Attic Thoughts v. 7

a birthday pairing, Ireland anniversaries, being a YES girl

Welcome to this nearly-every-Friday newsletter: “Attic Thoughts” - a chatty check in inspired by some lines from Antonia Fraser’s memoir, “I would define happiness as being alone in a room in a house full of people.” So, less Woolf’s ‘Room of One’s Own’, more ‘Jo March’s attic.’

Please feel free to say hi in the comments - I love book/movie recs, general updates, hearing anything on your mind! Thanks for being here x

1) chocolate cake and Guinness cannot miss, 2) are you kidding me with this dog, 3) another Saturday at the races, 4) birthday confessions hit different, 5) happy October, 6) lucky Mama

If anyone is wondering, a big bite of dense fudge-like chocolate cake followed by a hearty swig of Guinness is delicious. I’m always excited when I find a great pairing. It’s like when I went to a “Polish Vodka Party” when I was studying at Oxford.

You walked into the room and were handed a shot glass and… a pickle. That’s right. You’ve never experienced (or liked) vodka until you’ve chased it with a bite of a pickle. Just try it, trust me.

Anyway, there were no shots this birthday. (not yet, anyway) I’m an elderly 34 after all. But there was Irish music, kids who seemed somewhat selfishly (but endearingly) interested in celebrating for the sake of cake, and much gratitude for another year on this whirling, swirling planet Earth. Deo gratias, truly.

I also launched my new podcast, “If This Be Magic.” You can find it on iTunes, Spotify, wherever you download podcasts. There you’ll find a short introductory episode as well as the first full length interview, featuring one of my idols, Shakespeare scholar Beth Charlebois. Shakespeare is demanding: There are so many versions, so many interpretations, so many questions. He is always in flux, and this has sometimes made us uncomfortable.

Professor Charlebois takes us into the history of the Bard - who he was, his motivations, the tumultuous reality of Early Modern England, as well as his (possibly) secret Catholicism (or at least his sacramental worldview). We’ll also discuss the pivotal scene from The Winter’s Tale and the concept of jealousy in Shakespeare’s plays as well as how Art and Shakespeare in particular can truly change lives and reassert our humanity.

My husband and I met in Professor Charlebois’ Lear seminar FIFTEEN years ago! It was beyond amazing to have her on the show and I hope you’ll tune in. And if you like what you hear, feel free to leave a star rating wherever you’re listening so the show finds its way to new listeners via the ambiguous algorithm.

And stay tuned next week for a truly inspiring conversation with

Haley Stewart

! We tackle some heavy hitting questions like - What is Hope? What makes life worth living? Is believing in God just a biological ruse? Casual! Subscribe now so you don’t miss it.

So fifteen years since my husband took me out to Olive Garden (bring back the endless breadsticks) and this whole thing started.

And another anniversary

Christy Isinger

drew my attention to - ONE year since I jetted off for a pretty spectacular 10 days in Ireland via Select International!

If anyone wants to send me off to the Celtic Isles again, I’m game.

That trip was truly one of those experiences that just keeps giving. It was so life affirming at the time, but I often find myself struck anew by experiences we had, or simply reliving moments — coaxing members of the group up Craig Patrick with a dram of whisky, practically being blown off cliffside, laughing so hard it hurt, gathering holy water from Balla Blessed Well (now used nightly by my four year old to bless her room), wandering Trinity College campus and feeling all the verve and energy of student life, High Tea Downtown Abbey style. What a gift.

Cheers and Slainte, my goodness. Take the trip! Go to Ireland! Go to the pub down the street! Go do it! I’m the yes girl this year.

I went to a Podcast Party downtown this weekend for a former public radio colleague. Yes these are a thing, or are going to be, and it was so fun. I reconnected with former coworkers, celebrated their work, and got to hug, smile, talk, in real life. “It’s all we’ve got against the bots!” my impassioned former colleague proclaimed. I was so proud of her for just doing it and hosting the party and celebrating her work. Do more of that.

I know it’s trendy to be a downer, but I like optimism. I like Hope. And so did Jane Goodall, who died this week. May she rest in peace. Here’s a quote from her I think we should all keep in mind —

Here’s to not being a zombie. Here’s to being wonderfully, imperfectly, joyfully human.

Until next week,

(off to my birthday massage soon),

x Katie

PS: HAPPY T SWIFT RELEASE DAY! I WILL HAVE THOUGHTS!

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More at: www.katiemarquette.com

“Attic Thoughts” series —

v. 1, v. 2, v. 3, v. 4, v. 5, v. 6

Recently paywalled —

“believing in institutions again”

“giving up the ghost”

this newsletter has always been, and will always be, AI free. enjoy the typos!