Hello friends!ย Happy Sunday, indeed!
This week I went to my sorta monthly acupuncture appointment where my kind acupuncture lady asked me all sorts of questions about my mood and sleep and digestion and cycle (all while making steady unwavering eye contact).ย I mention this and that. I tried to meet her steady gaze.ย I mentioned that I was… tired.ย She stopped me, scrolling back on her computer.ย She responded with something to the effect of: you know you always mention being tired. What can you do to help yourself with that?
Oh.ย Wow. Is this an attack?
Really it’s quite the opposite.ย She was offering me a view of my very own patterns and my very own bullshit.
We talked about it and she gave me some tools. Things that I’ve known or should have known.ย Tools include, stopping work (imagine), reading for 15 minutes every morning instead of getting sucked into a book late at night, and making efforts to give myself more time to rest. Super simple, really – I just needed an outsider to illuminate my patterns for me and invite me to make solutions for myself.
Are we ok? You bet we are.
I hope this finds you well with some time to rest today.ย I’m glad you’re here. Let’s ready our hearts for this holiday season.ย The offering this week is below. Take what you need and write me a mean email about the rest if you need to. I can take it.
โขย Someone was paying attention. It was Marion Stokes. How one woman captured 30 years’ worth of broadcast news. (Little White Lies)
โขย Gosh. We all just want the same things. Please take a few minutes with this photo-driven piece. 114,000 Students in NYC Are Homeless.ย These Two Let Us Into Their Lives. (The New York Times)
โขย False prophets, y’all: Inside The Fall of WeWork. (Vanity Fair)
โขย This week’s longread. Burning Out: Search and rescue teams train for the worst conditions. But the worst conditions are getting worse. Are they ready for the next big disaster? (Longreads)
โขย My very talented friend Amy Estes brings us the truth of the wretched Trader Joe’s parking lot: I Am A Trader Joes Parking Lot And I Am Here To Destroy You. (McSweeneys)
โขย This week I’m listening to Call Your Girlfriend’s episode about True Crime. (Call Your Girlfriend)
โขย I’m newly in love with this album from Valerie June: The Order Of Time. (Spotify)
โขย Mmmkay what are we doing? The $50 strawberries NYC high-end chef’s are fawning over. (Eater)
โขย I make these no fewer than three times each fall: Pumpkin Pecan Scones with brown butter glaze. You, too? (Joy the Baker)
โขย Can I humble suggest this side dishe for your Thanksgiving table? Creamy Smoked Gouda Brussels Sprouts (they’re as close to heaven a brussels get). (Joy the Baker)
โขย My favorite use of cranberry sauce: Cranberry Brie Grilled Cheese. (Joy the Baker)
โขย Pick this lotion up on your next Target or Ulta run. I’ve been using it and legit got two compliments on how soft my skin is? I’ll take it. Hydro-Boost Gel Cream. (Ulta)
โขย I’m seriously daydreaming about splurging on these fresh bay leaf garland and wreath moments this holiday season.
Have a lovely Sunday. Take is easy.
My love to you.
xo Joy
22 Responses
I’m definitely late, but it was always cool!
Joy, I baked your lovely everyone’s birthday cake, yellow cake with chocolate frosting from the Washington Post baking class. It is my husband’s 18th sobriety birthday. He was delighted. And the cake was delicious! It came out just perfect.
Thanks Joy for making the world a better place. We love you so and are so grateful for you.
XO
Sasha
As usual you blew my mind with amazing articles Iโve not come across yet, specifically the vanity fair one on Wework. Thanks for your wonderful curation if fascinating articles! Iโm thankful for you, I hope you have a lovey Thanksgiving!
Thanks for your efforts on putting these together every week – I truly enjoy them!
I look forward to your Sunday post every week. Always at least four items that are very meaningful to me. Thank you for the time, energy, and care you put into your work. You are truly amazing :-)
Holy crap! I read your Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate Whip recipe and THAT’S how you make those beautiful chocolate curls!! I could never figure it out (despite having the internet at my disposal…oh well).
Thanks for that!
โThey saw Neumann as a millennial prophet who did shots of Don Julio during meetingsโ ? Sounds like he was a a little too infatuated with Mad Men. And how stupid of his (older?) investors for buying into the idea that this is who we as millennials are. Kombucha and beer and no work-life boundariesโno thank you.
I thought the hellish Trader Joe’s parking lot was just a Portland, Maine thing! I guess we aren’t alone in our misery.
This literally made me LOL. My husbands convinced its a portal to hell.
i now have enough to start a list of fallen idols that i once felt vaguely personally envious of:
1. Elizabeth Holmes
2. WeWork
my epiphany re: sleep was that it’s not super likely that i’m going to get 8-9 hrs of sleep if i’m not IN BED 8-9 hours before i have to get up. imagining that book go the fuck to sleep as read by samuel l jackson helps when i’m dragging my feet
OMG Trader Joe’s parking lots – that humor column so perfectly describees the Trader Joe experience, parking lot and all. The reason the parking lots are so difficult is that TJ commits to the municipalities it petitions to be let in that they have a commitment paralleling said communities’ commitment to get people out of their cars – “force” them to walk, bicycle, use public transportation, etc. The usual manipulative behavior of municipal planners and corporate seekers of shareholder reward….forgetting that in horrid climates or where there is of necessity of a long commute because – hello – NO affordable housing near place of employment – mandates vehicle use. Bicycle in icy downpours while heading to a job where you need to be “presentable”? Not going to happen. Sharing sketchily scheduled public busrides with a load of hacking sniffling wheezing partly or totally unwashed? Nope, and I don’t care if this seems socially intolerant, I am vigilant about protecting my own health. And walking in cities is often extremely unsafe for a variety of reasons. Trader Joe, please make life easier for those of us who cannot do without your guilt-free MacNCheese and MAKE YOUR PARKING LOTS USER FRIENDLY. PLEASE!!
Always enjoy the offerings but mainly wanted to comment that I have indeed been making your creamy Gouda Brussels Sprout casserole for the past few holiday dinners and it is ALWAYS a hit. That shit is bonkers, and that is all. Of this you are clearly already aware ;)
Joy I have been struggling with this night reading dilemma for years. I have made no progress. The truth is I am a night reader, not a day reader. I wish you well in your quest to make a positive change. Maybe I will try a little harder too. But honestly getting in my little nest and reading is one of my greatest joys.
It doesn’t take much to make me happy!!
I have a question about the homeless children’s social workers…the program costs $14,000,000, and there are 100 social workers. Do the math…Where the hell is all that money going? Not to the social workers, that’s for sure. Does this strike anyone else as odd, or suspect?
Nope. New York salaries, plus benefits (typically another 26%+ of the base salary), perhaps plus retirement/pension, plus the additional HR or admin costs, plus the fact that typically programs are required to maintain reserve funds of a certain %. Good people cost money. This seems about right.
I agree. $140,000/MSW social worker seems on par with a high cost city. This would also cover their transportation if they do home and community visits, supervision, and Iโm assuming some level of funding available for student assistance. Iโm guessing they make close to $85,000, have $30,000 in overhead/benefits, and the rest goes to other program support. They have the same qualifications as a MSW that provides therapy but make less money.
I have been eyeing that W-S bay leaf wreath and Garland for years!!!! This was finally the year. Hope you get to enjoy one (or more) of each this year, too.
What a lovely phrase, “let’s ready our hearts for this holiday season”.
The Trader Joe story is so funny and so true.
My location is also by an extremely busy intersection.
You never steer me wrong on the music. Thanks, Joy. Yeah, take it easy and slow down. The season itself suggests time on the couch, wrapped in a soft throw, candles flickering. All the entertaining can come later. Or the next time a holiday rolls around. Like in a few weeks!
That one about the Trader Joe’s parking lot is so true! Thanks for the weekly round-up. I always look forward to it!
I look forward to your Sunday posts!