Lately, it seems the news has been full of very, very sad information. Ebola, Gaza, Iraq, James Foley, Ferguson and Michael Smith, and Robin Williams a few weeks ago, sad stories are just about everywhere you turn. But what makes me even more sad during times like these is that the news can become so partisan and limited and sensationalized and shout-y on the internet. Trying to find out simply what’s going on and why can get exhausting very quickly.

I can’t claim to understand everything that’s going on around the world, but I’ve been making a greater effort to be informed about the why and the who behind current affairs. I feel strongly that when events this important or tragic are happening around the world, it isn’t enough to just mindlessly click on the Buzzfeed or Upworthy article someone shared on Facebook. I want to know more than a snapshot or a slideshow, and actually be informed about what’s happening in Liberia, Iraq, Ukraine, and Missouri.

As my heart has ached for the sadness and brokenness families and parents and children around the world are feeling in all of this upheaval, I’ve wanted more thoughtfulness. I’ve wanted to read about what ISIS is and why it’s called that and why exactly it’s so scary, and I’ve found myself reading detailed accounts from veteran professors from colleges around America about race relations in America. While none of these stories has made me feel better, really, or uplifted, I feel more peaceful than panicked. The short-form stories and quick snappy headlines instil fear that builds, story after story. Deeper articles, even when they pose big and unanswerable questions, at the very least make me feel that thoughtfulness, on everyone’s part, has to be the key to some of these problems.

So now to ask, where do you get your news every day? Or do you? I know a few people who opt out because the news seems just too sad, but I’m not sure that’s

Every morning, I get an email called The Skimm with the headlines and a little background information about the stories of the day. I like it because it gives me the guts at a glance and then links to larger articles. It’s also a little funny, when appropriate. I follow Slate and the New York Times on Twitter, and read several of their articles every day.

This article about ISIS from Vox was enlightening. As was this feature in Vanity Fair on Austin Tice and James Foley missing in Syria. This article in GQ about the East Pond hermit, who lived for decades in the woods near where I grew up, and was a fascinating read.

Finally, and this is going to sound a little silly, but I always check in with Design Mom on Fridays and Joy the Baker on Sundays. They both do link roundups that are thoughtful and considered, and  peppered with house tours and nail polish news, which are a welcome distraction.

Image of me working away in Coppa by Julie of Half a Dream Away