It’s holiday baking time and I cannot recommend Cookies: The New Classics by Jesse Szewczyk enough! One of my go-to baking cookbooks; I revisited the chewy three spice sugar cookies for my friend group’s favorite things exchange this week and they are perfect - what gingersnaps should be.
I love a post-dinner-dishes-and-bedtime wind down, and my cozy fall routine has been to light a candle and have a ghia or other NA bev and read. Recently nabbed a woodwick Sandalwood and Smoke candle from Target and it has been supremely cozy – earthy without being overpowering, and the crackling wood is just the cherry on top.
I’m just finishing Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner and I have not been able to put down the story of an American spy-for-hire infiltrating a radical French commune intent on ecological terrorism. The spy is jaded ruthlessly and recklessly scheming and doublecrossing, and is always on the edge of not getting away with it.
Hello good morning and welcome back to another audio-edition of coffee with maggie!
If you’re semi-new here: I’ve been a creator on Instagram and TikTok for years, but as of last fall migrated the majority of my creative energy into this newsletter to give myself space for more long-form thinking, and a place where we can talk a little more directly, and a little more casually.
As always, I’m hoping that this type of post feels a lot more like us sitting down to dish the dirt over coffee – especially at the end of the year, ain’t nobody got time to read an academic dissertation.
Today, we’re covering some of your recent questions, including
Tips being a thoughtful giftgiver
Tips for discovering hobbies you love
My experience creating a close knit friend group in a new city
How I balance my identity as a mom, a professional, and a person
How I knew it was time to quit my job
How transition to my “sabbatical” has been
A peak behind the scenes at my current day to day: how we’re managing screen time with a toddler, toys we’re choosing, and other life updates.
I cannot wait to share all this with y’all, so grab your coffee of choice, head out for a walk, bake some holiday cookies, or settle down in your comfiest chair, and go ahead and press play!
Xx
*show notes and relevant links*
The tldr summary and things I reference in this episode!
Pro-tips on thoughtful gift-giving [00:32: ]
The way i track and manage holiday gift planning to avoid impulse shopping
How I keep track of gift ideas to avoid analysis paralysis
Tips for discovering new hobbies [04:21]
The rules I live by when trying something new
I’m telling you: run clubs are having a moment!
My experience creating a close-knit friend group in a new city [08:37]
@Clara’s essay that I can’t stop thinking about: “we can’t self care community away”
How I (attempt) to balance parenthood and personal Identity [17:05]
Nora Robert’s Prioritization Metaphor
I can’t find the article I referenced about how “everything kids do is play” but I did find this one, and just… yes.
The way I break down big goals into smaller tasks and activities in order to prioritize
How I knew it was time to quit my job [24:37]
unexpected changes and childcare challenges [26:03]
reflections and realizations on taking a “sabbatical”: [28:06]
Something I meant to include here and forgot! I read something recently that if you considering whether or not to leave your job, your mind is probably already made up and it’s a matter of when, not if. This spoke to me A LOT and was extremely helpful in my decision - it really ended up helping underscore how much my last straw was really an opportunity.
Life lately update - our new daily routine, and current go-tp toddler activities [30:36]
Managing screen time and toy choices [36:25]
Personal Reflections and Future Plans [43:14]
Thoughts and feelings on the way to the airport: [47:09]
The five things I always do before I travel
thoughts, feelings, reactions?
would love to hear from you, especially as I gear up to figure out how to do more of them! Feel free to drop topics or questions in my dms or in the comments!
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