Craft Heaven

By: Gabriela Yareliz

I was on the train (naturally— when am I not?), and I saw an ad for a new Hobby Lobby in Tribeca. This is not a drill! We have a Hobby Lobby. Hobby Lobby reminds me of my days in Gainesville. I love the smell in there.

We love Hobby Lobby in the South. *Cue Hobby Lobby Bobby by Bobby Bones* We write songs about this place.

You know I am going to need to visit. Can you imagine this winter wonderland in the midst of abandoned and vacant storefronts?

Hmmm. This sounds like it sparks joy— the kind of joy that comes through Toby Robbins breath work.

I have a growing obsession with all things making-a-home. It’s a growing internal vibe I need to externalize. I blame Pinterest and healing my hormones (a day-to-day maintenance, as one has never arrived). A weird juxtaposition to my Fight Club/Sopranos persona on the trains.

I do just want to walk down aisles of crafts, ribbons, wrapping paper and art that belongs in a 2006 home. That sounds like fun. It sounds peaceful. A perfect pastime for an exhausted person.

Part of me is a little scared to go to this new store. I am scared it will be ransacked and look like a war zone like most NYC stores and pharmacies. No inventory. No beauty. No inspiration. Just padlocks and bare shelves. Hoping that is not the case, and it at least looks like Michael’s. That’s the thing— Hobby Lobby attracts a certain type of person. Crafty. Think Jessica Day from New Girl. Maybe the thugs aren’t into jacking garlands yet…

Call me Hobby Lobby Gabby because Hobby Lobby, I am coming for you. Going to plan my field trip.

Mobile Vibe Shifter

By: Gabriela Yareliz

It was one of those mornings where I was in a rush. So much so that I had forgotten to put on deodorant. (I hate those days when this accidentally happens).

I ran out like a lunatic, and as I made my way to the train station, I heard music. It was familiar music. There was a car parked outside of the small hospital office on the main avenue. As I got closer, it registered that I knew the song. It was a worship song that you typically sing in church during a service.

Then, I saw it. There was a woman in scrubs sitting in an SUV on the avenue, her windows down, and her arms outstretched. She sat there with her eyes closed, singing.

Now, this probably sounds weird, but I truly stumbled upon someone deep in worship. Loud worship. It moved me. I imagine she is a doctor or a nurse. And there she was, in prayer and song, worshipping Jesus.

I left in a different vibe. My rush faded, and I thought about how lucky we are that worship is not restricted to any one place. We worship anywhere.

It reminded me of a time I was walking through Times Square and the energy was different. As I emerged from a platform, I heard a woman singing into a karaoke machine, “What a beautiful name it is, the name of Jesus.”

Our worship and prayers change our spaces, even as we move through busy streets, crowded trains and underground stations. Hospitals, medical offices, courts, classrooms. Wherever you go, bring Jesus with you.

Simplifying for Autumn

Image via Pinterest

By: Gabriela Yareliz

The goal is to simplify.

As the seasons turn, I have that urge to clean, as I have mentioned before. It’s a built-in syndrome or something.

This cleaning is not limited to actual closet sweeps, but also, apps, subscriptions, etc. It’s time to take inventory.

I still need to do a comprehensive closet sweep. I have been a bit slow in my cleaning, and the fact that I got stuck in our elevator the other day (the only mechanism to get to our basement for trash disposal and laundry), does not inspire me a bunch. It will happen, though. (More on the elevator story later).

Here are some of the things I think about while trying not to get shanked on a train:

• I have a morning routine that I want to adjust. I want less Bible reading on my phone, and a return to staring at physical pages. I will keep my Duolingo streak alive. Maybe, I will email people a bit later than usual to keep the morning more sacred.

• My exercise platform junkie days are over. I feel privileged to have been able to try many different methods and trainers. For more on that, see my post here. I am streamlining the platforms I actually use that motivate me toward consistency. Aside from my lifetime access platforms, I will only pay for a maximum of two subscriptions.

• The majority of law school stuff in my closet needs to be reduced to the absolutely necessary and emotional memory item. Everything else needs to be cut ruthlessly. Such is the life of limited space in NYC.

• I want to use either old law schools textbooks (the few that remain that didn’t sell) or lesser used cookbooks to build a night table structure by my side of the bed. Sounds weird, but I saw it on Pinterest, and it looks cool. This will also free some shelf space (which is always an issue for a book addict like me).

• The more that can be put away, the better. It clears visual clutter. Minimalism for a space, though, is unrealistic. I am of the opinion a space should look lived in.

• Old bras need to go. Why do we keep this stuff around? What is our attachment to the ratty bra that cuts off our torso circulation? It’s a universal struggle.

• Clear out the old shoes. You know the ones. The ones with holes and thin soles. The sandals that have survived five summers. You know— they are ready to go.

• I need to clear the pantry of expired items. The other day, I saw our nutmeg was way past its expiration date. Also, I have been plotting my return to the kitchen for fall and reading cookbooks like they are scripture. I was surprised to see how many recipes use vinegar. It’s time to clear the old, and stock the new essentials.

Cleaning will continue to unfold soon. My hope is once cleaning is complete, the space will feel more refreshed and cozy. My husband will have more space. And subsequently, we can focus on creative pursuits and inviting rest in. (It’s like winter is nature’s Sabbath, and autumn is preparation day— Friday).

How will you create a little autumn sanctuary? What are you clearing from your life and digital clutter? How can you simplify routines?

A NYC Monday

My Kindle is out of battery. I am reading a crappy book, but it beats this. We are a captive train audience.

A man in a Knicks hat with tattoos sleeves on each arm is foaming at the mouth and yelling into people’s faces. The devil has found us today.

The disturbed man dishes insults to all of us that range the entire alphabet. He spits at some. He rams his shoulder into others. He tells us all he doesn’t mind going back to prison. I am praying at the velocity of a well known rosary at a Latin funeral. The irony— that I recently heard the Mind Shift Podcast on Demons and Miracles. This scene fit the conversation. Brother is straight up spiritually attacked. There are red scraped circles around his eyes. The energy is unmistakable. A 400 lbs man in a bucket hat is ready to fight him. He raises his hand and tells him to calm down. A tourist is crying quietly on the next bench.

Headphones are in and my fingers are tight around the pepper spray bottle. The man suddenly stops yelling and decides to pee on the train doors. We are finally approaching the first stop in Brooklyn out of the bridge tunnel. We all line up at the furthest door; they don’t open soon enough. I see an elderly man waiting to get in. “Pick another car,” I tell him loudly almost grabbing him. The elderly man follows me into another train car cautiously. A woman screams at the conductor, “I saw his penis for f***s sake.”

Once in the other car, as the doors close, the elderly man makes eye contact with me and whispers, “thank you.”

Another Monday in NYC. 

Some Steve for this Friday

Image from Instagram

Few people are as inspiring as Steve Harvey. No matter where you are in life— there is something for you in this montage of Steve Harvey talks.

He is relentless, and he shares his light.