Happy February!
I hope everyone is enjoying spring-like weather and not getting too existential about climate change.
A) I didn’t realize until today that the Five Things I sent in January, I only sent it to paid subscribers. It’s free now.
B) I was talking with friends this week about the newsletter and mentioned that my Sunday routines have changed giving me less “alone with my thoughts, might as well write” time. So I’m trying to find that time elsewhere in the week. This week it’s Saturday mid-afternoon.
My sister accused me this week of loving a referral link, and she’s not wrong, so here is my Nuuly link.
Number One: Vest Coat
My mom has worn a long vest - a coat without sleeves - for years, and for years I just didn’t get it. But this winter I kept finding myself like really, really bothered by my coat sleeves while driving. I just felt constrained to a painful degree. So I asked for this vest for my birthday and I’ve worn it everyday since.
I like it because I can wear a sweatshirt underneath and not get overheated, but I stay warm. Vests typically make me feel tubular, but I think the length here helps.
Number Two: This puzzle
Chris and I just finished this puzzle that was given to us as a wedding gift, so if that’s living as man and wife before we’re married, sorry.
It’s a great puzzle! Beautiful to look at, not too easy, but we had enough momentum that it was fun. I liked it so much I ordered two more like it before we even finished. If you’re local and want to borrow, let me know.
Number Three: The Brussels Sprouts at Gram and Dunn
I had the best Brussels of my life Thursday evening at Gram and Dunn on the plaza. I would go back and order two servings today. Long time readers may remember at least two other times I claimed to have eaten the best Brussels sprouts of my life. It keeps getting better.
Number Four: Sad, but worth reading piece about human trafficking
Sometimes I think about how in 2013 I went to the Passion conference and was given a lot of awareness about human trafficking, but that awareness was matched with ~passion~ and not a lot of tools. And now I see the occasional social media post about how if someone leaves napkin behind your car in the grocery store parking lot it means you’re being targeted. And I wonder if there’s a correlation. Like we are increasingly aware of evil, but not equipped with accuracy.
Anyway, this is a worthwhile read about the FBI’s efforts to combat trafficking in the US, and I’ve been thinking about this set of statistics ever since:
Studies have found that as much as 44 percent of victims are trafficked by family members, most often parents (and not infrequently parents who were trafficked themselves). Between 2011 and 2020, there was an 84 percent increase in the number of people prosecuted for a federal human-trafficking offense. Of the defendants charged in 2020, 92 percent were male, 63 percent were white, 66 percent had no prior convictions, and 95 percent were U.S. citizens.
I think the 66% had no prior convictions part really sticks out to me as not fitting my previously-held profile.
Number Five: An uplifting piece about Sister Berta
This remembrance of one of the co-founders of Operation Breakthrough (a favorite charity of Taylor Swift’s boyfriend) is so sweet and tender. I want to be the Anglican version of a nun, a nun who marries Chris.