The TueDo List: Billie Holiday + Buy Nothing + Mean Olds Rule
Plus a robot that pours your wine
THIS WEEK
LISTEN: It’s raining podcasts: Renegades: Born in the USA with President Obama and Bruce Springsteen, Erika Alexander hosts Reparations: The Big Payback, and Anne Lamott talks about how to be more hopeful. Why you should call your friends and make your BFF a playlist.
READ: Kerry Washington and Laverne Cox on producing and boosting inclusivity. To the Gen Z’er who cancelled my skinny jeans. On the importance of Black sisterhood. The pandemic wall is “governmental failure masquerading as personal fatigue.” Lily Tomlin, forever. Martha Stewart: Original influencer. I tracked down the girls who bullied me as a kid. Here's what they had to say. RIP Lawrence Ferlinghetti.
ICYMI: De La Soul in cartoon form on Teen Titans Go! 50 questions with Diane von Furstenberg. On the other side of menopause: Aging is more joyful than we think. The trailer for Disney’s upcoming Cruella.
LOL: Happy 40th birthday from Botox! Not that Don Johnson. Farting Frenchies and cats in tights. A 1980s TV ad for women’s secret confessions.
STREAM:
Thursday: Trans in Trumpland documentary (Prime).
Friday: The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Hulu) and the Obamas host Black Renaissance (YouTube).
Saturday: The next Verzuz with D’Angelo and friends.
Sunday: Celebrate Harry Belafonte’s birthday and raise money for a great cause.
STORY: Every Woman’s Reward: Becoming That Mean Old Lady
By Desiree Cooper
“I’ll admit it. As the years go by, I seem to be getting meaner. If I gave a damn, this would be a troubling development.
“I’m far more prone to hang up on someone, claim space for myself, cut off ridiculous prattle, even threaten court action when I feel threatened. This Christmas, I’m giving everyone who relies on me a pair of big girl panties.”
NEXT FOR X: We Made That
It’s no joke that we Gen Xers blazed a trail for much of the tech we know and love today — video games, social media, MTV, entrepreneurship, blogging. Ok maybe velour tracksuits with the word JUICY on the bottom weren’t the greatest invention, but hey, we’re not perfect. 👀 This week we’re looking at the ways in which our generation is making the world a better place:
Janet Siroto explores 6 Femtech Pioneers Who Revolutionized Women's Health
Our future includes: Butler Robots, Dr. Toilets and More…
Neil Kramer on The Young & Cordless: The Story of the Robot Maid
Next For X, sponsored by #disruptaging
OBSESSED: My Hyper-Local Buy Nothing Facebook Group
The rules were simple: "We allow three kinds of posts: gifts (of items or service), asks (of items or service), and gratitude. That's it." I scrolled through the feed, mesmerized by the sheer amount of stuff that was being given away, everything from kids’ snowsuits to expensive furniture. The ISO ("in search of") posts were oddly specific: a 30-foot ethernet cable, 2 wide-mouth Mason jars for sauerkraut making, and my favorite: "1-2 overripe bananas. Urgent, making banana bread."
All this without political rants or celebrity gossip. That first night I scrolled for hours, feeling calmer and more centered than I had in months.
My first post was a list of pet supplies after my best friend, Delilah, died. Senior formula food, elevated bowls, tiny reusable diapers with flamingos on them. I included a picture of me and D and hit "post." Within the day, the painful reminders of Delilah's last months were whisked off to new homes and replaced by kind condolences from strangers.
A couple weeks later, right before a blizzard, I unexpectedly welcomed a scrappy little puppy named Sunshine into my home. I posted “ISO puppy coat” with a photo of her, and the next day Sunshine experienced her first snow — in her new coat.
This “buy nothing” group has been the antidote for my pandemic anxiety/doomscrolling. Now when I scroll, I imagine where I'd put that gorgeous armoire or who might want my collection of herbal teas.
— Colleen Hindsley
Have a great week, TueNighters!