On a High Note Vol 37

Happy Tuesday that feels like Monday! (Love when that happens!) If you missed it over on IG, we (Jess and Neal!) drove to Florida over the weekend to escape the brutal winter and will be here for the next three weeks at our AirBnB in Ft. Lauderdale. (Being extremely cautious and adhering to CDC guidelines and social distancing of course! We’ll be spending the majority of our time in the backyard—see photo above!) I know SO MANY got hit with snow last night—I wish you could’ve all come in my suitcase 😭 I’m sending you sunshine through the phone and am planning to share lots of cheery content so you can feel like you’re here in spirit!

Let’s jump into today’s post! Grab your cup of coffee and dive into On a High Note: Our weekly roundup series full of inspiring, interesting, fun and/or helpful snippets and ideas to try, read, make, cook, drink, do, shop, and so on! Here are our favorite highlights to check out this week!

Start this week on a high note:

Read ...

A love story: The type of love that makes people happiest

“Let’s keep the love going post-Valentine’s Day shall we? I loved this love story via the Atlantic. The author shares how he met his wife of 30+ years (he met her while visiting Spain and neither of them spoke the other’s language- sounds like a rom-com doesn’t it?) He goes on to explain passionate love and companionate love — a love based less on passionate highs and lows and more on stable affection, mutual understanding, and commitment. It’s both a sweet and fascinating read:

‘Being rooted in friendship is the reason that companionate love creates true happiness. Passionate love, which relies on attraction, does not typically last beyond the novelty of the relationship. Companionate love relies on its very familiarity. As one researcher bluntly summarizes the evidence in the Journal of Happiness Studies, “The well-being benefits of marriage are much greater for those who also regard their spouse as their best friend.”” — Kendall

Clean...

PUR Home products!

“I am always looking for good non-toxic cleaning products, and my latest favorite brand is PUR home! They are a small, Black-owned brand that creates SO many great natural (and amazing-smelling) and sustainable home products–from kitchen to bathroom to laundry, all-purpose cleaners and more.

So far I’ve used their laundry detergent and dish soap. I love the light lavender grapefruit and rosemary citrus scents! I also got their All in One Concentrate (you can dilute it accordingly and use it on EVERYTHING–from surfaces to dishes to laundry!) but I haven’t used it yet so stay tuned for feedback on that. Tip: Their lead time is a little longer (they’re a small business!) but worth the wait–and you can subscribe, too!” — Jess

Create...

Art for your home

Art by Jill Elliot via Wit & Delight

“When I was in college, one of my roommates would create the most stunning art for our apartment all the time. I tried to paint with her a few times, and while mine never turned out at all, I always enjoyed the process. — sipping wine, chatting, and doing something creative and out of my comfort zone. When I saw this article walking me through a step-by-step process for creating large, display-worthy pieces of art, I was inspired to try painting again. Also, the artist/author’s pep talk at the beginning is really encouraging! She walks you through everything you need, and exactly how to go about creating art for your home. If you’re looking for something creative to do, have trouble committing to art for your home and/or you have lots of bare wall space you’d like filled, consider giving this a try too!” — Kendall

Lounge...

These seamless Amazon crop tank/lounge bras

“I recently ordered these seamless sports bra/crops on Shaheen’s recco and they are SO COMFY. I wear them under clothes as a bra, or as a top for a low impact workout and they are exactly what I was looking for! Multifunctional lounge AND workout bras=a quality quarantine buy in my book!” —Jess

Learn about ...

The rise of Anti-Asian hate crimes and how you can help

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A post shared by Dear Asian Youth (@dearasianyouth)

“I’m sure you all are aware of the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans. Recently, several hate crimes against Asian Americans seniors were reported in the Bay Area (and the horrific videos have been circulated in the media). Unfortunately, 3,000 Asian Americans nationwide have reported hate crimes since the beginning of the pandemic. This Huffington Post article explains what is happening, and what we can do to help.” — Kendall

Laugh ...

“Moderna Love” Essay on McSweeny’s Internet Tendencies

“God I love this website. The writing is so good, creative, always makes you laugh, and something about the very basic, simplistic (dare I say, outdated?) website design makes you feel like you’re reading an old-school blog from the “good old days” again. This “Moderna love” about two “essential workers” who met in the vaccination line gave me such a great laugh.” — Jess