Hello dear friends. Let’s Sunday!
I have a total of 51 FIFTY ONE tabs open on my computer browser as we speak. It’s mad. The tabs are a mixture of projects I’m hopeful for (tissue paper dying and paper marbling), shared google docs and calendars and analytics and email. The tabs reflect my stress over the current Supreme Court and its calendar of cases this year. The open tabs reflect my need for banana pancakes at breakfast, new Adele, and a question swirling around in my head: is our desire to continue to pull apart Anthony Bourdain’s life part of our grief? (Honestly WTF, AP, Joy the Baker, Vogue, Vanity Fair)
This computer might need a hard restart. I might need a hard restart. Put that on the list for Monday with coffee.
New Orleans is sunny, and I’m talking about more than just the weather. Somehow the air feels like the very early days of the pandemic lockdown in March 2020. The city rescheduled its largest spring music festival, Jazz Fest, to this fall weekend before having to cancel it once again. It’s ok. We’re playing music from our porches and listening to WWOZ and nothing is even remotely perfect here but I can feel that hint of New Orleans joy in the air.
This week I hit 80 miles of running over the past two months and as it goes, running continues to show me things I didn’t know about myself.
The offering this week is from YOU. Remember in early August I asked you for your Sunday link suggestions? You were so generous and offered much more than I could fit into one Let It Be Sunday. Here are more of your links for reading:
• I’ve linked to this piece here on JtB years ago now, but it’s so delicate and strong that it deserves a reread. From Sarah R: “I loved this essay–it helped me immensely after a recent break up. I hope it can help some of your other readers too: The Crane Wife.” (Paris Review)
• I suddenly and very strongly identify with this bookclub. From Rachel F: “Looking for a little laugh? Author Jenny Lawson recently opened a bookshop, and with it, a book club. Her bookshop’s website describing the “Fantastic Strangeling Book Club” is one of the funniest things I’ve read this summer.” (NoWhereBookShop.com)
• Mom, I think you’d really like these blankets! From Zita D: “I’ve been making baby blankets this summer! Our great niece was born last Friday and a great nephew in July. I discovered rag quilts a few years ago and I love the look and ease of them. I found this tutorial for making flannel baby rag blankets. So easy and quick. Both of the blankets I made came out so cute and soft. I plan on making a larger one for myself.” (AngiesArtStudio.com)
• She wrote about about the way a water bottle clangs and shouts when dropped on the floor in a poem and I feel very seen (and heard, ugh). From Hannah P: ” Ive just discovered the poet Sophie Diener and absolutely love her poetry. Particularly Be Kind To Yourself but her other works are wonderful too.” (Instagram)
• Yes and I can already see myself gifting this book this year. From Tara P: “Read “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse” by Charlie Mackesy. Gorgeous sketches and a great message about love and kindness. I read it in an hour.” (Amazon)
• From Samantha M: “I’m a librarian and I’ve read some incredible, genre-bending books this summer by BIPOC authors. My favorite was just released in June–The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris. It’s a thriller with a sci-fi twist, brilliantly written with a cutting social commentary, perfect for fans of the movie Get Out.” (zakiyadalilaharris.com)
• I loved this book. It’s at the top of a stack of books in my bedroom and sometimes when I can’t decide what to wear I open this book and read a random page. From Debbie S: “I’m reading “The Patron Saint of Liars” by Ann Patchett and I absolutely love it. It’s a few years old and I’m sorry I was late to the party but it was worth the wait. It’s about leaving. And it’s fabulous.” (Parnassus Books)
Hazel @ Mamarella
I literally just closed one whole window and a handful of tabs on this window. These Sunday posts tend to stay open for awhile lol. I’m trying to get better about my tab problem but I don’t think this will be the week lol
samantha campanini
Great suggestions!!
lee
I agree with the recommendation for “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse”! My mom gave me a copy a couple years ago, and I love opening it to a random page and letting the beauty and thoughtfulness of that page settle into my brain.
Gina
Thank you for sharing these, so fulfilling! Now I am tabbed to the max!
TRACY
Love this sharing post. I agree that you should do this on occasion. I am now an official Fantastic Stangeling Book Club member!
Cyndi
Omg. The Crane Wife. Unexpectedly enlightening. Eye opening. I have no other words right now except thank you for linking it.
Marisa
Hi Joy! I just wanted to let you know that on Cup of Jo, your recipes were mentioned many times by readers sharing their crowd pleasing recipes on a recent blog post.
Here is the link: https://cupofjo.com/2021/10/crowdpleasing-recipes/
You put out such positivity into the world, so I just wanted to make sure you knew about this!
joythebaker
Oh I love this so much Marisa! Thank you for sharing this with me it absolutely made my day!
Maggie
The Crane’s Wife helped me a lot, Joy. Thanks for collecting these!
JoDee
No,
I don’t think we want to pull Anthony Bourdain’s life apart. We want to understand why he took his own life. He seemed to have the dream job, family, friends and money. I know there is more to life but still wonder why and it’s horribly sad.
Kristen A Berry
so sad but so prevalent when people suffer from alcohol and drug addiction as well as depression. A dream job, family and friends don’t change the toughest of challenges.
Christine Couvelier
Happy Sunday !
The thing that made me smile the most, is that you have 51 tabs open ~ it so makes me feel better that I have tons of tabs open, while hoping that the computer does not shut down suddenly … Thanks for the smile Joy !!
Christine
Sabine
Now more than ever we need to feel safe and centered Anything written by Julia Reed or Rick Bragg brings me back to center They remind me that our South is not perfect but a good story with humor is worth telling
Carol
I loved this!!! Could we do it often, please?
Carol in SWVA
joythebaker
Absolutely!
Michelle
Thank you for your Sunday morning enlightenment. It boggles my mind on how much you accomplish between each weekend. I’m sure I’m not the only reader who would enjoy hearing about HOW you do it. Your daily schedule. Your energy source of choice. Your organization rituals, and how in the world you keep track of 40 tabs on your computer! Seriously, Wonder Woman! You are amazing.
joythebaker
You’re so sweet but I feel like you give me too much credit Michelle! :)