It's a Poem! It's a Bird!

Worrying/not worrying with Mary Oliver. Plus, Annie Lennox and bubble skirts!

Sep 22, 2023

Remember those times when I’d send these letters without much of an intro and went straight to the links? Sometimes I’d even include someone else’s lovely words in the form of a poem? Well, today is one of those days. Hurrah! Here’s a beauty from one of my favorites, Mary Oliver. Seems she was a bit of an Overthinker herself!

I worried a lot. Will the garden grow, will the rivers
flow in the right direction, will the earth turn
as it was taught, and if not, how shall
I correct it?

Was I right, was I wrong, will I be forgiven,
can I do better?

Will I ever be able to sing, even the sparrows
can do it and I am, well,
hopeless.

Is my eyesight fading or am I just imagining it,
am I going to get rheumatism,
lockjaw, dementia?

Finally I saw that worrying had come to nothing.
And gave it up. And took my old body
and went out into the morning,
and sang.

Personally, I’d dance. But either way, less worrying for us all! May those honoring Yom Kippur this weekend find meaning in a day of reflection and repose. Bon week-end, friends. xx — Sara

Clickable

OG critical power has been replaced by the public’s opinion. | Vulture
Meanwhile, “criticism is important, especially when it's informed and thoughtful.” | Gloria
A plea to let ’90s crime thriller movies reign again. | GQ
When attempting to be a #tradwife (thankfully) backfires. | ELLE
Be selective. Employ a “chuck it list” over the “bucket list.” | WaPO
The great friendship divide: kids. | The Cut
Abroad with a ghost in a bedroom in Brazil. | Off Assignment
Nature called—ahem, texted—and this non-camper answered. | Uncommon Path
The next generation of NYC’s Chinatown. | T Magazine
One woman’s devastating childhood in a crack house. | The Atlantic

Watchable

We’re coming back into peak movie season and All of Us Strangers starring Paul Mescal, Andrew Scott, Jamie Bell, and Claire Foy (hello all-star cast!) looks haunting and beautiful and mysterious and all the adjectives.

“Sweet Dreams” was my favorite song as a kid. I had it on 45 (!) and then stupidly sold that 45 at a garage sale, which I have (clearly) still not gotten over. Seeing the fierce-looking, 68-year-old Annie Lennox perform this during Vogue World (a newish Fashion Week event whose purpose still perplexes me) gave me chills. Good chills, as opposed to the awkward chills I got watching Naomi, Cindy, Linda, and Christy come out together at the same event to promote their new docu-series The Super Models, which debuted Wednesday on AppleTV+. (Anyone catch Naomi throwing shade in the actual shade as the curtain seemed to not open as wide for her? Ouch.)

Currently Overthinking…

…restaurant reservations…Airbnb bookings and travel plans…

Souvenir: the Bubble Skirt

Yesterday marked 32 years since I “became a Bat Mitzvah,” so I found some old photos of me at the bimah, which reminded of the ’90s fashion trend I wore that day: the Bubble Skirt. Every girl on the South Shore of Long Island getting BM’d between the years 1991 and 1993 had one in some form. I was also desperate for a sweetheart neck, but my Mom was pretty steadfast on my not showing a bare neck along with the boobs I didn’t really have yet. As a result, my dress, which I found in a Washington D.C. Nordstrom while shopping with my Mom and her very fashionable best friend, was different from other girls.’ Of course, I was not happy about this at the time, but I thankfully grew to love it before my big day—including (especially!) the fact that it was unique. Even now, looking back, I love the very Working Girl-esque pencil skirt under the assymetrical bubble and, of course, the puffy sleeves. My diffused, helmet head-like hairstyle, however, is another story. What’s your fave ’90s fashion trend?