When good enough doesn't feel like enough

I'm re-reading a book and it feels wrong. Why am I doing that instead of jumping into the next book? The only next book I have to report is Betsy-Tacy -- but I'm reading that to my daughter. Does that "count" in the world of newsletters where the understanding is that there will be something new each time?

When I was planning this newsletter last fall, I thought I'd be discussing what "good enough" means in a thoughtful way with other people. And so far, it is instead my personal practice of showing up weekly, putting something "good enough" out into the world. Even as I cringe and shrink when the issue feels like not enough.

I still want to incorporate conversations with you into this weekly letter -- and will! -- at some point this year. And I'm also not sure when. But that's OK because it must be or I'll torture myself with perfectionism until I'm not writing at all. And that isn't what I want.

Reading - Finished Small Fires by Rebecca May Johnson for the second time and Midwinter Day by Bernadette Mayer. Started Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace. Continuing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. In zine-land, I read my friend Charissa's luminous new zine about friendship. And I hope to be able to link to another friend's beautiful new zine soon.

Writing - Lots of words in Google Docs. Notes in margins. Words that will pile up and someday and partly be public. Old projects -- after a friend reminded me of something we worked on years ago. Reviewing, re-reading, enjoying the feeling of promise in those words that have sat in quiet. Hoping to make something new of something old.

Cooking - Roasting walnuts and Brazil nuts after soaking them in water with salt per my Mom's recipe. The soaking improves digestibility and the added salt is just so delicious.