We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Programming…

...to bring you some important questions; plus how to be a balm, and how wealthy are your bookshelves?

Jan 19, 2024

Thank you, dear Happy Scribbles Readers, for being here: There are nearly 1,100 of you spread across 60 countries, and sometimes I daydream about how thrilling it would be if you all came to my house, and we could get to know each other!

At this fantasy get-together, the first thing I’d ask each one of you is how can I be most helpful?

Solving problems – no matter how small they may seem – happens to be one of my favorite pastimes – and I think of Some Happy Scribbles as a vehicle for doing just that.

I’m fascinated with what makes us feel most joyful and engaged and I write about topics I’m struggling with and looking for answers to, like how to happily gather with family; how to socialize without getting exhausted; how to manage marriage and parenting; how to make ordinary days feel more festive; and the age-old conundrum: how to combine dinner with a movie…

The most popular issue of last year was suggested by a friend and reader: how to reduce stress around the holidays by making a Not-To-Do List: a genius idea that struck a chord with many of us!

I was inspired by a conversation with another reader, who was frustrated with the infinite amount of content available, to create well-curated, organized, searchable lists for what to watch, read, and listen to.

I’d love to hear from you as to what else I should cover. Click here for a very brief, anonymous, survey where you can tell me more about yourself, what you’d like to read about, and what problems I can help solve. All questions are optional – fill out as many or as few as you like.

And don’t be shy: ask or tell me whatever you want, either via the survey, in the comments below, by replying to this message, or at amelia@somehappyscribbles.com. I’m here for you!

It gives me grateful chills to know you’re interested in what I think. Being heard and understood is probably the thing every writer (every human, really) wants most - and writing this newsletter each week, knowing that you will read it, is an honor, and makes me incredibly happy. Thank you!

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📺 Deadloch: this limited series, set in a fictional beach-side town in Tasmania, Australia, had me hooked with its sweary (and hilarious) portrayal of post-Me Too, woke, millennial, workplace Aussie culture. The show cleverly plays with narratives around serial killers, justice, and revenge, and is great fun to watch.

🍽️ My Latest, Best Cooking Switch-up; 40 Ingredients Forever by Ali Slagle: This is both a recipe (Crispy Lemon and Lamb Rice) and technique for cooking any type of ground meat, from

Ali Slagle

, the author of I Dream of Dinner So You Don’t Have To, a cookbook I love, and the 40 Ingredients Forever email newsletter. It’s an easy, fast, one-pot situation inspired by the crispy deliciousness of smash burgers. I used this technique last night with ground turkey, and had a hot, satisfying dinner on the table within 30 minutes - and proving it’s a winner: sadly, no leftovers!

🎧 We Can Do Hard Things Podcast Ep. 272.: Why Sober Life is the Luckiest Life with Laura McKowen: Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, and Amanda Doyle interview Laura McKowen, the author of We Are the Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life, a 2020 bestseller about alcohol addiction and recovery. McKowen talks about her path to sobriety, and the 9 rules that inform her philosophy about addiction and recovery. There are 2 parts to this conversation, and both are available to listen to now. McKowen is inspiring in her honesty, but the thing that made listening to these episodes riveting for me was reading her essays on the anxiety and shame spiral she experienced immediately after recording the podcast, feelings of insecurity and inadequacy that many of us can relate to.

Looking for something else? All recommendations can be found at the following links: Current Recs; Books; TV Shows; Movies; Playlists & Podcasts. Search by whatever you’re in the mood for, like an Engrossing Novel; Cozy Movie; or Luxe Soap Opera!