Parallel play, care packages hanging from trees, and human nature’s kinda good
The giveaway this week is ‘The Dictionary of Lost Words’ by Pip Williams
Hey, hey!
I’m in editing mode this week and am doing everything I can to make the task more palatable (making myself a mock-up book cover, colour-coded sticky notes, pretty pens, etc). I know it sounds silly, but these kinds of things really make a difference to my output and happiness while completing this sort of task. Waste ten minutes making a pretend book cover, but gain a much better-quality, more enthusiastic version of me editing my work. It’s a fruitful endeavour in the long run.
In other news, I had the first proper weekend in a while in the past week and boy, did I need it. No writing, just relaxation. We ate Chilean barbecue. We went for a walk alongside a dog park. I watched Mr. & Mrs. Smith on Netflix. It was ace.
I’m still at the stage where I’m enthused by what I’m doing, but I’m thinking a good rest of at least a week is long overdue. Burn-out is looming if I don’t ease back soon. I’m promising myself that when I finish a few final tasks on both the professional and personal fronts. I should be done in a couple of weeks, and I can program in some guilt-free down-time.
Wishing you a good up-time or down-time, wherever you’re at. : )
News
1. If we’re talking old-school music, I’ve always been much more of a Rolling Stones gal (‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’! ‘Get Off Of My Cloud’! ‘Ruby Tuesday’!) than a Beatles fan, so can I just say, this good news has got me all geed up? The Stones will be releasing their first album of new songs in almost two decades. Can’t wait to hear the soon-to-be classics on Hackney Diamonds. Details will be released tomorrow in a Jimmy Fallon interview.
2. NEWSFLASH: people over the age of 30 can look fab in clothes and become models. Take 63-year-old Dorrit Bøilerehauge, for example. She received an email inviting her to model when she was 60 and after some initial hesitation, has thrived. She’s looking especially bangin’ in that grey Soeren Le Schmidt get-up at Copenhagen Fashion Week in the article. Age diversity and positivity for the win!
3. How cool is this? A woman in an English town makes small care packages of stickers, books, and the like, and hangs them from trees for people to find. What a way to brighten a stranger’s day!
Reviews
1. It might be a tad snug, but I’m obsessed with the look of this Parisian-style Sydney apartment, complete with a private garden terrace (swoon) in a pet-friendly building that’s close to cafes and shopping. I suspect it’ll be highly sought after when it goes up for auction on 26 September.
2. Loved, loved, loved this opinion piece by sociologist Zeynep Tufekci for The New York Times. The mention of the Burning Man festival drew me in (long a fascination of mine – currently washed out and stranded in a muddy, impassable mess), but I stayed for the hopeful assessment of humanity’s behaviour during disasters. Tufekci argues that sure, people do sometimes rape and pillage in these situations, but it’s far from the norm we often suppose. Mostly, those stuck in these conditions behave exactly as you’d hope they might – by sharing resources and helping others. As someone who can take a cynical view of human nature in stressful situations, it’s cheerful to hear we don’t actually descend into Lord of the Flies when disaster strikes… mostly.
3. Digging the idea of ‘parallel play’ in relationships, as discussed in this body+soul article. It’s basically the idea that you’ll be in the same room together, but one person will be doing a crossword, and the other will be assembling a jigsaw puzzle or whatever probably much less nanna-ish solo activities you and your partner enjoy. You’re existing in the same space together, and might pause to share a joke with each other, but you’re engaging in your own fun. It’s a balance between togetherness and independence. Quietly existing with someone else in the room is so underrated.
What I’m Feelin’ Right Now
The potato salad I ate that had the usual potato and mayo, plus corn, cooked carrot, pickle, celery, and apple in it
‘Dive’ by Lost Frequencies
New-season vests
Sherbies might’ve overtaken Red Rippers as my favourite lollies ever
Taking a li’l tour of the bookshops around town
Croissants with unusual savoury fillings like this curry prawn version
Devising make-your-own health hustles to the cheesiest movie theme songs
Watching Dave Bautista movies (he was so good in Knock at the Cabin!)
Giveaway
This week’s giveaway is The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams. Fill your name and email address in here to enter. Good luck!
Playlist of the Week
Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking: