Thursday Things #123
Ninety-eight-cent magic, books from two of the best, and, not to exaggerate or anything, but these pajamas might change your life.
Every other Thursday, I share a handful of good things I'm loving, reading, watching, listening to or just discovered. AKA the random good stuff we’d talk about over coffee or text if we had one another’s phone number. I'm glad you're here!
Hello and happy Thursday to everyone except the N key on my laptop that abruptly decided to no longer work. LOL (I’ve copied/pasted the letter N from an old caption and just keep pasting it what seems like every seventh letter so WE’RE DOING GREAT GUYS.
(I’ve never considered how often the letter N appears but, alas, it is pretty much everywhere.)
November is absolutely flying by and I’ve got another round-up of Good Things for you below, but first I want to say a quick but so very genuine thank you for your response to this:
Things are a lot and last week held a lot (all the days did and still do, really), but last night I caught up with a friend who knew my nerves pre-the-post-being-published and I told her that while there was decent reason to wonder about the general comment section, I figured y’all would get it. You’d get the constraints of word count limits and the extra-ness that automatically comes with the day. You’d get that I absolutely have my thoughts and convictions and feelings, you’d get that maybe that day on the general Internet is not where I’ve chosen to share A-Z, and you’d get that we might or might not agree on any number of things but we’ll stick it out and hold onto Hope and keep on loving as best we can. You’d get the tension of writing, well, anything at all in the Year of Our Lord 2024 and you’d get needing to stay within editorial guidelines and you’d get walking, hopefully well and with kindness, a line while holding to love.
I knew you would because when I say you feel like friends to me, that I know your names/usernames and recognize many of you in the comments still so many years later, mixed in with newer faces that are becoming familiar, I mean it.
You got it, and I’m sincerely grateful.
You’re a good thing, and I know that sounds absurdly cheesy, but your kindness belongs on the Thursday list this week. I don’t say this next line as a tease, but as a pre-thank-you — quite a while ago, I wrote a vulnerable piece that has long been on the calendar & scheduled to arrive in your inbox next week. It was published in a book that released this week (linked below!), hence the timing, and I’m carrying your kindness into sharing more widely (and permanently, ahem, no going back on a printed book shipped around the world) a glimpse of something I’ve held very close. So thank-you and pre-thank-you and now I’ve turned this from “quick and genuine” to “medium-approaching-extra-wordy and genuine) so —
Time for the good things.
The actual comfiest. Worth every penny + a lot more.
I try not to boss you but I AM ABOUT TO BOSS YOU because you MUST get these. You guys? I’ve shared my very favorite pajamas with you before and I’m here to tell you that those were great, actually great, but these are better.
I cannot overemphasize how ridiculously soft they are. (Do I want to turn “soft thoughts” into a series that’s written while in my new fave pjs, maybe yes.) My only complaint is that I prefer separates over a set because we aren’t all one size all places on our person, but nonetheless this set is wonderful and oh, did I mention it’s $14.99? Yes, yes it is. The only reason I haven’t already purchased another set is because Christmas is nearly here. :)
Two good reads from two of the actual best.
They’re both everything you think and hope they are, except better.
I’ve been Holley’s assistant for just shy of 10 years, Kristen’s for 9.5 years, and I’ve seen them navigate this that and the other with absolutely nothing but grace, wisdom, and so much kindness. They are women of integrity, who happen to be fabulous writers, and though it’s true that you could say they’re two of my VA clients, they’re also simply my friends.
And they both just happen to share a book birthday1 this week because these two titles are, as of Tuesday, available wherever books are sold:
Praying Through Loneliness: A 90-Day Devotional for Women :: compiled by Kristen Strong
(I’m one of the 40+ contributors. My piece will land in your inbox next week.)
365 Truths for Every Woman’s Heart: A Daily Devotional of Encouragement and Prayer :: Holley Gerth
(P.s. Holley has 3 book-release-related gifts, including free access to the audiobook, available now through Christmas. This page has the info. (I’ll 100% be in the group, so look for me if you join!))
In which I have deviated from the norm.
My favorite nail polish color still remains #1 regardless of the season . . . but, I grabbed this one on a whim and I’ve gotta say, it’s pretty perfect for the holidays. It’s a little less rose gold than I expected (you can see it in the pic holding Even If Not below) and it’s on the thinner side, so you’ll probably want to apply an extra coat, but it’s real hard to beat ninety-eight cents.
Yep, that’s right. $0.98.
Three songs for your Thursday.
I’m a date person, always have been always will be. Certain days on the calendar instantly bring back memories and just mean something. You too, maybe? My birthday, oddly enough, kicks off a group of half a dozen dates in the next couple months that are pretty tender. Last year, to intentionally add in delight to a quiet day, I adventured to a tiny house in the mountains. This year, I’m staying here and putting up the Christmas tree (it never went up last year so yes ma’am we’re making up for lost time), seeing Wicked in the theater (duh 💚💕), and easing into the weekend with a Friday night concert of songs from Ellie and Drew. If you’ve never heard them before, here are a few you might enjoy — one of them together and two of my long-time faves from Ellie (though her new All Of My Days album is also lovely).
Update: I’m writing the last sentence here and just did a quick count. The letter N appeared 290 times above. Incredible.
291.
Thursday Things will be back in December (The next one would fall on Thanksgiving Day, and I’ll have something different for you that week!) but will see you here next week with the piece from Praying Through Loneliness. :) Have a good weekend!
(310.)
Bookshop affiliate links are used in this post. :)
P.s. Happy actual birthday Holley! November 14th is a real good day and I’m one of very many who are grateful for you and your words.