Hello friends, Happy Holidays!
It’s Sunday. We’re here. We’re in it. It’s not Christmas just yet. We’re all ok, I promise.
There’s a frenetic energy this time of year – a buy, buy, buy encouragement that I’ve mostly just observed from a distance this year. I’ve spent this week writing towards a 2020 project, drinking wine and coffee sometimes at the same time. Writing is really just long stretches of time sitting, thinking, staying off the Internet, and drinking various beverages. They don’t really spell that out for you in college. We have to figure that out on our own.
Next week is my holiday cookie swap so there’s a lot of baking to look forward to. What are you making? Eggnog! That’s my vote. Go big.
The offering this week is below. Take what you need. I’m sorry I talk so much about Counting Crows. Thanks for going on this journey with me every week.
• This list could last you all week: 25 Modern Love Essays to Read if You Want To Laugh, Cry, and Cringe. These are just so wonderful. I had a glass of wine and surprised myself by ugly crying through You May Want to Marry My Husband. (The New York Times)
• This is interesting: What Everyone’s Calling ‘Emotional Labor’ Is Actually Just Labor. (Vice)
• The False Promise of Morning Routines. Please please don’t take this from me. I’m a morning routine person – it usually involves me hitting snooze for a few rounds before literally flinging myself out of bed, getting blurry-eyed to yoga, coming home for coffee, to make the bed, to get the rest of the day going. Some mornings it’s all I can do to get up and make the bed and that’s perfectly fine too. (The Atlantic)
• The Decade The Kardashians Took Over Everything. Isn’t it incredibly strange? (Buzzfeed)
• My thought here is that Instagram feels bad about being Instagram. (Vox)
• This week I’ve been listening to this live Counting Crows album from 1998. I coyly shared this fact on Instagram and unearthed a lot of fellow, secret, die-hard Counting Crows fans. The thing is – they were a great band! August and Everything After defines like… a lot of my teen years. (Spotify)
• As you might expect, I went down an Adam Duritz (lead singer of the Counting Crows) text message rabbit hole with my friend Cara (fellow secret Counting Crows fan). We lamented the dreads, the A-list celebrities he dated, the song Anna Begins. Cara unearthed this doozy of an article on Adam Duritz from 2014 and wow… y’all the dreads are extensions. A Lesson In Humanity From Adam Duritz. (Men’s Health)
• This week, at the urging of my friend Jessica, I made this Romesco Sauce. It’s absolutely delicious, very simple, 10/10 recommend. (Bon Appetit)
• I like when The Kitchn re-makes bloggers recipes with commentary. A few months back they made my Weeknight Chicken Dinner. You can read about their thoughts here. We’re just doing our best to feed ourselves, ya know? (Joy the Baker / The Kitchn)
• Maybe just maybe you’ll have some time off between Christmas and the new year. Maybe just maybe you want a craft? HonestlyWTF has my favorite DIYs on the internet. (HonestlyWTF)
• Here’s a new Amos Lee song to add to your holiday mix: Holiday Song. (Spotify)
• What to get your girlfriend that is as into the Real Housewives as you: What Remains by Carole Radziwill. I’m reading it right now and it’s beautiful (and definitely not written by a ghost writer). (Amazon)
• I bought this blanket as a gift and I promise not to keep it for myself, probably. (Food52)
Have a wonderful Sunday!
My love to you.
xo Joy
18 Responses
great trans-recipes very nice
Dear Joy, may your holidays and all days be brimming with health, happiness and good will! You are an inspiration with you style and joie de vivre. Please forgive me, but at this time of year, I can’t help myself; JOY TO THE WORLD!
the first time you recommended brandi carlile a couple years ago, i knew i liked you. she’s been my one true love for the last ten years. then i discovered joseph through you. now that i know you love counting crows, it’s official–we are music soulmates. august and everything after is the album i grew up on and has so many good memories attached to it. i’m taking my 8-year-old daughter to see brandi carlile in february because she made me promise that we would buy tickets next time she was in town after i so rudely went to three of her concerts without her. i hope she looks back with the same fondness for brandi as i do for counting crows.
August and Everything after is, in my opinion an essential album everyone should know. For me it attaches to a beautiful time in my life and of course a guy. Duritz is such an amazing lyricist and when he performs live the songs take on another incredible level.
That blanket! Swoon!
Hi Joy – Love your blog, long time follower. I thought I would pass something on, having just gone down this rabbit hole myself and I think we have similar hair. Have you heard of the curly girl method? Google away – life changing for those with curly/wavy hair.
Happy Holidays!
THE DREADS ARE EXTENSIONS?????
Your work seems to be great. Continue the great effort!!
I’m also a Counting Crows fan (not secret). Your use of past tense (“They were a great band”) makes me sad, because they’re still a band. BTW Adam has gotten rid of the dreads.
The Romesco recipe looks yummy!
I love Counting Crows. I was taking classes at a local Community College back then and I would just play it in the car to and from class. I still bring it back out and listen as the songs were really terrific. Happy to hear that you love them too.
this kardashian article was *perfection* and I’m ready for someone to do the same thing for our housewives?????
I am absolutely with you!
The Crows are everything! Love them and that album. Classic. Love Romesco sauce, thanks for the reminder. I need to make it again soon, Onto some cookie baking now
Did you return to Counting Crows because it’s been a long December? (I get back into the album every time I have a business trip to Omaha.)
I read the “You May Want to Marry My Husband” article years ago when it came out. Sobbed my way through it too. It is a beautiful love letter.
1. Love The Counting Crows – no secret
2. I really wish I didn’t know about that blanket. :-:
Counting Crows forever!!!
Joy-What a WONDERFUL review you earned!! I’m just soooo proud for you. As a person who was standing in front of my pantry, fridge, and freezer basically spinning in circles Friday night, I can really relate to the need for this chicken recipe. Sadly, I ended up snagging dinner at a fried chicken place but I’ll try to do better next time armed with your recipe. Thank you for being my Sunday cheerleader! Blessings to you and your (ad)ventures.