Daylight Shavings
I shaved my legs this morning (hence the pun).
Good morning friends! Thanks for reading my newsletter, and Happy November! I’ve had a fun, busy, fulfilling month that I can’t wait to hastily summarize for all of you. I’m currently in a cabin in Hudson Valley with some friends. Yesterday, we went on a hike that AllTrails advertised as “3 hours with a toddler and grandma.” It took us 4 and a half. After, we went to a delightful goat farm. Here I am failing to win the animal’s respect.
This is my third hiking trip in 4 weeks. I have been at least 60% happier since I started going into nature more often. It’s almost like everything anybody ever said was true. I’m really enjoying Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, a book of essays about nature. Annie Dillard is a beautiful writer, so much so that she almost makes staring at a bullfrog sound fun. A friend recommended Braiding Sweetgrass, another nature book, so I’m going to read that next. Let me know if you’d like to read with me and discuss!
My little sister and I are attempting the No-Plastic challenge this month. We failed on the very first day (I insisted on buying a bougie fake sugar off Amazon. I didn’t think we’d be able to find in bulk. It’s called Monk Fruit, and it’s delicious). Despite our (my) failures, we persevere. I’m finding it helpful to think about how much plastic I use, even if I can’t cut my consumption down to anywhere near zero. I will probably start hashtagging #noplasticchallenge whenever I want to photograph myself doing something that would be otherwise unacceptable, like eating peanut butter out of a mason jar with my bare hands on the street. (UPDATE: I’m hearing reports that this is unacceptable anyway?).
I got a chemical peel this month. Here I am two days after, as my dead skin is crawling off my face. I’d tell you that three days later, I was glowing, but I would be lying. Three days later, I was back to normal. Would I get a chemical peel again? Idk. I mean, I already have the next one scheduled, but we’ll see.
I have a few new New Yorker pieces this month - my pal Dan Perlman and I take aim at the expression “The New Normal.” Alex Connolly and I rewrite some Halloween movies. Eugenia Viti, Alex, and I organize books by color (which I do intend to do). Katy Fishell, Alex, and I go after the Filibuster. I also paid homage to the Metaverse in Bustle. It was a busy month for freelance, but I’m taking a step back to focus both on longer-term projects and on not working.
Ohhhh also I have a new book coming out in May!! I’m going to formally announce it in a few weeks, but if you want to check it out/think about pre-ordering/pre-order, the link is here! Amazon says May 17th, but it’s actually May 3rd (hence why I can’t formally announce it yet). It’s my third book - the others are here and here. Sorry for the shameless self-promotion - I only do it because editors and publishers and agents and mothers etc etc tell me I have to. Also, it’s my favorite hobby.
That’s all for now, friends!! Talk to you in a month! I hope Daylight Saving’s doesn’t completely decimate your relationship to time and space.
Love,
Ginny