…and by “newsletter,” I of course mean “A thing I’m posting on my blog that will appear in your inbox!”
I miss writing regularly for my blog so much, so I decided this is the way I’m going to assault you with my thoughts. Every Friday (hopefully), I’m going to send out some random musings and we’ll see if people enjoy it. We’ll have a heavy thought, a light thought, and pop culture corner, because…well, that’s pretty much the running loop in my brain at all times. Here we go!
Deep thoughts:
I have long had a very soft spot for prison issues. I think it started when someone made me watch Dead Man Walking (when I was way too young to watch that movie) and started thinking about the death penalty, which I immediately found to be horrifying. Also - remember that Grey’s Anatomy episode where the death row inmate invites Meredith to his execution? Burned in my brain. I bet it’s burned in yours.
But what I’m learning about now goes beyond my gut reactions and into real policy - the issue of prison reform. I read a harrowing (I warned you) story this week out of my home state of Alabama that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. I’m still learning, so I don’t have anything concrete to offer except to say: if you care about this, do a little investigating into your state’s prisons and how they’re run. I was devastated to discover that Alabama’s prisons have regular and horrendous instances of violence, suicide, and terrible conditions. Whatever your feelings about whether people who commit crimes deserve ______ punishment, I hope it tugs at your heartstrings to imagine a scenario where a human being, worthy of kindness and grace, is being so mistreated that taking their own life feels like a better option. It’s not fun to learn about, but it is responsible. If you live in Alabama, you can dig more into this by poking around the SPLC website, along withe Alabama chapter of ACLU.
Lightening the mood:
AMANDA. DADGUM. GORMAN. Is anybody else still thinking about this girl?! I’ve been working on a Wall of Women for Rosie’s room (you can see the finished Michelle Obama below, downloaded from my Instagram stories) and have included a lot of women who inspire me in the lineup: Dolly Parton, Mindy Kaling, RBG, Princess Di, Sarah Jessica Parker, Padma Lakshmi - but once I saw that beautiful recitation at the inauguration, I knew Amanda had to be on the wall as well. My sweet little printer (9 years old, bless her heart) finally stopped serving me this week, so I’m waiting on a new one to forge ahead with the project, but I am actually giddy to start work with her piercing yellow coat and fabulous - like BAM! - red headband. Did you know she recently signed with IMG?! Because she’s a beautiful brilliant goddess. I’ll keep you posted with progress.
Part of Rosie’s gallery wall, soon to feature Queen Amanda Gorman!
Pop culture corner:
THERE IS SO MUCH THAT IS HAPPENING. Armie Hammer is a cannibal? Erika Girardi is a criminal?? So many franchises of Housewives are on right now that I am up to my eyeballs (Atlanta, Dallas, OC, Southern Charm, WOWZA). And while I’m complaining about too much too watch, let me complain about the fact that This is Us has had like…4 episodes in the last 8 months*. *I did not check to make sure this is accurate stat. This is my ranting corner and I will SAY WHAT I PLEASE. Like…are you back, or aren’t you?? PICK A LANE, This Is Us!
We also have to talk about Freaks and Geeks, which is on Hulu available for your streaming pleasure. I’d never seen it before and it is absolutely, positively brilliant in every way. A true television tragedy that it didn’t get picked up for more than one season. I’m going to start it over from the beginning once I finish it. It’s beautiful, relatable, not cloying, the parents actually like the kids and vice-versa, and the nerds are just…chefs kiss. Beautiful. Also, SO many people who went on to be stars! Weird to see Seth Rogen play kind of a jerk. I once dated a guy that looked young James Franco in this show - dreamboat. Also, a d-bag. And that’s because you can’t trust people who are that hot.
What else…Southern Charm, y’all. Can we talk about it for a second? It is so beyond cringey to me. I feel really weird that they’re trying to somehow balance the scales of Kathryn’s racist DM’s by including a bunch of…unpaid POC on the show? Like why aren’t we paying Madison (from Gwynn’s) or Venita as full-time cast members? Also that show is just a-damn-DRIFT without Cam. Remember that one season where Kathryn was on the up-and-up, and Naomi, Chelsea, and Dani (who should absolutely not be on our screens as much as she is) rallied around her? That was some girl power magic right there, y’all. And now, we’re…here. Watching Austen and Madison scream at each other. Sigh.
Speaking of sigh…the fact that The Office is now at Peacock is just so depressing to me. Like many of you, that show was a daily watch for our household. I went yesterday to record a clip of the “Is Hilary Swank hot?” conversation, only to find that the entirety of Season 5 is behind a paywall. Am I a moron? Is there a way around this that I haven’t discovered?
I’d like to close each of these “newsletters” with a recommendation to read/watch/follow. So here’s our first, the most screamingly wonderful thing you’ll ever see. I may really be digging myself a hole here, because I don’t know how I will ever top this master of joy.
Happy weekend, friends.