just the hits #1

a mid-summer check in

Hello, old friend.

I’ll spare you the platitudes of my hiatus (you can read about them below), and will just jump into a quick summer update.

hi.

We’ve been in Bucks County for a few weeks now, after a family vacation to Vancouver and many trips between NY and PA to get the new home ready.

I overestimated how much time it would take to unpack and get the house ready, and underestimated how long it would take for us to feel settled (still a work in progress).

But I love it. I love this freedom for my kids and that they’re spending most of the day outside. I love working from our patio. I love the impromptu aperativo hour my father and I have every night, nibbling on some nuts and snacks while sipping our drinks (sometimes a glass of wine, most days a seltzer or a non-alc spritz).

Now that things feel more settled, I want to savor these last slow weeks. I want to go for long walks in the nearby state park. I want to start my Saturdays with a stroll through the farmer’s market, stocking up on produce for the week and enjoying the best breakfast burrito I’ve ever had. I want to get sucked into a novel for hours while listening to the wind rustle through the leaves.

I just want to be. And I want to bring this energy into fall (instead of choosing chaos, as I normally do).

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You’re Safe Here

by

Leslie Stephens

While I finished this book 2 months ago, I find myself thinking about it regularly. The book follows the lives of 3 women in a dystopian future where the majority lack basic dignities for life, and the rare few live on a privileged, protected campus in service of a corporation that’s all but taken over the world. The book explores what it means to be human, and the responsibility (or abdication of responsibility) we have for each other, at the personal level and as a species as a whole. I flew through this book, though I should’ve read it more slowly to give myself some space to reflect on its messages and these characters a bit more.

You can find my 2024 reads here, and my July reads here.

Thermacell Mosquito Repelling Device ($49)

This little machine has been my summer GOAT. My arms and legs are normally a mountain range of mosquito bites in the summer, but this device truly repels them and lets me spend hours outside, whether I’m working from the patio or playing lawn games with the kids. I’ll be bringing it to outdoor play dates in the city and when we travel to India this winter.

Find all my Amazon favorites here.

‘We’re Living in a Nightmare:’ Inside the Health Crisis of a Texas Bitcoin Town

published in TIME

I have my own reservations about cryptocurrency and concerns about the state of public health in this country. This article infuriated me and affirmed my views on both (the former needing common sense regulations, the latter needing more investment and stronger arguments in its favor).

I share smart & fun reads, cheap (and useful thrills), and outfits on Instagram, and random musings on Threads. If that’s your thing, please hang out with me over there!

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Sharing

Kamala Harris is rightfully dominating the headlines and completely changed the momentum and conversation about the presidential race. Here’s how I’m investing my time and energy over the next ninety-some days:

• writing postcards with my kids to voters in swing states with They See Blue

• raising money for the campaign, through personal appeals and hosting fundraisers (if you’re in New York on August 14th and would like to attend, please let me know!)

• canvassing in Pennsylvania with Indian American Impact.

• getting my book to anyone and everyone who needs it - now in paperback!

I also bought some shirts (for me and the kids) and a tote from my friend Laura’s new VOTE collection, which supports electing Democrats up and down the ticket.

Making

this needlepoint project, one stitch at a time.

Answering

• The one thing (well, things - we always have 4) we keep in our car.

• I’m not hyperbolic when I say these are the best pens ever (and this is the full-sized version of my daily planner. I prefer the pocket version, but it’s sold out until August)

• Our packing lifesaver for moving things to PA (and will be our lifesavers again when we head back to New York)

• This is my unexpected skincare hero item (and one I pack in bulk whenever I travel).

These are my most popular recommendations.

Reading

• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. I read a chapter on Sunday and work through the exercises over the week. Restarting morning pages has such a restorative way to start the day.

• I’m nearly finished two books that have lingered on my ‘currently reading’ list for months now:

  • Archangel’s Consort by Nalini Singh (book 3 in her Guild Hunter series) - if you love Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you will LOVE this series.

  • The Power Pause by Neha Ruch (out in January 2025) - I so wish I had this book when Rho was born, but I’m glad to have it as I plan a future pause in a couple of years to prioritize family life.

Trying

• to let things go and stop hyper-fixating on things out of my control.

• to write a novel. It’s been humbling, to say the least. Masterclass (especially Margaret Atwood’s) has been helpful - I watch them while getting ready, eating lunch, or when I’m taking a work break.

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May your drink be at the perfect temperature and that you feel the sun today.

And thank you for welcoming me in your inbox

All my love,
Hitha