If you’ve been squintin’ at the calendar wonderin’ why yer Monday newsletter came struttin’ in two days late… ya ain’t losin’ it, I promise. I’ve just been runnin’ on what I like to call Bubby Standard Time (BST for short) this Summer, which is a smidge behind everybody else’s. The timeline got a little blurry this week, but we made it, and ‘round here that’s what counts!

Late or not, this issue’s got some real good stuff waitin’ on ya. We’re shinin’ our Community Spotlight on the Dead Dad Breakfast Club (stick with me now, it’s a whole lot lovelier than it sounds). We’ve also got a fresh batch of Scenic City happenin’s, a lil’ porch-chat from yours truly, and Clementine moseyin’ in with her very official World Cup hot takes.

Pour yerself a cup of ambition, forgive us for runnin’ fashionably late, and let’s ease on into the neighborhood!

As always, we’ve added a fresh track to this week’s issue purely for vibes as you read. Click the link below before ya start reading if you wanna listen!

Got somethin’ cookin’ that the Scenic City oughta know about?

Tell us all about it with our new and improved events form, or just reply to this email with your event details and we’ll go from there!

This brand represents resilience and community with an undertone of humor, built by four women who share a similar experience – losing their dads to cancer at a young age.

They launched the Dead Dad Breakfast Club on Father’s Day (yep, this past Sunday): A day that still stings, even after years of learning how to carry the weight of their grief a little better.

What started as a silly little idea became something bigger when they realized how much it resonated with others who share a similar story – being part of The Worst Club in the World.

They’re startin’ with a few simple items — member flags & crewnecks — but will continue to build new merch as time goes on. They have so many ideas for this, and really want to connect more with the other dead dad club members out there, such as monthly local meetups, event pop-ups, and an online community.

The Dead Dad Breakfast Club is an opportunity to create a new way to create space for that grief.

The DDBC is founded by Sydnee Cearlock, Bre Swims, Piper Millar, & Chaylan Ballard. Make sure to drop a follow on their Instagram and Facebook for more updates!

My Meemaw’s gotta sayin’ she trots out anytime she catches somebody tryin’ to white-knuckle through a hard stretch all by their lonesome: “Sugar, a burden shared is a burden halved.” She’s usually sayin’ it while prying a casserole dish outta my hands, mind you, but the woman ain’t never been wrong about much.

I’ve come around to believin’ the heavy stuff in life was never meant to be hauled all by your lonesome. Grief, worry, a season that just plain knocks the wind outta ya —none of it shrinks one bit while it’s hid away in your chest. But the second ya let somebody sit down in it alongside ya, it loosens its grip a little. That’s the whole secret, far as I can tell: we don’t make it through the hardest days ’cause we’re tough as nails, but simply ’cause somebody pulled out a few tissues and sat with us long enough to endure the suck together.

The beauty of what I really enjoy about the Dead Dad Breakfast Club allows folks’ shared realities to allow each other to put their guard down and accept the reality of their membership together. The hard stuff gets a smidge more bearable when you’re shoulder to shoulder with folks who just get it.

’Course, findin’ those folks is easier said than done, ’specially if you’re new in town or feelin’ a touch on the outside of things lately. If you’ve been huntin’ for your people and ain’t rightly sure where to start, our neighbors over at Roundabout North Chatt put together a sturdy foundation to get lookin’ wtith their Where to Find Your People guide. It’s a simple lil’ roadmap to the clubs, meetups, and gatherings where folks go to find each other, and is always accepting submissions to make it even bigger!

If you take one thing from my ramblin' today, let it be this: you don't have to carry the hard stuff alone, and you were never supposed to. Go find the folks who get it. They're out there (pinky promise), and they've been savin' you a seat.

I’m gonna be real honest with y’all… I don’t really get soccer.

I mean, I get it. Kick the ball in the net, don’t use your hands, yadda yadda. I’m sorry. I know people all over the world go crazy for The Beautiful Game. I’m just not one of them.

I AM excited about the World Cup being in the United States, though! Did y’all know the Spanish National Team is using Chattanooga as their home base for the tournament? They’ve been training at Baylor all month, which is pretty cool. Folks have spotted players all over town, from Downtown to Rock City and everywhere in between. Who can blame them? We know what an amazing city we have.

That’s actually been my FAVORITE part of the World Cup, and it has nothing to do with soccer. I keep seeing videos from fans who traveled halfway across the world to come to America for the tournament, and they’re experiencing all our weird little American things for the first time. People are getting excited about their first trip to Walmart, Waffle House, and Buc-ee’s. They’re singing in the streets, making friends, and having the time of their lives.

I saw somebody say we should have sleepovers with other countries more often. I don’t know if I’d go that far, but it is pretty cool to watch people from every corner of the world come together over something they love. Maybe that’s the part of soccer I’ve been missing.

So if I have to pick a side, I guess I’m Team USA with a side of Team Spain. I still don’t really understand soccer, I just hope everybody has fun!!

Thanks for spendin' a little piece of your week with us! Whether you're pre-orderin' a crewneck from The Worst Club in the World, hoofin’ it on a trail with Pride out at Stringer's Ridge, or just workin' up the nerve to go find your people, we hope this week nudges ya to look around and notice all the good stuff that’s been bloomin’ nearby in the background.

We'll be back next week with more silly stories, teeny tiny thoughts, and whatever hot take Clementine conjures up next (she's still no closer to understandin' soccer futbol, bless her heart).

— Bubby & Clementine