I loved the sentiments that Serena Williams shared about her decision to retire. "I hate it," she says. "I hate that I have to be at this crossroads. I keep saying to myself, I wish it could be easy for me, but it’s not. I’m torn: I don’t want it to be over, but at the same time I’m ready for what’s next." Relatable!

There is an inevitable shoulda, woulda, could at every end of an era—getting into or out of a serious relationship, starting or ending a career, becoming a parent or accepting that your kids are all grown up. That sense of being ready but not ready at the same time. And the feelings, which seem contradictory but are actually complementary, that you're proud to have accomplished so much ... and also, somehow, your best doesn't feel like it was "enough." 

"I’m going to miss that version of me, that girl who played tennis," she says. It's funny how easily an old version of yourself becomes a stranger. When you change an aspect of your life that has long been core to your identity, it means saying goodbye to a whole self. Every victory lap is also a funeral.

Sarah Jaffe with a back-to-school piece on the real problem with the PTA: The fact that funding isn't shared equally among all schools in a district.

Like hurricanes, we should be categorizing heat waves so people understand how dangerous they are, writes Neel Dhanesha.

Michelle Tea on queer parenthood in an era of aggressive (and regressive) anti-LGBTQ legislation sweeping state legislatures and a hostile Supreme Court: If SCOTUS comes for marriage equality next, will I still be considered my son’s mother? 

Daniel Spielberger tries to apply the personal-branding lessons from Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner's MasterClass. 

Why do football fans sing such a strange array of songs? Chris Milton on what makes for a good stadium-wide chant.

Some intense advice on death acceptance from end-of-life doula Rachel Friedman. And somehow this advice from Oliver Burkeman feels related: The only real productivity technique is "month after month of plodding, incremental forward motion."

 

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This essay by Chin Lu has made me really want to watch Finding Magic Mike. The joys of swimming while fat.

I felt this tweet in my bones!!

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Over in my friend Ngaio Parr's newsletter, I have some recommendations for consumption under capitalism: "You know the Michael Pollan adage about food? 'Eat food, not too much, mostly plants'? (I mean, side-eye to Pollan, but it's catchy.) I have a similar shopping philosophy. "Buy quality stuff that fits, not too much of it, mostly vintage." Here are five tools I use." 

Aug 17, virtual: I'm in conversation with Nona Willis Aronowitz about her new book, Bad Sex: Truth, Pleasure and an Unfinished Revolution.