Caroline, I can never meet you because you hold a God-like presence in my mind and no one should have to live up to that... But gah, I really loved this one. As someone who has very few artistic strengths, I am forever in awe of how one can create art out of the same every day words I use in conversation.
From reading you back in the Cup of Jo days, I was compelled to look you up. -- Who is this person who writes so beautifully? I needed to know. I am not a writer, I wish I was MORE of a reader, but your words have always touched me in a way that stands out. To know the struggle behind the beauty makes me feel like I somehow found our commonality.
You are so incredibly gifted with words. But you clearly still work at that gift. Thank you for continuing to put in the time.
Sharon! My goodness. What a flattering, thoughtful, truly meaningful comment. Thank you. I am so touched that you've been reading for all this time and honored that my words have mattered to you. (And fwiw, though you don't identify as a writer, you could've fooled me — you communicate so much here so beautifully and your voice shines through.) Thanks again for your support. It means the world to me. ❤️
One of my most favorite things about you (and I literally said this to a friend recently) is loving you as much in your humanity as I do for your gifted, gorgeous, truly poetic writing. Thank you for this peek further into that and for reminding us that we’re all “fumbling and stumbling.” The world is a much better place when it’s fumbly vs. enamored.
Keep ‘em coming, girl…it’s worth all the doubt and mess and teeth gnashing through ukulele practice. You always shine brightly through it all. 😘👏♥️
Thank you, my friend. One of my great joys of the past year has been getting to know you, as humans, beyond the screen! So grateful the internet gods conspired to bring us together.
Grateful for all the hard work that goes into these newsletters...ones I look forward to every week (no pressure! Lol) It takes a lot of effort to make it look effortless. I've always admired your writing style. Doesn't matter the topic. Somehow you make it all relatable and I think that's the true talent.
Thank you so much, Victoria. I am honored that you look forward to these. (and it's good pressure, really, because how grateful am I to have someone reading my writing?) It really means the world.
Omg...yes to all of this. Though I will add that I am astounded at the gorgeous, thoughtful, brilliant, funny, insightful, tender writing you produce in a day. Even if it's a long, gruesome, torturous day. Also: Gnocchi. And: Teddy. Love your family. xx
I also happen to be writing about the ideal-versus-reality of writing this week, which means that seeing your take on the subject was especially delightful! The biggest surprise: that you put the Sunday letter together in a single day. 🤯
Your behind-the-scenes reality is so relatable, and I couldn't stop laughing at the photos + Teddy commentary. *So* excellent. (And: OMG Gnocchi!!)
Gorgeous, truthful writing. I’ve said it before… I dearly love your words each week. Additionally, I love the “peaks around the corner” views of your check-in and snack process.
Thank you for putting in your efforts because the final products really are amazingly refreshing and interesting. I’m grateful I get to read your work 🙏
1. "It’s like driving with a GPS system that thinks it’s funny to withhold how much farther you have to go." Made me LOL then immediately feel anxious because that sounds like a nightmare. CAN YOU IMAGINE?!?!
2. "Across the apartment, Teddy is learning to play the ukulele. (“That only happened once. Maybe twice.”)" This was so sweet. I love that to you, Teddy's "screen" is casual Sunday ukulele playing.
3. The very chill process of a person who spends a great deal of time writing about mindfulness, intuition, and not caring what other people think: A Memoir by Caroline Cala Donofrio.
Really enjoyed reading this one :) :) I cannot believe you photograph the cards yourself? I guess I assumed that was outsourced to a professional photographer/stylist? I also have a quote to share that hit me when I was reading the beginning of this essay. I don't think this is the place your essay lands (and I enjoy the place it lands!) but I still thought you might appreciate the quote, especially when considering the person who preaches work-life balance but is glued to the computer, etc. It's by James Baldwin: "I have always been struck in America by an emotional poverty so bottomless, and a terror of human life, of human touch, so deep that virtually no American appears able to achieve any viable, organic connection between his public stance and his private life. This failure of the private life has always had the most devastating effect on American public conduct, and on black-white relations." --Again, I like The Point your essay arrived too, the messy humanity behind polished performances, the call for authenticity and also the necessity to being discerning about what personas we believe. And I also think Baldwin is getting at something important too. Maybe if we cultivated more of an organic connection between our public and private selves, that could be a path to a more peaceful, just society.
Hahaha, oh yes, not only do I photograph the cards myself, but the process is so incredibly unglamorous that now you have me thinking I should do a behind-the-scenes for that. I photograph the card on my nightstand. (To take advantage of the dark walls as a backdrop.) I move all the bedside stuff off of it, clean the inevitable dust bunnies from the week, photograph the card, and move it all back. I've thought about batch photographing them, but I really do pull a new card each week, and I like it that way, so the process remains!
And oh, I love that Baldwin quote. (as I love your love for Baldwin.) It feels more relevant than ever. Thank you so much for sharing.
Haha. For some reason it is so reassuring to discover someone who functions in a similar way and this makes me feel seen: "I’ve never scheduled a letter beforehand, and if the last few years are any indication, it’s possible that I never will. But tomorrow is a new day."
Also the writing about topics while being far from a poster child on them in our daily lives, this is so true (how many times have my friends sent me back to reading my own posts when I was spiraling into something -_-)
Omg loved this one! And such a good look behind the veiled curtain, if you will. I also thoroughly enjoyed the pictures of you checking in on Teddy. For some reason I think they may be staged (which is totally fine of course!) but thought it would be so fun if Teddy took cameo pics of you doing this in the future! Would be such a good compilation even if you never share it! You’re so right that the people saying / preaching one thing are often doing the opposite or struggling with that thing in private. Thank you for your originality and authenticity ❤️
In terms of seeking validation, I do this same thing with my husband - "is it ok?" "Are you sure?" "You're not just saying it?" I've literally just asked him if I should burn everything I've ever written because I hate it all the second it goes live. I think everyone with an artsy, angsty soul in them probably goes through this process, it's the price we pay for creative freedom 😅
Caroline, I can never meet you because you hold a God-like presence in my mind and no one should have to live up to that... But gah, I really loved this one. As someone who has very few artistic strengths, I am forever in awe of how one can create art out of the same every day words I use in conversation.
From reading you back in the Cup of Jo days, I was compelled to look you up. -- Who is this person who writes so beautifully? I needed to know. I am not a writer, I wish I was MORE of a reader, but your words have always touched me in a way that stands out. To know the struggle behind the beauty makes me feel like I somehow found our commonality.
You are so incredibly gifted with words. But you clearly still work at that gift. Thank you for continuing to put in the time.
Sharon! My goodness. What a flattering, thoughtful, truly meaningful comment. Thank you. I am so touched that you've been reading for all this time and honored that my words have mattered to you. (And fwiw, though you don't identify as a writer, you could've fooled me — you communicate so much here so beautifully and your voice shines through.) Thanks again for your support. It means the world to me. ❤️
What she said! ☝🏻☝🏻☝🏻
❤️
One of my most favorite things about you (and I literally said this to a friend recently) is loving you as much in your humanity as I do for your gifted, gorgeous, truly poetic writing. Thank you for this peek further into that and for reminding us that we’re all “fumbling and stumbling.” The world is a much better place when it’s fumbly vs. enamored.
Keep ‘em coming, girl…it’s worth all the doubt and mess and teeth gnashing through ukulele practice. You always shine brightly through it all. 😘👏♥️
Thank you, my friend. One of my great joys of the past year has been getting to know you, as humans, beyond the screen! So grateful the internet gods conspired to bring us together.
Grateful for all the hard work that goes into these newsletters...ones I look forward to every week (no pressure! Lol) It takes a lot of effort to make it look effortless. I've always admired your writing style. Doesn't matter the topic. Somehow you make it all relatable and I think that's the true talent.
Thank you so much, Victoria. I am honored that you look forward to these. (and it's good pressure, really, because how grateful am I to have someone reading my writing?) It really means the world.
Enjoyed the Teddy collab/perspective! And always enjoy your writing and Points!!
Thank you! So happy you enjoyed it!
Omg...yes to all of this. Though I will add that I am astounded at the gorgeous, thoughtful, brilliant, funny, insightful, tender writing you produce in a day. Even if it's a long, gruesome, torturous day. Also: Gnocchi. And: Teddy. Love your family. xx
Thank you, my dear Jane. We love you too. xx
Love this! I always feel inspired after reading your newsletters. Thanks for being so honest.
Thank you so much, Erin. That means a lot.
I also happen to be writing about the ideal-versus-reality of writing this week, which means that seeing your take on the subject was especially delightful! The biggest surprise: that you put the Sunday letter together in a single day. 🤯
Your behind-the-scenes reality is so relatable, and I couldn't stop laughing at the photos + Teddy commentary. *So* excellent. (And: OMG Gnocchi!!)
Gorgeous, truthful writing. I’ve said it before… I dearly love your words each week. Additionally, I love the “peaks around the corner” views of your check-in and snack process.
Thank you for this gift of energy and beauty.
P.S. I finally got a job!
Laurie! I was so excited to see this comment. Congrats on finding a job. I'm happy to hear it.
Thank you, as always, for your support and encouragement. It is very much appreciated.
"... society often demands a performance." I feel these words to the core.
Thank you for sharing this behind-the-scenes vignette.
Thank you. ❤️
Thank you for putting in your efforts because the final products really are amazingly refreshing and interesting. I’m grateful I get to read your work 🙏
Thank you, Joanna, for the kind words and for being a part of this community. I'm grateful to have you as a reader. ❤️
I loved this so much. IT'S SO REALISTIC.
1. "It’s like driving with a GPS system that thinks it’s funny to withhold how much farther you have to go." Made me LOL then immediately feel anxious because that sounds like a nightmare. CAN YOU IMAGINE?!?!
2. "Across the apartment, Teddy is learning to play the ukulele. (“That only happened once. Maybe twice.”)" This was so sweet. I love that to you, Teddy's "screen" is casual Sunday ukulele playing.
3. The very chill process of a person who spends a great deal of time writing about mindfulness, intuition, and not caring what other people think: A Memoir by Caroline Cala Donofrio.
Thank you! This made me LOL (as always). I'm so glad you enjoyed it. It is a wildly unglamorous time. But (for the most part) it works!
Really enjoyed reading this one :) :) I cannot believe you photograph the cards yourself? I guess I assumed that was outsourced to a professional photographer/stylist? I also have a quote to share that hit me when I was reading the beginning of this essay. I don't think this is the place your essay lands (and I enjoy the place it lands!) but I still thought you might appreciate the quote, especially when considering the person who preaches work-life balance but is glued to the computer, etc. It's by James Baldwin: "I have always been struck in America by an emotional poverty so bottomless, and a terror of human life, of human touch, so deep that virtually no American appears able to achieve any viable, organic connection between his public stance and his private life. This failure of the private life has always had the most devastating effect on American public conduct, and on black-white relations." --Again, I like The Point your essay arrived too, the messy humanity behind polished performances, the call for authenticity and also the necessity to being discerning about what personas we believe. And I also think Baldwin is getting at something important too. Maybe if we cultivated more of an organic connection between our public and private selves, that could be a path to a more peaceful, just society.
Hahaha, oh yes, not only do I photograph the cards myself, but the process is so incredibly unglamorous that now you have me thinking I should do a behind-the-scenes for that. I photograph the card on my nightstand. (To take advantage of the dark walls as a backdrop.) I move all the bedside stuff off of it, clean the inevitable dust bunnies from the week, photograph the card, and move it all back. I've thought about batch photographing them, but I really do pull a new card each week, and I like it that way, so the process remains!
And oh, I love that Baldwin quote. (as I love your love for Baldwin.) It feels more relevant than ever. Thank you so much for sharing.
Haha. For some reason it is so reassuring to discover someone who functions in a similar way and this makes me feel seen: "I’ve never scheduled a letter beforehand, and if the last few years are any indication, it’s possible that I never will. But tomorrow is a new day."
Also the writing about topics while being far from a poster child on them in our daily lives, this is so true (how many times have my friends sent me back to reading my own posts when I was spiraling into something -_-)
Thank you !
Omg loved this one! And such a good look behind the veiled curtain, if you will. I also thoroughly enjoyed the pictures of you checking in on Teddy. For some reason I think they may be staged (which is totally fine of course!) but thought it would be so fun if Teddy took cameo pics of you doing this in the future! Would be such a good compilation even if you never share it! You’re so right that the people saying / preaching one thing are often doing the opposite or struggling with that thing in private. Thank you for your originality and authenticity ❤️
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.
In terms of seeking validation, I do this same thing with my husband - "is it ok?" "Are you sure?" "You're not just saying it?" I've literally just asked him if I should burn everything I've ever written because I hate it all the second it goes live. I think everyone with an artsy, angsty soul in them probably goes through this process, it's the price we pay for creative freedom 😅
I, one million percent relate to your process!
And so funny too!
Thank you!!