2024

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Meaning: Early drafts I read to provide feedback, and books I was asked to blurb or support with a public event.

Recommended to me as an easy read. Nothing is an easy read when you have a newborn.

This will be the last time I read a novel “all the cool literary kids” like. God, I hated it!

Picked up to feel excited about making art as a parent. Made me feel depressed and stuck.

Delightful. But the Libby loan expired and I forgot to put myself back on the waitlist.

That's about half of a very rough first draft.
I rarely used to publish original writing in my newsletter, but that has changed as Substack has shifted readers' expectations for what a newsletter is. (Most people now expect blog-style original writing, every issue.) I wrote something substantial almost every week.
As traditional media has continued to collapse, I write for magazines less and less often.

The newsletter carried me again this year.

BEST NON-ESSENTIAL THINGS I BOUGHT

Red Ballerina Sneakers

Why aren’t more comfort shoes also statement shoes? [These are by ECCO but sold out now.]
SHEARLING LINED CLOGS

My cold feet have wanted these forever. Birks do not disappoint. [I’m replacing all my shoes because my feet grew in pregnancy.]
FORMULA-MIXING PITCHER

I made a lot of baby formula this year. This $10 piece of plastic was so helpful.
BOTANICAL GARDEN MEMBERSHIP

Wanted it for ages. Finally did it. Zero regrets every time I flash that pass.