Oohs and Aahs for 1.19.24

Nooks and crannies, impossibilities, and broken girls

Do you have moments where life seems relentlessly overwhelming, no end in sight, and then everything shifts, you look around, the house is quiet, your child is being cared for elsewhere, and you wonder what all the fuss was about? The change can be so stark and sudden that it makes the chaos that preceded it feel unreal. So far this month, we’ve had two three-day weekends, plus a snow day, and we have two long doctor’s appointments coming up. January feels heavy and slow, and I’m trying not to worry about how we will survive the summer when our son is home every day. But when he’s at school, wheeee! I am my productive, hopeful self.

This Week I Am…

• Thinking neuroaesthetics probably explains why so many women in the Mothers Who Make interview feel drawn to their creative practice even when they have much less time or energy for it

• Peeping this wall

• Summoning these early spring vibes

• Loving Anna Rollins’ very generous posts on how she pitches to publications like the New York Times and Slate (Like a free masterclass in pitching for publication!)

• Reading this beautiful essay on finding “comfort in the constancy of change”

• Laughing at this every time I see it

• Still thinking about this book

• Wishing I had the patience for this hobby

• Confirming this is a new favorite after testing it for a week (There’s a learning curve, but it’s worth it.)

• Making sure you know about The Broken Girls Project with the amazing Tiffany Clarke Harrison

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