Favorite Things: more chocolate

There seems to be a theme around my favorite things: food (chocolate, olive oil) and learning new things (improv, online classes.) Today I am back to chocolate and I ran across this article in the Washington Post about Oded Brenner and his Blue Stripes Urban Cacao venture. I first heard about Max Brenner chocolates because my cousin brought me a gift of these fancy delicious chocolates, so this was cool to discover a website with interesting products (cacao water?) and to read more about the story of chocolate.

Favorite Things: Magnet Theater

I've been wanting to take another improv class, and I know I'll find my way back to the Pit, except for now their class schedules haven't fit my schedule. So, after taking a free Intro to Improv at Magnet Theater with Ellen Matthews, I decided to jump in to her Level 1 class, and that is a lot of fun. Key takeaways for quickly developing a two-person scene: establish quickly who we are to each other (relationship) and where we are (location). Try not to ask your scene partner questions (that puts the burden on them). instead make strong choices to move the scene forward. Overall lots of fun and extended my comfort zone.

Favorite Things: Monthly Planner

Back on the January 3, 2021 post, I talked about my search for a better planner that took me past monthly calendars/planners. Although the monthly planner didn't work as a planning tool, it's actually working nicely to keep track of blog posts and events that did or did not happen (i.e. hybrid school days that pivoted to virtual because of snow, etc.) It's a pretty way to keep track, and the one I got was from Russell+Hazel (purchased from Target), a brand I first heard of through my favorite organizing website (and back when they offered online classes!)

Favorite Things: JAM PAPER binders

I will submit that having fancy, colorful stationery products is a bonus to lift spirits during pandemic times. I ran across these JAM PAPER loose leaf binders that are more expensive than I previously would ever pay. However, they are strangely satisfying, even with the raised exterior texture (it's called "glass twill".) I have them in purple, orange, green and clear!