FRIDAY ROUNDUP: Paris Memoirs, Spring Rage & Kleptocrats
LAST DAY OF THE $2.50 SALE!
Hi friends,
This week, it feels like half the country was on spring break, the other half was yelling at TurboTax, and we all watched as the Trump administration ramped up its assault on the Constitution.
The Trump Administration is ignoring the Supreme Court in the Abrego Garcia Case and two federal judges are setting the stage to hold the Trump Admin in contempt for ignoring judicial orders. My feed is full of conservatives aggressively trying to move the Overton Window away from supporting an independent Judiciary as a check on executive power.
While Trump’s team quietly chips away at the rule of law, I’ve been thinking (and writing) about how we keep showing up. Not perfectly. Not constantly. But consistently. I covered pronatalism, burnout, speaking up, and speaking out this week. If you’re feeling stretched thin, you’re not the only one. Here are the links ICYMI:
13 Lessons That Help Me Keep Fighting Without Falling Apart: A no-BS guide to staying in the fight without losing yourself.
They Want Us All to Be Breeders: On pronatalism, control, and why this isn’t just about babies, it’s about power.
7 of Your Favorite Writers on How to Avoid Burnout: Wisdom, comfort, and real talk from voices we trust.
The Risk of Speaking Up, and the Cost of Staying Silent: From Emily Ley for anyone standing at the edge of their voice, wondering if it’s worth it.
Today is the last day for the Substack sale, this week’s Friday book giveaway is a good one you won’t want to miss! Only $2.50 a month with a $30 annual subscription.
—> And if you’re looking to connect with people in your area, don’t forget to use the comments. You never know, you might find new friends here!!
Spend 2 minutes visualizing your “future self” doing something that matters to you. Research shows that connecting with your future self increases motivation and reduces anxiety. Close your eyes, picture her clearly, and ask: what small step can I take today to get closer to her?
Tell a friend something you admire about them. It can be big or small. We don’t compliment the people we love enough and everyone needs to hear that they’re killing it at something.
Introduce yourself to a neighbor you’ve never met before.
What It Means to Live in a Kleptocracy (The Atlantic)
We are living through a revolutionary change, a broad shift away from the transparency and accountability mandated by most modern democracies, and toward the opaque habits and corrupt practices of the autocratic world.
The Real Health Risks of Urban Wildfires (Science)
After wildfires burned houses and brush alike in Los Angeles researchers are mobilizing to understand the health risks when cities burn.
Why the MAGA Meltdown Over Amy Coney Barrett Matters (The Daily Beast)
With Trump in power and the rule of law hanging by a thread, it’s safe to say that America has entered an autocratic era. Judges are among our last bulwarks against full-on fascism.
Tariffs Will Hurt, But They Won't Kill Ultrafast Fashion (Back Row)
Shein and Temu will either figure things out, or a new company will reinvent fast fashion yet again.
What the Arson Attack on Josh Shapiro Says About Our Politics in 2025 (Slate)
A man tried to murder the governor of Pennsylvania by setting fire to his home, and it’s barely broken through into the news cycle. And that’s very bad news for a nation already teetering on the brink.
Solving your dinner dilemma. An easy trick to figure out what to eat tonight. Read more here.
How to make friends as an adult. Four common myths that make it harder than it has to be. Read more here.
The top 15 US restaurants, according to the experts. Maybe it’s time to plan a foodie trip. See them here.
Is a journaling club a brilliant way to make friends? This crew tried it and it sounds so fun. Read more here.
50 ways to rest. From walking barefoot on the grass to savoring the smell of a fancy soap. Read them here.
Here’s some fashion inspo. From
. Maybe we should all be dressing like Chessy from The Parent Trap this summer.Take a break. And look through one of the thousands of windows this website has been collecting views from for years.
Name these baby otters. The Long Island Aquarium is seeking the public’s help deciding the names of four otter pups. Check them out here.
And one more baby animal. The Oregon zoo welcomed a new baby elephant. See it in all its wobbly glory here.
BOOK GIVEAWAY: Every week we will be giving away a book to paid subscribers (US only). This week we have a copy of Glynnis MacNicol’s I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself. After New York City emptied out in March 2020, Glynnis, aged forty-six, unmarried with no children, spent sixteen months alone in her tiny Manhattan apartment. The isolation was punishing. A year without touch. Women are warned of invisibility as they age, but this was an extreme loneliness no one can prepare you for. When the opportunity to sublet a friend’s apartment in Paris arose, MacNicol jumped on it. Leaving felt less like a risk than a necessity.
What follows is a decadent, joyful, unexpected journey into one woman’s pursuit of radical enjoyment.
→ COMMENT ENJOY down below for a chance to win.
Hi all! If you want to meet people in your geographic area, what has worked for other people is to post their town and then a little reason of what they are looking for. In the past people have had success circulated a google form to collect interest!
"A man tried to murder the governor of Pennsylvania by setting fire to his home, and it’s barely broken through into the news cycle. And that’s very bad news for a nation already teetering on the brink."
Yep, had not heard about this at all! How horrific, and surely a hate crime given the occasion??