Issue #242: we made you a list of happy things  ✨

Editor's Note

All the things making you happy right now.

Just a really great list of your tiny sparks of joy.

by Carey Polis, Senior Director of Content & Audience Strategy at GNI

In last week’s Downtime Diary, Ashley Hosmer made a happy list—something she references when she needs a pick-me-up. Funnily enough, before we even reached out to her, I was mulling the same concept for an upcoming newsletter, focused specifically on what is delighting us right now. You know, those things that get us through the day, however mundane-but-wonderful they are.

It’s a strangely powerful exercise, to hone in on things that are doing it for you at the moment. And turns out, you’re quite into the concept as well, based on the MANY submissions we received via email and Instagram. It was an absolute joy reading through them. The range! The ideas! So without further ado, here’s your October Happy List:

Pasta with lots of crunchies—rice noodles with crushed peanuts, spaghetti with arguably too much breadcrumbs. Switching to flannel sheets. Mini pumpkins in every room of the house—the wartier the better. A new Oodie, the perfect combination between a sweatshirt and a blanket. Watching cartoons in bed on Saturday morning. Muna. Adding Cool Whip to coffee. Janet Jackson and Tina Turner. Crunchy leaves when walking. Sticking a fall blend into the diffuser. The resurgence of the mocktail. A cleaner-than-usual house (doesn’t mean it’s clean… just… cleaner than usual!). Passionfruit. Around the world in 80 dates. 1000-piece puzzles. Dark chocolate after dessert. 90s music. Dancing in underwear before work. A little whiskey in hot apple cider. Morning grocery shopping—no lines and it’s so quiet. Finishing a book on Sunday with enough time to start a new one. Puppy snuggles. Patrick O’Donnell’s soothing color suggestions for Farrow & Ball’s Instagram. Taking a daily pic from the same nature-filled spot—the changes! Fly by Jing chili crisp. A new bird feeder camera that captures hilarious closeups of birds mid-bite. Re-learning how to skateboard. Setting the sound machine to “crackling fireplace.” Freeze dried fruit for tea. Reading murder mysteries in bed every night. Stretching for 10 minutes every morning. Sitting by the water. Drinks with the fancy hand-wash glasses. Chocolate milk. Rainbow mani/pedis. A second ear piercing. All the fall soups. Aloe socks. Walking through the woods and listening to the Spotify royalcore playlist. Nora Ephron. A very affordable cable knit throw blanket that feels like a squishy cloud. Reading poetry before bed. Playing the daily NYT mini crossword. Halloween-themed kitchen towels. This pin.

Thanks for sharing your happy moments. —Carey

P.S. Should we do this again next season?
 

• We published our first accountability report, Pathways to Racial Equity, six months ago. Here’s our progress report on what we’ve been up to since. We’ll continue to publish on a twice-yearly basis. If you have any feedback, we’d love to hear from you!

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weekly picks

• Some things I’ve been cooking lately: This apple crisp that has no bells & whistles which is why it works, and these creamy vegan noodles which remind me that tofu can make a really delightful sauce. Plus, I made yellow split peas mixed with yogurt, jammy cherry tomatoes (aka roast with EVOO and salt at 400°F for ~20 mins), sautéed swiss chard, and pickled onions. Felt fall-y and restorative.

• Why all these buzzy book covers look like… artful blobs. (PRINT)

• The rather dark side of free returns. (The Atlantic)

• Okay so this article is mostly about how October isn’t just a month, it’s a “szn” but um I’m here for the nugget that pumpkin spice cheesecake enchiladas exist?! All for diving into fall head first but TOO FAR. Okay wait, now that I look at the recipe... (New York Times / Taste of Home)

• Revisiting the TV trope of the “Black Lady Therapist.” (NPR)

• On the joys of dropping a routine. (Bustle)

• “Oh, all of our problems basically come from men not feeling their feelings.” (Vulture)

• I agree with this GBBO take. (Vanity Fair)

• Leaving you with this delightful ode/song all about getting cozy on the couch and watching Nancy Meyers movies. (Is Jimmy Fallon reading this newsletter?!) (The Tonight Show)