Subtraction and Other Kinds of Math

By: Gabriela Yareliz Words I have heard often tied to 2026: “subtraction”, “restraint”, “frugal”— it’s everywhere. Open a Substack, and play a game of bingo for every time one of these words pops up. #trending Allegedly, we need less so we can run with the horse (year of the horse)— whatever the hell that means.Continue reading “Subtraction and Other Kinds of Math”

Iranians Fight for Freedom

By: Gabriela Yareliz The fight for freedom. It’s a fight that will never get old. A fight worth engaging in. It’s the deep craving of the soul. Iran went dark days ago. The only footage that has been released was thanks to Starlink. Eyes are on Iran, and many here, especially the large Iranian populationContinue reading “Iranians Fight for Freedom”

The Toxic Mom Group

By: Gabriela Yareliz In the pop culture news this week was Ashley Tisdale French’s The Cut article, Breaking Up With My Toxic Mom Group. She doesn’t name the members of the group but simply explains the dynamics of it and why it was time to make her exit. She must have known people would digContinue reading “The Toxic Mom Group”

Shadows

“We’re literally paying subscription fees to watch characters who represent the worst versions of ourselves.” Kelly Oxford By: Gabriela Yareliz Erwin McManus, the creator and author of The Seven Frequencies of Communication, has often said that when we watch modern TV shows such as Succession, what we are watching are people expressing shadow communication frequencies.Continue reading “Shadows”

Waldorf Glamour

By: Gabriela Yareliz Night fell on the Upper East Side. After a delicious raclette sandwich, we navigated the pockets of sidewalk ice and dark residential buildings. We passed the new JP Morgan Chase building, which is stunning (like a monument to capitalism— it stands there with the biggest Christmas wreaths I have ever seen, ‘HappyContinue reading “Waldorf Glamour”

Closing Out 2025

By: Gabriela Yareliz It’s cold and gray out here in NYC. Feels like 12F outside. It’s sick, but this is the price we pay for all seasons. Some slushy mountains of snow remain. The truth is, there are days when I can close my eyes and see the sunset at Cedar Key, salty air hittingContinue reading “Closing Out 2025”

My 2025 Library

By: Gabriela Yareliz It’s almost time to let go of the year. Before we do, I wanted to say ‘thank you’ to all of you for reading, the comments, and engagement this past year. Whether you are new this year to the site or you have been with me for the 16 (yes, crazy, 16)Continue reading “My 2025 Library”

Traditions

“Traditions carry hidden powers. They shape us, steady us, and teach us who we are. They’re worth maintaining. And when they eventually fade, they’re worth rebuilding.” Michael Easter By: Gabriela Yareliz I saw the funniest video of David Grutman on his stories the other day. I mean, “funny” and Grutman often go hand-in-hand. I haveContinue reading “Traditions”

Detector

“The world is full of people with agendas, trying to persuade us to act on their behalf (spend on their behalf, fight and die on their behalf, oppress others on their behalf). But inside us is what Hemingway called a ‘built-in, shock-proof, shit detector.’ How do we know something is shit? We watch the wayContinue reading “Detector”

For the In-Between Days

By: Gabriela Yareliz Snow is falling softly outside. We are under winter advisory. None of us knows which day of the week it is. We are in the in-between days that lead us to a new chapter. This new iPhone update is trippy. I read a while and spent too much time on Pinterest. IContinue reading “For the In-Between Days”