Things I Love and Links to Read
What to buy, watch, read, and learn this week.
It’s been a while since I shared some of the random things I love — something I originally thought I would do once a week when I started I’m Walking Here. (Best laid plans and all that.)
Since I’ve spent more than 15 years sharing gift ideas and cool things for a living, I’ve learned it’s a nice break from some of the stresses of the world and the struggles in our personal lives — and sharing things I love happens to be a nice break for me, too.
Just a note that I’m experimenting with affiliate links and gift guides on Amazon and Bookshop.org, which never impact my recos — but shopping through my links is another way to support me personally, besides subscribing to I’m Walking Here. Okay!
To Watch
Do not read anything about it. Do not watch trailers. Just click play on S1 E1 of Slow Horses if you haven’t already. Gary Oldman was born to be Jackson Lamb and Kristin Scott Thomas is the perfect baddie-or-is-she.
Finally watched Inside Out 2 last week with the high school kids and oof. I left a big pool of tears on Jon’s shoulder. (Sorry Jon!)
To Browse or Buy
MoMA Store just launched a Snoopy collection that is the cutest!
Morgan Shanahan is a brilliant writer and satirist — so much so, that when she wrote on Threads Jimmy Carter is staying alive for this shit, we better not let him down, it went viral. Next, a zillion copycat companies stuck it on merch to profit off it, which makes me crazy. Instead, buy Morgan’s lawn signs and shirts on Zazzle, which actually support Harris-Walz. They match margaritas too, by the way!
With the holidays coming up, I started putting together a list of the best gift ideas for teens and Sage looked over it and said, “bussin’ list, Mom.’ So there’s that. (If you have other ideas I’d love to hear them.)
I just received the COSRX Snail Mucin that my Instagram followers BERATED me into buying on Prime Day. (It’s still 30% off.) Project Try The Snail Mucin starts today — which includes renaming this stuff in my head to something like “Gentle Sea Creature Serum” or “Essence d’Escargot.”
To Read
Register: This new series from Good Trouble Comics is a fascinating way to help kids explore the history of voting rights. It should be in every single American classroom, especially now. The series is from National Book Award winner Andrew Aydin (who kindly sent me a copy), and illustrated by Valentine De Landro so you know it’s awesome, right? Andrew suggests you buy it through their Etsy shop if you don’t see it in a local comic shop.
The Kids Are All Right (Amazon / Bookshop.org): I love when friends write fantastic books that I’d recommend even if I couldn’t namedrop the author. Such is the case with this brand new book from the brilliant
+ her husband Ben Blair who remind us that perfection is not really the goal here.In Exile by Emma Lazarus: I recently came across her poem about migrants and the dichotomy of refugees learning to live in American freedom. I hadn’t read it in years and wow it hits hard today.
To Listen
NO SHAME with Rebecca Woof is so brilliant, I wish I came up with it. It’s a new podcast about inspiring women who’ve been shamed, stigmatized, and shunned for taking their own paths.
I was a little nervous to appear on Parenting is a Joke with Ophira Eisenberg a few months back, as her token not-a-professional comedian but phew, people seem to like the episode! I talk about raising teens, and how we’ve been able to make a blended family work pretty well, imho. We also talk about my apparently controversial take on teens and phones and social media.
Women-Run Startup Alerts
Mitch: Fashion Meets Accessibility
A former colleague and friend just launched a Kickstarter for Mitch, a company making stylish fashion and products for those with accessibility needs. She was inspired by her father’s struggle with dressing himself after his Parkinson diagnosis and started by entirely reinventing the dress shirt.
Seeing the many accessibilities issues my own dad has had since being run over by a taxi 9 years ago, I think it’s brilliant. Sara has blown through her fundraising goal, and I think this might be big.
Pre Love You: Reinventing Kids Consignment
Pre Love You is a brand new subscription service helping parents donate and receive gently worn children’s clothing and accessories. I think of it like a Rent the Runway meets consignment — everyone contributes stuff, and in return you get credits to put toward new (to you) items that you hold onto until your kids grow out of it. Smart.
Finally…
Keep supporting those orgs helping everyone impacted by Helene, and now Milton. So much gratitude to those of you who already have.
I love hearing that your list is kid-approved! I just asked my husband if we should get the kids a foosball table for Xmas and nothing else (him: "no.")
Really great post!