read any of my books, I would be grateful if you could take a moment now to go to Amazon and/or GoodReads and leave even a short review. Thank you!
~ If you love this newsletter, please share it with your friends and family. My goal is to become a billionaire ~ not in terms of dollars, but by inspiring a billion people in positive ways. :)
Absolutely love this post, CherieDawn! This issue also shows up at my house…and I’ve actually implemented what your poem describes. I am thankful my husband put the dishes in the dishwasher…and I rearrange them to my liking. :) I wasn’t able to answer the poll though because I’m mixed - spoons go handle down, knives go handle up, and forks lie sideways…that’s just how they fit in their part of the dishwasher.