I think I got into tarot because it was fun! And that brought me back to you, who I had been a huge fan of back in the Cup of Jo days. And now your newsletter is fun. Reading it while listening to the rain instead of cleaning the kitchen or unpacking from vacation. Shopping local is fun. Becoming a regular in the bookstores and coffee shops and refillable stores in my town. Lifting heavy is fun. Puppy play dates. I’d love to hear what others find fun too. What a great topic.
Ages ago, I went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and was told that otters don't do anything that isn't fun. From that moment forward, I decided to otter-fy my life. Sure, we all have to do things that aren't fun, categorically. But we can have fun before and after. I'll still try to force some in during. A dark, dry sense of humor comes in handy in that regard. So does swearing. Stringing together a lyrical line of swear words is never not fun. I sometimes even surprise myself. xo
Oh? I love this! I knew I already loved otters for their floating and hand holding and overall adorableness (do I watch otter videos? Yes I do.) but this takes it to a whole ‘nother level. I’m going to keep this in mind and follow your lead in otterfying my days.
Great newsletter and topic. I think we overthink it all too much and that may come from the way we try too much these days to measure everything. I read someone talking about this that they were trying to optimise “wellness” by dutifully getting the exact amount of sleep, types of food, downtime etc but it was when they moved countries and saw people just chilling out living their lives without trying so hard they saw the problem. They needed to stop trying so hard and optimising it all. Give up! Just do stuff you like. Try out new stuff and it’s ok to have fun. Don’t worry so much. I guess that’s what the true fun not true fun is about. Also stopping comparing one person’s fun to your own got to be a killer of fun. Even fun activities that turn out to be disastrous can be fun (this happened last night when my daughter and I went to see a magician and it was so bad it was great and more fun than if it had been good!).
After reading this, rather than open up my NYT Morning newsletter (titled "Migration woes"... most certainly NOT fun), I took a walk in the sunrise with Jungle in my earbuds. To make it EXTRA FUN, I played this game my friend told me about where you pick a color and photograph anything you see in that color to make a collage. Granted it requires a phone, but for a good cause. Thanks for getting me out of my typical morning routine!
Yes!! This brings me great joy to hear. And thank you for sharing the parameters of the photograph-in-a-color-scheme game. Going to add that to a walk this week (with the phone on do not disturb, to be safe).
My almost 5-year old son is a fun master. The work of this phase of my life is letting him teach me. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say… inspiring me to unlearn and let go of the things that have gotten in the way of what I have always known.
Love this post. As a way-too-serious adult I often puzzle about how to have fun. I am currently in a season of burn out & I suddenly have no choice! Follow the joy is my new mantra. Doodling / mark making / collaging & playing with the dog are my top kinds of fun. Does picking & arranging flowers count as fun? It is certainly joyful. I’m gonna look at that book you recommend…
Re-read this essay today for the second time and it really hits home. Loved it and can fully relate as I constantly ponder how fun should be defined this summer. Well done as always! 👏
I loved this, Caroline. Actually been thinking a lot about this same topic for a while too; I have more to say but it’s late and I want to gather my thoughts — more later!
I think I got into tarot because it was fun! And that brought me back to you, who I had been a huge fan of back in the Cup of Jo days. And now your newsletter is fun. Reading it while listening to the rain instead of cleaning the kitchen or unpacking from vacation. Shopping local is fun. Becoming a regular in the bookstores and coffee shops and refillable stores in my town. Lifting heavy is fun. Puppy play dates. I’d love to hear what others find fun too. What a great topic.
Ages ago, I went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and was told that otters don't do anything that isn't fun. From that moment forward, I decided to otter-fy my life. Sure, we all have to do things that aren't fun, categorically. But we can have fun before and after. I'll still try to force some in during. A dark, dry sense of humor comes in handy in that regard. So does swearing. Stringing together a lyrical line of swear words is never not fun. I sometimes even surprise myself. xo
Oh? I love this! I knew I already loved otters for their floating and hand holding and overall adorableness (do I watch otter videos? Yes I do.) but this takes it to a whole ‘nother level. I’m going to keep this in mind and follow your lead in otterfying my days.
Great newsletter and topic. I think we overthink it all too much and that may come from the way we try too much these days to measure everything. I read someone talking about this that they were trying to optimise “wellness” by dutifully getting the exact amount of sleep, types of food, downtime etc but it was when they moved countries and saw people just chilling out living their lives without trying so hard they saw the problem. They needed to stop trying so hard and optimising it all. Give up! Just do stuff you like. Try out new stuff and it’s ok to have fun. Don’t worry so much. I guess that’s what the true fun not true fun is about. Also stopping comparing one person’s fun to your own got to be a killer of fun. Even fun activities that turn out to be disastrous can be fun (this happened last night when my daughter and I went to see a magician and it was so bad it was great and more fun than if it had been good!).
Otter-fy! Yes!
After reading this, rather than open up my NYT Morning newsletter (titled "Migration woes"... most certainly NOT fun), I took a walk in the sunrise with Jungle in my earbuds. To make it EXTRA FUN, I played this game my friend told me about where you pick a color and photograph anything you see in that color to make a collage. Granted it requires a phone, but for a good cause. Thanks for getting me out of my typical morning routine!
Yes!! This brings me great joy to hear. And thank you for sharing the parameters of the photograph-in-a-color-scheme game. Going to add that to a walk this week (with the phone on do not disturb, to be safe).
Sweet! It’s quite visually satisfying to them see them all in your camera roll!
My almost 5-year old son is a fun master. The work of this phase of my life is letting him teach me. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say… inspiring me to unlearn and let go of the things that have gotten in the way of what I have always known.
You just helped me realize that I should bow out of groups and activities that are decidedly not fun - for my health!! 🥸❤️
For sure! It’s for your health, after all. 🙃
Love this post. As a way-too-serious adult I often puzzle about how to have fun. I am currently in a season of burn out & I suddenly have no choice! Follow the joy is my new mantra. Doodling / mark making / collaging & playing with the dog are my top kinds of fun. Does picking & arranging flowers count as fun? It is certainly joyful. I’m gonna look at that book you recommend…
Re-read this essay today for the second time and it really hits home. Loved it and can fully relate as I constantly ponder how fun should be defined this summer. Well done as always! 👏
Thank you so much. 🩷
I loved this, Caroline. Actually been thinking a lot about this same topic for a while too; I have more to say but it’s late and I want to gather my thoughts — more later!
It seems we are often aligned in our reflections and I love that. :)