Spring has Sprung: What are you reading, watching, eating, doing, thinking?

Spring awakens our senses. Many of us step out into the longer, brighter days with greater enthusiasm. We spend less time on our phones or watching the oft-depressing news. We find good reasons to get up and get outdoors. The smell of flowers and freshly cut grass is intoxicating. The sight of trees with buds, shop doors flung open to let in fresh air, people on park benches reading articles, talking or drawing, people eating outdoors after long winter hibernations and taking longer strolls or even running, the jingle of an ice-cream truck and the sound of water trickling in a fountain, all perk up our spirits. 

It may be a long shot, but some of us may even have a bit more hope, even if temporary, despite all the unhappiness, sadness and tragedy lurking around us or in distant parts of our world. We know staying positive helps, and an article in The New York Times’ “Well” section (March 31, 2026), confirmed that it can help us age well as does having a sense of purpose. In the article, Dr. Deepika Chopra says that “being intentional about looking forward to something every day” helps, whether “a walk outside, a conversation with a friend, even what you’re going to have for dinner.” What he said resonated with each of us so much that it may spur us to add Chopra’s new book, The Power of Real Optimism, to our ever-expanding reading stack.

With that in mind, we threw out the question to friends and asked: Now that spring has sprung and summer is on the horizon, what are you doing, reading, seeing, eating, thinking about? Maybe some of the ideas will resonate. Feel free to share yours as those below have done for this blog. 

B. This is what I read at least twice a week, though it’s safer to say scan rather than read thoroughly. All are inexpensive or free: Wall Street Journal, Investment News, Real Clear Markets, Real Clear Politics, Abnormal Returns, New York Times, Washington Post, Apple News. Then on Substack, I scan Deep Value Insights, Parent Fit Club, Fix Your Posture, Stay Young, Dr. Laurie Marbas’ The Habit Healers. I also walk several times a day and play tennis.

Allison. I’m trying to eat a low-carb diet, which is very difficult because I love bread and everything sweet! I’m getting back into yoga and making a point to walk an hour every day, along with playing tennis. I just finished Mona’s Eyes by Thomas Schlesser--didn’t love it. I recently participated in a “No Kings” event in Baltimore, and I had the opportunity to meet a variety of interesting people. I found it interesting that most of the attendees were 60-plus.  Where are our young people in this movement? 

Deb. Here is what I am up to: Reading: Good Enough by Anna Quindlen; Watching: Foyle's War written by Anthony Horowitz; Seeing: Super Blooms at Sunol, East Bay Parks Regional Preserve (Alameda, Calif.); Doing: Gardening, Trekking, grandparenting, exercising.

M. I am involved with the ACLU.  I volunteer to make calls, go to planning meetings, anything to help the US stay a democracy. I have been cooking vegetable soups.., easy to do and healthy.. trying to eat healthy with no sugar. I’m back to painting and experimenting with a contemporary style.   

X. EATING: I’ve discovered to my dismay that I can’t tolerate ice cream. I get vicarious pleasure watching Q. enjoy it in moderation. We continue to search for reasonably priced good restaurants in our high-priced area near San Francisco. Our favorite is Buck’s in Woodside, scene of many early Silicon Valley deal-making, filled with funky and eclectic objects on the walls and hanging from the ceiling. WATCHING: In preparation for a May trip to London /Norway fjords/Edinburgh, we’re watching Scottish mysteries based on books: Shetland by Ann Cleeves, Case Histories by Kate Atkinson and Rebus by Ian Rankin. Last night we watched Good Morning Vietnam with Robin Williams since Q. discovered that X. had never seen it. READING: The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson, our age, reflecting on returning to England after 20 years away, also reflecting on being our age. Little Dribbling is actually a town name; Magic Strings of Frankie Pesto, by Mitch Albom, which is beautiful lyrical writing about a guitarist, with input by Eric Clapton, Django Reinhardt, Little Richard and more; The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable, historical fiction about Anna Maria delta Pietà, orphan musical prodigy violinist/composer who studied under Vivaldi in Venice in early 18th century and is believed to have composed much of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons; Why Time Begins on Opening Day by Thomas Boswell, one of the greater sports writers of our era, 1984 reflection on that era in baseball, with perceptive insights, fascinating stories about legendary players, owners, umpires, fan. DOING: X is singing in a chorus, Stanford Med Chorus with mostly Stanford medical-affiliated members singing songs from 15th century to Beatles and Sondheim. X. sings and Q. plays guitar regularly in a folk jam, and Q. was asked to play a gig with a local band this weekend. EXERCISE: X. takes yoga class, fitness class and hikes weekly; we take walks together exploring the neighborhood. GRANDPARENTING: X. spends time regularly with granddaughters Ashton (6), Leila (4) and Casey (1). SEEING: Recently, we took a trip to Phoenix AZ to watch Major League Baseball Spring Training games. We met up with friends from Rochester, NY and drove north to Sedona, Montezuma’s Castle cliff dwelling, and Jerome mining/ghost/artist town. In Phoenix, saw Million Dollar Quartet musical, visited Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West, the Heard Museum and the world-class Musical Instrument Museum.

Susie. I do not watch regurgitated propaganda news. Yuck!  For noise in the house, I have my TV on QVC. Extremely interesting how they market products. I watch Korean TV on Netflix. Storylines are great. I also watch BritBox. I just got done reading the real story of Cleopatra, which is super interesting.  I plan on reading about Alexander the Great. St. Louis has interesting stuff coming up, and I plan on making myself go. Can’t wait to start gardening.

Sandy. Hope that all is well in your life (considering that this world is crumbling in front of us). We have been lucky enough [in Florida] to have met an unbelievable community that is warm, supportive, and approaches our age with ebullience and wonder!  This weather promotes being outdoors and frequently trying new activities. Books that I can recommend are Culpability by Bruce Holsinger, Buckeye by Patrick Ryan, My Friends by Fredrik Backman, which I have read in book groups. We have fun exercise classes which incorporate cardio, weights, and balance with great music playlists to make sessions joyful! When I am in NYC and while here in Florida, I appreciate going to museums and galleries on curated tours with guides. This provides so much more insight into what I am viewing. We are also planning to travel again and look forward to this. Gardens are also nature’s candy, and this is also special!

Frank Bruni. New York Times columnist, “Opinion” (March 30, 2026). What he’s reading is Fates and Furies, a 2015 novel by Lauren Groff. “It’s the story of a marriage, told first from the husband’s and then from the wife’s point of view, and it’s streaked with allusions to Shakespeare and Greek mythology.” What he’s watching: “Plants, like people, eventually fade away. But a few weeks ago, slightly ahead of schedule, those colors (of the plants in his garden) returned. And they meant more to me than they usually do. I needed spring. Needed its beauty. Needed the reassurance that for all that goes wrong in this ravaged world of ours, nature stands ready to nurture us and to dazzle us — if we let it.”

Audrey. Reading: I just finished reading Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon…based on a real person, this book shows the dedication and spirit of a woman in the 1700’s determined not to be marginalized by the male-dominated world in which she was born. I loved it. Watching? Unfortunately, I am glued to MSNOW because I am so worried about our country and our world right now. When I can’t take it anymore, I indulge in some HGTV and even in some of the Housewife franchises…though I hate them even while I am watching! It is even hard to admit that I watch them! I used to be a loyal watcher, but I even got sick of them!

Lauren. We watch The Pitt and are really engaged in all the characters. We also watch Jeopardy religiously every day. We are hooked on the NYT Games. We play the Spelling Bee, Connections, Strands, Wordle, the Mini Crossword and Midi Crossword every day and play Sports Connections. We are looking forward to the weather getting warmer so we can start to spend more time outdoors. 

Paula. One daughter is being induced soon, and her sister-in-law is throwing a little sprinkle for closest friends, so I will be there for that and then stay to help with the older child and whatever my daughter needs. We have a granddaughter’s Bat Mitzvah, and my husband will be riding his bike a lot and doing lunches and synagogue stuff. Our rabbi recommended a book, Good People by Marcus Sakey, so look forward to reading that since I always love his recommendations. I’ve been binging Freida McFadden books--fun beach reading. Also read Songs for the Brokenhearted by Ayelet Tsabari, which I loved. Bought some fun new jigsaw puzzles--haven’t done them since the pandemic--and knitting. Maybe we’ll try to go to Cape Cod.

David G. An article in the St. Louis-Post Dispatch newspaper is talking about the problem with pricing at Panera Bread. We eat there at least twice a week. Last night a ham and Swiss sandwich for me; potato soup for Sydney (my wife) and a mixed salad, and tomato soup. On Fridays, we eat at Freddy's with cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches and fries. We ate baby-back ribs at Lester’s this week and fettuccine at Pasta House. Tonight, we are doing linguini with shrimp for our son Michael and his girlfriend Gina. I'm reading more John Sandford books. For entertainment, I exercise three times weekly and do all the shopping at Schnucks and Amazon. We also have fun on a daily basis with Rocky (our new cat) and watch the carpenters repairing the outside of our apartment because of leaking panels. 

R: This spring, I am moving, downsizing, and starting a new life! Unpacking leaves little time for reading.  I’m enjoying Word Search before bed, and it is calming for me.  Many books in the wings for when things settle down. Seeing friends, lunching, and being in the moment with my BFFs is affirming for what’s next for me.  Sushi is my go-to meal, along with Trader Joe’s Ultra Chocolate Ice Cream! Lots of new things to see,  neighbors to meet, and my beloved dog love, Poppy, are waiting for what’s next!

Maura Carlin. We can't stop thinking—and debating —about Belle Burden's new memoir, Stranger: A Memoir of Marriage. It's the story of her marriage's collapse (he walked out on her and the kids during the pandemic) and the long, hard work of rebuilding a life. Burden has been everywhere lately, and she comes across as remarkably at peace with the choices she made. Some of us are more conflicted. The prenup. Raiding her trusts to buy homes. Putting him on the deeds. And then there’s the sandwich. Making it for him as he’s walking out the door. Would you? There's also a question worth sitting with: Would this book have found its audience—and its publisher—without Burden's socialite pedigree? We're not sure. What we are sure of is that it's a must-read and a must-discuss. We are hoping to speak to Burden—or at least about the book — on a special podcast of ours: The Balance Dilemma Substack Live. Stay tuned.

Barbara. I’m back to walking outdoors if the weather’s good and work permits to get in more steps and try to include some hills to get the heart pumping more. I try to take different routes, notice different plantings, the architecture of vintage homes all around and try to converse with shopkeepers if I make a quick stop in to browse. I’m also reading more novels, not my usual genre, and the stack has included Anna Quindlen’s latest, More than Enough, Yellowface by R. F. Kuang, A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck by Sophie Elmhirst and some nonfiction such as Michael Gross’ great Rogue’s Gallery, and a little book titled How Books Can Save Democracy by Michael Fischer. Friends just informed me, how could I not know about the great books of Bill Bryson, so will tackle at least one or two of his such as A Walk in the Woods. I am also finding time in the morning for a gratitude prayer as so much sadness and violence surround us, and I must find those sparks of joy.  I’m eating more healthily, having eliminated sugar, processed foods and white foods to maintain pounds shed slowly. We recently saw two happy movies—The Devil Wears Prada 2 and The Sheep Detectives for indoor fun. And we just got the latest Covid shot, since it had been six months, and we read there’s a new variant we’d love to avoid.

Margaret. I wake up with a smile on my face, eager to go outside, whether to reach my destination or just to take a walk in Central Park. Usually, I have more pep in my step. I take out my spring and summer clothes, which feel like a new wardrobe, and love that I don’t have to wear heavy outerwear, maybe just a sweater or a light jacket. I carry my iPad and look for a bench to sit and read, often in a garden. People are out in large numbers with their families, laughing, talking, some basking in the sun or having picnics. I enjoy the sounds and sights: kids running around, chatting and laughing, filling the air with joy. My garden club has started, and I always enjoy planting seeds and seeing what grows. Books: Thomas Mann’s Magic Mountain, Kin by Tayari Jones, Good People by Patmeena Sabit, Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash, to name a few. I am also working hard to learn challenging oratorio music for a spring concert and hope to land some choral parts in upcoming spring projects around the city. Foods: fresh fruits and vegetables, lots of ice cream and sipping a cappuccino, eating and drinking with good friends in one of the city’s many outdoor areas. When spring arrives, bringing new life to the world, I also come alive. Ah, what a wonder.