The Sunday Digest 190
"But I should never think of spring for that would surely break my heart in two."
Welcome to The Sunday Digest — a free Sunday newsletter featuring long (and some short) reads, original columns, things I’ve saved over the last week, relaxing playlists, episodes releases, exclusive product drops, and more. Yes, you can reply to this email. I’d love to hear from you.
Sunday Read: The Health Benefits of Knitting
by Jane E. Brody for The New York Times (2016)
When I first started Sunday Scaries, it was more anti-establishment than anything. The dread of going to work, the distaste for corporate jargon, a general disgust for the corporate ladder. As the brand has evolved, so has the tone (or, at least, my mindset). Over the last year or so, the best phrase for this transition is one that I’ve sprinkled across our Instagram page and website: “In the pursuit of leisure.”
Work, for most of us, is an inescapable inevitability that feels frivolous to fret over. While this view is far more cynical than that of the 25-year-old who started Sunday Scaries in the first place, it could also be the product of some therapy too. But either way, it seemed healthier for me to focus on enjoying my free time than simply dreading work every day — both personally and professionally.
While kids do bring a renewed sense of purpose to your world, they also take up a lot of that free time that I now realize I took for granted. Not only did I find myself ignoring old hobbies, but I also had a hesitation to pick up new ones.
The hobby that took up most of my spare time (golf) fell completely by the wayside. I found myself needing new, less time-consuming hobbies that I could do at or near my home. Over the last five years since our son was born, I’ve attempted to pick up several: vinyl, gardening, reading, film photography, to name a few.
When I look back at the last five years of finding ways to distract myself, I’ve realized that several of the hobbies I’ve picked up take me completely offline (a good thing). But several of them also offer tangible results: a record collection I can hand down to my sons, a pleasant garden to look at, a bookshelf filled with accomplishment, and physical photos taken without phones.
This week’s read hones in on that feeling from a knitting perspective. I dipped into the New York Times archives for this one but I think in the ten years since it’s been written, not much of the sentiment has changed. Here’s an excerpt:
But unlike meditation, craft activities result in tangible and often useful products that can enhance self-esteem. I keep photos of my singular accomplishments on my cellphone to boost my spirits when needed.
Since the 1990s, the council has surveyed hundreds of thousands of knitters and crocheters, who routinely list stress relief and creative fulfillment as the activities’ main benefits. Among them is the father of a prematurely born daughter who reported that during the baby’s five weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit, “learning how to knit preemie hats gave me a sense of purpose during a time that I felt very helpless. It’s a hobby that I’ve stuck with, and it continues to help me cope with stress at work, provide a sense of order in hectic days, and allows my brain time to solve problems.”
Read in full here.
The Sunday Haiku
You are always just
a secret beach away from
the perfect summer.
New Episode › Retail Therapy 161: Orange Coffee Color of the Summer
Orange-flavored coffee, popping kettle through your sweatshirt, dirty martini soft serve, Coca Cola’s rebrand, Gen-Z shifting their sock vibes, possible Colors of the Summer, buying Pep Guardiola’s office accessories, TV talk, wishlist items, and more.
Listen to Retail Therapy on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and anywhere else podcasts are found. You can also follow Retail Therapy on Substack.
Things I Saved This Week
My Sunday To-Do List
A very busy Sunday for me.
Take a flight to Tennessee with the whole family.
Go for a swim in the pool upon our arrival.
Take care of some reading before dinner.
Order everything on the menu including a big pour of a light red.
Early bedtime.
If I’m quiet this week, it’s because I’m (1) taking a lot of film photos and (2) relaxing. I hope your Sunday scratches all the itches,
— Will
"Work, for most of us, is an inescapable inevitability that feels frivolous to fret over."
Love the double alliteration of this well crafted sentence. And the message is honestly a balm to my Sunday Scaries.