June Recap: 4 Things I Loved and 2 That Sucked
Or: the month I peaked and then promptly ghosted my own Substack
Let’s just say June had range. We went from euphoric sports highs to creative lows so deep they might qualify as spelunking. Some things I loved, some things sucked. Let’s break it down.
Things I Loved In June
1. The Panthers won the Stanley Cup (again)
Third Finals appearance in a row. Second Cup win in a row.
This team is building a dynasty—and I’ve been there for all of it.
I still can’t believe I got to witness both wins in person. It’s the kind of sports era people will talk about forever, and I know how rare it is to be there while it’s happening. I adore this team of lovable assholes who play with grit, guts, and zero regard for your feelings. They’re violent. They’re joyful. They’re dominant. They’re mine.
(Sorry not sorry, Connor McDavid.)
2. I met Aleksander Barkov and we’re in love now
Let me be clear: I usually find signings and photo ops cringe. Not a knock on anyone who enjoys them—just personally, I’d rather crawl under a rock than awkwardly meet someone I admire the way I admire Barky. But this one was minutes from my house, and I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t go.
The event itself was overbooked and rushed, but he said hi to me. He touched me. And now we’re getting married.
I’ll link our registry at the bottom of this post.
(Also, I’m including a photo of us (and my fabulous friend Carly, left) so you can see how comically small I look next to him. This is why I want a huge man, okay? I fit so perfectly under his arm. It’s for logistical reasons.)
3. A Facial Spray That’s Saving My Life
Let’s talk hypochlorous acid. The Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray is refreshing, cleansing, and—according to one derm I follow religiously on YouTube—basically like a bleach mist for your face. But like, hydrating and actually good for your skin.
It’s been a game-changer for my post-workout, Florida-sweat-soaked skin. My breakouts are down, my pores are grateful, and I now carry it around like emotional support skincare. I’ve already gone through three bottles, and I carry a travel size in my purse.
It kills everything bad. I love that for me.
4. A True Crime Page-Turner That Has Me in a Chokehold
I’m not even done with Murder in the Dollhouse: The Jennifer Dulos Story by Rich Cohen yet and I’m riveted. It’s true crime, yes—but also a sharp, unsettling portrait of wealth, image, and obsession. The writing pulls you in fast, and the tension never lets up.
If you followed the case at all, you’ll already know the rough outlines—but Cohen pulls you in with sharp detail and that eerie sense of inevitability that makes you feel like you're watching a slow-motion car crash.
Even knowing how it ends, I keep rushing through it like I don’t. It’s disturbing, compulsively readable, and exactly the kind of story that gets under your skin in the best (worst?) way.
More thoughts coming when I finish, but so far: obsessed.
Things That Sucked In June
1. When Your Brain Decides to Log Off Without Telling You
If you happened to notice that I didn’t post for weeks… yeah. Same.
I didn’t forget. I didn’t even try. I just didn’t.
I wasn’t bursting with ideas or secretly writing drafts in my notes app. I was busy. I was uninspired. And every time I thought about opening Substack, I felt guilty about not posting—which somehow made me want to do it even less.
It turned into this weird loop where instead of writing, I just kept quietly beating myself up for not writing. Which, shockingly, didn’t help.
2. The Prestige TV Spiral (Now Featuring Jessica Biel for Some Reason)
Now that hockey’s over, I told myself I’d finally catch up on all the Important Television I skipped throughout the year. The list is so long it’s honestly embarrassing. I never even watched the final season of Succession. I live in fear that someone’s going to spoil it for me while I’m buying toilet paper at Walgreens.
But every time I open a streaming app, my brain just… shuts down.
Everything feels too heavy, too smart, too much.
So instead of watching anything meaningful, I’ve been watching a dumb show on Investigation Discovery called Fatal Destination, where people get murdered while on vacation—and for reasons I cannot explain, it’s narrated by Jessica Biel.
Yeah. I don’t know, either.
I’m genuinely considering dipping my toe back in with Dr. Odyssey, though. It seems light enough for my overwhelmed brain but still fun—and honestly, that’s the bar right now.
I know both of these are just brain glitches. I know. Still annoying.
Anyway, I’m back. I missed this. Let’s try again in July.
The wedding registry link is missing fyi 😉