Femininomenom [#144]
Last month was a long year.
Namaste,
I am finally home after a family trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, a whirlwind four days in Kathmandu, Nepal, and another few days on the Yucatan Peninsula, where we swam and snorkeled through subterranean rivers and caves. If you’ve yet to explore the area’s network of cenotes, put it on your list.
Anyway, um, since my last dispatch, many events have transpired.
“That which can’t go on, won’t.” — GOP economist Herb Stein
Surely authors are already getting book deals to write about July 2024. For now,
at wrote an instant reaction to the Biden decision that’s worth a read. And if you missed it when it came out, I learned a lot from the 2023 New York Times Magazine profile of Kamala. Rebecca Traister wrote about finding a thrill in the uncertainty of what’s ahead. Charlie Warzel weighed in on the power of online armies memeing for Kamala. And I don’t think I could be a bigger fan of First Gentleman Doug Emhoff. I love this story of how he was sitting around at a cafe after his Soul Cycle class let out and learned from people coming up to him that Biden dropped out:
Fast forward two weeks and for the first time, Harris pulled ahead of Trump in Nate Silver’s prediction model:
It thrills me to see the renewed participation in the democratic process, all the creators creating, my young children excited about a presidential candidate (for the first time ever) and … all the cheeky merch!
Excellent childless cat lady shirts, and one that just says Female Rage ‘24, are available at Ray Gun, an iconic Iowa-based tee shirt shop that I first go to know when covering the run-up to the Iowa caucuses oh so many years ago. And you betcher ass I bought a Hot Doug mug. Use code DOUG for 20% off.
OK, now on to the regular Hu’s letter.
Reading
The remarkable behind-the-scenes story detailing the secret negotiations to free detained WSJ journalist Evan Gershkovich. Pitchfork has declared brat summer dead already. Making sense of the summer of divorce memoirs. What became of the delightful gay couple that called themselves “business partners” on Supermarket Sweep.
Book on my nightstand: Stay True by Hua Hsu. Can’t believe I didn’t get to this memoir earlier, but it deserves all the accolades it’s received. As a reminder, join me in supporting indie bookstores with a purchase of any of my 2024 reads on Bookshop.org.
Werk Werk Werk
Brilliant cultural critic Tressie McMillan Cottom, whose essays are called "Tressays" by her fans, stopped by the pod for a boisterous conversation on everything from how she maintains her boundaries, to her theory about why men like women with terrible hair.
ICYMI, the writer and animal expert Laurel Braitman spoke with us for the July 22 episode, on how pain is a vital part of life and the animals that are the keys to her happiness. I felt really moved during parts of this interview and love Laurel so much.
A reminder I’d love your support of Forever 35 through our Patreon, and please call/voicemail/text with any questions you want answered on the show at (781) 591-0390, and our email is forever35podcast@gmail.com.
Watch and/or Listen
Impolitic with John Heilemann, a podcast from Puck, is where I’m going to keep up with political news and analysis.
I was in a real Nepal state-of-mind, so I watched and enjoyed 14 Peaks (Netflix), about the Nepalese mountaineer who was the first to scale all 14 8000meter+ peaks in the world within seven months. Incredible.
The Ryan Reynolds-Hugh Jackman episode of Chicken Shop Date.
Recommendations
I could not more strongly recommend the Guide Along app to the national parks. Purchase the audio guide for the park(s) you’re visiting, and it geolocates you so that your guide points out all landmarks, fun trivia, or rest stops you’re passing and have the option to stop at along your trip. These are incredibly informative, well-written, humorous and helpful, especially as you lose cell service inside the parks and the guide sticks with you, so the map part alone is worth the cost.
All right. Staying put for the next month. Eager to get your links, questions, quips and comments. Leave me a comment or send me an email.
Namaste,
E
Femininomena?