Hello Joynation,
A friend recently clued me in to the Health app and now—surprise—I’m obsessed with tracking my steps. Last month, I told you about curbing my addiction to social media and I’ve essentially traded in one timeline for another. But, hey, at least this one’s healthier? However, like any other fixation, I have to reign it in a bit. I was recently standing with someone having a conversation when I thought to myself, “This could be a walk.” I’m a monster.
Anyway, I feel like I’m the last person on the planet to discover this marvel. But if you want to know how to track your steps on your phone, send me a DM and I’ll gladly welcome you into the 21st century.
Below are some other groundbreaking discoveries from my month and happy stepping!
Xo,
Toby
• No matter how many times I make my Grandmom’s recipes, they never turn out as good as the dishes she used to make.There’s just something magical about a grandmother’s cooking. So I loved K’eguro Macharia’s guest post on cooking with rural grandmothers. (The Real Sarah Miller)
• Here’s the most perfect article I’ve read in a long while: “The Terrifying Car Crash That Inspired a Masterpiece.” (New Yorker)
• Have you listened to the new Bjork album? Have you read this conversation between Bjork and Ocean Vuong? Have you ever wanted to cry while reading an interview? (AnOther)
• Necessary viewing: artists share their powerful designs in solidarity with women in Iran. (Dezeen)
• Sam Anderson’s profile of Sharon Olds is…poetry. (New York Times)
• “Taste buds have muscle memory too — the sensation of the sweet and tangy pureed peach danced on my tongue, a delayed reunion of deliciousness.” Alice Wong on life with a feeding tube. (Eater)
• Joy’s recipe for Homemade Hamburger Helper could easily be added to my list of successful family dinners. In fact, it almost reached Chicken Salad levels of euphoria among the kids. (Joy the Baker)
• There’s a wealth of lol’s streaming right now. From new seasons of Abbot Elementary and Derry Girls to the Hacks-esque show, Reboot, it’s hard to choose how I’ll get my kicks each night. What are you watching? (Hulu + Netflix)
• I was sitting in a Nashville doctor’s waiting room when the news of Loretta Lynn’s death broke, causing a group of strangers to give a collective groan. Hanif Abdurraqib’s tribute to her mighty life will move you. (New York Times)
• This long read on growing a personal library is swimming with ideas. I’m especially intrigued by the thought of collecting books that speak to each other. (Psyche)
• It’d be a dream come true to visit Croatia with Abby. What a killer post. (Cup of Jo)
• Amen to this hot take on the total lack of aimless slacker heroes in pop culture. Where are all the losers? (Dirt)
• So I was tooling around YouTube, looking for soap carving tutorials to help my kid earn his Cub Scout whittling badge, when I was sucked into the world of soap sculpting ASMR. As one does. (YouTube)
• Have you read any of Colleen Hoover’s mega bestsellers? Her back story is amazing. Which one should I start with as a Hoover newbie? (New York Times)
• Among the few things I miss about living in LA—the sushi, mainly—is our old congregation and the coolest rabbi I’ve ever known. So, in lieu of a podcast rec this month, I’m suggesting Rabbi Sharon Brous’s sermon on banned books. (Ikar)
• And, finally, oops. I’m 100% guilty of doing this. (Instagram)
ab
For those without Hulu, Abbott Elementary airs on ABC. And I believe its first season is on HBO Max for some reason.
Rebecca
I used the long wait/hairy eyeball technique for my kids, and they grew up very polite (even when driving us nuts at home from 12 – 18, of course). Embarrassing fact: when people give my dog a treat, I find myself giving her a look and having to hold back from saying, “Now, what do you say?”
Who trained who(m)?
Courtney
RE: Colleen Hoover, Ready Verity first, then It Ends with Us. It Starts with Us (the prequel) just came out so I’d go there next. Enjoy!
Joy
Another great list! Bookmarking the banned books sermon and also I think the universe is telling me it’s finally time to dive in to Derry Girls!
Kim
Thanks so much for sharing the sermon about banned books. I loved the perspective and Rabbi Brous said it all so powerfully. I think I’ll be listening to that a few times!
toby
Aw I’m so happy to share her wisdom.
Leslie
Colleen Hoover was new to me. I just started reading Verity yesterday and I can’t put it down. Now I can’t wait to finish it and read more of her books.
toby
i’m so excited to dive into her work.
Stella
Toby,
Thank you for another great column of delightful and moving articles. Congratulations on finding the Health app. I’m afraid, I, too, am a little obsessive about it; always looking for ways to add more steps! Thank you for mentioning the hilarious series Derry Girls, after waiting through the pandemic delay, I binged watched the final season in one afternoon. I knew it was the series finale, but didn’t want it to be over. I loved those girls and the wee lad James. The finale was absolute perfection; humorous, sentimental and oh so very human.
toby
thanks, stella! and, yes. that finale slayed me!
Susan
I just came here to say thank you for including the link to Rabbi Brous’s talk. Her talk connects to so many important things, from the personal to the political! I’ve already shared it with a few people.
Toby
Isn’t she incredible? I’ve been streaming her sermons all year and each one is a gift.
Alene
Now I will too. Thank you for citing it. It was brilliant and so apropos. And I am sharing it too.
JessicaD
Toby! My sister and I are currently on the 2nd week of a two week magical Iceland/Norway vacation (after not seeing each other for 2.5 long years) and we each compete to close our rings daily (we also do this when we live across the country from each other (Boston MA – Portland OR)). Hanif Abdurraqib is a treasure and I also highly recommend reading “They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us” while playing each artist’s work at high volume. Thank you for a wonderful wrap up this week!
Toby
Awww there are a lot of great stories in this batch but that’s the sweetest thing I’ve read all week :)
Mary
Why is there all this stress over making little toddlers say Thankyou. If they hear it being used by the parent/s they will learn to use it. I hate people forcing kids to say something they don’t even understand yet.
Amanda
1. Also found the Health app in the last month or so and have found myself getting angry when I leave my phone in my classroom instead of it being with me as I walk somewhere in the building.
2. Colleen Hoover – in my opinion you only need to read It Ends With Us and Verity. Two completely different books but I love the first one so much so read it first. And honestly, I didn’t care for many of her others. Those two are the best and all I will push people to read.
Toby
Omg I hate wasting steps, too. And thanks for the Hoover advice—I’ll make sure to start with those. I think it’s pretty cool how she switched up genres.
Toby
Because parents are nuts !
Lisa
It is teaching gratitude.
Just like teaching empathy.
Thanking a child with a smile on your face shows happiness.
Children suck up joy. Smiling works both ways.
I now look at my teenage daughter and will forever hear her little 2 yr old voice saying “Dit doo”.
And yes you are correct. Kids mimic their parents. Adults who only expect manners from their children… well enough said!
Kari T.
Interesting point Mary, my cousin is a speech language pathologist and this also drives her crazy. Her point being, teach your young children truly useful words, if they only know a handful of words, they should be words of use, like hungry, tired, help (you get the idea). Like you say, “manners” can and will come later.