weekly delights #58

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In Tennessee this week, the atmosphere is shifting.

Specifically, it’s shifting to school mode. Today was a half day for my school-aged kid, and then next week, we’re back baby. Don’t worry. It’s still hotter than hell in Nashville, and the pools don’t close until after Labor Day, but even with the August summer days putting us through our paces, I feel an energy shift.

Maybe it’s because my birthday is in August, but I always feel reborn in the transition from August to September. I get a fresh burst of energy that seems at odds with the sluggish, hot days that paralyze the rest of the Middle Tennessee.

Over the years, I’ve learned to embrace the waves of momentum when they roll in from the universe. I don’t ask questions, I just accept it as the gift that it is, and pivot later as necessary.

I think when I was younger I’d interpret these random bursts of inspiration and motivation as a time to “get organize” and focus that energy on administrative details. But I always found by the time I’d purchased the new planner, color-coded my calendar, finished all my chores, got my systems in place— the energy was zapped. I’d spend so much time creating the perfect environment in which to be creative, there’d be nothing left in the tank.

These days I’m a bit more rugged than that. If a burst of creative energy comes— like a story scene, a Substack post, a desire to cook or paint— I just do it. In my pajamas, in a messy house, on a scrap of paper, I just try to answer the call the best I can.

So far, this has been the only way I can get anything done with any kind of consistency.

Every once in a while I take myself out for an hour or two to some of the trendier places popping up all over Nashville and boy, is it an experience. Last week, for example, I hit up a new bookstore in Wedgwood Houston (the neighborhood with SoHo House and an Hermès brick-and-mortar) and remembered that some people are just so annoying.

It’s a beautifully appointed and thoughtfully curated bookshop, but it’s small and quiet— except for a millennial couple who was there with their daughter (approx. age 6.) I first noticed them because the woman was pregnant and absolutely gorgeous. Her hair was down and wavy in a way that would make surfing models jealous. Her skin was tanned, and she had on black slip dress that fit her and her pregnant stomach perfectly. I almost went up to her to let her know how radiant she looked, but I never got the chance.

Mostly because she and her partner were hollering to each other across the otherwise quiet book shop.

“Babe. I asked ChatGPT if Mika was old enough to read The Alchemist, and it said to wait a couple more years.”

I can’t honestly say she was yelling, but she was talking so loudly everyone in the store felt like an involuntary part of the conversation. We buried our noses deeper into our books in a communal attempt to give them privacy.

“Ask it if there’s a graphic novel version.” Her partner, a tall man with a slight Australian accent projected back to her from across the shop.

I did my best ignored them and continued to browse. But a few minutes later it became impossible to shut them out.

“Alright Mika let’s do this,” Aussie-dad said loudly behind me. “Close your eyes.”

“You know like when you go to sleep?” ChatGPT Surfer Babe chimed in. “Close your eyes like that.”

“Okay now open them,” Dad commanded. “Which hand is the treat in? Think about it Mika, visualize it like we practiced.”

Poor Mika guessed wrong.

“Think Mika! You’ve got this!”

Listen, I know everyone parents differently. But if you’re going to force me and an entire shop-full of people to watch as you train your daughter to practice…telepathy? Clairvoyance? I’m allowed to have opinions.

Mostly, I just think you’re a total knob, and I will definitely be pre-ordering Mika’s tell-all memoir about her crazy, hippy, parents who forced her to read the graphic novel version of The Alchemist because a robot told them to.

Anyway, I bought my book (My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante) and immediately texted my friends about what I just witnessed.

“Yeah, we’re training Mika to be an intuition doula.”

They didn’t say that, but this is how I imagine they start conversations at parties.

Moving on! Let’s talk about things.

This week I picked up a bottle of wine purely based on the name: Patio Pounder by Olé & Obrigado, a producer in Portugal. It’s my dream white wine. Crisp, minerally, acidic— it’s slightly fizzy but not a bottle of full-blown bubbles.

I’m going to pick up another bottle today and invite the girls over. You should too.

Other things that are nice, unfortunately this candle from Malin + Goetz is amazing. Now normally I’m not one for anything called “Leather.” Gross. But it was burning in one of my favorite local shops (shoutout The Den!) and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. When did candles get so expensive?! This one is $68 US dollars which feels really dramatic. But this candle has that perfect background scent that feels luxurious without smelling sickly or overpowering. I want my house to smell like this.

Speaking of nice things, I told my mom and sister all I wanted for my birthday was new oven mitts because mine are blackened, ripped, and grotty. Aren’t these Dusen Dusen mitts cute?

I’m currently reading All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy because I want to read something of his, and think the rest of his work is probably too dark for me. I’m only about 80 or so pages in, but it’s about a young man named John Grady Cole (such a cool name) who leaves town with his best friend after his mother sells the ranch that’s been in his family for generations. They ride horseback to Mexico and therein lie their adventures.

The dialogue in this book reads like poetry. It slides and rolls around on the page. The descriptions of the arid mountains and deserts of Mexico are stunning. I keep underlining the way he writes about clouds and sunsets and storms. So far it’s not crazy plot heavy, it’s more of a mood. But it is inspiring me to cook and eat more Mexican food because they’re constantly eating tortillas with hot sauce.

Put pinto beans in a slower cooker with water, salt, and 2-3 cloves of garlic overnight. Eat with corn tortillas and avocado. Simple, cheap, delicious. Beans are incredible.

I’m also reading the second book in the Bizarre House Mystery series, called The Mill House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji. The last two years I’ve got big into Japanese cozy mysteries. I love how these translated works instill one with a very specific mood, that’s dramatic and humorous and eerie all at once.

You can follow me on Bookshop.org where I categorize everything I read by year. Like this:

Substack reading has been a great source of joy lately. Here’s what’s stuck with me in no particular order.

What happened to SoHo House? by Emma Näpänkangas

they don’t dress witches like they used to by Viv Chen

How Are You Affording That? by Kelsey Jamison

Did you know I co-host a podcast? We take a break every summer but this week we’re back with our usual shenanigans. You can listen to us catch up on the summer, hear about my family’s time at a camp for families experiencing disability, Telepathy Tapes, and more.

This week on instagram I got served this post:

Jay Copley is a DJ/running coach who is my new obsession. I couldn’t stop thinking about this post because I’ve been wanting to get back into running and just haven’t been able to crack it.

Running used to be my favorite way of working out. I used to sign up for half-marathons annually, and run on the trail by my house for miles every week. The last few years haven’t been great for running. I don’t have as much time and autonomy as I used to now as a SAHM. But Chris got us a treadmill this year and so I thought, what the heck? Let’s do it.

I downloaded Jay Copley’s FREE audio running guide and got HOOKED. I’m gonna give it a go. Sharing because maybe if some of you sign up too we could do it together.

Okay that’s all from me this week. If you enjoyed this newsletter please subscribe! Free or paid, I’d love to have you here.

much love

g

xx

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