Observables #46

on being humbled, small pleasures and flirting on LinkedIn

Violet’s face when I roll my eyes at Elsie. “You’re doing that thing, Mommy.” I ask her about “the thing” a few minutes later, even though I know what it is. I rolled my eyes at her sister. I thought we were bonding. She doesn’t want to bond that way. "Now, it’s on my shoulders,” she says. “Plus, it’s mean to Elfie.” And she’s right about all of it. I am astounded and humbled by my 8-year-old’s wisdom. No, I shouldn’t be sharing my feelings about one daughter to the other daughter, even if said daughter is kicking a scooter through the door because she’s tired, and I happen to like the scooter…and the wall. Because just, love, right? Good thing we get a lot of moments on this earth to try try again.

Little bits of blue tape found in the most random of places. A prankster is among us. She does her best work when I am writing or podcasting.

This interview with Viola Davis. She talks about feelings, which are never simple, this way: “It’s like a Chekhov play: You can’t tell the story of the joy without telling the story of the pain alongside it.

Kim Kardashian saying she would eat poo everyday if that would keep her young, which is deeply disturbing and I need someone to unpack it with me.

Flirtatious (the 40-year-old version) messages on LinkedIn penned by my husband and me. Small pleasures to counter the poo.

This book on gardening, which I think has the potential to be life changing. For the author “a garden represents the memory of yesterday, the immediacy of today and the imagination of tomorrow—life in full.” I wish I had been paying closer attention when I visited the High Line years ago. New goals include visiting Piet Oudolf’s garden in the Netherlands and Le Jardin Plume in Normandy.

My webby poster which came in the mail in a frame. I didn’t win but I still feel fancy.

In other news…we have begun the process of rebranding the podcast to Reframeables! We wanted to open a little wider beyond sisterhood but still with our signature reframes in every episode! Our guest this week is Zarqa Nawaz, creator of “Little Mosque on the Prairie.” Hope you enjoy hearing from this creator.