Parasite! (And Pandemics) [#90]
What a time to be alive. First of all, Bong Joon Ho is an international treasure.
Meanwhile, I am in a running Whatsapp group called "Pandemic support group," which was ironically named, I think, but now it seems way too on-the-nose. Between Lev Parnas' shady company, Fraud Guarantee, and Shadow Inc, the firm behind the disastrous Iowa caucus app, irony is clearly over.
How was YOUR January? Did it feel like the longest ever? Time is a weird thing.
Reading
The woman giving (now Oscar-winning) director Bong Joon Ho a voice. The provocative new theory on the American electorate and what it means for 2020. A unifying theory on how the Trump aesthetic is so singularly inhospitable. The liberal white women paying to learn about their own racism. Deciding to listen to someone is a meaningful gesture. How to raise early lovers of literature. The "only date men who are in therapy" rule. Amazon dating, LOL. This reflection on the topic of having kids was not annoying, and resonated. Coming to Japan: a levitating bullet train that will go from Tokyo to Osaka in an hour. The sobering job of reporting on K-pop suicides. The "day without a single sale" took a delightful turn. How Instagram changed the way we shop. This naked cooking piece brought me joy. So did Paul Rudd, Kansas City Chiefs superfan.
Werk Werk Werk
I marked the new year by consciously uncoupling from NPR and turned my job into a contractor situation, just going in to host as needed. So I hosted It's Been a Minute from Chicago and had my old buddy Peter Sagal on the panel to make fun of him a lot. (There's a "patriarchy" stinger we used for him that is worth hearing.) Then hosted IBAM from San Francisco to do a tech policy-themed episode, but spent a segment riffing on the tortoise that had so much sex he saved his entire species. True story. Also I got my disposable film camera developed & a few photos actually came out ok!
Watch/Listen
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN PARASITE, what are you waiting for?!
Nathan Chen's latest performances, holy cow.
Bojack Horseman's final half-season is here and a gift to us fans
That Taylor Swift documentary on Netflix was actually quite good, and weirdly my husband watched it before me and recommended it? This is like the time I found out my Dad binge-watched Gossip Girl season one.
I will sign off with my favorite Korean saying (and I'm so excited Koreans are having a VERY BIG MOMENT right now) ... 화이팅! (HWAITING!)
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