When the Charlotte Sting folded Jan. 3, 2007, Trudi Lacey, the team’s general manager, threw all her basketball possessions in the trash: her plays, her notebooks, her game tape. Those who knew Lacey as one of women’s basketball’s most extreme personalities weren’t surprised by her severe reaction; most figured she’d never return to the league. But after a year that began with the loss of her job and later included a health scare, Lacey reacted in a way that surprised even those closest to her. She took up vinyasa yoga, got a tattoo (two, actually), started journaling and learned to handle stress differently. In all, she came to grips with a lesson that took her almost 50 years to absorb: There are some things that are simply out of your control. Read full article > >

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Mystics Coach Trudi Lacey learning to let go

The editor Michael Pietsch needed an Excel spreadsheet to piece together the notebooks that made up “The Pale King,” a posthumous novel from David Foster Wallace.

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Piecing Together Wallace’s Posthumous Novel

Pets impersonating celebrities grace the covers of these new notebooks A kitschy new line of stationary, Takkoda ‘s Famous Faces series features freakishly adorable pets dressed up as popular celebrities. The collection includes journals, bookmarks and greeting cards, each with stoic faces ironically mocking their silly appearance. Each of the 184-page lightly ruled journals (offered in pocket- or full-size versions) is complete with an elastic pen holder, ribbon bookmark and interior pocket, keeping organization at the forefront of the design. Characters such as chihuahua Michael Jackson, corgi Dr. Spock and kitten Audrey Hepburn keep the humor alive while doing some serious note taking. Available online from teNeues for $9 (small) or $13 (large).

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Famous Faces Stationery

An altruistic leather worker’s line of covetable purses, bags and accessories Portland, OR-based Talitha Leather was founded by Nate Bagley after working as a case manager for a homeless youth organization. Inspired by bible stories, he named the business after a sickly young girl who Jesus saves after her parents leave her for dead. A friend of Bagley’s was working in a shoe store, where he learned leather working techniques. Together they began collecting tools and set up shop in a basement, refining their skills at riveting and sewing. Today, Talitha Leather sells a full line of men’s and women’s accessories, including bags, purses and leather jewelry made from materials sourced on the West Coast. A portion of the profits from the sturdy bags goes towards the International Justice Mission , a human rights agency that promotes victim advocacy in the public justice system. The profits from the company also allow Bagley to offer a sliding scale for his services as a private practice mental health counselor to uninsured families and children in Portland. Prices range from $14 for jewelry to $200-$500 for handmade messenger bags and sell from their online shop or Talitha Leather’s Etsy site.

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Talitha Leather