Week Links [3 July]

Get pregnant, they said. It will be magical, they said.

I was lucky enough not to get morning sickness in the first trimester, just fatigue, but last week’s heat wave and humidity had me so sick that I was rueing the day I was born. Things are still touch-and-go, but I’ve started to feel them kick, so that kind of offsets how horribly pregnancy has been treating me recently. I’m officially 21 weeks today, and trying to figure out how I’m supposed to survive the next 15-17 weeks…

I’ve officially picked the babies’ first names, so I may do some sort of “reveal” on here (the closest I got to a “gender reveal” was posting a screenshot of my blood test results on Instagram stories accompanied by a gif of Homer Simpson screaming, so…)

As much as I may have previously been irritated by how myopic pregnant people become, how singularly focused on “the baby,” now that I’ve been there, I can attest that it is real. I think it has to be evolutionary, some sort of biological imperative to keep the fetus healthy by focusing ALL OF YOUR ATTENTION AND MENTAL/PHYSICAL ENERGY ON THE BABY. It’s all I can do to watch TV without also researching baby swing safety ratings. I’ve literally told my therapist that I’m exhausting myself with this, so I certainly don’t blame my friends or family for tuning me out for a while. I’m sure by this time next year, I’ll be begging for Sauvignon Blanc in an IV and a chance to be away from them for 5 minutes. One thing that’s really important to me is to not martyr myself in the process of becoming a mother. I’d like to remain myself, albeit with some small satellites orbiting me.

jean smart is a genius

Ugh, enough about me. It’s been an insane couple of weeks, hasn’t it? Between the Olympics being racist, Britney’s statement on her conservatorship, Bill fucking Cosby going free, and Rand Paul sending out an email with a dog-whistle typo in it, it truly feels like we’re living in the darkest timeline. I’m glad about having a long weekend, but proclaiming “Happy 4th” seems hollow at best, if not entirely tone-deaf. So…just enjoy your long weekend if you’re lucky enough to have one. You deserve to rest.

  1. Jack Black is the funniest person alive.
  2. I’ve been mainlining the show Workin’ Moms on Netflix and I really hope it comes back for a 6th season.
  3. When I finished Workin’ Moms, I devoured Hacks. If Jean Smart doesn’t win the Emmy, the entire institution should be shut down.
  4. I watched Girls 5 Eva in 2 days and I haven’t stopped singing the theme song since. A perfect show.
  5. I replaced my dishes and I’m really happy with the set I got. I bought two of these sets in teal (to make a makeshift service for 8). I paired them with these oversized mugs and these serving bowls.
  6. After much research and no success finding something cheaper that I actually liked, I have purchased the stupidly expensive, aesthetic coffee maker. The other contender was this coffee maker from Drew Barrymore’s line, but the adorable green color was out of stock.
  7. This may be my most “mom” purchase yet. I have to go as hands-free as possible because I’ll have a baby in each arm pretty soon.
  8. Excited to try this cheek and lip tint. I’m almost 30 and still haven’t really figured out how to wear makeup, so this kind of product is the only thing that will get me to wear blush. This one is my current favorite, but I have it in the color “Cherry Cosmos.”
  9. This week on Las Culturistas, Matt and Bowen sang this song, correctly calling it “One of the best songs of all time, one of the most beautiful women of all time, one of the great films.” I can’t even explain how many times I’ve watched this movie.
  10. I’m going to attempt to resist buying these, but these are THE most ’90s sandals ever. Everyone’s mom had sandals just like this. Giving me such Nine West vibes.
  11. Ronan Farrow and Jia Tolentino’s piece on Britney’s conservatorship made me rage-cry. It truly is a nightmare, a form of modern slavery. I hope that how high-profile this case is triggers reform throughout the legal system and proves a huge step forward for the rights of disabled people.

Shout Out Sunday 7.7.19

Good morning, friends! I hope you all only had to work 3 days last week. Even though the 4th of July is a really complicated holiday from a social justice perspective, I had the privilege of a great day by the pool and somehow managed to only get a sunburn on my shins. I can sense a major case of the Sunday Scaries coming on…how do I go back to work after 4 days off? What is a desk? All I want to do is lay around reading and eating Mexican food…is that such a big ask?

Enjoy this week’s round-up!

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my fourth of july look was leopard & crystals because i am a sentient glass of chardonnay

  1. I took the MTEL on Friday (the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure) and even though I have no clue whether I passed, the test did remind me that I’m obsessed with Toni Morrison. One of the passages I had to write about was from Song of Solomon, which I actually haven’t read, so I’m putting it on the reading list immediately! Not to brag, but I do own a signed copy of Beloved *flips hair*
  2. I don’t bake but maybe I should start?
  3. Started reading incredible Twitter person, Kristen Arnett‘s Mostly Dead Things and it is a stunning masterpiece.
  4. The NYTimes tried to answer the age-old debate between iced coffee and cold brew, but they forgot one very important detail—cold brew is just tastier.
  5. Halle Bailey has been cast as The Little Mermaid in Disney’s upcoming live-action flick, and I, for one, couldn’t be happier that they didn’t just shove some white girl in a red wig for verisimilitude to a cartoon based on a Danish horror story. If you haven’t heard Chloe X Halle, give them a listen!
  6. Stranger Things season 3 is out!
  7. Rob Sheffield, one of my favorite writers and (fun fact) the brother of my high school chemistry teacher, wrote a great review of the new Beatles movie, Yesterday. I’m still going to see it, but I’m going into it with a critical eye.
  8. LOFT sale is an extra 60% off until Tuesday. I went yesterday and got three pieces for $20—it felt like stealing. I may or may not have just gotten a ton more stuff from the website…I love LOFT for my work wardrobe!
  9. I went up to Salem, MA last weekend and fell in love with all of the amazing shops up there. Hauswitch was one of my faves…give me all the crystals, please! I also loved Modern Millie—I wish I could wear a vintage dress every day!
  10. Tried the Yellow Door Taqueria in Lower Mills (Milton-Dorchester line) and it was bomb. My friend even made me taste duck! If you’re in the Boston area check ’em out!

Tunes of the Week:

The girl 2 cubicles over plays the radio at work, so as a result, I have had “GIRL” by Maren Morris stuck in my head for ~a month.

In honor of the 4th, PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM.

Bonus content: Wanna see my chart? It’s trouble.

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