Honest question – do you believe in the whole Mercury in Retrograde mumbo jumbo?
I used to think it was bull. Â These days, I fear the wrath of the retrograde whenever it rears its ugly head. Â If anything, it gives me something to blame my inability to focus, be inspired, and get things done with my usual cheer.
This sluggish feeling aside, I’m genuinely loving this week.  An Eagles win on Sunday sets my mood for the week. A blowout win? I’m pretty pumped on Monday.  Feeling the baby kick for the first time DURING said Eagles game (and right after a touchdown, no less)?  Elated is an understatement.
Exciting things on deck this week – a dinner with Viviana and Lindsay, this day-long nerdfest all about the brain, and seeing my mom after 3 looooong months. I’ve missed her.  And her cooking.  Mostly her.  Can’t wait to give her a huge hug.
- Jen Rubio made her name in the fashion world (Warby Parker, AllSaints). Â Her newest job may surprise you.
- Since our high school days in Colorado, Rachel and I have been criss-crossing the country, always on opposite sides.  She’s now settled in Seattle with her husband, baby girl, a house, and finally a blog.  Her post on going back to work after having her daughter is so poignant.  While things may change (marriage, kids, home ownership), some things stay the same.  Rachel remains one of the most talented writers I know personally.
- The busy trap.  While I’ve done a fair job of not complaining about how busy I am, I do find myself bogged down in tactical work versus strategic, meaningful work.  If anyone has tips on how to make the shift from busy work to meaningful work, PLEASE share it!
- Jet Set Candy is a jewelry brand that seems tailor-made for me – high quality, beautifully designed, and features my favorite destinations.  They’re having a trunk show at Bloomingdale’s in NYC from Thursday-Sunday, if you’d like to see the pieces in person.  I’ve started a charm bracelet with luggage tag charms of international destinations my husband and I have traveled together.
- Talking about the high cost of cancer care in this country gets me ragey.  Scary ragey.  Drugs, while not the entire culprit, are a huge factor in the total care cost. While normally this topic leaves me feeling helpless, this 60 Minutes piece profiled several oncologists speaking out against drug costs. Burdening patients who have battled this disease with six figure debt is just WRONG.  And it has to change.
- That gorgeous picture up top?  It’s from the newly launched Rose & Ivy, a new quarterly journal that’s all kinds of inspiring and beautiful.  Big thanks to Victoria for sharing the story of the journal and its founder Alison Dulaney.