Hey, friends! Last time I shared the news of my NYT essay about my ahma. Since it was published, I found out it was printed in the International Edition (!!!) of the paper. I received the most lovely texts, emails, and comments. As a writer who publishes online, I never read the comments. But my cousin Andy urged me to check the “wonderful comments,” and I did. Life can surprise you because I have never had a piece with 100% positive comments until now. Thank you, dear readers.
Your Pep Talk 😂
Take a minute to think about something that made you laugh so hard you shook. Give it a catchphrase, like “banana suit.” Hang onto it. I’ll get back to it in a second.
My mom friends and I share parenting stories (venting sessions) on the app Marco Polo (thank you, Fran). I asked the group to share a funny story about their kid. One mom shared her son really wanted a fart horn in Marshalls. She said no. He threw a fit. She wandered the aisles looking for the fart horn as he yelled, “I want the fart horn!” She cursed its existence.
During quarantine, I think about that “fart horn,” whenever I’m having a bad moment. It makes me smile. And suddenly, the world feels less terrible.
Use your funny memory catchphrase this week. It works!
My Latest News 📝
I had the honor of being a guest on the Julie Norman Show, a podcast on politics, ethics, and current affairs. Julie and I discussed why writing is important, and why telling our stories matter. The title of the episode is “Keep Writing,” and if you tune in, you’ll find out who gave me that advice (hint: she’s one of my favorite authors).
You can follow Julie on Twitter @DrJulieNorman2.
Check Out This... 🙌🏼
Jamal Ahamad, a teacher at Taconic High School in Massachusetts, launched the school’s first African American Studies class. He says, “I just want to expose them to different things so they can feel OK about dreaming and wanting to aim for something.” I met Jamal when he was 16 and we worked at an education nonprofit. I had no doubt he’d change the world. Proud of you, Jamal!
BOOK: We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby. I straight-up laughed reading this book that I had to put it down to recover.
TV SHOW: Pose. Binge-watch season 1 & 2 on Netflix. Escape into the glamour of the 80s and 90s NYC drag ballroom scene. It deals with the AIDS crisis and Black transgender issues, but with joy, sass, charm, and love. You must watch Pose star Billy Porter’s Emmy-winning speech. He moves mountains in three minutes!
NONPROFIT: Volunteer amateur bakers are whipping up beautiful birthday cakes, cookies, and cupcakes for foster children through Cake4Kids. Scroll through the group’s Instagram for instant sweet happiness.
I'm Grateful For...
The tomatoes growing in my garden. I discovered that my pug Chewie has a penchant for plucking and eating them. 😂