Happy Pre-Labor Day!
I hope everyone is enjoying a safe and fun long weekend. I am tip-tapping this email on Saturday evening after two whole days of two some of my favorite non-exciting things:
Eating pizza and drinking Diet Coke
Multiple walks
Talking about boys with friends
Going to the outdoor pool to tan
Going to the indoor pool at the Y to swim laps
Washing my hair
I hope you get to do some of your favorite things too, exciting or non.
You can do an exciting thing and support this newsletter by becoming a paid subscriber below.
As always, I hope today is beautiful for you.
Number One: Garmin watches
Four summers ago I bought an Apple Watch after spending two years asking people if they like their Apple Watch. I would have said I liked mine if anyone asked.
But in May, the ole Apple Watch was hardly holding battery for 12 hours. And I found myself wanting just a quieter, less-notified life. So I contacted a buddy who works at Garmin and got a little deal on the VivoS4, because I still wanted to be rewarded for getting in my steps for the day, or whatever.
I’m a Garmin watch truther now. I love it. First of all, it holds battery FOR DAYS. You can get all sorts of notifications, but I have all of them turned off except for the Bible App, mostly because I keep forgetting to turn it off.
I love having less information on my wrist. I’m pretty sure you can have Apple Watch-level information and MORE if you want to, but from the unboxing I’ve kept it simple. I don’t need to know things right away 99% of the time.
To me, not a exercise expert, the workout tracking seems more accurate, which I appreciate. I think not having the “circles” brings a needed peace to my life. Garmin has circles, but it’s daily steps (which I usually hit, but don’t care if I don’t), daily stairs (I rarely hit), and weekly exertion minutes or something. It’s just easier to not care with a Garmin, which I needed.
I have worn my in the pool, in the shower, while kayaking, at the dentist; I feel like I could run this thing over with my SUV and it would be fine.
The main con is that you can’t “ping” your iPhone. But I have like sixteen friends on find my friends, so if I really needed to find my phone, I could.
Number Two: Go ahead and get a cross-body bag
When the fanny pack trend starting gearing up again, and not in the neon sorority girl way of 2011, I sort of rolled my eyes. I remember my days with a North Face Roo slung across my back. This is nothing new.
But then I got an Athleta pack for coordinating weddings, and Laura got me this bag from North Face. And I truly use it every day. It holds everything I need. Ideal for travel. Sporty and convenient. EMBRACE IT.
Number Three: Trash School
Long time readers know I find waste management fascinating and I loved this piece from a reporter who went to trash school.
Number Four: Bumble and Bumble Sweat Dry Shampoo
I’ve long believed the Dry Shampoo lifestyle just wasn’t one for me. I’ve kept Pret-a-Pret powder on hand, and it’s performed fine. But I still sort of feel greasy after I use it. Like it cosmetically fixes my hair, but emotionally, I know it’s dirty.
Enter: Pret-a-Powder spray. I do like ten sprays all over my hair, and then blow dry it using my round brush. AND bam 90% as good as new. I like that it’s not an aerosol. It gives me one more day in between washes. And I’m grateful.
As of writing a mini size is available for 100 Sephora points in the rewards Bazaar.
Number Five: Two Liters of Diet Coke
At some point in the last week, I saw a TikTok or something where someone was pouring soda over a cup of ice next to an open box of pizza, and I couldn’t shed the thought of how heavenly it looked. So Friday night I picked up a cream cheese, pepperoni, and olive pizza from Pizza Shuttle and brought a 2 Liter of DC over to my friend Carolyn’s house, and it was just perfect. Everything I hoped it would be and more. I drank the Diet Coke out of a stadium cup just like I would in high school. It was unbelievably crisp.