Hello dear friends.
Happy Sunday. I hope this finds you ready and fortified to face another day. Well… have a cup of coffee first. Maybe an egg. Then feel fortified. Did some of you marched in a women’s march, yesterday? I commend you, and I just pumped my fist in the air at your power. I spent yesterday at The Bakehouse with a rowdy group of ladies, doing the incredibly futile, yet somehow hilarious work of penning Drake lyrics on frosted cakes. The gathering in an of itself felt good for our souls. We persisted. We made new friends and important connections.
Here are the links for the week. Let’s enrich:
• This long-read is so interesting: The diabolical genius of the baby advice industry. A good point is made, we have no idea what a baby is. Strangely, it’s as simple as that.
• I’ve read a lot this week about Aziz Ansari and the muddled grey places, the nuance within male and female interactions. Lindy West has it most right – We Tried To Warn You. Pay attention.
• Have you read this very real-life-relatable short story about dating? Cat Person. It’s explicit in content but beyond that, it gets to the detail of what it can feel like as a young human woman. As you might expect, some people on the Internet were into it, some… not so much.
• Ellen, you get your 20 million. (Beyond the dollars, this is actually an interesting read about two powerful and talented women in Hollywood.)
• How To Write 100,000 Words A Day, your parents won’t let you starve.
• Honestly, me in my next life as a horse. I mean… we get to choose right? Ok if not that horse, let me be this New Orleans horse feelin’ the spirit.
• This Valentine’s craft is both darling and do-able: Tootsie Pop Cherry Valentines!
• Sneakers or dessert: a sociocultural history of standing in line. We’re such strange creatures, aren’t we?
• A very fine idea from 2012: French Onion Soup Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
• Excuse me? This cat bed is a giant fruit tart.
• Have you gotten some of the nasty sickies that’s been going around this winter? Me too. Winter Lemonade with ginger and cloves – won’t cure the flu but will warm and brighten a dark day.
• Every cake is for snacking but Jon made this Raspberry Lemon Poppy Seed Snacking Cake that looks extra special.
Be kind all around. I’m so thankful you’re here!
xo Joy
Alicen
I JUST watched the Gilmore Girls Spring episode where Rory asks a ton of questions about standing in line… without any conclusion. I look forward to reading this article :)
Jillian
Baby article is amazing and spot on! It definitely helped me (mom of a 3.5 month old) feel less insane in the face of the advice tsunami. Thank you for 10 years of amazing/delicious posts- you’re an inspiration!
joythebaker
Congratulations Jillian! You’ve got this!
Shelby Staples
Both horse videos are hideous! Do you not know anything, or much, about horses? This is sheer abuse and ignorance. I have always despised dressage, barrel racing, fox hunts – lots of foolish people, lots of no choice horses, no choice hounds, one little fox. Fox hunters are cowards!
I was surprised to see this trash here!
joythebaker
Thanks Shelby. I didn’t know. But honestly… come at me with a little more kindness here, ok?
Catie
I am right there with you Joy. Education is awesome. Judgement is not.
Shelby Staples
Joy, hope you get to see this. I apologize for coming across as judgemental about the horse videos, and the other commentor was right about education being the way. Horses are one of our most abused animals, just hard to look at such, and I shouldn’t have. You gave a great blog and I look forward to it. Thanks for your considerate and sensible words back to me. Shelby
Jessica
That cake looks divine! I can’t usually eat an entire chocolate/caramel/rich-flavor ‘thing’ but those fruit-flavored cakes….allllll mine!
https://www.slackergirlfitness.com/
KT
Thank god someone finally wrote the waiting-in-line article that’s been eluding us since the Gilmore Girls revival. New Rory is usesless.
Sandra
I really needed to read that Lindy West article. Thank you for sharing, Joy.
Judith
I think that horse is scared stiff and won’t go forward
Chris
Exactly! I came into the comments to say just that. It’s shame that anyone might think the video is appealing; he’s really unhappy and afraid to go forward. The rider is simply keeping his leg on and playing up to the horses fear/agitation.
Gabrielle
That horse is *amazing*. I’m gonna channel his/her swag for the week! Year? Haha.
Chris
Everyone. The horse clip is NOT cute and he is NOT dancing. He is behaving like that because he’s feeling overwhelmed and frightened and he’s being torn between his natural fight/flight response (retreat!, retreat!) and his training (go calmly forward with me towards the danger) We wouldn’t be laughing and cooing over a video clip of an obviously frightened puppy, would we? Police horses have a challenging job to do and, just like anyone else, sometimes it’s nerve-wracking for them and their composure fails them. That’s what’s happening here.
sasha lindberg
Yes, absolutely, thank you for explaining it so clearly for those who aren’t seeing it for what it is.
joythebaker
Chris, I honestly didn’t know. I’m certainly not trying to be cruel. Thank you for the education.
Cori
I wished I lived near NOLA so I could join you at The Bakehouse. Each event looks like so much fun.
Catie
Squee!!!! Awesome post as always!!! Girl you are makiing my Sunday’s!!!! Tart shell cat bed! Dancing horses!!! Swoon!!!!! Much love and appreciation! Your energy is making a difference!!!!!!!