Kate's Five Things #59

The one product my derm swears by and other musings.

Jul 10, 2025

Catching Up

“How are you, really?”

A friend and I were cramming six months of emotional updates into a twenty-minute voice note. It felt like a green smoothie of connection. Not exactly satisfying, but packed with the stuff we’re deficent in. She asked how I was doing, and I responded, “Ok? Kind of?” Then I laughed and said, “I think that’s just how life is now.”

It’s July, halfway through the year. Writing this biweekly letter has taught me that check-ins no longer come with clarity or clean takeaways. Life moves in spirals now. Inward, subtle, repetitive. Day to day, it feels like nothing’s changing.

We’re all Sisyphus, showing up to the same boulders. Except at midlife, we stop pushing them uphill.

I think we’re circling them with a new perspective. Moving through the same terrain but with a different kind of stride. No big bang. No summit. No joyful downhill rush. It’s a slow, almost imperceptible fade from what used to be into what’s becoming. It’s boring. There are no before-and-afters.

And yet… would I trade places with the person I was seven years ago? Not a chance.

So if your gut check feels bleak, try this instead: Who were you in 2018? Would you go back? Probably not. Which means something has changed.

House Call Last Week…

If you’ve felt stuck when it comes to your home lately, like you’re circling the same decision for the 17th time, I recently kicked off a new summer series called Getting Unstuck at Home. Not in a buy-all-new-furniture way. More like: What do I need this room to do for me, and how can I make choices that align with that? We’ll be exploring this together.

Last week’s topic was all about working with limited budgets. Read part one here and part two here.Want more? Subscribe here.

Five Questions (for you and me)

When did you feel most at home this week?
Our dog had a health scare late Sunday night that ended with an overnight stay at the animal hospital. She is sleeping next to me as I write, and I’m so glad she’s home with us again.

Where are you moving forward?
I’m not fighting the sucky parts of growth. Hard stuff doesn’t last forever. That’s one of the perks of growing up. You’ve got the receipts.

Where are you stuck?
Figuring out how to connect when the algorithm thrives on outrage. It’s devastating to witness collective suffering become a weapon instead of a bridge. It feels like there’s no shared ground left. But I know that’s not true. Maybe that’s why nuance feels unsatisfying and exhaustion feels like complicity.

What did you consume that was regenerative?
The Wedding People by Alison Espach surprised me. It reads like a beach book, but it’s actually about transformation, alignment, and what happens when life reorients you. The lessons land differently in fiction. I felt instead of understood. It reminded me why I love stories, especially the ones that don’t try too hard to be profound but end up hitting you anyway. 10/10. I feel a little hollow now that it’s over… in the best way.

What question are you asking?

How can I come back to stillness? Stillness always holds the answer I’m looking for. And it’s pretty simple to do. But getting yourself to do it? Always harder than you think.

Your Turn: Answer them with a pen. That’s the magic part.

Five Things I am Using and Loving

This silk PJ set has been my swimsuit cover-up, and it’s so chic! I also have been wearing this long one as a dress.
This no-churn salted honey ice cream. It is so rich and so easy to make.
How We Feel app. I’m fairly aware of my internal state, but I don’t always have the vocabulary or skills to resolve it. This app helps you name and express your internal state, tracking patterns that emerge over time. It’s free and has all the features you’d normally pay for.
(plated) Intense Serum. My dermatologist is very pragmatic about promises made by devices, serums, and treatments on the market. I’ve never seen her more enthusiastic about the platelet-derived technology used in this line than she is. They’re a Minnesota-based women-owned company, too. I am three weeks in and have high hopes. She said three months in I will be “wowed.” I hope so at this price!
This might be the perfect white summer sweater. I love the weight and that it is breathable. Perfect for chilly nights or days when you’re needing layers. I’ve worn it over this cotton dress (be sure to size down) and feel like I should be strolling down a cobblestone street in Martha’s Vineyard.

Rooms of Our Own

On hiatus this week. We need some more submissions! Use it as a creative writing exercise!

Have a corner of home that feels true? Send a photo or a few words to kate@housecall.com.

Until next week,
Kate

P.S. The most beautiful homes are never the most composed ones.