I live on a sort of trendy mountain just north of New York City. It’s a wild collection of granola-ish artsy types who feel like they have to be within reach of the city while still being full-on mountaineers. Log cabins and weed farms abound up here. It’s Bob Dylan’s scene to the fullest (really, I live just down the road from his famed land). You get the vibe.
Anyway, I started hearing from all the local moms that they’re cold plunging at one of the lakes in town. Seriously, every morning—rain/snow or shine—these women, mostly in their 30s, strip down to nada to jump in the icy lake together. If you haven’t already heard about cold plunging being a big ole’ health trend, you can read about it here.
You’d think bathing suits would be the norm for a group of 80+ gals spanning most walks of life, but for whatever reason—the townsfolk are dipping sans suits. Nada. And I mean it’s basically the whole town. Teachers, PTA presidents, store managers, finance execs, authors, musicians, stay at home moms—you name it.
So here are my questions for you:
Should I do it? Take the plunge? I hardly even take cold showers.
Should I document it? (sorry, no graphic pics)
Are y’all doing this in your towns, too?
Smile inducing:
Woman wins $175k from lotto ticket she got at her company’s gift exchange
USDA just approved a vaccine for honeybees! Crops rejoice!
Cat sanctuary helps cats and seniors find cuddly companions
Neuroscientists have created a device for the blind that allows them to “see” using electrical pulses on the tongue. Light is turned into pulses that eventually can be interpreted as vision by the brain.
Eye-opening:
Science says: countries with more butter have happier citizens (I mean, I could’ve told you that but okay)
Actually, wristwatches were just for women. Men only started wearing them later.
This surprising European country makes twice as many whiskies as Scotland
The FTC says you should be able to work anywhere you wanna work, and open a biz anywhere you wanna open a biz
You have to pay taxes, drug dealers (and thieves). The IRS has specific tax codes requiring you to report money earned from selling illegal drugs, taking illegal bribes and the fair market value of anything you stole as taxable income. So put that in your taxable pipe (and please don’t smoke it, it’s not healthy).
What I’m loving right now:
These instant decaf coffees (yes, really—going slightly lower caf in the afternoons) and this $2 box of herbal tea because it really doesn’t need any honey or sweetener added to it.
Under-bed storage containers on wheels. $17 and extra good. Shipping is fast and free.
Free Retin-A: You think I’m kidding? I’m not. I love this site because you can get your Retin-A for free if you have insurance or for only $30 if you’re uninsured/don’t have full rx coverage. You know what this means, right? Legit, super-powered derm-quality stuff is cheaper than Target skincare. Do your thang, thank me by telling your friends to subscribe so I can share the rest of these bonkers secrets.
Chirp Wheel+ 3-Pack: If you have any type of back pain or stress, these weird wheels are sort of like having a chiropractor in your own home. So. Much. Cracking.
These very-cute Boho monogrammed coffee mugs from Anthropologie. Annnnnd they’re $10 each, so pretty hard to resist.
If you’re already on the hunt, I started to compile this list of Amazon Valentine’s Day gifts under $50. Chock fulla goodies—some that you suggested!
Sales I’m shopping right now:
Halara: Just about everything is cheaper than ever right now from this TikTok-famous brand. Just about all the bestsellers are under $30, and shipping is free on orders of $49+. Personal opinion? The pants are *chef’s kiss* so good and extra stain resistant.
Kettlebells as cheap as $4 each. These’ll sell out fast, so hurry up. Free shipping
(which is wild because they’re heavy).
OMG!!!! The head-scratcher/massager thing is back in stock! And it’s on clearance for way below $1. It’ll probably sell out again. Get a million of them.
Orvis: If you’re even a little bit outdoorsy or active, you’ll be happy to know that almost everything is on sale at Orvis right now. I have this coat and I wear it every single night for my long-ass walks (which btw, are SO cleansing for the mind and spirit). While it’s not part of the clearance sale, there’s a 15% off code that the brand is offering—and you can totally use it on anything.
Musings/questions for you:
First, I want to thank Reyne, one of the earliest subscribers here and a real-life friend. For those of you who don’t yet know her, she’s one of the real experts on Antiques Roadshow (what a dream!). She sent me the new show-themed board game and I actually played it with my elderly neighbor over the break and LOVED it.
Can we talk lullabies? I was chatting with a good friend last night about the songs her grandmother sang to her as a little kid growing up in the deep south. The songs I heard fresher-off-the-boat Jewish family members were obviously much different. I’d love to highlight your cultures and upbringing with a collection of the songs and lullabies you were comforted by as children. Would you comment or email me with the name of the song (maybe a link to it or the lyrics) and the culture it came from? I’ll give you an example: Durme, Durme (in Ladino, a Judeo-Spanish dialect)
Definitely take the plunge. What a unique opportunity to connect with nature and the sisterhood of your region. Sounds like an awesome place to live in general.
I have a few comments so hold tight…
1) So glad it arrived. I had 3 packages from the post office that were stolen from the post office. True story.
2) Taking the plunge… that’s a big Hell No for me.
3) Watches were originally considered jewelry for ladies. It wasn’t until the war when pilots began strapping pocketwatches to their wrists (too hard to keep pulling out of their pockets when flying) did they become suitable for men to wear.
You heard it first here. 🤣❤️