Oooh it’s happened again… Another social circle of mine has discovered The Grace Space (hey y’all, love you, welcome). It’s always a funny thing when I realize I have new eyes reading these missives, I get all nervous! This mailing list has grown so much since I started this project at the end of 2022, and with every big jump in my subscriber count I reflect on what it is I’m doing here, and what I want to produce.
Recently, I’ve been feeling a bit lost on the newsletter front. I’m in the midst of a series of big decisions about housing, jobs, school, my direction in life, none of which I feel comfortable sharing about in detail (once a decision has been made I’ll let you know, but no one needs to see my internal turmoil in black and white). By the same token, writing about fluff feels… disingenuous, considering the aforementioned internal turmoil. So I reach a weekly impasse, to bare my soul or to grin and bear it.
This week though, I’m setting the turmoil aside. It’s time to get back to basics — neighborhood walk observations and zany recommendations. I’ve stewed in the doom & gloom for too long!
Starting off strong here, look at this perfect yellow flower. When I think “flower” this is what I see in my mind. It’s so flowery. So yellow. So cheery. I love him.
Ignore this extremely unflattering picture of me, and instead focus your attention on the oh-so-cute scene happening in the background. That’s right folks, what we have here is a classic Grandma Photo Shoot. He was obviously embarrassed. She was determined to get the bell tower in the background. It took her about 20 seconds to get her camera app open. He was making mortified eye contact with me. It was perfect. Look at his little foot pop!
I know I’m getting old because I just wanted to take him by the shoulders and say “you’ll never get this time back, stop being embarrassed we all think this is adorable”. Looking back, I should have stopped to ask if she wanted a picture together…
Nothing really to say here. Just a little moth taking a breather.
BREAKING NEWS ALERT: We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to bring you this news. I was just struck by the worst calf cramp I’ve had in years, and for no good reason! I had to take a writing break to stretch my leg out and it took a surprisingly long time for that muscle to de-ball. Oof. It’s still doing the might-go-for-round-two quiver. Far from ideal.
Anyways, back to business. And by business I mean mildly ludicrous YouTube recommendations.
Building the Golden Gate Bridge: This is my favorite YouTube video of all time. Don’t ask me why or how many times I’ve seen it. I find it so soothing for reasons unknown. I also find it genuinely mind boggling to think through all the engineering… remember that not only were all the individual steel pieces fabricated for the bridge, so too were the structures and equipment needed to put it together, wild! My favorite quote from this video is “one writer would go on to describe the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge as ‘riveters paradise’”, accompanied by a shot of the most rivets you’ve ever seen in one place in your whole life. So if that doesn’t sell you on it, I don’t know what will.
Emma Cruises: Months ago Helen got me started down a Cruise YouTube rabbit hole, and I have to say… while I have zero interest in cruising, I am fascinated by the ins and outs of cruise ships. This woman has a really soothing voice and her content is all very matter of fact, and I love her for that. Excellent videos for when you’re in an “I’m half listening” mood.
Lightspeed by DEV: This is the mystery song off that mixtape that Helen made me in 2014! The one that I couldn’t find anywhere! It will literally transport you back to high school (or wherever you were in 2011). Honestly I’m kind of obsessed with it.
Ballroom Pro Basics: More of a niche interest perhaps but there’s a few different compilations of pro basic competitions, and they’re all amazing to watch. Basically pro basics is when really good dancers (professionals, but also high level amateurs) compete in a category where they are only allowed to do basic steps — nothing fancy! It’s fun for me, because I get to see really good dancers do the same steps that I’m doing in my routines, and also because you get to see a lot of ballroom dresses and some of them are hiiiideous.
Final Note: I owe my paid subscribers a Serial Chapter, I know I know, it’s coming. I ended up reworking like… the whole plot of my story over the weekend (ok not the whole plot but some fundamental parts), and it set back my writing schedule. I’m excited about this new direction though. It gave me an excuse to watch a lot of YouTube videos about Paris at the turn of the century, and I got to read the entire Belle Epoque Wikipedia page… talk about entertainment!
And just like that, another week of life has come and gone. I hope you all get a chance to go outside this weekend, get the rest that you need, and do one fun thing. Thank you so much to all of you for being here, old and new subscribers alike. Y’all keep the spark alive for this project, and I’m so grateful to all of you.
My fiction readers, stay tuned, I’ll be dropping that Chapter as soon as it’s done.
xoxo,
The handsome flowery yellow flower . . . I think he's your Grandpa Warren in flower form . .. . The grandma photo op moment . . . Your description totally nailed the mood . . . the foot pop! Omg . .. that's what happens when you hold your entire body in place when your brain wants to BOLT! . . Lastly, am looking forward to watching the GG Bridge video . . . I want to see the "crew of rugged men" they describe in the 1st minute. Thanks for the fun newsletter!
❤️❤️❤️