Magical overthinking, horror films and a buying ban.

And a tale on why you should never give up.

There’s a voice recording of this newsletter up top if you prefer to listen!

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I’m trying something new - I usually do a think-style piece at the beginning of my newsletter, but I reckon it’s too much.

I’ll split it up this week and see how it goes.

On with the show!

Reading 

The Age of Magical Thinking by Amanda Montell. I loved Cultish, this isn't as mind-blowing, but it's still a good read. Chronic overthinkers unite - this book will make you feel far less banana-brained. I often dream of everything I could achieve if I didn't double/triple think everything. Or the soul restoring sleep I could have if I wasn’t replaying that slightly odd conversation I had with another parent at school drop-off. ‘She didn’t laugh when I made a joke about cheating husbands. Is her husband cheating? Was the joke not funny? Maybe I’m not funny? She hates me.’

Watching 

Gerald's Game. A proper horror flick with quite a few scenes that came back to haunt me in the middle of the night. Stephen King's a cheeky bastard continually breaking the 'you're safe in bed' rule. Trivia - you may remember last week I mentioned we watched Delores Claiborne and I realised they share two very specific plot similarities. Creepy dads and a solar eclipse. Turns out, they were written to be complimentary stories but ended up being published and film adapted separately. It’s not just King recycling his own specific plot line. It was comforting information to receive, I was worried he didn’t realise he was writing a similar story twice.

Wearing 

Stuff I already own. Very old maxi dress I got second hand, Radical Yes boots, Uniqlo jacket, Everlane merino turtleneck (similar). I did a major cupboard clean out over the weekend and I've got several bags of clothes to take to Good Buys in Braddon when I'm next in Canberra. I don't buy a lot of clothes anyway but I'm on a spending ban until I wear what's in my cupboard for a month and make a curated list of the things that were missing from my wardrobe. So far, I need more cropped cotton jumpers, Birkenstock clogs, another pair of Radical Yes boots, and at least one more long-line cardigan. I’m also on the lookout for high-waisted forresty olivey green pants.

Listening

Season 4 of Serial. It's brilliant, as always. Sarah Koenig’s voice is such a specific comfort to me. Similar to Phoebe Judge.

Eating 

Harvest Box Chickpea Snacks. I only buy them when they're on sale because I’m a Recession Mum, but everyone loves them. They get gobbled up pretty dang quickly. 

Doing 

Finally, I am updating my digital content specialist website. I've somehow been freelancing for 15 years without a proper place to send potential clients. My aimless Instagram account and mildly neurotic blog/newsletter are not cutting the mustard as a portfolio anymore. I have to tell people what I do to get gigs now? 2024 is rude.

I tried pimple patches for the first time this week because I don’t want to be a pimple squeezing dirtbag anymore. They worked a treat. So I still squeezed my pimple anyway because I’m a weak character but the patch drew all the gunk to the surface so I didn’t have to hatchet my skin to get rid of it.

What’s New

This article in the New Yorker very much humbled me. I’ve been obsessed with this case. Even more so since my youngest spent a week in the NICU when she was born. Stockholm syndrome got me hard that week, and I was deeply in love with the people who cared for my baby. I’m horrified and fascinated by the breaking of that trust in the Lucy Letby case. However this article suggests it may be a miscarriage of justice. I don’t know what to think, but either way, it’s tragic.

I’m a jewellery nerd. When I’m rich and old, I’m going to buy two of these balls-to-the-ball Tiffany bone cuffs. I will wear one on each wrist every day, like Wonder Woman. You can get this one for a bargain on The Real Real.

Very excited about The Wicked Movie. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are so sweet to each other. There’s always extra magic when co-stars love each other.

Brown clothing is not my friend but if it’s yours this dress is 50% off.

How to be a more thoughtful collector.

I’ve been jean-curious (again) this season and the NYDJ cuts this year look great. A lot of brands have gone a bit OTT with their flares this year and these seem a touch more sensible.

I have always wanted to visit Oslo.

I am forever on the search for the ultimate cool girl sneakers and I know I can rely on Sam Edelman to deliver.

Love this jumper from COS. No further notes.

This wild article from

Zeynab Mohamed

about a beauty brand called Youthforia who released a foundation shade that appears to be black face paint. I don’t understand why brands don’t pay for consultants on this stuff. There are 1000s of TikTok beauty content creators that could have helped them avoid this mess.

I’ve been on the hunt for some moon-coloured boots and these Joanne Mercer ones are on the list for the lift of my shopping ban.

I really enjoyed this piece about the other side of Ozempic. TBH, I don’t have a lot of opinions about Ozempic, but the miracle drug dialogue seems a little overdone when people have to stay on it for life to avoid rebound weight gain, and also, everyone just seems to be nauseous and sick while taking it.

Jumpsuit of the week is cute.

This cost per fit spreadsheet is touching me in my data place.

Habit of the Week

Never give up.

Our eldest kid is a low-level picky eater, so we’re playing the long game on expanding her palate. We are a very pro-Indian food family*, so we’ve served her Butter Chicken with plain rice and papadums once a week for the past five years. She’s been stoically picking around the Butter Chicken every week, piling her plain rice on top of her plain papadums, but last night, she shovelled it all into her mouth and declared, ‘I LOVE this chicken’.

It’s a beautiful lesson in perseverance. Five years I’ve put a tiny scoop of chicken on her plate, five years, she’s whinged that she doesn’t like it; five years I’ve told her she doesn’t have to eat it, there’s rice and papadums. And last night it all paid off.

Here’s my thought for the week - did you fail at the thing? Or did you not do it for long enough?**

*Don’t come at me saying Butter Chicken isn’t Indian. I know that. But for the purpose of general vocabulary, we can say it’s Indian. Also, there’s a fairly fantastic fight happening over who invented it, and that’s much more interesting.

**I’m not suggesting that any habit-building should take 5 years. That’s bananas. Why did I do this for 5 years? I should have just given up. She’ll hate Butter Chicken next Monday. I’m a fool. The stubbornness on that child needs to be studied. If the researchers need some intel, I’d look at the patriarchal genetic line.

Thank you so much for reading my stuff. You’re awesome.

Don’t forget to tap the heart! It helps more than you know.

Have a fabulous week!

love,

Carly