A lot to be grateful for this year — thinking acutely of my health, my parents’ health, the sensation of being settled (finally, after what felt like two straight decades of wandering), the opportunity to travel to Italy with Landon this past fall, the ongoing embrace of close friends, the redbirds in my back yard, the evergreens outside my studio window (“I would almost say they save me, and daily,” per Mary Oliver), the privilege of being a mother to my Emory and my Hill, and their perfect everything, right down to their unkempt fingernails. (Last week, a friend of mine brought her son with her to a coffee date, and apologized in advance with: “Don’t judge…we’re bringing the tablet. I can’t parent anymore” and I replied: “Judgment free zone! If you could the status of my children’s fingernails…you’d know that.” For some reason fingernails are a final frontier of maternal effort that I routinely fail to reach. It’s 7:49 p.m., I’ve just finished reading my son his book, and I notice he has dirt under his nails. It’s just not a reality that I’m going to rouse him from this thicket of blankets to handle this ministry at that hour. I am appalled even as I think: dirt under the nails are a universal rune for happy boyhood. So I guess I’m grateful for those, too.)
I’m also, as always, deeply grateful for your readership. It moves me that you invite me into your mornings. I wrote not long ago an ad hoc post on Instagram that I am reprinting here, apt as it is today and all days for that matter:
I sit here in my studio and write to find out what’s inside, and then I wait to hear what you think, and this process — this conversation, this unfolding — is one of the greatest joys and privileges of my life.
Someone recently said that if you aren’t living to write, you probably aren’t a writer. I don’t know about that — I don’t like its subtext of exclusivity — but I can tell you that I have lived to write since I was a kid, when I’d put together saccharine love stories my saintly mom would encouragingly read, and coerce my best friend into writing screenplays with me because her dad has an old typewriter we were permitted to use. I then had the good fortune of a string of charitable early patrons who paved a way for me — my mother, enrolling me in writing classes; a grade school English teacher who read my work and encouraged me to submit my fiction to various competitions; an uncle who used to send me thick packets of short stories by J.D. Slainger along with a note that read: “Keep writing!”
So I guess I have been living to write for decades, but the fact that I have somehow found a way to write for a living, too, is the wildest of spacewalks.
Thank you for your readership, your patronage. Every time I log on and see you sharing my words, hearting my stories, commenting with thoughts, I can hardly contain my shock and delight.
Thank you doesn’t quite cover the circumference of my gratitude, but it’ll have to do today —
Thank you,
And as we say, onward —
Jen
Post Scripts: A Couple of Exceptional Sales to Shop.
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+30% off at Julia Amory (discount applies automatically at checkout). Now is the time to snag a pair of her gorgeous silk dupioni holiday trousers (I did!), one of her elegant Jane dresses, or her Betty dress in a winter fabric and hue. (I own in a summerweight but just ordered the black, too!)
+20% off Dr. Diamond Metacine with code INSIDER20 — now’s the chance to try their incredible plasma. (I’ve never seen this on sale!) I went through two bottles and then felt guilty at the price tag but this discount is making me want to jump back into the water. This product dramatically shrinks pores and improves the texture/surface of your skin.
+My 3.1 Phillip Lim small Soleil bag I’ve been wearing all fall long will be discounted to $220 today (orig $895). Price will appear in cart. The team also offered us free shipping with code BFCMSHIP! This bag is so spectacular. I have it in the coffee color and it’s this magical, versatile hue that somehow goes with every color you have on — can read gray, can read brown, can read taupe. I’ve been stopped several times by people asking where it’s from; it clearly looks designer but I’ve never seen it out in the wild before. A great buy.
+20% off sitewide at AYR. You need the Early Mornings Tee. Sorry, it’s that good. Perfect hybrid between a tee and a sweatshirt. Also a good gift for a sister.
+20% off Chappywrap blankets. (A major RWI for me and many other Magpies – we now have four). Great gift, especially in this iconic holiday tartan.
+Up to $300 off at Dana Rebecca — elegant, diamond-centric everyday jewelry. I own and love these crossover huggies. They feel like a slightly edgier Tiffany vibe — delicate, but modern? These are a great everyday piece that go with everything. Drop a hint to your partner! (And if you spend over $1,000, you receive a Beis In-Flight Case and a Ruby Bond Candy Bag — decent swag!)
+Up to 30% off at Cuyana. I absolutely love to gift these travel cases (on sale in select colors!) – have given to my mom, best friend, and one of my sisters. You can get their initials put on the side. They are super elegant / quiet luxury pieces and beautifully made. This is not included in the sale, but I also wanted to mention that I recently received their system tote and it is absolutely gorgeous (and super practical — fit a laptop and everything else you need) IRL. A great work bag. I’ve been working on a project with my Dad and I use this to tote files and paperwork back and forth. Obsessed.
+25% off at Guest in Residence. Uber luxe but fresh/cheeky cashmere pieces. This cashmere rugby has been viral in popularity – I’ve seen it all over among the chic set. I own and adore this cropped tartan cashmere jacket — wore it all over Italy! And of course who doesn’t love a fair isle.
+20% off at Lizzie Fortunato with code LFHOLIDAY. If you’re more of a statement jewelry gal, this is for you. I have four or five of LF’s fabulous pieces and they are just so special and fun. I really love her chunky collar necklaces (I own this one — how great is this?!) and Julia Amory often styles them with her Jane dresses (30% off) — SO CHIC. Absolutely follow suit. These earrings are one of LF’s bestsellers — SO FAB with a simple white button down and jeans.
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