taking notes: january 2025
loss, coffee cake, creative growth, and owls
Welcome back to Claire From Online, by me, Claire, from Online. What a month. We’ve made it through. New days await. Bad and good.
In this issue: What I journaled about in January, current inspiration, post round-up, and this month’s sidequests (The Artist’s Way and my attempt at “project pan”). I didn’t think I’d have a whole ton to say, but this post is too long for email. So glad you’re here!!
things i journaled about in january…
My 2025 ins and outs. In: fountain pens, coffee cake, crying, iPad games, dinner for breakfast, family keepsakes. Out: doom piles, over-defending myself, going to sleep with wet hair, going the extra mile.
I lost a very dear aunt, aka my Bop, this month. I’m so lucky to have been able to say goodbye and thank her for all the memories & lessons that she’s taught me. The biggest one: show up & take interest in the young people in your lives. Something she (and the many strong women in my family) have been so great at modeling is the importance of treating children like young people, with their own interests, quirks, and personality.
I often hear Bop “come out” when I’m speaking with my students, and I’m glad I’ve been able to share that with her. In addition to being a fun aunt, she did some very important work. Borrowing from her obituary: She was a dedicated public servant, leading efforts at the departments of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse and Children & Family Services, and leading the Governor’s Task Force for Human Services Reform. Later in her career, she returned to University of Illinois Chicago to support research on women’s mental health treatment. Her rich legacy will live on in her example of being of service through her lifelong vocation working diligently for families, particularly women and children and those facing substance-use disorder. And if that wasn’t amazing enough, she also introduced me to Muppet Family Christmas.
Please consider making a donation to the American Civil Liberties Union to defend the rights of all people, nationwide. I will be donating 10% of paid subscription earnings on here to the ACLU, through the end of March.The fires in LA, plane crash, a little about The State of Things but honestly not a whole lot (maybe more for you, maybe less)
UDA Nationals! The Wagner sisters! Matthew Greco! Kate Bush! Moulin Rouge soundtrack! The Minnesota silent turns! Ohio State’s gloves! Me all week tbh. I am finding myself Very Moved by DANCE lately!!!
Synchronicity and the ol’ scarcity mindset (I share more about this below)
lol @ UDA easter egg Simply just writing about my day: what I ate for breakfast, how I’m feeling (unfortunately I am on head cold #2 of the year as I write this), what I’m looking forward to, a funny conversation I had, what I’m working on with my students.
I wrote out my family tree, with the help of my mom and her siblings.
AND ALSO: There’s a lot of blank space!!! Little pokes n’ prods like “how do I want to use this journal1?” and “Why do I feel like I don’t have a lot to say, when I know that’s not true?” Maybe I'll print some pictures today, maybe I won’t, who knows. As I have been known to say, I have plenty of backjournaling available to me, should I choose to engage!
…and some lists & trackers i’ve made
updated the unhinged tracker I have for Cookie’s toys
I’VE BEEN INFLUENCED tracker
quick ‘after work’ scribble in my planner every day, so I don’t forget toooooo: do my nails,
go to yoga(admission: canceled many classes this month), get gas, write evaluation report (etc. and so forth).hours of sleep per night
inspired by
in case you missed it
january sidequests
Made an amazing coffee cake. Bop and I have made truly a bazillion coffee cakes together, and there was no better way to celebrate her birthday last Sunday. This recipe, made with sour cream and EXTRA CRUMB, was coworker-approved! I will definitely be making it again this month.
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