Coffee Break #025: Lord of the Rings, green jelly sandals, and the psychic capital of the world.
Your weekly roundup of inspiration and ideas to build your dream life.
Dear Friend,
This is the 25th edition of Coffee Break, which is exciting! That’s nearly half a year of almost weekly posts! In the spirit of “building in public” I’m making some changes to the format. I’ll still be sharing links, recs, and tasks for each week, just organized a bit differently.
I’ll also be sharing new book releases coming out each week, and paid subscribers will receive a little bit extra at the end of each email—creative prompts for the week to use as journal starters, reflection prompts, or however else they spark inspiration, plus occasional printables, downloads, and other digital goodies.
Parenthetical has grown so much in the past few months, it’s mindboggling, so I just wanted to say a big thank you again for being here and reading along. ❤️
Love always,
In Brief
📚 Reading
Spellstruck by Martha Waters (out September 29th). Diving into this historical, magical, British rom-com that follows the manager of an illegal magic speakeasy and the government employee sent to take down her family’s business—but when tainted magic makes its way into the supply chain, the two enemies have to team up to figure out where it’s coming from. 👀 I haven’t gotten super far, but so far I really like the writing and characters.
🍔 Eating
Trader Joe’s salads continue to reign supreme. Lunch this week is the Broccoli Slaw and Kale Salad with White Chicken Meat. It’s tangy, sweet-ish, and a tiny bit spicy.
📺 Watching
The entire Lord of the Rings trilogy on 35mm film. Because somehow it’s been 25 years since The Fellowship of the Ring released??? Anyways, my favorite theater, The Music Box in Chicago, played the entire trilogy all weekend and we watched the first one on Friday night and the last two on Saturday. Long day!
🧣 Wearing
Not beating the allegations about Kelly green being my new favorite color. I’ve been wearing these linen-blend bright green trousers CONSTANTLY. They’re super comfy, super on-trend, and the petite sizing means I didn’t even have to hem them.
✅ To Do List
Tasks to help you reset and re-energize for the week.
Creativity & Curiosity: Make a list of creative projects you want to complete in the next six months, and plan out the steps to make it happen.
Personal Style: This week I’m giving you permission to buy that thing on your wishlist you’ve been thinking about for ages.
Home & Environment: Open a window. Even if it’s too hot. Just open a window for a half hour to remember what it’s like to have a breeze in your house that isn’t from the air conditioner.
Connection: Message someone from your past that you haven’t talked to in a while, just to catch up. (This is not permission to text your toxic ex).
Joy & Whimsy: Take some books to your nearest Little Free Library to exchange.
📚 Release Radar
This week’s book releases that are on my radar (and my TBR).
Agnes Lives! by Hallie Elizabeth Newton | Agnes seeks a willing murderer and wonders what she should wear. As she Ubers from Upper East Side shopping to Craigslist gun deals, Agnes’ desperation becomes an exhibition, a swan song of millennial sexuality as internalized abuse.
The Future Perfect by Cay Kim | A portrait of a brilliant young woman growing up between worlds, and a glorious love letter to girlhood, family, and the great dreams we hold for ourselves, no matter where we’re from.
Winner Takes All by Emily Martin | When two rival music executives wake up married in Las Vegas with no memory of tying the knot, they have to recreate their night together while competing to sign the band of their dreams.
Long Island Girls by Gabrielle Korn | A sharply observed, deeply nostalgic coming-of-age story set against the indie music scene of the early 2000s that captures the ache of growing up, the messiness and joy of queer identity, and the way music, memory, and desire shape who we become.
When You Loved Me by Beatriz Williams | A young widow returns to her late father’s New England estate, only to be drawn into the hunt for the rumored pirate treasure that consumed his life.
💌 Reading List
Links, essays, Instagram captions, carrier pigeons… anything and everything I’ve enjoyed reading this week.
How Personal Taste Fell Out of Fashion | The Guardian
“It has become impossible to ignore: personal taste has been seriously debased – if not completely destroyed – by technological advancement. We know the internet has radically altered the way we form our opinions and beliefs. Now we’re waking up to another sobering truth: it has wrecked our capacity to form our own preferences.”
A Diary from the Psychic Capital of the World | The Paris Review
“I dressed in all black, which Mimi said would let the spirits know who to come to. Around my neck I wore a brass whistle. It belonged to Dan and had been issued by the army, and it slotted into the hollow of my throat. Should we take some of Dan with us? Mimi asked. So I scooped a thimble of his ashes into a rinsed-out anchovies jar and he rode shotgun in the pocket of the door as we headed west, when the storm started.”
Jump Into the Ball Pit: Emily Rapp Black on the Creative Power of Play | LitHub
The guiding image of my process was not an outline, but the ball pit found at indoor playgrounds, beloved by children and feared by adults who carry hand sanitizer just for such activities. When a kid sees a ball pit, they don’t think that is a viral infection waiting to happen, or when and how do the foam balls get washed, if ever? No. They see a pit of possibilities and in they gleefully go, connected to joy but disconnected from outcome. It’s just a ball pit. You can see it in their faces: Let’s see what happens. No fear of water that’s too hot or too cold or full of sharks, no worries if there’s someone already in there or if it’s empty, just a bright and cheery willingness to mess around.
🧥 In My Cart
Things I’m eyeing and buying this week.
1. Justine Basket Bag, Sezane 2. Claudia Scrunchie One Piece, J.Crew 3. Rough Draft Mini Notebook, Bando 4. Fisherman Jelly Sandals, J.Crew 5. Chunky Beaded Necklace, J.Crew 6. Short Sleeved Ribbed Polo, Old Navy 7. High-Waisted Satin Track Pants, Old Navy 8. Yellow Stoneware Mug, Target 9. Library Card Pinboard, Anthropologie
✨ Joy Scrolling
Whimsical links & recs for your reading pleasure.
The 100 greatest bird names of all time. Prepare for some middle-school level giggling.
Look at these incredible kinetic sculptures of birds made from paper! I’m in awe.
This artist has been creating a massive map for decades using a super cool creative process where he pulls cards that determine what he’ll do next.
Crime Reads rounded up five great lesser-known cozy mystery novels.
A gorgeous home tour in San Francisco. That kitchen!
⏰ ICYMI
What I’ve posted recently.
Parenthetical is a publication for women who dog-ear pages, overthink their seasonal wardrobe, and want to make their ordinary days more magical. Paid subscribers get access to the full resource library, plus The Well-Designed Life curriculum.
My local theater did a similar thing with the lotr trilogy. Several people dressed in costumes and each time I went, the theater was packed 🥹 My mother recently read lotr for the first time and she went with me. It was such a nerdy bonding experience for us!
Obsessed with this new format!