issue #63 - the blurry one

“Riddle me this, Riddle me that, During quarantine, Did I get a bit fat?”

My husband is back to making his dad jokes.

Rho is back to staging all his Avengers and ‘making movies.’

Rhaki is learning that this is actually his home.

And I typed this up sitting in my favorite chair, watching old episodes of Ladies Of London and sipping tea in my favorite mug.

It’s been a readjustment week, for sure. There’s a lot I miss about being with my parents. And there’s a lot I love about being home.

And there’s readjusting to life at home, and the blur this week has been.

A good blur. But blurry, nonetheless.

Books, books, books!

• How To Fail At Flirting (ARC provided by NetGalley, out December 1) - I didn’t have it in me to read anything deep or impactful this week, and this novel was a solid option. It did tackle some serious issues (trigger warning - assault and verbal + physical abuse), but it also was a light-hearted, easy read based in academia that was good but not something that’s stuck with me beyond finishing it.

The Top 5

1. Doctors have gotten better at treating coronavirus patients (Axios)

2. Cable News Anchor Harris Faulkner On Practicing Self-Care While Covering Black Trauma In The News (Essence)

3. Director Smriti Mundhra On New Dating Show and the Business of Indian Matchmaking (Jezebel)

4. Aparna Shewakramani of Indian Matchmaking Doesn't Want to Change for Love (Oprah Magazine)

5. Warning—Apple Suddenly Catches TikTok Secretly Spying On Millions Of iPhone Users (Forbes) - important to note that this article is older (published last month) and that TikTok pushed a major security update to resolve this.

The Catch Up

Monday

• Editorial: Not under siege, but a city in need (The Oregonian)

• The New Nanny Novel Is a Political Statement (Vogue)

• Who’s Afraid of Ziwe Fumudoh? (Vulture)

• Stop Arguing About Schools Opening This Fall. Start Fighting for Paid Leave and Childcare (Working Mother)

Tuesday

• Hospitals Are Suddenly Short of Young Doctors — Because of Trump’s Visa Ban (ProPublica)

• Sarah Kunst, Managing Director of Cleo Capital, Is A True Trailblazer (AllRaise)

• The economic activism of the civil rights movement (Axios)

• The World’s Most Dangerous Alliance (The Dispatch)

Wednesday

• Biden releases $700B caregivers plan (Axios)

• How to fix the Covid-19 dumpster fire in the U.S. (STAT)

• Travel Writing Needs More Journalists of Color (Condé Nast Traveler)

• A Group Of Moms Formed A Human Wall To Protect Portland Protesters From Federal Officers (BuzzFeed News)

Thursday

• 3M pairs with MIT to develop a paper-based coronavirus diagnostic test (FierceBiotech)

• 'Change Can Happen': Black Families On Racism, Hope And Parenting (NPR)

• Presidents don’t have much effect on the stock market (Axios)

• Wall Street prepares for the "blue wave" Democratic sweep (Axios)

Friday

• ‘Self Care Shouldn’t Be the End Goal’ (The Cut)

• 10 myths about the racial wealth gap (Axios)

• Mira Sorvino Answers Every Question We Have About Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (Vulture)

• The proof is in the sewage: hundreds of Yosemite visitors may have had coronavirus (The Guardian)

Things I Love This Week

• My hair is out of control. It’s the longest it’s been in over 10 years, a mix of different textures, and just a hot mess. The only two items that help me tame it are these heavy duty hair ties and Ranavat’s hair serum, which I’ve been using instead of hairspray and my hair is far happier for it.

• These kiddie pools might be the best thing I bought all summer. Rho loves the unicorn, which leaves Rhaki with the llama, and the combination of sun and water tires my kids out so much that they sleep soundly all night long. I’m grateful that we have some outdoor space here for the kids tot play and for us to get fresh air safely.

• I won’t speak of the influencer who knocked her off (you can read about that here), but I will sing the praises of Second Wind’s linen face masks and attached chain, which makes mask wearing so goddamn chic. The mask in oatmeal is the only one left in stock, but is worth snagging while you can. The brand is Latinx owned and produced here in New York.

• If Manuka honey isn’t a part of your skincare routine, ADD IT. It’s hydrating and anti-bacterial and basically a miracle product to prevent and treat maskne. I use Naturopathica’s Manuka honey cleanser every night with my PMD cleansing wand. The brand’s new Manuka honey mask is incredible - hydrating, deeply cleansing, and a new weekly addition to my skincare routine.

• On the beauty front, do your body a favor and ditch your loofah for a Luvscrub. Grace first recommended it here and has continued to sing its praises, and I GET THE HYPE. This scrubby length of cloth leaves my skin soft as butter and satisfyingly scratches my back, and the open weave texture allows it to dry fully and quickly, minimizing any bacterial buildup that comes with traditional loofahs. Luvscrub is also a Black woman-owned business and rooted in Ghanan tradition. It’s good for your skin, and even better for your soul.

Looking for my favorite things? You can find them here.

If you like what I’m sending, please forward it with someone you love (or someone you don’t). Or both. Everyone could use some smart reads in their life.

xo, HPN