Happiest Virgo Season to You All! 💅💃

We're back, baby.

Hello, my Dearest Twenty-Somethings! Oh, how I’ve missed you! Happy September and happy Virgo season to those who celebrate. Yes, I’m another year older and this summer has brought lots of change—a new apartment, a new neighborhood, and (soon!) a new angel baby kitty cat! While this wasn’t exactly the vaxxed girl summer we’d anticipated, I hope you all found time, space and peace in the sweltering blip that we call summer. I, personally, spent the last three months listening to Lily Allen and unreleased SZA, reading lots of self-help, firing up my air fryer, hosting pals in my new place, watching too much Survivor (and White Lotus and Nine Perfect Strangers), and familiarizing myself with my new bodega (cat)—all while existing exclusively in slip dresses and platform sandals. As I should!

I want to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to respond to my survey about the future of this newsletter (you can still fill it out here!). And for all of your sweet, thoughtful comments! Before I went on my summer hiatus, I was feeling a little scattered, and wanted a more focused, clear concept for Dear Twenty-Somethings. I’ve received your feedback and am planning on streamlining the newsletter with shorter, quippier, more relevant copy, and recommendations that both you and I enjoy. After all, I am reminded that my target audience is me. So, I’m rightfully going to write about what’s on my mind and what energizes me most. Cheers to that!

I sifted through your responses and found that you overwhelmingly appreciated the Shoot Your Shot newsletter, as did I! I’d love to regularly do more crowd-sourced newsletters in the future. I’ve officially opened a submission form here for any comments, feedback, or ideas about future newsletters. I’ll likely ask for your submissions the week before the newsletter on a particular topic comes out. So keep ya eyes peeled! For next week, I’d love to know:

How do you reframe social media to use it for good? What are the benefits you take away from social media? Tell me here!

Additionally, I’d love to interview some powerful twenty-somethings to highlight in future newsletters. Know someone doing (or being) something inspiring and insightful? Let me know here and I’d love to reach out to them to chat about their profession, routine, spirituality, or whatever else you think rocks about them.

With all the insanity in the world today, let’s keep it fun, easy, and light over here. All of this is to say, welcome back! I’m so happy you’re here. Oh, and in case you were wondering, here’s what I’m listening to this week.

Much love, always! With that, here are a few picks to get you through the week:

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LISTEN:

READ:

• Untamed by Glennon Doyle - I read a lot of middle-aged white women’s self-help books this summer, and I’m trying to taper myself off. This one is a little slow at times, but I really appreciated her perspective on living your truest, most beautiful life!

• Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid - She reads like a thriller, but is really a page-turner about a 25-year-old woman and her experience working for a rich mom that tastefully touches on race, class, privilege, in a subtle but thought-provoking way. I’m trying to read more authors of color (women especially), and here’s a great place to start!

• The Cut: ‘The Demise of the Girlboss’ - What a year it’s been! This is a great look into the rise and fall of the wealthy, college-educated white woman.

LAUGH:

big honkin caboose @itsmegangraves

Your honor what’s the move after this like what’s everyone getting into

bb ghost @emilywithcurls

i do not want to be called “queen” on slack i want to be paid a good salary and log off

ɯoɯ ɥʇoɓ @fatnudes

people who back into parking spots like what do u have to prove

hunter harris @hunteryharris

i have a zit today and it’s because of the cinderella flash mob footage

trash jones @jzux

did it hurt? when you graduated with a BA in english?

Hot Cup A Joe @CupAJoeK

It’s Dasani

PrEPpa Pig @ThereGoesTonio

Vaccinated or not y’all need to stop wearing colored contacts!!!!!

Young Mudblood @Puff_Iya

So the vaccine requirement at my job goes live soon and my coworkers are talmbout striking. Anyways I’ll let y’all know when they jobs open up for anybody looking

theblackbayarea

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FOLLOW:

• PoetryIsNotALuxury - For my poetry lovers!

• ThirdEyeKingdom - Spirituality, quotes, and lovely, lovely art!

• RootedAmongtheStars - My pal Clarisse recently started a bookstagram (if you’re new to this side of Instagram—enjoy!) and it’s encouraged me to read more BIPOC, disabled & LGBTQIA+ authors. Give it a follow!

CONSIDER:

“little prayer” by Danez Smith

let ruin end here

let him find honey
where there was once a slaughter

let him enter the lion’s cage
& find a field of lilacs

let this be the healing
& if not   let it be

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Affirmation of the week: I choose my own peace.

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Question of the week: If you knew when you were going to die, would you live your life any differently?

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Thank you all for reading and supporting me, I’m so glad to be back! I’m always looking to improve my work, so leave a comment, send me a message, or fill out this form to tell me about what you want to read about in upcoming Dear Twenty-Somethings! I’m all ears.

Connect with me on Twitter, LinkedIn, Goodreads or online if you feel so inclined. And check out past newsletters here in case you missed them.

If you liked what you read, send this newsletter to a friend! Heck, send it to 10 friends! Sending love and light to you, wherever you are. 🌟

Cheers & happy Wednesday! Stay well.

xoxoxo, Quinnie <3