In A Word - Vacation
Welcome to In a Word, a newsletter that cultivates thoughtfulness, one word at a time.
Hey there!
I’m so happy to be back in your inbox. (Thanks for having me!) In this issue, we’re exploring the word “vacation.” My aim was to make a snack-able issue to read poolside, or on the couch with the AC blasting.
The writing is short—a single poem about bickering in paradise. I also collected some truly fantastic essays and articles for you, plus my own vacation MVP’s, recommendations for traveling with a toddler, and vacation reads. We’ll end as usual with some last links worth bookmarking and a benediction.
Some housekeeping and updates!
A recurring piece of feedback from the survey was that y’all would like an In A Word podcast. Unfortunately for you, I know how much work and time podcasting takes. Fortunately, my newsletter platform (Substack) has made it extremely easy to incorporate audio. Therefore, I’m creating ONE vacation-themed audio file (not even going to call it a podcast episode) as an experiment.
My friend Courtney and her husband take their family of five on a weeks-long road trip every summer. We’re going to get Courtney fresh of the road next week for a conversation about this craziness and how we too might follow in her fun-loving steps. (I have so many questions.) You’ll see an email with details about how to listen next week!
I share two recurring Instagram Story series: Trader Joe’s finds, and stuff I’ve liked lately, alliterated. (Do follow along!) I’m going to start compiling those into a monthly email, with links. So keep an eye out for In A Word: Roundup at the end of the month!
Spam filters are my nemesis. To keep In A Word from getting trapped in inbox purgatory, please add inaword@substack.com to your contacts. I know it’s annoying, and no one uses their email contact list, but our inboxes are at the mercy of robots who think they are smarter than us. WE HAVE TO FIGHT BACK.
Truly only an Enneagram One would care to correct this. But I titled the essay in the last issue Bond Girl, after the lipstick my friend gave me. Well, the lipstick shade is actually called Pillow Talk. Unimportant correction, or of the upmost importance?
Are we there yet? Yep, let’s get in there.
Vacations must not be wasted on reading guilt. (Cartoon by Grace Farris)
Two parents take their children on a 4th of July vacation, 18 months after their divorce. I loved these tender, honest reflections on marriage, divorce, and love.
Vacation Memories Marred By the Indelible Stain of Racism - Shanna B. Tiayon’s story left a pit in my stomach, though there were elements of hope.
Rick Steves Wants to Change the World, One Vacation At a Time (Photo illustration by Zachary Scott)
Rick Steves has built an empire on his contagious passion for travel. (We used his guidebooks almost exclusively to plan our trip to Italy and Paris in 2015, and highly recommend them!) This profile is a fascinating look inside his quirky personality, the particular brand of travel he evangelizes, his activism, and his marijuana notebook. It was a delight.
“Travel, to Steves, is not some frivolous luxury — it is an engine for improving humankind, for connecting people and removing their prejudices, for knocking distant cultures together to make unlikely sparks of joy and insight.”
Eva Slide Sandal: This is my second summer with these babies, and they’re perfect for the beach. Unlike the (much) more expensive cork Birkenstocks, these can be easily hosed off or otherwise cleaned.
Supergoop! SPF50 Sunscreen Mousse: Since this mousse is easy to apply and feels luxurious, I’ve been using it daily on my chest and shoulders (which was the GOAL). (I linked to Nordstrom since they ship for free, though it’s available at Sephora, too.)
Goddess Garden, Blue Lizard, et. al. — GET OUTTA HERE with your weird smells, textures, and white streaking. The obsession with chemical free sunscreen has distracted us from the real enemy: THE SUN. The sun protection I’ll use > the all natural one I won’t.
Large zip-top bag: I’m not sure how I feel about owning a bag called a “boat and tote” since 1, I do not boat, and 2, carrying a bag that could hold two watermelons is what we in the mom biz call “schlepping,” not toting. Name notwithstanding, this is a fantastic family bag.
Anne Bogel’s Summer Reading Guide informs my summer reading list each year. I highly recommend checking it out if you’re looking for some inspiration! Here are a few I’ve read (and loved) so far this summer:
Ask Again, Yes is the story of two families’ shared tragedy. Forgiveness and redemption loom large thematically.
I Miss You When I Blink is Mary Laura Philpott’s memoir-in-essays. It’s funny, relatable, and touching. (I learned about this one from Annie B. Jones, the lovely owner of the indie bookstore The Bookshelf. She shares great book recommendations!)
The River is a captivating novel about the friendship between two young men on a canoeing trip in Alaska. Their journey turns unexpectedly harrowing and they have to make some hard, fateful choices.
Betsy has taken advantage of free flights before hitting the “lap child” age limit (this week)! Traveling with a toddler is a lot work—definitely not a “vacation” from anything but the comforts of home—but still worth it! A few favorite tools of the trade:
We borrowed the Inglesina fast table chair from a friend. It folds flat, is washable, and attaches to most any table. GAME CHANGER.
Water Wow coloring books are mess-free can be used over and over! Recommended for age 3+, but Betsy has liked them since around 22 months.
Reusable swim diaper - cheaper than the disposable ones after a few wears!
Our favorite baby sunscreen - safe ingredients, easy to apply. (Although rubbing anything on a toddler’s face can’t honestly be described as easy.)
Stay-put suction bowls - we use these at home, too, but they are really helpful on-the-go. Same with catchall bibs.
I peruse the Target dollar section for a month or two before a trip to find some inexpensive items that will be novel on the trip. (The Dr. Seuss number and shape cards were $1 per pack, and bought us some time on the plane!)
Snacks. So many snacks. We bring fruit + veggie pouches, fruit leather, Bambas, cashews, Happy Tot granola bars, raisin boxes, pretzels and more.
Probiotics are a lifesaver in case of toddler tummy trouble.
A few last links:
We’re Offering Unlimited Vacation In a Totally Chill, Non-Guilt-Inducing Way!
SNL’s Romano Tours sketch: “Remember- the pictures we take are going to have you in them. If you don’t like how you look at home, it’s not going to be any better on a gondola.”
May we learn to rest before we are restless, take breaks before we itch to escape, and get away without vacating our souls. May fresh scenery give us fresh eyes, to see what’s been in us and with us all along.
As always, I’d also love to hear your thoughts on anything this issue calls to mind for you. Simply respond to this email to let me know!
Gratefully, Jacey
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