FRIDAY ROUNDUP: Pay Attention, Baby Bobcats & Summer Corn Salads
National Parks are at Risk (Call your reps!) and a Summer Romance Book we need
I’ve been feeling like my attention has been, metaphorically and literally, scattered across a thousand open tabs. I’ll sit down to do one thing—write, read, rest—and find myself toggling between apps, answering half-finished texts, and scrolling past headlines.
A few days ago, I read a really interesting article from
Mindbox that explained the neuroscience behind what I’m experiencing:Attention is a limited resource. And it’s being constantly pulled (hijacked, really) by an ecosystem built to monetize distraction. And so, while the experience feels deeply personal, the mechanisms are very much neurological.
The attention economy has been built on our brains inclination to seek novelty, but in being given an unlimited supply, we’ve become desensitized. The salience network of our brain, the part that works together to evaluate the importance of what is coming in and then directs attention to what's most relevant, gets overwhelmed and breaks.
In a world of constant pings and pulls, the salience network gets overwhelmed. The prefrontal cortex ends up working overtime to suppress distractions - both internal (like anxious thoughts) and external (like notifications). The more we jump between tabs, apps, and conversations, the more mental energy each switch demands.
So many of my friends are deeply concerned about how phones are shaping childhood. I share that concern. But I’m also worried about how they’re shaping adulthood. Our capacity for focus, reflection, even connection. And perhaps most urgently: how they’re reshaping our civic lives.
Because here’s the thing. The attention economy isn’t neutral. It rewards spectacle. It amplifies chaos. And in that economy, Trump and his allies are masterful technicians. The endless swirl of headlines and notifications doesn’t just make us tired, it makes us politically numb and juices up people who are riding high on the fight.
The stakes are high. A distracted public is a disengaged one, and disengagement is fertile ground for authoritarianism. If we want to protect democracy, we have to protect the minds that uphold it. That starts with reclaiming our attention and teaching our kids to do the same. Not perfectly, but enough to see clearly. Enough to act.
→ if you’re looking to connect with people in your area, we have location-specific threads now in the EYP chat! You can find that here!
We’ve been talking for a while about the Republican spending bill that cuts Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and clean energy. Something that the Senate version includes that was rejected in the House? Requiring the selling off millions of acres of public lands to help pay for tax cuts for billionaires. The bill mandates the sale of 2 to 3 million acres of national forests and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands within five years. It also makes more than 250 million acres of public lands eligible for those sales. National parks are exempt, but your favorite wildlife habitat, historical site, or critical conservation land may not be.
Call your Senators and say: Please oppose any provision in the spending bill that allows for the sale of public lands.
The United States Is Polarizing Faster Than Other Democracies (The Guardian) An interactive examination of America's accelerating political divisions and what sets the US apart from other democratic nations in its polarization trajectory.
Bad Company: How Private Equity Destroyed the American Dream (Vanity Fair) Former Deadspin editor Megan Greenwell exposes the predatory private equity industry through the stories of four Americans whose lives were upended by corporate raiders.
How Black Women Shaped Juneteenth's Legacy of Resistance and Restoration (19th News) A conversation with historian Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead on Black women's central role in freedom movements and why Juneteenth matters more than ever in 2025.
The Medical Device That’s Become a MAHA Fixation (The Atlantic) The continuous glucose monitor is emblematic of the movement’s emphasis on self-reliance.
As Antiabortion Violence Surges, Republicans Vote to Strip Federal Protections for Providers (Ms.) As threats, arson and even assassinations target abortion providers, Republicans are working to repeal the only federal law that stands in the way.
The Art of Self-Control in the Face of Provocation We all face uncivil behavior or insulting comments at times, but you can choose how to react. Read it here.
An Illustrated Guide to Inflammation The buzzy term gets blamed for a lot but maybe it isn’t all bad. Read it here.
'Grandmacore' — The Mindful Exercise Trend That Actually Works This trending wellness practice involving mindful activities like knitting, coloring, and gentle movement helps break the doomscrolling cycle and boost mental wellbeing. Read it here.
Fresh Corn Recipes That Will Transform Your Summer From corn pesto to tacos, these seasonal recipes celebrate peak corn season with creative twists on classic dishes. Read it here.
Baby Ducks Working Up the Courage to Join Their Mom in the Water
Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and Airstream Unveil a Travel Trailer This limited-edition 28-foot trailer merges Wright's organic architecture philosophy with Airstream's iconic design, featuring convertible spaces and natural materials in only 200 units. See the design here.
Bobcat Kitten Reunites with Mother After Getting Separated During a Storm A Kansas family thought they rescued a regular kitten during a thunderstorm, only to discover it was a baby bobcat that was safely reunited with its mother the next day. Watch the reunion here.
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Win a 400% Pay Raise After Years of Fighting for Fair Wages After decades of earning less than minimum wage despite their athletic prowess and star power, the iconic cheerleaders secured a life-changing salary increase documented in Netflix's "America's Sweethearts." Read the story here.
Some purchases I’m liking recently:
Old Navy: the flag sweater
Quince: the linen button down and stretchy waistband slacks
Rag & Bone: sweatpants that look like jeans with stretchy waistband, button waistband and shorts (code EMILY20)
Wireless Bra: as always, everyone’s favorite and frankly a must for the heat wave.
Makeup, RMS: I regularly use the concealer, I also like the full coverage spf 50 and lip oil
Nip Covers: for sundress seas, no adhesive nip cover, tape for a full lift, kit with both.
American Eagle: My fave sunday jumpsuit, comfy drape t-shirts, stretchy jeans that come in long and short.
Warby Parker: big sunnies, 90’s sunnies, and colorful sunnies.
*links are affiliate
Each week I give away a book to my paid subscribers (U.S. only), and this one is for anyone who loves family drama with a side of New England summer nostalgia.
This week's pick is Our Last Vineyard Summer, a dual-timeline novel where secrets, legacy, and the complicated bonds of sisterhood collide on Martha's Vineyard.
After her senator father's death, Betsy Whiting is called back to the family's beloved summer house along with her sisters. Their mother has devastating news: they need to sell the house to pay off their father's debts. As Betsy grapples with strained family relationships and a forbidden romance from her past, she must decide if the home they once loved is worth saving.
→ Comment VINEYARD below for a chance to win.
Thank you for the reminder about the provisions that authorize selling off our public lands. I have been meaning to call all week, and admittedly, I really didn't want to today. But, I did.
I live in a deep red state, and my Senators are pretty worthless. One of the staffers I talked with this afternoon actually thanked me for calling and for sharing my concerns. That was new, so it feels like at least someone appreciated hearing from me.
Anyway, thanks for the motivation and the reminder that our voices matter.
Thank you for all the reminders AND the articles to help us be mindful and get some peace in these trying times. Thanks also for the chance to win a book that can help us get us get lost in a story!!