Things worth sharing...

What I've been reading, eating, writing, watching, and listening to lately — I hope you'll share too!

Hello!

Welcome to this month’s issue of Things Worth Sharing — a roundup of what I’ve been reading, eating, writing, watching, and listening to lately. I want these catch-ups to feel like a group chat where we can all share and ask for specific recs, so I’d love for you to chime in via the comments (just open this post here to do that).

1. If you’re scrambling for last-minute Thanksgiving recipes, this Ciabatta Stuffing with Chestnuts and Pancetta is SO GOOD (and a crowd pleaser). I’ll be serving it tomorrow during our cozy Friendsgiving. Also, I’m no expert, but this red wine is good, at least I think so!

2. I’m a sucker for romance and drama shows, which is why I finished Normal People on BBC iPlayer in about 48 hours. It’s a series based on Sally Rooney’s book by the same name, and it is STEAMY.

3. Earlier this month, my girlfriends and I had a craft night. We painted and chatted… very cozy! A common topic was sleep. Falling asleep, staying asleep, the quality of our sleep. One friend shared a podcast about why we’re all so tired all the time, which I found quite interesting. In particular, the part about using cognitive shuffling if you’re struggling to fall asleep. Essentially, you start with the letter A and run through the alphabet, naming things like animals, cities, or even people’s first names, until you doze off. They refer to it on the podcast as “thoughtless thoughts”. I also found the part about creating a bedtime routine important. Have a listen here:

4. The same friend shared with us her daily gratitude practice. She sends a text each night to a friend with five bullets of what she’s feeling grateful for that day. I love this idea as it’s twofold: you take a moment to appreciate things, and it’s a way to stay in touch with friends, especially if they live far away.

5. On the topic of sleep. Why We Sleep is a great read.

   

6. In case you’re looking for more book recs, I’ve recently read and enjoyed these: The School of Life: An Emotional Education (self-development), Heart the Lover (ficion), Being Mortal (medicine/science), and I’m currently breezing through Nora Ephron’s Heartburn (fiction) — you’d think a story about a woman finding out her husband is having an affair while she’s seven months pregnant would be heavy, but the comedic twist is a great reminder that laughter is the best medicine.

7. I’ll be spending most of December in Florida, visiting my mom and brother. There’s a cozy little apartment on top of an elderly woman’s garage that I’ve made my home away from home. I’m queuing up the classic movies… The Holiday, When Harry Met Sally, The Family Stone, A Christmas Story, and Home Alone are on my list for now. What should I add?

8. Loved this piece by Marie-Elizabeth Mali about learning how to sit with your discomfort instead of avoiding it.

9. These two stories are also great reads: Aging Out of Fucks: The Neuroscience of Why You Suddenly Can’t Pretend Anymore and The Anti-Cosmetic Surgery Essay Every Woman Should Read.

10. This month, I published three pieces ranging from my story about reinventing my life in Amsterdam after divorce, a 2-part issue featuring a sweet interview with my dad, plus the #1 most important thing I learned in my 30s, and for my fellow writers, I shared 3 simple tips to get your personal essays published. I’ve linked to them in case you missed something.

Your turn! Share away in the comments.

Fellow writers — feel free to share a link to one of your recent posts! I’d love to read it.

See you soon,

Alexis