Meet Our Team!
It’s not even April yet, but it’s already been a big year for Cup of Jo. This month, we welcomed Jannelle back from parental leave (and the WILD birth of her third baby!). And our wonderful long-time contributor, Kelsey Miller, has officially joined the team as a senior editor. We had a bittersweet farewell with Maureen after seven wonderful years with us, and our new partnerships director is none other than my friend, Claudette Hrapski! Since we have a new team full of familiar faces, we’d love to come out from behind the scenes to introduce ourselves…
Joanna Goddard
Founder & Editor
A former magazine writer, I started Cup of Jo in 2007 as a weekend hobby but over the years developed it into an award-winning daily website, featuring a diverse group of writers and photographers. In 2023, I also launched Big Salad, our weekly newsletter about style, design, and relationships, which quickly became the #1 fashion/beauty publication on Substack. I live in Brooklyn with my two chatty boys.
Go-to breakfast drink: Cinnamon tea made at home.
Childhood nickname: My dad still calls me Fofans, inspired by that “banana fana fo-fana” song. My siblings and cousins call me Jo. Now anytime someone else calls me “Jo,” I instantly feel close to them.
Favorite after-work activity: Hanging out with my two hilarious boys. The preteen/teen years have been my favorite so far. They can be moody, of course, but they also make me laugh and watch Derry Girls, share smart observations about life, and still want bedtime chats and cuddles.
Celebrity crush: Andy Samberg in Palm Springs. I’d gladly be stuck in his time loop.
Book that changed my life: When I read The Catcher in the Rye in high school, I saw Holden Caufield as a sexy bad boy. He grew up in Manhattan! He smoked! But when I reread it as a forty-something mom, my heart ached for the lost, lonely 16-year-old. I realized how much our perspectives on people can change, depending on our own lived experiences and life stages. I always try to keep that in mind.
Kelsey Miller
Senior Editor
Kelsey is a culture writer, and the author of three books, including her memoir, Big Girl, and the bestselling pop-culture history book, I’ll Be There For You. Her first novel, Old Money, was published in 2025. Among other things, she often writes about the impact of diet culture and the evolution of the body positive movement. She loves Polish cinema, weird history, and a long swim. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.
Go-to weekday breakfast: On a good day, jammy eggs and buttered sourdough toast. On a typical day, my daughter Margot’s leftovers.
Childhood nickname: Wunkin. My dad made it up when I was born — it’s a combination of “wunderkind” and “pumpkin” (I had jaundice!).
Favorite after-work activity: Once a week, a couple school-mom friends and I take our kids to Shake Shack for dinner. It’s a mid-week breather; everyone gets some social time, and no one has to do dinner when we get home.
Celebrity crush: Bowen Yang. I KNOW.
Book that changed my life: Holidays on Ice, by David Sedaris. Specifically, the essay, Santaland Diaries. My high-school English teacher had us read it aloud in class the day before winter break, and we were all in tears with laughter. We were astonished by how funny it was — it seemed impossible. It was one of the moments that showed me how powerful good writing can be.
Claudette Hrapski
Partnerships Director
Claudette has spent 20 years in marketing, working with brands and influencers, and running her social media agency. She and her family relocated from the West Coast to New York in 2021. She loves a good audiobook and will always say yes to hosting a bagel brunch. She lives with her husband Zach, son Linus, and daughter Georgie. (Also, remember her week of outfits and house tour?)
Go-to weekday breakfast: I love a bowl of Trader Joe’s goat yogurt, with muesli, chia seeds, and a handful of berries.
Childhood nickname: Ali
Favorite after-work activity: Watch crappy reality shows (like The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives!).
Celebrity crush: Michael B. Jordan. When he won his Oscar, I turned to my husband and said, ‘WOW, that man is attractive.’
Book that changed my life: I’m not usually a self-help girlie, but Mindset really got me. It shifted how I think about failure, criticism, and growth — and honestly, it’s helped me parent better than any actual parenting book I’ve read.
Christine Pride
Race Matters Columnist
Christine is a writer, editor and french fry enthusiast. She worked in publishing for 20 years before leaping to “the other side” to write novels. She’s written two with Jo Piazza: We Are Not Like Them, and You Were Always Mine. Her solo debut, All The Men I’ve Loved Again, was published in 2025. She also writes the newsletter, Book Forward. Christine lives in Harlem, New York.
Go-to weekday breakfast: I don’t eat breakfast! It’s not intentional; I just never get hungry until noon.
Childhood nickname: My family calls me Christie.
Favorite after-work activity: Watch all the TV. And I mean all of it.
Celebrity crush: Girl: Tracee Ellis Ross. Guy: Rege-Jean Page — he had me at Bridgerton.
Book that changed my life: My own first novel, We Are Not Like Them. It changed the course of my career and my whole life.
Jannelle Sanchez
Senior Editor
Jannelle has always loved talking to people and hearing their stories. After graduating with a journalism degree, she wrote on the marketing teams of various tech companies, before joining Cup of Jo in 2021. Jannelle lives in the Bay Area with her husband and three children.
Go-to weekday breakfast: Coffee (with a splash of half-and-half and a teaspoon of sugar!), and toast with butter and strawberry jam.
Childhood nickname: Growing up, my whole extended family called me Jannelley (Janelle-eee) — and still do to this day. Sometimes when a stranger reads my name aloud, they’ll pronounce it “Jannelley,” and I instantly feel like a four-year-old.
Favorite after-work activity: A week ago, my five-year-old daughter Ella and I planted some Cup of Sun seeds, and now we love watering the garden and seeing new sprouts pop up each day.
Celebrity crush: Jess Mariano from Gilmore Girls. He knows how to yearn and writes notes in the margins!
Book that changed my life: Little Women. It was the first classic book I read as a kid, and I return to it every few years. It’s taught me so much about girlhood, family, friendships, and love.
Kaitlyn Teer
Senior Newsletter Editor
Kaitlyn is the senior editor for Big Salad, where she interviews writers like Barbara Kingsolver, Catherine Newman, and Roxane Gay. Her essay collection, Little Apocalypses: Essays on Motherhood, Climate Change, and Hope at the End of the World debuts next month. She lives in Washington State with her husband and two kids.
Go-to weekday breakfast: Peanut butter toast — ideally freshly ground peanut butter, the gloppier the better.
Childhood nickname: I go by Kaitlyn professionally but nearly everyone who knows me outside of work calls me Kaity. Having said that, the Cup of Jo team typically refers to me by my initials, KT, which sound just like ‘Kaity.’ So, wherever I go, there I am!
Favorite after-work activity: I joke that I’m going to crush it in retirement because my favorite things to do are either outdoorsy adventures, like birding and mountain biking, or chill solo hobbies, like knitting and working on my vegetable garden.
Celebrity crush: Cillian Murphy, specifically when he’s doing press junkets. An interviewer once asked for his thoughts about the disappointed Cillian Murphy meme, and he said he didn’t know what a meme was.
Book that changed my life: Annie Dillard’s A Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. It’s a stunning example of how an ordinary place, like a neighborhood creek, comes alive when you approach it with curiosity and attention. Whenever I pick it up, I notice something different.
That’s our team! We’re all thrilled to be here with you. xoxo
P.S. 10 lessons I’ve learned in my career, and the best career advice I ever got.
Comments
153 commentsSobbing reading Kelsey’s essay about the last Thanksgiving with her dad. How lucky you are to have had one another and I’m so sorry for your loss. What a beautiful team! Thanks for putting so much good out there. It matters.
So glad to learn more about cup of Jo team. First, because a blog is nothing without smart people besides it and then because « cup of Jo » is (to me and other readers I guess) the most authentic, healthy, unpretentious, connected to reality, of trust, funny, sharing, not in judgment, caring blog of all time. Really greatful to feel/be part of this kind community that helped me more than once. Thank you all, thank you really much. Faithful to you forever and ever. Xcuse my english, I’m french. Mother of two. Stepmother of two. Work hard. Not very confident but work hard on it to and improving.
Lovely Women! Really want to know how you all manage family life, especially with young kids, & create such wonderful interesting reading pieces!
Polish cinema?! I want to know how Kelsey got into Polish cinema! Greenpoint?
Janelle- I was also born in the front seat, right outside the hospital. (December 1978) I’ve been adventurous ever since.
Omg!! I think that’s one of the biggest flexes hahaha.
These are some amazing women.
One more voice to add to the chorus of comments below! I would also really appreciate a COJ post dedicated to Kim Rhodes and crowdfunding for her recovery! I donated this morning, but I know if more readers donated, we could make an enormous difference. I imagine it might feel like a hard balance (there are so many people who need help), but Kim was a key part of the COJ team, so I think it makes sense to do another post to help her. https://helphopelive.org/campaign/24212/
Thank you for sharing this, I think about Kim often and will definitely donate. I would guess/hope that COJ would have shared this or other updates if Kim’s and/or her family consented to that, which can be tricky I am sure. Sending all my love to Kim and those who know and love her!
Lovely to see the team (all familiar, dear faces) under one roof in this post. Using one of Jo’s cosy sign-offs, we are so happy you’re here.
This post makes me want to write for Cup of Jo. If you ever need a perspective from the Southern Hemisphere, I’m already working on some names for the new series: She’ll Be Apples? She Wears Sunscreen? The Real Upside Down?
idk what those series titles mean, but i’m intrigued!
Here to offer Christine the Australian saying of “a dingos breakfast” AKA a drink of water and a look around :)
That’s amazing! A dingo’s breakfast! hahaha
And here I was thinking I was the only K-A-I-T-Y! I’m also a Washington state Kaitlynn, very pleased to see another one of us in the T-I-E world.
For Christine I offer the very Australian term “dingo’s breakfast” A.K.A a drink of water and a look around.
This was so fun! You think you know the team but I still learned a few things. What an awesome gang!! I also giggled and gasped my way through my morning dog walk with David Sedaris, thanks for that epic rec Kelsey!
When you have an open position, how do ya’ll handle male applicants? I am curious how one might navigate equal opportunity with the practical and totally understandable point that for a predominantly women’s-focused blog, a female perspective is probably intentionally sought. Disclaimer: I am expressing my question in binary gender terms as a kind of shorthand for my curiosity; I believe in and support gender fluidity and expression.
Hi! Just curious, how come you don’t have Kelly Dawson included here as a contributor? I’ve loved her take on disability for years!
Hi! Joanna is traveling right now so won’t be able to write back to as many comments as she usually does, but here’s her response :) “Thanks for your note! We are lucky enough to have a bunch of freelance photographers and writers we love who have contributed regularly over the years — Catherine Newman, Christine Han, Yumi Matsuo, Lyndsay Hannah, Grace Farris, Abigail Rasminsky, Kelly Dawson, Alex Ronan, and more. This post was focusing on our five full-time teammates, plus Christine Pride, our long-time columnist (like Jenny Rosenstrach used to be). Thank you!!”
I’ve always loved seeing Kelly Dawson’s essays here! Is she going to continue contributing?
Jo, years ago (maybe pre-covid?) , you had a wonderful BIPOC contributor who left due to a health issue. I want to say it was brain-related. I think of her often but cannot find any of her older work. Is there an udpate you can share with us? And would love to see an archived category of older pieces too!
Yes, I think her name is Kim. She’s on IG as @kimb_ra, but she hasn’t posted in a while. I miss her content!
Would also love an update if Kim is comfortable with sharing!
https://helphopelive.org/campaign/24212/ here’s an update and ongoing fundraiser for Kim’s health! it seems she is making an amazing and also slow recovery
Kim! I miss her voice and perspective so much and I hope she is doing ok.
Yes! Kim’s writing is very much missed in this space. Her fiancee gave an update last year in a comment on COJ’s original post about Kim’s condition: https://cupofjo.com/2022/02/03/kim-rhodes/
Anni, thank you for posting the fundraising link.
I saw Joanna likes cinnamon tea made at home – if you haven’t tried it – Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice tea is the absolute best tea ever! I’ve introduced several friends to it and everyone proceeds to go out and buy some of their own!!
I love this one too!! Also, Paris, a delightful black tea. The decaf cinnamon is also so good. I save the empty tins for a sensory lesson for my preschool children. They love to smell the cinnamon.
Literally drinking this right now!
I’m curious about your work arrangements – does everyone work remotely? I remember at some point in the past the NYC-based portion of COJ had an office they all went to. If you do work remote, do you have in-person meetups from time to time?
Looks like a great COJ team! Re: perspectives on people change, when I first saw the movie Splendor in the Grass with Warren Beatty and Natalie Wood on TV as a young teen, I thought it so terribly sad that (spoiler alert!) the couple broke up and didn’t get back together. When I saw it again as an adult, I thought right away how wrong those two are for each other!
I need to know more about this GOAT yogurt… is it from goats or just the greatest of all time!?!?!
Trader Joe’s has a brand of goat milk yogurt they carry for a great price.
BRB! Burning my pancakes while I add all these books to my TBR list! What a stellar team! I always feel icky about parasocial relationships but i cant help but think of you all as my pseudo big sisters. Love seeing all the diversity in experience, interests and backgrounds. My life is richer for it.
An amazing team, and an amazing community. Also, respectfully and gently, could we collectively do better with using the correct spelling of the team’s names? ‘Jannelle’ has two n’s, ‘Kaitlyn’ has a y. I realize it’s not my job to police this, but it’s such a simple, generous act of respect to spell someone’s name correctly, especially when it is presented numerous times in posts and bylines. We’re all pressed for time, but we can all pay more attention, too.
I agree! And also…. my phone likes to autocorrect and will randomly change words back, even after I’ve fixed them. Since there’s no edit option here in comments, it’s really aggravating to read back over one’s comment and realize a misspell snuck in. I’m positive I’ve been inadvertently guilty of this, even though I’m trying. Sincerely, Sasha with no *C*, but I’ll forgive it if you throw one in just to spite me lol.
I am generally skeptical about flawless men, but RJP bowled me over as SNL host a while back. Once in a blue moon a really good actor shines like a diamond in that show and you get to see the talent. RJP is one and Adam Driver is another.
What is cinnamon tea though?
I love the Cup of Jo team! PS – would also love to know more about Jo’s cinnamon tea!
Ok, I have thoughts about this. I’ve had it a few times in cafes and it bowled me over. So cozy. So yummy. I just loved it. Every time I try to make it at home it feels like I’m sucking on a cinnamon stick and my sinuses are burrrning. Home cinnamon tea drinkers, how do you do it!? Please, share your secrets. Also, I’m pretty sure it’s just cinnamon and black tea in a tea satchel? But maybe I’ve got that wrong too.
My favorite kinds are Good Earth brand cinnamon black tea, and Harney and sons cinnamon tea. It’s usual a black tea blend that has cinnamon and tastes and smells very strongly of cinnamon.
@ sarah, are you using a cinnamon stick, or chipped bark? that’s the only way that works, imo?
Not sure what Joanna’s drinking, but I love Celestial Seasonings “Bengal Spice” herbal tea, which is super cinnamony!
Thanks to anon for mentioning Bengal Spice. I’ve seen that box in grocery stores for years (decades?) but had never thought to try it. After reading your comment, I got a box, and now I’m obsessed! Delicious! I also like the Harney and Sons cinnamon tea, but that’s harder to come by in my grocery stores.
If you do any additional hiring, would like to suggest LGBT writers as a good addition to your team. I greatly appreciate that Christine doesn’t have kids and is not married (at least per her bio)(and that she is BIPOC!) bc for those of us with neither, it can feel a bit isolating to feel surrounded by content focused on parenting and marriages. Basically, I appreciate diversity in your group of writers quite a bit!
Agreed-since some of the newer additions all have kids it has felt a little parenting heavy lately, though I know probably a majority of readers have kids so I get it and it might just be my perception! Would love to read more from Christine beyond race matters, too!
I have always been so interested in how COJ works– how do you assign pieces? Decide topics? What do you say no to? Do you use slack? Any fave emojis? Would love to see a post here on the BTS, if you’re willing!?
YES!!!!
agreed!!
this would be so interesting! yes to hearing about how you plan and assign content, what is your main mode of communication, etc.
Yes!! Also, is the NYC team remote? In an office? How often is the whole of the team together? The Hows behind this magic ✨
Wow I am so excited for Kaitlyn’s book! Just the title had me (I just had a baby last week and I work in solar energy/climate change mitigation). But THEN to see her life changing book is one of my all time favorites?!
Cat, thank you for this!! Wow, you’re doing such incredible work! We love our solar. And congrats on your little one! xoxo
Love CoJ, long time reader, sometime commenter, Brit. I would like to add to the thank you’s – when things get tough and I feel powerless I make a contribution to a pertinent cause (a great CoJ tip) What a wonderful community you have built Jo X
I’m also curious about how you keep track of and organize all the suggestions members of the community make for content. Is it a giant excel spreadsheet or some other tool?
I’m picturing slips of colored paper in a fishbowl!
I fantasize about being on this staff. And then get stressed thinking of what charming anecdotes, what fun show am I watching, and could I ever do a house tour? I’m stockpiling Trader Joe’s hacks. My brain really thinks it’s going to happen! I’ve got squishy baby pics too!! Are you hiring? 🤣 Do you all slack each other? How does the magic get made? Who talks too much on zoom? I am so happy to read and support this group of talented women.
Same fantasy here. I suspect many Cup of readers who are also (dormant) writers would love to join that group of women. So, Joanna, if you ever need a “foreign correspondent” from the heart of Europe, you know how to reach me… Jusr kidding, but only a little. ;-)
Brilliant! Me too.
Not sure how much work this would be from an editing/logistics persepctive, but it would be fun to have a “community takeover” day where a regular reader writes a post. Maybe on a day when you don’t typically do two posts. Could be fun. Could be a nightmare that shakes this community to its core.
I love these comments. It would be fun to have *a day in the life of a reader* type post every month or so. There are so many amazing women in these comments, what a wealth of interests and stories and perspectives to draw from.
Kelsey I know you write about diet culture and body positivity and I’d love to hear your thoughts on how GLP-1s fit and don’t fit in with that. I’m a healthcare provider and firmly believe in health at every size and it’s been challenging to figure out how I want to approach the relentless requests for GLP-1 prescriptions. Maybe you’ve written about this elsewhere or have other resources to share, I’m all ears!
I’m all ears, too. And I wish you were my doctor, Lizzie! I have the opposite experience: doctors always pushing GLP-1s, and me insisting that my healthy-and-fat body is not a problem to solve. It’s encouraging to know that there are providers like you out there.
LOVE THIS! It’s fun to learn about the contributors. This is the best blog-thank you for all you do.
Laughing because all the NYC writers are in specific boroughs and Janelle is in the Bay Area but Kaitlyn is in Washington. An entire state. Mirrors my experience living on the East Coast and telling people where I was from. Couldn’t be too specific, it was already enough that it was west but it wasn’t California. (Also fully respect privacy, so no need to get specific, I just went “HA “ out loud when I got to that part) So appreciative of this team and the work you do!
Hahaha you’re so right! Each contributor wrote her own bio so I think it was more about personal privacy etc — but it’s funny to see the difference.
Hahaha, this is so funny! I live in Bellingham, which is a small city between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., but many people haven’t heard of it so usually I say Western Washington or Washington State. Our motto is the city of subdued excitement… LOL.
Oh my gosh haha that’s so funny! I put Bay Area because that’s where I’m from (San Jose foreverrr!), but a few months before working at Cup of Jo, I moved to Hollister, an agricultural town :)
Kaitlyn- fellow Washingtonian, here. Bellingham is the dream! It’s little, exceptionally beautiful, has great food, plus it’s close to great skiing, hiking, the San Juan Islands and two major cultural cities! Many people don’t know it, but if you know YOU KNOW!
I also find it interesting when people refer to “Washington State”—is that an east coast thing? Where I live (the intermountain west) we just call it Washington and we call the capitol Washington, D.C. so there’s never any mix-up.
Jannelle, I read Little Women for the first time earlier this year and I think it changed me, too! I watched the 1994 film this weekend and have plans to watch the 2019 version soon :)
Oh please watch the 1949 version with elizabeth taylor
The Elizabeth Taylor version is my favorite too!
Isn’t it amazing? I loveee the costumes and design sets in the 2019 version, but if you have the time you HAVE to watch the PBS Masterpiece series, it’s my favorite adaption! https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/shows/little-women/ I think you can stream it on Amazon prime.
I adore Cup of Jo and has been my first check in every single morning for years. I have loved seeing your team evolve and grow. I would love to read more about your own journey in small business with lessons learned etc – perhaps part of a small series on female founders and bosses?
Allison! Mindset also changed my life! I work in the leadership development space and I quote our girl Dr Carol Dweck daily. Great pick! (Insert all the clap and high five emojis!)
Just borrowed this on my Kindle after a rough day of parenting!!
I love the David Sedaris reference! That audiobook was one of the first ones I ever listened to and it still cracks me up. I have met him a few times on his tours and the first time I was with my fiancé (now husband) and he signed my book “Please elope”. Then we went back to see him and we were married by then and he signed it “I’m so glad you eloped” and gave me all his chocolates from the Four Seasons hotel. LOL. He’s so awesome.
OMG, I always hear about these incredible David Sedaris stories, but this is the closest I’ve come to meeting someone who’s had one. That is so cool. And the audiobook (ALL the audiobooks) are classics. I listen to Holidays on Ice every November/December.
Well, I don’t mean to brag, but his brother, Paul, did an estimate on our hardwood floor repair after some water damage 🤭 (He owns a local flooring company in NC! He was very nice and seemed competent, but we went with another company.)
Hahaha, this is so funny. He signed a book for me once and drew a picture of a key and wrote (and said aloud) “this is the key to the whorehouse where you live” and it still makes me laugh because from ANYONE else I would be offended, but from him I was all “oh, David Sedaris, you’re so funny!”
Omg, I could read an entire blog post about the David Sedaris stories, please keep them coming!!
When he tried to hand me the chocolates, it was clear a few had been eaten and I think he saw my hesitation. Then he says “They’re from the Four Seasons, they’re really good!” Those chocolates sat on a bookshelf in our house still in the Four Seasons coffee cup he handed me with them for probably like a year before I finally got rid of them. LOL. He is truly delightful in the most curmudgeonly way.
OMG actually I just looked in the first book he signed (Calypso) and he actually wrote “to hell with weddings” and drew a hand with the middle finger up. Dying laughing all over again.
I don’t remember what book or story, but about his dad…. and his German shepherds, ALL named Gretchen. Lol. My husband and I still say “hi Gretchen,” every time we meet a German shepherd and wonder if they are #1 or #12 lol. Saw him live and truly, one of the funniest humans ever.
Chiming in here as a fellow David Sedaris fan. The house he grew up in was up for sale last year and it was SO fun to pour over the listing and see “the rooms where it happened.” We see him on tour whenever he’s in Chicago too. He once expressed how great it would be to have a woman breastfeed on stage and the next show I was still nursing my youngest and came with my pumping bag!
Haha yes!! David Sedaris is the greatest, I’ve met him at book signings twice. At the first, I was in college and he drew a Cat, because of my name. When I met him again, he asked if I’d ever attended one of his readings before, when I said I had, he asked what he had written in my book. When I told him drew a picture of a Cat, he quietly started drawing in my new book… “this is a picture of a cat’s asshole” he said. And it was. I love him so much.
When I met him at a book signing, he had barely even glanced at me before he said “You like cats and you’re a Cancer.” Dang! I felt like such a basic, obvious b*tch to be so easily categorized but it was hilarious and on brand.
I know this wasn’t an opening to make requests but I’d love to read more about Kelsey’s love of swimming! It is my favorite thing and whenever I recommend that friends do it more often (especially for lower back pain) they’re overwhelmed by the idea of it, which I totally get and I want more people to feel like it’s doable!
Note taken! I would love that!
Holy moly I am sooooo excited for Kaitlyn’s book!!!!! And would be remiss if I didn’t plug Anya Kamenetz’s substack for anyone else who feels the same. The thing about motherhood is it’s ALL THE THINGS and we’ve been duped into thinking otherwise by capitalism, patriarchy, pick your poison. Rant over! Excitement continues!
Thank you so much!! And yes, great rec!! I love Anya!! xo
Love this intro to your team! Love them all!
Kelsey, Kieślowski’s DEKALOG is kinda my Roman Empire.
STOP IT. I basically wake up every day hoping someone will give me the chance to talk about Kieślowski, and here you were, all along. I still have my pre-Criterion edition of the Dekalog boxed set! Dare I ask — favorite Three Colours?
Rouge!
Kieslowski’s The Double Life of Veronique had such an effect on me: I saw it 7 times in the theatre! And then of course had to see all the three colors….
I’ve been due for a rewatch for ages, so I am going to cheat and give you my original favorite – which was Rouge. You?!
I can never ever forget that scene in Blue when the main character played by Juliet Binoch grates her knuckles along the sandstone…. ah that grief. I also loved her haircut! Those movies were like air to me, I loved them all. Also that was the first time I ever saw an affegato! Oh wow – I feel like we need a group chat! I would love to watch them all again – when I was in high-school I was so miserable, I wonder if the films would touch me differently now. I am going to have to look for them.
I loved reading about all of you! Cup of Jo is such a big part of my week. I look forward to your varied content and diverse voices. I also look forward to the comments from COJ readers. What an incredible group of people, and Cup of Jo bring us all together. When one person weeps, we all feel it. We sigh over baby pictures. We laugh at each other’s jokes. We hungrily scribble down book recommendations and we ooh and aah over outfits and home decor. If possible, please consider some garden tours. After a rather harsh New England winter, I’m absolutely craving color and greenery. I have a feeling that there are some creative gardeners in this group. Here’s to a great season for everyone. May we make it through these very tough times.
Yes to garden tours! Every day ones and beautiful ones. We need all the green right now! Also – since this sparked other things I’m hoping this amazing team will write about. Can you do a post on how and what you’re talking to your kids about what’s going right now in our country including some pratical tips + scripts? My husband and I were just trying to figure out what/how we should talk to our kids if my husband (a US citizen and amazing immigrant) gets separated from us at the airport given the new ICE presence there. It feels like the n-th time I’ve started googling how to talk to my kids about the next daily issue we’re dealing with because of these horrible leaders.
I have a (client) desert garden that would be open to a tour, not necessarily East Coast green, but amazing none the less. WW house on the website below.
Seconding the request for garden tours (including rooftop/patio gardens for our city friends) – I love that idea!! CoJ team, I work in marketing at an online plant nursery–if this is something you guys do ever explore, I’d love to chat about sponsoring ;) Please email me anytime! [email protected]
Another vote for garden tours- small ones, messy ones, picturesque ones, ANY! Our winter in Northern Ontario has been absolutely brutal (still buried in several feet of snow). Greenery and flowers are always a welcome sight!
Can we talk about Kaitlin’s bangs?!
I came here to write the EXACT same thing!
SO good!!
Love her bangs…perfection! Then again…I also have bangs!
awwww thank you… xoxoxo
omg i came here to write this TOO! lol three cheers for KT’s bangs!!!
Yes to the Pilgrim at Tinker Creek shoutout! I think about “the tree with the lights in it” all the time.
Me too! I first read this book on lunch breaks at a summer job when I was 19 and my coworkers all made fun of it based on the cover. They didn’t know what they were missing out on! Life changing book that enriches my experience every day!
Yes, what an image. I’m overdue for a re-read!! xoxo
This is great and I love hearing from these. What a dream work place you have! And you don’t even need to be in the actual actual same place!
Unpopular opinion and I truly do not mean for it to sound snarky but over the years I’ve felt more alienated from the COJ team. I know so many people come for the community – which is amazing; but the lens I see is a clique of cool girls that I can’t keep up with…how do they afford these beautiful homes in expensive locations? And chic clothes that I know cost a bundle but look effortlessly pulled together?
girl I feel you. And also – please remember that probably EVERYTHING you see here (and most professional places on the internets) is done by a professional photographer. I promise, we would all be thinking the exact same thing about you (cool girl, chic and effortlessly put together!) if you had a professional-lifestyle photo shoot <3 I firmly believe that many (most?) of us secretly think *everyone else* looks cooler than we feel. It's weird and dumb but real. But again, I promise, *YOU*ARE*AWESOME*.
I wonder if maybe CoJ and your associations with it are bringing up something from your past, and it really doesn’t have that much to do with CoJ. The website/Team goes to great lengths to post a balance of affordable and splurgy things, etc etc. and they are always trying to do better! What more could you want from a website!?
I think most of these ladies are pretty open with what they do for a living. They also live in high COL areas it seems, where people tend to be paid more and people also tend to spend more on housing/clothes. Gotta just do what’s right for you and your budget. Approaching aspirational content as inspiration rather than a source of envy is the way.
In case it’s helpful to read, I remember Jannelle (omg I keep correcting the spelling and autocorrect keeps changing it) wrote a while back about moving to a smaller, rural town for financial reasons. It says Bay Area but I don’t think it’s the super high COL you might be picturing. Just an example that not everything is exactly how it seems, and for me personally everyone seems really warm, like they’d let you get your milk first in the awkward coffee shop accoutrement line. Also in a world of AI slop, I’m grateful for this team working hard!
This is so, so true and a good reminder “approaching aspirational content as inspiration rather than a source of envy is the way.” I find this blog extremely approachable. There’s another blogger/influencer I follow and I occasionally get bit by the envy bug, but then I remember that I follow her because I like her style and interior design aesthetic even if I don’t spend a huge portion of my income on high end pieces or I’m not as concerned with aging /weight.
Hi Megan, as someone who grew up and still lives in Appalachia, who wasn’t born into generational wealth, and is still struggling financially… I feel you. I have also been reading Cup of Jo since almost the very beginning, with no intention of stopping, and I love it. But I absolutely see where you’re coming from. Especially the Big Salad article, “Ashley C. Ford on How Poverty Makes It Hard to Figure Out What You Like” because the assumption seemed to be that poverty is something we have all managed to grow out of, and that is just not true. The way I look at it, writers/creators can either aim to be aspirational (like Vogue/fashion mags), or try to be equal with everyone. But not both. Joanna, no matter how hard she tries to seem equal, humble and nonjudgemental, etc…. she was originally a magazine writer. And isn’t it sometimes fun to read things that are aspirational? I’m actually not sure where I’m going with this other than to say you are not alone.
With all due respect, this sounds like a “you” problem. I don’t mean that in a rude way. It comes off like you have a lens you’re viewing this site through and something is tainting your vision a bit. This site isn’t meant to set a standard for women to be chic or cool – just be who you are. Everyone is welcome and always has been.
Also – “How do they afford these beautiful homes in expensive locations?” The same way you afford your living space, by working. I’m sure their partners work as well. We also haven’t seen the inside and out of every CoJ employee’s home, so this is an assumption.
Hello everyone! So wonderful to meet and re-meet you all. It would be amazing to sit in on a CoJ meeting. In my mind, I imagine it would be a chatty gathering of really smart women discussing daily life, business, culture and of course, all of us! PS: Kaitlyn, I swear I read an interview where you have a new book release It’s this so?!? If so, cheering noises!
Jeanne, thank you!! I do! It’s an essay collection on motherhood and climate and it’s coming out next month!! Eep!! xoxo
Kelsey, I also feel like I could count Bowen Yang (and Matt Rogers) as my celebrity crush! It could never happen obvi, but they are both so smart and handsome and funny! Maybe my crush is just me wishing I could be friends with people like them hahahaha
Hahaha, there is something uniquely intense about that show and parasocial relationships. I have had dreams (plural!) where I’m happily married to both of them?!
Hahaha Kelsey that’s amazing
Love that there are fellow readers, kayteighs, publicists, and finalists here!
Could not agree with Kaitlyn’s celebrity crush more!! Cillian press junket clips never fail to make me laugh.
So happy to meet you all…again!! Love you guys and this CoJ community.
Beautiful, delightful, smart group. I love that Cup Of Jo lets us connect with you.
I still think of Kim Rhodes every so often – I loved her writing, particularly about being a late-bloomer to dating! Is there any update you are able to share? I hope she is well.
Same, Robyn. I really miss her.
I know the writer Mari Andrew has been in the comments here in the last year or so sharing updates about Kim, as they’re very close friends. You might have luck asking Mari on substack! Last she wrote, Kim was doing MUCH better.
Here’s a link to some updates about Kim: https://helphopelive.org/campaign/24212/
Yes- she had such a huge impact and lovely writing. I hope her and her friends and family are doing well.
If you search for Kim Rhodes, the most recent COJ article about her was written in February 2022 when Jo told readers about Kim’s health. However, in the comments, there is an update from her fiancé Steven from February 2025. He shares more about what happened and how she is recovering.
Hi! In writing my reply I looked to see what had been written about Kim in coj, and found a comment from Mari Andrews, illustrator and friend of Kim, from 2024. She shared some progress and also this link to donate to help Kim and her family continue to recover. https://helphopelive.org/campaign/24212/ Comment is in this post:https://cupofjo.com/2024/09/27/have-a-beautiful-weekend-22/
Thank you Sarah! Joanna, Alison, Kelsey, Janelle, Christine, Kaitlyn, it would be amazing and life-changing if CupofJo did a mutual aid post for Kim’s fundraiser – there are many who won’t see this link in the comments. As a longtime reader who recently lost a lot of mobility due to an acute health condition, I’m painfully aware of what an enormous limitation lacking safe transportation would be for a person and a family undergoing a longterm recovery. Especially as a Black woman, the safety risks of using paid medical transportation options for Kim and her family are even higher. This is something we care about and will give towards. I’m donating today – please spotlight this for our community so we can make this positive change for Kim together.
Thank you so much, everyone. I’m glad to hear Kim is recovering but wow, what a tough road. She and all her friends and family are in my thoughts.
Here is the update from the 2022 post (Kim’s fiance Steven updated in the comments of this post in 2025): Hi, This is Kim’s fiancé, Steven, and I have some encouraging news that Kim has asked me to share. It has taken a while to give an update on Kim because we had been waiting a long while for Kim to progress. Kim’s neurologists advised us to wait and see, and that is what we have been doing. Fortunately, we finally have reason to be optimistic. In November 2021 Kim suffered a major brainstem stroke known as a basilar artery occlusion that affected her cerebellum— the center of the brain responsible for controlling coordination. This caused Kim to develop a condition called pseudocoma, more commonly known as “locked-in syndrome.” People with locked-in syndrome are fully aware of what is happening around them and are cognitively and intellectually intact, but are unable to move or speak. This condition was depicted in the book and film “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.” Because of this Kim spent about two and a half years in a nursing home. It is important to note that there are degrees of locked-in syndrome, fortunately Kim’s was relatively mild and enough of her cerebellum and brainstem were intact to allow Kim begin to regaining function, though this has taken some time. Since December of 2023 Kim has begun to be able to speak and move her limbs, hands, hands and feet again. Kim’s progress was such that she could be discharged from nursing care and since December 2024 has been living with her mother. Kim still has challenges ahead but she is making excellent progress. Kim was accepted into an outpatient neuro-rehab program and has begun performing activities of daily living that are giving her a greater degree of independence. Kim’s therapists are confident she will be able to walk again—She is already able to support herself upright in a kneeling position unassisted. Currently her care team is working to restore coordination in her hands in the hope she will be able to write again and live independently. I am eagerly looking forward to that day. Some more long term interventions may include surgery to help her open and focus her eyes again as her stroke also affected the nerve that controls her ocular motor function as well as surgeries to aid in freeing the muscles in her hands and feet. The victories Kim continues to have are small but constant—these add up. We recently had our first date night in three and a half years. Kim’s wit shines through on a daily basis and it reminds me that, despite all she has endured, she is still the Kim I fell in love with and everyday I am falling in love with her again. We are not anywhere near the end of our journey but Kim has met every challenge with determination grace. Nobody should have to go through what Kim has experienced, but there are few people better equipped than Kim to meet such a confounding challenge.
So exciting to see the faces and stories behind the familiar names (and the new). I’m such a fan of ALL OF YOU GUYS. I love that you celebrate the large and the small and everything in between, that you so not hsy away from the hard topics, that you do not hide your beliefs and values, that you champion those of us who are parenting and also those who are helping us get through life, who are not parents but are certainly family to us. No matter what “thing” has happened overnight (and there are so so many) I know that M thru F I will find you here, with something to make me smile. or cry, or both, and a call to action to help whatever needs helping. I love you guys so much!!!
Oh my gosh Kim sobbbbbbb
So curious about your decision to hire one of your closest friends, if you’re willing to share more! Were either of you nervous? Is the dynamic weird? Did you discuss how you might navigate challenging work moments as friends?
Hi Kate! Yes Alison and I talked about it a LOT, over walks and on the phone, etc, before deciding to work together. We also each met with CoJ’s HR consultant (the wonderful and brilliant Juliet Gorman) to try to set everything up with best practices, good expectations, and clear boundaries between work and friendship etc. So far it’s been really wonderful!!!! Xoxo
I love this question and was wondering the same thing, Kate, and Joanna, that’s so interesting – of COURSE you have an HR consultant and have been doing this thoughtfully! Work/personal relationships for me have become so different in the decade I’ve worked for myself following working for a magazine, and in both instances I’ve felt super awkward balancing them, and love to hear how others approach the mix.
YES, Jannelle! I will forever and always be Team Jess.
ALWAYS!
Yes, just popped in here to also say “Team Jess Forever!”
Team Jess! Little Women! I also used to reread during every winter break and now don’t have the same luxury so watch the movie (1994 version, IYKYK) The “two Ns, two Ls, and an E” struggle of my full name, Annabelle! Feels like we are sisters :)