Greetings, friends!
I’m not feeling very patriotic today (not that I ever do) but in an effort to focus on the positive, I thought I’d make a list of things I like about living in this country. However, I only came up with 2 items (24 hour splurpee access + my friends/family live here) before I started spiraling out about all the things I loathe. Look, it’s tough to be cheery amid the onslaught of laws and court rulings that specifically target my community.
I haven’t lived anywhere else, but it seems like a particularly American trait to be constantly looking for bright sides. I find toxic positivity seductive, yet exhausting. I’m always trying to say something nice in this newsletter, but the phrase “everything happens for a reason” makes me want to dig my eyeballs out with a grapefruit spoon. I’m not against optimism. I just think ignoring grief is a good way to poison joy.
I’ve been listening to some literary podcast episodes about A Visit from the Goon Squad, a recent Sit & Read s…