5 Quick Things, #116

The Berlin Wall, Advent sanity, & that time when JK Rowling owned...

Hey there!

Phew… Has the flu and/or other delightful maladies infiltrated every nook and cranny of your places of education, worship, and neighborhood as well? 🙋‍♀️ This week we had a sick kiddo (and I’m not 100% at peak health, either), thanks to being part of her theater production cast last week where the flu ran rampant. Thankfully it waited until the show ended, but it’s so intense we’re now calling it the Wonka Plague. Good times. 😷At least I’ve got this to keep me company.

(On another note: I’m sending this latest issue of 5QT from Substack, as a test to see if I like using it. I already use it for my insider community, but I love that they allow you to also send emails for free. I want 5QT to remain free, so this seems like a win-win! I’ll keep you posted.)

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5 Quick Things ☕️

1. This week I got to share some fun news, as well as give you a free little thing!

2. Tips for introverts about how to love the holiday season. Yes, please and thank you.

3. In today’s podcast episode, Andrea & I talk about our Advent + holiday mindsets, and how they’re key to making this a season we love.

4. This little story is so fantastic, especially the very end (thanks to Janette, who shared it in the community).

5. I can’t believe it’s been 30 years already (I remember watching the news in middle school) — this is a beautiful tribute.

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Quotable 💬

“There’s a lot of beauty in ordinary things. Isn’t that kind of the point?”

– Pam Beesly, The Office

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Time Machine ⏰

A year ago, Laura shared how motherhood changed her reading life for the better.

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Have a great weekend!

xo, Tsh

p.s. 5 Quick Things will be free for as long as I can help it — the plan is forever! But if you’d like a little more from me — a weekly chat thread where you can ask me anything, occasional longer-form essays, monthly episodes of my secret podcast, and more — consider becoming part of the community, Books & Crannies. It’s only a few dollars per month, and in doing so, you’re helping good work happen (such as 5 Quick Things):

Vote with your spare change the kind of internet you’d like to see more of! And thank you so much in advance — I’m grateful for you.

p.p.s. This was a complete delight.