May Joy List
Allow me to introduce someone new...
Hi Friends!
I hope everyone is enjoying the lovely spring weather wherever you are. It’s been some time since I shared a Joy List specifically from me, so I’m excited to pass along some of the spring items and activities I’m loving these days. Before I get into it, just a reminder I will be in Boston with Emily Oster on Tuesday May 26th at Trident Bookstore and in Poughkeepsie, NY on May 30th at Barnes and Noble. I hope to see you at one of these spots!
OK, let’s get the obvious out of the way. My book, Waiting for Dawn is out in the world, and while you’re more than familiar with me asking you to purchase a copy (which you absolutely should do!), I’m actually here to ask you to leave a review! This is one way you can support an author’s work that costs $0. So head over to Goodreads, Amazon, or your favorite platform with the option to review the book and let me (and other prospective readers) know what you think! Alright, on to the good stuff.
As I progress in my healing from long COVID, I am trying to be more intentional about joy. I don’t want to look back on this time and realize that as I gained energy, I only poured it into work and caretaking, instead of the things that I haven’t been able to do these past few years. Things like visits to local farms to take Bennett strawberry picking; going on walks in the neighborhood while he learns to ride his big boy bike; or taking myself to a silent retreat or a solo lunch somewhere fun. My hope is that as time marches on and we all continue to be bombarded by pain, grief, and uncertainty in the world, that you still find time to intentionally pursue joy. It matters. It’s life-giving.
Here are some things I’m enjoying (read all the way down to the bottom for a special surprise announcement)!
Merlin Bird ID: This is so dorky, but in my time being sick—spending so much time at home and often only having my backyard or front porch for a change of scenery—I have become obsessed with birds. I can tell you all sorts of facts about them. I can tell you what a yellow finch sounds like and how it’s different from a robin. I can respond to the hawks on and around our property with a proper bird call. I owe becoming this bird weirdo to a free app called Merlin Bird ID. All you do is open up the app, enter your zip code, press start, and it records the bird sounds that it hears and then identifies the birds.
Good Woman: A dear friend and phenomenal writer Savala Nolan has a new book out called Good Woman. It’s a collection of essays about womanhood and female identity that came out about a month before Waiting for Dawn. This book is stunning. It’s so astutely written and deeply cutting when it comes to the experiences that we as women all seem to share. From patriarchy to music, to family, sex, and love, Nolan is a true sensation on the page. So, we’re going to do a giveaway! Head over to IG and comment on my Good Woman post for a chance to enter!
BonBon Swedish Candy Co: A couple of months ago, my friend Megan showed up at our house with a pink BonBon bag full of a delightful variety of sour chewy gummy candies, and I became fully obsessed. So a few weekends ago when we were in NYC, Megan and I scooped up Bennett and two of his little cousins, and traveled uptown to the BonBon store, where I spent way too much money. Luckily, you can too because they’re available online! Check it out if you know what’s good for you. My current fav are the sour blackberry fish!
Osea Undaria Algae Body Oil: One of the ways I’ve been indulging in joy in challenging seasons is through beauty products. It started out with a body oil from a French pharmacy that I’ve recommended here before. Then my algorithm caught on and I kept getting ads for another product: Osea Undaria Algae Body Oil. It is amazing, super lightweight, and smells fresh and lemony. It is an absolutely beautiful product that’s been bringing me big joy!
Congrats on making it this far, because I have something really awesome and special to share. Please meet Luna Puna Lee Bolssen. Luna is a Portuguese Water Dog who joined our family just last week. She is the epitome of joy! As you can see, she’s a mostly black dog, which is why we chose the name “Luna” which means moon in Latin, Spanish, and Italian. She is our reminder that even in the darkest times, light can always be found. (Bennett came up with “Puna,” clearly he is in the middle of a big rhyming phase). It’s been busy and a little relentless being a puppy mom, but she’s already bringing a lot of light, fun, and gratitude into our lives. Enjoy these pup pics!
I hope you enjoy all these ideas of things to purchase and do. I’d love to know what’s on your own spring joy list in the comments.
xxMarisa
Luna!! Such joy!
puppies are joy-bringers (and challengers! ha!) but so worth it... hang in there!