Cool Down
Right now in L.A, it’s 90 degrees, and I feel like I’m melting. As a kid in NYC, the best part of a hot summer’s day was the tinkly bell announcing the arrival of the Good Humor Ice Cream truck. All the children on the block flocked into the middle of the street and lined up waiting for our treat. My favorite was a vanilla pop topped with red and white sprinkles, reminiscent of this photo by Simone Rosenbauer.
Pretend Summer Vacation
Yesterday, I whined about all the exotic vacation photos dominating my Facebook feed. So today, I’ve decided to post this lush painting by Ieva Baklane. And right this minute, I’m visualizing myself lounging in one of those cool, mid-century looking seats by the pool, sipping a frosty Marguerita. What, if any, are your summer vacation plans?
Everyone’s Posting Vacation Photos on Facebook
And it’s making me sad.
From Detour a film by Michel Gondry shot on an iPhone
Revving Up for the 4th
I’m experiencing a bit of long holiday weekend anxiety. What are your plans?
Exploding echinopsis by Greg Krehel
What Are You Reading? Summer Edition
Too much Twitter (help, I need an intervention). And my erudite book group turned me on to a writer’s writer, Denis Johnson. How about you?
Illustration by Ellen Frances Sanders
Staying on Balance
On Friday, I had an off night. Anxiety rippled through me, and it was hard to push aside. My sleep was restless. The next morning, like many Saturday mornings, I went to synagogue for weekly services. Regular readers will know that I belong to an extraordinary Jewish community, and it’s one of the anchors that sustains me. Common to most spiritual practices, the liturgy is filled with praise and gratitude. I don’t necessarily connect the gratitude to a divine being. But on this Saturday, the very act of repeatedly and formally expressing thanks completely lifted my mood.
Illustration by Luci Gutiérrez
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