this was a good week

This was a lovely week.  Here's why:

•  My sister and her family are visiting from the Bay Area.  The heat's damned near killing them all, but they're being troupers about it.  And it's always great to watch the cousins reunite.

•  The Periodic Table as animated characters.  I think if I'd had this when I was in high school, chemistry would've been much easier.

•  The Dark Side has cookies.   A friend of a friend is starting a cookie delivery company, delivering all over the US.  Need I say anything more?  (There's not much at that link yet, but you can bet your chocolate chips that I've signed up to find out when they're open for business!)

•  "Work hard, know your shit, show your shit."  Mindy Kaling on confidence.  I cosign every single one of her words.  

•  Speaking of confidence, my friend Elizabeth, who also happens to be a priest, jumped out of A PERFECTLY GOOD AIRPLANE.  On PURPOSE.  (Judging from the look on her face, I think she's ready to go again!) That's some faith, right there. #neverdoingitunlessimpushed

•  And speaking of faith, how about a giant, abandoned church shaped like a clucking chicken?

• And speaking of cool buildings, when Marcus and I retire, we will live in a house exactly like this one.  I'm claiming it now.  It's just so lovely.  (At 6'5", Marcus will have to remain stooped every time he's inside, but he'd totally make the sacrifice for me.  I'm claiming that, too.)

•  This gorgeous gallery of ebola survivors photographed, in part, by my friend Morgana Wingard (the talented photographer who photographed me doing a "fist bump" with the young boy in Kenya that you see in the rotating photo gallery of my home page, about 7 images in).  Love these portraits.

•  Guitars built from recycled skateboard decks.  Don't tell my kid.  She's so going to want one of these.

•  And finally, for today's soundtrack, Don't let me down by Solange.  It was playing as I compiled this list, and I just love its vibe.

Have a great weekend, friends.  See you next week.