Some Wins and Wounds
A lil year-end check-in from a learn-it-all
Hello fellow learn-it-all 👋
Greetings from Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Happy holidays and merry Christmas to you if you celebrate!
It’s been a whirlwind the past week. I’ve reconnected with like 100 people at holiday parties I haven’t seen in two years, since I missed Christmas last year while teaching in Thailand. My socialization barometer hit a new record like last year when I was the master of Ceremony (MC) for where I taught at a Thai School with ~1000 students. It was cray cray.
I’m excited for the limbo of this next week. To ski, to stretch, to hang out in my parasympathetic nervous system, walk doggies in the snowy wood, eat cookies, knit, brush up on Thai massage skills, read old journal entries, old letters, write dreams, and soak in some slowness to close out the year.
If you’re looking for some prompts to usher in nostalgia and reflect back on the year, I’ve got just the thing for you from last week’s 100 Questions for Remembering 2025.
Now, let’s dive into letter 295 from a learn-it-all. Enjoy!
❓Question to think
What are some wins and wounds in my life?
🖊️Writing
🌟 Five wins 🌟
Remembering Ritual success! It was so much fun to do this. We did some grounding, silent writing and discussion. More to come!
On January 6th, I will be hosting another creative writing container nerd out at 11 AM EST for those who want to set some intentions for 2026 and voice them aloud with others.
Baking. I solo baked 6.5 dozen miso tahini sugar cookies using my sister’s recipe. I never even knew what these things were until I founds them on a grocery store scavenger hunt. This was my first time making home made cookies since 2024. Eight months in Southeast Asia, I didn’t have a kitchen and when I was pet sitting in the Netherlands, I epicly failed at the Celsiuc conversion to make my banana bread and then never stepped up to bat again to try again.
Gifting. Inventive Christmas presents. I looked at my bookcase for what I already own to gift and made some Thai massage coupons
Knitting. I started knitting a scarf for the first time in six years, and I learned how to start it without the help from my grandma Omi.
Writing. I’ve been waking up, doing some checkin’s by hand in my analog journal and then opening my computer up to write for the sake of writing and cleansing my mind with at least 1000 words. In December, I’ve completed this 18 days. I am proud of showing up.
❤️🩹 Two wounds❤️🩹
Nervous system struggles. I am trying to build my “clutch”. I want to create some way to transition my energy levels from first gear to second gear without skipping a bunch of shifts and going straight to fifth gear like I feel like I have been doing a lot lately. Belly breathing, posture checks, closed eyes are some experiments I will tinker with. If you have any suggestions on what words for you to shift up and down smoothly, much appreciated :)
Sad spine. Four weeks ago, my Xrays showed up with unpleasant news. Almost as bad as when the doc told me I had dengue fever in May. My spine has taken a huge toll and progressively gotten worse from its scoliosis and now also have a straightback syndrome with only two of the four curves in my spine. This is something I’m navigating and in a research phase at the moment.
I am open to collecting your intelligence if you have any stories or research that’s empowered you with spine struggles. Thank you in advance.
📜🖋 Poetry Corner
The summer day by Mary Oliver
The summer day Who made the world? Who made the swan, and the black bear? Who made the grasshopper? This grasshopper, I mean-- the one who has flung herself out of the grass, the one who is eating sugar out of my hand, who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-- who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes. Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face. Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away. I don't know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel in the grass, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day. Tell me, what else should I have done? Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon? Tell me, what is it you plan to do With your one wild and precious life?
Sure, it would’ve been better to share this on the summer solstice in June rather than the winter solstice, but it’s timeless.
It’s resonant as I think about my one wild and precious life.
🎧Listening
Blue by Joshua Bassett
Thank the YouTube Algorithm Gods for recommending this to me yesterday.
Spilling out my secrets now
At a table for two
It’s gettin’ hard to keep it down
when we laugh life we do
🌟Quote to inspire
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence.” – Albert Einstein
📸Photos of the Week
Grateful to family who make my homecoming feel cozy.
🙏Shoutouts
to my parents. They are master party hosters. Serious skillage.
to my family and relatives for all being so warm and lovely <3
to those who attended my remembering ritual! It was so fun. Thank you Nathalie Cohen, Hannah, Mohammad Khan :-)
I am grateful you chose to fill part of your day here.
If something in this letter resonated, press the ❤️ , leave a comment, reply to this email, or reach me at vermetJL@gmail.com. I love hearing from you.
Keep on learning 😁
Tot snel 🌺 🌺
Toodles :)
Jen
P.S. - Here’s what you missed. Last week I wrote 100 Questions for Remembering 2025
ahhh those Christmas pictures make me smile. And is the miso tahini sugar cookie recipe a family secret or could you share? Sounds too good!