Add to List - #68
Fundamentally, it is a marathon, and a sprint
Hello, thank you, and welcome. I love you for being here!
Add to List is my Sunday round-up. It’s the small things that brought me joy, evoked an emotional reaction, or became some short-lived stability in the past seven days.
Obsession
Marathons and sprints.
What is it in human nature which forces ourselves to do wonderful things? You only need to watch today’s marathon footage if you don’t believe me.
It’s not just the physical, though. Emotionally, creatively, intellectually — no matter how hard we attempt to switch-off off, lie dormant, check-out, our hearts and minds take over; we are wired to push ourselves to the depths of our souls.
I participated in a different type of marathon this weekend (actually, ironically, named a ‘sprint’). From Friday to Saturday, we time-hopped around the globe chasing 8ams for a 24 hour write-a-long with
. Numbers surging and declining as so many committed writers pushed through the busy, the quiet, and the in-between; crafting words in the liminal dusk, the bird-chirping daybreak, and sustaining their flow into the well-oiled hours of the day.
With a sea of special guest writers including:
, , , and — we were in inspirational company. Each special guest selected words of wisdom to send us on our way every hour.Daisy Buchanan (who is running the actual marathon today — legend alert) reminded us all about putting one foot in front of the other: allowing short bursts of energy to contribute to the bigger longer-term creative picture. Hearing her read the words below at a bleary-eyed 8am empowered me to finish this very Substack. Thank you Daisy and the whole LWS community for your uplifting, creative power! It was truly magical.
A couple of my favourites quotes from the sprint below:
“Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”
― EL Doctorow, chosen by Daisy Buchanan
"Growth is an erratic forward movement: two steps forward, one step back. Remember that and be very gentle with yourself. A creative recovery is a healing process. You are capable of great things on Tuesday, but on Wednesday you may slide backward. This is normal. Growth occurs in spurts. You will lie dormant sometimes. Do not be discouraged. Think of it as resting." — Julia Cameron, chosen by Amie McNee
“The link of playful play to creativity and hence to innovation in humans is strong. Considerable evidence suggests that coming up with new ideas requires a different mindset from usefully implementing a new idea.” ― Sir Patrick Bateson, chosen by Will Storr
Confession
A shameless plug of a timely archive post.
I’m going to plug a bit of my own writing here. Second week in a row, I know. Don’t @ me.
But over half of you are new here (Hello! Welcome! I am utterly grateful you decided to subscribe!) so as a special treat, I’m gifting you a topical read from my archive. If you read it last year and read it again? Well, I just love you even more.
We can all be heroes, just for one day
Marathon runners are legends. Absolute rock stars. Inspirational beings of wonder. I am in awe of them.
Shook
Did I mention I am easily moved by people doing cool things?
Dancing on Zoom to New York, New York with over 300 writers around the world as you chase down 8am in that very city? Pure. Joy.
Right now, as you’re reading this? I’m probably definitely weeping watching people’s personal stories behind The London Marathon.
Cook
Would you believe it? It’s…pasta..and…pizza.
I may not be running the marathon today yet I am carb-loading as if I am. I’m quickly turning into a tomato-drenched-carb-a-holic. Forgive me father, for I am (part) Italian, and now an Italian food writer. And while we’re on religious offerings if you missed last week’s seasonal post Easter traditions, I wrote a homily of my own to the Catholic tradition of giving up chocolate for Lent, here. (And RIP the Pope, btw , he was actually such a rockstar.)
So, onto this week’s food highlights! Team Pasta Grannies ran a live from 2Veneti on Wednesday. We chatted all things Veneto-region. They sourced some special seasonal ingredients: bruscandoli and white asparagus, and answered the important question: ‘Is it true the Venetian Italians are the biggest drinkers in Italy?’ (The answer was an unflinching, total lack-of-hesitation, YES.)
Their head chef Stefano let us into the heat of the kitchen as he rustled up gnocchi with the seasonal ingredients. Simple. Aromatic. Delicious.
And in case we weren’t stuffed right to the crust, on Friday we enjoyed a team lunch at Napoli on the Road, Richmond. Their signature pizza — Ricordi D’infanzia (childhood memories) — is made using pizzaiolo Michele’s nonna’s slow-cooked beef ragu, and drizzled with a 24-month aged Parmeggiano Reggiano fondue. It’s unique yet familiar. A rich flavour combination so homely and topped on a pillow of pure joy, you'll be left sad your childhood didn’t involve this. Luckily, you can hard-wire it into your adult life on the regular. Soft, fluffy, and with enough structure for the toppings, this is EXACTLY how Napoli pizza should be.
Book
Fundamentally, Nussaibah Younis.
Frank. Flirtatious. Funny. Fearless.
PUT THIS ONE AT THE TOP OF YOUR TBR PILE IMMEDIATELY.
That’s all I have to say about that.
Look
Leather jacks and brown socks.
This week’s instalment of the leather jacket diaries is brought to you by SoulCycle’s cry-and-whoop-in-a-room-full-of-strangers-endorphin-high.
And, on Tuesday, I hosted my first singles event with Bored of Dating Apps! It took shape as meet-cute at one of my favourite book nooks in London: BookBar. So, to add the writers & lovers character arc I continually craft for myself, I got dressed up into an outfit of boyish brogues, brown socks, and a tousled bow in my loosely-tied ponytail. I am basically Jo March.
You know you’re settling well into your 30s when a friend slides into your DMs to say: “Can I ask you an important question: where do you buy your socks? These look like really good socks.” Yep. They’re the best pair I own. We are living.
Okay, you’re desperate to know how the event went, aren’t you? You want the goss? Well, it was such a magical evening. Firstly, I met some efferverscent co-hosts including Nicole Ocran who writes the tender and astute,
.
And the event flow? Seamless. A bookshop meet cute removes the romantic pressure and adds to the magic of real-life connection. SO many people came with books to swap or discuss. People left with new friends, potential romantic connections, and — most importantly — a stack load of suggestions on what to read next. What’s not to love?
As for me? Well, you’ll just have to keep reading this newsletter…
p.s. we’re reading posing with some brilliant reads: Emily Henry’s new release: Great, Big, Beautiful Life. Plus, the modern classics: Starter for Ten & One Day by David Nicholls.
Can’t Stop Scanning
Ted Lasso content.
My office is just round the corner from that famous pub (the algorithmic GPS-lords are always listening). Now, I am being consistently fed with content about their resurrecting season 4. Loved this video from grouchy man with big heart, Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein).
Forward Planning
Hydrating, Sleeping. Moving.
I spent a lot of weekend in an office chair in front of a screen. I’ll be rectifying that with some swimming walking, running, and yoga this week. And, those marathon spectating tears aren’t going to replenish themselves.
Future newsletter request: please may we have a special socks guide? 🩷