Note Pad, #10
A love letter to the 13 things that have brought me joy lately
I consider this time of year as the great unthawing. It’s about now when I realize I have the temperament of a basic houseplant. Do I have enough water? Do I have enough light? Put a glass of something brisk in my hand and situate me close to a sunbeam and suddenly I’m all perked up. If I can look outside after an evening meal and everything looks like it’s been dipped in a vintage sepia print, golden and magical, I think to myself … ahhh that’s the stuff. When there’s still sun at 7PM it feels like there’s extra hours tacked onto the day. Just a few extra sets of 60 minutes pocketed away to make space for a particularly languid neighborhood walk or a few more pages turned on the patio.
A few weeks ago I had a conversation with my best friend about what brings us joy in life. I surprised myself when I could rattle off a laundry list of beautiful things with ease. My husband. My friends. My cat. My gym routine. My work. Writing, reading, walking, dancing. The overnight oats I keep prepped in the fridge. The thermos of coffee that awaits me each morning on the kitchen counter - a brewed “I love you.” The familiar cadence I’ve built my life upon that’s comforting and boring and beautifully, wonderfully, amazingly mine. There was a time when that question might have stoppered my heart. When formulating a response would be a struggle. And the silence that would bloom as a result would say a lot without saying a word. (If that’s you right now, I’m hugging you through my screen and hoping that this phase in your life soon shall pass.) Then, a few days ago, a reader slid into my DMs with the earnest question: “What are 13 things that you love or have brought you joy lately?” It was like swallowing the sun. What wonderful kismet. An opportunity to share and revel in the joy of our lives - even (perhaps even especially) the small things.
For today’s Note Pad, which is often a smattering of life updates / links / and the like that bring me joy anyway, I wanted to answer that readers question. Thirteen things that I love or have brought me joy. Some of them are happy rituals. And yes some of them are things I’ve purchased. I’m not above acknowledging that sometimes THINGS bring me joy.
In the comments, I hope to hear some glimmers of your own if you, like me, are transitioning into happy houseplant mode: Warmed by the sun, a regular routine, and a tall glass of water (or something just as refreshing with a bit more of an adult zing). ‘Tis that time of year!
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1. Have A Goodread, Will Challenge: There are few things that hype me up more than an opportunity to tick boxes. A checklist? Let me at it! A silly arbitrary challenge whose only goal is to get me to read more? SAY LESS. I watch the Goodreads Seasonal Challenge additions like a hawk and it gives me a thrill to hit 100% each quarter. Every challenge has a list of applicable reads under a certain theme. Oftentimes tied to a genre (thriller), a topical book trend (buzzy screen adaptations), or even a chance to spotlight deserving work (AAPI Heritage Month). Next on my list? The Secret History by Donna Tartt to hit the “Marathon Reads” requirement. Boof!
2. Life’s A Picnic In the Park: Eating takeout al fresco with someone you love. May this summer give me this feeling on tap.
3. Hitting The Wall: Is there a greater moment than when a newly released song hits you in the feels? Or, should I say, hits you in the wall? I’ve been listening to Gracie Abrams’ new single “Hit The Wall” on repeat (57 times, according to Spotify Stats). Every line is a Sad Girl dopamine drip. I’m excited to see what the rest of her album holds!
4. The Pants So Nice I Wore Them Thrice (In Three Days): I recently made a J. Crew order and since its arrival to my front door I’ve been wearing the pieces on a non-stop rotation. The joy when every item is a SMASH.
The real star are these pants. They’re weightier than my other cotton poplin tie-waist options, but not so heavy as to feel suffocating. They’re crisp and relatively impervious to wrinkling. The muted brown plays nicely with other neutrals or colors alike. I also grabbed this creamy linen sweater - which will be making an appearance next month on a girls trip to RI - and a perfect navy rollneck knit that’s a nice topper in the evening when temps get a hair too chilly for just a tee.
On the note of sizing, I’ve had a recent mindset move. With these pants, I know I could have fit the S. But based on how I’m carrying weight right now - plus how I want my clothes to feel nowadays - I ordered the M. When I felt the extra margins of fabric the larger size gave my thighs … my brain shifted. I’ve spent a lifetime following the gospel of size charts as if they were a sacred text to adhere to. “The size chart says X, which means I should order X.” Not anymore. Now, like the number on the scale, I see size charts as an empirical data point. They are the metric measurements of the garment in question. They aren’t a command. They aren’t a doctrine. They aren’t an indictment. With these pants, I’m discovering the joy - the freedom! - of ordering the size that gives me the fit I actually want, rather than the size I think I’m supposed to be. Here’s to rebranding size charts as a styling tool: A guide for how I want clothing to sit on my body. Whether that’s relaxed, tailored, or even a little slouchy. I’m loosening the emotional attachment to seeing a certain letter, stamped like a grade school report card, on the garment tag. A secret win that only I can see and, really, that only I care about. Nowadays, I’m working to be more keen on the silhouette rather than the label. That’s a win.
5. Get Ready, Get Set, Split: After weeks of thoughtful stretching and strengthening - with the helpful guidance of my coach who values mobility as much as she does weight training - I’ve been sliiiding back into my front and center splits again. Regaining this skill set as a former dancer has been so satisfying. The sweet results of consistency and choosing to show up for yourself. Prioritizing making my body not just strong but also mobile has been a goal for me in 2026. I get so much joy out of not feeling physically limited and so proud that my body does whatever I ask it to do. It’s a privilege I never want to waste or take for granted.
6. May We Know Them, May We Be Them, May We Raise Them: I can’t fully explain the feelings that came over me when I saw the incomparable Hannah Waddingham on the cover of Women’s Health U.K.. The image was a thumb stopper when it came across my feed. It bolsters my hope that, despite trends re-infiltrating certain internet corners, my years as first a teen and then a 20-something of shrinking shrinking shrinking to fit a smaller and smaller and smaller version of myself is squarely in the past. Watching women like her take up space unapologetically gives me joy. Her “43 inch hips” interjection in the below interview clip — LET THEM KNOW, BABE!
7. A “Petit” Laugh: Sometimes joy is a person. Sometimes joy is a thing. And sometimes joy is a silly video on the Internet. I’m in the midst of a wee Duolingo adventure - I currently have a 500+ day streak! - to reacquaint myself with the French language. Yes, I took French all through grade school like any Canadian. No, I’m still not fluent like … er … many Canadians. I admittedly might have been a bit sun drunk when I watched the following video, but this had me gasping for air the other day. The hard cuts absolutely did me in.
8. A Perfect Date Night: Speaking of silly videos that send you to that place where you’re laughing so hard no sound is coming out: every single frame of this. The micro expressions. The gestures. The slurps! An entire hour long comedy in under a minute. Dream date night, if I’m honest.
9. Leave The Perfume On the Shelf: The thrill of another successful blind fragrance buy. I recently picked up sample packs from the brands Dedcool and Liis, but I’m quite smug that I could have skipped the faff of the tiny little sampler sprays and gone straight to what I predicted would be my favorites. From Liis it’s the creamy sweet Celestial Object (the almond and rice paper notes are lush) and the salty coastal forest bathing Bo (woodsy cedar tempered by a smoke plume and a splash of vanilla). From Dedcool it’s the oceanic meets velvety Mineral Milk* which is already turning out to be a seasonal favorite.
10. Animal Print Is A Neutral: Full! Stop! PERIOD. This zebra print bag makes me smile every time I schlep it about. It’s the edgy pop I want to wear with everything I own and sets the standard for what a “hell yes” item is in your closet. And if what you’re buying isn’t a “hell yes” - what are you even buying it for? Oh and it also fits a laptop. As if it needed to have more going for it besides being a ZEBRA! PRINT! BAG!
11. Meet Me At Midnight: The Grammy award winning album Midnights. Anyone ever given this relatively unknown little disc a turn? Can’t recommend enough!
12. Girlhood, Revisited: There is joy in realizing you’re old enough to see women as compatriots, not competition. The feeling is warm. Comforting. Sure. Mature. Like slipping a vintage sweater on overhead, a designer one you found after months of searching. Often, friendships form over shared tastes and interests. I have one such friend, in particular, who feels like me but stretched into a different font. My hair is straight, hers is curly. I’m short and curvy, she is tall and lithe. (No, her name isn’t Taylor - hah!) When we were in our early 20s, I viewed our overlaps in our clothing or our careers as a threat to my success and to my individuality. It made me sharp, hawk-eyed, wary. It brought out a version of me that was paranoid, insecure, and deeply in need of assurance. How I desperately wish I could hug the younger versions of us both. Oh did we need it. I don’t know if she senses it too (or maybe she will when she reads this in her inbox /waves), but I feel like our friendship has hit a different rhythm in our 30s. One that is relaxed, unbothered, unthreatened. Her success is hers and mine is mine. I get a huge and uncomplicated thrill cheering on her every win - personal or professional. It’s like we’re both riding a wave that surges each of our ships up closer to the sun - a light we both can bask in. Now when we buy the same pair of pants, I get a genuine kick out of it. Friends don’t copy, they match.
13. Consulting The “Itty Bitty Pretty Kitty Committee” Of One: The little trill Floof makes when I pet him mid-nap. It’s like hearing an old laptop boot up. Bllrrrp!
Your turn! Would you please tell me 13 (more or less) things that brought you joy recently?
Every few months, Midnights creeps up on me all over again. So good!
Yes yes yes to all this! You ever try to care for a dramatic peace lily? That's me.
The girlhood section is especially true in my life as well.
I'm sure you don't need this reminder but just in case, take some videos or voice notes of all those wonderful Floof noises. I wish I had more audio evidence of my sweet soul cat Wendy. At the time, her "singing" at 3am was annoying. Now, I desperately wish I could hear it again.