I got behind in getting this blog published since I jumped on a plane last minute and headed to Texas! This decision led to a number of opportunities for me. I was able to listen to podcasts, read books and enjoy some daily life with my family.
It started off with a bang when I was able to jump off the plane and head to a large stadium and receive my second vaccination! I was so grateful to be in the USA where vaccines are plentiful and readily available. I also felt immensely grateful to be American and have the chance to get my second dose in short order.
In Canada, we are following the UK guidelines for vaccination schedules and are trying to get more people vaccinated with one shot rather than having fewer, fully vaccinated people. This means that there is a four-month delay between the first and second doses of COVID19 vaccinations. I definitely understand and respect this decision made in the interest of public health, but equally felt excited to receive my dose in alignment with data published (either 21 days later for Pfizer or 28 days for Moderna). As a Pfizer recipient, I was able to get my second dose 24 days after my first jab in Canada. Not too bad!
In any case, this week was filled with lots of great insight I am so excited to share with you…
Week starting April 19, 2021:
🎤 I have a voice, and I’m going to use it. Share with me how you use your voice to support movements/ideas/projects you are passionate about, and I’ll share more later.
🩸I’m willing to make sacrifices to see my family. It’s been nearly a year and a half since I’ve been home to Texas, and I’m making a short and quick break for it.
💓I learned how sharing something with others I found to be thoughtful and earth-shattering impacted them. I was reminded of the power we have to share valuable information with others that may alter and change the way they behave and think. It also continues to inspire me to learn more and to share even more. I learned my voice and my shares go beyond what I could imagine.
✨I learned how grateful and excited I am to be on the steering committee for the @naturopathicalliance! We are one step closer to building something grand.
🌹This podcast delivers every time. I was introduced to @howtocitizenwithbaratunde in his final episode of season one when he interviewed @estherperelofficial. This interview absolutely blew my mind and began my appreciation for this incredible podcast. The style includes a short conversation with an unbelievably inspiring person and ends with actionable ways you can insert yourself into the topic that was discussed. I’m listening to them more than once and may even write a complete blog about what I’ve learned through his project. I’m so grateful for this amazing work!
💰 in his latest episode of season 2 with Sam Polk, I learned about incredibly inspiring new ways to do business in ways where as a white person I can stand next to folks in marginalized communities instead of reaching out to lift them up. @sampolk is creating an incredible business model and system with @everytable, which supports ownership of business for marginalized communities. Redefining how we interact with capitalism through social equity is so freaking exciting to learn about!
💭I feel hopeful listening to the inspiring people on this podcast. Everyone from @chefjoseandres who is equally changing the face of food to @revloveproject and @citizenuniversity. Reach out if any of you are equally impacted by these episodes! I would love to talk about what moves you.
⚖️I learned that accountability in our justice system is possible and George Floyd’s murderer was convicted.
💉I learned how lucky I am to have the privilege to get my second vaccine. As the number skyrocket in Ontario and restrictions tighten, I feel selfish for leaving my duty in Toronto to stay put for my fellow Canadians, yet I felt equally as guilty for not sacrificing my daily life to see my family in Texas. When school closed for three weeks, I decided I would cross the border by car and fly from Buffalo to Texas. Upon landing in Killeen, I was immediately taken to get my second dose of the Pfizer vaccine in a drive-through pop-up. The staff understood my situation, talked to local public health officials and gave me my second dose. I do feel grateful to be able to get mine now and be considered “fully vaccinated” by current medical standards. I am even more excited my dose in Canada can go to a Canadian and be a part of changing the face of the virus there. I recognize the risks I took and the decisions I made leave me open to criticism, but I couldn’t justify not seeing my parents any longer. When I cross the border in just over a week, I will drive directly to my quarantine location where I will remain for 2 weeks AND be fully vaccinated. I think this makes me a new kind of dual citizen?
Grateful to be American and live in Canada
Thanks to the Ministry of Health in Canada and the CDC in the USA for providing COVID19 vaccines for free!
🏃🏼♀️I’m running into the weekend like this guy. It’s slowly happening so fast! Check out the video I posted of Zar running in slow motion on April 23rd, 2021. It’s a goodie! 🎥 Thanks to @bigredpanther for the awesome video!
🌎So many people shared their love for Mother Earth yesterday, and I felt inspired by everyone’s proclamation to protect Her. Each and everyone of us can step up to do our part, no matter how big or small, to respect this incredible planet. It may just start with the recognition most of us live on stolen land and reparations are needed to push us into our next chapter of recovery and growth. It may look like planting trees or or reusing plastic bags. What is one thing you could pledge to Mother Earth to honor Her?
📕I’m loving this book, Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia. No matter how many times I try to write a sentence right now that does it justice, I fail. All I can say is that Sabrina Strings starts with art history and I’m hooked. I hope I’m able to better articulate more about what I learn in this book in the coming days.
🌸 Waking up with a wry neck sucks. Somehow I’ve managed to have this twice in the last six months, and I’ve never had it before. It’s completely debilitating and super painful. There is typically an emotional/energetic component to this diagnosis, and they are also usually self-resolving in 48 hours. This time, I was a lot more educated and ready to handle getting through the day. I started with heat (in the hot tub), alternated Tylenol and Aleve, and used a heated bean pack throughout the day. I was able to maintain a decent range of motion but couldn’t hold my head straight or be pain-free at any point in the day. Luckily, last night I was able to sleep and am already 80% better today! I might consider some needling or cupping when out of this acute phase or even a manipulation if I’m still struggling with any nagging rotational issues. As for dealing with the emotional part, well...
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