Goodbye, August!

We hardly knew ye.

Hi!!! I got the Wordle in two guesses on Tuesday, so that’s when I peaked!!!

Links links links

Here are some things I’m into this week, which you might like too:

• I loooved Polite Society, the 2023 movie from the woman who made the equally-delightful TV series We Are Lady Parts.

• I have not raved enough here about how much I adore label makers.

• I am so excited to celebrate the launch of my amazing friend Shannon Downey’s new book Let’s Move the Needle by moderating a conversation with her in partnership with Women and Children First!!!!! (Lots of you already know and love Shannon for her work as @badasscrossstitch on instagram and

  Badass Cross Stitch Musings
  here on Substack.) Here are event details.

Rice Krispie(s?!!?) Treats!

This week, a dear friend came over for a baking day. Because it was 10,000 degrees outside, we decided to skip Oven Activities, and instead made two excellent versions of Rice Krispies treats: Erik Kim’s black sesame Rice Krispies treats from New York Times Cooking, and Shilpa Uskokovic’s peanut butter Rice Krispie treats with brown butter from Bon Appetit, pictured below. (Can I just say, I’m delighted that NYT and BA can’t agree on “Rice Krispie” or “Rice Krispies”?)

look at these beauties!

Let’s talk fall books!!!

SEPTEMBER IS COMING, and next week’s newsletter will be a list of all the books I can’t wait to read this fall. I’d love to include titles that you’re excited about, too! Is there something coming out between now and November 30 that you can’t wait to read? Drop the title in the comments and I’ll add it to next week’s list! Bonus points if you tell me why you’re looking forward to it!

SPEAKING OF BOOKS, this is your last call to sign up for this weekend’s zoom chat about The God of the Woods! We’re hanging out this Sunday, which is somehow September 1, at noon central time. If you want to come, just send an email to gretamjohnsen AT gmail DOT com and I’ll get the zoom link over to you. (I’ll announce the Semptember book then, too, so participants will be the first to know!)

My delight o’ the week: the poop rule

I hate to say it, but I recently came across a tweet that may have changed my life. It was about an ADHD TikToker who suggested that instead of the Marie Kondo approach to cleaning where you ask yourself if an item sparks joy, ask yourself this: IF IT HAD POOP ON IT, WOULD YOU TRY TO CLEAN IT, OR THROW IT AWAY? As someone who is always either too sentimental (“of COURSE I must keep this!”) or crabby (“BURN IT ALL DOWN!”), this is a very helpful construct for me!

ANYWAY, that’s it from me this week. Enjoy your long weekends!

P.S. Do you like this email?! Spread the delight and forward it to a friend! (Or spam an enemy, lol!)