I fell off a cruise ship, but I'm back. Took a hard, hard, violent fall. Kind of pinballed down. Hit a lot of railings, broke a lot of shit. I'm not going to say I survived, I'm going to say I thrived. I met a dolphin down there. And I swear to God, that dolphin looked not at me, but into my soul, into my goddamn soul, Annie. And he said, "I'm saving you, Megan." Not with his mouth, but he said it, I'm assuming, telepathically.
Megan from Bridesmaids
Hey Friends,
I want to take a second to thank everyone who offered condolences, extra love, and support these past couple/few weeks. Between saying goodbye to Sampson, flying out to Oregon to celebrate the life of Hayley, and some other personal things going on, life has felt a bit heavy recently.
And amidst it all, I feel more gratitude than ever before. For the way things surprisingly worked out in my favor, the blessings and lessons buried in the challenges, and, most of all, my community.
If you’re reading this, I mean you. Even if we don’t know each other, I truly appreciate you taking the time to read this newsletter. Time and attention are our most precious resources, and I’m honored to have you spend some of yours with me.
So, thank you.
Because the past few weeks have been so intense, I thought I’d lighten things up a bit. Laughter is truly the best medicine, and Melissa McCarthy never fails to deliver.
On one of several flights across the country last week, I decided to treat myself to a re-watch of Bridesmaids — a movie I’ve been craving recently, and can’t convince Jason to sit through. The movie had plenty of LOL moments, but it was really Melissa McCarthy’s character, Megan, who amazed the pants offa me.
From her suggestion for a Fight Club-themed bachelorette party to the adoption of nine puppies, I couldn’t help but see reflections of myself in her awkwardly authentic personality.
But, really, it was the “Pity Party” scene that stuck with me. I’ll share it here, just in case you need a reminder. Even if you don’t, it’s totally worth watching:
Three Things I Love
Bookshop.org is a place you can order books online and support independent bookstores. Check it out! I’m obsessed.
Speaking of books, I finished Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult on another one of my flights last week. It’s set in the heart of Covid lockdown, so might be too real for some people, but I loved it! Read my review(ish) on another Picoult novel, The Book of Two Ways, here.
I made a new playlist called Keep Ya Head Up, and yes, it features 2Pac. It’s short and sweet, so please enjoy!
Thanks so much for reading!
XoLauren
PS - Friendly reminder that I’m still offering complimentary 3-card tarot readings for Hayley’s friends and family via Marco Polo. Please email l.steinheimer@gmail.com to set something up. I’m also offering these 3-card readings to all action potential readers (including people who’ve already gotten a free reading) for $21.
PSS - If you enjoyed this post, you can buy me a coffee or become a paid subscriber to support my work. Thank you! I appreciate you!