19 Comments
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Joanna Goddard's avatar

Bess, you are the sweetest!!! You are in my phone as "Bess Funny Kalb," along with our mutual friend "Holly the Poppy's Cafe Mom Who Loves Paris" -- gotta differentiate the new people in your phone!

The red/orange lipstick in question was Village 11 Velvet Lip Tint in "Blooming Red," and I highly recommend it. It appears sort of soft and blurry when it's on, so you look like you've just been kissed, or as my friend Gemma says, "like you had gentle but meaningful sex that morning." https://www.yesstyle.com/en/tcuc.USD/coc.US/info.html/pid.1104388726

Godspeed! xoxo And thank you for this lovely issue.

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Bess Kalb's avatar

Purchased. XOX

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Jan Geniesse's avatar

To all new subscribers, PAY FOR IT! Worth every penny to laugh almost daily and occasionally cry and sometimes feel very validated (especially about Gaza). If you pay for it, she can continue writing and not have to get a day job.

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Holly Starbright's avatar

Dear Dad, So glad the subscriptions are increasing and that you're masculinity is not threatened by having folks pay you for your writing. Also, please tell me what that shade of lipstick is when you find out. Also, also, I will happily proofread all your stuff for free (it's a thing with me).

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Lisa Davis's avatar

Pay! Worth it! Rhode Island is the best for summer vacations!

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Leah Wiseman Fink's avatar

I loved that syndicated essay and I love Jo of Cup of Jo who will surely send over the exact lipstick shade shortly. I think you meant published on Cup of Jo instead of Big Salad? Or maybe I’m mistaken!

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Bridget's avatar

I do not read or pay for Cup of Jo and I’ve been following your writing to feel sane and validated and for laughs since 2016 Twitter but I will check her out.

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Joanna Goddard's avatar

yes, come hang out anytime, Joy! we would love to have you:) Cup of Jo is free (www.cupofjo.com) and Big Salad is free or paid, up to you (www.joannagoddard.substack.com) xoxoxo

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Nicole Garelick's avatar

I'd happily pay for your dinner noodles any day.

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Amy Schaefer Martinez's avatar

I love your writing in all forms and have been a happy, paying subscriber for a while! Money well spent.

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Joy Netanya Thompson's avatar

BRB, writing “What would a man do?” on a post-it and sticking it to my computer.

For real, though, this is the only newsletter I pay for, after becoming a paid subscriber soon after Oct 7. The sanity + humor Bess regularly delivers is def worth the price of a cold brew!

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Miranda's avatar

Proud to be a paid subscriber! Can't wait to start asking WWAMD about literally everything. Thank YOU.

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Jena's avatar

As a mom of three under three, I laughed and nodded through the Cup of Jo piece, then got to the comments and was curious enough with the rave reviews of other Cup of Jo readers to click through to your Substack, read this post and by the time I got to the vacation like a dad bit I felt so SEEN (I have a lovely and supportive husband, why do I feel like I always need to ASK?!) I knew that there was simply no way I couldn’t have your wit, insight, and courage in my life on the daily. Hi, from your newest paid subscriber and a huge fan!

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Jo Bozarth's avatar

Just hopped over to Cup of Jo to read it. So funny and feels so true!

By the by, I’ve been a paying subscriber for a couple months (I think), basically as soon as I found you. I forwarded your writing to my husband, and when he told me he subscribed, I looked down my nose at him and said, “Yeah, but do you even pay, bro?”

Here’s to your new subscribers! May a bajillion of them be paid! 👏👏👏👏👏

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Helen Zaltzman's avatar

As a maker of free content myself, I love paying writers for their work. SORRY ABOUT IT BESS

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Bess Kalb's avatar

❤️

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Rachel's avatar

So so happy to pay for this newsletter!!!

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Jerry's avatar

Thank you Mr. Bess Kalb for driving and serving as U.N. Ambassador to the Sandcastle nation. Please cook some damn noodles so your extremely talented wife can stay sane and help keep us sane by extension.

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Christina's avatar

As a paying subscriber I give this Substack five stars and great service and good food rating. Thanks for the lipstick tip too.

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