Dear sword-wielders and sandwich lovers! I’m taking two weeks off to work on the book I’m supposed to be writing, whose deadline has been inching nearer and nearer like a word-devouring shark. This weekend I got to jump in a lake, kiss a baby’s head, admire the absolute riot of purple clover growing on every sidewalk median and unmulched patch of earth. In a flourish of impulse that overrode my anhedonia I even wove the clover blossoms into a crown, though I only wore it for a minute. It died in the heat. But by then I didn’t care—I was in the water, I was overcoming my fear of drowning, stroke by careful stroke.
Oh my god the sandwiches! What you do with sandwiches is pure magic. I just read Let There Be Light by Liana Fink. Some serious gems in there. And, if you're an audiobook person, anything Juliette Stevenson reads (esp. Middlemarch). Have an amazing time away!
One of the funniest, best-written movies I know of, a go-to for a pick-me-up in our house, is the Clue movie from the 80's. A brilliant cast (Tim Curry just to start!!), tons of wordplay, ties the game in neatly. There's three different endings and now traditionally they play all in a row, it's worth watching all of them.
A little less brainy but no less punchy is Rat Race, it's so absurd and it always makes me laugh. (I'll warn that there are Nazi characters but they are NEVER portrayed positively, they are always the butt of the joke.)
My wife and I have started a mini book club with a friend and our first book (because we started at Pride month haha) is Atonement Camp for Unrepentant Homophobes by Evan J. Corbin. So far so good!
As far as real pleasure...I just left a job. ^_^ I've been there for 6 years and it has NEVER paid enough but I thought it was the only job I could do anymore, with my mental health. But the last straw happened, and I shopped around, and I found a job that's even better--a night staff job where I am basically being paid just to stay awake. I have time for reading and watching movies and writing on the clock. They actively encourage doing all that kind of thing in between the duties that maybe, maybe take up an hour out of the 8-hour shift. And it's more money! It's not what minimum wage ought to be, but it's a decently high starting wage for my area, and it's enough money that my wife and I are going to be able to move out of our shitty place and into a better apartment (our goal is this fall).
You deserve every minute away right now! Knock out that book. We'll keep the light on, the fridge stocked and welcome you back with open arms. I mean, we kinda have to, with your skills in wielding a sword or two. Talia-you are effing awesome!
Sometimes a big baking project is just the right kind of balm after a hard week. So, to celebrate Pride Month, my kid and I made a glorious, enormous 6-layered rainbow confetti cake with dreamy Swiss meringue buttercream icing, sprinkles on the sides, and giant rainbow letters on top. We shared big slices with friends, family, neighbors, and work folks.
I took up running recently! Thanks partially to your example! That jolted me out of myself! And my favorite thing about this newsletter is that you seem to enjoy writing it. It's what substack should actually be, writers writing about things they're passionate about. More of that and fewer right wing hacks turning to it as a last resort because they got turned away from every media outlet.
Advice column yes!
advice plz
and happy vacation!
Oh my god the sandwiches! What you do with sandwiches is pure magic. I just read Let There Be Light by Liana Fink. Some serious gems in there. And, if you're an audiobook person, anything Juliette Stevenson reads (esp. Middlemarch). Have an amazing time away!
Bless Up our wizard of verbage and sandwichage❣️
One of the funniest, best-written movies I know of, a go-to for a pick-me-up in our house, is the Clue movie from the 80's. A brilliant cast (Tim Curry just to start!!), tons of wordplay, ties the game in neatly. There's three different endings and now traditionally they play all in a row, it's worth watching all of them.
A little less brainy but no less punchy is Rat Race, it's so absurd and it always makes me laugh. (I'll warn that there are Nazi characters but they are NEVER portrayed positively, they are always the butt of the joke.)
My wife and I have started a mini book club with a friend and our first book (because we started at Pride month haha) is Atonement Camp for Unrepentant Homophobes by Evan J. Corbin. So far so good!
As far as real pleasure...I just left a job. ^_^ I've been there for 6 years and it has NEVER paid enough but I thought it was the only job I could do anymore, with my mental health. But the last straw happened, and I shopped around, and I found a job that's even better--a night staff job where I am basically being paid just to stay awake. I have time for reading and watching movies and writing on the clock. They actively encourage doing all that kind of thing in between the duties that maybe, maybe take up an hour out of the 8-hour shift. And it's more money! It's not what minimum wage ought to be, but it's a decently high starting wage for my area, and it's enough money that my wife and I are going to be able to move out of our shitty place and into a better apartment (our goal is this fall).
Best movie for snappy dialog: Sweet Smell of Success (screenplay by Clifford Odets/Ernest Lehman).
You deserve every minute away right now! Knock out that book. We'll keep the light on, the fridge stocked and welcome you back with open arms. I mean, we kinda have to, with your skills in wielding a sword or two. Talia-you are effing awesome!
I read a Portuguese book (in translation) called All The Names by Saramago
Enjoy your two weeks off! Just finished a new fiction title called The Change by Kirsten Miller. Two thumbs up for that book, wowzers.
Self-care rules! Hope you enjoy your vacation to the fullest!
Sometimes a big baking project is just the right kind of balm after a hard week. So, to celebrate Pride Month, my kid and I made a glorious, enormous 6-layered rainbow confetti cake with dreamy Swiss meringue buttercream icing, sprinkles on the sides, and giant rainbow letters on top. We shared big slices with friends, family, neighbors, and work folks.
I took up running recently! Thanks partially to your example! That jolted me out of myself! And my favorite thing about this newsletter is that you seem to enjoy writing it. It's what substack should actually be, writers writing about things they're passionate about. More of that and fewer right wing hacks turning to it as a last resort because they got turned away from every media outlet.