I also love the gym! I started going to the climbing gym and it's turned into a 3x/week habit. I ran in college but tried to keep my exercising away from my "real" identity (an ~intellectual~ who read books and wore plaid, obviously). Turns out I have secret jock tendencies!!
And I secretly love stuff like high school drum lines in parades. These teens have worked so hard! They care so much! I cry every time!
I also once nearly sobbed through a concert rehearsal for my daughter’s piano group. Everyone had worked so hard! The instructor said something so sweet at the end, like “You all played wonderfully. It wasn’t without mistakes, but that’s okay. You really communicated your music to the audience.” 😢
I used to work at a bakery and one of my coworkers was testing a bran muffin. Kind of an upside down cake situation, she would put honey in the bottom of the cups and let it caramelize on the bottom. She got some notes to add moisture in the form of apple sauce. That and the honey really took them to the next level and I single handedly ate all of the testers I'm pretty sure. I've tried to make bran muffins and they sucked but I've known a good one! Maybe your bran muffin is out there just like mine was.
I love cats (especially mine), handwritten postcards, music, historical drama TV shows, stickers and tattoos
I secretly love international hospital food (check out the subreddit r/hospitalfood), playing solitaire on my phone, when my home help calls me "my dear" and filling my pill organizer every Sunday night.
I never had a bran muffin, I don't think they're much of a thing outside of north America. I had a chocolate muffin last week though, and it was really disappointing. Not close enough to chocolate cake.
Oh my goodness now I also secretly love international hospital food. And now that you mention it, I find most muffins disappointing. I hope you have actual chocolate cake soon!
Brooke, I love this post! I've been a reader of your Substack for a while now and always love every issue, but this was definitely a favorite. I feel like we would be friends if we knew each other in person!
I love weightlifting and yoga (the oddest combination ever), dogs (mine is a rescued, greyhound named gangster), books, and all kinds of word games. I secretly love cereal with yogurt, pulling weeds, old timey comic books (Hi, Archie!) and raisins. I don't know if any I'd these fit my personality or not but they are a part of what makes me, me!
My dad eats cereal with yogurt, I've never seen another person do it! I think that makes it official we'll definitely be friends. Please pet Gangster for me!
I looked into the organization more, and I actually think it is the same organization that I adopted gangster from. I think they may have changed direction once all of the ex-racing greyhounds for adoption in the state were given homes! How about that for a sign from the universe?
I'm not sure about a name. I try not to name my dogs until I meet them because I want the name to fit the personality. But you are so right about the opportunities for good wordplay with two of them! What is your Galgo's name?
Oh wow! And where would their galgos be from? They’re used here for hunting mainly. Keep me updated! I feel so invested!
My galga is called Liath (pronounced Lea) it means grey in Gaelic. A friend here in Substack suggested it!
It also makes for great word play in Spanish as it rhymes with the verb ‘liar’ (not liar 🤥 haha) which can be used lots of ways but two very suitable meanings for our Liath is: to trick someone or get into trouble 🤣🤣 She’s a sneaky one for finding ways to get to food and subsequently often finds herself in trouble.
From their website it sounds as if they work with a rescue organization in Spain to bring the dogs to the States. There are several connected rescue operations throughout the US that work on similar projects. It's interesting though - most of the dogs here near me are older (8-10 yrs) - which makes me wonder if any of the other places in the US have younger dogs or if they are only brought over here when they have no luck being adopted in Spain. I will have to continue to investigate! 🕵️
I love that name!! Unique and also sounds very appropriate for her personality.
That’s great to hear. What’s the name of the organisation, I want to have a looky. I wonder if the organisation I adopted my pooch from has considered teaming with the states… Hmmm.
Liath was 4 when we got her but apparently that’s when they finish their peak production for having puppies and then they don’t want them anymore. Maybe 8 is retiring from hunting? I’ll have an ask around for you about how old they tend to stop hunting.
I'll be interested to hear what you learn about how long they are used for hunting. I'm going to look at other places in the US also to see if they all have older dogs. Will def keep you posted. 😊🐶
He does!!! My vet says they usually do it when they are nervous but I've found that mine does it mainly when he's being petted and enjoying it. It's the cutest!! How did you adopt yours?? I know they are hard to find - at least in the us
They’re not hard to find here in the south of Spain 😢 The place we adopted her from had 147 dogs that day, mainly galgos or podencos. They use these two breeds to hunt hares or rabbits here. But they treat them so so so badly.
Within 2-3 hours of my house I’m aware of another place that has 300 dogs, another that I think has around 200 or more. Then there are the rescue places for other breeds of dogs, it a big problem here in the south of Spain!
I'm so glad I "met" you here and you may very well have saved another one in the future. Although we aren't ready to adopt another yet, I've been looking to adopt a greyhound but been unable to find any rescues left (they banned racing in my state finally so there aren't any dogs left to rescue - such a good thing.) After talking with you, I searched for Galgo rescue and found an organization in my area! Now I just have to convince my fiance that gangster needs a sibling to help keep him feeling young as he moves into being a "senior" dog. 🥰
Yeah! My vet suspects my galgo has some greyhound in her, they do cross breed to take certain characteristics. I’m very much in love with my galgo! I’m wondering does your greyhound do the chatter? My galgo doesn’t but I’m wondering if it’s a just greyhound thing. Or just some greyhounds and some galgo thing.
I love used bookstores, bread, and when pets have regular human names. I “secretly” (but not so secretly) love getting my eyebrows waxed. I also secretly love hiking. Please don’t tell anyone.
I love savory scones (like cheddar and chive) and free books, and secretly love that devastating feeling when you finish reading a book that you've been invested in for a while. I also (possibly secretly) love this idea that Kip heard my name out loud!
Sometimes when I'm very invested in a book I wish I could google "Where are they now" after I finish it, like you can with an old documentary or reality show.
Yes, I often have the same feeling! One time I did this after I finished a fiction book written about a real person, and the result was kind of devastating though :(
Have you read any books by Kathleen Rooney? Shes’s one of @Boaz Frankel’s favorite authors, they’re novels but inspired by real people and we usually go on deep dives into people’s lives after he’s finished reading one. So far it hasn’t been depressing!
Thanks for the recommendation, I love a new favorite author to check out! I used to read a lot of historical fiction (mostly fake diaries of real people) when I was a kid, so this feels nice and familiar.
I secretly, as in, in my head, LOVE it when an owner matches their dog (like, wears black and white and the dog is black and white). Ok, sometimes out loud I’ll call out “I love how you and your dog match today!” So maybe it’s not so secret. Often they’re genuinely surprised and then, so pleased. I think their dog is pleased too.
That's such a nice and specific compliment! I have such a hard time not commenting when a dog is small or fluffy or big, but I try to because I know the person must hear it all the time. Your compliment seems lovely, I'd love to hear it (especially if I were a dog).
Hi Brooke! Thank you for sharing your loves! Will you please drop the name of the closet app you use? Because I, too, have a not-so-secret love of outfit planning! 😍
I use Whering! Is there one you use? My friend uses Whering and I like that we can send each other outfit ideas since we use the same app, but I've watched reviews for other apps too because I was curious!
I really love your newsletter. 🥹 It is one of the most comforting corners of my email inbox, and I hope I’ve managed to snag myself your sticker, b/c I also really love stickers by indie artists.
I also love getting my eyelashes done! It's my only expensive beauty "thing" (haircut 2 or maybe 3x per year, not a makeup or fashion girlie, usually sit in gym clothes all day). A Lash Lift and Tint is so nice and makes doing makeup faster on the days I wear it. Plus when else do adults get explicit instruction to lie down and close their eyes and not do anything else for like a whole hour?
It's the nicest thing. Whenever I (rarely) tell people how much I like it, they always say "Why do you do that, your eyelashes look great how they are!" They look great because I paid someone to make them look this way.
That photo of Marceline made me laugh. I secretly love Powerpuff Girls. It's because Powerpuff Girls are fighting crime to save the world before bed time.
I also love the gym! I started going to the climbing gym and it's turned into a 3x/week habit. I ran in college but tried to keep my exercising away from my "real" identity (an ~intellectual~ who read books and wore plaid, obviously). Turns out I have secret jock tendencies!!
And I secretly love stuff like high school drum lines in parades. These teens have worked so hard! They care so much! I cry every time!
Oh my gosh parades! I weep at parades. It’s very embarrassing.
I also love parades, and anything high schoolers do! We went to a high school theater awards show and I cried the whole time.
I feel very seen with this comment about crying at parades and drum lines! You described it so well. 😭
I also once nearly sobbed through a concert rehearsal for my daughter’s piano group. Everyone had worked so hard! The instructor said something so sweet at the end, like “You all played wonderfully. It wasn’t without mistakes, but that’s okay. You really communicated your music to the audience.” 😢
May I suggest a category for things you love that don't love you back?
Mine are eating cold tofu, wheat, swings and winter weather.
Cheese
I wish swings loved you back!
I used to work at a bakery and one of my coworkers was testing a bran muffin. Kind of an upside down cake situation, she would put honey in the bottom of the cups and let it caramelize on the bottom. She got some notes to add moisture in the form of apple sauce. That and the honey really took them to the next level and I single handedly ate all of the testers I'm pretty sure. I've tried to make bran muffins and they sucked but I've known a good one! Maybe your bran muffin is out there just like mine was.
This bran muffin you're describing is the type of person I want to be.
You always make me smile. Love your mind!
That sounds delicious!!
I love cats (especially mine), handwritten postcards, music, historical drama TV shows, stickers and tattoos
I secretly love international hospital food (check out the subreddit r/hospitalfood), playing solitaire on my phone, when my home help calls me "my dear" and filling my pill organizer every Sunday night.
I never had a bran muffin, I don't think they're much of a thing outside of north America. I had a chocolate muffin last week though, and it was really disappointing. Not close enough to chocolate cake.
Oh my goodness now I also secretly love international hospital food. And now that you mention it, I find most muffins disappointing. I hope you have actual chocolate cake soon!
Brooke, I love this post! I've been a reader of your Substack for a while now and always love every issue, but this was definitely a favorite. I feel like we would be friends if we knew each other in person!
I love weightlifting and yoga (the oddest combination ever), dogs (mine is a rescued, greyhound named gangster), books, and all kinds of word games. I secretly love cereal with yogurt, pulling weeds, old timey comic books (Hi, Archie!) and raisins. I don't know if any I'd these fit my personality or not but they are a part of what makes me, me!
My dad eats cereal with yogurt, I've never seen another person do it! I think that makes it official we'll definitely be friends. Please pet Gangster for me!
Gangster says hi!
Gangster! What a great name! I LOVE greyhounds, I’ve got a galgo (Spanish greyhound kinda).
I looked into the organization more, and I actually think it is the same organization that I adopted gangster from. I think they may have changed direction once all of the ex-racing greyhounds for adoption in the state were given homes! How about that for a sign from the universe?
I'm not sure about a name. I try not to name my dogs until I meet them because I want the name to fit the personality. But you are so right about the opportunities for good wordplay with two of them! What is your Galgo's name?
Oh wow! And where would their galgos be from? They’re used here for hunting mainly. Keep me updated! I feel so invested!
My galga is called Liath (pronounced Lea) it means grey in Gaelic. A friend here in Substack suggested it!
It also makes for great word play in Spanish as it rhymes with the verb ‘liar’ (not liar 🤥 haha) which can be used lots of ways but two very suitable meanings for our Liath is: to trick someone or get into trouble 🤣🤣 She’s a sneaky one for finding ways to get to food and subsequently often finds herself in trouble.
From their website it sounds as if they work with a rescue organization in Spain to bring the dogs to the States. There are several connected rescue operations throughout the US that work on similar projects. It's interesting though - most of the dogs here near me are older (8-10 yrs) - which makes me wonder if any of the other places in the US have younger dogs or if they are only brought over here when they have no luck being adopted in Spain. I will have to continue to investigate! 🕵️
I love that name!! Unique and also sounds very appropriate for her personality.
That’s great to hear. What’s the name of the organisation, I want to have a looky. I wonder if the organisation I adopted my pooch from has considered teaming with the states… Hmmm.
Liath was 4 when we got her but apparently that’s when they finish their peak production for having puppies and then they don’t want them anymore. Maybe 8 is retiring from hunting? I’ll have an ask around for you about how old they tend to stop hunting.
Keep me updated with your investigations! 🕵🏻♀️
This is them: https://gulfcoastgalgos.org/about
I'll be interested to hear what you learn about how long they are used for hunting. I'm going to look at other places in the US also to see if they all have older dogs. Will def keep you posted. 😊🐶
He does!!! My vet says they usually do it when they are nervous but I've found that mine does it mainly when he's being petted and enjoying it. It's the cutest!! How did you adopt yours?? I know they are hard to find - at least in the us
They’re not hard to find here in the south of Spain 😢 The place we adopted her from had 147 dogs that day, mainly galgos or podencos. They use these two breeds to hunt hares or rabbits here. But they treat them so so so badly.
Within 2-3 hours of my house I’m aware of another place that has 300 dogs, another that I think has around 200 or more. Then there are the rescue places for other breeds of dogs, it a big problem here in the south of Spain!
😔 that's awful. How wonderful that you gave one a happy and loving home.
Isn’t it 😢 I wish I could adopt them all!!! I wish I could love them all as they so deserve it.
I'm so glad I "met" you here and you may very well have saved another one in the future. Although we aren't ready to adopt another yet, I've been looking to adopt a greyhound but been unable to find any rescues left (they banned racing in my state finally so there aren't any dogs left to rescue - such a good thing.) After talking with you, I searched for Galgo rescue and found an organization in my area! Now I just have to convince my fiance that gangster needs a sibling to help keep him feeling young as he moves into being a "senior" dog. 🥰
I've read about those! They seem like such great dogs- like their greyhound cousins!
Yeah! My vet suspects my galgo has some greyhound in her, they do cross breed to take certain characteristics. I’m very much in love with my galgo! I’m wondering does your greyhound do the chatter? My galgo doesn’t but I’m wondering if it’s a just greyhound thing. Or just some greyhounds and some galgo thing.
I love used bookstores, bread, and when pets have regular human names. I “secretly” (but not so secretly) love getting my eyebrows waxed. I also secretly love hiking. Please don’t tell anyone.
I love dogs, especially mine, good food, good books, getting my hair done, and going to lunch with girlfriends. Also, I love this substack, Brooke.
I secretly love getting my teeth cleaned at the dentist, church when it is pretty empty, and leftovers.
I LOVE leftovers!
Marceline is such a good name for a dog?? 😭
I secretly love to cry during commercials, too
I love savory scones (like cheddar and chive) and free books, and secretly love that devastating feeling when you finish reading a book that you've been invested in for a while. I also (possibly secretly) love this idea that Kip heard my name out loud!
Sometimes when I'm very invested in a book I wish I could google "Where are they now" after I finish it, like you can with an old documentary or reality show.
Yes, I often have the same feeling! One time I did this after I finished a fiction book written about a real person, and the result was kind of devastating though :(
Have you read any books by Kathleen Rooney? Shes’s one of @Boaz Frankel’s favorite authors, they’re novels but inspired by real people and we usually go on deep dives into people’s lives after he’s finished reading one. So far it hasn’t been depressing!
Thanks for the recommendation, I love a new favorite author to check out! I used to read a lot of historical fiction (mostly fake diaries of real people) when I was a kid, so this feels nice and familiar.
I secretly, as in, in my head, LOVE it when an owner matches their dog (like, wears black and white and the dog is black and white). Ok, sometimes out loud I’ll call out “I love how you and your dog match today!” So maybe it’s not so secret. Often they’re genuinely surprised and then, so pleased. I think their dog is pleased too.
That's such a nice and specific compliment! I have such a hard time not commenting when a dog is small or fluffy or big, but I try to because I know the person must hear it all the time. Your compliment seems lovely, I'd love to hear it (especially if I were a dog).
Hi Brooke! Thank you for sharing your loves! Will you please drop the name of the closet app you use? Because I, too, have a not-so-secret love of outfit planning! 😍
I use Whering! Is there one you use? My friend uses Whering and I like that we can send each other outfit ideas since we use the same app, but I've watched reviews for other apps too because I was curious!
I really love your newsletter. 🥹 It is one of the most comforting corners of my email inbox, and I hope I’ve managed to snag myself your sticker, b/c I also really love stickers by indie artists.
Love: Birding, pink cocktails, old book stores, and Kip
Secretly Love: Cheese and cold rainy days that give you an excuse to stay home
I think Kip might also secretly love excuses to stay home too so you have that in common!
I also love getting my eyelashes done! It's my only expensive beauty "thing" (haircut 2 or maybe 3x per year, not a makeup or fashion girlie, usually sit in gym clothes all day). A Lash Lift and Tint is so nice and makes doing makeup faster on the days I wear it. Plus when else do adults get explicit instruction to lie down and close their eyes and not do anything else for like a whole hour?
It's the nicest thing. Whenever I (rarely) tell people how much I like it, they always say "Why do you do that, your eyelashes look great how they are!" They look great because I paid someone to make them look this way.
That photo of Marceline made me laugh. I secretly love Powerpuff Girls. It's because Powerpuff Girls are fighting crime to save the world before bed time.