Confused and Full of Cheese [#89]
Happy New Year's Eve (or New Year, depending on your time zone),
I woke up this morning and didn't know which day it was, which has been a consistent issue this time of the year.
I realize I haven't sent out a Hu's letter in months. I blame two factors: 1) I fell into an autumn malaise and during my periods of existential dread, I just bathe there in my blues until I get out. 2) I started working on a couple creative/commercial projects that required a lot of writing, which meant I didn't FEEL like writing more, until now. Kept my links I wanted to send you, though. Here's what I've got saved up:
Reading
On hope in a time of hopelessness. Is it worth being a good person in 2019 America? The documentary project that tracked people's lives from age seven until age 63 is coming to an end, and the lessons are fascinating. Rules for hosting a crappy dinner party. The man who guards America's ketchup. On the urge to write or talk about broken relationships. Cancel billionaires. This is savage but also revealing. The Obama legacy, revisited. Obama put out his 2019 book recommendations. The whistleblower's clear writing. Some kinds of journalism aren't worth saving. Japan's "everyday aesthetic" super specific Halloween costumes. Hey if they say you can "wear anything," why not a T-Rex costume?
Werk and Musings
Why "likeability" is a trap, a conversation with Alicia Menendez. The interview about Mr. Rogers that turned me into a sniffling mess. Packing your carry-on better, with a pro at Away luggage. I got my memory boosted while I slept. Should we be making ourselves superhuman? A neuroethics episode of Future You. Never been more popular at an elementary school than when Sam Sanders and I debated aliens v robots for the season finale of the kids podcast, Smash Boom Best. Reminiscing about those early days of The Texas Tribune, on its 10th anniversary. Looking back at the 2010's for the All Songs Considered pod, as a period of globalization of music. (Yes we talked about BTS a lot). My annual, personal year in review. South Korea's coated almonds are the hot new trend and some are dipped in POP ROCKS.
Watch/Listen
Finding Fred, a mesmerizing, moving podcast from Carvell Wallace, about Mr. Rogers
The way Friend Alec ended HBO's Silicon Valley (When I asked him how it would end, a few weeks before the finale aired, he goes, "Everyone dies! It's a tried and true conclusion.")
Marriage Story — that centerpiece argument pummeled me
Bojack Horseman, all of it, if you haven't caught up or even started
It's been quite a year. Quite a few years, really. (I'm doing that thing where I open my eyes really wide and looking you straight in the eye, which is my wink wink/YIKES face.) Thank you for subscribing/reading/sharing and mainly just for staying connected with me — your friendship is meaningful. Send me your comments/quips/complaints anytime!
With love
Elise