Hello friends! We have nearly made it to March, which means springtime is on the horizon. The end of winter always makes me feel as if I’ve survived something: like the darkness of the year is over for a while, and it’s time to thrive. One might call me a spring and summer enthusiast, and while I don’t love sweating, I do love warmer days. Part of this is because I’m a teacher, so summer holds a special place in my heart, but mostly, I just love the sun and flowers and everything (including me) coming to life again. We joke that my household is solar-powered, but it’s true: even my dogs seem happier when it’s warm.
I’m ready for barbecues and afternoons in the pool and sleepy warm days. It gives me something to look forward to. In Northern California, where I am, there are blossoms on the trees and we’re getting close to the 60-degree mark, and I am so dang happy about it.
If you’re living somewhere winter still has you in its clutches, I hope that things feel warm and sunny soon and if you’re someone who prefers the chill and snow, I hope that the end of your preferred season is good to you.
Meanwhile, I’ll be over here getting my dresses and Birkenstocks ready.
• The world’s happiest people have these 15 things in common (CNBC)
• How to stop expecting the worst and get a handle on catastrophizing (Vox)
• Funfetti has been my favorite kind of cake forever. It’s not my birthday yet but I want to make this so badly. (Joy The Baker)
• New words added to the dictionary Some of these are genuinely terrifying (GLOBAL BOILING?! But also can we just let bed rotting and girl dinner go away?) (TIME)
• I never want to stop talking about this bonkers story about a woman who put $50K in a shoebox and handed it over DUE TO A SCAM. Relatedly: if any of you have $50,000 laying about I will drive my Honda Accord by your home so you can place it in my backseat. (The Cut)
• Minimalism is neat, but clutter is what makes a home…home. (The Atlantic)
• I am five feet tall and somewhere between a size 14-18, and finding pants is rough. Let me tell you about the pants that look good ON EVERYONE. My tall friends! My thin friends! My fat friends and self! I am obsessed and have them in multiple colors. (Anthropologie)
• Take notes when you’re hanging out. I’m absolutely the sort of person who would love to send a debrief after a hang, so I’m going to start doing it. (Just Good Shit)
• I have yet to give it a go, but I have to admit that I am deeply intrigued by Polar Plunging. Every friend I have that takes cold showers swears by it. I don’t know if I can handle it, but I am working on finding the courage to try. (Conde Nast Traveler)
• 99 Questions To Ask Your Partner. My wife and I have been together for seven years and married for nearly five, and I feel like I know her better than anyone, but this list gave me a few new topics to discuss, which I love. (The Good Trade)
• I wasn’t kidding about readying my Birkenstocks. I have these plastic ones in coral and bright blue, but I think I may also need white, turquoise, black, and/or navy? They hold up forever, can get wet, are perfect for travel, and look cute with quite literally everything. (Birkenstock)
• Dieux Deliverance is the one skincare item I use that I never, ever allow myself to run out of. Nothing has ever made my skin look better. I also highly recommend their Instant Angel when it comes back in stock! (Dieux Skin)
• The Friends Who Care For Each Other In Old Age. The older I get, the more I realize that community care is vital, and this idea of friends living together and caring for one another in a model of equality is so sweet and special. I also loved this: what if friendship, not marriage, was the center of life? (The Atlantic)
• My ADHD attention span cannot sit through all of this, but I did watch part of the “Who TF Did I Marry?” TikTok series, and my eternal question remains: men, why? (Rolling Stone)
• The only chocolate chip cookies that matter, truly. (Joy The Baker)
• My friend Julia wrote this hilarious-but-true piece: I Am A Boomer’s iPhone and I Will Not Be Silenced. It’s too real. (McSweeney’s)
• I love this idea of a Book Date, both because I love a bookstore AND because I feel like getting to know what people enjoy reading is such a great insight into people’s brains. (Substack)
30 Responses
I’m late to the post, but enjoying it so much. Thank you for all of the terrific content.
As soon as I saw the pants were cropped, I thought no thank you. I’m fine with cropped pants in warm weather, but not the winter. Then I read all of the comments saying that they are really great and one that said they make a long version too, so I’ll be going back to investigate.
I adore spring. Warmer weather and more daylight. Yes!
They really are great pants! The cropped ones are regular length on me, which is why I’m a fan, but my tall friends love the regular length!
So many good links this week!
Personally, I’m offended that trees have started blooming. It’s very solidly still winter, though Seattle never really got the memo (I’m holding out for a later winter snow storm!). It’s my very favorite season and the lack of it this year has my climate change anxiety pretty high.
“But as we always say in the Boomer iPhone community, the more you try to diminish me, the brighter my flashlight will accidentally shine.” ?
I definitely get the climate anxiety! I hope you get your snow!
What is with that happiest people list? So happiness is only achievable if you are rich, thin and privileged? Also, are we equating a long life with a happy one? And what does “health” mean here? Someone who eats “healthy” everyday could be suffering from an eating disorder and obsessively counting calories, which I would argue does not make someone happy. The items on this list seem to suggest happiness comes from things that may be out of your control like body type, socioeconomic status, and where you were born. Honestly puzzled to see this link shared in this community, where there is typically a focus on inclusivity and empathy. I guess if I just eat more vegetables, my chronic pain will disappear and I’ll be able to afford a new car…
For anyone else who did not get good vibes from that link – In the last few years, I’ve seen a cultural shift from striving for happiness to striving for fullness, and that’s resonated with me. Focusing on living a life that is “full” rather than a life that is “happy” seems like a better barometer, and doesn’t require certain things be in place that are out of your control. A good life isn’t happy all the time (impossible!), but you can work at living life to the fullest and be your most authentic self, despite the (normal) ups and downs that come come your way. There is a lot of online content about this, but at least if we’re STILL focusing on happiness, Gretchen Ruben’s work (also shared on CNBC Make It) is a lot more accessible and a good place to start:
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/18/i-spent-10-years-studying-the-secret-to-happiness-heres-the-no-1-thing-i-overlooked-the-entire-time.html
Thanks for sharing a different perspective, Audra! I really enjoyed the article you shared, too.
That story about the scam was out. of. con. trol. Something not quite as whacky happened to my sister and the first thing she did was say I don’t have time right now can I call you back? And then she immediately called the police, who claimed to be calling her to tell her that she was wanted for arrest – they were aware of the scam and assured her she was fine. The creativity and level of detail in the predation is so advanced, how could you not believe? I’m just glad I never answer my phone.
Thanks for the great shares today, it is truly an excellent offering!
Your sister is smart! Like you, I never answer my phone! It’s a choice I never regret.
So funny — I read through your first paragraph on the coming spring (yes, I am a fan!) and started crafting my comment on this afternoon’s cold plunge in my head, as I’ve been reflecting on how much wintertime swimming has made me appreciate cold weather, which I previously despised… then came to your link on cold plunging! You should do it! It has improved my life so much! A friend and I have been swimming in a local lake (in Boston) through the fall/winter/spring for two years now and my body, mind, and soul are so much better for it. We’re also like pied pipers and have gathered up a crew to plunge with us, aiming for a regular 2x/week. It is wonderful! (As was this week’s round up — every link fantastic — thank you so much!)
Maeve brand is like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants – haha! They make clothing for all shapes and sizes – at one point in my life, this pair-shaped gal only owned Maeve dresses (bc yes, finding the right fit for a pear shaped girl is tough!). Thanks for finding me my next pair of pants!
Amy,
Thank you for the Spring encouragement. We’re new to Kenwood CA from South TX & this winter gloom & rain & significantly shorter days has really taken its toll. But the mustard bloom & trees are giving us hope. Here’s to having kinda 4 seasons! And bodily autonomy!
Welcome to Sonoma County! Born an raised in Santa Rosa, I can tell you that you will love the spring and summer too! Views in Kenwood are gorgeous. Sonoma and Glen Ellen have their own charm too!
Truly one of the best parts of the state!
Oooh, the area you live in is so lovely! Welcome to CA!
I’m SO ready for spring. Winters aren’t that bad in my neck of the woods compared to many other places, but I need more hours of daylight, please and thank you.
I just need it to be light before AND after work.
I can confirm the pants are perfect!!! My sister got a pair which I borrowed. I immediately bought two pairs and am contemplating more! So comfy and cute.
I want them allllll!
ReesaTessa hive!!
If you watched the whole thing, please update me.
Whhhhhhhhhhhy do all of the cool pants have to be cropped????? They always make me look shorter and wider! :(
Okay, I KNOW, but try them. They are sorcery. I know the wide cropped seems scary but I swear to everything, these are killer!
They make a full length version too!
I see the Anthropology pants only up to size 34 which is definitely NOT our size! Is there somewhere to find a bigger option?
Nm. I found it! https://www.anthropologie.com/shop/the-colette-cropped-wide-leg-pants-by-maeve4?category=plus-size-pants&color=032&type=PLUS&viewcode=c&quantity=1
Glad you found them!
Click on “plus”…I think you’re just looking at the straight sizes but there’s petite, plus, etc.
Thanks for helping guide the way! They do love to make us click about!
I think for the first time ever I’ve clicked on every single link. I LOVE every word of this post. Here’s to fantastic friends filling up a wonderful life. Thank you!
Thanks Jen! And I could not agree more :)