The Wallflower Box

My husband recently surprised me with a gift from The Wallflower Box.  I'm not big on surprises, but he tends to surprise me infrequently and when it's most needed.  Below are photos from the opening - excuse the non-edited cellphone photos' quality and size.  Baby A even sort of makes an appearance.  (Fyi: the item shown here is called the "Luxe Mystery Box" where you can choose a book, from their selection, to include with your order.) 

Initial thought: Sweet packaging, not overtly girly in look.  Love the minimal recyclable packaging.  Now, the contents of the package:

Unscented body butter

Bath bomb

Peach pie candle

Strawberry papaya green tea

Stress relief dough

Oil blend packaging

Bottle of oil blend

Carnelian pendant

Organic seeds

Back of organic seeds package

Final thoughts: Excited about the book, and I'll likely use almost everything in the box.  The peach pie candle scent is a bit cloying, but Baby A enjoys opening and closing the candle (under supervision, of course).  As for the other scents, the Bloom Blend oil smells calming to this picky-about-scents lady - if only the loose cap stayed on; and the bath bomb is delightfully scented without being too sweet or floral in nature.  Can't wait to try a cup of the uniquely flavored green tea, in addition to the unscented body butter.  I reached out to the maker of the sublimely scented stress relief dough, and she said there may a slight chance of peanut contamination, so I sadly won't be using it.  With a curious toddler, the carnelian-and-leather cord necklace is just my style.  And the organic seeds are perfect for growing next spring.  

Best yet, Baby A thinks the entire box - and its contents - is a present for her.  Keeps her busy for a good 15 minutes.  Thank you to my husband for this thoughtful gift, and to the ladies at The Wallflower Box for making this overtired mama feel pampered.

EC | TIW: Witty Introvert Poem

I wrote this witty introvert poem in March 2015 to demystify assumptions often associated with introversion from my own (introverted) perspective.  Topics I've tackled through writing include anxiety, frustrating social expectations, a rich inner life, and more.  No further explanations are required on your part.  This humorous, celebratory poem is printed on sage green cardstock and ships with a presentable envelope, making it a great gift for an introvert--or even as an explanatory tongue-in-cheek gift for extroverts.  Baffled looks when you politely decline another social event?  Perhaps no more!  At least, in theory.

Available for purchase in my shop here.

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Would you like a poem written just for you, or need assistance with a written work?  My professional writing services provide an engaging range of writing and editing options with the client in mind.

When Has Introversion Become Popular?

23 Signs You're Secretly An Introvert

Is it just me, or has there currently been a plethora of articles and books touting the benefits of introversion and introverted people?  These subject-specific writings typically state introvert traits and then attempt to explain them through an extrovert's eyes.  I get that the mutual understanding and respect of personality and relational differences, rather than finger pointing or dismissal, is important to general societal well-being and personal relationships--but when has the quiet, thoughtful type become popular?  I understand the marketing value; it is the popularization of the concept itself (which is by definition the opposite of extroversion) that I do not understand, since introverts tend to avoid the crowds, so to speak.  We have always been misunderstood and misinterpreted, so why all the fuss now?  Maybe it's pure inquisitiveness.

On the topic of introversion vs. extroversion, a confusing thing about the whole introvert-extrovert spectrum, because it really is a spectrum, is that humans are far more complex than we acknowledge ourselves to be.  We derive our stolid importance from our black-and-white categorizations, our personality tests, and our personal identifications--which more often than not are rigid and lean strongly towards the extrovert ideal as the measuring point.  The truth is that most of us fall somewhere in between on this spectrum, although we are sometimes unsure of how far we lean to the left or right.  Being comfortable in one's skin is the key here because as we all know, popularity is a fickle, unpredictable bedfellow that is both a sign of the times and yes, faddish.

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If you're interested in reading about introversion, I highly suggest Susan Cain's Quiet.

The Cabin

The Cabin, by Stewart Edward White

I've been yearning for a sense of stillness lately, a calm quiet that only creeps up on you when you least expect it and lingers for moments on end.  Started reading Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard, again--a well-worn favorite.  Dillard quotes Steward Edward White (why do I always want to call him "Edward Stewart White"?), so I figured that I should see what his writing is about.  I mean, if Dillard cites him, then he, by this association, must be one great observer and solitude seeker.

My 1911 copy of The Cabin arrived in usable vintage form: frayed hardcover edges, decaying corners, and binding half worn; an overall delicate-yet-sturdy feel.  The book chronicles White's life spent in a rustic, simple vacation cabin in the Sierras that he and his wife, Billy, helped build by hand.  White's pro-conservation perspective and urgent, gentle tone reflects his soaring popularity during the early 20th century conservationist movement.

 

According to Wikipedia: 

"White's books were popular at a time when America was losing its vanishing wilderness. He was a keen observer of the beauties of nature and human nature, yet could render them in a plain-spoken style. Based on his own experience, whether writing camping journals or Westerns, he included pithy and fun details about cabin-building, canoeing, logging, gold-hunting, and guns and fishing and hunting." 

With short chapters with titles such as the following, how could I pass it up? 

His philosophical slant--nature driven, minimalist, and highly moralistic--makes for a quietly compelling read.  White's words and stories are resonant and modest (sparse even), but it is his unwavering enthusiasm in exploring and relaying to the reader the natural world around him that makes this book a worthwhile read.  Wish there was more detailed information about White and his writings online, beyond Wikipedia...

 

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Ever since I received a new pair of hiking boots earlier this winter, I've been bit hard by the wander bug, longing to embark on mountainous day-long hikes--just the husband and I in the thick of it.  The Cabin will have to suffice for now.

The Tangible Material

How was your holiday season?  Hope it went well.  This Christmas season, I realized something.  As a person who isn't too into material things, I have too much--I can probably do without most of it.  It's not that I am not deeply appreciate and grateful for all of this stuff (some of which I had personally asked for), it's just that it all just sits there, making you happy one minute, while adding to your visual clutter the next, overwhelming the senses and exacerbating the underlying holiday migraine from too much busyness.

Maybe it's just an introvert thing.

I much prefer thoughts, but no one can ever give a complex thought as a gift.  Well, unless it is a quote printed onto something tangible.  If this was the case, it would have to be a darned good quote, indeed.

Lastly, a slice of humble pie:
An EmeraldCut shop review was recently featured in The Chakra Glow's lovely blog.  See the review here.  Thank you, Courtney, for the kindness!

If any of you would like to share your EmeraldCut item photos or reviews, I would love to hear from you.  Simply leave a post comment, or convo me.