Things of Beauty #23

Bags of all sizes, good stuff on money and success, & fancy Rice Krispie treats

It’s fully springtime here in the middle of Virginia: cool mornings and warm afternoons, chatty birds, and blooming flowers. It's time to plant my yearly crop of basil. It also feels like the time of year when everyone emerges from the long winter slumber for graduations, weddings, and happy hours outside. I’m here for it, but I also appreciate taking the time to pause and appreciate the quiet, small things that bring joy, whether our social calendars are full or not.

(*I love this take from

Chrissy Hennessey

on overcommitting to all the fun, while also taking care of yourself: Check it out here.)

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Things bringing me joy these days:

🥣 Fancy Rice Krispie Treats! Who knew this was a thing? I recently celebrated 10 years at Virginia Commonwealth University (I know, right?! What even is the construct of time?) and they had these on the dessert table at the celebration for employees hitting milestones. I hadn’t had one since I was a kid, and it was delicious.

Childhood memories all dressed up for the fancy party.

💰 Ramit Sethi’s How to Get Rich on Netflix. Don’t be put off by the clickbait title. If you’re not familiar with Sethi’s work, he defines rich well beyond monetary net worth. It’s all about crafting a meaningful life and figuring out what role money plays in that. While he emphasizes getting out of debt and being prepared financially for the future, he also encourages spending for joy in big ways. I’m three episodes into this and loving the honest conversations and kind confrontations.

🎧 Maintenance Phase. You may already know about this one; it’s a pretty long-running podcast, but adding it here in case it wasn’t on your radar. I love a deep research-driven dive into pop wellness trends. The hosts, Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes, do a great job of explaining discernment when reading research as well—correlation does not equal causation!

🛍 I love a large bag. I carried a Madewell tote for years and years and years (highly recommend!). I switched to a slightly more structured bag recently, thanks to a lovely Christmas gift from my mother-in-law. (I love it for the organizational pockets. IT at work probably appreciates that there is an actual meant for carrying your laptop around padded section.) Sometimes, however, I want something a little smaller for the times I don’t need all the things. I recently stumbled on this handmade cross-body bag in a little shop in my neighborhood as a perfect solution.

📘 I’m always excited when Emily McDowell’s newsletter lands in my inbox. In this most recent one, I especially liked how she talked about learning to define success on her own terms. These two points really resonated with me, but I highly recommend reading the whole thing:

Success is not doing something right; success is doing something wrong and loving yourself anyway. 

Success is allowing yourself to be a wobbly beginner and not shaming yourself into quitting because you’re not great yet. 

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What’s beautiful in your world this week? Have you ever had (or made!) a fancy Rice Krispie treat? What’s your favorite way to carry around all your stuff? Any new-to-you podcasts? Please do share!

Be well, find tiny joy-

Mary Chris

PS- In case you missed it last week— I made a playlist of upbeat music that brightens my mornings. Enjoy! *Also- send me your favorite feel-good songs, and I’ll add them!