issue #92 - the one about security blankets

Do you have a security blanket?

I don’t mean an actual blanket (though Rhaki has claimed the pink-and-white blanket I treasured as a toddler). Instead, I mean the little things - books, shows, movies, foods, certain clothes - that bring pure comfort when everything is chaotic.

I’ve been leaning on my various security blankets in the past few months. I began my upteenth rewatch of Bridgerton last night (after blazing through the first three books), just finished a re-read of the All Souls Trilogy, have been living in my Encircled sweatpants, and make clean-out-the-fridge pasta more times than I care to admit.

I even ordered Taco Bell for an early lunch.

At one time, I thought I needed to regret not cooking/watching/reading/wearing all the new things. Now, I find such comfort in them and actively seek them out when work and life is filled with new things.

This week was a balance of new things on the work front and comforts in my leisure time. I launched a jewelry collection with The Accessory Junkie this week (which is still available to shop) and debuted #5SmartReads Live on Clubhouse (every day was a little too much, but I’ll be continuing it on Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays).

I’d love to know what your security blankets are. And I hope your weekend is filled with comfort, rest, and something delicious.

xo,Hitha

What I read this week

• Happy Endings by Thien-Kim Lam (out May 18th) - this is one of the most instructive romance novels I’ve ever read. A former couple is reunited unexpectedly in Washington DC - Andre (a chef and mixologist) and Trixie (a pleasure seller and aspiring therapist). It was a thoroughly enjoyable, steamy, quick read that will also make you hungry with the references of New Orleans cuisine.

• The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna - I’ve gushed about this book in detail here, so I’ll spare you too much gushing. But I will leave you with my highest endorsement and to implore you to pick up a copy as quickly as possible.

The Top 5

1. Katie Porter, one of Congress’ only single moms, has a plan to help caregivers (The 19th*)

2. How Much of Your “Authentic Self” Should You Really Bring to Work? (Harvard Business Review)

3. Vanishing Act (Marie Claire)

4. Martha Stewart Is the Original Influencer (Harper’s Bazaar)

5. Falling sperm counts could threaten the human race (Axios)

The Catch Up

Monday

• The face of the Perseverance landing was an Indian American woman (CNN)

• A Quite Possibly Wonderful Summer (The Atlantic)

• Figure skating is on thin ice. Here’s how to fix it. (The Goods by Vox)

• ‘There Isn't Just One Way’: Students On The Navajo Nation Find Ways To Learn At Home During Pandemic (KUER)

Tuesday

• Pandemic puts money, political muscle behind broadband (Axios)

• The pandemic slingshot: propelling from national crisis to a resilient health care system (STAT News)

• Naomi Osaka isn't Serena Williams' rival – she's her legacy (Deadspin)

• India, China complete troop pullout from disputed border (Al Jazeera)

Wednesday

• How memes became a major vehicle for misinformation (Axios)

• The Community Cafe That Started a Revolution (KQED)

• My Brother’s Keeper (The New Yorker)

• Why grandparents can’t find vaccines: Scarcity of niche biotech ingredients (Washington Post)

Thursday

• Not All COVID-19 Aid Is Spent. But Schools, Cities And States Say They Need More (NPR)

• Melanie Elturk’s Bold Approach to Modest Fashion (Marie Claire)

• Inside This Amazon Scientist's $25 Million Plan to Turn 12 Abandoned Acres in Jackson, Mississippi Into a Tech Hub (Inc.)

• How Biden's clean-energy jobs transition could work in fossil fuel hubs (Axios)

Friday

• Louise Penny on Gamache, Paris, and moments of grace (Amazon Book Review)

• Noya Labs turns cooling towers into direct air capture devices for CO2 emissions (TechCrunch)

• 'The Gilded Ones' Author Namina Forna On Fleeing Sierra Leone And Confronting The American Dream (ELLE UK)

• Don’t Go Down the Rabbit Hole (New York Times)

Things I love this week

• A few new skincare favorites that I’m loving - Sunday Riley’s Good Genes lactic acid serum and Ranavat’s bakuchi moisturizer in the evenings, and Saie Beauty’s Sunvisor SPF moisturizer.

• I’ve been winding down every evening with a 10 or 20 minute restorative yoga flow on the Peloton app, and it’s helped me relax and sleep better than I have in some time. The app is available for free for a month, if you’d like to give it a try.

• Silk + Sonder just launched their annual supplement - a standalone guide for annual goal planning that I am LOVING. I love my monthly planners, but re-writing my big goals every month does get a bit tiring.

• I hope you have a chance to check out my collection with The Accessory Junkie! I don’t mean to play favorites, but the Cedella ring, Angelina necklace, Eloise earrings, and the Katya bracelet are the pieces I’ve been reaching for daily.

Take care of yourself, and please share #5SmartReads if you’re enjoying them!