Friday Faves: Sept. 18, 2020 Edition
Friday Faves
Sept. 18, 2020
I feel like the universe keeps sending me messages to slow down, to wait, to just be. It seems crazy to think that even amid a global pandemic where we are all confined to a more limited world that I am getting the sense that I am trying to rush things, and the universe wants me to wait, to experience all the parts of life - beauty and pain, and just be, where I am in the present moment. So I’m going to stop only looking forward to a post-Covid world where I can travel and/or see my brother again, or eat in a restaurant without worrying about social distancing. Instead, I’m going to appreciate the fact that as I write this, I am sitting in my backyard under a tree enjoying the cooler fall weather, with my dog laying nearby and know that I can FaceTime my brother, or visit Europe via a book or film. I’m also going to take the unrelenting pressure I have on myself to advance in my career, or produce my book, as fast as possible. Life is not just a checklist of to-do’s or collecting a resume of accomplishments. I think if you go through some of the recommendations I have below, you might get the same message I’m getting. Or maybe you get something else; let me know!
Read
how do we know we’re doing it right? essays on modern life by Pandora Sykes. This collection of essays was a treat to read. Sykes covers current themes of our lives like our obsession with wellness (and how it’s not different from diet culture) and self care, fast-fashion and how our consumption trends of clothes is changing, the flattening of women into singular roles, despite having full, multi-faceted lives, our culture’s obsession with work, and getting things done, how we are constantly bombarded with content 24/7, our obsession with social media, and projecting versions of ourselves online, how cell phones have transformed how we communicate, and then finally, what it means to live rightfully. I loved how she delved into each subject, combining research and personal thoughts on the matters. I loved the essay titled Work to Get Happy, and its examination of our obsession with productivity, checking off items on a list. She quotes Kate Walbert, who wonders “Are we the sum of what we’ve crossed off? Or are we only what we still have left to do.” I feel this so much! I’m a list maker (learnt from my mother) and some days I put things I’ve already done on there, just to feel like I’ve done something, that I’m worth something. The other part of this essay I am enjoying thinking about is this concept of how we work: are we doing our best work when its about checking things off a list, or are distracted by emails? What if we just turned off the notifications and sat and tried to flow, to create?
I just loved so much of this book, I could go on and on. One other little note I would add is I loved her essay on how cell phones have so transformed the way we communicate: not just from pre-cell phones to now, but from when we had the first mass marketed Nokias, where you had to push the number 1 three times to get the letter “C”. We are constantly on demand for our attention, and live in a fear of being considered rude if we don’t respond within seconds. Sykes brings in a scene from Friends where Rachel tells Ross that she is “going to catch up on my correspondence” as she pulls out stationery. It’s one of my favorite scenes (fave episode too: The One Where No One is Ready), and I too, love the sentiment about letters as a means to update our friends and families.
When The Heart Waits by Sue Monk Kidd. Okay, here Kidd is very directly telling me to wait. She contends that’s where the biggest change happens, when we wait in pain, “in the contemplative, creative way that opens us to newness and growth”. We live in a culture that wants quick fixes (instant dinners, instant weight loss, instant success), which “becomes a way of escaping the slow pain of uncertainty and self-confrontation”. I’ve been underlining something on every page it seems like, and while I haven’t finished it yet, I think it’s a great read. Kidd ties in her Christianity which I think adds an interesting perspective about where we meet God, without sounding preachy or sanctimonious.
Watch
The Duchess - Nope, not about Kate Middleton or Meghan Markle. This is a scripted comedy by comedienne Katherine Ryan about her life as a single mother in London. It’s hilarious and heartwarming, and her FASHION. Her standup specials on Netflix are hilarious, so I’m really pleased this show was so great as well. Streaming on Netflix, it’s easy to devour: limited episodes, and short run times.
Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga - This film, I think, is one of the most highly underrated films of the summer. Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams teamed up to create one of my favorite comedies that was really needed in 2020. The loving parody/tribute to the Eurovision song contest is a delight and comes with a wonderful soundtrack to boot. I’ll admit, after the first song sequence about 3 minutes into the film (Volcano Man, a personal favorite), you can really skip the next 30 minutes until they arrive at the Eurovision competition. There you meet Alexander Lemtov, the favorite, from Russia, delightfully played by Dan Stevens (of Downton Abbey fame!). I find myself absolutely swept away by him, he makes me melt. And laugh. There is nothing to not love here, and the soundtrack, well, I cover that below. Finally, I should add that Pierce Brosnan is part of the cast and you know a musical is always better with Pierce in it (Mama Mia the film is a classic, do not contradict me). Streaming on Netflix.
The Vow - This is an HBO Max series and I find it fascinating. It’s about the cult NXIVM whose leader was recently tried and sentenced. They follow a couple of former members as they work to extricate themselves from the group. I love the perspective: after the first episode I totally understood why so many people had signed up to take part in their classes. And then it gets dark!
Listen
Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga Soundtrack - This has been on repeat for me all summer, one of my many passions. It’s an absolute treat from a fun perspective, but I love the harmonies and vocal skills on this album. Volcano Man is a personal track favorite, I’ve found myself practicing both parts in this duet. Lion of Love, sung by Alexander Lemtov in the film, is a treat. There are so many beautiful tracks here, I worry that they won’t receive the credit they are due since they are part of a Will Ferrell comedy. There’s a track called Song-A-Long, that’s a cast medley of Cher, Madonna, and Black Eyed Peas sung by actual Eurovision stars. I dare you to not smile after hearing it. Other honorable mention songs? Jaja Ding Dong, Double Trouble, Husavik (My Hometown).
https://open.spotify.com/album/0u6ppFo3gWA3vTiGeDTWXl?si=TW3QkOU3RO2YBHbDKG2Cxg
Slow Stories with Sanaë Lemoine - Slow Stories is a podcast that’s hosted by Rachel Schwartzmann that I just discovered this week. The episode I enjoyed has Sanaë Lemoine as her guest (of The Margot Affair, and inspiration of the Mathilde’s Tomato Tart), and what I was struck by Lemoine’s journey as a writer, how she used to define herself by the other jobs she held, and was resistant to call herself a writer. I also loved hearing about how Lemoine approaches her writing: she first handwrites on paper, and then types (like me!), and she takes the time she needs to create stories, writing in pockets of time. It took her 7 years to write The Margot Affair! I love that :). She also says “the best stories are created when you surrender to uncertainty,” which resonates so much with the current times.
https://open.spotify.com/show/12tsWKQ9UySnaWFNzhZi0b?si=ct2kMGZXSpuB-mDYBJ3Ndg
Eat
Nacho Crunch Double Stacked Taco - by Taco Bell. I didn’t get up to much cooking this week, but I did make it to Taco Bell. It was the first time I’ve been since they cruelly did away with my longstanding order of a 7-layer burrito and a tostada. Quelle horreur! The work around to create a 7-layer off the current menu is still a work in progress, but without a tostada to create (although I have an idea I’m going to try next time), I had to try something new. So I went for the Nacho Crunch Double Stacked Taco. Let me tell you, I was not disappointed. The queso cheese in between the hard shell and soft shell (double stack) was delightful, and the little tortilla crunch strips were a nice touch. Also, the whole taco, 2 layers and all, was only $1! Okay, maybe this fast food isn’t so aligned with my “Slow” theme, but I did sit in the drive through for 20 minutes with Erika, which gave us lots of time to be in the moment, ;).