Connection

A week in which I was bathed in an abundance of loving connection. Visits from far-flung friends, precious extra time with the CWP (silver linings!), chance encounters in the neighborhood and my daily rounds. Reminding me that there is an extra boost we get from nourishing ourselves with in-person connection. While this week’s boon was unplanned, it’s inspired me to make more of an effort in that regard.  

Ways I Found Joy This Week

Breakfasting (and usually laughing) every morning with the CWP

Replacing my worn-out walking shoes and yoga mat

Brainstorming a creative collaboration with the CWP (stay tuned)

Discovering a hidden, funky arts warehouse district and browsing in a record store

Doing some organizing and design planning at the CWP’s apartment

Catching up with my seventh-grade bestie over a Greek happy hour

Savoring a leisurely dinner with old friends at one of my favorite Italian restaurants

Things I Learned This Week

So much about dinosaurs and the geological evolution of our world (see below)

That I’m becoming increasingly flexible (well, except physically) in my old age

About a gorgeous mural, made entirely of recycled bottlecaps, installed by Venezuelan artist Oscar Olivares in El Salvador

That human (in person) connection is vital to my happiness

A bit about the history of India in the 1970s

That queen bumblebees can breathe underwater while hibernating

Quotes That Resonated This Week

We are living in a time when it can be hard to hope.

Barack Obama

The wicked become even worse when they are tolerated.

Tolstoy

Whoever abandoned you in the middle of the ocean has no right to know what the sharks did to you or how you manage to the shore.

Anon

What I Watched This Week

Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model (Netflix). I never imagined the modeling industry was a bastion of feminism, but this expose had me incensed. The craven lust for ratings and relevancy and the total lack of accountability or sincere remorse was stunning. Sorry Tyra, you’re on my shit list. 

Feel Good (Netflix). A semi-autobiographical dramedy created by stand-up comic Mae Martin that presents their issues with trauma, sobriety, and relationships in a moving but hilarious way.

Mae Martin: Sap (Netflix). After watching Feel Good, I had to check out Mae’s stand-up special. It did not disappoint: they are refreshingly low-key, authentic, and whimsically wise.

The Dinosaurs (Netflix). Having raised two children who were obsessed on the topic, I thought I knew quite a bit about dinosaurs. This gorgeous, four-part Spielberg production narrated by Morgan Freeman showed me that I knew next to nothing. Highly recommend.

Beef (Netflix). Missed this dark comedy when it came out in 2023. Feels even more resonant today.

What I Read This Week

The First Time I Saw Him, by Laura Dave. This sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me is just as gripping a page-turner as the original. Five years after a husband and father disappears in order to keep his family safe, a cascade of events reveals that he’s spent those years ensuring that they will be reunited and free. The original was made into a TV series; hoping that the sequel will be, too, and that Jennifer Garner will reprise her role.

Mother Mary Comes to Me, by Arundhati Roy. A memoir by the Pulitzer Prize winning author of The God of Small Things detailing her relationship with a difficult mother (how could I resist?). Her story is captivating, and her use of imagery is unparalleled. Every page is a feast.

The Hitchhikers, by Chevy Stevens. It’s 1976 and a couple from Seattle are driving an RV through Canada in an effort to reset after a tragedy. They offer a ride to a young couple they meet at a campground. Big mistake.

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Thanks for reading!