THIS WEEK
WATCH: Now streaming for potty mouths: History of Swear Words, a six-part comedy series on the origin, usage, and impact of expletives. Friday: Watch a recording of the Bowie musical Lazarus to celebrate his 74th birthday. Martin Scorcese’s second Fran Lebowitz documentary Pretend it’s a City drops Friday. Feast your eyes on the Bridgerton costume warehouse. ICYMI: Alaska Airlines’ “Safety Dance” video wins the internet — and our Gen-X hearts.
READ: Ann Patchett is utterly charming and we’re adding all her recs to our list. No more Zoom birthday parties, and other reasons to be optimistic this year, plus 11 little ways to make 2021 feel like a fresh start. Great interview with Tracee Ellis Ross on her best and worst habits. Tressie McMillan Cottom on Bridgerton and Black elites. “David is in our hearts and minds on a daily basis, for all of us” — Iman remembers Bowie here and here — both worth reading.
LISTEN: 50 songs from the last 50 years — in less than five minutes. (The ‘80s segment is obviously the best part.) Rolling Stone’s podcast about The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Some podcasts to help with New Year's resolutions.
(Image: Netflix)
OBSESSED: DampRid Bags
After reading this blog post about how to get rid of the moisture in your front-loading washing machine — with a magnet and a DampRid bag — I had to see this sorcery for myself. Not that my appliances stink, but I do live in damp San Francisco, and like many people, I am trapped at home and bored out of my goddamn mind. A home improvement product that requires zero effort? Yes please. Add to cart.
Nothing happened overnight in the washer, so I hung the bag on a wall hook. That was two weeks ago. As of this afternoon, the bag is holding about three inches of water that it magically sucked out of the air. Instead of watching paint dry, I’m watching water accumulate — “Look! It dripped!” — and wondering how many of these bags I’d need if I lived in a really rainy place like Seattle or London. I’m a tad worried about what I will do to pass the time once the bag fills up and/or is no longer exciting, so if you know of any magical products that can suck the dirt out of my bathroom while I sleep, please send me the link.
— Margaret Crandall
(Photo: DampRid)
STORY: Walking It Off: How My Morning Habit Helped Me Find Myself Again
By Alexandra Rosas
“Two years ago, exercise became a struggle and was easily put aside for any excuse, but I have taught myself that walking is not an option. It’s a must-do. And now that I associate it with so many rewards — the peace, the time away, the visualization of a healthy mind and body — I have come to look forward to the time spent walking.”
(Psst: Want to write for us? Pitch us here!)
TueNight 10: Eva Tenuto
Age: 47.
Basic bio: Eva is a Gen-X storyteller who co-founded and leads TMI Project, a non-profit that helps people divulge the "TMI" parts of their stories that they usually leave out. She also co-hosts the TMI Project Podcast, which features true stories by people from historically underrepresented populations often overlooked by mainstream media.
Beyond the bio: One of the most rewarding parts of doing the work I do is seeing what storytellers look like when they step off the stage. It often looks like they’re floating out of the theater. They look taller; lighter. It’s as if something has truly been lifted. To be able to witness that repeatedly fills my spirit. I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do.
What makes you a grown-ass lady? I finally make life choices based on what serves me best and what I’m actually capable of, rather than based on what I expect I should be able to do, or what I think others expect from me.
Here’s her TueNight 10:
1. On the nightstand: Phone, lots of jewelry I haven’t worn in nearly a year, empty vials of Omega 3 infused with melatonin, my glasses (progressives, of course), water, and possibly a puppy harness.
2. Can't stop/won't stop: I won't stop working with people to share the stories they need to tell in order to free themselves of the burdens of shame and stigma.
3. Jam of the minute: I’m obsessed with a dance class I take a few times a week; it’s my middle-aged way of going clubbing. My current favorite song to dance to is “Cunanga” by Os Paulatinamente.
4. Thing I miss: Hugging my nephew and holding my niece.
5. ’80s crush: Prince.
6. Current crush: Prince (and Lizzo, but it will always be Prince forever!).
7. Latest fave find: This Zyllion Shiatsu heated back and neck massager! It's helped these months when bodywork has been hard to come by.
8. Last thing you lost: When I’m stressed the first thing I lose is word retrieval.
9. Best thing that happened recently: Dr. Elizabeth Lorde-Rollins (Audre Lorde’s daughter) read "The Mother," a poem by Gwendolyn Brooks, on a recent segment of Inside Black Stories Matter, a quarterly TMI Project program. I was in awe and it was an honor to bear witness.
10. Looking forward to: Hugging people I love and seeing their unmasked smiles.
Happy New Year, TueNighters!