Good Morning, you courageous tenderhearteds.
Itโs the pendulum swings that got me this week.
The highs are higher, the lows are lower, the beautiful stuff is breathtaking and the sad stuff is heartbreaking to levels I didnโt know existed. Sunday dinner with my parents was beautiful (homemade gnocchi, come on) and as I drove home there was this little masked family taking a walk. I was stopped at a stop sign, and even though the bottom half of her face was covered, I knew the Mom was smiling at me, her eyes crinkling just so. It was thisโฆ tiny brave dare to connect with me despite IT ALL. And I lost it. Itโs that exact tangle of beautiful sadness thatโs been tightening around my heart most these days.
I think all we can do is take this one day at a time. One pendulum swing at a time. One cup of tea at a time. One item on a checklist at a time. One crying jag at a time. One belly laugh at a time. One FaceTime call at a time. One bag of cookies at a time.
One daring brave connection at a time.
Each Monday morning, Iโll gather:
โค๏ธfunny tweets
๐คฉstuff to watch, read and listen to
๐คgreat follows on social media
๐ย music to soothe
๐ฏcalming things
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I started watching What We Do in the Shadows (itโs now on Hulu) and yeesh, it is wonderful. Just laugh out loud funny. (Rest assured, Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement are still very much at the wheel of the TV show as they were with the movie.)
Anything by Sally Wainwright will be the best thing ever, but Iโd start with Scott and Bailey, go through Happy Valley, then Gentleman Jack and then end with To Walk Invisible - which is about The Frickin Brontes.
Finally saw Onward. Phewwww, that is a GOOD cry of a movie. Also? The End Credits song is by Brandi Carlile, which Iโll put in the Music Section below. (The lyrics are โฆ definitely what we need to hear right now.)
Charlie Mackesyโs STUNNINGLY beautiful book: The Boy, The Mole, The Fox the Horse is a balm.
The National Theater is streaming Treasure Island this week - what a joy.
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Follow Kadir Nelson and get truly stunning art.
Follow Dan Pelosi and get incredible word puns, step by step homey recipes and pure joy.
Follow Jersey Ice Cream Company and get a beautiful - very transparent - in-progress renovation with stunning photographs. (thank you to Adam for this one.)
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(Thank you to Daniel for the Bon Iver track)
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Fiona Apple has a new album out and itโs brilliant, of course. (Thank you to Adam for this one, too.)
This Sweater Weather Spotify playlist threads that impossible needle of being both backgroundy, delightful and feels like a crackling fireplace. (thank you to Robin for this one)
Another Robin recommendation: Sarah Brooksโ entire catalog of playlists is amazing, but particularly? The Nancy Meyers Makes Croissants one. For obvious reasons.
Everything is SO DRY. So, I am leaning heavily on this Laneige Lip Mask. It can bring the most crackediest-cracked lips back FROM THE BRINK. Itโs truly a miracle. And ONE jar lasts FOREVER. (Thank you to Jessica for this one.)
I know Iโve linked to one of Joanna Gainesโ candles before, but โฆ these candles are now HALF OFF and this? Is her Christmas candle, Joyeux Noel - and? It smells like (super subtle, not cloying AT ALL) mulling spices and is a bear hug in a candle. It has a WOOD WICK so it sounds like a tiny crackling fireplace.
But? You could also just make mulling spices with some old spices in your pantry and simmer em for some fireplacey smells that you very much need wafting in your home right now.