Pretend friends, East German spies and killer confidence (Hu's letter #4)
Annyeong from Seoul, where 50% of the surnames are Park, Cho or Kim. (Now you have a fun fact for your next summer barbecue.)
It's hot enough outside that I contemplated going full Asian and buying a parasol. When I mentioned that, my assistant said I might as well get a necklace fan, too.
What I Read
Mindy Kaling on how she got her killer confidence. What your choice for a vacation destination reveals about your personality type. How Donald Trump's success can be explained by the garish rock band, Steel Panther. My fave TV critic Andy Greenwald on Jon Stewart's perfect goodbye.
In the crazy story file: The Japanese man who barely survived the blast at Hiroshima before rushing to his hometown of, wait for it, Nagasaki, before being blasted again. A Michigan state lawmaker who concocted a story about hooking up with a male prostitute to cover up for his far more boring affair with a female state lawmaker. A plausible (and tragic) explanation of what might have really killed Amy Winehouse). And this short story on Medium about the love between a dad and his son. (It will give you all the feels.)
What I Wrote
This exists: A cottage industry to help you cast fake loved ones for real-life rituals. It was my last story before I went on leave, and also one of my most absurd.
What I'm Watching
Deutschland 83, an eight-episode drama that is the first scripted German TV show to be picked up by an American network. It just finished its run on Sundance TV and it's a spy thriller set in, you guessed it, 1983. Spy hijinks during the Cold War plus Eurythmics = entertainment gold.
Latest First World Problem
I had to bow out of the Fantasy Football league I've been in since 2008 because I don't get NFL broadcasts here and won't be able to effectively follow along. Sucks, but this just gives me more time to write you email newsletters.
As usual, spread the word to anyone you think might like this. I can confirm there are now more than six readers of this newsletter, thanks to you. Subscribe at this link.
Until next time,
Elise