Simon Says... COVID Forced Me To (Finally) Slow Down

And finally start Ozark, which is INTENSE, man.

Welcome to Simon Says, a weekly newsletter from Rachel Simon all about freelance life—from the inside scoop on just-published stories to advice on how to pitch to what it’s *really* like to leave a cozy full-time gig for the chaotic, unpredictable world of invoicing (jk, freelancing, but IYKYK).

Hi there! Sorry about the hiatus last week—after 2+ years, our luck finally ran out and both Kurt and I came down with COVID. It was a supremely crappy couple days full of coughing and sniffling and whining (suffer in silence? Absolutely not), but thankfully, we’re all recovered now and happy to (hopefully) have that behind us.

The one upside to being sick, though (other than all the Ozark episodes we watched and brownies we ate—sugar is healing!!), was that it forced me to really slow down. I moved any deadlines and commitments I could, but for everything that couldn’t be postponed, I worked slowly and deliberately, only doing the minimum amount of work required and shutting my laptop each day as soon as possible. No over-achieving, no last-minute additions to the to-do list, no “just one more email” mentality—I simply got done exactly what was needed, and nothing more. What a feeling!

I’m trying to hold onto that notion and not rush back into the craziness now that I’m healthy again, and it’s kind of working? I’m busy, but not overloaded, and allowing myself more time to rest and relax. I’m even reading Ottessa Moshfegh’s My Year of Rest and Relaxation, fittingly enough! (It’s very, very good.).

In a world filled with chaos and tragedy, we can use all the breaks we can get.

Some Stories I Wrote Last Week

For NBC News THINK, I wrote an op-ed about my experience working as an abortion clinic escort after the Supreme Court leak on Roe.

Over on Shondaland, I interviewed the lovely Emma Straub about her fantastic new novel, This Time Tomorrow.

For Byrdie, I rounded up the best maxi dresses you can buy right now, in all styles and price ranges.

For Daily Paws, I reviewed a water bottle/dog bowl combo that’s super convenient for hikes and long trips.

For People, I highlighted a cordless vacuum from Amazon that’s on sale right now, an outdoor furniture and decor sale at Target, and Amazon’s cozy and luxurious coastal style storefront.

For Brides, I found tons of pretty and unique wedding dessert table decor ideas.

And finally, for InPickleball magazine, I interviewed a man who’s using his retirement to teach pickleball in prisons and jails across the country. It’s only available in print for now, but I’ll share the link once it goes online!

The Inside Scoop

Each week, I’ll pick one story I’ve written (new or old, if needed) and explain how it got from pitch/assignment to publication. This week, it’s the NBC News THINK op-ed about being an abortion clinic escort.

The moment the Roe news leaked, I knew I wanted to write about my experiences working as a clinic escort at my local abortion clinic for the last eight months. I pitched my NBC News THINK editor an op-ed with the approach of “this is what it’s really like,” but while she was into the overall idea, she felt it was too broad an angle and wanted me to find something more specific. We went back and forth for a bit before settling on a (much stronger) angle about the ways protesters have gotten more intense since the leak, and she encouraged me to report back after my next shift so I could write it from a first-person view. I did just that, and I’m really proud of the resulting piece.

(If you’re interested in becoming a clinic escort in Raleigh or elsewhere, let me know! It’s a volunteer position, you make your own hours, and it’s important, invigorating work.)

Other Work/Life Stuff Of Note

It’s not too late to order a custom crossword puzzle for Father’s Day or graduation! They’re selling fast, but I still have time to fit in a few more before the big days.

As always, a reminder to pre-order my book Pickleball For All from Amazon, Target, Barnes & Noble, or wherever else. Just a little over three months to go!

Coming Up…

My Creative Nonfiction class with Redbud is now underway, but I just signed on for a new Creative Nonfiction class with Gotham, held over Zoom! It starts in July, and you can sign up here.

Thanks for reading, as always. Have a great week, friends!

-Rachel