Gonna try this! I might go with walnuts over pecans - something about their crumbly, oily texture just goes better with the dense babka folds/crumb to my mind. But why not all the nuts.

You know though - the babka at Trader Joe's is actually pretty good! I say this as a true jerk purist, who would otherwise advise you go to a super chasidic/kosher bakery (Oneg in s williamsburg is good). Generally sweet kosher baked goods are not great, because they tend to be parve (dairy free) - but the babka usually transcends. thank goodness!

I wish I was free of all pretence to maintaining user anonymity so that I could post a photo of my joy-brimming face here.

This chain of joy-weeping is easily the best thing I've been part of in 2016 (at least) and it makes me want to cry MORE. Women! You, we, are profound and beautiful and true! Never not astonishing me, right in the heart. Thank you for sharing!

This is exactly what my doodle-weeping self needs to do. Thank you! (Done & done! Thank you Toast, Toasts, every one of you. Gleaming safe haven indeed.)

I just cried over today's Google doodle.

Feeling my heart like a large and looming window today, my Toasts.
Are we on some kind of brink? (Are we ever not on some kind of brink?)

(Daily thanks to you for these, Nicole!)

Yes, me too, exactly. I'd like to think more and talk about this. That chop can feel extremely surreal -- like where am I? Who are my people? My truest friends feel scattered and sparse now, and it can be of disorienting - and they they pack a fucking beautiful punch. I imagine that having a partner/family puts a lot of this off?

Means so much to hear so many of you sharing these experiences though. Wow wow wow.

a friend shared this with me today and it rocked me https://medium.com/matter/against-chill-930dfb60a...

I already want to apologise for its sleepy incoherence but since that would fly in the face of its sentiment I shall NOT.

Am going to print out Mallory's list & try to watch myself better, though.

Votive candles lit for you all.

yes, we will recall this too-hot-for-consciousness portrait of byron in said bed -

yes, oh yes, thank you for this. i myself receive a "whole-body sigh" from it. i'm wondering how much this has to do with age, as I feel like this list pertains to this very distinct moment in my life (and I suspect mallory is around my age as well - i.e. about to tip into 30). there's a shedding of many old ways of thinking about myself/others and the process of letting go and learning new ways is hard and a little isolating. that is why this list hits so hard. i thought i had it figured out and it was everyone else's fault but nope. (so, i pose this somewhat to you also, mydonkeyfeet)

though also, yes, it must also have to do with the patriarchy (wish i could link to the comments below, somehow? pygmalion person?), which must also be tied to the time/age thing? not only inadvertently conforming to it but also, simultaneously, being overtly unwilling to abide by it, which is isolating. meaning, as the number of fucks we can give to The Man/to people accepting of The Man evaporates into negative infinity - who is left that can actually hear you? that is safe? that is worthfuckingwhile?

except that again - oh, right you guys. the beauty of this list seems to be about cracking yourself open anyway, right in the face of all that self-righteous calcified anger and armour and trying hard etc. which is why we all need each other, bleeding and open and awkward as we all are in the dark places - and why you're all so fucking amazing. god damnit, toast. i love you.

i'm not sure this makes sense or will be legible to below responders but - my women - i salute you from my respective crevasse.