And now, reporting live from the first week of 2020:
We’ve got Meghan and Harry (this article was recommended by everyone’s favorite royal correspondent: @eholmes. I think it explains what’s actually going on really well.), we’ve got a super rainstorm, we’ve got Gwyneth Paltrow wearing her necklace underneath her dress at the Golden Globes, Timothee Chalamet has betrayed us, we’ve got SEVERAL real, legitimate global crises happening. I’ve started painting my nails for the sole purpose of the soothing satisfaction of picking it off, and let me tell you, it’s kind of working.
🕊Australian friends, you have been on my mind. Praying for rain and sending love and earnestly desiring your safety and security. If you’d like to help but don’t know what to do, the Australian Red Cross is a great place to start.
👑The world doesn’t need another House of Sussex hot take, and my thoughts on this are surely not original: not one bit of it surprised me, but I AM surprised at how public this is getting. We so rarely see what’s going on behind the facade. I am wondering if this (along with the Prince Andrew thing) is a bit of a death knell for the royal family as an institution. It will be very interesting to see how it plays out. I like Meghan and Harry doing their own thing, but it seems like they kind of want to have their cake and eat it too (which I get, who doesn’t want that). OR they want to dismantle the current system into something with healthier expectations on them as actual people. It could go either way. If you’re a royal spectator, I would love to know your thoughts! If think they are a waste of time, I get it but also don’t feel like you need to come romp on our ding-dongs.
🥂I found out that Rian Johnson (director of some of the finest movies available) and Karina Longworth (host of one of my personal favorite podcasts, You Must Remember This, about the golden age of Hollywood) are married because of Anne Helen, who only brings good things into my life.
☃Jason Isbell tweeted that his grandmother calls the snowman from Frozen ‘Zoloft’. And I cannot tell you how that makes me laugh.
❤️I can’t stop thinking about Little Women. I can’t stop reading interviews with the cast and think pieces. My faves are this twitter thread from Joy Clarkson and this video of Laura Dern.
📚I started reading Erin Morganstern’s new book, The Starless Sea, this week and it is dreamy and I love it so far.
🎧Does anyone listen to In the Dark? The second season of the show did a lot of work to compile evidence that allowed Curtis Flowers to be released on bail last month, after 23 years in prison. The episode that explores the day of his release is beautiful, but I recommend listening to the whole season for rage-inducing context.
🦵And finally, I used my Christmas money to purchase this adult-sized weighted blanket and FRIENDS. I have not had my restless leg (twitchy leg, jimmy leg, etc) since I started using it. A true hero in this times.
Can’t wait to hear what you’re loving this week!
P.S. My friend Tara from House Peace and I are doing an Instagram live today around noon CST on planning and planners, if that is your jam or you think you want it to be. Make sure you’re following her - @house.peace!
P.P.S. There are a couple of affiliate links in up in here, just so you know.
Y'all were beautiful on the insta TV :) also, I stopped following In the Dark bc I was so tired of wanting to hear what was going on with Curtis Flowers lol, so glad to know he's at least out on bail!
Freaking weighted blankets forever. A friend gifted me hers because her ridiculous (and I say that with all the 'I can't understand' love in my heart) kids didn't like it. WHAAAAAAA?!!!! Anyways, I purchased ones for all my kiddos because I need to sleep...they need to sleep...we all need to sleep. The Starless Sea is on my WAAAAANT list...now I just need to find time to read it.
1. OMG IN THE DARK IS SOOOOO GOOD. I binged in one day.
2. I can't decide about Harry and Meghan. I read a great article (v long link below) that seemed to sum it up well from a person of color perspective. I admire them for doing what they need to do to make their family thrive...but they knew what they were getting into, yes? I've never been in love love with them like I am with Will and Kate (Charlotte is my FAVORITE tiny human) so I don't think I'll miss them, really. It's a shame because I think they have some great things to do and say as a part of an old, white, apolitical institution, so there is something that will be lost with their absence. The most recent epi of Pantsuit Politics has a great commentary on this too.
I'm here for any and all Little Women content. I'm obsessively watching cast interviews and more than likely going to go see it again this weekend just because it's been a long, hard week.
1. A favorite local band, Poor Bishop Hooper, is writing and releasing one song a week based on each Psalm and I now have a second reason to look forward to Wednesdays.
2. Atomic Habits is reframing my mind in a good way. I've always had trouble sticking with goals and NOW I KNOW WHY.
3. The hubs and I rented Peanut Butter Falcon and SO MANY FEELS! Loved it.
4. Play Dough - it has given this homeschool mom many a respite already this winter. Is it messy? Sure. But I get 45 minutes to myself so I DO NOT CARE.
5. Waking up before my children. I hate it, but love it.
Organizing. That’s my jam right now. (I don’t know if I want to know what that says about me as a person 😆) but going through my whole house, combined with the new year motivation and nesting, has me in a really happy place.
The Night Circus is one of my favorite books ever, and therefore I am scared to read The Starless Sea, lest it not live up to my hype. I need to let my expectations die a bit before picking it up.
My hot reading tip for the week is a 2011 release, The Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn. It is a perfect mix of social commentary on why we cook and eat the way we do today, human interest stories on how the volunteers enter and react to the classes, and some genuinely useful cooking tips, even for someone who considers herself a decent cook. If you have a book club, this would be a great meeting with lots to discuss.
Trying to find a new podcast to fill the void since I finished Finding Fred, Dolly Parton's America and Knowing: Robin Williams over the holidays. My husband suggested Wild Thing, a podcast about Bigfoot (yes BIGFOOT) and it's been sort of interesting, but I tune it out. I have a feeling this group would have some great suggestions.
I listed to In the Dark S1 because it was about Jacob Wetterling which being a Minnesotan....... well we all know how our lives changed because of his abduction. That was something we have grown up with the stories of. When his killer was FINALLY found and they admitted everything. I basically spent days on and off crying and weeks being so hyper vigilant of knowing where my boys were at all times. That podcast was so powerful.
*I also recently started The Starless Sea, and I’m loving it so far!
*I’m happy that I am not the only grown woman who still gets “Christmas money”, and I have a weighted blanket on my wish list to spend that $😁
*I love me some Royals but I am having a hard time with this decision. I get that Harry and Meghan are OVER it but I am such a rule follower that I just don’t like it! Torn. 👑
There will be a Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker Spoiler at the very end of my post, but first:
1. The Highwomen album continues to be great.
2. I'm 23 weeks pregnant with twins (that we didn't find out were twins until 20 weeks...) and am all about eschewing maternity pants (which suck and always fall down) and just wearing my pre-preggo pants with those stretchy maternity bands. Highly recommend. Plus -- all my favorite pants "still fit."
3. YNAB. It's just such a good budget tool for BUDGETING FOR TWINS. Lord.
4. I got two pairs of leopard print shoes for Christmas and I finally feel on trend. SO may say two is too many, but I think it's perfect.
5. Mike Birbiglia's The New One on Netflix had my husband and I CRYING laughing. Probably because of impending twins/current toddler.
6. Magnetic bookmarks y'all. They're so helpful. Cookbooks, planners, David Sedaris books, books about How to Prepare for Twins with 3 Fewer Months Than Most People Get... work for 'em all!
IMPENDING SPOILER. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED:
Was anyone else kinda sad we won't be getting any adorable Skywalker-Solo-Palpatine jedi babies?! I was kinda into the idea...
I deleted a suuuper passive aggressive and admittedly slightly petty FB comment last night, so I feel really adult today. Other joys include having a handy husband who is fixing my washing machine at this very moment.
Don't know if there are any other midwesterners here, but I'm in Nebraska and the whole drone thing is SUPER WEIRD. For a long time, we've been hearing about it from the western part of the state, but now they are the central part, and in fact my mom lives just outside city limits and videoed one on her way to work. They are HUGE - not little hobby drones for sure. Very unsettling around here!
I am a self process royal junkie and have been reading all the news. I understand both sides and the part of me that loves the institution of the Monarchy is like that's a big NO-NO Harry and Megsie and they need to get it together and just ignore the paparazzi and tabloids and just live their lives like Kate and Wills...but the American in me is like let them LIVE and have their FREEDOM! However I am fascinated by all the hot takes and every one is reporting something different. The dailymail said the baby was with a nanny in Canada but then others said Archie was with Jessica Mulroney Meghan's BFF and oh man even more drama unfolded. They are so quick to throw her under the bus I kind of understand why she is like see ya Brits don't want to be with you! I shall be fascinated while they figure this ish out.
My husband has banned me from watching anymore Australian fire videos after he came into our room two night ago and I was sobbing about the koalas. My heart can't take it. I am grateful to be able to donate money (to feel like I was "doing something") but I wish I could be handy and make something for those poor baby animals. Those people saving animals. Amazing. The firefighters working night and day. Wow.
Giiiiiiirrrllllll that Royals business!! So glad to hear your comments about it. I agree with either “either/OR”... or both🤷🏻♀️
I have yet to watch season 3 of the crown because I am currently rewatching season 2 with the husband so that we can watch season three together and I am LOVING rewatching it for all the details I missed with the writing etc. but is it bad that I only see this real situation through that lens?! I guess when we are all 92 we will get season 16 of the crown where they reinterpret it- until then I am having reel it in!!
Nothin new And cool to post here. I am sttrruuggglliiinnggg through a book club book The Sympathizer. If any of ya’ll have read it and enjoyed it please enlighten me. It has some really good nuggets of satire about American culture but if it wasn’t a book club book I would have put it down and forgotten to pick it back up. It is taking ENDURANCE.
Excited to View that Laura Dern interview while I don’t have little stomach bug toddlers laying on my face! While I was viewing the Harry Styles dog watching photo the older offender asked, “is that a picture of you mom?” So I’d say my day is pretty solid so far. These have been very entertaining tweets for me also- you’ve probably viewed them but on the off-chance, here they are. https://www.buzzfeed.com/jenniferabidor/little-women-tweets
Thanks for being the bright spot in my toddler-bed-vomit-watch morning.
I, too, got a weighted blanket for Christmas. After exchanging it for a lesser weight, I slept like a rock last night. Fell asleep quickly, very little moving around.
I’m trying to get pretty far into Starless Sea! My bestie got us tickets to see Erin Morgenstern next Wednesday and I want to look like I know what I’m talking about when I say “I love your writing” 😆
I too cannot stop thinking about Little Women. I recommend an interview with Greta Gerwig on the Vanity Fait Little Gold Men podcast. It's the episode "Sorting through the SAG" and it starts a little over half-way through. She goes into why she wrote the script the way she did, which was something I was initially nervous about but ending up loving. She was delightful.
MORE thrilled that Evans stepped down. I am anxious to hear if the new prosecutor will retry him again. I did not realize they had an episode out about his release. I will catch up today! I get so angry every time I think about the whole thing!! It is so hard to wrap my brain around what the evidence clearly proves is illegal behavior by the detective and prosecutor!
That was such a great, succinct article about the Harry and Meghan kurfluffle. With the royal family, I’m always simultaneously obsessed with all of the drama and details AND also feel terrible that they are under that much scrutiny. Let Kate give her kids a talking to in public without it being overanalyzed BUT let me watch that beautiful woman execute that talking to while crouching in heels and looking flawless! Let Meghan touch her freaking baby bump as much as she wants to BUT let me see as many pictures of that baby as I can! So curious how this will all play out.
On a completely different note- is anyone watching The Circle on Netflix? It’s so dumb but I am mildly obsessed! Such a weird and amazing look into the anthropology/sociology of social media and catfishing. It’s the kind of trash TV reality/competition show that I get way too invested in and have no idea why!
I don’t have a ton of time to browse the Internet these days (a 3-month old & an almost-3-year-old who no longer naps it’s fine), but speaking of housepeace - just a quick thank you to you, Erin, & Jamie, for shouting their praises from the rooftops cuz I recently won their 10,000 followers giveaway & Tara is going to help me with my chaospit of a laundry room. Hallelujah 🙌🙏
Lil Treasures Thread #6: Timothée Chalamet Hath Betrayed Us
Y'all were beautiful on the insta TV :) also, I stopped following In the Dark bc I was so tired of wanting to hear what was going on with Curtis Flowers lol, so glad to know he's at least out on bail!
Freaking weighted blankets forever. A friend gifted me hers because her ridiculous (and I say that with all the 'I can't understand' love in my heart) kids didn't like it. WHAAAAAAA?!!!! Anyways, I purchased ones for all my kiddos because I need to sleep...they need to sleep...we all need to sleep. The Starless Sea is on my WAAAAANT list...now I just need to find time to read it.
1. OMG IN THE DARK IS SOOOOO GOOD. I binged in one day.
2. I can't decide about Harry and Meghan. I read a great article (v long link below) that seemed to sum it up well from a person of color perspective. I admire them for doing what they need to do to make their family thrive...but they knew what they were getting into, yes? I've never been in love love with them like I am with Will and Kate (Charlotte is my FAVORITE tiny human) so I don't think I'll miss them, really. It's a shame because I think they have some great things to do and say as a part of an old, white, apolitical institution, so there is something that will be lost with their absence. The most recent epi of Pantsuit Politics has a great commentary on this too.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/09/opinion/meghan-markle-prince-harry.html?sfns=mo&fbclid=IwAR1f8tgyzlA1mZFQlJZEdXGn9BUjFMgdZSPMvW-bb6SHIswk1skZtWpswuQ
I'm here for any and all Little Women content. I'm obsessively watching cast interviews and more than likely going to go see it again this weekend just because it's been a long, hard week.
1. A favorite local band, Poor Bishop Hooper, is writing and releasing one song a week based on each Psalm and I now have a second reason to look forward to Wednesdays.
2. Atomic Habits is reframing my mind in a good way. I've always had trouble sticking with goals and NOW I KNOW WHY.
3. The hubs and I rented Peanut Butter Falcon and SO MANY FEELS! Loved it.
4. Play Dough - it has given this homeschool mom many a respite already this winter. Is it messy? Sure. But I get 45 minutes to myself so I DO NOT CARE.
5. Waking up before my children. I hate it, but love it.
Organizing. That’s my jam right now. (I don’t know if I want to know what that says about me as a person 😆) but going through my whole house, combined with the new year motivation and nesting, has me in a really happy place.
The Night Circus is one of my favorite books ever, and therefore I am scared to read The Starless Sea, lest it not live up to my hype. I need to let my expectations die a bit before picking it up.
My hot reading tip for the week is a 2011 release, The Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn. It is a perfect mix of social commentary on why we cook and eat the way we do today, human interest stories on how the volunteers enter and react to the classes, and some genuinely useful cooking tips, even for someone who considers herself a decent cook. If you have a book club, this would be a great meeting with lots to discuss.
Trying to find a new podcast to fill the void since I finished Finding Fred, Dolly Parton's America and Knowing: Robin Williams over the holidays. My husband suggested Wild Thing, a podcast about Bigfoot (yes BIGFOOT) and it's been sort of interesting, but I tune it out. I have a feeling this group would have some great suggestions.
I listed to In the Dark S1 because it was about Jacob Wetterling which being a Minnesotan....... well we all know how our lives changed because of his abduction. That was something we have grown up with the stories of. When his killer was FINALLY found and they admitted everything. I basically spent days on and off crying and weeks being so hyper vigilant of knowing where my boys were at all times. That podcast was so powerful.
*I also recently started The Starless Sea, and I’m loving it so far!
*I’m happy that I am not the only grown woman who still gets “Christmas money”, and I have a weighted blanket on my wish list to spend that $😁
*I love me some Royals but I am having a hard time with this decision. I get that Harry and Meghan are OVER it but I am such a rule follower that I just don’t like it! Torn. 👑
There will be a Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker Spoiler at the very end of my post, but first:
1. The Highwomen album continues to be great.
2. I'm 23 weeks pregnant with twins (that we didn't find out were twins until 20 weeks...) and am all about eschewing maternity pants (which suck and always fall down) and just wearing my pre-preggo pants with those stretchy maternity bands. Highly recommend. Plus -- all my favorite pants "still fit."
3. YNAB. It's just such a good budget tool for BUDGETING FOR TWINS. Lord.
4. I got two pairs of leopard print shoes for Christmas and I finally feel on trend. SO may say two is too many, but I think it's perfect.
5. Mike Birbiglia's The New One on Netflix had my husband and I CRYING laughing. Probably because of impending twins/current toddler.
6. Magnetic bookmarks y'all. They're so helpful. Cookbooks, planners, David Sedaris books, books about How to Prepare for Twins with 3 Fewer Months Than Most People Get... work for 'em all!
IMPENDING SPOILER. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED:
Was anyone else kinda sad we won't be getting any adorable Skywalker-Solo-Palpatine jedi babies?! I was kinda into the idea...
I deleted a suuuper passive aggressive and admittedly slightly petty FB comment last night, so I feel really adult today. Other joys include having a handy husband who is fixing my washing machine at this very moment.
I am loving “The Movies that Made Us” on Netflix as well. So v. Good!
THIS I have watched many times and it takes my breath away. https://t.co/YAKP5DWCon
Little Women was AMAZING.
Don't know if there are any other midwesterners here, but I'm in Nebraska and the whole drone thing is SUPER WEIRD. For a long time, we've been hearing about it from the western part of the state, but now they are the central part, and in fact my mom lives just outside city limits and videoed one on her way to work. They are HUGE - not little hobby drones for sure. Very unsettling around here!
Also I have yet to watch Little Women and I am ALL IN MY FEELINGS about having not seen it yet so I can talk about it with everyone.
I am a self process royal junkie and have been reading all the news. I understand both sides and the part of me that loves the institution of the Monarchy is like that's a big NO-NO Harry and Megsie and they need to get it together and just ignore the paparazzi and tabloids and just live their lives like Kate and Wills...but the American in me is like let them LIVE and have their FREEDOM! However I am fascinated by all the hot takes and every one is reporting something different. The dailymail said the baby was with a nanny in Canada but then others said Archie was with Jessica Mulroney Meghan's BFF and oh man even more drama unfolded. They are so quick to throw her under the bus I kind of understand why she is like see ya Brits don't want to be with you! I shall be fascinated while they figure this ish out.
My husband has banned me from watching anymore Australian fire videos after he came into our room two night ago and I was sobbing about the koalas. My heart can't take it. I am grateful to be able to donate money (to feel like I was "doing something") but I wish I could be handy and make something for those poor baby animals. Those people saving animals. Amazing. The firefighters working night and day. Wow.
Giiiiiiirrrllllll that Royals business!! So glad to hear your comments about it. I agree with either “either/OR”... or both🤷🏻♀️
I have yet to watch season 3 of the crown because I am currently rewatching season 2 with the husband so that we can watch season three together and I am LOVING rewatching it for all the details I missed with the writing etc. but is it bad that I only see this real situation through that lens?! I guess when we are all 92 we will get season 16 of the crown where they reinterpret it- until then I am having reel it in!!
Nothin new And cool to post here. I am sttrruuggglliiinnggg through a book club book The Sympathizer. If any of ya’ll have read it and enjoyed it please enlighten me. It has some really good nuggets of satire about American culture but if it wasn’t a book club book I would have put it down and forgotten to pick it back up. It is taking ENDURANCE.
Excited to View that Laura Dern interview while I don’t have little stomach bug toddlers laying on my face! While I was viewing the Harry Styles dog watching photo the older offender asked, “is that a picture of you mom?” So I’d say my day is pretty solid so far. These have been very entertaining tweets for me also- you’ve probably viewed them but on the off-chance, here they are. https://www.buzzfeed.com/jenniferabidor/little-women-tweets
Thanks for being the bright spot in my toddler-bed-vomit-watch morning.
I, too, got a weighted blanket for Christmas. After exchanging it for a lesser weight, I slept like a rock last night. Fell asleep quickly, very little moving around.
I’m trying to get pretty far into Starless Sea! My bestie got us tickets to see Erin Morgenstern next Wednesday and I want to look like I know what I’m talking about when I say “I love your writing” 😆
I too cannot stop thinking about Little Women. I recommend an interview with Greta Gerwig on the Vanity Fait Little Gold Men podcast. It's the episode "Sorting through the SAG" and it starts a little over half-way through. She goes into why she wrote the script the way she did, which was something I was initially nervous about but ending up loving. She was delightful.
Yes! I am SO thrilled Curtis got out! And
MORE thrilled that Evans stepped down. I am anxious to hear if the new prosecutor will retry him again. I did not realize they had an episode out about his release. I will catch up today! I get so angry every time I think about the whole thing!! It is so hard to wrap my brain around what the evidence clearly proves is illegal behavior by the detective and prosecutor!
Always look forward to your newsletter ...Such a treat!
Weighted blanket question...how did you decide what weight to purchase?
I would like to thank you for the debrief of the LW scene. You have taken my obsession to a whole notha level! More articles and interview links?
That was such a great, succinct article about the Harry and Meghan kurfluffle. With the royal family, I’m always simultaneously obsessed with all of the drama and details AND also feel terrible that they are under that much scrutiny. Let Kate give her kids a talking to in public without it being overanalyzed BUT let me watch that beautiful woman execute that talking to while crouching in heels and looking flawless! Let Meghan touch her freaking baby bump as much as she wants to BUT let me see as many pictures of that baby as I can! So curious how this will all play out.
On a completely different note- is anyone watching The Circle on Netflix? It’s so dumb but I am mildly obsessed! Such a weird and amazing look into the anthropology/sociology of social media and catfishing. It’s the kind of trash TV reality/competition show that I get way too invested in and have no idea why!
That Harry Styles pic. Lorddddd, Lord.
I don’t have a ton of time to browse the Internet these days (a 3-month old & an almost-3-year-old who no longer naps it’s fine), but speaking of housepeace - just a quick thank you to you, Erin, & Jamie, for shouting their praises from the rooftops cuz I recently won their 10,000 followers giveaway & Tara is going to help me with my chaospit of a laundry room. Hallelujah 🙌🙏
Cheers to the weekend (almost)! 🥂