Hi Toasties, how was your week? Did you do anything exciting? Yesterday I talked to some grad students about this job, and I was nervous at first but it was actually really fun. Of course I said lots of nice things about all of you. I also realized, during the conversation, that my one-year Toast-versary is coming up pretty soon. If you’ve been wondering what to get me, I like expensive jewelry and homemade popsicles and John Cho gifs and the ocean.

Jaya and Matt have been with us all week, and it’s such a treat to have their words and art on the site DAILY. I loved this and this and this and also this, but really ALL their stuff is great and you should go back and read everything again! Also: JULY DAD MAG

Another beautiful sestina by David Brooks, via the inimitable Sarah Peters Miller:

Mr. Coates, as an American
I feel pressed upon to present my opinion of your opinion of our opinion of African-Americans.
I’m not saying your dark, deeply personal view isn’t interesting.
But I wonder at your dismissal of so many people,
many of whom I happen to think
are terrific, even if they happen to be white.

Brilliant Friend of The Toast Sarah Jeong has a new book out, The Internet of Garbage, and you can read my conversation with her here and find links to buy her book!

Sarah and I also collaborated on this very important piece earlier this week.

(when I was looking for a good image to run with it, my seven-year-old, who was peering over my shoulder, saw a photo of Park Shin Hye on my screen and asked, “Is that teenaged YOU?” — which is maybe the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a long time, and we ARE the same…height?…but also, wow, I need to get some more Koreans in 7yo’s daily life)

Mindy Hung looked at romance heroines in the public eye, and she’ll be back soon to talk about the 2015 Romance Writers of America conference.

Tenny Mari told us how she discovered she had more in common with her mom than she once thought, and Amy Deneson wrote about coming out to her parents and the most awkward father/daughter dance ever, and I’M NOT EMOTIONAL, YOU’RE EMOTIONAL

“I Saw a Bird, Which Was Not Me Literally or Figuratively” and other songs from a Florence and the Machine Album In Which Drowning is Rare and Love is Not Terrifying

The Hogwarts Periodic Table of Elements

I’m so glad everyone seems to hate the Boy from The Giving Tree as much as I do.

Have a beautiful weekend, everyone! See you Monday.