Bonjour!

Hey y'all, I'm in Paris for the month with my partner. The teenager is with us this first week and then he goes on a different summer trip with his dad (the life this kid lives when I didn't even have a passport until I was 38).

Any time I can not be in the US, it is a welcome change and I've written before about how much it means, as a Black American, to be able to come here. To get just a little distance from the murderous anti-Blackness of the US gives me just enough breathing room to restore myself a little bit.

So what do I hope to do this month? Here are some goals:

1. Continue to priorize solo time. I've been momming for over 22 years and have often avoided my own needs by staying focused on others. But these last few months I've entered into a new phase of my personal healing work and really prioritizing the alone time I need. My goal is to get a little alone time every day. Here is a picture of the lovely drink I'm sipping on alone in a café as I write this.

   

2. Write a short story. I have a short story (fiction) burning a little hole in my brain and I have a goal to actually write it this month. I don't know if anyone will ever see it, but I hope I'll like it enough to at least send it to a few people for feedback. Who knows, maybe if I like it, I'll post it here! Let me know if y'all would like to see these early fiction attempts.

3. Disconnect from social media a bit. Isn't that always the goal forever? I hope the time zone difference will help me achieve more balance.

4. Read the books I packed. At least two of them this time. I really think I can do it. I do! I'm not lying! I'm totally going to do it! Maybe!

I'll be posting throughout the trip, mostly with little updates like this. Let me know what you want me to document!

Here's a French vibrator that I found quite hilarious! Sorry! Don't unfollow me!

And while you're here, I have an ask. Y'all have been so supportive of the work I do and I was hoping if you had the funds, you could support a comrade and friend doing vital social justice work. Actually, I'm asking for help in supporting her mother who is facing a medical crisis. If you have a few dollars to put towards this cause, I would deeply appreciate it. You can support here.

Thank you for your love and generosity. Y'all are the absolute best.