She doesn't want frizzy hair
Look, I just want good weather-always. 24/7. I want the kind of weather where you don’t have to look in the mirror at 4 pm and realize that tuft of hair in the back was literally just a frizz ball standing at the top of your head all day in class. I want the weather where there is no in between-I don’t need to layer because the weather is just ideal. There is no half-sies bullshit. It’s just the ideal hot but cool temperature where I can wear a t-shirt and not feel cold.
But, I hear you should face and accept reality and the reality is the weather has been frizz and cold inducing in the gem of an island that is Cambridge. Love that.
In other news, Girls Gotta Eat has a great episode on self-love lately, spanish netflix continues to be on fire and I resume my spanish lessons with Ramon tomorrow. As in the man I used to sit two hours each Monday during my first year of law school (gaining fluency in the language I hope my children will speak fluently because it’s their “father’s tongue” -see what I did there ;) ) has returned to the scene that is my life after a dramatic pandemic exist. Three weeks ago he emailed me simply “I am back” and all I could say was thank the fucking lord because I miss that man, I miss my spanish not being trash and I miss our very random coffee chats of mismatched ages (I match his 62 with my 26 and I could not be happier perhaps only because Javier Bardem may hear about it and come join)….
In any event, apparently we are in our last retrograde so if you feel off, its because *cosmically* you are.
xxx
Books I wish I would have read in high school:
You’ll come back to yourself by Michaela Angemeer-a collection of poetry that cradles you in intimacy as it explores love lost, depression, body image and learning how to choose yourself. A work that makes you not only feel seen but realize the hardest (and most important) lessons are the ones you often have to learn alone.
Read if: self-love is a daily practice you’re learning to cultivate.
Not your typical eat, pray, love
Survival of the Thickest by Michelle Buteau: When I think of Michelle, I think of her roles in Always Be My Maybe and Netflix's Tales of a City reboot. She's a hilarious comedian (also New Jerseyan) and in this book, she shares what shaped her, chosen fam bam, her IVF journey and her road to learning how to take up as much space as possible as a bad bitch. To give you a taste: one of the chapters starts out with "One year, my mother got me health insurance for Christmas", what a great gift--truly.
Read if: You've seen her big hair and personality in her stand up and want to read about this fab lady.
On trend
Black Sun, 1 by Rebecca Roanhorse: My roommate told me about one of her clients who was so proud of himself (white) for telling another person (white) that Columbus Day was rebranded to Indigenous People's Day. Indigenous Women (girls +) murdered 10x higher than all other ethnicities. More than half Indigenous Women experience sexual violence. As there's a slow burn in corporate America trying to increase their pipeline of BIPOC talent, we still have a long way to go and part of that is in critical education and storytelling. This is a fantasy novel with the real themes of the impact of European colonialism, history, and power.
Read if: You know Pocahontas should not be your go to frame of reference for indigeinous or native people.
Decolonize your mind: Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann and Kristen Joiner. I worked with Heumann at the state department-she is fierce, full of grit and has worked hard every damn day of her life. She has carved space and rallied for disability rights in rooms where people never wanted to see her. She never allowed them to crowd her out. I respect this woman because she reminds us all that we should always be asking who is not represented in the rooms we stand in and how the fuck do we get them there. This book explores her journey as the disability rights activist she is today.
Read if: disability inclusion is something on your radar but not a movement you’re an active participant in-and that stops today.
Local Book Shop Recommendation: Black Garnet Books in the Twin Cities! We are bringing our local rec to the Twin Cities in Minnesota where this Black, woman owned bookstore brings underrepresented voices to your bookshelves. They do pop ups throughout the community to bring their vision of a decolonized bookshelf to as many people as possible. They are temporarily closed, which is a bummer, but this place has real character and they are working to stay alive so you should follow them on social and support them when they come back.