What A News Week
The good, the bad, and the predictable
Welp, Bill Cosby is free, Allison Mack is in prison, Rumsfeld is dead, and the Supreme Court has once again eviscerated the Voting Rights Act. What a week.
July 4th is my favorite holiday but boy does it feel like we maybe shouldn’t be celebrating this year. Or we should be. Or we should be celebrating and cogitating. I have no idea, but I am regretting starting Whole30 12 days ago because I could really use several hot dogs and at least two beers. But I am determined to stick with it. So it’s a La Croix holiday pour moi!
In other news, if you know any moms with children at home please call them and see if they’re ok. We just had the second mom murder her children in three months in LA and I am sure this is a trend across the country. We know for sure that child abuse has skyrocketed. Of course it has. There is no single group of people who have suffered more, been under more pressure, or had more responsibilities than moms during COVID. This country doesn’t help with parenting at the best of times. It certainly did not during the worst. Add to that the complete and total lack of mental health resources for a large portion of the country and tragically understaffed and under-supported state services and, yeah, this was predictable. I know maybe 3 moms of small children (I can only think of 2 but I’m assuming I’ve forgotten someone) and I plan to buy them drinks and baked goods after Whole30.
In extremely non-mom news, if you or anyone you know rides a motorcycle please ping me immediately, especially if they live in the Los Angeles area. I have questions. Firstly- are you allowed to ride a motorcycle if you do not have a tattoo? Thus far the evidence is not encouraging.
To close, a plea: TAKE A VACATION. All of y’all are burned out. You’re tired. You’re stressed. You’re over or under worked. You need a break. Take time off. Sit on your couch and drink martinis. Go to Hawaii. Drive to Rhode Island. Do something. I have had so many conversations over the past few weeks with people who desperately need a break but will not take one, or, WORSE, will take one and then work on vacation. This is appalling behavior and it needs to stop immediately. I take at least 3 vacations a non-Presidential election year. I am taking between 6-9 vacations this year. And I really like my job and the people I work with. BUT NOT AS MUCH AS I LIKE VACATIONS. Vacations as an adult are life changing. You go to Maui. You sit on a beach. You read pirate novels. Five days later, you are a new person. Need someone to vacay with? I can fit at least 3 more trips into my year. Probably. But really, go away. ASAP. And don’t do the thing where you come back and then answer 2 weeks worth of emails. Do what I do. Write an out of office and tell people that you are going on vacation and will not be responding to emails received while you are out so if they need to talk to you they can email you on X date. And make that date several days after you get home so you can ease in slowly. I promise you, everyone will live. Unless you’re a brain surgeon, in which case, you really did this to yourself.
Watch:
Clarkson’s Farm (Prime)- I have been a Jeremy Clarkson fan since I used to crack up to his car reviews in the London Times while sitting in Civil Procedure in law school. He’s the best, Top Gear and now Grand Tour are two of the greatest shows on Earth, and watching him start a farm is a delight. Also farming is hard.
All That Glitters (HBOMax)- The Great British Baking Championship but for jewelry. And they chose the right winner!!
Listen:
I Am Rama (podcast)- You know I love a small time cult leader and Rama was definitely small time but he brought an interesting, Heaven’s Gate-y twist to his cult. You’ll see what I mean. If you don’t, go back and listen to the Heaven’s Gate pod.
Folsom Prison Blues (Kameron Marlowe)- I am obsesssssssed with this new version of Johnny Cash’s best song. Spotify it ASAP.
Read:
The great Russel Finklestein is a Washington Post columnist! It’s new, it’s exciting, and you should read all of his articles and then email the owner of WaPo (I believe it’s a certain Mr. Jeffrey Bezos, he of the TikTok song) and tell him to give Russ a raise.