Staring Out A Window Does Not A Subject Line Generate, And Other Pre-Coffee Learnings.
Leibchens! I was on a call with a colleague yesterday when he off-handedly said “yea, I just can’t believe it’s almost September,” to which my brain melted into the back of my head and I curled up in fetal position for the rest of the afternoon. OK, I am exaggerating about being incapacitated for the rest of the work day, but I can confirm that I nearly blurted out “BUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HOT VAX SUMMER?!?!” out loud. Stupid Delta variant ruining our stupid reopening. By the way, if we god forbid have to go back into full lockdown, I am taking each and every work video call from a pillow fort in my living room and no one can stop me. Literally. Because I live by myself, no one can stop me from living that pillow fort life. (Oh goodness, please don’t let it get back to lockdown, I can’t buy any more plants.)
But guess what? THE INTERNET IS HERE!
Sometimes, articles are written for me and me alone, a person who wrote an entire wedding rehearsal speech from the perspective of Princeton squirrels (love you Laura and Jamie): ‘Squirrel Acrobats Are as Smart as They Are Athletic’ (The New York Times)
I have been extremely lucky that every single one of my close friends and their families have been vaccinated. But I do see glimpses of another world while scrolling through Facebook or Instagram, where acquaintances I’ve met through work or the arts or yoga espouse anti-vax sentiments, and I just get angry. I haven’t had to choose to end a close friendship with someone, thank God, but it might happen at some point and my notoriously conflict-averse self just isn’t ready for it: Friendships Are Breaking Up Over Vaccines (BuzzFeed)
And related, this headline amazingly encapsulates this weirdly awful moment we are in: Anti-vaccine protesters tried to storm the BBC’s offices. But they had the wrong address. (Washington Post)
Friend of the Missive Sarah would like us to read this 2019 reminder you that the patriarchy even extends to very normal personal habits and/or defense mechanisms: ‘Making Jokes During a Presentation Helps Men But Hurts Women’ In all likelihood, I probably shared this two years ago when it first came out, because this article seems perfectly crafted towards causing me to throw my MacBook into the Pacific, and that’s basically a requirement for the Missive. Look folks, more of my career is due to self-deprecating bad jokes than I would care to admit. And some of the readers of this here newsletter can certainly attest to that. (Harvard Business Review).
A reminder that Swole Woman knows best: ‘Why Weight Loss Goals for a Wedding/Office/Beach Body Never Work’ (Vice)
On mandatory COVID vaccinations in the military, from a veteran quoting George Washington: “Example, whether it be good or bad, has a powerful influence.” Thank you, Charlotte Clymer. (Charlotte’s Web Thoughts)
Hey there, you’re awesome! Grab your water bottle, take a few minutes to do some box breaths, and go sit down and have the best day your current state allows you to have. Be kind to yourself!
xoxo Amy