📒June Notebook

A glucose gadget, how to keep going if you lose motivation, plus one fun summer purchase

Hey! Hi! I feel like a million bucks having made it to the other side of May. It seemed like a Very! Important! Event! was taking place twice a day, every day. By the 31st I felt burned out, cranky, and I’d completely lost my sense of humor. But this week, it feels like the madness has lifted. I also have a busy summer ahead, but for now things feel calm, and I have easy events marked in my calendar like: 6/15 Father’s Day: wings or ribs? and 6/20 summer solstice: go swimming at the beach, get ice cream after.

Thanks for the all the encouragement around last week’s Casual Viewing. I will take it to heart and may schedule a few weeks off this summer to build that series out a bit more. I love writing those and I’m happy that you enjoy reading them. Who knew how big of a nuisance Rebecca would turn out to be? Why is Stella so shady? You can read Casual Viewing -Volume 1 here.

This post that contains a portion for paid subscribers only. Because of that, I’m shifting the order of things. If you’re reading this via email, you may need to click through to Substack to read the whole thing. Xx, Jen

🪩WHATNOT

☀️ONE cool summer item I’d like to splurge on

💤SLEEP + some things I’ve been doing to improve mine; + I bought the Oura / Stelo Glucose Biosensor and have been wearing it for one week.

⛵What to do when MOTIVATION leaves, and you’re left with nothing but your own grit (or lack thereof)

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• I keep getting a sample of this cult classic cream when I make purchase at Sephora and my skin feels so lovely; I’m thisclose to buying it.

• I was influenced into buying a pack of these masks which the instructions say to wear for FOUR hours? I haven’t tried yet. Will report back.

• The original Birkin bag.

• I think these monogrammed desk notebooks are going to be my new “thanks for having us!” gift.

• Very easy summer dinner idea: Trader Joe’s Tortilla Española + some sliced chorizo or Jamón ibérico + thick slices of Pan con Tomate

• Dakota Johnson’s lie detector test. I love her even though she liked (and is staring in) the film adaptation of my least favorite book ever— Verity. yuck.

• Key breakup highlights including: You’re watching two people with balls the size of the moon debate an issue. This is what masculinity looks like. (Said seriously OMG)

• This roundtable discussion featuring Kathy Bates, Niecy Nash-Betts, Parker Posey, Keri Russell, Cristin Milioti and Helen Mirren is a delight.

• I suspected that the best Father’s Day gift guide would come from

  John Jannuzzi
  , and I was right. I love that it features an axe and a flipper clock.

Hello, Father's Day Gift Guide

• Is my one splurgy summer item a lime green bag, as per

  Becky Malinsky
  ? Strong contender.

Nothing A Little Green Bag Can't Fix

• You better believe I ordered this print issue immediately,

  Ali LaBelle
  .

I'm Declaring It a Sidewalk Café Summer

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☀️ONE COOL SUMMER SPLURGE

Living in South Florida, pretty much my entire closet is a summer closet. I know that buying boots or coats will get about 2-3 wears per year, and so I do not over-rotate on these items. But I DO overdo summer items, especially trends. So, in some ways this is ok. I shop for the (eternal summer) life I have, right?? But it can get a little off-kilter when I have the world’s greatest flip flop collection and it’s November, and I need to be sort of serious. This summer I want to choose ONE semi-silly, splurgy item that I can wear to death. Something that feels distinctly summer 2025, is a little thrilling, and can fade like a summer romance come September.

Kelly Williams

, is a summer hero item a thing? I think it’s a thing. Here are the seven(ish) contenders.

1. Very influenced by

   Emily Grady Dodge
   on this & Other Stories Fishnet Cord Tote bag. But maybe it’s this, by Alex Mill? Or this standby…

2. Also in the bag realm, also love this tote and it’s fun monogram colorways

3. Ulla Johnson short sleeve shacket it’s the double placket of gold buttons for me

4. This eyelet jacket that is probably out of my price range but I gasped at the sight of it. With jeans? A slinky black dress? Shorts? Everything? Send help.

5. Ancient Greek Red leather trimmed braided sandals. Oh boy. The red + brown combo, the half/half colorway (which I’ve actually never seen before?) the platform that is probably the perfectly flattering lift but not 90s mall Rocket Dog lift? Low whistle. They also have a bedazzled version.

6. Or maybe it’s not something wearable at all, but rather a giant inflatable floating hammock. Or perhaps I’ll cave and this will be the summer I buy Salomons

7. Egads! And then Meg Strachan /

   What I Put On Today (WIPOT).
   was wearing these on Instagram stories with a cherry red pedicure and, man; I just don’t know now.

   

   Exhibit A: via meganalidastrachan | 😵😍

SLEEP, HEALTH & A GLUCOSE GADGET

I recently got back some bloodwork that wasn’t bad per se, but it was a bit of a “yoo hoo, you’re getting a bit…old” type moment. My general wellness persona is pretty grounded. I love healthy foods and healthy habits like walking, water, meditation, etc. BUT I also love treats, pizza, Diet Coke and my cell phone. Soooo, my gentle nudge to myself is to try to string together more good days, and reduce the behaviors that probably aren’t doing my 56-year old self any favors.

Since I own an Oura ring and it’s helpful to have real-time metrics while I wait to get more bloodwork done in six months, I’ve really been buckling down on all the things that adults living in 2025 know they should do in order to take care of ourselves, including:

• Walking a lot. 10K steps minimum, 14K whenever possible. I have a treadmill, so I try to do a lot of incline work which feels pleasantly sweaty but not too intense.

• Weights. I am not a weight person. It’s not my thing. I’m trying to push myself to take Rebecca Kennedy’s classes on Peloton at least 3x per week. It makes a difference. I feel weirdly better, lighter, and more comfortable in my body when I stick with it.

• Sleep hygiene: I’ve stopped looking at my phone (or at least minimizing it) by 8pm. I actually love a version of the TikTok famous “sleepy girl” cocktail which for me is just tart cherry juice that (2oz) that I mix with soda water at dinner. I take four magnesium glycinate capsules before bed. I also try to eat really lightly at dinner because…

• I got a Glucose Biosensor, which I LOVE. If you have an Oura ring, it integrates with the Oura app. If you don’t have an Oura, you can still buy a Stelo biosensor for the same price: $99 (this is for two monitors that last for 15 days each). I don’t plan to wear one indefinitely, and I hope that 30 days is about long enough for me to learn how different foods and behaviors impact me.

  Here’s what I’ve learned: