Hello,
I’ve been feeling quite sad this week. This is not surprising, given the absolutely crushing news about the school shooting in Nashville just three days ago. For everyone feeling the unbearable weight of yet another senseless act of violence in a long line of senseless acts of violence, I hope you are caring for yourselves and giving yourselves space to grieve. Everytown has great actionable resources and donation opportunities.
That said, the bulk of today’s newsletter is going to be recommendations — things that have helped me feel a little lighter despite the heaviness. Here we go:
A book to read: Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey, which tells the story of a twenty-nine-year-old woman going through an unexpected divorce. While the subject matter is certainly heart-wrenching, this is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read (not a huge surprise, considering the author wrote for Schitt’s Creek). The main character’s questionable coping methods are almost too relatable (ie. online shopping deep into the night only to return everything in a ball of shame once the items arrive). Also, look out for the character Amy — she made me cackle.
A colorful recipe to try: Confetti pasta salad, a dish my mom makes regularly — my only substitution is replacing the vegetable oil with avocado oil in the lemon vinaigrette. Tastes like a summer garden in a bowl.
A song to check out: “Bounce” by Emotional Oranges (and the rest of their music, honestly). If you like R&B/pop, you will love. Perfect for driving with the windows down.
A race to cry happy tears to: Emma Sticklen’s iconic swim in the 200 yard butterfly. I can’t imagine many other people spent the last two weekends intermittently watching the NCAA Division One Swimming & Diving Championship Meet, but hey, that’s why I’m here to send along the highlights. Stay tuned at the end for the most endearing reaction ever.
A photo I bookmarked: This absolutely stunning portrait of Pattie Gonia, one of my favorite Instagram follows.
A coping mechanism that never fails: Facetiming with the family dogs (and by proxy Mom and Dad, who also rock!!!).
A class to take (yes, this is a plug lol): “Storytelling Through Art,” a course I taught last summer in partnership with Skillpop. The class is now being offered as a part of their Class of the Month series, and you can use the code HALEYDREWTHIS for 30% off your first month if you sign up before March 31. Let me know if you take it — I’d love to see what you end up making!
Artwork to admire: Flying Woman: The Paintings of Katherine Bradford is one of my favorite art exhibitions I’ve encountered in a while. For my PNW friends, you can see it for freeeee at the Frye Art Museum! To quote the museum’s website, “this presentation features Bradford’s semi transparent figures, which often defy society’s expectations of women and all genders and serve as surrogates for a mother, painter, and lesbian coming of age at the turn of the twenty-first century.”
A decision I highly advise you consider: Getting an ice cream cone on a sunny afternoon. Everything else melts (ha) away.
A show to disassociate with: I’m not proud of this rec, but you KNOW I’m talking about season four of Love is Blind (aka Seattle’s season, baby!). It’s just as terrible and addicting as I’d hoped. So far, I love Brett and Tiffany and feel stressed about everyone else.
Ending yet again with a Tiktok that I watched a few times through — may you carry this energy into the rest of your day.
Take (so much) care,