Sometimes we wake up itching to write, bursting with fun ideas we can’t wait to share with you. And then some mornings it’s rainy and grey, our bed is too damn comfy and we’re out of coffee, and putting together a blog post is the last thing we want to do. In moments like these, we need a little inspiration. These are some of the things that have kept us going of late, helping us fight off writer’s block or just the general blah, rainy day blues. Because every week should start with puppies and rainbows (both literal and figurative, in this case).

Art: Untitled, 2003 by Tara Donovan

Poem: “The Dictionary,” Charles Simic

Book: Very Good Lives, J.K Rowling

Song: “A Change is Gonna Come,” Ben Sollee

YouTube Video:

(and a bonus)

Quotation: “Empathy isn’t just listening, it’s asking the questions whose answers need to be listened to.” — Leslie Jamison, The Empathy Exams

Gif: Notorious RBG for the win (technically a Vine, but the sentiment’s the same)