A day late, but no money short
You know how they say a day late and a dollar short? We just aren't broke.
This week’s newsletter is a day late because life has been moving so quickly. I can barely believe that this is the last Friday of the month. With that, this month, I have saved so many articles in my Pocket, so this week is one of my favorite kinds of newsletters—a digest full of things to read. Since this newsletter is on things to read, I wanted to acknowledge a few things musically worth checking out: Oddisee’s new album To What End, my January playlist (Spotify and Apple Music), and then the Cozy Mood playlist, which now has 30 hours of music.
Without further ado, here’s this week’s digest:
One of the most beautiful things I learned from my dad is the beauty of spending time alone. My alone time, whether in the house or at a coffee shop, is some of the time I cherish the most. If you don’t do it, here’s an article on how to enjoy spending time alone.
Keeping up with the theme of spending time alone, here’s a good read about dining alone.
Very good read from Anne Helen Petersen on Layoff Brain.
I cannot believe it’s been 20 years since That’s So Raven was released, but what a time! I loved this perspective about how the show raised a generation of black girls like me.
That’s So Raven redefined network TV for a generation, as it embraced kids’ multifaceted nature by teaching them to make the most out of every experience and learn from their mistakes while also showing that “diversity” isn’t just a marketing tactic. Raven Baxter is proof that a show about a Black girl can be relatable to a large audience and stand the test of time.
Two articles on happiness: What’s the #1 thing to change to be happier? and What the Longest Study on Human Happiness Found Is The Key To a Good Life
It’s the longest in-depth longitudinal study on human life ever done, and it’s brought us to a simple and profound conclusion: Good relationships lead to health and happiness. The trick is that those relationships must be nurtured.
Monica Lewinsky’s 25 random thoughts on the 25th anniversary of the Bill Clinton Calamity. Here are a few that stood out to me:
If you can’t laugh at yourself, you are so fucked.
Finding joy—hunting for it, even—is an essential part of life. You mustn’t wait for joy to find you. (Corollary: Disneyland is still the happiest place on earth.)
One thing everyone has in common is that we have all made mistakes. It’s inevitable. Get comfortable with the Art of the Mistake.
You cannot run away from your narrative. Perhaps the most challenging idea I had to come to accept was that there is no shedding or unshackling of the self that sprang from 1998 (and that made the behavioral decisions that landed me there). You can only try to integrate your previous selves with as much compassion as you can muster.
The power of one kind word is extraordinary. In the deepest, darkest moments of the soul, a simple act of human kindness is a powerful thing.
You know this is right up my alley: ‘The ladies themselves bought into it’: How ‘Housewives’ fans upended the franchise. This is also a shoutout to watch Potomac and Miami. Miami is spicer than Potomac, but both are on and are loved.
I think we all lurk when we notice a friendship breakup on Instagram.
Have you followed the Murdaugh Murders?
That’s it for this week! If you enjoy this digest, I send one to my paid subscribers every weekend.