6.27.24
This is very behind schedule. It's hot and I'm tired, but there's lots of living going on.
Hello friends!
This week I am tired!!! I unfortunately skipped writing Let’s Chirp last week simply because I have just been way too busy. Work has been demanding as of late, but we are officially in Summer! And for me that means peaches and watermelon, temperatures routinely bordering triple digits, swimming in every available body of water, and lots of time spent with friends. These past two weeks have contained an impressive (to my introverted self) amount of social time. I’ve met friends out for dinner. I’ve had friends and family over for porch hangs. I’ve hung out at friend’s houses and gone to pool parties. I even managed to somehow go “out” with friends until 2:30 in the morning?! I know. I was just as shocked as you are. But not as shocked as when I also invited friends over to my house for an emotional midnight hang that lasted until FOUR IN THE MORNING when I had to go into work at 9:00am. I don’t know what has fueled this sudden socialite chapter, but what I do know is that I’m not 22 any more and I desperately need my sleep. This has all been a lot of fun, and equally as fulfilling, but the little introvert inside is tugging at my sleeve, whispering “Why don’t we sit down at home for a bit?” And best believe I’m going to listen.
Despite the current fatigue, it has been a fun couple of weeks getting to make some new friends, forming deeper bonds with older friends, and maybe most of all it’s just been great to be outside in the world (yes, even when the heat index is over 100 Fahrenheit). The summer energy is here and I would absolutely be lying if I said I wasn’t riding high on it like the rest of us.
Gratitude, like the sunlight, has been golden lately. Every time I venture out, usually happily so, it allows me to cherish coming home that much more and walking through my door has felt like a sweeter embrace each time. I’ve especially cherished the chances I get to open my doors to the people I love. Because I think when we share our homes with one another, we share a special part of ourselves with one another too. And in some non-verbal but incredibly clear way, we are really saying: I want you to know me in this place where I am most myself. So if you’ve invited me into your home, then I have to say thank you, because I want nothing more than to meet people as themselves, and I know our homes are sacred spaces. Plus, if you’d allowed yourself to feel welcome in my home then I owe you thanks as well. Because even at four in the morning, or maybe specifically at four in the morning, I want to be here looking at my friend realizing that we made the most of this time together.
This week I finished reading: Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
This book is an undeniable classic as one would expect from a Nobel Prize winner. It’s one that I’ve had on my list to read for the past year or so and I’m glad that I finally did get around to reading it. I bought my copy while traveling in Cartagena, Colombia (The hometown of Márquez) so it felt like extra motivation to stay on top of it. Without giving much away, and without providing the world with another book review, the story focuses on the impact of unrequited love. This has been an interesting time for me to read this book, and there are plenty of annotations in the pages of my copy. At one point in the story, the main character is grappling (to put it so so lightly) with his ability to be patient for a chance with his sought after lover, when she tells him: “Let time pass and we will see what it brings.” I had many take aways from this book, and many moments of self-reflection, but this line has stuck with me as a reminder that we only have so much control. It was a bit of a nudge to remind me that the right things happen if you let them.
Having finished this, I can easily see why Márquez is so highly revered. He was a masterful writer that knew how to layer together a beautiful story with complex characters. I personally enjoy the blurred lines where we as readers have to question if we sign off on the actions of the protagonist, or if we instead have decided that we’re against them entirely. It’s a good test of how we treat one another because we’re all just as complicated. That being said, I thought the story also gave many great examples of the power of requited love. About the armor and the confidence it gives us to take up more space in the world as our genuine selves. It gives us the bravery to face life despite hardships or consequences.
Album of the week: ‘S Wonderful by Bill Charlap Trio
Anyone that knows me knows I’m an absolute jazz fanatic, and thanks to Zoei, who I follow on Instagram, I recently learned about Bill Charlap Trio. Comprised of pianist Bill Charlap, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Kenny Washington, this trio has been together since 1997 and is still performing today. Most of the jazz I listen to is older, typically from the 50s to 80s, so finding artists that are still playing now is always really intriguing, and I hope to be able to see them live sometime soon. The album starts off with a gentle but lively rendition of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time”, and the group carries that same tone throughout the rest of the album. My personal favorites are “Isfahan”, “Lover”, and “Summer Serenade”.
Listen to this: When you’re cooking dinner. While doing any sort of crafting project. While doing chores during a summer rainstorm. When you need something in on the background while you catch up with a friend on the phone.
What I ate this week: Fresh figs, things from the garden, and plenty of cookies.
My friend
(whose newsletter you should follow on Substack for all things vintage home goods) knows how to set a table like no one else. She also has lots of great things to purchase on her website as well:
That’s it for Week 25 (and technically Week 24). Enjoy your week!
Talk (very) soon.
Love,
Zach
