Almost July! Don't melt out there. [#51]
OH HAI,
My cab driver FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL today so I'm feeling pretty lucky to be here right now, writing a newsletter. That was cray cray! I cannot believe this man is still driving the streets of Seoul.
[slow blinking]
I'm gonna call Henry the lawyer to update my will.
Reading
Good health never lasts. Love, property and self-fulfillment in China. A more secret Washington. Trump's core belief. His lies, in a chronological list. His daughter Tiffany is the most popular Trump, if you go by porn searches. The choreography and work that goes into good interviews.* The counterargument from Susan Orlean, who doesn't prepare for interviews. How to sound more like yourself when you record your voice. "Reporters have often been unable to resist getting their hands dirty with the topics they cover. The story of Jay Solomon is in an entirely different league." Photo-perceptions of our mothers. Beauty products of frequent fliers. Drones of North Korea. NASA versus Gwyneth. Dissident LEGO art. The term "fuckboy" is not that complicated. Oops, they removed the wrong testicle. Friend Jenny's haikus for Tinder dudes — haven't laughed harder in a long time. Friend Lori is "the only reason" this Capitol Hill bookstore has stayed open. Obscure kids books. The Ken doll, reimagined. 20 years later, My Best Friend's Wedding holds up.
Work & Musings
The "ironclad" U.S.-South Korea alliance. A K-pop dance disaster. Stream-of-consciousness blog nostalgia. The cone of shame and "No Surprises."
Watch/Listen
Sam Sanders' new podcast, It's Been A Minute. Sam is a special voice and all of us in the NPR family are psyched his new project is out. New episodes on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Jay-Z's 4:44! New York Magazine details how Jay-Z addressed all of Beyonce's accusations from Lemonade, which is pretty incredible. Journalism!
Still in a weird mood after today's close call.
Stayin' alive,
Elise
*I'm with Ira Glass on this. I go in with an idea of the shape I want a conversation to take, and then during-the-during, reach for moments of connection.