Contraband Bologna Is A Thing [#61]
Happy December,
It has been really rad to be home for two weeks straight and not have to go anywhere. I still have a bag packed and ready to go as we're trained to (and, these days, 20 new smoke hoods in the event of a chemical attack), but I've mainly just been recharging, over-drinking and overthinking. With all this free time to think, I could have come up with a fresh idea or insight but so far, nope.
I'm Reading
It's here! The 2017 Hater's Guide to the Williams Sonoma catalog. If you read one (other) thing from this Hu’s letter, make it “Cat Person,” the New Yorker short story that everyone is talking about. It led to a follow-up conversation with the writer, who reminds us “so much of dating involves this interplay of empathy and narcissism.” And it inspired a separate, thoughtful post about "bad" sex. Read also... a powerful resignation letter from a diplomat. And this reminder that our sexual harassment moment isn’t just about sex, it’s about work. Billy Bush and the “contagions of sexism.” A convincing case against the social media era (h/t @dannydb). Modern-day Nazi's have a style guide. There are some upsides to being governed by five tech firms. This is ostensibly on the cruelty of fat people jokes, but also about all our “red handle” vulnerabilities. The defamation letter from Mr. Grinch's lawyers, a holiday classic. Portraits of a photographer’s wife, breastfeeding their child. Russia imbroglio context cards to keep you caught up. The tiny piece of plastic protecting your pizza. 227 pounds of contraband bologna!
Werk Werk Werk
The Book Concierge, 2017. In my New Year’s resolution to read 52 books this year, I included a few that would come out in 2017 so I could contribute to our annual year-end Book Concierge, which is out now. As far as the challenge, I’m on my 51st book (on pace)! My concierge recommendations happened to be works from all women authors: Chimamanda Adichie, Katie Kitamura, Ariel Levy and Esther Perel.
Watch/Listen
The 30 for 30 on Tonya and Nancy is a great re-watch ahead of the Winter Olympics
Ezra Klein’s conversation with Rebecca Traister (h/t @Lizsayz)
Women journalists on how they stay safe: “It took a disembodied torso washing ashore for us to come out and say this is a problem.”
Recommendations
A holiday guide to gifts of meaning
A present that’s also a pun: “Pod Cats” pajamas, which are the cats pajamas!*
As the weather’s gotten chilly, I’ve been digging Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate to repair dry skin while I’m sleeping. Too greasy for summer IMHO but perfect for winter.
OK I'll try to do one more of these before 2017 is out so ... cheers for now,
Elise
*I couldn’t help myself, someone stop me