issue #107 - the one about dopamine

Dopamine is a good thing.

It’s a brain chemical that’s released when we do something we enjoy - like reading, watching a favorite show, mindlessly scrolling Instagram.

Like all things, however, there is too much of a good thing. And in the case of too much dopamine, not allowing our brains to balance things out is causing us to feel more anxious and stressed.

This article (WSJ subscription required - my apologies!) has taken residence in my brain. A dopamine fast is exactly what I need right now, and I’m going to take it.

I’ll be turning over #5SmartReads and this newsletter to my incredible team of contributors for the next two weeks as I take a week off to reconnect with my family, record the audiobook of We’re Speaking (please pre-order if you haven’t yet!), and living my life without posting about it.

I’ll miss you. But I’m also very excited and grateful to be able to take this time. And if you need permission to do the same, I’m giving it you.

Who else gets irrationally excited about back to school season?

I do. And this was the case even when I didn’t have kids and was no longer in school.

There’s something about the beginning of September that feels like a fresh start. I love to get a new notebook and pens, tidy the main spaces in our home (my desk is next!), and will likely lie awake all night before Rho’s first day of first grade.

This energy has definitely flowed into our kitchen. We just did a massive kitchen reorganization - tidied every single cabinet and drawer, refreshed the spice drawer, and welcomed some new kitchen furniture (after my kids broke our table and barstools).

Every day in this season begins with such a sense of possibility. By 4 pm, I’m wiped and my family is getting hangry.

That’s when Blue Apron comes to the rescue.

Every meal is satisfying and easy to prepare. The menu is huge (40+ options every week!), and we only repeat meals that we truly love, like the roasted red pepper pasta or the spicy zucchini quesadillas. Blue Apron creates recipes that require minimal dishes - I usually just need a large skillet and a roasting tray.

The Blue Apron app makes things even easier. I can reserve and modify my meals in seconds, easily edit the delivery date if we’re traveling, and find the recipes from previous orders when my recipe cards have gone missing.

For as much hope and newness fall brings, the chaos of dinner remains the same. Blue Apron brings some much-needed calm - and deliciousness - to this chaos. I, for one, couldn’t survive dinner without them.

Blue Apron is running an incredible offer right now! You can get up to 16 free meals across your first 5 boxes if you sign up for a new account!

This inclusion is sponsored by Blue Apron. Thank you for supporting the partnerships that make my life better. I hope they do the same for you.

What I read this week

• Fitness Junkie by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza - it was a security blanket book kind of week, and this book is one of my all time favorites. Sykes and Piazza’s characters are the perfect balance of relatable and exceptional, and this book tackles the fitness industry with such sharp wit and well-designed mockery.

• The Knockoff by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza - what I said above rings true for this book - just replace fitness with fashion and tech and you have an absolutely addictive book.

The Top 5

1. Nikki Ogunnaike Wants You to Unfollow Anyone Who Doesn’t Bring You Joy (The Cut)

2. As Brands Reach For Diverse Customers, McDonald's Launches A Saweetie Celebrity Meal (NPR)

3. The college dorm shopping industrial complex is real (Vox)

4. Joshua Jackson On His Two Proposals & Playing The Anti-Pacey (Refinery29)

5. August 18, 2021 (Heather Cox Richardson)

The Catch Up

Monday

• Will the foreign policy failures in Haiti and Afghanistan mark the end of foreign aid? (Tampa Bay Times)

• Life in Chains: Finding Home at Taco Bell (Eater)

• How Simu Liu Went From Struggling Actor to Marvel Superhero (Los Angeles Magazine)

• At War With The Truth (Washington Post)

Tuesday

• Nobody's running Lebanon, central bank boss says (Reuters)

• Companies aren’t ready for the end of Libor (Axios)

• What are meme stocks and how do they work? (Public)

• Food assistance program to get permanent boost under Biden administration (NBC News)

Wednesday

• I Was Deeply Involved in War in Afghanistan for More Than a Decade. Here's What We Must Learn (TIME)

• Dead white man’s clothes (ABC Australia)

• Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek’s Lt. Uhura, faces heartbreaking conservatorship fight (AL.com, originally published in LA Times)

• American Education Is Founded on White Race Theory (The New Republic)

Thursday

• The Parameters of Peloton Celebrity (Culture Study)

• Saturn’s insides are sloshing around (MIT Technology Review)

• The ethics of vaccine booster shots (Axios)

• The Weaponization of Nostalgia: How Afghan Miniskirts Became the Latest Salvo in the War on Terror (Ajam Media Collective)

Friday

• The Private World Of Camila Cabello (Bustle)

• Building like it's 2007 (Axios)

• How “The Real Housewives” Got Political (BuzzFeed News)

• Mystery of the wheelie suitcase: how gender stereotypes held back the history of invention (The Guardian)

Things I love this week

• Equilibria launched their new gummies, and they are INCREDIBLE. They taste delicious and unlike the softgels, are completely vegan. In honor of the launch, my code HITHA is applicable for both new and existing customers for 15% off your order. If you’re new to CBD, the S.O.S. kit is a great place to start. If you’d like to learn more about CBD and Equilibria’s products in particular, this video answers the most commonly asked questions. Please consult with your physician before starting any new supplements.

• I bought nearly everything Kelly recommended for our road trip to Rhode Island, along with refreshing our stock of emesis bags. Fingers crossed the drive is uneventful, quiet, and with minimal vomit.

• As for myself, I’ve packed a few colors of my favorite Summersalt swimsuit, some Aerie sets, kaftans from Nesara, and this new tote from Ariel Okin and Neely & Chloe’s collaboration. (Both Summersalt and Neely & Chloe gifted me these items).

Take care of yourself, and please share #5SmartReads if you’re enjoying them!