Thursday Things #151

Two summer treats, a dozen book recs, a TV show I stumbled upon and loooove, and a Thursday Things update.

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 from the world of sparkles and cinnamon bread and rollercoasters!

I can’t even imagine what it would be like, as a spry tired mid-30s woman, to have the excited energy of little girls at a theme park, but I had a great time seeing wonder through the eyes of my cousin’s young girls. (I myself saw goodness in Dollywood’s cinnamon bread, which does indeed live up to the hype.)

The suitcase isn’t unpacked but there are good things to get to, so shall we dive in? It’s the last Thursday Things for a while (more on that below) and I’ve got a long list of summery-things to share!

Surviving the heat fifty cents at a time.

I’m a convert, and just in time, because this is definitely going to improve my summer. Other than my summer shirley, I rarely drink soda. Water and I get along just fine, but fizzy, flavored water never really had my attention. Why pay $2-4 a pop for a small can, I thought, and I actually still maintain… but as for me and my household, we are now making an exception for Spindrift Sparkling Water in the Pineapple and Lemon varieties.

It’s less than $1 per can (less than $0.50 if you stock up during a BOGO week at Publix) and just lemon juice (or pineapple) + carbonated water—no added sugar. Yes to a refreshing drink that feels like a small, inexpensive treat in the heat.

Coffee + brownies = happiness.

File this under Slightly More Expensive Summer Treats, but oh my gosh worth it. Have you tried the Brownie Crisp Coffee Ice Cream Sandwiches from Trader Joe’s? The coffee ice cream is strong, the brownie is soft, and it’s a small combo that packs a punch. Delicious.

image via Trader Joe’s website

A movie and a show.

You’ve likely read the book and/or seen the movie trailer, but I’ll recommend it anyhow because Sally Field doesn’t miss and Remarkably Bright Creatures was an enjoyable watch.

images via IMDb

What I haven’t heard anyone talking about? Ripple. Dang, I want a second season. With this cast, a new cast in another setting—just, more of it please! Eight forty-two minute episodes and then it’s over, so it won’t take long to fly through, but it’ll stick with you. The premise is simple but impactful: small things and moments and decisions ripple out beyond what we can see. What happens—or doesn’t—because someone tripped at the park while running, someone’s Internet went out, someone donated a winter coat, someone helped lift a suitcase into the airplane’s overhead bins, someone overheard and misunderstood half of a conversation. The stories of imperfect people are interwoven in ways beyond what they know in full and it’s a meaningful reminder of kindness, showing up, and community. Loved it.

Both ^ are on Netflix.

Upside.

Gas is ridiculously expensive. End of sentence.

We might as well save on what we’re already spending wherever we can, right?

If you have a summer roadtrip planned, you don’t want to miss this, but with current prices I think we all need it—so I’m bringing back a 2023 Thursday Things mention. I received a bunch of messages when I recommended Upside before, but FWIW, three years later I still use it every single month. I’ve saved $550 over the years, which sounds fake because how, but it adds up quickly.

I mostly go to Sam’s for gas now, but sometimes there isn’t one around when I’m running low—or I’m on a long trip and need to quickly grab gas right off the interstate and get back on the road—and Upside is my money-saver. Here’s a recent screenshot as an example:

It’s really simple. Whenever you need gas, open the app to see if a local station is partnered with Upside. If so, it’ll display the cash back rate. This varies by place—one station might be 10¢ per gallon while another is 25¢. (Occasionally, like you can see above, it helps me save 50¢ per gallon!) Then select your station, ‘check in’ via the app, and make your purchase within four hours. If your card is linked, it automatically gives you the cash back. If not, after you fill up, open the app and confirm while still at the station. That’s it! You can also use Upside for local restaurants. There aren’t many that participate in my city, but those that do usually offer 10-25% off your food purchase). The cash back goes to your bank account, to your PayPal, or you can receie it in gift cards (Target, Walmart, etc).

This isn’t sponsored—just on my mind with the recent roadtrip and upcoming long drive to Florida—but I do have a code I can share! If you use this link or enter code 9JG7E when downloading the app, you’ll get an extra 15¢ per gallon on your first gas fill-up and extra 10% cash back on your first restaurant/grocery purchase!

What I’ll be reading.

Even with all the book recs sprinkled in throughout the year, I’m still asked “what books would you recommend for ___? / have you read anything good lately?” each month, so allow me to leave you with a dozen suggestions for summer!

Now, I haven’t read these yet so take it all with a grain of salt, mkay? Some are new releases, some are from my bookshelves (still going strong with this challenge), some are new-to-me authors and some are writers I’ve read and enjoyed for years. I may not make my way through all of these, but they’re patiently waiting in my Next Up list.

If you’ve read any of them, which should I start with? And what’s on your summer stack? Let me know in the comments.

The Reservation by Rebecca Kauffman

After Amen: 50 Days of Poetry and Prayer by Tyler Staton

Where the Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris

A Woman’s Place Is in the Story: Seeing Women in the Biblical Narrative by Sandra L. Glahn

This Side of the Sky: 101 Poems and Scriptures for the Hungry, Hopeful, and Homesick by Laura Wifler

The Place Between Our Pains: A Memoir of What Joy Can Survive by K.J. Ramsey

Always Remember: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse and the Storm by Charlie Mackesy

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

Slow Burn: The Work and Wonder of the Wait by DawnChere Wilkerson

On a Summer Tide by Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Shippers by Katherine Center

The God of Story: Discovering the Narrative of Scripture Through the Language of Storytelling by Daniel Schwabauer

I’m not an Amazon affiliate, but I do use Bookshop affiliate links. If you opt to purchase through these links, it sends a small amount my way at no extra cost to you. :)

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A keeping of the promise and a note about Thursday Things:

When you first subscribed, I made this promise:

Our inboxes have enough spam and sales-y promotions. For the past decade, I’ve written blog posts and newsletters to encourage, to bring a smile, or to share favorite things . . . all with this promise: I will never click send and fill your inbox just because the Marketing Wizards say it’s been too long since I sent something your way. Nope. I’m entirely uninterested in adding to the noise — but sharing good things that will bring a bit of hope or joy? Yes please.

The last two summers, I’ve made another: I have absolutely every intention of Thursday Things returning to your inbox, so this is not a slow fade out, but instead a way to honor my commitment to you and be present with loved ones I see twice a year.

Ditto to all of it, again.

Thursday Things #151 closes out the twice-a-month Thursday emails for now. I’ll still write new pieces on Instagram (you KNOW I’ll have words when this sweet girl arrives), send the occasional email your way here, and paid subscribers will still receive everything as usual—but TT is officially back on a break. (Cue Rachel and Ross.)

I know many of you can relate: In general, my summer schedule doesn’t slow down—it picks up with travel on top of working each week + all the typical weekly life To Dos. I’ll be out of town a few Thursdays, either watching the two dozen littles in my family (in no world is this a vacay, but they are the actual cutest so put me in coach, Aunt Kaitlyn is here to play and cuddle and read and pretend and dance and swim and paint tiny fingernails a new color each day) or HOLDING MY BROTHER’S BABY GIRL.

I’ll work remotely most of those travel days because #bills (no such thing as paid time off with self-employment, a pro/con of remote work), but I want to be as screen-free as possible to be as present as possible. Thursday Things emails only take a couple minutes to read, but they take at least an hour (often 2.5) to compile, write, format, and send your way… so this summer, instead of scrambling to send an email in between work and watching the littles, we’ll just pause and make space for the living, not the inbox filling.

Should you miss TT on Thursday, there are tens of thousands of (free) already published words from me elsewhere, but I’m guessing we could all use a little bit less when it comes to the email inbox and a little bit more when it comes to bandwidth and space to breathe, yes? So I’ll see you here every once in a while over the summer—and then we’ll return to the rhythm that has truly changed the lens in which we look at our regular days.

It turns out when you look for good things, even if (when) you have to strain your eyes and wade through approximately 183,924 pieces of bad news and not great updates, thank God for God, good is always waiting to be found.

I hope that whatever muchness your summer holds, you get to bear witness to the good stuff. Even if it’s just a glimpse, even if it’s in the midst of a whole lot of heavy, even if, even then, even there.

God, give us eyes to see. (And please, Lord, send a cool breeze.)

I’ll see you back here soon! 💛

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