Hello friends! Happy Sunday, I’m so glad you’re here!
We made it to Spring, didn’t we? I cut these fine snapdragons from the front garden yesterday and felt pretty dang proud of myself for nurturing a plant outside long enough to bring it inside to nurture me further. Tron is pretty pleased, too.
Yesterday I received my first COVID vaccine shot. I don’t have one of those teary-eyed vaccine selfies. In fact, I didn’t feel overly emotional… I just though whoa, did I just make it through a pandemic? Is that what’s happening here? Yes. Yes it. Gratitude is the emotion I have most presently.
I bought a stranger groceries this week, an unhoused man needed a sweatshirt and I helped him with that, I tried to tip extra at my neighborhood restaurant. Small kindnesses that seem to go a long way. I feel like New Orleans has cradled me in return. A barista gave me a free cup of coffee, a sweet lady let me cut her in line at the grocery store out of kindness, and a fellow runner gave me a thumbs up as we passed each other. Nothing is perfect but there’s plenty that’s better than ok.
How have you been this week? Asking for real. Did daylight savings time shake up your schedule and foggy your brain? Me, very much. It’s getting harder to adjust to time changes says me, the nearly 40 year old.
Here’s what I have to offer us this week. As always, take only what you need.
• We have to know each other’s pain if anything is to get better. A Letter to My Fellow Asian Women Whose Hearts Are Still Breaking. (Vanity Fair)
• This week my friend Layla taught me about Nowruz, we celebrated Chaharshanbeh Suri and she walked me through her Haft-Sin. It was all so lovely. Hope, Respect, and Honor: What It Looks Like To Celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year. (The Kitchn)
• We give each other so much information in the smallest cues. Here’s what happens when one person opts out. If You Look at Your Phone While Walking, You’re an Agent of Chaos . This is related and unrelated but the term “agent of chaos” makes me think of the movie The Dark Knight (which, for some reason, I watched last week) and Heath Ledger’s Joker. I needed a reminder of if and why I enjoyed that movie. Turns out I’m not alone, the podcast Why Are Dads breaks down our complicated relationship with the film. (The New York Times, Podpage)
• We Feel “Alonely” When We Don’t Get Enough Time By Ourselves. This past year has afforded us a lot of time to figure out how it feels to be be apart, to be together, to be apart together. (Vice)
• Polly TELL EM / me / us. My Dream Man Moved On. Should I Wait For Him? I’ll be honest. I’ve been guilty of some magical, wishful, soul crushing thinking. (The Cut)
• Two songs I’ve loved this week: Today We’re The Greatest by Middle Kids and First Time by Emily King. (Spotify)
• My Sunday afternoon project is to make these Almond Crusted Tofu Spring Rolls from my friend Dana and take them to my friend Mississippi Vegan‘s house for a garden happy hour. (Minimalist Baker)
• I ran across this post from two years ago. In some ways, my words from the recent past sound so tone deaf. But of course they do when we’re in the middle of an entirely different tone. There are still some gems in here and you will in fact catch me cleaning all my bedding this weekend: Nine Things I’m Doing To Refresh For Spring. (Joy the Baker)
• I remain a yoga dork and really enjoyed watching Jason Crandell muscularly break down and explain this backbend on Instagram. I know… very specific. I’m sorry. (Instagram)
• Ok don’t laugh but I went from my vaccine appointment directly to Lush to buy myself a fancy bath bomb. I dunno I wanted a bath treat. I suggest you treat yourself to a little something too. Maybe not a bath bomb… you’ll know what you need. (Lush)
• If you are wealthy in rhubarb I envy you and humbly offer these Buttery Rhubars. They’re very easy pie bars that let tart and amiable rhubarb shine without strawberries. (Joy the Baker)
• Speaking of rhubarb, this Rhubarb Carrot Cake with Vanilla Mascarpone Frosting looks like an absolute DELIGHT. (Simple Bites)
• This week last year: Let It Be Sunday, 263! Early quarantine. (Joy the Baker)
Be well today. Happy Spring!
My love to you!
xo Joy
Molly
Thank you for the RO Kwon article. The last part really got to me, as an Asian American woman. “You matter to me, we matter to me, and I would so much rather have us and our allies on our side than any of them. For we already belong.”
Amy
This is the second time tonight I’ve come across a Sarah Marshall/Michael Hobbes podcast mentioned (the other was on tik tok where someone was talking about Maintenance Phase). It makes me so happy to see other people talk about their shows. I’m new to Why Are Dads, and just listened to the Dark Knight episode. I’ve been a fan of You’re Wrong About for a while. I honestly have learned so much from them! They are delightful together, and I really enjoy the shows they have with other cohosts.
Susan
Your name says all that you bring to your readers-Joy!
Christine
Thank you for sharing the Vanity Fair article on Asian women. As an Asian woman in America, it’s rare for us to feel heard, and a shame that it is something like this that has to happen before we are heard (however imperfectly).
Katie
I work in a nursing home “aka front line worker” I suppose (is dining services included?) and received my vaccine early in the year. It still blows my mind that I made it through this pandemic. I feel so blessed and grateful that my family members did too, and friends. So I’m with you on that. I didn’t have any tearful moments, but just a realization how big this is.
Hope your arm isn’t sore and you don’t have symptoms! My arm was SORE when I received my first vax shot and had to ice it a couple times.
Also, I’m only 24 but this time change is really kicking my butt LOL
Kat
Joy! I bought my first round of rhubarb over the weekend and my S.O. was wondering if I was going to make “those really yummy rhubarb barb bars, remember the ones where the rhubarb was in strips?” haha he is thrilled you are re-posting this recipe :) Thank you <3
samantha campanini
So cool that someone your age (young!!) has already gotten a vaccine in the US, in Italy we’re way far from that, they are vaccinating people over 80s by now. I mean, I already got mines and by the time I’m writing I’m also immune, but only because I work front row with the emergency. Honestly I cannot imagine, for example, when my sister (age 41) could get her vaccine!
Emily
Thank you as always for the kindness you share. That Polly article is much needed for me!
Catherine
Oh I loveeee me a Lush bath bomb as any sort of reward / treat myself moment. Good choice my friend!
Shila Soni
Thank you so much for your Sunday letters and lists. You inspire me with your generosity and those gorgeous snapdragons Joy! Need to plant all the flowers soon. And that letter by R.O. Kwon made me weep and I dearly needed a moment to grieve.
Heather
Way to hit me in the feels with the Dear Polly letter. I’ve been disoriented from the time change and had a very emotional dream about the “Dream Man” so you sharing that was just a gift from you and the Universe today. Thank you.
Thumbs up for running! I always love getting that little nod of acknowledgement/encouragement/hey, we’re doing this together from fellow runners.
Stella
Hi Joy,
I am about 10 days from my second Covid shot and feeling grateful too. I am one of those tearful recipients at the time of my first shot, but would never take a selfie (really don’t have the néed/desire to post about life while living it). For me, the emotional response was similar to yours in that I, too, realized I am to survive what so many could not. The realization of so many needless and senseless deaths, humbled me in ways I did not expect and thus, the tears. I’m looking forward to Spring with a profound sense of gratitude. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Ann
How I wish I had read that Dear Polly letter and reply many many years ago! Thank you for your weekly Let It Be Sunday, Joy. Even though I get it on a Monday!
Morgan
Hello! Thank you for another great Sunday read. I just started listening to Why Are Dads?. I listen to Sarah Marshall’s other podcast You’re Wrong About- I highly recommend this one. The Stepford Wives and Tuskegee Syphilis Study episodes are very engaging. The digressions are hilarious too.
Thank you for asking how we are all doing. Little acts of kindness go a long way. In these times it’s like signs of life, that we’re all going to be ok.
Lindsay
I’m a yoga dork too and loved Jason’s backbench breakdown. I can’t wait to take in-person trainings with him in the future.
Lexie
Question! Do you still enjoy your daylight alarm clock?!
Erin
I am so grateful to fellow runners that flash a thumbs up or a wave, or just give “the nod”. I feel like so many don’t even make eye contact, in my city anyways.
Christy
I’ll be 63 in August & originally from Arizona…and still no matter where I’ve lived, DST always weirds me out!
I’ve been struggling, but yesterday was a Special Day.
I helped connect a generous local couple who had a very nice recumbent Bike-E they wanted to give away,…with a very deserving and much in need younger gentleman! He was over over the moon!
Now, the local couple are aware of the kind of help this man needs and in the position to better his future.
And that feels pretty dang good!
Debra
I received my first COVID shot yesterday as well. Although I am in a “legal” category to receive, I’m still feeling survival guilt – since so many teachers and essential workers (including my son) have not gotten theirs yet. I have a choice to work from home – they do not. Thanks for the RAK reminders.. I’ll be thinking on the “Agent of Chaos” idea for sure this week. Powerful stuff. Appreciate you.
Roxy
Your post today rang true! I never look at my phone while walking — moreover, I never look at my phone while driving nor while walking my dog. I see so many people failing to truly enjoy a walk especially where they are failing to enjoy a walk with their dog. Not sure if it’s FOMO or an addiction to social media but the phone thing surely needs to stop. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve had to dodge phone-starers who were hogging the sidewalk, selfishly oblivious to potential collisions! I have a flip phone with no internet or wifi connection, texting turned off due to literally hundreds of political texts during the latter part of last year’s election and the pandemic, but you would not believe the harsh criticisms I get for not having a smartphone so that I can be “available” at all times of the day or night! A few days ago I sent an actual handwritten thank-you letter to a company that manufactures the super healthy organic treats that I give my dog. I always donate to a street person if they are old and/or if they are accompanied by a dog (but I even get yelled at by others who won’t donate for what they claim smugly are the right reasons). We ALL need to be kinder and more thought-full. Joy, you are a weekly inspiration and reminder to slow down, be kind, cook mindfully, and focus on the personal connections we need with others even in this challenging time.
Jaclyn D Levy
The Dear Polly was excellent. So so good.
Kelly-Jane M
Looking back at your this time last year post, I don’t think it tone is off. It was a different time! Still, looking back means we can have hope for better, more normal times again.
I got my first vaccination a couple of weeks ago, I’m very thankful too. Xx
Sara
Thank you as always for your Sunday posts. They feel like sitting down to savor the Sunday paper. I look forward to them each week. These are some funny times but it’s nice to have a familiar routine to rely on.
Suzannah
Did not do well this week. Turned 50 last week and am feeling time’s liquid, disorienting rush, but also missing things that won’t ever come back.
Flowers are a good idea. Also the woods, and doing things for others. I will focus on those.
Judy
I remember the first time I went to Nola in early spring, how errrrything was blooming and was several weeks ahead of our spring in NC, and it lifted my heart. Inquiring minds want to know, has the new neighbor warmed up any yet?
Launa Wilson
“A fellow runner….”
Do that thing, sis. Very proud of you. Thumbs up with both my thumbs this morning ?
Chrissy
I am wealthy in rhubarb but it involves raiding my long passed great uncle’s rhubarb patch. His offspring only come in the summer and I’m not even sure they know it exists. Travesty! However, living just above Maine we don’t see rhubarb until May-June.
Jeffrey Heike
Last week you pictured a beautiful, delicious looking Banana Cream Cake but the accompanying recipe was a repeat of a previous recipe, not the cake referred to and pictured. I’d love the BCC recipe!
Jeff H.
Laura Weismann
I am now following Timothy thank you for letting me know about him, Laura PS we have crocuses up right here in northern Indiana
Janet C
Just seeing your snapdragons brightened my day! It is 24degrees here in Massachusetts, and we won’t have snaps for months! I love them…And those rhubarb bars look yummy too, and it’ll be months before we have rhubarb , but I’ll try to remember them. Thanks for the springy thoughts, though! (It did get up to mid 50s yesterday, and beautiful too).
Soleil
So excited that you have two rhubarb recipes. I just got a bunch in my farmers box! Definitely going to make the rhubars! Btw, I just love these Sunday posts. Thank you so much for sharing with us. ??
Soleil
Meant to type !! Instead of question marks.