10 things of interest #18

gifting season, oatmeal cookies and friendships

I wrote a note recently about how my brain was just not brain-ing. Several other writers have since responded relating to my problem. What we've figured is, sometimes, time just slips right by you, and there’s nothing to do but ride the wave. With that, I know this is coming to you a week late, but below are some great reads I gathered for November’s round-up. I hope you enjoy it. See you next week — hopefully on time.

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1. If you need a warm cookie recipe, may I suggest

   Rosa Tahoe Williams
   delicious ginger, raisin and oat cookies.

2. It’s now gifting season, and it’s a battle to control my urge to buy everything I set my sights on. If you’re struggling to find something for friends or a loved one,

   Anna Newton
   from The Wardrobe Edit has put together a very chic Holiday gift guide that I think straddles the line perfectly between cosy and luxury items.

3. I’ve been a long-time reader of

   Caroline
   and I love the honesty in her work. In “Just Stop,” she beautifully captures the frustration and exhaustion of being subjected to life-script questions like “When are you getting married?” or “Thinking about kids?” during family gatherings. She challenges the assumptions behind these inquiries, arguing that they reduce a person’s complex, unique life to outdated milestones. It’s a heartfelt reminder that life isn’t a checklist, and our stories deserve to be seen and heard in their fullness.

4. gracie kate
   writing in “Softness” is a poignant reflection on the complex relationship between self, body, and identity, tracing a lifelong struggle with self-worth, societal expectations, and the yearning for self-acceptance. She confronts the inherited grief, the weight of impossible standards, and the journey to forgive her softness—the very essence of their humanity. I think her story is one that nearly every woman embarks on — a sort of sadistic ritual into womanhood and Gracie’s story is comforting to read.

5. In “Anyway, Don’t be a Stranger”,

   faith zapata
   explores the bittersweet nature of relationships and the inevitable shifts they undergo. She acknowledges that people and connections change over time, serving their purpose until they no longer fit the versions of ourselves we’ve become. I love how she finishes her piece with: “The art of loving isn’t necessarily about perfecting our grip but learning to hold things gently—creating a space where both love and loss can coexist, where we can love what we have, with all that we have, while also acknowledging its transience.”

6. In “That's What Girls Have To Think About All The Time,”

   Ella
   examines the viral moment from The Graham Norton Show, where Saoirse Ronan interjected in a conversation about self-defence to highlight how women constantly have to think about their safety. She critiques the privilege behind the men’s initial amusement and unpacks broader societal ignorance about women’s fears, which underscores the disparity in how men and women experience safety.

7. In “running to nowhere,”

   eleanor lucie
   portrayal of wellness and body image is hard-hitting. As someone who constantly thinks of my body image, I felt seen when she wrote: “You sell yourself a new regimen under the guise of better mental health, or getting ‘strong, not skinny’. You eat safe, filling, clean things, like chia porridge and sweet potato and 100% cocoa dark chocolate. You watch yourself cook for an imaginary camera, write a voiceover in your head explaining what you eat in a day, think about people in the comments praising you for being so healthy and yet so realistic.”

8. Since I’ve become such an avid reader this year and I’ve been asked what I wanted for Christmas…If you have a bookish person in your life, consider something from Mr. B’s Emporium, a bookshop in Bath that offers books (duh), bespoke gifts and unique experiences.

9. Holiday movies! Watch them! The good ones and all the terrible, cheesy, romcom ones that Hallmark can’t seem to stop producing.

10. I stumbled upon Adam Lombard’s poetry on Notes and loved his poem on Autumn. If you’re a poetry lover, his work might interest you. I shared it below:

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