The Potluck: May 2021

Continuing the monthly tradition, The Speckled Palate’s The Potluck: May 2021 includes a new favorite curl product, a book, a show and more. Come see my love list and tell me what was on yours for May.

I don’t know how I continue starting these posts recapping the local, national and worldwide events like it’s some surprise that there is both a lot of good and a lot of bad packed into every month.

That said, this holds true for the month of May. We’ve had a good month, personally, though there’s been a lot of heartbreak and terror on the national and worldwide stage.

So let’s talk.

First, let’s discuss May highlights:

May, like many months before, has been a good one to us. We’re rocking and rolling with our routine. The school year is slooooooowly coming to a close (three and a half more weeks!), and we’re seeing more friendly faces now that more of our friends have been fully vaccinated.

Here are some lovely things that happened for us this month:

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• Reconnection. We saw family last month, which was amazing, and we’ve seen more friends this month, thanks to science and vaccines. While our get-togethers have been outdoors, it has been so nice to see more people we know, love and trust recently. And this month, we hosted friends for an indoor dinner, too… something we haven’t done since February 2020!
• Power Zone Training. Oh my goodness. I spoke about it last month, but I am obsessed with PowerZonePack’s Spring Challenge and the schedule they’ve put together for us. While I still struggle to get out of bed most days, I really like the structure of this training program and am loving how I feel when I complete my rides. I can feel my body getting stronger, and I really love the how this training reminds me of marathon training.
• Camps, vacations, oh my! We’re planning ahead for the summer, and our older one has a few camps scheduled. We’re going to go to visit the beach for the first time in our girls’ lives in July. And I’m seeking out summer activities for our little one, too. I am determined for us to have an excellent summer and hope that this one feels closer to “normal” than the previous one!

Let’s talk May action items:

While there’s been a lot of personal good happening for us this month, I’m aware that it hasn’t been a good month for all. A lot of people are in pain. Our world has a LOT of issues to face, and none of them are easily solvable. (I mean, wouldn’t that be amazing if they were?)

Here are a few things that are on my heart this month:

• Continue learning: Now is the best time to educate ourselves and continue educating ourselves about racism and antisemitism. I know what a privileged life I’ve led to get to learn about racism instead of live it. Same with antisemitism. But I want to continue learning and finding new ways to use my platform and privilege for the greater good. I am teaching my girls about this, too. Especially now that the Texas Legislature has approved a bill that would ban the teaching of certain pieces of our country’s less-than-pleasant history in public schools.
• Palestine-Israel. I’ve had the luxury to live my life not needing to know much about what’s happening in Gaza. (Hi, hello, privilege.) However, I’ve dedicated to learning more during the last several weeks. (If you want to learn more, there are some great episodes detailing the complicated history, as well as what’s happening now on The Daily.) While a ceasefire has been reached, I still believe we can stand up for Palestinians while also denouncing the antisemitism that has flared as a result of this. I’d like to think we all can agree that hatred is a bad thing.
• Local connections. There’s a lot going on in Texas these days, and not all of it is good. This is yet another reminder to me to get involved locally and to commit to elect local and statewide leaders whose values and beliefs reflect my own.

What are your action items of the month?

Now Let’s Talk About This Monthly Love List…

To recap, my potluck, as defined by the folks at Merriam-Webster is:

the regular meal available to a guest for whom no special preparations have been made… a communal meal to which people bring food to share —usually used attributively ; whatever is offered and available in given circumstances or at a given time.

Now who’s ready to see what ended up on my list for May 2021?!?

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