5 Quick Things #250 👑

distant friends, Alaskan ferries, surprising converts, & the end of an era

Hey there,

Like many of you, I’ve been on an All Things The Queen deep-dive ever since my friend and teaching colleague passed me in the hallway yesterday morning with a somber, “Did you hear? The Queen’s on watch…” While I’m not necessarily a Royal Family fanatic, I am a certified Anglophile, and I can appreciate the role that historical tradition has played on the island I love. To me, she represents an era of class and tradition we just don’t see much else these days.

If you think of how much the world has changed since her coronation, especially regarding the British Empire at large… Golly-day, she’s seen a lot. Sure, it wasn’t perfect and still isn’t, but she seemed like a genuinely hardworking, kindhearted person who loved both her family and her country.

Requiescat in pace, Lilibet.

11-year-old Elizabeth, already perfecting the wave. #

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5 Quick Things ☕️

1. I enjoyed scrolling through these pictures of Elizabeth’s life while listening to this tribute.

2.  Bishop Barron’s interview with Shia LeBeouf was fascinating. I don’t keep up with Hollywood-esque type news in the slightest, but the recent news of his conversion to Catholicism truly piqued my interest. This commenter said it well: “Harsh judgement is what I dislike most in other people, yet it's what led me to this interview: to watch Shia put on a show or try out a new PR stunt. I'd like to apologize for my own presumptuousness and small-mindedness. God deflated my ego when I watched Shia engage so openly and straightforwardly, and so humbly admit to his own humanness and wrongdoing and the hurt he's caused. Not only are his answers beautiful and compelling, but his sincerity is scathing to my senses because they were not prepared for it.”

3. Why your self-care hasn’t cured your burnout — this idea makes some sense, I think.

4. Alaska is high on my bucket list and remains one of Kyle’s favorite places, so I loved reading this man’s experience of opting for a basic 19-hour ferry journey instead of a behemoth cruiseline which takes the same route.

5. And finally, I needed this thorough, tough-minded but kind-hearted conversation on long-distance friendships — I’m processing something similar and it hit home. “When you have close friends, rejoice. When your friends leave, embody hospitality for those who’ve never had close friends.”

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Currently Reading, Watching, Listening 📚

• Backyard Chickens: Beyond the Basics (as we prep to add more to our current aging flock!)

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Quotable 💬

“As long as you live, keep learning how to live.”

— Seneca #

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More From Clementine 🍊

For you paying subscribers, this week I shared more from the novel I’m writing — as I said in the excerpt, it may or may not make it into the final draft, but it was enjoyable to write!

The Bakery

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The Best Dessert? 🍨

The more I ask these questions of you, the more I think either my readership demographic is super spot-on, or it turns out I’m pretty basic after all. Because I think my track record for agreeing with y’all’s top choice is 100% so far.

Find this week’s poll here.

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Quick Links 🔗

• Create your own Rule of Life

• Subscribe to A Drink With a Friend

• Become a paying subscriber of The Commonplace (and thank you!)

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Question(s) For You to Ponder… 🤔

Are you taking life too seriously right now? How could you add a bit more play to your repertoire?

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Have a good weekend,

Tsh

p.s. An eighth-grade final exam from 1895. 🤯

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A friendly reminder we’re currently dropping episodes every other week!