It’s officially autumn! Maybe it’s crisp and cool and crunchy with fallen leaves and fresh apples where you are. If so, I envy you. But even if you’re not luxuriating in clove-scented, harvesty splendor, I’ve collected a few things that might bring you joy today.
1) I read the Oliver Burkeman’s book Four Thousand Weeks last week, and it’s phenomenal. I’ve read a lot of time management books; I’ve even co-written one. This one is different. Burkeman urges you to accept that facts that 1) your inbox will never be empty for long; 2) you’ll never do everything you should do and/or want to do; and 3) life is much shorter than you think it is.
I turn 55 years old later this year. Best case scenario, I have 1,560-2,080 weeks left in my life. While that’s bleak at first glance, it’s also freeing. Yes, you likely do still have to work, but get out of the productivity mindset, off the hedonic treadmill, and likely, off your phone. Instead, embrace your mortality and carefully, intentionally make the best of whatever time you have left. Right now, starting today.
2) We’re still wearing masks, folks. Being alone with my own breath over the past many months has made me realize that, even with all the brushing and flossing, I need a mint even more often than I previously thought. My go-to breath freshener are these mighty Myntz, aka “acid mints.” (Because when a child of mine begged for one years ago and then tasted one, he promptly spit it out and asked, “What are those made out of—acid?”) I get them at Trader Joe’s, but you can also find them here.
3) Has the La Croix/Bubly/Waterloo trend crested yet? No matter. While those can be enjoyable, I tend to prefer classic mineral waters like Perrier and San Pellegrino—and the one I’m featuring today, Topo Chico. I first drank some at my brother-in-law’s house in Texas, and I loved it. I love the new grapefruit-flavored variety even more. (It also comes in lemon and lime.)
Mineral waters bottled at verified sources contain only trace amounts of essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium, but every little bit helps, right? And the flavors are so crisp and real—very satisfying, especially on a hot, sunny day.
4) A few weeks ago, I was terrified I’d run out of British police procedurals to watch. My patient husband obligingly scoured all of our streaming subscription sites for any new options. He found a few, and imagine my delight when the BBC’s Scott & Bailey turned out to be top notch.
The show was produced, written, and directed by women, and it shows in refreshing ways. While men do work in this fictional Manchester police syndicate, the eponymous duo, their boss, the coroner, and other key characters are women. The cases they investigate don’t follow a formula; some are resolved in an episode, while others take a while. The relationships are complex and compelling, and I was sad to bid these characters goodbye when the series ended.
5) Gorgeous Eydís Evensen is an Icelandic composer-performer whose melancholy, contemplative pieces belie her youth. It’s perfect writing music for me: evocative and mesmerizing. Listening to her, it’s easy for me to get into the headspace I need to be to create. Here she is playing several of her most recent compositions. Make yourself a cup of soothing tea and give her a listen.
That’s it for this week! Have a wonderful weekend, everyone. I’ll see you soon.