“I worry that choosing the essay form implies that I know something. Because today… I feel that I know next to nothing.”
- Sarah Ruhl, 100 Essays I Don’t Have Time to Write
Hello! I skipped last week because of the Sunday Scaries of all of 2021, and this week is similarly feeling impossible after a week of cramps, a COVID scare, and oh, an insurrection by Nazis at the Capitol.
Like the brilliant Sarah Ruhl, I feel that having this newsletter implies that I know something though I feel that I know next to nothing.
But I do know things! Many things! But for the sake of my brainspace, this week will be less Things I Know (aka writing) and more Things I Saw (aka copy and pasting). Now, onto the content.
the movies i’ve watched recently
I recommend them all! Here’s me avoiding writing about them by quoting other peoples’ reviews instead:
The Kingmaker - “superbly revealing documentary about Imelda Marcos, the former First Lady of the Philippines, is a fascinating and horrifying must-see”
Small Axe: Lovers Rock - “a woozy, musical fever dream”
You can follow me on Letterboxd here.
the (reality) tv that makes me smile
Great British Bake Off (Netflix) (rewatch!) - What more is there to say?
Great British Bake Off: Master Class (Netflix) - It is unsettling to see Paul Hollywood as a Real Human with a Personality and Emotions, but also incredibly calming. Merry Berry is perfection, and should be the new face of Ann Taylor Loft.
Candy Land (Food Network) - Kristin Chenoweth remains a spritely delight. We just have the finale left to watch!
the music that’s made me nod along
I cannot stop listening to the song “drivers license” by Olivia Rodrigo, which sounds like a 2021 “All Too Well” (yes, that’s a good thing.) Here is a Tik Tok describing the drama behind it is (which, I guess, has something to do with High School Musical: The Musical… tv show?). I don’t know, I’m a just a millennial (<- a word I still have to google to spell correctly), and here to humbly learn from the youth.
Unlike Olivia, I do not know how to drive but like Olivia, I love angst. This song slaps.
And of course, if Taylor Alison likes something, I am bound to like it too.
The other songs on constant rotation:
You can follow me on Spotify here!
the miscellaneous section of my twitter bookmarks
I think that this bass-heavy sea shanty layered Tik Tok is the ultimate ASMR for me.
I don’t know anything about “sports,” but I would wear the heck out of these bisexuality-inspired uniforms.
I appreciate this thread on cultural appropriation vs. cultural exchange, in the wake of the Hilaria Baldwin hubub. Click through for the full thing!
And to close, this nice tweet about reparenting, which is something I’m thinking about a lot, having started going to ACA last week.
I think that’s all for this week? We’ll see what next week brings.
Have any topics or media you want to hear me write about? Reply to this newsletter and let me know!
Til next time,
AC
And now for spon con time:
I sell genderfull merch on my Teepublic. I tweet things (request me!) on Twitter. I post things on Instagram as well as Facebook. And I have a website. I’m also on Letterboxd.
Secondly, this newsletter is totally free! But if you’re so inclined, I’m @callmethey on venmo, $mxacdumlao on cash app, and I’m also on paypal: paypal.me/mxacdumlao
Finally, if you’re reading this, I like you. Lots.