Hi friends - it’s been awhile! Happy Halloween! At one point, I was sharing this newsletter every month for the longest time, but summer happened and I got super behind! Anyway, it brings me joy to share in this way so I’ll be hopefully back to doing so on a more regular basis. As a reminder, this newsletter is basically a round-up of round-up of life things - what I'm enjoying, reading, learning, buying, doing, thinking about, and more. Thanks for being here + reading along! 🥰
I wrote this in my head while bopping around running errands and then wrote it down in my Notes app waiting for my Genius Bar appointment. I don’t know if it’s a poem or just rambling of thoughts. Sometimes I feel self-conscious for being the way I am — as some would say sappy, overly emotional, sentimental. But I’m reminding myself there is so much beauty in being exactly who we are and appreciating parts of ourselves. So I’m loving on the part of me who chooses to stay soft and tender. 💛
LIFE LATELY
Mom things - Just booked our first two kindergarten tours for Lucy and… wow. My heart can’t handle it! Wasn’t she just a newborn yesterday? 🥺 The girls are growing so quickly and seem to always be changing and keeping me on my toes! They just had school photos which were absolutely hysterical - Winnie was NOT having it. They are dressing up like Bluey and Bingo for Halloween tonight!
Travel things — we did a two week trip to Europe (Italy + Croatia) at the end of the summer and I went on a solo trip to San Francisco in September that really filled my cup up. We did a quick trip to Asheville, North Carolina over the girls’ fall break in October! In November, Lucy and I are going on a quick ‘just us’ trip to visit a friend in Pittsburgh and then our whole family (Jack included!) will be going to California for Thanksgiving. What a gift it is to travel again!
Work things - this has been one of my busiest work seasons! On the brand consulting side (Lucky Collective), it’s been busy planning and running holiday social/influencer campaigns. On the shop side of things (Shop Lucky Collective), I just released a bunch of gorgeous Moroccan pillows, as well as muted checkered floor cushions. I’ll also be doing Porter Flea (a large, two-day shopping pop-up in Nashville) this December! I’m also an adjunct professor at my alma mater (Ohio University) and teaching two journalism courses this semester, Graphics of Communication (all about understanding the fundamentals of design + creating content for brands/businesses) and Intro to PR and Advertising. Teaching is very fulfilling for me (although also quite time consuming and very underpaid). Honestly I’ve felt a little overloaded by being a little too busy work-wise, so looking forward to things slowing down after the holidays.
Other random life things - I’ve been listening to Taylor Swift’s new Midnights album basically nonstop and texting the sissies + my girlfriends about different songs and lyrics daily. The sissies and I will do a big album analysis together and I need to memorize the whole album. 😂Are you a Taylor fan? What do you think of the album?
WAYS TO HELP OTHERS
The news is seemingly always heavy with bad news - gun violence, racism, natural disasters, the list goes on and on. One thing we can do - one power we have - is to VOTE. November 8 is the midterm elections so please, please, please make sure you vote!
THINGS I LIKE / RECENTLY PURCHASED
I’ve been on a shopping kick lately (okay, more than usual lol) because I realized so many clothes just didn’t fit me anymore or weren’t suited for my cut phase of life. Comfortable + versatile is key for me right now!
Dresses/Skirts: I recently ordered this denim dress which feels like a great transitional piece as we enter cooler weather. Same with this dotted midi dress that will look cute with boots, sneakers, loafers or heels — I actually have a similar short sleeve version that I wear regularly too! I ordered this versatile slip skirt at the end of the summer and it looks cute with a tank, tshirt, sweater, nicer blouse…really anything!
Extra Comfy Things: really loving this cozy shacket as well as this SUPER comfy onesie. I liked it so much that I ordered a second color - it looks cute but feels like pajamas! My friend raved about how comfy these high rise thongs were and after ordering/wearing — definitely agree! Will definitely be ordering more of those. More ‘favorite comfy underthings’ shared in this blog post!
THINGS ON THE INTERNET I READ & ENJOYED
This reflection about Instagram changes and the way we use the space was really thought provoking. Here’s a snippet: “Why am I wasting my time, my creative energy, my bandwidth, my mental capacity, publishing content in a space that zaps me creatively, does not pay me, and now refuses to show my work to the majority of my audience? Is that good stewardship of my time? Of my creativity?”
This article about friendships ending and changing was really good! I love following the author, Elaine Welteroth and found this article so thoughtful and wonderful. I even re-shared it on my blog here (in case that’s easier to open than the WaPo article!)
READING: Here’s the books I’ve read July - September!
The Push by Ashley Audrain (soo good), The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall, The Brothers K by David James Duncan, All the Young Men by Ruth Coker Burks, The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose, The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles, What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline, One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle, French Braid by Anne Tyler, Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell, Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult, The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel, The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri. I also started the ACOTAR series (omg) and recently read A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Court of Wings and Ruin, and A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. I’m currently reading two non-fiction and ‘self-help’(ish) books Good Inside by Dr. Becky Kennedy, I Didn’t Do the Thing Today by Madeline Dore
FROM MY CAMERA ROLL
PAST NEWSLETTERS
No. 13 - September 2022 (The Travel Issue)
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