6 Gems, vol 40: Coffee, Housewives, Shopping -- and the words we need to hear.

CHS. The trifecta. Oh, also crunchy snacks! What's a four-fecta? (In short, I'm here to assist with your most baseline needs.)

Sometimes things suck. And hurt. We need to rally. We need to act. But also, we need to fall apart. We need to pick ourselves up. And we get to give ourselves a break. It’s what these Gems are all about.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for being a paid subscriber, for supporting my work. (It’s fun, but it IS work, and that you do this is incredibly meaningful to me on the nights I’m up late typing away, with a morning meeting for my full-time job looming.)

If you’re here, wondering if I’m worth the investment, 6 Gems is a midweek treat; I call it a “lift for your Lyft.” And having just paid for a takeout coffee, I say yes, I am worth it! And so is this special community of smart, kind, authentic people.