mental health – Julie Wrote a Book

Saturday Distractions

One of my favorite artists, Austin Kleon, wrote this earlier this week: I love meeting my readers, but I am so aware that the person who writes the books that they read is the best version of me — the most hopeful, the most helpful version of me. In my day-to-day life, I am as confused, and stupid, and pessimistic as anybody. I’ve stayed offline lately because I’m having a hard time even finding my best version of myself during a national humanitarian crisis, and my rage won't help anything. But this blog is mostly about books and recipes and cocktails, and it all…

Take Your Goddamn Meds

Anthony Bourdain was my introduction to foul-mouthed, bad boy chefs. But he was much more than that, and if you are not familiar with his work, I encourage you to skip over the salacious stories that are sure to emerge this weekend and instead read about some of the good he did. He was a perfect example of how to be a traveler, but he was also outspoken about the role of the immigrant workers in the restaurant industry. Most importantly, lately he was totally aware of the role he may have had in sexual harassment in food world, and…

What's Saving My Life Right Now

Today is the mid point of winter, and I'm linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy to share what's saving my life right now. Because depression can hit me any time of year, no matter the weather, I've never really understood seasonal depression. It’s no secret that I’m a Daughter of Winter. I’d choose a grey, rainy day over hot and sunny any day of the year. That said, this winter has been particularly rough. I’m making an effort to notice things – big and small – that lift my spirits or make me feel alive, human, and not insane. Movie…

2018 Word of the Year

I don’t make resolutions anymore. For the last two years, I’ve chosen a 'Word of the Year' and I think that works much better for me. Something about setting a resolution feels like a zero-sum game. Even though I totally know that isn't true; if you set a goal to lose 20 pounds and you only lose 15, you’ve still done very good work. I do understand that. But my brain is all-or-nothing, and I’m tired of beating myself up on December 31 (or, more accurately, around mid-January) for not keeping up with my goals. I was having a hard time…

Good Riddance 2017

The week between Christmas and New Year is weird, right? Everything feels off kilter. I stay up too late, sleep too late, am still eating cookies for breakfast and living in my house bra. Husband and the kids are off school and work so there are SO many people around all the time. I'm doing my best to stay off of social media because a) mental health and b) no, I can't actually think of another reason. It's entirely for mental health. So I'll keep this quick so you can get right back into your carb-fueled haze. We can worry about…

We Got the Beat

Hey now, Homeslice, what are you up to this weekend? It looks like I am going to have Sunday off – as in a whole entire DAY. Remember when I used to take Sundays off? No, neither do I. I’m determined to do it this weekend. It’s been ages since I’ve made the Rosemary Gimlet in that post; it’s time to break out the gin and enjoy the first weekend of fall. Fun fact: my oldest son, the Vegan Hipster, got a record player for his birthday a few years ago. But he almost never uses it. It’s become our favorite…

Books With The F Word

Recently, my husband asked me why I have so many books with the F word in the title. I didn't really have an answer. Because they are funny? Because they are good books? Because I love a good curse word? Fair warning: if you don’t like cursing, just stop reading right now. This post is not for you. I love cursing, and do it a lot. But even I get that this post is excessive. I'll catch you back here on Saturday for some fun links, and you have yourself a nice day. For the rest of you filthy animals: Today I have…

Pick Three

Work. Sleep. Family. Friends. Fitness. Pick three. -Randi Zuckerberg Not gonna lie – I absolutely HATED this advice when it started bouncing around the interwebs a couple of years ago. Three? That's it? If I'm a good mom, friend, and wife I have to give up on work, sleep and fitness? Obviously it pissed me off so much because deep down I knew her advice was true. On my Super Mom days, I do NOT get the words on the page. If I force myself to get a good night's sleep, I'm not going to the gym in the morning.…

My Word in 2017

We are a month into 2017. Did you make resolutions? I did not, but I did choose a word of the year. In case you've never come across that notion, the idea is that you choose a single word that will guide you through the year instead of specific resolutions. Life moves so fast, and things change, and I really liked thinking about an overall theme instead of a fixed target. I tend to put my head down and focus on micro targets, to the exclusion of the big picture. That helps sometimes (when I'm on a book deadline, or when…

The Tunnel Tree. Weird Things in Books. Spicy Shrimp.

Well, really. What a stupid week. I am soothed by small doses of hard liquor, large doses of dark chocolate, massive doses of books, and very select friends and family. Also, very super small doses of internet until I feel the existential dread tightening its noose around my neck. It goes like this: Ohmygodddddd the world is so awful where is my passport grab the Bug Out Bag never mind let's just stay here and die. Then Husband tells me to calm the hell down (in a nice way) and tells me to watch Tina Fey until I'm ready to stop acting like a…