Well, here we are, friend. Once again holding the horrors of * all this * while still maintaining some semblance of normalcy, as long as normalcy is defined as barely hanging on and also occasionally not hanging on at all.

I did think that if I waited just one more day, then one more day again, I’d come up with a coherent, encouraging note for you. But we are now halfway through the shortest month, and all I have to offer are some bulleted items. Perhaps, though, you’re like me and best able to handle small bites of anything right now?

Here’s hoping, because that’s what we’ve got! (But also, here's your monthly Watch Guide.)

First up – the rage. Yesterday my work friend came into the storytime room (during setup time, well before any families arrived) and asked warily, “Oh hey, how’s it going?” Apparently she’d walked in a few minutes earlier and heard me in the closet, “giving someone the business” and feared one of my children was causing grief again.

Nope. Just calling to yell at my senators!

Anyway. I don’t need to report the news for you. We have Aaron Parnas for that. But I will share with you some resources I’ve found helpful:

• ​The 5 Calls app is great if you also want to give your elected officials “the business” on any number of topics. The app has all the numbers in one spot, plus scripts you can use or not use, as needed.
• ​Heather Cox Richardson is a history professor at Boston College who writes a daily report of the news. She is left-leaning and her letters reflect that, but she also shares extensive sources and includes a lot of historical information that may inform today’s news.
• ​Laura Fanucci is a writer and theologian. She’s also a mom, a Catholic, and a cancer survivor. And she’s been sharing daily messages (sermons) on Instagram, as well as catalyzing her community to do great works of mutual aid in her home state of Minnesota. She’s a remarkable human doing remarkable things, but also just like one of us. I’m grateful to call her my friend and my pastor.
• ​Anna Connelly creates skits showcasing conversations between people who view things quite differently, politically. It’s humorous (albeit darkly), but it’s also pretty helpful. Again, she leans left. So if that’s where you find yourself as well, her videos might help you talk with those who you normally can’t.
• And lastly, I have found the protest music being created and shared right now to be hugely helpful for my heart. It may not change anything on the outside, but it’s been a balm to my churning, aching insides. I have saved a highlight of some favorites on my Instagram page.

And now for the whimsy!

Listen, I’ve been championing the idea of choosing joy in the midst of pain for a decade now. And some might have said long before that I was an annoying Pollyanna. It’s true – both that at least one person said that AND that despite experiencing truly hard times at many points in my life, I did have a much simpler take on finding a silver lining prior to the past several years.

It’s harder now. I think many of us are experiencing that. It’s harder to hold onto hope and to find the beauty and count our gifts. It’s harder to see meaning and have faith that everything will work out in the end.

But darn it, I am determined to try anyway! I actually think it’s the one thing that WILL make a difference. If we refuse to give up our pursuit of joy and delight and laughter and kindness for no reason at all other than we want to be kind people, well, then the horrors will not win.

So, here we go! I’m going to share a few bits of whimsy and delight I’ve found recently. And I truly hope you’ll hit that reply button and share yours with me.

• The way this month, starting on a Sunday and ending on a Saturday, sits on the calendar? A thing of beauty.​
• I found a badly needed, practically perfect black cardigan at Kohl’s and I wasn’t even there to shop. I’m not giving you a link because I’m not trying to sell you something. It was just the best news in a hard week, and I continue to be delighted by this!
• My oldest has been accepted to college – the one she and we wanted! – and I am truly delighted by this.
• I’ve joined the social media committee at work, and now I get to make things like this. (If you keep on clicking you’ll see that while some of our work is great, some is less than great. It’s a work in progress!)
• Every time this guy has a new song, I am so freaking happy about it. It’s just the funniest thing to me.
• Oh. Also the funniest? Celine Dion! Who knew she was hilarious? She’s a true delight on Instagram, and I did not see that coming.
• You might remember me raving about Josh Peck’s memoir a while back. (If you missed it, just google his book and get it on audio and hopefully you enjoy as much as I did!) ANYWAY. He’s also all of us on IG right now.​
• ​This pep talk from Kayla.
• ​These book-themed candles from James.​
• Thanks to my daughter and her trendy music tastes, I have now discovered Olivia Dean. (If you are cool, don’t ask where I’ve been, okay? It’s cozy under my rock.)
• I’ve started ordering a kids meal at Chipotle. It’s my favorite order of any restaurant order right now, and I’m not going to gate keep. It’s a build your own meal with flour tortillas, chicken, black beans, and pico de gallo. It comes with a baby bag of chips and a small drink, and I also add on a side of queso. It’s perfect for a lunch, and I might get it today now that I’m thinking about it. (Again, not an ad. Just a delight.)

And with that, my list of whimsy is longer than my list of rage. I love how that happens sometimes. (Not always. Be real. But sometimes.)

I do believe that’s enough from me for the month. Click here for your monthly Watch Guide. It’s a free PDF as always with all the new movies, new series, returning series, and (what I’m sure you are most interested in) my personal picks. Feel free to note that I did not admit to likely watching the new CIA series because fine, I am who I am.

And also feel free to hit reply and tell me what YOU are watching this month!

Love,