Recently Enjoyed Things | August 2, 2024

FTS except the things I'm enjoying lately.

Oh is this what the dog days are supposed to feel like? Because I’m fully entering my FTS (eff this ish) era and it feels goooood. I’m wearing my hair air-dried on week days (TO THE OFFICE!), throwing my hands up after work when my family says “what’s for dinner?” And the laundry? It’s washed, I swear, but also it’s been in a pile on the guest bed since last Sunday. Not folded!

And you know, maybe it’s self-indulgent, but I’m here to defend it. My whole life is structured endlessly. I follow routines. I show up. I make goals. I track goals. I know my macros. But sometimes, just for small pockets, I think leaning into what loosely feels good is just as necessary. I’m not trying to achieve anything in late summer. I’m just melting in the heat, trying to enjoy this book or something.

I need this. Because come the end of the month, it’s going to be “back to routines” season, which is its own kind of fun and inspiring. But in order for that to feel good, I need this looseness. Ying and yang, baby. One is only good because of the other, you know? So anyway, that’s where you’ll find me this month: sitting outside with a book, a beverage, and approving popcorn for dinner to anyone who asks.

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But first, some housekeeping: there’s some affiliate links in here. But aren't they everywhere? Anyway, if you click on something and buy it, I might earn a commission at no cost to you.

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Recently Enjoyed

Reading

I’m passionate about reading and sharing books that are readily available at your library and don’t feature a waitlist 47 people long. So these are rarely new, hot releases, but if you’re intrigued, there’s a good chance for instant gratification at your library.

• Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty // Finished this one and it hooked me for most of the week because GD it I just wanted to find out what happened to the mother. I found the ending somewhat anticlimactic, but I’m still going to watch the Peacock series, because of course I am. The synopsis without a spoiler (duh): the matriarch of a family goes missing. Her husband acts weird. Her kids have troubles of their own. And everyone has some secrets that start tumbling out.

• Tom Lake by Ann Patchett // I’m going in. I bought it earlier this summer thinking it might be the perfect summertime read (it takes place right where I live!) but tbh, I’m nervous. Hyped books often leave me disappointed because I set my expectations so high, but here we go!

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Shopping

• Midnight Blue - Colorista Hair Color // In line with doing all the reckless summertime things, my 7 y/o is now rocking blue hair and I kind of don’t care if it washes out in time for the first day of school.

• ⭐ OPI Cajun Shrimp Polish // I’ve been converted to gel nails for so long, I haven’t bought a bottle of regular polish in years. I forgot how much I love this particular color - a good orangey-red - and ordered it for my toes.

• Blake Brown Hair Products // I was intrigued this week with the announcement that Blake Lively will have a new hair care line launching at Target. Okay, I’ll probably bite - she does have good hair. Double intrigued to find out her real last name is “Brown".”

• Ribbed High Neck Tank Top // Target has the elite tank top and I do not exaggerate when I say I wear one every single day. A million colors and even on a bad day, they’re only $8. Today is a good day though, so they’re $6.

  • Old Navy with a back-up option, but size up unless you’re into the cropped look.

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Recent Saves

Cosigned 100%

August is always Operation It’s Still Summer for me - I get panicky as the internet shifts into Fall mode - so I’ll be keeping this pretty reminder handy.

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3 Things

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve shared newsletters I’m into, and I feel like I find something new all the time. Not new new, but new to me. Or sometimes sure, new new. Substack still feels like it has a ground level entrance and new sites are popping up all the time. What a world! Anyway, here’s what I’m extra excited to see land in my inbox lately -

Dia -

Broke But Moisturized

// Come for the daily drip. Stay for No I’m Not Pregnant (yet) or The House We Bought and Lost.

Sabena

- Brandiose // Brand news that’s actually interesting and digestable. Did you know Taco Bell invites their rewards members to check in to a resort featuring “senior inspired recreation”? Yeah, me either, but sign me up for them rewards!

Maria DeVoto

- Ten Dollar Latte // Money talk (my fav) from a 27-y/o making a living in New York. Highly candid. I found myself nodding as I read Maybe Possessions are Worth More Than Experiences.

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Sending You on Your Way

(Interesting things I found on the internet this week)

• ⭐ I literally LOL’d at this Jim Carrey Bachelorette. ⭐

• Interested in salary transparency? Me too. I enjoyed this Going from $8/hr to $132,000/year to $10/hr from

  Maria DeVoto
  this week.

• The Decameron on Netflix - this is either going to be really great or really dumb, and I am down to find out which is true.

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Last Week - In case you missed it:

A birthday camping trip, some books I bought myself for my birthday, and man, if they kill Steve, I’ll really be done this time.

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PS -

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