The irony is not lost on me that for a newsletter about “nice things” I spend a lot of time dissecting my unique psychological grievances.
Spoiler alert: I’m probably not going to stop doing that. But I will admit that sometimes it's not the flavour of the week. Like this week, when everyone seems especially exhausted.
Maybe it’s the heat and humidity. Or the fact that our festive break, which should have been dedicated to frantically googling sunburn and jellyfish sting remedies, was gatecrashed by another variant.
Either way, you deserve some TLC. So let’s go back to where it all began and dissociate with some Nice Things.
At the end of last year I teamed up with artist and my pal Alice Oehr to produce edition two of Nice Things – my annual zine dedicated to the little joys that make life worth living, but that I also usually ignore. You can order it here. All profits are donated to Seed, Australia's first Indigenous youth climate network.
But for now (and until your order arrives), tide yourself over with this sample.
A beer after a swim
A cookie after dinner
A cool change
A good run of songs when your phone is on shuffle
A sunny afternoon walk when you’ve finished all your work
An excellent salad sandwich
Baked potatoes
Being in a good mood after hanging out with someone
Being in the sun without getting burnt
Big dogs who act like little dogs
Brownies that are fudgy but still light
Butter and Vegemite
Butterflies and bees enjoying a flower patch
Chatting to shop assistants who have to pretend they’re interested
Cheap sunnies that look great
Chips, chocolate, and Coke together
Coffee table books actually being on coffee tables
Corn chips
Cream cheese icing
Crispy rice
Days when you randomly looks super hot
Dipping fries in a thick shake
Discovering the “fix up appearance” Zoom setting
Dogs saying hi to each other on the street
Dumplings with vinegar, soy, and chili
Eating outside
Elegant trench coats people have had for decades
Empty afternoons
Fancy savoury muesli
Feeling smart
Feeling tired after the beach
Finding a cheap skincare product that works
Flowers growing through a fence
Focaccias cooked in so much oil they’re kind of fried
Hot chocolate that is pretty much just melted chocolate
How genuinely insane Jake Gyllenhaal seems
How warm days feel in the morning
How you can always hear birds but never see them
Hummus
Ice cream that tastes like cake batter
Ina Garten putting something in her fridge and you see it’s full of champagne
Listening to music in the car
Little kid’s birthday parties
Looking forward to watching a TV show
Magpie’s warble
Mushy Weet Bix
Old T Shirts that still look great
Outdoor showers
Overhearing someone say something nice about you
Overhearing strangers having legitimately funny conversations
People laughing at their own jokes
People saying their “dogs are barking” when their feet hurt
People sending you home with leftovers
People who think Katy Perry is Jon Benet Ramsey
Pickles
Random suburban palm trees
Salty chocolate
Sam Neil's farm
Sandwiches served with crisps
Slow cooked tomatoes
T Shirt weather
That piece of wood they burn in yoga
The funny wildlife photo awards
The thong episode of Pen15
Therapy
Waking up early because you have something fun to do
Walking into your house after it has been cleaned
Wearing bathers as undies
When a coffee pulls you out of a hangover
When fancy houses leave their doors open and you can peek inside
Honestly, if you take one piece of advice from me (like, ever) let it be to start your own Nice Things list. I just keep mine on my phone and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done for my mental health. Look after yourself kids!
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